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Halina Filipina: A New Yorker in Manila
When two cultures collide, the results are explosive--a graphic novel rom-com like no other!
Halina Mitchell is half-Filipino, half-American. She's also a native New Yorker--sophisticated, beautiful and confident. On her first visit to the Philippines, she arrives in Manila to reconnect with relatives only to encounter a world of surprises that turn all her assumptions on their head. With the intrepid film critic Cris as her guide, she discovers a Manila that few others get to see!
Cris's wry takes on bad movies offer Halina a new lens on the modern world as he whisks her through his hometown at breakneck speed--including a crash course in Manila street life and the thrills and perils of midnight driving. In turn, Halina gives the struggling writer a newfound appreciation for his city.
Perfect for fans of opposites attract romances like Fangs and The Prince and the Dressmaker, this book offers a rom-com take on modern life and a touching story of friendship, love and crosscultural (mis)understanding from a renowned graphic novel pioneer.
Captured in Arre's distinctive style, Halina Filipina is about finding one's place in the world--or in two worlds at once!
Halina Mitchell is half-Filipino, half-American. She's also a native New Yorker--sophisticated, beautiful and confident. On her first visit to the Philippines, she arrives in Manila to reconnect with relatives only to encounter a world of surprises that turn all her assumptions on their head. With the intrepid film critic Cris as her guide, she discovers a Manila that few others get to see!
Cris's wry takes on bad movies offer Halina a new lens on the modern world as he whisks her through his hometown at breakneck speed--including a crash course in Manila street life and the thrills and perils of midnight driving. In turn, Halina gives the struggling writer a newfound appreciation for his city.
Perfect for fans of opposites attract romances like Fangs and The Prince and the Dressmaker, this book offers a rom-com take on modern life and a touching story of friendship, love and crosscultural (mis)understanding from a renowned graphic novel pioneer.
Captured in Arre's distinctive style, Halina Filipina is about finding one's place in the world--or in two worlds at once!
229 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2015
13 people are currently reading
382 people want to read
About the author
Arnold Arre
39 books168 followersArnold Arre (born September 2, 1971 in Metro Manila, Philippines) is a Filipino comic book writer, artist and self-taught animator best known for his graphic novels The Mythology Class (1999) and Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat (2006).
Arnold Arre has won National Book Awards from the Manila Critics Circle for his graphic novels The Mythology Class (1999), a four-part action-adventure miniseries and Trip to Tagaytay (2000), a one-shot future fiction short story. The Mythology Class, which has been described as "genre-breaking", has the distinction of being the first graphic novel to win in the Manila Critics Circle National Book Awards Comic Books category.
Arre's other titles include the romantic comedy After Eden (2002), Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat (2006), and "Martial Law Babies" (2008).
Aside from his comics work, Arre did numerous design and illustration jobs for various clients such as the San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts and Sony BMG Music Entertainment Philippines. He also took part in local and international group exhibits and has had a one-man fantasy-themed show, Mythos in 2000.
In 2007, producer Tony Gloria of Unitel Productions optioned the film rights to Arre's novel Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat. Arre has mentioned in an April 2014 interview that the project is still under development.
In 2011, Arre studied the art of animation and made a 4-minute short film titled Andong Agimat: Kanya ang Kalye based on the main character in his book Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat. In November 2011 he was commissioned by Gang Badoy of Rock Ed Philippines and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to make an animated music video for Kaninong Anino in celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Filipino hero Jose Rizal. The following year, he was commissioned by Rock Ed Philippines and the NHCP to make an animated music video for Lupang Hinirang, the Philippine National Anthem which was broadcast on national television on June 12, 2012, Independence Day (Philippines).[9] In September 2012, he did a series of educational animated videos titled Tandaan. Kalayaan. Alagaan. to mark the 40th anniversary of the Philippines' freedom from Martial Law. The series was commissioned by Rock Ed Philippines and the National Youth Commission (Philippines).
In July 2013, Arre finished his first 20-minute animated short film titled Milkyboy. The film went on to win awards at the 25th Gawad CCP Para Sa Alternatibong Pelikula in November 2013, the 7th Animahenasyon (Philippine Animation Festival) in November 2013, and the 30th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) in May 2014 where Arre was awarded the Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Award, presented to a short film that demonstrates innovative and original use of cinematic language and vision.
Arre is based in Quezon City and is married to graphic designer Cynthia Bauzon.
(from http://wikipedia.com)
Arnold Arre has won National Book Awards from the Manila Critics Circle for his graphic novels The Mythology Class (1999), a four-part action-adventure miniseries and Trip to Tagaytay (2000), a one-shot future fiction short story. The Mythology Class, which has been described as "genre-breaking", has the distinction of being the first graphic novel to win in the Manila Critics Circle National Book Awards Comic Books category.
Arre's other titles include the romantic comedy After Eden (2002), Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat (2006), and "Martial Law Babies" (2008).
Aside from his comics work, Arre did numerous design and illustration jobs for various clients such as the San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts and Sony BMG Music Entertainment Philippines. He also took part in local and international group exhibits and has had a one-man fantasy-themed show, Mythos in 2000.
In 2007, producer Tony Gloria of Unitel Productions optioned the film rights to Arre's novel Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat. Arre has mentioned in an April 2014 interview that the project is still under development.
In 2011, Arre studied the art of animation and made a 4-minute short film titled Andong Agimat: Kanya ang Kalye based on the main character in his book Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat. In November 2011 he was commissioned by Gang Badoy of Rock Ed Philippines and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to make an animated music video for Kaninong Anino in celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Filipino hero Jose Rizal. The following year, he was commissioned by Rock Ed Philippines and the NHCP to make an animated music video for Lupang Hinirang, the Philippine National Anthem which was broadcast on national television on June 12, 2012, Independence Day (Philippines).[9] In September 2012, he did a series of educational animated videos titled Tandaan. Kalayaan. Alagaan. to mark the 40th anniversary of the Philippines' freedom from Martial Law. The series was commissioned by Rock Ed Philippines and the National Youth Commission (Philippines).
In July 2013, Arre finished his first 20-minute animated short film titled Milkyboy. The film went on to win awards at the 25th Gawad CCP Para Sa Alternatibong Pelikula in November 2013, the 7th Animahenasyon (Philippine Animation Festival) in November 2013, and the 30th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) in May 2014 where Arre was awarded the Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Award, presented to a short film that demonstrates innovative and original use of cinematic language and vision.
Arre is based in Quezon City and is married to graphic designer Cynthia Bauzon.
(from http://wikipedia.com)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
October 12, 2015
Halina Filipina is truly a Filipino graphic novel.
Halina Filipina is that graphic novel that one has to experience modern Filipino culture in order to understand its nuances and pop references. That is both blessing and bane to this book. A blessing, because a country with a population of 100 million is its target audience, but sadly, most of them do not see the graphic novel as an art form. It also limits the casual foreign reader and it is that type of audience who would most appreciate the deft skill Arnold Arre wields on the sequential art-form.
Indeed, this is Arre's finest work, everything he has learned about the art of graphic storytelling, and he already is a tremendous talent whose work is recognized as the best of his generation, is applied to its fullest potential. Everything you have come to expect of his work is on display here.
Even better than The Mythology Class? His seminal work that reinterpreted Filipino folklore with modern storytelling techniques? That work stands on its own, as does Halina. Arre stretches muscles in Halina that he didn't show in Mythology Class. Halina's core of Halina and Cris made this a far more personal and intimate work which is a departure from the expansive cast Arre employed in Mythology Class.
Halina Filipina is that graphic novel that one has to experience modern Filipino culture in order to understand its nuances and pop references. That is both blessing and bane to this book. A blessing, because a country with a population of 100 million is its target audience, but sadly, most of them do not see the graphic novel as an art form. It also limits the casual foreign reader and it is that type of audience who would most appreciate the deft skill Arnold Arre wields on the sequential art-form.
Indeed, this is Arre's finest work, everything he has learned about the art of graphic storytelling, and he already is a tremendous talent whose work is recognized as the best of his generation, is applied to its fullest potential. Everything you have come to expect of his work is on display here.
Even better than The Mythology Class? His seminal work that reinterpreted Filipino folklore with modern storytelling techniques? That work stands on its own, as does Halina. Arre stretches muscles in Halina that he didn't show in Mythology Class. Halina's core of Halina and Cris made this a far more personal and intimate work which is a departure from the expansive cast Arre employed in Mythology Class.
November 15, 2015
There is something intimate and simple in this comic book that made me shed a tear. Especially seeing that last page where she wore the same hat he bought in less that ten pesos. As Arnold Arre made mention in his notes, the ending gave the readers a sense of hope. In that hat lied a short story of two random people who met and find a piece of themselves, in a traffic-filled society called Manila.
January 1, 2016
For me, this is the best graphic novel by Arnold Arre.
I've read his Martial Law Babies (2 stars) and Trip to Tagaytay (2 stars) and they sadly did not make much impression to me. I think the first book missed the whole point of being a martial law baby (me) by focusing on the lives of those people with none, or very little, of what it was to be a baby born during the time of Marcos. The second book is supposed to be futuristic but it is too far out there that I don't care about. Not to mention that it was darkly drawn (from what I remember), that it was a departure to Arre's clean and clear illustrations. That I love. This explains why I don't like the style of Budjette Tan in Trese or I did not readily like Mervin Malonzo's Tabi Po series until of course that interview we had with him last month.
Halina Filipina is the story of a chubby Filipino man, Cris who is a film critic and Halina who is a Filipino-American woman who visits the Philippines to meet her relatives. The story opens at present day Manila, with Cris receiving an email with an attachment entitled "Lakad 2002." Seems like this file brought back the memories of Cris about his encounter with Halina in 2002. He is broke because he is not paid properly by the film outfit for his reviews and his landlord is already threatening to kick him out of the boarding house for his unpaid rent. Then after the unrequited love his told, the last chapter shows Cris going to New York (or Paris? Is that Arc de Triompe that I see in a couple of frames?) to meet Halina who still wears the buntal hat that Cris gave in 2002.
Between 2002 and 2015, we don't know how Cris lived so he could go to New York that easily. We don't know what happened to Halina's boyfriend. We don't know who Brian is and what exactly was Lakad 2002. We don't know how Cris and Halina met because at the start they knew each other already.
The "Hi" and answered by another "Hi" and "Again" answered with another "Again" are just the best parts of this romance book. With matching unlikely couple and the way Cris looks like every nice chubby man that I know, you would cheer for them. You want them to end up with each other. Halina the half-Filipino, half-American and Cris who is struggling to make two ends meet. That's the big American dream all over again and yet, it is refreshing since it is in comic book form and you'll can help relate to it as you go through Cris' life in your daily life here in Manila.
Good job, Arnold Arre.
I've read his Martial Law Babies (2 stars) and Trip to Tagaytay (2 stars) and they sadly did not make much impression to me. I think the first book missed the whole point of being a martial law baby (me) by focusing on the lives of those people with none, or very little, of what it was to be a baby born during the time of Marcos. The second book is supposed to be futuristic but it is too far out there that I don't care about. Not to mention that it was darkly drawn (from what I remember), that it was a departure to Arre's clean and clear illustrations. That I love. This explains why I don't like the style of Budjette Tan in Trese or I did not readily like Mervin Malonzo's Tabi Po series until of course that interview we had with him last month.
Halina Filipina is the story of a chubby Filipino man, Cris who is a film critic and Halina who is a Filipino-American woman who visits the Philippines to meet her relatives. The story opens at present day Manila, with Cris receiving an email with an attachment entitled "Lakad 2002." Seems like this file brought back the memories of Cris about his encounter with Halina in 2002. He is broke because he is not paid properly by the film outfit for his reviews and his landlord is already threatening to kick him out of the boarding house for his unpaid rent. Then after the unrequited love his told, the last chapter shows Cris going to New York (or Paris? Is that Arc de Triompe that I see in a couple of frames?) to meet Halina who still wears the buntal hat that Cris gave in 2002.
Between 2002 and 2015, we don't know how Cris lived so he could go to New York that easily. We don't know what happened to Halina's boyfriend. We don't know who Brian is and what exactly was Lakad 2002. We don't know how Cris and Halina met because at the start they knew each other already.
The "Hi" and answered by another "Hi" and "Again" answered with another "Again" are just the best parts of this romance book. With matching unlikely couple and the way Cris looks like every nice chubby man that I know, you would cheer for them. You want them to end up with each other. Halina the half-Filipino, half-American and Cris who is struggling to make two ends meet. That's the big American dream all over again and yet, it is refreshing since it is in comic book form and you'll can help relate to it as you go through Cris' life in your daily life here in Manila.
Good job, Arnold Arre.
November 7, 2015
It's like 500 days of summer (or 30 days) but more Filipino, which I am sure we can greatly relate to.
Seryoso, wala akong ideya kung tungkol saa nitong komiks na ito, pero matapos ang chapter 1 mejo alam ko na kung anong daan yung tinatahak ko sa pagbabasa nito. May mga parte na satirical ang dating at isa yun sa mga bagay na nagustuhan ko, dahil aminin natin... Totoo naman kasi.
May romantic side at meron din side na sumasalamin sa kultura at lipnuan ng isang present day Filipino. Ang dalawang bagay na ito ay napagsama ni Arre at naging isang napakagandang katha. :D
Ang Halina Filipina ay mabibilang na sa mga paborito kong komiks na katha ng isang pinoy.
P.S.
Walang pa ding kupas ang "Bababa ba?" joke! :D
Seryoso, wala akong ideya kung tungkol saa nitong komiks na ito, pero matapos ang chapter 1 mejo alam ko na kung anong daan yung tinatahak ko sa pagbabasa nito. May mga parte na satirical ang dating at isa yun sa mga bagay na nagustuhan ko, dahil aminin natin... Totoo naman kasi.
May romantic side at meron din side na sumasalamin sa kultura at lipnuan ng isang present day Filipino. Ang dalawang bagay na ito ay napagsama ni Arre at naging isang napakagandang katha. :D
Ang Halina Filipina ay mabibilang na sa mga paborito kong komiks na katha ng isang pinoy.
P.S.
Walang pa ding kupas ang "Bababa ba?" joke! :D
October 2, 2022
Halina Mitchell is an American visiting the Philippines to get in touch with her mother's heritage. She meets Cris, a down-on-his-luck film critic who helps her explore Manila. It's all very slow and meandering as she learns a bit about Filipino culture. I'd hoped to learn a bit more myself, but there is a lot of untranslated Tagalog in the book that left me a bit adrift.
There's a blah romance teased that becomes hard to root for when Cris reveals a dark and bitter side a couple of times that seems sure to doom any relationship of his in the long run.
There are a lot of silent pages that work quite well -- drawn in a style that reminded me of Terry Moore's Trouble in Paradise -- making me wish more of the dialogue had been dumped.
There's a blah romance teased that becomes hard to root for when Cris reveals a dark and bitter side a couple of times that seems sure to doom any relationship of his in the long run.
There are a lot of silent pages that work quite well -- drawn in a style that reminded me of Terry Moore's Trouble in Paradise -- making me wish more of the dialogue had been dumped.
October 1, 2016
I like the no-frills love story of this graphic novel. It focuses on two main characters; no subplots, no too much complicated problem. I also like the symbolism of the straw hat. My only question is where is the iris of Cris? lol jk
October 6, 2024
Ang warm sa puso!
May 14, 2022
As a long time fan of the creator (The Mythology Class: A Graphic Novel being one of the first titles to get me into local comics), I really wanted to like this one.
While it's not DNF-level bad, I think I found my least favorite Arre work.
Like what the author mentioned, Halina Filipina is a straightforward, no-frills "rom-com" (this aspect debatable) It follows the story of Halina , a Fil-Am visiting the Philippines for the first time, and Cris , a struggling Filipino Film critic whose lives intertwine one day at a mall - and the unexpected meetings that followed.
Aside from a few and far between scenes that made me chuckle (the "bababa ba?" joke is super old but gets me every time) or touched me (Cris translating Eraserhead's Torpedo), I think my general issue with it is the love story itself.
Since it's being marketed as a "rom-com", I dived into it with the lens of a romance-reader and that's where things get clunky:
👒 The Love Interest: I generally didn't like Cris I've seen this type before: angry, indie-loving men with a superiority complex who thinks it's a personality trait to shit on everything in the world.
To make matters worse, this characterization became even more evident once he learned that . I was absolutely uncomfortable the entire time, feeling the second-hand awkwardness during their dinner and car ride, and just being outright pissed during their post-show confrontation.
I just knew then that Cris isn't the LI for me. I've had enough of entitled sadboiis who thinks women owe them romantic feelings because of the bare minimum decency they've shown and when they don't, they go all boohoo-why-do-i-never-get-the-girl?
👒 The Main Character : Halina isn't 100% likeable either. I initially enjoyed her arc learning more about the other side of her heritage but again, looking at it through a romance-reader perspective, I felt like the whole was unnecessary and not fully fleshed out. Besides,
Even the Filipino-ness which is another selling point of the book fell short. While it truly is part of the culture, I think there's more to being a Filipino than trashy shows, flash floods, law-enforcers not enforcing law, and terrible traffic. I wish it explored more of Halina's relationship with her Filipino-side family.
Overall, the distinct art style was very pretty with each panel carrying the story but romance-wise, Cris's parents still had a better love story. The straw hat symbolism was a nice touch, though.
While it's not DNF-level bad, I think I found my least favorite Arre work.
Like what the author mentioned, Halina Filipina is a straightforward, no-frills "rom-com" (this aspect debatable) It follows the story of Halina , a Fil-Am visiting the Philippines for the first time, and Cris , a struggling Filipino Film critic whose lives intertwine one day at a mall - and the unexpected meetings that followed.
Aside from a few and far between scenes that made me chuckle (the "bababa ba?" joke is super old but gets me every time) or touched me (Cris translating Eraserhead's Torpedo), I think my general issue with it is the love story itself.
Since it's being marketed as a "rom-com", I dived into it with the lens of a romance-reader and that's where things get clunky:
👒 The Love Interest: I generally didn't like Cris I've seen this type before: angry, indie-loving men with a superiority complex who thinks it's a personality trait to shit on everything in the world.
To make matters worse, this characterization became even more evident once he learned that . I was absolutely uncomfortable the entire time, feeling the second-hand awkwardness during their dinner and car ride, and just being outright pissed during their post-show confrontation.
I just knew then that Cris isn't the LI for me. I've had enough of entitled sadboiis who thinks women owe them romantic feelings because of the bare minimum decency they've shown and when they don't, they go all boohoo-why-do-i-never-get-the-girl?
👒 The Main Character : Halina isn't 100% likeable either. I initially enjoyed her arc learning more about the other side of her heritage but again, looking at it through a romance-reader perspective, I felt like the whole was unnecessary and not fully fleshed out. Besides,
Even the Filipino-ness which is another selling point of the book fell short. While it truly is part of the culture, I think there's more to being a Filipino than trashy shows, flash floods, law-enforcers not enforcing law, and terrible traffic. I wish it explored more of Halina's relationship with her Filipino-side family.
Overall, the distinct art style was very pretty with each panel carrying the story but romance-wise, Cris's parents still had a better love story. The straw hat symbolism was a nice touch, though.
June 25, 2016
May mga bagay talaga sa araw araw na buhay natin na nakakainis. Traffic, Noontime Shows, Baha, Renta, etcetera. Pero sa gitna ng kaguluhan na ito, sa araw araw na pakikipagbuno natin sa mga problema... mababalewala lahat ng ito oras na makita na natin ang espesyal na tao na nakalaan para sa atin. Siya na makukuwentuhan ng araw araw nating daing, siya na walang sawa makikinig, at siya na muling magpapangiti sayo matapos ang isang nakakapagod na araw.
Siyempre, hindi lahat ng araw masaya. Maski kayo na nagbibigayan ng kulay at saya sa isa't isa, mababahiran din ng kalungkutan ng mundo. Siguro, madalas, nasosobrahan. Hanggang umabot sa punto ng hiwalayan. Kailangang hanapin muli ang sarili, malayo sa piling ng isat isa.
Hindi ako kritiko at maalam na tao. Pero ang alam ko lang habang binabasa ko itong komiks, muli akong naniwala sa konspeto ng pag-ibig. Magsisimula as strangers. tapos chance encounters. at sunod ay ang pinakamahalaga na aspeto ng isang relasyon-- friendship.
Para sa akin, itinadhana talaga para sa isat isa si Cris at Halina. Dalawang tao na magkasalungat man ang pinanggalingan, iisa naman ang lahi, iisa ang diwa, iisa ang hinahanap sa buhay.
Nakakakilig ang kwentong ito. Wala nang paligoy ligoy. Direkta. Kulang na nga lang siguro sabihin na nila sa isat isa na "I LOVE YOU!" pero hardsell na siguro yun.
Alam mo na sa unang pahina pa lang libro na simpleng love story lang ito. Pero gaya nga ng sabi ni Arre, hindi ordinaryo.
Sa totoong mundo hind lahat ng kwentong pag-ibig simple. May mga hamong either sisira at mas magpapatatag sa relasyon. Pero sa likod ng mga pagsubok na ito, makikita pa rin sa mga mata at damdamin ng totoong nag-iibigan ang katotohanan -- Mahal kita. Peksman. Magulo man o mapaghusga ang mundo nating ginagalawan.
Siyempre, hindi lahat ng araw masaya. Maski kayo na nagbibigayan ng kulay at saya sa isa't isa, mababahiran din ng kalungkutan ng mundo. Siguro, madalas, nasosobrahan. Hanggang umabot sa punto ng hiwalayan. Kailangang hanapin muli ang sarili, malayo sa piling ng isat isa.
Hindi ako kritiko at maalam na tao. Pero ang alam ko lang habang binabasa ko itong komiks, muli akong naniwala sa konspeto ng pag-ibig. Magsisimula as strangers. tapos chance encounters. at sunod ay ang pinakamahalaga na aspeto ng isang relasyon-- friendship.
Para sa akin, itinadhana talaga para sa isat isa si Cris at Halina. Dalawang tao na magkasalungat man ang pinanggalingan, iisa naman ang lahi, iisa ang diwa, iisa ang hinahanap sa buhay.
Nakakakilig ang kwentong ito. Wala nang paligoy ligoy. Direkta. Kulang na nga lang siguro sabihin na nila sa isat isa na "I LOVE YOU!" pero hardsell na siguro yun.
Alam mo na sa unang pahina pa lang libro na simpleng love story lang ito. Pero gaya nga ng sabi ni Arre, hindi ordinaryo.
Sa totoong mundo hind lahat ng kwentong pag-ibig simple. May mga hamong either sisira at mas magpapatatag sa relasyon. Pero sa likod ng mga pagsubok na ito, makikita pa rin sa mga mata at damdamin ng totoong nag-iibigan ang katotohanan -- Mahal kita. Peksman. Magulo man o mapaghusga ang mundo nating ginagalawan.
November 15, 2023
A jaded film critic and a visiting Fil Am connect in Manila. Lots of integrated Tagalog.
The summary and subtitle "A New Yorker in Manila" gave me the impression that this would center on the titular character. But this is very much from the Cris character's perspective. To the point where it felt very male-gaze/manic pixie dream girly. I liked some of the flaxhback/flashforward business, and the art was great, for the most part. But Halina was objectified in a way that felt out-of-date.
That said, I liked the glimpse into and underrepresented country/city/culture.
The summary and subtitle "A New Yorker in Manila" gave me the impression that this would center on the titular character. But this is very much from the Cris character's perspective. To the point where it felt very male-gaze/manic pixie dream girly. I liked some of the flaxhback/flashforward business, and the art was great, for the most part. But Halina was objectified in a way that felt out-of-date.
That said, I liked the glimpse into and underrepresented country/city/culture.
May 15, 2016
I loved this graphic novel so much! I'm new to graphic novels for adults - and this is my favorite one to date. The author does an excellent job of capturing so much of Philippine culture and daily life while weaving an interesting story.
August 30, 2016
Had a great deal of fun reading this especially because it's been a while since I last read a graphic novel! Once I started, I couldn't put it down! Short, sweet and cozy!
December 26, 2018
It’s one of the few graphic novels I’ve read, and I liked how it’s about a lot of things Filipino, in setting, people, culture, and story that tugged at my heartstrings. (Also, great art!) It may have also presented the chaos in the Philippines like the heavy traffic and the rains, but in the midst of the chaos, there is still goodness, with the new-found and lasting friendships among unlikely people.
October 25, 2024
Is it just me, or did something not fully click emotionally? The art's expressive, and the dialogue flows naturally - very Filipino at times - but the characters feel a bit underdeveloped. Halina searches for her roots in Manila, but it seems she became reliant on her relationship with Cris rather than her personal growth. Cris is relatable - we all feel that "ick and hate" for our country - but he leans too hard into the whole ~hothead sadboi~ thing. The ending was cute though!
March 11, 2023
I can totally appreciate & think it's very cool that this graphic novel offered a good mix of Tagalog woven in its story. I only wish that more translation had been given for those of us who don't speak or read that language, maybe I could've appreciated some of the scenes more, like the ones with the smarmy TV personalities...I had no clue what was going on there.
February 24, 2024
I really wanted to like this graphic novel, but I couldn’t get past two chapters. The dialogue is inaccessible to readers who are not familiar with Filipino or Tagalog. I had to keep stopping to use Google Translate and it disrupted the flow of the story.
This may be great if you’re fluent and able to switch between English and Filipino with ease, but not for a non-Filipina like me.
This may be great if you’re fluent and able to switch between English and Filipino with ease, but not for a non-Filipina like me.
July 22, 2025
I especially loved the more quiet moments of clarity and reflection in this graphic novel. I feel as though these resonated with me the most.
The commentary on aspects of modern Filipino culture was also interesting (e.g., camaraderie and family, poverty and exploitation), and as a Filipino American, I am inspired by how much effort Halina put into learning about her roots, as well as the joy she reaped.
The commentary on aspects of modern Filipino culture was also interesting (e.g., camaraderie and family, poverty and exploitation), and as a Filipino American, I am inspired by how much effort Halina put into learning about her roots, as well as the joy she reaped.
November 20, 2022
Meh it felt weird to me she has a boyfriend she barely talks about and I don't really like the other guys attitude
March 10, 2023
Awwww such a sweet story and I don’t even like Rom-Com’s! Picked this up to support my fellow Filipino author and was surprised at how moved I was. Genuinely enjoyed it from start to finish! :-)
October 4, 2024
3.5 simple pero gets yung connection ng dalawang bida
April 5, 2024
The title and cover and blurb make it sound like Halina is the main character and this is her story, but it's not. It's the story of Cris, who could not be a more stereotypical Nice Guy if he tried. Like, he literally sulks and says "what's the point?" of hanging out with her when he finds out she has a boyfriend.
February 28, 2016
I chanced upon a copy of this graphic novel when I slept over at a friend's place.
I liked Martial Law Babies more.
Anyway, the graphic novel mainly follows the story of Halina, who is a Fil-Am visitor/balikbayan in the Philippines and Cris, who is supposedly a loather of bad local movies. Yes, it says "bad", so one can only expect a lot of negative comments, and cynicism. (Gahdd, I always struggle with patience for these "kinds" of people.)
My friend's husband loved it, but my friend wasn't as ecstatic. But I know her preferences in books, so I understood. Haha! Either way, my expectations were a bit higher than usual, also because of the votes it acquired in our book club's poll for the book to read later this year.
Anyway, Cris wasn't so bad, meaning, not too irritating. Hrmm, I like the characters actually. And the story. It was enjoyable. I wouldn't delve too much if there are deeper meanings behind some of the scenes. I'll leave that to the "experts." For me, the time I spent reading this was worth my while.
As always, I don't know much about art or drawing, but I like the drawings, if that's how they are properly called, more than I like the other graphic novels I've read. So definitely, that's a plus. Some frames obviously didn't need any script because the facial expressions of the characters did all the talking. Good job, AA. : ))
The penultimate and last scenes left me a bit hanging, if not a little disappointed or even quite lost though.
But other than that, I smiled, got kilig, laughed, narrowed my eyes, furrowed my brows, awww-ed, among other things. So this counts for me a goodread. : )
I liked Martial Law Babies more.
Anyway, the graphic novel mainly follows the story of Halina, who is a Fil-Am visitor/balikbayan in the Philippines and Cris, who is supposedly a loather of bad local movies. Yes, it says "bad", so one can only expect a lot of negative comments, and cynicism. (Gahdd, I always struggle with patience for these "kinds" of people.)
My friend's husband loved it, but my friend wasn't as ecstatic. But I know her preferences in books, so I understood. Haha! Either way, my expectations were a bit higher than usual, also because of the votes it acquired in our book club's poll for the book to read later this year.
Anyway, Cris wasn't so bad, meaning, not too irritating. Hrmm, I like the characters actually. And the story. It was enjoyable. I wouldn't delve too much if there are deeper meanings behind some of the scenes. I'll leave that to the "experts." For me, the time I spent reading this was worth my while.
As always, I don't know much about art or drawing, but I like the drawings, if that's how they are properly called, more than I like the other graphic novels I've read. So definitely, that's a plus. Some frames obviously didn't need any script because the facial expressions of the characters did all the talking. Good job, AA. : ))
The penultimate and last scenes left me a bit hanging, if not a little disappointed or even quite lost though.
But other than that, I smiled, got kilig, laughed, narrowed my eyes, furrowed my brows, awww-ed, among other things. So this counts for me a goodread. : )
March 26, 2016
This is the first graphic novel that we (baba) read together. And also this is the first graphic novel that we read by Arnold Arre.
Bakit 5 stars? Kasi simple lang. Walang masyadong drama. Ang mga eksena ay natural lang na nangyayari araw-araw sa pangkaraniwang tao na nakatira sa Metro Manila. Walang "magic" ekek para lang maipasok ang nakakakilig na eksena. Ang paghahanap ng roots ni Halina, hindi rin madrama na nagiiyakan. Natural. Ang smooth lang ng pagkakakwento.
Magbabasa pa kami ng ibang graphic novel ni A.A. :)
Bakit 5 stars? Kasi simple lang. Walang masyadong drama. Ang mga eksena ay natural lang na nangyayari araw-araw sa pangkaraniwang tao na nakatira sa Metro Manila. Walang "magic" ekek para lang maipasok ang nakakakilig na eksena. Ang paghahanap ng roots ni Halina, hindi rin madrama na nagiiyakan. Natural. Ang smooth lang ng pagkakakwento.
Magbabasa pa kami ng ibang graphic novel ni A.A. :)
November 17, 2015
Two people-one who is set to find her roots and her inner Pilipino in the Philippines and the other a film critic who hates his own country, find themselves teaching and learning one another.
I love the story. Very straight to the point and true and worth reading after he last published his work. I suggest you take your time and read this one.
I love the story. Very straight to the point and true and worth reading after he last published his work. I suggest you take your time and read this one.
September 19, 2016
I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The art and the story were so good. I can't wait to read more of Arre's work.
February 8, 2017
Pasensya na...
Kung ako ay naiiyak
Mababaw lang talaga ang luha ko
Di ko mapigil
Ang aking damdamin
That scene killed it. :)
#Feels
TFG Bingo Card 2017: READ DURING A HOLIDAY/VACATION - 7/25
Kung ako ay naiiyak
Mababaw lang talaga ang luha ko
Di ko mapigil
Ang aking damdamin
That scene killed it. :)
#Feels
TFG Bingo Card 2017: READ DURING A HOLIDAY/VACATION - 7/25
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2023
I expected a lot from this book in terms of themes of identity, return to homeland - a local teaching a diasporan about the home culture - but I was disappointed. Maybe I should’ve lowered my expectations since I’m not familiar with the Filipino comics/graphic novel scene - this was the first one I’ve gotten by a Filipino author after studying graphic novels in a university class - I’m not sure if Pinoys generally take diaspora themes in comics/graphic novels seriously... or delve deep into social themes in general.
The story in a nutshell is - well, you jump straight into the friendship of Halina, whose mom was Filipino and dad is American, and a Manileño, Crisostomo, or Cris for short. The story doesn't start with how they met - it's in media res and is a bit confusing at first. Eventually, we find out that Halina is on holiday in the Philippines and wants to discover the Filipino identity she was never exposed to in her life. However, this search takes the backseat because the story is mostly about her and Cris's complicated romance. Halina already has a boyfriend, and Cris is a torpe. He explains some Filipino things to her and takes her out to the movies, gets her a gig as a magazine cover model, and also criticizes the exploitative Filipino variety show culture, which Halina later on takes part in.
I wish her identity was explored more - I was distracted by how she was illustrated as a pretty girl, somewhat sexualized, instead of highlighting how driven she is to discover her identity as a Filipino. She's an emerging diasporan - William Safran defines the diaspora as “special kinds of immigrants because they have retained a memory of, a cultural connection with, and a general orientation toward their homelands[...] they relate in some (symbolic or practical) way to their homeland; they harbour doubts about their full acceptance by the hostland; they are committed to their survival as a distinct community; and many of them have retained a myth of return”. She is not part of a diaspora community as far as the novel says, but in the other counts she is one. The book does not explain her situation in depth - it's just a device for the romance. It was like book clickbait.
I got this book because I thought it would be a reference for me for my thesis project for my undergraduate degree - I’m creating a short graphic novel on the challenges Armenian diasporans face when they come to live in Armenia. (I chose this because I live in Armenia and I am a Filipino diasporan myself, for more than half of my life.) Thus, I was expecting Arre to have a poignant exploration of a half-Filipino’s identity and of what it’s like for a diasporan to return to a land she belongs to, ethnically, but has never visited. However, the book was more of a romance and rant against Filipino variety shows. And, although it shows our inferiority complex towards white people, it doesn't explicitly comment on it or implicitly reference it in a way that takes a strong stance.
I’m also trying to find out if Arre lived abroad or has connections to the Filipino diaspora but I’m coming up short, I don’t think he has these (but if you’re reading this and know otherwise, please leave a comment). Though, I did like how authentic the Manila settings were - the highways and tall buildings, the malls, the grimy shop signs, and even how Halina would wear shorts and slippers because of the heat, - it reminded me of my childhood and every time I’d go back to the Philippines to visit places similar to those. It gave me bittersweet nostalgia. But I wonder how Halina took it all in as a first timer. We don’t hear in the story about her adjustments from first world living to third world culture.
I also wish we heard about how much Halina knew about her Filipino culture growing up - the book is quite sparse about this and only tackles how she adjusts to Manila life on a surface level. It doesn’t go deep into Halina’s questions about her national identity. She just mentions those questions in frustration at Cris, but that’s all. Maybe it would’ve been more helpful if the book was in her point of view, like the initial draft was, which Arre includes in his notes at the end of the story. And I doubt if he really researched on that diasporan experience. The Manila settings were genuine, but I didn’t feel like I could relate to Halina enough about being a diasporan, even if that’s who she is as a character. That's why I think this book falls short and doesn't deliver on its premise.
The story in a nutshell is - well, you jump straight into the friendship of Halina, whose mom was Filipino and dad is American, and a Manileño, Crisostomo, or Cris for short. The story doesn't start with how they met - it's in media res and is a bit confusing at first. Eventually, we find out that Halina is on holiday in the Philippines and wants to discover the Filipino identity she was never exposed to in her life. However, this search takes the backseat because the story is mostly about her and Cris's complicated romance. Halina already has a boyfriend, and Cris is a torpe. He explains some Filipino things to her and takes her out to the movies, gets her a gig as a magazine cover model, and also criticizes the exploitative Filipino variety show culture, which Halina later on takes part in.
I wish her identity was explored more - I was distracted by how she was illustrated as a pretty girl, somewhat sexualized, instead of highlighting how driven she is to discover her identity as a Filipino. She's an emerging diasporan - William Safran defines the diaspora as “special kinds of immigrants because they have retained a memory of, a cultural connection with, and a general orientation toward their homelands[...] they relate in some (symbolic or practical) way to their homeland; they harbour doubts about their full acceptance by the hostland; they are committed to their survival as a distinct community; and many of them have retained a myth of return”. She is not part of a diaspora community as far as the novel says, but in the other counts she is one. The book does not explain her situation in depth - it's just a device for the romance. It was like book clickbait.
I got this book because I thought it would be a reference for me for my thesis project for my undergraduate degree - I’m creating a short graphic novel on the challenges Armenian diasporans face when they come to live in Armenia. (I chose this because I live in Armenia and I am a Filipino diasporan myself, for more than half of my life.) Thus, I was expecting Arre to have a poignant exploration of a half-Filipino’s identity and of what it’s like for a diasporan to return to a land she belongs to, ethnically, but has never visited. However, the book was more of a romance and rant against Filipino variety shows. And, although it shows our inferiority complex towards white people, it doesn't explicitly comment on it or implicitly reference it in a way that takes a strong stance.
I’m also trying to find out if Arre lived abroad or has connections to the Filipino diaspora but I’m coming up short, I don’t think he has these (but if you’re reading this and know otherwise, please leave a comment). Though, I did like how authentic the Manila settings were - the highways and tall buildings, the malls, the grimy shop signs, and even how Halina would wear shorts and slippers because of the heat, - it reminded me of my childhood and every time I’d go back to the Philippines to visit places similar to those. It gave me bittersweet nostalgia. But I wonder how Halina took it all in as a first timer. We don’t hear in the story about her adjustments from first world living to third world culture.
I also wish we heard about how much Halina knew about her Filipino culture growing up - the book is quite sparse about this and only tackles how she adjusts to Manila life on a surface level. It doesn’t go deep into Halina’s questions about her national identity. She just mentions those questions in frustration at Cris, but that’s all. Maybe it would’ve been more helpful if the book was in her point of view, like the initial draft was, which Arre includes in his notes at the end of the story. And I doubt if he really researched on that diasporan experience. The Manila settings were genuine, but I didn’t feel like I could relate to Halina enough about being a diasporan, even if that’s who she is as a character. That's why I think this book falls short and doesn't deliver on its premise.
June 28, 2023
I wasn't sure I knew this about myself, but after reading Halina Filipina, I am beginning to accept that I'm a sucker for a good boy meets girl/girl meets boy story. Yes, this is set in the Philippines and the nuances that make that setting come to life are grand. But what truly drives this story is how Halina, on this path of making sense of her own Filipino background and her place as a Filipino meets Cris whose life experience of living in the Philippines, mundane and grinding as it might be, is given light through meeting Halina as he opens up this world to her. He doesn't necessarily open up HIS world to her, but shares enough of his pure Filipino experience to fascinate her and endear her to him--and vice versa.
By all accounts, this is not an obvious match of people. And a lot of this book shows their differences and minor conflicts. But there is real growth by both of them--mostly Halina, but also Cris--which makes this journey with them a satisfying one.
As for the setting, I love how the writer of The Foreward wrote that Arnold Arre's way of painting the setting is like that of a tourist in a new place. When I started reading this, I was just fresh home from my first visit to Europe, so I understood this. When you are a tourist, you notice every big and small equally because it's all new. Locals don't do that. Locals tend to look past and take for granted the mundane and small things. But a tourist sees those details fresh and with interest because--well, the small stuff is new also. That is a great way to describe the way this book is set in the Philippines. Unlike quasi-diverse books that name-drop local food or locations or names to signal the setting, Arre's setting is marked with minor details like torrential rain or busy alley bars or mechanical failures at movie theaters or unexplainable Filipino variety television shows. I think this is a more compelling way to put me into their world and I would love to see more authors (thinking about authors and artists of graphic novels and comics in particular) take this approach.
Again, this comes at a time in my life when I can really appreciate a story about two people at different stages of life meeting each other and developing a relationship. And I think I may equally appreciate a look at life in the Philippines without the token nature of simply adding the national flag in the background.
By all accounts, this is not an obvious match of people. And a lot of this book shows their differences and minor conflicts. But there is real growth by both of them--mostly Halina, but also Cris--which makes this journey with them a satisfying one.
