MyAnimeList.net

Oct 20, 2015 1:07 AM

Favorite Manga

Anime Relations: Kodomo no Omocha (TV)

*Warning: Purple comments/analysis really do contain spoilers! Don't click unless you don't want to read it. But please, read them.

forever in progress of finishing this blog entry. . .
I want to re-read most of them before writing a mini-review and definitely for the comment/analysis

Akatsuki no Yona (Yona of the Dawn)
Shoujo, Historical-Fantasy, Drama, Action | 2009 | ongoing

Mini Review:

Short Analysis:

Beniiro Hero (Crimson Hero)
Shoujo, Sports, Drama, Romance | 2003 | 20 volumes

Mini Review:
If any anime or manga had the ability to inspire me to play a sport, this would be the one. I remember vividly the intense desire to try out for volleyball when I finished reading the manga before high school began. Although I didn’t... In the sports department, Crimson Hero is not far behind shounen sports manga, with exciting matches and team dynamics. What makes this manga stand out is how fun it is to learn about and watch the MC Nobara grow (also Haibuki, male MC #2). The slow romance makes it easy to see how feelings developed and how genuine they are. At the heart of the manga, is the idea of youth and passion—it is a story about high schoolers working hard at what they love to do while learning about themselves and others along the way.

Other Comments: (spoilers!)

Bokura ga Ita (We Were There)
Shoujo, Slice of Life, Romance, Drama | 2002 | 16 volumes

Mini Review:
Bokura ga Ita is the type of story where the first read is frustrating. Without knowing the characters, the things they do or the choices they make may annoy you greatly. But on a second read, you will see the meaning behind certain words which may seem trivial at first. Knowing the end and the full back story of Yano, everything he said or did shows the great care the mangaka took when she created him. Bokura ga Ita sets itself apart from other shuojo romances as it handles the complicated characters and their relationships in a non-dramatic, realistic and natural way. The mangaka explores in depth the idea of trying to and the inability to fully understand someone you love. The relationship between Nanami and Yano feels rather innocent, as they highly value honesty with each other, subverting any misunderstanding tropes. There is also a certain sentimental ambiance to the manga, making it one of the best SoL I've ever encountered. The light-hearted beginning of the manga is deceiving, as the contents later reveal elements such as betrayal, hate, guilt, loneliness, depression, regret, and family problems.

Other Comments/Brief Analysis: (spoilers!)

“There’s a limit to what you can do. It’s important to work hard at it. But no one can ever truly understand someone else.”
-Takeuchi to Nanami, ch.26
I think Yano received exceptional character development. I'm not saying to forgive him for cheating, or maybe even other things, but everything else he decided to do, I think it's important to try to understand him. What the mangaka conveyed really well in this manga is the idea of understanding someone and the extent of just how much one can understand another. It's not only seen through the characters and the situations they face, but also among the readers and their comments (on mangahere). People are quick to judge and let their emotions rule over any extra thought, saying "what a bastard" or "he shouldn't have done that" and even "I don't understand why he would do this." I, for one, can't say that I truly understand Yano or Nanami either, but at the same time, I want to put effort into understanding these characters, because if this were real life, I would want to try understand people close to me too. It's easy to judge, but hard to understand, because trying to understand someone requires effort, time, and energy to think. Now I'm just spouting non-factual information, but I believe that people often times don't want to expend the extra energy, and they don't want to spend the extra time to think more than they have to. So this understanding theme is really relevant to the real world; not just about love of all kinds, but simply regarding any relationship. It was really interesting to see that part of the reason Nanami and Yano's relationship fell apart was due to their inability to understand each other because it's hard to see how differently they think, or how they have different principles or values.

“I’d been living all this time... to meet you Takahashi.”
-Yano to Nanami, ch. 31
Nana-san’s death and Yano’s feelings for her will never go away, some things will never go away. But in this moment, Yano has officially moved on. No matter how much Yano still loved the Nana-san in his memories, he feels that Nanami is the one for him. Everything that has happened, has led him to Nanami. This is an interesting outlook since the words he used wasn’t destiny or fate, but simply that Nanami is the one he has been waiting to meet all his life.

"Human memories aren't reliable. Your brain will add something or just glorify it, memories make you believe what happened was better than it actually was."
-Yano to Nanami, ch. 13
There's an occasional focus on memories throughout the manga, and I found it really thought-provoking. Yano didn't believe in memories in the beginning because he has really painful ones, or ones that he wasn't proud of. Nanami was the opposite, she wanted to create happy memories, yet after the time skip, she wasn't sure about her memories of Yano anymore. When they grew up, Nanami and Yano's views on memories seemed to have flipped, as Yano remembered the time that he had with Nanami in high school was the best memories he's ever had. This shows that both of them had a great influence on each other, whether it was the time spent with each other in the past, or their thoughts and values unconsciously conforming to one another's. Aside from changing one's own memory, there was also the notion of what if the memories of someone don't align with who they are currently now, and which one is "real."

Family:
The ending was incredibly emotional, and has forever been kept in my heart; the words of Yano's proposal to Nanami: "Please be my family!" It holds so much meaning rather than "marry me," considering what family means to him. I really liked reading about the relationship between Yano and his mother, as well as Yamamoto and her parents.

Ending:
It was a long read, but it was worth every second of my time. Although, admittedly, I felt incredibly depressed starting from the time skip, it honestly had me down in the dumps, as if I was part of the story, that I witnessed all the hurt and frustrations the characters went through. And I think that's what a masterpiece truly is; one that stays with you for forever, one that has touched you, made you laugh, taught you something about life and about the people in the world. A story that can suck you in and have you invest every ounce of your emotions and energy as you read through. Bokura ga Ita is that type of story.

Fullmetal Alchemist
Shounen, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Military | 2001 | 27 volumes

Mini Review:
Is top 3 manga and top 1 anime for a good reason

Short Analysis:

Hikaru no Go
Shounen, Comedy, Drama, Supernatural, Psychological | 1998 | 23 volumes

Mini Review:
Classic!!!

Other Comments:

Hoshi wa Utau
Shoujo, Drama, Romance | 2007 | 11 volumes

Mini Review:
Hoshi wa Utau starts off in a very story-like way–as in, the main characters' encounter would never happen in real life. However, the attraction that follows is more than just surface level. Takaya Natsuki writes the story almost in a stream of consciousness way, giving us insight on characters' thoughts and feelings. Each of the main characters experience growth, even one character whom we see mostly through flashbacks. Characters feel realistic, as they struggle to admit their flaws as well as their true feelings. While the symbolism of the stars is nowhere near subtle, it's not just about finding solace in star gazing; the stars have a different meaning in the end. Most importantly, as a slice of life, Hoshi wa Utau excels in its relationship dynamics. Whether if it's friends, family, or a love-interest, it's fun and heartwarming to watch the characters interact. The story is not so much about tragedy or unrequited love as it may be tagged in other sites, as it is about how two broken people change each others' lives. It starts from a simple praise that makes everything feel worth it, and continues to finding out that genuine kindness and care really do exist in what may seem like a dark and cruel world. Do the stars sing for you?

Other Comments:

What this series means to me:
I remember now exactly why I love Hoshi wa Utau so much. Why when choosing between two of Takaya Natsuki's works to put in my favorites, I chose it over Fruits Basket, which I had read first and re-read more times. I can't find the exact word for it, but it forces me to continue. No, motivational is not the word, nor is it inspirational. Nothing as positive as that. But it's exactly how Chihiro and Sakuya felt, more so Chihiro. While my experiences have never been as painful and numbing as Chihiro's nor Sakuya's, I could see myself as Chihiro. Chihiro found someone who moved his heart and changed his worldview (or as he said, he was found), and one day I hope to experience the same. One day, I hope to become like Sakuya, who is able to deeply appreciate those around her, those who support her. It's not like I don't already, but I'm not fully there yet.

Suicide:
Chihiro's view as someone who experienced a loved one attempt suicide made me see a different side of those who are left behind. You are not only giving up on the world, but also the people close to you. I don't like it when people say those who either attempt to or commit suicide are selfish, those people don't try to put themselves into others' shoes. However, Chihiro's thoughts hits deep, and makes me sad. Sakura's pain pushed her to the limit, but when she woke up, she realized she had hurt someone she loved very deeply. It's difficult for me to express just exactly why this is so important to me, but I still wanted to try to convey how much this story has impacted my life. I think what made me so emotional throughout the story has to be the inner thoughts. Just like Furuba, but even more so here, there's a sense of intimacy which allows us to really understand the characters.

