Mini Manga review : Dragon Girl
Title : Dragon Girl
Author: FUJIEDA Toru
I'll start off with what the description
From Entropy:
Traditionally a boy’s school, Shouryuu High School has recently become co-ed. The first year they’re taking on female students, an unusual girl enters the school. Her name is Aizen Rinna. She sets her eyes on an ouendan (male “cheerleader”) who has an important parent, but-?! In the volatile environment of a male-filled high school, this girl with backbone is burning up!
I have to say that this description is misleading, because it suggests that the main girl joins the school and falls in love whit the ouendan who has an important parent.
ACTUALLY
Rinna herself actually wanted the role of the Captaincy of the male cheerleading squad. Why? Because it is SHE who had an important father -Sakuya, who was the lead 17 years ago.
She doesn't get the captaincy, however, through a stroke of luck, so the captain is Haskekura Koutaro
Well, First off, I like the art. There are many shoujo manga out there where the eyes of the lead female is very disproportionately large, whilst the male's aren't. I don't see that being the case here.
It's also one of the few shoujo manga I've seen where the first volume only has the lead heroine on the cover
The focus on the cheerleading is interesting, since I don't know much about it (my school never had cheerleading, I don't think many Australian schools do).
I liked the confrontation between the traditional cheerleading and the more stereotypical US style cheerleading squad was hilarious too (gotta say I was surprised)
Is the premise original? No. I've seen quite a few manga about a same sex school which turns co-ed, but it looks as though that isn't going to be the focus of the plot since it apperas that they've adjusted quite quickly
and unlike many other manga, she isn't the only female there
Rinna
The lead's personality is outgoing and optimistic, but at the moment (only read 6 chapters) not the annoying outgoing type. Is she boy crazy? Not really (focus is on cheerleading, maybe?) but moreso the fact that she kinda has a Father complex. I just try to take it as a very strong admiration for him ^^'
At the very least, she isn't TSTL
He's not in the story at the moment cause he's a traveler
Koutaro
If I were to put money on who the male lead was (if that was the author's intention, maybe she wants to give all the cast equal importance, that would be great)
From image alone, you might the impression that he has a deliquent streak. Not really. For some reason he reminds me of Jack Sparrow (maybe cause of the mustache). Maybe the author had the same thoughts?
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/stj0809/Dragon_Girl_v01_155.png
(LOL, probably not, but I still think there's a resemblance XD)
I don't think he's the typical bishounen lead (not many are have facial hair, do they? *shrugs*. Not quite the aloof cool jerk, not the object of fangirl's affection (that honour would go to the president of the school council and the rest of teh platinum group, I think).
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/stj0809/Dragon_Girl_v01c02_055.png
He's very passionate about cheerleading. He was hesitant to let in Rinna, but now they've become good friends. Like I said before it's up in the air whether or not they get together. I can't say I'm wholly against that idea, just as long as it doesn't get to sappy with it.
Is there romance? Sorta, at the moment it's only comedic blushing (from male captain)really ( Not that female lead is oblivious to his feelings, cause I can't say that he has romantic feelings at this stage, but, well, she keeps complimenting him at times and doesn't quite notice. Like I said if there is going to be romance, it's not the main factor in the story (at least not now)
The covers of the books don't give an indication cause 1. Either the artists keeps switching her with the guys (I'm not even sure who the guy is on Volume 4, to be honest) 2. everyone is on the cover , so.. *shrugs*
Quick rest of the cast/club members intro since they're all there in the image
Long girl with black hair - Chizuru Naotori
If anyone was the cool aloof archetype, it would be her. Cool and composed, basically Temari's bodyguard/protector. She joined the 'club' cause Temari did
Temari - Girl with light hair
She joined the group to rid her fear of men. I guess she would be considered cute and probably a meek/timid personality.
Jyunpei - Guy with light hair
Not against the idea of having girls around
Hibiki - Guy with short black hair going LOLwut? (yep, that's a guy, mistranslation I say XD)
Very traditional (his family has been going to the school for a few generations) and wasn't too keen on the idea of having the girls around in the school. Joined cause Hibiki sighed him up for it (he wasn't too happy about that cause he wanted to join the Japanese chess club instead, lol)
Like I said, romance isn't her first priority. It's interesting though, cause at the beginning, there's also the trope of the childhood friends thing
I kinda hope she doesn't end up with him, though, cause she meets up with him again, and he's a jerk. I'm also kinda hoping that it doesn't turn into the typical 'he's a jerk but deep down inside yadda yadda yadda and that's why he's a jerk'. But we'll see
So far, it's interesting, But the manga is quite recent (only started 2007, from what I can tell) and because of that, it's not mainstream manga and so not going to be scanned as fast. I will keep tabs on it though
Author: FUJIEDA Toru
I'll start off with what the description
From Entropy:
Traditionally a boy’s school, Shouryuu High School has recently become co-ed. The first year they’re taking on female students, an unusual girl enters the school. Her name is Aizen Rinna. She sets her eyes on an ouendan (male “cheerleader”) who has an important parent, but-?! In the volatile environment of a male-filled high school, this girl with backbone is burning up!
