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パピヨン 花と蝶 [Papillon: Hana to Chou] #1
Papillon 1
It’s no fun being a high school outcast. It’s even harder when your twin sister is the most popular girl in school! The ultra-glam Hana is the ultimate teen queen, but her sister, Ageha, is just a shy tomboy. Hana loves being the center of attention so much that she’ll do anything to keep her sister in her shadow. But Ageha has a plan that will change her life. Because no one, not even Hana, can hold Ageha back forever. . .
192 pages, Paperback
First published April 23, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
March 26, 2009
Ageha and Hana are twin sisters who were raised separately. Hana was raised in the city with her parents but Ageha was raised by her grandmother in a more rural setting. When Ageha was in the second grade, her grandmother became to ill to raise her and so she ended up living with her parents in the city. The two girls are totally different- Ageha is a more average tomboy and Hana is a beautiful social butterfly. Now that the girls are in high school together, Ageha finds herself excluded from almost all social activities. When she is left alone to tend the classroom during the school’s fair, a somewhat mysterious man named Kyuu comes running into the class to try and hide from a group of girls (it turns out he’s the hot new young guidance counselor). He asks for coffee and flips through Ageha’s planner- finding a picture of Ageha with her long standing crush, Ryuusei. Kyuu tells Ageha to follow her heart, making her shout out that she’s Ryuusei’s girlfriend and that her life is great. Just after she does this, Ryuusei appears and recognizes Ageha from their childhood. A relationship begins to form between the two, but her beautiful sister decides to step in between them.
Miwa Ueda is best known for her work on the series Peach Girl, and to be frank I’ve seen little new in Papillon. It’s a very typical, tried-and-true (and tired) shojo storyline of the ugly duckling gaining confidence in herself and winning the guy. Appealing for those people who a) liked Peach Girl or b) like the stereotypical shojo fare. It’s not anything groundbreaking or new; this is the same storyline that has been done time and time again and it doesn’t seem like Ueda is going to really do it any differently. The one bonus to this is, as is typical with Ueda, the artwork. Her style is unique and beautiful. Unfortunately, this is a manga I’d rather look at than read unless I’m looking for a quick-and-trashy beach read. Moreover, it is exactly the type of shojo I *dislike*, reinforcing the “girl is no good until a guy is into her and she’ll be helpless when he’s gone” stereotype. A very superficial storyline.
Miwa Ueda is best known for her work on the series Peach Girl, and to be frank I’ve seen little new in Papillon. It’s a very typical, tried-and-true (and tired) shojo storyline of the ugly duckling gaining confidence in herself and winning the guy. Appealing for those people who a) liked Peach Girl or b) like the stereotypical shojo fare. It’s not anything groundbreaking or new; this is the same storyline that has been done time and time again and it doesn’t seem like Ueda is going to really do it any differently. The one bonus to this is, as is typical with Ueda, the artwork. Her style is unique and beautiful. Unfortunately, this is a manga I’d rather look at than read unless I’m looking for a quick-and-trashy beach read. Moreover, it is exactly the type of shojo I *dislike*, reinforcing the “girl is no good until a guy is into her and she’ll be helpless when he’s gone” stereotype. A very superficial storyline.
December 29, 2015
.5 stars
So I was talking about teacher/student romances with Dahlia and got the urge to revisit this manga I’d started but not finished several years ago. I had vague memories of actually shipping this one, because the male teacher was the guidance counselor and it wasn’t quite as problematic as the usual situation; it’s not like he was grading her. However, revisiting it, I don’t know what the fuck younger me was thinking because Papillon is super problematic.
Yes, he’s not her teacher but he still acts completely inappropriately. He makes sexual jokes towards his teen students constantly. As an adult, I was just constantly cringing because it’s so wrong. When his adviser finds out about the relationship, he tries to help them succeed, rather than failing the guy, who is counseling at the high school as part of his pursuit of a degree.
Then there’s the fact that the whole point of the manga is that outer beauty is so important. I mean, yes, it’s also trying to make a point about inner beauty, but it’s lost beside the fact that she gets everything she ever wanted by fitting into society’s beauty standards. To end the manga and make a healthy point about beauty, she could have ended up with the guy who had a crush on her back when she wore her glasses and had acne problems. But no.
On top of that, the whole plot, much like Peach Girl, which I do admit I liked a lot, is the rivalry between the two sisters. It’s gross girl hate forever and ever. There’s no plot arc in this manga I’ve not read elsewhere. The whole thing is melodramatic, unoriginal, and horrible. I do still enjoy Ueda’s illustrations and that’s all I’ve really got to say that’s positive.
So I was talking about teacher/student romances with Dahlia and got the urge to revisit this manga I’d started but not finished several years ago. I had vague memories of actually shipping this one, because the male teacher was the guidance counselor and it wasn’t quite as problematic as the usual situation; it’s not like he was grading her. However, revisiting it, I don’t know what the fuck younger me was thinking because Papillon is super problematic.
Yes, he’s not her teacher but he still acts completely inappropriately. He makes sexual jokes towards his teen students constantly. As an adult, I was just constantly cringing because it’s so wrong. When his adviser finds out about the relationship, he tries to help them succeed, rather than failing the guy, who is counseling at the high school as part of his pursuit of a degree.
Then there’s the fact that the whole point of the manga is that outer beauty is so important. I mean, yes, it’s also trying to make a point about inner beauty, but it’s lost beside the fact that she gets everything she ever wanted by fitting into society’s beauty standards. To end the manga and make a healthy point about beauty, she could have ended up with the guy who had a crush on her back when she wore her glasses and had acne problems. But no.
On top of that, the whole plot, much like Peach Girl, which I do admit I liked a lot, is the rivalry between the two sisters. It’s gross girl hate forever and ever. There’s no plot arc in this manga I’ve not read elsewhere. The whole thing is melodramatic, unoriginal, and horrible. I do still enjoy Ueda’s illustrations and that’s all I’ve really got to say that’s positive.
September 25, 2016
I was hooked from the 1st chapter, great art, character dynamics and I'm totally going to be making a manga review youtube video for this series. #MangaThatNeedToBeRePrinted #OutOfPrintManga
February 1, 2018
I won’t lie. I originally checked this book out of the library simply because the title matched the name of Papillon, my favorite villain from Buso Renkin. (What can I say? I like my 90s shonen anime.) Of course, this is a shojo manga, so I wasn’t expecting anything remotely similar to Buso Renkin. But I wasn’t expecting to dislike Papillon Vol 1 by Miwa Ueda even half as much as I did.
