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After watching Tenjou Tenge some time ago, I thought I'd check out some other stuff by the mind behind it.
Himiko-Den, a 12-episode anime based on the PlayStation game released around a decade ago [early in the year of 1999], had the mangaka behind Tenjou Tenge have his take on it. But much to my short-lived dismay, I had neither played or watched either.

The story is said to be based on an old Japanese tale told by the official Chinese history book Sanguo Zhi [Records of Three Kingdoms], covering the times of 189 to 280, written in the 3rd century. But that's just a fun fact to anyone who isn't familiar with ancient history and kinda likes the idea of revamping ancient stories.

When I started reading this, I had felt the similar to the way I did about watching the first episodes of Tenjou Tenge.
I thought "Hilariously Cheeky. Refreshingly Ambitious. Aesthetically Brutal. a bit pervy." The art seemed fantastic. The story seemed to be awesomely ambitious. The characters seemed to have great potential, though a bit stereotypical of shounen stories (every female has Double-d bewbs, purpose-defeating clothes, hero dweeb/main character, excessive pwnage of bad guys). I thought i'd enjoy it thoroughly, and never forget reading this.

And much like when I came to the end of watching Tenjou Tenge, I had felt a bit...empty and lost. Sure, it had some excitement and some sort of depiction of emotional turmoil. Some battles won. But I have to say, I had thought :

"Endings just isn't this man's forte.. beginnings, absolutely. But, it's as if I'm watching the leo d'caprio's frozen body comically bob up and down, floating around the emotional young lover of Titanic - instead of slowly sinking into the depths and darkness of the cold Atlantic Ocean to reflect the coldness, forever lost feeling of death and despair."

It's that something that irks at you, and I think those who watched the anime i just can't stop mentioning, I think you know what I mean.

Personally, I'm a fan of good plots, twists, character development, some humbleness and some sort of inspiring insight into how life is with the end page. I don't quite think I found any from this manga. Though, I suppose I shouldn't be looking for those things in a shounen manga, no matter how ambitious it seems. My hopes were kinda up when there was fantasy and 'the end of the world' theme, I'll admit.

_re-reading this, my apologies if I sound a bit hostile. just seems like I oughta have a say for the me-who-hadn't-read-it-yet, and the me-who-read-it-and-feels-unsure-if-should-feel-bad-about-not-liking-it. read more

Once upon a time, dress etiquette required men and women [more so] to cover their skin and dress quite modestly. Then something of a liberation from this dress code brought relief, and a revolution that has fashion where it is today. But that's just an irrelevant intro.

Though at the first glance at this manga's description, and even the first chapter, it may blind you with the "lolicon" label - and I suppose you're not wrong to think so. But I feel, after reading a few more chapters, it almost seems educational in a "coming of age" kinda of manga. One that would teach young girls about the different types of underwear, and particularly their first bras. And yes, ecchi does seem to be the commercial honey used in this seemingly educational manga, which is to be expected left right and center every now and then. And it does irk me in defending the perversity and educational content is how inappropriate ecchi is used to aim at a particularly young and female audience if it were intended to be a 'coming of age' manga. Suppose there's some male pantsu otaku fans? don't ask me.

And the sensitive issue about middle-schoolers wearing 'adult underwear' does seem controversial. But hey, that's reality right here in our own world. And as you read on, it really does seems [or at least to me] more like a quirky fascination a strange young girl has in fashion..in a different kind of way.

I can't quite detail each and every aspect of this manga in the different categories of rating, as I have only read 3 chapters some time ago, so I'll leave it at my saying that this is a strangely perverse educational manga that isn't incredibly intriguing - in a 'having substance' kind of way. Be the controversy at the age or the fact someone's pointing and criticizing whether or not you're wearing the right underwear.. you'll just have to read a bit more than I did to find out. read more

I had missed waking up 7am every morning to watch Pokemon on CheeseTV something of a decade ago. And only a few days ago did I learn there were a few mangas that gave alternative stories to the universe of Pokemon. And in the three days I had started reading, I'm here now having read 90chapters. Needless to say, I just couldn't stop reading. The last thing I couldn't stop reading was the first harry potter book - aha.

This manga is based on the Pokemon Game series [if you'd look to the character list above]. That's why there's a "Red" ready for you to name your character, as with the forgetful Prof.Oak to optionally have you name his grandson 'Blue'. It also goes on to explain the origins of Surfing Pikachu, which if you've ever really thought about it... doesn't make too much sense.
The animation is separate from the manga, but it isn't all that different. You'll see some familiar faces, but only in the context of the games.

If you remember the lovable childish charm of the Pokemon that created a global late 90's fad, the emotional trials of values that seem to be forgotten in the grown-up world, and the epic battles depicted in the Pokemon movies, this manga will have you re-live it all.

_As with any good story with an alternate universe and battle sequences, this Manga manages to tie everything together impressively with surprising complexity - though I suppose it could also be criticized as "improvisation" like Code Geass was. The art style is cute and fitting to the nature of the manga, as with the characters are rather simple yet not annoyingly so.

