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桜姫華伝 [Sakura Hime Kaden] #12
Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, Vol. 12
Sakura, grieving for all her friends who have died, returns to Aoba’s estate. Enju attacks, and Sakura loses two more people she loves. And just when she believes the battle to finally be over, Princess Kaguya appears!
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
11 people are currently reading
357 people want to read
About the author
Arina Tanemura
182 books1,018 followersName in Japanese: 種村有菜 (Tanemura Arina)
Western Zodiac: Pisces
Arina Tanemura was born on March 12, 1978. She's the author of Full Moon O Sagashite, Time Stranger Kyoko, Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, Sakura Hime Kaden, and more.
Her favorite hobby is Karaoke. One song that she sings is Smile, originally by Myco. She has two cats, named Riku and Kai. She has one elder and one younger sister and one brother. She's the type who hates to lose in anything. She also likes Ribon.
Western Zodiac: Pisces
Arina Tanemura was born on March 12, 1978. She's the author of Full Moon O Sagashite, Time Stranger Kyoko, Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, Sakura Hime Kaden, and more.
Her favorite hobby is Karaoke. One song that she sings is Smile, originally by Myco. She has two cats, named Riku and Kai. She has one elder and one younger sister and one brother. She's the type who hates to lose in anything. She also likes Ribon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
January 13, 2014
Finale of this wonderful series. This series pulled me in so many directions, but in a good way. I definitely recommend it to anyone. However, if you are looking for a happy ending with the complete closure of Sakura and Aoba marrying and living happily ever after, you will not find it here. What you will find is an ending that will leave you with little closure and a few questions, but you will still be satisfied, and wanting to move on to another Tanemura series. She's a queen of emotional mangas, but I will be taking a short break from her series' now, having read 2 of them straight.
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I must admit I felt for Sakura, having everyone that meant anything taken from her. But, I love that she found her purpose in life, and followed her "dream". She learned that she had to stop living for everyone else, and find something bigger/more important to her than her life itself, and she did so.
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This volume was provided to me as an eManga by VIZ Media, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own
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I must admit I felt for Sakura, having everyone that meant anything taken from her. But, I love that she found her purpose in life, and followed her "dream". She learned that she had to stop living for everyone else, and find something bigger/more important to her than her life itself, and she did so.
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This volume was provided to me as an eManga by VIZ Media, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own
July 5, 2022
BRUTAL
Sakura Hime Kaden is very much a greek tragedy: everyone has a sad story, and if you think the cast makes it out alive by the end, you're in for a shock.
This time around I read all 12 tankobon volumes in a row, and I truly appreciated the intricacy of the relationships (and their fallouts) Tanemura created.
It was a glorious mess and I love owning the boxset.
Former review (Back then I rated the finale way lower, but now that I read all the instalments after another, I feel differently.)
I've been reading Tanemura's works ever since primary school, and I'm still reading most of her releases. Sakura-Hime Kaden is one of her worst-rated series to date, the final volume having a 2.something rating on japanese Amazon. In my opinion, that is a very unfair rating to this volume as well as the ones that preceded it (ranging in ratings between 1.something and 3.something, all very low).
This is a review of the series as a whole, but I'll try to include as few spoilers as possible, detailing in what the series failed to deliver.
Sakura-Hime was the series that Tanemura always expressed in her notes that she wanted to write badly but never managed to pitch to her publisher because the demographic of her usual magazine (for those who don't know: manga in Japan is published Chapter by Chapter in a million different magazines, each having a certain age or target group). Most of Tanemura's manga have been published in the "Ribbon" magazine. Ribbon is a mainstream magazine from one of the biggest publishers in Japan, Shueisha, and the magazine is unfortunately aimed at young girls aged 6 to about 13 or 14 tops.
Ever since she wrote and published Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, Tanemura has often written (in the commentaries at the side of the manga or at the beginning of the chapter) about how she wanted to write a really brutal story with lots of death and gore that was ultimately a tragedy.
Tanemura commented that publication in Ribbon would be hard if not impossible, because the story she wanted to write just wasn't suitable for children.
She was unfortunately right, and I really would have wished for her and the manga that Sakura could have been published in a different magazine, aimed at more mature readers.
Sakura fails because the "funny" characters, a lot of plot elements and the cutesy style are aimed at children, while the story told is more of a neverending greek tragedy.
The chibi style often employed here, the stupid main character, the baffling magical girl elements, the immature romance of the main couple, the silly quotes, the rival subplot and the cheesy depiction of death at the end all have no place in this story.
Sakura is at it's core, a brutal legend about fate and acceptance of your own meaning and position in life, as well as love for all other human beings.
The message I believe Tanemura wanted to convey burns and sinks into the mud purely because this is a Ribbon publication and it aughtn't have been.
The reason why I think this should have had higher ratings is because this manga had the potential to rise high above Tanemura's other works, and a lot of the good stuff was there. Even a doppelganger-plot and the moral dilemma that comes from it!
Sakura could have been truly epic, and I'm sad that Tanemura didn't have the means or motivation to skip to a different publisher with a more suitable magazine (Enterbrain's Harta would have been great).
Sakura Hime Kaden is very much a greek tragedy: everyone has a sad story, and if you think the cast makes it out alive by the end, you're in for a shock.
This time around I read all 12 tankobon volumes in a row, and I truly appreciated the intricacy of the relationships (and their fallouts) Tanemura created.
It was a glorious mess and I love owning the boxset.
Former review (Back then I rated the finale way lower, but now that I read all the instalments after another, I feel differently.)
I've been reading Tanemura's works ever since primary school, and I'm still reading most of her releases. Sakura-Hime Kaden is one of her worst-rated series to date, the final volume having a 2.something rating on japanese Amazon. In my opinion, that is a very unfair rating to this volume as well as the ones that preceded it (ranging in ratings between 1.something and 3.something, all very low).
This is a review of the series as a whole, but I'll try to include as few spoilers as possible, detailing in what the series failed to deliver.
Sakura-Hime was the series that Tanemura always expressed in her notes that she wanted to write badly but never managed to pitch to her publisher because the demographic of her usual magazine (for those who don't know: manga in Japan is published Chapter by Chapter in a million different magazines, each having a certain age or target group). Most of Tanemura's manga have been published in the "Ribbon" magazine. Ribbon is a mainstream magazine from one of the biggest publishers in Japan, Shueisha, and the magazine is unfortunately aimed at young girls aged 6 to about 13 or 14 tops.
Ever since she wrote and published Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, Tanemura has often written (in the commentaries at the side of the manga or at the beginning of the chapter) about how she wanted to write a really brutal story with lots of death and gore that was ultimately a tragedy.
Tanemura commented that publication in Ribbon would be hard if not impossible, because the story she wanted to write just wasn't suitable for children.
She was unfortunately right, and I really would have wished for her and the manga that Sakura could have been published in a different magazine, aimed at more mature readers.
Sakura fails because the "funny" characters, a lot of plot elements and the cutesy style are aimed at children, while the story told is more of a neverending greek tragedy.
The chibi style often employed here, the stupid main character, the baffling magical girl elements, the immature romance of the main couple, the silly quotes, the rival subplot and the cheesy depiction of death at the end all have no place in this story.
Sakura is at it's core, a brutal legend about fate and acceptance of your own meaning and position in life, as well as love for all other human beings.
The message I believe Tanemura wanted to convey burns and sinks into the mud purely because this is a Ribbon publication and it aughtn't have been.
The reason why I think this should have had higher ratings is because this manga had the potential to rise high above Tanemura's other works, and a lot of the good stuff was there. Even a doppelganger-plot and the moral dilemma that comes from it!
Sakura could have been truly epic, and I'm sad that Tanemura didn't have the means or motivation to skip to a different publisher with a more suitable magazine (Enterbrain's Harta would have been great).
January 12, 2018
The ending of this series has really saddened me. The finale was so bittersweet. While the characters did get their supposed happy endings, it was heart breaking to me that all these characters that I invested time into were just killed off, brought back and then killed off again.
While Asagiri, Ruriko, Endo, Ukyo, Oomi, etc will always stay within Sakura's heart I wanted them to be able to actually live out their lives! Especially Asagiri and Ukyo! They should have gotten married and stayed together as long as humanly possible. :( The sacrifice that was made was too large imo. I was hoping that the Ruriko and Hayate story line could have been continued and that perhaps she could have ended up with him and Shuri could end up with his love... *Sigh*.
As for Endo...the brief lapse of sanity that he had toward the end where Kai was able to find his way back to Sakura was really disappointing! Why now after all this time did Kai manage to return? It just didn't make sense to me. I know that his character was just about to die so that was probably why Arina chose for Kai to show but I felt that it was too short and could have been drawn out more. Also, I think that maybe if glimpses of Kai was shown throughout the encounters of Endo and Sakura that would have created a longer lasting effect. Kind of like how Eechi and Mitisuki were in Full Moon O Sagashite. We saw and felt Eechi's presence even though it was brief until the end.
Sakura suffered so intensely. She lost many of her loved ones and friends. While she did get to stay with Aoba, she lost her powers. I think that the conclusion was very loosely tied up. There are still unanswered questions that remained like Hayate/Shuri/Kohaku. Who does Kohaku choose? She loved Hayate but he broke her heart and fell for someone else. What will become of the characters that were killed? Did they move on officially to another realm?
If Sakura was able to return, then the other moon people should have as well. If the characters were able to use their powers to help Sakura return to the world why could they as well? It didn't sit well with me.
I wanted to really love this series but I feel like the final battle and the conclusion was quite sloppy and has really left me feeling like I needed true satisfactory closure. I did enjoy the message about finding out your purpose in life and love. I hope that in other volumes she has side stories of what happens afterwards with the characters after a certain amount of years.
While Asagiri, Ruriko, Endo, Ukyo, Oomi, etc will always stay within Sakura's heart I wanted them to be able to actually live out their lives! Especially Asagiri and Ukyo! They should have gotten married and stayed together as long as humanly possible. :( The sacrifice that was made was too large imo. I was hoping that the Ruriko and Hayate story line could have been continued and that perhaps she could have ended up with him and Shuri could end up with his love... *Sigh*.
