I was searching for this story for many years and finally, here it is, as bizarre and lonely as I remember it. The story is strange, cryptic, poetic and so so full of undertones. It's like when you wake up from a long and realistic dream, confused and disoriented, trying to grasp the reality of what happened. The story is a puzzle the solution to which was long lost, every word is deliberate, but what was the overall meaning? As the author - Mizumaru Anzai - had died in 2014 and did not give any glimpses on what was his thought process for this one, we can only guess.
Instruments were often made from the bones of animals, a whale's teeth often were used for piano keys. Is that related to the story? Who knows. Is the story connected to the feeling of dread and anxiety that often comes at the end of the summer as the sunny days leave for the rainy seasons to take their places? Possibly. We will never know the exact answers, but the beauty of the vibrant red (is it blood or higan flowers?) and the "kokin, kokin" will be imprinted in the minds of many.
The story had a lot of potential, it would have been interesting to hear and read more about this mysterious woman that the MC fancies. Possibly she is a criminal who targets rich foreign women in order to steal from them or maybe she is a government agent trying to discover the secrets of other countries. Maybe, in the end, the MC understands that even if she did not get the woman of her dreams, she got a new family. I do not know, but something more substantial rather than "she does not fancy me, oh, cruel god!". But I digress.
A really cute, light story about a clumsy and kind grave witch Bianca that tries her best to get her happy ending. The story is either unfinished or was left purposefully open ended, but that does not take away from the overall niceness of the plot.
A beautifully written story that everyone can interpret in their own way. For me, it was about the egoism that is often connected to love, reminding me a bit of the song "The Willow Maid" by the astonishing Erutan, "if not mine, then no one will get you", "best I destroy you myself than let you be destroyed by someone else". For someone else it might be about the sacrifice of destroying something you love to set it free. For others the meaning will be different, but the openess for interpretation of this story is what it makes it beautiful. The drawings are also breathtakingly splendid.
A pretty simple and kind story about jealousy, gifts, and forgiveness. The art is beautiful, the plot is heartwarming and the characters even in this short story have a background, personality, and possible future development. A highly pleasant story, it would have been nice seeing what the future has in store for each and every character.
Bland and boring, the characters have no personality, the story has no real plot and I am a bitter woman who looks for something substantial in an old shoujo manga. The characters are the typical "uptight lady" and "charismatic, upbeat dude", as cliched as it sounds.
Bless everyone.
I had always a hate relationship with shoujo mangas. They are cliched, often toxic, badly written, the characters are a carbon copy of other characters, the drawing style is to me unappealing, but still, I read them as a sinner reads the Bible in hope of finding salvation.
This story introduces us to a seemingly strong female lead and a ... childish and perverted king (who seems to be a tyrannical and barbaric dude judging by his treasure room - this is not a euphemism). The king seems to be in lust with her and she seems to be trying to escape the palace several times? Which is a bit creepy, I think you will agree with me. I think I read a police case that went like that... The MC is from an ethnic minority group (explaining why she is so white in comparison to everyone, I guess), she is independent and loyal to her family's wishes of seeing her marry an unknown dude. Here I was expecting the cliched "BUT HE WAS YOUR FIANCE ALL ALONG", but was pleasantly surprised. Ok, to make a long story short, there is an attempt at the king's life, the only sensible character dies (SPOILER: The hawk), the king is blinded (strange type of poison), but he hides it from the MC, in the end, there is a rushed happy end.
So, the story is a bit awkward, to be honest. It had a bit of potential as the character is not your typical snowflake, but it was all ruined to have a perfect happy end with the king. Like, why are you attracted to a guy who imprisoned you and would not let you leave the palace? Like, girl, where is the logic?
Goddammit, mangas in the early 2000s were disgusting. In no universe, a relationship between a student and a teacher is OK, or romantic, or acceptable, etc. Use this and the many similar stories not as a romantic getaway, but as a way to discuss predatory behaviour that is installed in young generations thanks to manga like that. Repeat after me, please, I will not romanticize relationships between older people in power and minors. And the looks of the teachers (they can be as hot as Colin Firth or Monica Bellucci for what I care) should not matter at all. They can be hot, funny, average looking, with black hair or bald, with two left feet and tentacles, it does not matter. Relationships between teachers and students are a NO ENTRY zone and the story of the teacher in this story should end with the police coming into the classroom and arresting his creepy ass. Amen.
I am... shocked. Guys, this is a perfect example of a toxic relationship, a Stockholm syndrome if I have ever seen one.
What is the point of this one-shot? It is disgusting, a caricature of real relationships. A guy who calls his girlfriend a "dog", who cheats on her, humiliates her, mistreats her and all is well 'cause he gave her, in the end, a pendant? Are you serious? Throw this pendant in the ocean Titanic-style, dump his sorry ass, get some self-esteem and live your life happily. Please, to the young and impressionable girls out there, if your guy treats you like the main protagonist, run the hell away, celebrity or not. You are valuable, you are amazing and you deserve to be treated respectfully. The best happy end of this story would be the guy coming to an empty apartment.
A simple, frivolous and vapid story. The characters are boring, the storyline is basic and the ending is predictable. I am a bit saddened that the one-shots for young girls and women are almost always so banal, why not give the story more depth, why not create dimensional characters and thoughtful endings?