Basara

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Before I begin, I would like to say that I have read the first six volumes over ten times and the entire series twice-- and I have loved it as dearly as the first time I picked up a volume.

Basara is definitely an epic to consider if you are seeking an escape from today's world. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this tale begins with the birth of two twins, Tatara and Sarasa, and follows the latter's journey to create a better world for her people.

The first thing I would like to address is the art. Despite the seemingly haphazard lines that initially deterred ... me, I grew to love it. There is a certain elegance in these pages that takes a little time to notice. It is very much an easily acquired taste, and I am now enchanted by this style.

The storyline seems a little simplistic-- overthrow the king and create a new country. Yet the simple sentence above implies so many complications-- gathering the trust of men, getting close to the king. Sarasa starts practically from scratch and works her way up-- she does not have it easy, and she knows it, yet she works her hardest to improve her situation as well as others', thus gaining their trust. The story, though it can a little slow when gathering reconnaissance about a certain place, stays intriguing for almost the entire series-- and with a whole 27 volumes, that's quite a feat.

As others have stated, the real gem in this series lies in the cast of characters. It is very difficult to stay organized with a large, fully-developed army of characters, but Tam-tam doesn't just stay organized-- she utilizes all of these characters to the fullest, and shows their development. They're not stagnant characters who never change their ways.

The most prominent example I can give of this is Shuri, the Red King. In the beginning, Shuri is pompous, overconfident; he is very reckless and cares little about the value of life-- especially those of individuals whom he knows nothing about. However, Sarasa and other situations teach him that every qlife is valuable, and by the end of the series, he has changed almost completely. No longer is he the reckless, overconfident, I-am-going-to-run-you-over-to-get-what-I-want sort of man; he has become a mature individual who acknowledges the things he has done but wants to help make it better.

Sarasa's development was quite beautiful as well. She started off her journey being a crybaby, constantly relying on others for help. As she moved on, as events forced her to separate from those she relied on, she became more and more independent-- so much so that she was afraid to lean on anyone for a while. She was most definitely human-- she was constantly in conflict with herself over her actions, she is afraid, she is still quite a crybaby. Yet she looks forward with a solid resolve to accomplish what she set out to do. At the end of the series, though still a crybaby, she is very much independent, very accomplished, very confident, and no longer the younger sister who was cast aside.

I must say, I really enjoyed all of the series, even though volumes 19-24 kept leading me on false hopes (both times, at the end of every chapter, I kept thinking, "Are they going to meet again?! What's going to happen? CRAP, THEY'RE NOT MEETING YET? GODDAMNIT, WHY?!"), it's a sign that Tam-tam definitely had a firm grip on the skill of keeping the reader hooked and on the edge of her or his seat.

In conclusion, Basara's intricate plot and full-fledged army (literally) of characters should not be turned away by the seeming messiness of the art. This manga's brilliant plot and well-rounded characters provide the majority of this manga's fanbase. Definitely a must-read epic, Basara has won over my heart-- and as I did last time, I shall be thinking of Sarasa and Shuri for weeks on end!

Basara is an epic tale about Sarasa who replaces her twin brother; prophesized to be the boy of destiny and unite Japan; after he falls in battle. That in itself is more or less a cliched setup for a show, but Basara pulls it off incredibly well.

The whole first volume deals with Sarasa's taking up of Tatara's name. After that, things get pretty deep. Each volume (of 7 that I have read thus far) seemingly add another layer of complexity to the story. I much more than a simple "Unite Japan after an Apocalypse" type story, which has much to do with its ... amazing characterization and their drive.

The characters are plentiful, and wonderfully diverse. Even stock characters somehow breath uniqueness either do to an interesting back story or the party around them in which they interact with. But for me, the best part about the characters is that both good and bad characters are given the same treatment. A character who is truly evil is few and far between. Most of the"bad guys" are just following a different path than Tatara is in order to unite Japan. Nonetheless they are provided with a full backstory early on along with their motives and relationships and inner thoughts being revealed which really makes them feel human rather than an arbitrary obstacle or goal. This makes it hard to root for "good" or "evil" to triumph, as well as adds pain when either actually does. However there are some truly evil characters in the story thus far, and I truly hate them; loathe them even, as I suspect was intended.

New characters never stop entering the picture, and old characters dissapear, reappear, and die often, keeping things fresh and really unpredictable. Not so unpredictable though that an event comes off as alien or out of place, or that deus ex machina is being used. Just unpredictable enough to be lead around by the manga-ka's story.

The only part of Basara I can really find fault in is the art. I am not going to complain about style or character design because, really, it is quite wonderful. There are just many pages in each book where I have no idea what I am looking at. The most recent example I can name comes in volume 7, where a whale leaps out of the water. I wouldn't have been able to identified it as a whale if the speech bubbles hadn't said so. To be honest, I didn't even see anything, I only saw a wave. But after really close inspection, there was a whale, it just happened to have the exact same shading as the water. It may just be that Viz messed up in printing Basara, but whatever the reason is, there are a few moments per book where I have to strain myself in order to understand whats happening.

But with that being the only real problem at least for me) I can safely recommend this manga to anybody who enjoys fantasy or adventure stories. I am sure you wont be disappointed.

“Sarasa, even if you feel that destiny is toying with you, destiny is something you design with your own hands.”

I love the fantasy genre. Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time, Game of Thrones... stories with a truly epic feel, huge sword battles, intricate political schemes and a mountain of well-developed characters. So, of course, it's no surprise that I searched for an epic fantasy manga series when I began to get into the wonderful world of manga and anime. I read a few, they were okay... And then I found Basara.

Outstanding world building? Check. Incredible character development? Check. Huge, encompassing political wars? Check. ... And, the thing that drew me in the most; delicate, well-handled relationships between characters including but not limited to a forbidden romance, deep rooted friendships, loyal servants, and vengeful enemies? Check. Let's start with the basics.

Art- 9
Yes, the art started off rather... ugly. There's no disguising that fact. It wasn't all that pleasing to look at, there wasn't much detail, and sometimes character's faces looked really messed up. So why the nine? Just like the characters, the art developed from something ugly into something beautiful and detailed, unique yet simple. Battle scenes became easy to understand but still incredibly detailed, and every single character grew into someone beautiful and unique. I had no trouble distinguishing one character from another--they all had certain physical traits and looks that made them easy to tell apart. If you're worried about the art, I encourage you to ignore the ugliness at the beginning, because you'll certainly be rewarded later on. And when you look back, it's interesting, even amusing, to see how the mangaka's art has progressed.

Story- 9
I'm not going to bother with a huge synopsis because it'd be too long and wouldn't do the story any justice. I know people worry about certain things in the story so I'll put any hesitations about the story you have to rest now--the pacing, first of all, was fantastic. The story gripped you and brought you up to dizzying heights of excitement, then slowly released you only to sweep you up again. There was never a moment where I felt bored, never a moment I didn't want to continue reading. Sarasa's journey grew from simple vengeance into trying to save the people of her world, and it worked. The story development was realistic, and though it was pretty unpredictable, there was never anything that happened that seemed like the author just did it on a whim. Going back, you could see the foreshadowing, but while reading it was near impossible to predict what would happen next. The overall plot was extremely well thought out, and the length was spot on for what needed to be done. What needed to be done leads me to the ending... not giving anything away, but it was very satisfying. No huge cliffhangers, no things left undone, nothing that needed to be revealed, and nothing rushed in.

Character- 10
Where do I even begin? I HATED Sarasa at the beginning. I mean, I completely loathed her. She was a crying mess of girly 'please save me' cliches and 'no, I don't want to hurt anybody!' Ok, honey, grow up. Yes, your friends will get hurt if you don't fight. No, you can't save the world by loving everybody. Deal with it. Oh, but she did. She went above and beyond dealing with it--she became an ass-kicking, confident badass who led an army, and one of my favourite characters of all time. Definitely my favourite female character of all time. And Shuri. Man, he was a spoiled little cliche evil dude with his 'yeah I'm gunna kill this village for no reason because I can, and because you're a bunch of puny pukes who don't obey me... suck it up, princess.' But then you find out his reasoning. But then he falls in love. But then his morals and actions change and all of a sudden he's endearing, brave, kind, and fiercely loyal to the people he loves. Then comes in other side characters who help Sarasa and Shuri, who somehow manage to not be cliched whatsoever and all loveable. Ageha in particular stands out--the mysterious man searching for the one woman he'd heard about in a prophecy who would be worthy of his service. So many characters, each with their own hopes, dreams, sense of justice and development... It was so amazing to see the world from each different person's eyes so you understood all sides of the story, and so wonderful to see how they all interact.

Enjoyment- 10
I freaking love the shit out of this series. It's the only 27 book series I've actually bought all of the books of, because I read it over and over and never get tired of it. It has everything, I mean EVERYTHING a high fantasy should. Well, except for orcs. Though I think this J.R.R. Tolkien quote should describe the world of Basara nicely--

“The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places.
But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now
mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater.”

um okay here goes
THIS STIRRED MY EMOTIONS SO HARD I READ IT ONLINE AND I ENDED UP SOBBING SO HARD I BROKE MY COMPUTER BECAYSE OF WATER DAMAGE IM NOT EVEN EXAGGERATING MY NEIGHBORS PROBABLY HEARD ME SOBBING AT THREE AM AND WERE LIKE OMG SHES FINALLY GOING CRAZY SO BE PREPARED WITH TISSUES
i literally only made an account on here in order to write this review but i won't make it too complicated so if you're deciding whether or not to read this this is a sign that you should

story: so well written omg like so we'll thought out and everything. everytime i questioned ... the story and the plot making sense everything was explained in due time

art: okay this art style is something u have to get used to and i see why you wouldn't like it but for starters it gets better through out the series since it went on for like 16 years lol but either way there were a few pages that were so beautifully illustrated i was breathless

characters: loved them i totally connected with them in the most random ways lol i don't think there were any that i seriously disliked i mean accept the antagonists but i even almost pitied them even though i didn't want to

enjoyment: 10000/10 i recommend this for fast readers like me because it's long and takes time to progress but not in a bad way like i was never left bored and i never wanted to put it down (i read the whole thing in like almost three days)

overall: just read it you won't regret it no matter what genre youre into

Before I begin, I would just like to say that this is my first ever review, so please bear with me. thanks.

Story:
The short synopsis of Basara here on MAL, of one brave girl liberating Japan from tyrannical kings, is the basic gist of the story. But I want to stress that the story is also so much more then just that main conflict. There are many stories, each dealing with characters that we come across on the journey that the main character takes. And these characters' stories are interwoven with that of the main character to bring about a breath taking epic. And it ... is an epic with a total of 27 volumes. But unlike some series that seem to be going on and on for no apparent reason, Basara fills her volumes with stories that continue to build toward the dramatic finale. Even with a fair share devoted to telling the stories of side characters, the tale of Basara itself does not stray from the main tale it is written to tell. All this I believe, is the result of the genius and power of the story teller, Tamura-san. The story of Basara is really one of its strongest points, and I can't express enough how beautiful it is. Also I feel that the story has a bit of everything, so that almost everyone will be statisfied with this little jewel.

Art:
Art is the weak point of Basara, but that is not to say the art is bad per say. Rather the art is unique and a bit unpolished, but it does improves as the story goes on. I, myself, find the art average, it is not bad, but it is also not superb. Basically, it gets the job done.

Characters:
The characters of Barasa are by far the manga's strongest point. Characters are given ample room to be developed and most of the main characters undergo changes along with the manga, and in a sense they grow with the manga. The characters are also given realistic personalities, they have both strengths and weaknesses. Even the villains are given realistic personalities, and often you may find yourself sympathizing with their plight or their goals.

Conclusion:
I highly highly recommend this manga, it has a beautiful story with engaging characters. Tamura-san shows the extent of her story telling abilities here; the story will keep you yearning for the next volume as soon as you finish the last, and the characters will stir your sympathies (well maybe there is one exception) and you will actually care as to what happens to them. Basara will be one manga that you can really take pleasure in reading and I find that it has a bit of every genre to keep everyone satisfied. With all that said, Basara is not everyone's cup of tea. Although it has action and fight scenes, these take a back seat to character interaction. The primary focus of Basara is character interacts and for those who do not enjoy such manga (or shoujo in general) will probably find Basara to be a disappointment. Likewise, the art of Basara is unique and a bit unpolished, so for those who read manga primarily for its artistic value will also be disappointed. Other then these two reasons, I really do believe that anyone who tries it will enjoy it. So if you are up for a 27 volume long manga series, give Basara a shot. :)

I've been reading manga for over 15 years now. Safe to say I've read a lot of manga across the spectrum from Shounen to Shoujo, from adventure/fantasy to slice of life school or work adaptations.

Basara took me by surprise. I did not expect to fall in love with this story and its characters instantly from the first chapter and stay in love through the entire series and even afterwards. I've read and reread this series multiple times in the short span of a few months. (Thanks for all the free time covid-19!) and it truly is a masterpiece.

I started this series because I ... love adventure stories with forbidden romance, but that theme only scratches the surface. Yumi Tamura explores so many themes in one story:

- Forbidden romance
- Gender roles
- Human rights, social classes, and equality
- Ambition
- Challenging the status quo
- Suppression of press
- Responsibilities of leadership
- Overcoming adversity
- Managing Change
- Accepting self
- Personal Growth
- Birth right vs self accomplishment
- Overcoming trauma
- Sacrifice
- Camaraderie and friendships
- Trust
- Forming a vision
- Achieving that vision by leading a team

The list goes on and on.

If you love light-hearted fluffy stories with some fan service and nothing disturbing, I would recommend you don't read this. Or if you do, be prepared to feel uncomfortable and to be challenged.

On the other hand, if you like deep, detailed, well thought-out stories about characters that face tremendous hardships, trauma, and change, you might love this series as much as I do. I love the amount of details Tamura-san puts into every chapter, every angle. Every re-read reveals more subtleties that i missed in a previous read. I wish I was fluent in Japanese so I could read this series in its original language and intent. I've read the official VIZ translated version as well as fan-translated versions and even in how the words are rearranged portray a slightly different characterization.

Without spoiling too much of the story, I hope you go on a wonderful journey with Basara. Not only the characters, but the readers too can change with this adventure.

The first I landed on this story I was abit anxious and was asking myself do i need to read it or not, is it interesting, or will the story will drag itself!? No Basara from the first time i read it had captured me wholly!? The characters, storyline and art everything was perfect!?

I loved the story so much I couldn't stop myself from reading!? The suspense and the surprises and twists in the storyline keep on capturing more and more!?

The story is about Japan during the end of the monarchy!? The child of destiny who is a girl (thats definitely a ... huge merit for having a strong female lead) will change the destiny of a whole nation!? The story takes you through the trails and tribulations of the characters!?

It is just a beautifully written story I strongly recommend it for people who like to live with the characters and feel their emotions throughout their lifelong trials in the story!?The storyline and characters just come out to life, you will experience everything!?

I truly recommend this story

Ahh I read this after reading the reviews about how awesome this manga was and honestly it seriously is a freaking awesome manga.

The storyline starts off with a girl Sarasa living in the shadow of her twin brother who is the "chosen one." Shit goes down and eventually Sarasa lives out her tale. The pretense of the storyline is definitely unique but nothing too out of the ordinary. It takes place in historical times with emperors and kings and all that jazz. (Reminds me of Akatsuki no Yona but less shoujo-y) The only big miss for me is that the author includes so many ... people and so many places that sometimes I couldn't follow up on what was happening. And if you're anything like me and can't remember characters names, you will probably get hella confused while reading. I got the hang of it once I got more than halfway through. Other than that the plot and storyline were very enjoyable. But I have to say now that I've finished reading I understand that each location and each encounter was vital to the plot so yeah. I mean the mangaka could've excluded some things but I'm glad he/she didnt. If you start reading and you get frustrated please continue because you won't regret it!

The romance is very prevalent throughout this story. All I'm gonna say is that it seriously reminded me of Romeo and Juliet. I can't say more or else I'll spoil it for you!

The characters, although many, were very well developed and lovable. You get a taste of each character and because of this you will get attached. God I grew so fond of so many characters. At the end the mangaka also includes a little series of chapters delving into the lives of the characters after the whole story. If you like that sort of thing then yeah that happens here.

The art is pretty old fashioned but I really like old fashioned mangas so I didn't really have a problem. The only thing is that some panels would be drawn weird so I couldn't understand what was happening. The art wasn't coherent at times but it happened very rarely so yeah you'll be fine.

Overall I would give this an 8/10. Just for some minor flaws here and there but I seriously enjoyed this story. The plot wasn't shallow and the whole time I was pretty captivated into reading more. I would suggest giving this a shot!

Tamura-sama, takes historical elements from different countries, and different centuries, blends them perfectly well, draws them in a very pleasant way, although the proportion on the face leaves a little dissatisfaction, when passing from the chapters that feeling moves away.
The character development is extremely impressive, without leaving behind the story itself, it is a masterpiece, maybe everyone should read this type of manga. Where the characters develop quickly, they quickly understand what happens, what they lack, what they want and what they should do.
On other issues, in modern times feminist art has been taking much of the current controversy in all parts of the world. ... (And I do not mean an excessive empowerment in this position, quite the contrary, is to find in the world what you can do with all your abilities and virtues or deficiencies as a human being and to develop with firmness and confidence. Feelings are not only of women, the strength not only of men).
Well, Tamura Yumi-sama is great, just a mastermind to be able to develop the characters, of course the favorites: the heroines, who deserve the title of being called.
Unfortunately the animation did not have much attention, apparently the manga did not do it for a long time. The animation was only the beginning of what would later become a wonderful, stressful and totally interesting story, the characters are so many that only 10% of this entire Tamura-sama universe remained (in animation).
The voice actors and actresses are from the "old school", they are too good.
The music isn't impressive, but it doesn't leave a bad taste in your mouth either.

I was NOT prepared to love this manga as nearly as much as I did. The artwork was very off-putting to me - very dated, distorted pizza-shaped faces, and too shoujo-esque. However, if the art style is the only thing holding you back from reading this, I highly recommend that you give it a try anyways.

Basara has a large cast of characters and an expansive fantasy world to explore, both of which I love as long as they are well done (which is the case in this manga). The relationship between Sarasa/Shuri and their alternative personas Tatara/Red King was fascinating, and really gets you ... emotionally involved. I loved the way that their relationship and motives evolved over time, especially as they were forced to come to terms with each other's identity.

The only element (aside from the art style, which did grow on me over time) that I disliked in this story was that Sarasa/Tatara was sometimes too wishy-washy in her resolve. To a certain extent I can understand that trait since she is trying to reconcile the role of "Tatara" that she has undertaken with her own self, "Sasara", but there were times when her indecisiveness seemed excessive.

Basara. This won't be a helpful review, but I just wanted to share my thoughts.
I like the plot because its really original to me. The characters are strong and have personalities of their own, and you learn to love each character because you learn about their circumstances. Because of this,
Characters: 10/10. Sometimes stubbornness of specific characters bothered me but it's realistic. I got to understand why they were that way.

Enjoyment: Hmmm, I rate this a 7-8. Why? This is mainly because I felt that this manga dragged for longer than I though necessary. Its a good manga, but I feel it would have ... been better if it wasn't so detailed in some areas. I found myself skipping chapters that didn't focus so much on main characters or the story. I also found many of the situations realistic which I am thankful for.

Romance: I love how original it is despite being a Romeo and Juliet story. There are lots of things the protagonists were facing and had to over come. However at some point I started wondering when they will learn of their true identities and how they will over come it. Even though it was a happy ending, I didn't feel satisfied with the ending. I wanted more. After blank amount of suffering and tragedy, I wanted to see more happiness. I would have been satisfied if I got to see what good things happened.

Conclusion: Read it. :) If you like things like: Strong Characters, Romance, "I will die for you love", Trust, Friendship, Finding a place you belong, Learning who you are, and Forgiving, give this one a try.

If you're into warship, social justice, historical romance and adventure.. go for it.

This tackled up all sorts of realities in the world--may it be conditional love or abusive love. How leaders abuse their power to remain seated or the reasons they want to keep seated. How people tried to protest by doing what they think is the right way.

How there's hope in retributional satisfaction and how forgiveness could also be a form of retribution.

Characters were given a deep thought. They are richly developed by the main story and their own story (as shown in side stories--which you should not missed also). All of this are ... being told in this manga using classic old art.

The old style of drawing could turn you off but the story will keep you from running away.

Basara is an excellent manga with an intense story and memorable characters. But let's go by parts:

The characters are very well made, each one carries their charisma and personal development. This is great, as the connections with the characters are fundamental to the call of the "Bunch of Tatara".
That said, each one has its own moment that makes it a remarkable character, whether for its actions or for its growth throughout history. Even Ageha best character!

The protagonist, Sarasa, is a constantly changing character. Initially, an irritating and impulsive girl, but gradually grows to become the great character of the story. Following the character's journey of ... growth: moral, psychological and tactical is great and creates a great connection with the character.
The protagonist, Shuri, also has his own journey of change. Being initially someone extremely stupid, but gradually being deconstructed by the author to a more empathetic, charismatic and generous character. Your change is very well done, and very good to follow.

The story is excellent. In each arc there are a variety of regions and story styles that always feature fresh characters and interesting context. Having great antagonists and several surprises within the story that make it never boring to follow.

The art is great. In the beginning, it is very ugly and confusing, but little by little it evolves a lot.
There are some scenes that are amazing.

Finally, Basara was a great story of love, adventure and action. Having great characters, a great story that closes perfectly. Frankly, one of the best manga I've read.

Basara is a story of a girl that takes up on her brother's name for revolution, that unfolds beautifully. At the start the art is not that great but it gets better, rather the art grows on to as the you dive further.

The most beautiful part of the entire manga are its characters. There are lot of characters that grow up on you. You simply fall in love with them. The character development throughout the story is amazing and well paced.

The plot and the arcs are good as they adventure around to gather allies. The ending is also amazingly done and makes it a ... fulfilling read.

The character and their relationships will have you invested in this epic.
The romance is a common enemy to lovers trope yet the chemistry between the 2 leads has hearts fluttering. The entire character base makes the story relatable on emotional level.

This is simply an amazing classic manga that is probably amongst the best romance/war manga one can read

i've read basara for days, since i only have time at night. every night i look forward to reading it because the story is actually really good. the art style bothered meat first since i was used to modern manga but now i love it, it grew on me. the characters are multi-dimensional and complex, in which i can't choose who am i rooting for between the 2 main characters. all their decisions are the best and not impulsive (for me). also, the romance is chef's kiss, because it's not sudden and it happened slowly between them. in conclusion, i love sarasa and shuri <3

With Basara I came in expecting a story of star crossed lovers. While that is certainly what is on offer here, it is also completely enthralling, an epic tale of war and romance. Epic in its scale and in its ability to build a world of distinct characters.

The story of Basara is largely that of rebellion, to be honest it reminds be alot of the original Star Wars trilogy or any other story about war and the romance of it. It's also a story that deals with mature themes and portrays war in a no nonsense manner. Seeing both Shuri and Sarasa build their ... own rebellions and gather allies separately only to come across one another again and again, being forced to clash despite their intimate relationship is captivating and truly the highlight of the story and your and the characters are so vivid and charismatic allows the reader to really invest in both sides.

Yuki Tamura's art is fittingly extravagant to fit the epic scale of the narrative. At times I would call her art messy but it just comes together and her style is so eye-catching it just brings you in.

I'd honestly recommend this to anyone who appreciates a story with scale and good character writing.

Long drawn out story with an aggravating heroine like most 90s shoujo manga. At some points during reading, I kept hoping the author would kill off the female lead. 90s shoujo manga tend to write the most aggravaging, annoying, headache-inducing female leads in the world of fiction. Most of the characters I found to be annoying. I will say the political aspect of the story was done quite well. Honestly it was more of a political manga than a shoujo romance manga which isn't a bad thing. Honestly I felt like it was a waste of my time but I can understand why others would ... like it.