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Swan #1
Swan, Volume 1
Masumi, from rural Japan, wants more than anything to be a prima ballerina, and although her training lags behind others in many competitions, her inner strength and poise will help her overcome those challenges facing a hopeful dancer.
195 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1991
24 people are currently reading
553 people want to read
About the author
Kyoko Ariyoshi
143 books25 followersKyoko Ariyoshi (有吉 京子 Ariyoshi Kyōko, born September 14, 1950) is a Japanese shōjo manga artist. She was born in Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture. She debuted by publishing her work Kitty and a Girl (Koneko to Shōjo) in Shukan Margaret in 1971.
Ariyoshi is well known for her works of the ballet stories. Swan (Part 1, 1977 – 1980, and Part 2, 1980 – 1981),[1] Swan -The Prayer of Swan- (1982–1983) and Applause are the representative works. These are all stories of ballet and ballerinas.
See also: 有吉 京子
Ariyoshi is well known for her works of the ballet stories. Swan (Part 1, 1977 – 1980, and Part 2, 1980 – 1981),[1] Swan -The Prayer of Swan- (1982–1983) and Applause are the representative works. These are all stories of ballet and ballerinas.
See also: 有吉 京子
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 4, 2013
I picked up Swan without knowing much about it. According to the blurb at least, it's a classic. The story was first published in 1976 but it has a timeless feel to it. No matter the decade, the story of a girl driving to make something of herself never gets old.
Masumi is an underdog. She is from rural Hokkaido, an island at the northern end of Japan (very cold, but very beautiful - I really want to visit). She loves to dance, but lacks the rigorous training opportunities that are open to girls from more urban areas of Japan. The volume starts out with Masumi at her first ballet competition. She does well, but ultimately fails because she doesn't have the right training.
Luckily, a Russian ballet instructor sees her potential and invites her to be part of a new training program in Tokyo. Masumi is at a disadvantage not only because of her training, but also because she is the only one who didn't earn her way there through the competition. Some of her classmates see her as a usurper. Plus, she also has to adjust to her strict Russian instructor and the relentless and seemingly pointless repetition of the basics. But by the end we all see Masumi's potential begin to blossom.
As I said earlier, this series is nearly 40 years old. I loved the references to the Soviet Union and the seventies style fashions. It was so quaint. This is the first older manga series that I've read. I can't see a big difference in the art or writing. It does seem a bit denser than other series. There are more drawing boxes (the proper term escapes me right now) per page than in other series.
Swan is definitely a series I want to continue. It was satisfying to see Masumi change through hard work while maintaining her cheerfulness and humility. There's no romance in this volume, but it's a charming tale nonetheless.
Masumi is an underdog. She is from rural Hokkaido, an island at the northern end of Japan (very cold, but very beautiful - I really want to visit). She loves to dance, but lacks the rigorous training opportunities that are open to girls from more urban areas of Japan. The volume starts out with Masumi at her first ballet competition. She does well, but ultimately fails because she doesn't have the right training.
Luckily, a Russian ballet instructor sees her potential and invites her to be part of a new training program in Tokyo. Masumi is at a disadvantage not only because of her training, but also because she is the only one who didn't earn her way there through the competition. Some of her classmates see her as a usurper. Plus, she also has to adjust to her strict Russian instructor and the relentless and seemingly pointless repetition of the basics. But by the end we all see Masumi's potential begin to blossom.
As I said earlier, this series is nearly 40 years old. I loved the references to the Soviet Union and the seventies style fashions. It was so quaint. This is the first older manga series that I've read. I can't see a big difference in the art or writing. It does seem a bit denser than other series. There are more drawing boxes (the proper term escapes me right now) per page than in other series.
Swan is definitely a series I want to continue. It was satisfying to see Masumi change through hard work while maintaining her cheerfulness and humility. There's no romance in this volume, but it's a charming tale nonetheless.
September 11, 2022
I read Swan earlier this summer and even though I read only one volume (I couldn't find the rest of the volumes online), I really enjoyed it! This manga has a beautiful art style even though it was created in the late 20th century, and it has a beautiful story too! One of the reviews (Alison - AlisonCanRead) stated that the story is of a girl driving to make something of herself, and I wholeheartedly agree. The main character of this manga is very inspirational, and she has quite a drive despite how discouraging it can be to evaluate the competition. The story reminds me a bit of the animated movie, Leap! In some countries, the movie is just called, Ballerina, I think, but the story overlaps are really similar. I really hope I can read more!
September 6, 2009
oh, it's so good! the shocked look still freaks me out though. i keep thinking that the blank eye look means they are going to faint, not that they are so shocked, they can't speak. while reading the series, you get lovely explainations and history of ballet. yay! you know, i have some knowledge of ballet, and still have some trouble visualizing what they were describing. but what ariyoshi does well is actually shows the movement of the steps instead of just snapshots. it reminded me a lot of an expanded version of forbidden dance, or more like forbidden dance is the condensed version of swan.
January 23, 2026
I found the first seven volumes of this English translation of Swan while unpacking my manga collection after a move. I thought I'd unhauled them after reading one or two and being underwhelmed, so it was a minor surprise. Not an unpleasant one, since I've been enjoying several current series about dancers and other entertainers, and wanted to give it a second chance.
Our main character Masumi, through a combination of love of the art of ballet and an unpolished-yet-strong talent at it, wins a tryout--as an exception, because she's the main character--into an exclusive scholarship class taught by none other than Alexei Sergeiev, a (presumably) fictional master performer with the Russian Ballet. It isn't long before her training at a lackadaisical country school starts manifesting itself in sloppy form. Masumi must get her joints in line, and have the basics down to a T, before she has half a prayer of making it through a second tryout which will send three students from the program to Moscow.
Part of what made this manga a hard sell for me twenty years ago is the melodramatic art. Every little setback sends Masumi into a symbolic tailspin, her face a rictus of sorrow or horror, with storms and floods in the background. Today I find it charming, and not too too far from the tempestuous emotions I remember having at her age, where every failure at getting what I wanted (and often hadn't worked all that hard for) was a crushing cataclysm.
Ariyoshi does a great job with Masumi, whose abrupt climb up the ballet ladder would be hard to stomach if she weren't so down-to-earth and earnest. She's also not a perfect performer, or a perfect person. She doesn't take the basics seriously enough at first and is sternly reprimanded by Sergeiev, and takes that as motivation to ask for his help in learning them on an intuitive level, through grueling training. This story doesn't mask how difficult some of these dance moves are, or how badly one could get injured if they did them incorrectly, or how hard it is to have a serene expression while your face is bathed in sweat.
I'm not sure if I have more than those seven volumes of Swan. Unfortunately, the imprint who published them folded not long after the 2008 crash, and I'm not a fervent enough collector to pay what scalpers are asking for for long out-of-print manga titles. So be it. I'll enjoy what I have, and not worry about the rest. :)
Our main character Masumi, through a combination of love of the art of ballet and an unpolished-yet-strong talent at it, wins a tryout--as an exception, because she's the main character--into an exclusive scholarship class taught by none other than Alexei Sergeiev, a (presumably) fictional master performer with the Russian Ballet. It isn't long before her training at a lackadaisical country school starts manifesting itself in sloppy form. Masumi must get her joints in line, and have the basics down to a T, before she has half a prayer of making it through a second tryout which will send three students from the program to Moscow.
Part of what made this manga a hard sell for me twenty years ago is the melodramatic art. Every little setback sends Masumi into a symbolic tailspin, her face a rictus of sorrow or horror, with storms and floods in the background. Today I find it charming, and not too too far from the tempestuous emotions I remember having at her age, where every failure at getting what I wanted (and often hadn't worked all that hard for) was a crushing cataclysm.
Ariyoshi does a great job with Masumi, whose abrupt climb up the ballet ladder would be hard to stomach if she weren't so down-to-earth and earnest. She's also not a perfect performer, or a perfect person. She doesn't take the basics seriously enough at first and is sternly reprimanded by Sergeiev, and takes that as motivation to ask for his help in learning them on an intuitive level, through grueling training. This story doesn't mask how difficult some of these dance moves are, or how badly one could get injured if they did them incorrectly, or how hard it is to have a serene expression while your face is bathed in sweat.
I'm not sure if I have more than those seven volumes of Swan. Unfortunately, the imprint who published them folded not long after the 2008 crash, and I'm not a fervent enough collector to pay what scalpers are asking for for long out-of-print manga titles. So be it. I'll enjoy what I have, and not worry about the rest. :)
July 8, 2021
Oooooh, this was really fun -- I am very fond of that 70s shoujo art style and this delivers in droves, plus the plot actually went places I didn't expect! I particularly appreciated
August 21, 2017
The best ballet manga that I ever read! I read volume 1-21 in Indonesia but always hope that CMX will republish and finish translating volume 16-21 into English version.
July 9, 2019
Amazing. Sometimes hard to tell the pretty boys apart, but otherwise amazing. Too bad CMX did not publish the whole story.
September 6, 2019
I will to read in online but dificult
May 18, 2020
Captivating and full of emotions.
January 3, 2024
So sweet and melodramatic! I got hooked and I can’t wait to see where it’s going
April 8, 2018
Masumi Hijiri is the daughter of a widowed sculptor, who has enjoyed her ballet lessons since she was a little girl. She loves to dance, and watch others perform in ballet. But stuck in a small city in rural Hokkaido, there just isn’t the chance for truly expert training. So when Masumi suddenly gets an invitation to compete in a national ballet scouting event, with instruction at the top Otori School as a prize, she decides to give it her all!
This famous shoujo (girls’) manga started in 1976 and ran for 21 volumes, of which 15 were published in English by the ill-fated CMX label. There was a surge of interest in ballet dancing in Japan at the time, and the creator did a lot of research to make the movements and poses look right.
The handicap of Masumi’s inferior training is offset by her enormous potential as a prima ballerina, or so we are led to believe by every experienced instructor’s reactions to her dancing. She’s still very much prone to moments of comical klutziness. Masumi is chosen to attend Otori, and it’s at this point she learns her mother was in fact a locally famous ballerina herself. Somehow this has never come up in conversation with her father or teachers before. (But it will be a recurring plot point later in the series.)
At school, Masumi becomes good friends with Sayoko Kyogoku (who is also her rival), the handsome Hisho Kusakabe who is Sayoko’s long-time partner, and Aoi Yanagisawa, who is Hisho’s friendly rival. They all train rigorously. Masumi is soon struggling to keep up, and is signed up for extra training with famous Russian dancer Alexei Sergeiev, along with the impulsive Yuka Asagi.
It turns out that all this was preparation for a contest to see which Otori students get to go to Moscow to train with that internationally acclaimed ballet troupe. The ballet is “Sleeping Beauty” and Sayoko, Masumi and Yuka are all dancing for the role of Aurora–only one of them will succeed!
This manga is made in the flowery, elaborately detailed style popular in shoujo in the 1970s, which works very well for the world of ballet. It’s also expressive of the melodramatic emotions the characters undergo. Modern readers may find the art style somewhat antiquated and over the top.
While the creator did her research, there are some moments that are not particularly realistic in order to ratchet up the dramatic tension–those well-trained in the ballet field will easily spot them.
I am uncertain if it is the paper quality or I simply got unlucky with storage, but my copy’s pages have discolored much more than other manga volumes printed at the same time. Collectors may have a hard time finding a copy in mint condition.
Recommended to fans of ballet or the Princess Tutu anime, especially girls.
This famous shoujo (girls’) manga started in 1976 and ran for 21 volumes, of which 15 were published in English by the ill-fated CMX label. There was a surge of interest in ballet dancing in Japan at the time, and the creator did a lot of research to make the movements and poses look right.
The handicap of Masumi’s inferior training is offset by her enormous potential as a prima ballerina, or so we are led to believe by every experienced instructor’s reactions to her dancing. She’s still very much prone to moments of comical klutziness. Masumi is chosen to attend Otori, and it’s at this point she learns her mother was in fact a locally famous ballerina herself. Somehow this has never come up in conversation with her father or teachers before. (But it will be a recurring plot point later in the series.)
At school, Masumi becomes good friends with Sayoko Kyogoku (who is also her rival), the handsome Hisho Kusakabe who is Sayoko’s long-time partner, and Aoi Yanagisawa, who is Hisho’s friendly rival. They all train rigorously. Masumi is soon struggling to keep up, and is signed up for extra training with famous Russian dancer Alexei Sergeiev, along with the impulsive Yuka Asagi.
It turns out that all this was preparation for a contest to see which Otori students get to go to Moscow to train with that internationally acclaimed ballet troupe. The ballet is “Sleeping Beauty” and Sayoko, Masumi and Yuka are all dancing for the role of Aurora–only one of them will succeed!
This manga is made in the flowery, elaborately detailed style popular in shoujo in the 1970s, which works very well for the world of ballet. It’s also expressive of the melodramatic emotions the characters undergo. Modern readers may find the art style somewhat antiquated and over the top.
While the creator did her research, there are some moments that are not particularly realistic in order to ratchet up the dramatic tension–those well-trained in the ballet field will easily spot them.
I am uncertain if it is the paper quality or I simply got unlucky with storage, but my copy’s pages have discolored much more than other manga volumes printed at the same time. Collectors may have a hard time finding a copy in mint condition.
Recommended to fans of ballet or the Princess Tutu anime, especially girls.
July 24, 2013
Things I liked about "Swan":
1)the idea of a ballet-centric story in manga format is highly original and creative.
2)the drawings of the steps were accurate and very well done.
3)the male dancers/students were the most interesting characters.
4)the famous ballets that are referred to in the story get quick explanations, and with some of the stories, that's not always easy to
do!
5)the ballet terms in the dialogue weren't dumbed down; instead, there was a glossary at the bottom of each page to help the reader out.
Things I did not like:
1)the heroine, Masumi. She has got to be, out of all the manga I've read so far, the most wishy-washy character ever. Insecurity is certainly normal in the world of ballet, but Masumi takes it to a whole new level. Half the book is spent with her whining about how she's not good enough to dance, then she decides she wants to work harder, then something happens or she gets called out/gets into trouble and bawls her head off and decides she can't do it...it got to the point where I was counting the number of times she cried. And trust me, this girl cried way too many times for such a short book.
2)there's some sort of mysterious challenge as to why Masumi gets as far as she does. It's only referred to once, and I guess this gets explored a bit more in future volumes, but otherwise I found myself wondering, "yeah, she might have some potential, but otherwise, why is Masumi lucky enough to keep getting all these second chances?"
3)I know the whole silly face thing is a staple of manga, but it comes off as ridiculous and jarring to the plot when it's used in this story.
4)for a story somewhat grounded in reality, there's an awful lot that's unrealistic. The partnering idea was interesting and fun to read about, but would never happen at a real ballet competition. Also, Masumi would never get as far as she does, nor would she magically turn into a prima overnight like the end of the volume implies (she would improve, but they kind of go overboard in emphasizing how much she improves in such a short period). Also, if Masumi had such poor training, how did she make it to the competition?
I know I sound like a total ballet snob. But I did like this book, and I'd like to read the rest of the series.
1)the idea of a ballet-centric story in manga format is highly original and creative.
2)the drawings of the steps were accurate and very well done.
3)the male dancers/students were the most interesting characters.
4)the famous ballets that are referred to in the story get quick explanations, and with some of the stories, that's not always easy to
do!
5)the ballet terms in the dialogue weren't dumbed down; instead, there was a glossary at the bottom of each page to help the reader out.
Things I did not like:
1)the heroine, Masumi. She has got to be, out of all the manga I've read so far, the most wishy-washy character ever. Insecurity is certainly normal in the world of ballet, but Masumi takes it to a whole new level. Half the book is spent with her whining about how she's not good enough to dance, then she decides she wants to work harder, then something happens or she gets called out/gets into trouble and bawls her head off and decides she can't do it...it got to the point where I was counting the number of times she cried. And trust me, this girl cried way too many times for such a short book.
2)there's some sort of mysterious challenge as to why Masumi gets as far as she does. It's only referred to once, and I guess this gets explored a bit more in future volumes, but otherwise I found myself wondering, "yeah, she might have some potential, but otherwise, why is Masumi lucky enough to keep getting all these second chances?"
3)I know the whole silly face thing is a staple of manga, but it comes off as ridiculous and jarring to the plot when it's used in this story.
4)for a story somewhat grounded in reality, there's an awful lot that's unrealistic. The partnering idea was interesting and fun to read about, but would never happen at a real ballet competition. Also, Masumi would never get as far as she does, nor would she magically turn into a prima overnight like the end of the volume implies (she would improve, but they kind of go overboard in emphasizing how much she improves in such a short period). Also, if Masumi had such poor training, how did she make it to the competition?
I know I sound like a total ballet snob. But I did like this book, and I'd like to read the rest of the series.
January 16, 2014
Reading just the first book was a pretty challenging task.
In a more positive tone, I had no complaints about the drawing. The art was beautiful and very bishi/shoujo
everyone had huge eyes, regardless of gender, and everyone's body was impeccably perfect. Lol like dem mangas.
But in the harsh realities of this series, not only was it hard to follow as the characters all looked the same- wide eyed, tall, and beautiful (men and women), the story was just as hard to follow as scenes jumped from here to there. The congruity was a little off and things were not cohesive enough for me to actually enjoy myself.
As I was just to busy trying to understand what exactly was happening at the moment.
Another thing that I didn't like was the slow moving plot. I have no problem with the topic of ballet, it's beautiful and graceful. It takes endurance and motivation. But always reminding your readers that yes, this story is about the hardships and strifes of ballet life- it gets a tad overexposed after the first few chapters.
Well that was my brief review, all I can say with full happiness- is to read this at your own discretion. And maybe, hopefully, you will it enjoy it more than I did. ^^
PS. The people's expressions in this manga? They literally went from beautifully stunning, enduring the battles of ballet!!! to comedically and immaturely cartoon like. Like bulging eyes that you'd find in the Sunday paper's Garfield comic strip. And bodies like small squiggles.
In a more positive tone, I had no complaints about the drawing. The art was beautiful and very bishi/shoujo
everyone had huge eyes, regardless of gender, and everyone's body was impeccably perfect. Lol like dem mangas.
But in the harsh realities of this series, not only was it hard to follow as the characters all looked the same- wide eyed, tall, and beautiful (men and women), the story was just as hard to follow as scenes jumped from here to there. The congruity was a little off and things were not cohesive enough for me to actually enjoy myself.
As I was just to busy trying to understand what exactly was happening at the moment.
Another thing that I didn't like was the slow moving plot. I have no problem with the topic of ballet, it's beautiful and graceful. It takes endurance and motivation. But always reminding your readers that yes, this story is about the hardships and strifes of ballet life- it gets a tad overexposed after the first few chapters.
Well that was my brief review, all I can say with full happiness- is to read this at your own discretion. And maybe, hopefully, you will it enjoy it more than I did. ^^
PS. The people's expressions in this manga? They literally went from beautifully stunning, enduring the battles of ballet!!! to comedically and immaturely cartoon like. Like bulging eyes that you'd find in the Sunday paper's Garfield comic strip. And bodies like small squiggles.
December 5, 2014
Wow, classic shoujo is definitely an adjustment to read. The artwork is more flowery and the emotions are more dramatic. This one is an old CMX title publishing a 1970s ballet epic. The initial setup brings together dancers for a ballet competition where they'd win private lessons with top dancers and choreographers. The contrast is between Hijiri Masumi - a young girl that loves to dance but has flawed technique - and the other brilliant young dancers like Sayoko Kyogoku. I'll be honest -- some of the plot points stretch credulity -- not many top companies can afford to lose their best dancers/etc for six months unless it's in the middle of summer maybe. And maybe I've watched too many ballet documentaries but I can't believe any dancer would complain about having to train "the basics". The professionals still take class every day. But it was nice to see familiar ballets and even real dancers like Margot Fonteyn and Gelsey Kirkland mentioned in the volume.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2016
I began reading the series again and I enjoyed it as much as I did when I was 17! Masumi is very passionate about ballet but she has no confident in her ability to win. Alexei Sergeiev is her teacher and the judge in the Japanese Ballet Competition; he sees something special in Masumi and her potential to become a great prima ballerina. But sometimes I feel he likes her deeply and personally.
Now that Masumi has the chance to live out her dream, does she have the strength?
Masumi is a 16-year-old attending a small ballet school in a remote part of Japan. When she gains admission to a school, she finally has the chance to realize her dreams. There, due to a lack of proper training, she is the weakest student in the group. Can she endure the hardship, the struggles and the fierce competition in the world of ballet?
Now that Masumi has the chance to live out her dream, does she have the strength?
Masumi is a 16-year-old attending a small ballet school in a remote part of Japan. When she gains admission to a school, she finally has the chance to realize her dreams. There, due to a lack of proper training, she is the weakest student in the group. Can she endure the hardship, the struggles and the fierce competition in the world of ballet?
April 14, 2015
I've missed reading manga, but I could never get into any series when I tried to pick it back up. Clearly I needed to go to my staple - old school melodramatic shojo manga. And this series is fabulous and beautiful and so much fun! Matsumi's struggles with her self-confidence feels so real, and I love her friendship/rivalry with Sayoko. The manga really shows how difficult and demanding ballet is behind the beauty. It's also filled with fun facts about different ballets. Although hard to find, this is definitely something fans of shojo shouldn't miss!
February 27, 2012
It was okay.
It was super technical, so if you haven't taken at least a year of non-kiddy-level ballet, don't even try. I was in ballet class for 14 years and I still had trouble understanding half of what they were talking about when it came to the dancing, which bugged me.
The characters didn't do much for me either.
It was super technical, so if you haven't taken at least a year of non-kiddy-level ballet, don't even try. I was in ballet class for 14 years and I still had trouble understanding half of what they were talking about when it came to the dancing, which bugged me.
The characters didn't do much for me either.
April 30, 2011
I like how the author illustrates through words and pictures how in ballet, passion is just as important as technique, if not more.
The illustrations were so good. The characters all so expressive. The plot moved right along too- sweet book!
The illustrations were so good. The characters all so expressive. The plot moved right along too- sweet book!
Read
March 14, 2013saya dulu pernah baca serial komk ini lewat sewa.. sekarang ingi baca ulang lagi.. tapi sayang.. ditangerang susah banget yang nyewain komik swan ini. sedangkan kalau beli budgetnya ga cukup.. karena komik ini luar biasa bagus.. dan memang saya salah satu pecinta ballet dan komik
September 25, 2007
the start of an addicting series about a ballet dancers...why must I always get hooked on such girlie books?
October 14, 2008
loved it!
March 11, 2011
Although the late 70's art took a bit to get used to (which I've only see as a parody up until now), Swan gives a strong enough story to make this first volume interesting despite its years.
August 14, 2015
It really had a lot of depth and made me feel as if I could relate to the characters. The art was kind of cheesy (being from the 80's and all), but it was such a good read I didn't mind one bit!
April 7, 2013
My first manga and the best story manga i ever read.. It's been 16 years, and still never get enough to read on and on..
Read
May 25, 2008(Didn't quite finish--ran out of time in the manga library.)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews