Red River

Author: Chie Shinohara

Volumes: 28

Status: Complete

Year: 1995

The story is about Yuri Suzuki, a modern Japanese girl magically transported to the city of Hattusa, in the 13th Century (BC) Middle East. She did not travel on her own since the Queen of the Hittie Empire at that time (Queen Nakia) needed her blood in order to create a potion deadly to all the heirs to the throne. By escaping the Queen, Yuri met Kail, one of the princes of Hattusa that fell completly in love with her. The story evolves around their love and their struggle to stay together while Yuri encarnates the Goddess of War Ishtar to comand the Hittie empire to it's greatest epoch.

About character development I have to say it is probably one of the best I have seen in a long, long time. I absolutely adore the development of Yuri and how she stops being a normal school girl to become an Icon in such an hard time. The development of her character becomes so deep that sometimes you actually forget she was a Japanese girl to start with, being the transition so gradual that's almost real.

The artwork is a typical 90's drawing, I wouldn't expect much more. It follows the line of Escaflowne with the big hairs and expressive eyes. The lines are clean and atractive while the backgrounds or full page images are incredibly detailed and you actually feel like in a movie, since you can see the places so clearly.

About the story itself I would also like to add my 2 cents: it is amazing. Even though the mangaka knows little about the history of the countries she mentions, she manages to make it believeable enough to make you travel to wikipedia to check the veracity of the words and drawings. The characters are very well placed and the story evolves on an ambiance that will make you want to read it over and over again. There is a lot of sexual tension and smut so I wouldn't recoment it to people that aren't into that but I really recomend if you're looking for a well balanced and sense story with passionate men and eternal love. I mean, most of the times I am so focused on the story of the country itself or the quest of Ishtar that the romance even goes to second plan, being present constantly.

I believe that, a manga that makes you read it repeatedly is a good one. I know few mangas that I actually repeat reading from chapter 1 till the end more than once. It is a catchy story with a great foundation, historical background and captivating artwork that will make you want to repeat and repeat reading the moments that you've already fallen in love. You hardly remember this is a 90's manga and most importantly you'll want to know more about Ishtar and the king Kail. You'll feel interested in the history of this faraway empire that has long perished in the sands of time. You'll always remind yourself that Yuki became an icon and that she managed to find the love of her life in a time where there was no love. You'll read a great, great story and you'll hardly forget it. I will recomend it forever, since I am a sucker for romances made of images, a great plot and a great story.

This is a manga dated from 1995 till 2002 by Chie Shinohara and it has been released by Shogakukan Inc (in Japanese), Viz Media (in English), Editions Stars Comics (in Italian), EMA (in German and Tong Li Publishing Co (in Chinese). If you want to read it online just type Anatolia Story/ Red river + read online.

Final thoughts?

Storyline - 5

Artwork - 5

Love development - Mature romance and violence

Final Grade - 5

Handsome Girlfriend

Author: Wataru Yoshizumi
Volumes: 9
Status: Complete
Year: 1992

Handsome Girlfriend is the story about a young actress (Mio) who is becoming a rising star in Japan's entertainment industry. Although she is not sure of her path in that industry, she meets a boy, Ichiya who sees in her a great furture as actress and "Handsome Woman". Inspite of their quarrels at first, Mio finds herself starting to have feelings for Ichiya who has his mind completely focused on building his career as a movie director.

The story isn't very hard to understand. It is a development of the relationship between the two main characters and some side ones have some details about their personal lifes as well. The interesting thing to see is the ongoing of their dreams and careers and how they fight for what they want, while trying to stay together.

When the artwork is concerned, I have a problem (as I stated before in my Marmalade boy review) with the drawing of this mangaka. Although the men are very handsome I can't overlook the horrible (indeed terrible) clothing and the lack of aesthetics when their looks are concerned. The backgrounds are nicelly done and the drawing of the action scenes and movie envolving environments are equally nice.

There has been a OVA made of this manga that does no justice to the story whatsoever. The problem with these OVAS is that the lack the development of the characters as though they're seen in the mangas and make it very hard to enjoy. For me, I preferred Marmalade Boy a whole lot more because of the way I could relate with the characters. I found myself closer to their relationship and their fears than I feel to this couple. Even in the subject of the story (regarding the Entertainment business) I believe it lacks something to make it as spectacular and as interesting as some other mangas that I have read inside the same criteria.

This manga is a 9 volume compilation by the well known Wataru Yoshizumi from 1988 till 1992. The OVA adaptation is from the year 1991 and you can buy the collection from Ribon (in Japanese) and Egmont Manga and Anime (in German). If you want to read it online you can visit Mangafox, Animea or simply typing it on google + read online.

Final Thoughts?

Storyline - 3

Artwork - 3

Love development - Romance (kissing)

Final Grade - 3

Renai Shijo Shugi

Author: MINAMI Kanan

Volumes: 8

Status: Complete

Year: 2002

The story starts with the heroine, Seri, an ex-karate girl that has left her old violent ways to try and get a boyfriend. Since guys don't like violent or violence connected girls, Seri tries to be as different as possible in order to please someone in a singles party. Little does she know that her first crush Tamaki is there as well and has other plans for Seri: to turn her in to his personal sex toy!

The story is not as dirty as it seems.. Well, it is. When character development is concerned it isn't as deep as some mangas that I have already read but the most interesting part is how you get to see them grow. Seri, a girl that didn't accept herself learned to do so with the help of Tamaki's real love and for me that is the most important tging in the world: having someone to accept you for who you are. The side characters aren't that important since they are only there to show you how strong the relationship between these two really is. While you are trying to see and get past all of their evil obstacles you really get to see how inconditional love is supposed to be, and maybe that is why I really love this manga.

The artwork of this manga is just stunning. I have read it quite some time ago now and I really don't recall the backgrounds but I'm pretty sure they weren't that developed. The lines of the characters though, are greatly defined and they are beautifully designed and proportional. The problem with the mangaka's drawings is that you somehow get the feeling that the people are all the same, the only thing that changes is (probably) the colour of the hair. What I mean is that the characters look pretty much all alike, even though they all look like the great Bishomen that they are.

There isn't much to know about the story of Seri and Tamaki: they love eachother and they hate all the people trying to separate them, by all means possible. And when I say by every mean possible I am including rape, drugs and violence.

Many people criticise these smut mangas because of the excess of sex, rape and emotions but that is what I really like about them. I mean, There is true love in these characters and he loves her more than everyting in the world. He gets jelous of other guys, he likes to make love to her in every place you can imagine and he wants to protect her for the rest of her life. I mean for me, that is exactly what I want for my life: love, sex and protection. I loved this manga for the rawness in it: things will not always be easy but if there is love and if there is a true feeling of fighting over the one you love, you can overcome all obstacles.

The main downsize of the manga (for me) it is not the excess of rape but how she always tries to find an excuse for the guys who do it. I mean, that makes no sense. If you want to make that guy rape a girl, fine, but don't say that he loved her and wanted to steal her for him because that makes no sense. Rape is rape and the real love of the two chacaters is never based on that note. If you have this in mind, and enjoy the true meaning of SMUT (explicit sexual tension) you'll love this manga as much as I do, he is a man and that is what a woman really needs.

This is a 2002 Manga released in Japanese by Shogakukan, in German by Tokyopop Germany, in French by Akiko and in Chinese by Ever Glory Publishing. To read it online just try searching it in google + read online.

Final Thoughts?

Storyline - 3+

Artwork - 4

Love development - Mature romance, sexuality and mature contents (rape and violence)

Final Grade - 4