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Basara [バサラ] #1
Basara, Vol. 1
Basara is a post-apocalyptic fantasy adventure series and one of the most popular shôjo manga of the 90s in Japan. It is the story of how a young girl becomes "the child of destiny" and finds the strength to free her people and seek revenge for the death of her brother.
200 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 1991
46 people are currently reading
1994 people want to read
About the author
Yumi Tamura
236 books194 followersName (in native language): 田村由美
Birth Date: September 5
Zodiac: Virgo
Tamura is an avid RPG videogamer - Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, etc. She also loves to read mystery books, and going on the computer to chat with her fans.
Birth Date: September 5
Zodiac: Virgo
Tamura is an avid RPG videogamer - Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, etc. She also loves to read mystery books, and going on the computer to chat with her fans.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
September 24, 2008
Irony-chan, the writer of the webcomic Get Medieval, once ran a side comic in which she commented that nothing happened in shoujo anime/manga besides relationship drama. I love Irony's comics, but she is wrong about that. Basara is a shoujo comic (and apparently crazy-popular in Japan in the 1990s) that still has a good dose of action. Plus, it has a strong female character as a lead.
So, the comic takes place in a future post-apocalyptic Japan that has pretty much been returned to the feudal era by massive climactic changes -- I'd say the fantasy level in Basara so far is 'magical realism'. There are some things that are unusual and some that are outright fantastic, but it feels realistic.
Anyway, Sarasa and her twin brother Tatara were born at an auspicious time, causing the local village wise man to declare that the Child of Destiny was born. Things being what they are, everyone assumes he means Tatara, who is raised to be the savior of the nation and leader of a revolution to kick out the corrupt monarchy, while Sarasa is shuffled off to the side. On the twins' fifteenth birthday, the leader of the country, the Red King, kills Tatara and orders the rest of the village to be destroyed and everyone else killed as well. Sarasa, realizing that the loss of their icon was sending the village into panic, quickly chops off her hair and convinces the villagers and the Red King that he got the wrong twin.
Of course, it being shoujo and all, there's also a romance. Sarasa runs into a guy her age named Shuri that is attractive, but kind of a jerk. Want to guess who he really is? (I give the author credit in the second volume she makes it clear that Shuri/the Red King is not secretly a nice guy deep inside. Makes a potential relationship a lot more interesting when it's more than 'opposite sides of a conflict' but also 'one party is very much a jerk and the other party will be pissed when she finds out'. Here's hoping that this is kept up.)
Another thing that I liked was that Sarasa's first win -- reclaiming the village's legendary sword from the Red King's trap -- was shown as taking brains, and it doesn't go perfectly. The series also deals with the fact that even two twins won't look alike if one is a boy and the other is a girl -- Sarasa notes that the rest of the village is so caught up in the idea of the Boy of Destiny that they don't notice that a switch was made. (Which doesn't do much for her self-esteem, since she always felt like she was the leftover, and now that she's supposed to be dead, no one much is mourning her, besides her dead childhood friend's mother.)
Anyway, I recommend Basara, and am looking forward to reading the rest.
So, the comic takes place in a future post-apocalyptic Japan that has pretty much been returned to the feudal era by massive climactic changes -- I'd say the fantasy level in Basara so far is 'magical realism'. There are some things that are unusual and some that are outright fantastic, but it feels realistic.
Anyway, Sarasa and her twin brother Tatara were born at an auspicious time, causing the local village wise man to declare that the Child of Destiny was born. Things being what they are, everyone assumes he means Tatara, who is raised to be the savior of the nation and leader of a revolution to kick out the corrupt monarchy, while Sarasa is shuffled off to the side. On the twins' fifteenth birthday, the leader of the country, the Red King, kills Tatara and orders the rest of the village to be destroyed and everyone else killed as well. Sarasa, realizing that the loss of their icon was sending the village into panic, quickly chops off her hair and convinces the villagers and the Red King that he got the wrong twin.
Of course, it being shoujo and all, there's also a romance. Sarasa runs into a guy her age named Shuri that is attractive, but kind of a jerk. Want to guess who he really is? (I give the author credit in the second volume she makes it clear that Shuri/the Red King is not secretly a nice guy deep inside. Makes a potential relationship a lot more interesting when it's more than 'opposite sides of a conflict' but also 'one party is very much a jerk and the other party will be pissed when she finds out'. Here's hoping that this is kept up.)
Another thing that I liked was that Sarasa's first win -- reclaiming the village's legendary sword from the Red King's trap -- was shown as taking brains, and it doesn't go perfectly. The series also deals with the fact that even two twins won't look alike if one is a boy and the other is a girl -- Sarasa notes that the rest of the village is so caught up in the idea of the Boy of Destiny that they don't notice that a switch was made. (Which doesn't do much for her self-esteem, since she always felt like she was the leftover, and now that she's supposed to be dead, no one much is mourning her, besides her dead childhood friend's mother.)
Anyway, I recommend Basara, and am looking forward to reading the rest.
December 7, 2018
Horrible drawing, superb story. All time favorite manga.
One of the best enemies to lovers MF stories.
One of the best enemies to lovers MF stories.
July 20, 2016
I'm rereading this series, but no way am I adding all 20+ volumes on my Goodreads. The first will have to suffice.
What can I say about Basara? The art takes some time to get used to (very old-fashioned, as it was written/drawn in the 90's) but the story is absolutely breathtaking. This kind of adventure is one that no matter how old the reader is, or what kind of genre they like, will enjoy. Absolutely one of my top favorite mangas out there, even with all the silly Shounen Jump ones that I so adore.
I loved it from beginning to end. In fact, sometimes I search for fantasy books that will give me the same kind of satisfaction and adventure that this book provides. I mean, there are definitely cliches. But there are also rather innovative plot twists and such amazing character depth that you really fall in love with each and every one of them.
*goes back to rereading it*
What can I say about Basara? The art takes some time to get used to (very old-fashioned, as it was written/drawn in the 90's) but the story is absolutely breathtaking. This kind of adventure is one that no matter how old the reader is, or what kind of genre they like, will enjoy. Absolutely one of my top favorite mangas out there, even with all the silly Shounen Jump ones that I so adore.
I loved it from beginning to end. In fact, sometimes I search for fantasy books that will give me the same kind of satisfaction and adventure that this book provides. I mean, there are definitely cliches. But there are also rather innovative plot twists and such amazing character depth that you really fall in love with each and every one of them.
*goes back to rereading it*
September 4, 2007
(This is a short non-spoilery note from the vantage point of having almost finished the series. As I write, there are 24 volumes out in English.)
Basara is probably the most underappreciated series I collect--to the best of my knowledge I have approximately one [1] friend who also likes it. Thankfully, it's an easy story to drop back into, because I love it to pieces when I'm actually reading each new volume, but don't think about it much between books, which could be dangerous in a series I've been collecting for about three years.
The story is about a revolution, led by a girl masquerading as her dead twin brother, who was believed to be the person who would lead their people out of oppression. It's got a lot of conflict on all levels--the actual battles, the plotting and counterplotting, and the discoveries of how complicated things become when emotions get involved. There's a lot of loyalty and betrayal (more betrayal of self than of others), and some angst, and determination to tell the angst to bugger off because things need doing. It's a great series. Go forth and read.
Basara is probably the most underappreciated series I collect--to the best of my knowledge I have approximately one [1] friend who also likes it. Thankfully, it's an easy story to drop back into, because I love it to pieces when I'm actually reading each new volume, but don't think about it much between books, which could be dangerous in a series I've been collecting for about three years.
The story is about a revolution, led by a girl masquerading as her dead twin brother, who was believed to be the person who would lead their people out of oppression. It's got a lot of conflict on all levels--the actual battles, the plotting and counterplotting, and the discoveries of how complicated things become when emotions get involved. There's a lot of loyalty and betrayal (more betrayal of self than of others), and some angst, and determination to tell the angst to bugger off because things need doing. It's a great series. Go forth and read.
May 7, 2018
Ok Lexie be strong. Be strong Lexie. BE STRONG DON'T CRY.
And for gods' sakes don't write about how you're sobbing.
Hello readers! Welcome to the Basara Re-read! Much like my Red River or From Far Away reviews I'm going to try and do an actual review for each of these volumes! Let's see if I succeed this series is 27 books long! ahahahaha
kill me now.
So a lot happens in this book because a lot needs to be set up. There's only 188 pages to this volume and in it we have multiple deaths, upheavel in the main character's life THREE times, introduction of a prophecy, end of a prophecy, the actual prophecy, Big Bad 1, Big Bad 2, nebulous other Big Bads mentioned, dystopia Japan, Death of Innocence, death of Ideals, and...romance! Plus a sassy horse.
Principally this is our cast:
- Tatara/Sarasa who takes up the mantle of Tatara at the beheading of her twin brother, who was known as the Boy of Destiny. Previously her best friend Makoto died to save Tatara and Sarasa has some bitterness over the fact everyone forgot she existed. She is optimistic to a fault, rather naive about how the world works and didn't want to become a revolutionary--just wanted revenge. As Sarasa she meets a traveling Shuri who flirts with her and gives her some ironic, but well needed advice about how the righteous are not wrong.
- The Red King/Shuri who is the youngest child of the current Ruling Dictator of Japan (King Ukon XV), he's an ends justify the means. He has a vision, that vision is paramount and he doesn't care who tries to get in his way. He cares for very few people on a personal level, is a bit of a lady's man, loves his horse A LOT and while he'll enforce his father's edicts about putting down rebels that really only is tangential to his real agenda. As Shuri he meets a wounded, recuperating Sarasa at the hot springs and starts up a flirtation with her.
-Nagi, a "prophet" who foresaw the day that the "child of destiny" would bring life back to the land and overthrow the ruling monarchy. He conveniently never thinks to question why everyone assumes its Tatara who is the "Child of Destiny" while teaching Sarasa all about things most women didn't need to know. He's super old, with super nice hair and is super zen.
- Ageha, known as the "Blue noble of the desert" he let the Red King take his eye in exchange for letting Sarasa and Kaku live 3 years prior. He is easily amused by Sarasa/Tatara's optimism, was given his own prophecy that he'd "meet a woman worth dying for" and is in general super helpful with his own highly secretive agenda.
- General Kazan, the Red King's military might and absurdly loyal to the Red King. Known Shuri since he was a young boy and believes in his vision
- Asho, a politician and loyal to nothing so much as his ambitions and greed. Him and Kazan often find themselves dueling to see who can influence Shuri more
- Kaku, a family friend of Sarasa's who has watched out for her and tried to corral her all her life.
Tamura is, to my opinion, a master at foreshadowing and setting things up. Sarasa and Shuri don't have a reckoning about their alter egos for four or five more volumes, but when they meet up its always amusing to see them being each other's personal cheerleader for vengeance and revenge...without realizing how badly that would go for them. They are the classic "same ends, different means" sort of enemies. They both want a world that is united, peaceful and ALIVE. They both want the end of King Ukon's tyranny. Unfortunately they can't achieve their goals independent of each other and they have to get through a lot before they realize their personal histories have to come second to the greater good.
The fact is neither is really a hero. Shuri is violent, ill-tempered and cold. Sarasa is too emotional, too impetuous and too irrational. They both trust where they shouldn't and ignore what they should. Tatara (the actual one) was doomed from the start - the so-called "rebellion" was no secret and no one felt a need to keep it that way. Shuri could not have survived the final battles against his family without the knowledge that Sarasa brought to the table. In their own ways they were both naive and optimistic. The meat of this story is how everyone finds a way to move forward together.
Kazan and Tatara's mother form a bond. Ageha, with his cynical help and jaded optimism, learns that one man's injustice is another's "redemption". Certain spoiler characters I love and are not yet in the story learn that no one is above redemption if they are committed to it.
This series is hard. Its heartbreaking, its a kill your darlings scenario almost every book. Its violent and brutal and oh so very well done that I'm hard pressed to find a reason why y'all shouldn't be reading it (well other then its hard to find in print now).
And for gods' sakes don't write about how you're sobbing.
Hello readers! Welcome to the Basara Re-read! Much like my Red River or From Far Away reviews I'm going to try and do an actual review for each of these volumes! Let's see if I succeed this series is 27 books long! ahahahaha
kill me now.
So a lot happens in this book because a lot needs to be set up. There's only 188 pages to this volume and in it we have multiple deaths, upheavel in the main character's life THREE times, introduction of a prophecy, end of a prophecy, the actual prophecy, Big Bad 1, Big Bad 2, nebulous other Big Bads mentioned, dystopia Japan, Death of Innocence, death of Ideals, and...romance! Plus a sassy horse.
Principally this is our cast:
- Tatara/Sarasa who takes up the mantle of Tatara at the beheading of her twin brother, who was known as the Boy of Destiny. Previously her best friend Makoto died to save Tatara and Sarasa has some bitterness over the fact everyone forgot she existed. She is optimistic to a fault, rather naive about how the world works and didn't want to become a revolutionary--just wanted revenge. As Sarasa she meets a traveling Shuri who flirts with her and gives her some ironic, but well needed advice about how the righteous are not wrong.
- The Red King/Shuri who is the youngest child of the current Ruling Dictator of Japan (King Ukon XV), he's an ends justify the means. He has a vision, that vision is paramount and he doesn't care who tries to get in his way. He cares for very few people on a personal level, is a bit of a lady's man, loves his horse A LOT and while he'll enforce his father's edicts about putting down rebels that really only is tangential to his real agenda. As Shuri he meets a wounded, recuperating Sarasa at the hot springs and starts up a flirtation with her.
-Nagi, a "prophet" who foresaw the day that the "child of destiny" would bring life back to the land and overthrow the ruling monarchy. He conveniently never thinks to question why everyone assumes its Tatara who is the "Child of Destiny" while teaching Sarasa all about things most women didn't need to know. He's super old, with super nice hair and is super zen.
- Ageha, known as the "Blue noble of the desert" he let the Red King take his eye in exchange for letting Sarasa and Kaku live 3 years prior. He is easily amused by Sarasa/Tatara's optimism, was given his own prophecy that he'd "meet a woman worth dying for" and is in general super helpful with his own highly secretive agenda.
- General Kazan, the Red King's military might and absurdly loyal to the Red King. Known Shuri since he was a young boy and believes in his vision
- Asho, a politician and loyal to nothing so much as his ambitions and greed. Him and Kazan often find themselves dueling to see who can influence Shuri more
- Kaku, a family friend of Sarasa's who has watched out for her and tried to corral her all her life.
