Title: Kimi ni Todoke
(Reaching You)
Author: SHIINA Karuho
ISBN# 978-4-08-846061-1
Margaret Comics, 2006

Ahh, I can’t believe I haven’t included this manga on this site sooner! It is such a good series! I originally saw this series at my local bookstore a few months ago, but I never picked it up because at the time there were already 5 volumes out, and I was sort of reluctant to start a series that would require that much of a financial investment. However, this manga kept calling out to me :) The covers are so cute, and over time, it seemed to be getting more and more popular. The bookstore eventually ended up setting up a large display devoted to the series! My resistance was weak, and I finally picked up the first volume. All I can say is that I am sorry that I didn’t get it sooner. It is so cute! I feel affection for this sort of like the affection I feel for Koukou Debut. The art in this series is cute, and can vary wildly. There are some scenes that look rather scratchy and scribbly, while others are very pretty. The main character, Sawako, is often shown in a very cute cartoony way. So adorable!

This is the story of yet another high school outcast. I guess you can say it is sort of similar to another recent series I talk about Koko ni Iru yo! except that the heroine in this is not quite as pathetic :) The story revolves around KURONUMA Sawako, a girl who has a great deal of trouble expressing how she feels in both her face and manner. Her looks are so dramatic, with her long pitch-black hair and fair skin, that she resembles the frightening girl “Sadako” from horror movies. Thus, “Sadako” is her nickname, and few people in her class can remember what her real name is. Everyone in her class is afraid of her and they spread horrible rumors and gossip about her, such as stuff like how she can talk to ghosts or she can curse you. Unfortunately for Sawako, because of her shy nature, she had a very difficult time dispelling the horrible rumors or telling people that she really isn’t someone they should be afraid of.

Sawako is a very adorable character. Instead of isolating herself, she tries harder to be friendly. All she wants to do is help everyone and be useful and to make people happy. She doesn’t feel bad about all the horrible things people say about her, and has no hard feelings. She is used to it, and tries to be better, but she has been unable to make everyone around her understand her. Her personality is amazingly cheerful and optimistic, considering her circumstances, and she never gives up trying to be friendly to everyone.

Sawako’s situation is a stark contrast to a boy in her class, Kazehaya. He bright, cheerful, and popular. Everyone is drawn to him, and he is friends with everyone. More importantly, he is the only one who is friendly to Sawako, and treats her just like he treats everyone else. Because of this, Sawako respects him so much and admires him from afar. She considers him to be “refreshing” and she wants to be just like him- someone who is easily able to open up and make a lot of friends. The story follows Sawako as she struggles to be friendly (her face looks frightening no matter what expression she tries) and starts to become closer to the easy-going Kazehaya. Thanks to his help, she is slowly able to open up and make her feelings known. Kazehaya’s influence and assistance mean a lot to Sawako. She is finally able to make a friend or two, and to express herself, though the rumors persist. And what of her relationship with Kazuhaya? Could he possibly like Sawako? It seems like he might, but Sawako is so clueless, she just can’t imagine it!

Title: Ai Hime ~ Ai to Himegoto
(Love Princess ~ Love and Secret)
Author: MITSUKI Kaco
ISBN# 4-09-130563-6
Flower Comics, 2006

I admit, I originally bought the first two volumes of this series completely at random because it was on sale :) What can I say, I can’t resist cheap manga! However, I am happy I picked it up, because it is just the sort of fun, cheezy shoujo manga story that I like :) This is a ‘forbidden love’ kind of series, with a lot that is not at all original, but it pushes all my ‘common shoujo manga plot device’ buttons, so I can’t help but like it. This series is 3 volumes long.

This is the story of high school student Mao-chan. She is an average, cheerful school girl, but she is stuck with parents who are always busy with work. One day, Mao is wandering around, furstrated and annoyed at her parents for cancelling a meal she was supposed to go have with them. Wandering around with nothing to do, she stumbles across a handsome man sleeping under a tree. He looks very peaceful, and Mao can’t get over how handsome he is. She leans a bit too close, and is face to face with him when he suddenly wakes up and grabs her hand asks her who she is. Mao manages to escape, but then a gust of wind blows her hat off her head and into a tree. Mao manages to get herself stuck in the tree trying to retrieve it, and needs the man’s help in getting down. He seems extremely amused by her and the situation, but there is also an intensity in his gaze that suggests he is attracted to her. The notion seems to be confirmed when he helps Mao from the tree and pulls her into his arms for a kiss. Mao is dazzled by this man and can’t stop thinking about that kiss for a long time afterwards. She belatedly realizes that she never even got his name…

Mao’s parents are about to go on another business trip, and they have decided that she will not be staying home by herself while they are gone. They don’t like the idea of Mao, being female and a minor, beling left all alone. Therefore, they have decided that she will have a guardian while they are away. Her father’s younger brother Takagi Jinya, will be coming to stay with her. Mao has never met this uncle of hers, but her father likes him very much. Technically, they are not really brothers by blood- Jinya came to live with him when he was a child- but they became family, and Mao’s father expects her to treat Jinya as family as well. I think you can guess what is going to happen here….

When her family has an introductory meeting with Jinya, Mao is stunned to discover he is the same stranger she met under the tree that day! Looking handsome and mature in his suit and swept-back hair, Mao almost can’t believe it’s the same person, but there is no mistaking that voice. Jinya shows no expression when introduced, and makes no indication that he knows her. Could she be imagining things? But the return of the intensity of his eyes soon convinces her that he remembers. Oh, what a situation! Mao and Jinya will be living together! Her parents meant well, but they really could have no idea what poor judgement they have! This is similar to the situation in Otona Pink. How can Mao live with this man! Will they pretend nothing ever happened? He is so much older than her, and he is her UNCLE! Sure, they aren’t related by blood, but they are nevertheless supposed to be “family”. He seems so cold now, perhaps he doesn’t like her after all?

Mao’s dangerous cohabitation situation has just begun!

Title: Hana to Akuma
(Flower and Devil)
Author: OTO Hisamu
ISBN# 978-4-592-18551-2
Hana to Yume Comics, 2008

Cute cover! Cute cover! I actually bought this because I was looking for something published by Hana to Yume. I had been buying a lot of Flower Comics again recently, and I wanted a change. Here is a cute story that I look forward to reading more of. I think this is the first manga by this author, but I think their art style is sort of similar to some other Hana to Yume artwork I have seen on covers recently. Anyway, this is a vampire story!

Well actually, in this book they seem to be just called ‘devils’ but it is pretty obvious they are vampires. The story begins with an abandoned baby. In the front porch of a fine old-fashioned castle, a young man finds a basket containing a crying baby girl. The young man, dressed in fancy 19th-century-style clothes, is surprised to find the baby, but reluctantly brings it indoors, keeping her as far away from him as possible. The household staff is equally surprised by her arrival. The child seems to have taken a liking to the young man, because she stops crying when she looks at him. Her smile is so prettym that they decide to name her “Hana” or flower, after the red roses on a nearby table. She outshines the real flowers.

Flash forward a few years, and Hana is now a cute young lady. Strangely enough, the young man who found her looks exactly the same as he did those years ago. His name is Bibi, and Hana loves him very much. She is very playful around him, and pretty much follows him everywhere. All the castle staff like having Hana around, and she is well-loved. For his part, Bibi treats Hana with affectionate tolerance. He likes having her around, but she is just a human child, and he never allows himself to touch her.

Bibi is so cautious because he is a demon, a creature that lives on human blood, and can sprout wings. He periodically goes out to the city below to find a willing victim. Hana has been raised in Bibi’s household, and knows exactly what he is, and has no fear of it. As a smaller child, she always followed Bibi around the castle, smiling at him and being so cheerful. Yet in spite of her adoration, Hana is very frustrated that Bibi won’t drink her blood. His habit of keeping away from her is also frustrating. Will he ever see how much she loves him, or whill she always just be a child in his eyes? Could the fact that all flowers wither to dust at his touch be the real reason he is keeping her away?

Title: Yumenara Samenaide
(If this a dream, please don’t let me awake)
Author: Yasuko
ISBN# 978-4-09-130566-0
Flower Comics, 2006

Here is one of two summaries of manga by Yasuko that I am adding today. I really like her style for some reason. I am not exactly sure why. This volume contains three one-shot stories. The first one is my favorite, but the others are really good, too.

The first story begins with a horrible accident. Well,lets take a step back, actually. High school girl Sachika and her friends are having a great day at an amusement park. Things get better, when the boy she likes, Tetsuo, confesses to her that he likes her, and they become an official couple. Sachika couldn’t be happier! She and Tetsuo are so happy, and promise to always be together.

