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黎明のアルカナ [Reimei no Arcana] #1
Dawn of the Arcana, Vol. 1
Princess Nakaba of Senan is forced to marry Prince Caesar of the enemy country Belquat, tantamount to becoming a hostage. While Caesar is pleasing to the eye, he is also selfish and possessive, telling Nakaba outright: “You are my property.” With only her attendant Loki at her side, Nakaba must find a way to cope with her hostile surroundings, her fake marriage...and a mysterious power!
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2009
108 people are currently reading
6878 people want to read
About the author
Rei Tōma
67 books367 followersRei Tōma (Japanese: 藤間 麗,Tōma Rei) has been drawing since childhood, but she only began drawing manga because of her graduation project in design school. When she drew a short-story manga, "Help me dentist" (ヘルプ me デンティスト), it attracted a publisher's attention and she made her debut right away. Her magnificent art style became popular, and after she debuted as a manga artist, she became known as an illustrator for novels and video game character designs.
Dawn of the Arcana is her first long-running manga series, and it has been a hit in Japan, selling over a million copies.
Dawn of the Arcana is her first long-running manga series, and it has been a hit in Japan, selling over a million copies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 402 reviews
September 2, 2023
This! This was AMAZING! I decided to come back to this one because I started The Kings Beast and realized they took place in the same world. I have access to both on my VIZ media app so I just decided to go back and read this series first. I didn’t read the synopsis so I went in completely unaware of what the story would entail. Full of political intrigue and interesting characters, this is not one that you would want to miss out on reading. I was shocked in every chapter and I’m curious to see how the relationship between our two characters will continue to develop through the rest of the series. I cannot wait to dive into volume 2.
July 15, 2020
oh no, it's a love triangle.
i'm still going to read it, though, because i haven't got anything better to do at the moment.
i'm still going to read it, though, because i haven't got anything better to do at the moment.
April 1, 2016
Let's talk about the art of Reimei no Arcana, shall we? Can we just take a good look at it and be honest? It's beautiful! And trust me, Rei Toma's stories are worth reading as well. I just have a huge urge to own all of the volumes of Reimei no Arcana... I must collect them all!
My budget is kind of tight though, so I only own the two first volumes, I'll collect them whenever I can anyway ;)
Reimei no Arcana is set in a kind of medieval world with fantasy elements, it is set in two different countries; although this first volume is mostly set in Belquat, the Southern kingdom.
Princess Nakaba of Senan (the Northern kingdom) marries Prince Caesar of Belquat in order to somehow appease the war between the two countries, even though political marriages have had place for years, between Senan and Belquat, the two countries always end up fighting each other.
Belquat is richer and more prosperous, while Senan always has bad harvests, due to it's colder weather and harsher climatic conditions. "Belquatians" also consider themselves to be superior intellectually - we'll see if that proves to be right or not.
All the royals have black hair, and anybody else with blond, brown or red hair are from a lower cast, and finally, there's the Ajin. Ajin are demi-humans with animal features and senses that surpass those of humans.
Nakaba has red hair, even though she's a royal, as such, she's been rejected and restrained throughout all her life. I'm not sure about whether this is true or not, because it's not been explained very much -yet- in this first volume, but it would seem she's been locked up in a tower for a long time, much like Rapunzel.
Nakaba and Caesar can't stand each other at first, as a matter in fact, Caesar is kind of violent towards her in the beginning. I'm sure they'll fall in love with each other soon enough.
All in all, I really liked reading this, I'm reading the 2nd volume as soon as I can.
My budget is kind of tight though, so I only own the two first volumes, I'll collect them whenever I can anyway ;)
Reimei no Arcana is set in a kind of medieval world with fantasy elements, it is set in two different countries; although this first volume is mostly set in Belquat, the Southern kingdom.
Princess Nakaba of Senan (the Northern kingdom) marries Prince Caesar of Belquat in order to somehow appease the war between the two countries, even though political marriages have had place for years, between Senan and Belquat, the two countries always end up fighting each other.
Belquat is richer and more prosperous, while Senan always has bad harvests, due to it's colder weather and harsher climatic conditions. "Belquatians" also consider themselves to be superior intellectually - we'll see if that proves to be right or not.
All the royals have black hair, and anybody else with blond, brown or red hair are from a lower cast, and finally, there's the Ajin. Ajin are demi-humans with animal features and senses that surpass those of humans.
Nakaba has red hair, even though she's a royal, as such, she's been rejected and restrained throughout all her life. I'm not sure about whether this is true or not, because it's not been explained very much -yet- in this first volume, but it would seem she's been locked up in a tower for a long time, much like Rapunzel.
