Back to figurejunkie20's Profile figurejunkie20's Profile

Takane and Hana is easily the best manga I have ever read. That is a BOLD statement. To give you an idea, my favorite manga include Parasyte, The Promised Neverland, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Attack on Titan. I have tried to read several slice of life or shoujo manga, and they are all, either

1) painful to trudge through, as nothing eventful ever happens, and half the time they never even express their feelings. I’m always expecting some great redemption at the end, to reward me for the garbage 12+ volumes I just endured, and they fade out even more pathetically, which has caused me to ... swear off the entire genre altogether.
2) enjoyable, but so ridiculously cliche that it’s almost comical.

My journey with Takane and Hana began quite randomly. I was at my local bookstore, and none of the volumes I needed from my current series were available. Browsing and bored, I decided to look at the cover of the series I had seen several times with the colorful spines. Upon seeing the image on the cover of volume 1, I knew that this manga UNDOUBTEDLY had the cheesiest and most cliche plot of all in the shoujo genre combined. BECAUSE it looked so cliche, a little voice in my head said, “what the hell? Buy it.” My gut told me there was something special behind this one, and I was correct. The cover art is just as ridiculously brazen and decked out as Takane, and I can’t imagine that this was an accident. After reading the first volume, I was so surprised and blown away almost instantly, that I scurried back the next day to get volumes 2 and 3. That hunt continued until I now have all but the final volume (hasn’t released yet in the US). I am 100% confident that I do not need to read the final volume to submit this review. If anything, I will need to come back and give it a higher rating.

Where to begin? This mangaka is a genius. As the most rudimentary explanation, the plot is basically filled with adventures that the two of them embark on together. Each one is completely unique, but they are all filled with the same amazing goodness. It is very uncommon for me to laugh out loud at even the best live-action comedy, but certainly not manga or even anime. Takane and Hana isn’t common, though. It is witty on a level I have never experienced. The two characters are always trying to “one-up” each other in very creative ways. Creative is an understatement to describe this mangaka. The way in which she tells this story is what makes it so enjoyable. I was never bored for a single second reading this manga. It was quite literally addicting, because it flowed better than anything I have ever read. One second you are rolling with laughter, and then there is an epic buildup to moments that made my heart hurt with “Awwww” factor. UGH. It’s almost disgusting, it’s so gold. The side panels might be even funnier than the actual story material. When Takane becomes dejected, he turns into “Hikune”, which is a little short chibi version of himself. The bonus stories are also some of my favorite scenes, and since this manga is grounded in reality, they are really just extra story material.

Takane and Hana doesn’t deserve to be in the category of shoujo, which typically caters to a young female demographic. This series is more suited for adults, as much of the character interaction would be lost on someone who hasn’t truly dated or seen much of life. Aside from the circumstances they are in, their relationship is incredibly true to real life. Hana doesn’t play that typical role that we usually see in shoujo, with the doe-eyed, timid female, swooning over the hot male lead. She holds her own and fires right back.

The art is nothing short of fantastic. For shoujo fans craving an attractive male lead, look no further. There is no skimping on sexiness here, folks. Takane is hot stuff. I probably subconsciously mention that more than a couple of times in this review. He’s better looking than any male character in any other manga I have read, including some great BL titles. But, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So, go check it out and decide for yourself. Beyond that, many of the panels have a lot going on, and none of them were lazily drawn. I’m not in this profession, so I don’t know terminology. “Complex” doesn’t seem to be fitting enough, but it’s all I got. It’s very layered and is far beyond the crude simplicity seen in a lot of manga, such as Fruit’s Basket. Also, the art largely contributes to the humor in this manga, just as much, if not more, than the story. I don’t know if me and the mangaka just happen to have the same sense of humor, but it’s downright hilarious. There is one side story of Takane calling Hana (on the phone) to the kitchen at 1:00am. He’s sitting on the countertop, arms and legs folded, wearing his shirt and tie, in perfect posture. Hana sleepily comes down in her PJs. It turns out there was a roach that he needed her to kill for him. He refuses to admit he’s scared of it, because Takane is incapable of admitting anything, until she turns to leave him defenseless. Their back and forth argumentative banter over the situation, followed by them coming together with a plan to take out the roach, goes down as one of the funniest moments in manga history. The art played a big role in that, particularly the shifts between the regular art and “comical chibi style”, which I will add is another thing that is flawless about this manga. I fell in love with chibi Hikune as much as I did regularly drawn Takane. Usually, deanimation or “kawaii” moments are thrown in for a quick comic relief break, but in Takane and Hana, they are a large part of the story…in a GOOD way.

My only complaint with this manga is that it’s 18 volumes instead of infinite, and I’m sad that I can’t hang out with Takane and Hana anymore. I’m at a loss. I couldn’t read anything else for about a week after almost finishing this epic masterpiece. “Patiently waiting for November, only to be at the same loss, permanently, after I read volume 18”, has been added to my list of daily activities.

**There are some moderate spoilers in the following, but they are meant to give anyone with doubts about reading this a little push. Though it’s obviously not a thick plot typical of more serious manga, there is so much great material in Takane and Hana, that I touch on maybe 2% of the story. Also, any quotations in this review are my paraphrasing. I feel using that style sometimes conveys a message in a more effective manner. They are not direct quotes from the mangaka.**

Someone mentioned that Takane has no character development, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Takane has the best character development of all. Development shouldn’t be obvious if it’s genuine. The change is incredibly subtle, but if you’re paying attention, you see it for SURE. Facial expressions. Reaction time. Attention to what she’s thinking and doing as opposed to focusing on what he’s doing FOR her. That’s why it’s great. Because in reality, nobody really completely changes. If he went from being an egotistical, sarcastic, narcissist, and within a year, was a nurturing, thoughtful guy, it would be fake. His personality stays the same, but there is true growth. It’s gold. For example, Takane makes very pretentious faces and says things like, “well, I didn’t want to go on a date, but if you insist, I’ll go as a favor to you”. Or, “I know you find me attractive, but no need to get so worked up”. Even though he continues to say these types of things, his face starts to take on a softer look. He begins to understand that the things that make her happy don’t always match with his ideas of what HE thinks will make her happy, showing that he is actually thinking of her and not himself.
Maybe the people who say he has no development are too young to comprehend these subtle shifts, or respectfully so, maybe they just want more cliche shoujo manga. They are a dime a dozen and all have the same formula, so obviously they must be popular. I just got lucky and found a hidden gem. The Barnes and Noble gods just happened to make sure my other series weren’t available, in order for me to pick up this seemingly cheesy-looking treasure.

Some people may view Takane as a bad guy if they have never encountered his type in their life. He has no manners, with a cocky, brazen attitude. But, I feel sorry for Takane. He’s a rich guy who has had to deal with attractive girls throwing themselves all over him his entire life, with cotton for brains, just because they want his money. He’s always been terrible with interacting with women, because he is so callous, so he has only had one girlfriend. Takane is the opposite of charming. Hana is the only one who finds him interesting, because she can see through his “tough guy” act. He excelled in school and is extremely talented, but has always led a stressful life of having to make something of himself. His job is stressful. Everyone is always calling him and needing him, because he’s the best at what he does. He lives by himself and has no friends. Takane is the definition of lonely. Then, when he actually falls for a girl, Hana, he doesn’t really know how to behave. He takes her to fancy dinners. He buys her flowers, dresses, and literally anything else she wants. That’s the only way he knows how to show affection. He’s not used to “real”. So, he tries to give Hana everything with money. He adores her. He shows up at the same time on the dot every day to pick her up from school in his likely $300,000 sports car. He goes to all her school events. He stands up for her. When she flakes on him, he will show up at her parents. He is relentless in his pursuit of winning her over, because he doesn’t know how to lose. He worries about her walking alone at night. But, not only can Hana be mean to him, he has to hide his feelings for her from everyone, or his name will be ruined, he will lose everything, and possibly be arrested for relations with a minor. This man, who gets nauseated by crowds, goes to a boy band concert that he cares zero about, all because when they sang karaoke one day, he didn’t know any of the songs she was singing. She called him old. During the concert, she can’t hear what he’s saying, due to the high volume. Hana as well as us (the audience), thinks he’s complaining. Because all Takane ever does is bitch, complain and say every detail that’s on his mind. Being at the concert hasn’t changed that, but he’s obviously there for a reason. He leans in so she can hear him, and with compete seriousness and genuine interest, asks, “isn’t this the song you sang the other day? Your favorite?” It’s just a tiny moment. The concert continues on, with him pissed and complaining most of it. But, that moment is one of the sweetest things I have ever seen and shows just how much he cares about wanting to be a part of her world. Since there is such a huge age gap, it can be difficult for them to relate. We see both of them working to bridge that gap. In another volume, they go to the beach with Hana’s friends. Takane sits off by himself and doesn’t partake in the activities. It seems as though he’s being rude, but in reality, he has anxiety. He doesn’t know how to interact with people. Hana is usually very carefree, but this trip meant a lot to her. It’s one of my favorite Hana moments, when after hours of waiting on him to join, she walks over to him and cutely conveys her disappointment that he’s not with her. That’s all it took for him to shove that anxiety aside. Takane will endure boredom, embarrassment, utter humiliation, or social anxiety, if it makes Hana happy.

Takane is a great guy, he just doesn’t know how to show it. He’s also terrible at having a good time. He tries so hard to make everything fun, that it completely defeats the purpose. He makes these elaborate plans in his head of how he’s going to do something, but nothing ever goes right. It’s always some little unexpected moment that ends up making Hana happy, not something on his itinerary. For example, when they are at a fireworks show, his entire plan goes wrong at every turn. It’s an utter disaster. He’s completely dejected and has given up on the night. For emphasis, I will note that Takane is probably 6ft2, and Hana is more like 4ft11. I don’t remember if the exact specifics are mentioned, but he’s significantly taller than her. When the fireworks start, he notices she can’t see. He quickly tells her to take her sandals off, and then he picks her up and holds her on top of the railing. This makes her face light up. The look on Takane’s face whenever he does something to make Hana happy, is reason enough to read this manga.

We all know someone like Takane. He’s good at everything he does. He’s wealthy, talented, and good looking, but at the same time, he’s a man child. He complains about everything, is easily embarrassed, and at one point he even says, “I could have been injured!”, over some incredibly minor thing. He’s over the top, utterly ridiculous, and everything is his way or the highway. What’s great is that Hana finds him hilarious, but in his mind, he is being completely serious. Their interactions are not unlike a relationship I have been in, making it very relatable. Takane is the uptight person in the relationship, while Hana is the chill and laid back one. She is unable to show her appreciation, because he will have the upper hand and run with it. She goes on a rant about how she doesn’t care about him and that he’s got the wrong idea if he thinks she is lovestruck. Her ability to match him wit for wit is why he fell for her in the first place. An adorable scene is when they fall asleep on each other and are sleep talking. He says, “maybe you could be just a little lovestruck?” And she says, “not a chance.” It’s too much gold. Hana’s constant rejection of him isn’t subtle, and any normal guy would have walked away. Takane can have literally anyone he wants. He is the most prideful man in existence, but Hana makes all that come crashing down. She truly sees him as Takane, and not some attractive guy with cash for her to spend. I will add, that while he can be an asshole, he’s never MEAN to Hana. There’s a difference. Takane is really an amazing guy, but it’s hidden behind an obnoxiously sarcastic, blunt, and egotistical personality.

My review doesn’t even scratch the surface of the complexity of their character dynamic. While Takane can be a man child, at the end of the day, he is the more mature of the two. At one point he’s trying to explain his work, and she says something like, “So, basically you’re trying to sell to someone as quickly as possible.” And he’s like, “yeah. You’ve got the idea correct. But don’t say it like that to people.” It shows how naive she is with adult concepts and showing discretion. But, he’s never condescending to her with these types of things. He just educates her. When Hana’s grades begin to slip, Takane worries that it’s because she has been spending too much time with him. So, he takes it upon himself to tutor her. She is reluctant, based off of how he always behaves, but it’s the first time we see him truly serious. He is patient with her learning, and when they get to a subject he’s a little rough on, he spends the whole night studying it, so that he can teach it to her the next day. At the end of the day, he is really the most reliable, but what he lacks, she makes up for him. Takane makes the ends meet, but Hana keeps them tied.

One issue I have with most shoujo manga is that nothing physical really ever happens. But, in this manga, there is a reason for it- the age gap. In any other scenario, it would be trash. But, it’s the whole point of the dynamic in this manga. The premise alludes to “creepy sexual relations with a minor”, but it’s not that at all. It’s a scenario that, emotionally at least, is very based in reality. I absolutely love the age difference between the two. Takane’s seemingly apparent sexual naivety is adorable. So, it’s not like he’s this typical experienced 26 year old dating a 16 year old. Imagine being a guy in your mid 20s who is in love with a 16 year old girl. You’re not gonna be real open about it, even with her, especially if she hasn’t stated her feelings. If you are a good guy, you’re gonna question yourself and have awful thoughts about yourself. He is very careful not to make any sort of move on her. He never compliments on her looks AT ALL. At one point in the story, Takane realizes that maybe she just sees him as a big brother type. He comes to his own realization that she actually isn’t into him. So, he feels like a fool. He’s been questioning the relationship between them. Like, “is this 16 year old goofing off or is this her flirting?” After all, HE is the one who pursues HER and makes a big deal about them being “arranged marriage meeting partners”. So, finally, he says to her, “you know, I’m okay with calling off our arrangement if that’s what you want. You’re not obligated to keep hanging out with me. We’ve been spending every moment together for a year, and I now realize that we are more like a big brother and kid sister more than anything. We have been in situations where most girls would swoon for me, or at least give me a vibe. But, you’ve seen me half naked and been physically close enough to breathe me in, but you don’t even bat an eye or act interested at all.” That statement broke my heart. I imagined he was constantly thinking, “what am I doing? What’s wrong with me? Get it together. Why do you have feelings for a kid?” The only time his feelings come out is when he’s been drinking, which isn’t often. After his birthday party, she goes to his room to check on him. There are all kinds of details as to why they are in the same house and what was going on, but you just have to read. She’s adjusting the air temperature and fixing stuff how he likes it, because he went to bed with his clothes on. It’s utterly adorable. She kneels by the bed, waking him up, and he kisses her. After waking up and remembering what happened, he pretends he doesn’t remember, and then later slumps down in the garage before work, and beats himself up emotionally. He apologies for scaring her and being inappropriate, and that he drank too much. He is in constant inner conflict with himself. But, since they have crazy fun together, and she seems maybe into him too, he obviously doesn’t stop seeing her. He won’t stop seeing her. That is the most attractive trait about Takane. If he wants something, he’s gonna have it, and he will go to any lengths to get it.

At a certain point, I did get a bit tired of them never blatantly expressing their feelings for one another. In this manga, these two are joined at the hip. They are essentially best friends. So, it started to feel awkward. But, right as I started thinking that, Takane acted like Takane, and I was elated with the way in which the mangaka chose his actions. It once again made me realize that this manga is a true hidden gem. I won’t spoil it any more than I have, but eventually, after going through so much together, they can’t help but let their guards down. The frequency and duration of their time together makes them actually “being together” so much more worth it than if it happened quickly. The mangaka crafted this concept beautifully.

So, when I say Takane and Hana is “the best” or my favorite manga, that may be a bold statement. But, if I had to choose which manga made me the happiest reading it, this one wins first prize, easily. Every single adventure and interaction has true meaning behind it. Takane and Hana is basically everything I ever wanted to happen in every single anime I’ve ever watched, but 20,000x better. Every blatant miss at a romantic moment has been made up tenfold with this manga. Obviously, it’s not an action/horror about man-eating humanoids. So, I’m not going to put that kind of pressure on Levi. He has his hands full and delivers flawlessly. But, it also can’t be lumped with other shoujo manga. This manga is raw. It’s real shit. It has grounded me. I loved this manga so much that I didn’t know what to do with my heart at times. Do yourself a favor. Go read Takane and Hana. Unless you are humorless or have issues with an older guy dating a high school girl, you’ll thank me.

Thanks for reading my essay, and happy reading. :)