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問題提起 作品集 [Mondaiteiki Sakuhinshū] #1
Confidential Confessions, Volume 1
This is not your average Manga. The first volume of this controversial series has two short stories (one shots). The first deals with suicide, the second with prostitution. There's no glittery happy endings, but it's not all angst and sorrow either. Engaging, realistic stories with characters you'll care about.
208 pages, Paperback
First published July 12, 2002
5 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Reiko Momochi
39 books27 followersReiko-san is treasured by manga fans in Japan for her unflinchingly realistic portrayal of the myriad serious issues facing teens today.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 10, 2023
this series stayed with me for a long time
August 25, 2017
Buku berisi dua cerita lepas dari Reiko Momochi, pengarang yang baru pertama saya baca. Kalau berdasarkan buku ini, tema narasinya 11-12 dengan Keiko Suenobu (Life, Limit) atau Setona Mizushiro (X-Day) . Sama-sama cerita remaja wanita dengan isu-isu seberat karung beras macam penggencetan, keluarga broken home, prostitusi remaja, depresi, niat bunuh diri....
Cerita utamanya berjudul The Door, tentang cewek wristcutter bermasalah yang bertemu 'Asparagus', seorang cewek korban bully.... mereka pun 'bersahabat', tapi bukan jenis persahatan yang menentramkan jiwa dan menghangatkan hati. Saya memang sudah biasa baca tema begini, tapi ada kalanya saat saya harus stop dulu beberapa kali karena benar-benar tidak nyaman membaca isi pikiran tokoh utamanya (*bukan karena digambarkan dengan buruk, melainkan karena terasa terlalu 'nyata').
Cara The Door menunjukkan bahwa bunuh diri bukanlah solusi tergolong pahit dan dingin, tapi juga efektif. Jangan berpikir bahwa dengan bunuh diri, orang-orang yang akan menyakitimu akan menyesal dan kamu akan lebih disayang setelah mati. Kenyataan tidak mengenakkan itu digarisbawahi oleh cerita ini, selain juga perbedaan signifikan antara orang yang hanya sekedar berpikir mau mati dan orang yang benar-benar mau bunuh diri. Ada beberapa momen yang saya kurang suka (terutama soal tokoh si ibu yang terasa kurang efektif), tapi pada dasarnya ini cerita dengan pesan yang penting dan berkesan.
Cerita tambahannya (Mistakes) lebih pendek, tentang seorang cewek yang sudah biasa menjajakan diri. Ini juga temanya berat, tapi ada sentuhan romance yang cukup bagus (*iya, romance-nya cukup berkesan buat saya sekalipun). Sebenarnya saya rasa kalau dipanjangkan ceritanya akan benar-benar bagus, tapi sayang bagian akhirnya terasa terlalu diringkas.
Cerita utamanya berjudul The Door, tentang cewek wristcutter bermasalah yang bertemu 'Asparagus', seorang cewek korban bully.... mereka pun 'bersahabat', tapi bukan jenis persahatan yang menentramkan jiwa dan menghangatkan hati. Saya memang sudah biasa baca tema begini, tapi ada kalanya saat saya harus stop dulu beberapa kali karena benar-benar tidak nyaman membaca isi pikiran tokoh utamanya (*bukan karena digambarkan dengan buruk, melainkan karena terasa terlalu 'nyata').
Cara The Door menunjukkan bahwa bunuh diri bukanlah solusi tergolong pahit dan dingin, tapi juga efektif. Jangan berpikir bahwa dengan bunuh diri, orang-orang yang akan menyakitimu akan menyesal dan kamu akan lebih disayang setelah mati. Kenyataan tidak mengenakkan itu digarisbawahi oleh cerita ini, selain juga perbedaan signifikan antara orang yang hanya sekedar berpikir mau mati dan orang yang benar-benar mau bunuh diri. Ada beberapa momen yang saya kurang suka (terutama soal tokoh si ibu yang terasa kurang efektif), tapi pada dasarnya ini cerita dengan pesan yang penting dan berkesan.
