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Jun 10, 2023
There are some things in this world that can give you a purpose and/or save you. We call that "passion". For Chihaya, that passion was karuta. And for me, that passion was Chihayafuru.
It took me a long while to write this review because I felt like I'd never going to be able to put into words how incredible important this manga is for me, and how it changed not only me, but the very competitive karuta scene in Japan and around the world.
Chihayafuru is a story about three childhood friends that end up playing the same thing together: Karuta. It is a real game that's
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been around for almost a thousand years, and was previously played using shells instead of cards. The one played in the manga is called Competitive Karuta, which is a form of karuta that combines agility, memory and poetry. I want to start by saying that it wasn't that much popular before Chihayafuru, and that a manga, THIS manga, was able to make it popular again.
These three childhood friends end up growing up and going different ways, only to find each other again, for different reasons, in high school. Our main character, Chihaya Ayase, who is completely addicted to karuta, really wants to make a club out of it in her new school, but (as you probably felt reading all my previous paragraph) there weren't a lot of people interested in karuta/that really understood it at first glance. In Japan, kids are made to remember all the 100 poems that are needed for playing competitive karuta, so it kind of becomes a traumatic memory for most. Still, Chihaya decides to find people to play with her, and, during that, ends up trying to re-connect with the two people who played with her when she was a teenager. One of the boys, Taichi, hasn't played it since his childhood because of other interests, and her other friend, Arata, the one who showed her what karuta was about, was faced with incredible loss and stopped playing it for good.
Chihaya never stopped, though. With her unwavering love and having find a dream that is finally hers: to become the Queen, the strongest female player of karuta in all of Japan. As she moves foward, her old friends and new friends she make along the way end up getting dazzled by karuta as well, meeting her in her journey as friends, teammates, rivals, senpais and kouhais. This is a story about a young girl figuring out what she wants to be, following her dream, falling in love and meeting incredible people as she plays one of the most delicate and yet intense games ever made (so intense that is considered a sport in Japan, actually). The 100 poems speak to her, and speak to the reader. The author, Suetsugu Yuki, is incredible in every aspect: The metaphors, the art, the story, the way she writes her characters. She is able to show how competitive karuta matches work through the eyes of the players. The romance has its many setbacks, but is one of the most beautiful love stories I've ever seen (Shipping them for literal 8 years and seeing them end up together was one of the best moments of my life). The characters stayed and will stay with me forever as well.
This is an amazing story, an amazing shoujo, an amazing romance. I hope you give it a chance even though my review might've been too emotional and not say much about the actual story. And if you do give it a chance, I hope it makes you want to keep moving on as it did for me.
"Like a boatsman adrift at the mouth of Yura, I do not know where this love will take me." - Sone no Yoshitada (poem 46)
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 30, 2023
Sometimes I get tired when I'm looking for BL. They're either problematic, boring, stupid, predictable or all of the above. Finding a gem like Lover Boy was a pleasant surprise.
The story follows a boy, Eunho, who has been in love with his childhood friend Jaeha for all his life. He knew, however, he was just a kid to the other boy, since their age difference was that of eight years. And so he nurtured this love during his childhood and teenager years... Until they finally met in adulthood.
Now, you may think this will go as the usual. Flirting, silly misunderstandings and just a bunch of
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weird conflict until the couple can get together. But you're so wrong. Lover Boy go against the norm and shows us one of the most realistic love stories I have ever seen. The characters have actual feelings, there's no one being evil just because they can, and things are properly explained. The story makes sense in every single way.
My only complaint, if there's any, is that there was too many sex scenes. Sometimes I wanted them to deal with the story and a sex scene was throw into my face... But everything is so well draw and the sex is so realistic and intense/beautiful/different every time that I didn't even care that much. Even in bed you can see the characters personalities. Condoms and lube are a must, also, something that many BL tend to ignore.
In Lover Boy, for once, the girls characters aren't useless or just a plot device to get in the way of the main couple. Far from that: They all have their own dreams, motives and personalities. There's absolutely no one that just deliberately gets in the way of the main couple without a good reason... Misunderstandings are cleared up and things never feel out of place. We actually feel like we're watching people's lives go by.
And the romance, of course... It's one of the most beautiful, cutest and wholehearted things I've ever read. Eunho's love for Jaeha, never wavering since he was five and "wanted to marry him" until his adult years, when he cried before Jaeha's wedding and then still strong as ever when they meet again, after Jaeha's divorce.
And Jaeha, this complicated fella that I felt like punching from time to time, but couldn't help understand and love with all my strength. A guy who went through a lot, and still found space in his heart to love again.
A solid masterpiece both in the BL field and in the romance field overall, and something I really enjoyed. Here hoping for a HanJun side-story, because we can't help but love this supporting character.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Dec 21, 2021
There isn't much to say about this BL. It it's simply a story about two friends that decide to date when one of them confesses to the other. It's cute, so it's nice to read when you just want something light.
