Ranked #357

Ashita no Ousama (Manga)

So, Ashita no Ousama is a shoujo from the 90's. It has good story and romantic lines. I found it at a time that I wanted another original and different shoujo. What you want to know: it's about a very country girl who suddenly figures out she wants to be in theater for the rest of her life. She puts her all into attending school and pursuing this hobby and meets a lot of good people. She fails in some areas, succeeds in others.

It does have some stereotypical shoujo traits from the pool of shoujo stereotypes (very handsome male, naive girl, etc.) but as a shoujo veteran, that's never a problem when done right. And in fact, Ashita no Ousama stands out from modern shoujo. Here's why:

Characters: I cannot praise the character development enough. Sure, the main character is a bit too unaware at times but it doesn't lead to impossible situations. Sure, male lead is established and good-looking. But these characters are very realistically done. They don't have out-of-nowhere smut-convenient problems and have well-built life-styles and ideologies.

Story: It isn't a complicated story but its not a plot that you always know where it is going or what the lesson is. There isn't a plethora of "amazing lines" on every page, but the author takes her time to get a point across. Misunderstandings and events are not too far-fetched or convenient.

Art: It's the 90's. Kind of similar to Itazura na Kiss style. To be honest, when it comes to 90's manga it takes me a chapter or two to get used to it and see why the characters are even attractive. I cannot rate it high but it seems very good quality for its time.

So go read it yourself; it does not disappoint. read more

Ashita no Ousama revolved around Yuu, a country girl who becomes exposed to the world of acting and is entranced. She wants to become an actress, but has no aptitude for acting but is a great storywriter. From there she meets and influences many others that are in the entertainment world.

Story 9/10: The story line was great. There was a lot of growth in the feeling of the story. Emiko Yachi does a great job of showing the complexities of the acting profession as well as human relations.

Art 9/10: At first I didn't really care for the animation, I thought it was drawn a little undefined. However, as the story progressed, so did my appreciation for the humor in the animation and the simpleness of Yuu the main characters imagery. The scenery was well drawn as well, so overall it had a nice feeling to it.

Character 10/10: I thought the characters in this series were excellent. They were complex, likable, inspiring (but not over the top). Yuu was a force to be reckoned with in her determination, but it wasn't hoaky like so many series do... Touya was a great character as well. He was a strong, caring and determined individual as well. Chief (Shougo) was one of my favorite characters. He had a carefree attitude but also was very serious about his work. He constantly watched over his troupe and gave support, encouragement & tough love when necessary. He had a semi-fatherly role but didn't seem strained. The other side characters were great as well.

Enjoyment 10/10: I'm not really a huge josei fan, however this series was very enjoyable to me.

Overall 9/10: I think anyone would appreciate this series, not just shoujo/josei fans. With the great characters, strong story line and decent art, it's a great read! read more