Cerita tambahannya (Mistakes) lebih pendek, tentang seorang cewek yang sudah biasa menjajakan diri. Ini juga temanya berat, tapi ada sentuhan romance yang cukup bagus (*iya, romance-nya cukup berkesan buat saya sekalipun). Sebenarnya saya rasa kalau dipanjangkan ceritanya akan benar-benar bagus, tapi sayang bagian akhirnya terasa terlalu diringkas.
February 16, 2022
I never forgot reading this manga series.
All of the Confidential Confessions books contain realistic, and quite dark short stories about the life of Japanese teenage girls, and the problems they are facing. Sensitive topics such as suicide, prostitution, drug abuse, and rape are written in an emotional, believable, heartbreaking, and humbling way.
I read these books as a teenager, and I believe they had a positive impact on me. These stories may shock you, but these are real-life events that affect many young women. These stories made me think about issues of struggling young women in a different way. They made me more empathetic and less judgemental of other people's choices in life.
Would like to re-read them one day.
All of the Confidential Confessions books contain realistic, and quite dark short stories about the life of Japanese teenage girls, and the problems they are facing. Sensitive topics such as suicide, prostitution, drug abuse, and rape are written in an emotional, believable, heartbreaking, and humbling way.
I read these books as a teenager, and I believe they had a positive impact on me. These stories may shock you, but these are real-life events that affect many young women. These stories made me think about issues of struggling young women in a different way. They made me more empathetic and less judgemental of other people's choices in life.
Would like to re-read them one day.
February 3, 2018
aka, TRIGGER WARNING: THE SERIES.
There's no way to get around it: CONFIDENTAL CONFESSIONS is dark as all hell, and the first volume of the series has no problem sucker punching the reader in the gut without warning. Aimed at addressing then-current problems faced by Japanese teenagers, CONFIDENTIAL CONFESSIONS touches on serious topics like suicide, depression, prostitution, and bullying frequently and without patronizing its audience.
The first story is "The Door," which tells the tale of two suicidal young girls and their attempts to finally end it all. The main character can't seem to catch a break: she has no friends, her family is utterly dysfunctional, and everything seems to get worse by the day. Of course, a lot of that is teenage angst-- thanks to an unexpected kitchen accident, she's introduced to a fellow student nicknamed "Asparagus," a girl who has it much, much worse than she does. After a few more chance meetings, the girls become friends and decide to make a suicide pact together. From there on, they seem to try everything humanly possible to try to die.
The strengths of the first story is that it takes great care to dispel the idea that suicide is an easy way out, and it takes self-harm even more seriously. The girls take a lot of time and consideration for how they want to go-- sometimes, they do petty things, like take gorgeous photos for people to use at their funeral, but sometimes they teeter on the edge of actually going through with it. While one of the girls clearly just needs help and doesn't actually want to die, her choices and desires aren't taken any less seriously for it. It's an immensely effective, if somewhat dated (a stand-in of the death of hide from X Japan actually factors into the plot at one point), story and showcases exactly what's in store for the rest of the series.
Speaking of which, the second story is less powerful, if only because it has the misfortune of coming right after such a dark and somber piece. "Mistakes" is the relatively-speaking straightforward tale of a prostitute who falls in love with a budding musician. When the girl realizes she's done him wrong and tries to clean herself up, she makes one last mistake that could ruin everything...
If it isn't obvious from the short summary, this story is much simpler than the one that came before it. As it's much shorter than "The Door," it has much less time to examine the characters in question. It does make an effort to explain how she became a prostitute, which involves joining a gang and being molested as a child, and despite feeling a bit exploitative, those are probably the best part of the story. I'm not sure whether it's a result of Tokyopop's translation team or what, but the dialogue in the "current" timeline just feels cartoonish and unrealistic. Much of the resulting drama and the bittersweet conclusion feels dark for the sake of dark. Furthermore, while I have no idea what the Japanese prison system is like, the depiction of jail in this story doesn't feel remotely realistic. It's not a bad story by any stretch of the imagination, but its flaws are very easy to notice.
