Akatsuki No Yona

This is one of my top 5 manga, I adore this storyline and the characters.

It's adventurous, funny, heart breaking and inspiring! 

Never before have I had the pleasure of being so enchanted by such an amazing female character. 

I love a strong female lead, as i'm sure i've mentioned before, which just makes reading Akatsuki no Yona that much more enjoyable for me. I won't discount manga that lacks the type of character I enjoy, however if there is no admirable female character, the story is missing something. For me. 

Her name is Yona. 

Yona wasn't always the cool, strong, brave badass she currently is, her origin is dark. 

She was the sole daughter of the late King. Spoiled by her father she lived in luxury, she had everything including a trusted bodyguard and childhood friend, Son Hak and a beautiful man who cared for her and whom she loved deeply, Soo- Won, her cousin. 

Her life is perfect until her love Soo- Won murders her father in front of her and steals his crown. 

Her life is also in danger but her and Son Hak escape and go into hiding.

Yona struggles for weeks, crying, heartbroken and useless.

A girl who's never had to do anything for herself, now forced to sleep in the dirt and scavenge for food. 

 

Son Hak does everything in his power to protect her, however during a battle he's wounded shielding the princess.

Yona realises she's about to lose him too so she fights, cuts her hair and makes a stand. 

 

It's a big moment, the moment Yona decides whats important to her and what she'll do to protect it. 

After they survive the battle, Yona discovers something about herself from a priest. Her natural red hair is a sign of the great God Dragon's reincarnation. 

The priest tells her to seek out the warrior dragon reincarnations, four men gifted with dragon power, their duty to protect, love and serve their King. 

Yona doesn't believe she's truly the king reincarnated, but she needs their help to save her kingdom from war an corruption. She doesn't wish to seek revenge, at least not with the dragons.

As Yona and Son Hak begin their journey they face danger, Yona requests Hak's help with the bow then later the sword, he's hesitant but can't refuse her, the girl he's secretly always loved and his princess. 

Yona becomes stronger both physically and mentally. She comes to understand the people and their suffering, her aim is to help whomever she can on her journey. 

She tracks down all each dragon, some come willingly and eagerly, others take some convincing but none can refuse the bond that lives between them.

Yona is a leader, an inspiration and a carer. She protects those who need her and she never gives up. Throughout the manga you watch as she becomes stronger, you get to see just how far she's come through all the heartbreak, anger, abuse and how brave, hard working and noble she turns out to be. 

The manga is still ongoing and with every chapter you discover something new about her and each of the characters, which I realise I kind of neglected to mention in this description, but I feel hearing her story will help develop the other characters too, as they are all connected with a strong bond, Yona. 

Plus Yona's my favourite and she's irresistible to the other characters! Capturing hearts and respect, plus she's go that fire in her eyes. 

Artist/ Author; Kusanagi Mizuho

Released; 2011

Status; Ongoing

Genres; Action, Adventure, Historical, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Shoujo, Supernatural 

Just look at all those genres! A little bit of everything makes for an interesting story! 

MANGAFOX RANK; 40TH

  

Hadashi De Bara Wo Fume

DAMN!

That's a whole bunch of drama crammed into 57 chapters!
Seriously, every chapter had some new crisis, nothing ever went right and someone was always stabbed in the back! Can't trust anyone, so exciting!

Lets get started!
A girl named Sumi is taken from a poverty ridden life to live in luxury. Nice right? No.
She sold herself and her right to love, to save her family. Her older brother is a useless gambler that only causes problems, plus he has a tendency to take in children who've been abandoned. Sumi looks after 3 young children, scavenging for food and medicine. Tough life.

One day Sumi's landlord threatens to evict them, in an act of desperation Sumi runs to the red light district to try and sell her virginity to cover the rent. A rich and handsome man says he'll buy her love and life. He needs a wide and if she agrees to marry him he'll look after her family.

Of course she agrees and is then quickly swept off to a church and married.
He gains a company from his grandfather for getting married by the agreed date. For awhile everything is okay. Sumi is learning how to be a lady of high society but she misses her family, her new husband, Souichirou, is quite mean to her, but she bares and tries to get along with him.
A lot goes down but the jest is, Sumi gets a stalker, Souichirou gets thrown out of his own company, the loyal butler betrays them, people try to kill Sumi and the stalker forces Sumi to make a decision.
Intense stuff.

After a lot of struggle it has a happy ending and some crazy twists! It's incredibly entertaining and beautifully drawn with insane details! I really enjoy when you get so caught up in the drama you read 60 chapters in one go! It's a weird adrenaline rush! Definitely worth the read if you enjoy drama and passion!

Author/ Artist: Ueda Rinko
Released: 2008
Status: Complete
Genres: Drama, Romance, Tradgey, Historical, Shoujo

MANGAFOX RANK; 1360TH

Black Bird

I spent my weekend furiously reading this manga, I couldn't put it down.

The story revolves around a young girl named Harada Misao. 

Every since she was young she has been able to 'see things' that others cannot. They cause problems for her, tripping her up, pulling her hair and just causing havoc, making her appear clumsy. 

She's jealous of her friends who have boyfriends and she has hazy memories of her first love who she met as a child and who could also see 'things' but he left with the promise he'd return. 

Her life suddenly changes when she turns 16, the 'things' that used to just play pranks on her are now becoming violent. It turns out Misao is a food for Goblins. Every 100 years a human like her is born, one who can see demons but is also like cat nip to them. By drinking her blood they can be healed and become stronger, by eating their flesh they gain eternal youth and by marring them prosperity will come to their family. Most just get eaten, obviously she's terrified, then her childhood friend and first love Kyo comes back to protect her. 

At first she's happy to see him thinking their love can progress and he'll protect her, but it's not long before she discovers that Kyo is also a demon, but unlike the others he wishes to Marry her.

She's stubborn for a long time, never trusting him and pushing him away, however without his protection she won't make it far so she stays by his side thought there are many heated exchanges, especially when Kyo tries to get a little too familiar. 

Kyo is an amazing character, he's strong, handsome, smart and caring. He loves Misao. Everything he's ever done was so that he could be with her. His older brother who was to be head of the family and marry Misao is a cruel man who enjoys the sight of blood. In order to protect her Kyo fights to become head and succeeds. 

Kyo's actions have caused splits of loyalty between the family and brothers, which sets up for many interesting and exciting adventures. 

As head of the family Kyo also has a number of retainers, strong warriors that fight by his side and help to protect Misao, each has they're own issues to overcome though out the manga which helps you to get to know and understand their motivations.

As for Misao, she's strange to me because I tend to like strong female characters, which is a way she is but at the same time, she's cries all the time. Over EVERYTHING. Basically she's never not crying. At the start I felt this made her weak but as the manga progresses you realise though she cries, she is a strong willed person who loves very deeply.  

She'll never roll over and give up though they are times she thinks about it. She's passionate and daring. I enjoyed her character more as they manga went on and the romance between her and Kyo is beautiful. Never have I read a manga that showed more love and passion between the characters. 

Kyo loves her just as much as she does him, they fight quite often but always come back stronger. They're love is something that makes you pity your own. 

The manga can be quite sexual at times, which I enjoy ;)

Over all an exciting read with in dept analysis of characters and story. I never felt lost or confused and I enjoyed every moment of this love story!

Author/ Artist; Sakurakoji Kanoko

Released; 2008

Status; Complete

Genres; Action, Comedy, Romance, Drama, Fantasy, Supernatural, Smut, Shoujo, Mystery, Harmen

MANGAFOX RANK; 462TH

Crunchyroll, i've missed you!

I've been a little lacking on my reviews....
Had a busy few weeks starting a new job and social activities, it is Summer after all.
But mostly i've been captivated by CRUCHYROLL!
I've been catching up on anime and manga but also i've really been enjoying using the forums section of the website to hear other anime lover's opinions and just joining in on discussions on my favourite subject!

If you haven't already check it out and sign up for the free trail, worth it! ><

http://www.crunchyroll.com/forum

Hoshi Wa Utau

Any manga fan has probably read the news about author and Artist of manga 'Fruits Basket' has decided to write a mini series called, 'Fruits Basket another'
Unfortunately it's only to help promote the launch of the collectors edition of Fruits Basket and therefore Tohru, Kyo and Yuki will not be featured in the series.

Still it got me really excited and I immediately started re-watching the anime and then read the manga. I'd forgotten how absolutely beautiful it is! Tohru, you angel!
But once i'd finished reading the manga I thought i'd cry, I was so excited about it and here i'd just read and watched everything in less than two days....yikes.
So I began reading another of her works;

Hoshi Wa Utau

Another beautiful manga, though i'd say even darker than Fruits Basket. 

Everyone has such a tragic backstory.

It begins with a young, small girl in her first year of High School, Sakuya Shiina. She is smiling now but for a long time she never did, abandoned by her mother, neglected by her father and abused by her step mother she was sent to live with her cousin when her father grew tired of keeping her around. She would look to the stars for help and comfort, watching them twinkle and listening to the songs they sing. 

Her cousin, Kanade Murakami, worked hard to try and live up to his parents standards but the stress overwhelmed him and could never preform to their standards. He was cast aside by his parents and lived a solitary life indoors. After they began to live together he still locked himself away, changing his schedules in order to avoid meeting Saku, he lived for nothing. Until Saku-can came and showed him her light, she made friends and began to smile, it became clear to him that she just wanted someone to care for her and she'd care for them. They grew closer and Kanade-san began to mature and look for a job both helping eachother stay stable.

Saku-can's best friend is a strange, rich and beautiful girl who is loved by her parents and who wants nothing more than to protect Saku from crying. She uses people to get what she wants and has no regrets over her actions, she ruthless and cunning.

Yuri Murakami is another of her friends, he's energetic and popular. He lost both of his parents in an accident and lives with his brother and grandmother. He's never let himself feel down, he worked hard and made sure he was happy, but when he first saw Saku she was an empty shell. Never smiling, it was like she was drifting in the wind. He called out to her, made fun of her, but soon he realised the pain he caused and apologised. This was a changing point for both of them, Saku opened up to another person and Yuuri began to realise others pain. 

The story really begin on Saku's birthday when a young man, Saku's age, arrived at her house on her birthday. He carried a box with a sakura coloured dress. 

His name was Chihiro Aoi.

He complimented Saku on her character, and her strength to keep on smiling. From that moment Saku was captivated by Chihiro, she loved him. 

After the party he left and then Saku and Kanade realised neither of them knew who he was but each thought the other did. He was a stranger and both were confused, Kanade more angry though. 

Chihiro Aoi, it turns out is the new transfer student. Saku is overjoyed to see him again but he's different from before. Angry. He doesn't like Saku for a long time, always complaining about her and telling her to stay away. Neither the reader or Saku can understand this strange transition. 

She however doesn't give up, she keeps coming back to him, hoping that they can become friends. 

He gets roped into joining their 'Star viewing appreciation' club by Hijiri Honjo who everyone is too scared to say no too. 

Chihiro lets go of whatever grudge he's holding and begins to let Saku in. They become close and Saku falls deeper in love.

Chihiro has a dark past too. 

He ran away from Tokyo. His mother only ever loved him when she didn't have a man, as soon as she had one she'd send him out and tell him not to return. He was lonely. After he joined middle school he met a girl named Sakura. She was bullied by her classmates and he saw in her the same emptiness and hate he felt. They grew close, relying on each other to make it though the hard times, they were 'in love', until they went to separate high schools. Chihiro thought everything was okay because she never said anything to the contrary. Then Sakura was discovered hanging from a Sakura tree in her old middle school. Her life was saved but she lived in a coma. Chihiro wallowed in self pity, grief and hatred for a long time before his uncle came and brought him to live with him, away from Tokyo.  Which is how he came to meet Saku and the other.

This manga is heart- wrenching and painful. I cried at the end and had a lump in my throat for most of it. It was beautiful but horribly sad, what I think made it so sad is how real it was. Life can be cruel, this manga really tried to highlight that, but you can make it through the pain with the right help and guidance. 

I felt hopeful after finishing this manga. 

Her stories are amazing, they show the good and bad in the world in such a direct way that you can't ignore the pain or love. It's confusing sometimes to read and see how someone who's been treated so badly can somehow manage to open up, this counts for real life too. 

It's amazing how much I feel I've learned from reading a manga. 

Author/ Artist: Takaya Natsuki

Released: 2008

Status: Completed

Genre: Comedy, Drama, School Life, Romance, Tragedy, Shoujo

MANGAFOX RANK; 3328TH

Tonari No Kaibutsu-Kun

I've actually tried to read this manga a few times in the past, however I always put it aside to read later as i'd get easily upset when something went off course from what I wanted, which happened often.
This manga had plenty of twists, constant changing and misunderstanding of feelings, fight, parties, competitions and romances that stressed you out just following them!
But it was a beautifully realistic depiction of a relationship, constantly developing and challenged.

Mizutani Shizuku is a cold hearted girl who only cares about studying and making money in the future, then she meets Toshida Haru and her life is thrown into unbalance!
Toshida Haru is a hot tempered savage and also genius. He's an unusual guy who gets into fights by trying to protect the underdogs, unfortunately people become scared of him and he's secluded. On his first day of High School he gets into a fight trying to protect a boy from being bullied, he is caught and suspended, he's so upset that everyone is scared of him that he doesn't return to school.
Then Shizuku is tasked to bring him homework in exchange for study books. When Haru meets her first he's wary of her, convinced she's a spy for the school, he soon realised how little she cares and decided they're now friends.
In the end, without trying, Shizuku manages to get Haru to return to school, people still fear him but now he has Shizuku, who's still only interested in studying.

I really enjoyed watching the character Shizuku grow, at the start human relationships confused her, she preferred to be alone,but after Haru came along she got thrown into this loud chaotic life. She made friends and enemies and became intimate with another person, her life drastically changed but she kept what was important to her and managed to work even harder in order to have everything.

Haru however drove me mad with his back and forth feelings, know yourself a little man!
Still genius' tend to be emotionally dense in manga, can't be good at everything!
Haru was the kind of person that once you got to know him, you'd fall in love with him. He was so honest and genuine, like a child. He lived life in his own way, but he needed Shizuku in order to keep him calm and give him the opportunities he needed to meet people, without her he couldn't move forward and same for her.

It takes quite a while but Haru and Shizuku both realise they harbour feelings towards eachother. Unfortunately Haru isn't sure of his own feelings, he know's she's important to him but is he in love? He can't tell. Shizuku on the other hand knows she likes Haru but refuses for a long time to act on it as she's worried a relationship will effect her studies.
Both have love triangles to work through, thankfully each know their feelings well enough to choose the other and avoid further complications.

It's a long rode but the two have a group of close friends, bright futures and eachother.
It's wonderfully romantic, but also horribly stressful!
Who knew relationships could be so damn complicated?! Well actually I guess everyone knows that....
Still the manga had a very satisfying ending! It wrapped everything up nicely and didn't leave you with a bunch of questions. This manga will shake you and make you furious but it'll also leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, so the best kind of story!

Author/ Artist; Robiko
Released; 2008
Status; Completed
Genres; Comedy, Romance, School life, Slice of Life, Shoujo

MANGAFOX RANK; 237TH

Sorairo Ageha

I really enjoyed this story, it made me giddy! Unfortunately it's only 11 chapters which just isn't long enough but that's this manga's biggest fault!

Aoi Ageha is an energetic and enthusiastic girl who loves tennis. When she was younger she saw a boy named Takera-Kun play an amazing game of tennis in Tokyo against an adult, she vowed that one day she would also play tennis like him.
Her father is very strict and it took 5 years to convince him to let her play. Aoi lives on the top of a mountain miles away from her new high school but in order to join the tennis club, she travels 15km every day by bike!

On her first day at her new high school she is met with many surprises!
Firstly her seat neighbour turns out to be Takeru-Kun! He's given up on tennis after a bad leg injury and immediately dislike Aoi for talking so much about tennis.
Then she's told that the tennis club actually disbanded last year and there's no longer a tennis club! Aoi is distraught but she's unwilling to give up, so she cleans up the courts single handedly and begins the process to re-establishing the club!

Although Takeru-Kun called her annoying and ugly, after seeing all the work she's done and how terrible she is at practising alone, he agrees to become her temporary coach until she gain enough members.

Aoi of course is thrilled but Takeru-Kun isn't about to go easy on her. He trains her hard and after a few lectures on taking tennis more seriously she beings to improve. The two enter a small tournament to gain some game skills and advertise their club. At this point Aoi is still unable to properly return a ball but during the make or break moment of the game she steps up and shows she's got natural skill!

I was really happy when it turned out she could actually play and was getting better every day! I've read alot of manga similar to this but so often it's the men that are great and the woman just fumble around but have the enthusiasm, like the manga S.P.Y which is just the same story but with swimming but she sucks and never actually get much better....

Aoi is the kind of female character I really enjoy reading about. She's strong, determined, kind, friendly and actually has talent! I like manga that highlight the best in woman!

There's a romance brewing between Aoi and Takeru-kun but it's subtle and it's never distracts her from tennis, another thing I like as often the girls become useless as soon as a crush appears, overthinking to the MAX!







Over all fun to read, lovely drawn and actually motivated me to do some exercise which is a miracle!
Think we as woman should all work a little harder to prove to the world how much better we are than men.... Yup that's what I'm gonna leave with! ^___^

Author/ Artist; Kumagai Kyoto
Released; 2009
Status; Completed
Genres; Drama, Romance, School life, Shoujo, Sports

MANGAFOX RANK; 6992TH

Hana to Akuma

This manga was amazing.
It evoked so much emotion from me, I was constantly giggling, squealing, yelling with excitement, frustrated and crying. Yes, it made me cry.
I became so involved and empathetic towards the characters that by the time the end approached I was completely consumed by their feelings. My heart broke with theirs, I couldn't help it I felt I was experiencing it. Weirdly I could feel the pain much more than the joy. Guess I'm a sadist like Vivi.

The manga was pure and beautiful. There's a bit of a taboo but as you read you learn the circumstances and the way the characters think and see things, and everything just seems right.
It was a magnificent love story with passion, fear, fantasy, longing, friends and flowers.

Hana is a truly pure character. Almost every action she makes is to help make someone happy. She loves the demon Vivi who took her in as a baby when she was abandoned outside his mansion. Every morning she brings him a flower, even though if he touches it it'll crumble, because he's a demon, she still brings him one without fail because she want to give it to him. Simple but effective reasoning.
Vivi isn't a kind man, at least not to anyone but Hana, she changes him. He took her in to suspend his boredom but 14 years quickly fly by.
He won't touch her for a long time, too afraid she'll crumble like her flowers. As the manga progresses you begin to realise how much these two are connect to each other, neither wants to be without the other, ever.

Hana begins to grow and feelings in both awaken for each other, something both desperately try and ignore. But along with their realisation of their feelings for the other come obstacles and trials from the demon world who want their Duke, and possible future Demon king back, but they also want to eliminate the human possessing his heart and mind.
However most of the demons who come to bring him back end up loving the little pure and kind-hearted Hana. Her bravery and love for Vivi fuel some of the most heart-warming and breaking scenes and Vice Versa.

The ending was as it should be, to change it would have been cheap, but still- part of me was wishing for some amazing magic to keep the love story going forever.
I cried when it was over, later in bed as I tried to sleep, I couldn't stop thinking of their love and tears just trailed down my face.
It may be strange to say but, I love when a manga makes me cry.
Theres something so powerful about something fictional that can make you well up with emotion until you're overflowing.
Something very real and fantastic.

Author/ Artist- Oto Hisamu

Released- 2007

Status- Completed

Genres- Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Historical, Mystery, Romance, Shoujo, Supernatural, Tragedy

MANGAFOX RANK; 604TH

Ao Haru Ride

Yoshioka Futaba is your normal High School girl, filled with insecurities and struggling to find herself. She's cute but due to harsh bulling in middle school because of it, she changed her image and became a rough and tumble loud mouthed girl. Her 'friends' aren't really friends to her, one day she stands up for a quiet and cute girl her friends are picking on, which results in her once again being excluded from her group- exactly what she never wanted to happen again.
But instead of letting it consume her she decided to work hard and change herself into someone she'd be proud to be. It's not easy and it takes some time but eventually she gains two close friends- Makita Yurri and Murao Shuuko
The girls are all quite different but they do share something in common, they're trying to find out who they really are and aren't satisfied with the normal attitude among girls in their school.



Yurri is cute, quiet and sweet but is left out by the girls as they're jealous of the attention she gets from boys.
Shuuko is stern and expressionless. She doesn't take any shit and doesn't get along with people who pretend to care about their friends.
Futaba pretended to be someone she wasn't so she wouldn't get mistreated like Yurri for being cute, but eventually the facade broke when she stood up for her.

But the main story focus' on her past and present relationship with Tanaka Kou.

In middle school the two shared mutual feelings for each other, but Tanaka Kou left before anything was able to develop. When Futaba enters High School she is reunited with her first love.
Both have changed but especially Kou, he's become dark and empty, it turns out he's had a troubling time since Futaba last saw him, but she's drawn to him just like years ago. She won't stop, she's determined to get him to reconnect with life and forces her way back into his life.

The two have a difficult journey, theres plenty of jealously, heartbreak and misunderstandings, which lead to more heartbreaks.
The manga spans over their High School careers, showing how the two begin to grow up and mature. They face many hardships, not all of which they manage to overcome.

This manga was incredibly realistic, I felt it really showed the struggles of love, friendships, relationships and life in general but also all the wonder and excitement that comes along with them.
I became so invested in the characters relationships and found it tough to stop reading and actually sleep or work. So i'm pretty sleep deprived but it's worth it!
After reading this manga I really came to appreciate how important it is to speak your mind and be honest with yourself and those around you, before it's too late.
'Time is slipping right through my fingers and I can never get it back'
So I guess enjoy every moment you can!
Before you're dead.
:)

Author/ Artist- Sakisaka Io
Released- 2011
Status- Completed
Genre- Comedy, Drama, Romance, School life, Shoujo , Slice of life

MANGAFOX RANK; 150TH