Riku was found at age ten, lost and alone and unable to even remember how to speak Japanese. Despite that, he’s done well for himself in the past five years. He’s happy at school and everything is normal until a friend drags him to a flea market where he runs into a mysterious group who claim that they are his long-lost family. But his new brothers are a strange bunch and may end up causing more trouble for Riku than he can handle!
Suda’s silly manga is mainly an excuse for cute boys, many with cat ears, to run around doing silly cat boy things. The six chapters are fairly light on plot, but long on crazy running around. However, even with minimal character development, Pick of the Litter is still an enjoyable read. Riku is a likable boy, eager to earn money so that he can feed homeless cats, and his brothers, though odd, are genuinely fond of him and seem to have his best interests at heart. The art is chaotic, with lots of sound effects (untranslated), movement lines, and shojo sparkles, but it fits the hyper story. The stories are easy to follow and, though occasionally a character or two will look very similar to another, most of the participants are easy to keep straight. All in all, a fluffy, sweet read that vanishes quickly, but is enjoyable while it lasts, much like cotton candy.
Pick of the Litter, vol. 1
Yuriko Suda
ISBN: 978-1-59816-819-8
TokyoPop, 2007
