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The longer we live, the more weight we carry in our hearts.

A sentence that truly summarizes and embodies the manga of Nana. The tale follows the lives of two very different girls who share the same name of Nana, and not much else. After a fateful meeting on a train bound to Tokyo, they manage to become friends and their lives weave closely together from that moment forwards. Written most nostalgically by one of the Nana’s from sometime years in the future, the story is a remembrance of the friendship between two girls and all the people who surrounded them who all rushed into life ... with the vigor, innocence and optimism of youth; and returned so tragic, weary and worn by circumstance and choice.

While wrongly categorized as a Shoujo series, Nana is very much a Josei in its explicit content, realistic storytelling, and maturity, so it is far better to be read by an audience who can handle such things.

★ Story (9) – Like longing letters written to the past, Nana unfolds in remembrance and nostalgia from the point of view of one of the Nana’s many years into the future. A simple meeting between two girls of the same age and bearing the same name quickly evolves into a tangled web of many lives with romance and betrayal; long distance relationships and unhealthy romances; cheating scandals and underage prostitutes; unplanned pregnancies and family secrets; obsession and desire; sex and rock n’ roll…All of which is set against the backdrop of a very modern, very fashionable, very young Tokyo where debauchery and youth go hand in hand reigning supreme, and friendship deeper than anything remains the unbreakable link between people lost in the modern world, and in themselves.

Punctuated with ambience throughout, this series is littered with an aching yearning for the past, and a wish to relive life and avoid all the mistakes that brought the story to a vague, but seemingly unhappy future.

★ Art (9) - The artwork of Nana is incredibly distinctive, stylish and highly unique and in so is an absolutely acquired taste. Very artsy and drawn in high style, the characters of Nana are all skin and bones (almost disgustingly so) and always sporting the very latest in fashion. The photographic backgrounds add a touch of realism to the artwork, and yet another sense of style to this very stylish series. Everything is drawn painstakingly well, and in detail from strands of hair to eyelashes. While the style will not be liked by everyone, the art still remains a high scorer for the unique style and the high and consistent quality.

★ Character (10) – This is a series where I really dislike the majority of the cast. So why did I rank the characters so highly? Simple – they are so realistic. Every single character is a three dimensional person unto themselves, with very distinctive personalities and traits unique to them. Not one character can be boxed and labeled as a cliché or a stereotype and indeed, their characterizations are deconstructed time and time again in the course of the story. No matter what choices the character makes or does not make they are given insight and depth throughout. Complex and layered, these characters function and fumble along like real people, constantly shedding and growing new sides to them while remaining themselves in their entirety. While the characters are rather difficult to like on the whole, it is very easy to come to terms with them, and to reach out and understand them on a different level.

They are difficult and contradictory; prickly and sweet; unlikable and loveable – they are completely and utterly human, and in this humanness they are defined.

★ Enjoyment (9) – This is a series for people who want to read about the joy and pain of youth; of the good choices and terrible mistakes which haunt lives years afterward. This is a slice of life story of the most realistic and raw degree with all the twists and turns of life, and the bumps and bruises of stumbling through them.

★ Overall (9) – This beautiful, mature Josei series is a real page turner, and highly recommended for those mature enough to handle it.

This is a series that shows how even the most simple and mundane of choices in our day to day lives can have an effect on those same lives, and can spiral into something much larger in time. It shows us how youth can be the most precious key given in life, with the most painful doors and secrets to unlock.

It shows how life gives us such fond, wonderful memories – but also chokes and tears us apart with those same remembrances. And it shows how friendship is the most wonderful gift to have, and how it is also the heaviest burden to carry.

How very true it is then: that the longer we live, the more weight we carry in our hearts.

Hey Nana...

Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) is a excellent example of why not all things popular are good. (In fact, they're usually the furthest thing away from being good).

Hana Yori Dango is long running manga considered to be the cream of the crop of Shoujo series in Japan. It has spawned several TV dramas in different countries, an anime series and three movies, one of which is an anime. It's story is very well known in many Asian countries, and is very much beloved and popular as well.

It is also the best selling Shoujo manga of all time in Japan, having sold 54 million ... copies in Japan alone as of 2005.

...A title however, which it utterly does not deserve in the slightest. Why is that? Well, read on and see.

★ Story (1) - If there ever was a plot built entirely upon Shoujo manga cliches, this would be it. What starts off deceivingly about bullying in an outrageously top-tier school and the lone girl who rises up against it very quickly falls into a bubbling little mass and mess of one cliche after another.

As bullying is a serious problem in many parts of the world, but more so in places like Japan where the suicide rate is very high, the bullying aspect of this manga should have been treated seriously, and not used as a "romantic" plot device as the author makes it to be. The main female of this manga starts off strong and independent, promising to "take down" the bullies of the school and not give in to them whatsoever.

Guess what? She does, and very easily as well. What I find sickening and annoying, is how she feels she is constantly at fault and how she always apologizes to the bullies of the school who treat her pretty badly. Even after she dates one of them, when he treats her badly (physically abusing her far more than once, and really putting her down in other ways over the course of the series) she STILL feels like SHE and not him is in the wrong. The number of times she apologizes to him is too many to count. How many times does he say sorry to her? About two times during the entire 36 volume run of the series.

Other than how lightly the grave matter of bullying is treated, there is also the main plot problem, a plot (as I have said earlier) is built entirely upon cliches. Here's a list of what happens during the course of the series:

- Good girl falls for bad, abusive boy who bullies her to show his "love".

- Bad boy is outrageously rich and the good girl is dirt poor.

- There's attempted rape.

- Stolen first kiss, que cliche line, "Omg that was my first kiss oh noes I will never forgive him!!!"

- Other member of the bullying group falls for main girl.

- Main girl loses her house and *le gasp* then works as a maid for the male lead.

- Main male lead's mom hates his girlfriend, so she makes life a cliche hell for them.

- Relationship woes. Slap slap, kiss kiss, fight, kiss, break up. Rinse and repeat 50 more times please.

- Male lead rescues girl several times throughout the series in the nick of time.

- Male and female lead see each other in underwear/naked due to stupid series of events like getting locked in a cold cabin. "How should we keep warm?" "Let's take off our clothes and lie down together to preserve body heat!" Where have I heard that before.

- Every single other cliche you can think of. I'm dead serious.

Seriously, this is the entire story. You do not even have to read this manga to know what will happen, it's THAT cliche and predictable.

★ Art (8 and 5) - The artwork of this manga really needs two different scores as it is such a long running series, the artwork changes very significantly and obviously over time.

(8) The earlier volumes of this series feature quite detailed, unique artwork that pretty much screams 90's, so perhaps that is an acquired taste for some. Everything about the character's clothing, hairstyles, even makeup is very much individual to that character and well done. Shading, textures and detail are added on to all the characters and even the world they live in making everything stand out vividly.

(6) Later volumes of the series however fall rather short of the uniqueness that the earlier volumes had down to a T. While the lines are very clean and neat, the artwork is incredibly washed out and dull. There's no texture, no detail, no nothing. The pages look very neat and smooth, but very plain and boring. Not one thing stands out or is memorable. Everyone and everything is drawn much more sleekly, but unfortunately the author seems to have gone for clean, simplistic lines over artsy, original art.

★ Character (1) - Remember how I said the story was so cliche? The characters are pretty much reflections of that. Take whatever crappy stereotypes of Shoujo manga characters there are, group them all together, and you have the entire cast of Hana Yori Dango in a nutshell. There is not one unique of interesting personality among the lot, and every single character (even the side ones!) fall into already per-appointed characterization.

★ Enjoyment (2) - Really nothing is enjoyable here unless you love cliche, stereotypical, predictable series. If not, move along.

★ Overall (2) - Do yourself a favor and don't read this manga. Sure, it is not the worst series out there but it comes close to it.

If you want a series with a unique, wonderful cast of characters in a school (or rather, college) setting, check out something like the beautiful and bittersweet Josei series, Honey and Clover.

If you want a manga where a good girl does fall for a troubled boy BUT it is done very well and also features very realistic problems like abuse, drugs, etc that is handled well, check out the Josei manga, Mars.

If you want a comedy manga about an outrageously high class high school and a girl who becomes part of a group of filthy rich guys, check out the Shoujo, Ouran High School Host Club.

There are so many mangas out there that are truly worth your time. So don't waste it reading garbage like this.

Every now and then there will come a series that touches the deepest spaces of your heart, and remains with you for the rest of your life.

This is one of them.

Aka-chan to Boku, or Baby and Me as it is known to English audiences, is a manga that features an 11 year old boy who just recently lost his mother, and who must now step up and help take care of his baby brother while his father runs a busy job, and tries to keep things moving along. This is a very realistic and detailed slice-of-life manga showing the lifestyle of an elementary school child ... and his baby brother coping with the loss of their mother, though many other characters and their lives are given insight as well.

It is a real pity that this manga is not more well known outside of Japan, as it is one of the all time best selling Shoujo mangas there, and is truly a wonderful series.

It is also interesting to note that though this manga is classified as Shoujo, the layout of the series (the art panels) is much more like a Shonen, and the series on a whole feels more like a slice-of-life Shonen, or even a Josei series.

So, what makes this series so excellent?

★ Story (10) - It is strange to think that when you are a child, all you wish to do is to grow up and be an adult. When we are adults, we want nothing more than to be a child once more. This manga encompasses that nostalgic and yearned for childhood that some of us had, and others did not. It takes us away from the world of adults - but sneaks a peek in every now and then with the eyes of a child, or through the eyes of the grownups we all eventually become someday.

This manga follows the day to day life and adventures (or misadventures) of the main family, and many other characters. Everything from a sick day to a hectic day at work; baseball games and school trips; bullying and unsure new mothers; holidays and even a kidnapping among many other things are all shown realistically while being comedic, sad, and often times nostalgic. This manga has a way with weaving words that speak volumes to the reader in their honesty and the truth of their feelings.

Several times surprisingly, rather tough or tricky topics are brought to light. For instance, there were chapters on family problems and a wayward son; unplanned pregnancies, masturbation and even the death of character. No, this manga does not shy away from more sensitive topics, but discusses them and treats them very realistically and in a fair way while not over dramatizing them.

The one problem I had with the story, was the timeline. The author says that the story takes place in just one year. However that cannot be correct, as for instance, Christmas and New Years are shown and celebrated more than once and seasons change many times among other things. However, this little blunder does not take away from the story, and does not ruin anything.

★ Art (10) - It is rare that a manga can convey such complex emotions and feelings through black and white artwork. It is rare, but in this case it was done, and done beautifully. The character does not even have to say anything whatsoever; but what they mean is shown through the expression in their face, a look in their eyes. The art style is very cute, very cleanly done, and very appealing to look at. The 90's style resonates through and though and adds a touch of nostalgia which, considering the story line, is utterly perfect for the tale.

★ Character (10) - If there ever was a series with a cast of gold, this would be it. There are many characters in this manga, and while the main character's family gets the most attention, many other characters are very well fleshed out and the reader gets a very interesting peek into their lives ranging anywhere from a toddler, to a recently married couple with their first child, to the eccentric manager of a daycare. The characters all have distinct personalities, and all continue to develop and grow even when the focus is not on them. Even side characters who do not have much screen time are given sparkling personalities that shine through and make even the most mediocre of subjects interesting and vivid. The feelings of the characters in general are observed and followed very closely and penned down accurately. Truly, this author has the gift of making very three dimensional characters come alive on the pages of a book.

★ Enjoyment (10) - For all those who want a truly great manga to read and fall in love with, this is for you. For all those sick to death of cliche Shoujo mangas full of love and nonsense, this is what you need to pick up and read as soon as possible. There's no fantastic world, no epic quest or incredible romance featured in these pages. What there is a very human, very real story that makes its own magic in an everyday world, and makes its way through the struggles and triumphs of life through wonderful, realistic characters who, without trying, make you love them. There is nothing not to enjoy is this classic, and there is something for everyone in its covers.

★ Overall (10) - Growing up happens in a heartbeat. We toddle about on our hands and feet one day; the next, we walk confidentially towards the future and we're gone. No matter how far we journey though, our hearts still bask in the good and bad memories of our childhood. All the smiles and laughter of our youth; all the bumps and bruises as we climb the ladder to the adult word. We remember the streets and faces of our past though the names may escape us. We recall places and homes we have not been to, nor stepped in for many years. We recognize that behind each little house there are people; people with lives and stories and feelings all their own, bound together in the pain and love of life. And no matter how big we get, or how far away we go - we find ourselves looking back always; with yearning eyes and wanting heart.

This beautiful little gem of a story encompasses all those feelings and is utterly worth a read time and time again. And for 18 volumes we are given that absolute privilege of taking a walk back to the past as we once more step into the too-soon left behind but never forgotten world of childhood.

Love hurts.

Two words that truly sum up the entirety of Bokura Ga Ita - We Were There. The story follows the interconnected lives of four people made tragic by circumstance and choice from their highschool days, and ten years hence.

This manga is categorized as a Shoujo, yet the maturity of the tale, and the realistic way everything is approached and handled is far more like a Josei, and therefore better for a more mature audience, either in age, mentality or both.

★ Story (9) - What starts off as a deceivingly simple and very cliche tale of a good, innocent girl falling love with the ... school delinquent quickly evolves into a very painful and tragic story spanning ten or so years. A simple tale of what seems to be a first love during high school is completely shattered as dark, troubled pasts come to light; revelations of secrets in families are revealed, abuse and abusive behavior are uncovered, cheating scandals abound and the death of one girlfriend takes its toll on several characters.

Yes; this manga is dark.

What stops this story from being cliche and overly dramatic is the mature, realistic way events are shown and handled. None of the events are taken lightly, or just passed by as a chapter's event, or played up for the entertainment factor and the sake of the reader. Everything is taken seriously, broken down and scrutinized from all sides and different perspectives, each side with its own conflicting feelings and thoughts that adds to the realistic nature of the tale.

There is also a certain ambiance...A certain feeling throughout this whole story. The atmosphere is somewhat vague and dreamlike, coupled with a nostalgic sense, and a feeling of yearning for people, places and even the past. This dreamy, sad quality suits the entire story very well and only adds to the plot.

★ Art (3) - Unfortunately, this is where the good reviews go out the window. The art for this series (an award winning series at that) is extremely poor and badly done. The blank, pupil-less "frog eyes" that every character has are incredibly unnerving, creepy, and rather off-putting. Their bodies and clothes look like rough, sketchy doodles and the backgrounds look very lazy or merely incomplete.

The sketchiness and bad line art coupled with poor landscapes, and overall poor design make this one of the poorest artsyles I have ever come across in a manga.

★ Character (9) - You have the innocent girl, the bad boy, his good-guy pal who wants the innocent girl, and the sister of the dead girlfriend who wants the bad boy. Cliche and stereotypical, right?

Wrong.

This manga really deconstructs all the stereotypical cliches and "boxes" that so many authors place their characters into. Every character is given depth, meaning, different sides and perspectives, making them very three dimensional and understandable. While you may think you know a character, you'll see that they make choices, or act completely differently from how you perceived them. Characters you thought you knew make surprising choices, or shocking things are revealed about them which changes your perspective from back to front and around again.