There isn't anything innovative and the characters fit stereotypes, but I really like how the black-haired guy really thinks about the feelings of his best friend/boyfriend and slowly realizes he might like him as a partner as well.
The only thing that I can complain about is the panel sequence. Sometimes scenes would evolve out of nowhere, as if there was a scene in-between
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that was erased or somethng. It bothered me a few times, but nothing that really affected my enjoyment of the manga overall.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Sep 1, 2019
I was able to watch this movie in a special exhibition held here in Brazil. I had never heard of it, but since it revolved around kappas, I decided to check it out.
The story revolves around Sanpei, a young boy who lives in the countryside and really wishes to see his mom, who lives in Tokyo and who he hasn't seen in years. One day at school, the principal decides that he will take the students that win a minor swimming contest to Tokyo. Sanpei, who doesn't know how to swim, see in this an opportunity to be able to go to Tokyo and
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find his mom. However, as he trains how to swim in a river, he ends up drowning. What could be the end ends up being a new beginning: Sanpei is saved by Gartaro, a kappa! Now Sanpei enters the world of kappa and other mythological creatures, all while he tries to see his mom again and learn things about his family that he previously didn't know.
This movie is made for children - and it's very well made at that -, but it can be extremely funny to whoever watches it. From a Shinigami who needs to kill people to provide for his family (and goes around holding a curriculum vitae) to Sanpei, who likes to take a dump in the middle of the grass on his way to school, this movie makes sure to show us many hilarious things from the beginning to the end. Sanpei has a sharp tongue, and the outcomes of the weird situations he got himself in are always unpredictable. You can really see it was a movie made in the 90s.
The characters are the best part of it, but there is some good music and somehow interesting story that you follow. It's a kid's movie through and through, but it is a funny one. It can be a little boring at times, but then it keeps you going because you see yourself wondering what's going to be next.
The movie touches on difficult subjects like family issues and death, but it never loses the sense of humour and the overall positive aura. It really took me back to my childhood, and I bet I'd loved this movie as a kid.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Feb 18, 2019
If you're a long-time anime fan, you surely remember those 2000's romance anime full of ecchi, stupid jokes and a incredible strong love. Kishuku Gakkou no Juliet is just like that.
Nostalgic because of its resemblance with the anime we watched during our younger days, Kishuku Gakkou no Juliet may be seen as something good, or at least tolerable to watch, when it's not.
Sure, maybe the relationship between the two main characters is cute and all that, but it's not worth the watch when everything else (other characters, plot, setting) is plainly mediocre.
The opening deceives (It deceived me) and make you think this
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is an actual good anime, but it's not. I guess some episodes are fun, but overall it's pretty weak.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Sep 19, 2018
I don't usually pay much attention to character interaction and stuff in hentai. It's usually just something that leads to sex and whatever, the usual. Except this one wasn't really like this.
In Nee Shiyo we get three couples (Brother x sister, classmates and teacher x student) who actually interact and have sex like they are couples. They completely fulfill the role they're supposed to. Even the incestuous couple act like they're actual brother and sister who happen to be having sex.
The couples tease each other, kiss and even do stuff that they know the other person likes (Like licking the ear/nipples, etc). We
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get to get a peek on how their relationship is based on how they have sex/interact during sex.
The animation may be a bit stiff, but the sound and great character interaction compensates for it. Maybe reading the original source might be better, but I wouldn't know since I haven't checked it all. Either way, all I can say is that I really enjoyed this hentai and, for once, actually find it pretty cute.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 22, 2017
Honestly, unlike most OVAs I have watched, I felt like this one was better than the entire original anime series.
It covers only two days in the life of Teko, Pikari and the two middle school friends of Teko, Chizuru and Akane, who came over to visit her during the summer vacation. This short period of time, however, was enough to well develop the two new characters we are introduced to. I fell in love with both of them, mostly Chizuru.
The story also focused more on the characters feelings and the time they spend together other than diving (although it was also part of
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it), which I liked a lot, since the girls are all really cute as a group. The way they share their feelings and talk things out made my heart really warm.
All in all, it was one of the best OVAs I've ever seen. It was pretty good both as a complement to the previous anime series as it was as a story of its own. Definitely recommend it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Oct 27, 2014
*This review was originally written for Karisome no Hane, but has been moved due to the merging of entries.*
This manga was indeed something. It was a one-shot, and I wish it had more chapters, but at the same time I got the feeling that one chapter was enough. It was painful and yet beautiful. So beautiful that I felt the need to write my first review.
The art was amazing, and the plastic surgery theme was new for me. The main character was interesting, but I wish I could see more of her development.
"Karisome no Hana" warmed my heart, and I highly recommend it to
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anyone looking for a good drama/josei.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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