Fairy Tail is one of the standout shonen series released in the 21st century, and it ranks among the best to emerge outside the influential Weekly Shonen Jump. Instead, it comes from Weekly Shonen Magazine. While the series is impressive, I find myself questioning the necessity of this new omnibus collection.
Setting the Scene
For those unfamiliar with Fairy Tail, the story unfolds in the magical kingdom of Fiore. It follows Lucy Heartfilia, a celestial wizard who uses magic keys to summon powerful beings based on constellations. Lucy dreams of joining the renowned wizard guild known as “Fairy Tail.” Her journey begins after a fateful encounter with Natsu Dragneel, a dragon slayer wizard trained by Igneel, the dragon who raised him. When villains attempt to deceive Lucy by posing as Fairy Tail members, Natsu comes to her rescue.
Together with Natsu’s loyal winged cat, Happy, Lucy discovers that the Fairy Tail guild is not as wholesome as she imagined. Many guild members, including Natsu, exhibit destructive behavior. For instance, Natsu suffers from chronic motion sickness, leaving him ill whenever he travels. He also harbors a rivalry with Gray Fullbuster, an ice mage known for his habit of stripping off his clothes. Both are intimidated by Erza Scarlet, one of the guild’s strongest wizards, whose “requip” magic allows her to change into different suits of armor, each with unique powers.
Teamwork and Personal Goals
As Lucy, Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Happy embark on various missions, they also pursue personal goals. Lucy is eager to discover new celestial keys, while Natsu is on a quest to find Igneel, who mysteriously disappeared during his childhood. In this collection, the main plot revolves around their battle against a dark guild called Eisenwald, which seeks a deadly flute named “Lullaby” that kills anyone who hears its music.
Production Quality
Given the extensive reviews of Fairy Tail on AUKN, I won’t delve into the plot details here. Instead, I want to focus on the production by Kodansha. This omnibus edition maintains the same translation from the original series, handled by William Flanagan. The translation is solid, and Flanagan includes helpful notes, such as explaining that “Eisenwald” means “Iron Forest” in German. The lettering is adequate but not particularly remarkable, and each individual volume includes nice translation notes.
A Questionable Need for the Omnibus
Despite the quality of the series, I’m not convinced of the necessity for this omnibus edition. It seems primarily useful as an introduction to Fairy Tail, but I believe previous releases offer a better experience. One significant issue with this omnibus is its larger A5 size (148 x 210mm), which deviates from the standard tankobon B6 page size (125 x 176mm). This wouldn’t be a problem for individual volumes or a sturdy hardcover, but this near-600-page paperback feels unwieldy. The size detracts from the overall reading experience. Kodansha had previously released part of the story as a “Master’s Edition,” which was even larger. Perhaps they intended to scale down from that?
Alternatives for Reading
Additionally, there are many other ways to enjoy Fairy Tail. While this omnibus is only available in print, individual volumes are accessible in both print and digital formats. For those with certain website subscriptions, these volumes can be read for free. So why purchase this bulky collection when you can explore the series without cost and save space on your shelf? Alternatively, larger box sets of the series in standard tankobon size are available for those who prefer physical copies, offering a more comfortable reading experience.
Final Thoughts
While Fairy Tail is an excellent series that I would recommend, there are better options for experiencing it. This omnibus doesn’t serve as the best introduction for new readers, and I would suggest exploring alternative routes to engage those who are yet to discover this beloved story.