As for Endo...the brief lapse of sanity that he had toward the end where Kai was able to find his way back to Sakura was really disappointing! Why now after all this time did Kai manage to return? It just didn't make sense to me. I know that his character was just about to die so that was probably why Arina chose for Kai to show but I felt that it was too short and could have been drawn out more. Also, I think that maybe if glimpses of Kai was shown throughout the encounters of Endo and Sakura that would have created a longer lasting effect. Kind of like how Eechi and Mitisuki were in Full Moon O Sagashite. We saw and felt Eechi's presence even though it was brief until the end.
Sakura suffered so intensely. She lost many of her loved ones and friends. While she did get to stay with Aoba, she lost her powers. I think that the conclusion was very loosely tied up. There are still unanswered questions that remained like Hayate/Shuri/Kohaku. Who does Kohaku choose? She loved Hayate but he broke her heart and fell for someone else. What will become of the characters that were killed? Did they move on officially to another realm?
If Sakura was able to return, then the other moon people should have as well. If the characters were able to use their powers to help Sakura return to the world why could they as well? It didn't sit well with me.
I wanted to really love this series but I feel like the final battle and the conclusion was quite sloppy and has really left me feeling like I needed true satisfactory closure. I did enjoy the message about finding out your purpose in life and love. I hope that in other volumes she has side stories of what happens afterwards with the characters after a certain amount of years.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2024
“I’m in love with being alive”
My second tanemura read after Jeanne and I’m somehow more amazed
Her protagonists are so endearing, loveable, romantic with the world on their shoulders and empathetic to a fault
“It’s up to me to decide if it will hurt my feelings or if I can’t face the truth”
Art, notorious for being intentionally difficult to animate, is so luscious and ornate I truly can’t get enough
A surprising amount of tragedy at play here, unrequited love, cruel demises, frustration and hopelessness but it all in a very love triumphs all fashion, it works
“Finding something more important than our own lives is why we were all born”
My second tanemura read after Jeanne and I’m somehow more amazed
Her protagonists are so endearing, loveable, romantic with the world on their shoulders and empathetic to a fault
“It’s up to me to decide if it will hurt my feelings or if I can’t face the truth”
Art, notorious for being intentionally difficult to animate, is so luscious and ornate I truly can’t get enough
A surprising amount of tragedy at play here, unrequited love, cruel demises, frustration and hopelessness but it all in a very love triumphs all fashion, it works
“Finding something more important than our own lives is why we were all born”
July 10, 2017
I finally finished the series. I loved it; it reminded me of when I was in high school and I would run to the teen manga section to read all types of supernatural/other-worldly manga.
I loved the characters and the development of their relationships between each other, especially Asagiri and Sakura. I'm sad it was only 12 volumes but all good things have to come to an end.
I loved the characters and the development of their relationships between each other, especially Asagiri and Sakura. I'm sad it was only 12 volumes but all good things have to come to an end.
December 31, 2017
I wish there had been less deaths (or at least- you know- more resurrections but all in all good ending 👌
November 3, 2016
In Summary
Enju succeeds in resurrecting Princess Kaguya, and Sakura takes her on with all her allies. (And when I mean all her allies, I mean all.) The Sakura/Enju conflict and Oura’s curse both get resolved too easily, but the final battle includes some big surprises before working its way to a fluffy happy ending.
The Review
Enju’s down to just one minion who happens to be a double agent. As if to even out the odds, Tanemura-sensei gradually whittles down Team Sakura, which is already reeling from Asagiri’s death. I was surprised at Rurijo’s abrupt end. I’d thought the Rurijo/Hayate/Kohaku triangle would get prolonged further. Not to mention, the way Enju coldly doomed Rurijo in Volume 11 was inconsistent with his reaction to Rurijo’s demise as well as his own last words. The scene leading up to the attack on Oura is much better, however, and certain to please the romantics in the crowd.
Having reduced the fight to a one-on-one between Sakura and Enju, Tanemura-sensei just as quickly returns all of Sakura’s allies for the final brawl against the resurrected Princess Kaguya. It’s ridiculously convenient how everyone shows up at once, especially Yuri and Maimai, who pop up out of nowhere. (Perhaps Tanemura-sensei felt everyone needed a cameo?). That battle, however, is less about action and more about tying up loose ends. Enju’s turnaround from ruthless enemy to gentle brother is too abrupt for my liking. In addition, the undoing of Oura’s curse and the supposed deal struck between Enju and Asagiri are rather confusing. However, Tanemura-sensei makes up for it with an intriguing revelation about Byakuya and the purpose behind Chizakura. Apparently, the old priestess was more deeply involved in the situation than anyone could have guessed.
Not surprisingly, everything resolves to a happy end. Everyone, living and dead, ends up with their love (with the exception of the three ninjas – I guess Tanemura-sensei’s leaving that triangle up to readers’ imaginations.) Certain details (such as how Asagiri and company could help Sakura escape Chizakura when they couldn’t leave themselves) are glossed over, but if all you care about is Oura/Sakura mushiness, you should be content with the conclusion.
Extras in Volume 12 include embedded author’s notes and a closing remark from Tanemura-sensei.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
Enju succeeds in resurrecting Princess Kaguya, and Sakura takes her on with all her allies. (And when I mean all her allies, I mean all.) The Sakura/Enju conflict and Oura’s curse both get resolved too easily, but the final battle includes some big surprises before working its way to a fluffy happy ending.
The Review
Enju’s down to just one minion who happens to be a double agent. As if to even out the odds, Tanemura-sensei gradually whittles down Team Sakura, which is already reeling from Asagiri’s death. I was surprised at Rurijo’s abrupt end. I’d thought the Rurijo/Hayate/Kohaku triangle would get prolonged further. Not to mention, the way Enju coldly doomed Rurijo in Volume 11 was inconsistent with his reaction to Rurijo’s demise as well as his own last words. The scene leading up to the attack on Oura is much better, however, and certain to please the romantics in the crowd.
Having reduced the fight to a one-on-one between Sakura and Enju, Tanemura-sensei just as quickly returns all of Sakura’s allies for the final brawl against the resurrected Princess Kaguya. It’s ridiculously convenient how everyone shows up at once, especially Yuri and Maimai, who pop up out of nowhere. (Perhaps Tanemura-sensei felt everyone needed a cameo?). That battle, however, is less about action and more about tying up loose ends. Enju’s turnaround from ruthless enemy to gentle brother is too abrupt for my liking. In addition, the undoing of Oura’s curse and the supposed deal struck between Enju and Asagiri are rather confusing. However, Tanemura-sensei makes up for it with an intriguing revelation about Byakuya and the purpose behind Chizakura. Apparently, the old priestess was more deeply involved in the situation than anyone could have guessed.
Not surprisingly, everything resolves to a happy end. Everyone, living and dead, ends up with their love (with the exception of the three ninjas – I guess Tanemura-sensei’s leaving that triangle up to readers’ imaginations.) Certain details (such as how Asagiri and company could help Sakura escape Chizakura when they couldn’t leave themselves) are glossed over, but if all you care about is Oura/Sakura mushiness, you should be content with the conclusion.
Extras in Volume 12 include embedded author’s notes and a closing remark from Tanemura-sensei.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2016
Sakura Hime was the very first manga series that ever made me shed a tear. Everything from its goofy start to its beautiful ending, from the hero herself to the most terrifying villain, the manga was like a masterpiece, to me. However, there were a few questionable things happened in the book, and the story seemed rushed. Yet those were in the first books of the series and, well, it'd make sense, I suppose. Nevertheless, it'd be hard to deny the art and designs of Sakura Hime are beautiful. Plus, once you read the story, you'd probably find it hard to deny the creativity of it as well.
To me, my favorite part of the manga was the message it conveyed. Sakura Hime's messages were very inspirational; to find something that means more to you than even yourself is definitely something to live for. Sakura, in the beginning, really hated her destiny (which was required of her to take), but faced her fears and fought for her loves. I feel like her courage is very awe-inspiring (if that makes sense). The characters (some of which die yet come back) fighting together against ultimate evil (which went down rather easily...) was the part that made my eyes water. Besides the story, Arina Tanemura's art was beautiful from the first page of the first book to the last page of the last book. Her art inspires me to make my own art improve.
In conclusion, Sakura Hime is one of my favorite manga series. Not only is it beautiful in story and illustration, but it's romantic, full of action and humor, and lots of moments where you really want to cry. If you want to start reading manga, Sakura Hime is easy to read and has a nice pace. The characters are fun, can be goofy, and all of them have interesting backstories. All in all, the series is a wonderful read...as long as you like (or are interested in) manga.
To me, my favorite part of the manga was the message it conveyed. Sakura Hime's messages were very inspirational; to find something that means more to you than even yourself is definitely something to live for. Sakura, in the beginning, really hated her destiny (which was required of her to take), but faced her fears and fought for her loves. I feel like her courage is very awe-inspiring (if that makes sense). The characters (some of which die yet come back) fighting together against ultimate evil (which went down rather easily...) was the part that made my eyes water. Besides the story, Arina Tanemura's art was beautiful from the first page of the first book to the last page of the last book. Her art inspires me to make my own art improve.
In conclusion, Sakura Hime is one of my favorite manga series. Not only is it beautiful in story and illustration, but it's romantic, full of action and humor, and lots of moments where you really want to cry. If you want to start reading manga, Sakura Hime is easy to read and has a nice pace. The characters are fun, can be goofy, and all of them have interesting backstories. All in all, the series is a wonderful read...as long as you like (or are interested in) manga.
March 3, 2014
This was a nice way to end the series, even though I'm sad this has come to an end. This book has made me have a new favorite characters like Rurijo, Shuri and Kai/Enju(Princess Sakura's elder brother). The them for this book is Love and Determination. It's Love because it turns out that this whole series is about we were all born to find someone who we love, who is more important than our own lives. Even though as cheesy as it sounds, I kinda believe that too. I believe we were all born so we are able to find someone or people that we love and treasure more than our own lives. That was really sweet and I liked how Arina Tanemura put that in the story. It's Determination because even though my favorites characters(Rurijo, Aoba, Enju/Kai) die, Sakura is determined that though her soul symbol is "destroy" she decides not to follow her fate. That she chooses her own fate. Therefore in the end, she becomes human instead of being half youko and her hair turns from silver to black like Aoba's. (Aoba's still alive! Yay!! ^_^). It's also Determination because she had to battle Princess Kaguya, the real owner of Chizakura, and managed to defeat her with the help of those who died from Chizakura's blade. (Asagiri, Ukyo, Rurijo, Oumi). So, this was a really awesome book where you learn how that you can't let fate rule your life. You decide which road you have to take. You decided which road to settle on. I recommend this whole series. Trust me, you'll go through so many feels. But still, I recommend this series for young adults, manga readers, or those who need to read graphic novels. This is the best series by Arina Tanemura. :)
December 18, 2020
I absolutely loved reading this series. Tanemura always creates such deep and complex relationships and bonds between the characters, I'm always left in tears when finishing any of her series.
This ending hit me pretty hard. I must admit since I'm a sucker for majorly happy endings, I actually thought all of the beloved dead characters had come back from Chizuka and they would all be ALIVE. But no, that didn't happen. *sigh* .
The death I am most sad about is obviously Asagiri. I was really hoping that there would be a better ending for her, as well as Rurijo.
I'm also incredibly confused by the love triangle which still hasn't really been resolved. Will Hayate now for all eternity pine over Rurijo or will he eventually get together with Kohaku? I guess that's left up to our imagination! I think that eventually they'll probably find their ways to one another. After all, Rurijo and Hayate's relationships was kinda doomed from the beginning, even though I did find them kinda sweet.
Overall, the series was completely fabulous. The only criticism I would have to give (besides the permanent dead-ness of all of my beloved characters) would be that Sakura almost barely had to fight any Yoko. She did some fighting in the first couple of chapters and then at the end, but I hoped that there would have been a bit more action.
This ending hit me pretty hard. I must admit since I'm a sucker for majorly happy endings, I actually thought all of the beloved dead characters had come back from Chizuka and they would all be ALIVE. But no, that didn't happen. *sigh* .
The death I am most sad about is obviously Asagiri. I was really hoping that there would be a better ending for her, as well as Rurijo.
I'm also incredibly confused by the love triangle which still hasn't really been resolved. Will Hayate now for all eternity pine over Rurijo or will he eventually get together with Kohaku? I guess that's left up to our imagination! I think that eventually they'll probably find their ways to one another. After all, Rurijo and Hayate's relationships was kinda doomed from the beginning, even though I did find them kinda sweet.
Overall, the series was completely fabulous. The only criticism I would have to give (besides the permanent dead-ness of all of my beloved characters) would be that Sakura almost barely had to fight any Yoko. She did some fighting in the first couple of chapters and then at the end, but I hoped that there would have been a bit more action.
April 17, 2019
This last volume did leave an impression on me about the meaning of life. It’s great to feel a sense of hope and drive for the future, and reading the last few pages of this volume really allowed me to think about that 🙏🙏🙏
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2025
Review for complete series
Princess Sakura is a descendant of the creatures of the moon whose hand has been promised to the Imperial Prince Oura. To hide the powers that lurk inside her, Princess Sakura has been raised in isolation. But Sakura is unwilling to enter a marriage without love and chooses to run away - even at the risk of her true nature being exposed.
Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura is everything wrong with The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross done right - it includes the best of all Tanemura's previous works. After the mess that was The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, I was really worried that the then newest series of a long time favourite mangaka of mine would disappoint again. Luckily, that was far from the case!
The setting of the Heian Period allowed for interesting folklore and absolutely gorgeous designs for the characters; all those beautiful kimono and long flowing hair! Just the art alone makes this a pleasure to read. And thanks to the fantasy setting, many story elements that fell flat in The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross unfolded beautifully; there certainly was drama, but it suited the circumstances and we are, after all, talking about an Imperial Court. And I was so pleased to see her old humour, which I so love, return.
Although I felt that the romance developed very rapidly, I can't say that it bothered me. The first volumes do revolve around Sakura and Oura, but the plot focuses on so much more than just the two once the story gets going. Thanks to the romance not being the only focus, this story was rich in wonderful characters who all had their share of spotlight. There were wonderful friendships, family bonds, court intrigues, action and a plot that keeps you guessing. It was just such a beautifully well-rounded story from beginning to end.
This is one of those stories that has so many great characters, I wouldn't even know where to begin looking for a favourite. Although I am tempted to say that it is Sakura's little spirit friend Asagiri, there are so many others that are equally lovable. Sakura herself is also a nice character, I loved how she was sincere and naive yet would also simply be lazy and childish. There is a lot of character growth - not only for her but for the majority of characters. As there are so many characters to love, it's so easy to get emotionally invested and there's a lot of sadness the cast needs to overcome. It is also great how, as the story progresses, the line between good and evil dims more and more.
The only thing I would criticise about Sakura Hime is how conveniently everyone seems to be connected. Every character is related to someone else one way or another. After a while, it felt like a repetitive plot twist when yet another character was revealed to be someone's long-lost lover, friend or sibling. However, given all the wonderful elements of this plot, it is a small matter that can easily be ignored.
A delightful surprise through and through - I am utterly in love with the setting, characters and plot and after this am inclined to believe that Tanemura's stories work out best if there is at least a hint of fantasy involved! Now if only there were an artbook...
October 20, 2019
Oh oh oh... the final volume of Princess Sakura! Verdict for the series as a whole: loved it!
I actually hadn't many guesses except that the ending would most likely be happy. I hoped Tanemura would be able to tie the plotlines into a satisfying end because I know, as she has wrote many times in her chapter introductions, the characters tend to take their own paths during the story even though some big beats are planned ahead. And I'm happy to say that at least I was satisfied with the ending. But hoo, was it full of emotion! I even cried.
Very mild spoilers ahead.
Sakura is utterly shattered by the death of Asagiri and everybody is worried about her and also about Enju who is still free. Rurijoo decides to fix it but even her actions are not enough to end it all. Rurijoo is a character who grew most during the story and her arc was surely interesting.
Then, Sakura is forced into action as Enju comes back once more. No spoilers but I gasped aloud when he attacked. But, even he's not the same anymore and his and Sakura's final scene was moving.
But the final chapters still pack twists and surprises! Byakuya reveals things about herself and how Sakura can put end to all this. I liked how she challenged her destiny; turning the destruction she has feared she brings with her into power, and finding strength (quite literally actually) from her friends. And it was really touching to see her companions and friends once more, especially Oomi. And without spoiling more, the ending was sweet and happy but there was lingering sadness too.
And speaking of sadness, there's a lot of it. Death and sadness. Even though the series had quite many light and comic scenes along the way, towards the end it got pretty dark. Tanemura writes a bit about it in her chapter introductions and it sounds like she was in a bit bad place herself too and it reflected into the story. I don't mind the darkness though, it made a powerful story that was full of high stakes and emotional moments (Asagiriiiii...). I like drama, fantasy and epic and Princess Sakura delivered.
I said I was satisfied with the ending, even Aoba (who I didn't like much in the beginning) was actually really understanding and sweet in the end. Only character who I felt I didn't understand by the end was Fujimurasaki. His more scheming actions weren't ever explained properly.
But: I'm glad Sakura finally has a peace of mind, and Kohaku, Hayate and Shuri are together again.
♥
I actually hadn't many guesses except that the ending would most likely be happy. I hoped Tanemura would be able to tie the plotlines into a satisfying end because I know, as she has wrote many times in her chapter introductions, the characters tend to take their own paths during the story even though some big beats are planned ahead. And I'm happy to say that at least I was satisfied with the ending. But hoo, was it full of emotion! I even cried.
Very mild spoilers ahead.
Sakura is utterly shattered by the death of Asagiri and everybody is worried about her and also about Enju who is still free. Rurijoo decides to fix it but even her actions are not enough to end it all. Rurijoo is a character who grew most during the story and her arc was surely interesting.
Then, Sakura is forced into action as Enju comes back once more. No spoilers but I gasped aloud when he attacked. But, even he's not the same anymore and his and Sakura's final scene was moving.
But the final chapters still pack twists and surprises! Byakuya reveals things about herself and how Sakura can put end to all this. I liked how she challenged her destiny; turning the destruction she has feared she brings with her into power, and finding strength (quite literally actually) from her friends. And it was really touching to see her companions and friends once more, especially Oomi. And without spoiling more, the ending was sweet and happy but there was lingering sadness too.
And speaking of sadness, there's a lot of it. Death and sadness. Even though the series had quite many light and comic scenes along the way, towards the end it got pretty dark. Tanemura writes a bit about it in her chapter introductions and it sounds like she was in a bit bad place herself too and it reflected into the story. I don't mind the darkness though, it made a powerful story that was full of high stakes and emotional moments (Asagiriiiii...). I like drama, fantasy and epic and Princess Sakura delivered.
I said I was satisfied with the ending, even Aoba (who I didn't like much in the beginning) was actually really understanding and sweet in the end. Only character who I felt I didn't understand by the end was Fujimurasaki. His more scheming actions weren't ever explained properly.
But: I'm glad Sakura finally has a peace of mind, and Kohaku, Hayate and Shuri are together again.
♥
August 3, 2023
What this series taught me: never judge a manga series by its first volume.
In my experience, most first volumes are the "hook," while simultaneously laying the groundwork of what to "expect" in the series. But Sakura Hime had such a jarring pendulum swing in the first volume that I expected the rest of the series to be nonsensical drama twists, only to be proven wrong. And though I won't say it's the smoothest sailing, the story does actually settle down within the first couple of volumes and I actually felt emotionally invested. I devoured most of the series in barely two days!
Arina Tanemura is my manga weakness. Everything she does, no matter how others might find to be juvenile or melodramatic or "emo," is pure gold. I've been dying to read Sakura Hime for YEARS, but couldn't due to lack of availability, but finally found a site that uploaded all of the chapters with clear scans and ACTUAL PROPER translations and was able to read to my heart's content over the past few weeks. And after getting over the "wtf" of volume 1, I could easily count this series as one of my new faves.
Gorgeous art (per usual), hilarious comic relief, tons of romantic drama and twists, and a beautifully tragic love story with an inspiring protagonist who destroyed her fate and carved her own path. What's not to love?
In my experience, most first volumes are the "hook," while simultaneously laying the groundwork of what to "expect" in the series. But Sakura Hime had such a jarring pendulum swing in the first volume that I expected the rest of the series to be nonsensical drama twists, only to be proven wrong. And though I won't say it's the smoothest sailing, the story does actually settle down within the first couple of volumes and I actually felt emotionally invested. I devoured most of the series in barely two days!
Arina Tanemura is my manga weakness. Everything she does, no matter how others might find to be juvenile or melodramatic or "emo," is pure gold. I've been dying to read Sakura Hime for YEARS, but couldn't due to lack of availability, but finally found a site that uploaded all of the chapters with clear scans and ACTUAL PROPER translations and was able to read to my heart's content over the past few weeks. And after getting over the "wtf" of volume 1, I could easily count this series as one of my new faves.
Gorgeous art (per usual), hilarious comic relief, tons of romantic drama and twists, and a beautifully tragic love story with an inspiring protagonist who destroyed her fate and carved her own path. What's not to love?
February 18, 2022
Une série pas mauvaise mais qui pourrait mieux faire
Mots Clés : manga, shojo, romance, fantasy, jeunesse
Ca y est, j’ai lu la deuxième moitié de cette série. C’est une série que j’ai bien aimé dans l’ensemble mais je pense que cet aspect fantasy n’a pas trop fonctionné pour moi. J’ai préféré The Gentlemen’s Alliance Cross par la même mangaka.
J’ai trouvé intéressant et cool le fait d’avoir des combats et de l’action dans un shojo. Par contre, je trouve qu’on n’a pas beaucoup vu le Prince Aoba au final, genre il était plutôt décoratif. Je ne me suis pas attachée à lui. Mais j’ai beaucoup aimé la princesse Sakura ainsi que Kohaku et Asagiri. Elles étaient pleines de volontés, d’amour et de passion.
Je recommande ce manga à un public jeune principalement.
3.5/5
Mots Clés : manga, shojo, romance, fantasy, jeunesse
Ca y est, j’ai lu la deuxième moitié de cette série. C’est une série que j’ai bien aimé dans l’ensemble mais je pense que cet aspect fantasy n’a pas trop fonctionné pour moi. J’ai préféré The Gentlemen’s Alliance Cross par la même mangaka.
J’ai trouvé intéressant et cool le fait d’avoir des combats et de l’action dans un shojo. Par contre, je trouve qu’on n’a pas beaucoup vu le Prince Aoba au final, genre il était plutôt décoratif. Je ne me suis pas attachée à lui. Mais j’ai beaucoup aimé la princesse Sakura ainsi que Kohaku et Asagiri. Elles étaient pleines de volontés, d’amour et de passion.
Je recommande ce manga à un public jeune principalement.
3.5/5
Read
September 14, 2023I skim read this volume because I was still angry and upset about Asagiri dying and wanted to know how this one ended. I feel that the ending was not satisfying enough for me. I don't know if its because of my emotions, but after everything, it was not quite the happy ending I had wanted or hoped for.
I will say major props to the creator for bringing back everyone at least! I am thankful that Shuri lived and that Ukyo and Asagiri did get a happily ever after of sorts even if we didn't see much of it. I also did love the ending message and how Sakura found her purpose. That was moving but I don't know if I'm going to read another Arina Tanemura story for a while.
I will say major props to the creator for bringing back everyone at least! I am thankful that Shuri lived and that Ukyo and Asagiri did get a happily ever after of sorts even if we didn't see much of it. I also did love the ending message and how Sakura found her purpose. That was moving but I don't know if I'm going to read another Arina Tanemura story for a while.
September 22, 2022
just rating the last volume bc im too lazy to rate each book separately. anyway this is my childhood manga and my first manga ever, which probably shows that my parents weren't paying attention to what i was reading at the time but tbf i think i was also expecting a cutesy story when i picked the first volume...
if i was objective ill give it 4 stars. maybe 3. but im not when it come to this series<3
this manga is very dear to my heart, i made a sakura cosplay when i was 15 i think (and it looked terrible). i love this series sm. rurijo my beloved<3
if i was objective ill give it 4 stars. maybe 3. but im not when it come to this series<3
this manga is very dear to my heart, i made a sakura cosplay when i was 15 i think (and it looked terrible). i love this series sm. rurijo my beloved<3
September 2, 2024
That ending was all over the place!!!!! I felt like the mangaka was just killing everyone off for the shock factor…
Overall, this series was okay? A 3/5 stars.
It was all over the place. Honestly, the second half felt like a whole different story from the first half.
There were too many twists, by the time that huge twist at the end came, I just didn’t care anymore.
I’m probably just done reading Arina Tanemura’s books. Maybe if someone else WRITES the story and she only ILLUSTRATES, then I’ll read it lol
Overall, this series was okay? A 3/5 stars.
It was all over the place. Honestly, the second half felt like a whole different story from the first half.
There were too many twists, by the time that huge twist at the end came, I just didn’t care anymore.
I’m probably just done reading Arina Tanemura’s books. Maybe if someone else WRITES the story and she only ILLUSTRATES, then I’ll read it lol
Read
September 23, 2021NOTES: Overall, this was definitely an Arina Tanemura series. So many plot twists and ships (half of which died, I might add) and really really good themes about life. Although I’ll be completely honest I’m not 100% sure who’s alive now and who’s not. I’m still crying though. Another honest comment, since volume 6 I literally cared about no one but Asagiri x Ukyo. <3 Cutest and most tragic couple ever. I’m very sad now goodbye.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2019
Such a touching end to an amazing series.
Please give this story a chance if you are looking for a new series to get into. The characters are sweet. Little things amount to so much more in the end.
Please give this story a chance if you are looking for a new series to get into. The characters are sweet. Little things amount to so much more in the end.
December 6, 2020
Rurijo tries to stop Lord Enju, but Chizakura cuts her through and ends her. Princess Kaguya awakes and the real trouble begins for Sakura. Sakura helps end it all and after some time away ends up with Aoba in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2017
Ah, this was such a lovely series!
July 24, 2020
This serious broke my heart ! I really enjoyed the ending, although it was a bit rushed and 'convenient'. The series as a whole was great.
December 25, 2020
Painful. I liked it.
June 11, 2021
I cried a lot.
It's a beautiful but often tragic story. It's a poignant ending that closes the story well.
It's a beautiful but often tragic story. It's a poignant ending that closes the story well.
June 24, 2022
It's so good i like it so much. It's my favorite i would like to read more about your manga
May 10, 2023
Here are my final thoughts on this series!
https://youtu.be/1atgNQkVHVg
https://youtu.be/1atgNQkVHVg
January 13, 2024
Ce final de dingue!!!!
July 18, 2021
it was alright.
Not the best of Arina's series but enjoyable.
Not the best of Arina's series but enjoyable.
October 19, 2013
Der letzte Band der Sakura Reihe hat mich wieder versöhnlich mit der Reihe gestimmt.
Hatte sie sehr interessant angefangen, hab ich in der Mitte irgendwann den Faden verloren. Ich glaube, die Pausen zwischen den Bänden waren für mich einfach zu lang. Auch hatte ich das Gefühl, dass es nicht mehr so inhaltsreich ist wie bei Jeanne oder bei Fullmoon. Doch dieser Band haut es echt raus.
Ein wunderbares Finale. Man sollte einige Taschentücher bereit halten. Das zeichnerische Können von Arina Tanemura entfaltet sich wieder vollends und auch die Geschichte nimmt zum einen an Fahrt auf, aber auch wieder an Gefühl. Während ich das teilweise vorher vermisst habe, gibt es hier dafür eine ganze Bandbreite.
Ein definitiv fulminanter Abschluss der Reihe. Ich bin sehr glücklich, es bis zum Ende gelesen zu haben.
Die Mangaka kündigt zudem an, dass dies ihre letzte Reihe im Ribon-Magazin ist. Ich bin also gespannt, wie es ihr im neuen Verlag ergeht und wie die neue Serie sein wird.
Insgesamt kommt die Reihe über die Heian-Periode und Sakura für mich nicht an ihre früheren Werke ran - dennoch hat sie Charme und ich finde die japanische Vergangenheit äußerst spannend. Dazu eine Prise Fantasy und Mythen, eine Prise Humor und Liebe und es ergibt sich dennoch eine gute Geschichte mit einem tollen letzten Band.
Hatte sie sehr interessant angefangen, hab ich in der Mitte irgendwann den Faden verloren. Ich glaube, die Pausen zwischen den Bänden waren für mich einfach zu lang. Auch hatte ich das Gefühl, dass es nicht mehr so inhaltsreich ist wie bei Jeanne oder bei Fullmoon. Doch dieser Band haut es echt raus.
Ein wunderbares Finale. Man sollte einige Taschentücher bereit halten. Das zeichnerische Können von Arina Tanemura entfaltet sich wieder vollends und auch die Geschichte nimmt zum einen an Fahrt auf, aber auch wieder an Gefühl. Während ich das teilweise vorher vermisst habe, gibt es hier dafür eine ganze Bandbreite.
Ein definitiv fulminanter Abschluss der Reihe. Ich bin sehr glücklich, es bis zum Ende gelesen zu haben.
Die Mangaka kündigt zudem an, dass dies ihre letzte Reihe im Ribon-Magazin ist. Ich bin also gespannt, wie es ihr im neuen Verlag ergeht und wie die neue Serie sein wird.
Insgesamt kommt die Reihe über die Heian-Periode und Sakura für mich nicht an ihre früheren Werke ran - dennoch hat sie Charme und ich finde die japanische Vergangenheit äußerst spannend. Dazu eine Prise Fantasy und Mythen, eine Prise Humor und Liebe und es ergibt sich dennoch eine gute Geschichte mit einem tollen letzten Band.
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