These characters are carefully layered and even convoluted. Intricately layered and folded with sharp edges that can cut if not carefully handled. The beauty about the characters in this series is that they are not limited by what the audience wants them to do, but they live by whom they are.

And that changes more often than you think, making them all very interesting.

★ Enjoyment (9) - For those out there that are sick to death of immature, cheesy little Shoujo tales this is for you. This manga is very realistic and almost brutal in its deconstruction of a first love, and of love and relationships in general.

★ Overall (9) - This is a beautiful, tragic, and very understated series that I highly recommend for those with a taste for realistic relationships, and the heart to handle them.

This, most certainly, is not a series for everyone. For instance, this series does feature unhealthy relationships and the people who stay in them voluntarily. This has upset many people (including me) but then, that is the character's own choice and it is interesting to see WHY they choose to stay, or still love the abuser.

This series is for older, mature audiences, or those that can understand that love can be painful and dark; that it takes and wounds; that it chokes the innocence and youth out of life - that it scars and leaves behind bruises on the heart that even Time cannot heal.

Love hurts indeed.

Tokyo Babylon is the beautiful, classic manga from Clamp that lures you into the false sense of security that everything will be okay and perfect at the end – when it is anything but, and much, much worse. It’s been about 20 years since this manga was written, and it is still one of Clamp’s greatest and most memorable works; and the work that spawned such beloved characters, and the somewhat sequel, the gorgeous X (X/1999) where Subaru and Seishirou appear nine years later.

★ Story (10) – Tokyo of the 90’s– a modern, powerful cityscape, a glorious empire of sprawling lights and commercial skyscrapers; a ... bitter world hurling itself evermore into a state of Babylon, and eventually utter destruction. Dark, sinister, and brooding, this manga focuses on the problems of this modern society by following the life of young Subaru Sumeragi; a 16 year old onmyouji – a powerful exorcist and the head of the powerful Sumeragi family. The premise of this manga sounds so simple, so very dull; so very overdone. I can assure you, it is anything but. Subaru goes through the manga solving different cases, each of which focus on different social problems and issues that run amok in the world. Every story does not have a happy ending, yet the readers eyes are opened to the different points of view surrounding the problem, and are asked some hard, insightful questions directed to solving the issue. Tokyo Babylon is far more than a fantasy story; it is a social outcry and a voice for the problems of a modern world which still exist today.

Though it is a dark story, Tokyo Babylon is nonetheless supplied with plenty of lighthearted scenes. The humor is laced in-between the darkness and balances it out nicely. The mile-long speeches of Hokuto, the suave and silly flirting of Seishirou towards Subaru, and of course Subaru’s adorable embarrassment at the hands of the other two partners in crime is very adorable and fun. The humor is a very sharp contrast to the ever evolving tragedy and drama that in fact lures the reader into a false safety net of “everything will be okay in the end”. Which is exactly what Tokyo Babylon sets out to do, and succeeds. Whatever tragedy you expect to happen will happen, but it will be far, far more horrific than expected.

Throughout the tale, young, shy and sweet Subaru is flanked by his two companions – his energetic and witty twin sister Hokuto, and the charming, flirtatious but mysterious Seishirou Sakurazuka, a 25 year old veterinarian and head of the Sakurazuka clan; the age-old rivals of the Sumeragi. Throughout the manga, innocent and gentle Subaru becomes more and more worldly wise in his job and his duties as he is exposed to a darker and darker world; the pinnacle of his heartbreaking change from an innocent child into the brooding, tragic young man of X (X/1999) is brought about at the end of this series through a shocking, brutal betrayal that destroys and breaks him down entirely. In the end, Subaru’s childlike faith and trust in people, and the belief that they will not betray him is utterly destroyed, and he stands alone; a bitter figure amidst a world heading towards to inevitable Apocalypse; a person left in ruins among the towering skyscrapers of Babylon.

