Fushigi no Kuni no Arisugawa-san
Arisugawa-san in wonderland

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The reason I gave this story a 9 and not a 10 is because aside from the unique vibe you get from it, it's not so unique in the sense that its a totally different kind of plot: guy and girl meet, have a sweet encounter, eventually start to like each other, the shojou feels are strong, and there's the whole crew of your typical shoujou friends including that annoying guy with the glasses and the best friend who supports the main girl. How many times have we seen that now? lol yes, one too many times to be able to rate this story the ... full 10. NOW where it truly shines despite having those common elements and why its so dang close that 10 is precisely due to the reason HOW the two come to like one another and the KINDS OF INTERACTIONS they display GIVEN the story's circumstances, which, also I like to think are a tad different from your usual romantic comedy mangas.


S T O R Y :

Apart from the general mood of the manga taking place in a "shojou world," the story and circumstance of the main character is quite the breath of fresh air and the reason why I rate it close to perfect!!! So the main girl Suzu, is a young high school student who despite her age and surroundings, is a very different girl who is only ever immersed in her studies and the reading and analysis' of old folk tale stories she grew up listening and reading alongside her very strict and traditional family, more specifically her grandfather. Due to his stern yet greatly caring guidance, Suzu was never allowed to participate in going on outings with friends her age to the karaoke or the mall and instead was kept hidden away like a treasure in her home being taught morality and goodness in her household. Although she is a simple looking girl who doesn't pay much attention to fashion, Suzu is a very beautiful girl with a slim figure and long silky hair. She prefers to wear longer skirts at school because she values modesty. With all the careful teachings her grandfather instilled in her mind, the main issue she had always been warned of that girls her age usually fell prey to, was mingling with boys! That's right, she had been taught to not even shake hands with boys let alone become friends. Because of that, Suzu spent all her young years engaging in contact with only girls and then studying very hard at school and at home to learn Japanese literature. Suzu's personality is that of an air head and an innocent kind girl so she herself never took notice in things like dating or wanting to look good for others.

Then, one day while taking the train in a rush so as not to become late for school, she meets a boy her age who helps her quickly get into the train before the doors shut when he sees her desperately running towards it....Now..! you might be expecting me to say something like "this is where things change for her!" and something else dramatic like that upon the encounter right? Well, NO :) and THAT is why this story is unique, because even as of now 17 chapters in, with some aspects changing for plot development, the whole premise on which the story BEGAN from, with the reserved nature of Suzu, the manga is still sticking to that notion even though the two MC's have met many times now and have even, after almost 20 chapters in now, began to develop feelings.

The main boy is Nomiya. His character along with Suzu's is a BREATH OF FRESH AIR! I absolutely love his refined personality which is a little introverted but yet so incredibly sweet and caring. He's RESPECTFUL and NOT an insensitive lovestruck jerk unlike normal shojou mangas. Upon meeting Suzu, Nomiya recognizes that she's not like the other girls; this takes place when the both of them are tricked by their friends to attend a karaoke gathering where both are present after their first encounter in the train. Unlike the other girls, Suzu isn't pushy and overly quirky and flirting with the guys. He sees shes dressed in a long beautiful dress while sitting in a corner keeping to herself, SO upon seeing her discomfort he offers to take her away from the gathering and that's where he gets to see that her interests and way of thinking is not like that of a normal girl's living in the same era. Suzu is upfront to Nomiya about her restrictions to meet with boys so she refuses to give her cell phone number to him when he asks (due to a understandable reason; he owes her the book he borrowed, and they both attend different schools) which makes Nomiya come to take interest in her even more and the way she views the world. He's never forceful and its a long way before he even realizes he may be in love with her; he's simply fulfilled while he spends time with her and herself, feeling much the same.

The two are met with certain situations and meet on several occasions because of those situations and because of that, Suzu is introduced to a whole new world while being alongside Nomiya. She learns for the first time what it's like to go out at a video gaming arcade and the wonder of winning a game! She sees that there aren't just foolish and flirtatious boys out there and she encounters many adventures while spending more time with everyone together! Lastly, amidst it all, she starts to also feel strange within her heart as she's met with feelings she's never had before! Little does she know though, Nomiya, is also having the same feelings.

This is the story about two innocent high schoolers who look past each other's surfaces and learn to love what's inside of each of them and who they are as a person. It makes one see that romance between two high schoolers isn't only a shabby crush or about impulsive lust, gossip, or because of the way one looks. It's a refreshing side to a whole other romance! a pure and innocent romance topped with irresistible sweetness with the cute MC's.It's about a girl who had been protected and overly sheltered her whole life who finally gets to step out in the world and develop feelings for someone she begins to care for, all happening while she doesn't dare forget her stance and her values taught to her at a young age.

When I first read the first couple chapters it seemed like a funny idea to me because it seemed more so like the other mangas where the girl "ins't interested" in love and isn't swayed "easily" by the boy buuuuttt then of course over time as he woo's her with his moves, she breaks down that wall and the love story begins....but boy did that judgmental view backfire!!! Because even though we know the manga ultimately relies on a love story that's somehow developed in it's own way, we SEE that the values taught to the girl are indeed a part of her beliefs and she resists doing anything that would betray those teachings of modesty. NOW that may in part be due to the fact that she's a major air head and doesn't fully perceive those emotions yet (lol), BUT she can easily pick out right from wrong and she's also very lucky that Nomiya himself is also quite the gentleman who learns to live by the way she values and finds a way to still be together while respecting that of which Suzu holds dear. In a way you could say that this "love story" is more about the pure and honest love of two children who like each other for the person inside.


The art is drawn just like the enchanting pictures in a fairy tale with the beautiful pale white Suzu with her fragile appearance, and the charming Nomiya with his golden hair and captivating eyes! The art is clean and just simply so elegant.


If you want to see a different spin of a shojou romance, I definitely recommend Fushigi no Kuni no Arisugawa-san to you in a heart beat!! In fact, the tempo of this manga is also very similar to another golden manga, Last Game, with very similar characters! If you know about that one, then dont miss out on this one any more than you have!!


O V E R A L L :

9/10 <3333