Manga Mondays Meme
It's been far too long since I've done a Manga Mondays. I'm going to try to get back into the habit.
I've been doing Manga Mondays every week since I started my blog 3 years ago. It started out as a personal feature, but I decided to turn it into a meme last year. There are quite a few people who do Manga Mondays. I don't claim by any means that I owned or created the idea of Manga Mondays - it's an obvious choice given the alliteration. I think a meme is a great way for everyone to publicize their own Manga Mondays and get a little more publicity.
The linky will be below my review.
Boys Over Flowers vol. 3 by Hana Yori Dango
Romantic complications occur when Kazuya, furious about the kiss between Domyoji and Tsukushi, challenges Domyoji to a squid fishing competition. Domyoji starts spreading rumors that Tsukushi is in love with him. When he discovers she's in love with Rui, he goes on a rampage - a rampage that turns into an attack on Tsukushi. This volume also reveals the future plans of the beautiful Shizuka. (courtesy of Goodreads)
Review
*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.
Volume 3 of Boys Over Flowers has some questionable issues that makes it a hard volume to like. And yet I still find it an interesting series.
A lot of the volume is your standard melo-drama. All the kids are at a party at a resort. Domyoji and Tsukushi accidentally kiss. Tsukishi is absolutely horrified that she wasted her first kiss on this person she hates, especially since she didn't mean to kiss him (this is a theme I've seen in other manga too). Rui is embarrassed that his beautiful friend/crush realizes that he also has a thing for Tsukushi. He either tries to seduce Shizuka or she tried to seduce him - it was a bit confusing. Then Domyoji makes trouble for Tsukushi, telling everyone that she was all over him and that she's the laughing stock of the party, when in reality he's fascinated by her.
Then school starts and it's back to the old bullying. Only much, much worse. Someone tells Domyoji that Tsukushi secretly likes Rui and she only came onto Domyoji to make Rui jealous. This makes Domyoji completely insane with fury (and jealousy). He beats a guy nearly to death for no reason.
And then he confronts Tsukushi. This is where the volume becomes disturbing. He hits her and then starts groping and kissing her while Tsukushi is shouting at him to stop. Suddenly he does. He's instantly apologetic and basically assures her that he'd never hurt her, that he's not that kind of guy.
I feel like Domyoji is being presented as a type of hero in this manga series. Obviously a complicated and cruel one, but a crush-worthy guy nonetheless. And I find it very troubling that a guy who would try to assault a girl could ever be presented as a hero.
Still, I'll keep going with this series and see how it ends up.
I never really liked this series. I've watched the live action adaptations of the Taiwanese, Korean and Japanese versions, and even the anime version (my sister and mom liked to watch them so I had no choice). I don't hate it either though... I guess I'm just neutral about the series as a whole but I do hate Domyoji's attitude.
ReplyDeleteI've always been a small fan of manga, I run an anime club at my library but the kids know so much more than I do. Doing Manga Monday will help me catch up to them.
ReplyDeleteHave not read the manga but I have watched the dorama which I find really entertaining.
ReplyDeleteYou know, for the longest time, I kept seeing Boys Over Flowers, but couldn't get past the art work since it is a bit more old school. Not as old school as all the afro heads on the guys, but not sleek like the newer books. For some reason, though, I picked it up and it was all over. This was such an addictive series and then I had to get the anime on DVD.
ReplyDeleteLove it!
Yes, I find Tsukasa fascinating and troubling for the same reason. He is cruel and arrogant. Has temper tantrums many times yet he can be incredibly sweet. I don't know if you can ever justify his actions once you get a better sense of his upbringing. I think Tsukushi is smart by being leery of him.
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