What do you think?
Rate this book
放課後保健室 [Houkago Hokenshitsu] #2
After School Nightmare, Volume 2
Mashiro's still getting used to the nightmarish class he must attend every week, but the confusion and frustration over his whole body only spurs him on to overcome his weaknesses. This turmoil of emotion isn't helping his relationship with the unstable Kureha... especially when Sou is advancing on him more than ever. With the event of the first graduate of the class, the goal of the class seems startlingly simple... but just what lurks behind those heavy doors and should the students be so willing to find out?
191 pages, Paperback
First published May 16, 2005
5 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Setona Mizushiro
139 books159 followersMizushiro Setona (水城せとな in Japanese, or 水城雪可奈 in Chinese language) is a popular mangaka who started out in the dōjinshi circles.
Her first real dabble in the world of creating manga was in 1985 when she participated in the publication of a dōjinshi. She remained active in the dōjinshi world until her debut in 1993 with the short single "Fuyu ga Owarou Toshiteita" (Winter Was Ending) that ran in Shōgakukan's Puchi Comic magazine.
Though her current drawing style is high on the aesthetic value, her earlier works had less finesse. Regardless of the lesser emphasis on the visual elements in her earlier works, her popularity grew largely due to her unparalleled grasp for storytelling. Her works are noted for their slightly askew plots and deep exploration of the human psyche. Even her lighthearted Shōjo works usually have darker underlying elements. With an incomparable ability to craft stories that puzzle, sadden, assure, pervert, and move the depths of one's heart, she has gained a cult-like following. Her works include shojo, josei, and yaoi, and have been translated into multiple languages, including English, Italian, French and German.
Her first real dabble in the world of creating manga was in 1985 when she participated in the publication of a dōjinshi. She remained active in the dōjinshi world until her debut in 1993 with the short single "Fuyu ga Owarou Toshiteita" (Winter Was Ending) that ran in Shōgakukan's Puchi Comic magazine.
Though her current drawing style is high on the aesthetic value, her earlier works had less finesse. Regardless of the lesser emphasis on the visual elements in her earlier works, her popularity grew largely due to her unparalleled grasp for storytelling. Her works are noted for their slightly askew plots and deep exploration of the human psyche. Even her lighthearted Shōjo works usually have darker underlying elements. With an incomparable ability to craft stories that puzzle, sadden, assure, pervert, and move the depths of one's heart, she has gained a cult-like following. Her works include shojo, josei, and yaoi, and have been translated into multiple languages, including English, Italian, French and German.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
March 27, 2016
This is how I see this series at this point: It was a (my) kind of (straight) understanding of crushes/attractions in high school that one boy likes a girl who doesn't like him but likes some other boy, and so on. The folly of love. This would have been the Archie-Veronica fifties that straight people felt they knew. The world of YA/comics was largely limited to this vision, for various reasons.
In the somewhat more GLBQ YA/comics of the last decade, the mainstream idea of romance expands significantly (yes, we had YA GLBQ texts before that, but permit me a little generalization here!) and now boy likes boy and boy likes boy who likes girl who likes girl who likes boy. There's some confusion (that Q), in other words, but now we can at least see boys like boys and girls like girls and we can see there is some are questioning and some are bi, and so on. I know, I know, this is all a simplification.
In After School Nightmare and a few texts like it we throw into the mix the more recent literary treatment of trans issues; we have more of a representation in the lit of GLBTQ. Not much, but some. Boys who want to be girls, and so on. But also boys who want to be girls who have girls interested in them. A character who is boy on top and girl on bottom, who thinks s/he is a boy, and who has a girl interested in her/him. And a boy who loves him. Think your high school romantic issues were complicated? (Oh, this IS what you went through?!)
And then, in the school where all this dram take place there is in addition to this drama a special class where you take a drug and experience shared dreams/nightmares, you participate in others' dreams, you get a sense of their identity issues and they get a sense of yours. In other words in addition to all the complicate romance you have this darker dream fantasy stuff. It's a lot for a late middle aged straight guy to take in, let me tell you (aw, you say, sorry, deal with it).
So this is intense and complicated and confusing for readers and characters alike and quite emo all the way though, no joking around. I am told by Rummanah that there is a satisfying pay-off so I will keep reading, but it is a little much for me at the moment, and I'm just a tad less engaged than I wanna be, but I have this feeling the YA audience would get way into it. Where in the west is there literature like this? Maybe creeping into 3.5 for me at the moment.
In the somewhat more GLBQ YA/comics of the last decade, the mainstream idea of romance expands significantly (yes, we had YA GLBQ texts before that, but permit me a little generalization here!) and now boy likes boy and boy likes boy who likes girl who likes girl who likes boy. There's some confusion (that Q), in other words, but now we can at least see boys like boys and girls like girls and we can see there is some are questioning and some are bi, and so on. I know, I know, this is all a simplification.
In After School Nightmare and a few texts like it we throw into the mix the more recent literary treatment of trans issues; we have more of a representation in the lit of GLBTQ. Not much, but some. Boys who want to be girls, and so on. But also boys who want to be girls who have girls interested in them. A character who is boy on top and girl on bottom, who thinks s/he is a boy, and who has a girl interested in her/him. And a boy who loves him. Think your high school romantic issues were complicated? (Oh, this IS what you went through?!)
And then, in the school where all this dram take place there is in addition to this drama a special class where you take a drug and experience shared dreams/nightmares, you participate in others' dreams, you get a sense of their identity issues and they get a sense of yours. In other words in addition to all the complicate romance you have this darker dream fantasy stuff. It's a lot for a late middle aged straight guy to take in, let me tell you (aw, you say, sorry, deal with it).
So this is intense and complicated and confusing for readers and characters alike and quite emo all the way though, no joking around. I am told by Rummanah that there is a satisfying pay-off so I will keep reading, but it is a little much for me at the moment, and I'm just a tad less engaged than I wanna be, but I have this feeling the YA audience would get way into it. Where in the west is there literature like this? Maybe creeping into 3.5 for me at the moment.
May 12, 2021
You know that meme where this character's "gay, but homophobic"? That's how reading this series feels. There's a lot of interesting ideas here about gender and sexuality, but wow, both of these love interests are awful.
June 15, 2020
I still didn't know anything about the main plot. Volume Two focus more on Mashiro's gender and love life. At some point it became annoying. Mashiro 'think' too much for someone who was determine he's a man. Instead of horror, it became a mushy teenage romance.
July 18, 2014
As we continue in this volume, Mashiro begins 'dating' Kureha, and is constantly rejecting Sou. XD great start.
Sou really doesn't seem to be getting anywhere, even if he does follow the guidance of his sister. And is she even his real sister or not?
I like that this volume included someone graduating, but after seeing that I'd almost rather not graduate, because no one would remember me and I don't know where I'd go.
What really bothers me though, is that all the characters are just like: "oh, mandatory classes where we have to steal a key from one another? No biggie, just tell me when it starts!" And they never question the teacher about it at all. :/
I mean, wouldn't you be hounding the teacher saying: "Why is this necessary for me to graduate? Why does only certain people start at certain times? Where does everyone to after they graduate? How is their presence erased from all classmates minds? Who else is in here? (Okay, he did ask that but still). Did you have to graduate Sensei? If the key is really inside of one of us, how can we get it out without having to STAB ourselves? Etc etc." at least that's what I would be asking. Constantly. Until I get an answer.
In a way, I feel more tense reading about the real world, (the fiction real world) than when they are in the dreams.
It does seem pretty unfair that Mashiro is the only person who just looks like himself the way he normally does, which gives everyone the advantage over him. (They can blackmail him too.)
It's probably just me, but I seem to be having great difficulty pronouncing the character's names. Mashiro I guess is okay, Mizuhashi and Kureha, (but its still kinda hard), but Ichijo, and even Sou as simple as it might seem, I just can't get the pronunciation correct.
Ugh, typical me.
Sou really doesn't seem to be getting anywhere, even if he does follow the guidance of his sister. And is she even his real sister or not?
I like that this volume included someone graduating, but after seeing that I'd almost rather not graduate, because no one would remember me and I don't know where I'd go.
What really bothers me though, is that all the characters are just like: "oh, mandatory classes where we have to steal a key from one another? No biggie, just tell me when it starts!" And they never question the teacher about it at all. :/
I mean, wouldn't you be hounding the teacher saying: "Why is this necessary for me to graduate? Why does only certain people start at certain times? Where does everyone to after they graduate? How is their presence erased from all classmates minds? Who else is in here? (Okay, he did ask that but still). Did you have to graduate Sensei? If the key is really inside of one of us, how can we get it out without having to STAB ourselves? Etc etc." at least that's what I would be asking. Constantly. Until I get an answer.
In a way, I feel more tense reading about the real world, (the fiction real world) than when they are in the dreams.
It does seem pretty unfair that Mashiro is the only person who just looks like himself the way he normally does, which gives everyone the advantage over him. (They can blackmail him too.)
It's probably just me, but I seem to be having great difficulty pronouncing the character's names. Mashiro I guess is okay, Mizuhashi and Kureha, (but its still kinda hard), but Ichijo, and even Sou as simple as it might seem, I just can't get the pronunciation correct.
Ugh, typical me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2016
Uhm, still creepy. And I still like it. Sou has some kind of twisted relationship with his sister... they kissed O_O
Karuha shows up her true self, she is jealous and possessive. Of course she would be, her bf kissed another boy and this boy is in love with him.
I am still engrossed in all the nightmares. There are less in this volume, but a new character is introduced (a giraffe).
I still cannot understand why Mashiro considers himself a man. He has the upper part of a boy but the below part of a woman. So isn't he just like a girl with flat-chess? I could understand Micah (from Pantomime, because he/she had all woman parts as well as man's part (breast, vagina, penis), but Mashiro, as far as I understand, has a vagina only. Hmph, sounds female to me **scratch head**
Karuha shows up her true self, she is jealous and possessive. Of course she would be, her bf kissed another boy and this boy is in love with him.
I am still engrossed in all the nightmares. There are less in this volume, but a new character is introduced (a giraffe).
I still cannot understand why Mashiro considers himself a man. He has the upper part of a boy but the below part of a woman. So isn't he just like a girl with flat-chess? I could understand Micah (from Pantomime, because he/she had all woman parts as well as man's part (breast, vagina, penis), but Mashiro, as far as I understand, has a vagina only. Hmph, sounds female to me **scratch head**
April 5, 2023
2.5/5 rounded up to a 3/5 for the decent psycho-mystery-drama. It's clear Mizushiro can write a good storyline and plot. But in a current reading the poor handling of intersexuality, gender, and sexuality (a key point of the series) feels dated and ruins the romance element that is half of what is meant to sell the series.
The actual nightmare plotline is handled really well. I enjoyed how the ace student arc was handled. The side characters and ensuing drama with the newly introduced character was really nice. The nightmare setting is a neat way to add action and imagery into the mystery and drama as well as explore certain emotional or psychological ideas.
But the story is slowly starting to not make up for the romance. It's just straight ugh. Personally, I don't find the love triangle interesting as neither romance pulls at me. With Kureha Mashiro just fucks off without her constantly. Sou negates Mashiro's gender and is implied to be the knight who in volume one attempts to rape him. How are either of these a compelling love interest? Ironically, some of the emotional romantic scenes did work but for the wrong reason.
For a series with an intersex character exploring their gender and debating about dating a male or a female this story is incredibly fucking hetero. Like, noone considers bisexuality.
The art isn't drawing me in as much anymore either. The new character has this weird chopstick hair deal which looks ugly. Shojo series are unfraid to do artstyle shifts. I'm glad Mizushiro does this to achieve certain feels. But many times the artstyle shift is to whiten the eyes and make them this bad looking pear shape. It looks unappealing imo.
At this point the only real draw is the mystery and drama. But the handling of its core topics are basic (and not treated well in a 2023 world), the romance is boring, and the art is only eh. I cannot stress enough how much the actual plot and writing of the nightmare sections are saving this and making me continue to read the story.
The actual nightmare plotline is handled really well. I enjoyed how the ace student arc was handled. The side characters and ensuing drama with the newly introduced character was really nice. The nightmare setting is a neat way to add action and imagery into the mystery and drama as well as explore certain emotional or psychological ideas.
But the story is slowly starting to not make up for the romance. It's just straight ugh. Personally, I don't find the love triangle interesting as neither romance pulls at me. With Kureha Mashiro just fucks off without her constantly. Sou negates Mashiro's gender and is implied to be the knight who in volume one attempts to rape him. How are either of these a compelling love interest? Ironically, some of the emotional romantic scenes did work but for the wrong reason.
For a series with an intersex character exploring their gender and debating about dating a male or a female this story is incredibly fucking hetero. Like, noone considers bisexuality.
The art isn't drawing me in as much anymore either. The new character has this weird chopstick hair deal which looks ugly. Shojo series are unfraid to do artstyle shifts. I'm glad Mizushiro does this to achieve certain feels. But many times the artstyle shift is to whiten the eyes and make them this bad looking pear shape. It looks unappealing imo.
At this point the only real draw is the mystery and drama. But the handling of its core topics are basic (and not treated well in a 2023 world), the romance is boring, and the art is only eh. I cannot stress enough how much the actual plot and writing of the nightmare sections are saving this and making me continue to read the story.
February 19, 2025
Heavy Trigger Warning: Attempted Suicide, Sexual Assault and Trauma Related Panic
Mashiro continues to struggle with his gender identity, because he adamantly claims he is a male and even has a girlfriend. But she’s a victim of sexual assault and is adamant that all men are scumbags because of her trauma. Mashiro is the exception because he doesn’t have a penis, so there’s a fine line where she’s with him only because he’s technically not a guy.
Meanwhile, Sou is in love with Mashiro, claiming that he is a girl based on his lower half and his reactions. But Mashiro is almost certain that Sou is the black knight (and therefore hates him on principle) but is he really? And I haven’t even touched on Sou’s “big sister” and the mystery of what happens after you graduate.
It’s a weird series and I have no idea what might happen next.
This series has 10 volumes.
Mashiro continues to struggle with his gender identity, because he adamantly claims he is a male and even has a girlfriend. But she’s a victim of sexual assault and is adamant that all men are scumbags because of her trauma. Mashiro is the exception because he doesn’t have a penis, so there’s a fine line where she’s with him only because he’s technically not a guy.
Meanwhile, Sou is in love with Mashiro, claiming that he is a girl based on his lower half and his reactions. But Mashiro is almost certain that Sou is the black knight (and therefore hates him on principle) but is he really? And I haven’t even touched on Sou’s “big sister” and the mystery of what happens after you graduate.
It’s a weird series and I have no idea what might happen next.
This series has 10 volumes.
September 4, 2018
I had great ambitions to write a really in-depth insightful review of this, but it just isn't going to happen this year, I don't think. Yes, the treatment of gender/sex in this series is not great by current norms, but when I first read it in 2005 I was just SO EXCITED to see any kind of text suggesting that gender is a choice rather than something dictated by one's body, and also depicting different types of trauma and some of the varied ways people cope (or don't cope) afterwards. Rereading it now I see all the problems, but I still was so swept away by the story and characters and all the mysteries to unravel that the problems didn't interfere with my enjoyment... which is probably why I can't write the sort of detailed insightful review I was hoping to!
June 19, 2024
What exactly does it mean to be a girl or a guy? It is as simple as long hair, a cute smile and a frilly skirt? Or does being a woman require something else? Is a man simply a sense of duty, an urge to protect and a stoic attitude that can win any girl? If those images and ideals are stripped away, then what is left?
Read the full review on Well, Are They? A Queer Review blog
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2024...
Read the full review on Well, Are They? A Queer Review blog
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2024...
October 30, 2020
Book #153 in the year 2020
Ichijo is still trying to work through who they are and now is becoming obsessed with who The Knight is in the Dream Class. Sou is still pursuing Ichijo and confusing them even more. Shinbasa develops a friendship with Ichijo and admits his feelings for Kureha. The struggle Ichijo is going through is painful to watch.
Ichijo is still trying to work through who they are and now is becoming obsessed with who The Knight is in the Dream Class. Sou is still pursuing Ichijo and confusing them even more. Shinbasa develops a friendship with Ichijo and admits his feelings for Kureha. The struggle Ichijo is going through is painful to watch.
April 11, 2021
Oh boy ce volume 2 m'a fatiguée ! Pas le meilleur de la série.
Pourquoi ils sont tous chiants comme ça ?
Clairement ça se sent que c'est une série du début des années 2000. Mais honnêtement les sujets abordés paraissaient assez révolutionnaires à l'époque, donc je reste indulgente avec mon moi ado.
Grave cool la girafe et certaines scènes des rêves par contre.
Mon Bookstagram
Pourquoi ils sont tous chiants comme ça ?
Clairement ça se sent que c'est une série du début des années 2000. Mais honnêtement les sujets abordés paraissaient assez révolutionnaires à l'époque, donc je reste indulgente avec mon moi ado.
Grave cool la girafe et certaines scènes des rêves par contre.
Mon Bookstagram
January 11, 2018
See my review for Vol 1.
September 1, 2023
In this volume, we met a new character (the nice normal guy) and saw Kureha yelling a lot. Not a lot of forward movement on the plot.
August 19, 2019
Compassion, confusion, strength, and weakness war within Masahiro Ichijo’s heart while he continues to participate in the nightmare dreamworld which is an after school project for all who would graduate. Masahiro continues to insist that he’s a guy, but he finds his weapon in an androgynous double-blade, symbolic of himself, with which he can finally face his opponents. He confronts the knight and the dangerous little girl while helping another student graduate. No sooner does one student disappear from the school, graduating and fading from everyone’s memories does another appear, a giraffe who’s very interested in making an alliance with Masahiro. Masahiro is convinced that the knight is Sou, whom he’s becoming more obsessed with, even as Soul becomes obsessed with Masahirou. Alas, their mutual interest doesn’t go unseen by Kureha, whom Masahiro is trying to have a relationship with, but Kureha is getting more and more jealous. Kureha is attracting attention of her own from a boy, whose company Masahiro hopes will help soothe her hostility towards men, healing her pain. Kureha, however, isn’t happy that Masahiro is encouraging her to spend more time with another guy and no one else seems to think it’s normal either. I felt a lot for Masahiro in this volume. He seems to honestly want to help people in this volume, to accept his true form in the dream world, even if he continues to spout things which seem ridiculously narrow-minded in the waking world. Both Sou and Kureha also spout ridiculous, narrow-minded, hypocritical things to each other, even though the truth is they both like Ichijo and are jealous of each other. I found myself both wanting to slap them, yet sympathizing with them at the same time. The knight’s identity and the whole mystery surrounding graduation got more intense, drawing me in, leaving me wondering what would happen next. Balancing both the positive and negative aspects of this book, the positive also including an attractive, compelling art style, I give this four stars.
February 20, 2017
Second story is just as atrane with the love life but again the connections between the characters and the nightmares is still makig me want to read more, but I am not in a rush to buy the rest yet.
July 24, 2011
Meh. In questo secondo volume non succede niente d'interessante, se non una piccola scoperta che non viene neppure ben sviluppata. Insomma, trovano la chiave dentro il protagonista, allora tutti sanno che la chiave è dentro di lui... Non sarebbe quindi più semplice prendere la chiave di volta in volta, eliminando lui, e quindi diplomarsi? Ok, il cavaliere in armatura non vuole averla, e si è capito. Kureha probabilmente non vuole diplomarsi senza Mashiro, la ragazza-bambina ha detto di non volersi diplomare... E allora perché sono lì? L'unico che vuole diplomarsi è Mashiro, allora? Ma come fa lui a prendere la chiave?
Questi elementi avrebbero dovuto intrigarmi parecchio e rendere la storia più interessante, invece mi ha dato l'idea che le cose fossero date per scontate, come se tutto ciò fosse normale, anche perché né Mashiro né Kureha hanno dubbi a riguardo.
La curiosità di Mashiro nei confronti del cavaliere in armatura la trovo un po' ingiustificata, perché sia che lui sia Sou, sia che non lo sia, non capisco cosa potrebbe cambiare nel suo modo di sentirsi nei confronti del ragazzo. Infondo, Mashiro sta con Kureha nonostante l'abbia vista nel sogno...
Insomma, questo volume ha fatto nascere in me tante domande, ma ho il timore che non siano domande a cui verrà data una risposta, ma semplicemente delle cose che sono state buttate lì, magari senza alcuno scopo di giustificarle.
Questi elementi avrebbero dovuto intrigarmi parecchio e rendere la storia più interessante, invece mi ha dato l'idea che le cose fossero date per scontate, come se tutto ciò fosse normale, anche perché né Mashiro né Kureha hanno dubbi a riguardo.
La curiosità di Mashiro nei confronti del cavaliere in armatura la trovo un po' ingiustificata, perché sia che lui sia Sou, sia che non lo sia, non capisco cosa potrebbe cambiare nel suo modo di sentirsi nei confronti del ragazzo. Infondo, Mashiro sta con Kureha nonostante l'abbia vista nel sogno...
Insomma, questo volume ha fatto nascere in me tante domande, ma ho il timore che non siano domande a cui verrà data una risposta, ma semplicemente delle cose che sono state buttate lì, magari senza alcuno scopo di giustificarle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2012
Last instalment, Mashiro is now dating Kureha one of the people who share dreams together. Kureha was raped when she was a young child of only five or six, her mother was also abused by her father. Now the only man Kureha trusts is Mashiro because he's intersex. Mashiro is now focussed on proving he's a man and protect Kureha at all cost.
Mashiro's focused on finding out who's in the dream world and trying to help them graduate, or to gain some ground. Sou an old kendo classmate has confessed his love towards Mashiro, and previously kissed him. Meanwhile in the dream-world Mashiro realises strength here is based on sheerly imagination and the strength of one's soul. Midori finally found her key, unlocked the door and was forgotten. In reality Mashiro tries to ease Kureha into making friends with men, specifically just one. As expected the result wasn't good.
Time for my opinion, this volume tries too hard to cram too much in it's limited space it hold. Don't get me wrong I love it, it's just I've notice with the 2 first volumes could have been made into 4 or 5. That's also something that I like about it, it has less fluff than most stories. With the gender bender genre the main character can end up with Kureha, Sou, or no one. Romance, Mystery, fantasy, drama, I give kudos to this story. I'm giving it 3 stars, it's good but it could be better.
Mashiro's focused on finding out who's in the dream world and trying to help them graduate, or to gain some ground. Sou an old kendo classmate has confessed his love towards Mashiro, and previously kissed him. Meanwhile in the dream-world Mashiro realises strength here is based on sheerly imagination and the strength of one's soul. Midori finally found her key, unlocked the door and was forgotten. In reality Mashiro tries to ease Kureha into making friends with men, specifically just one. As expected the result wasn't good.
Time for my opinion, this volume tries too hard to cram too much in it's limited space it hold. Don't get me wrong I love it, it's just I've notice with the 2 first volumes could have been made into 4 or 5. That's also something that I like about it, it has less fluff than most stories. With the gender bender genre the main character can end up with Kureha, Sou, or no one. Romance, Mystery, fantasy, drama, I give kudos to this story. I'm giving it 3 stars, it's good but it could be better.
October 30, 2010
I have to say that I'm absolutely infatuated with this manga. I'm a fan of manga that not only makes you think, but also challenges the stereotypical characters & situations in most manga out there. In this manga we do have some of the typical scenarios, such as boy meets girl, but with a twist. You have "boy meets girl but has competition", but they throw a twist into that. So many things make this into a great series that it's hard to list just one or two reasons why it's so fun to read!
Mashiro is a confused teen that doesn't truly know whether s/he's a girl or a boy. Sou is the mysterious young man who claims to have fallen for him/her & isn't going to take no for an answer. Meanwhile, you have Kureha, a seemingly upbeat young lady with a dark past who has feelings for Mashiro herself. Mix this up with a haunting after school class where attendance is mandatory & failure is not an option & you have this wonderful series!
Would I recommend this to a friend? Yes! This series is fantastic & knocks a lot of the other series out of the water.
Mashiro is a confused teen that doesn't truly know whether s/he's a girl or a boy. Sou is the mysterious young man who claims to have fallen for him/her & isn't going to take no for an answer. Meanwhile, you have Kureha, a seemingly upbeat young lady with a dark past who has feelings for Mashiro herself. Mix this up with a haunting after school class where attendance is mandatory & failure is not an option & you have this wonderful series!
Would I recommend this to a friend? Yes! This series is fantastic & knocks a lot of the other series out of the water.
January 2, 2013
As Ichijou Mashiro’s hard kept secret is revealed to his classmates, Mashiro’s dream world is turned upside down. The after-hours class Mashiro signs up for is not at all what he expects it to be. Passing the class is his only chance of graduation and the horrors he finds there are only the beginnings to the mysteries yet to be revealed.
This dark series is filled with controversial and emotional issues that take the reader on a journey through what the characters are feeling and what they experience. There is always some sort of twists throughout causing the reader to re-think about the issues involved.
Interesting concept to say the least! The story itself invokes a creepy mysterious concept taking place throughout the school. I was impressed with the complexities of the students and situations involved throughout the series. Reading this series the author does an amazing job of making the reader feel the characters pain and suffering.
Note: This review was completed after reading volumes 1-10.
This dark series is filled with controversial and emotional issues that take the reader on a journey through what the characters are feeling and what they experience. There is always some sort of twists throughout causing the reader to re-think about the issues involved.
Interesting concept to say the least! The story itself invokes a creepy mysterious concept taking place throughout the school. I was impressed with the complexities of the students and situations involved throughout the series. Reading this series the author does an amazing job of making the reader feel the characters pain and suffering.
Note: This review was completed after reading volumes 1-10.
February 19, 2008
The gender-bending ensues in volume 2. We still are sure who is the knight in the dream, althoug Mashiro Ichijo suspects it is Sou. Mashiro and Kureha are still an item, even though she despises men. Sou professes his love to Mashiro, who is horrifed and insists that he is a boy and can't figure out how Sou knows about his ambigious gender.
We discover that when people "graduate" from the dream that they leave school and any memory of them being there is forgotten. Two new characters are introduced - Itsuki Sinonome a young chess champ and Shinbashi, who becomes friends with Mashiro has a thing for Kureha and makes no secret of this. Itsuki also appears in the dream as a giraffe and he has the special ability to recognize the students even though they are disguised in the dream - he offers this knowledge to Mashiro, for a price.
We discover that when people "graduate" from the dream that they leave school and any memory of them being there is forgotten. Two new characters are introduced - Itsuki Sinonome a young chess champ and Shinbashi, who becomes friends with Mashiro has a thing for Kureha and makes no secret of this. Itsuki also appears in the dream as a giraffe and he has the special ability to recognize the students even though they are disguised in the dream - he offers this knowledge to Mashiro, for a price.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2017
#2 read 2017: Yup, I still see Kureha as a mean, manipulative little bitch, pardon my language. Very unlikable. But Sou's possessiveness is quite creepy, too, to be honest.
#1 read 2012: If the author planned for Kureha to be a likable character, someone with whom readers could sympathize, she failed - at least in my case. I get that Kureha is a victim and I hate victim blaming and I hate it when people expect victims to just bounce back and be the way they used to be, on everybody else's terms - but it's one thing to be a victim, it's another thing completely to use your trauma as an excuse to be casually cruel and vicious to people who refuse to do what you want. Mashiro is always trying to please Kureha - but I was glad that Sou finally told her to stuff it. She really needed to hear that.
#1 read 2012: If the author planned for Kureha to be a likable character, someone with whom readers could sympathize, she failed - at least in my case. I get that Kureha is a victim and I hate victim blaming and I hate it when people expect victims to just bounce back and be the way they used to be, on everybody else's terms - but it's one thing to be a victim, it's another thing completely to use your trauma as an excuse to be casually cruel and vicious to people who refuse to do what you want. Mashiro is always trying to please Kureha - but I was glad that Sou finally told her to stuff it. She really needed to hear that.
June 9, 2008
OK so you may be thinking "what the hell wangui i thought you said you hated this book" well my reply to that is: yes i do hate this book, but unfortunately it became one of those love-hate book relationships. i just think that ichi(as i call the main character in the book) and kureha ,to me, just have this chemistry that shouldnt be messed with. and when it becomes apparent that that bond is growing i start to hate the book less, thus the love part. but when that d**n sou comes and messes everything up(im not one for suspense)i start to dislike the book that much less, thus the hate part. not that i have any problems with same sex relationships, i mean its not my decision who you end up falling for, but im sorry sou is a freaking jack donkey at times.
June 2, 2013
I really love this manga, it's fresh, it's weird, it's psychological.
I found this really interesting because it questioned a lot of the internal qualities of shoujo manga, the bane of my early teenage years. I feel this is perfect for people who read a lot of shoujo manga in their youth but are now getting into the more meaty stuff, since there are a lot of archetypes and plot devices often used with in this genre, but all twisted around.
But if you haven't read any shoujo manga in the past there may be references and ideas with in this you may not get, it's still thought provoking but it wouldn't be good as a virgin manga.
I love the dream world, its so well executed and the art style is excellent.
I totally recommend this for knights, paper giraffes, umbrella carriers and twins.
I found this really interesting because it questioned a lot of the internal qualities of shoujo manga, the bane of my early teenage years. I feel this is perfect for people who read a lot of shoujo manga in their youth but are now getting into the more meaty stuff, since there are a lot of archetypes and plot devices often used with in this genre, but all twisted around.
But if you haven't read any shoujo manga in the past there may be references and ideas with in this you may not get, it's still thought provoking but it wouldn't be good as a virgin manga.
I love the dream world, its so well executed and the art style is excellent.
I totally recommend this for knights, paper giraffes, umbrella carriers and twins.
June 6, 2007
I like the giraffe. The school they're attending appears to be a sort of Ohtori Academy set-up; I don't know how the real world relates to it. Are they all dead? Who knows?
Sou is hot but kinda suspiciously rapey. I don't like the sense I'm getting that Mashiro's hiding behind this safe relationship with Kureha, but I guess in a way Kureha's with Mashiro because he's safe. I can't decide who the knight is because I get the feeling that no matter who I settle on it will be the wrong person.
When weird gender-issues-related shit goes down in anime/manga I always wish Ouran's Haruhi was around to be enormously sensible and eat tuna.
Sou is hot but kinda suspiciously rapey. I don't like the sense I'm getting that Mashiro's hiding behind this safe relationship with Kureha, but I guess in a way Kureha's with Mashiro because he's safe. I can't decide who the knight is because I get the feeling that no matter who I settle on it will be the wrong person.
When weird gender-issues-related shit goes down in anime/manga I always wish Ouran's Haruhi was around to be enormously sensible and eat tuna.
October 1, 2010
I was really surprised because of the identity that they had in their dreams it was really shocking.I don't under stand why the sister of sou I was really surprised.if i was the author i wouldn't change anything the book is intense enough.With him bean confused of what he wants to be i really recommend people that like this type of books to read all of the books because once you start reading it you won't be able to stop just like me once i started reading it i couldn't stop
March 27, 2012
We get to see a graduation in this volume--I liked that! And I think it's interesting that once someone has graduated, nobody can remember them, no matter how close they were or how many times they talked. The set up for this series is really kind of compelling, even if some of the dialogue and situations are a little...eh. I wouldn't mind a little humor here and there--this is kind of all drama. Still, I'm kind of enjoying it.
March 12, 2014
the next book in the series.
japan or china modern time, and in a dream realm.
is he a guy or a girl and who does he love.
the teacher to the underground infirmary mysterious, magical, creepy. "little by little people have been disappearing from school. A teacher told me that its because the students have been graduating."
listen to your heart.
dont doo reading strategy.
love the book its messed up big time XD XD XD.
japan or china modern time, and in a dream realm.
is he a guy or a girl and who does he love.
the teacher to the underground infirmary mysterious, magical, creepy. "little by little people have been disappearing from school. A teacher told me that its because the students have been graduating."
listen to your heart.
dont doo reading strategy.
love the book its messed up big time XD XD XD.
July 12, 2021
Even better than the first volume. This volume continues to up the mystery aspect of the story. We don't know who the characters are "in real life". The relationship between the main characters gets a little more interesting. We get a new character who is in love with Kureha. I just want to know more about these characters and their relationships to each other! Highly recommend this series.
CW: Blood, Violence, Past Trauma with Sexual Assault.
CW: Blood, Violence, Past Trauma with Sexual Assault.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews