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1 World Manga—What's it All About?
If you've been following the stories of Rei, the orphaned teenager, you've also been reading about poverty, AIDS, global warming, and other development issues.
Except, with all the wisecracks, fast-paced adventures, and touching stories, you probably didn't even realize how much you just learned!
This series of manga, or Japanese-style comics, was copublished by manga powerhouse VIZ Media and the World Bank. It follows the escapades of Rei, who survives a tough life on the streets by his wits and guts alone, and dreams of becoming the world's greatest martial artist. With the arrival of a mysterious master on the scene, his training begins. Except that this master—who takes the form of a different animal with each appearance—seems to be teaching Rei about everything except how to fight! Under his guidance, Rei explores all corners of the world to cook for a hungry family, fall in love, solve the mystery of the vanishing fish, baby-sit, get attacked by a shark, ride an elephant, wrestle a jaguar, get tied up and thrown into the ocean, get kidnapped by soldiers, get a tan, expose corrupt public officials, save orphans—and even transform into something completely shocking!
The Passages
For those of you who've been missing out, here's a brief synopsis of each book published to date:
 Passage 1: Poverty—A Ray of Light
Rei meets Ayeesha, a young woman struggling to pull herself and her family out of poverty. Her situation is made worse by a husband who has been crippled and psychologically scarred by war. But Rei and Ayeesha find an innovative way to improve the family's financial situation: by banding together with other women in a microfinance project to sell eggs in the village.
Passage 2: HIV/AIDS—First Love
Rei falls in love with Somalee, a feisty young cocktail waitress who is hiding a terrible family secret: her mother is dying of AIDS, and her little sister, Bissy, may also be infected. With the help of his animal spirit guide—now a horse—Rei accompanies Somalee and her siblings to her aunt's village, which has been devastated by AIDS. But there is also some hope: Somalee's relatives have committed themselves to care for village orphans who have lost their parents to the disease. Through his brief but intense encounter with Somalee, Rei also learns a bittersweet lesson about first love.
Passage 3: Global Warming—The Lagoon of the Vanishing Fish
Rei's training mission takes him to an island paradise complete with coral reefs, fluorescent fish, pristine beaches—and a jabbering monkey spirit guide. While there he befriends an aged fisherman and his family who are in danger of losing their homes and livelihoods because of alarming changes in the ecosystem. What is the secret behind the lagoon of the vanishing fish? Rei puts his life on the line as he tries to stop the unseen forces threatening to swallow up this tropical sanctuary.
Passage 4: Child Soldiers—Of Boys and Men
Rei finds his way through a jungle, where he befriends a little boy and girl, who invite him to their home. While sharing supper with them, mercenaries break into the house and kidnap Rei and the two kids. They are forced to fight in an illegal army along with other children stolen from their homes and families. Rei plots a secret escape plan for the children, but will one of the young soldiers choose to side with the rebel leaders instead?
Passage 5: Girls' Education—Life Lessons
Rei meets Rajani, a young woman who is running away from a forced marriage to a man she doesn't love. She is determined to get an education and support herself. Meanwhile, because of a malfunction in his master's magic, he is transformed into a girl named Reina! Reina attends school with Rajani and learns firsthand about the disadvantages girls face in and out of the classroom that hinder them from learning. As the story comes to its climax, Reina gets a clue about his long-lost sister, before he morphs into something else …
Passage 6: Corruption
Having learned where his long-lost sister is, Rei starts looking for official records that could help locate her. He's asked for a bribe and so confronts head-on the problems of corruption. He also meets an aspiring young reporter who is helping her mother—an investigative journalist—report on corruption among public officials. They happen to witness a new bridge collapsing on its opening day. On the quest to uncover this tragedy, which killed many, they discover a trail of corruption. In the process, Rei is reunited with his sister, and the two move on to find the rest of their family and the next challenge.
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Good news for fans!