Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4 (can up it to four very easily, but am still a bit on the edge)
Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)
Spoilers?: Some.
Volumes: 10
Goodreads Synopsis:
Having no experience in
romance, the vibrant Ninako curiously explores the meaning of what
"love" really is, and is surprised to feel a colorful range of emotions
as she grows closer to the school heartthrob, the quiet yet gentle Ren,
who also happens to be involved in a longtime relationship. With every
intention of keeping her head held high, Ninako prepares to face the
mental pain of this one-sided love that she had allowed to take root,
facing a series of trials that would either contribute to her growth as a
headstrong woman, or break her as it did with other girls. However, is
this really a one-sided love? Or had something been silently sown in the
most hidden part of Ren's heart?
Availabe on Amazon.
Review:
When I heard that Shojo Beat was going to be publishing
this, I was interested, but my online friends’ excitement got me curious, since
I’d never heard of the series, nor do I think I’ve read anything by this
author (even though the art looks a little familiar...). And, while this volume was shojo kind of like I thought it would be, I
was still a bit surprised by it.
Strobe Edge stars Ninako, who is rather naïve.
I was a bit surprised by her personality, but liked where it went, and only in
one volume. At the beginning, she doesn’t really know much, and she believes
what people tell her. Her friends are sure that she’s in love with her
childhood friend, Daiki, and she’s never been in love before, so she believes
that that must be what she feels, until she talks with Ren, a very popular guy
at her school, and realizes that she’s actually falling for him instead. I was
surprised by how much I enjoyed her musings on things, and really enjoyed her
discovering how she really feels as opposed to what other people are telling
her to feel. I was just generally surprised by how much I liked Ninako, given
how I don’t usually have too strong of feelings toward the heroine.
And, with my
surprise at all of that coming out in the first volume, Sakisaka didn’t take
her time with the love confessions, either. It wasn’t rushed in the least, and
yet I’m so surprised that so much happened, so much growth, in just one small
volume.
‘Cause while it’s
obvious to the reader that Daiki loves Ninako, he confesses to her in this volume,
and they even work out their feelings for each other. And then one of Ninako’s
friends confesses to Daiki, which I was not surprised by, but I didn’t really
get to know that character very well, so I’m hoping I’ll get to know her better
in the volumes to come. And before the confessions, there’s a really nice, well
done rivalry between Ren and Daiki, and then we find out something a bit
upsetting, uncool, about Ren. And then, the volume ends with Ninako starting to
confess to Ren.
This series just
doesn’t beat around the bush, that’s for sure. And I love it. It’s so
refreshing compared to most manga, and how it takes forever for the characters
to be honest with each other.
I’m not really sure
what boy I like more at this point. I like Ren, even though I’m not very happy
with his possible feelings toward Ninako when he… has that other thing going
on, which I was really only surprised by who the person was. (I’m trying to be
vague here.) But I do like his personality; I liked that he was actually rather
sweet, and isn’t afraid to be, even while also being quiet and not saying much.
But then there’s Daiki, who would normally be one of my favorite characters,
but right now I just kind of like him. He’s sweet, and he’s fun, and I totally
get his jealous feelings, and I feel a bit bad for him, but mostly I’m just
hoping to grow to like him more, because my feelings for him are not at the
level that I would like them to be. Although, really, Ren is also going to have
to earn my love for him, as well.
Another thing I was
surprised by: the overall message that this volume gave. I’m not going to ruin
that, since it was a surprise to me, but it was another refreshing aspect to
this book, in that I wasn’t expecting it, it’s a nice message, and not really
something that I’ve seen very often. That, along with everything else that happened between the characters, some of the little things, just made this so sweet to read.
The artwork is
really nice. The covers look pretty, but I wasn’t sure if inside the book would
look as good, but it did. It took, I think, a tiny bit of time for me to get
used to the art style, but it wasn’t hard, because it is really pretty.
So, it’s obvious to
say that I was pleasantly surprised by this volume, and am really looking
forward to the next one.
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