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Princess Jellyfish 2-in-1 Omnibus #1
Princess Jellyfish, Vol. 1
Tsukimi Kurashita has a strange fascination with jellyfish. She’s loved them from a young age and has carried that love with her to her new life in the big city of Tokyo. There, she resides in Amamizukan, a safe-haven for girl geeks who regularly gush over a range of things from trains to Japanese dolls. However, a chance meeting at a pet shop has Tsukimi crossing paths with one of the things that the residents of Amamizukan have been desperately trying to avoid—a beautiful and fashionable woman! But there’s much more to this woman than her trendy clothes! This odd encounter is only the beginning of a new and unexpected path for Tsukimi and her friends.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 22, 2016
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August 18, 2022
There's a lot to like about Princess Jellyfish. Fictional portrayals (that aren't insulting) of groups of female nerds are rare, and groups that aren't so much united by a single nerdy interest as by the fact that they all have a slightly obsessive enthusiasm for something are rarer still. The portrayal of this type of community in volume 1 of Princess Jellyfish felt authentic to me, showing both the positives (having people who support and understand you when the rest of society doesn't; being able to love what you love unapologetically and not worry about whether you're putting people off) and the negatives (insularity; while sometimes "there's nothing wrong with the way you are and those mundanes just don't understand" is true, sometimes you're just enabling each other's flaws/bad habits/refusal to learn social skills). The characters are at this point still a bit thin, but they're really likeable and I'm interested in seeing where they go (and how they do at fighting gentrification, which is something I can always get behind).
But.... I really was not prepared for how homophobic/transphobic this manga was going to be. They throw "okama" (a slur used for feminine gay men and trans women) around a lot, and the translator, in their notes, implies that this is because it wasn't offensive at the time, but my experience, as a queer person who lived in Japan at around the time these chapters were being published, was that it very much was. (I am not myself Japanese or AMAB, and of course opinions on terminology are varied within pretty much any queer community, so I'm not trying to say no one ever IDs this way or uses it in a positive sense within the community, but even if they do, its use by cis straight people--which is who's using it in this manga--was definitely understood as offensive/insulting IME.) The crossdressing male character goes on to insist that "[he's] not an okama, [he's] normal," which, I don't think I have to explain why that one's hurtful. One character makes a comment about "men who identify as gay" wanting to live in their women-only shared house, which, I totally understand how frustrating it is when you create a women-only space and men go "I'm a man but your space should include me anyway because of reasons," but it came out sounding pretty snide about their being gay as much as about their being men--though that one may be on the English translator. Something that definitely is on the translator is that they provide an endnote stating that "homo," as an English loan word in Japanese, is a pretty neutral term while the same term in English is more offensive, but... they still render the word as "homo" in the English dialogue, rather than substituting something that will actually read as pretty neutral to the Anglophone audience, such as, I don't know, gay. (Then again, this translator definitely leaves things untranslated more than I would--it's not quite "keikaku means plan," but at one point one character says of another, "She has hieshou, so her hands and feet get cold at night" and we are informed that "hieshou" means "susceptibility to cold due to bad circulation." Why not just say "She has bad circulation, so..."?) Although, this detour into my translation preferences aside, the context of the use of "homo" is the main male character (the one who crossdresses) going "what are you, a homo?" when his uncle walks in on him in the bath, so different terminology wouldn't really save that joke. And that's the other thing--leaving aside the whole question of what terminology is or isn't offensive, the manga is sort of persistently convinced that it's funny if one cis straight person thinks another cis straight person is, or accuses them of being, gay or trans. That sort of underlying sense of queer identities being jokes rather than something that anyone actually is (thus far there aren't any queer characters, which I kept feeling would help a little bit) is really Princess Jellyfish's biggest issue.
I'm also not sure how I feel about the makeover/"all girls secretly want to be princesses" angle. It's true, as male lead Kuranosuke says, that dressing well can be an important tool for being taken seriously in business/political situations such as the one the characters find themselves in, so it's clear there is in fact value in them learning more about fashion and grooming. But I hope at least some of them continue to see it as a tool, something that they'll employ strategically but never actually love or do daily, and it doesn't become the "really every woman is crazy about makeup and high heels, deep down, no matter what she says!" kind of message.
All this sounds pretty negative, but I did enjoy a lot of it, and I probably will keep reading. I'm pretty capable of putting up with various kinds and degrees of bigotry in fiction, even when it's directed at groups I'm part of; it's something you kind of have to learn how to do in a world where works of fiction are frequently made by people who never give a thought to the fact that their audience might contain people like you. I was just totally blindsided by it--the relatively progressive nerd circles I run in were super enthusiastic about this series before it ended (there was then a drop-off of interest, but that's pretty standard when a series ends) and no one ever so much as mentioned these problems. Maybe it gets better later, I don't know. But my hope is that this review, if anyone actually sees it, helps someone else to make an informed decision/be prepared for what they're going into in a way that I couldn't/wasn't.
But.... I really was not prepared for how homophobic/transphobic this manga was going to be. They throw "okama" (a slur used for feminine gay men and trans women) around a lot, and the translator, in their notes, implies that this is because it wasn't offensive at the time, but my experience, as a queer person who lived in Japan at around the time these chapters were being published, was that it very much was. (I am not myself Japanese or AMAB, and of course opinions on terminology are varied within pretty much any queer community, so I'm not trying to say no one ever IDs this way or uses it in a positive sense within the community, but even if they do, its use by cis straight people--which is who's using it in this manga--was definitely understood as offensive/insulting IME.) The crossdressing male character goes on to insist that "[he's] not an okama, [he's] normal," which, I don't think I have to explain why that one's hurtful. One character makes a comment about "men who identify as gay" wanting to live in their women-only shared house, which, I totally understand how frustrating it is when you create a women-only space and men go "I'm a man but your space should include me anyway because of reasons," but it came out sounding pretty snide about their being gay as much as about their being men--though that one may be on the English translator. Something that definitely is on the translator is that they provide an endnote stating that "homo," as an English loan word in Japanese, is a pretty neutral term while the same term in English is more offensive, but... they still render the word as "homo" in the English dialogue, rather than substituting something that will actually read as pretty neutral to the Anglophone audience, such as, I don't know, gay. (Then again, this translator definitely leaves things untranslated more than I would--it's not quite "keikaku means plan," but at one point one character says of another, "She has hieshou, so her hands and feet get cold at night" and we are informed that "hieshou" means "susceptibility to cold due to bad circulation." Why not just say "She has bad circulation, so..."?) Although, this detour into my translation preferences aside, the context of the use of "homo" is the main male character (the one who crossdresses) going "what are you, a homo?" when his uncle walks in on him in the bath, so different terminology wouldn't really save that joke. And that's the other thing--leaving aside the whole question of what terminology is or isn't offensive, the manga is sort of persistently convinced that it's funny if one cis straight person thinks another cis straight person is, or accuses them of being, gay or trans. That sort of underlying sense of queer identities being jokes rather than something that anyone actually is (thus far there aren't any queer characters, which I kept feeling would help a little bit) is really Princess Jellyfish's biggest issue.
