Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: MOON CHILD

You know what?  Let's get weird today.  Let's get "gender-changing amnesiac merperson from space falls for human dancer" weird.

MOON CHILD (Tsuki no Ko), by Reiko Shimizu.  First published in 1989, and first published in North America in 2005.

PLOT:

Art is a struggling dancer in New York who gets in a car accident.  He's saved by a mysterious and beautiful young man with amnesia, who is quickly dubbed "Jimmy."  Art takes the boy in, and the two start to bond.  Then strange things start to happen: Art exhibits telekinetic powers, strange fish-like beings start to appear, and a boy from hundreds of years in the past comes looking for Jimmy.  His past turns out to be tied to a a species of intergalactic merfolk, witch hunts, and the story of The Little Mermaid, and the more he remembers the more his life is in danger.

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: MIRACLE GIRLS

From the creator of Ultra Cute comes a series that tries to combine your standard, slice-of-life school romance with psychic shenanigans.  The results are...mixed, at best.

MIRACLE GIRLS (Mirakuru Garuzu), by Nami Akimoto.  First published in 1991 and first published in North America in 2000.

PLOT:

Toni and Miki are twin sisters with a secret: they can talk to one another psychically, and when together they can even teleport.  This becomes handy when brainy Miki finds herself stuck on the relay race team for her school's sports day and needs sporty Toni to switch places with her.  Toni finds it hard to keep up the charade when she starts falling for Miki's classmate Jackson, and harder still to avoid the attention of science teacher/wanna-be paranormal researcher Mr. Kageura.

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: THE HEIRESS AND THE CHAUFFEUR

You know what we need more of?  Manga set in the Taisho era.  I don't need more samurai or Shinsengumi - I want more spunky schoolgirls in fancy hakamas like today's selection.

THE HEIRESS AND THE CHAUFFEUR (Ojo-sama no Untenshu), by Keiko Ishihara.  First published in 2010 and first published in North America in 2016.

PLOT:

Sayaka Yoshimura is a lovely young girl, one of the many fine ladies at her ladies' school.  As a refined young lady, she is escorted to and from school by her family's chauffeur, Shinobu Narutaki.  Narutaki is handsome and dedicated, and naturally rumors are constantly swirling that he and Sayaka are in love.  When Narutaki defends Sayaka for an offense she did not commit, her school demands he be dismissed or else Sayaka will lose the privileges as top student.  Will Sayaka cave to social pressure or stand in defense of a loyal servant?

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: DEFYING KUROSAKI-KUN

The trashier side of shojo can be a safe space for young girls and women to explore their fantasies, but I have some serious words about the sort of fantasy that books like today's selection have to offer.

DEFYING KUROSAKI-KUN (Kurosaki-kun no Iinari ni Nante Naranai), by Makino.  First published in 2014, and first published in North America in 2018.

PLOT:

Yu Akabane is hoping that a make-over and a new school will be just the thing to improve her social life.  Her plans go awry when her parents have to suddenly force her to move into the dorms, putting her at the mercy of deputy dorm monitor Haruto Kurosaki.  He's the dark, moody, and foul-tempered best friend of class idol Takumi Shirakawa, and when Yu confronts him, his response to declare her his slave and forcefully kiss her.  Will Yu ever get out from under his thumb?  And just what is Kurosaki hiding behind his glowering stare?

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: PORTRAIT OF M & N

Shojo manga is frequently all about romance, but seldom about the kinkier side of it.  Is it still possible to make the audience's hearts pound when it's less about holding hands and first dates and more about whips and restraints?

PORTRAIT OF M & N (M to N no Shozo),  by Tachibana Higuichi.  First published in 2000 and first published in North America in 2010.

PLOT:

Mitsuru is a stunning beauty from an accomplished family who is seemingly perfect and demure...at least, until she gets hurt.  A lifetime of parental abuse has given her a masochistic streak, and the slightest injury leaves her in a daze begging for more.  Her secret is discovered by her classmate Natsuhiko, who then confesses his own kink: he's a narcissist who has to wear coke-bottle glasses to keep himself from obsessing over his image in any mirrored surface.  The two soon bond over their kinky lifestyles, but their tenuous relationship is threatened when a popular boy also discovers Mitsuru's kinky little secret.

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: FROM FAR AWAY

While Fushigi Yugi was the first manga series to popularize the concept of shojo isekai in the 90s, there was a series that came out at the same time that in my opinion is far more interesting (and 100% less rapey!)

FROM FAR AWAY (Kanata Kara), by Kyoko Hikawa.  First published in 1993, and first published in 2004.

PLOT:

When Noriko is caught up in a bombing, she finds herself whisked away to a strange new world, one she had only seen previously in her dreams.  There are all sorts of strange creatures and landmarks, and she can't understand a thing anyone's saying.  All she knows is that Izark, the brave warrior who found her and protects her, is the only person she can trust.  Little does she know that she and Izark are players in an ancient prophecy, one that would bring death and destruction to this new world...

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: BRIDE OF DEIMOS

Let's take things in an older, spookier, and deeply dramatic direction with an obscure little gem from ComicsOne.

BRIDE OF DEIMOS (Deimosu no Hanayome), written by Etsuko Ikeda & art by Yuho Ashibe.  First published in 1975, and first published in North America in 2005.

PLOT:

Minako Ifu is a lovely and hopeful girl, but ever since the fateful day she encountered Deimos, the Greek god of fear, her life has been haunted by misery and death.  Deimos believes her to be the reincarnation of Venus and wants Minako as his bride.  When she refuses, he torments her by making those around Minako suffer in a supernatural fashion.  Even when Deimos does not directly interfere, Minako's life becomes increasingly infested with monsters of all shapes and sizes with agendas of their own.

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: HYPER RUNE

Shojo and sci-fi are two flavors that go together like chocolate and peanut butter, but there are definitely ways to screw up that combo and today review is an example of just that.

HYPER RUNE (Saiba Puranetto 1999: Hyper Rune), by Tamayo Akiyama.  First published in 1995 and first published in North America in 2004.

PLOT:

Rune Ayanokouji just wants to be a normal 8th grade girl, but her mad scientist grandfather keeps saying that she's some sort of space queen who needs to needs to save the universe, forcing her into ridiculously ornate costumes.  Meanwhile, Rune just wants her dreamy childhood friend Masaya to notice her.  Little does she know that her grandpa is completely correct, and intergalactic fighters disguised as humans are on their way to either protect her or try to stop her.

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: PHANTOM THIEF JEANNE

Today's shall be a two-for: a magical girl story and yet another attempt at finding an Arina Tanemura manga that I like.

PHANTOM THIEF JEANNE (Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne), by Arina Tanemura.  First published in 1998 and first published in North America in 2005.

PLOT:

Maron is an ordinary girl by day, always busy with schoolwork, clubs, and her tempestuous friendship with her neighbor/classmate Miyako.  By night, Maron is the Phantom Thief Jeanne, a reincarnation of Jeanne d'Arc who saves the world from demon-possessed paintings with the help of angel-in-training Finn Fish.  Jeanne is pursued by Miyako (who is the daughter of a detective), but also by a mysterious boy with similar powers calling himself Kaito Sinbad.  Does this Sinbad have anything to do with the handsome, mischievous boy that moved in next door? And is Sinbad an ally or an enemy?

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: BLUE INFERIOR

I was recently reminded of Key to the Kingdom, which led me to take a look at the only other Kyoko Shitou manga released in English.

BLUE INFERIOR (Buru Infiria), by Kyoko Shitou.  First published in 1998 and first published in North America in 2004.

PLOT:

In the future, much of the land has been transformed into uninhabitable desert and the oceans plagued by poison tides.  Humans lived in isolated pockets of habitable "blessed" land, and Liber might be the most blessed by virtue of its beautiful seascape.  Kazuya spends his days exploring the ocean in the hopes of finding clues about what happened to his parents, but his explorations lead him to a mysterious girl named Marine.  Marine has no memory of how she ended up washed up on the beach, but the longer she hangs around Kazuya the more she remembers.  Her memories might be the key to the fate of Kazuya's parents and the world beyond the blessed lands...if a traitor from within the community doesn't stop them first.

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: CRIMSON HERO

There's a long tradition of shojo manga about volleyball, going all the way back to Attack No. 1.  Today's selection is an example from the 2000s that would be great...if not for the lack of actual sports action.

CRIMSON HERO (Beni-iro Hiro), by Mitsuba Takanashi.  First published in 2003 and first published in North America in 2005.

PLOT:

Nobara is a 15-year-old and heir apparent to her mother's traditional Japanese restaurant, but she couldn't care less.  While her younger sister Souka is the very picture of femininity, but all Nobara wants to do is play volleyball.  Her obsession leads her to Crimson Field High School, which is renowned for its volleyball team...its men's volleyball team.  Nobara is determined to play, though.  She's so determined that she's even willing to go so far as install herself as house mother to the men's team in the hopes of winning them over to play on their team, all in the hopes of pursuing her dream.

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: PEACH GIRL

It's weird to see gyaru show up in modern manga when they were all the rage in shojo manga in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and few were as successful and remembered (even today) as this series.

PEACH GIRL (Pichu Garu), by Miwa Ueda.  First published in 1997 and first published in North America in 2001.

PLOT:

Momo is a lively girl with a talent for swimming and an unfortunate tendency to tan, which makes people think she's nothing more than an easy "beach bunny."   All she wants is for her crush, Toji, to love her in return, but she's constantly afraid that her so-called friend Sae will sabotage their relationship before it can start.  To throw her off-track, Momo flirts with class playboy Kiley, but her strategy works a little too well when Kiley starts pursuing her in earnest.  The four soon find themselves caught up in a web of drama and miscommunication, all in the pursuit of love and acceptance.

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: MORE STARLIGHT TO YOUR HEART

When it comes to shojo manga heroines, there's a fine line between 'cute and spunky' and 'too juvenile and naive to function,' and this series all but stumbles clutzily over that line.

MORE STARLIGHT TO YOUR HEART (Motto Kokoro ni Hoshi no Kagayaki o), by Hiro Matsuba.  First published in 2002 and first published in North America in 2005.

PLOT:

Akane is a young noblewoman living a privileged life in Heian-era Japan, but that life means nothing without her beloved childhood friend Aoga.  Forbidden by her father from seeing him, she goes so far as to disguise herself as a servant within the imperial palace to get close to him.  Her plans are constantly threatened by her ineptitude as a servant and palace intrigue, but she's determined to make her feelings for Aoga known, no matter what.

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: QUEEN OF RAGTONIA

One of the joys of doing these month-long marathons is digging deep into my collection of books to review and finding some hidden treasures - oddball series from obscure (and often long-gone) publishers that never got a fair chance to shine.

QUEEN OF RAGTONIA (Ragutonia), by Chika Shiomi.  First published in 2006 and first published in North America in 2009.

PLOT:

The kingdom of Pharsia is under attack from a necromancer who is sucking life force from its people and turning them into demons.  It seems that no one can stop him, but two people are determined to try.  One of them is Falsa, the last surviving member of the royal family.  Despite the necromancer stealing the sight from one eye and her ability to use her legs, she's determined to find a legendary sword, and save both the kingdom and the poor souls trapped by these demons.  The other is Cardus, a gentle giant from a small village who lost one of his own eyes to the demons.  While he's strong enough to both wield the sword and carry Falsa, he's also sympathetic enough to show kindness to the same demon who took half his sight.

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: MAMOTTE! LOLLIPOP

Shojo manga is made for girls, but back in the day there was a larger focus on making comics not just for teen girls, but pre-teen and younger audiences as well.  It's tricky for series like that to find a good balance between making their material easy enough for younger girls to grasp without dumbing itself down entirely, and if they got too far you end up with something like this.

MAMOTTE! LOLLIPOP, by Michiyo Kikuta.  First published in 2002, and first published in North America in 2007.

PLOT:

Nina dreams of finding a dreamy guy to protect her, but in the mean time she's happy to settle for sweets.  When she confuses a magic pearl for a candy, her life is swiftly invaded by two magical boys, Zero and Ichi.  They're wizards in training who need that pearl to pass their exam, so they decide to stay by Nina's side until their teachers can find a magic cure for her problem.  Between the other wannabe wizards seeking to take Nina's pearl by force and her own growing feelings for the boys, Nina's sweet and simple life is about to be turned upside down!

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: HAREM DAYS: THE SEVEN-STARRED COUNTRY

Now we go from one of the oldest shojo manga releases to a recent one from an all-digital publisher.  Is it good enough to stand out in a sea of physical releases from bigger name companies?

HAREM DAYS: THE SEVEN-STARRED COUNTRY (Koukyu Days: Shichijoukoku Monogatari), by Momo Sumomo.  First published in 2011 and first published in North America in 2018.  

PLOT:

As a young girl, Hisui's life was changed forever when her parents were killed and her beloved older brother Kohaku disappeared.  She was taken in by a wandering performance troupe, and nowadays is acclaimed just as much for her convincing drag performance as she is for her martial arts.  When they are called upon to perform for the handsome young emperor Ryusei, he selects her to join his harem as an entertainer.  Hisui finds herself flustered by the emperor's attentions as well as his resemblance to her long-lost brother.  Soon enough, though, she finds herself caught up in a deadly conspiracy that threatens the emperor's life.

Merry Month of (Shojo) Manga: FOUR SHOJO STORIES

This month The Manga Test Drive celebrates its seventh birthday!  I know we've been a little absent lately thanks to work on Sakuracon panels, but doing those has left us in the mood to talk about shojo manga even MORE.  So let's kick off this seventh year of reviews with a month's worth of shojo manga reviews, starting with one of the oldest and most treasured examples from my own collection.

FOUR SHOJO STORIES,  featuring stories by Keiko Nishi, Shio Sato, & Moto Hagio.  First published in 1975-1989, and first published in North America in 1996.

PLOT:

This short story collection covers tales of young girls dealing with family drama and supernatural forces, a group of various children trapped on a spaceship trying to solve a mystery, a future traveler whose travels nearly end in disaster, and a husband dealing with his faltering marriage in the middle of an earthquake.