- Last OnlineJul 5, 2022 12:37 PM
- JoinedJul 7, 2017
RSS Feeds
|
![]()
Jan 30, 2021
Is this the One Piece of shoujo manga?
It's been a minute since I last wrote a review, but it's been many more minutes since Skip Beat! began. In the simple words of a fellow reader of this series:
"Either we will die or the author will die before this manga is completed"
Honestly I've faithfully followed Skip Beat! for several years now, with the intent of postponing my review until its completion. But what is this? "This pacing is rather slow," thought I. "The clothing and hairstyles are a bit outdated as well, I noticed. Just when did this begin? ...I'm sorry, does that say 2002?!? We're
...
coming up on 20 years now?!"
Before we get into actual series content/quality, my preliminary advice is to put off starting this series for as long as you can so that you aren't left waiting for monthly updates of chapters that are unfailingly short. There it is, I can't do more for you on that front, let's get to critique.
Skip Beat! is sublime, despite its mediocre artwork. A long-running series ought to boast of (1) an expansive storyline and (2) notable character development; Skip Beat! succeeds in both.
We achieve the former through the realm of entertainment. As an actress, Kyoko's ongoing improvement in her acting range translates directly to the environmental expansion viewed by the reader. It's historical drama, it's an action flick, it's shoujo within shoujo (so meta!). I most likely would have dropped the series upon reaching the latest chapters, except one of these subplots hooked my interest and I remain hopeful for more content like it.
The latter benefit, character development, is the author's particular--and possibly indirect--skill. Without this, the series would be truly unbearable. Truthfully, characters' big "realization" moments are somewhat overblown and fairly trite. However, the underlying pace of the story actually results in subtle shifts for the story's leads that are very satisfying to consider at large. I wonder how much this effect is derived from the author's own maturing over 2 decades of work.
To conclude, Skip Beat! holds a unique place in the ranks of shoujo manga for a reason. I think you'll find something to enjoy in its many pages, but if you like conclusions (like me), then hold off for "another minute."
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all
![]()
Jan 20, 2019
"'For some reason' things don't go well and you feel uneasy.
'For some reason' you hate someone and can't forgive them.
'For some reason' you hurt somebody.
The reason is usually buried somewhere within, but...the idea of digging around for it is too scary."
Queen's Quality isn't groundbreaking when it comes to character types. The art isn't the best I've ever seen. Even the story arcs can be a little repetitive in their sequences and resolutions.
But dang, this manga really deserves some credit.
Shoujo mangakas have a tendency to pass off pure nonsense as some kind of profound realization just by adding a ton of ellipses ("..."), sparkly framing, and
...
a serene expression from their leading character.
"Wa-la! Now everything is perfect. Just ignore the actual logic of my captioning and allow the story to go on."
Queen's Quality is guilty of this shortcut from time to time, but I forgive these fumbles because of all the times the author makes a keen observation with actual substance! Honestly, this manga addresses serious psychological issues, and not just through its minor characters (token villains/bullies/losers/etc.). Every character has darkness. Every character struggles. Secondary emotions versus primary motives, deeply repressed feelings, metacognition and mental health--this is some crazy real stuff that everyone has, whether they acknowledge it or not. I recommend this manga (so far) on the basis that readers should actually take cues from it and undergo some self-analysis.
Also, fan service.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Aug 5, 2018
This is a laugh-out-loud kind of shoujo manga. It took me several chapters to adjust to the art style; how could you write a successful shoujo manga with two such unfashionable leads? The girl is an endless fount of ghastly expressions and the diminutive stature of her male counterpart is visually disconcerting. Furthermore, I would say that the first 10 chapters have irregular pacing and confusing character development. Given all this criticism, why would I rate this series as an 8 so far?
Why? How?
Because LOL.
This mangaka has certain storytelling/artistic skills, and they MILK IT.
Although the leads are not "beautiful" in the traditional shoujo sense (you
...
only get a flowery glimpse of the female lead once every 4 or so chapters, and the male lead's handsome face--his only handsome feature, by the way--is only occasionally given some accompanying romantic action), the art style is bold and crisp! There's no wonky proportions, excluding the deliberate size difference, and the panels that purely focus on artwork are of the highest quality.
I'm talking "freeze-frames" here.
This mangaka slays freeze-frames.
The expressions of shock/happiness/disbelief/etc. found in the silent panels of this manga have elicited the most genuine laughs from me, and I will always give credit to the author when that happens. This is really the top benefit I want to drive home. Get some laughs!
But on a side note, this manga is, from my knowledge, fairly accurate about mismatched couples. My close friend in college was fully 6 feet tall and completely filled out, much like the heroine of this manga. She was also dating a guy who, while not shorter, was certainly on the slimmer side and gave the impression of "smaller." She also had little dating experience, and the awkward, fumbling manner of dating between mismatched physiques oftentimes resembled the depiction found in this series.
My friend also sported some irregular bangs at one point, so that's a fun coincidence.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jun 27, 2018
Are the Japanese very unwell? It amazes me how many deceased parents there are in shoujo manga, but Sugar Family outdoes them all. The first four families you meet have 1 deceased or absent parent, so that everyone has their personal sob story.
I enjoyed this manga well enough, but it doesn't change the fact that the story is poorly strung together. Teacher and student become step-siblings; teacher has immediate sister complex; student has family issues; 10+ chapters are dedicated to heightening tension by continuously repeating dialogue from a few conversations: "Sensei needs a sister..." "If only we were real siblings..." "We just want to always
...
be together..." Again, and again, and again.
Ultimately, the manga wraps up too quickly and the reader doesn't really get to see the transition in characters' feelings, considering all the obvious conflicts surrounding them. Some extended epilogue chapters would have been beneficial.
Overall, I recommend reading this if you're looking for a more capable shoujo heroine and cheerful/affectionate male lead. Sometimes the genre can be saturated with breathy girls and surly men, and this is a nice break from that dynamic.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
May 17, 2018
You know those manga where the lead female considers herself plain or ugly, but that really isn't the case? Or where she undergoes some transformation that makes her into a great beauty?
That doesn't happen in this manga.
Kawai is scary. She just is. And that's okay!
This short series is endearing because you get to watch an unfashionable but kind-hearted woman fall in love for the first time. But hey, this is shoujo, so if the girl can't be pretty then you can bet that the male lead is going to be super handsome--yay Hosaka! This series also explores the parallels in
...
relationships between adults and between children, as conflicts in the nursery where Kawai and Hosaka work teach principles that help them move along in their own budding romance.
Cute, quick, and funny--highly recommend reading it!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
May 17, 2018
Forget breathy sighs, excessive thought bubbles, and unending miscommunication. Toradora! centers around two relatively straightforward, unconventional leads that inadvertently become best friends. Despite having a combative relationship, Taiga and Takasu agree early on to serve as wingmen for each other in pursuit of the other's best friend. Takasu likes the silly, cute Minori (Taiga's best friend), while Taiga likes the sociable, active Kitamura (Takasu's best friend).
It took me 5-10 chapters to get into the swing of things, but once Taiga and Takasu established their friendship, I found this manga to be delightfully refreshing. I'll agree with other reviewers that there's nothing
...
especially deviant from the genre, but the relationship between the leads is one not commonly seen. Since the main characters are focused on becoming closer to secondaries, the blushing and awkward shoujo tropes are told from a hilarious third-person perspective; so you get to see something like a confession scene with someone else commenting on how terrible it is.
Of course, you have to understand that guys and girls can't be friends, or at least not as close as Taiga and Takasu. Naturally this causes the duo some inexplicable jealousy and longing, which will be fun to watch them figure out.
All in all, I can recommend it with the encouragement to at least read the first 10 chapters.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
May 6, 2018
Shiawase Kissa 3-choume is a great weekend read. While I found the characters very likable, the pacing and conclusion could have been very off-putting depending on my mood. If you're looking for some hot shoujo romance, you may want to postpone reading this series. But if you're looking for a steady, more slice-of-life kind of feeling, then I can highly recommend it.
The main character, Uru, falls into a reverse-harem kind of situation where everyone surrounding her is captivated by her effervescent positivity. Even as the reader, I was attracted to her wide smiles, extroversion, and boundless energy. It was a
...
nice break from the more quiet, melancholic heroines I've recently gone through. She actually has some personality that makes you think, "Oh, yes, I can see why a story would be centered around such a person." Of course, the mangaka had to make her romantically obtuse in order to string along the various storylines, but that's not such a bad thing.
The pacing of this series is bizarrely life-like. Rather than skipping from holiday to holiday and vacation to vacation, the entire series spans less than a year. Characters reference "yesterday" much more often than "a few days/weeks ago," which is uncommon in shoujo. The mangaka introduces so many complete characters that upholding all of their side stories keeps her busy enough without having token episodes like Christmas, a beach day, or a trip to the amusement park. In fact, you should be surprised to learn that there is no "first day" chapter, which seems like a staple ingredient to any successful shoujo. While unconventional, I think that this actually speaks to the quality of the series' characters. Their realism carries along the story naturally, and you can genuinely buy into most of the relationships.
Selfishly, I will note that I was dissatisfied with the romantic conclusion, even if you can see it from 100 miles away. By chapter 1 you know whom Uru prefers, but as the series progressed I was more convinced of the merits of the other males. I think the mangaka became aware of this, too, as she constantly sets up Uru's coworkers as "formidable opponents"...not distinguishing the eventual winner. As a result, the mangaka kind of copped out in the last 5 chapters and made suitor #2 leave the scene, essentially crippling him as a romantic interest. I preferred him, so I was particularly annoyed. Considering the quality development of all the relationships, I feel like the readers deserved more detailed and conclusive endings.