Tamura is, to my opinion, a master at foreshadowing and setting things up. Sarasa and Shuri don't have a reckoning about their alter egos for four or five more volumes, but when they meet up its always amusing to see them being each other's personal cheerleader for vengeance and revenge...without realizing how badly that would go for them. They are the classic "same ends, different means" sort of enemies. They both want a world that is united, peaceful and ALIVE. They both want the end of King Ukon's tyranny. Unfortunately they can't achieve their goals independent of each other and they have to get through a lot before they realize their personal histories have to come second to the greater good.
The fact is neither is really a hero. Shuri is violent, ill-tempered and cold. Sarasa is too emotional, too impetuous and too irrational. They both trust where they shouldn't and ignore what they should. Tatara (the actual one) was doomed from the start - the so-called "rebellion" was no secret and no one felt a need to keep it that way. Shuri could not have survived the final battles against his family without the knowledge that Sarasa brought to the table. In their own ways they were both naive and optimistic. The meat of this story is how everyone finds a way to move forward together.
Kazan and Tatara's mother form a bond. Ageha, with his cynical help and jaded optimism, learns that one man's injustice is another's "redemption". Certain spoiler characters I love and are not yet in the story learn that no one is above redemption if they are committed to it.
This series is hard. Its heartbreaking, its a kill your darlings scenario almost every book. Its violent and brutal and oh so very well done that I'm hard pressed to find a reason why y'all shouldn't be reading it (well other then its hard to find in print now).
November 7, 2014
This is a pretty good manga I read online at http://www.mangahere.co and I can't wait to read the rest of Basara online. It is about a girl named Sarasa who loses her brother who is murdered by the red army in post-apocalyptic Japan so she takes her brother's place and takes revenge on the Red army and wants to kill the Red king. Definitely check it out. If there is an anime to this I'll watch it too.
March 31, 2015
Somewhere in a distant future, a pair of twins is born, brother and sister. The boy is supposed to be the saviour of this world, but when he dies, his sister has to take his place. And because fate is cruel like that, she ends up falling in love with her archenemy, not knowing who he is.
I admit, I was genuinely surprised by how much I liked this. While the art style is a bit dated, it didn't bother me that much, and I found the story really compelling. I've always loved stories where girls have to dress up as men, and the set up between Sarasa and the Red Prince reminded me a lot of my favourite part about "Prinzessin Fantaghiro", which isn't a bad thing at all. Also, and I've come to realize that this is really important - there are a few minor characters who immediately were interesting to me. So I'm glad that I have volume two lying on my desk as I write this, and for the rest - well, we'll see, ne?
[edited September 1, 2012] I finished reading this today, and I have to say I really loved this. The art... well, let's say I doubt it's the main reason anyone would read this - but please don't let it put you off. It's really a great fantasy story with a wonderfully tragic and compelling romance and lovable characters all around. The final two volumes are collections of extra stories which add depth to some of the stories and characters. I really don't read a lot of shoujo manga, but I found this incredibly engaging and a rewarding read. And, well, I cried a little in the end, which usually is a good sign.
I admit, I was genuinely surprised by how much I liked this. While the art style is a bit dated, it didn't bother me that much, and I found the story really compelling. I've always loved stories where girls have to dress up as men, and the set up between Sarasa and the Red Prince reminded me a lot of my favourite part about "Prinzessin Fantaghiro", which isn't a bad thing at all. Also, and I've come to realize that this is really important - there are a few minor characters who immediately were interesting to me. So I'm glad that I have volume two lying on my desk as I write this, and for the rest - well, we'll see, ne?
[edited September 1, 2012] I finished reading this today, and I have to say I really loved this. The art... well, let's say I doubt it's the main reason anyone would read this - but please don't let it put you off. It's really a great fantasy story with a wonderfully tragic and compelling romance and lovable characters all around. The final two volumes are collections of extra stories which add depth to some of the stories and characters. I really don't read a lot of shoujo manga, but I found this incredibly engaging and a rewarding read. And, well, I cried a little in the end, which usually is a good sign.
November 6, 2009
I absolutely love this series, which is why I started buying it. Its expensive, but one day i will have the whole thing.
I know what the general consensus is about the art. Its not very pretty. Its very old school. And I agree, I don't find it very appealing since it just looks very messy or cluttered to me. It kinda reminds me of Tokyo Crazy Paradise in that sense. I love the story but the art is weird but not ugly enough for me to reject it.
Yet, the story is so epic, I love it. It first fulfills my need for a post-apolyptic story, followed by genderbender, enemies who are really lovers, inner turmoil and angst. All the proportions are perfect and its just very enjoyable.
Shuri, the Red King- I love her Tamaura's tidbits on that he really isn't a nice guy. He isn't. He has many faults, though he does have similar interests to Sarasa/Tatara.
I know what the general consensus is about the art. Its not very pretty. Its very old school. And I agree, I don't find it very appealing since it just looks very messy or cluttered to me. It kinda reminds me of Tokyo Crazy Paradise in that sense. I love the story but the art is weird but not ugly enough for me to reject it.
Yet, the story is so epic, I love it. It first fulfills my need for a post-apolyptic story, followed by genderbender, enemies who are really lovers, inner turmoil and angst. All the proportions are perfect and its just very enjoyable.
Shuri, the Red King- I love her Tamaura's tidbits on that he really isn't a nice guy. He isn't. He has many faults, though he does have similar interests to Sarasa/Tatara.
February 26, 2015
I had a recommendation from a friend for this series. I had issue with the illustration style, it was just outside my flavor circle. I know weird, but I really don't care for the exaggerated shaped faces and the eye work in this series. I read anime and comics more for the art then the story usually. As I was reading along I stopped noticing the face distortion and got involved in the story. Who was this child of destiny ? What is the Red Kings goal ? Who is this man or that one ? The I was "omg" wait till she finds out who that was !
This was a fun read with so twists that left me wanting the next in the series asap. I'm sold, I have to know what happens.
This was a fun read with so twists that left me wanting the next in the series asap. I'm sold, I have to know what happens.
February 27, 2017
Basara!
A global apocalypse has occurred, whipping the world back to feudal and monarchical times. In Japan, the Emperor's family has ruled for four hundred years. He's a vicious one -- he was the youngest of his siblings, but in order to become emperor, he killed off all his brothers. In order to prevent his children from encroaching upon his territory, he has sent them off in different directions and given them different territories - the Black King, the White King, the Blue King, and the Red King.
A prophesy stated that one day, a child of destiny will be born who will topple the Empire. On the night that child was born, it turned out it was twins -- a boy, Tatara, and a girl, Sarasa. Subsequently they are raised differently, Tatara with all the education of a warrior and leader, and Sarasa, very much in her twin brother's shadow.
When Sarasa was very young, she ventured out of her hometown into the desert. Legend has it that once it was green and verdant, but now a sea of sand resided. As she ventured out, the Red King's soldiers came through the area. The Red King, the youngest and ruthless even as a boy of ten, revealed his baseness of character as he ordered her and her psuedo-uncle/guard/trainer killed. Only the kind intervention by a traveling nomad, Ageha, saved their lives, although the Red King whipped out his sword and put out Ageha's eye as payment for this mercy.
Sarasa and Tatara grow up with very different training. One day, the Red King comes through the area again to seek out the dissident, Tatara, and this time, the red soldiers succeed. Tatara's head is cut off, their father killed, the entire village razed and burned to the ground. Only Sarasa's promise to her brother to take care of the village resonates in her head: she stands up amongst the flames and proclaims herself Tatara and returns hope back to her people.
From there, Sarasa-as-Tatara is on the run from the red soldiers and heads south for the coast. Her goal is to reunite the four swords of rebellion. In the last unsuccessful uprising, rebels forged swords to symbolize the will of the people. She must gather up all four swords, and in turn, unite all the rebels and people within the entire empire.
Sarasa is bound by duty and torn by her nature and heart. She yearns to be free, and so she lets down her hair at hot springs to soak away the stress of her disguise. At the hot springs, she meets a young man, Shuri, who is good-looking, arrogant, and even a little charming. After a few meetings, Shuri is attracted to her and even gives her the use of a falcon to pass messages to him. It is very much platonic at the beginning, with both of them sharing their goals and their troubles without revealing too much. Somehow they are always able to meet up wherever Sarasa is running. But that's because unbeknownst to her, Shuri isn't just a regular working man.
The catch is this: Shuri is the Red King.
As Sarasa runs toward the coast with the red soldiers chasing hard after her, she gets into trials and enlists more and more people into her private "army." In between all this, she and Shuri have a few enounters of their own and they start falling for each other. Shuri is selfish and domineering. Sarasa despises this part of him but is blinded by circumstances to his other persona: the scary, ruthless killing machine who will stop at nothing to topple his father's empire and create his own kingdom.
Along the way, they meet each of the other kings, who all have their own agenda, their own army. One in particular is the Blue King, whose mother hid him from the Emperor when he was born, because word is the Emperor once killed one of his own sons who was brilliant and talented. The Blue King was then able to masquerade as captain of the guard to the fake Blue King, who truly thought he was the king. This Blue King then manipulated matters so that he ended up inside Sarasa-Tatara's personal army after killing the fake Blue King, with perhaps sinister goals of his own.
Then, there's the White King, who's a female. Once she was beautiful and loved her personal guard. But she was ripped from his side when she was married off to an official. After coming terms with her marriage and becoming fond of him, the official was set up and ordered killed -- by none other than the man who had been her personal guard, who is thereafter sent by the Emperor to keep watch over the White King. She was a mother figure to both the Blue and Red Kings and also has her own agenda.
Ageha. The traveling nomad who masquerades as Madame Butterfly, leader of a traveling acrobatic troupe. He's beautiful and has a tragic past and bears the brand of a slave on his back. Prophesy gave him a cruel fate -- that one day he would find a woman worth dying for. A boy who once was a sex slave to one of the Emperor's officials, he saves Sarasa over and over.
Shuri. The tragic and fated love story between him and Sarasa. Both caught between worlds and their positions. In their pseudo-selves, they are lovers, but when named, they are enemies. Shuri undergoes tremendous change throughout the series when he is betrayed by his own officials and left to die in the river. He was saved by the Blue King only so he can experience an even darker punishment and sold into slavery. He went from the most brilliant of kings, with a thriving kingdom, to having his city gutted and thrown into prison and becoming a slave.
It is a rich, rich tapestry of characters and goals. The mangaka said once that she tried to draw a poster that included all the characters, but it ended up having around 200 people, and so she gave it up. Not all the stories make a huge amount of sense, but everything was creative and adventurous and kept you reading on and on. This story has everything: history. drama. war. love. friendship. adventure. global apocalypse. politics. comedy. and undertones of darker themes of sexual abuse and slavery. Even two volumes of epilogues just so the reader doesn't feel unfulfilled.
27 volumes. Read it if you dare.
A global apocalypse has occurred, whipping the world back to feudal and monarchical times. In Japan, the Emperor's family has ruled for four hundred years. He's a vicious one -- he was the youngest of his siblings, but in order to become emperor, he killed off all his brothers. In order to prevent his children from encroaching upon his territory, he has sent them off in different directions and given them different territories - the Black King, the White King, the Blue King, and the Red King.
A prophesy stated that one day, a child of destiny will be born who will topple the Empire. On the night that child was born, it turned out it was twins -- a boy, Tatara, and a girl, Sarasa. Subsequently they are raised differently, Tatara with all the education of a warrior and leader, and Sarasa, very much in her twin brother's shadow.
When Sarasa was very young, she ventured out of her hometown into the desert. Legend has it that once it was green and verdant, but now a sea of sand resided. As she ventured out, the Red King's soldiers came through the area. The Red King, the youngest and ruthless even as a boy of ten, revealed his baseness of character as he ordered her and her psuedo-uncle/guard/trainer killed. Only the kind intervention by a traveling nomad, Ageha, saved their lives, although the Red King whipped out his sword and put out Ageha's eye as payment for this mercy.
Sarasa and Tatara grow up with very different training. One day, the Red King comes through the area again to seek out the dissident, Tatara, and this time, the red soldiers succeed. Tatara's head is cut off, their father killed, the entire village razed and burned to the ground. Only Sarasa's promise to her brother to take care of the village resonates in her head: she stands up amongst the flames and proclaims herself Tatara and returns hope back to her people.
From there, Sarasa-as-Tatara is on the run from the red soldiers and heads south for the coast. Her goal is to reunite the four swords of rebellion. In the last unsuccessful uprising, rebels forged swords to symbolize the will of the people. She must gather up all four swords, and in turn, unite all the rebels and people within the entire empire.
Sarasa is bound by duty and torn by her nature and heart. She yearns to be free, and so she lets down her hair at hot springs to soak away the stress of her disguise. At the hot springs, she meets a young man, Shuri, who is good-looking, arrogant, and even a little charming. After a few meetings, Shuri is attracted to her and even gives her the use of a falcon to pass messages to him. It is very much platonic at the beginning, with both of them sharing their goals and their troubles without revealing too much. Somehow they are always able to meet up wherever Sarasa is running. But that's because unbeknownst to her, Shuri isn't just a regular working man.
The catch is this: Shuri is the Red King.
As Sarasa runs toward the coast with the red soldiers chasing hard after her, she gets into trials and enlists more and more people into her private "army." In between all this, she and Shuri have a few enounters of their own and they start falling for each other. Shuri is selfish and domineering. Sarasa despises this part of him but is blinded by circumstances to his other persona: the scary, ruthless killing machine who will stop at nothing to topple his father's empire and create his own kingdom.
Along the way, they meet each of the other kings, who all have their own agenda, their own army. One in particular is the Blue King, whose mother hid him from the Emperor when he was born, because word is the Emperor once killed one of his own sons who was brilliant and talented. The Blue King was then able to masquerade as captain of the guard to the fake Blue King, who truly thought he was the king. This Blue King then manipulated matters so that he ended up inside Sarasa-Tatara's personal army after killing the fake Blue King, with perhaps sinister goals of his own.
Then, there's the White King, who's a female. Once she was beautiful and loved her personal guard. But she was ripped from his side when she was married off to an official. After coming terms with her marriage and becoming fond of him, the official was set up and ordered killed -- by none other than the man who had been her personal guard, who is thereafter sent by the Emperor to keep watch over the White King. She was a mother figure to both the Blue and Red Kings and also has her own agenda.
