manhwa: 13th Boy Vol 2, Sarasah Vol 2
The second volumes in two shoujo manhwa series that I really shouldn’t like as much as I do, given that both have plots that center around the heroine desperately chasing after a guy who isn’t interested. And yet, I do. Despite staring sternly at Yen Press for what seems to be a certain limitedness in shoujo licensing choices at times.
13th Boy is interesting in that it has all the trappings and setup of a standard love triangle (energetic girl with huge crush on cold, popular boy while his badboy-ish best friend secretly likes her, complete with scenes of Whie-Young being bitter that Hee-Soo doesn’t remrmber his being in love with her when they were kids-Korean media insists to me that you’re supposed to find your true love at age seven. I do not know.-and so forth) but doesn’t seem to actually be headed down the standard route. In fact, we learn that Whie-Young’s powers are killing him, to the point where I wonder if he’ll be dead by the end of the series. Despite her undeniably irritating traits, though Hee-Soo is pretty entertaining, and often appealing, and I’m glad she’s interacting more with the girls in her class. Also, Beatrice the talking cactus (yes, there’s a talking cactus) apparently turns into a naked teenaged boy for 24 hours once a month. My crack!glee has no words.
Sarasah, meanwhile, is much better now that the story is completely set in the past, though I wish we could see a bit of the present, and the repercussions of Syung-Hyu accidentally pushing Ji-Hae down the stairs. It’s possible that Ji-Hae’s actions in the past will completely reset their present, but I’d still rather see some resolution there, even if it may be wiped out in the end. I suspect we’ll learn that Syung-Hyu hates her in the present because of something that happens to his lover because of her in the past, but we’ll see. Regardless, I hope it ends with her moving on from Syung-Hyu. I’d actually rather Ji-Hae be unattached in the end, but the official who’s helping her, Bub-Min, seems to have the initial setup for an eventual love interest. Ji-Hae as a character works much better in the past. Her stalker tendencies are subdued, and the crossdressing and politics bring out more palatable traits. The past parts are also set in the reign of Queen Dukman, and it was a bit funny to understand all the politics and historical figures referenced just from people talking about the Queen Seon Deok drama. The series also continues to have the prettiest clothing pr0n. And to continue the manhwa crack!glee, Thorny, the talking fox in charge of Ji-Hae, is genderless but omnisexual, and apparently will fall in love with anything pretty.
13th Boy is interesting in that it has all the trappings and setup of a standard love triangle (energetic girl with huge crush on cold, popular boy while his badboy-ish best friend secretly likes her, complete with scenes of Whie-Young being bitter that Hee-Soo doesn’t remrmber his being in love with her when they were kids-Korean media insists to me that you’re supposed to find your true love at age seven. I do not know.-and so forth) but doesn’t seem to actually be headed down the standard route. In fact, we learn that Whie-Young’s powers are killing him, to the point where I wonder if he’ll be dead by the end of the series. Despite her undeniably irritating traits, though Hee-Soo is pretty entertaining, and often appealing, and I’m glad she’s interacting more with the girls in her class. Also, Beatrice the talking cactus (yes, there’s a talking cactus) apparently turns into a naked teenaged boy for 24 hours once a month. My crack!glee has no words.
Sarasah, meanwhile, is much better now that the story is completely set in the past, though I wish we could see a bit of the present, and the repercussions of Syung-Hyu accidentally pushing Ji-Hae down the stairs. It’s possible that Ji-Hae’s actions in the past will completely reset their present, but I’d still rather see some resolution there, even if it may be wiped out in the end. I suspect we’ll learn that Syung-Hyu hates her in the present because of something that happens to his lover because of her in the past, but we’ll see. Regardless, I hope it ends with her moving on from Syung-Hyu. I’d actually rather Ji-Hae be unattached in the end, but the official who’s helping her, Bub-Min, seems to have the initial setup for an eventual love interest. Ji-Hae as a character works much better in the past. Her stalker tendencies are subdued, and the crossdressing and politics bring out more palatable traits. The past parts are also set in the reign of Queen Dukman, and it was a bit funny to understand all the politics and historical figures referenced just from people talking about the Queen Seon Deok drama. The series also continues to have the prettiest clothing pr0n. And to continue the manhwa crack!glee, Thorny, the talking fox in charge of Ji-Hae, is genderless but omnisexual, and apparently will fall in love with anything pretty.