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アラクレ [Arakure] #1
Wild Ones, Vol. 1
Please note: reads right to left (Japanese Style)
Sachie Wakamura just lost her mother, and her estranged grandfather has shown up to take care of her. The only problem is that grandpa is the head of a yakuza gang! Too scared to join her new family, Sachie tries to continue living her normal life. She can't run far though, since one of the most popular guys in school is part of her grandfather's gang and her new protector. No one at school knows about Rakuto's hidden life, and soon Sachie finds herself falling for her bodyguard. But she's the granddaughter of Rakuto's boss, and he can never show his feelings for her. Can Sachie find a way to fit into her new family and grab her chance at love?
200 pages, Paperback
First published July 19, 2005
75 people are currently reading
8161 people want to read
About the author
Kiyo Fujiwara
39 books92 followersName: 藤原規代
She is a mangaka that currently lives in Tokyo.
Her hobbies include playing drums and bass guitar and wearing kimono.
She is a mangaka that currently lives in Tokyo.
Her hobbies include playing drums and bass guitar and wearing kimono.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
July 10, 2017
4.5 stars - First reviewed on A Weebish Book Blog
Manga is one of my most expensive obsessions, so when I spotted the first four volumes of WILD ONES at my local used bookstore for only $2.70 a piece I greedily snatched them up. I’d never heard of Kiyo Fujimara’s works, but I knew from the synopsis they’d be right up my alley. I love anything to do with the Yakuza (Japanese organized crime) and this one did not disappoint.
Sachie Wakamura’s mother passes away and leaves Sachie homeless—or so she thinks. Her estranged grandfather shows up and before she knows it, she’s the precious granddaughter of Razo Asagi, the Yazuka Boss of the Asagi clan! Her life receives a drastic makeover. To make things even more uncomfortable, she’s been assigned a beautiful and very flirty new bodyguard who keeps calling her “princess” and is so flamboyantly loyal she can’t trust a word he says. Or can she?
Rakuto Igarashi, said bodyguard with a not-so-easy job, was an interesting guy. He’s the least Yakuza-esque of the bunch, but he’s also the most passionate about his job. The others are plenty passionate, but you get what you see when it comes to the others in the clan. You know exactly who they are the moment you spot the gaudy getup. Rakuto is the wild card (pun unintended). He looks like more like Student Council President (he is) than Yakuza member. And he’ll do anything to keep his princess safe.
If you think the Yakuza are scary…you ain’t seen Sachie the vigilante. She’s a scary gal when she spots others doing wrong—or someone in need of help. Sachie was a wonderfully developed character for shojo manga. There are many different facets to her personality. She’s both independent and strong, shy and hesitant. I liked her more than I thought I would. She’s not one to allow others to fight her battles for her – which lands her into some intense situations.
There is just something so refreshing about the Asagi clan – a fierce loyalty and deep respect of the boss that you just don’t see often in American culture. It’s familial and comforting. I love this clan of overgrown henchmen! Yeah, they’re technically bad guys, but if anything, WILD ONES has shown that you can find good in anyone and nothing is as black and white as it appears.
If you’ve read much shojo manga, you’ll realize it very rarely surprises you. It sticks to a few different formulas when it comes to plot and character development. It’s very character driven and thin plot-wise — reality will never get in the way of a happily-ever-after.
This book was a very surprising emotional whirlwind. It had me laughing my ass off, melting from adorableness, and sniffling from heartbreak. The plot might not be the most original, but it was so clever and memorable I can’t wait to binge read the rest of the series. Kiyo Fujimara has a new fan and I can’t wait to read more!
Manga is one of my most expensive obsessions, so when I spotted the first four volumes of WILD ONES at my local used bookstore for only $2.70 a piece I greedily snatched them up. I’d never heard of Kiyo Fujimara’s works, but I knew from the synopsis they’d be right up my alley. I love anything to do with the Yakuza (Japanese organized crime) and this one did not disappoint.
