Joseph Luster
October 17, 2008 
The second volume of Toto! opens up with a bone-breaking boom or two, as the true identity of the titular dog is revealed. Though simply reading a plot synopsis here or there may have drawn you to a similar conclusion, Toto and the colossal dragon from the end of the first volume are one and the same. Shortly after Kakashi discovers this, a series of desperate situations forces him to unwittingly fuse with Toto, granting him the power to wield the dog via his collar, now attached to Kakashi’s arm like some ancient trinket.
This is where the main hook of the series comes in to play. An encounter with the malevolent Corporal Chopin serves as a brief display of his horrible power, and the following explanation is a sign of things to come: twelve accessories in total that have immense destructive power. That should be a pretty good indication of how Kakashi and Dorothy’s journey is going to progress and, in classic shonen style, promises a set number of threatening encounters in the future.
Volume two also adds a new companion to the mix in the form of Noil, a soldier the gang meets in the Locomotive Town of Dego City. Like Kakashi, he aspires to something his current situation can’t offer: he wants to be a master comedian; doesn’t care much for the life of a soldier. After taking Kakashi in as his “comedy disciple,” they’re soon all together with the heat of the army blazing harshly on their backs.
The first few chapters of Toto! were fun, but things have become a little more interesting in this second collection. Like Julian said in his review of volume one, Toto isn’t safe from the strict demands of shonen storytelling. It’s very formulaic, and Kakashi isn’t exactly the first kid exploding with youth to strive for adventure with a positive attitude. Still, it works for the story, and doesn’t wear thin throughout the subsequent chapters because Yuko Osada’s art is charming enough to turn pages and goad the reader on to the next chapter.
The only place Osada’s design skills really falter is in the way Toto appears as an accessory. It might be one of the ugliest manga weapons out there, and I’ve seen a lot of half-baked arm, leg and butt cannons. It’s a good thing Kakashi can keep Toto in check within his bracelet, or things might really get nasty. Other than that, Toto! is continuing to move the story forward quickly, proving chapter by chapter that it’s working hard to earn the “Wonderful Adventure” subtitle. Turn Toto back into a cute dog and we’ll really have a winner on our hands.
Publisher: Del Rey
Story & Art: Yuko Osada
Rating: T 13+
© 2005 by Yuko Osada
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