What do you think?
Rate this book
裸足でバラを踏め [Hadashi de Bara wo Fume] #1
Stepping on Roses, Vol. 1
Poor Sumi Kitamura… Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi's financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition: he'll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi fool high society into thinking she's a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth giving up everything for this sham of a marriage?
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2008
63 people are currently reading
4109 people want to read
About the author
Rinko Ueda
89 books187 followersJapanese name: 上田倫子
She is a Japanese manga artist who does mainly shojo manga. Her works are primarily serialized in Margaret magazine, with series published in collected volumes by Shueisha, though she has also been featured in fellow Shueisha publication Ribon, as well as illustrating the novel adaptation of her own Stepping on Roses series in Cobalt.
She is a Japanese manga artist who does mainly shojo manga. Her works are primarily serialized in Margaret magazine, with series published in collected volumes by Shueisha, though she has also been featured in fellow Shueisha publication Ribon, as well as illustrating the novel adaptation of her own Stepping on Roses series in Cobalt.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
September 20, 2018
Stepping on Roses by Rinko Ueda is a 2012 VIZ Media: Shojo Beat publication.
Trying to dip my toes into the Manga/ Comics/ Graphic novel categories has been an exhausting experience. Lots of research, and experimenting will be required before I understand all the nuances of it.
To get a little taste of Manga stories, I checked this series out of the library. I enjoy historical romances, so I thought it might be a good starting point. Even though the series was originally published in 2008, I thought it sounded interesting, plus the library has the entire saga available to check out now, with no waiting.
This first chapter sets the stage for the nine- volume series, which is set in the Meiji period. Sumi Kitamura’s brother brings home orphaned children and Sumi takes care of them, But, her brother has gambled their money away. In danger of losing the children, Sumi only recourse is to work the streets. But, instead of being paid for one night, she is propositioned by a wealthy man. If she agrees to marry him, he will provide her with all she requires to care for the children. But, she will have to leave her home and take on the official role of being his wife--- but- she is never to fall in love with him.
Right away I found myself Googling the Meiji period, to better understand the expectations of the era. I’ve never read much literature about Japan, so this part alone has piqued my interest. The illustrations are wonderful and so far, the premise is promising enough to entice me forward.
I’m enjoying stepping outside my comfort zone, trying something totally new to me, and learning a lot of interesting things along the way. I am beginning to see the allure of Manga and think it could become a little addicting.
I’ll see how this series pans out, get my bearings a little, and then maybe I’ll tackle some newer material. But, so far, good.
4 stars
Trying to dip my toes into the Manga/ Comics/ Graphic novel categories has been an exhausting experience. Lots of research, and experimenting will be required before I understand all the nuances of it.
To get a little taste of Manga stories, I checked this series out of the library. I enjoy historical romances, so I thought it might be a good starting point. Even though the series was originally published in 2008, I thought it sounded interesting, plus the library has the entire saga available to check out now, with no waiting.
This first chapter sets the stage for the nine- volume series, which is set in the Meiji period. Sumi Kitamura’s brother brings home orphaned children and Sumi takes care of them, But, her brother has gambled their money away. In danger of losing the children, Sumi only recourse is to work the streets. But, instead of being paid for one night, she is propositioned by a wealthy man. If she agrees to marry him, he will provide her with all she requires to care for the children. But, she will have to leave her home and take on the official role of being his wife--- but- she is never to fall in love with him.
Right away I found myself Googling the Meiji period, to better understand the expectations of the era. I’ve never read much literature about Japan, so this part alone has piqued my interest. The illustrations are wonderful and so far, the premise is promising enough to entice me forward.
I’m enjoying stepping outside my comfort zone, trying something totally new to me, and learning a lot of interesting things along the way. I am beginning to see the allure of Manga and think it could become a little addicting.
I’ll see how this series pans out, get my bearings a little, and then maybe I’ll tackle some newer material. But, so far, good.
4 stars
May 30, 2019
The art is beautiful but the story is terrible.
I can only stand physical/mental abuse for so long and there has to be consequences. I did not like the male MC at all. Meanwhile, the storyline is so generic that it wasn’t enough to keep me interested. The female MC is also a total snooze fest.
I found that I love witty banter. I like a good love/hate relationship (it’s one of my more shameful weaknesses). But, I can not stand a full on bully situation with a meek timid protagonist taking it. That does not equal a good love story.
2 Stars only because the art is so awesome.
I can only stand physical/mental abuse for so long and there has to be consequences. I did not like the male MC at all. Meanwhile, the storyline is so generic that it wasn’t enough to keep me interested. The female MC is also a total snooze fest.
I found that I love witty banter. I like a good love/hate relationship (it’s one of my more shameful weaknesses). But, I can not stand a full on bully situation with a meek timid protagonist taking it. That does not equal a good love story.
2 Stars only because the art is so awesome.
June 30, 2017
Very romantic and super sweet. Girl marries to save her family, guy marries to inherit the company. And she's fallen for his best friend... What will happen next?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2015
Set on Japan's Meiji Era, Sumi Kitamura is a poor girl and manages the household with his brother Eisuke. Eisuke brings a lot of orphan kids to adopt even if they can barely eat something. Their debts are up to their necks. One day, a scion named Soichiro Ashida proposes to give Sumi money if she's willing to marry him, just when she's falling in love with Soichiro's friend Nozomu Ijuin.
I like the illustrations because I like long tresses of shoujo heroine and the handsome bishounens. This is one of the styles, manga art, that I wanted to achieve when I'm drawing (but fails to do so =.="). I like the strokes, the details of the clothes and backgrounds, and the inking.
The story, however, is not quite impressive. The readers can perhaps have doki doki (heart beat) moments because of how good looking the main character is; if a reader swoons over tsundere types, that will also be a plus. It's also funny. I just don't like the stupidity of the heroine, but maybe it's part of her innocence that builds up her character.
This is the first volume of the series so it merely introduces the characters and the basic plot. More of the back stories are needed in the future.
I like the illustrations because I like long tresses of shoujo heroine and the handsome bishounens. This is one of the styles, manga art, that I wanted to achieve when I'm drawing (but fails to do so =.="). I like the strokes, the details of the clothes and backgrounds, and the inking.
The story, however, is not quite impressive. The readers can perhaps have doki doki (heart beat) moments because of how good looking the main character is; if a reader swoons over tsundere types, that will also be a plus. It's also funny. I just don't like the stupidity of the heroine, but maybe it's part of her innocence that builds up her character.
This is the first volume of the series so it merely introduces the characters and the basic plot. More of the back stories are needed in the future.
December 27, 2023
Stepping on Roses (裸足でバラを踏め Hadashi de Bara wo Fume "Stepping on Roses Barefoot") is a late 2000s historical romance shoujo manga series that focuses on a young, impoverished woman who sells herself into a marriage of convenience with an affluent man for the sake of her young siblings and the many events that unfold from this choice.
As with all my manga reviews, this is an overview of the whole series (all 9 volumes) and will likely contain spoilers, as I wish to speak at length about a number of things.
I first found fan-translated scans of this series when I was a teenager and later bought myself copies when it was officially released in English. I have always been fond of it for the setting of Meiji era Japan, where these distinct aesthetics of east and west collide in the 19th century, and I overall enjoyed the basic premise, even if a bit cliché.
The art style is very pretty, with lots of classic shoujo aesthetic, but it still has a touch of refinement and elegance that suits a historical romance style story. It’s a bit more detailed and refined than her prior series that I’m familiar with—Tail of the Moon, Vol. 1—and benefits from the author’s growth as a storyteller as well, since the manga doesn’t take a few volumes to hit its stride in this series.
The premise, from the outside, seems very typical: a man marries a woman for personal gain (in this case, our male lead needs to marry to inherit his family’s fortune and company) and the woman agrees because she's in dire straits (Sumi needs money to pay off debts her older brother incurred in her name and keep her many siblings from being sold off), but we have an added twist that makes the plot a bit more complex and dramatic.
Going into it, one wouldn’t expect the way a lot of things unfold, but it ultimately helps the story stand out a bit more in the vein of historical romance. I’d say it borders a bit more on the soap-opera side, since a few of the plot elements feel a bit over-dramatic or done purely for the sake of shock, but for a nine-volume manga with expressive art, it makes for a fun read that doesn’t demand too much of the reader.
For me, the series’ length is a bit of a hindrance, as this means a lot of areas of the story were rushed/underdeveloped and some things didn’t get closure.
For example, Nozumu has just met Sumi and within a matter of a few pages is obsessively in love with her—he barely knows her, yet because she was cheerful and looked like a doll, he’s ready to steal his best friend’s wife? It just felt like there wasn’t enough justification.
And then there's Keiko, the maid… after we got these scenes of her being a spy and romantically involved with Natsuki… she just drops out of the story, no ending, no explanation. For all that was put into her, she was just unceremoniously dropped like the author forgot she'd been a character.
It’s not the worst instance of underdevelopment due to short length/fast pacing that I’ve seen though.Instead, I found the ending to be the weakest part because the author clearly didn’t think too hard about how to wrap up everything after the climatic reveals.
Like… after everything Nozumu did, he just… is back with the wife he mistreated and they’re expecting a child? Seems a bit too convenient after all the very-much-not-okay stuff he did. Sumi and Soichiro’s ending makes total sense and is satisfactory, but I feel like Nozumu got off without any consequences.
Soichiro is a strangely good example of how to make a jerk loveable—there’s only one instance where he crosses the line. He attempts to be intimate with Sumi in a forceful way to frame himself as the bad guy in line with his grand scheme, but he stops himself before it gets very far, finding himself unable to go through with it. He is given character growth and as the story progresses, his demeanor changes and more of his true self is exposed through his interactions with the heroine. I quite like the portrayal and can forgive his less-than-great moments because we see growth. Even Sumi was quite likeable for a shoujo heroine—naïve and cheerful, but not annoyingly so, despite being just fifteen years old. I liked seeing her get stronger and work to make the best of her circumstances. She’s quite cute and amiable.
As for historical accuracy, well, I can safely say that, if nothing else, the western clothing was wholly inaccurate. It was very modern—Sumi’s ballgowns were distinctly modern and many of her daytime clothes looked more like lolita street fashion than actual Victorian era clothing. It’s not a sticking point with me, however, as this manga clearly isn’t trying to do more than adopt the aesthetic of history. Sumi’s super cute in all the various frilly, feminine frocks that the author thinks up, even if they’re distinctly modern, so I have no complaints, just want to put out the disclaimer that the “historical” part of the romance is a flavor for the setting and little else.
Overall, I like the series. It’s not very comparable as a shoujo historic romance to something like Red River, which is much more complex and researched, but it is a cute, fluffy read (with some darker elements) that’s easy to get through. I can finish the series in a few hours myself and I’ve owned all the volumes in English since they were first published. Over the years I’ve read them several times and continue to want them in my library, so I recommend to those who like fluffier historical romances and can appreciate big-eyed shoujo art covered in lots of frilly dresses and roses.
Also, one last thing:
Why the heck does Sumi's hair and eye color change so often on the covers? Was there just... some ongoing battle between the artist and her editor/assistants over these details? She goes from honey-blonde with brown eyes to golden blonde with blue eyes to brown hair and brown eyes back to blonde only to end on brown and brown again. The disparity is a bit upsetting, like, how hard is the consistency to keep when there's only 9 drawings for 9 covers?
As with all my manga reviews, this is an overview of the whole series (all 9 volumes) and will likely contain spoilers, as I wish to speak at length about a number of things.
I first found fan-translated scans of this series when I was a teenager and later bought myself copies when it was officially released in English. I have always been fond of it for the setting of Meiji era Japan, where these distinct aesthetics of east and west collide in the 19th century, and I overall enjoyed the basic premise, even if a bit cliché.
The art style is very pretty, with lots of classic shoujo aesthetic, but it still has a touch of refinement and elegance that suits a historical romance style story. It’s a bit more detailed and refined than her prior series that I’m familiar with—Tail of the Moon, Vol. 1—and benefits from the author’s growth as a storyteller as well, since the manga doesn’t take a few volumes to hit its stride in this series.
The premise, from the outside, seems very typical: a man marries a woman for personal gain (in this case, our male lead needs to marry to inherit his family’s fortune and company) and the woman agrees because she's in dire straits (Sumi needs money to pay off debts her older brother incurred in her name and keep her many siblings from being sold off), but we have an added twist that makes the plot a bit more complex and dramatic.
Going into it, one wouldn’t expect the way a lot of things unfold, but it ultimately helps the story stand out a bit more in the vein of historical romance. I’d say it borders a bit more on the soap-opera side, since a few of the plot elements feel a bit over-dramatic or done purely for the sake of shock, but for a nine-volume manga with expressive art, it makes for a fun read that doesn’t demand too much of the reader.
For me, the series’ length is a bit of a hindrance, as this means a lot of areas of the story were rushed/underdeveloped and some things didn’t get closure.
For example, Nozumu has just met Sumi and within a matter of a few pages is obsessively in love with her—he barely knows her, yet because she was cheerful and looked like a doll, he’s ready to steal his best friend’s wife? It just felt like there wasn’t enough justification.
And then there's Keiko, the maid… after we got these scenes of her being a spy and romantically involved with Natsuki… she just drops out of the story, no ending, no explanation. For all that was put into her, she was just unceremoniously dropped like the author forgot she'd been a character.
It’s not the worst instance of underdevelopment due to short length/fast pacing that I’ve seen though.Instead, I found the ending to be the weakest part because the author clearly didn’t think too hard about how to wrap up everything after the climatic reveals.
Like… after everything Nozumu did, he just… is back with the wife he mistreated and they’re expecting a child? Seems a bit too convenient after all the very-much-not-okay stuff he did. Sumi and Soichiro’s ending makes total sense and is satisfactory, but I feel like Nozumu got off without any consequences.
Soichiro is a strangely good example of how to make a jerk loveable—there’s only one instance where he crosses the line. He attempts to be intimate with Sumi in a forceful way to frame himself as the bad guy in line with his grand scheme, but he stops himself before it gets very far, finding himself unable to go through with it. He is given character growth and as the story progresses, his demeanor changes and more of his true self is exposed through his interactions with the heroine. I quite like the portrayal and can forgive his less-than-great moments because we see growth. Even Sumi was quite likeable for a shoujo heroine—naïve and cheerful, but not annoyingly so, despite being just fifteen years old. I liked seeing her get stronger and work to make the best of her circumstances. She’s quite cute and amiable.
As for historical accuracy, well, I can safely say that, if nothing else, the western clothing was wholly inaccurate. It was very modern—Sumi’s ballgowns were distinctly modern and many of her daytime clothes looked more like lolita street fashion than actual Victorian era clothing. It’s not a sticking point with me, however, as this manga clearly isn’t trying to do more than adopt the aesthetic of history. Sumi’s super cute in all the various frilly, feminine frocks that the author thinks up, even if they’re distinctly modern, so I have no complaints, just want to put out the disclaimer that the “historical” part of the romance is a flavor for the setting and little else.
Overall, I like the series. It’s not very comparable as a shoujo historic romance to something like Red River, which is much more complex and researched, but it is a cute, fluffy read (with some darker elements) that’s easy to get through. I can finish the series in a few hours myself and I’ve owned all the volumes in English since they were first published. Over the years I’ve read them several times and continue to want them in my library, so I recommend to those who like fluffier historical romances and can appreciate big-eyed shoujo art covered in lots of frilly dresses and roses.
Also, one last thing:
Why the heck does Sumi's hair and eye color change so often on the covers? Was there just... some ongoing battle between the artist and her editor/assistants over these details? She goes from honey-blonde with brown eyes to golden blonde with blue eyes to brown hair and brown eyes back to blonde only to end on brown and brown again. The disparity is a bit upsetting, like, how hard is the consistency to keep when there's only 9 drawings for 9 covers?
didn-t-finish
September 16, 2021Apparently Ohio is simply chock-full of book stores that are EPIC, so a friend and I went there for the book version of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and came home with literally a car full of books. It almost didn’t all fit! This book was one of those books.
Unfortunately, it didn’t do anything for me and I DNF’d about halfway through, but it was a good memory of a nice time.
I highly recommend researching and heading to Ohio to check out their stores. SO AMAZING!
No stars for this book, but ALL the stars for my trip and the places we visited!
Unfortunately, it didn’t do anything for me and I DNF’d about halfway through, but it was a good memory of a nice time.
I highly recommend researching and heading to Ohio to check out their stores. SO AMAZING!
No stars for this book, but ALL the stars for my trip and the places we visited!
November 26, 2011
This isn't like the normal manga I read. I tend to gravitate to high school settings. Stepping on Roses is still a chick manga, but it has a historical background. I really ended up liking it. The artwork is beautiful and the story sucked me in.
Can I just say, poor Sumi. What a horrible life she has! Her brother is the root of her problems. He has a gambling problem and no skill to back it up, so he's constantly losing money. Along with that he's constantly bringing home random babies he finds and making Sumi take care of them (WTF? I'm still not sure why he does that...) I'm not going to lie, unfortunately, Sumi's brother is kinda sexy, but I know nothing will happen or that will be incest. Sexiness aside, he is a terrible brother. He throws all the burden on Sumi, to the point where she is forced to sell herself on the streets to pay off HIS debts.
As for Soichiro, congrats! You have won the biggest douchebag award! Seriously, this guy just got worse and worse the more I read. I know Sumi used him for money, but he married her for malicious greed, just so he could get his dying grandfathers estate and wealth. After they get married, he gets meaner. He constantly criticizes Sumi to the point where it's practically emotional abuse. Soichiro also threatens to "sink her to the bottom of the sea" A.K.A. have her murdered if she pisses him off. Everything I've seen has pointed to him being a jerk face, but I'm hoping that he has something to redeem him in future. I know it's a really unhealthy relationship, but for some strange reason, I'm rooting for Sumi and Soichiro to fall in love. Maybe it's because I'm not all that into hand towel man (I forget his name), but I think they'd be cute together. He's a cruel guy, but I bet things will work out since that's how it happens in every manga.
