Back to Velkan's Profile Velkan's Profile

I recall my initial thoughts on Dengeki Daisy as I first came across its information page: Another overrated shoujo manga with a simple plot and the cliche catch phrase "I'll protect you".

Oh, how wrong was I.

Shoujo is known for its obscenely perfect guys as well as the air-headed heroines who fall for them. On the outside, our cast here seems to be no exception. However, the protagonists contain a surprisingly high amount of depth. In essence, we follow the lives of two characters at the same time. Teru, who is cheered on by a text-friend whom she has never met, and Kurosaki, who lives a ... double-life of a school janitor and a hacker. Teru is a girl with a strong will and great sense of justice. She also maintains the common sense that shoujo girls tend to lack. Kurosaki protects Teru behind the shadows, both insuring her safety and comforting her when she feels down. Behind his cruel, extortionist attitude, lies a side of him that is kind, determined, and thoughtful. What is really special about this situation is the fact that we know more--yet less--than both of the main characters.

The plot is, without a doubt, original. If so, what makes it so special? To put it in simple words, it is the pacing in which the story progresses. While the pace of the manga seems trivial to it's overall enjoyment, it is one of the important elements that make Dengeki Daisy truly great. Instead of a sudden twist that tries to force the readers to gain interest, it discretely leaves us hints and slowly reveals the secrets that we are so dying to know. It does not unveil high amounts of information at a time, and yet it does not make us wait for it. The execution is flawless. In this manga, we start out knowing nothing. Conflicts continue to arise as we are given pieces to a puzzle which will explain just what exactly drives the characters to act as they do.

What are DAISY's motivations? How will the character's relationships evolve? What is the truth behind the secret surrounding Teru? For a manga that has so well exceeded many people's expectations so far, there is no doubt that it will continue to deliver a unique and interesting story here on out. Definitely a recommended read.

Onani Master Kurosawa is something entirely different than what you see at first glance. If you are expecting something erotic or funny, you are looking in the wrong place. Those that can get past the synopsis and exposition will be rewarded, as when you reach the real bulk of the story you will realize just what it has to offer.

It is no secret that this manga deals with mature themes. The problem lies within the fact that it paints the wrong picture for potential readers. The focus is not to be sexually explicit. Rather, it is presented to us in a way that is very ... conservative. It shows nothing more than what is necessary to get the point across. In the big picture, this is not a perverted manga in any sense. It is sweet, heartbreaking, and inspiring.

The story quickly lays the foundation for a school-life setting with a character who has a secret "daily routine". Our main protagonist, Kurosawa, is a guy who cares nothing for interaction with others. He has no friends and has never fallen in love. He converses the minimal amount to simply maintain relations. What he doesn't know is that his seemingly harmless ritual is about to become something that weighs more heavily on him than he could imagine. This story shows us just what can happen when you get in over your head, the consequences of your actions, realizing what you want in life, and much more. Once the plot picks up, you will find yourself always wanting to know what will happen next. The contents are never predictable, and every bit of it is believable. It controls your emotions like a puppet on strings. It will make you feel.

The art is sketched, fitting in perfectly with the mood of the manga. It does a great job of showing character's expressions, using many close-ups and careful shading. Much of the emphasis is on the characters, so the backgrounds are usually simple or non-existent. Overall it is very clean and should bear no complaints.

Characterization is simply amazing. No matter how perverted Kurosawa is portrayed, the fact still remains that he is an incredibly well-rounded, believable, and likable character. The manga has the ability to create Kurosawa as if he were a character born from your own thoughts. While I am not referring to perverted thoughts, his reactions to a given situation are so real that you often think and feel the same way. I felt his anger when he was betrayed, I felt his hopelessness during his hard times, and I felt his happiness when something warmed his heart. Over the course of the plot, Kurosawa changes slowly into an entirely different person. He begins as an introverted kid who violates people in his thoughts with masturbation, yet in the end he becomes undeniably mature. He battles with self-realization, learns of consequences, finds the good in people, and comes to understand what he wants in life. Without a doubt, he is a character that will fill you with emotion.

If any manga is capable of changing my view on a character, it is this one. It does not just tell you how someone feels, it places you in the shoes of a person and allows you to understand it from their point of view. Even if you think a character will play a generally small part, they always end up coming back and influencing Kurosawa in some way. We are allowed to see every character's true thoughts, whether it be directly shown to us or revealed through Kurosawa's deductions. However, you will never feel as though you can predict a character's actions. While they surprise you, every bit of it is believable. This is what depth is all about.

Overall, Onani Master Kurosawa is definitely something you will appreciate reading to the end. It brings us a small introduction and builds off of itself, constantly raising the bar. It gives us a surprisingly large impact that can be found in few other places. To sum it up, it is simply a work of art.