Toto!: The Wonderful Adventure
Toto!: The Wonderful Adventure is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by. It was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from December 2004 to October 2005, with its chapters collected in five volumes. It is the story of a young rambunctious teenage boy named Kakashi exploring his world with his friends. The series was licensed for English release in North America by Del Rey Manga.
Plot
Kakashi is a young islander who dreams of exploring the world beyond his home, a world radically altered by a great war that occurred fifty years prior. He lives alone in a lighthouse after his father, a renowned world traveler, departed and was subsequently presumed dead by many. The arrival of his father's personal journal inspires Kakashi to follow in his footsteps and embark on his own journey. His determination to leave leads him to stow away aboard a zeppelin.Unbeknownst to him, the airship is laden with treasure and is hijacked by a gang of ruthless criminals known as the Man Chicken Family. During the ordeal, Kakashi discovers and befriends a small puppy that possesses latent magical powers. After being discovered by the gang, he surprisingly befriends their leader. Their flight is interrupted when the zeppelin is shot down over the central continent of Oz by the Nassau Imperial Army.
Crashing in a field, Kakashi and the puppy are met by a teenage girl named Dorothy, who immediately takes a liking to the puppy and names him ToTo. When confronted by Imperial troops, Dorothy demonstrates formidable prowess by defeating them with her unique tornado-based martial arts. The three agree to travel together to the Emerald City, where Dorothy intends to visit her parents during a break from her studies. Their journey is complicated by various adversaries who seek the strange magical collar that ToTo wears.
Their progress is halted when a Nassau officer, disguised as an elderly man, deceives the trio and seizes ToTo. With his companions in danger and feeling threatened himself, ToTo's full power is unleashed as he transforms into a gigantic magic dragon that easily defeats the soldiers. Their adventures continue along the transcontinental railroad line known as the Yellow Brick Road, where they befriend a former Imperial soldier turned performer named Noil, and proceed toward the Emerald City.
Characters
Kakashi: A teenage boy who embarks on a journey to see the world after inheriting his father's journal.ToTo: A small dog previously subjected to experiments with an "artifact" by the Nassau Imperial Army, later found and freed by Kakashi.Dorothy: A student at Kansas Academy, characterized by her solitude and proficiency in martial arts.Noil: A former soldier of the Nassau army who now works as a performer, despite struggling with stage fright.Alice: A gang leader who allies with Kakashi after he and his companions assist in combating the criminal Rabbit Gang.Publication
Written and illustrated by, Toto!: The Wonderful Adventure was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from December 8, 2004, to October 12, 2005. Kodansha collected its chapters in five volumes, released from April 15 to November 17, 2005.The series was licensed for English release in North America by Del Rey Manga. The five volumes were released from May 15, 2008, to March 2009.