Sometimes it's the simple stories that are the most memorable. Magic Knight Rayearth manages to be just that: an enjoyable tale that doesn't deviate from the traditional fantasy-style formula too much. Despite this, there are still a good amount of unforeseen twists and turns that keep the reader interested in what will happen next. Beyond that, it is a very fun and moving story that takes you through your typical 'save the princess' type of fantasy adventure.

Magic Knight Rayearth is simple, but don't let that discourage you. Originally written by the famous all-girl manga group, CLAMP, this story holds the honor of being one of their first published works. The adventure begins on a school trip to Tokyo tower where a group of three different schools meet each other. From each of these schools are Hikaru Shidou, a tomboyish girl who oozes a playful and cute, yet clueless personality, Umi Ryuuzaki, a beautifully elegant yet serious daughter of a rich family, and Fuu Hououji, a kind and caring girl with a soft and graceful personality.

Not before long, a light flashes and the three young ladies are whisked away to a world known as Cephiro, a world where everything from the sky to the ground below is controlled by the heart and prayers of one sole being. After being attacked by a vicious monster, they are saved by a great magician named Clef and are told that they are to become the prophesized Magic Knights to save the princess from her evil captor. It is revealed that the princess is this world's 'pillar', and her role is to exist forever alone in order to shape the world with the power of her heart. Along with a magical creature named Mokona, they begin their adventure to wake the Mashin and save the world from ruin.

Aside from the typical fantasy elements that are beautifully detailed in CLAMP's stunning artwork, I fell in love with the cast of characters that we get to know along the way. While the manga is a short six volumes total, enough time is spread throughout all of the cast to make it feel as though we really got to know all of them individually. There is a great mix of humor and action that makes the characters feel alive, rather than some generic protagonist that are set to accomplish their task and nothing else. All of the main cast has their individual charm and are very fun and likable all the way through. While some of the villainous characters remained fairly uninteresting, I couldn't help but love the exchanges between them and the protagonists.

Unfortunately, not everything was up to snuff when it comes right down to it. CLAMP isn't exactly known for their impressive battle manga, and it really shows in Magic Knight Rayearth. The fight scenes are generally unimpressive, and to put it bluntly, rather dull. There really isn't any fear of the main characters losing their battles, nor do the battles last longer than a swing or two of the sword. The panels remain rather messy and bland, which is a stark contrast from the rest of their beautiful artwork that makes this manga shine. At the very least, there is more to the story than fighting evil monsters or villainous scum, so it's not a major loss; however, it is definitely disappointing knowing that the hybrid genre of a magical-girl fantasy mecha doesn't have quality battle sequences. While it's not bad, it isn't that great and really remains to be the only major issue I have with the work itself.

Aside from the aforementioned action panels, every bit and piece of art is absolutely breathtaking. The characters are designed with such detail that will leave you in an absolutely wonderous state. I really can't say enough about how beautiful and strong the art direction is, and given that this whole story is put together by a group of people that all work together for a collective goal, it's even more amazing that their combined talents can stay consistent and beautiful all the same.

Magic Knight Rayearth isn't the best manga I've ever read, but it's certainly a very good one. It's a classic piece that deserves to be loved for what it is, no matter how simple it seems on the outside. It manages to hold a large amount of substance without breaking too far out of the boundaries that would normally defy the reader's expectations. While it might not be the best battle manga, it has a lot of heart put into it and is clearly a beautiful piece that screams of influence from the romantic period. It's more than beautiful, it's magic.