Nakaba and Caesar can't stand each other at first, as a matter in fact, Caesar is kind of violent towards her in the beginning. I'm sure they'll fall in love with each other soon enough.
All in all, I really liked reading this, I'm reading the 2nd volume as soon as I can.
May 31, 2021
This is me stepping out of my norm and going into the teenage girl area of manga but honestly this was pretty enjoyable.
Basically a newlywed husband and wife are not on the best terms. The Husband is kind of a piece of shit assaulter. He takes what he wants as he says. Forcing her to kiss him and grabbing her hair plenty. It's kind of gross but they quickly address it by showing Nakaba (The main lead girl) doesn't take that shit easy and with her Ajin (Loki) they work together to try to get through this hellish place.
But it soon turns more into a love story. Multiple possible love interest on top of that as well. The art is gorgeous and showcases both men and women in a lot of "Whoa beautiful" look to it all. The ending also got me interested to see who gets with who. While weird, and some assault portions didn't sit too well with me, the fast paced, well done dialogue, and great art help a lot.
A 3.5 out of 5.
Basically a newlywed husband and wife are not on the best terms. The Husband is kind of a piece of shit assaulter. He takes what he wants as he says. Forcing her to kiss him and grabbing her hair plenty. It's kind of gross but they quickly address it by showing Nakaba (The main lead girl) doesn't take that shit easy and with her Ajin (Loki) they work together to try to get through this hellish place.
But it soon turns more into a love story. Multiple possible love interest on top of that as well. The art is gorgeous and showcases both men and women in a lot of "Whoa beautiful" look to it all. The ending also got me interested to see who gets with who. While weird, and some assault portions didn't sit too well with me, the fast paced, well done dialogue, and great art help a lot.
A 3.5 out of 5.
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March 2, 2023This is my second read from the mangaka, Rei Tōma.
*The following statements contain spoilers.*
The story follows the red-haired Princess Nakaba in the neighboring country wherein she married the second prince, Prince Caesar. But it is not a happy wedding. 🥲
An arranged marriage wherein the husband isharsh and forceful and the bride is kind and willing to fight for her right.
And there is Loki too, the ajin who attends the princess and acts like an older brother.
The art style is okay. There are also really shocking moments. Then, it has this dark atmosphere.
By the way, I kind of sense a love triangle?
*The following statements contain spoilers.*
The story follows the red-haired Princess Nakaba in the neighboring country wherein she married the second prince, Prince Caesar. But it is not a happy wedding. 🥲
An arranged marriage wherein the husband is
And there is Loki too, the ajin who attends the princess and acts like an older brother.
The art style is okay. There are also really shocking moments. Then, it has this dark atmosphere.
By the way, I kind of sense a love triangle?
March 1, 2020
General Rating: 7/10
Personal Rating: 7/10
It was a nice introduction, very light but intriguing
Personal Rating: 7/10
It was a nice introduction, very light but intriguing
May 1, 2020
I'm a drowning in love right now , and I don't want to be rescued ..
April 16, 2022
i think i like love triangles but only if the endgame ship is the one i want💀
January 3, 2019
A lot of bibliophiles think that manga doesn’t count as reading. I disagree. They’re not the same as novels — they’re a different art form — but regarding the arguments that a story told with just words is better, because it makes you have to think more/imagine more? In a way, perhaps. But for myself, at least, I find that for manga, my brain works differently — not less.
Dawn of the Arcana is a good example of that. Instead of spending so much brain energy on imagining the characters, I’m more able to look at the overall plot arc, the potential ways it could go, and what it may mean for the protagonists. I’m also more able to sense themes and meta themes, and honestly the stories stay with me longer too.
This was a fun volume — though I don’t feel like I got a very good feel for what Nakaba’s “mysterious power” is. It was hinted at a few times but it didn’t figure largely into the story — mostly, I think, because this volume was setting us up for the remainder of the series. The tension between Caesar and Loki was interesting — but Caesar’s actions were unpredictable, which was fantastic. This felt like it could be a stereotypical kind of love triangle but it wasn’t. Or at least, not yet... we’ll see what volume 2 holds!
Dawn of the Arcana is a good example of that. Instead of spending so much brain energy on imagining the characters, I’m more able to look at the overall plot arc, the potential ways it could go, and what it may mean for the protagonists. I’m also more able to sense themes and meta themes, and honestly the stories stay with me longer too.
This was a fun volume — though I don’t feel like I got a very good feel for what Nakaba’s “mysterious power” is. It was hinted at a few times but it didn’t figure largely into the story — mostly, I think, because this volume was setting us up for the remainder of the series. The tension between Caesar and Loki was interesting — but Caesar’s actions were unpredictable, which was fantastic. This felt like it could be a stereotypical kind of love triangle but it wasn’t. Or at least, not yet... we’ll see what volume 2 holds!
