Ranked #363

Strobe Edge (Manga)

Initially, I read this manga because I thought it was shonen because of the title. When I discovered that it was actually a romance manga - a seemingly cliche'd one, nonetheless! - I closed it at once. It just so happened that boredom struck me again that night, and I found myself not in the mood for my usual manga. So I went back and started reading and eventually found myself unable to stop.

[STORY]

The plot got 8 because, well, honestly, it was a cliched plot. Then again, as said by Shujin in Bakuman, the most amazing sort of mangaka is "someone who can make the most ordinary everyday things seem interesting". Strobe Edge played out a very common storyline in a way that made it grow on you. Rather than give you the idea that, "They must end up together" it gives you a wide range of options because it introduces characters fairly, and smoothly with the story.

[ART]

Hmmm... the art kind of reminds me of Bokura ga Ita (which I didn't watch but have seen pictures of) and Honey and Clover - it gives off the pastel-y kind of aura despite not being in color. The drawings are very simple, not too intricate and not too under-detailed. It's not something you'd get a headache with after hours of reading.

[CHARACTERS]

I'm a person who heavily focuses on characters. It's where I base my opinions on. The characters in Strobe Edge are characters I really love.

While Ninako is like most shojo heroines (occasionally spaced out, flustered around the person she likes), she is so adorable and (as of now), I find it hard to dislike her. What I like most about her is her honesty and her naivety and the way she makes you want her to be happy.

Ren is presented as the typical boyfriend-material perfect guy. The attitude in his character is really gary-stu-ish but underlying that perfect exterior is someone really weak - someone who's very dense regarding things about himself and someone who's unsure about things and people in general. I think that of all the people in the manga, he's the one who needs to grow up the most.

Andou is just lovable. He's your usual playboy who discovered that he needed to grow up after discovering love. Cheesy as it may sound, Andou's discovery actually revealed a lot about how innocent he still is, and how hopeful he is towards things.

Basically, the characters are still children mentally and it will make you feel nostalgic and warm.

[ENJOYMENT]

Needless to say, I enjoyed (and am enjoying) this series too much. I check for updates every single day and although the chapter pages are quite big compared to other manga, it feels like I've only read five.

I'm hoping that Strobe Edge will keep this up. read more

Personally I LOVE SE. The artwork & character designs are flawless. the story is adequate and not annoying. its about unrequited love and rejection. there is more than one love triangle in this series but the humor, artwork & storyline make up for it. did i mention the guys in this manga are BRUTALLY HOT?

I reeeaally did enjoy this, although I am only in the process of reading it. It is your typical shoujo plot, and I read shoujo day after day and nothing makes me more disappointed then a typical plot. As I continued reading though, I could see everything going in many directions, and I found myself thinking "whats going to happen next? I wish the new chapter would come out already!" and thats what makes a good manga. The suspense, and the drama and that fact that you can relate to the characters, and they're not just whiny unfaithful bitches. The art is flawless, Ren is a total looker bahaha, and overall it's one of my favorites at the moment. Recommended for all shoujo lovers! read more

This story begins with a girl named Kinoshita,Ninako and she's your average girl who likes to gossip and also cares about others. So there's no special magical power that she hiding from everyone else.Sorry, not this kind of story,but to tell the truth she is the most honest to good female character I have every read about. She doesn't shy away from acting like girl sometimes (calling friends on the phone,painting nails,etc.) ,but she's also very weird and cute at times,too. That is a beyond average girl,but a kind of personallity that is not used very often in shojo-type mangas.
So when she starts to like Ichinose, Ren she gets confused of this feeling and as the story continues you will see Ninako's true feelings and her beyond average personality become the reason why you love her.
Then come along many challanges,too and Ninako will handle them in a way that most people wouldn't have.So be sure to read and fall in love with all the characters in this manga.
If you have any questions be sure to ask. read more