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Jul 25, 2016
It's cool to be different.
Arisa is definitely one of the most unique shoujo manga I have ever read. It's a psychological and mystery shoujo manga written by Natsumi Andou, a mangaka who is popularly known for the art of Kitchen Princess (one of my childhood faves 😄). I read some of Arisa a while back in my library/bookstore days, but never finished it. After seeing someone praise it online, I decided to pick it back up again. I'm really glad that I did!
I have to admit that at first, the story kind of creeped me out. The first time I read the manga was
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when I was in middle school, so I wasn't used to reading manga with dark elements in it. I didn't even read that far into it because it had just come out, but it scared me that there was an anonymous culprit (the "king") that could grant any wish, even if it meant hurting others. There seemed to be no limit to their power.
I find it really enjoyable now, however. The story is very intriguing and suspenseful so that you'll want to keep reading after every chapter to find out what happens next. There are also a fair amount of plot twists. In other words, it's a good mystery. I like how original the story is, too. I've never read anything like this before. Because a lot of shoujo is more like ordinary school life 😂.
The art is what you would expect in a shoujo manga with the big eyes. However, the mangaka does a good job with making it fit for a psychological manga by the way she draws people's facial expressions. The art is pretty, detailed and clean, which I like. She's also skilled at drawing hair. I thought the character designs were well-suited as well.
In terms of characters, I think the mangaka did a pretty good job with them. There is good character development in the manga. We see characters come to terms with what they're doing wrong, and we see other characters mature and become stronger. I mean, unless you're tired of having a headstrong and determined protagonist, there isn't really a problem with the characters.
However, I do kind of wish that the students in Arisa's class had more humanity and could think for themselves. They're all very blah as individuals. When it came to king time, they would be so caught up in it that they would act mindlessly. This is a psychological manga, though, so I don't know whether I should be complaining about that.
Overall, I found this manga enjoyable and would definitely recommend it! It's a good read whether you're a mystery lover or whether you're just looking for something different from a typical shoujo manga.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 18, 2015
Paradise Kiss is a josei manga written by the mangaka of the famous Nana. It is apparently a sequel to a previous work of hers, Gokinjo Monogatari, which I wasn't aware about until after I already started reading (oops). This is only my 2nd time reading a josei manga (shoujo reader all the way), but I still found this one quite enjoyable.
Yukari is a senior in high school who has known studying all of her life. One day, however, she is kidnapped by a group of fashion designers who believe that she would be the perfect model for the next fashion show. Even though she
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is reluctant to participate at first, Yukari becomes interested in these designers, and also intrigued by their leader, George. She eventually becomes immersed into the fashion world and believes that it is her true calling. Is it possible for her to include both fashion and academics in her life, or can she only choose one? And what kind of person is George, really?
The art for this manga was very well-done and good at depicting comedy and maturity when needed. It also was very detailed when it comes to fashion, which I love.
The characters were so-so for me. I liked Yukari originally, but found that later she seemed impulsive when it came to important decisions she had to make. I think she could've been more sensible. Also, at times her feelings for George were a bit much, and I was unsure about whether she wanted to continue fashion because of passion or because of George. George, on the other hand, I liked even less. He kept a lot to himself and didn't provide Yukari any help when she had problems. I liked the minor characters much more, but I would've liked to learn more about them.
Overall, the manga was an enjoyable read. I always like manga where the protagonist is trying to find him or herself. I would also recommend this to those who like realistic manga and romance. The manga is also mainly about fashion so if you like career-oriented manga, you'll probably like this one as well.
Also, the ending was superb.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 14, 2015
NG Life is an earlier work of Mizuho Kasanagi, the mangaka of the popular Akatsuki no Yona. My friend actually recommended this manga to me a long time ago, but I dropped it after a few chapters because I couldn't get it. Recently, I saw it on a recommendation list with good reviews, so I decided to give it another go.
The plot for this manga is really strange, but just follow through with me here. Keidai Saeki is just an ordinary high-schooler... but not really. Apparently, he was a gladiator in his past life several thousand years ago in Pompeii. All of his friends and
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acquaintances, as well as his lover Serena, from his past life are reincarnated into people in his present life. This doesn't seem like it would be a problem, but the thing is, he is the only one who remembers anything about his past life, which drives him insane. Is he really the only person who remembers Pompeii? And will he ever meet Serena again? These are the questions that Keidai continues to ask himself.
The story, even though it appears to be historical, is actually very interesting. The only problem I have with it is that Keidai's memories of the past appear to be the main, and also one of the only conflicts in the manga. I think more smaller conflicts would have made the manga more interesting. The ending was satisfactory, though. I assure you that I was moved.
The art is pretty detailed, and depicts life in Pompeii extremely well.
I liked the characters as well. Each one of them is very unique and has their own good qualities about them. It was interesting to learn about each one.
Overally, the manga was enjoyable. I think a lot of times it was more amusing than I would've liked. I like manga that is more serious, but I guess this one is good if you want a laugh. I look forward to reading Akatsuki no Yona in the future.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Aug 11, 2015
My Hero! was just what I've been looking for. Lately, I've found myself dropping shoujo manga out of disappointment and turning to shounen and josei manga. I'm glad that I was able to find My Hero!
The manga is about an ordinary girl named Jun Okamoto. For some reason that she can't comprehend, a guy named Yutarou at her school keeps watching her at break and apparently is interested in her. Even though it is unclear whether Jun even has feelings for him, he persistently continues to go after her, which makes her dumbfounded. His extreme persistence is basically what makes the manga.
The art is satisfactory
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and very cute. I like the characters' different facial expressions and also like how Yutarou has a really short hairstyle, unique and different from the normal long hair that guys have in shoujo manga.
The characters are excellent! I like Jun because she's not that typical ditzy and naive girl protagonist (that I can't stand). Yutarou is just plain hilarious.
This manga isn't extremely profound or anything, but I thought it was cute and well done for a short manga. I normally don't like short manga because it's usually ... not that good. If you're looking for a cute and short manga that is worth reading, this one will "cut the cake" for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 10, 2015
Lovely Everywhere was my first time reading a manhua (Chinese equivalent of manga). I generally read shoujo manga, so this was entirely new for me. It took a bit of time for me to remember the names of the characters (in Chinese), but otherwise it read just like a normal shoujo manga.
The manhua is about a girl named Dan Wei, whose family owns a coffee shop. She meets a guy on a train and falls in love with him. Luckily for her, that same guy ends up being in her class when she goes to high school. There are a few complications, however. The guy,
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Xiang Lian, turns out to be a player and has plenty of upperclassmen girls that are interested in him. The other thing is, Dan Wei is naturally small and looks like an elementary-schooler! Even if her love seems hopeless, Dan Wei continues to care for Xiang Lian and they become friends.
The story was alright, but I felt like it could have been executed better. The manhua is quite short, so there isn't a lot of time for development. I thought that there should have been more about the romance between Dan Wei and Xiang Lian, but a lot of chapters were about his childhood and the personal obstacles he had to face.
The art is like typical shoujo manga with the characters having big eyes. The only problem I have with it is that sometimes Xiang Lian looks really feminine because he has eyelashes. (Sometimes in manga, guys with eyelashes don't look good).
The characters were decent. Xiang Lian's friends are funny at times and help keep the manga light-hearted. I'm not sure if I liked Xiang Lian too much, though.
Overall, the manhua was acceptable. It didn't make a huge impression on me, but I have been reading a lot of manga lately so that might be why. It was good enough to keep me reading until the end, though.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Aug 9, 2015
I finished the anime Isshuukan Friends/One Week Friends in a week (haha). The anime is based on an ongoing shounen manga that I did not read prior to watching. To be honest, I just started watching it because I saw images of it online and thought it looked cute.
The anime is about a boy named Yuuki Hase who wants to befriend a girl named Kaori Fujimiya, because she always appears to be alone. Little does he know that befriending her is not as easy as he thought it would be. Apparently, Kaori loses memories of all her friends every Monday. Even so, Hase-kun is determined
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to be her friend no matter what.
The story is actually quite simple and might not appeal to those who like watching anime with lots of excitement and action. Most of the series is about their school life and Kaori gradually making friends. It didn't bother me, though, because I'm content with simple stories; they make for a "relaxing" anime.
The art is extremely adorable, as it is based on an extremely adorable manga. The whole time I was thinking "This is SO CUTE" because of the characters' round faces and their slight blushes.
I haven't listened to the entire soundtrack yet, but I heard that it was really good. I do like the song for the ending credits a lot, though.
The characters are great, in my opinion. Their feelings come through very clearly and it is easy to understand them and fall in love with them. A lot of the characters might seem like the sweet, nice type, but Shogo's (Hase's friend's) different blunt personality makes up for it.
Overall, I enjoyed the anime a lot and plan to read the manga. I recommend this anime to those who enjoy comedy, friendship, romance, and school life.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 6, 2015
Hotarubi no Mori e just might be my favorite movie now. I was emotionally moved by the ending and I didn't want to do anything after watching except lie down and think about it.
Hotarubi no Mori e is an animated film based on a shoujo manga by Yuki Midorikawa. I did not read the manga prior to watching the movie, so I didn't have any background on the story.
I would recommend this film to fans of Studio Ghibli and Makoto Shinkai. The movie is about love, friendship, and growing up.
I found the story to be quite interesting. It is about a girl who
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befriends a spirit in the forest and spends time with him there every summer. I like how not everything (Gin's origins/history) is told all at once so it makes you want to continue watching out of curiosity. Most of the movie consists of flashbacks that show how Hotaru spent time with Gin every summer up to the present time. It might seem pointless or boring to some people, but I think watching them play together made me become attached to the characters.
The art was not the best art I have seen in an animated film, but I don't think it needed to be. It was nice enough for the story, if that makes sense.
The characters were great as well. Hotaru has a lovable personality and Gin is mysterious but kind. (I just might have a thing for guys with masks, though).
Anyway, that's enough from me. Go and watch it! It's only 45 minutes.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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