I have to say that this description is misleading, because it suggests that the main girl joins the school and falls in love whit the ouendan who has an important parent.
ACTUALLY
Rinna herself actually wanted the role of the Captaincy of the male cheerleading squad. Why? Because it is SHE who had an important father -Sakuya, who was the lead 17 years ago.
She doesn't get the captaincy, however, through a stroke of luck, so the captain is Haskekura Koutaro
Well, First off, I like the art. There are many shoujo manga out there where the eyes of the lead female is very disproportionately large, whilst the male's aren't. I don't see that being the case here.
It's also one of the few shoujo manga I've seen where the first volume only has the lead heroine on the cover
The focus on the cheerleading is interesting, since I don't know much about it (my school never had cheerleading, I don't think many Australian schools do).
I liked the confrontation between the traditional cheerleading and the more stereotypical US style cheerleading squad was hilarious too (gotta say I was surprised)
Is the premise original? No. I've seen quite a few manga about a same sex school which turns co-ed, but it looks as though that isn't going to be the focus of the plot since it apperas that they've adjusted quite quickly
and unlike many other manga, she isn't the only female there
Rinna
The lead's personality is outgoing and optimistic, but at the moment (only read 6 chapters) not the annoying outgoing type. Is she boy crazy? Not really (focus is on cheerleading, maybe?) but moreso the fact that she kinda has a Father complex. I just try to take it as a very strong admiration for him ^^'
At the very least, she isn't TSTL
He's not in the story at the moment cause he's a traveler
Koutaro
If I were to put money on who the male lead was (if that was the author's intention, maybe she wants to give all the cast equal importance, that would be great)
From image alone, you might the impression that he has a deliquent streak. Not really. For some reason he reminds me of Jack Sparrow (maybe cause of the mustache). Maybe the author had the same thoughts?
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/stj0809/Dragon_Girl_v01_155.png
(LOL, probably not, but I still think there's a resemblance XD)
I don't think he's the typical bishounen lead (not many are have facial hair, do they? *shrugs*. Not quite the aloof cool jerk, not the object of fangirl's affection (that honour would go to the president of the school council and the rest of teh platinum group, I think).
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/stj0809/Dragon_Girl_v01c02_055.png
He's very passionate about cheerleading. He was hesitant to let in Rinna, but now they've become good friends. Like I said before it's up in the air whether or not they get together. I can't say I'm wholly against that idea, just as long as it doesn't get to sappy with it.
Is there romance? Sorta, at the moment it's only comedic blushing (from male captain)really ( Not that female lead is oblivious to his feelings, cause I can't say that he has romantic feelings at this stage, but, well, she keeps complimenting him at times and doesn't quite notice. Like I said if there is going to be romance, it's not the main factor in the story (at least not now)
The covers of the books don't give an indication cause 1. Either the artists keeps switching her with the guys (I'm not even sure who the guy is on Volume 4, to be honest) 2. everyone is on the cover , so.. *shrugs*
Quick rest of the cast/club members intro since they're all there in the image
Long girl with black hair - Chizuru Naotori
If anyone was the cool aloof archetype, it would be her. Cool and composed, basically Temari's bodyguard/protector. She joined the 'club' cause Temari did
Temari - Girl with light hair
She joined the group to rid her fear of men. I guess she would be considered cute and probably a meek/timid personality.
Jyunpei - Guy with light hair
Not against the idea of having girls around
Hibiki - Guy with short black hair going LOLwut? (yep, that's a guy, mistranslation I say XD)
Very traditional (his family has been going to the school for a few generations) and wasn't too keen on the idea of having the girls around in the school. Joined cause Hibiki sighed him up for it (he wasn't too happy about that cause he wanted to join the Japanese chess club instead, lol)
Like I said, romance isn't her first priority. It's interesting though, cause at the beginning, there's also the trope of the childhood friends thing
I kinda hope she doesn't end up with him, though, cause she meets up with him again, and he's a jerk. I'm also kinda hoping that it doesn't turn into the typical 'he's a jerk but deep down inside yadda yadda yadda and that's why he's a jerk'. But we'll see
So far, it's interesting, But the manga is quite recent (only started 2007, from what I can tell) and because of that, it's not mainstream manga and so not going to be scanned as fast. I will keep tabs on it though