Träume, Musik und die erste Liebe Bereits in OUR SUMMER HOLIDAY & MERMAID PRINCE hat die japanische Mangaka Kaori Ozaki ihr Gespür für die Gefühlswelt von Teenagern bewiesen. Und auch in ihrer neuen Serie THE GOLDEN SHEEP dreht sich alles um die wichtigen Fragen auf dem Weg zum Erwachsenwerden . Tsugu und Sora hauen ab nach Tokyo und jobben in einem Kroketten-Imbiss für Kost und Logis. Yushin beschließt, die Schule zu schmeißen und die Profi-Prüfung für Boxer anzugehen. Und Asari, die heimlich in Yushin verliebt ist, kapselt sich immer mehr ab. Alle machen ihr Ding – die alte Clique aus der Inselschule scheint es nicht mehr zu geben… Eine berührende Slice-of-Life Miniserie, perfekt für Fans von ORANGE. Weitere - Abgeschlossen in 3 Bänden - Empfohlen ab 14 Jahren
Kaori Ozaki (Japanese name: 尾崎かおり) is a professional comic artist and character designer. She made her debut in 1993 at the age of 15 for shojo publisher Shinshokan with the short series An Angel above the Piano. Her breakthrough work Immortal Rain earned her great acclaim globally as it was translated into a dozen languages and eventually published in the United States by Tokyopop. She worked on the eleven volume series for 12 years before switching publishers and switching genres with her first title from Kodansha's young adult magazine Afternoon, The Gods Lie.
This isn't as musically driven as I was hoping, but I'm still enjoying it. So far I feel like we're getting something from everyone except the main character. We know a little bit about Tsugu, but haven't really delved into her emotional well-being and her history too much. The story has mostly focused on Sora and Yuushin.
Yuushin is such a shitty person and I despise him, but I can't help but feel bad for him. He hates himself so much, but it doesn't excuse the things he's done. Everything he's done is a choice he's made and assaulting others is not okay. It doesn't even seem like he regrets doing any of it, he just knows he's a shitty person. I'm not sure he can really be redeemed, but it'll be interesting to see his relationship with Sora change. I don't want him and Sora to become friends again tho. Sora deserves infinitely better than to make up with someone who made him want to kill himself.
I actually enjoyed this vol more than the 1st one and it end with a cliffhanger I really hope they will come friends again , and I think the characters are so engaging ✨ 🚨Trigger warring: bullying, suicide
Thank you so much Netgalley for providing me a copy of this volume in exchange of an honest review.
I am so glad to have found this manga, it has so much depth in each one of the characters. It’s not just black and white, just several shades of gray. They all have their own doubts and issues, and have made questionable choices but I believe that deep inside they are just scared kids that don’t know how to cope with life.
This volume was definitely lighter than the previous one, it had dark moments but it also had sweet scenes between Tsugu and Sora, and perhaps a redemption arc for Yuushin, I can’t help to think that deep down he honestly cares for his friend and I hope they can mend their relationship in the future.
El segundo tomo de esta bella historia sobre un grupo de amigos que está tratando de recuperar la amistad que tenían antes.
Siento que, al ser el tomo de en medio, el desarrollo fue un poco lento y mucho menos impactante que el primero; aún así, el final me pareció perfecto. Seguiré inmediatamente con el tercer y último volumen.
I've received ARC from publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
Ah, man... the feels. I've read second volume of The Golden Sheep right after finishing the first one. That one made me cry like a baby. I didn't expect such a heavy topic and it hurted me physically to watch all the four MCs suffering like that.
Second volume is much more light-hearted, at least for Tsugu and Sora. They're both exploring their new lives in Tokyo, working at Tsugu's grandpa's croquette's shop. Not only do they have to get on their own feet, they also have to deal with their unsolved emotions back from home. I've especially loved parts with Sora, who is slowly opening up to Tsugu and their friendship evolves into something else. And then there's Yuushin - who wants to become a pro boxer. Yuushin, who bullied his childhood friend and almost drove him to suicide. I've never been a fan of his, and I didn't feel any pity towards him. Nope. Yuushin is just a brat.
I honestly have no expectations but I was surely pleasantly surprised. The Golden Sheep tells a story about drifting apart and trying to find a place in a world. It's very emotional, realistic and just... raw.
I'm really rooting for Sora, here, and it was awesome to see how he's developed since leaving home with Tsugu. However, I'm far less enthused by the rest of the cast: Tsugu needs to learn to let go of friends that are bad for her, Yuushin is just a terrible person, and Asari... she can have a pass for this volume, although it's obvious she's still pretty self-centered. A lot of this behavior I can chalk up to the cast being made up of teenagers who are still trying to figure out who they want to be, but other times it's just so overdramatic. Yuushin in particular just disappoints me every time with his edgy dialogue and unforgivable behavior. I honestly do not care if he wants to change at this point, considering what he's done to Asari and Sora. I don't understand Tsugu's blind trust in him. So yeah, I'm rooting for Sora in the next volume, hoping Tsugu figures some stuff out, and wishing that Yuushin and Asari have as little panels as possible. (As a side note, Tsugu's "We don't change" comment really rubs me the wrong way. Bro, Sora's right there, bettering himself!)
