The Shojo Manga Thread

Just so happens an article popped up on ANN the other day featuring PSME– although it focuses slightly more on the anime.

Think I have to agree with Laughing Manji on the mahoshojo – sounds like a bit of fun to watch some in animated form – not sure what it is but I some how like my manga slightly less frivolous.
Closest thing I can think that I’ve seen to this genre is actually the more of a shounen-fighting-fanservice-fest of Tenhjo Tenge – one of the lead females appears like a tiny child-like character the majority of the time only to magically transform into a full sized female (in every sense of the description) when required to beat the bad guys.
Don’t know how this fits in with any definition of mahoshojo, but I think any discussion of it more than likely belongs in a different thread!


Manga Girls said:
Ren... well, I didn't like him at first, but then i changed my mind. And Nano O is no wallflower, one part she likes him and second part, she's a musician too, and wants that life too, so there's some element of competition/rivalry too. There's one scene where Nana K takes Nana O to see Trapnest and the results are quite interesting. I won't say more than that...
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Nuff said…I shall read on and discover…
(At least when I get my hands on further volumes!)
 
Fushigi Yugi - Just finished it. Good old fashioned romantic fantasy, if a little reverse harem going on, but a tight enough plot to compensate for it. Though wish i had stopped collecting at 13. Rest was ... well fluff
 
Hiya hopeful_monster

I like fluff (Just felt like saying that...)

Speaking of Yu Watase creations - anyone else notice how remarkably similar all her leading men look?

M.G xx
 
Keep having a look at Fushigi Yugi trying to decide if I’d take to it.

It could be like a lot of the shojo titles I have a look at and think:
“…now this one…surely this one is too fluffy for me…â€
 
Jimi-Jam said:
Keep having a look at Fushigi Yugi trying to decide if I’d take to it.

It could be like a lot of the shojo titles I have a look at and think:
“…now this one…surely this one is too fluffy for me…â€
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What i meant by fluff was referring to the more to the plot, but there is the other fluff as well. The first 13/18 volumes had a very good tight plot all linking in well. However after that it seemed like a somewhat inferior sequel, trying to extend something beyond what they had originally planned for.
 
Difficult to put you finger on what actually constitutes 'fluff ' – I'm sure it's out there somewhere, just waiting to ambush an unsuspecting shojo reader – maybe it already got me and I don’t realise it :shock:

I was testing out my shojo-tolerance over on Ice Kunion (you should check it out if you haven't been before) where they have some very useful previews (often 100+ pages) on their manhwa titles.

Already surprised myself with 'Bring it On!' thinking that it might be a step too far in the girly direction – but soon started enjoying it once I got reading, getting carried along with the characters and their escapades.
I moved on to Cynical Orange…surely this was going to be too flowery…but no…actually quite angst-y, perhaps the scenario also has added interest from a male reader's point of view since it gives you a female character's perspective that you might not have given much thought to before.

Think I found my limit with Angel Diary, perhaps not so much to do with being 'too-shojo', but more to do with just being a bit past the intended audience age group – seems like a fun enough story otherwise.
 
Urban Dictionary said:
fluff Something vacuous, such as a verbal statement, without any particular meaning or value.
Irrelevant details that may cloud the issue of main concern.
or
A fanfic which the story has no plot. Only humourous or romantic nonsense.
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These would be my meanings of the word 'fluff' there are others on there which, shall we say, are not work safe.
 
Urban Dictionary said:
fluff Something vacuous, such as a verbal statement, without any particular meaning or value.
Irrelevant details that may cloud the issue of main concern.
or
A fanfic which the story has no plot. Only humourous or romantic nonsense.
Click to expand...
Well…never thought to look up a ‘formal’ definition...but there it is.

Seems like a fair summation of what my finger was struggling to be put on – doesn’t sound so bad, so long as its taken in small doses – perhaps everyone could benefit from a little humorous and/or romantic nonsense every once in a while :wink:

*mind wonders onto the possibly less 'work-safe' meanings of ‘fluff’…* :roll:
 
(Not entirely convinced in of the logic of this thread – perhaps it would be better off with separate titles after all – but onward undeterred…)

Paradise Kiss – been loving this over the last few weeks – cheating slightly here as it’s the anime that I have watched - but I feel I can assume the manga is as good or better as its by the same author as the excellent Nana which I have been reading.
Undecided as to whether it’s a good thing or not; but its story is neatly contained within either 5 volumes of manga or 12 episodes anime.

It’s a down to earth story with believable characters in real-life circumstances - this is one thing that perhaps makes it so refreshing compared with what seems to be the raft of more fantasy based stories. Much like Nana it a slightly more mature shojo focusing on life beyond high school, the ‘real world’ you might say, although you can say this is more accurately the transition from one to the other.

I was initially put off by the fashion/clothes design theme thinking it might be a bit too flowery/girly, its perhaps down to my like Ai Yazawa’s work in Nana that persuaded me to give it a go – didn’t take to long to recognise the same quality in the writing and realise, as is the case with most good dramas of any kind, the theme becomes just a back drop upon which you get to see the more interesting interplay and development of the characters, of which there is a good mix and a reasonable balance of male and female.

I’m still trying to absorb the conclusion – not sure if its because it seemed to end all too quickly or if I’m just a bit bereaved at the loss of the characters I had grown to like. I’m hungry to get my hands on the manga now in the hope of fleshing out some more of the story line.
So I would certainly make it a recommendation if the style sounds like your thing.