I fully admit that part of my love for this series is because I discovered it when I was a pre-teen/young teenager; the clear demographic for this material. Much of the enjoyment, if it can be called that, from this volume comes from identifying with and understanding the lead characters and their struggles, which may be difficult for someone that isn't a teenage girl. Furthermore, the art style and setting are dated and very Japanese, so someone not familiar with the cultural differences between modern America and late 90s/early 00s Japan might not relate to the material as well.
That said, the serious consideration for "taboo" topics and non-preachy nature of the stories therein are exceptional, and stand out despite the minor flaws present in this volume. While not my favorite volume in the series, it's a great starting point for new readers.
There's no way to get around it: CONFIDENTAL CONFESSIONS is dark as all hell, and the first volume of the series has no problem sucker punching the reader in the gut without warning. Aimed at addressing then-current problems faced by Japanese teenagers, CONFIDENTIAL CONFESSIONS touches on serious topics like suicide, depression, prostitution, and bullying frequently and without patronizing its audience.
The first story is "The Door," which tells the tale of two suicidal young girls and their attempts to finally end it all. The main character can't seem to catch a break: she has no friends, her family is utterly dysfunctional, and everything seems to get worse by the day. Of course, a lot of that is teenage angst-- thanks to an unexpected kitchen accident, she's introduced to a fellow student nicknamed "Asparagus," a girl who has it much, much worse than she does. After a few more chance meetings, the girls become friends and decide to make a suicide pact together. From there on, they seem to try everything humanly possible to try to die.
The strengths of the first story is that it takes great care to dispel the idea that suicide is an easy way out, and it takes self-harm even more seriously. The girls take a lot of time and consideration for how they want to go-- sometimes, they do petty things, like take gorgeous photos for people to use at their funeral, but sometimes they teeter on the edge of actually going through with it. While one of the girls clearly just needs help and doesn't actually want to die, her choices and desires aren't taken any less seriously for it. It's an immensely effective, if somewhat dated (a stand-in of the death of hide from X Japan actually factors into the plot at one point), story and showcases exactly what's in store for the rest of the series.
Speaking of which, the second story is less powerful, if only because it has the misfortune of coming right after such a dark and somber piece. "Mistakes" is the relatively-speaking straightforward tale of a prostitute who falls in love with a budding musician. When the girl realizes she's done him wrong and tries to clean herself up, she makes one last mistake that could ruin everything...
If it isn't obvious from the short summary, this story is much simpler than the one that came before it. As it's much shorter than "The Door," it has much less time to examine the characters in question. It does make an effort to explain how she became a prostitute, which involves joining a gang and being molested as a child, and despite feeling a bit exploitative, those are probably the best part of the story. I'm not sure whether it's a result of Tokyopop's translation team or what, but the dialogue in the "current" timeline just feels cartoonish and unrealistic. Much of the resulting drama and the bittersweet conclusion feels dark for the sake of dark. Furthermore, while I have no idea what the Japanese prison system is like, the depiction of jail in this story doesn't feel remotely realistic. It's not a bad story by any stretch of the imagination, but its flaws are very easy to notice.
I fully admit that part of my love for this series is because I discovered it when I was a pre-teen/young teenager; the clear demographic for this material. Much of the enjoyment, if it can be called that, from this volume comes from identifying with and understanding the lead characters and their struggles, which may be difficult for someone that isn't a teenage girl. Furthermore, the art style and setting are dated and very Japanese, so someone not familiar with the cultural differences between modern America and late 90s/early 00s Japan might not relate to the material as well.
That said, the serious consideration for "taboo" topics and non-preachy nature of the stories therein are exceptional, and stand out despite the minor flaws present in this volume. While not my favorite volume in the series, it's a great starting point for new readers.
