Back to Nocti's Profile Nocti's Profile

I rated this manga with a 2 mainly because I didn't get it at all. Or rather, I do have a hint of what the author might have wanted to say, and it might have been interesting if it had been done differently. That's why I gave the manga an overall rating of 2, instead of just 1.

Story - As the synopsys well says, the author tried to be poetic, and took poetry to an annoyngly dangerous level, as the story ended up being confusing. "Poetic" doesn't ecqual "complicated", or "cryptic".

Characters - There is no character development at all, which is to be expected, as ... the manga is 14 pages long. I don't expect character development in such a short manga, but I do expect to have at least a slight idea of how the characters are, which didn't happen either.

Art - It's certainly unique, but I didn't like it at all. It's childish and sloppy. The only interesting thing is the red colour that the author used in some of the panels, or rather the idea of adding colour to some of the panels, not the way in which it was done.

Enjoyment - Being the manga so short, it obviously doesn't give time to get bored or consider dropping it, buy it certainly isn't enjoyable either.

I should start by stating that I didn't like School Days. It is definitely an anime you will not forget, mainly because the end is so suprising and so shocking that there is no way you can forget it (that's all I can say without spoiling). However, if it weren't for the last episode, the rest of the anime isn't something worth remembering.

Story (1) - The story is the typical love triangle, with a higher voltage than the usual and a really surprising twist in the end. I must admit the ending in memorable. But as memorable as it may be, I thing it is ... what I hated the most. I didn´t hate the ending "per se", which is interesting, but the fact that I felt cheated. I have nothing against surprising endings, but please, give me some kind of hint throughout the story. It´s a fundamental principle of storytelling: don´t cheat the reader, or the audience. It felt as if I had made a mistake and was watching the end of another anime. Even the genre was changed without notice. "Surprising" and "cheating" are not the same. My impressión would have been completely different if I had felt some kind of signal that could help me at least foretaste the direction the story would take, while keeping the surprise effect.


Characters (1) - Here lies the other grand failure of this anime. The characters have no charisma, I couldn't feel related to any of them, I couldn't feel sympathy for any of them. You don't need the characters to be "good and nice people" to like them, but you need to al least get to understand them and their behaviour. I felt completely detached. The fact that you can't connect with any of the characters throws you completely out of the story.

Art (6) - The art and the sound aren't that bad. They aren't memorable either. As regards the art particularly, I see a problem in the character design. They all looked the same. I also found it a little boring and lacking in colour (even though the lack of colours is intentional and it makes sense).

Enyoiment (1) - I didn´t enjoy School Days at all. I finished watching it because it was short. If it had been longer I would probably have dropped it. But If you like shocking endings, you may want to give it a try.

“Chouyaku Hyakuninisshu: Uta Koi” is a very free adaptation of the lives of some of the authors included in the famous poetry anthology "Hyakuninisshu" (100 poets, one poem each).

Story – 9
The anime centers in the love poems of the anthology and narrates the events and relationships that gave rise to some of them. However, such events should not always be considered faithful to history, as many of them didn´t happen, or happened differently in reality. But it doesn´t really matter. The core of this anime isn´t the portrayal of actual events, but rather the spirit of poetry in the Heian Court, which is successfully rendered. ...

Love poems were the way to court women, and poems came along with a lot of other things which are beautifully shown in the anime: care for calligraphy and presentation (poems were usually sent together with a flower or a branch, for example), the excitement with which the poets waited for an answer, the screens that separated women from men in their encounters. The anime also shows the main characteristics and themes of heian poetry, such as the grief caused by impossible love.

It is divided into two sections: the first half deals with the early Heian poetry and the Rokkasen (the six best waka poets), Ariwara no Narihira and Ono no Komachi being the two characters that are more deeply developed. The second half deals with the late Heian Period, and introduces several poets, but –for some reason- there are more chapters devoted to Sei Shonagon, author of "The Pillow Book". I would have liked to see more of Murasaki Shikibu, who only appears in one chapter.

