Manga Review: Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, Volume 12, by Arina Tanemura

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 2014

Volumes: 12

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 11.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sakura is the granddaughter of a mysterious moon princess who slew demons with her Blood Cherry Blossom sword. All her life Sakura has been forbidden to look at the full moon without knowing why. Then one night, unhappy over her impending marriage, Sakura gazes up at the moon, only to see a demon attacking her...

Sakura, grieving for all her friends who have died, returns to Aoba’s estate. Enju attacks, and Sakura loses two more people she loves. And just when she believes the battle to finally be over, Princess Kaguya appears!

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

Review:

This did not end how I thought it would. There were definitely more twists and deaths than I expected.

But overall I’m pretty happy with it. It was messy and sad, but I think it worked out pretty well. I think it probably worked out the way it should have. Mainly Sakura’s story—I think hers ended the best. Some of the others just make me sad.

I’m not even sure what else to say about this volume. I won’t spoil anything, so I won’t go into detail. I’m happy with how it ended, I’m sad, but it was very good.

As a sidenote, Tanemura mentions in the sidebars that she’ll be switching to a different magazine, and working on a more contemporary series next. I hope it gets picked up as the series gets longer, because it sounds good, and her books are really always worth it.

Manga Review: Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, Volume 11, by Arina Tanemura

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October, 2013

Volumes: 12

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Powells. RightStuf.

Previous Volume. Next Volume.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A supernatural fantasy from the bestselling creator of Full Moon and The Gentlemen’s Alliance +!

Sakura is the granddaughter of a mysterious moon princess who slew demons with her Blood Cherry Blossom sword. All her life Sakura has been forbidden to look at the full moon without knowing why. Then one night, unhappy over her impending marriage, Sakura gazes up at the moon, only to see a demon attacking her...

Kohaku follows Hayate into the woods and finds him there with Rurijo. Enju also witnesses the clandestine meeting and confronts Rurijo about her betrayal. Rurijo, now abandoned by Enju, vows to kill Princess Sakura...

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

Review:

There was a big plot line featuring Rurijo and Sakura in this volume. I think I’m interested in Rurijo more than Sakura, and really just hope that Rurijo turns out okay. There was a lot of change for her in this volume, and hopefully it’s for the best. There was also a big change for Asagiri, that I found very sad, but is probably really fitting and not terribly surprising. There was a confrontation with Enju, and I’m not really sure what’s going to happen next.

I wish I was more involved, more emotional, for this series, but I’m just not. I’m just not attached enough to the main characters, or any of the characters really. I want to be, but I’m not.

Either way, the next volume is the last, which I wasn’t expecting. I don’t really know how it’s going to end, but I do look forward to seeing how it happens. And I definitely want some closure for everything between Enju, and for Kohaku and Hayate and Shuri. Their whole relationship is a mess, and I want something to be done about that. I’ll find out in February, I guess.

Manga Review: Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, Volume 10, by Arina Tanemura

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Publish Date: 2013
Volumes: 12

Spoilers?: Yes, with warning.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

A supernatural fantasy from the bestselling creator of Full Moon and The Gentlemen’s Alliance +!Sakura is the granddaughter of a mysterious moon princess who slew demons with her Blood Cherry Blossom sword. All her life Sakura has been forbidden to look at the full moon without knowing why. Then one night, unhappy over her impending marriage, Sakura gazes up at the moon, only to see a demon attacking her...

Rurijo captures the smitten Hayate and uses moon spring water on him. Princess Yuri, betrothed to Lord Fujimurasaki, seeks the private company of another man. And Princess Sakura is taken hostage by the emperor...

Review:

I’m not really very caught up in this story, it just doesn’t grab me very well, and I’m not sure why. I like it, I’m enjoying reading it, but still. It’s kind of slow, or I’m not very invested in the characters, or something. I don’t know.

At the end of the last volume, I was upset with how things were left. Because of how much I like Hayate. The start of this volume really dissipated that anxious feeling, though, as we find out what’s really happening, and that it’s more cliché and cutesy than I was hoping for. I should have suspected, though, really.

Also, I don’t really like what happened. I was a full shipper of Hayate/Kohaku. And now Tanemura is trying to mess me up with a Hayate/Rurijo pair? That’s not okay. (SPOILER!) Especially given that Rurijo breaks the frog spell on Hayate, Kohaku confesses to him, and he turns her down because he’s now in love with Rurijo. I’m not okay with this. Not at all.

I remember liking Rurijo at the beginning, and then not liking her, and now I’m just not sure. I feel for her, for what she’s going through with Enju. But I also kind of don’t trust her. I don’t like her and Hayate solely because of Kohaku. Then I guess there’s Shuri who likes Kohaku, but I never thought that would go anywhere; maybe I was wrong? I’m looking forward to how it all develops, but at the moment, I’m not very happy about it.

After that, there’s a chapter with Sakura meeting the emperor, and that doesn’t go well at all. I’m not sure how I feel about the ending of it, aside from the fact that I can’t really be unhappy with what happened to the emperor. What Enju did wasn’t very good, but I also didn’t like what happened to Sakura.

Then the rest of the volume is taken up with the conclusion (at least, I think so?) of Princess Yuri and Maimai, in a surprising turn of events. Overall, it was just kind of a sweet story. The ending was nice for the characters, I liked finding out more about Maimai, and Yuri, I guess. 

This was an overall okay volume. I enjoyed it, but I’m still not particularly invested in the story. I care more about Rurijo/Hayate/Kohaku/even Shuri more than I do about Enju/Sakura/Aoba, though, and that says something. I don’t know. I’m still reading. I’m mostly looking forward to the next volume, but I’m not eagerly anticipating it.

Manga Review: Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, Volume 9, by Arina Tanemura

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Spoilers?: No; this review is extra vague.

Volumes: 12

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sakura is the granddaughter of a mysterious moon princess who slew demons with her Blood Cherry Blossom sword. All her life Sakura has been forbidden to look at the full moon without knowing why. Then one night, unhappy over her impending marriage, Sakura gazes up at the moon, only to see a demon attacking her...

Princess Sakura has been staying at the estate of Fujimurasaki, the future emperor. Fujimurasaki tells Sakura he loves her and keeps her hidden from Aoba. Sakura yearns to be reunited with Aoba, but he's to marry Princess Yuri...

Available on Amazon.

Review:

This volume… Ugh, this volume, the ending, is so mean. I’m not happy about it.

First, though, the beginning of the volume had the conclusion to the Princess Yuri plot line, which was a bit anticlimactic, and not nearly as exciting or intense or violent as I had been expecting. I’m not going to spoil Yuri’s reasoning behind what she was doing to Aoba and Sakura, but the whole thing seemed to have started from something small that was blown out of proportion, and then Yuri does this thing to do with Fujimurasaki, and I just didn’t really care much for Yuri anymore at that point. I’m kind of done with her.

Although, I am a tiny bit confused. Aoba was being forced into having a concubine, and the elders chose Yuri, but I don’t think it was cleared up as to whether or not he’s still going to have to choose another one? Maybe I missed that part, but it didn’t seem like the only option was Yuri, and like it would have to be someone. I mean, Aoba did work it out with Sakura, the whole being forced into it and how he really only wants her, but after that thing happened with Yuri, it just seemed to all be ignored. So…?

Anyway, then there are a couple of chapters focused on Aoba and Sakura. Because he won’t stay the night with her (only to sleep, nothing else), and she gets upset and curious, and ends up finding this thing out about him. I’m not going to spoil it, but it was a bit sad, and gave the opportunity for some very sweet scenes between the two. I don’t really see why he wanted to keep it a secret, why he was so worried, given the similarities between him and their friends, but at the same time I do kind of understand. I think he should have told her, that she was obviously going to accept it, but I still kind of understand.

Now, aughhh, the last plot point of this volume. I don’t want to spoil it, but… Well, first, we find out that the group is talking with Shuri, who I guess is done following Enju, and they talk about not knowing where Enju or Rurijo are, and then she shows up, and her and Hayate start doing this thing, and she does this other thing, and it’s horrible.

I told you I don’t want to spoil it, so I’m staying extra vague, but given how much I love Hayate, it is horrible. I am not happy about it, and I’m mad at Rurijo for it, and Hayate for being so stupid, and I want to know what happens so bad. I want the next book so badly, because I do not like there being a cliffhanger to such an important thing with Hayate. It is not okay. I’m not okay with it.

At the end of the volume, there were some comic strips that were cute and funny, and one had a sweet scene between Kohaku and Hayate. They were all rather funny, though.

I’m just… not over the thing with Hayate. And I’m ready for the next volume. Although, apparently, I'm going to have to wait till June. I mean, I knew that we were pretty much caught up with Japan, and that there'd be a longer wait, but I didn't think it would be that long.

Manga Review: Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, Volume 8, by Arina Tanemura

Rating (Of of 5): ~3-3.5

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Volumes: 11+

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sakura is the granddaughter of a mysterious moon princess who slew demons with her Blood Cherry Blossom sword. All her life Sakura has been forbidden to look at the full moon without knowing why. Then one night, unhappy over her impending marriage, Sakura gazes up at the moon, only to see a demon attacking her...

Enju and the followers of the moon are nowhere to be found after the destruction of the hidden palace. Sakura has returned with Aoba, but the lovers may soon be parted again. The emperor has asked Aoba to take another bride...

Available on Amazon.

Review:

It’s been a while since I read any of this series, and for some reason I tend to have a hard time holding onto what happened in each volume. I think I’m just, still, not as excited for this series as I would like to be. I’m sticking around for each volume, but still…

In this volume, some drama between Aoba and Sakura arose, in which Aoba is being forced to choose a concubine, otherwise known as a mistress, I believe, but maybe even another wife? But Sakura doesn’t know that he’s being forced into choosing, and then she meets the girl, who is very nice to her but not-so-nice behind her back, and Aoba accidentally spends the night with the girl, and Sakura gets upset and slaps him. Mostly the problem with this is that the elders, or whatever, are forcing Aoba into it and then that he didn’t talk to Sakura about it.

Anyway, the girl, Princess Yuri, wants Aoba all to herself, purposely got Aoba drunk so he would have to stay the night with her, and is definitely plotting something against Sakura. And then Sakura, upset about Aoba, runs to Fujimurasaki, the Togu’s, place, where he lies to Aoba, and then tells Sakura that he loves her. Ohh, drama, right?

Also, during all this, Asagiri is running around, trying to get something back for Sakura, being all secretive about it. It’s sweet, and stuff. And there’s some kissing between Sakura and Aoba, and some funny moments, and, you know, all that good stuff.

At the end of the book, there’s a short one-shot, which is actually a continuation of the I-O-N story from that one-shot collection, which is very cute and sweet, even if I didn’t remember the characters too well.

Um, that’s it pretty much. I’m hoping the next volume is good, and it looks like some exciting (and possibly upsetting) things are going to happen, so I’m looking forward to that.