Ageha. The traveling nomad who masquerades as Madame Butterfly, leader of a traveling acrobatic troupe. He's beautiful and has a tragic past and bears the brand of a slave on his back. Prophesy gave him a cruel fate -- that one day he would find a woman worth dying for. A boy who once was a sex slave to one of the Emperor's officials, he saves Sarasa over and over.
Shuri. The tragic and fated love story between him and Sarasa. Both caught between worlds and their positions. In their pseudo-selves, they are lovers, but when named, they are enemies. Shuri undergoes tremendous change throughout the series when he is betrayed by his own officials and left to die in the river. He was saved by the Blue King only so he can experience an even darker punishment and sold into slavery. He went from the most brilliant of kings, with a thriving kingdom, to having his city gutted and thrown into prison and becoming a slave.
It is a rich, rich tapestry of characters and goals. The mangaka said once that she tried to draw a poster that included all the characters, but it ended up having around 200 people, and so she gave it up. Not all the stories make a huge amount of sense, but everything was creative and adventurous and kept you reading on and on. This story has everything: history. drama. war. love. friendship. adventure. global apocalypse. politics. comedy. and undertones of darker themes of sexual abuse and slavery. Even two volumes of epilogues just so the reader doesn't feel unfulfilled.
27 volumes. Read it if you dare.
August 14, 2013
*this is a review of the entire series (books 1-27)*
“Sarasa, even if you feel that destiny is toying with you, destiny is something you design with your own hands.”
I love the fantasy genre. Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time, Game of Thrones... stories with a truly epic feel, huge sword battles, intricate political schemes and a mountain of well-developed characters. So, of course, it's no surprise that I searched for an epic fantasy manga series when I began to get into the wonderful world of manga and anime. I read a few, they were okay... And then I found Basara.
Outstanding world building? Check. Incredible character development? Check. Huge, encompassing political wars? Check. And, the thing that drew me in the most; delicate, well-handled relationships between characters including but not limited to a forbidden romance, deep rooted friendships, loyal servants, and vengeful enemies? Check. Let's start with the basics.
Art- 9
Yes, the art started off rather... ugly. There's no disguising that fact. It wasn't all that pleasing to look at, there wasn't much detail, and sometimes character's faces looked really messed up. So why the nine? Just like the characters, the art developed from something ugly into something beautiful and detailed, unique yet simple. Battle scenes became easy to understand but still incredibly detailed, and every single character grew into someone beautiful and unique. I had no trouble distinguishing one character from another--they all had certain physical traits and looks that made them easy to tell apart. If you're worried about the art, I encourage you to ignore the ugliness at the beginning, because you'll certainly be rewarded later on. And when you look back, it's interesting, even amusing, to see how the mangaka's art has progressed.
Story- 9
I'm not going to bother with a huge synopsis because it'd be too long and wouldn't do the story any justice. I know people worry about certain things in the story so I'll put any hesitations about the story you have to rest now--the pacing, first of all, was fantastic. The story gripped you and brought you up to dizzying heights of excitement, then slowly released you only to sweep you up again. There was never a moment where I felt bored, never a moment I didn't want to continue reading. Sarasa's journey grew from simple vengeance into trying to save the people of her world, and it worked. The story development was realistic, and though it was pretty unpredictable, there was never anything that happened that seemed like the author just did it on a whim. Going back, you could see the foreshadowing, but while reading it was near impossible to predict what would happen next. The overall plot was extremely well thought out, and the length was spot on for what needed to be done. What needed to be done leads me to the ending... not giving anything away, but it was very satisfying. No huge cliffhangers, no things left undone, nothing that needed to be revealed, and nothing rushed in.
Character- 10
Where do I even begin? I HATED Sarasa at the beginning. I mean, I completely loathed her. She was a crying mess of girly 'please save me' cliches and 'no, I don't want to hurt anybody!' Ok, honey, grow up. Yes, your friends will get hurt if you don't fight. No, you can't save the world by loving everybody. Deal with it. Oh, but she did. She went above and beyond dealing with it--she became an ass-kicking, confident badass who led an army, and one of my favourite characters of all time. Definitely my favourite female character of all time. And Shuri. Man, he was a spoiled little cliche evil dude with his 'yeah I'm gunna kill this village for no reason because I can, and because you're a bunch of puny pukes who don't obey me... suck it up, princess.' But then you find out his reasoning. But then he falls in love. But then his morals and actions change and all of a sudden he's endearing, brave, kind, and fiercely loyal to the people he loves. Then comes in other side characters who help Sarasa and Shuri, who somehow manage to not be cliched whatsoever and all loveable. Ageha in particular stands out--the mysterious man searching for the one woman he'd heard about in a prophecy who would be worthy of his service. So many characters, each with their own hopes, dreams, sense of justice and development... It was so amazing to see the world from each different person's eyes so you understood all sides of the story, and so wonderful to see how they all interact.
Enjoyment- 10
I freaking love this series. It's the only 27 book series I've actually bought all of the books of, because I read it over and over and never get tired of it. It has everything, I mean EVERYTHING a high fantasy should. Well, except for orcs. Though I think this J.R.R. Tolkien quote should describe the world of Basara nicely--
“The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places.
But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now
mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater.”
“Sarasa, even if you feel that destiny is toying with you, destiny is something you design with your own hands.”
I love the fantasy genre. Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time, Game of Thrones... stories with a truly epic feel, huge sword battles, intricate political schemes and a mountain of well-developed characters. So, of course, it's no surprise that I searched for an epic fantasy manga series when I began to get into the wonderful world of manga and anime. I read a few, they were okay... And then I found Basara.
Outstanding world building? Check. Incredible character development? Check. Huge, encompassing political wars? Check. And, the thing that drew me in the most; delicate, well-handled relationships between characters including but not limited to a forbidden romance, deep rooted friendships, loyal servants, and vengeful enemies? Check. Let's start with the basics.
Art- 9
Yes, the art started off rather... ugly. There's no disguising that fact. It wasn't all that pleasing to look at, there wasn't much detail, and sometimes character's faces looked really messed up. So why the nine? Just like the characters, the art developed from something ugly into something beautiful and detailed, unique yet simple. Battle scenes became easy to understand but still incredibly detailed, and every single character grew into someone beautiful and unique. I had no trouble distinguishing one character from another--they all had certain physical traits and looks that made them easy to tell apart. If you're worried about the art, I encourage you to ignore the ugliness at the beginning, because you'll certainly be rewarded later on. And when you look back, it's interesting, even amusing, to see how the mangaka's art has progressed.
Story- 9
I'm not going to bother with a huge synopsis because it'd be too long and wouldn't do the story any justice. I know people worry about certain things in the story so I'll put any hesitations about the story you have to rest now--the pacing, first of all, was fantastic. The story gripped you and brought you up to dizzying heights of excitement, then slowly released you only to sweep you up again. There was never a moment where I felt bored, never a moment I didn't want to continue reading. Sarasa's journey grew from simple vengeance into trying to save the people of her world, and it worked. The story development was realistic, and though it was pretty unpredictable, there was never anything that happened that seemed like the author just did it on a whim. Going back, you could see the foreshadowing, but while reading it was near impossible to predict what would happen next. The overall plot was extremely well thought out, and the length was spot on for what needed to be done. What needed to be done leads me to the ending... not giving anything away, but it was very satisfying. No huge cliffhangers, no things left undone, nothing that needed to be revealed, and nothing rushed in.
