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THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

I've noticed that most of the reviews for Please Save My Earth (Boku no Chikyuu wo Mamotte) are overly positive on this site, so I'm going to go against the grain this time. Mind you, I dropped the series after I finished Volume 6, chapter 30, and I still have a lot to say. I know, I know, how the heck am I able to formulate a solid opinion if I only completed 1/3 of the manga?! You can take my words with a grain of salt, but I have a valid reason as to why I dropped it and why I ... am giving my opinion. One word: RAPE!

This review may contain a few spoilers. I will go into details by describing the rape event, and how that specific event is the reason I cannot look at the series with admiration.

Abridge storyline: A group of ordinary teenagers begins to have dreams that are similar (but are from a different perspective depending on who is dreaming it). Some of them later come together, and they realize that their dreams are events that occurred to them in their past life at the moon. Judging from the few conversations at the start of the manga, the past-life involved romance, love-triangles, unrequited love, and rivalry amongst the characters. That being said, as the characters in the present slowly uncover their dreams, some of them become aware that their feelings from the past-lives are seeping into their present personality. The current characters begin to even have the same feelings as their past. So, what do you do when you're in love with someone, but you've been reincarnated as a 9-year-old boy while the girl you fancy is a high schooler? Or, what if you were a female in the past life, what would you do if you became a heterosexual male in the present but start to have homosexual feelings because in the past you were so in love with a specific guy (who is still reincarnated as a guy)? What do you do when the person you love doesn't love you back even in the next life? What do you do if you were a crappy person in the past-life and you feel so bad in the present because of it? These are some of the questions that are being explored by the characters as the story progresses.

Let me just start off by saying that the author is able to wonderfully transition between fleshing out the story of the past and the present (I am a little bias to this type of writing style because, in my opinion, it allows the story to be fresh and lively. When the story starts to feel boring, there is a chance that it will shift to another group of main characters to keep your attention. Reminds me of 7 Seeds, 20th Century Boys, and even Baccano). When the chapters of Please Save My Earth were about the characters of the present, I was invested in it. When the story began to delve more into the past, I was HIGHLY invested in it! The reason being, it already stated that the past characters were dead and that there was some conflict between the characters that led to the death. Trying to discover and find out what had happened, and how those characters interacted with each other was the captivating element of the flashbacks. Positive commentary aside, the characters of the backstory are absolutely generic. You have the angry bitter main character, Shion, who complements the kindhearted Gyokoran. Shion hates him for some reason but likes the girl version of him, Mokuren. Everyone likes her. She's your typical angelic, gentle-hearted Godly creature (along with these three goons, you have the side characters: that also loves one of them, is jealous of one, etc, etc.). There is nothing wrong with stock characters as long as the story gives them the opportunity to grow, and this is where the problems begin. GLORIFICATION OF RAPE. I'm gonna spoil this part so read this remaining paragraph at your own risk. Shion is less than a trash bag, he is the trash- the tsundere boy that has no redeeming character trait at all. He hates people. He hates "God". He hates God's creatures. He just hates everything. He also hates Gyokoran sooooooooo much that he rapes Mokuren just to tick him off. And you know what Mokuren does??? She forgives him!!!! She tells everyone that she was engaged to Shion!! Her reason you ask? She's a Kiche, which means that she is similar to God's angel. She's "perfect." By Shion raping her, treating her meanly, and "deflowering" her, she felt human. To add to that, when she told Shion this, he realized all he always wanted was to be loved and be a part of a family. However, he thought he could never have it, so he became the ruthless person that he is. Alas, the main love story begins, and I drop the series the same way I would throw away trash. Usually, I instinctively like characters that are kind and endearing, but I cannot like Mokuren. Her reasoning is so flawed because yes, the others probably idolized her so they treated her extremely nice, but it does not mean that belittling someone means that they're treating you like a human. So much extreme and so little in between. Maybe the way the characters handled rape is original, but it's so frustrating and gross. How can rape be romanticized that easily? I'm sure the next few volumes attempted to redeem Shion by showing how misunderstood he was, how all he was missing was love, and that he was really a kindhearted person at heart, but I'm not able to read further because of how irritating the whole scene was. I'm also sure Mokuren's perspective will be highlighted; I understand she's a person who has no hate in her heart, but I'm not able to wrap my head around the tomfoolery. She was EFFING CRYING when she was raped!!!

Now that I mentioned the elephant in the room, I'm going to write about the few little things that irritated me. I brushed them aside while reading, but the rape scene just scratched those irritations more.

1. The art is old. Sometimes it's hard to tell who the characters are because it was made in the 80's-90's. I heard it does get better. (I personally didn't mind for the most part.)
2. The age gap between potential love interests. This was a little creepy for me, but I was willing to sit in my own discomfort because the storyline was interesting. Obviously, that changed, after I read more. Anyway, the main character is an 8-year-old who is in love with the high-schooler.
3. The cheesy love triangle, love-square, and unrequited love scenes. This frustrated me on a whole new level when the rape scene happened.
4. The generic characters of the past.
5. The comments about homosexuality (although it is understandable as some of the characters are afraid of their feelings and are only beginning to be in terms with what's happing to them).
Also, the subtle jokes about a male mentor liking young boys simply because he helps them. What's wrong with wanting to help people?


What did I like?

1. The eerie feeling.
2. The story execution.
3. Slight originality.

I think what Please Save My Earth did best is the fact that it allowed me to sit through my discomfort for as long as it did. Nonetheless, I just cannot read anymore because I know I will be angrier by the end of the story. I rate this story a 5 and not lower because I did not complete the whole series. I did not rate it higher than a 5 because there is no possible way in my life would I think it deserves more than that considering how things were handled so far.

This is my crappy and hasty review for a series I genuinely wanted to like. Woe – is a story with great potential that goes all wrong!!

Hate slow-paced anime? Then this isn’t for you. Hate generic sub-characters? Then this isn’t for you. Hate heavy narration? Then this isn't for you. Hate when an anime spends a good portion of its time depicting a board game that you don’t understand? Then this isn’t for you. Have a short attention span and don’t like slow-paced series? Then this anime is definitely not for you!
Nonetheless, I genuinely LOVE March Comes in Like a Lion!! So what about this series makes me love it despite rating it a 7 and being Debby Downer? Easy: the main character, the art, and the heavy narration.

Characters: Rei is ... probably one of my favorite character that has come into fictional existence over the past few years. He is different from all the melancholic male characters out there. Yes, he does mope around and feels sorry for himself, but he doesn’t whine nor does he have an undesirable urge to play victim and guilt trip all those that are around him. He is this unique quality character that is not found in stories that often. His growth does not happen immediately. It’s a very slow process. It’s the people around him, the small mundane things, and the ruminating thoughts he has that allows him to grow. His ability to come to terms with his circumstance and his attempt to widen his perspective is a breath of fresh air for me. He really embodies an insecure 17 year old who is trying to become an adult. Observing Rei grow makes this whole series worth watching. He is a wonderful example of creating a slice-of-life/coming of age character. Furthermore, as a viewer who overanalyzes everything and is stuck in my own thoughts while living a monotonous life, Rei’s (and his “mentors”) numerous insightful quotes are always worth reflecting upon.
So what about the other characters? First and foremost, most of the characters are mainly there to highlight the story of Rei. So the fact that Rei’s development is incredibly slow means that other character growth are undeniably slow. It’s so slow that unfortunately they are only seen as the typical stock characters. I’m only going to discuss the three sisters (Akari, Hinata and Momo), and Rei’s actual “sister” (Kyouko) to make my point, but the other side characters have similar problems.
Like Rei, Rei’s "sister” is also the melancholic type. However, the difference between these siblings are noticeable. She is the “woe unto me” type with a Kurt Cobain flare (more like the obnoxious Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto). The femme fatale, the woman who comes to ignite the flame to the series. Anytime she brings herself into Rei’s life, drama is inevitable. To add the chaotic-ness of her personality, there also seems to be some uncomfortable (“sexual”) tension amongst Rei and her; this point could hopefully be proven void later on, but as a viewer it does create a natural curiosity to keep wanting to know what had happened to both of them prior to Rei’s current living situation.
As for the three sisters, they are the exact opposite of Rei and Kyouko. They are introduced at the very beginning of the series, and they are there to radiate love and happiness to Rei’s black and white existence. Together, the sisters represent the warmth and compassion that a family unit could be filled with. However, the main concern I have with these ladies is that even though March Comes in Like a Lion is half way done, they are not even slightly fleshed out. Momo, the youngest sister, is basically there to be cute. Nothing else. Just to be cute. Akari is the typical sweet female character. She is considered to be beautiful, gentle, mild-tempered, and extremely maternal: the epithet of “perfection”. Hinata is probably the sister that stands out the most which is quite the irony, because in reality she is so normal that she wouldn’t stand out at all. She’s not too cute. She’s not too perfect. She is just an average girl. The problem I have with these 3 sister is not that they are stock characters, but they have so much to offer and it is not being showcased. There are subtle hints and moments that makes it obvious that their life is not as simplistic as it appears. They have a gloomy history and they have struggled a lot. It is unfortunate that this is a slow-paced anime because their potential as characters is obvious. Although there is no doubt in my mind that this series will do these sisters justice and gradually mold and shape them, I find it a little sad that many viewers will only see them as just shallow/uncreative archetypes.

Art: The art is possibly my favorite part of March Comes in Like a Lion (Studio Shaft is remarkable). It honestly feels like I am watching a book because this series manages to wonderfully combine heavy narration (which I usually tend to dislike) with divine imagery. As I mentioned a thousand times already, this is a very slow- paced anime. However, even when nothing is happening the art is able to speak volumes.
I am an impatient human being and I lose interest easily. So when the show focuses on a shogi match (which I have difficulty fathoming), the one thing that keeps my attention asides the dialogue is the art. For instance, while the characters are playing shogi, they are consistently drinking liquid. Water and liquid is something that is always brought up in the art throughout each episode, and this does not surprise me. Water is able to give life and hydrate the body, but at the same time it is able to drown and suffocate a person’s soul. The artistic style can be observed and reflected on for days if one wanted to understand the atmosphere and tone of the story.

Rei and the art are probably the key reasons one should watch this series. Although this anime does feel boring, that does not mean it is awful. The story is executed in such a way that character development and growth feels realistic. Again, this is not a series for people who need to be stimulated with action/philosophical scenes every few minutes. Nonetheless, the writing and concept of March Come in Like a Lion is so well thought-out that I actually would recommend people to watch this series even if they may drop it after a few episodes in. The only suggestion I can give a person who is interested in wanting to view a slow-paced series but is unable to focus, is to watch it with another person so the uneventful section of the show can feel somewhat less intolerable.

