Manga Review: Stepping on Roses, Volume 9, by Rinko Ueda

Rating (Out of 5): 2

Publisher: VIZ Manga (Shojo Beat)

Volumes: 9

Spoilers?: YES!

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes & Noble. Powells. RightStuf!.

Goodreads Synopsis:

  

A rags-to-riches romance from the creator of Tail of the Moon!Poor Sumi Kitamura… Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi's financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition: he'll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi fool high society into thinking she's a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth giving up everything for this sham of a marriage?

Sumi tries to get Soichiro’s company back for him, but she doesn’t realize that he’s about to embark on a life-changing opportunity. Meanwhile, Nozomu is hellbent on marrying Sumi regardless of any consequences. Can anything stop Nozomu at this point? Or will Sumi and Soichiro find a way to be together?

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for teen plus audiences.

What Am I Going To Miss?:

What am I going to miss about this series, now that it's come to an end?

1. I will probably miss some of the drama, just because that was something I read this series for, even if it wasn't very good at points.
2. I don't know what else I'll miss about this series. I would say the characters, but I didn't like the main ones, and I didn't very attached or get to know the few that I did actually like enough to miss them.

Review:

I’m not… I’m just not even sure with this series anymore. I will say, though, that I’m glad it’s over.

(There will be complete spoilers in this review. Full spoilers. This is the last volume, it upset me, there will be ranting, there will be spoilers. Okay? Okay.)

So in the last volume, I was hoping that Sumi would buck up, actually do something, stand up to Nozomu. That… didn’t really happen. First of all, Nozomu attacked Sumi in this volume, and, good for her, she actually hits him and runs away. And then has sex with Soichiro. Also, good for her. Nozomu, throughout all of this, though, is literally going psychotic. After attacking Sumi, he chases after her and axes his way into a room, only to find it empty. Then he almost/actually threatens to shoot Soichiro. Also, good for Soichiro, in that he plans to climb his way back up in society on his own.

Then Nozomu brings Sumi to meet his father and declares that they’re getting married soon, be damned the fact that he’s still supposed to be married to Miu. Sumi doesn’t like it, but apparently has no say in the matter, seeing as how no one listens to her. And then, ohmygod you guys, Nozomu’s father visits them to tell them that Sumi is Nozomu’s long lost sister (remember how Eisuke, Sumi’s brother, found her abandoned in a rose bush when she was younger? Yea, apparently that was important, even though I don’t remember it being mentioned aside from in an extra story).

And this is where everything goes downhill, rapidly (not that it was going all that well before this, really). Whereas most people think that would end a relationship, it doesn’t hinder Nozomu’s plans any. He’s still planning to marry her. And she still goes down the aisle with him! He even makes it so she doesn’t have to say “I do”, because the priest/pastor/whatever has been told that her silence is agreement. She doesn’t do anything to stop it but some mild protests before the big day. Everyone is freaking out, but Nozomu apparently doesn’t give a damn.

Throughout all this, Soichiro has been offered, by his very nice new boss, to go to England with him. Soichiro is seriously thinking about it, and it made me wonder for a moment (doubtfully, because it was barely even a possibility that he was leaving Sumi), but he shows up at the wedding, barging in and whisking her away (right before Sumi and Nozomu got to kiss, so I guess that’s the part that actually makes it official? Whatever). And that’s… that, I guess. He just steals her away at the wedding and Nozomu’s done fighting. He’s just given up, after everything he’s done. (Part of this seemed a bit rushed, so I'm not sure if this is what she had planned, or she had to draw it to a close early, or what. But still.)

One bright part about the ending: it’s super cheesy and not surprising, but Sumi ends up with Soichiro, Soichiro gets a good job, and Sumi gets to open up a school for children.

The bad part honestly, really, pisses me off. I thought, was hoping even as I doubted it, that Nozomu would get put away or something. I mean, he’s psychotic, okay? He tried to kill Sumi, almost raped her, was forcing her into marriage despite it being incestual and him already being married, threatened/almost killed Soichiro, got Soichiro out of his job and poor, and several other things, I’m sure. All of that happened, okay? He needs to be put away.

And yet, for some reason, he gets a happy ending. He ends up back with Miu, who happily takes him back despite everything he's done to her, is having a kid with her, and despite deciding to keep his distance from Sumi, still believes that they have some special bond. He writes Sumi a letter, and her and Soichiro seem very happy with the outcome, too.

I just don’t get it, you guys. How does that work? Why is it okay for Nozomu, the goddamn psychopath, to get a happy ending? Why… just why?

I don’t understand.

So, there were lots of things that I didn’t like about this series, but that really just pushes the limit. I liked the drama of this series at points, I wasn’t a big fan of Sumi or Nozomu, but I liked Soichiro enough; Eisuke was alright, I liked the kids, and my favorite was probably Komai (the original butler). At this point, I’m just glad this series is over and I can be done with it.

Manga Review: Stepping on Roses, Volume 8, by Rinko Ueda

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5 (can be upped to a four)

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Volumes: 9

Goodreads Synopsis:

Poor Sumi Kitamura… Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi's financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition: he'll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi fool high society into thinking she's a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth giving up everything for this sham of a marriage? Sumi asks Nozomu to stop buying the land where she and Soichiro currently reside, and he agrees on one condition—Sumi has to leave Soichiro and become his wife instead! Faced with the possibility of eviction, Sumi must decide whether she’ll live in poverty with Soichiro or take Nozomu up on his offer…

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for teen plus audiences.

Available on Amazon.

Review:

This series is somewhat of a guilty pleasure type shojo, just because it’s… in a way, not very good. Most of the time, at least. I mean, most of the characters are not the best, including the heroine (most of the time, but maybe that’s changing? More on that in a moment) and the villain, and the romance is pretty much what you’d expect it to be, and sometimes it seems that drama is caused for drama’s sake, and it’s so over the top dramatic and cheesy. And yet, I really enjoy reading it. But, then again, that shouldn’t be a surprise given how much I usually like dramas.

At the moment, I have mixed feelings about Sumi, the heroine. Up until now, I wasn’t such a big fan, because she’s so weak, and is always only doing things to please some man, and she doesn’t really stick up for anything. In this volume, she does at first turn down Nozomu’s offer/threat, but when her family gets kicked out of their home, since Nozomu bought the land, and no one will hire Soichiro, she goes to Nozomu and, since she’s now living with him, he lets her family move back into their home.

And at first this move just annoyed me, because, really? You’re going to fall into his trap that easily? But, near the end of the volume, it’s revealed that she’s planning to take Nozomu down and bring Soichiro back to his job from the inside. Which, I don’t know, seems a bit sketchy and I think I just don’t see her as the devious and mischevious type and so I’m having a hard time believing it. And, I have a hard time believing that she’s going to be the mastermind behind it all, and not find someone else to do it for her. I just… I haven’t gotten to see her doing anything but be pushed around and cry and beg, so, while I would like this change to be true, it’s not very believable.

I also want her to be a bit more demanding and stick up for herself. At the beginning of the volume, she tries to earn money by playing shogi, which I thought was a really smart move, but then Soichiro had to come in and be all ‘this is dangerous’, and of course she listened. I don’t see why she couldn’t have continued doing that, maybe gambling some, and have Soichiro or her brother nearby watching to make sure none of the men get out of hand. Because I don’t see why it’s so bad; I mean, it is dangerous, but I think the fact they need money is more important. Then later, the other societal wives think she’s some gold digger, and she does hold her head high as they push her around, but she doesn’t really try to prove to them that they’re wrong. She does kind of try to earn her trust back from Miu, Nozomu’s wife, and while I do like what she does to get it back, and it was courageous of her to do that, I still think that she mostly rolled over and did what she wanted, even though Miu wasn’t really the nicest during all of it. I mean, Miu had her reasons for bullying, but Sumi wasn’t really at fault, Nozomu was, and Miu should apologize as well.

Throughout all of this, Soichiro is working his butt off, and I feel sorry for him. He doesn’t deserve this, the poor guy, but I also feel that he needs to be a bit more assertive in his work life. Eisuke (Sumi’s brother) is also working rather hard, which is good to see.

And then there’s Nozomu, who is just such a huge jerk and I hate him and someone needs to just punch him in the face already. Preferably Sumi, and then Soichiro. He deserves it, badly.

At the end of the book, there was a short story starring Komai (Soichiro’s old servant), that was very cute. I just really like Komai, though; he’s sweet, and I would like to see more of him. I would also like him to stick up for himself and/or Soichiro and Sumi, though. It’s obvious he has a soft spot for them, I want him to do something about what Nozomu has been doing to them all, even if it’s just behind his back.

Even though there are so many not-good things about this series, like how overly dramatic it is and how weak the characters are, I still really like it, and this volume was especially good. I hope the next one is even better, and that Sumi keeps going up on the track she’s started on.

Oh, and apparently the next volume is the last, which I did not know. I was expecting the series to go on for a while longer. Hopefully the series ends in a good way, then.

Manga Review: Stepping on Roses, Volume 7, by Rinko Ueda

Rating (Out of 5): ~3 - 3.5

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Volumes: 8+

Goodreads Synopsis:

Poor Sumi Kitamura… Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi's financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition: he'll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi fool high society into thinking she's a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth giving up everything for this sham of a marriage?
Soichiro’s reputation becomes tainted when Sumi’s true background is exposed, and even his position as president of his company is threatened! Sumi feels terrible for the trouble she’s caused Soichiro, so she decides to leave him. Will Soichiro choose to let her go, or will he forsake everything for her instead?

Review:

This volume starts where the last volume ended: with Eisuke telling all of Soichiro's business partners that he's Sumi's brother. The business partners are outraged, and they tell Soichiro to resign, who refuses.

The thing that bothers me, though, is that Sumi feels really bad about it. Yea, she shouldn't have signed that paper, but Eisuke shouldn't have embezzled or asked her to in the first place. She should be mad at him, but instead she cries and decides to run back to her old home with the children.

Nozomu, meanwhile, offers to help Soichiro in exchange for Sumi, who refuses. He's realizing that he loves Sumi, and so runs after her and then gives up the company for her. He tells her he loves her, she's his wife, Nozoumi can't have her, and she cries.

Then he moves in with Sumi, in that run down house, where he's having a hard time finding a job and generally living like they do. He doesn't get along with Eisuke too much, it seems. He starts teaching the kids some, when he finds out that they aren't in school. Also, he tries to have some loving time with Sumi, which doesn't work because they are surrounded by kids (although that doesn't seem to bother them too much) and Eisuke interrupts them.

Meanwhile, Nozomu takes over the Ashida company, is not spending any time with his wife while trying to get a divorce, is planning a way to get Sumi, and then buys the land that their house is on, making it so they have to move, which is near impossible as they have no money.

I don't really understand how they have no money. How does Soichiro not have any money saved? And why can they not stay at his house? There's no mention of it, at all. Also, why did Soichiro have to resign? Yea, what happened with Eisuke was bad, but they shouldn't have been so judgmental just because Sumi is poor. (I guess because of what time it's set in, though...)

Anyway, Sumi decides to go talk to Nozomu (on her own), try to get him to not buy the land. He, instead, makes a move on her and asks her to be his wife.

Nozomu needs some serious help, okay? He's always pushing at Sumi, doing anything to sabotage her relationship with Soichiro (or anyone else, really) in order for her to see the good in him. In this volume, he gives her money 'out of the goodness in his heart', making her think he's maybe actually nice, while smirking as he leaves. Hell, he tried to kill himself and Sumi earlier in the series. He's psychotic, and needs to be put away.

And Sumi, needs to realize this. She needs to grow a backbone, push him away and do something for herself, instead of always taking care of everyone else and being the victim. It is seriously getting on my nerves.

Also about Sumi: we found out something new about her in this volume. Apparently Eisuke found her, lost, in a rose garden when she was a baby, and so she is now terrified of roses, only doesn't remember why. And, in a comic short at the end, that she asked for siblings when she was young, which I'm sure is why Eisuke was always bringing home kids. The part I liked moat about this, was that we got to Eisuke legitimately working for something, being a good, nice boy, as opposed to his gambling, womanizing ways now.

(Also in a comic short at the end, was a thing about how the author had a kid and was having a hard time raising her. I found it entertaining, and really interesting, how she doesn't enjoy it, but, you know, still love her child.)

Anyway. Despite all of the holes in the plot, among other things, that are bothering me, I am enjoying watching Soichiro live the poor life. He's quite terrible at it so far, and I'm looking forward to seeing him change, toughen up.

This wasn't a bad volume, though, just a bit bothersome at times. This series is just... an overly romanticized dramatic one. Which, I can't help but enjoy reading, even as it annoys me. So of course I will be reading the next one, whenever it is released.

Manga Review: Tail of the Moon, Volume 2, by Rinko Ueda

Rating (Out of 5): 3

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Volumes: 15

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sometimes it seems like Usagi is hopeless. Sure, she's good with healing herbs, but she's the granddaughter of the leader of a prestigious ninja village and she's such a klutz that she's never made it out of the kiddie class. Finally frustrated with Usagi's lack of progress, her grandfather sends her to marry a local lord and have lots of ninja babies. But the lord has no interest in her or her child bearing potential! After years of goofing around, Usagi is finally determined to reach her goals--she's going to become a ninja and capture her true love's heart!

Review:

This is still mostly alright. I'm liking the characters a little more, but I'm not really loving any of them.

It starts by showing that Goemon and Usagi as little kids, with Goemon being tested as a ninja by having to carry Usagi on his back until she can talk, so he gets used to carrying her for two years. And also that they're supposed to be getting married. Which we find out later that Goemon has refused to do, until he finds that someone else wants her.

She enters in this race, and Hanzo shows up and helps her. And then Goemon makes a big scene by kissing her and stating that they're engaged, and he continues with this throughout the rest of the book, while she denies it.

And then Hanzo leaves, Usagi runs after him, and then does something dumb and they end up falling down a cliff and staying on their own for the night, naked, in only a blanket. Nothing really happens, aside from some lines being exchanged that gives Usagi hope and makes her fall in love with him even more.

Usagi ends up going back with Hanzo, taking Mamezo and Goemon with her. Goemon is against her going, and Hanzo states that he will agree to marry her if she can become a ninja, and the same for Yuri, because apparently her sister was the one that was qualified as a ninja at an early age. Yuri is upset about this. Anyway, Goemon decides to train Usagi, and makes her go through several things, not wanting her to make the deadline of by the the end of the year. Also, Goemon tries to kill Sara, because he takes her for an enemy. Hanzo saves her, making it obvious he still has feelings for her, and Usagi is upset about it.

And then Goemon convinces Usagi and Yuri to go find Hanzou (the one that is with Sara). They're wary, but they go. They meet a fellow herbalist (like Usagi) along the way, and then they have to sneak into the palace when they aren't permitted entrance, and they find out that Hanzou has been locked away by his father because he doesn't approve of his relationship with Sara, but Hanzou won't give in. Also, Hanzo is worried about them (read: Usagi) the whole time they're gone, and Yuri forms a pretty big crush on Goemon on the trip. And then Sara and Hanzo barge in and Sara and Hanzou make a big scene, and Hanzou's father finally accepts their relationship. I do like Sara and Hanzou, and am glad that they're back together.

And then it turns out that the man they met works for Hanzou and wants Usagi to work under him as a herbalist. I think that this is a perfect idea, as that is really the only thing she's good at (because she is really not good at being a ninja, and she doesn't have any of the qualities for it, which it's possible for it to happen, but it would take a lot of time and determination, which she doesn't have). But when they tell her that she's not suited to be a ninja, she's crushed, and even more so when Hanzo agrees.

But she decides to stay and learn to be a herbalist, along with Yukimaru, who wears fancy clothes. Yukimaru also tries to hurt Usagi (out of obvious jealousy), only for Usagi to do it on her own. And then they're in the bath together, where we find out that Yukimaru is a guy. And then, I guess he falls or trips or something and gets hurt, and Usagi freaks out a little bit.

So, um, yea. It's alright. A bit better than the first one, I guess, but still not amazing or anything. And I know this is a long series, so I'm starting to wonder how much is going to happen in the series, what things are going to come up to cause drama, as I'm guessing things are going to. And if I'm going to enjoy it or not.

Manga Review: Tail of the Moon, Volume 1, by Rinko Ueda

3 of 5 Stars

Publisher: VIZ Media

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sometimes it seems like Usagi is hopeless. Sure, she's good with healing herbs, but she's the granddaughter of the leader of a prestigious ninja village and she's such a klutz that she's never made it out of the kiddie class. Finally frustrated with Usagi's lack of progress, her grandfather sends her to marry a local lord and have lots of ninja babies. But the lord has no interest in her or her child bearing potential! After years of goofing around, Usagi is finally determined to reach her goals--she's going to become a ninja and capture her true love's heart!

Review:

I've read Ueda's more recent series, Stepping on Roses, but I hadn't gotten around to read this series when it was first released. It sounded interesting, but not immensely so.

The series is about Usagi, the daughter of some big ninja family, who's quite hopeless when it comes to being a ninja. So far, I'm not a big fan of Usagi. Within the first chapter, she's going on about becoming a good ninja, only she skips practice. And then her grandpa tells her that she's not good at being ninja, to which she whines, and then he tells her that she's going to have to go and have a child with some man. She protests wildly, and then immediately leaves for him when told that he's handsome. Some of these things could be done for comedy, but they just bothered me. She has a very weak will, and she's not particularly smart. She got a little bit better near the end of the manga, but not enough for me to actually like her.  

The guy that she is supposed to marry, Hanzo, doesn't seem so bad. He's very against marriage, which is explained a little bit later in the book, but he obviously has a growing affection for Usagi. And we meet Yuri, who also intends to marry Hanzo. I don't really mind her, and hope we see more of her, as we probably will.

And we meet Hanzou, who is a flirt, but who loves Sara, who does not like his flirtatious ways. I like both of them, and hope that they make up soon. And that Hanzou grows up a bit from his flirtatious ways. And Hanzo is also in love with Sara, which is very obvious.

Usagi has a servant like person that follows her, Mamezo. He's a rookie ninja, and is adorable. He's just a little kid, and he gets a little piglet, who is also adorable. Yuri has a servant like person as well, who is around her age, if not older, who is also cute. In a different way. I hope that we see more of him, and that he gets an actual character, but I'm unsure on if I believe that we will or not.

Through out the book, Usagi goes and meets Hanzo, and instantly falls in love with him, to which he declines her proposal. And Yuri is in the same position as her, only she has known him longer. In the second and third chapters, Yuri makes an effort to poison Usagi, which doesn't work because Usagi takes a lot of medicine, that I guess cancel out the effects of it. And Yuri ends up poisoning herself and is sick for the rest of the book. 

(I'm thinking that Ueda has a think for marriages, and problems with them. Because the main problem for the main character in this story is that she has to and wants to marry Hanzo, only he doesn't want to, and she has several competitors. And in Stepping on Roses, the main character gets kind of forced into a marriage. I don't know if this bothers me or not...)

Throughout most of the book, Usagi is practicing her ninja skills, and she doesn't seem to be making a lot of progress. Hanzo finds out that Usagi can make medicine, and a lot of townspeople want some, so she stays up late making some because of some stupid promise she made. Because she gets sick a lot, which I think is kind of psychological, because apparently she fakes it before starting to actually feel it, it makes sense for her to be able to make medicine for herself. And at least she's good at something.

We meet Hanzou and Sara, and they get into a fight, and Sara stays with Usagi and Hanzo, and Usagi discovers that Hanzo loves Sara. And in the last chapter, Hanzo and Usagi have a fight and he kicks her out, and she stays outside the village for a little bit but it starts raining and so she heads back to her hometown village. Where she sees Goemon with some woman, where he's giving lessons, I guess, to the younger girls. Maybe they actually did things like this, but I have a hard time believing that. Or I just don't want to.

She kicks them out of her room because she's tired, and then Goemon makes a move on her and the book ends. I'm a little curious to find out what happens next, but not anxious for it. I don't particularly like Usagi, which is probably the main reason for this, but I will pick up the next book when I'm able to.