Magic Shoe Shop

Status: Finished

Meet Number 9, the humanoid robot servant for young lord Liffeti. The setting is in a steampunk-reminiscent world where science and magic coexist. Number 9 enters the shop of shoemaker Machika, who can make any kind of shoes, with a single wish—“I want shoes that can stop dreams, please.” And so the story begins.

I know what you’re probably thinking—Chobits, right? I guess it’s hard not to, considering how it is the manga about robot/human love. But Magic Shoe Shop really outdoes the genre, despite being only an oneshot, and within its fifty-or-so pages, you fall in love with both the story and characters alike before you know it. And believe you me, it’s as far from Chobits as it can get, so no worries about déjà-vus here.

Art – 9.0 / 10.0
It’s by the same mangaka who made Rockin’ Heaven, only minus all the purple hair (thank God). It also keeps the bubbliness and sparkles to a minimum, as it’s not so much a comedy as it is simply a love story. But the art is gorgeous, the bishie is realistically cute, and Number 9 is simply adorable.

Plot/Concept – 8.7 / 10.0
The plot is... well, special, to say the least. It wasn’t really what I expected, but I’m glad about what I got. It moves at a steady pace despite its short length, and the concept is really interesting.

Characters – 8.9 / 10.0
There were really only three of them—Number 9, Liffeti and Machika—but I really liked them, regardless. Number 9 is one of the most unique heroines I’ve seen up to date—in a normal manga, she’d most likely have passed off for a sidekick—and Liffeti is like one of the male leads you see in high school shoujo pre-angst-mode (i.e, as they’re usually depicted in the here’s-how-I-used-to-be-before-my-depressing-past storytelling that we all know). And Machika... well, he’s just plain awesomeness, really.

Romance – 8.5 / 10.0
Liffeti and Number 9 makes a refreshing combo with a smooth chemistry that leaves little space for drama but just enough to give the whole story a little doki-doki effect. The romance is surprisingly down-to-earth despite its fantasy genre. What I do find slightly annoying, though, is how everything clicks together so coincidentally and smoothly; almost a bit too smoothly. It gives the romance a bit of an unrealistic touch I’m not quite fond of.

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All in all, Magic Shoe Shop is really cute. If you’re looking for a light yet good read, this one won’t disappoint you. But the ‘wow’-factor isn’t high, so it’ll most likely not stick on your mind for long—but it’s always worth a reread in case you forget. I know for sure I won’t tire of the sweetness of this piece of eyecandy.

Overall Rating – 8.8 / 10.0

Credits for scans: Loyal Kiss