Back to kilimonian's Profile kilimonian's Profile

So, Ashita no Ousama is a shoujo from the 90's. It has good story and romantic lines. I found it at a time that I wanted another original and different shoujo. What you want to know: it's about a very country girl who suddenly figures out she wants to be in theater for the rest of her life. She puts her all into attending school and pursuing this hobby and meets a lot of good people. She fails in some areas, succeeds in others.

It does have some stereotypical shoujo traits from the pool of shoujo stereotypes (very handsome male, naive girl, etc.) but as a ... shoujo veteran, that's never a problem when done right. And in fact, Ashita no Ousama stands out from modern shoujo. Here's why:

Characters: I cannot praise the character development enough. Sure, the main character is a bit too unaware at times but it doesn't lead to impossible situations. Sure, male lead is established and good-looking. But these characters are very realistically done. They don't have out-of-nowhere smut-convenient problems and have well-built life-styles and ideologies.

Story: It isn't a complicated story but its not a plot that you always know where it is going or what the lesson is. There isn't a plethora of "amazing lines" on every page, but the author takes her time to get a point across. Misunderstandings and events are not too far-fetched or convenient.

Art: It's the 90's. Kind of similar to Itazura na Kiss style. To be honest, when it comes to 90's manga it takes me a chapter or two to get used to it and see why the characters are even attractive. I cannot rate it high but it seems very good quality for its time.

So go read it yourself; it does not disappoint.

It is well drawn and has some really good shounen-ai poses and scenarios. But be warned, it's not cutesy. If you want Fushigi Yuugi, this is NOT it. Rather, it is very serious and graphic. No, you won't see any private parts but you will get as close as possible and its not entirely the happy kind of love-making. It's very raw. Bitter as opposed to sweet. It's a high-drama type manga.

As for some background information, it is set in what looks to be early-mid 1900's Japan. You see some very traditional relationships and buildings. I really appreciate seeing Yuu Watase taking on a serious ... art style and it turns out stunning.

As dark as it is, if you can swallow your tongue, you really start to want to know what will happen. That is what has kept me glued to this series: how will the characters develop? What will the main character ultimately feel towards the world and his past?

I say the type of person who wants to read Sakura Gari is someone who loves good art and intense characters and does not mind seeing blood, sex, etc.

With that, I hope you can decide if you want to read it. If you think my review should have included something else, mention it to me so I can rewrite it so it is helpful!