Chika Shiomi has an amazing talent for depicting chilling and provocative horror stories that appeal to both shojo and shonen readers. Having created manga since 1993, starting with short stories in Akita Shoten's Mystery Bonita magazine, she has had a bountiful career of publishing both long-running series and short stories that have become popular both in Japan and abroad. Shiomi-sensei loves to travel and listen to Guns 'n Roses.
"Nothing good results when the future and past connects too strongly.." The story continues and once again, I read in one sit in.. beautifully wraps up the series.. great action and a touch of romance..
This was a really sweet end to a very enjoyable series which made me laugh often as well. I'm a sucker for stories set in feudal Japan and always seem to enjoy reading them and this one didn't disappoint. It was short but very enjoyable. I'd give the whole series 8/8.5 out of 10. I really liked the art style and the Edo period looked really pretty.
All in all, Yukarism is a tightly plotted series that has hardly a wasted panel. The characters were strong, both in the present and in past lives, and the art very nice, particularly in the depictions of the past.
I wasn't sure at first, but I definitely loved it by the end.
It has become very clear that if Yukari can't figure out how to break his, Mahoro, and Satomi's connections to their past lives, then history will repeat itself whether they wish it to or not. Yukari learns that Yumurasaki's death was much more terrible and tragic than he realized, and he becomes determined to find a better solution than Mahoro/Takamura killing Satomi/Kazuma.
This is one of those rare short manga series that's actually pretty decent. It's a bit inconsistent throughout, and the first volume is, unfortunately, probably the weakest, but this final volume was excellent.
Considering that the series started off more focused on Yukari/Yumurasaki, I was surprised at how important a character Mahoro became. I'm still not a fan of Takamura's scenes in volume 1, but I really liked how things turned out between Mahoro/Takamura and Yukari/Yumurasaki in the end, even if the explanation for Yumurasaki's numerous rejections of Takamura's offers to buy her freedom was a little awkward. Too bad it took them one and a half lifetimes to finally have a proper conversation, although sadly Yumurasaki probably couldn't have spoken so freely when she was still alive.
The action and tragedy in the pages leading up to the volume's climax reminded me of other historical series I've loved, like Peacemaker Kurogane (I've only seen the anime so far, which has some sad bits but stops prior to the really sad stuff). All flames, bloodshed, and crying. Thankfully, the series as a whole didn't end tragically, although I was afraid it would. And, oh, I worried about Mahoro in the aftermath, poor girl.
I did have some questions about Mahoro and Yukari's relationship in the end, and how things would work out considering , but for the most part I found this to be a satisfying ending. I'm tempted to buy myself a copy of this last volume because I enjoyed it enough that I could see myself wanting to reread it. But, knowing me, I'd then decide I should own the first three volume too, and my shelf space is at a premium.
In this volume we meet the main character Yukari and the two other characters Mahoro and Katsuhiko who are friends with Yukari.
Yukari is a 17 year old famous male author in the modern day. Yukari was born with memories from his past life. In his past life he was an Oiran (a beautiful, renowned high class female courtesan) from the Edo time period.
The two characters Mahoro and Katsuhiko are also reincarnation from the same time period as Yukari. These two characters don’t have their memories, but during the Edo time period they knew each other in the red light district.
– Meredith
Yukarism volumes 1-4 is a fantastic manga series about past lives, love and an ancient curse binding three incredible characters from the Edo period Japan to modern day. Story building, back story and characterisation are amazing. The story explores themes about belonging, self-sacrifice, acceptance, connections and love. The drawings are beautiful and intricate, I loved it so much that I was inspired to draw a large fan-art poster for Meredith (see below, it’s obviously not as beautiful as the actual drawings!). Recommended if you’re after a manga series that is short and sweet (some manga series can span 10+ volumes). If you like endearing characters, magic, intricate drawings and a heartfelt story about love transcending time, this is a great read to sink your teeth into!
Great idea but unfortunately fell short slightly. If this were four volumes longer, it could be a B+ to a A- for me. I picked this manga up because I am a fan and a sucker for the romantic historical Edo period. The love between Yumurasaki and Takamura is a great example of the kinds I greatly enjoy reading.
It was hard to read at first. Without going into spoiler territory the story is about reincarnation and the memories of the past slowly creeping onto their respective future selves. The characters kept going in and out of their memories throughout the first and the second volume. My gripe with this is that the author didn't execute it without it being mediocre and repetitive. It was a bore to get through it and a chore to finish them. Fortunately, I couldn't say the same for the third and final volumes. It did show the author has promising potential as a great writer. She tied up loose ends with a thorough explanation. I appreciate her little "Daily Life Corner" detailing her up's and down's as a manga artist. One of them tells how many reference books she bought for research and I witnessed her handwork in every page as well as on Yumurasaki's kimono and adornments.
With that said, I will look out for her other works in the future!
This is one of the best series I have read in a while. I was not expecting there to be some tsundere action but I enjoyed it. This story was perfectly told and ended well. I'm a little sad there were only four volumes because I really enjoyed spending time in this world, but it was a well told story and I can't ask for anything more. If you enjoy romance, reincarnation stories, and historical stories you would probably like this series.
This manga series single-handedly made me so much curious about past life and reincarnations and how beautifully it ended I feel like a few of the blessed souls who were meant to read it :') literally such a beautiful story and got me hooked till the end. I have never said this before but I truly feel blessed to have read this. It's such a beautiful twist of everything this is literally the best gender bender I have ever read in my life. Please if you can do read it.
Such a beautiful story with amazingly gorgeous illustrations! I fell in love with the characters and really enjoyed reading their story both past and present. I hate that it's over but also love the ending. It leaves a warm feeling in my heart. Chika Shiomi really is an amazing mangaka. I look forward to reading more of her work!
A wonderful end to this series. Things are brought together so nicely and so sastisfyingly. As the past begins to manifest so that everyone is being affected and they draw closer and closer to Yumurasaki's death, all the characters try to break free of the loop they are caught, to understand the past so they can change their future.
I can’t remember the last time a manga/fiction has made me feel such strong emotions at the ending. I literally burst into tears at the emotions and I’m still trying to come down. This was so good and everyone needs to read it immediately.
This series is sadly a 1.5 for me. I found myself reading just to finish it because it was such a short series. Everything was really predictable and I kept falling asleep reading through the volumes.
This manga started off pretty weak for me but got progressively better and by this last volume, it managed to capture my attention and made me feel attached to the characters. If you’re looking for something sweet, this one will do it
The emotions of the past invade the present! The enmity between Mahoro/Takamura and Satomi/Kazuma explode into a final confrontation that’s occasionally heavy on the melodrama, but the enduring connection between Yumurasaki and Takamura brilliantly tugs the heartstrings. Yukari’s forays to old Edo turned into a different journey through time than Volume 1 led me to anticipate, but this tale of three misunderstood souls hasn’t been a bad one, especially with Shiomi-sensei’s beautiful illustrations.
The Review
I was surprised to learn Volume 4 is the final installment of the series. I thought Shiomi-sensei would draw out to the overlapping of Yukari’s current and former self a bit longer. However, Volume 4 wraps everything up, explaining the circumstances surrounding Yumurasaki’s death and Yukari’s strong connection to his past self before concluding with a concise epilogue for our characters.
While the reason for the muddling of past and present makes sense, the manga does go a bit overboard when classmates and even random bystanders start seeing Yumurasaki and Mahoro as their former selves and in their former pleasure district settings. Also, Mahoro’s merger with Takamura’s consciousness is awfully abrupt. Up to now, Yukari was the one most aware of what was happening, recognizing who was who as he bounced from past to present. Mahoro, on the other hand, seemed least in control, especially when she faced off against Satomi in Yukari’s house in Volume 2. If anyone seemed possessed by an evil spirit, it was her, and it is a bit jarring to have her suddenly in control of the situation and Satomi/Kazuma playing the crazed maniac instead.
However, if these plot changes don’t faze you and you’re more interested in watching an Edo period tsundere give all for the woman he loves, Yumurasaki’s death scene won’t disappoint. In addition to the poignancy of the moment, Shiomi-sensei’s accompanying artwork is gorgeous. The final pages of the manga are also sweet. By the story’s end, the POV shifts from Yukari to Mahoro, with only Mahoro/Takamura aware of the events that transpired, but that makes the conclusion no less romantic.
Extras include cast of characters, story thus far summary, a bonus one-page manga, translation notes, and author bio.
I would definitely have loved more of this series, but it still ended very well.
We finally figure out what really happened in their past lives, and we see how it’s culminating in the present. It comes to a head, how their past selves are taking over their present. It takes a different turn than I expected, for one character in particular. But it gives their pasts a final end, a way to move on in the present.
I really just wanted Yukari and Mahoro to have a happy ending, and I’m really happy with how it happened. It was sweet and not too much, not too sappy, not rushed. It was perfect.
I loved this series. It was a surprising delight, and I’m so happy to have it. I really hope that VIZ picks up more of Shiomi’s other series, because I want more.
A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!
What I really like from this manga is that it could mix many genre and still flows naturally, without being boring or over the top (regarding the reincarnation stuff). It's intriguing enough to make me want to solve the "mystery" (what was Yuumurasaki trying to tell to her reincarnation? why the heck were they so influenced by their past life?), but it's also romantic (I ship Yukari-Mahoro and Yuumurasaki-Shizuka). The characters are likable. I especially like that (emotionally) there was a role switch between who's the man and who's the girl in the relationship.
11/15 While I wish this short series had been at least one volume longer, it told a powerful story with a beautiful ending! I look forward to re-reading it again and again.
It's been a while since I've read a manga series that made me cry. Yukarism was an excellent series. The author's reincarnation theme was the icing to the cake of this story. Loved it!