Back to bitsypookums24's Profile bitsypookums24's Profile

I will try not to allow my love of Chiho Saito to slant this review, but I can't promise anything. I'm one of the very few who enjoyed the Utena manga more than the anime, probably because I could relate to it more (and I like the ending better...not to mention it made more sense than the anime). The characters are more realistic. Touga and Akio actually appear to have some heart. Because it's much shorter than the anime, there is less time to go into secondary characters, so the story mostly focuses on the main triumverate (Utena, Anthy, Akio) and Touga. Definetly more symbolic ... than most shojo, it's more theme driven than character or plot driven. Many are turned off by the metaphysical focus of the story, but anyone who likes kick butt girl power should find this story entertaining. Not for anyone who has issues with homoeroticism (although this version has nothing on the others).

This is where the whole phenomenon started, and it won't disappoint. More direct than the anime (okay 90% of the anime is filler/ bad guy of the week) and more serious, the story line is still the same, with some new characters and transformations thrown in. Some of the main characters (specifically Mars) are very different from their anime counterparts (I actually liked Usagi more than I wanted to strangle her!). A little less childish than the anime (but not that that's a bad thing), for any Moonie, it's a treat.

Ceres is one of Watase's most popular works and, in my opinion, her best. It's a much more mature story than her others, dealing with themes of sexuality and violence (often a mixture of the two), but as my mother would say, it is tastefully done. Probably 16+ should read this, not because of content, but because the themes are very complex and require a more mature understanding of sex and violence. Besides the 'parental disclaimers,' Ceres is a beautiful love story and a sci-fi/horror thriller with social commentary and humor. The main storyline is that Aya, on her sixteenth birthday, is possessed by ... a spirit named Ceres. To make matters worse, her family wants to kill her to keep Ceres from being unleashed. So Aya must find a way to rid herself of Ceres...or at least that's how the story starts. There are fourteen volumes in all, so the story has time to become really complex (but not like Pirates of the Carribean 3-I-have-no-idea-what-is-going-on-complex). It's a long series, but it's worth the time (and money if you buy all the volumes like me).

This is probably one of my favorite (if not my favorite) Yuu Watase work. The story about the power of words is very poignaint, espeically for a shy writer like me. I think this may have some of her most beautiful artwork of any series. I was definetly caught up within the first volume. The only complaint I have is that the ending was rushed and the story could have been expanded more. I really liked the characters introduced at the end and wanted to know more about them. But overall, I highly recommend, especially if one is new to Watase's works. This is a ... good series to start with before conquering the mammoth Ceres.

I'm a huge Yuu Watase fan, but her latest story didn't capture my attention as some of her other works. Her art as always is gorgeous and I could totally relate to Reiko, moreso than any of her other heroines. But after the first two volumes, the story got kinda...old. It just started to drag on. I guess because I always like the guy the heroine doesn't choose (except in FY and A19), but I've enjoyed her other series despite my disappointment ; D. For a fun and cute summer read, I would definetly recommend and anyone who is a Watase fan will enjoy, but ... it's not one of her better works.

One thing you can say is that Ai Yazawa's art is jaw-drop goregeous and this anime stays true to her creations. A quirky coming of age story, set against a backdrop of high fashion, the heroine "Caroline" (I can't remember her real name!) falls in love with her boss and designer, Gerorge, a free-spirit and artist. Using a stereotypical framework (girl rejects previous life for something completely different and more glamerous and finds love in the process), Paradise Kiss creates a whole new spin. Plus, the SD faces are unique and so funny.

In a word, this anime is awesome. Like most shojo, the main plot is established in the first episode and the rest of the series is the misadventures of the cast and character development, but Ouran's quirky humor and ability to make fun of itself and it's genre is what sets it apart. Ouran knows the plot is unrealistic and silly and likes to point that out. Another thing that makes Ouran different is the heroine, Haruhi, who couldn't care less about boys and looking pretty. Where most shojo heroines are pining away for some unreachable guy, Haruhi is the opposite, more concerned with her ... schoolwork and earning money to suport her family. For once, the heroine is the resonable one and the guys are the crazy comedic relief.