Prinzessin Sakura 01

桜姫華伝 [Sakura Hime Kaden] #1

by Arina Tanemura, Rosa Vollmer (Translator)

Auf einem einsamen Berggut weitab der kaiserlichen Hauptstadt lebt die 14-jährige Prinzessin Sakura. Von Kindesbeinen an ist sie dem kaiserlichen Thronfolger versprochen, doch Sakura pfeift auf diese Heirat. Als eines Tages der Gesandte Aoba auftaucht, um sie zum kaiserlichen Hof zu geleiten, nimmt Sakura die Beine in die Hand und flieht. Doch in den dunklen Wäldern ihrer Heimat lauern ihr die Yokos - menschenfressende Monster - auf!

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

192 pages, Paperback

First published March 13, 2009

About the author

Arina Tanemura (種村有菜) was born on March 12, 1978. She's the author of Full Moon O Sagashite, Time Stranger Kyoko, Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, Sakura Hime Kaden, and more.

Her favorite hobby is Karaoke. One song that she sings is Smile, originally by Myco. She has two cats, named Riku and Kai. She has one elder and one younger sister and one brother. She's the type who hates to lose in anything. She also likes Ribon.

Reviews

[Megan M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mix of Sailor Moon and Fushigi Yuugi, Sakura Hime has demons from the moon, a princess in a short skirt fighting them and a conflicted love story, all wrapped in a gorgeous Heian Era fantasy. Arina Tanemura is a favorite for fans of shojo manga and she does not disappoint. The artwork is amazing and detailed. Although I wasn't captured by Sakura immediately, I definitely felt for her by the end of the volume. She's annoying in an early series Usagi sort of way and I want to give her a few more volumes to grow. The cliffhanger at the end guarantees that I'll be reading future volumes.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my words, I think Sakura Hime Kaden is the best manga book I have EVER read! Its very funny, adventurous, and sometimes disturbing. But I LOVE this book. Its about this princess(her name is Princess Sakura) who is actually from the moon and is immortal. She has been bethrothed since birth by her future fiance' Prince Oura. Not wanting to get married, she runs away. Then she gazes up at the full moon and a Youko appeared. (Youko, is a immortal man-eating beast) As suspected, Prince Oura comes save the day I guess along with a priestess she knows. Then Sakura finds out that she is the granddaughter of the legendary Princess Kaguya, the princess that defeated Youko, along with the mystic Cherry Blossom Sword, CHIZAKURA. And also she finds out that her soul symbol is "Destroy"(soul symbol is a way of predicting your fate). So Princess Sakura I guess transforms into her battle form and summons Chizakura. And then and there she defeated the Youko.

The End

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick Review:

This is an epic, female lead fantasy that will be loved by readers if they enjoy books like Sailor Moon, Vampire Knight and Wedding Peach.

Girls kicking butt with an epic love story, what more can a girl want from a cute manga? Especially one with a Princess! The outfits are cool, the plot lines are cooler!

Three out of five stars.

[和泉美優 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story takes place in the Heian period in Japan. It is about a princess named Sakura who is about to be married to the Imperial Prince Oura. An emissionary is sent to escort her to the capital, and Sakura who doesn't want to go and marry the prince decides to run away in the woods with her magical friend Asagiri. Sakura looks at the full moon, forgetting the fact that she is forbidden to look up at the full moon. Suddenly, a demon appears, and Sakura is forced to fight, discovering thanks to the priestess Byakuya that she is Princess Kaguya's granddaughter, and that she must fight the demon with the legendary sword Chizakura.
I would recommend this book to anyone that likes Arina Tanemura's series. Though I find lots of similarities between The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross and this book, but if you like Arina Tanemura's art, then you should read it.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly know nothing about Heian era Japan, the setting of Sakura Hime, so I can't say if she did the era justice or not. But I did like the art (the kimono are so pretty) and I was a lot more interested in the characters and the story than I had been in Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne. Sakura herself has a pretty good set up, and there's a really surprising twist halfway through the first volume. I'm actually really interested to see where this goes.

[Jen]

Not sure why, but this book didn’t do anything for me, which surprised me as I am on a HUGE manga kick right now.

Still a happy memory from my Ohio Book Trail trip though. Ohio has ROCKIN book stores and I highly recommend going to visit as many as you can! My friend and I went to more book stores than I can count and the car ride home with a car FULL of books was a true happiness.

Love you Ohio and going to go back again when we can!

[Hot Mess Sommelière ~ Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a Greek Tragedy, but in Heian Japan.

Don't let the cutesy character design, the magical girl transformations, the slapstick comedy, the Ribon magazine publication and the age of the main character (14) fool you: this is a brutal tragedy and there is a lot of despair, death and gloom.

There, you've been warned.






I remember this series had absolutely abysmal reviews in Japan, but not in Germany, probably because Germany is the last bastion of Arina Tanemura hardcore fans. That's why we got all the *hardcover deluxe editions* *cardboard slipcases* *glow in the dark embossing* *whole series box sets* and the artbooks of course.

I'm a hardcore fan too, so, I don't mind.

I bought the box set of the complete series! Couldn't resist, the art is just too pretty. I actually own the first 8 regular volumes anyway, but the art on the box???? It's just so pretty. Now I will read the entire series in one go.

[Laura Tenorio]

Sakura is a princess; and she is engaged to a prince whom she has hated.

As I read this, I became interested in how Sakura must deal with everything. Such a burden... the person whom she learned to love and said that he loved her, trying to kill her. But then later on, they make up; and they are deeply in love.
It is a very sad story, but then an unexpected person(presumed to be dead) shows up and tries to tear them apart. He kidnaps Sakura; But Sakura finds out that he is actually her brother that died years ago.

[Luke Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art in this series is absolutely breathtaking. Here's an example for your viewing pleasure.



Even though I could rave about Arina Tanemura's drawing for days, let's talk more about the manga. It's definitely an interesting start to a historical fantasy series, with romance (a complicated one, though), action, and of course, a magical heroine who undergoes some nice development. Let's see how this goes!

[Dva · Rating 5 out of 5]

First let me say that Arina Tanemura's art style is incredible. The artwork in this Manga is really really pretty. But I had a really good time reading this manga, I don't know anything about the Heian period but I really liked that this manga takes place in it. I loved Sakura's character as well. Also Arina's notes were adorable. If you like shojo manga, I highly recommend this one. I really wish there was an anime of it.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun start to the series! :D Looveeee the artwork (of course ^__^)

[DonutKnow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, I feel totally betrayed by that prince.

[Sondra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Minusta on ihan ok, että jotkut asiat on vain nuorille itselleen, eikä tädit tajua niistä mitään. Niinku vaikka Tiktok ja manga.

Manga-sarjakuvat ovat nuortenosaston lainatuinta aineistoa. Siitä huolimatta en ollut tähän päivään mennessä lukenut yhtään osaa yhdestäkään sarjasta. Korkea aika siis, vaikka ennakkoaavistelinkin, että ei olisi välttämättä ihan minun juttuni.

Kun ei tuota taustaymmärrystä ole tarpeeksi, niin en anna tälle tähtiä mangana, vaan ihan henkilökohtaisen kokemuksen perusteella. Kaikenlaista vauhtia ja juonenkäänteitä on, mutta en minä jotenkin saa kiinni kerronnasta, jossa selvitellään ensin jotain ihmissuhdeasiaa, mutta sitten kohta mennäänkin tappamaan hirviöitä, koska niin nyt vain tapahtuu...jostain syystä. Juonen seuraamista voi tietysti myös hankaloittaa se, että sekoitan hahmoja keskenään toisiinsa. Eniten tykkäsin tekijän välikommenteista, joissa hän kertoo hyvin satunnaisen tuntuisia asioita esimerkiksi lempimusiikkikappaleistaan.

En oikein osaa edes sanoa minkä ikäisille tämä on suunnattu. Lapset itse tietää senkin paremmin.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up to 4 stars because I adore Arina Tanemura's art style.

This first volume is..... wildly confusing, to say the least. I don't know if it's because of the online scans/translations not being the best, or just having Way Too Much Plot shoved into the first volume, but boyyyyyy, people keep switching back and forth in their decisions and motives! But while it is too early to judge the story as a whole, I certainly like the concept: the granddaughter of the famed Princess Kaguya is tasked to defeat demons on Earth, but also must deal with the fears and prejudices of humans who view her as a monster as well....

[Katri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taattua Tanemuraa. Söpöjä tyttöjä, yliluonnollisia hirviöitä, monimutkaisia rakkausjuttuja, maailman ihanimmat palstat joilla Tanemura fanityttöilee musiikista... tässä on myös aivan ihana tyttöjen välinen ystävyys syntymässä <3 tulisipa seuraava osa jo!

