Pretear, Vol. 1

Pretear #1

by Junichi Satō (Creator), Kaori Naruse (Author/Illustrator)

Himeno is a high school freshman who's having trouble adjusting to the lifestyle of the very rich. Her father, Kaoru, is a one-time famous author of young girls' novels. One of his greatest fans was Natsue, a wealthy woman who liked Kaoru so much that she snatched him up from their rundown apartment and married him. But Himeno's life is far from rosy. Her dad tends to take the side of Natsue rather than her, and Natsue's two daughters from a previous marriage aren't very fond of their new stepsister. One day, Himeno takes a shortcut to school and meets a young boy. When she takes the boy's hand, she's transported to a fantasy world that lies on the brink of extinction. And the one person that can stop it is the girl called "Pretear."

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Romance, Shojo, Graphic Novels, Magic, Fiction

188 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2000

Reviews

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretear is billed as a new version of Snow White, but it seems to owe a lot more to Cinderella, especially at first. There are seven knights, sure, but there are also two wicked step-sisters, and her father is still around. To be honest, I never really saw much Snow White reference in this volume (except that there are seven knights). That had nothing to do with how I felt about the book, though. I did like the art, and while the writing was pretty good, the plot itself wasn't unique or interesting enough to keep me reading further. But I would recommend it to fans of magical girl manga, who would probably like it at least as much as I did.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched the anime first before deciding I wanted to read the manga. Looks like the TV series is very true to the manga though I prefer the anime Sesame. Great read but. I'm looking forward to reading Vol 2.

[~Cyanide Latte~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this log is going to show this as my first time reading through this volume(and series,) I've read Prétear before, back in high school, though I couldn't tell you for sure when. The concept had initially struck me as a bit silly: a new Snow White story where she's a magical girl and there are 7 hot knights instead of dwarves? As a teen, I remember scoffing when a classmate pitched it like that. Why would I take an interest?

Well, simply put: I was in my young anime fan days still, and beggars couldn't be choosers. I devoured pretty much any manga that was shoved in my face because it wasn't popular, meaning I consumed a lot of series that were mediocre and/or bad alongside those that were good and/or great, and I didn't exactly have a reliable gauge for what I would like and what I wouldn't. (Back then I might have tried to sell you on the idea that I had discerning tastes, but the truth was I was an uppity little snob in my own head with Opinions about every manga I read despite being so starved for the stuff that I would really read anything.) And I think it's safe to say that in the beginning I was sure Prétear would be a series I'd eventually look back on with scorn, that it was trying something too absurd and ambitious, and not doing it even middlingly well, leaving me to sneer in contempt and laugh.

Luckily, it slapped me in the face back then.

While I'd say that this first volume has its weak points, particularly where the pacing stands against the exposition and character growth, it's still solid and opens the story very well. The world-building isn't overbearing, and none of the scenes we're given prove unnecessary. As a teenager, it was enough that I came out of this first volume impressed and wanting to know more; as an adult, remembering and looking back on this series, I think I hold this first volume in much higher regard now. We follow Himeno, a young high schooler whose father remarried to a rich woman with two daughters of her own (which evokes more Cinderella vibes than it does Snow White.) Himeno is struggling to adjust to this and to her new family, and it's thanks to an unkindness on the part of one of her new stepsisters that the events of the series really kick off. An unnatural red snow is falling everywhere and anything touched by it is slowly rotting, and when Himeno meets seven young men (three of whom are really just young boys,) they display magical gifts and tell her she's a prétear, someone with the power to combat the effects of the red snow and the seeds that cause them, which are planted by the Princess of Disaster. Himeno initially rejects them and their request for her help, but gets involved when her friend is endangered. The story continues to unfold from there.

What I like about this in retrospect is that even now it holds up. While you may get into this thinking it's about a magical girl or magic knights or a fairy tale modern retelling, the truth is that the core of Prétear deals with grief, loneliness, trauma, and the struggle of adapting to change we have no real control over or say in. This is true for nearly all of the characters, but we only briefly touch on glimpses of this in volume one. The later volumes dive more into this, and I hope that as I continue my re-read, I can bring up these themes and topics in greater detail. As it stands, I'm just happy to return to this series because it became near and dear to my heart, and I don't think it gets enough love. Hopefully my reviews will do it justice.

[Piri Vásárhelyi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite but it's a good time. Easy and childish. Seemed better then it actually was, but that's just me.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Child me: 5 stars
Adult me: 5 stars (the nostalgia still wins over my heart!)

*For the first book in a "child/teen/middlegrade/nostalgic" book, I am going with the rating younger me would have gone with, then if I read on in the series, I will rate the books what adult me believes it should be rated. If the book is a stand alone, I will go with whatever rating I feel most comfortable giving the book. Please note, I do not really think books should have an age limit. People should read what they want to regardless of the intended age group, except for kids reading erotica or something, of course.*

--

I recently found my old manga and am going down memory lane reading them. This series makes me so happy. I have fond memories of it and also the anime. This was one of the first anime/manga series I ever discovered. (other than Sailor Moon and Spirited Away, back before I even knew those were called anime.)

[Anthonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful little tale of a girl with the power to change red snow into white. The knights of the world seek her in order to save the world.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This April I decided to re-read all of the manga I own! Starting off strong with one of my favorite magical girl series: Prétear!

The first installment is full of gorgeous art featuring beautiful fashion (the outfits are an essential part of magical girl manga!) and lots of nature, such as flowers and water. There is really excellent use of screen tone to give the scenes an ethereal and magical feel.

I do think some parts of the dialogue are clunky (could be partly due to the translation) and I roll my eyes a bit at some of the character interactions, but overall I think this book is a strong beginning that makes me want to read more

[Aurakinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty great. I watched the anime way back when and remember loving it. Turns out the manga is good as well. Exactly what I want from a shoujo magical girl series of the time. I like the main character and the tone of the series. Drawings are good, especially gorgeous during her transformations and attacks. I also really like Sasame, just like in the anime.

The English release itself was a bit weird. For some reason they've kept the Japanese dialogue in many places and put the translation beside it. I know it's common with sound effects, but dialogue and whole sentences? Weird choice, made it very messy.

[Ikayuro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhh, it's so nice to revisit this world again after so long! While a lot of the reviews mention that it's more similar to Cinderella (and they're not wrong!) The story does take a very Snow White approach later on.

I've only ever owned the first volume of this, but I've always wanted to acquire the rest because this series is nostalgic and dear to my heart. The art is amazing and once the plot picks up, it's great, too! I highly recommend this for anyone who loves magical girl as a genre.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the anime first, and then came for the manga. It's a short and simple story of a magical girl, one who was a lot less annoying than other heroines in other series at that time. And just so happened to share my birthday. She also had short hair, which was odd for a feminine front-liner. In some sense, it's not so different from other magical girl shoujo manga of the era, but all of these little bits added up to make it special to me.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's very different than the anime, if you have seen the anime first and then read the manga you will see the difference. In example, the character design, Kei, the Leafe Knight of light, and a bit of Sasame, Leafe Knight of Sound, it's his color design that is different. In all, if you see on or the other, it will trip you out.

[poot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, quick read.

[TT · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Magdeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, dramatic, and romantic, this manga is exactly what I've been looking for. The anime did not follow the manga, at all, and my only criticism is that the anime characters look better.

[kerrycat · Rating 5 out of 5]

this re-read makes me realize how different this is from the anime

[Parareefa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This manga series is awesome. I like it.

[Acacia Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't see how it's Snow White, it's more Cinderella, but it's cute and engaging, I kinda wanna see where it goes!

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! It feels reminiscent of Wish and Cardcaptor Sakura/Tsubasa by Clamp. Beautiful illustrations and an interesting twist on an old tale!

[Imogen Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute manga Pretear has been on my manga reading list for a while I rewatched the anime and I am not disappointed by either. Pretear does have a slight fairly tale theme between Snow White and Cinderella I remember did not enhance the manga series at the time only I am glad it is making a come back.

I really enjoy revisiting the older manga series as all of the characters are relatable in many ways I look forward to reading volume two soon.

[♥︎quinn *editing reviews & shelves* · Rating 3 out of 5]

fictional men with long hair MMM

[Worm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretear is such a nostalgic series for me, and the manga brought back a lot of those memories.

This is a review for the manga series as a whole (with comparisons to the anime) and not just volume 1.

I had originally watched the anime when I was a child (and probably too young to process the deeper concepts) and I had loved it (5/5 stars lol). I was always a big fan of the magical girl genre and this further introduced me to that mixed with concepts of romantic tragedy. The opening song was also fantastic (and still is).

The manga series I had read for the first time, now as an adult, and I have some mixed feelings on it. On a personal scale it is a 4/5 stars but looking at it more objectively should probably be rated a bit lower. It is definitely a bit more serious than the anime- I also liked the design and illustrations more with the manga than with the anime. On the other hand I HATED Hayate; is Himeno a bit childish- yes, but her feelings and actions are not invalid or inherently wrong for him to act so badly towards her. He is truly terrible towards her- leading her on and just being a scumbag in general; and I feel like the manga kinda normalizes this type of behavior in a way.

Overall I still really enjoyed this short manga series despite my personal gripes with its display and potential normalization of toxic relationships- the illustrations and plot are still fantastic.

[kuristina- tabreez · Rating 4 out of 5]

High School Sophomore Himeno Awayuki's father has just remarried into a wealthy family in a new area of town and Himeno seems to be having trouble fitting in. As hard as she looks, she can't find any warmth between herself and this new family...
On Himeno's first day at her new High School, her step-sister, Mayune, takes the car to school without her and makes her walk to school. Taking the path of a newly-found shortcut, Himeno runs into a strange little boy after she steps on a flower. Seeing that she is trying to revive the flower to keep it from wilting, the boy holds out his hand to her and when she takes it a strange power flows between them and the flower is healed! But this strange magic causes Himeno to faint, and when she awakens she is surrounded by beautiful men and adorable little boys! She tries to leave but she isn't in her own world anymore... those boys took her through a portal in a tree into their own dying world! They aren't keeping her captive, it's easy to get back by herself, but they propose that they need her, because she is the Pretear that will save all the Leafe, or rather life, on Earth!


Ahh, I am so glad I decided to read the manga to this. I watched and finished the anime probably about... ten or eleven months ago? Hmm. Well, I know it was sometime in the early to middle bit of summer last year. Anywho, I loved it! I loved the anime back then and I love the manga now! It really reaches out to me... The way they portray Sasame to his fangirls is how this anime and manga are to me... I forged a strange bond with it last summer and I find that it is still there... Something about the concept, something about the words they use, something about the hearts of each and every character... It all reaches out to me... And last summer it was one of the only two things that made me feel like I was not alone... And right now.. it's the *only* thing that makes me feel not alone...

[K aren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretear is the story of Himeno, a regular teenage girl that endures harsh treatment from her stepmother and stepsisters after her did remarries. This of course all changes until one day she's caught up into an alternate world, where a gang of prettyboys want to make her the Pretear. The Pretear is the one that will raise up against the Princess of Diaster and reinvigorate the Leafe, life force. In a sense it is a modern day Snow White story, with fantasy elements.

Pretear is really quite standard fare. You got a spunky main heroine, a gang of dazzling guys, evil girls that torment the lead, and some unbelievable fantasy element. The Pretear and whole Leafe thing sounds very much like the classic story of knight on a quest to save kingdom, and the coming of age, reaching your destiny kind of thing. Unfortunately Pretear fails to distinguish itself from such a cliche, and thus it can only be called okay at best. The natural elements, about Leafe and life force, are rather nice, and seem to hint to an environmental aspect, but not creative enough to launch the series. Himeno is cute, and Hayate is the stubborn male, all typical character roles. Therefore this is a rather disappointing beginning however Volume 1 left us with a cliffhanger, which just may redeem this series.

I'm rather interested, it's neither bad or good at this point and I do believe I'll keep reading on to find out how good it is.

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, Pretear, one of the weirder magical girl manga I've had the opportunity of reading a volume of.

Pretear borrows from fairy tales, with the most obvious inspirations being Cinderella and Snow White. It's about Himeno, whose father marries a rich woman and so now she lives with them and two step sisters. Her new family is a mother who really doesn't seem to care for her, a step sister who despises her, and a step sister who seems a little jealous but may come around in the end.

Himeno gets caught up with seven dwarves boys who range from older and hot to little adorable children. These boys are the Leafe knights, whose power she can use as the Pretear to save the world and environment. She uses their powers by "merging" with them to get a princess-y wardrobe and magical elemental powers.

So far, it's holding up pretty well despite having been published in 2000. There are some interesting translation choices from ADV Manga, like leaving portions of the text in Japanese with "subtitles" to translate them. As someone who can read Japanese, I kind of liked this because some of these used fonts that might not be emulated in English well and because it was kind of fun exercising my Japanese skills.

I'd give this one a 3.5/5, and since GR doesn't let you do half stars, round down to 3/5

[Deb · Rating 1 out of 5]

A Japanese Cinderella story: Himeno, a highschool freshman, has been thrust into the world of the nouveau riche. Her father, a former author who has refused to write since the death of his first wife, has re-married to provide his daughter with a better life. The step-mother, a fan of his former glory, is the head of a cosmetic company and has two daughters of her own. The blended family does not mix harmoniously. Sound familiar?

The twist comes when Himeno is called upon to save the world Sailor-Moon-style. The world is made of a substance called "Leafe" and an evil force is attempting to devour this substance. An elite force called the Leafe Knights can do battle with this great evil, but only an entity called the PreTear can vanquish it for good (and create new Leafe as well). The Leafe Knights say that Himeno is the Pretear. Does the world end in a shroud of darkness or are we still alive in the end? Read all four volumes to find out!


I was not a fan of this series because it has no draw for older readers. However, I think a 7 to 10 year old girl would enjoy this series quite a bit.

[Nina {ᴡᴏʀᴅs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ} · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I really love Himeno's hair. I mean all, most shojo character's have pretty similar hair styles, long or short, but Himeno's is short and curly, like pixie hair or something, it's awesome!

Secondly, I thought this was a relatively good manga about life, relationships and magic, in the who kind of magic girl way. I think the idea of the Pretear is cool.

Thirdly, I was a little confused by their ages, since the Liefe knights, the older ones were around 16 years before with the last Pretear and they also looked the same (well it is really hard more manga characters to age well lol), so I was wondering how old they were to be how old they are in during Himeno's time.

Otherwise, it's a cute little manga with bits of angst. The whole dark seeds and Saihi, and the light knights, and the Pretear kind of reminded me a little of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Vol. 01.

[Josephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah yes, Pretear. I remember my mom picking this up for me from the library while I was ill and me reading the entire series the same day.

Such good memories.

Pretear is the typical magical girl manga with a girl finding a magical object or hidden power and transforming in order to stop the bad guys from taking over the world. There's magical guys, romance, friendships, cute mascots, the main character is clumsy and yeah, I think that's it.

To be honest, I didn't like the romance in Pretear all that much because I didn't really like the main guy. Typical cold dude who treats the girl like crap yet she still likes him. Luckily there were 6 other guys, although 3 were underaged, but still they were adorable too.

If you want another magical girl anime like Cardcaptor Sakura, Sailor Moon or (dare I say it) Madoka Magica (slightly less suffering though), then Pretear is perfect for you.

[Ace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though marketed as "the new legend of Snow White," the first volume of Pretear has much more in common with Cinderella: Himeno's father has remarried a wealthy woman with two daughters from her previous marriage, and these two step-sisters go out of their way to get Himeno in trouble, such as taking the car and making their new step-sister walk to school. Himeno takes a shortcut and ends up discovering another world that needs saving by someone called the Pretear. The story is an easy read, both cute and fluffy, and the artwork is pretty; it's a great fit for young readers as well as fans of fairy tales. Older readers may find it a little lackluster - the story exploits common cliches and stereotypes, making it a little too predictable for my taste.

[Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the Leafe knights and the concept of Leafe. The 3 different age groups of knights - the kids, the teenagers and the young adults are compelling and work for me. It was cute how they met and illustrated that the story would spend time in both worlds.

Himeno is not offensive at least and her Snow White background is okay depending on how this develops further. I am getting sick of Mayune already! I didn't much like her family - they need to get a clue! Her Pretear abilities and the frames with them connected are really cool.

Love how we are focusing on Hayate and Sasame first.

BOTTOM LINE: Good initial setup.

[Soobie is expired · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beh... più che Biancaneve, mi ricorda Cenerentola con le sue due sorelle cattive.

Lei è una normale studentessa giapponese. Il padre alcolizzato ed ex scrittore di libri per ragazzi si è sposato con una sua fan, ricchissima e con due figlie che non vedono di buon occhio il matrimonio della madre. Ergo, ostracizzano la protagonista.

Che si vede portare in un'altra dimensione con la scusa che lei è una principessa magica in grado di salvare il mondo.

Dal punto di vista della trama, direi niente di originale. I disegni non sono male.

Son solo quattro volumi. Ora di martedì dovrei aver finito.