Reborn by Akira Amano – Review

Tsuna skips school at his junior high so much that his grades are awful, so his mother hires a tutor to help bring his grades up.  Reborn isn’t just any tutor; this strange tiny boy is actually an assassin who wants to make Tsuna into a mafia boss, and he is going to live with Tsuna until his grades improve, according to Tsuna’s mother.  When Reborn shoots Tsuna with a deathperation shot, Tsuna suddenly realizes how awesome he can be and what potential he has wasted.  He becomes brave and daring with the shot, which makes him wonder what he could do if his life depended on it.  He learns that he is a descendant of a crime boss and that is why Reborn has been sent to help him become the leader he is meant to be. 

The road is rocky and hilarious, as Tsuna must deal with the consequences of his actions after a deathperation shot even after the effects wear off and he is insecure and incompetent again after displaying superhuman abilities and confidence to his classmates.  Adding to the humor is Reborn’s shape-shifting chameleon Leon, which sits on his top hat, and Lambo, a weird kid in a cow suit who tries to kill Reborn because they are from different crime families.  At one point an exasperated Tsuna calls Reborn and Lambo a “couple of insane toddlers,” and he is not far from the mark.  This story had me laughing out loud and shaking my head at the ridiculousness of it all – great fun.  Rated Older Teen.