the same as with Ai and he just likes her because she is a test subject. Eventually, he realizes he does love her as a girl, not an experiment, after Ion appears to lose her powers. At the end of the story, they become a couple and it is shown that Ion's powers have returned. Background According to Tanemura, she conceived the story of I.O.N after hearing someone discussing positive ions while watching a science program on the NHK. Ion's last name was taken from the kanji for the word "particles". Tanemura described Ai Minase as a "bad-loser burriko," that is, a girl who acts younger than her age. Her name comes from Tanemura's friend and assistant who is also a professional manga artist, Ai Minase. Tanemura returned to the series with a bonus chapter in 2010, 13 years after the series concluded. The chapter was first published in Ribon Fantasy Zōkan-gō and then later as an extra in the eighth volume of Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura. Media Manga Reception The English edition of I.O.N placed 18th on BookScan's top 20 graphic novel list for April 2008, covering sales between March 31 and April 27. The manga placed 45 of 50 in a list of the top 50 manga properties for summer 2008, which reflects the sales from May, June, and the first half of July 2008. A Publishers Weekly reviewer felt the story was satisfying and well-drawn, but found it to be poorly paced and felt the art often contains too much decoration, noting that "even Tanemura admits her early artwork contains too many decorative patterns based on strawberries, irises, lace and newsprint." References External links Official Viz I·O·N page Official Shojo Beat I·O·N page 1997 manga Fantasy anime and manga Romance anime and manga Shōjo manga Shueisha manga Viz Media manga