★ Art (8) – An older series, the art style has a distinctive late 80’s early 90’s touch that makes it very nostalgic and stylish in a retro way. The art is beautifully drawn nonetheless, in Clamp’s detailed but neat style, reminiscent of their older, far more lavish works. Slender, long-limbed good looking characters and whimsical clothing are supplied in all their attractive glory; a handsome, seductive older man, a very pretty boy and an adorable, stylish girl all become eye candy at the hands of Clamp. I did not give the art a perfect score, because at times, some of the bodies look a bit awkward, the positioning is rather off and the proportions can be odd. Overall though, while Clamp’s artwork may be an acquired taste for some, Tokyo Babylon is still very appealing to look at, especially in the later and final volumes where everyone looks their best, and the style is perfected.

★ Character (10) – A series with only three main characters? How will that work? But it does, and very well. With only three characters, the story becomes very intimate and close-knit (which of course, further goes to hike up the sheer tragedy of the ending).

There is a reason that Subaru is one of Clamp's most popular characters even after 20 years; he is a completely endearing, loveable, innocent person, and utterly adorable. His gentleness, kindness and sweetness are constantly at odds with the dark work he is destined to do; yet they all remain with him -though much more subtle- even when he loses so much at the end. In all my years of keeping up with Clamp, I can honestly say that I've never come across even one person who disliked Subaru.

Hokuto is the comforting, encouraging and bubbly twin of Subaru's - she the loud to his soft, the friendly to his shy and his number one supporter (especially when it comes to Seishirou). On her own, Hokuto is extremely likable, loving and very self-sacrificing; everything she does is for her brother's happiness, and she's willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that...

And last but anything but least, there is Seishirou who is the enigma of the group. By day he is a friendly, flirty veterinarian; friend -and more- of Subaru's, and Hokuto's partner in crime. And yet, his real personality and true agendas are incredibly shocking and sinister; giving out anymore would ruin the secret of the story, but however sinister you think Seishirou is...When it is truly revealed, he is far, far worse, and the results of his true personality are utterly devastating.

★ Enjoyment (10)- While some may be turned off by the light shonen-ai, there really is nothing NOT to enjoy with this little gem. Don't just sit there reading my review; go and read this yourself.

★ Overall (10) - Everything from the cases, to the art and the wonderful characters are all very worth a read and more. This story has the humor, the darkness and the overwhelming shock of brutal tragedy all wrapped up in a highly appealing package. This is an absolute classic from Clamp, that delivers far more than expected in the 7 volumes that this story spans. And afterwards, when you're done, and the final volume is finished leaving you saddened and shocked with more questions that answers...Turn to Clamp's X, the somewhat sequel of this manga. There, you'll find the answers to what happened, and IS happening to Seishirou and Subaru nine tragic years later. Don't expect a happy ending for them though; after all, how could there be? There can never be a perfect ending for those who lived and were victims in the crumbling world of Tokyo Babylon.

This is a review that I wrote on mangafox some years ago, under my username 'lady_ribbon". The reason I'm posting it here is because its still so true. (Some parts have been slightly edited).

I have heard a lot about this manga, mostly from raving, insane fangirls who can't type or use punctuation properly. Despite that, I wanted to read it since I love historical anime/manga, and this one seemed really popular.

I was so positive I would love it to pieces.

I was utterly wrong.

I have read all 18 volumes, watched the anime fully, and the O.V.A's. I'll keep my ranting to the manga though, since this ... is where the original story comes from.

Let's begin, shall we?

1) The BASIC plot sounds really good. Girl gets sucked into a magical book, becomes part of the story, has to find some warriors, call something, save the world blah, blah, blah.

It was not carried out well at all.