Chihiro ↔ Sakuya, Chihiro ↔ Sakura
I'm not a huge fan of love at first sight, or love that starts so soon after you've only met the person once or twice. It's possible that it ends well, that the person you start loving really isn't a bad person at all. But that's quite idealistic. I suppose you could say though that there are successful couples that start out from dating sites and apps. It's just not my favorite way of starting out a romance. In the end though, it doesn't matter, because of how well the relationship between Saku and Chihiro was written. "You've done your best." (ch.1).What Chihiro said to Saku during their first meeting was almost on a whim, and not speaking directly to her, he also said it because he must've seen some resemblance to Sakura from the very beginning. He heard about Saku's background from Kanade, so he already had a bit of insight on how much effort Saku had put in to continue smiling. Even if it was sort of a passing comment, those words were real and they struck a chord within Saku's heart. It's no wonder Saku became really interested in Chihiro, someone who seemed to understand her, who praised her (it's not to say that Hijiri wasn't with her and didn't see her efforts, but her biggest flaw was not being honest or being able to put things into words). And eventually, the second meeting, led her to truly fall in love with this complicated person. A person who had complimented her, who was kind enough to get off the train when he noticed her running after him, but at the same time, showing his true self, one that hated and was lonely.

"The stars are singing." It's poetic when reading, but like Kanade and the other students said, in reality, it sounds odd, and people might really think you're not normal. However, Kanade also realized that it's not because there's something wrong with Saku. It's because Saku had dealt with things and broken down earlier than he did, resulting in Saku finding solace in the starry sky. What was beautiful in the end was that Saku saying the stars are everyone, singing, encouraging her (ch.61). There was such a sense of relief to see her saying that she's alright now, I sincerely felt joy for her.

Which sort of leads to Chihiro's final decision regarding Sakura. I think his decision was the most realistic one. He is sensitive to those who are bullied, who are weak. Although he loved Sakuya, she was fine and could live on her own. Sakura on the other hand, wasn't able to do the same. Sakura was still important to Chihiro, although not the same way Sakuya was to him. It's amazing that Chihiro was able to continue to support Sakura and let her see that the world isn't just all darkness. I also really appreciate Sakura's growth in the last chapters, despite only having known her through flashbacks. I saw a parallel with her and Saku. Chihiro must've felt more reassured leaving Sakuya when she said that she was alright now. Just the same way when Sakura was telling her decision of letting Chihiro go, he asked her, "Are you alright?" And she answered, "Yes, I'm alright now." It's also symbolic when Tohru and Kyou's child picked up the coin for Sakura, showing that the world really isn't that bad. It is a parallel to when Sakura's world became better, after Chihiro's first interaction with her as he picked up her pencil box for her.

Final Comment:
Hoshi wa Utau isn't the most well-written story I've ever read. Of course not. But despite any weaknesses, it's a story that has stayed within my heart and has given me perspectives on several things in life. I think no matter how many times I re-read it, I'll still cry throughout the story, and I'll once again, try to become better at living, too.

One last thing. Ever since I read the series years ago, I had started to stargaze. I used to do it more often, especially during college. After work, I'd sit inside my car, looking up to the night sky. There's really something soothing about watching the stars twinkle. I think everyone could benefit from stargazing every once in awhile. Do the stars sing for you? What I mean is, are there people around you that you can rely on? People who encourage you and care for you, so that the world becomes a better place?

Kodomo no Omocha (Kodocha)
Shoujo, Comedy, Drama, Romance, Slice of Life | 1994 | 10 volumes

Mini Review:
Classic!!!

Other Comments:

Lovely★Complex
Shoujo, Comedy, Drama, Romance | 2001 | 17 volumes

Mini Review:
Hilarious

Other Comments:

Meteor Methuselah (Immortal Rain)
Shoujo, Adventure, Fantasy, Action, Romance | 1999 | 11 volumes

Mini Review:
This is an adventure focused on an immortal man named Rain, who has a love for humanity regardless of everything he's seen in the 624 years of his life. Despite harboring pain from his past and the incident that led him to become immortal, he still retains a cheerful outlook on life as well as the ability to forgive. This is a character who can inspire the reader to see the good in the world; Rain teaches us that the few truly happy moments are worth it. There are a few characters are on the insane side, two of which start out as hateful characters, to becoming people you could sympathize with. Without a doubt, the best part about the series is the characters and learning about how each of them deal with their pain. The important characters are full of depth, their actions in sync with their experiences. The plot becomes even more intriguing when you find out the reason that drives this story. In the end, the mangaka conveyed her message quite clearly–that even when the world is against you, or when there are outside forces you can't control, life is still worth living.

Other Comments:

• I thought it was interesting how the mangaka went incorporated two types of immortality. One being physically immortal (although not invincible) and one being mentally immortal, being reincarnated with memories from his previous lives. There are differences in the problems that Rain and Yuca face, Rain having to see people he knew pass away (although this isn't actually explored) and Yuca being seen as some sort of monster, and eventually, he could no longer sleep due to his nightmares.
• Yuca was a really sympathetic character, I love the way how he seemed like such a terrible creepy child to becoming someone that's understandable. He was the most complex character in the series, and I enjoyed learning about his motives and feelings. He did think of Rain as his best friend, thus why he wanted to give Rain a reason to continue living and killing Yuca whenever Yuca is reincarnated. Unfortunately when he realized that Rain didn't go insane nor wanted to kill him, that was when Yuca slowly began to think differently; how can Rain, who was subjected to immortality like Yuca was, still be able to love humans and show so much compassion? Of course it wasn't just Rain, but Machika's unwillingness to leave Yuca behind despite what he had done, made Yuca see that not every human is entirely selfish. I really liked the relationship between Machika and Yuca, it was heartbreaking seeing their last interaction in the weird dream field near the end of the manga.
• Rain has such a beautiful soul, and I usually don't even like such pure and goody characters, but not Rain. Rain is endearing. Although Rain changed the least, I would say that that is the point. It's the fact that he's lived 624 years and still hasn't changed that made Yuca rethink a little about his own situations. While I like dynamic characters, I feel like it wasn't necessary for Rain to change, and it was still interesting to see his reactions and how he dealt with situations.
• Machika, there's not too much I can say about her except that she's an awesome female MC. She's strong mentally and physically, stubborn, yet a critical thinker. It seemed to me that she wasn't quick to label people good or bad, even if someone did something she didn't like and should hate the person for.
• Sharem was the second character after Yuca that surprised me, in that I really liked her. She never got over the death of her son, and was always stuck in the past, but she still loved the orphans she picked up. I'd say she was a unique character, one that I haven't come across in any other story. She was ruthless but also loving.
• I feel like through this manga, we get to know a lot about the mangaka, Ozaki Kaori. She wrote this at the end of one chapter:

“What kind of cruel word is ‘live’?
But I had to write it. So that I could keep living.”

And combined with this intro to a chapter:

“God said,
Live,
Love,
Fight,
Kill,
Eat,
Give birth,
Repeat.

We were bound in chains.

The world was made by people
and it overflowed
till we could no longer
breathe.

We didn’t know.

That God left us here.

Yet we continue to dance
this endless dance.

Even when both of our legs
Are covered with blood.”

I feel like Ozaki experienced some really painful things in her childhood, and even if she didn't, she sees things in a different way than a lot of people (see Knife, which she wrote when she was 16-19). It felt like after all the tragedies in the story, she only ended it in a good note to convince herself that there are good things in life.

People were confused (as I am still) about the last few pages of the manga:

“Running
You can see
Light
And rain
And hear the sounds and voices calling you.
I give this world to you.
And I’m right beside you.
I’m right here beside you.
Happy birthday.”

Who is narrating? Who is the receiver of the message? Even without really understanding it, I could only cry, all three times I've read it, I've felt this way. It's sad, but also touching at the same time. It felt like it was a message to me, and to the author herself. "Running" is a movement, seeing and hearing are two of the senses, and rain is something you can feel. These are what makes a person feel alive. And someone being right beside you is the most important of all, because people want to be acknowledged and feel important, it gives them a reason to live. "Happy birthday" is someone being happy that you are here.

