Wondance
Wandance

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"To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak."

Where to begin... well, lets take a classic approach here. Wondance, it's a manga about, well, dancing. Right... dancing? Lets be real, how many of us are really even interested in dancing? Honestly, it wouldn't be wrong to think like this. After all, it's only natural to put your time into something that you're interested in. Very well, so ask yourself this, what is it that draws you to manga? Just what is it that allows you to call yourself a fan of the medium?

The story is obviously centered around dancing, but to leave it at ... that would be unfair. There's much more to this than just dancing. Throughout life, people often change. They change to fit in, to more closely resemble their ideal, or the ideal of their authority, or for any other reason. It's normal to live like this, it's human desire to fit in, to not be an outcast and have a place to belong, simply because companionship is something we naturally seek. But what about when one finds their passion? Do they devote everything to it in order to attain their dreams, or do they simply continue living as they have been in fear of losing a part of themselves? This story isn't complex, it's nothing pretentious, in fact it's very much on the simple side. However, this story is meaningful.

I want to keep discussion about the art here brief, as in the end it's all a matter of perspective, so I'll describe the art itself in just three words. Simple, yet beautiful. It does a fantastic job at capturing the emotion of characters, and conveying the feelings of those within the story. Countless times while reading this have I stared in awe at pages, and many times have I teared up, feeling a rush of emotion flow through. The art here is masterfully crafted, and I can not praise it enough, so I will leave it at that.

When reading a series, especially one focused on a sport, you want to see characters that are unique. Characters that make you feel some sort of emotion for them, whether it be the ability to relate deeply to them on some level, or a hatred fueled by distaste of their actions. Whatever it may be, the ability to make a reader deeply feel just anything about a character is something necessary for building a series. This, to me, is one of the core strengths of Wondance. I find myself being able to relate to situations in this series, deeply respecting certain characters, and continuously wanting to know more about them. The most important thing here is that the characters feel real.

I enjoyed this series to an unfathomable degree. Why do I consider it unfathomable? Simply because, never once in my life have I been interested in dancing. I've never thought about it before. But, that's why this medium, and Wondance in particular, is so fantastic. You do not have to be interested in something to enjoy a story focused on it. The core fundamentals of manga, this series is able to take them and stretch them to their utmost potential. If you find yourself doubting this series because you have never once had an interest in dancing, then you're not necessarily wrong for doing so. However, I believe the main reason this manga is so good is because of how purely enjoyable it is to read.

Wondance is wonderful. It's a series in which I've enjoyed every moment of my time reading, albeit only fourteen chapters in. It is able to do something that many manga attempt and fail it, and that is presenting something you have no interest in, and almost forcing you to become interested in it through its fantastic level of storytelling elements. I write this review to inspire you, as this series has done for me. If you are hesitant, I implore that you give this a chance.

Normally I only write reviews for good series that have been under-represented, but so far a huge part of this series has not been addressed in the other reviews.

Wondance understands anxiety, jealousy, and competition.
Yes, the visuals, characters and character interactions, and ability to get you interested in a sport you previously didn't care about, are all very impressive. And I'm not just breezing past those. It's a very impressive sports manga that does these all pretty well.

That said, what really stood out to me was how realistic and relatable the main character's thoughts and emotions are. Intrusive and racing thought bubbles flood the screen when ... he begins to doubt himself or worry about others' opinions. Posture, speech habits, and facial expressions change multiple times within the span of a single exchange to reflect how a single word or perceived response can change a million things in his head. There was one scene specifically that had me applauding the author for prioritizing a home-hitting relatable and realistic response over an impactful or entertaining one.

Because the protagonist is so understandable, his growth and others' perceptions of his growth are that much more impactful. This is the ultimate version of the "He is my child and he deserves the world" relationship I'm sure you've felt towards a character before.

This manga is by far one of my favorites. I feel as if writing a review of it can't possibly convey how truly great it is.

I've personally never been good at dancing or have ever been interested in it, that is until I read this manga. Every time I finish reading a chapter, a little voice in my mind pops up to say: "Hey this looks really fun, maybe I should give dancing a shot." The way that dancing is portrayed in this manga is very dynamic, the art feels akin to that of a sports manga, with panels flowing into one another while immersing ... even those that know nothing of dancing and have little to no sense of rhythm such as myself. However, that isn't what truly makes this manga standout. Listening to music while reading this manga is how I believe it is meant to be read, not just any music however, but the one suggested during the dance routines. Each dance sequence seems to be written for a particular song, with the timing and cues hitting key places. The music adds a layer of intensity and feeling to the story, which never fails to get me into a dancing mood.

I thoroughly enjoy the thought put behind the character of Kotani Kabuto, the protagonist. He stands out from the average typical protagonist. Seeing trying to navigate the world of dancing while simultaneous growing as a person is something is really inspiring and motivating.