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海月姫 [Kuragehime] #1
Princess Jellyfish, Tome 1
Tsukimi Kurashita, fan hardcore de méduses, s’installe à Tokyo avec le projet de devenir illustratrice. Elle emménage dans la résidence Amamizu qui a la particularité de n’être habitée que par des filles otaku, et bien évidemment, d'être interdite aux hommes ! Alors qu’un soir, Tsukimi sort pour rendre visite à une adorable médusette enfermée dans un minuscule aquarium, son destin va être bouleversé par sa rencontre avec une fille bien trop « fashionable » pour être vraie !
(Tsukimi Kurashita, a jellyfish hardcore fan, moved to Tokyo with the vision of becoming an illustrator. She moved into the residence Amamizu which has the distinction of being inhabited only by otaku girls, and of course, be forbidden to men! Then one night, Tsukimi went out to visit a lovely jellyfish locked in a tiny aquarium, her fate will be upset by her encounter with a girl too "fashionable" to be true!)
(Tsukimi Kurashita, a jellyfish hardcore fan, moved to Tokyo with the vision of becoming an illustrator. She moved into the residence Amamizu which has the distinction of being inhabited only by otaku girls, and of course, be forbidden to men! Then one night, Tsukimi went out to visit a lovely jellyfish locked in a tiny aquarium, her fate will be upset by her encounter with a girl too "fashionable" to be true!)
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 13, 2009
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2760 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
July 23, 2016
[This review covers manga volumes 1-15]
It just occurred to me as I start writing this review that Princess Jellyfish (Kuragehime) is a josei manga that I feel was sort of what The Big Bang Theory would be like if the genders were reverse, and the group of scientist geeks were instead female otakus, while the hot girl next door is a cross-dressing pretty boy and a son of a politician.
Basically: IT'S A ZILLION TIMES NERDIER AND MORE AWESOME. That's guaranteed. Spanning for fifteen volumes, this josei manga is incredibly entertaining as it is endearingly eccentric filled with balls-out fun as it both pokes fun and celebrates otaku culture through a female perspective. If Tina Fey was a Japanese otaku, this would be something she would have written, and the lead heroine Tsukumi Kurashita has the kind of social awkwardness and geeky passions that are as oddly charming and sweet as Geek and Sundry founder and gamer Felicia Day's.
When I first encountered this manga, I was so pumped up to get to it but I had to schedule it for this year instead of the last. The wait was more than worth it! I thought it was going to be a more mature version of the Perfect Girl Evolution: The Wallflower series by Tomoko Hayakawa which was my favorite shoujo manga as a teen; I wasn't wrong.
I eventually got over PGE since IT WENT ON FOR SO LONG WITHOUT THE SHIPPABLE TWO CHARACTERS OF THE SERIES EVER BECOMING AN ACTUAL FUCKING COUPLE, DAMMIT! At this point in my life, I would trade my collected hard copies of Perfect Girl for copies of Princess Jellyfish instead because the latter is better written and has less slapstick comedy and ship tease.
The plot revolves around a group of otaku women living in a place called the Amamizukan which is an apartment that prohibits men. They even fancied it to be a nunnery of some sort because these women (who call themselves Amars which means 'nuns') don't interact socially with people who don't share their hobbies and interests that lean on odd fixations of varying degrees.
One of these women is the our protagonist Tsukimi Kurashita who looks exactly as the trope of what the token geek girl is supposed to be; average-looking with glasses and who only wears plain sweats as her daily clothing. She lives with fiveother women who all preoccupy themselves with interests that may be perceived too niche. I don't want to give away too much details of their said interests, but they are definitely a wacky bunch, and their quirks are the source of this manga's hilarity and conflict.
The sixth housemate in particular is a mangaka who never even shows herself in the story, but is more or less the only one who has an actual professional job. But because of social anxiety, this mangaka is confined in her room, and the other women communicate with her by writing a message on a piece of paper and slipping it on her door. The Amamizukan women are also uncomfortable interacting with people who are 'fashionable' and 'beautiful' while also avoiding formal work, wasting their allowance from parents on their weird preoccupations.
Tsukumi's own fixation is that of the many species of jellyfish which she also draws almost daily. She meets a very pretty girl one night who helped her buy a jellyfish she later named Clara. This pretty girl just inserts herself into Tsukumi's apartment and her life--but not before the shocking revelation that she is a he and a certain politician and his mistress' youngest son named Kuranosuke Koibuchi. He identifies as a straight man who is just very, very, very fond of women's fashion, and dresses up as one because it has something to do with his abandonment issues with his mother. Tsukumi was at first adamant not to be involved with him since her apartment prohibits men after all.
That being said, these two unlikely friends certainly clicked especially when Kuranosuke later discovers Tsukumi's hidden talents in making unique and enthralling dresses via use of her jellyfish designs. Soon, Kuranosuke involves everyone, the Amars, to help him and Tsukumi make dresses for his friends at a theatre troupe. What started as a spur-in-the-moment group activity slowly and surely turned into an aspiring clothing line/empire which Kuronosuke hopes to bring into fruition with Tsukumi as the designer and him as the model while the rest of the Amars women as the seamstresses.
Much of the manga's plot shows the process of how Kuronosuke and Tsukimi struggle to sew the high-fashion dresses and advertise them to potential clients, all the while to earn enough money to buy their apartment back which is under redevelopment; a project approved by Kuronusuke's own father as facilitated by her older half-brother Shu. Mangaka Higashimura knows her fashion stuff to a fascinating tee, and we get chapter breaks about her daily life as a mangaka and fashion trend lover as she illustrates tales of her adventures through amusing anecdotes. She is absolute gem when she does this!
Princess Jellyfish's cast is amazing! They are all memorable characters with depth and humor. From the kimono-wearing Chieko who collects dolls, Mayaya who is an avid history buff obsessed with Records of Three Kingdoms and often quotes and reenacts the text, Banba with her natural afro, predilection to trains and food quality, and to Jiji who is sexually attracted to older men and anything associated with classic and antique things. Tsukimi is also the adorkable introvert who is really quite pretty whenever she is forced to wear make-up and nice clothes (even Mayaya who actually is transformed into a model for their spontaneous clothing line fashion shows even though she's quite stressed about it whenever it happens). I really adored these characters because, hey, I'm one of them. I obsess about my geekeries and I'm very passionate about them to the point that I'd rather lock myself up and just read books, watch shows and write stories all day long.
Kuronosuke and Tsukumi are definitely great in their leading roles and both have unresolved issues with their mothers. Kuronosuke's mom had to give him up and send him away to live in Japan, and his love for women's clothing is just an extension of his mother's own interest in fashion. Meanwhile, Tsukumi's mother passed away and left her only with memories of their time at the aquarium where she fell in love withthe jellyfish for the first time. Both of them are so lonely but are creative in their own ways. Kuronosuke is very intriguing as a crossdresser because he has no shame about it even if he is still a heterosexual man. Tsukumi meanwhile definitely lacked confidence but through Kuronosuke's vision and fiery ambitions, her potentials as a designer were brought out. Kuronosuke was also able to bring out the other Amars women from their shells by giving them the opportunities to do professional work, inspiring them to dedicate themselves to something that could be both enjoyable and profitable all at once. Kuronosuke became a positive force for these other women.
The Amars women don't even care about fashion or doing actual work but thanks to Kuronosuke always driving them to be better, and Tsukumi's amazing talent, they all start to achieve things together as a unit. Tsukimi herself immerses herself in her creativity too, as inspired by Kuronosuke who just looks so damn good in the jellyfish dresses Tsukumi makes. I cannot for the life of me fathom that a boy could truly be mistaken for a woman.
The great thing about this series is that the romance is more or less a subplot that isn't always utilized to move the story forward. The author herself seemed to be very fond of fashion trends and its industry both local to her homeland Japan and foreign, and that's what this manga covers eighty percent of the time especially starting from volume 6.
That being said, the romantic subplot was well-written enough to hold interest especially since it involves a love triangle between Tsukumi and the brother, Kuronusuke and Shu. His older half-brother is a 30-year old aspiring politician who also happened to be a virgin. He is conservative yet surprisingly sweet, romantic and thoughtful. He initially doesn't recognize Tsukumi without her make-up which made me think he only liked her because of physical reasons but then when he did find out what Tsukimi normally looks like, he still found her alluring and it's so funny how much he tried to pursue and court her which often lead to disastrous misunderstandings. Tsukimi definitely likes him back but is so burdened with low self-esteem and experience that she hardly shows her reciprocation; at least until Kuronosuke and Shu's personal driver/friend/ladies' man push them both forward to admit that they have feelings for one another and would like to be in a relationship.
Kuronosuke's unrequited side of things is definitely complicated. For one thing, he was more driven to pursue a career in fashion, and he only wants what is best for both his brother and Tsukimi. It took him some time to admit that he even likes Tsukumi and it was probably too late since it was also around the same time Tsukimi realized she has feelings for Shu. I personally ship her and Shu a lot even if Kurosuke an Tsukimi have more interactions. The conclusion to this romantic subplot has yet to be seen, considering this manga is still ongoing and had just released its 16th volume which I have yet to read. Tsukimi still has plenty of stuff to accomplish, and her relationship with both brothers has a lot of room to grow from.
Princess Jellyfish is not really a coming-of-age story about self-acceptance but more about the pressures and choices that women like Tsukimi have to face every day just because society deemed their hobbies and interests as abnormal or inappropriate. The Amars women are actually comfortable with their lifestyle and only avoid other people because such people have no appeal to them whether for conversation or a long-term relationship. The portrayal and representation of gender fluidity in Kuronosuke's character were also commendable. Higashimura shows great understanding and acceptance for people who cross-dress or have unusual hobbies, whether male or female, and she demonstrates it deftly and sincerely in her writing of this cast. Higashimura also respects the Amars women enough to showcase their quirks as something that don't necessarily have to exist for comedic effect.
I could tell as a reader that she is neither pandering nor cynical about how she portrays both the otaku and the fashionable people, considering that she's a combination of both worlds in real life, going by her autobiographical chapter breaks. This is definitely the manga's selling point. It doesn't try too hard to be edgy and charming, but rather it oozes with both qualities in earnest amounts because Higashimura speaks from the heart as someone who is passionate about her interests and is not afraid for the world to know just how much and how far she would go pursuing them.
My enjoyment of Princess Jellyfish isn't over yet! The manga is still ongoing after all, and there is both an anime series and a live-action film that I could watch, and I'm certainly looking forward to doing that soon enough! In a nutshell, Akiko Higashimura's Princess Jellyfish has my seal of approval!
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
It just occurred to me as I start writing this review that Princess Jellyfish (Kuragehime) is a josei manga that I feel was sort of what The Big Bang Theory would be like if the genders were reverse, and the group of scientist geeks were instead female otakus, while the hot girl next door is a cross-dressing pretty boy and a son of a politician.
Basically: IT'S A ZILLION TIMES NERDIER AND MORE AWESOME. That's guaranteed. Spanning for fifteen volumes, this josei manga is incredibly entertaining as it is endearingly eccentric filled with balls-out fun as it both pokes fun and celebrates otaku culture through a female perspective. If Tina Fey was a Japanese otaku, this would be something she would have written, and the lead heroine Tsukumi Kurashita has the kind of social awkwardness and geeky passions that are as oddly charming and sweet as Geek and Sundry founder and gamer Felicia Day's.
When I first encountered this manga, I was so pumped up to get to it but I had to schedule it for this year instead of the last. The wait was more than worth it! I thought it was going to be a more mature version of the Perfect Girl Evolution: The Wallflower series by Tomoko Hayakawa which was my favorite shoujo manga as a teen; I wasn't wrong.
I eventually got over PGE since IT WENT ON FOR SO LONG WITHOUT THE SHIPPABLE TWO CHARACTERS OF THE SERIES EVER BECOMING AN ACTUAL FUCKING COUPLE, DAMMIT! At this point in my life, I would trade my collected hard copies of Perfect Girl for copies of Princess Jellyfish instead because the latter is better written and has less slapstick comedy and ship tease.
The plot revolves around a group of otaku women living in a place called the Amamizukan which is an apartment that prohibits men. They even fancied it to be a nunnery of some sort because these women (who call themselves Amars which means 'nuns') don't interact socially with people who don't share their hobbies and interests that lean on odd fixations of varying degrees.
One of these women is the our protagonist Tsukimi Kurashita who looks exactly as the trope of what the token geek girl is supposed to be; average-looking with glasses and who only wears plain sweats as her daily clothing. She lives with fiveother women who all preoccupy themselves with interests that may be perceived too niche. I don't want to give away too much details of their said interests, but they are definitely a wacky bunch, and their quirks are the source of this manga's hilarity and conflict.
The sixth housemate in particular is a mangaka who never even shows herself in the story, but is more or less the only one who has an actual professional job. But because of social anxiety, this mangaka is confined in her room, and the other women communicate with her by writing a message on a piece of paper and slipping it on her door. The Amamizukan women are also uncomfortable interacting with people who are 'fashionable' and 'beautiful' while also avoiding formal work, wasting their allowance from parents on their weird preoccupations.
Tsukumi's own fixation is that of the many species of jellyfish which she also draws almost daily. She meets a very pretty girl one night who helped her buy a jellyfish she later named Clara. This pretty girl just inserts herself into Tsukumi's apartment and her life--but not before the shocking revelation that she is a he and a certain politician and his mistress' youngest son named Kuranosuke Koibuchi. He identifies as a straight man who is just very, very, very fond of women's fashion, and dresses up as one because it has something to do with his abandonment issues with his mother. Tsukumi was at first adamant not to be involved with him since her apartment prohibits men after all.
That being said, these two unlikely friends certainly clicked especially when Kuranosuke later discovers Tsukumi's hidden talents in making unique and enthralling dresses via use of her jellyfish designs. Soon, Kuranosuke involves everyone, the Amars, to help him and Tsukumi make dresses for his friends at a theatre troupe. What started as a spur-in-the-moment group activity slowly and surely turned into an aspiring clothing line/empire which Kuronosuke hopes to bring into fruition with Tsukumi as the designer and him as the model while the rest of the Amars women as the seamstresses.
Much of the manga's plot shows the process of how Kuronosuke and Tsukimi struggle to sew the high-fashion dresses and advertise them to potential clients, all the while to earn enough money to buy their apartment back which is under redevelopment; a project approved by Kuronusuke's own father as facilitated by her older half-brother Shu. Mangaka Higashimura knows her fashion stuff to a fascinating tee, and we get chapter breaks about her daily life as a mangaka and fashion trend lover as she illustrates tales of her adventures through amusing anecdotes. She is absolute gem when she does this!
Princess Jellyfish's cast is amazing! They are all memorable characters with depth and humor. From the kimono-wearing Chieko who collects dolls, Mayaya who is an avid history buff obsessed with Records of Three Kingdoms and often quotes and reenacts the text, Banba with her natural afro, predilection to trains and food quality, and to Jiji who is sexually attracted to older men and anything associated with classic and antique things. Tsukimi is also the adorkable introvert who is really quite pretty whenever she is forced to wear make-up and nice clothes (even Mayaya who actually is transformed into a model for their spontaneous clothing line fashion shows even though she's quite stressed about it whenever it happens). I really adored these characters because, hey, I'm one of them. I obsess about my geekeries and I'm very passionate about them to the point that I'd rather lock myself up and just read books, watch shows and write stories all day long.
Kuronosuke and Tsukumi are definitely great in their leading roles and both have unresolved issues with their mothers. Kuronosuke's mom had to give him up and send him away to live in Japan, and his love for women's clothing is just an extension of his mother's own interest in fashion. Meanwhile, Tsukumi's mother passed away and left her only with memories of their time at the aquarium where she fell in love withthe jellyfish for the first time. Both of them are so lonely but are creative in their own ways. Kuronosuke is very intriguing as a crossdresser because he has no shame about it even if he is still a heterosexual man. Tsukumi meanwhile definitely lacked confidence but through Kuronosuke's vision and fiery ambitions, her potentials as a designer were brought out. Kuronosuke was also able to bring out the other Amars women from their shells by giving them the opportunities to do professional work, inspiring them to dedicate themselves to something that could be both enjoyable and profitable all at once. Kuronosuke became a positive force for these other women.
The Amars women don't even care about fashion or doing actual work but thanks to Kuronosuke always driving them to be better, and Tsukumi's amazing talent, they all start to achieve things together as a unit. Tsukimi herself immerses herself in her creativity too, as inspired by Kuronosuke who just looks so damn good in the jellyfish dresses Tsukumi makes. I cannot for the life of me fathom that a boy could truly be mistaken for a woman.
The great thing about this series is that the romance is more or less a subplot that isn't always utilized to move the story forward. The author herself seemed to be very fond of fashion trends and its industry both local to her homeland Japan and foreign, and that's what this manga covers eighty percent of the time especially starting from volume 6.
That being said, the romantic subplot was well-written enough to hold interest especially since it involves a love triangle between Tsukumi and the brother, Kuronusuke and Shu. His older half-brother is a 30-year old aspiring politician who also happened to be a virgin. He is conservative yet surprisingly sweet, romantic and thoughtful. He initially doesn't recognize Tsukumi without her make-up which made me think he only liked her because of physical reasons but then when he did find out what Tsukimi normally looks like, he still found her alluring and it's so funny how much he tried to pursue and court her which often lead to disastrous misunderstandings. Tsukimi definitely likes him back but is so burdened with low self-esteem and experience that she hardly shows her reciprocation; at least until Kuronosuke and Shu's personal driver/friend/ladies' man push them both forward to admit that they have feelings for one another and would like to be in a relationship.
Kuronosuke's unrequited side of things is definitely complicated. For one thing, he was more driven to pursue a career in fashion, and he only wants what is best for both his brother and Tsukimi. It took him some time to admit that he even likes Tsukumi and it was probably too late since it was also around the same time Tsukimi realized she has feelings for Shu. I personally ship her and Shu a lot even if Kurosuke an Tsukimi have more interactions. The conclusion to this romantic subplot has yet to be seen, considering this manga is still ongoing and had just released its 16th volume which I have yet to read. Tsukimi still has plenty of stuff to accomplish, and her relationship with both brothers has a lot of room to grow from.
Princess Jellyfish is not really a coming-of-age story about self-acceptance but more about the pressures and choices that women like Tsukimi have to face every day just because society deemed their hobbies and interests as abnormal or inappropriate. The Amars women are actually comfortable with their lifestyle and only avoid other people because such people have no appeal to them whether for conversation or a long-term relationship. The portrayal and representation of gender fluidity in Kuronosuke's character were also commendable. Higashimura shows great understanding and acceptance for people who cross-dress or have unusual hobbies, whether male or female, and she demonstrates it deftly and sincerely in her writing of this cast. Higashimura also respects the Amars women enough to showcase their quirks as something that don't necessarily have to exist for comedic effect.
I could tell as a reader that she is neither pandering nor cynical about how she portrays both the otaku and the fashionable people, considering that she's a combination of both worlds in real life, going by her autobiographical chapter breaks. This is definitely the manga's selling point. It doesn't try too hard to be edgy and charming, but rather it oozes with both qualities in earnest amounts because Higashimura speaks from the heart as someone who is passionate about her interests and is not afraid for the world to know just how much and how far she would go pursuing them.
My enjoyment of Princess Jellyfish isn't over yet! The manga is still ongoing after all, and there is both an anime series and a live-action film that I could watch, and I'm certainly looking forward to doing that soon enough! In a nutshell, Akiko Higashimura's Princess Jellyfish has my seal of approval!
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
August 9, 2021
UGH, so good, I love everything about this series, the art, the plot, the characters. 10/10. (:
Just reread the whole series- whenever I read this it always makes me want to go ape shit at Joanne Fabrics and start my own fashion line.
Just reread the whole series- whenever I read this it always makes me want to go ape shit at Joanne Fabrics and start my own fashion line.
July 14, 2014
Over-the-top, irreverent, hilarious, sweet, melancholic, smart, original.
I really enjoyed this manga from Higashimura sensei, I wonder why it took me so long to finally deciding to open its first volume.
Tsukimi (beautiful name, written with the kanji of "moon" and "sea"), developed a passion for jellyfishes when she was a little girl and her mother took her to an aquarium.
There, in front of a particularly pretty species, whose tentacles form reminded her of a princess' gown, her mother explained her that every girl, once grown-up, could become princesses.
All grown-up and every day more obsessed with jellyfishes, Tsukimi is now a fujoshi (female otaku) and aspiring illustrator who's just moved to Tokyo and lives in a women-only apartment, where all of her amazing house mates hate men and fashion, to the point of having a fit and/or turning into stone (literally) every time they happen to cross their path with either fascinating men or women.
The house has strict rules about the access of men and fashionable people in general, and all the residents define themselves proudly as "nuns".
Tsukimi life starts to change when she meets a kind, friendly and gorgeous young woman who's actually... a guy, Kuranosuke.
I finished reading this first volume with such an enthusiasm! I love how different Tsukimi and all her friends are, compared to the other "beautiful" women in the manga.
They're fantastically unique and I can't wait to see how Kuranosuke presence will affect their lives.
September 25, 2011
Impressions:
The story is pretty wacky, fantaisist and whimsical but I have a great time going over the mangas. It reminded me of the characters of "Ouran High Scool Host Club" by Bisco Hatori in a very different context but with the same crazy sense of humor. Between panic attacks, the fossils attacks, the rants of the different characters and the sublime makeovers, you get attached to the inhabitants of the residence.
Decked out nicknames when they were younger, all these women were retire on themselves and have become secluded crazy adults.
One feels the message of the mangaka: have respect for differences.
If those girls have lost confidence in themselves, yet their personalities are rich, colorful and passionate. What makes them great for those who really know how to watch and does not focus solely on appearance as the girls 'trends' of Kurako who criticize and judge without knowing. Under the 'nerdy' and unpopular side of our characters, true beauties are hidden. It just take time to discover. This is what Kurako is doing with great openness.
In the background, there is also a love story born gently pointing its nose on the horizon ...
A nice manga full of crazyness and humor.
Anime / Manga
If you do not read ... It's a shame but you can watch this anime online. It is very nice and faithfully follows the manga.
But if you want to know what will happen in season 2, you will either take it out or you will have to read the manga.
There are six volumes already available on the web. Breaks in bookstores in France on October 12 published by Delcourt and Akata.
Read in English on the site http://www.mangafox.com/manga/kurageh...
The story is pretty wacky, fantaisist and whimsical but I have a great time going over the mangas. It reminded me of the characters of "Ouran High Scool Host Club" by Bisco Hatori in a very different context but with the same crazy sense of humor. Between panic attacks, the fossils attacks, the rants of the different characters and the sublime makeovers, you get attached to the inhabitants of the residence.
Decked out nicknames when they were younger, all these women were retire on themselves and have become secluded crazy adults.
One feels the message of the mangaka: have respect for differences.
If those girls have lost confidence in themselves, yet their personalities are rich, colorful and passionate. What makes them great for those who really know how to watch and does not focus solely on appearance as the girls 'trends' of Kurako who criticize and judge without knowing. Under the 'nerdy' and unpopular side of our characters, true beauties are hidden. It just take time to discover. This is what Kurako is doing with great openness.
In the background, there is also a love story born gently pointing its nose on the horizon ...
A nice manga full of crazyness and humor.
Anime / Manga
If you do not read ... It's a shame but you can watch this anime online. It is very nice and faithfully follows the manga.
But if you want to know what will happen in season 2, you will either take it out or you will have to read the manga.
There are six volumes already available on the web. Breaks in bookstores in France on October 12 published by Delcourt and Akata.
Read in English on the site http://www.mangafox.com/manga/kurageh...
April 20, 2017
Excellent first volume. I loved everything about it:
- the heroine: Tsukimi. She looks a bit like Yankumi but her personality is like Sawako. Awkward, super shy and with the funniest expressions. She is always flustered, she is awkward around people, especially around beautiful people (like Kuranosuke). I love her outfit, with glasses and ponytails (so much like Yankumi!). I love that she is a jellyfish-otaku, so original. And the way she rolls on the floor! So funny.
- Kuranosuke: a cross-dressing hero, but he is so cute, both in man outfit and girl outfit. I like how he, out of nowhere, is interested in this weird group of otaku girls, and how he manages to win them over (with meat!) since the girls avoid: 1) fashionable people, and 2) men (although the girls are not aware yet that "she" is a "he".
- the amars: the group of otaku friends that live together with Tsukimi. All of them are crazy and awkward and all of them are fujoshis **high five**.
- the art: it is so cute and funny. Lovely.
- the mangaka: looks like she is a crazy woman, I loved it. I giggled over her notes as much as I did over the manga. Another weirdo, who loves jellyfishes.
The manga is funny, silly, but with so much heart. Tsukimi is not a stupid girl, and neither a cry baby. She does cry, however, at the end of the first volume, but it is because of her dead mother (which was very sad).
- the heroine: Tsukimi. She looks a bit like Yankumi but her personality is like Sawako. Awkward, super shy and with the funniest expressions. She is always flustered, she is awkward around people, especially around beautiful people (like Kuranosuke). I love her outfit, with glasses and ponytails (so much like Yankumi!). I love that she is a jellyfish-otaku, so original. And the way she rolls on the floor! So funny.
- Kuranosuke: a cross-dressing hero, but he is so cute, both in man outfit and girl outfit. I like how he, out of nowhere, is interested in this weird group of otaku girls, and how he manages to win them over (with meat!) since the girls avoid: 1) fashionable people, and 2) men (although the girls are not aware yet that "she" is a "he".
- the amars: the group of otaku friends that live together with Tsukimi. All of them are crazy and awkward and all of them are fujoshis **high five**.
- the art: it is so cute and funny. Lovely.
- the mangaka: looks like she is a crazy woman, I loved it. I giggled over her notes as much as I did over the manga. Another weirdo, who loves jellyfishes.
The manga is funny, silly, but with so much heart. Tsukimi is not a stupid girl, and neither a cry baby. She does cry, however, at the end of the first volume, but it is because of her dead mother (which was very sad).
June 18, 2016
What did I think? Hmm.. How about I go with this was : INCREDIBLY AWESOME?: Jellyfish Princess was a gigantic , hearty laugh. It was simply wonderfully funny.
Tsukimi who happens to be obsessed with jellyfish lives with 4 other nerdy geeks - Otakus (Cheiko, Jiji, Mayaya and Banba) all isolated in the building complex- Amamizukan. They call themselves Amars (nuns) and are socially unresponsive. They do not interact well with other people and are extremely hilariously nervous around men. Basically all five of them have untied after their common dislikes: they loathe attractive people (being "bellow average looks wise"), social interaction and the prospect of formal work. The characters literally turn into solid stone (as if they looked into the eyes of Medusa) when directly intimidated with any of the above. This was a bit annoying at times but after a while it grows onto you and you start seeing the funny side.
Enter Kuranosuke a.k.a Kurako. He is the devilishly hot illegitimate son of a wealthy politician who happens to have a rather queer hobby: cross dressing. Kurako (his alias around the amars) is fashionably equipped with the latest styles and trends so at first the group of Otakus are reluctant to welcome him. Of course they have no idea he's male except Tsukimi who finds out earlier on. Together these band of uniquely strange people work together to stop the closure of their apartment building.
PLUS THERE'S THIS INSANELY CUTE JELLYFISH CLARA:
This and other reviews can be found at:
Andy's Scribbles
March 12, 2020
I wasn’t expecting to like Princess Jellyfish very much, especially since it’s so easy to fall prey to thinking “romantic comedies/stories for girls = bad.” I love this story though— it’s a story that can not be divorced from its Japanese roots, so you learn a little about Japanese culture as you go through! Higashimura has beautiful art and character designs, and the humor helps lighten the story when the emotional lines start to feel tense or sappy. I can’t wait to get the next one!
August 10, 2021
WARNING: These are my thoughts on the overall series, not just on Volume One. I prefer to mark the first manga of a series as Read so my Goodreads Challenge doesn't get skewed. Major spoilers will be under tags but read at your own risk.
PROS:
The male love interest is a pretty princess <3
Princess Jellyfish is one of the few stories I can think of that has a male love interest who enjoys cross-dressing and I’m so here for that! This type of F/M love pairing almost never happens in western lit.
Side note: I think it’s possible that the male love interest is actually gender-fluid, but the manga never specifies so I’m going to keep referring to him as a male in this review.
Our main character, Tsukimi, has reached adulthood but feels like she’s failed somewhere along the way because she isn’t living the life she thought she'd live.
She's struggling to find a job and is living with a group of other women that self-label as NEETs. She can't imagine ever interacting with the pretty Tokyoites she sees walking around in the city.
This could entirely be my interpretation of her character, but I get the vibe that Tsukimi has I loved that.
Also Tsukimi, in my opinion, is most likely
Her love interest, Kuranosuke, acts as the motivating force that drives the socially awkward characters to reach their full potential. He's the attractive politician's son with a hobby of women's fashion. He's the epitome of the fashionable Tokyoite that Tsukimi fears whether he wears male or female fashion. He can be comically petty, pushy, and hot-headed but he is also thoughtful and a visionary. Kuranosuke sees Tsukimi's potential and works tirelessly to bring it out of her until she finally sees it herself.
Tsukimi lives with a group of women who are social rejects in their society.
There were many things I loved about this manga: humor, the overall message, loveable characters, and growth.
CONS:
I think it’s important to mention that if you’re expecting this to be romance-heavy then you will be disappointed. This has very few heart-racing romance scenes in it. The manga feels dragged out in places and the characters focus on things that seem tedious to the reader until you realize they were the things the characters needed all along to grow. It can be a frustrating read because of that.
I feel like the mangaka was going to make this into a typical romance story until it evolved into something else. I just wish she had more of a vision from the start of what this story was going to be because there were scenes early on that got me excited about the romance between the two leads, but then things stagnated between them for many volumes. At one point I was SO DONE with this manga because I felt like it promised romance and was being very stingy with showing it.
But by the end, I came to realize that Tsukimi And that's so true to her character all along. It’s a powerful and unique message that I rarely see portrayed in manga, and I ended up appreciating it so much.
I still wish I could have seen the real trajectory of the romance earlier because it would have been a much less frustrating reading experience.
Another con is that there were a few lines sprinkled around here and there that were jarring. For example, some people were speculating whether Kuranosuke might be gay because he likes to cross-dress, and he seemed disgusted by the assumption. I suppose if you’re an androgynous male who is attracted to a female, then you might feel attacked when people automatically assume they know who you’re supposed to like. Still, I think it could have been worded better.
There were also a few awkward comments about virginity. Although these notions get challenged throughout the story, eg, by Tsukimi’s realization that I outlined earlier.
There were a few other moments that made me cringe that might make it difficult to recommend this story to fellow westerners who are used to political correctness. However, nothing is done with malice, and if you’re already aware of how anime and manga can be (anime is like the Wild Wild West for political correctness lol) then these issues won’t be a problem for you.
PROS:
The male love interest is a pretty princess <3
Princess Jellyfish is one of the few stories I can think of that has a male love interest who enjoys cross-dressing and I’m so here for that! This type of F/M love pairing almost never happens in western lit.
Side note: I think it’s possible that the male love interest is actually gender-fluid, but the manga never specifies so I’m going to keep referring to him as a male in this review.
Our main character, Tsukimi, has reached adulthood but feels like she’s failed somewhere along the way because she isn’t living the life she thought she'd live.
She's struggling to find a job and is living with a group of other women that self-label as NEETs. She can't imagine ever interacting with the pretty Tokyoites she sees walking around in the city.
This could entirely be my interpretation of her character, but I get the vibe that Tsukimi has I loved that.
Also Tsukimi, in my opinion, is most likely
Her love interest, Kuranosuke, acts as the motivating force that drives the socially awkward characters to reach their full potential. He's the attractive politician's son with a hobby of women's fashion. He's the epitome of the fashionable Tokyoite that Tsukimi fears whether he wears male or female fashion. He can be comically petty, pushy, and hot-headed but he is also thoughtful and a visionary. Kuranosuke sees Tsukimi's potential and works tirelessly to bring it out of her until she finally sees it herself.
Tsukimi lives with a group of women who are social rejects in their society.
There were many things I loved about this manga: humor, the overall message, loveable characters, and growth.
CONS:
I think it’s important to mention that if you’re expecting this to be romance-heavy then you will be disappointed. This has very few heart-racing romance scenes in it. The manga feels dragged out in places and the characters focus on things that seem tedious to the reader until you realize they were the things the characters needed all along to grow. It can be a frustrating read because of that.
I feel like the mangaka was going to make this into a typical romance story until it evolved into something else. I just wish she had more of a vision from the start of what this story was going to be because there were scenes early on that got me excited about the romance between the two leads, but then things stagnated between them for many volumes. At one point I was SO DONE with this manga because I felt like it promised romance and was being very stingy with showing it.
But by the end, I came to realize that Tsukimi And that's so true to her character all along. It’s a powerful and unique message that I rarely see portrayed in manga, and I ended up appreciating it so much.
I still wish I could have seen the real trajectory of the romance earlier because it would have been a much less frustrating reading experience.
Another con is that there were a few lines sprinkled around here and there that were jarring. For example, some people were speculating whether Kuranosuke might be gay because he likes to cross-dress, and he seemed disgusted by the assumption. I suppose if you’re an androgynous male who is attracted to a female, then you might feel attacked when people automatically assume they know who you’re supposed to like. Still, I think it could have been worded better.
There were also a few awkward comments about virginity. Although these notions get challenged throughout the story, eg, by Tsukimi’s realization that I outlined earlier.
There were a few other moments that made me cringe that might make it difficult to recommend this story to fellow westerners who are used to political correctness. However, nothing is done with malice, and if you’re already aware of how anime and manga can be (anime is like the Wild Wild West for political correctness lol) then these issues won’t be a problem for you.
September 24, 2023
Un po’ datato ma molto carino.
December 4, 2012
Dün akşam 1Q84ü okumak istemedi canım bunu okudum eğlenceli idi:)Otoku bir kızımız var, Tokyo'da kendisi gibi kadınlarla beraber bir evde yaşıyor, denizanası sever bir insan kendisi :) sonra hayatına giren bir yabancı ile yaşamı alt üst oluyor. Biraz perfect girl evolution tarzı ki ben severim o tarzı ve fazla uzatmamışlar, daha iyi olmuş..
October 30, 2019
i’m sobbing right now, i love all these characters (even though i got aggravated that tsukimi didn’t like kuranosuke for a long ass time and the plot was predictable) and all the clothes and i just need a minute to compose myself. i look like a dinosaur.
January 13, 2014
Dead and buried. So much cute. Possibly my new favorite??
November 29, 2015
Ok la idea no es la más original del mundo, pero la forma es genial. La justa medida entre la melancolia, la amistad y el romance con una protagonista freaky y antisocial. Me encanta.
Read
August 30, 2017I just couldn't get into this.
April 9, 2025
4.5 stars for the whole series
i did laugh out loud a couple of times i will admit. and i can't say how much i appreciate simply seeing strange and geeky women be and not have the story change them at the end to make them "normal". I love you unapologetically weird and nerdy women *heart emoji*
minus 0.5 stars because there were some things that strictly speaking weren't the most "politically correct" or certain plot lines that felt insensitive but, at the end, i think they're pretty minor and shouldn't overshadow what the main story is about
bonus: no endgame couple!!! hashtag celibacy
i did laugh out loud a couple of times i will admit. and i can't say how much i appreciate simply seeing strange and geeky women be and not have the story change them at the end to make them "normal". I love you unapologetically weird and nerdy women *heart emoji*
minus 0.5 stars because there were some things that strictly speaking weren't the most "politically correct" or certain plot lines that felt insensitive but, at the end, i think they're pretty minor and shouldn't overshadow what the main story is about
bonus: no endgame couple!!! hashtag celibacy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2025
Watched the anime years ago and remember really loving it. The manga was adorable just like I knew it would be. The weird SA vibes around the blackmail on the brother was something I forgot though and that was creepy for sure and the uncle was kinda weird as well but other than that I did really like it.
May 20, 2021
Alors on suit une coloc de meufs otaku avec chacune leurs weird special interest, qui ont renoncé à la vie sociale en dehors de leur coloc, et adopté le célibat. L’héroïne (obsessionnelle des méduses) devient malgré elle pote avec une drag queen qui est en fait le fils illégitime d’un homme politique connu. Je valide 10/10 le concept, maintenant je me méfie sur l’exécution mais so far 🤞
March 5, 2023
I'm a sucker for slice-of-life josei manga geared towards an older female audience – they're such unicorns! – so the premise of this and its quirkily charming art style immediately appealed to me.
I was also impressed by its focus on an often overlooked group – female otaku ('fujoshi' or, as they call themselves, 'amars') – from a refreshingly sympathetic female perspective. Rather than simply presenting female otaku as token nerdy side characters, Higashimura spotlights the everyday challenges of the socially awkward fujoshi, like approaching strangers (especially men) and navigating a bustling metropolis with an anxiety disorder.
This is tackled with humour, but some of the details hit surprisingly close to home – like how Tsukimi regrets not planning her trip to the aquarium on a weekday to avoid the crowds after suffering a panic attack. There are other reminders of the kinds of prejudices the group faces on a daily basis amid the zaniness, too, like how the amars are treated dismissively by others and viewed with contempt and even revulsion.
And, while the marriage of opposites trope is a common one, I enjoyed the clashing of personalities in the confident, cavalier Kuranosuke and the withdrawn, awkward Tsukimi. I've always been drawn to unconventional characters, and the sudden arrival of a dazzling, rebellious personality who challenges Tsukimi to leave the comforting confines of her mundane existence is a simple but fun twist that offers the right dose of wish fulfilment.
There are layers here, too, and the book encourages you to take a closer look at each character. Kuranosuke is introduced as a beautiful 'princess' with a seemingly perfect existence but is in fact a cross-dressing man shirking the conventional life that awaits him in politics in favour of his ambition to work in fashion. Tsukimi, meanwhile, could easily follow a typical ugly duckling arc, especially after Kuranosuke transforms her with a makeover; but, as fun as it is to see her transformation, I was pleasantly surprised when she is instead recognised as being most beautiful while in her element – surrounded by jellyfish in an aquarium – and therefore able to be the most herself.
For more of my thoughts on Princess Jellyfish Vol. 1, please check out my full review on Inky Squiggles.
I was also impressed by its focus on an often overlooked group – female otaku ('fujoshi' or, as they call themselves, 'amars') – from a refreshingly sympathetic female perspective. Rather than simply presenting female otaku as token nerdy side characters, Higashimura spotlights the everyday challenges of the socially awkward fujoshi, like approaching strangers (especially men) and navigating a bustling metropolis with an anxiety disorder.
This is tackled with humour, but some of the details hit surprisingly close to home – like how Tsukimi regrets not planning her trip to the aquarium on a weekday to avoid the crowds after suffering a panic attack. There are other reminders of the kinds of prejudices the group faces on a daily basis amid the zaniness, too, like how the amars are treated dismissively by others and viewed with contempt and even revulsion.
And, while the marriage of opposites trope is a common one, I enjoyed the clashing of personalities in the confident, cavalier Kuranosuke and the withdrawn, awkward Tsukimi. I've always been drawn to unconventional characters, and the sudden arrival of a dazzling, rebellious personality who challenges Tsukimi to leave the comforting confines of her mundane existence is a simple but fun twist that offers the right dose of wish fulfilment.
There are layers here, too, and the book encourages you to take a closer look at each character. Kuranosuke is introduced as a beautiful 'princess' with a seemingly perfect existence but is in fact a cross-dressing man shirking the conventional life that awaits him in politics in favour of his ambition to work in fashion. Tsukimi, meanwhile, could easily follow a typical ugly duckling arc, especially after Kuranosuke transforms her with a makeover; but, as fun as it is to see her transformation, I was pleasantly surprised when she is instead recognised as being most beautiful while in her element – surrounded by jellyfish in an aquarium – and therefore able to be the most herself.
For more of my thoughts on Princess Jellyfish Vol. 1, please check out my full review on Inky Squiggles.
July 19, 2018
first off I'm going to say that I am a huge fan of Nana and Paradise kiss. I love Ai Yazawa and her writing and her drawings they are absolutely magnificent. Her story lines are gut-wrenching. And so, also being part geek and mostly nerd my whole life, transitioning to Princess Jellyfish was more than just a natural Next Step. It was a must Next Step. I wasn't always an Otaku, but reading about Princess Jellyfish wasn't just a good read it was also very beneficial in teaching me more about Japanese culture in general. And I love it when a book can teach me more about another culture than I already knew. I learned about the Amars and I realized that if I had ever lived in Japan I would be considered more of an Amars than an otaku. Of course I would not be a full-fledged Amars because once again, much like Paradise Kiss this book incorporates a character I absolutely adore because she / he is in love with fashion and I can certainly understand that concept. Fashion is just another Avenue for art to put its stamp on. Fashion designers are artists and all artists are creators. Kuranosuke is by far my favorite character in this whole series although, of course, the girls definitely touch my heart because they remind me so much of friends I had growing up. Tsukimi is utterly adorable and I just want to pinch her cheeks. She is so shy but so adorable and I can understand Kuranosuke having / developing a crush on her. I love this book because it transcends all the assumptions and stereotypes that so many people in America tend to fixate on when it comes to gender and sex. This book is a pansexual dream! I love it that a man can dress as a woman and not have it be his complete identity but in fact just a passion that stirs inside him and he can just be as beautiful as any woman out there. I love that. He can do it. He is an androgynous beauty. It doesn't define his sexuality and I love that this book addresses that so much. So many people believe that sex and gender are the same thing when really they are not and gender is just how we see ourselves, our own ideas of who we are and who we want to be, our own desires, how we want the world to see us and it can be a mix between masculine and feminine or you can be a polar opposite of what is expected of your own sex and that is the beauty of gender. Plus I must also mention this book is hilarious to read. You will not want to put it down. The very tension that all these characters feel just from being exposed to new experiences when they themselves are so extremely awkward is going to give you a huge punch in the gut laugh. I am going to read all of these. Love, love, love!!!
November 26, 2017
I took this because I wanted to try reading all the books on my local library manga-shelf and it was one of the first books on the shelf due to "Akiko" beginning with an A. So it was totally random that I decided that this book should be the first on my big Manga-quest.
It was a bit difficult to get through in the beginning but to my to suprise the characters started to grow on me. I am perfectly aware that I am not the targeted audience for this type of book, so I kind of walked into it with more of a curious mind than with the expectation of getting something extremely funny.
It did turn out to be quite entertaining even when I think that the style is too much over the top for me to really being enjoyable. I prefer a more low-key tone in story-telling. The story is basic with themes like identity, being insecure and sexuality, yet it provides us with some fun twists and situations that makes you go on with the story even though the characters reactions are pretty predictable.
Overall, it was entertaining but I am not sure I will continue this series. After all, I feel that I also want to find manga-books that are more my style. Still, I don't regret reading it and if you are into Josei-manga (comics for women) it is fun read. At least, I was still having a chuckle-time reading this.
It was a bit difficult to get through in the beginning but to my to suprise the characters started to grow on me. I am perfectly aware that I am not the targeted audience for this type of book, so I kind of walked into it with more of a curious mind than with the expectation of getting something extremely funny.
It did turn out to be quite entertaining even when I think that the style is too much over the top for me to really being enjoyable. I prefer a more low-key tone in story-telling. The story is basic with themes like identity, being insecure and sexuality, yet it provides us with some fun twists and situations that makes you go on with the story even though the characters reactions are pretty predictable.
Overall, it was entertaining but I am not sure I will continue this series. After all, I feel that I also want to find manga-books that are more my style. Still, I don't regret reading it and if you are into Josei-manga (comics for women) it is fun read. At least, I was still having a chuckle-time reading this.
November 27, 2019
I watched the anime adaptation of this my first year of college, and couldn’t get enough of it. The manga was just as good! I adore all of the characters, because let’s be for real - I feel a kinship with the ladies, especially Tsukimi. She’s literally the most cinnamon bun character to exist. The antics all of the characters get into are great fun, as well as the comedy. A fun, light hearted series that provides a much needed break from heavier reads. Book Riot Read Harder 2019 - book of manga.
May 21, 2020
Vengo desde el anime así que no hay mucha sorpresa, aun así me gusta como se compone este tomo, creo que cierra muy bien las intenciones de los personajes y el rumbo que va a tomar la trama en los siguiente volúmenes. Por otro lado debo darle crédito a la mangaka ya que tiene un arte precioso y ademas con ese capitulo extra nos deja ver su conexión con su obra, quedo a la expectativa de que se viene en el futuro.
October 27, 2016
A beautifully written and warming escapade in the lives of some nerds who start getting in touch with the feeling function and become very confused. Reading this series produces a very cozy feeling, and the characters develop and grow like real people, with motivations that clarify as they learn more about themselves.
Read
July 1, 2021[2018] The otaku girls are like me and my people! I will have to keep reading the series to find out if they keep their geekiness or if they are prettified out of it by their new friend.
[2021] When I think about this book now, I keep thinking about a very racist incident that is casually included. I decided not to continue with the series.
[2021] When I think about this book now, I keep thinking about a very racist incident that is casually included. I decided not to continue with the series.
November 20, 2015
I loved everything this series represented. it was comical while still being able to deal with overarching serious issues. I loved how different the characters were and how people choose to interact with someone that was so different from what was considered 'the norm.'
June 23, 2016
Lần đầu tiên bash giai kính để ủng hộ giai không kính đấy. Nhất là khi trước nay giai kính là gu của tôi.
Sẽ cho 5 sao khi nào mà Tsukimi và Kuranosuke thành đôi. Không thành đôi thì chết với tôi. (￣▽￣)
Sẽ cho 5 sao khi nào mà Tsukimi và Kuranosuke thành đôi. Không thành đôi thì chết với tôi. (￣▽￣)
March 28, 2016
Huge fan of the anime, and I FINALLY got the chance to read it. Absolutely loved it! Endearing, original, self-empowering, and cute. Would definitely recommend a million times over!
June 14, 2017
This was hilarious!
March 4, 2018
Les filles moisies 👍🏾💪🏾
May 30, 2018
One of the best Josei mangas in my opinion! Love every elements in this manga!
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