2) The main character Miaka is one of the worst, if not the worst female 'hero' (and I use that word very lightly) I have ever seen. She's weak, useless, clingy, a glutton, annoying, dumb, prone to falling in love after five seconds, only cares about her boyfriend "Tamahomeee!!!", and shallow as hell too. And I think she's a bit on the slutty side as well, from lines and mannerisms such as, "If Tamahome and I could have been in the normal world, we could have had a normal relationship like any other High School student."

...Right. We all know what she means by that.

Yet despite all this nonsense, almost every single guy falls in love with her just for the sake of a reverse harem and to live up to that theme. There's barely anything to like about her, if anything at all. Even her looks (which aren't important to begin with) aren't anything to go raving mad about.

3) Rape, rape, RAPE. No matter how you type it, it's too much, and almost has a standing of being over-glorified and taken too lightly in manga. Especially in Shoujo manga. But honestly...How much attempted rape is there? It's gets so old after the first ten or so times. And even then the Suzaku Seven want to do it with Miaka. It's so annoying. They're human beings, not a bunch of bloody rabbits. Keep it in your pants (or panties) good people!

4) When there is supposed to be a serious scene in the manga, it's always ruined by the chibis. Always.

Even some other scenes that shouldn't have chibis are utterly ruined by them. The humor is atrocious, and it comes in at really bad moments, in all the wrong places. It makes it incredibly hard to take the moment/tragedy/sob scene seriously.

5) Almost everyone at the end of the manga DIES, and it's Miaka's fault, but of course they all fall down and worship her like a friggin' god or something, and spew bullshit like "Omg she liek, totally tried her best!!", "She waz s0 brave!!!", And also, all they did was fall in love with her (for what reason I'm still trying to understand), and say “You’re a brave little girl, you have it so tough.”

Yeah, tell that to the massacred farmers. But as usual, no one cares about unimportant characters whose job it is to fill up the world and haul up potatoes by the thousand to stuff annoying, useless schoolgirls.

6) I could give the romance problems in this manga it's own section, but I'll chop it down for you out of the goodness of my heart.

The romance is so unrealistic in every sense of the word. It moves WAY to fast. It has no buildup. Tamahome and Miaka meet for about five seconds, and then BAM! they love each other like it's damn magic. This is not Harry Potter people, so even spells can't save the poor love-plot. All Miaka thinks about is Tamahome -that is to say, she lives, breathes, eats, dreams...You get it- and she hardly knows him. I actually hate Tamahome because he's so perverted and unrealistic. Wait, I hate almost all of them. I only like(d) Nakago because he wants to kill them all, Nuriko before he liked Miaka, and Hotohori...At least he had some depth, and I felt sorry for him.

7) The character deaths happen, but somehow it always seems a little fake. When I say fake I mean it's really put-on. And once they die, it's like "Oh he died...Who was he? Well, whatever." Like when Tamahome's siblings died, all he could think about was Miaka. I mean...Really Tamahome? You're thinking about a girl you barely know over siblings who you have lived with and loved for YEARS? None of the manga deaths in this series were like others I've read about. Not.Even.One.

8) The manga is so soap-opera-ish,and melodramatic, that I can see why teen or tween girls like it.

9)Two other anime/light novels that are a little similar to Fushigi Yuugi are Saiunkoku Monogatari (which is a reverse harem, tons of guys, takes place in ancient China) and 12 Kingdoms (about a girl who is taken to another world, and made Empress/King). People who have watched Fushigi Yuugi and then watch either of these animes or both have actually said how they couldn't believe they watched F.Y and they thought it was utter crap after reading these. I think the main difference is that both the girls in these stories are amazing. They're strong, kick butt, are very smart, mature without being slutty.They have their faults, but their faults are realistic, and they both continually mature. Both the series have a wonderful cast of characters, storyline, adventure,mystery....And in Saiunkoku the romance is really done well. It takes time, and it's not sick or disgusting. The funny moments are well done too. 12 kingdoms is more serious,and it's not romantic unless you squint, and it really delves more into the adventure, and struggles of being a ruler. A more juvenile example would be Magic Knight Rayearth. Three girls taken to another world who *gasp* are the furthest thing away from useless, stupid and annoying, though they're all imperfect! But on the other hand, it's done by Clamp so of course it would be done well. Not to mention the plot...

