Basara took me by surprise. I did not expect to fall in love with this story and its characters instantly from the first chapter and stay in love through the entire series and even afterwards. I've read and reread this series multiple times in the short span of a few months. (Thanks for all the free time covid-19!) and it truly is a masterpiece.
I started this series because I love adventure stories with forbidden romance, but that theme only scratches the surface. Yumi Tamura explores so many themes in one story:
- Forbidden romance
- Gender roles
- Human rights, social classes, and equality
- Ambition
- Challenging the status quo
- Suppression of press
- Responsibilities of leadership
- Overcoming adversity
- Managing Change
- Accepting self
- Personal Growth
- Birth right vs self accomplishment
- Overcoming trauma
- Sacrifice
- Camaraderie and friendships
- Trust
- Forming a vision
- Achieving that vision by leading a team
The list goes on and on.
If you love light-hearted fluffy stories with some fan service and nothing disturbing, I would recommend you don't read this. Or if you do, be prepared to feel uncomfortable and to be challenged.
On the other hand, if you like deep, detailed, well thought-out stories about characters that face tremendous hardships, trauma, and change, you might love this series as much as I do. I love the amount of details Tamura-san puts into every chapter, every angle. Every re-read reveals more subtleties that i missed in a previous read. I wish I was fluent in Japanese so I could read this series in its original language and intent. I've read the official VIZ translated version as well as fan-translated versions and even in how the words are rearranged portray a slightly different characterization.
Without spoiling too much of the story, I hope you go on a wonderful journey with Basara. Not only the characters, but the readers too can change with this adventure.