Character- 10
Where do I even begin? I HATED Sarasa at the beginning. I mean, I completely loathed her. She was a crying mess of girly 'please save me' cliches and 'no, I don't want to hurt anybody!' Ok, honey, grow up. Yes, your friends will get hurt if you don't fight. No, you can't save the world by loving everybody. Deal with it. Oh, but she did. She went above and beyond dealing with it--she became an ass-kicking, confident badass who led an army, and one of my favourite characters of all time. Definitely my favourite female character of all time. And Shuri. Man, he was a spoiled little cliche evil dude with his 'yeah I'm gunna kill this village for no reason because I can, and because you're a bunch of puny pukes who don't obey me... suck it up, princess.' But then you find out his reasoning. But then he falls in love. But then his morals and actions change and all of a sudden he's endearing, brave, kind, and fiercely loyal to the people he loves. Then comes in other side characters who help Sarasa and Shuri, who somehow manage to not be cliched whatsoever and all loveable. Ageha in particular stands out--the mysterious man searching for the one woman he'd heard about in a prophecy who would be worthy of his service. So many characters, each with their own hopes, dreams, sense of justice and development... It was so amazing to see the world from each different person's eyes so you understood all sides of the story, and so wonderful to see how they all interact.
Enjoyment- 10
I freaking love this series. It's the only 27 book series I've actually bought all of the books of, because I read it over and over and never get tired of it. It has everything, I mean EVERYTHING a high fantasy should. Well, except for orcs. Though I think this J.R.R. Tolkien quote should describe the world of Basara nicely--
“The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places.
But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now
mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater.”
August 26, 2008
Oh what the hell. Since I've started up this reviewing of shoujo manga I figure I might as well review my favorite series (well, sort of my favorite): Basara!
Again, I read this when I was a romantic, very susceptible teenager and just fell in love with it. It's a war epic set in a future Japan (after it's been reduced to a giant expanse of desert by some probably-human-instigated catastrophe at the end of the 21st century), with a star-crossed lovers' twist in that the main character (Sarasa) is masquerading as her twin brother Tatara in order to fulfill his destiny, which involves uniting the nation to overcome tyranny and oppression by the ruling class; she falls in love with Shuri, who happens to actually be the Red King, one of the cruel rulers who is responsible for the deaths of most of Sarasa's family and village.
There are at least twenty supporting characters and tons of little plot twists and side-stories, all of which get fairly decent development as the series unfolds. The very human emotions and situations portrayed are what make this story believable, even if you wonder a little about Sarasa's cross-dressing... Anyway, it's a really great drama: disturbing and cruel at certain points, sorrowful at others; and with an underlying warmth and belief in human nature and love, overall.
Again, I read this when I was a romantic, very susceptible teenager and just fell in love with it. It's a war epic set in a future Japan (after it's been reduced to a giant expanse of desert by some probably-human-instigated catastrophe at the end of the 21st century), with a star-crossed lovers' twist in that the main character (Sarasa) is masquerading as her twin brother Tatara in order to fulfill his destiny, which involves uniting the nation to overcome tyranny and oppression by the ruling class; she falls in love with Shuri, who happens to actually be the Red King, one of the cruel rulers who is responsible for the deaths of most of Sarasa's family and village.
There are at least twenty supporting characters and tons of little plot twists and side-stories, all of which get fairly decent development as the series unfolds. The very human emotions and situations portrayed are what make this story believable, even if you wonder a little about Sarasa's cross-dressing... Anyway, it's a really great drama: disturbing and cruel at certain points, sorrowful at others; and with an underlying warmth and belief in human nature and love, overall.
January 27, 2008
I normally don't consider manga as a "book." However, this story is so powerful, I think it's worth listing. It's got everything: love, friendship, forgiveness, internal struggles and hard choices you have to make in life. Mangas like this make me thankful that I can read Japanese!
June 29, 2007
i've only read the japanese version so i can't say anything about the translations but this series is my alltime fave. i like literary manga, as well as pulp manga! this is literary.
July 17, 2016
This came out in the 90's so the art style looks dated, but the story and characters make up for the cringeworthy illustrations.3.5
July 21, 2023
This is so intense!
April 19, 2020
Occasionally, the main plot of a work revolves around a trope that you hate, but everything else were executed so damn well it almost doesn’t matter.
Almost.
So, I’ve been hugely impressed by Yumi Tamura’s post-apocalyptic work, 7 Seeds, that I was willing to shell out for this series. Written in the 1990s, Basara was a similarly long-running, epic fantasy series spanning dozens of characters and places in alternate reality /dystopian version of Japan. The heroine, Sarasa, went through hell from the beginning—her hometown was razed, her family slaughtered, and all of sudden she has to assume the identity of her twin brother (the supposed Chosen One of the story) to lead the people against the tyrannical Empire for a better future.
Also, because this is shoujo, she has to fall for the same guy who led the massacre of her village, without the two of them knowing each other’s identity.
So yeah, Basara was clearly written with the narrative trends that appeal to young female demographic, circa 1990s. A relatable female protagonist who grows throughout the story, while still maintaining her purity and tender heart? Check. A jerk with a heart of gold as the main love interest? Check. Sensual, occasionally steamy, art featuring pretty boys whom you’d easily mistake as women? A bazillion check. Don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to have all these (and if you actually like them, you’d love Basara!), but I’d be lying if I say I didn’t pause every once in a while at certain scenes and mutter to myself, “Yeah, I’m totally not the right target audience for this…”
A lot of readers probably loved Basara because of all those, but it’s also possible to love the manga despite all those. I may have already seen many of the narrative tricks and plot devices that Basara employed in other works (both shoujo and shounen), but Tamura-sensei is still tremendously skilled in world-building and interweaving all the small pieces to fit the big geopolitical picture. She’s also a master in crafting what I like to call, ‘story-within-a-story’. I don’t actually hate the main story (even with the most clichéd romance sub-plot and all), but just like in 7 Seeds, the parts that left the most impression with me were the side stories/mini stories featuring secondary or even tertiary characters.
There are so many well-developed political and personal conflicts that every time I cracked open a new volume, I anticipated that there’s going to be something interesting in there that doesn’t necessarily relate to the main plot development; maybe a humorous vignette with the two characters who are best buddies, maybe the childhood backstory of a villain character, or maybe an unexpected flashback that reveals an important detail about this fictional world.
Basara's tropes and art style would not be everyone's cup of tea, but there's undeniable strength in how endlessly expansive it is, with a tone that’s unapologetically romantic and brutal at the same time. And that's Yumi Tamura in a nutshell.
Almost.
So, I’ve been hugely impressed by Yumi Tamura’s post-apocalyptic work, 7 Seeds, that I was willing to shell out for this series. Written in the 1990s, Basara was a similarly long-running, epic fantasy series spanning dozens of characters and places in alternate reality /dystopian version of Japan. The heroine, Sarasa, went through hell from the beginning—her hometown was razed, her family slaughtered, and all of sudden she has to assume the identity of her twin brother (the supposed Chosen One of the story) to lead the people against the tyrannical Empire for a better future.
Also, because this is shoujo, she has to fall for the same guy who led the massacre of her village, without the two of them knowing each other’s identity.