Things don’t always turn out as planned. Sachika gets into an unfortunate accident one day when, right before Tetsuo’s eyes, she is struck by a car. The next thing Sachika knows, she is waking up in the hospital with a strange man next to her. He introduces himself as KOHARA Takeshi, and he claims to be a distant relative and informs Sachika she has been in a coma for a month! Sachika is confused. Where is Tetsuo? Where is her family?! Takeshi tells her that from now on, she will be staying with him. Her faimly has left her in his care. He takes her to his apartment, where Sachika spends several confused days. Something isn’t right! Tetsuo said he would always be with her! What is Takeshi hiding from her?! Is that Tetsuo with another girl?!

The next story is a complicated and tragic gender-bending reincarnation story. School girl Hisa-chan dreams of finding her destined ‘darling’, but never imagines that it could possibly be her new classmate, Ran! One day Hisa, who is afraid of storms, is caught in the rain. A handsome stranger offers her an umbrella, and Hisa is smitten. He is so handsome, he MUST be the one! He feels something too. In fact, Hisa gets a strange feeling around him, and she begins to have dreams that are set in a distant time, when she is a cute young bride who has a cute, young husband. Could this be some sort of past life? Hisa gets a huge shock the next day when the stranger with the umbrella turns out to be her new classmate, Ran. And Ran is…. a girl! Sure enough, Ran and Hisa were once involved in a set of tragic past events that have come full circle….

Finally, we have the story of a very lively and tough girl named Mitsuki. She has been recently dumped by her boyfriend who had a hard time seeing her as a girl. She just doesn’t act very feminine. This makes Mitsuki really upset. Fortunately, she has someone beside her that she can vent all her anger and frustration to. His name is Kengorou, and he is Mitsuki’s childhood friend. He is also kinda cute and wears glasses, and is a shoujo mangaka! Mitsuki thinks Kengorou has a better grasp on how to be feminine than she does, so she asks him to help her be more like one of the girls in the shoujo manga he draws!

Title: Momoiro Heaven!
Author: YOSHINO Mari
ISBN# 978-4-06-365475-2
KC Dessert Comics, 2007

You know, it’s kind of amazing how many shoujo and yaoi manga have plots that revolve around erotic novelists. Seriously, I think I have at least three summarized on this site already, and here is yet another! Ok, so the plot isn’t the most original, it manages to include many of the usual shoujo manga Plot Devices, but still… I can’t resist this. It’s cute! Um… all I can say is that this is yet another guilty pleasure ^_^;; This volume isn’t exactly smutty, though they sure do talk about it a LOT and there are some vivid descriptions of smutty situations. I am pretty sure that future volumes will get smutty. But for now, we can just wait and hope :D

Er, ok, the plot. There is one, sort of. Really! ^_^; Momoko is a high school girl with an unusual occupation. Well, then again, she is in a shoujo manga, so her occupation isn’t all that unusual… she is an erotic novelist. How exactly did she become one? Well, she sort of inherited it. Her father, a famous novelist, passed away, and in order to support her family (consisting of a younger brother and hospitalized mother), Momoko has become a ghostwriter, writing novels under his name. I guess it’s only in Japan that a publishing company would ask a schoolgirl to write erotica, but okay… it makes a good story :)

Because of her unusual occupation, Momoko is always very busy and doesn’t get to do all the fun things her classmates do, and is often really worn out and tired from writing into the late hours of the night. She must keep her work a secret, and leading the double life is very tiring. This busy life means Momoko is so out of touch with what is popular, that she has no idea why all the girls in her school are suddenly so excited over the news of a new transfer student. It turns out that the handsome, almost angelic guy who has entered her school is none other than Ranmaru, an extremely famous supermodel. All the girls are dazzled by him, and he smugly has no problems enjoying their attentions. He is quite a playboy.

Momoko is impressed by his good looks, but really, all this fuss has nothing to do with her, she has too many other things to worry about than some supermodel. Of course, this being a manga, Momoko and Ranmaru will end up encountering each other. Rather, it is Ranmaru, who, through a series of unlikely events, discovers Momoko’s secret occupation! Ranmaru thinks Momoko is a very interesting girl, and decides to take advantage of his knowledge by making Momoko his slave!

Poor Momoko, as if her life weren’t already complicated. Things are just getting started….