水神の生贄 7 [Suijin no Hanayome 7]

水神の生贄 [Suijin no Hanayome] #7

by Rei Tōma, 藤間麗

Jede Nacht träumt Asahi vom Wassergott und seinem endlosen See. Wie eine ferne Erinnerung fließt das Wasser heran und umspült sehnsüchtig ihre Füße, bis der Wassergott ihren Namen ruft. Sie will zu ihm. Und zu Subaru. Sie konnte sich ja nicht einmal richtig verabschieden. Tagsüber schleicht sie um den Teich im elterlichen Garten, ihr Blick versunken in die Wasseroberfläche. Auf seinem Grund sieht sie die Menschen unter anhaltender Dürre leiden. Kann denn niemand den Wassergott erweichen und es endlich regnen lassen?

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Romance, Shojo, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Dragons

192 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2017

About the author

Rei Tōma (Japanese: 藤間 麗,Tōma Rei) has been drawing since childhood, but she only began drawing manga because of her graduation project in design school. When she drew a short-story manga, "Help me dentist" (ヘルプ me デンティスト), it attracted a publisher's attention and she made her debut right away. Her magnificent art style became popular, and after she debuted as a manga artist, she became known as an illustrator for novels and video game character designs.

Dawn of the Arcana is her first long-running manga series, and it has been a hit in Japan, selling over a million copies.

Reviews

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is slightly catching on. I am writing this with a heavy heart because the author is one of my all time favorite mangakas.

[Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out more manga and graphic novel reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

Asahi was a little girl happily living with her parents in modern times until she's pulled through a pond and wakes up in feudal Japan. It's now been some years and Asahi has grown into a lovely young woman under the protection of the local water dragon god, the young man she befriended whose village she lives in, Subaru and Tsukihiko, the priest teaching her the duties of a priestess.

I really adore Haruki! I'm not sure if I could have just jumped in and did what Asahi did in this volume... I did feel like she was torn but I also felt like she was connected more with the Water Dragon God, Subaru and even the young king. Which makes sense in this situation... but GAHHHH poor Haruki. I really enjoyed seeing his perspective and understanding what he went through, I think Asahi will think back on these scenes and feel pangs about her sudden spontaneous water moment.

For a transition volume this was quite excellent... Our leave taking from Haruki was beautifully done and not rushed. And the next part was like GAHHHH WHAT THE HELL?! I know if I was the Water Dragon God I would be particularly miffed! I think I feel more curiosity about his reaction to these two new characters than I do about what Asahi will do... Because we were so cruelly left hanging at the end of her dramatic rescue of the king!!

I was particularly loving the dark, really black panels at the end!! This is in total contrast with the rest of the art which is light and bright and full of space. You really felt what this sudden darkness meant for Asahi and after such bold actions to reunite with the Water Dragon God!?! And you visually got to see what her future could hold if she doesn't figure out how to get out... This end was such a contrast to her time with Haruki that you really felt the shift... and all due to the art!!

This series is not full of tiny frames that flesh out the plot and relationships with little details... it will certainly feel different from the comedy manga which do have this kind of setup on the page. Instead The Water Dragon's Bride is full of sweeping emotions, dramatic turns and art that shows us the story as if a movie... That is no where more evident than in vol 7!! Seriously the tension is high, the twists are gasp worthy and it is a real mistake to miss out on this series as the world is further expanded, with a new god in The Water Dragon's Bride pantheon!

The Water Dragon's Bride vol 7 sets Asahi on a path of her own choosing now. Life is almost certain to take us down unknown paths and the same is true for this brave young woman who realizes that her path must bisect with a certain Water Dragon God for her to be happy and more importantly content with life. As she braves her choice she must face her worst challenge yet... the dark!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tension
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Art


Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. This has not influenced my opinion.


This is a multi-volume series and there may be references to the plot of those volumes... SO READ WITH CARE! Here is my review of 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my manga and graphic novel reviews in a special feature called Saturday Morning Cartoons...

Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!

[Victoria ✮⋆˙ · Rating 5 out of 5]

and now i’m caught up with the scANS! I CANT LEAVE IT LIKE THAT! I NEED MORE

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

♥️

[Alice4170 🌙 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for tsundere bishounen characters, especially when that stolid front starts to crack and we see a glimpse of emotion. The water dragon god still has a ways to go to fully understand human emotions, but with Asahi's help, he's got loneliness and joy down pretty good now. Next volume, please!