April 28, 2020
4.5 stars
LOVED this opening volume. The artwork is stunning and the story intriguing.
RTC
LOVED this opening volume. The artwork is stunning and the story intriguing.
RTC
September 17, 2016
Princess Nakaba of Senan and Prince Caesar of Belquat marry to seal a peace treaty between the 2 nations sharing the same island. Caesar is ready to hate Nakaba before he even really meets her simply because this is a political marriage and she has red hair instead of the royal black. Then he starts to get to know Nakaba and she totally changes his point of view. And he realizes maybe red hair is something special after all...
I actually really bought into Caesar's change of heart. They didn't really get to know one another before the marriage so when they have their first real interaction it is quite surprising that the first trait Nakaba illustrates is loyalty. Then later he learns they really aren't that different in how they were each treated by their parents and that really turns Caesar's heart. I also bought into Nakaba's position as well. She's intrigued by Caesar and already feels that bond that marriage is, but she already has someone she relies on and trusts. That would definitely pull you in two different directions.
Frankly the art of this manga though is what won me over right away. It's so effortless and polished. There is a perfect balance between details and simplicity. Some of the more comedic manga get bogged down in tiny little frames and this one doesn't do that. It's quite simply stunning art. The characters are really embodied well in their little artistic details as well, like the long braids and the ajin ears/horns/etc.
I was really intrigued by the world as well. The Japanese is a small island nation as well so they don't mind reading about small kingdoms so this was refreshingly simple and we are able to focus on the principles involved. I adore the ajin and the way they are all defined by what ears they have. That they are suppressed because they have superior reflects and senses to the humans.
We get a glimpse into Nakaba's ability and see a sad story of oppression. The setup for this manga is quite superb. While this could definitely be drawn out and given some more depth (i.e. more scenes and interactions) it also makes a nice mid-length story with enough tropes for us to know what is going on with the simplest details but enough uniqueness to keep us reading to the end.
BOTTOM LINE: Intriguing fantasy world and characters.
I actually really bought into Caesar's change of heart. They didn't really get to know one another before the marriage so when they have their first real interaction it is quite surprising that the first trait Nakaba illustrates is loyalty. Then later he learns they really aren't that different in how they were each treated by their parents and that really turns Caesar's heart. I also bought into Nakaba's position as well. She's intrigued by Caesar and already feels that bond that marriage is, but she already has someone she relies on and trusts. That would definitely pull you in two different directions.
Frankly the art of this manga though is what won me over right away. It's so effortless and polished. There is a perfect balance between details and simplicity. Some of the more comedic manga get bogged down in tiny little frames and this one doesn't do that. It's quite simply stunning art. The characters are really embodied well in their little artistic details as well, like the long braids and the ajin ears/horns/etc.
I was really intrigued by the world as well. The Japanese is a small island nation as well so they don't mind reading about small kingdoms so this was refreshingly simple and we are able to focus on the principles involved. I adore the ajin and the way they are all defined by what ears they have. That they are suppressed because they have superior reflects and senses to the humans.
We get a glimpse into Nakaba's ability and see a sad story of oppression. The setup for this manga is quite superb. While this could definitely be drawn out and given some more depth (i.e. more scenes and interactions) it also makes a nice mid-length story with enough tropes for us to know what is going on with the simplest details but enough uniqueness to keep us reading to the end.
BOTTOM LINE: Intriguing fantasy world and characters.
May 11, 2015
AH! I loved this so so much!! I gotta get the next volumes! <3
Amazing fantasy manga! I feel like I'm going to be obsessed with this series! Haha
Amazing fantasy manga! I feel like I'm going to be obsessed with this series! Haha
July 9, 2017
This art style alone is absolutely beautiful.
The story is also insanely interesting and held my attention. I'm definitely looking forward to more of it.
The story is also insanely interesting and held my attention. I'm definitely looking forward to more of it.
August 16, 2019
Sigh. Here comes the love triangle. I kinda want her with Loki though o.O
January 18, 2025
Not very special plot, only okay art; I *do* want to find out more about the characters & what’s going on before passing judgement. The physical abuse from (tsundere?) boyfriend is a 👎🏻 and I need this element redeemed/addressed/fixed asap in order to keep going.
June 7, 2012
Review for volumes 1 - 3
It is a complete coincidence that I read this one just after Red haired Snow white. They both start out extremely similar, have the same standard art style, yet end up being very different representatives of the "girl manga" genre.