(On another completely irrelevant note: the creators of this series really love cats; there are so many annoying cats in this show)

Normally, I would not take my time writing about something I abhor, but I recently stumbled upon this manga on the interwebs and it brought back horrible flashbacks. I did not finish this manga when I was in high school, but I still believe I have the right to discuss it since this manga should never be read entirely to begin with (I skimmed through some of the pages so I could know the ending).

Yes, this review is going to have spoilers. Continue reading at your own risk.

It is better to wipe your butt with the papers from this manga than ... allowing your brain to read even one word from a page. Hot Gimmick is utter garbage with a female character that has the brain of a goldfish. Even as a teenager reading it, this manga felt "morally" wrong. The main character rarely thinks and is manipulated by almost everyone, from family to friends. There comes a point where it becomes hard to even sympathize with her even though she is almost gang-raped and remains with her physically and emotionally abusive boyfriend… that is when you know the writing/storytelling is awful.

What really irks me is that this is a Shoujo manga. Mind you, there are probably numerous Shoujo manga that are trash, but that does not justify why Hot Gimmick should be one as well. I was a stupid teenager who read parts of it, but even I was smart enough to drop it. However, there are many young impressionable girls, so this manga should be flushed down a toilet before they can even read it. It is not worth the time or worth pondering upon. I know there might be people that do not care if something is “morally” wrong (what are morals anyway, am I right?), but this manga is also written so awfully that almost none of the characters are redeemable… not even the push-over/innocent main character.

Let’s get this straight, I suck at writing reviews. I go off on tangents, I have terrible grammar, I have unoriginal thoughts, and I’m not objective at all. That being said, I still feel compelled to write about Fruits Basket and express what it means to me. So, I want to make it clear that this review might be extremely bias. I cannot help it. The feelings I have for this manga goes beyond any love I have for other series that have been published so far. Regardless of how objective I intend to be, the infatuation I have for Fruits Basket is likely to ... show through my writing. I am not going to apologize for that. Whether it's a song, a book, a manga, or an anime, we all have something that we can resonate with. Regardless of how insignificant it may seem to others, we cherish it-- I will always cherish Fruits Basket. Always.

Fruits Basket is the #1 Shoujo manga sold in the United States and the number 2 in Japan. It has been 8 years since it ended, and I assume it is still as popular as ever.
Typically, when something is ranked so highly, there is a tendency of having two distinct opposing opinions. People will like it. People will hate it. I personally abhor the # 1 selling Shoujo manga (HYD) in Japan. No amount of convincing can make me feel otherwise; it just left a bad taste on my mouth. Some may feel the same way about Fruits Basket, and it is totally understandable. For me however, Fruits Basket managed to gently grab my stained heart and wash away the dirt with the tears of the characters.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO THE ANIME VIEWERS: Read the manga from the very beginning regardless of how repetitive or uneventful it may feel. The manga incorporates a lot of things that can appear irrelevant but are very important to the overall storyline (e.g. the boy with the hat). It approaches numerous important matters in a very subtle tone, and it is only later on in the story when everything starts to piece itself together. The anime on the other hand disregards almost all these details. It actually sways the viewers who are transitioning into reading the manga to have a much distorted version of the authentic story.

Pros:

This series is melancholic. For some readers, it will feel overly melodramatic and annoying. Every character has a past: almost everyone (asides for a few) suffered because their parents were incompetent, apathetic and scumbags. To some readers, the pain and the feelings the character go through might seem exaggerated, but for me, I sensed each and every characters emotions. It felt unbelievably real. I might have not gone through that extensive pain and trauma, but their emotions of helplessness and hope felt so relatable. I kept wondering how Natsuki Takaya could even write such a beautiful story and explore such psychological aspect of individual suffering. I was cheering for almost all the characters, and before I knew it, all I wanted was them to be happy at the end.

1) If I had to name one thing that the Fruits Basket did right, it is the characters. They are ridiculously well developed. Almost all of them go through obstacles in order to grow, flourish and change. It is hard to not become attached to them because they are realistically portrayed. They’re not just angsty teenagers. They are characters with depth. They have both inferiority and superiority complex. They constantly fight their own environment and their inner self to create change in the way they are living and feeling.

Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki are the center of the storyline. They are the archetypical main characters. You have the overly empathetic female, the rebellious male, and the prince charming. However, what separates them from any other characters I have read about is the fact that they develop, and almost every part of them is explored. You can abhor Tohru for not being assertive, but you end up sympathizing with her because she is such a strong-willed fragile girl. You can hate Kyo for being insensitive, but you can find yourself empathizing with him because of who he is and how his circle of family views him. You can dislike Yuki for being prince charming, but you can relate to him knowing he is always battling the world as the people around him only knows him through a superficial lens.
I can also go on about the other side characters, but tons of essays can be written about each individual. That’s why, all I will say is that each character was able to highlight the beauty and the flaws of the three musketeers.

(If I had to choose one character I favored and related to the most, it was Yuki. I loved how he used the metaphor of opening the lid of a bottle to the suffering he was going through. He truly evolved throughout the manga, and it wasn’t just a single moment that changed him. He worked for his growth, and along the way, the readers were introduced to new energetic characters that magnified his bad and good qualities while supporting him at the same time. In my opinion, Yuki was just a dynamic character. His name fitted his personality so well. He was pure as the snow but believed that he was stained.)

2) If you intend to read this series only for the romance, that is something you definitely will be served at the end. Moreover, the love triangle in Fruits Basket is unique. When first starting, this manga may appear to be a reverse-harem where everyone falls in love with the main heroine, and that is exactly the truth. All the characters care deeply for Tohru as she does for them (platonically). To be honest, if I hadn’t known the spoilers beforehand, I might have actually been sad knowing that the character I probably would have believed to end up with Tohru didn’t end up with her. However, that is the thing, do not read the manga just so your favorite character could end up with Tohru. There is more to the Fruits Basket manga than the surface level romance. Also, midway through the series it actually becomes very apparent who Tohru will be with purely because every character starts diverting and trying to find their own place in the world. If that does not satisfy you, Natsuki Takaya did mention that Tohru could have been suitable for anyone, even Momiji! However, Fruits Basket took us on an adventure where two characters just had the chance to become closer and grow feelings for each other.

Also, one of the most admirable part of the series is that the male character who did not end up with Tohru was given the last line of the entire series before the epilogue. I thought that was one of the most delightful thing Fruits Basket did because that character was able to sum up everyone’s feeling for Tohru in a few sentences and also create closure for everything that had happened to all of them. I could not help but become emotional by it. A happy ending might have appeared unrealistic, but after everything that the characters went through, a happy ending was the only thing I could imagine for this manga in order to be 100% fulfilling.

Furthermore, almost all the side characters (with a few exception) gets the chance to fall in love and have their story told. And for some preternatural reason, those stories smoothly connected with main storyline. At the end, just like any shoujo, love conquers all!

3) Fruits Basket actually felt as if it was planned from the very beginning. I can’t help but admire Natsuki for using so many literary techniques to foreshadow the ending. Sometimes, it was impossible to even recognize all the clues she gave about the characters and story until it finished and was read the second time. I have also noticed that Natsuki used humor to easily disguise some major plot and twist without making anything obvious. I applaud her for making the story go full circle—just like the cover of the books. The first volume had a picture of Tohru to introduce the main character, and the last volume had a picture of Kyoko (the mother) to close the series.

4) There were numerous lessons in this story. The most significant one is “just be yourself.” Although this is one of the most obvious lesson that could be learned anywhere in the world, it probably is the most difficult one as teenagers. In a way, this manga was a coming of age story; the characters wanted to fit in and become comfortable with who they were. However, they were too busy comparing their own pain and suffering with the rest of the world that they could not accurately be who they were meant to be.

Another lesson I learned was that traumatized people can be the most empathetic. The first people that we as humans are introduced to/interact with in this world are our parents. And when parents are not doing their jobs well, it can easily traumatize the children. In this story, most of the characters are abused by their parents emotionally (with the exception of Hiro’s, Kisa’s, and Hana’s parent). However, what fascinated me was the fact that one of the most imperfect parent created the most perfect child,Kyoko. Kyoko was a trouble teenager, and she was devastated by her circumstances, but it was those experiences that allowed her to raise Tohru, the most empathetic human being alive.

There were numerous morals in this story, and the more you read it, the more you’ll discover them.

Cons:

As much as I love this manga, there were so many things I found distasteful while reading it; in fact, I probably wouldn’t have read it if I knew all these beforehand simply because the substance of the story did not completely fit the genre/intended audience.

1) If you watched the anime or read only the first few volumes of the manga, you might begin to assume that Fruits Basket is a fluffy and sweet story of an overly optimistic girl. However, this is not the case. Piles of different emotions will be thrown at you from left to right as you further delve into it. The melancholic atmosphere was always there to begin with, but it simply was masqueraded by the main characters smile and overly exaggerated attitude. Although I do think this was a great quality of the manga, sometimes I could not help but think the shift of the mood was never intended from the beginning.

2) When we were first introduced to the zodiacs, the animal form of the Sohmas were always censored with clouds. One would assume it was because the story was catered for a certain audience. However, when the horse was introduced to the story, the censorship toned down just a little. A part of me just did not like the inconsistency of that because I was not expecting any form of “mature” content especially if it was never hinted at the start. Even Kagura (the female zodiac) was censored when she first transformed back to a human during the introductory of the story… so why change that consistency later on? Moreover, there were some implication of sex. (Don’t worry. it’s not our 3 main protagonist; they’re just too innocent and pure to even remotely know what sex is.) If you’re uncomfortable with that, you might want to bite your lips and just skim those moments where characters are being overly dramatic and typical by accusing/ arguing with each other about who slept with whom. I can’t be the only one who was startled by this shift in Fruits Basket, right?

3) The art is very subjective. Fruits basket has the classic Shoujo design from its bug eyed protagonist to its floral background in every romantic situation.

All the characters slowly grow physically as the story progresses (except Tohru. Starting at volume 8, she became cuter and younger for some odd reason).However, the biggest problem I had with the art was that almost all the characters began to look the same. It became hard to identify the characters at first glance. E.g. Kyo looked like Katsuya and Kureno, Yuki looked like Akito,etc. EVEN PEOPLE WHO WEREN’T SOHMA’S LOOKED LIKE THE SOHMAS’.

4) A flaw that I noticed about Fruits Basket was that it sped up the storyline at the very end by having a character succumb to an injury. Although it blended well with the storyline, I did not think it was completely necessary to do so. It might have not been a cop-out, but I believe Takaya could have been more creative to bring closure to the series without forcing one last final drama when there were many dramatic moments on the sideline to begin with.

5) Another thing about Fruits Basket is that it is a completely a heterosexual world. This did not bother me, but I know it may bother some. However, what did irk me was the fact that this story had pseudo-yaoi characters just for plot device purposes. Since I went in reading this manga knowing major spoilers, I wasn’t shocked by any of the red herrings, and I actually thought some of them were very clever and well written.

6) Incest. Honestly, I do not believe any of the relationships were incestual merely because I put culture into consideration, AND because I believe the Sohmas’ were not actual cousins. Maybe it’s my way of justifying some of the relationships, but I’m on the boat that thinks that the Sohmas were a clan (that’s why some of them don’t even know each other).

7) Whether you’re reading the official TokyoPop translation or the fan translations, some of the things will appear way off. It’s not noticeable the first time the book is read, but it becomes very obvious when it is read more than once. Natsuki Takaya foreshadows a lot of events, and sometimes things are lost in translation. Nevertheless, I do not think this should discourage anyone from starting this series. Heck, I have not read the original Japanese version of the manga, but I do know that Takaya did apologize once for having spelling and other mistakes. On another note, the TokyoPop English translation of Fruits Basket is no longer distributed in stores, so it might be difficult to even get the official English translation ( I heard it will be translated again soon under a different publishing company).

8) Lastly, one of the biggest con I believe this series had was that there was a major age gap between two characters that were together. I have a very strong dislike for stories that romanticize student-teacher relationship (teenager-adult relationship). Although the couple were not the main characters, the story of their relationship still snuck up on me. I found myself actually being moved by the feelings and the journey that these two characters went through, but at the same, the other part of me felt guilty and disgusted for reading it further. I know for a fact that I probably would not have read this series if I knew there was even a slight chance of this a student-teacher relationship being possible. I’m mentioning this because some people might abhor this more than I do and might be repulsed by even the idea of it. As for me, luckily I was half way through Fruits basket when this was introduced, and I wasn’t willingly to drop this series because I was already attached to everyone especially the main 3 munchkins

ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE: There is going to be a sequel to this manga. It is called Fruits Basket Another. The sequel does not need to be read because Fruits Basket in itself was completed. Also, I honestly highly doubt Fruits Basket Another will be as successful as the prequel, but I’ll still read it because I’m sadly a hardcore fan.

Enjoyment- Fruits Basket is a special manga for me. Despite the flaws, I hold it dear to me because it touches my heart, and it motivates me to want to be better. It is a beautiful adventure to read, and it is very overwhelming as I can never help but cry and smile along with the characters.
It gave me butterflies the first time I read it, and it probably will give me butterflies every time I read it again.

If you are familiar with Makoto Shinkai's works by now, you probably know that he executes the messages of his stories with pure aestheticism; the scenery and the background sound are probably the most important part of his films; it captivates the audience and brings forth the feelings of sadness, time, space, loneliness, and distant love. Though Shinkai plays with these themes quite often, I believe that 5 Centimeter per Second is one of his most successful stories that communicate all of these subjects in one.

5 Centimeter per Second is divided into 3 periods of the protagonist’s life. The slow pace, chilly movement in the ... background, and the sounds of the crickets and traffic are there for us so we can submerge within the story. Moreover, the story is heavy on the narration, and it only progresses by it. Each of the main characters expresses their thoughts out loud allowing the viewers to become a part of them. Despite the lack of character development, it is done specifically because none of these characters internally grow. Though Shinkai rarely develops his characters in any of his stories, in 5 Centimeter per Second, it is for the better. The fact that we do not know the main character shows how his life has stopped years ago even though everything around him is moving. It’s as if we humans respond primarily to moments that we subconsciously capture in our hearts; it shapes us, and we are incapable of noticing this because we think we have escalated from that moment as we contribute to the tedious part of life. Also, time is the biggest factor, and the title explains it all. We acknowledge time for what it is worth; however we yearn for a distance that is far and impossible to reach.

The only problem I have with this anime is that the last episode is too short. Everything happens quickly, and flashbacks' of memories are thrown at us at the end to complete the whole story. In addition, unlike the female characters on the first two episodes, the third female is not represented properly. It might be interesting if the writers actually focused on the last episode a little more because things could have been added to make it stronger, and please a larger audience. The true message of the story is not stated clearly, and only until you pay attention to the meaning of this series it will never feel satisfying. It will have a missing piece that you may want to find immediately. This is the same reason a handful of people loves 5 Centimeter per Second (including me) , while another handful of people dislikes it.

If so however, the anime still does not satisfy you, the manga explains the characters more thoroughly. I recommend that everyone watch the anime first though, and only if the satisfaction is not met, then read the manga. The anime gets Shinkai’s message through by the aesthetic quality, and it does his work justice; you can actually feel the loneliness of the atmosphere, the silence of the world, time moving quickly but simultaneously remaining still, and how tenacious people are from moving away from love. It is a combination of all of this that makes it beautiful, and worth watching.

FOR THE ENGLISH DUB VIEWERS:

There are two dubbed versions. ADV film was the first to dub it, but it was later requested that Bang Zoom Entertainment redub it to match the original script. If you intend to watch it in English, choose the one that resonates with you. Since this anime is mainly monologues, it is important that you enjoy the voices while watching it. As for me, although I like the sub, and I acknowledge that ADV’s version came out first, I prefer Bang Zoom version (distributed by Bandai) because I personally love Johnny Yong Bosch’s acting. Furthermore, that is how I envisioned their voices to be.

I always have the urge to justify what I read/watch when the title of series makes people suspicious of who I am as a person.

Anyway, Bitter Virgin is one of the most misleading titles to date, and it could either make you disregard the book or make you curious to know more about it. As you can tell, I’m the latter. I read the summary and went straight to reading this series. Every time another chapter was translated, I got excited and read it immediately!

Before anyone actually thinks this manga is about a bitter virgin, let me just tell you it’s not! It’s ... quite the opposite. It’s about a high school female (Hinako) that had been raped, had an abortion, and had a child which she gave up for adoption! At the very beginning of the manga, she comes off as this extremely awkward girl who cannot stand being near men. You’re presented with a girl who appears weak, but as the story goes on, you start to notice that the way she handles herself with the other female characters show how strong she really is. The beauty of the manga is her! All you want is for Hinako to be happy. If I had to relate Hinako to the title, I would just say that she has the “virgin-like” quality ( the feminist inside of me is not satisfied with this word choice of mine), Daisuke finds her bitter, and she finds men bitter. 


Daisuke is the male protagonist. When you’re first introduced to him, you notice that he is your typical high school scumbag. However, once he finds out Hinako’s backstory, he grows so much as a character. Although he is annoying, and the heavy narration he does for the story is extremely redundant, he still manages to say things that are necessary for the story to progress. Furthermore, even though he still has yet to see women as capable beings, you can tell he’ll keep growing beyond the story.

So, the series is basically about the relationship between Daisuke and Hinako. How will it form with all the problems both have? Hinako is unaware of the fact that Daisuke knows about her past, she still has androphobia, and to add to this, Daisuke is slowly falling in love with her BECAUSE he accidentally discovered her secret.

There are so many odd turns that this manga takes, but the ending is bitter sweet. It’s not extremely happy, but it’s not sad either. Both characters state what realistically can happen in the future when it comes to their lives. A hopeless romantic might not like the closure, but it is important that it’s done this way (especially because the ending is rushed... and the random guy that appeared didn’t make the series as believable).
Pros:
-Storyline
-Hinako!
-Some parts are realistic (apparently the sister’s arc was heavily inspired by the manga-ka’s life.]
-it manages to incorporate romance to this sensitive topic.
-The manga is short

Cons:
-Typical storyline ("weak" girl, and an annoying boy who turns "sweet" because of her)
-Side characters: they are horrible... one of the girls is extremely obsessed with Daisuke even though he doesn't have a spec of special quality in him.
- the narrative quality (it can be a good thing as well)
-The last two volumes felt rushed.
-Things were added just to make everything work. Few moments felt forced.

This manga is beautiful, but I don’t think it will be for everyone. When Hinako’s past is explained in details, it is slightly graphic (if this was an anime form, I do not think I could watch it). Her stepfather raped her, and you see her crying with a bit of blood on her… how else can I explain it?

Anyway, the main reason for this review is to say: Do NOT let the title fool you! If anything, it’s more of a metaphor than a silly sexualized story.

Rating: 8- 8.5

After enjoying the first half of the first season (of the anime), I became really excited to read the manga. I figured if the anime started off funny, maybe the manga would be just as well because the author wrote it. Frankly, I don’t really know how I feel about it. I know many claims that it is amazing, but I couldn’t really love it as much as I wanted to.

Storyline:
If you watched this anime or read the manga before, the first few volumes may feel really boring. I guess this is of one of those stories that you cannot read twice (at least ... for me anyway). However, the first few volumes did go by really fast. I tolerated most of it because it was still interesting and funny. Plus, I still believe that the elementary arcs were the best because the mangaka incorporated humor and drama at the same time.
However, when the middle school arc started, we kept getting clichés after clichés. It’s done really well so I do give it props for that. But at the same time, it kind of took away the reason why I wanted to read the series in the first place.
Lastly, when it looked like the show was about to end because the drama subsided and the comedy was released… BANG! BANG! BANG! Another set of drama began! The emotional roller coaster never ends. I thought the last arc was brilliant in its own right. However, I did not feel that it was needed for this manga. It felt like the mangaka was milking the cow dry for all the money it could bring. I would have appreciated that arc more if it was a separate manga.

Pros:
1) Since this does deal with children, some of the clichés seem fitting. If these were high school students, I probably would have dropped this series because there are so many of them out there
2) Parents do play an important role in the development of their children.
3) It incorporates the element of fiction and realism all at once. There was a moment when someone fell off a cliff, and nothing really happened to the person (don’t worry, that’s not really a spoiler). It was used as a comedy moment. Then there were moments when something happened to other characters, and all hell broke loose.
4) The emotions are raw. You can really feel what the characters went through, and what they are going through.
5) This series talks about abandonment, bullying, pregnancy, parental love, friendship, suicide, growing up, and even sex in a very lighthearted way. What I mean by this is that the topic wasn’t overbearing. The message comes across really well for kids that are facing it (although there was one part I wouldn’t recommend kids reading, but that’s life).

Con:
1) Clichés after clichés. We already knew who the main character was going to end up with, but there are these repetitive storylines used that I just couldn’t take. After the first real arc, everything starts off as unoriginal.
2) Love triangle/ love square. Some parts were interesting, but I didn’t like it all.
3) The storyline for the last two volumes. Drama began when the drama already ended.
4) I don’t think there was anything wrong with this con, but I do believe this series was not specifically targeted for kids (they do have some very serious topics) but maybe of preadolescence/ teenagers? Some of you guys might disagree with me on that.
Characters:
If you cannot stand hyperactive girls, I suggest you don’t read this because that is exactly the word that defines Sana. Personally, it was bearable knowing that she was really young, and that this personality matched exactly how some children are at that age.

Akito appeared to be insensitive (stiff), but that’s only because he didn’t express himself through his facial expression. He is also your typical anime character, but I enjoyed his character development, his background, and his loyalty to people.

Asides the two main characters, someone who stood out to ME was mama. I loved the way she disciplined her child. In the manga, there was a huge emphasis on what a decent parent acts like. There was so much realism in her attitude that she became my favorite character in the entire series. (This is mainly due to the fact that in Shojo manga, parents are nowhere to be found when their children are being stupid… even in the house.)

Art:
This is your classic 90’s shojou art style. Some might find it unbearable to look at (it’s an acquired thing), and others might feel nostalgic.


Overall feelings: 7.5 = 8
I don’t really know how I felt about it. There are moments when I enjoyed it, and there were moments I couldn’t take it.
Would I recommends this?
Not to everyone. I know there will be people who will dislike it completely. I do recommended it to people who loves seeing some twist in storylines, are obsessed with shojou and its clichés, loves a mixture of comedy and drama, doesn’t mind love triangle/square, and can appreciate the good even when there are some huge flaws.

I finally gave into this anime. I have not read the manga (as of yet), so I have no background information at all.

Let me just say, I’m mad at myself for not watching it earlier, and I’m mad at myself for watching it too early before it finished… because I just can’t wait an entire week to know what happens next. The cliffhanger endings make me want to watch it even more. It doesn’t waste time with irrelevant information. This show is very intense, and if you cannot tolerate the slightest bit of blood or violence, it might not be for you.


[Abridge storyline: ... The human race is about to be destroyed by these gigantic indestructible creatures called the Titans. Most of the people are living in fear, but there are some who are willing to destroy the Titans for a better world. The question is: how will they do it?] Pretty boring, right?

I started this show with the expectation of it being an average anime.
Summaries and explanation of this show doesn’t really do it justice, as most of them make it sound boring and unoriginal. As I watched the first few episodes, the characters didn’t help change this view either. I wasn’t really hooked until episode 5 or 6.

The artwork is absolutely fantastic. It gives off this bright and yet depressing life of the people. It really does set the story. May I add, I’m having a blast watching the action sequences!

As for the main characters, they are not inimitable. They are your typical shonen heroes. HOWEVER, although I don’t feel empathy for the characters (I wish I could), I was able to sympathize with them. ALSO, although it has yet to pass the Bechdel test, I’m very happy that there are awesome women that can fight in this anime. Tropes (e.g damsel in distress) may have been used, but honestly speaking, the women are admirable! Female empowerment for the win! :P

Asides my bias, character development is really subtle. There is so much focus on the main storyline, that there are only a few moments where certain characters are left for development. This is a problem because the majority of the audience is then left to only appreciate the characters with the natural cool-vibe aura (Ahem: Mikasa, and Levi). And just like most anime, some side characters have more well written and proper progressive mental development than the main one (Jean, and possibly Levi- if there is more than 25 episodes).

Since there is only going to be approximately 25 episodes, I am letting that slide, but Erin’s open sleeve emotion (such an angry character!), and Mikasa’s hidden-but-obvious/obsessive feelings are something that I hate; as much as people loves these two characters, I still cannot fully appreciate them.

Pros so far:
-Time is not wasted! I even have to pause the show to read the information that comes between every transition!!
-Has an attention grabber.
-Variety of characters+ character development. (it's done well because full episodes are not simply dedicated to developing the supporting characters; you just see it happen naturally as the story unfolds. Brilliant!)
-Females can fight.
-Art work: the outline also gives it a comic book style (can be a con for some lol).
- Makes an unoriginal storyline interesting.
-The action scenes are aesthetically appealing. Even though I have yet to read the manga, I know that the anime did a better job in that field.
- Story unfolds nicely: proper execution. A+ for that! This is the best part of the anime because it feels like the writers took thought into what they were creating (*Cough* unlike the anime SOA: forgive me if you actually like that anime).

Cons so far:
-Typical main Shonen characters: "dark/cool" girl (usually boys in most shows), smarty-pants, and I-want-to-save-the-world-complex boy. Eren kinda annoys me a LOT (anger issues, I swear), but many might like him. The "odd does seem to be forever in his favor", considering that he appeared to not be strong in the very beginning. I think more could have been done with character personalities.
- Suspenseful events are predictable.
- Storyline has been played with many times+ some minor plots should have been discarded because it just wastes time (e.g. Eren has this moment where he clings to his "dream world" while there is chaos in the real world).
-Main heroine "clings" to the hero. “Omg my life is soooo over without him.” “ I have no life of my own except to follow him.”
- There is no emotional connection with characters. This was a problem for me because it can change my rating from a B to an A. However, this is a serious show with absolutely minimum slapstick comedy. Many people are tossed aside here and there, and there is no way for characters to get emotional in every episode without hindering the main storyline.


Character rating: C-
Action/art: A+
Storyline: A (because it has it's own "flavor" added to it)
Personal rating: B+

Overall rating: B+ (They executed it nicely. And this is assuming that there will be another season to come, and 25 episodes will not limit the progress of the story.)


Again, with any popular/ notorious shows, it is important as the viewers to not expect it to be a masterpiece, or plain trash. These expectations will eventually make you dislike or absolutely love a show that you probably wouldn't have in the very first place. If you decide to give this show a chance, be very open-minded so you can find out your true thoughts and feelings on it. As with any popular anime, if you have any bit of curiosity in you, you should watch it! Regardless of how many reviews there are that approves or disapproves of an anime, it's up to you to discover how you feel about it.

I felt like I was reading a taste of Beauty and the Beast (or Princess and the Frog?), Alice in Wonderland, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and The Terminator (…or some random anime/show that is similar to all of these)! To be honest, I barely watched those shows, but I can smell unoriginality from far away.

The artwork is beautiful as always. People should learn how to create clean-cut charming characters from this manga-ka, Aya Shouoto. If you are one of those young fangirls that crave "HAWT anime boys," I can just recommend her work, and you'll enjoy it! Personally, I don't really care about ... those raging hormones, but you might, right? Oh! What kind of 13 year old kids look that like that though!! Ugh (nonetheless, it might not bother others, but it really irritates me)!

Artwork: A- for characters.
B+ for scenery.
Yes, I'm grading easy!

Basically, this manga is about a girl that is compared to air. No one can see her, but they can feel her; that in it self made me interested. I really wanted to know how it would unfold.

This is a reverse Harem, so there are tons of boys. Well, only four this time. We have the cooker, the idol, the mad scientist, and the nonchalant guy. There isnothing special about them, but you might like one of them because there are chapters dedicated to almost all. I'm not saying that's a good thing, because you always end up hearing the heroine (Sakuya) say something like this: " You seemed so mean in the beginning; but now I understand you! Oh my Gawd!"
And for some reason, the classic Aya Shouoto always makes one of the guy characters into some sort of weirdo by the end..

Characters: C-
Beginning potential (storyline): B+


There are cliches after cliches. I should have stopped after reading about the magical tree, but nooooooo.... I just had to read on!
The problem of this manga really starts when the problem of the storyline is resolved. The last two chapters were so out of place; the story ends in square one.

Storytelling: D-
Unpredictability: A-
Originality: C-

Before it seems that I am bashing it completely, I just want to say that I liked how in this manga, the main character HAD to choose between the guys. There were no if or buts. She was forced to choose (...although that changed quickly because the ending is similar to the beginning... ). I'm also a fan of slapstick comedy; it had a handful of that.

Sadly, I enjoyed it. I waited patiently as it was being translated from the start; there must be something wrong with me.

I'm used to the notorious Aya Shouoto’s odd endings. I wasn't expecting too much from this anyway (neither should you). There are so many questions left, but hey! It was a short and fun read (2 volumes, 8 chapters)!

If I had to go all "philosophical" on all her work, I’d say: maybe she's trying to be a strong preacher for surrealism and all it's glory? Right?
Nah! That couldn't be!

Personal rating: B-

Overall rating: D
----
A question for those that read it:
If being invisible is supposed to make Sakuya insignificant, why does her action cause a reaction?

(Forgive me, as I don't remember everything that happened in this manga. It has been a long time since I have read it.)

I do enjoying reading Aya Shouoto's work, but she's not the best writer when it comes to creating conclusions.

The story starts off by Hiyoki Kozue claiming that someone stole her heart in her dream. She’s basically a dead person that is a live. However, it is not a hopeless case for her, as she does remember slight details about the dream. With those little clues, she plans to find out the person who... stole her heart! Nonetheless, being the typical reverse harem ... that it is, she ends up having to stay with a bazillion gorgeous looking boys (because apparently there is no room for her in women's dormitory). Sounds interesting to all reverse harem fans, right?

Let me just, the characters are aesthetically pleasing. It was fun to look at them! However, the personalities of the boys can be easily known by the way their faces are drawn. There is absolutely nothing special about them. And by the end of the anime, one of the boy’s becomes so irrational and starts having anger problems; another one becomes the savior and finally understood by the heroine.
The ending is very anti-climatic. It was so abrupt and poorly done. The antagonist was defeated so easily, and the love was predictable and awfully presented. You're left thinking: "Is that it!? Okayyy... why did I read this in the first place? Nothing happened!!!!!!"

It is your typical reverse- harem (you'll enjoy it for awhile), but if you hate bad conclusions, don't read this!!! I didn't rate this harshly, because apparently the manga-ka was extremely stressed and had to end this quickly (this isn't really a great excuse though because her other manga has the same problems).

In this manga, they didn't steal Kozue's heart; they stole mine, and stepped on it! I was left disappointed and heartbroken!

(Sorry for the informal writing. I thought it would be appropriate for this manga: rushed, and sloppy.