Everyone in these three series for example is so well fleshed out and given their own unique personality and really grow as characters so much so that you can really understand them, and the choices they make, and what made them the people they are today, regardless of whether they are the hero or villain.

10) Thoughts form other sources that I agree with

The characters of Fushigi Yuugi are so uninspired that it really works against them. I found that much (or rather, all) of the main cast did not strike me as endearing. None of them really had something that makes you want to root for them along the course of the story. What makes it worse is the size of the cast. Why make it so large when only two characters matter, and you never truly flesh out everyone else unless you give them a quick and stupid story?

Miaka ignores the advice of those wiser than her (i.e. everyone) and dashes off to act on her own plans countless times. This usually results in the deaths of some innocents, soldiers, villagers, children, you name it, they die. By the end of the story, she’s responsible for the deaths of thousands, because she has to do things her way.

More times than I could count, this series fell into several pitfalls that romantic stories fall into. There is a big difference between someone saying they love you and someone showing that they love you. It takes effort for someone to show love, not a whole lot, but when that effort is used it hits dramatic gold. Instead we get unexplained events, awkward jokes, fan service, plot holes and other slipped-up script devices. I kept thinking that there was some essence of love in this production that would show up some time and completely blow me away. It never came.

This is a product that could have been sky-high, but since it lacked the proper foundations of good storytelling, it collapsed upon its own ideas; a pretty little rubble heap.

11) As I state below, I dislike the author's other works as well. What I did not say before (and one comment sure to burn in the hearts of those ardent fans) is that this author, this Yu Watase - is like the Stephenie Meyer of the manga world. She truly, truly is.

Before you scream at me (as you surely will) here's why I think why.

Yu Watase has these plots which sound good in a summary, horrible in story. She writes and makes the main female characters so useless and truly annoying and frustrating. (Bella anyone?) The romance always makes the girl seem pathetic, clingy, have-to-be-protected, second to the male, damsel in distress. (Edward/Bella!) The love triangles make everyone fall helplessly in love with the main female lead for no apparent reason other than to give the main male some competition, and the story something interesting. (Edward/Bella/Jacob people.) The characterization sucks. All the guys are pretty boys, the girls pretty average. (Sparkly vampy's and hunky wolves anyone?) The female characters in the story can ALWAYS be guaranteed to trip and fall.

Possibly the most important and immediately noticeable similarity is the fact that these stories are so incredibly popular for GIRLS/WOMEN, still get talked about a lot, are undeserving of the praise, and are often bashed by critics. (Which is deserving.)

The similarities go on and on and on.

In conclusion -

Like I said before, I truly dislike the author's other works too. She seems to recycle her characters, and there is always super-fast-drive-through-romance, among other awful things. Even her so called brilliant art style is nothing to talk about compared to others.

Everything truly sucks, and sucks really bad.

For all the hype it gets, it really, really, really is horrible.

Happy(?) reading!

(Here are the scores for story, art, character, enjoyment and overall).

★ Story (3)

★ Art (6)

★ Character (2)

★ Enjoyment (2)

★ Overall (2)

Do not suffer through this series. Please save your sanity and think of the massacred farmers who were killed by a stupid glutton.

If you want a wonderful, well written fantasy series about a girl taken to another world, check out -

- Red River (manga)

- From Far Away (manga)

- Magic Knight Rayearth (manga, anime)

- 12 Kingdoms (books, anime)

- Inuyasha -though it DOES drag on and the anime is full of fillers- (manga, anime)

Now THESE are worth it and won't leave you with a bad aftertaste in your brain.