Can I just say, poor Sumi. What a horrible life she has! Her brother is the root of her problems. He has a gambling problem and no skill to back it up, so he's constantly losing money. Along with that he's constantly bringing home random babies he finds and making Sumi take care of them (WTF? I'm still not sure why he does that...) I'm not going to lie, unfortunately, Sumi's brother is kinda sexy, but I know nothing will happen or that will be incest. Sexiness aside, he is a terrible brother. He throws all the burden on Sumi, to the point where she is forced to sell herself on the streets to pay off HIS debts.
As for Soichiro, congrats! You have won the biggest douchebag award! Seriously, this guy just got worse and worse the more I read. I know Sumi used him for money, but he married her for malicious greed, just so he could get his dying grandfathers estate and wealth. After they get married, he gets meaner. He constantly criticizes Sumi to the point where it's practically emotional abuse. Soichiro also threatens to "sink her to the bottom of the sea" A.K.A. have her murdered if she pisses him off. Everything I've seen has pointed to him being a jerk face, but I'm hoping that he has something to redeem him in future. I know it's a really unhealthy relationship, but for some strange reason, I'm rooting for Sumi and Soichiro to fall in love. Maybe it's because I'm not all that into hand towel man (I forget his name), but I think they'd be cute together. He's a cruel guy, but I bet things will work out since that's how it happens in every manga.
March 5, 2025
More reviews on my blog: The Butterfly Reader
Sumi's a poor girl trying to take care of lots of kids. None of which are hers. They are just homeless children her brother brings home in dreams of one day using them as workers for a business. Though her brother is useless, spending far too much time and all the money gambling. Which means, there is hardly any food and they are in extreme debt.
They are about to be thrown out when Sumi decides she will sell herself for money. A handsome man takes her up on her offer and next thing she knows, she's being taken to a huge fancy Western style house.
Soichro says she can have all the money she wants but she has to be his wife and never ever fall in love with him. She once again agrees to for the good of the children. Besides, she has fallen for her savior's friend anyway.
Then Sumi gets 'lady' lessons, where she is taught how to act as a proper lady in high class for Soichiro even though he can be a huge asshat. At least now she doesn't have to worry about the children getting food.
Nozomu (the guy Sumi really likes) has invited her and her husband over to his house for a high class party. Will she be loyal to Soichro? Will her secret be spilled? We have to read volume two to find out!
This manga us such a cute little romantic comedy. It makes me smile and laugh and even if I'm in a bad mood, I can pick this up and it still makes me happy. I think it's a nice blend of drama, romance, and comedy. Though it's looking like there maybe a love triangle... yeah. I know that bothers some of you guys but I actually like them... yes I'm the weird one out there. I'm okay with it. Who wants to be normal anyway? No fun.
So I fully recommend this series if you like cute little romantic dramas and anyone that wants a light read. Also the art is really stunning.
Sumi's a poor girl trying to take care of lots of kids. None of which are hers. They are just homeless children her brother brings home in dreams of one day using them as workers for a business. Though her brother is useless, spending far too much time and all the money gambling. Which means, there is hardly any food and they are in extreme debt.
They are about to be thrown out when Sumi decides she will sell herself for money. A handsome man takes her up on her offer and next thing she knows, she's being taken to a huge fancy Western style house.
Soichro says she can have all the money she wants but she has to be his wife and never ever fall in love with him. She once again agrees to for the good of the children. Besides, she has fallen for her savior's friend anyway.
Then Sumi gets 'lady' lessons, where she is taught how to act as a proper lady in high class for Soichiro even though he can be a huge asshat. At least now she doesn't have to worry about the children getting food.
Nozomu (the guy Sumi really likes) has invited her and her husband over to his house for a high class party. Will she be loyal to Soichro? Will her secret be spilled? We have to read volume two to find out!
This manga us such a cute little romantic comedy. It makes me smile and laugh and even if I'm in a bad mood, I can pick this up and it still makes me happy. I think it's a nice blend of drama, romance, and comedy. Though it's looking like there maybe a love triangle... yeah. I know that bothers some of you guys but I actually like them... yes I'm the weird one out there. I'm okay with it. Who wants to be normal anyway? No fun.
So I fully recommend this series if you like cute little romantic dramas and anyone that wants a light read. Also the art is really stunning.
October 3, 2013
The review and rating (2.5) is for the whole series.
This series was full of more WTFery and OMG moments than anything I've read in forever. My friend Jeannette (waves like a crazy woman--Hi Jeannette!!) asked me why I had marked this whole series to read and I told her because my local library had most of the series in stock on my last visit--plain and simple. I finished it for the same reason--I had it all, it was short and I was curious what kind of over the top things the manga-ku would throw into this fruit salad and she certainly didn't disappoint on the crazy scale.
The basic premise is poor girl marries rich boy so he can claim his fortune. Within this story we have: attempted murder, child neglect, incest, kidnapping, adultery, mistaken identity, spying,--oh and I'm sure I'm missing all kinds of things!
Of course everything turns out OK in the end and everybody gets their happy endings but the ride is pretty wild and wowza!
All I can say is I wonder what was in their water? Oh that was sake--well that explains alot!
Buy this title at Powells Books.
This series was full of more WTFery and OMG moments than anything I've read in forever. My friend Jeannette (waves like a crazy woman--Hi Jeannette!!) asked me why I had marked this whole series to read and I told her because my local library had most of the series in stock on my last visit--plain and simple. I finished it for the same reason--I had it all, it was short and I was curious what kind of over the top things the manga-ku would throw into this fruit salad and she certainly didn't disappoint on the crazy scale.
The basic premise is poor girl marries rich boy so he can claim his fortune. Within this story we have: attempted murder, child neglect, incest, kidnapping, adultery, mistaken identity, spying,--oh and I'm sure I'm missing all kinds of things!
Of course everything turns out OK in the end and everybody gets their happy endings but the ride is pretty wild and wowza!
All I can say is I wonder what was in their water? Oh that was sake--well that explains alot!
Buy this title at Powells Books.
March 21, 2017
I don't know what to say, but what heresy is this?! I felt horribly sorry for Sumi the whole time, if I was her, I would have thrown those kids in an orphanage for their own good, go get a decent job and let that rotting brother rot in hell! I want to continue with the series not because I liked it, though the art is lovely, but because it made me angry. Soichiro Ashida is a monster!
June 3, 2021
2 stars *may change
well that was something. forgot how annoying early 2000s characters were
well that was something. forgot how annoying early 2000s characters were
January 5, 2020
2020 Read #19
The art is pretty, but the story is all thorns and no blossoms. The premise involves a fake marriage, impoverished characters, and a Meiji-era backdrop. It sounds like it could be deep and intriguing. Instead, we follow a heroine who has to become a lady while her jerky would-be husband threatens her and tries to force her to act like a “proper” wife, given his station. It’s exhausting instead of entertaining. I think I’m going to skip the rest of the series.
The art is pretty, but the story is all thorns and no blossoms. The premise involves a fake marriage, impoverished characters, and a Meiji-era backdrop. It sounds like it could be deep and intriguing. Instead, we follow a heroine who has to become a lady while her jerky would-be husband threatens her and tries to force her to act like a “proper” wife, given his station. It’s exhausting instead of entertaining. I think I’m going to skip the rest of the series.
June 9, 2020
Cheesier than a quatro fromaggi pizza but hits the right spots when you need it.
August 26, 2023
Parental advisory:
This story has scenes of abuse,stalking,attempted sexual assault and suggestive scenes.
SPOILERS
Review for Stepping On Roses volumes 1-9 Shojo Beat Edition.
I don't remember much about this manga so bare with me:
Sumi is a 15 year old orphan girl living in poverty with her several adopted siblings with the only bread winner being her older brother who "escorts" older wealthy women for work.
Her older brother tends to waste the money he makes and gambles the income they have.
Sumi and her family are deep in debt and can't afford any of their bills including her medical bills and rent.
Her landlady and debt collectors come knocking on her door often.
Later in the story,one of her younger sisters becomes very ill with a fever and Sumi is unable to pay the previous medical bill and is sent out of the hospital in despair:
She's about to be homeless,her sister is probably dying,they bearly have any food to eat and her older brother is no where to be found.
As she is lamenting a blonde man named (Nozumu Ijuin but she doesn't know at the time) comes to her aid offering her money for medicine for her sister.
Sumi falls in love with him (for his kindness?) but doesn't see him again (till the next volume).
At the end of the volume she comes across a man named Soichiro Ashida who asks her to marry him.
He says if she marries him he will help pay her debt and pay for her siblings to go to school.
He makes Sumi study and practice being more lady like and befitting for aristocrat's wife.
The first volume wasn't awful but wasn't great either.
I read all 9 volumes a few years ago.
I enjoyed the art and drama involving Soichiro's company but the romance was rushed and forced.
Nozumu and his jealous and psycho fiance was over the top with their actions.
The story's ending was rushed and unfulfilling .
Sumi is too young for the sexual situations she kept finding herself in.
The twist at the end was predictable and Sumi almost being r*ped by one of her siblings,only to move on to have a "love scene" with Soichiro like nothing happened afterwards was bizarre.
The main character Sumi is a stereotypical Shojo Beat character with ZERO depth or common sense.
Sumi character was the least interesting
character and it shows whenever Nozumu and his cousin are around.
Her clothing doesn't seem to be historically correct.
In fact her outfits are clearly classical and sweet lolita clothes rather than historically correct Victorian clothing.
The story is very rushed even in the later volumes and a few situations are never resolved.
I don't remember Soichiro being abusive towards Sumi but Nozumu became very obsessed with Sumi.
Nozumu was obsessed with her till the point of wanting to burn her alive with him so they could never be a part in volume 3.
This was A HUGE LEFT TURN and I hated it.
Another issue with this story that it became rushed and nonsensical as the story continued.
I give the story three stars rating for the comedic situations,company drama and the beautiful artwork.
This story has scenes of abuse,stalking,attempted sexual assault and suggestive scenes.
SPOILERS
Review for Stepping On Roses volumes 1-9 Shojo Beat Edition.
I don't remember much about this manga so bare with me:
Sumi is a 15 year old orphan girl living in poverty with her several adopted siblings with the only bread winner being her older brother who "escorts" older wealthy women for work.
Her older brother tends to waste the money he makes and gambles the income they have.
Sumi and her family are deep in debt and can't afford any of their bills including her medical bills and rent.
Her landlady and debt collectors come knocking on her door often.
Later in the story,one of her younger sisters becomes very ill with a fever and Sumi is unable to pay the previous medical bill and is sent out of the hospital in despair:
She's about to be homeless,her sister is probably dying,they bearly have any food to eat and her older brother is no where to be found.
As she is lamenting a blonde man named (Nozumu Ijuin but she doesn't know at the time) comes to her aid offering her money for medicine for her sister.
Sumi falls in love with him (for his kindness?) but doesn't see him again (till the next volume).
At the end of the volume she comes across a man named Soichiro Ashida who asks her to marry him.
He says if she marries him he will help pay her debt and pay for her siblings to go to school.
He makes Sumi study and practice being more lady like and befitting for aristocrat's wife.
The first volume wasn't awful but wasn't great either.
I read all 9 volumes a few years ago.
I enjoyed the art and drama involving Soichiro's company but the romance was rushed and forced.
Nozumu and his jealous and psycho fiance was over the top with their actions.
The story's ending was rushed and unfulfilling .
Sumi is too young for the sexual situations she kept finding herself in.
The twist at the end was predictable and Sumi almost being r*ped by one of her siblings,only to move on to have a "love scene" with Soichiro like nothing happened afterwards was bizarre.
The main character Sumi is a stereotypical Shojo Beat character with ZERO depth or common sense.
Sumi character was the least interesting
character and it shows whenever Nozumu and his cousin are around.
Her clothing doesn't seem to be historically correct.
In fact her outfits are clearly classical and sweet lolita clothes rather than historically correct Victorian clothing.
The story is very rushed even in the later volumes and a few situations are never resolved.
I don't remember Soichiro being abusive towards Sumi but Nozumu became very obsessed with Sumi.
Nozumu was obsessed with her till the point of wanting to burn her alive with him so they could never be a part in volume 3.
This was A HUGE LEFT TURN and I hated it.
Another issue with this story that it became rushed and nonsensical as the story continued.
I give the story three stars rating for the comedic situations,company drama and the beautiful artwork.
October 29, 2010
I have to admit, I picked this one up purely for the artwork. The cover of this manga is lovingly illustrated & colored, which draws the eye to it immediately. Unfortunately the artwork is almost the best part of the series.
Stepping on Roses follows the character of Sumi, a young woman born into extreme poverty during the 1860s-1912s (Meiji Era). Her older brother isn't helping matters when he is constantly bringing home more & more orphaned children for Sumi to care for. To make matters worse, one of her adopted siblings is incredibly ill, but the doctor refuses to give her any more medicine until she can pay off the debt! Luckily for Sumi a handsome young man gives her the money she desperately needed, saving her younger sibling & giving Sumi her first crush. Unfortunately later on that same day the landlord demands that the rent get paid. Not wanting her siblings to end up on the streets, Sumi does the only thing left to her- to go sell herself for money. When she is almost immediately picked up by a strange man, Sumi is panicked... until he tells her that he doesn't want her for sex but instead to marry her. The only catch is that she must never, ever fall in love with him!
This was overall a very lovely manga to read & I liked that the artwork seems to be purposely dated. (This style was more common about 20 years ago.) The characters are all developed well enough & the story is interesting, the only problem is that overall there's really nothing in here that makes it stand out. You can pretty much predict how the story will progress, which wouldn't be so bad except that the characters (especially Sumi's crush) just seem sort of a little bland in comparison to some of the other stuff out there.
My recommendation? Go read this at the store first before buying it. I wouldn't be so harsh about this manga except that I've read Tail of the Moon & I know that Ueda can do better than this. I'm hoping that the next volume will step it up a little.
Stepping on Roses follows the character of Sumi, a young woman born into extreme poverty during the 1860s-1912s (Meiji Era). Her older brother isn't helping matters when he is constantly bringing home more & more orphaned children for Sumi to care for. To make matters worse, one of her adopted siblings is incredibly ill, but the doctor refuses to give her any more medicine until she can pay off the debt! Luckily for Sumi a handsome young man gives her the money she desperately needed, saving her younger sibling & giving Sumi her first crush. Unfortunately later on that same day the landlord demands that the rent get paid. Not wanting her siblings to end up on the streets, Sumi does the only thing left to her- to go sell herself for money. When she is almost immediately picked up by a strange man, Sumi is panicked... until he tells her that he doesn't want her for sex but instead to marry her. The only catch is that she must never, ever fall in love with him!
This was overall a very lovely manga to read & I liked that the artwork seems to be purposely dated. (This style was more common about 20 years ago.) The characters are all developed well enough & the story is interesting, the only problem is that overall there's really nothing in here that makes it stand out. You can pretty much predict how the story will progress, which wouldn't be so bad except that the characters (especially Sumi's crush) just seem sort of a little bland in comparison to some of the other stuff out there.
My recommendation? Go read this at the store first before buying it. I wouldn't be so harsh about this manga except that I've read Tail of the Moon & I know that Ueda can do better than this. I'm hoping that the next volume will step it up a little.
November 25, 2011
This book is set in the Meiji era in Japan, and is about a girl named Sumi, who is very poor, and because she and her brother keep on helping orphans. One day, Sumi tries to find a doctor to heal Tomi, an orphan who got a very high fever, and with no one to help her, Sumi decides to sell herself so that she can help and cure all the orphans. When a rich man offers to buy her and marry her, for the price of giving up love and happiness. So then Sumi begins her new life in high society!
I started reading this book, because I like to read manga that were originally published by Shueisha and are serialized in the Margaret magazine. I finished this book, because this book was very easy to finish, and I finished in about 15 minutes.
I would recommend this to Aloka, because I always recommend manga to Aloka, but I don't really think that she would read it, because she's too busy watching Naruto. However, rarely she listens to my recommendations, and I will hope that she listens to this one!
I started reading this book, because I like to read manga that were originally published by Shueisha and are serialized in the Margaret magazine. I finished this book, because this book was very easy to finish, and I finished in about 15 minutes.
I would recommend this to Aloka, because I always recommend manga to Aloka, but I don't really think that she would read it, because she's too busy watching Naruto. However, rarely she listens to my recommendations, and I will hope that she listens to this one!
May 6, 2020
Your typical arranged marriage shojo.
This is pretty full of cliches. It works sometimes but other times it's so out of place it's humorous.
The story - cliches aside - is okay. A dirt-poor girl needs to pay around 3 thousand yen for rent but her older brother keeps gambling money away. She takes care of four or five kids they adopted because they were left at a shrine. Eventually, they get so desperate that she chooses to sell herself for 2 thousand yen. A rich guy takes her up.
The main character, Sumi, is kind of annoying. She constantly trips on the hem of stuff and convinces herself that she's in love with a guy who helped her out once. Soichiro Ashida is pretty much your stereotypical romance jerk love interest who happens to be inheriting a fortune. The rest of the characters are okay and sort of interesting. Dunno.
The art style isn't bad. It's well done, with the focus of the drawing being the eyes. No big complaints here.
The abuse is so bad. I hate it. It's violent. It's emotional, verbal, and even physical sometimes.
I enjoy it for the humor. The romance is pretty gross but hopefully it'll be fixed (doubtful).
This is pretty full of cliches. It works sometimes but other times it's so out of place it's humorous.
The story - cliches aside - is okay. A dirt-poor girl needs to pay around 3 thousand yen for rent but her older brother keeps gambling money away. She takes care of four or five kids they adopted because they were left at a shrine. Eventually, they get so desperate that she chooses to sell herself for 2 thousand yen. A rich guy takes her up.
The main character, Sumi, is kind of annoying. She constantly trips on the hem of stuff and convinces herself that she's in love with a guy who helped her out once. Soichiro Ashida is pretty much your stereotypical romance jerk love interest who happens to be inheriting a fortune. The rest of the characters are okay and sort of interesting. Dunno.
The art style isn't bad. It's well done, with the focus of the drawing being the eyes. No big complaints here.
The abuse is so bad. I hate it. It's violent. It's emotional, verbal, and even physical sometimes.
I enjoy it for the humor. The romance is pretty gross but hopefully it'll be fixed (doubtful).
October 15, 2020
This is one of my first ever romance mangas I've read. I think it was some time in 6th grade, I still remember bonding with some girls in my class and fangirling about it. I really need to re-read this one soon.
The art is beautiful, the romance is cute and sweet.
The art is beautiful, the romance is cute and sweet.
May 1, 2019
Have absolutely no idea if I do wanna continue with this one since...it was too much for me. Meaning the guy was too much of an assclown-and not in a entertaining. More so in a, I really want someone to bitch-slap you
September 16, 2014
This review is for the entire series, volumes one through nine, and, as always, is also available on my blog The Otaku Librarian.
Sumi is used to cutting corners, especially since her older brother tends to bring home orphans. But when one of her foster-siblings falls ill, she desperately marries a man who says he will give her as much money as she needs, as long as she never falls in love with him.
And, of course, since it's a shojo manga, she does. But this is a convoluted and troubling 9-volume manga that I really wouldn't have picked up myself. At the behest of a patron who said it was good (and just 9 volumes!), I did. And wow. It was like a really condensed k-drama in terms of the back and forth emotional turmoil between cast members. Things I never expected to happen and characters that I thought I knew would suddenly do something completely different. The two male leads surprised me the most, but I won't spoil that for you.
So if you want a surprising tale that switches around the entire rags-to-riches tale, with twists that leave you gaping, give it a try. The epilogue was a tad too sudden to me, considering how the characters were just a page or two ago , but, meh, not too big a deal. A fun, soap-opera manga.
Older teen: 3.5 stars
Historical Japan; Romance; Love Triangles; Dealing with money problems; Difficult decisions
Sumi is used to cutting corners, especially since her older brother tends to bring home orphans. But when one of her foster-siblings falls ill, she desperately marries a man who says he will give her as much money as she needs, as long as she never falls in love with him.
And, of course, since it's a shojo manga, she does. But this is a convoluted and troubling 9-volume manga that I really wouldn't have picked up myself. At the behest of a patron who said it was good (and just 9 volumes!), I did. And wow. It was like a really condensed k-drama in terms of the back and forth emotional turmoil between cast members. Things I never expected to happen and characters that I thought I knew would suddenly do something completely different. The two male leads surprised me the most, but I won't spoil that for you.
So if you want a surprising tale that switches around the entire rags-to-riches tale, with twists that leave you gaping, give it a try. The epilogue was a tad too sudden to me, considering how the characters were just a page or two ago , but, meh, not too big a deal. A fun, soap-opera manga.
Older teen: 3.5 stars
Historical Japan; Romance; Love Triangles; Dealing with money problems; Difficult decisions
August 20, 2012
Overall rating: 2 stars
WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
The Stepping On Roses had so much potential. So much. Because despite that lovey-dovey cover you can see, the manga is full of darkness, for a shoujo manga.
Yet, the mangaka disappointed me.
I mean, it started off great, but then slowly began to decline.
She came up with a good premise: an orphaned girl who takes care of her adopted, younger siblings while her older brother gambles away the money they scrape by due to his gambling problem. One day, desperate for money, she goes to the, er, naughty side of town to sell herself, yet is stopped from doing so by some good-looking(I'm assuming), rich, yet austere gentlemen who proposes that they get hitched instead. And she agrees.
What bothered me mostly was the pacing of the story and the characters. Sumi is such an idiot, she makes BethanyLuceBella look like the smartest people ever. She doesn't stand up to that jerk of a husband, doesn't fire that goddamn maid 'cause she was naked with Sumi's husband (Soichiro) in the shower, doesn't stop her husband's ex-best friend, Nozumo, from marrying her (I don't think she and Soichiro got a divorce, though) immediately after they both find out they're actually siblings (but she stops it anyway, but still. She should've stood up to herself from the start).
I think other mangas spoil me, 'cause the majority I've read/am reading have girls who can kick and fight and are scary, but when I read this, I was presented with a mousy-ish girl who can't slap someone to save her life.
I don't know. This manga obviously wasn't for me. But I cannot say that it hasn't surprised me at some points, which is good. And new. It isn't the typical sort of shoujo mangas out there, but it comes with the sappiness.
WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
The Stepping On Roses had so much potential. So much. Because despite that lovey-dovey cover you can see, the manga is full of darkness, for a shoujo manga.
Yet, the mangaka disappointed me.
I mean, it started off great, but then slowly began to decline.
She came up with a good premise: an orphaned girl who takes care of her adopted, younger siblings while her older brother gambles away the money they scrape by due to his gambling problem. One day, desperate for money, she goes to the, er, naughty side of town to sell herself, yet is stopped from doing so by some good-looking(I'm assuming), rich, yet austere gentlemen who proposes that they get hitched instead. And she agrees.
What bothered me mostly was the pacing of the story and the characters. Sumi is such an idiot, she makes BethanyLuceBella look like the smartest people ever. She doesn't stand up to that jerk of a husband, doesn't fire that goddamn maid 'cause she was naked with Sumi's husband (Soichiro) in the shower, doesn't stop her husband's ex-best friend, Nozumo, from marrying her (I don't think she and Soichiro got a divorce, though) immediately after they both find out they're actually siblings (but she stops it anyway, but still. She should've stood up to herself from the start).
I think other mangas spoil me, 'cause the majority I've read/am reading have girls who can kick and fight and are scary, but when I read this, I was presented with a mousy-ish girl who can't slap someone to save her life.
I don't know. This manga obviously wasn't for me. But I cannot say that it hasn't surprised me at some points, which is good. And new. It isn't the typical sort of shoujo mangas out there, but it comes with the sappiness.
March 9, 2015
First off, I was attracted to this series originally by the pretty art. (Turns out it's by the same mangaka as Tail of the Moon. Which I should have recognized, having read some of *Tsuki no Shippo* many years ago.) I read a couple of the later volumes of this a couple years ago, so I was happy to find some of the early-on volumes at the local libraries.
--------------
Sumi is dirt-poor (no quote-marks needed), and lives with a handful of children that her brother, Eisuke, brought home for her to raise as siblings. He only drops by sporadically, usually to drop off another child picked up by a church or such, since he is a gambling addict that has taken out many loans and has to stay on the run from loan sharks. Such is what causes the story to take place.
A loan shark comes by wanting to collect the 2000-yen debt that Sumi now owes, since Eisuke took out a loan in her name. So, she is off to sell herself to get the money to pay said debt. That's when she meets the 2 men that become important in her life. One helps her save her "sister"'s life, and she marries the other when he "buys her life" by paying off the debt. And, she enters into a life that she could never have prepared herself for.
---------------
I enjoyed this story. I just felt that Soichiro could have treated Sumi better.
--------------
Sumi is dirt-poor (no quote-marks needed), and lives with a handful of children that her brother, Eisuke, brought home for her to raise as siblings. He only drops by sporadically, usually to drop off another child picked up by a church or such, since he is a gambling addict that has taken out many loans and has to stay on the run from loan sharks. Such is what causes the story to take place.
A loan shark comes by wanting to collect the 2000-yen debt that Sumi now owes, since Eisuke took out a loan in her name. So, she is off to sell herself to get the money to pay said debt. That's when she meets the 2 men that become important in her life. One helps her save her "sister"'s life, and she marries the other when he "buys her life" by paying off the debt. And, she enters into a life that she could never have prepared herself for.
---------------
I enjoyed this story. I just felt that Soichiro could have treated Sumi better.
July 12, 2016
Overall Series Rating: 3 Stars
I read this series on recommendation. Despite Goodreads constantly putting it forward in my suggestion feed I’ll admit wasn’t all that keen after I read the blurb, but when a fellow blogger put it forward I thought I’d try it.
Overall I did enjoy the series and Stepping On Roses gets bonus points for being unpredictable. I thought the plot would follow a Cinderella set-up (which to some extent it does) and tie up neatly in a happy end, but I wasn’t expecting the manipulating story I got in the first few volumes.
Sumi agrees to marry Soichiro to make sure the children her (useless) brother has been bringing home will be taken care off. She is a pawn in Soichiro’s games and out of her depth with the society she’s suddenly landed in.
Because I liked Sumi and wanted to know the outcome I continued with Stepping On Roses. The whole series is enjoyable. Though personally I thought the story lost a little after a while (maybe if it had been a little tighter / fewer books) and at one point I was thinking “what is wrong with these people?”. The ending twist was very much an eye-roll but on the whole still an ok series.
I read this series on recommendation. Despite Goodreads constantly putting it forward in my suggestion feed I’ll admit wasn’t all that keen after I read the blurb, but when a fellow blogger put it forward I thought I’d try it.
Overall I did enjoy the series and Stepping On Roses gets bonus points for being unpredictable. I thought the plot would follow a Cinderella set-up (which to some extent it does) and tie up neatly in a happy end, but I wasn’t expecting the manipulating story I got in the first few volumes.
Sumi agrees to marry Soichiro to make sure the children her (useless) brother has been bringing home will be taken care off. She is a pawn in Soichiro’s games and out of her depth with the society she’s suddenly landed in.
Because I liked Sumi and wanted to know the outcome I continued with Stepping On Roses. The whole series is enjoyable. Though personally I thought the story lost a little after a while (maybe if it had been a little tighter / fewer books) and at one point I was thinking “what is wrong with these people?”. The ending twist was very much an eye-roll but on the whole still an ok series.
May 27, 2015
I love the art, the simpler line drawings as well as the time period with the mix of western clothes and traditional eastern dress the women especially wear.
The story isn't that original but its well developed and so doesn't feel contrived. There is a love triangle due to her naivete and a hopeless brother and a cruel society. Her naivete actually plays a huge part in the story as does Soichiro's meanness.
Soichiro has unusual motives - he doesn't want to be loved. That is the most intriguing thing about the story. Also I hope to see all the little kids more often - I'd really love to see them pulled into the main tory totally.
BOTTOM LINE: Cuter than I thought a formula story could be!
The story isn't that original but its well developed and so doesn't feel contrived. There is a love triangle due to her naivete and a hopeless brother and a cruel society. Her naivete actually plays a huge part in the story as does Soichiro's meanness.
Soichiro has unusual motives - he doesn't want to be loved. That is the most intriguing thing about the story. Also I hope to see all the little kids more often - I'd really love to see them pulled into the main tory totally.
BOTTOM LINE: Cuter than I thought a formula story could be!
March 12, 2013
Even though I gave this volume one star, I don't find the story that horrendous. I just can't get over what an ass her husband is. In addition, I'm not a huge fan of the art, but the art itself is not enough to ruin anything. On a positive note, I'm glad that the kids do not show up that much (I did not like them from page two). Granted, the reason why the kids don't show up as much is because Sumi's husband is a jerk.
In the end, since most of my dislike comes from the fact that Sumi's husband is a jerk, I'm still willing to read a few more volumes to see if his character changes. I'll be very disappointed if Sumi ends up forgiving him for everything because he does one or two kind things for her.
In the end, since most of my dislike comes from the fact that Sumi's husband is a jerk, I'm still willing to read a few more volumes to see if his character changes. I'll be very disappointed if Sumi ends up forgiving him for everything because he does one or two kind things for her.
January 3, 2017
I honestly do not know what I just read. The story itself was not executed well, there was way too much drama and lots of snippets occuring way too quickly. Nor were the characters likable, I found myself hating both of the love interests until the middle-ish of it I found one more preferable (cause the other one is seriously psycho!). And the ending was rushed and messily tied together. However, I found myself continuing to read it, addictively in fact, finishing all 57 chapters of the series in a day, and rating it a 3 like I don't even understand anymore. (Just so bad it's good??? i'm not sure!)
January 19, 2022
Read it to get a taste of a typical Shojo manga as this series seems to be a nostalgic favourite of people who grew up reading manga. It’s ok I guess. Outdated troupe. Cliched poor girl rich guy story. Some elements seemed to have not aged well.. but oh well, it was a guilty pleasure read! Very very very pretty art though!
March 6, 2011
It's insanely melodramatic and Harlequin cliche. And that's it's charm. It knows it's silly, and is unapologetic about it. And sometimes that's just what you're in the mood for.
January 13, 2013
I know I should commiserate with Sumi's predicament, but I can't help but laugh. This is just way too funny ^_^ Komai san will indeed have to move heaven and earth to transform Sumi into a "lady."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2016
Loved it must read!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews