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I love this manga for the simple reason that it's out of the ordinary. The art is gorgeous (although I would've sworn that Ludwig is a girl at first, but that's probably the point - a prince too beautiful for mortal eyes) and fits well into the fairytale story.

As the story winds its way through the fairy tales (some being as familiar as Snow White; some being as obscure as Maid Maleen), you see a different side of the characters that Disney has forced you to love since childhood. Rapunzel? Terrifying and probably schizophrenic. Snow White? A whore.

Ludwig Kakumei has an outstanding story, though the ... end of it was a little confusing (I had to reread the last chapter in order to actually understand what just happened).

If you have to pick just one fairy tale-based-manga to read this year (or ever), I'd certainly recommend this one. Although the prince drools a bit too much over a girl's cup size (he asks his faithful servant to report what size she is before he will go after the princess) and recognizes the witch only through her cleavage, that's probably normal of a guy who keeps the corpses of beautiful women trapped in glass boxes.

Overall? It's a great read. I'm rereading it now, and it's even better than I remembered.

I was browsing my manga app earlier tonight, and found a mini magazine that belonged to the manga site. I decided to check it out, and the manga that the mag recommended that month was "Bitter Virgin." Upon reading the synopsis, I mentally put an X through the name in my mind.

"This is not for me," I though. "Rape, childbirth, dark secrets? Sorry, not for this girl."

I went back to the manga list and was inexplicably pulled towards this manga. I opened the first chapter, thinking I'd read it, have a good laugh, and move on.

That didn't happen.

I stayed up for the next two hours, ... reading all 32 chapters of this short manga. I came close to tears a couple of times (only the most coldhearted won't cry) and did all I could to finish it. I didn't want to have to take a break to read it tomorrow.

I haven't read a lot of manga, and that that I have is mostly comedic and pure fantasy, but I believe that everyone should take at least a look at the first chapter. The art is beautiful, most of the characters actually have some kind of heart and grow throughout the story. If you pass this one up because of the content, I won't blame you; I almost did. But if you can handle it,what are you waiting for?