Both have the red-haired main character, in a world where red hair is very rare and said character is chosen to become the concubine of a prince. Dawn of the Arcana is kind of a more mature and darker version, because in this one, the girl, Nakaba, actually ends up in a political marriage with the prince of the enemy country. Nakaba has also suffered a lot more throughout her life because of her hair color.
Arcana has a continuing story that involves political intrigue and warfare. Likewise, it has a much more direct focus on the love story, which is a lot less innocent than Shirayuki and Zen's relationship.
The art in Arcana is so-so. The faces are pretty (which for many readers is all that matters), the clothes are nice and I really like the colored illustrations. But for everything else the artist still has a long way to go. The backgrounds are plain, panels that show larger scenes, like a fighting competition, are very lacking, and any pose that is not just the character standing somewhere has problems of anatomy and perspective. Consequently, the majority of panels are made up by people’s faces.
For now, the main focus of the series is on the romance. There is a big love triangle and the main girl is not only torn between the two guys, but also troubled by the idea of falling for the enemy. The rest of the story, involving the war and the actual fantasy part, takes some time to get going. The lack of much that goes beyond the love drama keeps Arcana at an “ok” rating for now. There is potential, but it hasn’t been used yet.
Oh right, one last thing. I also find the love triangle very weird, because one of the guys is 27 years old (even though he doesn't look like it), while Nakaba is 16 and he practically raised her. I know, the setting is somehow middle age-like, but ... I just can't relate to that :/
Dawn of the Arcana, with its many pretty boys and cool heroine, will certainly appeal to a lot of young female readers. Recommended if you're interested in a fantasy romance with a love triangle, but if you're looking first and foremost for a great fantasy story I'd rather recommend something like Shin Angyo Onshi.
It is a complete coincidence that I read this one just after Red haired Snow white. They both start out extremely similar, have the same standard art style, yet end up being very different representatives of the "girl manga" genre.
Both have the red-haired main character, in a world where red hair is very rare and said character is chosen to become the concubine of a prince. Dawn of the Arcana is kind of a more mature and darker version, because in this one, the girl, Nakaba, actually ends up in a political marriage with the prince of the enemy country. Nakaba has also suffered a lot more throughout her life because of her hair color.
Arcana has a continuing story that involves political intrigue and warfare. Likewise, it has a much more direct focus on the love story, which is a lot less innocent than Shirayuki and Zen's relationship.
The art in Arcana is so-so. The faces are pretty (which for many readers is all that matters), the clothes are nice and I really like the colored illustrations. But for everything else the artist still has a long way to go. The backgrounds are plain, panels that show larger scenes, like a fighting competition, are very lacking, and any pose that is not just the character standing somewhere has problems of anatomy and perspective. Consequently, the majority of panels are made up by people’s faces.
For now, the main focus of the series is on the romance. There is a big love triangle and the main girl is not only torn between the two guys, but also troubled by the idea of falling for the enemy. The rest of the story, involving the war and the actual fantasy part, takes some time to get going. The lack of much that goes beyond the love drama keeps Arcana at an “ok” rating for now. There is potential, but it hasn’t been used yet.
Oh right, one last thing. I also find the love triangle very weird, because one of the guys is 27 years old (even though he doesn't look like it), while Nakaba is 16 and he practically raised her. I know, the setting is somehow middle age-like, but ... I just can't relate to that :/
Dawn of the Arcana, with its many pretty boys and cool heroine, will certainly appeal to a lot of young female readers. Recommended if you're interested in a fantasy romance with a love triangle, but if you're looking first and foremost for a great fantasy story I'd rather recommend something like Shin Angyo Onshi.
April 19, 2020
I don't read a lot of manga or anything to do with anime but I remember this being one of the series that I loved. I binge read 10 of the books and that's coming from someone who doesn't read these type of books a lot but it was so good. That was many many years ago but I am considering maybe reading it again sometime. It was actually quite interesting.
February 8, 2021
Wow... just wow!!!!
This is the first manga that I’ve ever read (that wasn’t an adaptation of a book I’ve already read) and it did not disappoint!!! The characters are great, the art is stunning, and I can already tell this story is going to be a wild ride!!
If anyone needs me I will be downloading the rest of this series on my kindle and will be reading them for the next few hours!!! 💜💜💜
This is the first manga that I’ve ever read (that wasn’t an adaptation of a book I’ve already read) and it did not disappoint!!! The characters are great, the art is stunning, and I can already tell this story is going to be a wild ride!!
If anyone needs me I will be downloading the rest of this series on my kindle and will be reading them for the next few hours!!! 💜💜💜
October 30, 2011
The art is lovely. The characters interesting, the worldbuilding is good too. But I'm clearly rooting for the wrong guy here and it makes me like it less and less, so I'm giving up on this series.
August 14, 2016
Mein bisher liebster Manga *-* (nicht, dass ich besonders viele vorzuweisen hätte)
January 13, 2019
I only liked the art style so far...
October 31, 2020
THAT’S MY TYPEEEE! I love these fantasy romance umphhh Rei Toma is a treasure!
June 19, 2020
2.5/5 stars
Dawn of the Arcana follows a princess named Nakaba who is married off to a neighbouring kingdom in order to keep the peace between the two. During her time at the palace she starts to develop a mysterious power.
Dawn of the Arcana is often compared to Yona of the Dawn, and I’m not going to lie, for the longest time I for some reason thought this manga and Snow White with the White Hair were the same thing, just under different titles. When I realized my mistake I immediately picked this up hoping it would keep me busy while I wait for the next volume release of Yona of the Dawn. Unforunately that is not going to be the case as I don’t see myself continuing on with this series. A large part of why I read manga is definitely for the art, and unfortunately Rei Toma’s art doesn’t really work for me. I also didn’t know going into this that there would be people with animalistic features (in this instance there are people with animal ears), that’s something that doesn’t really appeal to me, ever. While I do think the premise of this story is interesting, what really puts me off is the characters. I don’t find any of them particularly interesting or compelling and I was extremely turned off by their interactions. I think I’m the unpopular opinion here, so if this sounds interesting to you then I recommend you give it a try.
Blog | Instagram (main account) | Instagram (manga account) | Twitter
Dawn of the Arcana follows a princess named Nakaba who is married off to a neighbouring kingdom in order to keep the peace between the two. During her time at the palace she starts to develop a mysterious power.
Dawn of the Arcana is often compared to Yona of the Dawn, and I’m not going to lie, for the longest time I for some reason thought this manga and Snow White with the White Hair were the same thing, just under different titles. When I realized my mistake I immediately picked this up hoping it would keep me busy while I wait for the next volume release of Yona of the Dawn. Unforunately that is not going to be the case as I don’t see myself continuing on with this series. A large part of why I read manga is definitely for the art, and unfortunately Rei Toma’s art doesn’t really work for me. I also didn’t know going into this that there would be people with animalistic features (in this instance there are people with animal ears), that’s something that doesn’t really appeal to me, ever. While I do think the premise of this story is interesting, what really puts me off is the characters. I don’t find any of them particularly interesting or compelling and I was extremely turned off by their interactions. I think I’m the unpopular opinion here, so if this sounds interesting to you then I recommend you give it a try.
Blog | Instagram (main account) | Instagram (manga account) | Twitter
May 22, 2020
This is dark but interesting.
The story is familiar and holds some cliches. Otherwise, it is pretty original.
There are a few assault scenes (forcing someone to kiss them) part the way through it. I’m not really approving of that relationship. The other love interest seems to have a age gap with the MC but I don’t know how big it is.
The ears on some people are so cute!
Lemme just say the art style is so on point. It’s gorgeous!
Quite compelling.
The story is familiar and holds some cliches. Otherwise, it is pretty original.
There are a few assault scenes (forcing someone to kiss them) part the way through it. I’m not really approving of that relationship. The other love interest seems to have a age gap with the MC but I don’t know how big it is.
The ears on some people are so cute!
Lemme just say the art style is so on point. It’s gorgeous!
Quite compelling.
August 16, 2022
I hadn't read this in a long long time and it definitely has left a better impression on me now than it did back then. I bought all of the volumes recently because I am enjoying The King's Beast so much and wanted to revisit and complete this first series in that world while waiting for the next volume. Here's to the beginning of a binge.
June 29, 2019
ترجمه اش افتضاحه، ولی داستان جوری نشده که نفهمم و بخوام زحمت زبان انگلیسی خوندنش رو به خودم بدم.
در مجموع ملو و سبک وخوبه. نقاشی هاش همخوبه.
به عنوان تفریح جنبی کنار مطالعه های برنامه ریزی شده به نظرم گزینه خوبیه !
در مجموع ملو و سبک وخوبه. نقاشی هاش همخوبه.
به عنوان تفریح جنبی کنار مطالعه های برنامه ریزی شده به نظرم گزینه خوبیه !
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August 28, 2024obsessed. sped through volumes 1 and 2 online at 12am
May 10, 2023
I read "The kings beast" by the same mangaka first and was interested in this series as well because it takes place in the same universe. i have to admit I liked the other series a bit more, but this was really nice as well. It is also dark and i sense there is a love triangle? i am intrigued
Displaying 1 - 30 of 402 reviews