July 10, 2025
This is a DARK manga. Not a little dark, VERY dark. Not to be read by the faint of heart. In the first story, two girls in high school are getting each other hyped to commit s**cide. In the second story, a girl, not even in high school, ends up a prostitute. A boy comes along and shows her she's more than her past, but can they ever come together? Reader beware!
March 15, 2023
First story- These girls made me feel sick.. Literally, sick. They were romanticizing suicide. Obviously in the end, it was realized that suicide wasn’t what they thought it would be…
Second story- Satsuki got the shit end of the stick when it came to a childhood. Ryo was so sweet and caring. God, I cried when he came to the jail for her…
The story didn’t end the way I wanted it to but it changed Satsuki for the better. Someone can come into your life, even if it’s temporary, and make an impact on you..
“I’m not just a man. I’m a person.”
Second story- Satsuki got the shit end of the stick when it came to a childhood. Ryo was so sweet and caring. God, I cried when he came to the jail for her…
The story didn’t end the way I wanted it to but it changed Satsuki for the better. Someone can come into your life, even if it’s temporary, and make an impact on you..
“I’m not just a man. I’m a person.”
March 13, 2019
Wenn man sich die reviews hier durchsieht (vor allem die niedrigen Bewertungen) bekommt man den Eindruck, der Manga wäre schlecht.
Nein, ist er nicht! Er wurde nur nicht geschrieben, um einem den Abend zu versüßen.
Es geht um schwierige Episoden im Leben junger Frauen. Ich habe selten etwas so einfühlsames und gleichzeitig brutal ehrliches gelesen. Dieser Manga soll den Frauen zeigen, dass sie mit vielen Situationen nicht alleine sind. Das die Dinge nicht immer so aussichtslos sind, wie sie zuerst aussehen. Selbst für jemanden, der nie in einer solchen Situation gewesen ist, ist der Manga interessant. Er hilft, die Menschen besser zu verstehen, die dieses Glück nicht hatten.
Alles in allem bin ich begeistert davon, auch wenn er einen starken Nachgeschmack hinterlässt. Das ist leider oft die Realität. Besser sie zu sehen und zu lernen damit umzugehen, als sie zu verleugnen.
Sicherlich ist der Manga nicht für jeden was und mir ging es auch nicht immer gut beim lesen. Allerdings sollte einem schon auf dem Buchrücken auffallen, dass es hier nicht um eine typische happy end story handelt.
Nicht jeder Manga ist dazu da, einen zu bespaßen. Ihn deshalb deprimierend zu nennen, finde ich etwas hart. Brutal ehrlich? Absolut!
Nein, ist er nicht! Er wurde nur nicht geschrieben, um einem den Abend zu versüßen.
Es geht um schwierige Episoden im Leben junger Frauen. Ich habe selten etwas so einfühlsames und gleichzeitig brutal ehrliches gelesen. Dieser Manga soll den Frauen zeigen, dass sie mit vielen Situationen nicht alleine sind. Das die Dinge nicht immer so aussichtslos sind, wie sie zuerst aussehen. Selbst für jemanden, der nie in einer solchen Situation gewesen ist, ist der Manga interessant. Er hilft, die Menschen besser zu verstehen, die dieses Glück nicht hatten.
Alles in allem bin ich begeistert davon, auch wenn er einen starken Nachgeschmack hinterlässt. Das ist leider oft die Realität. Besser sie zu sehen und zu lernen damit umzugehen, als sie zu verleugnen.
Sicherlich ist der Manga nicht für jeden was und mir ging es auch nicht immer gut beim lesen. Allerdings sollte einem schon auf dem Buchrücken auffallen, dass es hier nicht um eine typische happy end story handelt.
Nicht jeder Manga ist dazu da, einen zu bespaßen. Ihn deshalb deprimierend zu nennen, finde ich etwas hart. Brutal ehrlich? Absolut!
September 14, 2009
This has two stories in it, both of which are dark and depressing. The first is about cutting and suicide and the second is about prostitution. I think they are both supposed to leave the reader feeling uplifted and hopeful, but they just left me feeling down.
July 25, 2012
Very...dark. But not bad! The art was amazing, if not somewhat plain, and the dialogue was perfect! Can't wait to read the second!
March 12, 2017
Dark and depressing.
March 17, 2022
When I first got into manga as a middle schooler, I remember seeing this series on the shelves and I was always curious about it. However, I was always collecting other series over the years and didn't really have much of an income as a teen, so I never got around to it.
I picked up all six books from thriftbooks sometime last year, and I finally just got around to reading this first volume.
The majority of the first volume is about two girls and their growing interest in suicide. Our main character, Manatsu, doesn't have any real friends, is being used by classmates, feels oppressed by her mom, was left by her dad, and just doesn't really have anything to look forward to in the future. She's never done anything drastic, though, aside from collecting her scabs from various scraped knees and elbows in a scrapbook. And then she meets "Asparagus," who is much more serious about her views, is the victim of extreme bullying and sexual harassment from other teen girls, and who leads Manatsu down a dangerous path by introducing her to cutting.
While I have never had to go through any of the things that these girls struggled with, personally (I have lost someone to suicide, but I've not dealt with poor mental health myself, for which I am grateful), I appreciate the way that the material is presented. It isn't preachy, and often, as you're reading Manatsu's thoughts as she spirals further, some of the things she's saying make you think, "Yeah, I mean, that makes sense." Not to the extent that I would say this book would ever encourage someone to harm themselves, as the true message is one of recovery and seeking help from the people around you. But the book does a brilliant job of expressing how someone in these situations might feel, and how they might justify their actions.
The second story is much shorter and deals with teen prostitution. I don't think it was given as much room to really be fleshed out, which is unfortunate, because the bones of the story are pretty good. We're given a bit of information about why the main character ended up on this path, and we're given the beginnings of a love story. But then some events happen to shake up the tentative happiness that she has built, and the conclusion is really much of a conclusion at all. It's a weaker story because it wasn't long enough.
I picked up all six books from thriftbooks sometime last year, and I finally just got around to reading this first volume.
The majority of the first volume is about two girls and their growing interest in suicide. Our main character, Manatsu, doesn't have any real friends, is being used by classmates, feels oppressed by her mom, was left by her dad, and just doesn't really have anything to look forward to in the future. She's never done anything drastic, though, aside from collecting her scabs from various scraped knees and elbows in a scrapbook. And then she meets "Asparagus," who is much more serious about her views, is the victim of extreme bullying and sexual harassment from other teen girls, and who leads Manatsu down a dangerous path by introducing her to cutting.
While I have never had to go through any of the things that these girls struggled with, personally (I have lost someone to suicide, but I've not dealt with poor mental health myself, for which I am grateful), I appreciate the way that the material is presented. It isn't preachy, and often, as you're reading Manatsu's thoughts as she spirals further, some of the things she's saying make you think, "Yeah, I mean, that makes sense." Not to the extent that I would say this book would ever encourage someone to harm themselves, as the true message is one of recovery and seeking help from the people around you. But the book does a brilliant job of expressing how someone in these situations might feel, and how they might justify their actions.
The second story is much shorter and deals with teen prostitution. I don't think it was given as much room to really be fleshed out, which is unfortunate, because the bones of the story are pretty good. We're given a bit of information about why the main character ended up on this path, and we're given the beginnings of a love story. But then some events happen to shake up the tentative happiness that she has built, and the conclusion is really much of a conclusion at all. It's a weaker story because it wasn't long enough.
