Tsuruta Kenji's SPIRIT OF WONDERis a five-issue series produced by Studio Proteus and published by Dark Horse Comics. Issue 1 hit stores in April 1996, with each consecutive issue following on a monthly basis. Its popularity has also prompted its release as an animated feature. SPIRIT OF WONDER: MISS CHINA'S RING is currently available subtitled or dubbed in English through AnimEigo.
The casual reader will immediately notice the beautiful art and unique style. Upon reading, the reader will become engrossed in the delightful characters and charming story. It is a world where the fantastic and the realistic can co-exist.
In the SPIRIT OF WONDER, a small, rustic, European village is the setting for the startling events which occur. It is here that an exuberant and often eccentric inventor (Dr. Breckenridge) and his apprentice (Jim Floyd) can create something truly wondrous. But they are constantly torn between financing their latest, greatest gadget and paying the rent. The fact that they consistently choose the former option is a constant annoyance to the landlord, Miss China. Sometimes it seems as though the only reason she endures the chronically rent-challenged Dr. Breckenridge is because of the feelings she holds for his apprentice, Jim Floyd.
In the first issue, Jim makes plans to give Miss China the best birthday present in the world. And when Dr. Breckenridge is involved, you can be sure that his amazing inventions will make it a present to remember. But the next morning, things do not go as planned. Issue two continues the story as Jim decides to give China the 'most beautiful ring in all the world'. You'll learn the truth about Miss China's mysterious ring.
Tsuruta Kenji's inimitable style really brings the reader into the story without forcing the plot. The reader is entrusted with the privilege of interpreting the story by reading the art rather than the dialogue. His use of light and dark really introduces a whole new depth to each page. It is as if each panel was a carefully crafted sculpture painstakingly sewn to form a seamless quilt of story-telling. In an age of "all-flash and no-substance" comic books, Tsuruta's work is the gem which should not be missed.
You will awe at Tsuruta's skillful use of scenery, perspective, and contrast. You will revel at the beauty of the artwork and its style. And you will wonder at the world which is molded so masterfully in this book. Enough cannot be said about the aesthetic quality which this book holds. Tsuruta's beautiful layouts and backgrounds transport the reader into the world of SPIRIT OF as effectively, if not more, as any motion picture.
If you are a fan of the SPIRIT OF WONDER Original Animation Video, then you will love it in its original printed form. The first two issues of the translated manga cover the storyline presented in the SPIRIT OF WONDER: MISS CHINA'S RING. But as of the present, you can only enjoy the further adventures of Miss China, Jim Floyd, and Dr. Breckenridge in the comic.
SPIRIT OF WONDERis easily one of the best manga currently available in America. With Dark Horse releasing THE LEGEND OF MOTHER SARAH, OH MY GODDESS!, YOU'RE UNDER ARREST, and SPIRIT OF WONDER, you can be sure that you will never lack quality material to enjoy. And with the translation being handled by Dana Lewis and Toren Smith, you can be sure that you will never lack accurate, comprehensible, and eloquent dialogue.

--Eugene Cheng