This manga is about Ageha, the nerdy half of a set of twins. She has glasses and few friends. Her twin sister is the school beauty, always with a boyfriend, always swooned over by the boys, and an idol to all of the girls. When she realizes her childhood friend, Ryuusei also goes to the same school, she can’t help but fall for him. But what happens when her sister tries to steal him away from her?
At best, this plot is contrived and overused. At worst it is downright problematic, okaying behavior that should not, under any circumstances, be okay. But before I go in depth into the extremely problematic lessons and occurrences in this manga, let’s go through the general quibbles of English translated manga in the early 2000s, shall we?
The first page of Papillon is a well written piece explaining Japanese honorifics, why they are used, and what different honorifics mean. This also states that the publisher always keeps the honorifics in the text. Except, they didn’t. I only found honorifics used twice. Once was when a nickname from when Ageha and Ryuusei were children was used (think Kacchan from My Hero Academia). The second time was on page 118 referencing Hana, Ageha’s twin. Why only use honorifics twice when the publisher made sure to say that they would be used constantly? Who knows. Maybe it was for the same reason they didn’t bother translating the preview for the next volume.
These are the sorts of translating faux pas that, while certainly not acceptable, are unfortunately not very unique. At least, not in this time period. They weren’t shocking, and while they do frustrate me to no end, they don’t make me sit before my computer screen and debate whether or hate is too strong of a word to use to describe how I feel about Papillon. So let’s get into the uglier bits, shall we?
The relationship between the twins is bad. Very bad. Our main character was raised by her grandmother in the country while her sister was raised at home with their parents. Why? The manga doesn’t say, though there are hints at some later reveal of a probably tragic family story. Despite Ageha wondering if she would be like Hana if she had also raised by their parents there isn’t any sort of meaningful discussion or glimpse into nature vs nurture, despite having the perfect set up.
What it does go into is how the girls are petty and cruel. Not only does Hana try and succeed at stealing away the boy Ageha likes, but the only other girl she is friendly with stabs her in the back and shows an embarrassing picture to all of her classmates. Enemies are made. Friends are made. And our meek protagonist learns the most important lesson of all – if only you let some friends give you a makeover and change everything about yourself the man of your dreams will surely fall for you.
Ugh. What a terrible lesson to teach teenage girls! On top of that, it doesn’t make sense within the context of the story. When Ageha and Ryuusei were friends, Ageha was a tom boy, not dressing in skirts and acting extremely feminine. It would make more sense for Ryuusei to be interested in her when she’s herself, not some reflection of her sister. Speaking of Ryuusei, he is just as shallow as the rest of the characters. To go from not liking someone at all to dating them less than twenty four hours after speaking to them for the first time? Just a bit unbelievable, don’t you think?
But as terrible as these morals are, they aren’t the worst part of the manga. Nope. That comes in the form of Kyuu, an odd but probably sort of harmless man in a horse mask introduced in the first chapter. When we first meet him, Kyuu seems strange, but tries to push Ageha in the right direction – to not be afraid and to go out and seize her dreams. By the next chapter he’d groped and generally harassed her. A standard manga and anime trope, right? We just have to sort of live with it, right?
Wrong!
Turns out that Kyuu is a guidance counselor at school. Not only is he groping and harassing someone, but it’s a grown adult doing so to a student. This is just utterly inappropriate. It isn’t funny. It isn’t any sort of fan service. It’s wrong. Because you know what? It’s scary when it happens.
You see, my high school guidance counselor really did sexually harass female students at my school before being carted off to prison. And while I was never a victim, this hit much too close to home. It’s not alright to show a teacher, let alone any adult, harassing a student, especially when the plot of the manga (or anime, or novel) isn’t about catching the perpetrator. This isn’t okay to show. It isn’t funny. It’s not fan service – certainly not acceptable fan service.
This was my very last straw. Whatever sort of vague interest in Papillon I had vanished. I didn’t want to see if the characters got their acts together or if the messages told in the text ever went beyond ‘if you’re pretty, boys like you’. I just don’t want to look it anymore.
I will certainly not be reading the rest of the Papillon. It is a manga that is clichéd and trope filled at its best. At its worst it perpetrates terrible stereotypes about female relationships, beauty, and romance while creating an air of acceptability around adults harassing students.
This review was originally found on Looking Glass Reads.
This manga is about Ageha, the nerdy half of a set of twins. She has glasses and few friends. Her twin sister is the school beauty, always with a boyfriend, always swooned over by the boys, and an idol to all of the girls. When she realizes her childhood friend, Ryuusei also goes to the same school, she can’t help but fall for him. But what happens when her sister tries to steal him away from her?
At best, this plot is contrived and overused. At worst it is downright problematic, okaying behavior that should not, under any circumstances, be okay. But before I go in depth into the extremely problematic lessons and occurrences in this manga, let’s go through the general quibbles of English translated manga in the early 2000s, shall we?
The first page of Papillon is a well written piece explaining Japanese honorifics, why they are used, and what different honorifics mean. This also states that the publisher always keeps the honorifics in the text. Except, they didn’t. I only found honorifics used twice. Once was when a nickname from when Ageha and Ryuusei were children was used (think Kacchan from My Hero Academia). The second time was on page 118 referencing Hana, Ageha’s twin. Why only use honorifics twice when the publisher made sure to say that they would be used constantly? Who knows. Maybe it was for the same reason they didn’t bother translating the preview for the next volume.
These are the sorts of translating faux pas that, while certainly not acceptable, are unfortunately not very unique. At least, not in this time period. They weren’t shocking, and while they do frustrate me to no end, they don’t make me sit before my computer screen and debate whether or hate is too strong of a word to use to describe how I feel about Papillon. So let’s get into the uglier bits, shall we?
The relationship between the twins is bad. Very bad. Our main character was raised by her grandmother in the country while her sister was raised at home with their parents. Why? The manga doesn’t say, though there are hints at some later reveal of a probably tragic family story. Despite Ageha wondering if she would be like Hana if she had also raised by their parents there isn’t any sort of meaningful discussion or glimpse into nature vs nurture, despite having the perfect set up.
What it does go into is how the girls are petty and cruel. Not only does Hana try and succeed at stealing away the boy Ageha likes, but the only other girl she is friendly with stabs her in the back and shows an embarrassing picture to all of her classmates. Enemies are made. Friends are made. And our meek protagonist learns the most important lesson of all – if only you let some friends give you a makeover and change everything about yourself the man of your dreams will surely fall for you.
Ugh. What a terrible lesson to teach teenage girls! On top of that, it doesn’t make sense within the context of the story. When Ageha and Ryuusei were friends, Ageha was a tom boy, not dressing in skirts and acting extremely feminine. It would make more sense for Ryuusei to be interested in her when she’s herself, not some reflection of her sister. Speaking of Ryuusei, he is just as shallow as the rest of the characters. To go from not liking someone at all to dating them less than twenty four hours after speaking to them for the first time? Just a bit unbelievable, don’t you think?
But as terrible as these morals are, they aren’t the worst part of the manga. Nope. That comes in the form of Kyuu, an odd but probably sort of harmless man in a horse mask introduced in the first chapter. When we first meet him, Kyuu seems strange, but tries to push Ageha in the right direction – to not be afraid and to go out and seize her dreams. By the next chapter he’d groped and generally harassed her. A standard manga and anime trope, right? We just have to sort of live with it, right?
Wrong!
Turns out that Kyuu is a guidance counselor at school. Not only is he groping and harassing someone, but it’s a grown adult doing so to a student. This is just utterly inappropriate. It isn’t funny. It isn’t any sort of fan service. It’s wrong. Because you know what? It’s scary when it happens.
You see, my high school guidance counselor really did sexually harass female students at my school before being carted off to prison. And while I was never a victim, this hit much too close to home. It’s not alright to show a teacher, let alone any adult, harassing a student, especially when the plot of the manga (or anime, or novel) isn’t about catching the perpetrator. This isn’t okay to show. It isn’t funny. It’s not fan service – certainly not acceptable fan service.
This was my very last straw. Whatever sort of vague interest in Papillon I had vanished. I didn’t want to see if the characters got their acts together or if the messages told in the text ever went beyond ‘if you’re pretty, boys like you’. I just don’t want to look it anymore.
I will certainly not be reading the rest of the Papillon. It is a manga that is clichéd and trope filled at its best. At its worst it perpetrates terrible stereotypes about female relationships, beauty, and romance while creating an air of acceptability around adults harassing students.
This review was originally found on Looking Glass Reads.
July 25, 2018
Let me go and ahead and launch into this piece of garbage! The author includes upskirt shots of her main protagonist, Ageha, a high-schooler! The guidance counselor at the high school ( whatever the frick his name is) asks questions about Ageha's panty colors! The guidance counselor goes on to grope her! Repeatedly! As everyone smiles! He brings her to a "love hotel" as some sort of bullshit healing process! Wait, wait wait...I forgot how he coerced Ageha's mom into pretending she was in a coma as also part of a healing process???????????? I kept reading in horror. This is hard nope from me.
May 2, 2019
Papillon was a manga I picked up after loving the author's other work and the one for which she is best known Peach Girl, Vol. 1. The basic premise is a girl named Ageha, who has lived in her twin's shadow, is pushed to change by a variety of circumstances and, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, goes on a journey of self discovery and growth to find happiness.
I read it chapter by chapter as it was released and translated on fan-translation sites, but I have also reread it a few times since and feel that I know the story pretty well.
Plot summary:
Overall, the theme is this tale is very well executed. We see Ageha have a variety of ups and downs in the pursuit of changing herself for the better. She makes new friends, she chases after love, she mends her relationships with her family, she has set backs, she makes mistakes, she triumphs, and she becomes someone strong enough to help others overcome their woes the same way she found people to help her overcome hers. In the end, Ageha has grown into herself and left behind the things that held her back in the past. I absolutely love her character growth! We also get a transformative arc with Ageha's twin, Hana, who for a good portion of the series is something of an antagonist who's own insecurities and jealousies cause her to get in the way of her sister's happiness and ultimately her own. Even Kyuu has some development when we see Ageha help him overcome an obstacle of his own from the past so that he can move on to a better future and be together with Ageha without regret or guilt.
The art is very pretty and the story has its emotional moments and its comedic moments.
My only real qualm is the age and power gap between Ageha and Hayato/Kyuu-chan.
Ageha is like 16-17 and in high school while Kyuu is studying in college and is also working as a counselor at Ageha's school (which I assume is probably similar to being a student-teacher where you get experience under another professional while working on your degree as part of your requirements for graduation) so he's probably somewhere in the rage of like 18-22.
Anyway, because he's older and in college and is like the acting guidance counselor at her school and has a more worldly view of everything and takes on a kind of mentoring, nurturing role for Ageha the relationship just feels a little too imbalanced for my tastes. I know Japan is very into age-gap romances has has all those weird age of consent laws and what not, so this might not exactly be a taboo, but that doesn't like make it any less weird or unethical, though her being with a college student studying to be a guidance teacher who's just doing an intern sort of thing over being with her actual teacher who's definitely in his mid 20s is something that this particular manga has over one like キスよりも早く1 Kisu Yorimo Hayaku 1 where Fumino was 16 and Kazuma was 24, so the power and age imbalance is a lot more concrete and substantial due to their circumstances.
Still, in spite of this fact, I found the manga enjoyable with great character development and attractive art in series of a good length for most readers to easily consume.
There's probably a degree of criticism to have about a variety of Kyuu-chan's actions and methods when trying to get Ageha to change and grow (her mom's fake-out coma, for example, though this is a common enough trope) and the fact that he gets a bit handsy with Ageha, but from memory is wasn't as extreme as lot of other manga can be, so it's passable, but like, just be generally aware.
I read it chapter by chapter as it was released and translated on fan-translation sites, but I have also reread it a few times since and feel that I know the story pretty well.
Plot summary:
Overall, the theme is this tale is very well executed. We see Ageha have a variety of ups and downs in the pursuit of changing herself for the better. She makes new friends, she chases after love, she mends her relationships with her family, she has set backs, she makes mistakes, she triumphs, and she becomes someone strong enough to help others overcome their woes the same way she found people to help her overcome hers. In the end, Ageha has grown into herself and left behind the things that held her back in the past. I absolutely love her character growth! We also get a transformative arc with Ageha's twin, Hana, who for a good portion of the series is something of an antagonist who's own insecurities and jealousies cause her to get in the way of her sister's happiness and ultimately her own. Even Kyuu has some development when we see Ageha help him overcome an obstacle of his own from the past so that he can move on to a better future and be together with Ageha without regret or guilt.
The art is very pretty and the story has its emotional moments and its comedic moments.
My only real qualm is the age and power gap between Ageha and Hayato/Kyuu-chan.
Ageha is like 16-17 and in high school while Kyuu is studying in college and is also working as a counselor at Ageha's school (which I assume is probably similar to being a student-teacher where you get experience under another professional while working on your degree as part of your requirements for graduation) so he's probably somewhere in the rage of like 18-22.
Anyway, because he's older and in college and is like the acting guidance counselor at her school and has a more worldly view of everything and takes on a kind of mentoring, nurturing role for Ageha the relationship just feels a little too imbalanced for my tastes. I know Japan is very into age-gap romances has has all those weird age of consent laws and what not, so this might not exactly be a taboo, but that doesn't like make it any less weird or unethical, though her being with a college student studying to be a guidance teacher who's just doing an intern sort of thing over being with her actual teacher who's definitely in his mid 20s is something that this particular manga has over one like キスよりも早く1 Kisu Yorimo Hayaku 1 where Fumino was 16 and Kazuma was 24, so the power and age imbalance is a lot more concrete and substantial due to their circumstances.
Still, in spite of this fact, I found the manga enjoyable with great character development and attractive art in series of a good length for most readers to easily consume.
There's probably a degree of criticism to have about a variety of Kyuu-chan's actions and methods when trying to get Ageha to change and grow (her mom's fake-out coma, for example, though this is a common enough trope) and the fact that he gets a bit handsy with Ageha, but from memory is wasn't as extreme as lot of other manga can be, so it's passable, but like, just be generally aware.
July 22, 2020
I disegni sono carini (li avevo già visti in Peach Girl)nulla di particolare, ho dato due stelline perché la storia tra le gemelle è troppo inverosimile, l’unico dove il rapporto tra gemelli è raccontato splendidamente è Ouran Host Club. Il resto...
February 19, 2010
A good story about going after what you want. The twins have a strong sibling rivalry going on.
April 3, 2012
Damn you Miwa Ueda! You make me love shojo manga like a teen-girl half my age!! >__<
August 13, 2018
I liked this manga because it was as dramatic I wanted to be. *Drama all the way!* Yay!
Cute story/easy to read.
Cute story/easy to read.
April 22, 2020
This series was disappointing.
I hated the twin sister Hana for the whole series. She does some pretty twisted stuff, like pretending to be her twin Ageha to try and trick her own boyfriends and even to seduce Ageha's boyfriend himself. The first half of the series felt like it was more about the tricks Hana played on Ageha rather than Ageha's relationship with Kyuu.
I also wasn't a fan of Ageha. She's incredibly insecure. I get it, she's a teenager in her first relationship, and on top of all that her boyfriend is 8 years older than her, so of course she feels insecure, but it was incredibly annoying to read especially in the latter part of the manga. I was still okay with it up to a certain point, since Kyuu did dump her right after she confessed which certainly traumatized her, and a lot of times when he told her his feelings, he was actually telling it to Hana without realizing. But by the end, if I were Kyuu, I would've broken up with her long ago.
Kyuu is also kinda clueless. I don't know how he didn't realize immediately in most of the cases when Hana pretended to be Ageha. Take their first date, where she is super demanding and drags him around everywhere and makes him pay for a $200 meal. Did it not cross his mind at all that this girl wasn't Ageha? The mangaka uses the identical twin switch mechanism way too much, and it feels quite contrived each and every time. I'm also not sure how I feel about Kyuu's flirting attitude with all the girls at his school. He says he's working and that they booked him for a guidance couseling session, but honestly it looks like a bunch of flirting to me. And I thought it was completely inappropriate for him to try and drag Hana into a love hotel right at the beginning of their acquaintance. I don't care what excuse he has for it.
I didn't like the second half of the manga any more than the first half. There the focus is Kyuu getting over his past trauma of his previous girlfriend drowning to death. This is also where Ageha started getting pretty annoying with her insecurities. At one point she literally demanded that Kyuu think about her at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Like wowwwww girl. That's not how a relationship works.
I started this manga because I wanted to read a good student / teacher romance, and this was recommended on a couple lists I saw online, but I'm quite disappointed. There weren't even many scenes that took place in a high school setting.
I hated the twin sister Hana for the whole series. She does some pretty twisted stuff, like pretending to be her twin Ageha to try and trick her own boyfriends and even to seduce Ageha's boyfriend himself. The first half of the series felt like it was more about the tricks Hana played on Ageha rather than Ageha's relationship with Kyuu.
I also wasn't a fan of Ageha. She's incredibly insecure. I get it, she's a teenager in her first relationship, and on top of all that her boyfriend is 8 years older than her, so of course she feels insecure, but it was incredibly annoying to read especially in the latter part of the manga. I was still okay with it up to a certain point, since Kyuu did dump her right after she confessed which certainly traumatized her, and a lot of times when he told her his feelings, he was actually telling it to Hana without realizing. But by the end, if I were Kyuu, I would've broken up with her long ago.
Kyuu is also kinda clueless. I don't know how he didn't realize immediately in most of the cases when Hana pretended to be Ageha. Take their first date, where she is super demanding and drags him around everywhere and makes him pay for a $200 meal. Did it not cross his mind at all that this girl wasn't Ageha? The mangaka uses the identical twin switch mechanism way too much, and it feels quite contrived each and every time. I'm also not sure how I feel about Kyuu's flirting attitude with all the girls at his school. He says he's working and that they booked him for a guidance couseling session, but honestly it looks like a bunch of flirting to me. And I thought it was completely inappropriate for him to try and drag Hana into a love hotel right at the beginning of their acquaintance. I don't care what excuse he has for it.
I didn't like the second half of the manga any more than the first half. There the focus is Kyuu getting over his past trauma of his previous girlfriend drowning to death. This is also where Ageha started getting pretty annoying with her insecurities. At one point she literally demanded that Kyuu think about her at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Like wowwwww girl. That's not how a relationship works.
I started this manga because I wanted to read a good student / teacher romance, and this was recommended on a couple lists I saw online, but I'm quite disappointed. There weren't even many scenes that took place in a high school setting.
January 20, 2021
What a disaster, a downright sloppy mess with an awful plot and annoying characters. Papillon is a drama filled teen romance manga about competing twins that tries to dig into some touchy subjects like insecurity, childhood abandonment, post-partum depression, and traumatic loss.
Ageha is a quiet and shy country girl that feels that she is undesirable next to her beautiful and popular city girl twin sister, Hana. The first few volumes of the manga deal with the twins butting heads over boys. Hana feels left out if she doesn’t receive the same love and affection that her sister does. She reminded me of a toned-down version of Sae from Peach Girl but Hana at least has a backstory to explain the reasons for her garbage actions.
“There’s a crossroad. The road that leads to happiness, and the road that leads to otherwise. Whichever way I go depends on me.”
The plotlines are paper-thin and barely have any real development. All of the love interests don’t feel genuine and begin and end quickly. The major romantic interest in counselor Kyuu was troubling. Kyuu is 24 years old and is presented as a legitimate boyfriend for the main character, a high school freshman. He is nine years her senior and is in a position of influence over her as the school counselor. He starts by giving her advice, referring to her as a chrysalis, a pupa that will someday bloom into a beautiful butterfly. He states from the very beginning that he will care for her and help her change. This is troubling, there is no happy message about loving yourself. I can understand the sentiment that if you want something, you put in the work to obtain it and change habits, but that isn’t really what is portrayed.