I'm also not sure how I feel about the makeover/"all girls secretly want to be princesses" angle. It's true, as male lead Kuranosuke says, that dressing well can be an important tool for being taken seriously in business/political situations such as the one the characters find themselves in, so it's clear there is in fact value in them learning more about fashion and grooming. But I hope at least some of them continue to see it as a tool, something that they'll employ strategically but never actually love or do daily, and it doesn't become the "really every woman is crazy about makeup and high heels, deep down, no matter what she says!" kind of message.
All this sounds pretty negative, but I did enjoy a lot of it, and I probably will keep reading. I'm pretty capable of putting up with various kinds and degrees of bigotry in fiction, even when it's directed at groups I'm part of; it's something you kind of have to learn how to do in a world where works of fiction are frequently made by people who never give a thought to the fact that their audience might contain people like you. I was just totally blindsided by it--the relatively progressive nerd circles I run in were super enthusiastic about this series before it ended (there was then a drop-off of interest, but that's pretty standard when a series ends) and no one ever so much as mentioned these problems. Maybe it gets better later, I don't know. But my hope is that this review, if anyone actually sees it, helps someone else to make an informed decision/be prepared for what they're going into in a way that I couldn't/wasn't.
May 19, 2016
Of all the truth-is-weird manga to flit among Japanese publishers over the past decade, PRINCESS JELLYFISH is a clever work of metafiction whose time-capsule feel engenders as much respectful humor as it does eyebrow-raising nostalgia. It is an acquired taste: crossdressing, otaku privilege, filial apathy, culture-driven depression. PRINCESS JELLYFISH, for being so simply and shallowly written, nevertheless offers readers plenty to dwell on as they peer through the windows of a twenty-first century "nunnery."
The nunnery, of course, is just an urban apartment building scheduled for demolition by the nouveau riche. The tenants, of course, are an eccentric band of twenty- and thirtysomething jobless fujoshi. And given this premise, the narrative's conflicts (and humor) are obvious from the get-go. Fortunately, this manga's obviousness isn't its biggest draw. The manga's biggest draw is its knack for weaving the unexpected into the purportedly obvious, often suggesting that what was once unexpected has been, in truth, sitting there all along.
Tsukimi Kurashita is a jellyfish otaku. She is brutally antisocial, has unkempt but braided hair, blocky glasses, hilariously furry eyebrows, and she prioritizes wearing sweatpants every day. She is, by all accounts, not an appealing person. Except, she is. Because, sticking to manga-ka Higashimura's story model, although Tsukimi's obsession with jellies is obvious, this quirky behavior is not the character's draw . . . Tsukimi's draw rests in what lies beneath the surface: she's a talented illustrator, she's emotionally vulnerable/available, and she knows her fears and is capable, with patience, of holding them at bay.
In this way, PRINCESS JELLYFISH is a character study. Tsukimi and her friends hit a brick wall when the uber-fab Kuranosuke Koibuchi, a fashion maven and impeccably skilled crossdresser, lands on their doorstep. How do the girls of the nunnery respond to someone socially mobile, fashion conscious, and searching out friendship that isn't exclusively based on what's clever and cool?
Kuranosuke, the stepson of a former politician, longs to make a connection with somebody. He's fiercely intelligent and fiercely social, but he hates politics and has his sights set on what pleases him most: fashion. The fact that Kuranosuke's only blood family, his mother, is absent (deceased or exiled, the answer isn't clear), further reinforces the young man's insistence that he stick around the nunnery not merely to keep giving these sad otaku ladies makeovers, but rather, because Tsukimi and her pals have genuine interests that legitimize them as individuals. For this crossdresser, it's easy to get caught up in the chaos of the popular and the coquettish. But what happens to Kuranosuke after the sun comes up, he's all alone, and there's nobody for him to talk to?
Higashimura's writing is simple and her art is indicative of a very steady and experienced hand. This combination makes PRINCESS JELLYFISH a very in-the-moment kind of read. Admittedly, the story of a group of needy nerd girls awaiting their doom, as land sharks circle their property, is fairly unoriginal. But on the plus side, the integration of Kuranosuke, as well as his older brother, Shu, lifts the story's drama by sprinkling in a dash of rivalry and a pinch of awkward, virgin humor.
All told, one should not jump into this manga searching for side-splitting comedy, nor should they hit its pages in search of an intricately layered, explosion of romance. Enjoying PRINCESS JELLYFISH requires measured expectations; the manga, at its core, is a simple, funny, and likeable story about one girl, her jellyfish, and what it means to believe in yourself.
The nunnery, of course, is just an urban apartment building scheduled for demolition by the nouveau riche. The tenants, of course, are an eccentric band of twenty- and thirtysomething jobless fujoshi. And given this premise, the narrative's conflicts (and humor) are obvious from the get-go. Fortunately, this manga's obviousness isn't its biggest draw. The manga's biggest draw is its knack for weaving the unexpected into the purportedly obvious, often suggesting that what was once unexpected has been, in truth, sitting there all along.
Tsukimi Kurashita is a jellyfish otaku. She is brutally antisocial, has unkempt but braided hair, blocky glasses, hilariously furry eyebrows, and she prioritizes wearing sweatpants every day. She is, by all accounts, not an appealing person. Except, she is. Because, sticking to manga-ka Higashimura's story model, although Tsukimi's obsession with jellies is obvious, this quirky behavior is not the character's draw . . . Tsukimi's draw rests in what lies beneath the surface: she's a talented illustrator, she's emotionally vulnerable/available, and she knows her fears and is capable, with patience, of holding them at bay.
In this way, PRINCESS JELLYFISH is a character study. Tsukimi and her friends hit a brick wall when the uber-fab Kuranosuke Koibuchi, a fashion maven and impeccably skilled crossdresser, lands on their doorstep. How do the girls of the nunnery respond to someone socially mobile, fashion conscious, and searching out friendship that isn't exclusively based on what's clever and cool?
Kuranosuke, the stepson of a former politician, longs to make a connection with somebody. He's fiercely intelligent and fiercely social, but he hates politics and has his sights set on what pleases him most: fashion. The fact that Kuranosuke's only blood family, his mother, is absent (deceased or exiled, the answer isn't clear), further reinforces the young man's insistence that he stick around the nunnery not merely to keep giving these sad otaku ladies makeovers, but rather, because Tsukimi and her pals have genuine interests that legitimize them as individuals. For this crossdresser, it's easy to get caught up in the chaos of the popular and the coquettish. But what happens to Kuranosuke after the sun comes up, he's all alone, and there's nobody for him to talk to?
Higashimura's writing is simple and her art is indicative of a very steady and experienced hand. This combination makes PRINCESS JELLYFISH a very in-the-moment kind of read. Admittedly, the story of a group of needy nerd girls awaiting their doom, as land sharks circle their property, is fairly unoriginal. But on the plus side, the integration of Kuranosuke, as well as his older brother, Shu, lifts the story's drama by sprinkling in a dash of rivalry and a pinch of awkward, virgin humor.
