Guardian Hearts: Volume 1    by Sae Amatsu Order:  USA  Can TOKYOPOP, 2008 (2008) Paperback     Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto Harem manga tend to be humorous, but Guardian Hearts takes the comedy cake. Sae Amatsu has penned a harem manga that pulls out all the stops and does not leave a singe magical girl type out. Kazuya lives alone with his mother – or at least they are alone until his mother starts taking in stray girls. First is Hina, a space alien superhero who accidentally reveals her true identity to Kazuya. She has been sent to earth to redeem herself on her path to joining the Guardian Hearts. Unknowingly, all of the girls she is fighting soon live under the same roof. Only Kazuya know everyone's identity. Kurusu is the uniform-stealing alien; Maya, the ninja alien; Chelsea, the princess alien; Koto, the Miko alien; and Daisy, the cat-girl alien (actually, Chelsea's mascot). Living in the same house as all these beautiful, but crazy, aliens is starting to mess with Kazuya's life. The first six chapters of Volume 1 are spent introducing the main characters, so that by the time the last chapter rolls around, a story involving all of them can finally start. However, as in most harem manga, there is no real plot line, just a lot of comedic situation involving the hero and one or more of the girls. What makes Guardian Hearts so much fun is that each girl is a parody of a magical girl type, so even girls can find something to like in a manga that is mostly geared toward boys. Amatsu's artwork is nothing special, but it is the comedy, anyway, that keeps readers enjoying the story. Guardian Hearts by Sae Amatsu makes for a fun read. If female readers can overlook the mild fan service, the humor in this manga will easily appeal to both genders. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews