Thanks for the kind words. If you like to see the way hands are depicted, then I have to recommend Steve Ditko’s art. No one has more interesting hand gestures. His Doctor Strange work is perhaps the best in regards of hand poses.

Sorry, you found the book such a great disappointment.

Since this series is a comedic romance, I wouldn’t expect it to be that realistic about the yakuza. I always take the genre into account when judging the merits of a book. It’s not fair to ask that this series be the manga equivalent of the Godfather, since that obviously isn’t the intention of the author. In fact, part of the comedy of this series is asking how Grandfather and his clan make any money given they seem to spend most of their day hanging around the house.

I also wouldn’t discount Fujiwara’s artistry. When I point to her page composition, it isn’t because it’s novel, but because it’s well done. There are probably plenty of shojo artists that experiment with unstructured page layouts, but few who are actually adept at it. This seems to be Fujiwara’s greatest gift as a manga author and artist. I would love to see her paired with a writer that could provide material worthy of this talent.

As Johanna can attest there are good shojo series, and she is more the expert than I. If you’re looking for something more substantive then perhaps you should be reading Nana or To Terra. Also, I think you’re frustration points the need for more josei series in America. Given the age range usually listed for shojo, you have to expect certain limitations in content and maturity.

I suggest you write to Viz and other publishers and let them know the kind of manga you’re looking for. Publishers need to know there is a market for more mature manga and they can only know that if readers tell them what they want.

I didn’t take much note of the panels. I read a lot of shojo, and “free-form” panels that are out of the norm aren’t that difficult to find. I do have to say she makes the panels very easy to read, however.

Once again, the art didn’t impress me, probably because I’m a hardcore shoujo fan. It’s pretty, but that’s it. I don’t think there’s anything greatly notable.

I’m sick and tired of the way the Yakuza is handled. I wish someone came in with something realistic. I mean, like, why would all the Yakuza be ugly but the main love interest so beautiful and cool? Why are they Yakuza anyone? How do they make their money?

I don’t like gags that the mangaka throws out. They’re a bit pedestrian, nothing really…witty. Sachie has such a double personality that doesn’t feel like it fits with her other side, and I wouldn’t call her normal nor intelligent. She ran away, and Rakuta had to get her back. Why would she need him otherwise? And I’ve noticed this in shojo often, but Rakuta has nada personality, even more than Sachie.

Maybe I should just give up on shojo…I feel bored by all the titles coming out now. I mean, it’s pleasant enough, if I just take it at face-value and don’t analyze using your brain too much, but where’s something really funny, really witty? Something really realistic? Something really dramatic? Something that pulls and tugs for the next volume? Something that simply doesn’t have any plot holes, even?

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