Takaya Natsuki - Hoshi wa Utau, vol. 04-05 (Chi. trans.)
This continues to be an excellent series touching on many of the same themes as Fruits Basket, albeit without making me think that Takaya is simply repeating herself. Some of it is because the metaphor of being an alien to the planet is an actual metaphor, as opposed to the metaphor-turned-fantasy of the curse in Fruits Basket. But much of it is that even while Takaya has similar character types, she's a good enough writer to distinguish them as individual characters.
Spoilers have entirely earned angst
I was not as interested in the storyline with Yuri, although I really liked seeing how he and Sakuya got to know each other. A large part of it is because I am not enthused about having romantic rivalry over Sakuya, even though I am certain Takaya will handle it better than most mangaka and make me enjoy it. I was also glad that the scene in which Yuri accidentally falls on top of Sakuya is not made menacing-I suppose "menacing" is the wrong word, but I can't quite think of a better one. Mostly I am just happy that it was presented as an accidental invasion of Sakuya's personal space, but an invasion nonetheless, and not something that suddenly sent sexy shivers down the hero and heroine's spines.
Also, I am now curious to see how and why Yuto and Kanade know each other and what they think of each other.
I'm glad we are getting to see more of Hijiri as well, who is currently one of my favorite characters. Although I like Sakuya, particularly after the revelations of the previous volumes, I do wish that the story weren't centered on another smiling shoujo girl who tries to make people happy, even if she does have much angst behind the smile. I am very much hoping that Takaya isn't trying to set her up with the teacher, especially given (FB spoilers) Hijiri's similarity to Hanajima and Hanajima's eventual romance with Kazuma.
Plus, I am much more interested with her relationship with Saki! It isn't often that a woman gets a devoted butler and/or valet!
Mostly, though, the main focus of volume five is on Chihiro's Secret Angst, and oh. Oh, Chihiro. I had no idea how Takaya was going to explain Chihiro's hot-and-cold routine toward Sakuya, but that does so perfectly, even down to the similarities in Sakuya and Sakura's names. Takaya really does such a good job of portraying people's fear of intimacy even as they reach out for it, almost unwillingly. I also love the small relationship between Chihiro and Sakura's mom. I normally would have reservations about what happened with Sakura, but right now, I am trusting Takaya to not take the typical route with female jealousy and do something that makes me love all the characters.
I also continue to be pleasantly surprised by how she makes abuse real by never forgetting its effects on her characters, even when she shows why abusers are the way they are. It's not as in depth a portrayal as, say, in Split, but it is a much less fuzzy portrait than you usually get from shoujo.
Part of me is almost afraid to keep reading this because of how emotionally invested I was in Fruits Basket-it broke my heart a little when it ended, but only because it was over, not because of any dissatisfaction with the ending. But most of me just wants more about the characters, because I know Takaya will do good by them.
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Spoilers have entirely earned angst
I was not as interested in the storyline with Yuri, although I really liked seeing how he and Sakuya got to know each other. A large part of it is because I am not enthused about having romantic rivalry over Sakuya, even though I am certain Takaya will handle it better than most mangaka and make me enjoy it. I was also glad that the scene in which Yuri accidentally falls on top of Sakuya is not made menacing-I suppose "menacing" is the wrong word, but I can't quite think of a better one. Mostly I am just happy that it was presented as an accidental invasion of Sakuya's personal space, but an invasion nonetheless, and not something that suddenly sent sexy shivers down the hero and heroine's spines.
Also, I am now curious to see how and why Yuto and Kanade know each other and what they think of each other.
I'm glad we are getting to see more of Hijiri as well, who is currently one of my favorite characters. Although I like Sakuya, particularly after the revelations of the previous volumes, I do wish that the story weren't centered on another smiling shoujo girl who tries to make people happy, even if she does have much angst behind the smile. I am very much hoping that Takaya isn't trying to set her up with the teacher, especially given (FB spoilers) Hijiri's similarity to Hanajima and Hanajima's eventual romance with Kazuma.
Plus, I am much more interested with her relationship with Saki! It isn't often that a woman gets a devoted butler and/or valet!
Mostly, though, the main focus of volume five is on Chihiro's Secret Angst, and oh. Oh, Chihiro. I had no idea how Takaya was going to explain Chihiro's hot-and-cold routine toward Sakuya, but that does so perfectly, even down to the similarities in Sakuya and Sakura's names. Takaya really does such a good job of portraying people's fear of intimacy even as they reach out for it, almost unwillingly. I also love the small relationship between Chihiro and Sakura's mom. I normally would have reservations about what happened with Sakura, but right now, I am trusting Takaya to not take the typical route with female jealousy and do something that makes me love all the characters.
I also continue to be pleasantly surprised by how she makes abuse real by never forgetting its effects on her characters, even when she shows why abusers are the way they are. It's not as in depth a portrayal as, say, in Split, but it is a much less fuzzy portrait than you usually get from shoujo.
Part of me is almost afraid to keep reading this because of how emotionally invested I was in Fruits Basket-it broke my heart a little when it ended, but only because it was over, not because of any dissatisfaction with the ending. But most of me just wants more about the characters, because I know Takaya will do good by them.
Comment | Read Comments (
) | Link