Gosh, it must have been while I was in college that I read this manga. Now several years later, with a bit of time to spare, I saw it pop up again in my browser history (yeah, yeah, I really need to clean it up one of these days) and couldn't stop myself from diving right into it (you see what I did there? *wink* *wink*).
I can tell you one thing: it was a mistake. A horrible mistake.
No, not because it was terrible. I fell in love with it once more (as far as that's possible with something on paper/your computer screen) and couldn't help
...
myself: I had to read it all as soon as possible. Damn you, Minato Koio, for taking away my social life for these past few days. But thank you for bringing this story too!
Let's start with the story (or plot, to use a fancy word): 8/10
Taiyo visits an island. And while the temperature isn't as high as you would expect, his hormones are working overtime. The tropical island is the perfect background for a story with romance, a harem (a pretty secluded place, which apparently allows little contact for the girls with the other gender) and mystery. Thinking back, I think this is one of the stories which made me wish for a more quiet life on an island (I once went to a Dutch island, it was quite nice and peaceful. But the lack of beautiful girls in bikini was... o right, the review...).
It's the perfect place for this little 'adventure'. Romance, while playing a major role, is spiced up thanks to some mysterious stuff happening (and thank God it aren't aliens).
The plot is, in the end, perhaps a bit too far fetched and I myself would have settled for a simplified version. Maybe it's just because I loved the character development more than really having to know the main character his tragic past (because we all know there is one thanks to the amnesia).
Art: 8/10
I love the scenery used in the manga. It almost feels so real. Like you're looking at a picture. Wait, it actually IS a picture. The author doesn't even try to hide it. The first page opens with one! Not that I found it disturbing. I like the variety.
The characters weren't always drawn great. From time to time I even had troubles differentiating the sisters. Not that it was a major problem. Their faces (and mostly Mio's face) can deliver the right feeling to the reader when necessary.
Characters: 8/10
Not only for a harem manga, but also for a manga in general, I considered the characters interesting and fleshed out.
Taiyo, the main character (if you had forgotten his name, just like I always do), is in my eyes one of the more irritating characters: from the beginning he's acting like a playboy. For some reason this 17/18-year old boy still is acting like he just got in puberty. Yes, people of that age talk about girls and sure, boys love to see women in bikini, but why do you have to repeat it at loud over and over again (at least with so many strangers in the vicinity, like on the plane)?
His indecisiveness is from time to time irritating (oh, the horrible cliché of harems!), but luckily not in such a degree that it ruins the story. There is too much happening and he seems to act like a normal human being when it's really necessary.
From all the sisters, Mio (the youngest child), got the most of my interest. She is clearly different from the others around her and even is worried that becoming normal would end her bound with her the main character. She acts like someone should act (perhaps minus her habit of throwing people from cliffs).
Shibuki, the second sister, and major love interest: a jealous one for sure. Those who read the manga will agree that one page can summon up the inner conflict of Shibuki concerning her relation with Taiyo and Mio (can't tell which one, of course, or I would spoil it). She's not sure of herself (not only when it comes to love), a bit violent, but certainly a good girl.
Nagisa... not really worth talking about. If you want to see an 'adult' get drunk all the time then you will find her very interesting. I didn't. I like drinking a beer (or five, six, seven...) but not when I'm short on cash.
About the other characters: there are quite a lot and all have a certain story. Some are surprising, some aren't. But isn't that how real life is? The last chapters tie most knots together about some characters' personality and shed new light on their decisions and unravel a perhaps unexpected ending to the story. It surprised me the first time I read it. It may surprise you. Or not.
Enjoyment: 10/10
Yes, a 10. I don't want to scream like a fangirl (very difficult as a boy I lack certain girly thingies), but I really enjoyed reading this again. If you're looking for a story in which you can sit back, relax and see how the flowers of love blossom while still having an adventure going on, then this is something for you. But beware for the nipples (yes, there are naked women in it)!
Oh yes, this is my first review on this site. And yes, I'm not a native English speaker, so don't be too hard on my baaadd uze of zhe language. Heck, like you guys even care while you can watch the a picture of a girl at the top of this page anyway.
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Dec 29, 2015
Gosh, it must have been while I was in college that I read this manga. Now several years later, with a bit of time to spare, I saw it pop up again in my browser history (yeah, yeah, I really need to clean it up one of these days) and couldn't stop myself from diving right into it (you see what I did there? *wink* *wink*).
I can tell you one thing: it was a mistake. A horrible mistake. No, not because it was terrible. I fell in love with it once more (as far as that's possible with something on paper/your computer screen) and couldn't help ... |