The manga is episodic. Each chapter tells a different story, but some characters are protagonists in more than one story, and those who are main characters in one of the episodes, may appear as secondary characters in another one.These chapters are all presented by Fujiwara no Teika, the anthologist, whose poetry is shown in the last episode. At least one of the poems of the Hyakuninisshu is recited and explained in every episode, together with other poems by the same authors, not included in the anthology.


Characters – 10
As most stories are told within a sole chapter, some of the characters appear briefly and there isn't much time for development... but there are characters, such as Narihira, Komachi, Yasuhide and Shonagon that appear in several episodes and are more deeply developed. There is little known about the real lives of some of these poets, especially the ones of the early Heian period, but there are many legends surrounding them. Much in the anime is based on these legends.

The best character, in my opinion, is Narihira. No matter how little we know about the real Narihira, I definitely can imagine him behaving as he does in the anime. I am not that sure about Murasaki Shikibu. She appears too little and I don't know how faithful to reality her story was. I would also have liked to see a chapter devoted to any of the poems in her novel "Genji Monogatari", which is the work she is mostly remembered for.

The characters are restrained by the rules of the Court as well as political an social issues, especially women. The anime reflects successfully the ways of the Palace and the distinct feature of most of the poets' personalities, as history has come to remember them.

Sound – 9
The opening and ending songs are both good, and although there isn´t really a traditional feel to them, for some reason they go well with the story. I usually like the strange mix between the old and the new. It gives a refreshing and original touch.

As for the seiyuus, I must applaud that most female characters don´t sound childish and annoying. And there are a lot of male characters with beautiful voices. The only one that might feel a little exaggerated at times is Yasuhide, but then again, he is one of the characters that brings humor to the story. I liked Narihira´s seiyuu especially.

Art – 9
The art has been frequently criticized for being flat and lacking in animation. I particularly loved it. It is true that there isn´t much animation… but I found it very original and appropriate for the story, with emphasis on the outlines and on color. It was strange to see blond and red-haired Japanese poets, though.

Enjoyment – 10
“Chouyaku Hyakuninisshu: Uta Koi” is definitely underrated. It may be because of its topic. But those who like poetry, or Japanese traditions and esthetics, should watch it. Those who aren´t familiar with Japanese poetry but like love stories or historical plots should also give it a try. It is very interesting. Furthermore, despite the tragic and sad nature of most of the stories, there is a great deal of humor in the anime. 10 for enjoyment.

This work is the perfect example of everything I hope "not" to read in a manga.

Story - 1
The story is just a cliché, with lots of melodrama, two much crying and an absolutely unbelievable plot. Too much like the typical soap-opera, it doesn't lack anything: revenge-driven plot, blackmailing, the usual intrigues of a wealthy family, and -of course- the typical soap-opera characters. So much happens in so short a time, and every event is so over the top, that everything ends up feeling rushed and even ridiculous.

Characters - 1
The characters are the martyr heroine that everybody envies and resents, and the perfect wealthy and handsome ... prince. Nothing new, really. Furthermore, I tend to hate josei manga that impose the "ideal" reach and handsome types.
The dialogs are bad. But the characters' inner thoughts are even worse, they are just too unrealistic, and they sometimes seem to have been put there just to explain the unexplainable. I really hate it when they come up with lines such as: "Oh! I can feel the warmth of his body. But I have just met him, I need to move away. Ah, uh, oh... Why am I feeling drawn to him?"

Art - 3
The art isn't as bad as the story, but I am not that keen on "Barbie-looking" female characters. The guy is supposed to be handsome, but he isn't really.

This is not a manga I enjoyed reading. I finished it because it's short... but I wouldn't recommend it.

As usual, I apologize for my English, which isn´t my mother-tongue.

That being said, I wonder why it is that Sakamichi no Apollon has more than 1800 readers so far (I´m only counting those who have completed the manga), and the sequel only has 500.

Those who liked Sakamichi no Apollon should definitely read this bonus tracks. Those who haven´t read the original manga yet, should read it... and then read this bonus tracks as well, not only because you will get to know the real ending of the story but also because some of the chapters throw a light on some things that are kept unsaid ... in the previous manga.

