The Woman of Udon
No, this isn’t a manga about a woman made of udon. (While I am sure that somewhere out there it exists, I have yet to read a manga about a person made of noodles. I can’t say the same about other foods.)
No Udon no Onna, Or Lady of Udon, by Est Em is actually a cute slice of life Josei that's the simple story of two people falling in love.
The leading lady works at the university cafeteria where our leading man buys his lunch every day. She works at the, you guessed it, udon stand. There’s a bit of an age gap between the two, of I think about 7 to 10 years, and it is really adorable to watch them fumble around!
The way they meet and get to know each other feels very natural, and being a josei it’s aimed at women and reflects a more realistic relationship than the average shoujo. Seriously, words cannot say how enjoyably awkward these two can be!
If this series has one down fall it’s that, like real relationships, there is not a clear ending. Despite this, the story still works and is enjoyable, but I know I wanted more at the end. But hey! Any series that leaves you wanting more is doing something right!
You would enjoy this if you want a cute romance to read!
I’d say skip it if you need action this week, and check out something like Tista or Assassination Classroom instead.
Sorry for the short review… >.>
I had work, Thanksgiving, more work, and quitting work this week so I’ve been busy! Lol
Next week I hope to be able to review an anime! Probably FMA or one of my 10 anime I’ve Never Seen. Oooh or maybe that Chrismas themed anime that's name I always forget… (Providing I can remember the name…)
~Tsu
Hunger Games and Battle Royal Duke it Out
(Well you know… until only ones left alive…)
Not really anime or manga but this works best on this world.
Hello!
I’ve had several friends ask me about Battle Royal in the last year or so because I’m one of those people who have read the Battle Royal book. Not the manga, not watched the movie, but who has actually read the official English translation of the book by Houshun Tokami. This makes me one of the few who have read Hunger Games AND Battle Royal and can explain whether Hunger Games really is the rip off that Royal (mostly movie fans) say that it is.
So I’m going to share my opinion with you guys, who may also be curious what the similarities and differences are.
So right off the bat I’m going to say, I enjoyed both books. I read Battle Royal at 15 when I was the same age as the characters and at the time, the most emotionally taxing thing I’ve ever read. (And arguably it still is.) I read the Hunger Games trilogy in the last couple years and it was also good and I enjoyed it.
So now lets talk about what’s the same and what’s not!
(THERE WILL BE SOME SPOILERS! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!)
SAME:
The basic Premise
The basic premise of both books is the same. Young people (I think its 12 to 17 in Hunger games and in Battle Royal its only the last year of middle school which is about 14-15) are being forced to fight and kill each other until only one survivor remains.
THE DIFFERENCE:
From there both plots go off onto their own path. Really except for the basic plot they have very little in common and focus on completely different aspects of what a world like this would be like.
Games focuses far more on one person’s journey in this world and the political implications. In fact, Games is far more about social commentary on media and war than on children killing each other. In Royal, on the other hand, the teens are all taken from the same classroom and have known each other for years before having to kill one another. Because of this, the story ends up being more of a study of the mindset that people would be in in the situation and throughout the book we hear from almost all 42 students point of view as they are killing or being killed.
TO GO INTO MORE DETAIL:
The core of both books takes on different angles of the same situation.
Games wants you to understand Katniss’s path to wanting to over throw the government. To do that, the trilogy sets up the world and politics in great detail and we hear all about it. This allows us to understand Katniss’s choices throughout the story.
In Royal the government may be the reason they’re in a killing game, but the actual reason they do this is not really known in the book. I think there’s a brief blurb about them saying something like that it’s “So the government can research tactical information and study human responses” but is that really the reason? That question is not answered in the book.
In Games, the media, physical appearance and the actual coverage of the game is essential to the story. In fact a good chuck of the three books is talking about how it is vital for political ideas to be presented in a way that looks good. (as a film major who’s helped manage a social media campaign, it’s definitely a thing.)
In Royal, nothing about the killing is broadcasted. At the beginning I believe that people know which middle school class is taken, and then nothing until the survivor is announced. (In fact, one of the few similarities is that both books have a moment where the characters are remembering seeing a feral and haunted girl who just survived on television.)
Royal is way way more brutal. You see (or read I guess) the deaths in great detail. It’s crazy and intense. Every chapter opens with the number of students left alive. It is rough to watch the number fall… Parts of the book still follow me to this day.
The Games is Katniss’s story and the first person stays with her. Very few deaths are actually seen and even less are described in detail. Also, a lot less people die in the games, which has only 24 people, versus almost double that in Royal. (The last chapters in the last book are pretty brutal but not too bad) Also Games doesn’t stay in the actual games very much. The trilogy isn’t really just about the games. If it was it would end with book one.
Ok now to answer the second question I always get asked by friends who want to understand the similarities and differences:
Which do I prefer?
Well, both books make their points very well and appeal to their audiences.
