Amefurashi the Rain Goddess Volume 1

Story and Art: Atsushi Suzumi Rating: Teen

In the heart of a dessert, a small village receives its much needed water from a nearby nimbus tree by making offerings to its owner, the goddess Amefurashi. In exchange for the rain, the town must offer a newly crafted doll. Gimmy a teenaged inventor and resident repairman, known for his skilled workmanship, is tasked by the village elder to build a doll, something he has never done before. As time ticks away, Gimmy begins to panics, prompting his siblings, Mil and Mel, to dress up as dolls and present themselves as the offering. Realizing too late what happened, Gimmy is forced to ascend the nimbus tree, coming face to face with the Amefurashi; a sassy teenage girl named Sora.

Gimmy makes several attempts at tricking the goddess into returning his brother and sister but Sora isn’t having any of it. Finally, he convinces her to release them by promising to make several new dolls for her. Despite agreeing to the proposed trade, the Amefurashi is still skeptical and decides to follow Gimmy into town to make sure he upholds his end of the deal; in doing so, Sora becomes weakened, creating several problems for the tiny desert community such as the water returning to the tree and the arrival of another Amefurashi.

Amefurashi features pleasant artwork with lively character designs and intricate backgrounds. The designs fit the characters well, making them easily identifiable.

The plot is straightforward and easy to follow suggesting that the title is better suited for younger audiences. Some explanation into the history of the Amefurashi and the nimbus tree would have made for a more compelling read.

Amefurashi delivers a promising start despite the plot lacking depth. While the characters and their backgrounds have yet to be explored, the volume does set up the rest of the series nicely and even foreshadows the potential for expanding the story further.

Amefurashi the Rain Goddess Volume 1 - B-