So yeah, Basara was clearly written with the narrative trends that appeal to young female demographic, circa 1990s. A relatable female protagonist who grows throughout the story, while still maintaining her purity and tender heart? Check. A jerk with a heart of gold as the main love interest? Check. Sensual, occasionally steamy, art featuring pretty boys whom you’d easily mistake as women? A bazillion check. Don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to have all these (and if you actually like them, you’d love Basara!), but I’d be lying if I say I didn’t pause every once in a while at certain scenes and mutter to myself, “Yeah, I’m totally not the right target audience for this…”
A lot of readers probably loved Basara because of all those, but it’s also possible to love the manga despite all those. I may have already seen many of the narrative tricks and plot devices that Basara employed in other works (both shoujo and shounen), but Tamura-sensei is still tremendously skilled in world-building and interweaving all the small pieces to fit the big geopolitical picture. She’s also a master in crafting what I like to call, ‘story-within-a-story’. I don’t actually hate the main story (even with the most clichéd romance sub-plot and all), but just like in 7 Seeds, the parts that left the most impression with me were the side stories/mini stories featuring secondary or even tertiary characters.
There are so many well-developed political and personal conflicts that every time I cracked open a new volume, I anticipated that there’s going to be something interesting in there that doesn’t necessarily relate to the main plot development; maybe a humorous vignette with the two characters who are best buddies, maybe the childhood backstory of a villain character, or maybe an unexpected flashback that reveals an important detail about this fictional world.
Basara's tropes and art style would not be everyone's cup of tea, but there's undeniable strength in how endlessly expansive it is, with a tone that’s unapologetically romantic and brutal at the same time. And that's Yumi Tamura in a nutshell.
October 12, 2017
**Please note that review is for entire series**
Recommended to me by a Japanese friend, I stepped into this series with really no idea what to expect. That was perhaps a week ago, and since then I have been consumed by it.
This manga is a master piece. I don't think I've ever read anything that can match it. It has far more in common with an epic fantasy trilogy than any other manga I've read. The story is grand in scope, and the characters are fully realised. It also has a very firm theme throughout, which is about finding your own path and creating positive change.
Prophesied at birth the change the nation, Tatara has since been raised to a lead a revolution. But when he is discovered and killed before the revolution truly kicks off, it is his sister Sarasa who steps forward to take his place, and his name. The story that follows is beautiful, as Sarasa (now Tatara) is forced to balance her two identities (with an ill-fated love story threaded through), and discover what it really means to lead a rebellion. And what comes after.
I think what I loved most about this entire series is Sarasa/Tatara's agency throughout. I've read so many mangas (and novels in general) where the main female character is rarely a force of change, instead being pushed around by the story and other characters. Here the reverse is true. Sarasa is determined to shape her fate. And the people around her all support her in this. There is a recurring message about needing to make choices for yourself, find your own path, and not leaning on others, which really resonated with me. Sarasa isn't perfect. She makes mistakes and has to learn & adapt as the story progresses. But she also isn't an idiot - she listens to those around her, and changes as a result.
In the end this was a truly uplifting story, about finding yourself, trusting others, and what it means to be a real leader. I loved the themes around "a country without killing", and "choosing not to hate".
While the art style felt a bit "old school" at the start, I got into it pretty quickly and really loved it by the final volumes. Can strongly recommend this to anyone willing to dive into a long, fantasy/fighting series.
Recommended to me by a Japanese friend, I stepped into this series with really no idea what to expect. That was perhaps a week ago, and since then I have been consumed by it.
This manga is a master piece. I don't think I've ever read anything that can match it. It has far more in common with an epic fantasy trilogy than any other manga I've read. The story is grand in scope, and the characters are fully realised. It also has a very firm theme throughout, which is about finding your own path and creating positive change.
Prophesied at birth the change the nation, Tatara has since been raised to a lead a revolution. But when he is discovered and killed before the revolution truly kicks off, it is his sister Sarasa who steps forward to take his place, and his name. The story that follows is beautiful, as Sarasa (now Tatara) is forced to balance her two identities (with an ill-fated love story threaded through), and discover what it really means to lead a rebellion. And what comes after.
I think what I loved most about this entire series is Sarasa/Tatara's agency throughout. I've read so many mangas (and novels in general) where the main female character is rarely a force of change, instead being pushed around by the story and other characters. Here the reverse is true. Sarasa is determined to shape her fate. And the people around her all support her in this. There is a recurring message about needing to make choices for yourself, find your own path, and not leaning on others, which really resonated with me. Sarasa isn't perfect. She makes mistakes and has to learn & adapt as the story progresses. But she also isn't an idiot - she listens to those around her, and changes as a result.
In the end this was a truly uplifting story, about finding yourself, trusting others, and what it means to be a real leader. I loved the themes around "a country without killing", and "choosing not to hate".
While the art style felt a bit "old school" at the start, I got into it pretty quickly and really loved it by the final volumes. Can strongly recommend this to anyone willing to dive into a long, fantasy/fighting series.
April 28, 2015
A.MAZ.ING. Just the kind of action/romance I've been wanting to read for a long time.
When you read a lot of shoujo manga and mangas where the protagonist is gender bendering, you get bored. I got real bored of every thing I read. And then I started questioning all the good stuff I read because everything I was suddenly reading was turning to crap with every written word and drawing. But then out of a pile of annoying mangas, sad mangas, useless mangas, I found this unbelievable gem. This is massive. Amazing. Too much for words. Not only is it a romance, but it's a romance that focuses on other stuff too. I love Sarasa and Shuri. I love that they get to fall in love as Sarasa and Shuri, not Tatara and the Red King who are enemies, but as two humans. It's beautiful and sad all in one. It proves in the midst of war anything can happen and that thing that happens can either change or break the future. I love that this was a war story. I love that there's power, passion, angst.
But there were one or two things that annoyed me. However compared to the larger picture and the impact this manga made on me, I don't think they matter too much. This is a great manga. One that should definitely be read.
**UPDATE**
I re-read this in Feb 2015 and my opinion doesn't change, however I would like to add that re-reading it has given me a chance to think about the other parts that make Basara specially. Specially about the meaning of war and also how a country is built and protected by those who lead it. I loved seeing the passion which everyone makes their choices and how connections between peopleare important. Although war is brought on by hatred and dissatisfaction, it's the desire to change and compromise that ends the war. Even enemies can be friends after, and that everyone has their own reason for fighting, though their methods might be wrong. People are precious, and believing in a vision worth fighting for is not futile.
When you read a lot of shoujo manga and mangas where the protagonist is gender bendering, you get bored. I got real bored of every thing I read. And then I started questioning all the good stuff I read because everything I was suddenly reading was turning to crap with every written word and drawing. But then out of a pile of annoying mangas, sad mangas, useless mangas, I found this unbelievable gem. This is massive. Amazing. Too much for words. Not only is it a romance, but it's a romance that focuses on other stuff too. I love Sarasa and Shuri. I love that they get to fall in love as Sarasa and Shuri, not Tatara and the Red King who are enemies, but as two humans. It's beautiful and sad all in one. It proves in the midst of war anything can happen and that thing that happens can either change or break the future. I love that this was a war story. I love that there's power, passion, angst.
But there were one or two things that annoyed me. However compared to the larger picture and the impact this manga made on me, I don't think they matter too much. This is a great manga. One that should definitely be read.
**UPDATE**
I re-read this in Feb 2015 and my opinion doesn't change, however I would like to add that re-reading it has given me a chance to think about the other parts that make Basara specially. Specially about the meaning of war and also how a country is built and protected by those who lead it. I loved seeing the passion which everyone makes their choices and how connections between peopleare important. Although war is brought on by hatred and dissatisfaction, it's the desire to change and compromise that ends the war. Even enemies can be friends after, and that everyone has their own reason for fighting, though their methods might be wrong. People are precious, and believing in a vision worth fighting for is not futile.
December 9, 2022
Rereading Basara for, I don’t know, probably the fifth time… someone recently commented that they picked up Basara after reading 7 SEEDS and it felt too clumsy, plot-wise. (Basara was first published in 1991 in Japan, I believe (2003 in the U.S.), so it’s not too surprising it has a different feel from Yumi Tamura’s more recent titles.) I can see what they mean, especially with volume one. I didn’t like it so much at first, either, back when I first picked up a copy from my local library. I thought the art was ugly, and who likes someone like Shuri, who just starts hitting on Sarasa from the get-go, basically harassing her?
But. These characters grew on me so much while reading the series and waiting for the next volume to come out… I was so moved, I cried more than once. To try to summarize the story, it probably sounds over-dramatic and overdone - Boy of destiny Tatara is killed, so sister Sarasa stands in as him and fights against the evil Red King while… spoilers… simultaneously falling in love with Shuri, who is none other than the Red King! But the characters grow on me so much. Tamura’s really got a talent for character building and plots. I love the asides and comments her characters make.
I just realized that the ebook edition (which my library has gotten! Awesome!) doesn’t seem to have the “editor’s comments” sections from the back that I recall from the English editions… strange. I wonder if they cut them out because they were outdated? I really enjoyed reading those, and kind of miss that type of thing from earlier manga translations. (Dark Horse kept it up for a long time, not sure if they’re still doing it or not…)
But. These characters grew on me so much while reading the series and waiting for the next volume to come out… I was so moved, I cried more than once. To try to summarize the story, it probably sounds over-dramatic and overdone - Boy of destiny Tatara is killed, so sister Sarasa stands in as him and fights against the evil Red King while… spoilers… simultaneously falling in love with Shuri, who is none other than the Red King! But the characters grow on me so much. Tamura’s really got a talent for character building and plots. I love the asides and comments her characters make.
I just realized that the ebook edition (which my library has gotten! Awesome!) doesn’t seem to have the “editor’s comments” sections from the back that I recall from the English editions… strange. I wonder if they cut them out because they were outdated? I really enjoyed reading those, and kind of miss that type of thing from earlier manga translations. (Dark Horse kept it up for a long time, not sure if they’re still doing it or not…)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2015
Girl power! Sasara is really an amazing character - now that's a strong woman! I'm not usually one for the post-apocalyptic genre, but this is a really enthralling story! Poor Sasara, always living in her brother's shadow, and now she must all but give up who she is and assume his identity for the good of the people she cares about. The characters in this are wonderfully distinctive, and you can't help but like them. The plot is really intriguing, I had a hard time putting the book down. I am especially impressed with the romantic plot setup - Sasara and Shuri are beginning to fall in love, all the while never knowing that she is actually Lord Takata, the child of destiny that is fated to overthrow the king and restore peace, and he is actually the Red King, who killed her family and destroyed her world - two lovers who are sworn enemies, it's almost Romeo and Juliet, but with more potentially violent rage! What fun! I wonder if it can possibly have a happy ending? I can't wait to find out!
May 29, 2017
Top 3 must read shoujo:
1. Red River
2. Toky Crazy Paradise
3. Basara
This manga is the definition of haters turned lovers, except for the lovers didn't know they are haters. It is just so heart wrenching! This is actually a bit more fighting/war oriented than what I usually like, but I still loved it because it is just so good. If you are looking for a BADASS female character who is still an actual human, then this is it for you! I feel like a lot of time when writing a strong female character, the author tends to forget that strong character also has emotion and not just a bitchy female.
There is also a 5 episode anime that based on the first few volumes of this manga.... I really hope they finish the entire series one day (bet not... but I have to hope)
1. Red River
2. Toky Crazy Paradise
3. Basara
This manga is the definition of haters turned lovers, except for the lovers didn't know they are haters. It is just so heart wrenching! This is actually a bit more fighting/war oriented than what I usually like, but I still loved it because it is just so good. If you are looking for a BADASS female character who is still an actual human, then this is it for you! I feel like a lot of time when writing a strong female character, the author tends to forget that strong character also has emotion and not just a bitchy female.
There is also a 5 episode anime that based on the first few volumes of this manga.... I really hope they finish the entire series one day (bet not... but I have to hope)
November 18, 2018
Basara is a classic Hero's journey of a 16 year old child of prophecy with a well paced plot and is set in a post apocalyptic Japan. There is a great cast of well developed characters including our protagonist.
While the art style isn't exactly my taste, it improves a lot after the first volume and is very expressive and detailed.
While the art style isn't exactly my taste, it improves a lot after the first volume and is very expressive and detailed.
July 31, 2023
Such an interesting beginning to this series! I'm so glad that my friend Kat found this manga suggested as one we both didn't know anything about to try out as I had never heard of it before and it was even a little hard to find- I had to get it on interlibrary loan from the public library and it looks like the print copy is basically ridiculously hard to buy right now as it must be out of print. It is an older manga series, the 1st volume coming out in 1991, literally the year before I was born. Then the last volume, vol. 27, came out in 2000. It is at least a little easier and more affordable to find via ebook format, and I was able to get the print copy via interlibrary loan, but interesting that it's such a hard one to track down. I really like that while this is a shujo manga and already has some romance hinted at within this first volume, it does a really good job of focusing on the story of the main character and how their journey begins from their humble beginnings to their grand destiny. A very good fantasy setting beginning that I am excited to continue!
April 5, 2025
I found it! I have read this story multiple times in my teens and then I forgot it. Sometime ago I remembered this one again but not the name. But now I found it *happy squeal*🤩 gotta treat myself and read couple of volumes before work 😉
One of the best enemies to lovers with good plot. The art is so-so, an older style (it is an old story you can't blame it). One of the best stories seriously 🤩 (and I recommend this and also red river manga. These are must reads!)
One of the best enemies to lovers with good plot. The art is so-so, an older style (it is an old story you can't blame it). One of the best stories seriously 🤩 (and I recommend this and also red river manga. These are must reads!)
December 24, 2019
Dulu pernah membaca komik satu ini.
Shoujou tapi tidak menye-menye.
Masuk josei juga karena diterbitkan oleh LEVEL COMIC INDONESIA.
Mari lanjut membaca lagi karena komiknya sudah tamat. :)
Shoujou tapi tidak menye-menye.
Masuk josei juga karena diterbitkan oleh LEVEL COMIC INDONESIA.
Mari lanjut membaca lagi karena komiknya sudah tamat. :)
June 29, 2025
Una relectura de mis favoritas, los gráficos no son los mejores, pero es un manga de 1991, así que era de esperar pero la historia es magnífica.
December 23, 2025
What a joy it is to be able to reread one of my favorite manga legally, and at my new local library nonetheless. This felt like fate.
March 1, 2020
4.5 stars. Great introduction to an early 90s fantasy/post-apocalyptic manga. Girl disguising herself as her brother to save her people. I'm loving it.
September 3, 2025
isso realmente foi um mad max shojo noventista
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