All in all, I was disappointed by the ending, but did not regret reading the series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Feb 21, 2018
Let's rename this series, "17-sai, Stockholm Syndrome." We can subtitle it, "A young girl discovers she's a masochist."
Initially, I had a programmed, American response to the premise of cousins being love interests. However, after reading up on the cultural differences, I thought it could make for an interesting plot dynamic. There are plenty of shoujo manga where a cousin comes on the scene to stir up trouble, but I have little experience with such a romance being the primary focus. All that just to say that if the cousin thing doesn't weird you out, never fear, because the characters are plenty
...
weird enough to jack up the story on their own!
I dropped this series after 8 chapters, and even that was a stretch for me. The "unassuming" male cousin intentionally conceals his physical, mental, and social capabilities from his female cousin in order to stay close to her. His long-unrequited love goes unnoticed by the main girl...for about 2 seconds into the story. Suddenly, something breaks inside Male Cousin's brain. Hormones go crazy. What begins as a relatively innocent kiss in one scene progresses to full-on molestation a few pages later...on multiple occasions! Female Cousin continuously says "stop, stop!" but to no avail. Male Cousin just can't stop himself anymore. (What the heck is this series trying to promote?! Rape culture?! Shoujo can get so disgusting.) Female Cousin, rather than being repulsed by Male Cousin's obvious disregard for her actual feelings, begins to become flustered and steadily attracted to her heretofore useless relative. He pressures her into dating him, and their grossly masochistic interactions continue.
So maybe that's your thing, but it sure isn't mine. *drops the mic, drops the series*
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Feb 20, 2018
Unlike many other shoujo mangas, Last Game establishes a firm foundation for the relationship between the lead characters. I think this is the primary reason it has a "very high" re-read value for me, since the shoujo genre is littered with love-at-first sight pairings and weakly defined character traits. Yanagi and Kujou have definite strengths and definite flaws, and both sets are continuously acknowledged throughout the series.
However, Last Game is also VERY satisfactory when it comes to your standard shoujo expectations. There are touching romantic moments and substantial character development in several subplots. But be warned: about twenty chapters elapse with
...
relatively no progress in the main storyline. I only noticed this during a re-read of the series, and it shocked me. I took my overall rating down from a 9 to an 8. Around chapter 20, Kujou has a key realization, but she fails to truly act on that realization for, as I said, the next ~20 chapters. The heck?! So I would encourage new readers to either get comfortable before settling in for the long haul, or to otherwise (dare I suggest it?) skip a few chapters here and there to maintain interest.
However, I would still encourage you to read the series due to its well-executed conclusion and for some refreshing perspectives on common shoujo types. Yanagi serves as the primary narrator, and his arrogant overtures and honest devotion to Kujou is so unlike the tepid and twiddling thought processes of your basic shoujo female narrator. Kujou is also refreshingly capable in every facet, except for communication, and this is what causes the 20-chapter lag since the focus shifts to her. I suppose I'm essentially stating that you should read this series for Yanagi, whose personality/disposition is usually allocated to a side character by most mangakas. And as I stated at the beginning of this review, Last Game succeeds in establishing legitimate grounds for a relationship between the main characters: common interests, extended time spent together, genuine appreciation for strong qualities...
It's a good read. You should get some real laughs out of it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Feb 15, 2018
"Should I keep it a secret from him? ...No, it's better to be honest."
ReRe Hello does not get nearly enough credit for its unconventional approach to shoujo manga. I am surprised MAL didn't recommend it to me sooner, as it proved to be a rather solid selection from the genre.
The unique aspect of this series comes from the straightforwardness of its leads. My favorite mangas usually boast strong supporting cast, but this was one of a few that relies more heavily on its main characters. Minato and Ririko make a capable couple; she is studious, reliable, domestically talented, and physically strong,
...
while he is wealthy, loving, and athletic. The obvious criticism here is that they are too far above reproach, and some planned character flaws would make for a more realistic story. Indeed, Minato's pettiness when it comes to his family is never really called out, but this is because the mangaka included such a trite plotline that was inconsistent with the actual character.
But ReRe Hello shines as distinctly different from its shoujo peers whenever a conflict is presented. Rather than tortuous, ongoing misunderstandings between characters, Minato and Ririko show themselves to have strong communication skills and demonstrate resolve in figuring things out. Have you ever rolled your eyes at how a character will be "determined" to follow a course of action, only to have some other character convince them otherwise within the same chapter? You don't have to deal with that in this manga. Of course there are still small complications or misunderstandings (to keep the story alive), but you won't find yourself tearing out your hair at the main girl's timidity or lack of confidence, and you won't have to justify any cruel behavior on behalf of the main guy.
It's a casual manga. Most of the settings are altogether normal (i.e. no plane-chasing sequences or diving into rivers). Even Minato's wealthiness doesn't become a barrier between the two, which is such a relief in this genre.
I recommend it for a light, weekend read!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