Sachie Wakamura’s mother passes away and leaves Sachie homeless—or so she thinks. Her estranged grandfather shows up and before she knows it, she’s the precious granddaughter of Razo Asagi, the Yazuka Boss of the Asagi clan! Her life receives a drastic makeover. To make things even more uncomfortable, she’s been assigned a beautiful and very flirty new bodyguard who keeps calling her “princess” and is so flamboyantly loyal she can’t trust a word he says. Or can she?
Rakuto: You are a precious princess. I’m prepared to give my life, if that’s what it takes.
/Sachie angrily stomps up to Rakuto and chucks her book bag at his head, narrowly missing hitting him in the face/
Sachi: Don’t say things so lightly! There are people who wanted to live but had their lives taken from them. If you’re prepared to give up your life, then you should devote it to living to the fullest instead!
Rakuto Igarashi, said bodyguard with a not-so-easy job, was an interesting guy. He’s the least Yakuza-esque of the bunch, but he’s also the most passionate about his job. The others are plenty passionate, but you get what you see when it comes to the others in the clan. You know exactly who they are the moment you spot the gaudy getup. Rakuto is the wild card (pun unintended). He looks like more like Student Council President (he is) than Yakuza member. And he’ll do anything to keep his princess safe.
If you think the Yakuza are scary…you ain’t seen Sachie the vigilante. She’s a scary gal when she spots others doing wrong—or someone in need of help. Sachie was a wonderfully developed character for shojo manga. There are many different facets to her personality. She’s both independent and strong, shy and hesitant. I liked her more than I thought I would. She’s not one to allow others to fight her battles for her – which lands her into some intense situations.
There is just something so refreshing about the Asagi clan – a fierce loyalty and deep respect of the boss that you just don’t see often in American culture. It’s familial and comforting. I love this clan of overgrown henchmen! Yeah, they’re technically bad guys, but if anything, WILD ONES has shown that you can find good in anyone and nothing is as black and white as it appears.
If you’ve read much shojo manga, you’ll realize it very rarely surprises you. It sticks to a few different formulas when it comes to plot and character development. It’s very character driven and thin plot-wise — reality will never get in the way of a happily-ever-after.
This book was a very surprising emotional whirlwind. It had me laughing my ass off, melting from adorableness, and sniffling from heartbreak. The plot might not be the most original, but it was so clever and memorable I can’t wait to binge read the rest of the series. Kiyo Fujimara has a new fan and I can’t wait to read more!
October 13, 2020
This was so cute!
May 14, 2019
A recently orphaned heroine that goes to live with a grandfather she didn't know existed, who turns out to be the boss of a yakuza-like group. As the granddaughter of the boss, she is considered the princess of the group and all the members treat her as such, but none more than the one assigned to be her bodyguard.
Cute but a bit disjointed.
Cute but a bit disjointed.
April 28, 2020
terribly cute. that seems to be the trend for the past 20 or so books anyway. i'm actually looking forward to finding and reading the rest of the series. i can't wait to see how things develop! hehehe!
October 28, 2016
Sachie just learned her grandfather isn't dead like her recently deceased mother always told her... it's because he's the head of a yakuza gang! She isn't sure about her new family even though they treat her as the honored princess of their boss and to make matter more complicated Rakuto is her bodyguard, and the most popular boy at their school! Can she adjust to her new family and find a way to make her new love work?
I waited a long time to read this manga as my library didn't have it when I first became interested. Fast forward 5 years later and they have it and I'd forgotten it was about gangsters! This is one of those times I wish manga translations would just use the real term, yakuza! Gangsters sounds like the overplayed stereotype found in American movies that are so tiresome! Still once I overcame that tag I found the story quite delightful.
It is a rather old style manga so some frames are hard to follow for those of us used to modern manga where they make everything so clear. Once I got to chapter two though it got a lot better and I really enjoyed Rakuto and Sachie's relationship! I actually quite love her grandfather too and I hope he starts to make a real effort to be a part of her life and not make the same mistakes as he made with his daughter.
I liked the mix of joint back history story with the letter (and sneaky grandfather) with current story like the catching of the thief and the family story linked to her birthday and mom. It was a nice balance to get to know the characters! Other than the rocky setup I loved it!
BOTTOM LINE: A Yakuza love story part 1.