They’re a terrible pair, with Kyuu expecting a mature woman that would understand that he’s a busy graduate student and works, he can’t attend to her every whim and gets tired and stressed quickly. He is also flirtatious and doesn’t turn away the advances of other women, and doesn’t respect her demands however childish. This leaves the main character feeling insecure and constantly jealous and questioning herself, many readers get annoyed but honestly, this is an understandable way for a teenager to react.
I also took serious issue with the portrayal of counseling in this manga. Obviously, Kyuu was the worst offender, breaking just about every code of ethics about counselor and patient relationships. It is openly stated that he uses love to help students to feel more confident and change themselves and it was honestly upsetting to read. His mentor shows up to also give advice, and when Ageha is stressed over things such as him flirting, it is explained away to her that she can just choose not to be upset about betrayals and choose to be happy instead, and she repeats this to herself several times with every conflict throughout the series.
The entire romance stinks of an older man grooming a teenage girl who is clearly too young to understand adult relationships. This manga wasn’t for me and I was really disappointed with the direction that it took. It starts off okay in the beginning but just becomes so toxic that it became boring.
✮ Read this review and more like it on my blog ✮
Ageha is a quiet and shy country girl that feels that she is undesirable next to her beautiful and popular city girl twin sister, Hana. The first few volumes of the manga deal with the twins butting heads over boys. Hana feels left out if she doesn’t receive the same love and affection that her sister does. She reminded me of a toned-down version of Sae from Peach Girl but Hana at least has a backstory to explain the reasons for her garbage actions.
“There’s a crossroad. The road that leads to happiness, and the road that leads to otherwise. Whichever way I go depends on me.”
The plotlines are paper-thin and barely have any real development. All of the love interests don’t feel genuine and begin and end quickly. The major romantic interest in counselor Kyuu was troubling. Kyuu is 24 years old and is presented as a legitimate boyfriend for the main character, a high school freshman. He is nine years her senior and is in a position of influence over her as the school counselor. He starts by giving her advice, referring to her as a chrysalis, a pupa that will someday bloom into a beautiful butterfly. He states from the very beginning that he will care for her and help her change. This is troubling, there is no happy message about loving yourself. I can understand the sentiment that if you want something, you put in the work to obtain it and change habits, but that isn’t really what is portrayed.
They’re a terrible pair, with Kyuu expecting a mature woman that would understand that he’s a busy graduate student and works, he can’t attend to her every whim and gets tired and stressed quickly. He is also flirtatious and doesn’t turn away the advances of other women, and doesn’t respect her demands however childish. This leaves the main character feeling insecure and constantly jealous and questioning herself, many readers get annoyed but honestly, this is an understandable way for a teenager to react.
I also took serious issue with the portrayal of counseling in this manga. Obviously, Kyuu was the worst offender, breaking just about every code of ethics about counselor and patient relationships. It is openly stated that he uses love to help students to feel more confident and change themselves and it was honestly upsetting to read. His mentor shows up to also give advice, and when Ageha is stressed over things such as him flirting, it is explained away to her that she can just choose not to be upset about betrayals and choose to be happy instead, and she repeats this to herself several times with every conflict throughout the series.
The entire romance stinks of an older man grooming a teenage girl who is clearly too young to understand adult relationships. This manga wasn’t for me and I was really disappointed with the direction that it took. It starts off okay in the beginning but just becomes so toxic that it became boring.
✮ Read this review and more like it on my blog ✮
September 9, 2021
Questo manga mi è piaciuto tantissimo!! I disegni sono molto belli nonostante le copertine non mi facciano impazzire, ma è soprattutto la storia che mi ha colpito.
***ALLERTA SPOILER***
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Inizialmente Hana è davvero insopportabile, il modo in cui frega il ragazzo alla sorella e quello in cui cerca di dividerla da Hayato è intollerabile, sembra quasi inconcepibile che una sorella possa comportarsi così, eppure con lo sviluppo della storia si riescono a capire le motivazioni di tali comportamenti e si entra maggiormente in empatia con il personaggio che alla fine si redime completamente.
La trasformazione di Ageha mi è piaciuta molto, grazie all'amore per Hayato ma soprattutto con la propria forza di volontà è riuscita a volersi bene e a maturare, a mettere il bene della persona amata davanti al proprio. La sua storia d'amore travagliata con Hayato è davvero molto bella, la storia che ogni adolescente sogna, un amore che cresce dentro ed è bellissima l'espressione delle "farfalle nello stomaco" usata da Hayato stesso per descrivere i suoi sentimenti. Inoltre il colpo di scena della vicenda di Lena e della sorella morta, Arisa, è davvero la ciliegina sulla torta, vedere le lacrime di Hayato fa sciogliere il cuore e si prova una sensazione di liberazione profonda quando lui stesso finalmente si lascia andare al dolore e si libera del peso portato dentro per 4 anni. Per fortuna c'è il lieto fine perché non avrei sopportato una separazione definitiva tra Ageha e Hayato, peccato solo che non ci sia stato il bacio finale.
***FINE SPOILER***
È un'opera coinvolgente e piena di emozioni che consiglio a tutti di leggere almeno una volta.
***ALLERTA SPOILER***
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Inizialmente Hana è davvero insopportabile, il modo in cui frega il ragazzo alla sorella e quello in cui cerca di dividerla da Hayato è intollerabile, sembra quasi inconcepibile che una sorella possa comportarsi così, eppure con lo sviluppo della storia si riescono a capire le motivazioni di tali comportamenti e si entra maggiormente in empatia con il personaggio che alla fine si redime completamente.
La trasformazione di Ageha mi è piaciuta molto, grazie all'amore per Hayato ma soprattutto con la propria forza di volontà è riuscita a volersi bene e a maturare, a mettere il bene della persona amata davanti al proprio. La sua storia d'amore travagliata con Hayato è davvero molto bella, la storia che ogni adolescente sogna, un amore che cresce dentro ed è bellissima l'espressione delle "farfalle nello stomaco" usata da Hayato stesso per descrivere i suoi sentimenti. Inoltre il colpo di scena della vicenda di Lena e della sorella morta, Arisa, è davvero la ciliegina sulla torta, vedere le lacrime di Hayato fa sciogliere il cuore e si prova una sensazione di liberazione profonda quando lui stesso finalmente si lascia andare al dolore e si libera del peso portato dentro per 4 anni. Per fortuna c'è il lieto fine perché non avrei sopportato una separazione definitiva tra Ageha e Hayato, peccato solo che non ci sia stato il bacio finale.
***FINE SPOILER***
È un'opera coinvolgente e piena di emozioni che consiglio a tutti di leggere almeno una volta.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2024
It's so exciting to read another series by Miwa Ueda, I just loved Peach Girl!
This is already more tame, but there's still some of the same tropes (albeit with different vibes), like the MC not feeling pretty, she has a crush on a childhood friend, a girl that should be close to her is actually mean and tries to steal anything from her etc.
Ageha's sister, Kana, seems to be the villain this time around, and boy is she a massive bitch. Obviously you can't "steal" a man, they are their own person, and are responsible for their own choices and actions, but Kana knew how her sister felt, and chose to chase him anyway. I hate people like her, however, she will add a lot of fun drama lmao.
My guess is that the counselor will be the actual love interest for Ageha though, which should be interesting, I'm always a fan of student/teacher romances in fiction.
This is already more tame, but there's still some of the same tropes (albeit with different vibes), like the MC not feeling pretty, she has a crush on a childhood friend, a girl that should be close to her is actually mean and tries to steal anything from her etc.
Ageha's sister, Kana, seems to be the villain this time around, and boy is she a massive bitch. Obviously you can't "steal" a man, they are their own person, and are responsible for their own choices and actions, but Kana knew how her sister felt, and chose to chase him anyway. I hate people like her, however, she will add a lot of fun drama lmao.
My guess is that the counselor will be the actual love interest for Ageha though, which should be interesting, I'm always a fan of student/teacher romances in fiction.
June 24, 2024
....if only he wasn't...
....AN ADULT & HER A MINOR.
....A COUNSELOR & HER A VULNERABLE CLIENT.
....HARRASSING HER SEXUALLY & HER NOT SEEING THE PROBLEM BECAUSE SHE'S A CHILD AND EVERYONE IS ENABLING THEIR RELATIONSHIP SO EVEN IF SHE DID SINCE NO ONE FINDS HIM CREEPY SHE'D FEEL LIKE SHE WAS WRONG FOR IT.
This could've been fine.
Not good since it has lots of problems, but passable.
Also a man comes in her life + she becomes pretty & suddenly everything is solved and she has friends and the life she wanted. How great, right? What could women do without make-up & a man?
Nothing, am I right? 🙄
(Her new friends & her own mom only calling her pretty once she put on a full face of makeup-up & then saying she looks like her twin sister was disgusting)
....AN ADULT & HER A MINOR.
....A COUNSELOR & HER A VULNERABLE CLIENT.
....HARRASSING HER SEXUALLY & HER NOT SEEING THE PROBLEM BECAUSE SHE'S A CHILD AND EVERYONE IS ENABLING THEIR RELATIONSHIP SO EVEN IF SHE DID SINCE NO ONE FINDS HIM CREEPY SHE'D FEEL LIKE SHE WAS WRONG FOR IT.
This could've been fine.
Not good since it has lots of problems, but passable.
Also a man comes in her life + she becomes pretty & suddenly everything is solved and she has friends and the life she wanted. How great, right? What could women do without make-up & a man?
Nothing, am I right? 🙄
(Her new friends & her own mom only calling her pretty once she put on a full face of makeup-up & then saying she looks like her twin sister was disgusting)
October 27, 2022
Found this in my new school library, and a student asked me to review it as they were concerned about the suggestive relationship between the main character (in high school) and her guidance counselor (stated to be 24 years old and in grad school as well as doing something like practicum hours at the school). I read the first 2 volumes and determined that it wasn't an acceptable relationship to be seen to be promoting - especially in a school. The guidance counselor is predatory, comments on the young character's body and clothing, and even takes her to a pay-by-the-hour hotel, though that is thwarted by her mother showing up. Not recommended by young audiences.
August 1, 2020
Review includes some spoilers:
Papillon volume 1 is getting 4 stars from me. Which in this case is simply because of these crutch tools that I’m aware the author uses from time to time to move thing along…and I feel like there could have been more time spent on Ageha’s actual situation. I wanted to connect with her more before having her thrown into that situation at the climax.
(Read full review on my blog)
https://ardinpatterson.wordpress.com/...
Papillon volume 1 is getting 4 stars from me. Which in this case is simply because of these crutch tools that I’m aware the author uses from time to time to move thing along…and I feel like there could have been more time spent on Ageha’s actual situation. I wanted to connect with her more before having her thrown into that situation at the climax.
(Read full review on my blog)
https://ardinpatterson.wordpress.com/...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2021
Perhaps I was expecting more of a bomb drop for ways that would be juicier than the twin sister being a jerk. I find it weird but I also do like that technically it’s bring the other girl and the teacher closer? I’m knew to this type of genre so maybe I had a different thought of how it would go. Thankfully, I guess he’s not that much older than her? It’s unique for sure. Hoping the character development becomes better though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2017
I loved the art, but I have two main problems here:
1. The guidance counselor is literally sexually assaulting students. Everyone in the manga is 100% okay with this.
2. The general moral that getting a boyfriend is all about looks. Honestly, I thought Ageha was way prettier with her glasses, anyway. Too shallow a plot line for me.
1. The guidance counselor is literally sexually assaulting students. Everyone in the manga is 100% okay with this.
2. The general moral that getting a boyfriend is all about looks. Honestly, I thought Ageha was way prettier with her glasses, anyway. Too shallow a plot line for me.
October 5, 2017
I wasn't a big fan of this manga. Within the first 5 pages, there's slut shaming. The story does say that you have to work for what you want, but there is a lot if focus on outer beauty and fitting in with what society wants. Plus the romantic interest was the school's guidance counselor, and it might have been fine if he wasn't so inappropriate with her. I'm not going to continue the series.
July 8, 2020
This series will always hold a special place to me but the story is about a 15-year-old freshmen in high school dating her 24-year-old GUIDANCE COUNSELOR. And everyone involved INCLUDING HIS SUPERVISOR is okay with it. Which is 1) highly immoral and illegal 2) SHE IS A MINOR AND HE IS GROOMING HER.
October 13, 2025
Miwa Ueda, COUNT. YOUR. DAYS. The annoying shojo storyline, the male-centered pick-me female character (and it just happens to be the fmc’s younger sister…yikes), and the casual pedophilia??? I know this was made in the 2000s so storylines and tropes like these were normal but this was a rough read and I was irritated the whole time.
April 9, 2019
Savage cliffhanger! So hard to find the next book today though :(
July 5, 2020
Cheesy and dramatic, super pretty people in super pretty scenes. Loved it.
February 25, 2022
this book is really problematiccccc but whatever it’s entertaining lol
December 21, 2025
For real recommend
August 5, 2014
RIGHT! I remember not liking the sister.
Oh man did I not like the sister. Although that's the whole point of the sister anyway!
So, this is the first installment of papillon. I've read volumes 2-6 but I only reviewed volume 1, so I've decided to redo the review into a way nicer, more refined review that this series deserves. Starting with VOLUME 1.
Oh man did Hana get on my nerves. I wanted to rip her away from Ryusuke......wait, Ryusei, was it? Oh my goodness she just APPEARED and swooped in like a hawk.
And I have no idea why Ageha just stood there and went "N......NO!!!" (*palm-to-face self attack*)
And then Ryusei just let everything happen. He was the one audience member watching as one vicious twin ate the other and approached him
I think the character I favor most of anyone is Ichijiku, who did not just stand by and was not vicious.
I can't really say much about the first volume. It only took 20 minutes to read......all I can do is rant about the sister. (*sigh)
(Review of October 11th)
This was a really cute manga to read!
Now let me just start off by saying that I started this manga off with volume 3 (because I couldn't find volume 1 or 2 on the shelves of my public library) AND that I'm not finished with the series yet. So this review isn't over the entire series because I still have yet to read.
But I'm very proud to say that I want to read MORE of Papillon.
I can't really perfectly organize what the series is about because I didn't start the series off with volume 1, but I know that it's about a girl named Ageha who feels that she has a perfect twin sister. She basically starts out the story with a crush on a dude named Ryusei, but her sister took him for herself.
Ageha confronts a counselor for advice. I know the counselor's nickname is Kyuu, but I forgot his real name...sorry--I'm totally, absolutely, and positively forgetful.
Anyway, I don't want to spoil past that particular point, but so far, Papillon is an adorable romance story that reveals what happens when girls overreact. Ageha becomes very nervous when she thinks that she has annoyed or bothered someone, so she freaks out and demands herself to apologize to them immediately.
I can relate to her feelings because I freak out just as much when I annoy someone.
You might have heard these following quotes off a "like" on facebook, but it's been a deja-vu thing for me for YEEEEARS (like, since the 5th grade).
Theresa: "I'm sorry!"
Bystander: "STOP SAYING YOU'RE SORRY!!"
Theresa: "Okay, sorry..."
Anyway, leaning back onto the subject...
I think Miwa Ueda did a very, very, very good job expressing how someone like Ageha would freak out over certain things in certain ways. Some of you might read this series and think, "SHE OVERREACTS ABOUT EVERYTHING!!! WHO OVERREACTS LIKE THAT?! I BET THERE'S NOT A SINGLE HUMAN BEING WHO OVERREACTS AS MUCH AS THIS!!"
Wrong, dude. I overreact like that ALL THE TIME. And it's not because I try because I seriously don't.
But anyway, Ageha's twin sister, Hana, is basically placed as somewhat of an antagonist. She can't stand Ageha's happiness, and when attention is directed at Ageha, Hana attempts to direct it to herself. It makes me want to stick my hand into the book and smack the fo-shizzle out of her, but I remind myself that she is just a cartoon character and that I can only smack the fo-shizzle out of her in my head where no one can see or hear it but me.
The way Ueda plots the story is very interesting and thrilling, and she weaves excellent cliff hangers.
The art is adorable. Sometimes I mistaken Ageha and Hana for one another, but that's not too big of a problem because I usually tend to figure it out by myself. (It becomes a problem when I seriously cannot tell the two of them apart, but it's NOT a big problem, so IT'S OKAY!!!!)
AND to top it all off, this manga made me laugh. IT GOES ON. MY. SMILEY SHELF!
So yeah, I know this was a lame-O review, but it's 11:45 at night and I'm sleepy, and I CANNOT FALL ASLEEP LETTING THIS REVIEW GO UNPOSTED!!! But yes, this is how I truly feel about Papillon.
I love the title!! It's french for "butterfly". HOW ADORABLE!!!
Oh man did I not like the sister. Although that's the whole point of the sister anyway!
So, this is the first installment of papillon. I've read volumes 2-6 but I only reviewed volume 1, so I've decided to redo the review into a way nicer, more refined review that this series deserves. Starting with VOLUME 1.
Oh man did Hana get on my nerves. I wanted to rip her away from Ryusuke......wait, Ryusei, was it? Oh my goodness she just APPEARED and swooped in like a hawk.
And I have no idea why Ageha just stood there and went "N......NO!!!" (*palm-to-face self attack*)
And then Ryusei just let everything happen. He was the one audience member watching as one vicious twin ate the other and approached him
I think the character I favor most of anyone is Ichijiku, who did not just stand by and was not vicious.
I can't really say much about the first volume. It only took 20 minutes to read......all I can do is rant about the sister. (*sigh)
(Review of October 11th)
This was a really cute manga to read!
Now let me just start off by saying that I started this manga off with volume 3 (because I couldn't find volume 1 or 2 on the shelves of my public library) AND that I'm not finished with the series yet. So this review isn't over the entire series because I still have yet to read.
But I'm very proud to say that I want to read MORE of Papillon.
I can't really perfectly organize what the series is about because I didn't start the series off with volume 1, but I know that it's about a girl named Ageha who feels that she has a perfect twin sister. She basically starts out the story with a crush on a dude named Ryusei, but her sister took him for herself.
Ageha confronts a counselor for advice. I know the counselor's nickname is Kyuu, but I forgot his real name...sorry--I'm totally, absolutely, and positively forgetful.
Anyway, I don't want to spoil past that particular point, but so far, Papillon is an adorable romance story that reveals what happens when girls overreact. Ageha becomes very nervous when she thinks that she has annoyed or bothered someone, so she freaks out and demands herself to apologize to them immediately.
I can relate to her feelings because I freak out just as much when I annoy someone.
You might have heard these following quotes off a "like" on facebook, but it's been a deja-vu thing for me for YEEEEARS (like, since the 5th grade).
Theresa: "I'm sorry!"
Bystander: "STOP SAYING YOU'RE SORRY!!"
Theresa: "Okay, sorry..."
Anyway, leaning back onto the subject...
I think Miwa Ueda did a very, very, very good job expressing how someone like Ageha would freak out over certain things in certain ways. Some of you might read this series and think, "SHE OVERREACTS ABOUT EVERYTHING!!! WHO OVERREACTS LIKE THAT?! I BET THERE'S NOT A SINGLE HUMAN BEING WHO OVERREACTS AS MUCH AS THIS!!"
Wrong, dude. I overreact like that ALL THE TIME. And it's not because I try because I seriously don't.
But anyway, Ageha's twin sister, Hana, is basically placed as somewhat of an antagonist. She can't stand Ageha's happiness, and when attention is directed at Ageha, Hana attempts to direct it to herself. It makes me want to stick my hand into the book and smack the fo-shizzle out of her, but I remind myself that she is just a cartoon character and that I can only smack the fo-shizzle out of her in my head where no one can see or hear it but me.
The way Ueda plots the story is very interesting and thrilling, and she weaves excellent cliff hangers.
The art is adorable. Sometimes I mistaken Ageha and Hana for one another, but that's not too big of a problem because I usually tend to figure it out by myself. (It becomes a problem when I seriously cannot tell the two of them apart, but it's NOT a big problem, so IT'S OKAY!!!!)
AND to top it all off, this manga made me laugh. IT GOES ON. MY. SMILEY SHELF!
So yeah, I know this was a lame-O review, but it's 11:45 at night and I'm sleepy, and I CANNOT FALL ASLEEP LETTING THIS REVIEW GO UNPOSTED!!! But yes, this is how I truly feel about Papillon.
I love the title!! It's french for "butterfly". HOW ADORABLE!!!
October 30, 2010
As a long time fan of Miwa's other work Peach Girl, I eagerly grabbed this manga off the shelves as soon as I saw it. The story is about a shy & "mousy" girl who is always in the shadow of her beautiful & glamorous twin. (I say mousy since the main character of Ageha is one of those pretty ugly girls that is never really ugly or mousy.) Ageha was raised in the countryside, having been left to take care of her grandmother until she died & her sister Hana was taken to the city with their parents. Ageha's tentative existence is shaken up when she meets a guy from her past (Ryuusei) whom she's had a crush on forever. A guy that her sister also seems to have a crush on. Never fear, as there's also an equally gorgeous guidance counselor (Kyuu) who is willing to help Ageha get the guy she wants & get from under her sister's shadow.
Let me first say that while I was entertained by this manga, the plotline is really very similar to Peach Girl. Some of the circumstances has changed, but the plotline is still about a pretty outcast teen who has to fight against a backstabbing "friend" to get the guy she wants. The only difference is that now the "friend" is her sister. The guys are also the same as well, with Ryuusei & Kyuu both strongly resembling the male love interests in Peach Girl. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's sort of a little dissapointing. This formula is a safe plot mechanism & works, but it's just that I've seen it before in her previous manga.
Even so, the manga still is pretty entertaining for the most part. As long as the twists & turns still keep coming, I'll probably still read this. I only hope that this go round the twists aren't nearly as constant as they were in Peach Girl, as the soap opera twists got a little exausting at times.
Let me first say that while I was entertained by this manga, the plotline is really very similar to Peach Girl. Some of the circumstances has changed, but the plotline is still about a pretty outcast teen who has to fight against a backstabbing "friend" to get the guy she wants. The only difference is that now the "friend" is her sister. The guys are also the same as well, with Ryuusei & Kyuu both strongly resembling the male love interests in Peach Girl. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's sort of a little dissapointing. This formula is a safe plot mechanism & works, but it's just that I've seen it before in her previous manga.
Even so, the manga still is pretty entertaining for the most part. As long as the twists & turns still keep coming, I'll probably still read this. I only hope that this go round the twists aren't nearly as constant as they were in Peach Girl, as the soap opera twists got a little exausting at times.
December 28, 2009
From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up—Ueda, best known for her prolific "Peach Girl" books (Tokyopop), returns with a new series filled with beautiful girls, beautiful boys, and butterflylike transformations. Ageha resents her twin sister, Hana, for being more popular and attractive than she is, although readers will quickly deduce that their differences really boil down to attitude. The book has several well-developed supporting characters, including Ageha's childhood friend Ryusei, who is now a teen dreamboat, and school guidance counselor Kyu, who believes in the power of positive thinking. He encourages Ageha to reconnect with Ryusei, but soon after she does so and romances start to bloom, Hana makes the ultimate low-down dirty move of stealing Ryusei for herself. Ageha's sorrow is somewhat mollified by Kyu's support, although his friendliness is actually flirtatious and crosses the line of appropriate interaction between a guidance counselor and a student. Ageha continues to pine after Ryusei and makes a concerted effort to win him back. This roller coaster of a romance is beautiful to look at; Ueda's artwork skillfully captures the expressions of love and heartache.
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Yeah. that whole thing with the school "guidance counselor" really bothered me - he was hitting on the students, and it seems I recall him walking around in his underwear, but I might be confusing this with another story, because it's been a couple weeks since I read this. But still.
Grade 7 Up—Ueda, best known for her prolific "Peach Girl" books (Tokyopop), returns with a new series filled with beautiful girls, beautiful boys, and butterflylike transformations. Ageha resents her twin sister, Hana, for being more popular and attractive than she is, although readers will quickly deduce that their differences really boil down to attitude. The book has several well-developed supporting characters, including Ageha's childhood friend Ryusei, who is now a teen dreamboat, and school guidance counselor Kyu, who believes in the power of positive thinking. He encourages Ageha to reconnect with Ryusei, but soon after she does so and romances start to bloom, Hana makes the ultimate low-down dirty move of stealing Ryusei for herself. Ageha's sorrow is somewhat mollified by Kyu's support, although his friendliness is actually flirtatious and crosses the line of appropriate interaction between a guidance counselor and a student. Ageha continues to pine after Ryusei and makes a concerted effort to win him back. This roller coaster of a romance is beautiful to look at; Ueda's artwork skillfully captures the expressions of love and heartache.
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Yeah. that whole thing with the school "guidance counselor" really bothered me - he was hitting on the students, and it seems I recall him walking around in his underwear, but I might be confusing this with another story, because it's been a couple weeks since I read this. But still.
October 21, 2012
OHMYFUDGINGCRUDDONKEYS!!!! its been such a long time since ive picked up a manga this good. When picking up a shojo manga its hard for me to read them and dislike it but this manga series was better than good it was amazing it had me laughing, crying and screaming at the most unseen moments. Mangas can be very "reusable" what i mean by that is certain manga types all follow the same general plot and while reading this thats what i expected at every moment in this book up until the end but of course this one was different which is whiy i love it so much it had such a twist at the end of each chapter. I read this whole series in on sitting because it was such a good series. I remember just wanting to rip my hair out because it was just so thrilling and had everything in my body on guard for the next page it was such an entertaining series and im so glad i decided to have a random splurge at the library and pick up a bunch of mangas cause this one was deffinetely worth reading and made my day in the best way possible. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves mangas, as i certainly do. Only regret of this series...it ended.
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