Naruto
Shounen, Action, Adventure | 1999 | 72 volumes

Mini Review:

Other Comments/Brief Analysis:
Thoughts on Naruto

Pandora Hearts
Shounen, Adventure, Fantasy, Supernatural | 2006 | 24 volumes

Mini Review:
Pandora Hearts tackles the theme of what it means to be human in a way I haven't encountered before. While this isn't made clear until much later in the series, it is the main takeaway from this manga. There is also a handful of grey characters. When you think one thing, you may be presented with something else entirely different. However the plot twists are never done in a way where it seems forced. There are no fillers, every detail or scene is important in either developing the characters or connected to the plot. The ending also has to be one of the most satisfying ending to a plot-heavy, character-driven story I've ever seen/read. As the pieces of the puzzle comes together in the conclusion, you will realize just how incredibly amazing the writing is in hindsight. Pandora Hearts is a dark fantasy with well-written characters and relationship dynamics, a story without loose ends, and lastly, a tale that will shatter your heart as well as your mind.

Other Comments:

Sayonara, Heron
BL | 2014 | 5.5 chapters

Mini Review:
It started off as feeling shallow, but then as the chapters go on, there's a certain depth between the two main characters, Souji and Mika, and their relationship. Their relationship is filled with ambiguity, there's the the idea of a boundary and crossing that boundary, and what happiness is and the belief in it. In the end, it asks the question of "what is love?" The writing has a stream of consciousness feeling to it, but it works well with the short length of the story. While the characters are not quite three dimensional, the message was still conveyed clearly. (this work is non-explicit and not focused on sexual interactions)

Brief Analysis:

Souji and Mika started their relationship as friends because they both wanted to escape from their reality, and they both found each other when they thought they were empty and that no one could understand them. Souji was already saved by Mika in the very beginning, but Mika wasn't. What they both wanted in the beginning was just someone who would be there for them (because humans yearn for others), but also someone who wouldn't hurt them. And as long as you know nothing about the person's past, or what they're running away from, and solely be beside them, then you can rely on that person to relieve your stress. You can simply be relaxed with the person, not thinking about anything complicated. I think that's what the idea of their relationship was built upon. It is stated that their relationship became sexual (although not purely, and we don't see it), and it further illustrates the idea of being with someone to "feel good" but not for happiness.

But as time went on, one or the other, and maybe both, wanted something more. Souji didn't need Mika to love him, or to think that he loved Mika, but he simply wanted Mika to believe in happiness even if Souji himself didn't believe in it. But that's love, right? Since they've been running away from happiness (because without happiness there is no suffering, and they don't want to suffer), they didn't know what love is (love is a form of happiness). That's why in the end, Mika said he didn't know how to use the word "love," but he can show it to Souji one day.

Also, the title Sayonara, Heron, has an interesting meaning. Heron's are known for the way they stand so motionlessly for a long period of time. The significance of the title to the story would be that Souji and Mika are saying good-bye to their old selves, the selves that could only run away and ignore the pain inside them. Time had seemed to stand still ever since they've met each other, and their ambiguous relationship almost unchanging. But by the end of the story, they've finally begun to step forward, facing their problems and facing each other.

Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna (Spiral: Bonds of Reasoning)
Shounen, Mystery, Drama, Supernatural, Thriller | 1999 | 15 volumes

Mini Review:
What started out as a mystery about murders steadily became a story about hope and salvation. Spiral is not a manga grounded in reality, as the truth behind the cursed "Blade Children" is quite improbable. Despite this, the plot is intriguing, as we find new information about the biggest mystery in the manga, the meaning behind the disappearance of Ayumu's older brother, Kiyotaka. Ayumu encounters many difficult trials and games in which he must use his logic, wit, and luck to overcome them. The author also knew how to incorporate humor in the almost constant foreboding and suspenseful atmosphere. The best part about Spiral are the characters, who we come to know rather well and are dynamic. Ayumu in particular, is a character given a lot of depth and importance to the story. He is what makes the story so incredibly engaging, hopeful, yet painful. Ultimately, Spiral is a tale of fighting against fate and despair, and learning that salvation comes from yourself.

Brief Analysis:

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Posted by tingy | Oct 20, 2015 1:07 AM | 1 comments

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