I waited a long time to read this manga as my library didn't have it when I first became interested. Fast forward 5 years later and they have it and I'd forgotten it was about gangsters! This is one of those times I wish manga translations would just use the real term, yakuza! Gangsters sounds like the overplayed stereotype found in American movies that are so tiresome! Still once I overcame that tag I found the story quite delightful.
It is a rather old style manga so some frames are hard to follow for those of us used to modern manga where they make everything so clear. Once I got to chapter two though it got a lot better and I really enjoyed Rakuto and Sachie's relationship! I actually quite love her grandfather too and I hope he starts to make a real effort to be a part of her life and not make the same mistakes as he made with his daughter.
I liked the mix of joint back history story with the letter (and sneaky grandfather) with current story like the catching of the thief and the family story linked to her birthday and mom. It was a nice balance to get to know the characters! Other than the rocky setup I loved it!
BOTTOM LINE: A Yakuza love story part 1.
June 16, 2020
I remember seeing someone talk about this series in a MangaTube video, though bugger all if I remember who, and of course it was an immediate rush to Thriftbooks's website to add this to my wishlist. When a copy came available, I bought it right away, and when it arrived home...I choked. It just sat on my TBR cart for a handful of weeks and when I finally pulled it off the cart to add to the pile at hand to start reading, I choked again. I'm not entirely sure why, but I felt some strange apprehension with trying this book. As you can tell, I finally powered through that and read it.
I'm glad I did, because this is definitely a fun, semi-fluffy title about a girl who discovers she's the granddaughter of a yakuza clan head, and goes to live with him and his yakuza following the death of her mother. And of course there's a boy, as you can tell from a glance at the cover. Which means you know there's a romance budding. But this first volume doesn't throw a ton of angsty teen drama right at you, which was probably what I was worried about and therefore, might have been what made me put off reading this for weeks. There's a lot of humor and heart to the interactions our girl Sachie has with her newfound, huge (and slightly alarming) family, and I absolutely adore that. There's also quite a bit of evidence that though her mother tried to raise her away from the yakuza life, there's some things that just pass on from grandfather to daughter to granddaughter!
I'm definitely invested now, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next volume! I'll have to snag that one once my next paycheck hits!
I'm glad I did, because this is definitely a fun, semi-fluffy title about a girl who discovers she's the granddaughter of a yakuza clan head, and goes to live with him and his yakuza following the death of her mother. And of course there's a boy, as you can tell from a glance at the cover. Which means you know there's a romance budding. But this first volume doesn't throw a ton of angsty teen drama right at you, which was probably what I was worried about and therefore, might have been what made me put off reading this for weeks. There's a lot of humor and heart to the interactions our girl Sachie has with her newfound, huge (and slightly alarming) family, and I absolutely adore that. There's also quite a bit of evidence that though her mother tried to raise her away from the yakuza life, there's some things that just pass on from grandfather to daughter to granddaughter!
I'm definitely invested now, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next volume! I'll have to snag that one once my next paycheck hits!
May 23, 2019
This was an entertaining start to a new series (for me at least). I like Sachie, and it cracks me up how she can be normal most of the time but occasionally scary and/or violent. She has a strong sense of right and wrong. I like her Grandpa. He seems like an interesting character, and I want to get to know him better. Rakuto is okay. I don't dislike him, but I'm unsure what to make of him right now. The art is nice. Overall, I enjoyed volume 1 of Wild Ones, and would recommend it to those who enjoy funny, young adult, mafia/yakuza type stories. 4 stars.
December 18, 2020
Ngl this is pretty cute but the story was all over the shop, I didn't have a friggin clue what was going on....
November 6, 2015
Sachie lives now with her grandfather after her mother died. His Grandpa is the master of a yakuza, a fact I find very amusing. The members of the yakuza care for Sachie and want to make her happy. Sachie is funny, she have some expressions in her face that made me laugh. She is not comfortable with all the guys trying to spoil her, especially her handsome bodyguard, Rakuto.
And this is where the manga has a failure in my opinion. Rakuto is too much smitten with Sachie, and they have only known each other for what? Hours? Of course, the story in the first volume goes by several months, but just in the first chapter, when they meet, he is already all 'I will die for you, my princess' (in a romantic way, not just because he is her bodyguard)
I think this manga has a pale similarity with 妖狐×僕SS Inu x Boku Secret Service 01. So far, Rakuto is MEH. Their love story is MEH, 'been there, done that' kind of feeling. The rest (the yakuza, Sachie, her Grandpa, her past) is fine.
And this is where the manga has a failure in my opinion. Rakuto is too much smitten with Sachie, and they have only known each other for what? Hours? Of course, the story in the first volume goes by several months, but just in the first chapter, when they meet, he is already all 'I will die for you, my princess' (in a romantic way, not just because he is her bodyguard)
I think this manga has a pale similarity with 妖狐×僕SS Inu x Boku Secret Service 01. So far, Rakuto is MEH. Their love story is MEH, 'been there, done that' kind of feeling. The rest (the yakuza, Sachie, her Grandpa, her past) is fine.
May 2, 2013
This was a series I had gotten interested in because it was on my recommendations. So I pick it up and start reading. And I liked it :)
Sachie Wakamura's mom dies and she goes to live with her Grandpa. Who happens to lead a gang...so she basically becomes the prized possession of the gang and they're always watching out for her "cause she's the bosses Granddaughter!" Her grandfather is concerned about her safety and decides she needs a bodyguard. So he assigns a boy/young man who he took in as child to watch over her. Only Rakuto is the most popular guy at her new school and no one else knows about his secret life. And amongst adventures and such Sachie beings to like her protector.
This is an interesting idea and I enjoy reading this volume. There were a couple parts where the panels seemed a little confusing, but it might have just been me. I didn't love it as much as some other series I've read, but I still liked it.
The characters were sweet and I really liked Scahie. I can't wait to get the next volume :)
Sachie Wakamura's mom dies and she goes to live with her Grandpa. Who happens to lead a gang...so she basically becomes the prized possession of the gang and they're always watching out for her "cause she's the bosses Granddaughter!" Her grandfather is concerned about her safety and decides she needs a bodyguard. So he assigns a boy/young man who he took in as child to watch over her. Only Rakuto is the most popular guy at her new school and no one else knows about his secret life. And amongst adventures and such Sachie beings to like her protector.
This is an interesting idea and I enjoy reading this volume. There were a couple parts where the panels seemed a little confusing, but it might have just been me. I didn't love it as much as some other series I've read, but I still liked it.
The characters were sweet and I really liked Scahie. I can't wait to get the next volume :)
April 2, 2022
Its Raining Rereads 2022 Book Challenge
Prompt: Reread a Manga series Pt. 1
So this is the first time I've reread this series in while. I still enjoyed this series for the charm of it but if anyone was interested in reading this, if they're able to find it, it is a 15-year-old title that relies on very standard shojo tropes. The art, in my opinion, is still very clean and well done. However, once again it's 15 years old and I do feel like you can tell. I have a lot of nostalgia for this title though because it was one of the first manga titles I collected for my collection. Can't wait to continue this reread down memory lane.
Prompt: Reread a Manga series Pt. 1
So this is the first time I've reread this series in while. I still enjoyed this series for the charm of it but if anyone was interested in reading this, if they're able to find it, it is a 15-year-old title that relies on very standard shojo tropes. The art, in my opinion, is still very clean and well done. However, once again it's 15 years old and I do feel like you can tell. I have a lot of nostalgia for this title though because it was one of the first manga titles I collected for my collection. Can't wait to continue this reread down memory lane.
April 16, 2015
When Sachi's mother dies she must go live with her grandfather whom she thought was dead her whole life. It turns out he's the boss of a yakuza clan and she'll be living in a house filled with his underlings. Her grandfather assigns an underling similar in age to Sachi to be her bodyguard.
Wild Ones Volume One sucked me right in from the start which has not been the case with any other graphic novel I've attempted thus far. They all seem to take a while to get going but not Wild Ones. The story is right down my alley (I'm a Godfather fan girl) and the romance is sweet but not over the top. Plus Rakuto is sooo DREAMY. Bahaha.
Wild Ones Volume One sucked me right in from the start which has not been the case with any other graphic novel I've attempted thus far. They all seem to take a while to get going but not Wild Ones. The story is right down my alley (I'm a Godfather fan girl) and the romance is sweet but not over the top. Plus Rakuto is sooo DREAMY. Bahaha.
August 31, 2019
I had started reading this series a couple of years ago but was unable to finish it at the time, so I'm glad I was able to now. I myself didn't find it be very funny even though it's supposed to be but it was still cute. I thought it was a light, refreshing story with a lack of angst and drama that I could appreciate. Despite what you may think given the summary Sachie's Grandfather's yakuza life has very little involvement in the story. Really you could almost say it's just a simple romance following Sachie and Rakuto's school life, as that's where the majority of the manga takes place.
September 28, 2017
I feel bad for poor Sachie. Not only is she an orphan but an estranged Grandfather she never knew shows up and he's the head of a mafia group!
Also he saddles her with a bodyguard and she has to live with a dozen men who are a bit on the odd side. I can't imagine what she was feeling the whole time!
Plus she has to hide the truth from her classmates and now everyone thinks that she is a girl from a rich household!
Also he saddles her with a bodyguard and she has to live with a dozen men who are a bit on the odd side. I can't imagine what she was feeling the whole time!
Plus she has to hide the truth from her classmates and now everyone thinks that she is a girl from a rich household!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2012
I think this is a very sweet manga. It reminds me of those awesome mangas with strong characters like Skip Beat! and Ouran High School Host Club and Tokyo Crazy Paradise. It begins slow and it doesn't have the magic that others have in the beginning, but it grows on you. And you just can't help want to read it.
August 15, 2016
I'm bumping this series up to a 5. I keep rereading it, so I must like it a LOT!
March 22, 2020
Starting yet another reread thanks to the power of social distancing! It's not quite hitting the 4* mark for me this time around, but we shall see...
February 14, 2019
3.5 Stars
It was a cute read, however a little silly at times.
It was a cute read, however a little silly at times.
July 26, 2020
If I were being generous, this manga would probably be more of a 3.5 star than a plain 3. This was a manga that scratched a certain itch for me. It was enjoyable, for the most part, and I would definitely consider reading more volumes. I looked to see if there was an anime adaptation and I'm sad to report that I couldn't find any so... that sucks. This was my fifth read for the reading rush and I'm so glad I found mangas that I needed to read because that made this readathon so easy to be honest.
Fun Fact: this was the 5th book that I read for the 2020 Reading Rush!! I used this book to fulfill the challenge of reading a book outside your house!
Wild Ones is a shoujo manga that is about a girl going to live with her grandfather that she's never met and surprise!! He's the head of the yakuza. Her grandfather took in a boy that's about her age and surprise again! He's now her bodyguard.
It follows the general shoujo manga plot lines, so it's not like there were any plot twists or anything that shocked me, but that doesn't really cause me to not like a manga. I liked it because it was fun and it was a quick read.
There were small instances of sexism, but I think they were generally challenged so that would be my only issue with this manga series in general.
I would recommend this if you're looking for something quick, fun, and easy to read!! Happy Reading everyone!
Fun Fact: this was the 5th book that I read for the 2020 Reading Rush!! I used this book to fulfill the challenge of reading a book outside your house!
Wild Ones is a shoujo manga that is about a girl going to live with her grandfather that she's never met and surprise!! He's the head of the yakuza. Her grandfather took in a boy that's about her age and surprise again! He's now her bodyguard.
It follows the general shoujo manga plot lines, so it's not like there were any plot twists or anything that shocked me, but that doesn't really cause me to not like a manga. I liked it because it was fun and it was a quick read.
There were small instances of sexism, but I think they were generally challenged so that would be my only issue with this manga series in general.
I would recommend this if you're looking for something quick, fun, and easy to read!! Happy Reading everyone!
February 23, 2019
(stejná recenze u všech dílů)
Dávám 71% Jazyk: Aj
Kresba ze začátku vypadala zvláštně, ale naštěstí se postupně zlepšovala, a já si na ní pomalu zvykala. V některých momentech mi dokonce připadala vážně hezká.
Příběh byl poměrně dobrý, ale naneštěstí se tu našli i slabší momenty, u jichž jsem měla chuť je přeskočit.
Litovala jsem všechny, kteří se do Sachi zamilovali (teď nemám na mysli Rakuta samozřejmě :D), protože bylo jasné, že u ní nemají žádnou šanci. Bylo totiž hned zřejmé, s kým skončí.
Vůbec nevím, jestli je Sachi silná, nebo naopak slabá. Podle mě to ani nevěděla ani sama autorka. :D Někdy totiž v pohodě zkopala nějakého zloděje a ani se u toho nezapotila, ale pak najednou dojde k nějakým násilníkům, již obtěžují slečnu a ta dá! Najednou je úplně bezbranná a nic nedokáže. Což bylo opravdu divné, neboť všichni víme, jak moc silní jsou tihle darebáci, kteří někoho obtěžují. :D
K obálkám mám neutrální názor. Nemůžu totiž říci, zda se mi líbí či nelíbí.
Dávám 71% Jazyk: Aj
August 10, 2019
I had never read anything by Kiyo Fuhiwara before, though I love manga! The excerpt on the back about a young woman suddenly thrust into the "royal" lifestyle of being the grand daughter of the Yakuza master. Her and Rakuto, her assigned protector/guardian, begin to catch feelings for each other. She is a strong female character full of morals in a totally different world.
I liked the the characters and the way the household was portrayed, but the plot line did not have a steady pace. There were moments where it was too fast and I felt like I had missed a page, and then it would hone into one particular moment.
All together a good light read full of intrigue.
I liked the the characters and the way the household was portrayed, but the plot line did not have a steady pace. There were moments where it was too fast and I felt like I had missed a page, and then it would hone into one particular moment.
All together a good light read full of intrigue.
August 24, 2020
I want to start out by saying how much I enjoyed this book. (My post is for the entire series). It was still satisfying to read and I still fell in love with all the characters. With that being said, my only complain was that, at times, the story line felt rushed, and I felt like some parts were missing more to it. There were also a few characters I wished I could have seen more or had more depth to them. Also a plus, I absolutely loved the ending, it was more than satisfying, it was heart felt and complete!
October 19, 2020
Some of these scenes were so cheesy they made me cringe but I know little kid me would have loved everything about this. Had to get used to this cheesiness in this first book. Been awhile since I’ve read something to that level. But since it’s a short series I will most likely continue it.
This starts off fast & everything happens quickly. Falls in love like the first chapter but I can see the potential for the relationship to grow. He also scores major points when it counts lol but that’s a given. I mean we’re reading a shojo manga here.
This starts off fast & everything happens quickly. Falls in love like the first chapter but I can see the potential for the relationship to grow. He also scores major points when it counts lol but that’s a given. I mean we’re reading a shojo manga here.
February 18, 2013
I enjoyed this first volume, but there are already signs that the series probably won't be able to sustain itself very well for the 10 volumes I think it lasts. If Sachie weren't so blind, and if Rakuto weren't so averse to speaking about his true feelings, this series could have easily ended in one or two volumes. From what I could tell, Sachie's grandfather probably wouldn't mind if Sachie and Rakuto started dating – in fact, my current theory is that Sachie's grandfather is hoping they'll start dating. The other yakuza members would throw a fit, but they'd eventually be okay with it, too, as long as Sachie made it clear that Rakuto made her happy. There doesn't seem to be any obstacles keeping Rakuto and Sachie apart that they don't create themselves.
Even so, I found this volume appealing. There's not much here that lovers of shoujo romance haven't seen a million times before, except possibly the yakuza stuff that acts as background for everything, but then again the “criminals with hearts of gold” thing has been done before, too. “More of the same” isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as you enjoy it and don't expect too much. This first volume hit some of the same notes I tend to enjoy in a lot of other shoujo manga.
There are the usual storylines in which the characters demonstrate that they have feelings for each other, even though they may not always be completely aware of those feelings. The bit with the girl who tried to steal Rakuto away, after essentially giving a guy friend of hers permission to do whatever he wanted to Sachie, is not unusual in shoujo manga – something similar popped up in Yuu Watase's Absolute Boyfriend. The “hero and heroine met and first fell in love when they were children, even though one of them no longer remembers this” storyline also pops up in manga a lot – Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket is a good example. Not everything that happens is something I can remember seeing in another manga, but the overall tone of this series feels, so far, like a lot of other stuff out there.
Rakuto is, of course, hot. He's also an outrageous flirt, who uses that as a mask for his true feelings. Sachie is the nice, ordinary girl who, at first, feels like she's completely out of her depth with her yakuza family, but there are plenty of signs that she's going to get along with them just fine. The only reason this works at all is because the dangerous side of yakuza life is either minimized or used to humorous effect. Anytime Sachie screams, the guys think there's a raid. The guys Sachie's grandfather's household is generally presented as a happy, family-like sort of place, but then there are things that make me wonder, like Sachie remembering her mother saying that her father (Sachie's grandfather) scared her, or the possibility that Rakuto believed that Sachie might be physically punished for accidentally entering her mother's old room.
Overall, as long as I just took this as a light romantic comedy, I liked this manga. I don't know that it'll have the staying power for 10 volumes, but I guess I'm going to find out, because I own several more volumes of this. Here's hoping that Fujiwara brings in some actual romantic obstacles. And also, here's hoping that she eventually starts drawing Sachie consistently. I'm a sucker for clean lines and good use of screentone, both of which this manga has, but Fujiwara doesn't always seem to be able to get Sachie's proportions right. In some panels, she looks like the 15-year-old she's supposed to be, and in other panels she looks like a child with a bobble head and scrawny body. Then there's the first time Sachie and Rakuto met in this volume – in that scene, both Sachie and Rakuto have enormous right hands.
If I were to give this a grade, I'd probably give it a C. It's definitely not bad, and those who are newbies to the world of shoujo manga may enjoy it, but if you read as much shoujo manga as I do it's not really anything spectacular.
Extras:
Author sidebars, which actually include a bit of information relating the manga but still manage not to be terribly memorable; 2 pages of cultural notes (not much info, but still helpful); a few short, funny little comics starring the Wild Ones characters.
(Original review, with read-alikes and watch-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Even so, I found this volume appealing. There's not much here that lovers of shoujo romance haven't seen a million times before, except possibly the yakuza stuff that acts as background for everything, but then again the “criminals with hearts of gold” thing has been done before, too. “More of the same” isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as you enjoy it and don't expect too much. This first volume hit some of the same notes I tend to enjoy in a lot of other shoujo manga.
There are the usual storylines in which the characters demonstrate that they have feelings for each other, even though they may not always be completely aware of those feelings. The bit with the girl who tried to steal Rakuto away, after essentially giving a guy friend of hers permission to do whatever he wanted to Sachie, is not unusual in shoujo manga – something similar popped up in Yuu Watase's Absolute Boyfriend. The “hero and heroine met and first fell in love when they were children, even though one of them no longer remembers this” storyline also pops up in manga a lot – Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket is a good example. Not everything that happens is something I can remember seeing in another manga, but the overall tone of this series feels, so far, like a lot of other stuff out there.
Rakuto is, of course, hot. He's also an outrageous flirt, who uses that as a mask for his true feelings. Sachie is the nice, ordinary girl who, at first, feels like she's completely out of her depth with her yakuza family, but there are plenty of signs that she's going to get along with them just fine. The only reason this works at all is because the dangerous side of yakuza life is either minimized or used to humorous effect. Anytime Sachie screams, the guys think there's a raid. The guys Sachie's grandfather's household is generally presented as a happy, family-like sort of place, but then there are things that make me wonder, like Sachie remembering her mother saying that her father (Sachie's grandfather) scared her, or the possibility that Rakuto believed that Sachie might be physically punished for accidentally entering her mother's old room.
Overall, as long as I just took this as a light romantic comedy, I liked this manga. I don't know that it'll have the staying power for 10 volumes, but I guess I'm going to find out, because I own several more volumes of this. Here's hoping that Fujiwara brings in some actual romantic obstacles. And also, here's hoping that she eventually starts drawing Sachie consistently. I'm a sucker for clean lines and good use of screentone, both of which this manga has, but Fujiwara doesn't always seem to be able to get Sachie's proportions right. In some panels, she looks like the 15-year-old she's supposed to be, and in other panels she looks like a child with a bobble head and scrawny body. Then there's the first time Sachie and Rakuto met in this volume – in that scene, both Sachie and Rakuto have enormous right hands.
If I were to give this a grade, I'd probably give it a C. It's definitely not bad, and those who are newbies to the world of shoujo manga may enjoy it, but if you read as much shoujo manga as I do it's not really anything spectacular.
Extras:
Author sidebars, which actually include a bit of information relating the manga but still manage not to be terribly memorable; 2 pages of cultural notes (not much info, but still helpful); a few short, funny little comics starring the Wild Ones characters.
(Original review, with read-alikes and watch-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
March 26, 2018
Read the first two chapters of Volume 1. The story jumped around and was hard to follow. It felt out of order and therefore rather confusing. I almost thought that it had been arranged out of order except when looking at the characters clothing, it was evident that the pages were in fact in order. In addition, the story and characters were not strong enough or interesting enough to keep me hooked to see if the writing style would become more understandable in later chapters.
October 2, 2018
Parce qu'il serait dommage et vraiment réducteur de se contenter de lire un seul type de littérature : un peu comme quelqu'un qui n'accepterait de lire que des romans anglais, ou que des romans du 18ème (ou pire, que des romans classiques) !
Arakure (Wild Ones) est l'histoire d'une orpheline qui part vivre chez son grand-père... chef d'un clan de yakuza... Alors, évidemment, ça change du quotidien !
Un manga magnifique, tour à tour comique et émouvant... Une très belle histoire !
Arakure (Wild Ones) est l'histoire d'une orpheline qui part vivre chez son grand-père... chef d'un clan de yakuza... Alors, évidemment, ça change du quotidien !
Un manga magnifique, tour à tour comique et émouvant... Une très belle histoire !
May 17, 2019
This manga...wasn’t awesome.
But it was better.
I loved the characters.
And I tried to follow along with what was being said because a lot was happening.
I tried to like the plot.
The romance...well there is nothing special about the plot nor will you be flipping from page to page.
It took me a whole day to read.
And I hope find better quality Manga to read them this.
Thanks for an amazing story.
Ending: Sachi is still getting used to her new life.
But it was better.
I loved the characters.
And I tried to follow along with what was being said because a lot was happening.
I tried to like the plot.
The romance...well there is nothing special about the plot nor will you be flipping from page to page.
It took me a whole day to read.
And I hope find better quality Manga to read them this.
Thanks for an amazing story.
Ending: Sachi is still getting used to her new life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2022
I vaguely remember reading this years ago, in highschool. It wasn't super memorable then and I can tell why now. The story and characters are sweet but the pacing is rushed and there are too many things happening to force development instead of letting character actions speak for themselves.
Still worth a read of you're into cute Shoujo; it's got great tropes and verifiable tension. Even if it does sort of lean into miscommunication.
Still worth a read of you're into cute Shoujo; it's got great tropes and verifiable tension. Even if it does sort of lean into miscommunication.
May 12, 2023
The premise of this one is very different from other series that I have read and my friend recommended it to me since I have read Yakuza Fiancé and Way of the House Husband and I have to say, I liked it more than I thought I would. Sachie is very headstrong even as she starts to adapt to being in her grandfather's home and around the other members of his gang. I like Rakuto as well. He seems like the type to fully devote himself despite tons of hardships. At least to me.
November 16, 2018
The artwork is good but there is nothing special about the story. These tropes, while cute, have been done to death. I was really hoping for a new twist on an old idea. The beginning of this book is awful. The scenes change often and without warning. I felt like I had whiplash until book 2. I’m giving it 2 stars because I actually love the softhearted yakuza trope.
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