March 5, 2024
Confidential Confessions contains two stand-alone stories. The first is called "The Door" and the second is "Mistakes". They are fictional stories with a reverberating effect because it deals with some of the grittier, real-world stuff via the manga format. By stuff we’re talking abuse, depression, suicide, prostitution, and likely more in later volumes. Now I realize that all fictional work has its hands in the real world, what I’m trying to say is there is nothing in these stories except for the shit these characters wade through and how they end up at the very end.
That’s all you get.
If you’re in a good spot this manga might tilt you towards a bad day or depressing thoughts. If you’re in a bad spot this might be a manga that burns brightly in the darkness like a lighthouse for wayward ships. If you’re somewhere in the middle between good and bad, how I like to fancy myself, these stories offer some interesting insights and perhaps a different perspective.
I can’t deny that I travelled a little through time, some warped memories resurfaced that I have not bothered with in quite a while. Sometimes you forget that you’ve been through the ringer. In another way, this can serve as a memento for all the crap you’re going through or have been through as a teenager. Many adults never cease being teenagers so this is still quite relevant to any age group. At the end of the day the world does not discriminate against age (I’m looking at you "Mistakes"). Not sure I’d recommend it to children, though.
That’s all you get.
If you’re in a good spot this manga might tilt you towards a bad day or depressing thoughts. If you’re in a bad spot this might be a manga that burns brightly in the darkness like a lighthouse for wayward ships. If you’re somewhere in the middle between good and bad, how I like to fancy myself, these stories offer some interesting insights and perhaps a different perspective.
I can’t deny that I travelled a little through time, some warped memories resurfaced that I have not bothered with in quite a while. Sometimes you forget that you’ve been through the ringer. In another way, this can serve as a memento for all the crap you’re going through or have been through as a teenager. Many adults never cease being teenagers so this is still quite relevant to any age group. At the end of the day the world does not discriminate against age (I’m looking at you "Mistakes"). Not sure I’d recommend it to children, though.
August 26, 2023
This is my second read through. The first was over a decade ago when I was a young teen. I think this book still holds up as a story for any age. By any age I obviously mean reading this as a teen to adult. As some teen books don’t always translate well once you read into full adulthood, this one does. It doesn’t get overly juvenile with reasoning, but still fits well into teen life & how they can get into the situations they are put into that feel detrimentally difficult for them or really any person.
These two short stories concluded with an ending that was hopeful. They didn’t leave you feeling like nothing or life couldn’t go on. They had a sort of relief to them, in knowing that maybe one day life can get better. I enjoyed that as there was a section that mentioned someone saying to another who was depressed saying how things will eventually get better, but saying that to a person who already feels stuck doesn’t help. This went through the entire feeling, realization, & act of the whole ordeal in order to show the later outcome. It wasn’t just another oh you’ll feel better in time, but a whole play through of the thought process, act, & outcome of the situation.
The first story takes up most of the book, but don’t sleep on the second. It has just as much meaning to it. They don’t have a neat happy ending or even all the answers. But it shows you the process of it. The beauty, the ugliness of it all.
These two short stories concluded with an ending that was hopeful. They didn’t leave you feeling like nothing or life couldn’t go on. They had a sort of relief to them, in knowing that maybe one day life can get better. I enjoyed that as there was a section that mentioned someone saying to another who was depressed saying how things will eventually get better, but saying that to a person who already feels stuck doesn’t help. This went through the entire feeling, realization, & act of the whole ordeal in order to show the later outcome. It wasn’t just another oh you’ll feel better in time, but a whole play through of the thought process, act, & outcome of the situation.
The first story takes up most of the book, but don’t sleep on the second. It has just as much meaning to it. They don’t have a neat happy ending or even all the answers. But it shows you the process of it. The beauty, the ugliness of it all.
February 16, 2019
Let me start off by saying I've come across tons of manga in the 90's-early 2000's... a lot of which are forgotten. This series is not one of them. Its a bunch of short stories about traumatic and real life experiences. Very small spoiler sentence:This first book taught me that cyanide was a method of suicide.
In any case... if you like a dark read its nice. I'd like to re-read this series eventually but copies were always hard to find. I originally bought this at a media play (you can tell how long its been by this statement) and I have not seen them in any store sense.
In any case... if you like a dark read its nice. I'd like to re-read this series eventually but copies were always hard to find. I originally bought this at a media play (you can tell how long its been by this statement) and I have not seen them in any store sense.
July 17, 2017
I remember reading this manga back in Middle school, re-reading it as an adult my skin still crawls when I read the first story. The second story is probably one of the favorites out of the series since it's not so dark and has a underlining love story, even if it doesn't end just as you hoped.
August 27, 2022
A book which portrays a horrible story of two depressed girls contemplating suicide in gruesome detail. Initially, the girls romanticized suicide, seeing it as a way to get back to people who wronged them but the gruesome reality is anything but.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2023
I have read all of them and have been able to relate to some of it, the books keeps the stories intriguing
August 9, 2020
Manga about teen prostitution and self-harm and suicide.
Dark aspects of life that occurs to teens and young adults.
The writer highlights the issues and shows a stable and comforting solution at the end of the story.
Dark aspects of life that occurs to teens and young adults.
The writer highlights the issues and shows a stable and comforting solution at the end of the story.
Read
July 14, 2012This is a shoujo manga series and thus aimed at teenage girls, but rather than being the stereotypically light and fluffy, this one is fairly dark and tackles some serious issues. The first volume has a long story about bullying at school and teenage suicide; there's also a shorter story about teenage prostitution.[return][return]I couldn't get into it at all, but I think mostly because it's not my sort of thing, and as a middle-aged Brit I'm not the target audience anyway. Skimming through it, I can see why it has great reviews on Amazon -- it's neither soap opera nor preachy, but takes a realistic look at problems that a lot of Japanese teens face in real life. That also means that it doesn't have a guaranteed happy ending. This may be depressing for some people; for others it will be helpful, as when you're depressed yourself it can make things worse to be reading fiction that tells you that everyone else gets a happy ending. This manga appears to be aimed at providing fiction that comforts by saying "You're not alone in feeling this way." As it says on the cover, "because real life doesn't always have a happy ending."[return][return]This particular volume is also very, very blunt about what attempted suicide actually means, and what goes through the minds of people considering suicide. It's going to be an emotionally tough read, and there is the possibility that it could be a trigger for someone, although I think it's much more likely to help than to harm.
July 29, 2009
Confidential Confessions is about a girl named Manatsu. She has a very unhappy life, she hates her mom and friends, then she meets a new class mate. This girl is going through the same things and they become friends. After a while, this new class mate persuades Manatsu into thinking about comitting suicide. Manatsu's main external conflict is her new friend making her want to die, she main internal conflict is if she should kill herself or not.
I can connect this book to the real world. In life their are some people who kill them selves because they are unhappy. The book copies the actions and emotions of those people. This book explanes what is going through their minds when they dicide to die.
I would give this book four stares because it is terribly interesting. I lets you see what is going on in the minds of depressed people and you can't put it down. I would recommend this book to readers who love sad suspence.
I can connect this book to the real world. In life their are some people who kill them selves because they are unhappy. The book copies the actions and emotions of those people. This book explanes what is going through their minds when they dicide to die.
I would give this book four stares because it is terribly interesting. I lets you see what is going on in the minds of depressed people and you can't put it down. I would recommend this book to readers who love sad suspence.
October 4, 2015
I'm rereading this book this year for my reading challenge AND because I love this series so much. I wish it were longer, thought. What I love most about it is that most of these stories are relatable and they don't always have fairy tale happy endings. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE that. It's not all peaches and cream in Confidential Confessions, and I've been looking for a gritty manga just like this one. If you like the type of stories that aren't graphic and have super happy endings where everyone gets there way and the guy gets the girl or the whoever gets the whoever, then this isn't for you. Confidential Confessions deals with real life situations that high school aged and young adults deal with in life--the struggles. The good, the bad, and the hideous.
April 17, 2016
I'm just going to leave one big review for the whole series rather than writing them individually. It's been years since I read them. But I remember them quite well. This is one of my favorite series I've ever read. And warning a head of time, its a pretty dark one. So if you can't handle stories about drugs, prostitution, rape, suicide, etc.. then stay away. This series brings to light some of the struggles teens today face, and some adults. Not all the stories have a happy ending. But they do shed a little light on some of the problems today. They make you think and that's what I like about them. The books all contain two stories each. One longer story taking up 75% of the book and them a smaller quicker story.
March 10, 2012
Alright, story one: I thought it was quite believable. Coming from the same place as the main character, I sympathized with her. I really liked the first story and thought it tackled the subject of suicide rather well.
Story two, or as I call it the bonus story: ...less believable. Ryo is just a two-dimensional good guy, who doesn't get slightly upset over anything at all. It put a sour taste in my mouth for the story, but it was still decent.
I do believe I will be continuing this series. Even if I hate the marketing ("look how hip we're being, talking about controversial issues!"), the stories are decent.
Story two, or as I call it the bonus story: ...less believable. Ryo is just a two-dimensional good guy, who doesn't get slightly upset over anything at all. It put a sour taste in my mouth for the story, but it was still decent.
I do believe I will be continuing this series. Even if I hate the marketing ("look how hip we're being, talking about controversial issues!"), the stories are decent.
October 10, 2008
Reiko Momochi, Confidential Confessions, vol. 1 (Tokyopop, 2000)
Momochi's highly controversial series takes the form of diaries (or confessions, naturally) of people in crisis. The first volume in the series contains two stories: one about a girl and her friend who make a suicide pact, the second about a teen prostitute who finally finds love, but is blackmailed into turning one last trick. The storylines are pretty predictable, but the artwork is very well done and the characters' emotions come off as real, if a bit cardboard. Not a bad start. ***
Momochi's highly controversial series takes the form of diaries (or confessions, naturally) of people in crisis. The first volume in the series contains two stories: one about a girl and her friend who make a suicide pact, the second about a teen prostitute who finally finds love, but is blackmailed into turning one last trick. The storylines are pretty predictable, but the artwork is very well done and the characters' emotions come off as real, if a bit cardboard. Not a bad start. ***
April 9, 2015
Saya lebih suka cerita kedua "Mistake" dibanding cerita pertama karena rasana lebih manis sekaligus pahit *apa ini*
Saya pengenna sih cerita Ryo dan Satsuki berlanjut, misalna di masa depan nanti mereka bertemu kembali dan ternyata mereka masih saling cinta...
Atau nggak.
Atau rasana cerita itu paling pas dihentikan di buku ini.
Saya pengenna sih cerita Ryo dan Satsuki berlanjut, misalna di masa depan nanti mereka bertemu kembali dan ternyata mereka masih saling cinta...
Atau nggak.
Atau rasana cerita itu paling pas dihentikan di buku ini.
December 18, 2015
This is just amazing. At first, I don't understand who cut at all first, but after reading this, I cant definitely say that I understand them now, but I I have that idea on what they are going through. It was so heartbreaking. It makes me cringe but it was so amazing on its realistic portrayal of this controversial things.
July 6, 2014
I suppose since I have suffered through depression and could relate to how the girls in the first story feel, the end did give me hope. The second story is sad but very sweet and I would like to believe the girl gets the guy at the end
April 6, 2008
-the drama
-can not
-be described
-as i felt
-embaressed
-intruding in
-the fictional
-characters' lives
-and secrets
-can not
-be described
-as i felt
-embaressed
-intruding in
-the fictional
-characters' lives
-and secrets
February 25, 2009
Confidential Confessions, Book 1 by Reiko Momochi (2003)
July 31, 2010
This series deals with various controversial subjects that young women are dealing with in today's society. For the most part they are tackled well.
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