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ブレス [Bless] #2
ブレス 2 [Bless 2]
メイクの仕事をこなしメイクアップアーティストの夢に向かって歩み始めたアイアは、大屋からの電話で渋谷のメイクスクール「MIRROR」の存在を知る。アイアは自分の技術を向上させるためにMIRRORへ行くが、そこには圧倒的な技術を持つ同世代のライバルがいた…！
160 pages, Paperback
First published October 17, 2022
6 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 23, 2024
"Take the plunge, enjoy the ride and you'll make it through that vast and rocky ocean."
Another very strong volume!
I didn't feel it was quite as gripping as the first volume for some reason, but once Aia goes to Mirror, I felt invested and hooked! I think there is something powerful about seeing your dream awaken as well as seeing people who take a similar dream seriously, and as a result, be able to grow because of those said people around you. It's not like Aia is not skilled at makeup, but now that he has a new freedom where he KNOWS he can pursue his dream, it's like pedal to the metal of learning everything he can and soaking it in. I find that very inspiring to read about and thought it incredible how he really drew out a certain character's personality when doing their makeup!
I did miss seeing Jun in this volume! I mean we saw a little bit of her, but I don't feel she was the focus nearly the same way as volume one. However, the ending leads me to believe we will be seeing a lot more of her again, which I'm looking forward to because she is such a fun character!
I was surprised by how fast I read this volume, and know it's because once I was caught up in Aia's excitement and drive to learn, I HAD to keep reading and see how this volume would unfold!
Another very strong volume!
I didn't feel it was quite as gripping as the first volume for some reason, but once Aia goes to Mirror, I felt invested and hooked! I think there is something powerful about seeing your dream awaken as well as seeing people who take a similar dream seriously, and as a result, be able to grow because of those said people around you. It's not like Aia is not skilled at makeup, but now that he has a new freedom where he KNOWS he can pursue his dream, it's like pedal to the metal of learning everything he can and soaking it in. I find that very inspiring to read about and thought it incredible how he really drew out a certain character's personality when doing their makeup!
I did miss seeing Jun in this volume! I mean we saw a little bit of her, but I don't feel she was the focus nearly the same way as volume one. However, the ending leads me to believe we will be seeing a lot more of her again, which I'm looking forward to because she is such a fun character!
I was surprised by how fast I read this volume, and know it's because once I was caught up in Aia's excitement and drive to learn, I HAD to keep reading and see how this volume would unfold!
September 4, 2024
For like the first 60% I was cringing and having second hand embarrassment but then the second half made up for it.
July 8, 2024
It’s all fashion forward as Aia chases his makeup dream while Jun tries to become a model. Aia finally finds his people, but has to prove himself to them first. Which he apparently does, but you’d never know it to see it.
Fundamentally, this breaks a couple of rules for me in terms of its presentation, but it’s a pretty okay time. The makeup-as-shonen-competition angle is writ very large here and you get to enjoy the artists brandishing their brushes like they’re about to touch up the eyeshadow of Normandy Beach for D-Day.
It’s very, very uninteresting to me and I don’t know that it has a lot of actual information versus the usual proclamations to follow your instincts and such. That it does not render me comatose is a testament to the story.
Watching Aia finally fall in with the crowd that he’s been searching for his whole life is part of that. Even with the competing make-up artists thing, they all bond and accept him and he gets to openly talk about what he couldn’t before. When he’s moved to tears later on it’s absolutely believable for him.
He apparently does an amazing job on the makeup challenge he takes on and I say apparently because once again the art cannot adequately get across how good this allegedly is. It tells more than it shows and that’s a problem.
Say what you will about Food Wars, and you could say a lot, but the ridiculous reactions to the food sold the notion that something magical had happened. This story could have cribbed from that idea (or even Iron Wok Jan) and been better for it.
The new characters are fine enough, mainly there to provide new foils for Aia to go up against and not much more, but nothing terribly memorable. The twins are very close to being a bit much, but I did like the way they explored their personalities during Aia’s challenge.
Oh, did I not mention Jun? That’s because she’s hardly in this volume by comparison, the focus firmly on Aia’s efforts. She does get a bit of a flashback sequence explaining her drive that shows you might want to listen to the end of a sentence before you determine your life path.
This also pays off surprisingly well, in an over-the-top fashion, when she and Aia decide to just randomly shoot fashion photos in the middle of Shibuya. Oddly they don’t include the scene where the traffic in the scramble tramples her underfoot. The art here admittedly does a job closer to what the story needs than the makeup section.
All of this is high grade wish fulfillment that is putting in the leg work (ahem hem), but isn’t really very realistic. It’s decent and I do appreciate how hard it tries, give me something that’s making an effort versus something coasting along, but it never rises above okay.
Possibly that’s down to not enough Jun, as these two work better as a pairing, even if they’re not going to get far in the industry that way. Still, the little quirk of fate that turns up at the end of this volume sets us on a collision course that I’m not unhappy about.
An okay story about two people chasing their dreams and trying as best they can to realize them in a very difficult industry. It’s got more potential than it does payoff, but there’s nothing that makes me say you should avoid it.
3 stars - admittedly one of my lesser ongoings. The characters are easy to root for and I do like reading to see how it’s going to try and up its visuals, even if that’s not an entirely successful proposition.
Fundamentally, this breaks a couple of rules for me in terms of its presentation, but it’s a pretty okay time. The makeup-as-shonen-competition angle is writ very large here and you get to enjoy the artists brandishing their brushes like they’re about to touch up the eyeshadow of Normandy Beach for D-Day.
It’s very, very uninteresting to me and I don’t know that it has a lot of actual information versus the usual proclamations to follow your instincts and such. That it does not render me comatose is a testament to the story.
Watching Aia finally fall in with the crowd that he’s been searching for his whole life is part of that. Even with the competing make-up artists thing, they all bond and accept him and he gets to openly talk about what he couldn’t before. When he’s moved to tears later on it’s absolutely believable for him.
He apparently does an amazing job on the makeup challenge he takes on and I say apparently because once again the art cannot adequately get across how good this allegedly is. It tells more than it shows and that’s a problem.
Say what you will about Food Wars, and you could say a lot, but the ridiculous reactions to the food sold the notion that something magical had happened. This story could have cribbed from that idea (or even Iron Wok Jan) and been better for it.
The new characters are fine enough, mainly there to provide new foils for Aia to go up against and not much more, but nothing terribly memorable. The twins are very close to being a bit much, but I did like the way they explored their personalities during Aia’s challenge.
Oh, did I not mention Jun? That’s because she’s hardly in this volume by comparison, the focus firmly on Aia’s efforts. She does get a bit of a flashback sequence explaining her drive that shows you might want to listen to the end of a sentence before you determine your life path.
This also pays off surprisingly well, in an over-the-top fashion, when she and Aia decide to just randomly shoot fashion photos in the middle of Shibuya. Oddly they don’t include the scene where the traffic in the scramble tramples her underfoot. The art here admittedly does a job closer to what the story needs than the makeup section.
All of this is high grade wish fulfillment that is putting in the leg work (ahem hem), but isn’t really very realistic. It’s decent and I do appreciate how hard it tries, give me something that’s making an effort versus something coasting along, but it never rises above okay.
Possibly that’s down to not enough Jun, as these two work better as a pairing, even if they’re not going to get far in the industry that way. Still, the little quirk of fate that turns up at the end of this volume sets us on a collision course that I’m not unhappy about.
An okay story about two people chasing their dreams and trying as best they can to realize them in a very difficult industry. It’s got more potential than it does payoff, but there’s nothing that makes me say you should avoid it.
3 stars - admittedly one of my lesser ongoings. The characters are easy to root for and I do like reading to see how it’s going to try and up its visuals, even if that’s not an entirely successful proposition.
April 7, 2025
Once again, quite rushed but the characters are coming along nicely. Hoping the pace slows down and we get a chance to breathe again...
December 30, 2024
Vol. 1 ★★★☆☆
Whereas Vol. 1 zooms ahead at a hundred miles an hour, this volume grinds to a halt: most of it revolves around Aia going to Mirror and meeting other aspiring makeup artists. None of the new characters make much of an impression. On top of that, black and white manga isn't really the best format for a story about makeup, which is all about color. After I finish Vol. 3, I'm gonna put this series on the backburner.
Whereas Vol. 1 zooms ahead at a hundred miles an hour, this volume grinds to a halt: most of it revolves around Aia going to Mirror and meeting other aspiring makeup artists. None of the new characters make much of an impression. On top of that, black and white manga isn't really the best format for a story about makeup, which is all about color. After I finish Vol. 3, I'm gonna put this series on the backburner.
October 2, 2025
Hmm...
Interesting. It's very intricate and detailed, maybe a bit too much focus on the makeup side of him and not so much her modeling yet... We'll see what happens at the contest 👀
Interesting. It's very intricate and detailed, maybe a bit too much focus on the makeup side of him and not so much her modeling yet... We'll see what happens at the contest 👀
June 11, 2025
enft ça parle de maquillage donc forcement ça m'intéresse. mais Jun devrait pas être sur la couverture on l'a voit presque pas dans le tome.
February 20, 2025
POPKULTUROWY KOCIOŁEK: Zasiadając do lektury Bless poznajemy ucznia szkoły średniej Aia Udagawe, który od swojego dzieciństwa zajmował się modelingiem. Nie jest to jednak spełnienie jego najskrytszych marzeń, od dawna pragnął on bowiem zostać wizażystą. Niestety pragnienie to jest marginalizowane przez ludzi z jego otoczenia, którzy traktują je jako mało poważne.
Wszystko zmienia się jednak pewnego dnia, kiedy jego licealna klasa ma wziąć udział w konkursie artystycznym, a dwójka uczniów będzie działać jako model i wizażysta. Ze względu na głosy większości swojej klasy, Aia został obsadzony w roli modela, makijażem ma zaś zająć się skryta i nieśmiała Jun. Pomiędzy tą dwójką dochodzi do pewnego porozumienia i zamiany ról. Szybko okazuje się, że to doskonała decyzja. Jun ma bowiem naturalny talent do modelingu, a dzięki wiedzy kosmetycznej Aia udaje się wydobyć z niej skrywane piękno i potrzebną jej pewność siebie. Oboje zaczynają też rozumieć, że nie chcą unikać swoich marzeń i powinni oni je realizować niezależnie od oceny otoczenia.
Historie o nastolatkach próbujących spełnić swoje marzenia nie są w świecie mangi niczym nowym. Yukino Sonoyama w swoim dziele sięga więc po pewne sprawdzone rozwiązania, które jednak potrafi odpowiednio dopasować do własnej wizji.
Bardzo udanie splata ona tu narrację dwójki młodych ludzi, tworząc dynamiczną grę pomiędzy ich kontrastującymi osobowościami i doświadczeniami. Duże znaczenie ma tutaj również tematyka pogoni za pięknem. Wątek ten nie jest jednak demonizowany, a przeformułowany przez autorkę w taki sposób, aby podkreślić potencjał makijażu i mody jako jednego z narzędzi do wyrażania siebie i budowania pewności siebie.
Scenariusz skupia się także na temacie presji społecznej, pewnych oczekiwań otoczenia i konieczności podjęcia własnych decyzji odnośnie przyszłości. Historia Aia jako wizażysty została przedstawiona z dbałością o szczegóły. Widzimy jego pasję do tego rzemiosła oraz przekształcanie pewnych wizji w rzeczywistość. Dotyczy to również postaci Jun. Jesteśmy świadkami jej początkowej nerwowości i niepewności, ale także jej rosnącej pewności siebie i determinacji w dążeniu do realizacji marzeń.
Ponadto Bless w subtelny sposób nawiązuje do samej koncepcji „błogosławieństwa”. To nie jest po prostu słowo pojawiające się w tytule. To temat, który przewija się w całej narracji. Nakładanie makijażu w rękach Aia staje się bowiem formą błogosławieństwa, sposobem na docenienie i celebrowanie piękna, które kryje się w każdej osobie....
https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/szkol...
Wszystko zmienia się jednak pewnego dnia, kiedy jego licealna klasa ma wziąć udział w konkursie artystycznym, a dwójka uczniów będzie działać jako model i wizażysta. Ze względu na głosy większości swojej klasy, Aia został obsadzony w roli modela, makijażem ma zaś zająć się skryta i nieśmiała Jun. Pomiędzy tą dwójką dochodzi do pewnego porozumienia i zamiany ról. Szybko okazuje się, że to doskonała decyzja. Jun ma bowiem naturalny talent do modelingu, a dzięki wiedzy kosmetycznej Aia udaje się wydobyć z niej skrywane piękno i potrzebną jej pewność siebie. Oboje zaczynają też rozumieć, że nie chcą unikać swoich marzeń i powinni oni je realizować niezależnie od oceny otoczenia.
Historie o nastolatkach próbujących spełnić swoje marzenia nie są w świecie mangi niczym nowym. Yukino Sonoyama w swoim dziele sięga więc po pewne sprawdzone rozwiązania, które jednak potrafi odpowiednio dopasować do własnej wizji.
Bardzo udanie splata ona tu narrację dwójki młodych ludzi, tworząc dynamiczną grę pomiędzy ich kontrastującymi osobowościami i doświadczeniami. Duże znaczenie ma tutaj również tematyka pogoni za pięknem. Wątek ten nie jest jednak demonizowany, a przeformułowany przez autorkę w taki sposób, aby podkreślić potencjał makijażu i mody jako jednego z narzędzi do wyrażania siebie i budowania pewności siebie.
Scenariusz skupia się także na temacie presji społecznej, pewnych oczekiwań otoczenia i konieczności podjęcia własnych decyzji odnośnie przyszłości. Historia Aia jako wizażysty została przedstawiona z dbałością o szczegóły. Widzimy jego pasję do tego rzemiosła oraz przekształcanie pewnych wizji w rzeczywistość. Dotyczy to również postaci Jun. Jesteśmy świadkami jej początkowej nerwowości i niepewności, ale także jej rosnącej pewności siebie i determinacji w dążeniu do realizacji marzeń.
Ponadto Bless w subtelny sposób nawiązuje do samej koncepcji „błogosławieństwa”. To nie jest po prostu słowo pojawiające się w tytule. To temat, który przewija się w całej narracji. Nakładanie makijażu w rękach Aia staje się bowiem formą błogosławieństwa, sposobem na docenienie i celebrowanie piękna, które kryje się w każdej osobie....
https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/szkol...
September 24, 2025
Passionnante histoire de passion, Bless continue de bénir les envies de se dépasser de ces deux jeunes héros qui ont trouvé ce qui les faisait vibrer.
Avec ce 2e tome, les ambitions de chacun se confirment et chacun se donne les moyens de réussir. Le lecteur prend ainsi plaisir à les suivre dans leur parcours, même si la mise en scène et la démonstration de ceux-ci sont assez inégaux.
En effet, le tome est surtout consacré à Aia qui intègre une école de maquillage suggérée par son ancien mentor. On l'y voit faire ses premiers pas maladroits après en avoir rencontré les autres membres qui semblent tellement plus assurés et expérimentés que lui. Mais ce qu'il y a de chouette avec lui, c'est que malgré son sentiment, réaliste, d'infériorité, il ne lâche rien, prend tout, retient tout, apprend et avance. Une belle leçon de vie.
La passion pour la mode est toujours là, que ce soit avec les défilés chez Jun ou le maquillage chez Aia, et c'est un régal pour nous. Leur enthousiasme est communicatif. On a envie de les encourager chacun dans leur passion et leurs premiers pas vers leurs rêves. C'est classique mais bien fait. Les dessins ont vraiment du charme. Ils sont lumineux. C'est une belle expérience de les suivre.
Confirmation d'un rêve et nouvelles rencontres, ce tome offre toujours une belle énergie et un beau modèle de persévérance et de passion, sous le trait lumineux et pétillant dont Yukino Sonoyama dote ses personnages attachant. Une jolie série pour se dépasser et suivre ses rêves.
Article complet : https://www.sanctuary.fr/avis/152389/
Avec ce 2e tome, les ambitions de chacun se confirment et chacun se donne les moyens de réussir. Le lecteur prend ainsi plaisir à les suivre dans leur parcours, même si la mise en scène et la démonstration de ceux-ci sont assez inégaux.
En effet, le tome est surtout consacré à Aia qui intègre une école de maquillage suggérée par son ancien mentor. On l'y voit faire ses premiers pas maladroits après en avoir rencontré les autres membres qui semblent tellement plus assurés et expérimentés que lui. Mais ce qu'il y a de chouette avec lui, c'est que malgré son sentiment, réaliste, d'infériorité, il ne lâche rien, prend tout, retient tout, apprend et avance. Une belle leçon de vie.
La passion pour la mode est toujours là, que ce soit avec les défilés chez Jun ou le maquillage chez Aia, et c'est un régal pour nous. Leur enthousiasme est communicatif. On a envie de les encourager chacun dans leur passion et leurs premiers pas vers leurs rêves. C'est classique mais bien fait. Les dessins ont vraiment du charme. Ils sont lumineux. C'est une belle expérience de les suivre.
Confirmation d'un rêve et nouvelles rencontres, ce tome offre toujours une belle énergie et un beau modèle de persévérance et de passion, sous le trait lumineux et pétillant dont Yukino Sonoyama dote ses personnages attachant. Une jolie série pour se dépasser et suivre ses rêves.
Article complet : https://www.sanctuary.fr/avis/152389/
February 1, 2025
No té l'acció trepidant d'un spokon, però en certa manera m'hi recorda, juntament a un slice of life ben profund ♥️ tots els elements que m'encanten, llàstima que es publiquin amb tanta distància i perdi una mica el fil de la història.
Una sèrie intensa i un punt èpica d'un exmodel que es vol dedicar al maquillatge i una delegada de classe tímida, esvelta i altíssima que somia a ser model. Tots dos hi havien mig renunciat però s'intercanvien papers per al concurs de l'institut artístic on estudien i triomfen. A partir d'aquí veiem com lluitaran per aconseguir el seu somni, amb alguna patacada pel camí. Molt maca l'amistat dels protagonistes i com no es relaciona passió pel maquillatge amb homosexualitat (diferència cultural amb el Japó?). Amb ganes de més!!!
Una sèrie intensa i un punt èpica d'un exmodel que es vol dedicar al maquillatge i una delegada de classe tímida, esvelta i altíssima que somia a ser model. Tots dos hi havien mig renunciat però s'intercanvien papers per al concurs de l'institut artístic on estudien i triomfen. A partir d'aquí veiem com lluitaran per aconseguir el seu somni, amb alguna patacada pel camí. Molt maca l'amistat dels protagonistes i com no es relaciona passió pel maquillatge amb homosexualitat (diferència cultural amb el Japó?). Amb ganes de més!!!
October 14, 2024
This series really loves jumping from one thing to another to another in immediate fashion. The cover fooled me a bit as I really like Sumisaki and thought we would get a lot more from her to then not even see her at all the last two third's of the book. I feel like I don't really know what's happening? I don't understand the stakes, which make it hard to feel the level of passion the characters are trying to show.
May 22, 2024
Molto carino, personalmente l'ho trovato più coinvolgente del primo volume, soprattutto dalla seconda metà fino alla fine. Aia si sente finalmente bene in compagnia di persone che hanno i suoi stessi interessi, ed è ancora più motivato a inseguire il suo sogno. Ora per Aia e Sumisaki è tempo di una nuova sfida. Si ritroveranno uno accanto all'altra alla fine del concorso?
November 29, 2024
Appreciated for its competitive spirit and tenacity to achieve its ambitions. Unfortunately, the tricks cannot be appreciated due to the lack of colours. You have to rely on the textual description. Very reminiscent of Smile Down the Runway.
May 21, 2024
Delicato come il primo, ma meno incisivo
August 6, 2024
3.5 stars.
November 14, 2024
3,5 Sterne
December 10, 2025
this was better! the pacing felt a lot more even and the new characters are quite interesting.
December 29, 2024
Plot
: Personally, this volume sets up the next arc smoothly. It also introduces and establishes some new characters and settings. I still enjoyed the first volume a bit more because of the events that happened in it but that doesn’t mean this volume is bad! I love Mirror and where the plot’s headed.
Characters : Aia is becoming endearing to me, more and more. I love seeing him get so happy because he now has comrades that he cried. Also, I love that we see Jun’s dream and why she’s now adamant on getting onto a runway. I do wish we saw more of her this volume though!
Verdict : Still a great volume! I just think that this serves more as a prelude to the next arc. I still did enjoy the Mirror school and the students of Mirror and Aia’s character progression here.
Characters : Aia is becoming endearing to me, more and more. I love seeing him get so happy because he now has comrades that he cried. Also, I love that we see Jun’s dream and why she’s now adamant on getting onto a runway. I do wish we saw more of her this volume though!
Verdict : Still a great volume! I just think that this serves more as a prelude to the next arc. I still did enjoy the Mirror school and the students of Mirror and Aia’s character progression here.
June 25, 2025
toujours aussi bien je suis contente que le début de ce tome se concentrait d'avantage sur Jun ! et l'évolution d'Aia est belle à voir j'ai hâte de voir ce que donnera le tome 3
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews