REVIEW: ‘Tamamo-chan’s a Fox!’ Volume 1

Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1 is a brand new title from Seven Seas Entertainment. The story follows Fushimi Tamamo, a fox from the famous Inari Shrine in Kyoto. Only, instead of granting wishes and answering prayers, she’s trying out life as a high school girl!

Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1 was written and illustrated by Yuuki Ray. Wesley O’Donnell is handing Tamamo-chan’s translation, with Casey Lucas handling the adaptation. Additionally, Carolina Hernadez Mendoza is the letterer for the volume. Mendoza is also handling the touch-up for Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1 as well.  KC Fabellon designed Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1’s adorable cover. Dawn Davis is the series’ proofreader. Finally, Shanti Whitesides is Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1’s editor.

As I said in the introduction, Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1 follows Fushimi Tpamamo, a fox from Kyoto’s Inari Shrine. Longing to try out high school life, Tamamo transforms herself into a human girl. However, Tamamo-chan’s no master of disguise. In fact, it seems like she’s still a bit furry all over. Fortunate for her, adults don’t seem to notice anything too unusual about Tamamo, save for her cheek marks. Unfortunately, all the kids in Tamamo’s class and school absolutely do notice her foxy features. Thankfully, they’re more than willing to keep Tamamo’s secret, no matter how weird things might get.

It’s clear that a lot of care went into Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1. The translation is excellent. I liked the inclusion of words like “pupper” to describe Tamamo. It adds to her perceived cuteness and gives the text a lot of flavor! In fact, Wesley O’Donnell has wisely made the translation sound like actual teens instead of just fictional characters. I always like seeing that extra bit of effort.

Additionally, Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1‘s lettering is really well-balanced and quite dynamic. In fact, I couldn’t help but notice how lovely the sound effects were lettered. Carolina Hernadez Mendoza really brought her a-game to this series. Really, all of the hands who touched this volume helped make it the enjoyable read it truly is.

A lot of the comedy in Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1 comes from watching what amounts to a minor deity attempting to blend in with a bunch of high schoolers. There’s also a great deal of comedy around Tamamo being a deity, and the students all feeling like they need to respect her a bit more than their peers. Even more, comedy comes from Tamamo’s antics, especially since she’s so easily excited!

It also helps that Tamamo-chan’s art is really, really cute. Coupled with her very fluffy tail and general floof, Tamamo almost always looks adorable. Her antics and generally excitable personality only serve to increase that further. Honestly, if you’re anything like me, you’ll close this volume desperately wanting to cheer Tamamo-chan on! (And maybe get her a human world snack!)

Personally, I found Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1 to be extremely enjoyable. I don’t think it’ll ever get super plotty, but I do think there’s a strong chance that this series will remain incredibly charming. Tamamo is a fantastically hilarious lead, especially since she’s such a fish out of water. Additionally, it’s sweet watching her classmates look out for her, especially since they’re all too aware that Tamamo isn’t the high school girl she appears to be.

Manga fans looking for a light, comedic, slice of life series about a supernatural being will find Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1 a pretty solid read. It’s cute, it’s charming, and honestly, Tamamo-chan is the best fox girl. I know I certainly enjoyed my read. In fact, I can’t wait to review the next volume!

Tamamo-chan’s a Fox Volume 1 is available now.