Mecha-Ude: Mechanical Arms (Volume 1) by Yoshino Koyoka
Published by Scholastic ISBN: 154614255X
Genres: Science Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads

Middle schooler Hikaru’s world is turned upside down when a mysterious mechanical arm fuses with his hoodie. It turns out that the arm has a name, Alma, and it is a sentient being that has zero recollection of what or who it is. There is little time to figure it out as it becomes increasingly clear that Alma is highly valuable and is being sought by dangerous organizations.

While manga is often the inspiration for anime, in Mecha-Ude’s case the anime came first, which is apparent in how the story is told, and the amount of action on each page. It’s also in color, which some readers might enjoy as a break from the traditional black and white format. Younger readers looking to start reading manga might enjoy the action sequences, though the plot is somewhat hard to follow. Contains a helpful explanation of Japanese honorifics.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath