365 Days of Manga, Day 153: Psycho Busters!

PSYCHO BUSTERS (????????) • Yuya Aoki (story), Akinari Nao (art) • Del Rey (2007-ongoing) • Kodansha (Shonen Magazine Special, 2006-2008) • 7 volumes • Shônen Psychic Battle Adventure • 16+ (mild language, violence, partial nudity, sexual situations)
Spin-off/adaptation of Yuya Aoki’s untranslated light novels. Kakeru, a nerdy kid who likes to play video games and masturbate, is recruited by teenage psychics on the run from the “Greenhouse,” an evil organization. As he falls in love with Ayano, the telepathic eye-candy girl who has never known a real life or real human emotions, the heroes are attacked by bad guys with powers such as telekinesis, teleportation and the ability to create illusions. Similar to a stripped-down, less detailed version of Aoki’s Getbackers, Psycho Busters is a combination of suspense, superpowers and fan service–a sexy teacher, the hero waking up next to a cute girl, etc. On the upside, the fight scenes have clever cliffhangers, although the hero’s psychic power, once revealed, is a little too much of a deus ex machina. Akinari Nao’s plain but clear art is done in the Kodansha shonen manga house style.

Today’s winner is Ian H. of Ohio. Congratulations, Ian!