Back to CherryBl0550m's Profile CherryBl0550m's Profile

For some reason, no matter how long it has been, I still find myself thinking about this manga from time to time. I wasn't sure if I even liked it when I first began reading it, but, now, after ruminating on it a while, I'm tempted to add it to my favorites.

This wasn't the first manga that I read that portrayed a female character in a traditionally masculine light. It was, on the other hand, the first one that did so unapologetically. This manga knew that there was nothing wrong with her position and her mannerisms. She didn't look like a girl trying to ... look like a boy. She looked like a boy. The story didn't change her over time to fit more fully into gender stereotypes or make her seem weak in little ways to undermine her image. It didn't reduce her to some caricature based off of her sex or even the sex she was meant to portray. She could still fall in love and maintain her wits. She could still feel but control her emotions. She could be both masculine and genuine. She could be both feminine and strong and there was nothing wrong with that. And I really loved that about this manga.

Aside from that, I think the characters as a whole were ones that I admired. If anything... this is one manga that I can't seem to forget.

Gokusen wasn't exactly the style of manga that I typically go for, but in this case, I am glad I made an exception. The thing that did it for me, that made me keep going despite my hesitation, was the subtle complexity of both the art and the story-telling.

The artwork and writing style was strong and seemed to eschew stereotypes. Instead of falling into the typical manga cliches, it somewhat redefined them. The characters where each multifaceted and interesting in their own ways and they had depth, in a way that wasn't thrown around like a gimmick either. In fact, I felt that the mangaka ... had a lot of fun with nuance. Overall, it was intelligently written and drawn.

As for the content, it was better than average, which is great to me. Average is just so... typical. This manga was downright hilarious at times and had plenty of little bits in there to make the fangirls swoon, yet it never seemed to fall into that this-is-how-mangas-are-supposed-to-go trap. It isn't a shoujo, but it isn't just a shounen either.

What I considered to be its biggest downfall seemed to also be an asset. It stuck to a pretty episodic pattern. Normally, I would find that to be bothersome... but in this case, it was obvious that the stories weren't the point but rather just a vessel for the characters. The characters were what mattered, so the plot was underplayed and sometimes underdeveloped.

The romance was also a bit underplayed as well, though in a surprisingly pleasant way. You saw the real connection between the two love interests, but there weren't all of those classic manga tropes. It was a more realistic and honest representation of affection.

Now, the reason why this isn't one of my favorites is, well, a bit embarrassing. I missed all of the silly gimmicky things that make a manga a manga. I missed the stupidly pretty boys and overly simple arch types; the inane things that most readers take for granted in a manga. Which is why, while I wholly appreciate this manga for what it was, I wasn't completely taken with it. It's inability to take itself seriously, while charming and unique, also prevented me from taking it seriously as a reader.

This is a rather touching story, enough so that I had to write a review. :)

It may just be that I've grown accustomed to disregarding gender, but to me, this story isn't about boyxboy or bl or whatever. This story is about the psychological effects of abuse and about the strength it takes to heal and grow as an individual.

Though I know that there are quite a few mangas that are out there that address this issue, I found this one to be the right balance of tactfulness and honesty. The characters meshed well together and the mangaka left room for the readers to ... form their own opinions without shoving themes or biases down their throats.

The ending was also very satisfying, though short. Which is rare since many good mangas have been ruined by a poor ending or an ending that is drawn out unnecessarily.

This manga may not be a masterpiece, but for what it is and for its length, it is uncommonly good. Overall, I really enjoyed this manga. I just finished rereading it for the second time and I'm sure I will reread it, yet again, at some point in the future.