Personally I really like the grittiness of Battle Royal and it made it’s impact on me first and while I was much younger. Since I was the same age as all the characters at the time I really put myself in their shoes and it was intense. (Lord of the Flies is literally nothing in comparison)
But I can see why people would prefer Hunger Games and I really do still like the series. It also made it’s points very clearly and did what it was trying to do well.
-I think if you want to experience intense moments of people lives read Battle Royal, if you are more interested in knowing about an entire world read Hunger Games.
To end this little talk, I want to point out that accusations of ripping off will always arise whenever something popular is released. Many many movies and books share similar plots and ideas, because everything has been done before at one time or another. What makes things not a rip off is when they take an idea and spin it in their own unique way.
Either way these books stick with you after you read them. To quote the last line in Battle Royal, “they’re part of you now” and I encourage people to look for Battle Royal in English or Hunger Games if you haven’t already read them!
Feel free to share how you feel about them or ask questions in the comments!!!
~Tsu
Mr. Fredward’s Duck
Author: Ushijima Keiko
So this manga… It possibly has the silliest name of any manga I’ve read… (except maybe Banana Bread Pudding…) And it has, if possible, almost as strange a premise.
Ok now bear with me here cause the plot is gonna lose you for a second but this is definitely a series worth a gander. (or two)
So ok this is how it starts, a man named Mr. Fredward (who despite this old man name is a total Bishounen hottie) puts out an ad looking for a housekeeper, and who answers this ad? A talking duck named Rosemary. (Don’t leave me yet!) So long story short, he hires the duck and the story begins. Now instead of being what many of you are probably imaging, this series is not a comedy romp through the happy land of a man and his duck. This is a very intense and surprisingly heart felt manga from the early 90s.
This manga really caught my attention shortly before the main plot started with a well balance plot about animal cruelty from the point of view of Rosemary. It also contains some exciting stories with interesting supernatural twists!
From there the main story arch begins! (Fairly late in the story but its all good! Lol) What is that? Well Fredward ran away from home as a child and lived on the streets in a kind of gang. He visits an old friend from that time and discovers the older boy who protected him, and who he respected, has died from a drug overdose. He also discovers that this friend had a child. Feeling indebted to his friend he begins a quest to search for the boy to make sure that he is ok being taken care of and happy.
Trust me! This is a very bittersweet story that will warm and break your heart! It takes on some extremely difficult topics of the 90s and beyond… SPOILERS (Aids, being homeless, suicide, family etc.) On top of that the 90s shoujo art style is very pretty and nothing makes me smile like Rosemary’s enduring personality!
You would like this if you are a shoujo, josei, or drama fan.
If you’re looking for a man and duck comedy I’m afraid you’ll have to search a little longer. Give it a try its quite a pleasant surprise!
~Tsu
Sorry I been awhile since I’ve posted anything… But I am happy to say despite that this world has had a healthy just over 300 views! ^-^ So thank you all!
Anyhow since its Valentines Day, and some of you enjoy the holiday, I figured I’d do a romance special. So for this issue I shall review 3 cute oneshots about love! One is a boy/girl couple, then boy/boy and finally a girl/girl! ^-^ All of these are G rated so no worries! And all of them follow the theme of “the confession” Lol
AKUMA GA KITARITE
First up is Akuma Ga Kitraite or The Devil Has Come. This is an extremely cute oneshot about a high school boy who has a scary face and demeanor who has been trying to confess his love to a sweet innocent girl in his class. He has been writing her confession letter after confession letter trying to express his feeling but has never been able to work up the guts to actually give her any of them. Then one day he saves her from getting hit by a baseball (and after freaky out due to his scary face) she thanks him for his help and a door opens for him. Will she accept his love?!
If you like a cute little story that wont take up much time to read and will warm your innards this is the one shot for you! ^-^ Trust me its very funny and as sweet as sugar laced honey!
UNEXPECTED LOVE
Next is Unexpected Love. By golly this is adorable!!! Cough back to the point the plot follows the story of a high school boy who receives his first ever love letter. With friends teasing him he waits after class for her to come… but
Ok I CAN’T say more without ruining it! Sorry you’ll have to go read it for more! But trust me its worth it! Writing a one shot that's only 10 pages and managing to make it this complete and amazing is no easy task and you won’t regret the read!
WATASHI NO KIDOU
Last up is Watashi no Kidou. This one shot begins with the end of the world. Or at least just before. A group of friends meet on top of their school roof to look at the stars and watch as the approaching meteor crushes them. One of the girls came in the hopes that she’d meet someone with whom she made a promise, she has a question to answer…
Very emotional, another hard thing to achieve in a one shot, and very cute. It’ll make you feel like you’re petting a chinchilla whilst eating chocolate. (yeah its THAT cute)
Anyways! I hope you enjoy! And my next post will be something darker… XD
Plus my next anime review! Possibly also to be posted today!
Happy V-day!