As for the setting, I love how the writer of The Foreward wrote that Arnold Arre's way of painting the setting is like that of a tourist in a new place. When I started reading this, I was just fresh home from my first visit to Europe, so I understood this. When you are a tourist, you notice every big and small equally because it's all new. Locals don't do that. Locals tend to look past and take for granted the mundane and small things. But a tourist sees those details fresh and with interest because--well, the small stuff is new also. That is a great way to describe the way this book is set in the Philippines. Unlike quasi-diverse books that name-drop local food or locations or names to signal the setting, Arre's setting is marked with minor details like torrential rain or busy alley bars or mechanical failures at movie theaters or unexplainable Filipino variety television shows. I think this is a more compelling way to put me into their world and I would love to see more authors (thinking about authors and artists of graphic novels and comics in particular) take this approach.
Again, this comes at a time in my life when I can really appreciate a story about two people at different stages of life meeting each other and developing a relationship. And I think I may equally appreciate a look at life in the Philippines without the token nature of simply adding the national flag in the background.
February 26, 2023
When Halina Mitchell is visiting The Philippines, the country of her mother, for the first time from New York, she was expecting to connect with her relatives and with a culture she haven´t had the chance to get to know before. But life offers her a surprise and she is also getting to know Cris, a local film critic, with a cynical yet deep knowlege of the everyday life, including its kitsch.
Halina Filipina, a graphic novel by Filipino artist Arnold Arre was my first ever encounter with this unjustly less known culture and its people. A country with a diverse mosaique of language, pristine natural resources and over 113 million people, proud of their Pinoy identity and over 10 million people diaspora spread all over the world, but hardly known outside the South-Eastern Asian realm.
Definitely, an identity story can be very boring and repetitive, with a frame repeated from a culture to the other. After all, most of the non-´Western´ cultures are precariously known outside their own borders. However, in Halina Filipina there is the story that enfolds following its own rules, taking over the aim of educating and sharing authentic pieces of knowledge.
The identity is created through the connection between Halina and Cris, his funny way of introducing her to words in tagalog and to hilarious kitsch shows. In graphic terms, it mixes the first and second plans, focusing for a long amount of time on visual details, like the movement of the characters, their facial features or surroundings. I will definitely check more works by this artist as he is both talented in terms of storytelling board and creating visual stories.
For anyone interested to get more interested in Filipino identity, but also in exploring how graphic novels can be used in the process, Halina Filipina is a very resourceful start.
Rating: 5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Halina Filipina, a graphic novel by Filipino artist Arnold Arre was my first ever encounter with this unjustly less known culture and its people. A country with a diverse mosaique of language, pristine natural resources and over 113 million people, proud of their Pinoy identity and over 10 million people diaspora spread all over the world, but hardly known outside the South-Eastern Asian realm.
Definitely, an identity story can be very boring and repetitive, with a frame repeated from a culture to the other. After all, most of the non-´Western´ cultures are precariously known outside their own borders. However, in Halina Filipina there is the story that enfolds following its own rules, taking over the aim of educating and sharing authentic pieces of knowledge.
The identity is created through the connection between Halina and Cris, his funny way of introducing her to words in tagalog and to hilarious kitsch shows. In graphic terms, it mixes the first and second plans, focusing for a long amount of time on visual details, like the movement of the characters, their facial features or surroundings. I will definitely check more works by this artist as he is both talented in terms of storytelling board and creating visual stories.
For anyone interested to get more interested in Filipino identity, but also in exploring how graphic novels can be used in the process, Halina Filipina is a very resourceful start.
Rating: 5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
December 26, 2023
I really enjoyed how much Tagalog is in this graphic novel, and untranslated at that, too! For readers in the Philippines or who know Tagalog there's a whole 'nother level in this story with primarily pop culture references, while readers like myself may be able to relate to Halina's experience as she struggles to understand Tagalog and the culture she feels she should perhaps know better, but without anyone to let her in on it, she's lost.
With that said, I'm not sure I entirely bought how deep Cris and Halina's friendship is supposed to be: Cris becomes a cranky man child when Halina tells him that she has a boyfriend back in the US and just becomes cruel toward her although they certainly had nothing romantic going on at that point, and at least to my sensibilities it was really difficult to find him likeable again after that - and I felt like we were meant to find him likeable, and not an antihero.
Halina is written as if she's slowly falling in love with Cris, but I'm left wondering whether it's only codependency: Halina needs help navigating in Manila, and we are not introduced to any other friends of hers (except one creep who wants to date her and her aunties). Cris seems to literally be her only friend, and even he was not really a friend but someone who was romantically super into her soon after they meet, and starts growing a distance between them as soon as he finds out she's not single.
I think this could have been a really interesting take on friendships and romance in a country where you don't feel like you belong and you fall into a pattern with people and interpret it as something else, but the author's extensive notes at the end regarding what this story is about did not seem to support that.
Still, the ending turns out to be sort of satisfying!
With that said, I'm not sure I entirely bought how deep Cris and Halina's friendship is supposed to be: Cris becomes a cranky man child when Halina tells him that she has a boyfriend back in the US and just becomes cruel toward her although they certainly had nothing romantic going on at that point, and at least to my sensibilities it was really difficult to find him likeable again after that - and I felt like we were meant to find him likeable, and not an antihero.
Halina is written as if she's slowly falling in love with Cris, but I'm left wondering whether it's only codependency: Halina needs help navigating in Manila, and we are not introduced to any other friends of hers (except one creep who wants to date her and her aunties). Cris seems to literally be her only friend, and even he was not really a friend but someone who was romantically super into her soon after they meet, and starts growing a distance between them as soon as he finds out she's not single.
I think this could have been a really interesting take on friendships and romance in a country where you don't feel like you belong and you fall into a pattern with people and interpret it as something else, but the author's extensive notes at the end regarding what this story is about did not seem to support that.
Still, the ending turns out to be sort of satisfying!
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