[Ananas · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good I read it twice (read it!!!) :3

[Bibliothecat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for complete series



Princess Sakura is a descendant of the creatures of the moon whose hand has been promised to the Imperial Prince Oura. To hide the powers that lurk inside her, Princess Sakura has been raised in isolation. But Sakura is unwilling to enter a marriage without love and chooses to run away - even at the risk of her true nature being exposed.

Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura is everything wrong with The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross done right - it includes the best of all Tanemura's previous works. After the mess that was The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, I was really worried that the then newest series of a long time favourite mangaka of mine would disappoint again. Luckily, that was far from the case!

The setting of the Heian Period allowed for interesting folklore and absolutely gorgeous designs for the characters; all those beautiful kimono and long flowing hair! Just the art alone makes this a pleasure to read. And thanks to the fantasy setting, many story elements that fell flat in The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross unfolded beautifully; there certainly was drama, but it suited the circumstances and we are, after all, talking about an Imperial Court. And I was so pleased to see her old humour, which I so love, return.

Although I felt that the romance developed very rapidly, I can't say that it bothered me. The first volumes do revolve around Sakura and Oura, but the plot focuses on so much more than just the two once the story gets going. Thanks to the romance not being the only focus, this story was rich in wonderful characters who all had their share of spotlight. There were wonderful friendships, family bonds, court intrigues, action and a plot that keeps you guessing. It was just such a beautifully well-rounded story from beginning to end.

This is one of those stories that has so many great characters, I wouldn't even know where to begin looking for a favourite. Although I am tempted to say that it is Sakura's little spirit friend Asagiri, there are so many others that are equally lovable. Sakura herself is also a nice character, I loved how she was sincere and naive yet would also simply be lazy and childish. There is a lot of character growth - not only for her but for the majority of characters. As there are so many characters to love, it's so easy to get emotionally invested and there's a lot of sadness the cast needs to overcome. It is also great how, as the story progresses, the line between good and evil dims more and more.

The only thing I would criticise about Sakura Hime is how conveniently everyone seems to be connected. Every character is related to someone else one way or another. After a while, it felt like a repetitive plot twist when yet another character was revealed to be someone's long-lost lover, friend or sibling. However, given all the wonderful elements of this plot, it is a small matter that can easily be ignored.

A delightful surprise through and through - I am utterly in love with the setting, characters and plot and after this am inclined to believe that Tanemura's stories work out best if there is at least a hint of fantasy involved! Now if only there were an artbook...

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this has to have one of the best plot twists I've ever read, being up there with the plot twist in Magic Knight Rayearth (which nothing has topped for me)!

I'm still reeling from how the mangaka felt that certain situations HAD to happen for later events to unfold because I'm still in shock and trying to wrap my mind around everything!

Attempting to move on to other points though (LOL), I really liked Sakura! I admired how she did what she could to not live out the fate everyone said she had since birth because I couldn't imagine being in her shoes and having to marry a certain someone, wear certain clothes, and live out a certain future. I also admired how she wanted to use her newfound abilities to help those around her. She may be conflicted on certain things, but she is never conflicted about her desire to help those around her…even those who do not have the best intentions in mind for her.

I really really liked the cast of characters as well and can even say I don't hate the prince despite how things unfolded. (I think with him I feel more uncertain of what his actual motivations are and his reason for why he did what he did?) I definitely think that outside of Sakura, Asagiri and Kohaku are my favorites! They have such a beautiful friendship with Sakura that really leaps off the page. <3

I was surprised by how epic this story was! I didn't really have any expectations when starting this series but I was totally caught off guard by how this is a historical romantic fantasy meets magical girl! Talk about an epic mashup!! I also really liked the worldbuilding and especially liked how we have softer moments with awesome action scenes because I felt like I was caught up in a whirlwind with everything but in a good way!

Very much looking forward to the next volume, especially with how this volume ended!

[Mercedez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I... Didn't like this. I'm not sure if I've just grown beyond Tanemura's stories: I don't think that's the case seeing as I recently started Phantom Thief Jeanne and really love it. I think it's just that the pacing and story aren't doing it for me.

A lot happens in V1: we find out that the princess on the cover is Princess Sakura, a descendant of the famed Princess Kaguya, and a youko, a dangerous human-eating monster from the moon. While there's only three chapters, a lot is packed in, grill Sakura's reveal to her meeting her husband-to-be to her forcibly fleeing the capital to keep alive after said husband-to-be finds out the secret of Sakura's soul.

I'm not sure if I'll ever return to this series: to be honest, it's sat unread for years. I picked it up in 2013, about two years after it first released, and now almost eight years later, I'm just getting to it.

The reality is that I probably won't return to this series. While I'm here for a Heian Magical Girl, the pace of the first volume was a lot. I do think that there's definitely an audience for this series: and while maybe one day I might dive into V2, it still took me almost eight years to read V1.

I'm incredibly thankful for the work done to localize and adapt this work: more magical girls are always good. But unfortunately, this is where my adventure most likely ends.

[Popuri ⍟ · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an Arina Tanemura fan, it pains me to rate this one so low, but nothing here really worked for me (with the exception of the art-style, which is always gorgeous).

The main character takes the entire volume to find a main goal, and even then there's no motivation for her to want it outside of her being a good person, I suppose? So it's hard to feel for her personally at all.
Furthermore, I like arranged marriages when done right, but that requires the love interest not to try to kill the main character... besides, he is unlikable since the beginning of the story anyway. Just not my type of love interest at all. The worldbuilding is also flimsy. It felt underdeveloped, like Tanemura was coming up with the ideas for it on the fly.

I probably won't be continuing with this one, but that's okay. You'll never like every story written by an author, no matter how much you usually like them.

[BlipBlop · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Arina Tanemura's work. I know I shouldn't, since it's the same formula, book after book - but isn't most manga?

Anyway.

The art is good. It's pleasing, and I enjoy looking at is while I read the speech bubbles and move along with the action. But, true to Arina's style, the main heroine is super-thin, petite, has really long hair, and big, expressive eyes. Kind of a negative in my book, but not enough to get me to not like it in any way.

So you move along and start reading the plot, and it's good. Not excellent, not the best, but it's good.

I do like the series and I'll be keeping up with it, though!

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review will be for the whole series; read at your own risk!

Read 12 volumes

Arina Tanemura is my favorite manga artist and it took me forever to start this one! I actually have a German edition of volume 1! Sakura Hime is a pretty good start! I like that the couple confesses and “gets together” fairly quickly as opposed to her other series. I’m curious to see how the overall plot runs!

Edit 8/14/22: I finished the series!! I’m surprised at how it turned out (more characters died than I expected from Arina Tanemura) but it ended well I think! A bit rushed but I still enjoyed it!

[Angelina Justice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork is great AND the story flows well enough to keep a novice Manga reader like me engaged. I love the whole, I hate you, I love you, I love you, I hate you...thing. It kept the first volume from being too predictable.

I often ignore the sidenotes and chibi's in the margins, but found myself reading several in this volume.

My favorite character is Sakura's friend/servant Asagiri. Like the author, I hope she "evolves into a great character."

[K.C. Rivers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could it be that I'm actually starting to enjoy shojo manga? It is quite possible. This looks to be a fun, light-hearted series. I actually quite like Sakura's character. Even though she's incredibly spoiled, the author almost seems to poke fun at that. This left quite the cliff-hanger and I'm looking forward to reading more.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was going to give it four stars, but then the second half of it happened, which was so rushed and ill-tempered with cheap laughs that I had trouble enjoying it as much as the first half. Not a bad start to a new Tanemura series, and her art is as gorgeous as ever. Should be a good twist on the typical 'destined girl' shojo story.

[Shiori · Rating 3 out of 5]

If only she made her plots more interesting, I would have enjoyed this book. *Sighs* The only that gets me reading this book is because of her art-work. Her characters are nicely done as always. I kind like Sakura being strong but she is also weak.

[Candycloud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. I'm seriously new to manga, and I will admit, I like it a lot. But I didn't really like this book.

Yeah, Sakura was cute, as was Asagirl. But the other characters... well, they were a bit... um... strange.

[Ichigo · Rating 4 out of 5]

i totally new that he was the prince she left too much clues and i just love this its sooo funny but does he really like her or what

[Elsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole transformation thing lost me at first but will pick up more volumes to see how this turns out.

[Nara Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

They had me at moon princess, but she also fight demons. Along with the typical shoujo relationship angst. It's magical girl goodness at it's best