[Whitney (The Cover Collector) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am already mourning the end of this series. I wish Subaru were the main character. I wish Asahi ended up with him but I know that won't happen. He'll always remain her friend who will selflessly do anything for her and sacrifice his own happiness and life for hers. I hate those endings. I just want HIM to be happy; don't really care about her at this point. I want him to find someone who actually treats him the same way. Gah, I'm totally getting emotionally invested.

[DonutKnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww the god and Asahi’s interactions are so cute 😍

[BreAnna (Bre'sBooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww, I feel so bad for her family. I really liked her brother too!!!

[eve.lyn._.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌊💦💧The Water Dragon's Bride Vol 7💧💦🌊
Asahi is stuck between two worlds, her beloved place with The Water Dragon god and in her home with her family. She spends time reading and talking to her brother Haruki, while struggling with her yearning to return to the magical world she grew up in. Afraid to disappoint and hurt her parents, Asahi is struggling with her purpose. Meanwhile, rain has stopped coming, and Subaru begs The Water Dragon god to fulfill his wish. The Water Dragon god is distant and cold towards the humans, now not a presence among them since Asahi's departure.

THE WATER DRAGON GOD: "The humans are starting wars because they are drawn to power. And humans who fight are more unseeingly and pathetic and therefore even more pitiable? Am I to save the every single time? They will repeat their mistakes but they will learn. Over all this time I've seen the humans grow and mature. Then let them learn."
THE TREE GOD: "Have you not learned as well? Repeating the same failures . . . the same regrets? Have you not done the same?"
-The Water Dragon god and The Tree god
Rei Toma does it again with a fantastic volume in the series. I was delighted to see The Water Dragon god go through character growth. Certain lines and dialongue explained a lot of his actions and decisions, and I loved being able to understand him better. Some of my favorite plot points/themes were explored, such as the will of the humans and gods.

SUBARU:"But even so . . . I have a request. Just one. Tomorrow the emperor is putting on a ritual to pray for rain. At that time would you make it rain please?"
THE WATER DRAGON GOD: "Will that cause the fighting to cease? It will not reach the root of the conflict. The seed was planted long ago . . . and I was not the one who sowed it."
-Subaru and The Water Dragon god

Watching Asahi explore the life she always wanted and the one that she ended up having was interesting. I enjoyed seeing a part from Haruki's perspective and the effect the aftermath of Asahi's disappearance had on her parents. Asahi struggled with a lot of internal struggles, and this really influenced how she perceived situations. Subaru struggles with his happiness for Asahi, and misses her dearly. Meanwhile, The Water Dragon god ponders the difference in his life without Asahi and what his actions would do to help humans.

ASAHI:"I felt you were calling me."
THE WATER DRAGON GOD: "I did not call you."
ASAHI: "Then I guess I just . . . missed you so much."
THE WATER DRAGON GOD: "I did not call you!" why? why? What. . . what is this? What am I to do? I feel like screaming aloud but. . . ah I see. This . . . this is . . . joy.
-Asahi and The Water Dragon god

I love watching all of the characters influence and change as they explore themselves more. This volume was particularly one of my favorites. Although a certain decision Asahi made was slightly frustrating, it made sense. A new plot concept was introduced where the previous ones got lost in that plot. However, I loved the introduction of new characters and intriguing powers. This novel was sweet and I loved the exploration of friendships!
🌊PLOT
🌊PLOT TWISTS
🌊CHARACTERS
🌊=☑️

[frau.meln · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mittlerweile wird deutlich in welche Richtung Asahis Gefühle wohl gehen und ich weiß, es wird mir so oder so das Herz brechen…
Aber ich muss sagen, dass mir die Reihe von Band zu Band besser gefällt, einfach weil die charakterlichen Entwicklungen so fein und natürlich von statten gehen. Diese Nuancen finde ich tatsächlich äußerst spannend.

Die Reihe ist im allgemeinen sehr bildhaft erzählt und bedient sich vorwiegend an wenig Text. Dafür werden viele Emotionen übertragen, die einem einen hervorragenden Einblick über die Gefühlswelt der Charaktere einbringen.
Dafür ist es natürlich mit jeder weiteren Band umso schwerer spoilerfrei eine Rezension zustande zu bringen. Vor allem, wenn der Band so emotionsbasiert ist, wie dieser.

Daher heute nochmal ganz allein, was ihr von „Die Braut des Wasserdrachen“ allgemein erwarten könnt:
Der Zeichenstil ist sehr fein und vorwiegend detailliert. Allerdings könnte es ruhig noch mehr Hintergründe geben. Der Erzählstil ist im allgemeinen sehr bildhaft. Besonders für den Beginn der Geschichte macht das sehr viel Sinn. Meiner Meinung nach wirklich gut gemacht. Allgemein ist die Erzählung eher ruhig, wenn auch nicht immer friedlich. Dieser Kontrast gefällt mir persönlich sehr gut.
Asahi ist ein Mädchen aus unserer Welt, dass sich plötzlich in einer anderen Zeit wiederfindet. Auf Grund einer Opferzeremonie kommt sie in Kontakt mit dem Wassergott. Eine Verbindung die ihr das Leben manchmal äußerst schwer macht. Es gibt ein Liebesdreieck, was man vorwiegend aus der Sicht der boys wahrnimmt. Der Punkt mit dem Wassergott, macht es zwar schon ziemlich deutlich, aber in dieser Geschichte sind vorwiegend Fantasy und historische Elemente verwoben. Die Episoden, die in unserer Welt spielen sind im Gegenzug äußerst gering.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today's post is on The Water Dragon's Bride, Vol. 7 by Rei Toma. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the Water Dragon on it. As it is the seventh in the series, you need to have read the first six volumes to understand the story. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The intended reader is someone who likes historical fantasy and shojo manga. The story is told from mostly the main character, Asahi but at times from other characters for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- Asahi returns to the present day, and though her reunion with her family is joyful, she misses Subaru and the water dragon god in the other world. When Asahi comes to a decision about what to do, the water dragon god’s heart is greatly shaken!


Review- Asahi has to choose what she wants and where she wants to be. She is back with her family but she keeps seeing people from other world and she is dreaming about water and the Water Dragon God. In the end she goes back to him and that world but now she has gotten the attention of someone else who also has a god’s power and attention. He is going to be the big bad for the series, I think and I think he would be a good one as he is very cold. I hope that we see what happens to Asashi’s family as she has chosen to leave them this time and not be taken. I am looking forward to the next volume.


I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

[Moriah Venable · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went through the previous volumes quickly and read this volume this morning while on my way to school.

Asahi is now back home with her family and discovers that she now has a little brother. Her brother looks to be about ten years old so I am assuming that its been about ten years since she disappeared.

She attends school, but think she sees Subaru. She misses the people she knew in the other world and feels lonely.

While she is in the other world, she missed home but now that she's home, she misses the other place. Every time she sees water, she thinks of the Water God and misses him.

In the meantime, The Water Dragon and Subaru miss Asahi, but Subaru knows that she is happy back wherever she is.

Will Asahi be able to return to her friends or will she live out the rest of days back home and tries to forget the time spent there as well as the people?

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was not surprising that Asahi made the decision she did. I was sure, as the last volume ended, she would return immediately to the other world. It was nice to see her remain. It was also an interesting choice for Rei Toma to spend some time exploring the grief left in the wake of a child disappearance. The return of a missing child especially after such a long passage of time often has complex ramifications for the whole family. If greater research had gone into this aspect, it could have led to a more complete story (and adding contact information for support organizations). I know that is often out of a mangaka’s control, but it seems worthy of a discussion/fight with editors and publishers. The ending went in an out of the blue direction with a new dark twist...

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, I honestly did see it coming! She returned to her original world! It's in the description, so that's not a spoiler. My only small complaints about this storyline probably is a spoiler though, thus I won't be saying it plainly. I thought the parents' reactions (mostly the mom, as the dad barely plays a role...which is hilariously pointed out in an end-of-volume funny comic) were brushed over too quickly. The little brother character gets most of the attention, and he really works well to show off the trauma of a child going suddenly missing and what that does to a family, even after they've "moved on". Mostly well-handled, I just wished they could have given the parents more time. (I get that they aren't main characters, but I stand by my statement.)

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the cover featuring just the water dragon god! So beautifully blue! There's quiet indifference with a hint of amusement in his expression. Perhaps it veils his true feelings for Asahi that he has yet to recognize aloud?

In volume 7, there's lots of longing with unexpected feelings to work through leading to conscious and unconscious choices. We're introduced to new characters that will either lead to sameness or something new to the story.

I really liked getting to know Haruki, Asahi's little brother, more and the reason behind his interactions with Asahi. Haruki is a good boy with a good heart. After the turn of events in this volume, it'll be interesting to see what he does throughout the remainder of this series.

[rondoravioli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toma choosing to explore the way that Asahi's disappearance affected her family, particularly her mom and Haruki, was an aspect of this volume I really enjoyed. I liked the way that Haruki and Asahi were starting to form a relationship with one another, and the way that Asahi was torn between staying with her family and going back to the other world with the Water Dragon God and Subaru was realistic without feeling overwrought.

I'm still enjoying seeing the Water Dragon God get more and more in touch with his feelings, especially regarding Asahi. I'm curious to see where things go with the god of darkness that's introduced at the end of this volume, too, but I'm not very invested in it as it stands.

[Doc · Rating 5 out of 5]

And before Asashi knew it...she was home.

Having been sent back to her childhood home to protect her Asashi got to see her family once more. However even if her home is filled with love and the comforts of modern life are a blessing comparably after living in a feudal era since her childhood Asashi's heart is not complete having been raised in that harsh world where she may be in danger but her strong heart yearns and overcomes challenges yet feels lonely without the Water Dragon gods presence. Even with pages sparse of words this beautiful series continues to impress me as new antagonists enter the story as Asashi follows her heart.

[StrawberryShojo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seeing Asahi explore her old life and try to adapt to all the changes was really nice to read. I enjoyed the relationship she started to form with her little brother and seeing the overwhelming joy of her parents when Asahi returned. While I knew what Asahi's final decision would be, I ultimately wish she hadn't made it. I still really dislike the Water Dragon God as a romance option. While I was surprised at his character growth, it's just too little too late for me. Overall, I'm reading this story because I genuinely like Asahi's strength of character.

[Zian B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5 star rating;
Asahi feels conflicted while in her world and as the young emperor struggles to maintain power, an ominous character is in the background. Once Asahi returns to the world with her friends (and enemies), she gives the young emperor a rather smart question for him to think on and the Water Dragon God finally shows some emotion for Asahi.
This volume ended on a cliffhanger with 2 very ominous characters (one showing up earlier) capturing Asahi and I’m very intrigued on where things can go from here.

[Nightwings81 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers!!!

Asahi is allowed to return home to her family and a new brother, but the water and the strange world she left behind haunts her as she cannot shake her feelings for the Water God. She struggles to choose the world of her family, for which she has pined, and the world she has come to know and love, but which is becoming increasingly more dangerous for her.

As always exquisite art, with adorable chibi expressions that make reading oh so enjoyable.

[Lauren Schnoebelen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

I liked this a lot better than the last volume. Seeing Asahi in the world she desperately wanted to be in for so long was really interesting. Dealing with the emotions of getting what you wanted by realizing what you had was very well explained in this volume. I also really enjoyed the introduction of the new characters near the end of the volume and I’m ready to see how they will play out in future volumes.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can he do that how can he send her away like that,

I know that he did so to protect her but at the same time like noooooo.

I'm happy that she finally back with her family and even found out that she has a younger brother but noooo. I feel like she would have to be home school until she can go to school again. If she ends up staying in her world that's what would end up happening so she can play catch up.

Even though I hope that is not the case and she goes back to the other world.

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a big improvement. The series was definitely growing stale.

Asahi goes home, but it can't last, because these two star-crossed people must be together in the end, right? But the change of status does the trick of resetting things to make it more interesting again, as we see how things are apart from each other. And just when we might be going back to normal, Toma throws us a curve that's really, really creepy.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

When we last left Asahi, she had been sent home. I enjoyed seeing her back home, with her family. It was also neat to see the what went on in the world she left behind without her. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say that I'm glad to see the tone/pace hasn't really changed much. However to keep plot moving, there's drama with a hint of danger at the end too.

[Nadina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another good volume. What is nice is the character/ plot summary away the beginning of each volume. The whole storyline for this volume was good though. I liked how bitch focus was on Asahi's time back in her world and the hints of how she spent her time there.
The characters were great and I really liked her little brother. I also liked the artwork, since panels and bonus manga.

[Cheshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read the other's in this series and I absolutely adore the plot line and the art. The Water Dragon god may come off as an arrogant character, but he to has grown along with Asahi and Subaru. Do not be put of by the title, this is not a typical Shojo manga and Asahi isn't afraid to stand up to someone with immense power.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Asahi is trying to find the balance between her two worlds, and it's basically an emotional rollercoaster.

Series review can be found here: 水神の生贄 1 Suijin no Hanayome 1

[Charty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I continue to enjoy the gentle pace of the story and the way the art is able to breathe without a lot of artistic clutter in the panels. The story takes a dark turn right at the end - cliffhanger ahead!

[Danielle Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

And for now, I'm all caught up with the volume releases (that I've had checked out from the library up to this point), so that's one series I can cross off my long-stale manga pile. Absolutely enjoying this, so can't wait for the next few publications!