Anyone else with some Parakiss joy to share – characters you liked, anime vs manga, thoughts on story/ending etc…?
 
Yeah i watched the Paradise Kiss anime quite a while ago, and i loved it also, excellent series, and way too short, certainly left me with that slightly empty feeling afterwards (a familiar feeling at the end of any good series, anime or manga).
When NANA came out i was sure i would like it because Paradise Kiss was so good, and yes i did, great work by Ai Yazawa, i like it even better than Paradise Kiss, i said you would probably like it ;) :).

I've not read the manga of Paradise Kiss either, but i have heard that the relationships are alot more passionate.

My favourite character in Paradise Kiss was probably Miwako, or Isabella because they seem like the type of people i would want to know the most, or Arashi who is more caring than he likes to let on :)
 
Hurrah - more Parakiss fans ...

I really liked watching the parakiss anime, as the characters have quite a range of emotions. Characters had their good sides ( and their bad sides) but somehow knowing that they had both made me like them even more, especially George.

I'm not sure what to make of the ending either, but perhaps its one of those things you know is going to happen, but secretly don't want for that to happen. When she opens that door to the atelier to see what George has left her... that was so sad :cry:

But still an excellant series. I think my faves were Miwako and George.

Charter Mage/Jimi-Jam - Faves in Nana so far?

M.G xx
 
Touching on the ParaKiss ending again. I have to say actually it was an ending i was slightly disappointed with. But i have to agree with what you said Manga Girls, it wasn't something you wanted to happen, but you kind of knew it was.

My favourite character in NANA has to be Nobu. He is a bit of a pansy compared to most of the other characters, but i think he's just the nicest guy ever, very genuine, and he seems to be one of the only characters in the series that doesn't have some hidden past or darker side.
But he's only a recent favourite, i don't know who was my favourite character before that, but i think all the characters have interesting personalities, and bring something different to the series. Though i do very much so dislike Takumi. To me he's the best bishie (which would often give him a place amoung my favs), but while i don't think you can say any of Ai Yazawa's characters are evil, he seems to have a great ego which utterly controls him.

How far have you both got with the series, are you reading it as Jimi-Jam is Manga Girls
 
Hey Charter Mage

In response to your post...

Yes, the ending was sad, I had plenty of moments where I thought wouldn't it be great if....? But sometimes wishful things don't happen, bah!

Your comment about Nobu made me laugh! You're right - the other characters have more 'overpowering' personalities than him - I think even Nobu is a teensy bit scared of Nana O. But the most surprising thing about Nobu was when I first saw him in his non-punk hairstyle, he looked rather charming.

I have seen the anime up to episode 32 - waiting for the next instalment. I haven't read the Nana books but I'm currently following the manga in Shojo Beat magazine for the last year. The december issue even had these super-cute Nana/Hachi stickers!

Stickers! Yay!
(There's nothing like stickers to turn Manga Girls into a 10 year old!)

M.G xx
 
Oh, oh, yes i know what you mean about Nobu's non-punk hair, i thought Oooo, you should leave your hair like that more often :).

I'm jealous, i want some stickers, lol. Do you import Shoujo Beat, or do you have a place near you live that stocks it?

Which are your favourite characters in NANA Manga Girls
 
Charter_Mage said:
When NANA came out i was sure i would like it because Paradise Kiss was so good, and yes i did, great work by Ai Yazawa, i like it even better than Paradise Kiss, i said you would probably like it ;) :).
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Yes you did…and I did…I’m indebted :wink:
You said I’d like her other work too when referring to Nana - I now presume you meant PK, I was slightly dismayed to find out that these were the only these two to be licensed/officially-translated.
There is a an earlier short series that is a sort of prelude to PK which features Miwako’s character, plus other connections.
Charter_Mage said:
My favourite character in Paradise Kiss was probably Miwako, or Isabella because they seem like the type of people i would want to know the most, or Arashi who is more caring than he likes to let on :)
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Miwako really is quite lovable, you kind of feel she’d be a fun person to know – I like listening to the actress that does her voice - always tickles me the way she says Yukari’s nick name “Ca-row-liiineâ€
 
Hey Charter Mage

Bingo! I was equally amazed by his normal hair too. It was sort of like 'The Secret Life Of Manga Characters.' I can just imagine Nobu at the end of each chapter thinking... 'thank god thats over - now, how do i get this gunk outta my hair.' (Its more fun to think of things this way, I think...)

I usually pick up my Shojo Beat from Forbidden Planet but for some bizzare reason they didn't have December's issue in stock. So i got that edition from an online shop. I will PM you the link, they may still have some more in stock.

Oooh - my fave characters... let me think

Nana O - I like the fact that she's such a strong lady, and that she has the courage to follow her dream. A lot of people would have given up. So I admire that strength in her.

Shin - How could I not like Shin. We don't know much about him, the anime is only just starting to drop hints about his past. I like the fact he's such a kid with a big cheery smile, but he sometimes understands grown up stuff better than the adults do. And when he chucked that glass of drink at you-know-who... that was pure class. Hence why he's my avatar at the mo

And Nobu, Hachi, Yasu, Ren and Reira! too

Jimi-Jam - Do tell, what other series was Miwako in?

M.G xx
 
Ahh...Miwako...got it slightly wrong...its actually her sister Mikako who's in the prelude (they are very alike afterall!) - something called Gokinjo Monogatari or Neighbourhood Story

Wikipedia is the source of all my knowledge - the link gives you a run down on Ai Yazawa; you can follow the other links to get info on each of the series
 
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