Story
This sequel is only 5 chapters long, but it is very worth reading. One of the chapters, as I have already said, goes further into the future and shows us how the characters end up living and relating to each other. The other four deal with matters which are previous to the main story or that happen in between some of the chapters in the main story. Some bonus tracks go into the story of some of the supporting characters, other deal with the main characters.

They are in fact bonus tracks: the story would still work without them. But they add a lot. Everything happens fast in the last chapters of Sakamichi no Apollon. I wouldn´t say events are rushed, but everything is told from the point of view of Nishimi Kaoru and there is a jump in time at some point... therefore, some things are left untold. We don´t really need to know those things to understand or enjoy the story, but these bonus tracks fill some of the gaps... and it is nice to have them filled, as a bonus.

There is no way to analyze this bonus tracks independently from the main story. I really recommend reading both Sakamichi no Apollon and these bonus tracks. The story (as a whole) is beautiful. It may appear to be a simple story, but it isn´t. Some definitely serious and shocking events take place; the two main mail characters have a difficult past. The manga deals with deep issues, such as discrimination, abandonment, social pressure. But things aren´t told in a melodramatic way.

It has a great pace, very good and natural dialogs. This must be one of the few mangas I´ve read where the characters cry only when there is a real reason to do so, and they don´t end up drowning in their own tears. There is love, and it is an important matter, but I should say the main topic in this manga probably isn´t love, but friendship and passion... especially the passion for music, which is the main force that drives this characters together. I think that passion is successfully shown in the manga. This is not the typical "pop idol" story: it shows the deep and visceral passion for music. It also succeeds in showing the revolutionary atmosphere of the time in which the story takes place. And the way in which the relationship among the characters develops is just heartwarming.

Characters
It´s a beautiful story mainly because the characters are beautiful, not only the three main characters, but also those who surround them. Kawabuchi Sentarou (one of the main characters) may be one of the most charming characters I´ve ever come across.

Art
I liked the art very much. Clean and simple lines... very mature. No unnecessary ornaments. The characters have all their distinct personalities, which are represented in their looks and expressions.

Enjoyment
I read most of this 45 chapter manga, and the bonus tracks, in just one day. When a story is well structured, has a good pace, interesting believable characters and easy going dialogs, you are driven into the story and you just can´t stop reading. That’s what I call enjoyment.

10 for the story, 10+ for the characters, 10 for the art... definitely 10 for enjoyment.

I'm sad to say I was really disappointed by this manga.

I had already read Edogawa Rampo's short story "The Caterpillar", which is not only good but one of the best Japanese horror stories of all times. More than that... It is probably one of the masterpieces of horror literature in the world (hand in hand with Maupassant and Edgar Alan Poe, who the Japanese writer admired, his admiration being the reason for his pen name which is a japanization of Poe's name). The manga doesn´t get even close to the short story.

If I had to review this manga in a few words, I ... would have to say: great story, horrible adaptation.

Story - 5
If I had to score Edogawa Rampo's short story, I would give it a 10. The story is extremely disturbing, one of the most disturbing stories I've ever read. A man goes to war, leaving his wife behind. He returns handicapped, unable to speak, or hear, with no legs, no arms, and with a deformed face. His wife takes great care of him, but she has a lot of trouble accepting it and at some point she turns violent towards him. And I'm stopping here -at the same point where de MAL review stops-, because anything else would be a spoiler. The end is one of the most memorable endings in literature.

The plot and the ending in the manga are basically the same. But when I read the manga I got the impression that a deep, moving and shocking story was turned into an excuse to show morbid sex between a woman and a handicapped person. The manga is full of completely unnecessary and gross scenes that do not even happen in the book. There is a scene with a banana that is just disgusting. The need to include that scene remains a mystery to me. Sex isn´t even an issue in Edogawa Rampo's story. I am not of the thought that adaptations (be it movies, manga of whatever) must be true to the original (they don´t need to be, that's why they are adaptations). I also have nothing against sex in manga. But I think the decision to turn this story into a rampage of sexual encounters, and the way in which it is done, goes against the depth of the story. It would have been a completely different thing if the inclusion of sex had been handled more seriously.

