Alice in the Country of Hearts, Vol 1-3 by QuinRose

QuinRose. Alice in the Country of Hearts, Vol. 1. NewYork, NY:Yen Press, 2012.

ISBN 978-0316212694  $18.99  370 pages. Rated: Older Teen

QuinRose. Alice in the Country of Hearts, Vol. 2. NewYork, NY:Yen Press, 2012.

ISBN 978-0316212687  $18.99  370 pages. Rated: Older Teen

QuinRose. Alice in the Country of Hearts, Vol. 3. NewYork, NY:Yen Press, 2012.

ISBN 978-0316212724   $18.99  364 pages. Rated: Older Teen

Genre: manga, romance, fantasy, shojo, harem, gaming

Summary:

Based on an otome game (dating simulation), this series is an adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.  Alice Liddel is kidnapped by a handsome man with bunny ears and is tricked into the "game." With each person she meets a vial fills with potion and when its filled completely she can go back to her sister.  In Wonderland, the characters or role players fight with guns as life has little value here and Alice is different than the rest. She has a great sense of responsibility and values life and especially those of her friends. As the story progresses, Alice slowly starts to alter those around her as she gets closer to earning her way back home. 

Pros: 

Shrek wold love this series as like an onion there are so many layers here.  First there is the story itself which is engaging and the artwork Soumei Hoshino is beautifully drawn.  The mini-posters/artwork in each volume is scrumptious! Then we have the adaptation of a hugely popular theme -Alice in Wonderland- that gives you a taste of Japanese otaku (overzealous fan).  There is a lot going in the three omnibus volumes that support multiple readings and discoveries.

Cons:  

The books stand well on their own but the ending is weak and rushed leaving some loose ends that can be answered on this spoiler thread here where the reason for 12 characters are explained (each represents a time/hour) and other interesting info from the game.  There are also other versions or character endings to this series but I didn't enjoy them as much as I felt fan service was more the focus there than any actual story.  Speaking of, fans of the original work may find an incubus coughing up blood representing the Caterpillar and violent and twisted twins a little hard to fathom.  I think it's fun but to each his own! 

Want to try a dating sim game on your own? Check out My Candy Love & find game titles from Amazon. I recommend Princess Debut (NDS) and Habuki (PSP).