Although this may all seem overly positive, but really... I can't help but think this manga is incredibly under-rated. It's no witty romantic supernatural action ecchi comedy, I'll admit - but it's what I like about it.

I can't really find a bone to pick with it. It is a kid fantasy story, and perhaps not as engaging as what IS aimed towards an 18year old [ecchi, comedy, action, psychological, drama, slice of life]. So I guess the only bone I have to pick with it is that ..I'm getting too old to enjoy this stuff anymore. Aha read more

When I read the synopsis, I immediately knew what the story was about. How it was going to go about it... was the reason why I read it.

I've used "one step in the mud after another" to describe an anti-feel good manga before

. But this time I think I'll go with 'sky diving with an elephant on top'.

Lolicon has always been a worry. Some anime/mangas distract you with comedy, fan-service, or incest -kissxsis-. Some even try to raise an ethical point.

But Mon Seul sets up the situation, and goes from there. It doesn't try to convince you of anything. It just shows you what probably will happen, when it happens. I guess one could respect that. The logic in the characters+story seem sound from where I'm standing, but I know most won't agree.

As most people over at mangafox.com have expressed, this definitely isn't a manga to make you feel all fuzzy inside. Raging emotions, inner conflict, murderous intent, maybe a sick feeling inside... I think it's safe to say THAT is what you'll be getting by reading this manga.

Psychological/ethical, tragedy/drama, lolicon and family issues. How could I write a positive review about this? I guess if the point of the manga was to create unpleasant feelings and ethical debates on lolicon then... well done. It's perfect. And unpleasantly realistic, as many won't agree.

I won't say I regret reading this. If there was anything I liked about this manga, it'd be that I have respect for a mangaka to do this kind of story - and how it refuses to be solved.
I don't dislike it because I think it could be better. In fact, I don't know how it can be better. Can it have a satisfying AND realistic factor when it comes to a story like this. You could have a lolicon manga that makes you fuzzy inside. But that's not realistic.
The only thing I dislike about this manga is that it can't be enjoyed. But I guess that can't be helped. Be it my own fault, or the ethical issues it deals with.


_ >_>' and don't click 'un-helpful' because i'm following the guideline "don't write spoilers". read more

First of all, how come this doesn't have a mature warning? o_O

Anyways. It's psychological, in an abstract way. It's weird, in a "..is that it?" way. And it's drama in a rather terminal tragedy kind of way.

The story, I give a 9. Not that I would preach what this story seems to condone, but in that it seems to hold its own as stories should. I'm impressed by certain techniques used so boldly. Though that's probably just my liking towards foreign psychological films and short films speaking.

The art, 9. Just take a look for yourself. Everything seems to have it's own soul. But perhaps I'm overenthusiastic.

Character, 7. It is two chapters, but the psychological abstractness of it all seems to compensate. Though, even at that, you wonder if you know anyone that could act so calmly in some situations.

Enjoyment, 8. I liked the abstract. I liked the psychological bits. I liked the art. I didn't enjoy the theme more than I should, but it is admirable for such a daring story. Of course, when I say "I didn't enjoy it more than I should", I mean it - hence the minus 2 points.

Overall, 8.5. I won't say it's a must read, but I can't help but give credit where it's due. Such a daring story, such a great standard of art, - what more can you ask of a manga? And only two chapters at that.

The themes in this drives me to recommend it towards only the mature.
As an indirect audience recommendation, I'd have to say that this is one of the more enjoyable psychological drama/tragedies I've read.

Though... 'enjoy' might not be the word most people would use. read more

Not your most entertaining manga, nor does it seem to have that purpose in the first place. It reminded me of listening to the life of a socially unacceptable friend: no happily ever after or uplifting moral stories, just one step in the mud after another.

I don't think many would understand the point, or enjoy reading this, besides those who enjoy something anti-pretty in almost any sense of the word.

Despite what I've described, I liked that it isn't over-zealous. There are no lucky circumstances, dramatic attempts at happiness or fantasy-like alternative universe. Just one of those below-the-radar mangas that told a twisted one-shot story.

Who would I recommend this to? I guess it's for those who can relate to it. But.. even at whatever possibility that could be at, I wonder if it could say anything further on the subject than "it happened".

I guess that's something that could be admired. Though it could be called laziness on the author's part, it's very much the laziness of the reader who expects all the thinking to be done for them.

Of course, being rated 'mature' by mangafox.com, there are issues that pop up here and there (inappropriate teachers, parent-child conflict, bullying, etc). They're not really addressed further than 'it happens', but act more as the building blocks to an imperfect world. I guess that's why one would call this manga realistic.

Suppose that's the punchline: if you don't like hearing your socially unacceptable friend's tales of stepping one foot into the mud after another, you probably won't like this one.
(do excuse my first time reviewing something and a rather unsatisfying review) read more