Characters - 5
I cannot say the characters lack in depth, but the development of the female character is so much deeper in the book, that I was left wanting more. The male character doesn´t allow much development, as the story is told from the point of view of the wife, and he cannot even speak, or move, but this is probably intentional, as it adds to the awkwardness of the relationship: he has become a stranger, his wife even sees him as an animal.

Art - 6
I am not particularly fond of the art, but I must admit it is probably due to my personal preferences. The art goes well with the story, it is disturbing, it gives the feeling of traditional Japan (some sex scenes even reminded me of certain erotic ukiyo-e works), and the settings are faithful to the era in which the story takes place.

I am giving this manga a 5 mainly because there is no doubt the story is a masterpiece, we are to thank Edogawa Rampo for that. But this adaptation doesn't do justice to that magnificent story.

If you are planning to read this manga, go ahead. But I highly encourage you to read the short story too, which is a hundred times better.

You can say there are roughly two types of shounen-ai manga.

The first type deals mainly with seduction. It may sometimes go a little further into one of the characters psychology. Just like the typical yaoi, without the sex, or like the typical shoujo romance, but with two guys.

The second type digs deep into the characters minds, it deals with their inner conflicts. Highly introspective.

This manga goes into the second group. Most of the chapters don´t even show a kiss between the characters. It is all about their inner conflicts.

Story (somewhere between an 8 and a 9)
I don´t think all the stories deserve a high ... rating. Some are better than others. The second story, "The voices of Cicadas", isn’t that unique. But there are some masterpieces. I think "To hate without trying" and "Loundream" are the best, especially "Loundream"... this story alone makes the whole manga worth reading and worthy of the rating I´ve given it. 10 for this particular story.

The best thing about "Loundream" is that it is not driven by the characters sexuality. The story would work even if it wasn´t a gay couple, a proof that sexuality isn´t the only conflict or concern of gay people, and that mourning doesn´t know about gender.

"To hate without trying" has a simple plot, but the mood is just great and it has a gratefully surprising ending.

For some reason there is a bittersweet gloomy feel to the manga, even when most of the stories aren´t sad. Some have a very happy ending. It may be because I found "Loundream" so shocking that I may have transferred that story´s atmosphere to the whole manga. But, as a matter of fact, even "Loundream" isn´t really that sad, if you choose to interpret it as the strength to overcome a painful memory, and turn it into an endearing one.

Characters - 8
There is a melancholic feel to most of the characters. Some of them have a great deal of trouble accepting their sexuality. As it usually happens with one-shots, the stories don´t rely on character development. We just get to take a glance into their minds and lives. But you can say, without a doubt, that the author does not resort to any stereotypes. They are down to earth characters, with complex thoughts, conflicted. Even when most of the stories in this book are one-shots none of the characters comes out being flat.

Art - 8
Bear in mind that you will definitely see no bishounen in here. The art is very mature and kind of rough, with lots of contrast and dark panels which go very well with the oppressive and gloomy nature of some the characters feelings. The cover art is much softer than the interiors.

Enjoyment - 9
For those who love good one-shots, this manga is definitely worth reading.

I must admit Kumagai Kyouko's art is nice. The art is probably the best thing in this manga, with a handsome mail character, and cute chibi style panels.

However, there's a serious problem with the story, the rushed pace of events not being the main issue in my opinion. Aside from the usual cliches and the stereotyped characters of the genre, which this manga doesn't avoid; I really cannot bring myself to understand why the author decided to make the mail character a 16 year old boy. The characters age is the main problem. First of all, he doesn´t look like a 16 years old ... boy at all... he looks much older. But, that aside, how is it that a 16 year old boy managed to become a school chairman? It doesn´t make any sense. Shouldn't he be still studying? Ok... he may be some sort of a genius who finished school earlier... but if that's the case, shouldn't it be explained somewhere? How is it that everybody takes it so naturally?

As a general rule, when something out of the ordinary happens in a story, it should be explained or accounted for somehow. I say "as a general rule" because fairy tales or parodies, for example, don´t always require that much explanation... but this is neither a fairy tale, nor a parody... nor does it pretend to be intentionally absurd. If there is an explanation, nobody bothered to tell us... we are supposed to take it as granted and accept it just like that.

I understand adult-highschooler relationships may be a sensitive issue for many people. I wonder if this has anything to do with the author's decision. But making a sixteen year old boy chairman of a school is not the best solution, and making him treat others as brats is even worse... as if he weren't one himself. I even wondered at some point if there was some sort of translation mistake.

This is a problem of character design and development, which proves character design is as important as the plot itself. If I cannot believe in a character, there is nothing more to talk about.

There are also other issues such as a series of events related to the female character´s first love which are just too random, or the fact that we never get to fully grasp who the antagonist is.

I'm giving this manga a 5 because of the art, and because it is a somehow entertaining and easygoing story to read.

Reading this manga, I've come to the conclusion that there is something even worse than the "I fell in love at first sight", the "cute girl and delinquent pairing" or the "naive girl falling in love with the experienced prince of the school" clichés of shoujo romance.

Story - 2
This manga took the well-known "boy that bullies the girl he likes" plot, and took it to the most annoying level. The guy thinks the girl should do anything he asks her to do, with no regard whatsoever for what she feels or wants, he manipulates her by means of threats... and she just goes with ... it. Does this manga aim to tell us that we are supposed to put up with anything if we are in love? But this couple dynamic alone wouldn't make the manga necessarily "bad". There are other mangas with similar plots that aren´t as bad... and there may be even good ones. The issue here probably lies in the character development, or lack thereof.

Characters - 1
From what I've said about the plot, one can already imagine how the characters are like. He's a bullying, selfish brat. She's just a stupid girl. The most annoying characters there could possibly be. This kind of couples are usual in shoujo manga, but longer mangas generally allow us to discover some kind of aspect in the characters that makes us look at them in a different light and start liking or understanding them. This manga, being a one-shot, doesn´t give much room for character development. We are just left with the horrible first impression.

Art - 7
The only reason to give this manga a couple of score points is the art. It isn't particularly outstanding but it's nice, more so if you go for the cute girl and the handsome bishounen guy types.

Mod Note: This review was written for Akuma ga Kitarite, which has been subsequently merged into this entry.

I´m not going to say this manga stands out for its originality, unique art or mindblowing characters. It’s the typical love story between a cute highschool girl and her delinquent classmate.

But it has enough merits to be rated generously.

Story - 8
The story isn´t new... as a matter of fact, it´s already been written over and over again. But in this particular case, it is told from the point of view of the male character, which is a very good choice. I must give merit to the author for ... that, because it brings a new perspective and enforces the contrast between the impression people have of the character and how he really is, as we can get into his mind. This choice of point of view also allows getting rid of some of the most annoying things in shoujo manga, such as the usual teary eyes. Shoujo heroins cry too much, and tend to overthink things. I was getting tired of shoujo heroins crying over the slightest thing, and going in circles jumping from one silly misunderstanding to another. Non of that happens here. Instead, the manga aims to reflect the innocence and shyness of youth in a much more joyful way. It’s kind of refreshing.

Characters - 7
"Akuma ga Kitarite" is a short manga -a oneshot- so there isn´t much time for character development. The characters are just "presented". But, to be true, stories such as this don´t require digging deep into the character´s psychology.
However, they are nice characters. Ruiji, Chigira (the male character) has very funny expressions. And the heroin has a very interesting reaction when he finds out about his feelings... I won´t say what her reaction is, as it would be a spoiler.

Art - 8
The art is consistent with the point of view from which the story is told. It is cleaner, a little more "masculine" than most shoujo manga: no flower frames, no diamonds, bubbles or sparkling lights in the background... no hair or clothes flowing with the wind, even when the characters are indoors.

The story continues in a 12 chapter manga called "Kimi ni Koi Shite Ii desu ka", which I haven´t read yet. We´ll see how it turns out later. For the time being, you can say this works fine as a one-shot. It is a refreshing option for those who like shoujo manga, but are a little fed up with teary plots, or are suffering an overdose of sweetness.