All told, one should not jump into this manga searching for side-splitting comedy, nor should they hit its pages in search of an intricately layered, explosion of romance. Enjoying PRINCESS JELLYFISH requires measured expectations; the manga, at its core, is a simple, funny, and likeable story about one girl, her jellyfish, and what it means to believe in yourself.
February 6, 2017
"To share a pot with a stylish girl is to dine in hell!"
Finally!!! I have been waiting for the longest of times for this to be translated into English. I was super tempted to buy the French edition and fake my way through it. (Which I might still do.) No need to fake it now.
This was everything that I imagined it would be and so much more. It was breathtaking and now I need the others to follow along soon.
I have never read anything so unique and different when it comes to manga. They kind of share something similar, but this one stands on its own.
At a young age, Tsukimi has been obsessed with jellyfish. It was the one true love she could share with her mum before she passed.
Now grown up and living in Amamizukan, a safe haven for nerdy girls with obsessions.
While out, she spots two jellyfishes that shouldn't be placed together and she freaks out. Not knowing how to talk to someone attractive, nothing she says is making sense and sheis pushed. Falling to the ground in front of the most beautiful girl she has ever seen. Saving her and the jellyfish, shes made a new unwanted friend. Things just get crazier from there.
Makeovers, crossdressing, dangerous games and the sweetest love anyone could ever imagine. This all lines up perfectly for the next glowing volume.
Long live the jellyfish!!!
Finally!!! I have been waiting for the longest of times for this to be translated into English. I was super tempted to buy the French edition and fake my way through it. (Which I might still do.) No need to fake it now.
This was everything that I imagined it would be and so much more. It was breathtaking and now I need the others to follow along soon.
I have never read anything so unique and different when it comes to manga. They kind of share something similar, but this one stands on its own.
At a young age, Tsukimi has been obsessed with jellyfish. It was the one true love she could share with her mum before she passed.
Now grown up and living in Amamizukan, a safe haven for nerdy girls with obsessions.
While out, she spots two jellyfishes that shouldn't be placed together and she freaks out. Not knowing how to talk to someone attractive, nothing she says is making sense and sheis pushed. Falling to the ground in front of the most beautiful girl she has ever seen. Saving her and the jellyfish, shes made a new unwanted friend. Things just get crazier from there.
Makeovers, crossdressing, dangerous games and the sweetest love anyone could ever imagine. This all lines up perfectly for the next glowing volume.
Long live the jellyfish!!!
April 25, 2021
4 stars ｡･:*˚:✧｡ Awww I loved this, it was so pure and also really funny! I loved this group fo characters and seeing the main character learn a lot about herself she was a very isolated girl, an otaku and has an obsession with jellyfish kuranosuke really helps her in coming out of her shell and find true friendship even though they are polar opposites. Kuranosuke is a cross dresser who is full of happiness and confidence. It’s amazing seeing their friendship grow. Can’t wait the read the next two!
April 29, 2018
I loved this first English-language volume of Princess Jellyfish. I wasn't sure I'd like this when Shea and I originally decided to read this for the manga monthly show, and this was because my expectations were off base. I thought with the "princess" in the title, this might be something more akin to cute, fluffy shojo...and there's nothing wrong with that, but it just wouldn't align with my tastes. I was sorely mistaken. This is a sophisticated narrative on a variety of levels, and I absolutely love where Higashimura is going with issues of gender and fandom (even thought "fandom" isn't completely the right word, here). I'll certainly go on to read this series in subsequent volumes.
February 14, 2021
A strong opening volume to the series. Higashimura's side story about her own interest in Jellyfish is a real treat!
December 27, 2018
Hm... 4.5 stars?
I like the story (I've watched the anime at least twice), but... like --(can't remember the name. Wolf children?)-- it follows the anime pretty much exactly, so for this volume, and probably much of the next, there are no real plot twists or surprises. And my memory for stuff I've read/watched can be weirdly good, so this is a lot like a third re-read for me.
Oh, and while the art is quite good, it falls just a bit short for me - the 'transformation' versions of Tsukimi, for one, look kind of odd to me, for some reason. And the proportions of faces, or something seem just a bit 'off'. It's hard to put into words. God, and some of the clothes... Japanese street fashion is interesting to start with, from some of what I've seen, but the stuff the author & artist apparently believe/have seen as street worthy... I'm sure if you search, there's a picture of Kuranosuke's 'oni shorts' online. Or just look up a picture of an Oni- Tsukimi's not wrong in referring to them as such.
That said, this is a very cute, funny romance. I actually like the main character with either of the love interests, which is unusual. Most often I don't like the trope much (a lot of people seem to be tired of the drama), but here both pairings could be pretty cute (though I'm still hoping for kurano-tsukimi). Technically it is possibly a love square, but I think the only cheering people will be doing for Ms. Land-Shark is for her to get hit by a car.
Originally published in 2009, Princess Jellyfish seems to be kind of a fore-runner in an interesting trend. There's been a few manga lately about the otaku sub-culture in Japan, and it's interesting to learn about its place in Japanese culture. The same can be said for Japan's LGBTQ sub-culture as well, though it doesn't exactly apply here - Kuranosuke cross-dresses, but it's not a sexual/identity thing, just an interest in clothing and fashion. That said, due to others' reactions to him, there is a fair bit of info on Japan's LGBTQ culture, and cultural views, in the notes at the back of the book. (This volume has probably four or 5 pages or notes, which are actually quite interesting, in addition to being useful.)
Hopefully some unfamiliar material will be in the next volume. Until then, I can't wait to see how the pairings develop, whether the manga-is will be able to transform the *muttermutter* 'land shark' into a semi-decent person (doubtful), and above all - the reactions of the Amar ladies when they discover that a MAN has been sneaking into the 'nunnery' [their boarding house].
I like the story (I've watched the anime at least twice), but... like --(can't remember the name. Wolf children?)-- it follows the anime pretty much exactly, so for this volume, and probably much of the next, there are no real plot twists or surprises. And my memory for stuff I've read/watched can be weirdly good, so this is a lot like a third re-read for me.
Oh, and while the art is quite good, it falls just a bit short for me - the 'transformation' versions of Tsukimi, for one, look kind of odd to me, for some reason. And the proportions of faces, or something seem just a bit 'off'. It's hard to put into words. God, and some of the clothes... Japanese street fashion is interesting to start with, from some of what I've seen, but the stuff the author & artist apparently believe/have seen as street worthy... I'm sure if you search, there's a picture of Kuranosuke's 'oni shorts' online. Or just look up a picture of an Oni- Tsukimi's not wrong in referring to them as such.
That said, this is a very cute, funny romance. I actually like the main character with either of the love interests, which is unusual. Most often I don't like the trope much (a lot of people seem to be tired of the drama), but here both pairings could be pretty cute (though I'm still hoping for kurano-tsukimi). Technically it is possibly a love square, but I think the only cheering people will be doing for Ms. Land-Shark is for her to get hit by a car.
Originally published in 2009, Princess Jellyfish seems to be kind of a fore-runner in an interesting trend. There's been a few manga lately about the otaku sub-culture in Japan, and it's interesting to learn about its place in Japanese culture. The same can be said for Japan's LGBTQ sub-culture as well, though it doesn't exactly apply here - Kuranosuke cross-dresses, but it's not a sexual/identity thing, just an interest in clothing and fashion. That said, due to others' reactions to him, there is a fair bit of info on Japan's LGBTQ culture, and cultural views, in the notes at the back of the book. (This volume has probably four or 5 pages or notes, which are actually quite interesting, in addition to being useful.)
Hopefully some unfamiliar material will be in the next volume. Until then, I can't wait to see how the pairings develop, whether the manga-is will be able to transform the *muttermutter* 'land shark' into a semi-decent person (doubtful), and above all - the reactions of the Amar ladies when they discover that a MAN has been sneaking into the 'nunnery' [their boarding house].
January 15, 2021
This is 2 steps forward and 1 step back for LGBT+ and East Asian women nerd representation in anime and manga. You'd think something that's supposed to be about nerdy Japanese women living under one roof would be interesting but they somehow made everything problematic. I appreciate that Higashimura tried to make a story about solid female friendships between nerdy plain janes and knockout queens. I just don’t understand the decision to immediately reverse all of that development only to pit them against each other and/or make them scared of one another ??? I also like Kuronosuke (the drag queen), but I hate that so much revolves around the other men in this series and it just gets worse and worse.
Paragraph content warning: victim blaming, blackmailing by creating a situation that looks like rape. I remember both the anime and manga had an extremely problematic character where a beautiful woman takes advantage of a blacked out man (Kuronosuke's brother, Shu) by bringing him to a hotel, getting him down to his boxers, and kissing him while taking photos to blackmail him later. And I remember Shu, the victim, blaming himself constantly and the woman just gets away with it. The only repercussion she faced was that she didn't get to gentrify the neighborhood that the main character was living in. That's it. I hated that so much of earlier volumes centered around blackmailing and victim blaming and they tried to pass it off as humorous ??? Like that’s just not okay.
Later volumes would focus SO MUCH on the girls' relationship with men like so many characters get introduced only for no payout during the course of the series. New women characters would show up only to disappear or get completely sidelined. Some Chinese dude comes into the picture in Volume 6 and he's such a stereotypical, conniving, and misogynistic son of a pickle. Higashimura also suddenly forgot about the other characters and literally focused whole volumes on this terrible new guy like I DON'T. CARE. I feel so misled because that's not how Princess Jellyfish was marketed. I wanted more of the cute runway jellyfish dresses and LGBT+ rep. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough of that to offset the conflict around the other men.
Not only that, but the women living under the same roof are very two-dimensional. I'm not asking them to get out of their niche interests, but this series makes significant swerves between drama and comedy. It feels like Higashimura forgot there was a deadline and just sent in a mishmash of ideas without any brainstorming. I wish she picked whether she wanted Princess Jellyfish to be more drama or more comedy because she didn't know how to balance both. There can be drama and comedy, but you can't have a scene where a guy is traumatized over whether or not he was raped and then suddenly have whacky hijinks of characters falling over each other in the immediate scene after. That kinda writing doesn't sit right with me.
There was no direction for Princess Jellyfish, none of the characters developed in any meaningful way, and I stopped giving a shit about this series and dropped it at its final volume. Too much of nothing was happening and I got angrier and angrier because I felt like this series was a waste of paper. It's such a shame because this used to be my favorite series. I can't stand to look at it anymore.
Don't even bother with this manga. Just watch the anime.
Paragraph content warning: victim blaming, blackmailing by creating a situation that looks like rape. I remember both the anime and manga had an extremely problematic character where a beautiful woman takes advantage of a blacked out man (Kuronosuke's brother, Shu) by bringing him to a hotel, getting him down to his boxers, and kissing him while taking photos to blackmail him later. And I remember Shu, the victim, blaming himself constantly and the woman just gets away with it. The only repercussion she faced was that she didn't get to gentrify the neighborhood that the main character was living in. That's it. I hated that so much of earlier volumes centered around blackmailing and victim blaming and they tried to pass it off as humorous ??? Like that’s just not okay.
Later volumes would focus SO MUCH on the girls' relationship with men like so many characters get introduced only for no payout during the course of the series. New women characters would show up only to disappear or get completely sidelined. Some Chinese dude comes into the picture in Volume 6 and he's such a stereotypical, conniving, and misogynistic son of a pickle. Higashimura also suddenly forgot about the other characters and literally focused whole volumes on this terrible new guy like I DON'T. CARE. I feel so misled because that's not how Princess Jellyfish was marketed. I wanted more of the cute runway jellyfish dresses and LGBT+ rep. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough of that to offset the conflict around the other men.
Not only that, but the women living under the same roof are very two-dimensional. I'm not asking them to get out of their niche interests, but this series makes significant swerves between drama and comedy. It feels like Higashimura forgot there was a deadline and just sent in a mishmash of ideas without any brainstorming. I wish she picked whether she wanted Princess Jellyfish to be more drama or more comedy because she didn't know how to balance both. There can be drama and comedy, but you can't have a scene where a guy is traumatized over whether or not he was raped and then suddenly have whacky hijinks of characters falling over each other in the immediate scene after. That kinda writing doesn't sit right with me.
There was no direction for Princess Jellyfish, none of the characters developed in any meaningful way, and I stopped giving a shit about this series and dropped it at its final volume. Too much of nothing was happening and I got angrier and angrier because I felt like this series was a waste of paper. It's such a shame because this used to be my favorite series. I can't stand to look at it anymore.
Don't even bother with this manga. Just watch the anime.
May 30, 2016
Amamizukan is not your average apartment building. For one thing, it’s a small, old-fashioned building of the type rarely seen these days. More importantly, all the residents are fujoshi (“rotten women”) who for one reason or another have fallen outside the society-approved get job/get husband/have kids way of life for Japanese women. These eccentric women fear the “fashionable”, and especially fashionable men, which is why Amamizukan is also know as the “Nunnery.”
Tsukimi Kurashita is the newest resident, an aspiring illustrator with a penchant for jellyfish. She knows all about these aquatic creatures, and is appalled to learn that the local pet shop has put two species together that will cause the death of one of them. The shop assistant is a “fashionable”, which makes Tsukimi terrified of talking to him and thus unable to speak normally, and apathetic which makes him not care to the point he physically throws her out of the store.
At this point, a “princess” appears. A stunning, fashion-forward beauty, she nevertheless listens to Tsukimi’s explanation and helps liberate “Clara” the endangered jellyfish from the store (with proper payment.) It’s very late when they arrive at Amamizukan, so the princess, a very self-confident person, invites herself to sleep over.
In the morning, however, Tsukimi is shocked to learn that her princess is named Kuranosuke, and is in fact a young man. How the heck is she going to keep the other “Amars” from finding out she’s got a boy in her room?
This josei (young women’s) manga has had a short animated adaptation (available from Funimation), and a live-action movie. In the author notes, it’s revealed that the creator had an obsession with jellyfish for a few years in her teens, and she uses that in the story. “Ama” is a word for a Buddhist nun, so “Amars” would be kind of equivalent to a women-only U.S. apartment building having residents who called themselves “Sistahs.”
One of the running themes of the manga is that everyone is eccentric in their own way, even the people who seem to function well in normal society. The Amars are just more obvious about it. Most of them are unconventional in appearance, and entered the job market just as it crashed after the bubble economy collapsed, so were unable to find steady jobs. So they earn a marginal living as assistants to a manga creator (who never appears on panel, being a nocturnal shut-in) and supplement this with handouts from their parents.
Kuranosuke, as it turns out, is the second son of a bigwig politician, and indulges in his hobby of dressing in women’s clothing partially to create enough scandal that he’ll never be forced to go into the family business, partially because he’s so pretty that he looks smashing in the outfits, and partially for…other reasons. He often clashes with his disapproving father, and to a lesser extent with his older and more dutiful half-brother Shuu, though the brothers do really care for each other.
A plotline comes in when it’s revealed that Amamizukan’s neighborhood is being redeveloped, and their beloved Nunnery is a target for acquisition and bulldozing. With the Amars’ crippling lack of social skills, they aren’t going to make a good case against the developer’s fashionable and sexy spokesperson, Inari, who has set her eye on seducing (or if that fails blackmailing) Shuu to get his father behind the project. Kuranosuke will not let this stand, and rallies the troops for some zany scheming.
Part of this is giving the Amars makeovers. Tsukimi’s is played pretty straight, as she is much more attractive with a little makeup, no glasses and some nice clothes (which blows Shuu away, and introduces some romantic complications.) The other Amars mostly just get “looks” that play to their strong points, and kimono aficionado Chieko is told that she doesn’t need a makeover at all, just the right context–put her with well-dressed people, and she looks like a woman of substance. It’s not about making them “pretty”, it’s about donning “armor” to present strength to the world.
The art is good, and manages to convey who people are even when they change their appearance.
Content issues: there’s some homophobia and transphobia, as well as both virgin-shaming and slut-shaming (by different characters.) Inari drugs and disrobes Shuu to make it appear they had sex, and marital infidelity is in the backstory and is responsible for psychological issues for both Shuu and Kuranosuke.
For the most part, this plays out like one of those Eighties movies where a ragtag group of misfits must get it together to battle an evil rich person who wants to take away something important to them. (Fittingly, Inari seems to have gotten her behavior patterns from Eighties “business woman” manga, and sometimes slips into ’80s slang.) This book, which collects the first two Japanese volumes, only sets up the conflict, so there is still the possibility that later events will subvert the plotline.
Tsukimi is a protagonist it’s easy to root for, and Kuranosuke makes a good foil for her–though it looks like he won’t be hooking up with her in the end. Most of the other characters are likable to some degree.
Recommended to people who liked the kind of Eighties movies I mentioned, and fans of innocent people falling in love.
Tsukimi Kurashita is the newest resident, an aspiring illustrator with a penchant for jellyfish. She knows all about these aquatic creatures, and is appalled to learn that the local pet shop has put two species together that will cause the death of one of them. The shop assistant is a “fashionable”, which makes Tsukimi terrified of talking to him and thus unable to speak normally, and apathetic which makes him not care to the point he physically throws her out of the store.
At this point, a “princess” appears. A stunning, fashion-forward beauty, she nevertheless listens to Tsukimi’s explanation and helps liberate “Clara” the endangered jellyfish from the store (with proper payment.) It’s very late when they arrive at Amamizukan, so the princess, a very self-confident person, invites herself to sleep over.
In the morning, however, Tsukimi is shocked to learn that her princess is named Kuranosuke, and is in fact a young man. How the heck is she going to keep the other “Amars” from finding out she’s got a boy in her room?
This josei (young women’s) manga has had a short animated adaptation (available from Funimation), and a live-action movie. In the author notes, it’s revealed that the creator had an obsession with jellyfish for a few years in her teens, and she uses that in the story. “Ama” is a word for a Buddhist nun, so “Amars” would be kind of equivalent to a women-only U.S. apartment building having residents who called themselves “Sistahs.”
One of the running themes of the manga is that everyone is eccentric in their own way, even the people who seem to function well in normal society. The Amars are just more obvious about it. Most of them are unconventional in appearance, and entered the job market just as it crashed after the bubble economy collapsed, so were unable to find steady jobs. So they earn a marginal living as assistants to a manga creator (who never appears on panel, being a nocturnal shut-in) and supplement this with handouts from their parents.
Kuranosuke, as it turns out, is the second son of a bigwig politician, and indulges in his hobby of dressing in women’s clothing partially to create enough scandal that he’ll never be forced to go into the family business, partially because he’s so pretty that he looks smashing in the outfits, and partially for…other reasons. He often clashes with his disapproving father, and to a lesser extent with his older and more dutiful half-brother Shuu, though the brothers do really care for each other.
A plotline comes in when it’s revealed that Amamizukan’s neighborhood is being redeveloped, and their beloved Nunnery is a target for acquisition and bulldozing. With the Amars’ crippling lack of social skills, they aren’t going to make a good case against the developer’s fashionable and sexy spokesperson, Inari, who has set her eye on seducing (or if that fails blackmailing) Shuu to get his father behind the project. Kuranosuke will not let this stand, and rallies the troops for some zany scheming.
Part of this is giving the Amars makeovers. Tsukimi’s is played pretty straight, as she is much more attractive with a little makeup, no glasses and some nice clothes (which blows Shuu away, and introduces some romantic complications.) The other Amars mostly just get “looks” that play to their strong points, and kimono aficionado Chieko is told that she doesn’t need a makeover at all, just the right context–put her with well-dressed people, and she looks like a woman of substance. It’s not about making them “pretty”, it’s about donning “armor” to present strength to the world.
The art is good, and manages to convey who people are even when they change their appearance.
Content issues: there’s some homophobia and transphobia, as well as both virgin-shaming and slut-shaming (by different characters.) Inari drugs and disrobes Shuu to make it appear they had sex, and marital infidelity is in the backstory and is responsible for psychological issues for both Shuu and Kuranosuke.
For the most part, this plays out like one of those Eighties movies where a ragtag group of misfits must get it together to battle an evil rich person who wants to take away something important to them. (Fittingly, Inari seems to have gotten her behavior patterns from Eighties “business woman” manga, and sometimes slips into ’80s slang.) This book, which collects the first two Japanese volumes, only sets up the conflict, so there is still the possibility that later events will subvert the plotline.
Tsukimi is a protagonist it’s easy to root for, and Kuranosuke makes a good foil for her–though it looks like he won’t be hooking up with her in the end. Most of the other characters are likable to some degree.
Recommended to people who liked the kind of Eighties movies I mentioned, and fans of innocent people falling in love.
March 19, 2017
I'll be honest. When I first heard the title, I thought this was some odd magical girl manga. I think I was thinking of another series, but I seriously thought that for a long time. I'm surprised I never picked it up before now...
Anyway, my initial thoughts from the title turned out to be totally wrong. This is not a magical girl. This is the story of a girl who meets a cross-dresser and learns that there is power in your appearance. Anyone who knows me would know that normally a message this shallow would drive me up a wall, but this is just so bizarre that I'm finding I don't care. That, and anything that refers to femininity as "battle armor" makes me happy (Eat my pink sugar heart attack. EAT IT). Also, it's one of those fine line type things. He (the cross-dresser) isn't trying to make them sexy or anything. He's trying to upgrade them from "don't give a damn" to "regular human being" levels. You know, brush your hair, wear clothes appropriate to the occasion (don't wear sweats to a meeting), that kind of thing.
What makes this manga so great is the characters. All of the otaku in this are well-defined, if a little cliche at time, and enjoyable to read about. I can really relate to Tsukimi, a jellyfish fanatic. I absolutely adore Kuranosuke and his over-the-top outspoken-ness. Even Inari-san, who appears in the second half, was interesting to read about, even if she was "the witch" character. About the only one I didn't care for was shallow what's-his-name, the older brother. He's so stupid, he can't recognize people if they aren't wearing make up. Or maybe he's just so shallow, he doesn't want to talk to "ugly" people and so doesn't realize the ugly girl is the cute one he was talking to not even ten minutes ago. No, I'm not kidding. I know make up can do impressive things, but that's just ridiculous.
I enjoyed this one. It's believable and insane at the same time.
Anyway, my initial thoughts from the title turned out to be totally wrong. This is not a magical girl. This is the story of a girl who meets a cross-dresser and learns that there is power in your appearance. Anyone who knows me would know that normally a message this shallow would drive me up a wall, but this is just so bizarre that I'm finding I don't care. That, and anything that refers to femininity as "battle armor" makes me happy (Eat my pink sugar heart attack. EAT IT). Also, it's one of those fine line type things. He (the cross-dresser) isn't trying to make them sexy or anything. He's trying to upgrade them from "don't give a damn" to "regular human being" levels. You know, brush your hair, wear clothes appropriate to the occasion (don't wear sweats to a meeting), that kind of thing.
What makes this manga so great is the characters. All of the otaku in this are well-defined, if a little cliche at time, and enjoyable to read about. I can really relate to Tsukimi, a jellyfish fanatic. I absolutely adore Kuranosuke and his over-the-top outspoken-ness. Even Inari-san, who appears in the second half, was interesting to read about, even if she was "the witch" character. About the only one I didn't care for was shallow what's-his-name, the older brother. He's so stupid, he can't recognize people if they aren't wearing make up. Or maybe he's just so shallow, he doesn't want to talk to "ugly" people and so doesn't realize the ugly girl is the cute one he was talking to not even ten minutes ago. No, I'm not kidding. I know make up can do impressive things, but that's just ridiculous.
I enjoyed this one. It's believable and insane at the same time.
July 16, 2016
4/5 stars.
I liked this! It took me a bit to get into but I really enjoyed it. There's so many different characters and personalities in this story, I'm intrigued to read more. :D
I liked this! It took me a bit to get into but I really enjoyed it. There's so many different characters and personalities in this story, I'm intrigued to read more. :D
July 2, 2016
I must say, I absolutely loved the anime, but like many animes, it was produced faster than the writer could finish the manga, and was seemingly cut off a bit short. Excitingly enough, the manga has finally been serialized in the United States by Kodansha Comics, and it is absolutely amazing!
Please, do not judge this by the title. Princess Jellyfish is about a group of five otaku girls all living in an apartment building called Amamizukan. Lets not forget, they are all NEETS (not employed, experienced, or trained) which means they still feed off of allowance, even though most of them are college age. But even otaku girls have dreams of being a princess, right?
Tsukimi is the main character, her interest being jellyfish. Cheiko is into old Japanese dolls and kimonos, Mayaya absolutely loves the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Banba is obsessed with trains, and Jiji absolutely loves old men. Being otaku, these girls are, well, not the most attractive bunch. When Kuranosuke-what these Amars girls call a stylish-helps out Tsukimi with obtaining an ill-treated jellyfish from a pet store, Kuranosuke ends up finding that helping these girls fight with style is his newest goal. Yes, “his.” Kuranosuke is the son of a great political family, but he has always loved his mothers dresses, and despite being straight, he loves dressing as a girl and giving girls advice on style and make-up!
But these otaku women are absolutely against men and stylish people, so Kuranosuke must hide his gender from everyone except Tsukimi, who found out Kuranosuke was a guy after he decided to spend the night on her floor.
When Amamizukan is threatened to be demolished, Kuranosuke brings out the stylish side of these otaku girls to fight against the buyers, to fight nad buy the apartments for themselves!
What Kuranosuke doesn’t expect is his attraction to Tsukimi, even to the “before” Tsukimi that isn’t made up and beautiful, but when she meets his brother, Shu, many new emotions occur for all three of them.
All of that is just the first volume of Princess Jellyfish, and I must say, it is well worth the read! I am so excited about its American release. While the original Japanese serialization is in 20 volumes, Kodansha has combined two volumes together per book, making the American releases 2-in-1 for a total of 10 volumes to be released. This is one of the most fantastic comedies out there, and I would highly recommend the anime for a taste of these otaku girls, and then follow up with the manga, which by volume 2 is already expanding on the story outside of the anime.
Please, do not judge this by the title. Princess Jellyfish is about a group of five otaku girls all living in an apartment building called Amamizukan. Lets not forget, they are all NEETS (not employed, experienced, or trained) which means they still feed off of allowance, even though most of them are college age. But even otaku girls have dreams of being a princess, right?
Tsukimi is the main character, her interest being jellyfish. Cheiko is into old Japanese dolls and kimonos, Mayaya absolutely loves the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Banba is obsessed with trains, and Jiji absolutely loves old men. Being otaku, these girls are, well, not the most attractive bunch. When Kuranosuke-what these Amars girls call a stylish-helps out Tsukimi with obtaining an ill-treated jellyfish from a pet store, Kuranosuke ends up finding that helping these girls fight with style is his newest goal. Yes, “his.” Kuranosuke is the son of a great political family, but he has always loved his mothers dresses, and despite being straight, he loves dressing as a girl and giving girls advice on style and make-up!
But these otaku women are absolutely against men and stylish people, so Kuranosuke must hide his gender from everyone except Tsukimi, who found out Kuranosuke was a guy after he decided to spend the night on her floor.
When Amamizukan is threatened to be demolished, Kuranosuke brings out the stylish side of these otaku girls to fight against the buyers, to fight nad buy the apartments for themselves!
What Kuranosuke doesn’t expect is his attraction to Tsukimi, even to the “before” Tsukimi that isn’t made up and beautiful, but when she meets his brother, Shu, many new emotions occur for all three of them.
All of that is just the first volume of Princess Jellyfish, and I must say, it is well worth the read! I am so excited about its American release. While the original Japanese serialization is in 20 volumes, Kodansha has combined two volumes together per book, making the American releases 2-in-1 for a total of 10 volumes to be released. This is one of the most fantastic comedies out there, and I would highly recommend the anime for a taste of these otaku girls, and then follow up with the manga, which by volume 2 is already expanding on the story outside of the anime.
June 22, 2016
I received this manga in my Landfall Freight box which is female focused comic book subscription box. (amazing, check it out). Anyways, I was a little skeptical. I have been thinking about getting into manga for a little while but didn't know where to start. I have had this for more than a month but I figured, why not?
This was absolutely amazing. It took me a little while to get used to the reading left to right and to get the hang of some of the names and language because they do skew toward Japanese origin (which makes perfect sense) but once I got into it I literally could not be stopped.
I loved it and I loved the characters. Basically it is about an apartment complex in Japan where several quirky women live. These women are basically the equivalent of fangirls. One loves trains, another loves jellyfish, another basically loves a dungeons and dragons/sword and sorcery series, one is into older men who don't look to old, and one basically manages the complex and sort of mother hens the other ladies.
A fashionable girl stumbles across of main character, the one who loves jellyfish and kind of saves the day. They become friends only to discover that the fashionable girl is actually a guy who loves to dress as a stylish women. Each character is unique. Each character has personality and it is just so much fun to see these characters branch out and develop.
I immediately pre-ordered omnibus 2 and 3 and can NOT WAIT!!
This was absolutely amazing. It took me a little while to get used to the reading left to right and to get the hang of some of the names and language because they do skew toward Japanese origin (which makes perfect sense) but once I got into it I literally could not be stopped.
I loved it and I loved the characters. Basically it is about an apartment complex in Japan where several quirky women live. These women are basically the equivalent of fangirls. One loves trains, another loves jellyfish, another basically loves a dungeons and dragons/sword and sorcery series, one is into older men who don't look to old, and one basically manages the complex and sort of mother hens the other ladies.
A fashionable girl stumbles across of main character, the one who loves jellyfish and kind of saves the day. They become friends only to discover that the fashionable girl is actually a guy who loves to dress as a stylish women. Each character is unique. Each character has personality and it is just so much fun to see these characters branch out and develop.
I immediately pre-ordered omnibus 2 and 3 and can NOT WAIT!!
May 13, 2023
I had such high hopes for this manga, but I was sooo disappointed.
First, let’s start by an aspect I did enjoy: the art style. The art is very pretty. I particularly loved Kuranosuke’s outfit designs, they were so stylish and fashionable! I’m disappointed that their drag wasn’t properly explored.
Yet, Kuranosuke did not compensate for the overwhelming feeling of unease I kept experiencing while reading the manga. I felt uncomfortable with the idea that this manga perpetuates, which is that women’s worth is gauged by their attractiveness. In the story, Tsukimi is treated like genuine trash and is considered a creep while she’s her “simple, no makeup” self, but once she gets a makeover suddenly she deserves to be treated with human decency? This made the story superficial to me.
I personally disliked her friend group of outcasts as well. The group treated Kuranosuke like trash on the sole reason that they’re pretty even though they’re super friendly and nice. The girls created a toxic environment where one would get judged and accused of being a traitor if they put any effort in their appearance.
That’s so annoying to me because I think we should portray female friendships in a healthy and empowering way and underline the importance of women supporting each other. I believe turning women against each other is simply harmful and annoying; We should strive to do better.
First, let’s start by an aspect I did enjoy: the art style. The art is very pretty. I particularly loved Kuranosuke’s outfit designs, they were so stylish and fashionable! I’m disappointed that their drag wasn’t properly explored.
Yet, Kuranosuke did not compensate for the overwhelming feeling of unease I kept experiencing while reading the manga. I felt uncomfortable with the idea that this manga perpetuates, which is that women’s worth is gauged by their attractiveness. In the story, Tsukimi is treated like genuine trash and is considered a creep while she’s her “simple, no makeup” self, but once she gets a makeover suddenly she deserves to be treated with human decency? This made the story superficial to me.
I personally disliked her friend group of outcasts as well. The group treated Kuranosuke like trash on the sole reason that they’re pretty even though they’re super friendly and nice. The girls created a toxic environment where one would get judged and accused of being a traitor if they put any effort in their appearance.
That’s so annoying to me because I think we should portray female friendships in a healthy and empowering way and underline the importance of women supporting each other. I believe turning women against each other is simply harmful and annoying; We should strive to do better.
April 6, 2019
CONTENT WARNING: transphobia [use of the word 'transv*stite several times], homophobic and lesbophobic comments, sexual assault
This was one massive disappointment, honestly, and the way so many things are treated just left a bad taste in my mouth. In any modern writer's hands, especially someone with an understanding of LGBT+ history in tandem with cross-dressing, this whole story could be so well done, but it's really, really not.
Also, a male character is drugged on a date and believes he was assaulted/date r*ped, and it's never really... addressed fully? He acknowledges this happened to him in a very strange scene that I don't even know how to start breaking down, and judging by this first volume, I doubt it's going to be treated with the respect it should be, regardless of whether or not he was actually assaulted. In either scenario it should still be addressed how fucked up it is to drug someone.
If this gets better, whatever, I think I'm done. I'm not going to put myself through more of this. The language and the homophobia is enough for me!
This was one massive disappointment, honestly, and the way so many things are treated just left a bad taste in my mouth. In any modern writer's hands, especially someone with an understanding of LGBT+ history in tandem with cross-dressing, this whole story could be so well done, but it's really, really not.
Also, a male character is drugged on a date and believes he was assaulted/date r*ped, and it's never really... addressed fully? He acknowledges this happened to him in a very strange scene that I don't even know how to start breaking down, and judging by this first volume, I doubt it's going to be treated with the respect it should be, regardless of whether or not he was actually assaulted. In either scenario it should still be addressed how fucked up it is to drug someone.
If this gets better, whatever, I think I'm done. I'm not going to put myself through more of this. The language and the homophobia is enough for me!
December 10, 2016
Goofy but cute. Seems like a throwback to a silly sitcom like Three's Company, full of exaggerated and unbelievable characters doing crazy things for the sake of a laugh. And it works. I think the strong central love triangle helps balance the antics with real emotional weight.
February 1, 2025
I love seeing character types I don't usually see in manga! Like, have you ever seen a main character in a sweatsuit??? This was a very fun story and I'm interested in where it's going to go. The only thing that made me sad was how they talk about Banba's "afro" :(
I found the cultural and linguistic notes in the back very helpful as well, especially since I've recently been interested in how queer identities are portrayed and how the language around them differs between Japanese and English.
I found the cultural and linguistic notes in the back very helpful as well, especially since I've recently been interested in how queer identities are portrayed and how the language around them differs between Japanese and English.
September 23, 2018
Decided to give this a try since my best friend said it was such a hilarious manga...and so far to me, it was okay. Not bad. I think it was a good setup. The main character was a bit too dramatic, but hopefully that will get settled as the story goes on. Wasn't too keen on her friends, except for the youngest. But I love the main guy character. He was fun
August 3, 2019
This book was honestly really great I have been in a romance/drag queen mood so this book was great for that!
November 20, 2021
watched this show like 8 years ago and I’m so happy to see these characters again
March 26, 2025
C’est drôle c’est cute c’est tout ce que j’aime
C’est très rare que j’accroche autant dès un premier tome donc j’ai hâte de voir où ça va ensuite, j’espère que j’aimerais autant!!
C’est très rare que j’accroche autant dès un premier tome donc j’ai hâte de voir où ça va ensuite, j’espère que j’aimerais autant!!
July 9, 2025
4.5 stars
May 14, 2017
4 stars. This was so freaking cute! I absolutely adored this manga. The story is weird and hilarious, the characters are so lovable and adoring and the art style is super stinking cute. This was just a big ball of fluff. It doesn't take itself too seriously and yet it somehow manages to have a lot of heart to it. Tsukimi is a great and endearing character and all of her roommates were interesting. The dynamics between all of them was perfect and so much fun to read about. I'm not sure where this series is going but I'm excited to see.
September 17, 2021
This was an interesting read! The first volume was SO different then I expected, though I don't necessarily think in a bad way. I'm also thankful that Kodansha includes translation notes because a lot of terms/phrases I didn't know or was super unfamiliar with.
Funny thing about this is that I don't like jellyfish. I wouldn't say I have a phobia but it's the one "exhibit" I can't see at the aquarium due to having a mild panic attack. I just avoid jellyfish-related things in general, BUT! I absolutely LOVED Tsukimi and why she loves jellyfish! In fact, I thought it really beautiful and found it moving how Tsukimi speaks to her mom often. As someone who has lost a parent, I really related to her struggle of having something remind us deeply of our parent and finding comfort in that. <3
Kuranosuke was an interesting character and actually found him to be one of the more curious characters as the story progresses. I LOVE his determination in helping the Amars and how he is passionate about makeup and such. I honestly hope that he continues to pursue that passion!
I love the variety of personalities in this story! All the women at the house are super fascinating and each person is extremely unique. I love how they embrace their own passions and how even in their "weaknesses" (which change weakly LOL) they are very relatable. It seems like such a lovely home to live in!
Overall, this was a pretty enjoyable first volume! I caught myself a lot more invested at the end and hoping that this story will end on a happy note!
Funny thing about this is that I don't like jellyfish. I wouldn't say I have a phobia but it's the one "exhibit" I can't see at the aquarium due to having a mild panic attack. I just avoid jellyfish-related things in general, BUT! I absolutely LOVED Tsukimi and why she loves jellyfish! In fact, I thought it really beautiful and found it moving how Tsukimi speaks to her mom often. As someone who has lost a parent, I really related to her struggle of having something remind us deeply of our parent and finding comfort in that. <3
Kuranosuke was an interesting character and actually found him to be one of the more curious characters as the story progresses. I LOVE his determination in helping the Amars and how he is passionate about makeup and such. I honestly hope that he continues to pursue that passion!
I love the variety of personalities in this story! All the women at the house are super fascinating and each person is extremely unique. I love how they embrace their own passions and how even in their "weaknesses" (which change weakly LOL) they are very relatable. It seems like such a lovely home to live in!
Overall, this was a pretty enjoyable first volume! I caught myself a lot more invested at the end and hoping that this story will end on a happy note!
October 23, 2023
Läste den här fett länge sen men asså den startade min manet obsession 100% OCKSÅ vi älskar en bittersweet komedi om att hitta sin egna identitet😻👍 plus jag är en sucker för 2000s manga kläder😔
May 2, 2017
Tsukimi is a shy jellyfish enthusiast living in a communal house in Tokyo with a group of mix-matched friends. They call themselves the Amars (the Nuns) and each is devoted to her own area of interest, whether that be kimonos, historical dramas, trains, Boys Love manga or sea creatures. They are collectively terrified of stylish people, social interactions and most other aspects of 'normal life'. Tsukimi is usually unable to summon up the courage to talk to any stranger... but when she sees a jellyfish being kept in a dangerous tank at an aquarium store she plucks up her strength to speak up. She is completely ignored by the shop keeper- until a stylish young woman stands up for her cause. The fashionista, Kuranosuke, helps Tsukimi rescue the sick jellyfish and carry it back to her room, and so a tentative friendship is begun. Since this is manga, a huge number of melodramatic tropes are quickly and delightfully employed. There's cross-dressing, a politician father, an actress mother, a scheming real estate developer, a pair of stammering lovers, an abduction and more. Completely enjoyable from beginning to end and I can't wait to read more!
January 13, 2019
Must note that I'm new to reading manga, but familiar with some anime. I decided to start this series on a whim after the cover caught my attention. It was so much funnier than I expected, the execution of emotions and artwork stylings were delightful. The story was interesting and highly amusing, I even made some expressions that I'm sure the characters did once I learned what certain terms meant (not because I was judging the young ladies, but because if I lived in Japan, I'd probably be in a similar boat :P Although my social anxiety is not that extreme). I smiled often and constantly looked forward to what would happen next. I like the silliness, the absurdity, the emotions and can't wait to read more volumes.
Also love Clara and hope I can find a plushy! Oh and I also love the differences of the characters and that there's a thick curly haired girl too! ^_^
Updated: Read again, still love it! And about to embark on a binge so hopefully I will find continued enjoyment throughout the series.
Also love Clara and hope I can find a plushy! Oh and I also love the differences of the characters and that there's a thick curly haired girl too! ^_^
Updated: Read again, still love it! And about to embark on a binge so hopefully I will find continued enjoyment throughout the series.
July 11, 2016
I would lean more towards four & a half stars on this one.
This was a whole lot of fun! I haven't read manga in ages & as I flicked through 'Princess Jellyfish' I realised how much I'd miss the humour and over the top characters that manga often provides. This book had me laughing out loud. I love the drama that's mixed in with the story, including the little love triangle that's going on (classic manga trope) & I love the topics this book is covering in terms of identity, sexuality, family, tragedy, dealing with judgement, and so on.
I'll be picking up the next volume for sure!
This was a whole lot of fun! I haven't read manga in ages & as I flicked through 'Princess Jellyfish' I realised how much I'd miss the humour and over the top characters that manga often provides. This book had me laughing out loud. I love the drama that's mixed in with the story, including the little love triangle that's going on (classic manga trope) & I love the topics this book is covering in terms of identity, sexuality, family, tragedy, dealing with judgement, and so on.
I'll be picking up the next volume for sure!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2019
Previously, I'd read a couple chapters of this online and thought I'd like it. Quickly striking off the linear path of a romance, the plot-twists more closely resemble 'real' life with aggressive business people buying up lots, children falling out with their parents, and the geeks needing a lot of coaxing to come out of their shelves.
Despite the typical manga shenanigans, I really am enjoying it. The art is beautiful and the main characters are sympathetic if bizarre.
Despite the typical manga shenanigans, I really am enjoying it. The art is beautiful and the main characters are sympathetic if bizarre.
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