Publisher's Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old orphan Rei survives by his wits and guts on the mean streets of the world. His fortunes take a strange turn when he meets a trainer wielding some powerful transformational magic who offers to coach him to achieve his dream of becoming the greatest martial artist in the world! But it seems Rei's trainer is more interested in developing his mind, spirit and-ughl-heart than his thrashing, raging, fighting moves! The stakes get higher when Rei meets a young woman fighting just to survive! Can Rei vanquish the specter of poverty...? ""Manga"" are Japanese-style comics or graphic novels which have become the rage among young readers around the world. Teaming up with Viz, the second largest English-language manga publisher, the Bank has launched a new series of comic books, each highlighting a key development issue. The stories follow the adventures of 15-year-old Rei who discovers that the only way to become a true warrior is to understand the challenges facing the poor and disadvantaged people he befriends along the way. Rei's humorous side-kick is a wise ""spirit guide"" which morphs into different animal guises as it introduces Rei to each new challenge. The first three volumes will focus on poverty, HIV/AIDS, and the environment. An appendix in each book provides further information, websites, and other resources so readers can explore the themes introduced in the story.