This manga is making me such an emotional wreck! The first volume ended on such a huge cliffhanger and it was great to see Tsugu and Sora having fun and smiling in volume 2! (I ship them SO hard)
My greatest wish is for them to all heal and find peace in there lives, and I think the artist does a great job of portraying their inner turmoil. It's great to see their learning journey as they slowly discover their true selves.
The artstyle, which is what drew me to the manga in the first place, is so pretty and it really brings a warm feeling to your heart. I'd love to see some of the scenes in colour 😍
Rating: 4.5 / 5 ⭐ Trigger warnings for bullying, attempted suicide, pedophilia and harassment.
Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for providing the eARC in return for an honest review!
I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
The second volume of The Golden Sheep takes a shift in tone from the first, but is an equally strong continuation of the potent and beautifully illustrated story.
This volume wasn’t as hard-hitting to me as much as the first one was. But it’s still a good series, though I imagine certain parts of it can be potentially triggering to some readers.
Tsugu and Sora have run away from home together after experiencing nothing but misery and abuse directed at them from their former best friends Asari and Yuushin who have both changed drastically for the worse over the years. Yuushin is violent and hateful. Asari is bitter and jealous. So Tsugu and Sora have decided to move in with one of her father’s friends in a new town for a chance to move beyond the influence of their toxic friends and start a new happy life as true friends, or maybe even something more.
Not quite as dramatic, interesting or emotional as the first volume, but I really like the personal development of Sora in this one. He’s finally learning to stick up for himself and working harder to better his life with the help of his best friend Tsugu. Tsugu is a chill character, but she can be a bit dense and can’t read the room all that well. I hope her role improves with the next volume.
I’m also curious to learn more about what turned Yuushin into such a despicable person when it seems he was once the most caring person in the whole group.
The Golden Sheep: Vol 2 My Rating: 3.5/5
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Le doy un 4,5. ¡Me ha gustado un montón! Si que es verdad que el primer tomo es bastante más largo y profundo, pero me ha encantado ver a Tsugu y Sora pasando más tiempo juntos y el final de este tomo ha sido genial. Sora está siendo mi personaje favorito, es muy tierno y me encanta que poco a poco vaya confiando en si mismo. No acabo de ubicar a Yushin, pero me parece un personaje muy interesante que puede dar mucho juego. Quiero seguir sabiendo más de ellos, pero solo me queda un tomo y NO QUIERO DESPEDIRME YA.
This volume shows struggles of gaining independence and how it’s not as easy as it looks. I like how well it’s portrayed throughout this volume and although very funny it teaches a lesson to know what you’re getting into before you dive in. Overall this volume is so lighthearted and sweet I think out of the 3 this might be my favorite one because it was a lot of wholesome interactions. Id say I didn’t give it the full 5 stars just because I felt it was too brief LOL.
This was nowhere near as good as the first book but still dealt with some seriously depressing issues, one of which led to a very graphic and violent scene. The glimmer of hope at the end warmed my heart and I'm hoping book three leans more in that direction. I'm not positive that people can truly change or ever atone for all the wrong they've done in this world and to others but we'll see. I loved how understanding Sora's and Tsugu's families were about the runaways.
This was not as strong as the first and was a lot shorter as well. The cover photo basically depicts 90% of what Sora and Tsugu are doing throughout this whole volume: making croquettes!
Grasping for calm and hungering for stability amid self-induced chaos, Sora distracts himself with work, Tsugu ponders myriad what-ifs, Yuushin charges ahead recklessly, and Asari nearly permits herself to be swallowed whole by the fantastical stakes she claimed ever since she was a little girl. None of the teenagers of GOLDEN SHEEP #2 are living an ideal life, but neither are any of them capable of deviating from the trauma of their own, constantly evolving anxieties.
If one found it admirable for Sora and Tsugu to have struck out on their own, because life was too strenuous in too many ways, then one may find it a bit boorish to see these characters affably wandering until the alarm sounds on their flight from reality. Fortunately, the author, Ozaki, never permits characters with internal struggles to sit still for too long. To shake things up, the pair stumbles into full-time work for a rambunctious geezer who owns a tiny croquettes shop.
Sora's growing feelings for Tsugu are buried beneath a mountain of fried ground beef. And it's all for the best, since the busywork further removes the young man from his bout with suicide not too long ago. Tsugu, for her part, still yearns for a stable family. She's lonely. Terribly lonely. And she's on the verge of either making peace with this truth or becoming a professional liar about its impact on her sense of self. Well, at least they have each other.
GOLDEN SHEEP #2 moves slowly and patiently, for the most part, and lacks the emotional and bittersweet undertones of the previous volume. Except for one or two critical scenes between Asari and Yuushin. This volume is the corkscrew part of the roller-coaster: everyone is twisting and turning and upside-down from one moment to the next, thinking they're in charge when they're not. When Asari acquiesces to being alone with Yuushin, who is fed up with being an unaccomplished fool, the two become intimate . . . but consent is in question. And everything spirals out of control from there.
What's most heartbreaking about this book is how finely Ozaki's characters regress to their farer instincts. Yuushin is a piece of garbage, wanting to play the hero but not investing the energy to do so. It's frustrating to think that Tsugu will forgive him for his arrogance. But that's the way it goes. It remains an open question as to whether Sora and Asari will be as forgiving, as it most certainly is not in their nature to do so.
Visually, it's hard to emphasize just how dynamic the artist's work is. Expressiveness is definitely one of Ozaki's strong points. A character like Tsugu, who squints and stretches and rocks out in just about every panel, is easy to root for and makes for a phenomenal point-of-view character. Sora, who slouches and has shaggy black hair, is like a ghost because he's so listless for every second of every day until he decides to stand up and make himself known. These whimsical elements of character growth are part of what makes GOLDEN SHEEP #2 a delightful and complicated conquest of contrasts, emotionally, aesthetically, and all the rest.
TLDR: This volume is better than the previous. Pretty solid, and I enjoy the character development.
Longer Review: While this volume is better, I would still argue that you should start at the first volume. Without it, you could probably figure out what is happening but you may enjoy it less or the moments may have less of an impact on you as a reader. The progression for the characters feels very natural and is enjoyable. The new characters that are introduced are also enjoyable. Some comedy is introduced to help lighten the mood a lot. This manga is tackling some very serious and, at times, depressing topics. The anxiety each character feels and the way the story is told is very well done also. One complaint, there is a bit of a weird scene at one part of the volume. It isn't terrible, but it is a bit discomforting. Just a fair warning if you dive into this read. The art is also very well done. I would say of the mangas that I have read, this is one of the nicer drawn ones. One thing I also really enjoy about this manga is that you care about each character, even the ones that you would feel are less likeable. In addition to this, I feel like the story introduces a lot of interesting plot elements to keep the story moving. It also creates tension for the characters as well. As mentioned previously, I don't feel these elements feel forced though. They feel very natural. I would recommend this manga based on these 2 volumes, and I am looking forward to the last one.
I was provided an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved The Golden Sheep Vol. 2. I received the arc via NetGalley and had to read the first volume before getting into this one, which was a great choice. In the first book we discover the changes that can come over us when life happens and how hard it can be to let go and to hold on to old feeling, memories and friends.
After Tsugu moved back to the small town where she left her three best friends many years ago, she had to discover that not everything stays the same. And that not everything is at it seems. People change under pain. And sometimes they start hurting others in response.
In the second volume we follow the four friends again and learn even more about their past. I love how nice and pretty the art style is, while the emotions and the story can be so intense and heartbreaking. We learn more about Yuushin, and see our four friends grow, break and heal some more.
After Tsugu and Sora run away to Tokyo they start their new life there in a little croquettes shop owned by a strange old man. Asari and Yuushin have to deal with their own problems and feelings unable to put all the blame on Tsugu and Sora this time. But ways cross again and the ghosts of their past are just too big and strong to let go.
It's been a long time since I felt that connected to the emotions and story of a manga series. The Golden Sheep reminds me pretty much of Kodomo No Omocha in that way, one of my all time favourite series, which was really dear to me growing up.
I couldn't put the second volume down and can't wait to read the third one now. To learn more about the kids and their friendship, that - which this volume showed - is strong enough to overcome pain and life, if they are ready for it.
Warnings: sexual assault, mention of suicide, physical violence
When Tsugu and Sora reach the house where her father sent them too, they find a grumpy old man who declares Sora his estranged son, and ropes them into being employees in his croquette shop. Finding a home, and something to do makes them both happier than they were back in their town, and so, when the parentals tell them to come back, they decide to stay on in Tokyo. For Sora, particularly, he is recovering from his bullying and the depression from it, and he also finds this new life more fulfilling; he is also starting to fall for Tsugu, and they both do go on a cute non-date later on in the volume. Am I rooting for them? Sure! I also love the found family dynamics of Tsugu, Sora and the grandpa - while the latter orders them about like a boss, he cares for them like his kids, so its sweet.
Meanwhile, Asari is surprised that Tsugu ran away with Sora instead of Yuushin, and she tries to get close to the latter. Yuushin, still hurting and deprived of his favorite punching bag, tries to bully Asari, too, and finally he decides to just go pro in boxing to get out of this town. After months of training, his test is being held in Tokyo, and coincidentally he finds the croquette shop where Sora is now working, and goes to confront him. I will be honest - I haven't warmed up to Yuushin at all, because he just hurts the world when he is hurting. Sure, he is a teen, but he almost drove Sora to suicide, so yeah, Sora doesn't have to forgive him, and Tsugu involving Sora in helping Yuushin kind of didn't sit right with me, especially since she has the context. Whether Yuushin is capable of not being a bully going forward, and atoning for the pain he caused, remains to be seen.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Kodansha Comics, via Netgalley.