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Sep 29, 2012
A little girl can only communicate to her dying brother through dance.
Surprisingly powerful and enjoyable: this is Dance! Subaru.
I don’t know why, but I had this preconceived idea about Dance! Subaru. Maybe it was the fact it was a sports seinen, or that it’s cover art appeared to be very old, or even because it was about a girly sport called ‘ballet’. So imagine my surprise after I finished the first chapter: I did not expect it to be like this. It wasn’t just about ballet. It was about artistic expression with the body as a medium. Chapter after chapter, I soon found that I
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wasn’t just trudging through it for my own experience --I was hooked.
The story begins with a heartbreaking tragedy, showing you that Dance! Subaru is going to be one hell of a ride. The chapters literally fly by; the pacing and plot were just so intriguing! After one mini-arc finishes, there is nothing stopping you from immediately starting the next one. It stays on track, and it has a purpose. This story is about human expression, but it is also about metaphysics and transcending the nature of dance. It was extremely powerful, and in the way it was narrated captured the essence perfectly.
This manga isn't going to be about some prodigy Mary-Sue making her way to the top. In fact, Subaru is such an interesting character. She’s a bitch, she’s a narcissist, she’s antisocial... she could even be called arrogant. I wouldn't want to be her friend. In fact, Subaru doesn't even make it to the top in this manga; she only has a purpose: to express all she can through dance, and bring the audience with her into the “other side”. Concerning the support characters: at first, the mangaka scrapped them here and there to advance the story, but I really appreciated it when they were brought back for further development. They never fall into stereotypical cliches. All of them are unique with their own purposes (maybe some admire Subaru, some want to use her, and maybe even some like her --which I doubt, because Subaru isn’t very likable). In this story, the character development of Subaru was the strongest point.
The setting in Dance! Subaru isn't static --meaning that it constantly changes. It doesn't really bring the whole story together, but it doesn't weigh it down either. However, during the most important moments (which are on stage) you know exactly where the characters are, and what kind of atmosphere they are in.
In fact, the whole atmosphere of Dance! Subaru is nice and airy, probably because of the sketchy lines and big eyes. During it’s more powerful moments, those sketchy lines are exaggerated, hard, thick, and really pronounce the atmosphere. So if you couldn’t notice: the atmosphere of Dance! Subaru is really dependent on it’s setting and art.
To sum it all up, Dance! Subaru was a great read with some powerful moments. It’s creativity was extremely high (who has ever read a compelling, palpable ballet manga?) that literally went far beyond all expectations. I would have reached a 9.0, or maybe even higher if it wasn’t for one thing: the ending. While it wasn’t bad (it was actually kind of interesting), it was really sloppy, with no planning whatsoever. It really butchered the greatness this manga achieved, probably the biggest disappointment ever. That brought my final scoring to an 8.0, a fair enough rating for this.
You really get absorbed into this story, and like dance, it’s all up to interpretation. If you get absorbed into it too much, you’ll definitely take something with you once it’s finished.
★★★★★★★★☆☆
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 23, 2012
I'm sorry; this manga isn't as incredible and revolutionary as you think it is.
Terra e... is certainly a promising manga, being a classic space opera written by one of the revolutionary Forty-Niners. I wouldn’t be lying if I said I was expecting a lot from it. However, many expectations weren’t met, and unlike Takemiya Keiko’s other works, this one went horribly wrong. And do keep in mind I am judging the original manga --not the anime.
The story begins about a millennium into the future, during a new time era known as Superior Dominance (S.D). Because humans had completely ruined Earth, they began using warp speed
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technology to colonize nearby planets in hope to one day return. The initial setting was nice, not totally unusual or unique to any sci-fi manga, but it certainly had its charms. Children were born into Ataraxia (the "Education World") with the expectation of becoming a predetermined, "cookie-cutter"-esque human. The problem is, that idea in general was played around with, but it was abandoned throughout the series, leaving it behind. A shame too because that could have been something else entirely.
Anyways, it continues; chronicling two characters and their lives for the next fifteen or so years. The characterization, in my opinion, was the weakest part of the entire manga. All of the characters were flat. Static. Literally: there was nothing likable of any of them, or something to make me emotionally attached. I could really think of one character who was an exception, and sadly, he wasn't even a main (and he too was scrapped early on). This wouldn't have been so bad if the manga did not try so hard to develop them. I mean, even though they spent (probably the good half of a volume) JUST focusing on the main character's "background", it didn't really give life to him. I believe that the story in general could have been only one volume long (rather than 3) if they did not focus so much on this characterization. In addition to that, it was very difficult to know where characters were situated, simply because the transitions between the different POVs (and yes, there were more than one) was completely nonexistent.
Needless to say, it was a very confusing read.
It wasn’t all that bad, however. The plot was very secure; I can tell that a lot of thought went into creating this story. And I know that it never trailed away from the main storyline, which made it pretty straight-forward (and no I am not contradicting myself by calling the story straight-forward and the actual schematics confusing). I’m not sure whether or not to call it fast-paced or not, simply because there were lots of time skips, but I found there wasn’t any complaints about the whole narration in general. And I don’t judge mangas on art (as it's very subjective), but if you’re a prospective reader wanting to know: it used simple devices such as thick lines during action scenes, or thin lines during more emotional scenes; a very 70/80’s style.
Well. Terra e... was an interesting experience. I think I had been hoping for a lot more (since this is by Takemiya Keiko!), but I don’t think I’d change a thing. There were good parts, and bad parts. It's ending was alright, but it left some questions unanswered (and no, I'm not talking about the super ambiguous epilogue). It’s value and creativity,, however, is extremely high for it’s time, which then brings my initial rating of a 6.5 to a 7.0. Frankly, I think this is manga for someone with an specific taste. So if you think you may like this, just try it out.
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 16, 2012
Most of us associate the genre ‘josei’ with either some sort of slice-of-life story, major character development, or those harlequin stories. Hatenkou Yuugi is the perfect example of a manga that completely disregards the above three stereotypes, and instead, creates it’s own respective place as a josei (and yes, it is a josei).
Though first few volumes lead you to believe it’s a very sloppy/ugly example of a episodic josei, it’s just the foundation for an even greater story. This is a manga where you have to read the entire thing before you understand it. The faint connections between Rahzel, Alzeid, and Baroqueheat run much deeper
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than they really appear to be. Could fate have brought the three together? Or even scarier than that: could this fate could be planned, or predetermined? If that’s true, then who is really pulling the strings? And for what reason? The gears of time are steadily moving to an uncertain future.
From the first few pages of the manga, we’re introduced to a very animated girl, Rahzel, who was just kicked out of her house. Seemingly normal, right? Soon after, she meets an aloof, albino man on a quest for revenge, and a strong casanova who just likes to fool around. The characters are superb, all with a very interesting non-static personality. And just like us, the characters actually change their clothes, something I find so refreshing. And most of them aren’t really that forgettable; I mean, who can forget Rahzel’s ‘macho-fetish?' They all have their dark backstories/agendas, including the most unexpected of characters. Not to mention the way everyone interacts with one another is believable. How many mangas show you friends comforting each other, or reassuring each other? Not many, especially nowadays. Something I think is necessary to point out: this manga is mostly friendship, so if you think two guys with one girl on a journey may entail a lot of romance, you’d completely wrong.
The setting is a very interesting trope: “days of a future past”. Though it appears to be a ruined, medieval Europe (especially through how Rahzel dresses sometimes), their technology is just about on par with modern day society. Rahzel’s hammerspace bag could be an example, seeing as no one really brings it up as weird, or unnatural. The narration flows nicely, and the pacing never misses a beat. The backgrounds are very pretty and detailed, but it doesn’t really enhance the overall reading experience. It does prove to be, however, a tool to know where characters are situated. Which isn’t entirely bad since most joseis/shoujos completely ignore this.
I’d like to call it a much lighter version of Pandora Hearts or Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles (especially because of the clones). You have to make theories as to who is who, and try to find the answer to what I’d like to call the ultimate mystery. It definitely contains some mind-boggling insanity later on, something you wouldn't ever expect just by reading the first volume. The overall atmosphere is a comedy, but the dark secrets lying in the subplot are unsettling, making you feel a little nervous and insecure... almost as if you’re being watched by something (or someone). And yes, I must say this: the art and plot does improve, so bear with it for a little while to get to the good stuff.
In fact, this manga is so good, it should be the testament towards all the prejudices of joseis. Which then brings me to the final rating: a 9.0 /10.0. And as I’ve said, you need to read it all before you truly understand it.
★★★★★★★★★☆
RECOMMENDED.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 7, 2012
Battle Angel Alita (or GUNNM) is a dystopia featuring Alita’s (or Gally, in some translations) journey as a moral, conscious being in the Scrapyard --a ruthless world that resides underneath the god-like Tiphares. What is right and wrong? And when is someone considered truly “human”? Battle Angel Alita delves into the realm of consciousness, morals, and staying true to yourself. As a manga, it's very, very good. Still, Battle Angel Alita is a far cry from a masterpiece.
The setting in Battle Angel Alita was one of the story’s most important features, keeping the reader engaged in it’s mysteries. Comparable to something like Nausicaa, it has
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a certain post-apocalyptic atmosphere. And along with it’s very picturesque, imaginative setting, it creates something that recent mangas seem to ignore nowadays. Though parts of the worlds may seem whimsical and airy, there is definitely something depressing. The setting itself (almost) never changes. Instead, in this static setting, Alita changes. The setting itself makes a perfect foil to Alita’s character; her change and growth, and her reactions in the environment. The two come together very neatly, and I must say, I am very impressed because it was as if she was actually living in that world.
I can’t say the same for Alita, however, or any of the characters.
The story dealt a lot about personal morals, and even though we did get to see some angst over Alita, we never actually saw any of her standpoints. I really can’t discuss this in further detail without spoiling a lot, but I can say that Alita doesn’t know the dividing line between friends and foes, the innocent and the criminal. Whenever something groundbreaking happens, her beliefs and ideals are completely thrown into another direction, making her a very clumsy, dynamic character (who unfortunately, isn't as complex as people like to think). Another thing: characters were introduced for the sole sake of the plot. If there was nothing propelling the story forward, then you could guarantee that a new character would appear, and coincidentally have ties with the main story. Those characters all fell flat, and there was absolutely no development on the original characters. The characters were a huge disappointment because a realistic setting and characters are the foundation for an excellent manga.
The narration throughout the manga was very fluid, keeping a certain level of intrigue and sub-plot mystery at the same time. I found that some parts were more boring and slow than others, and after an arc, nothing was really motivating me to start the next one. I could walk away from it for days, but it was easily picked up again, without any struggles. The story itself was a very captivating one, however, it did have it’s clique shounen moments (even though it’s a seinen) when a new villain would appear after every so chapters. There were some plot holes, but they were so insignificant it wouldn’t matter anyways. The ending was excellently done (no I won’t spoil), and it wrapped up everything nicely. It was probably the greatest part about this manga. There was this one, little thing I had a problem with it. Since Alita is practically immortal (still no spoilers, you learn that in chapter 1), you couldn’t see the effects of time. A few chapters may go by before you see a certain character again, their first remark is, “I haven’t seen you in ___ years!”. At the beginning, the mangaka does help the reader understand how much time has past, but later on she seems to neglect it, making some parts (and transitions between arcs) confusing. Other than that little thing that happened only a handful of times, it was an excellent story, and like I said before, it touches on topics such as what humanity really is, and the moral consciousness.
Honestly, I’m not going to even talk about the art. If you can’t get over early 90’s art (people have called it ugly before), then don’t read it. It’s artstyle visually enhances the setting and characters, and personally, I found it really fitting to the story. Sometimes it’s details/anatomy would be awkward, but it was perfect for Battle Angel Alita.
So all in all, it was a really great read, but it didn’t live up to the hype and expectations. It only had little problems, but the fact that it had so many of them was kind of disappointing. Not only that, but I felt it wasn't as mature as seinens go, and definitely not as mature as other reviews lead you to believe. Battle Angel Alita has a great premise that could’ve potentially been a 10, but it’s problems here and there took it to an 8.5. Though there are some characterization problems with Alita, her growth in the series was the most important thing. Battle Angel Alita is extremely interesting, and the way it presents it’s ideas in symbols sometimes are kinda neat to find. It deserves a 8.5. It wasn't a masterpiece, but it was very good.
★★★★★★★★☆☆
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 9, 2012
"The depth of the sea, and the depth of the night sky -- I felt an overwhelming pressure from up and down. I thought that, perhaps, this was what it was like to be in the early days of Earth."
This isn’t a manhwa for everyone. The ratings and reviews on every site are practically scattered. You’ll either love it or hate it. Or even both at times.
The summary of Seol Hui introduces us to a young woman named Alisa S. Benders, who has been living on a deserted island for her whole life. She’s a little ditzy and clueless, and has no concept of money.
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The first time she ever leaves the island is to collect her inheritance from her illegitimate, rich father. But many people seem to be after her money, and so she needs to do all she can to stay safe.
Or so it seems, maybe, for the first volume.
The story quickly changes from a crime-thriller kind of manhwa (I say crime-thriller because that’s what the summary leads us to believe) to one where Alisa is searching for someone. For the greater part of the story, it is simply about Alisa, whose real name is Seol Hui. Though she seems dumb, she is more mysterious and clever than she actually appears to be. Why was she left on that deserted island her whole life? And why does she want to meet this elusive person in her dreams?
The story takes on a supernatural aura, coated in philosophical ideologies. This is where is becomes either a hit or miss. Frankly, I loved it. The story of Seol Hui deals with the past, immortality, reincarnation, and the search for oneself. Alisa will stop you at a seemingly normal time, and then proceed to go all philosopical and profound on you. Things are definitely not what they seem in this manhwa --something you soon find out by the end of volume 1. Alisa isn't what she seems to be either...she's far too omniscient for a normal girl. How much does she really know about this world? Her true self can be extremely horrifying at times.
The story intertwines two main people, Alisa and another, different girl; combining both modern day society and a huge conspiracy-like past. If you like mystery and drama with a touch of the supernatural, then you may like this. It even has it's slice-of-life moments. But this is a review, so I’m going to cut right to the chase. The narration does fall flat sometimes, and pacing can be awkard. This isn’t entirely bad, though. To me, it just gave the air of just ‘viewing’ the story,as one would do so with a movie. The art is different (since it is a manhwa), but it seems to suit the story. The characters also seem to have a lack of direction, and may even appear one-dimensional at times. Not that I really have any complaints --it it's a character driven story, but not really much of one. Some may argue that it doesn't have much of a plot either, but I beg to differ. Seol Hui (in a nutshell) is the story of Alisa's search for the man in her dreams.
Overall, it is above average. No cliches will be found in here (you won’t see the girl confessing or any crazy fan clubs), but it isn't much of a meaty story either. It does, however, make up for it's lackluster story in other areas. It can be horrifying (not in a gruesome, scary kind of way; but as I've said, she's very omniscient) and make you question what reality really is. "My reality," she has said, "not anybody else's." And keep in mind this isn’t some shoujo story, it is a josei. Seol Hui has an interesting concept with great ideologies (ie: her idea of death in Latin), and though it may fall short of becoming a masterpiece, it is something worthwhile to check out. And if you’re worrying about Alisa’s character not being developed fast enough for you, most of it is resolved in the later volumes. So do stick with it. This is a story where you have to think, and create theories as to who she really is. Because of a really great premise, I gave Seol Hui a rightfully deserved 8.5 / 10.0.
But then again, this isn’t really a manhwa for everyone. Because Seol Hui is so different from the 'norm' in the manga world today, every chapter is something interesting. If you want some short story that gets right to the point, then don't pick this up. However, if you're looking for something completely abnormal and something-so-different-I-don't-think-it's-ever-been-done-before in a manhwa (regardless of whether or not you'd think you like it), you should give it a chance. I did, and my expectations were completely blown away...just by the end of volume 1.
★★★★★★★★☆☆
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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