A pretty standard hero's journey is draped in Chinese folklore and loaded up with slapstick and snark. It's cheesy that once Taitou Shirei has been declared one of the seven heroes who represent a star in the Big Dipper constellation and sets out with his sister to find the other six, he quickly and easily trips over one every time he stops for lunch.

There are a several people credited for the story, scenario and "art configuration," but it seems like Hiromu Arakawa gathered all their stuff together and went off on a lark at the drawing board to create a very fast-paced juvenile adventure that is rated Older Teen because, I suppose, of all the sexual harassment of the sister by gropers and peeping toms. It's nowhere near as good as Silver Spoon or even Fullmetal Alchemist, but I have all five volumes from the library, so I'm going to keep charging through and see where it goes. ( )