Hayakawa Tomoko - The Wallflower, vol. 01-03 (Eng. trans.)

[oyceter]

Four gorgeous guys have moved in with Sunako in her aunt's giant mansion. Her aunt's promised them that they can have free rent, but only if they transform Sunako into a lady.

I know, I know, it sounds like such a sketchy premise! And yet, by volume 3, the mangaka has got enough of my confidence that I don't think she's going to pull shoujo tropes out of nowhere on me.

First of all, when they say Sunako isn't attractive, they really mean it. It's not that she's ugly -- it's that she's grown her bangs over her face so no one can see it. It's also that she likes to live in the darkness with her android-esque friends and watch slasher flicks, and that wherever she goes, a dark miasma follows her.

Literally.

No, really! Like, flowers wilt! People flee! Light bulbs pop! It's great!

I wasn't that enthusiastic when I first started reading, because I was sure she was going to get the requisite makeover and be stunningly beautiful underneath her bangs. But every time I think the mangaka's going to go there, she doesn't. It's odd and surprising in the nicest of ways. While she's definitely going for a romance with Sunako and Kyohei, my favorite thing so far is that Sunako rescues Kyohei pretty much all the time, and that Kyohei's the only one of the four guys who really doesn't care if she's a lady or not. He just wants free rent.

I'm really looking forward to the rest of this, especially if the mangaka continues to subvert expectations. I don't think it's quite a feminist manga so far, largely because the only other female character we see a lot of is Noi, a gorgeous, popular girl. Still, I'm happy because instead of Sunako being jealous of Noi, Noi is jealous of Sunako. And not because Sunako's living with Noi's crush object! No, it's because she likes how strong and kickass Sunako is! Sunako generally tries to hide from all human contact. Still, most of the other women are portrayed in a not-too-ideal light.

And just to make it clear, when I say Sunako's antisocial, I mean she's antisocial. Not grumpy and irritable like most antisocial people in manga. No! She longs to spend Christmas alone! She tries to see in the new year tucked away in a COFFIN SHE ORDERED! She is all sorts of awesome.

Anyway, I'm not really doing this justice. Check out magicnoire's entry instead.

Comments

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Hmm, that sounds like it could be fun and I'm going to Book Off tomorrow... *goes to Wikipedia to look up Japanese title and publisher*

[oyceter]

Yay! I think it's a pretty long series though.... But still, I love Sunako so far.

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Yeah, apparently it's 19 vols and still going. O_o (It doesn't really seem like the sort of plot that could sustain itself over 19+ volumes! So now I'm even more curious as to what happens in the course of the series.)

[anenko.livejournal.com]

There are a lot of self-contained stories in The Wallflower wherein Sunako and/or the boys get into various forms of trouble and have to save themselves or each other. Some of the stories make me a bit twitchy in a bad way, but overall I adore this series.

It drags a bit, later on, as a lot of the stories start to sound the same (get into trouble -> Sunako and Kyohei team up, and realize how awesome the other one is -> return to mutual conflict), but things seem to be taking a slightly new direction in volume 13.

[oyceter]

Wow! That is long! Well, we'll see how it goes.

[ryuutchi.livejournal.com]

Toi be fair, Sunako is really pretty when something forces her to be ladylike or she gets pissed and decides to kill someone, but the moments don't last long and they usually end up being all the more creepy because she's passionate and pretty when she wants to beat people up.

(Hi, I met you briefly at BAScon. I hope you don't mind.)

[oyceter]

(Hi! I remember you! I don't mind at all.)

She is, though that bit irritates me. Some day I will read manga where the heroine doesn't have to pretty up! I love that after her first sparkly prettiness after she cuts her bangs, the four guys are all like, "Oh. She's pimply and has huge bags under her eyes."

[magicnoire.livejournal.com]

I think Sunako looks her best when she's ticked and wants to kill someone. The military uniform and chainsaw in the host club? Ace!

...I suspect my warped brain is showing.

[oyceter]

YES!

... to the Sunako looking best with a chainsaw. If that is warped, than so am I!

[rilina.livejournal.com]

I've seen ads for this in the back of other manga volumes. I'll have to investigate!

[oyceter]

It's really fun! I mean, I'm still not 100% sure that the end of the manga will be subversive, but 3 volumes in and Sunako shows no sign of getting more normal.

[parallactic.livejournal.com]

I tried out the manga, but got irritated at how Sunako calls the boys "beings of light", and where I felt the manga was going. I like crazy shoujo hijinks, but I'm reaching my tolerance levels for variety pack bishounen. But your write up is making me consider checking it out again.

[oyceter]

Yeah, I was rather put off by the whole "beings of light" thing in the beginning as well. It worked a little better for me later on, because of the complete over-the-top reaction of the school to their "being of light"-ness. I still can't tell them apart though.

Definitely reading for Sunako, who is all kinds of awesome.

[parallactic.livejournal.com]

I know that shoujo manga has a tendency to value good looks, but I don't like manga that's so blatant about it like this manga's ugly duckling premise and calling the boys "beings of light". But if Sunako stays eccentric and takes forever to become more ladylike, the manga is as subversive of shoujo tropes as you say, and if there's more crazy antics then it's worth checking out.

[oyceter]

Yeah, that was the reason why I'd put off reading the series for forever. But so far Sunako is staying herself. I dislike her being prettified in really dramatic moments, which is why I wouldn't classify this as a feminist series yet, but it does have more potential to be feminist than most series I read.

Also, I'm very much liking how Sunako so far has dealt with most threats to her by herself; there's this great moment in vol. 3 where one of the girls tells the main love interest, "But she's a girl still! You should go after her and make sure she's ok!" And I was sure that he would rescue her, blah blah boringcakes.

Except, he jumps in and does help rescue her, but Sunako's the one who finishes off the fight. Then the love interest turns to the girl and says, "See? Sunako can take care of herself." And I went "FOR THE WIN!"

[parallactic.livejournal.com]

Wallflower kept coming up when the subject of strong shoujo heroines was brought up, so I decided to check it out but was put off by it.

Except, he jumps in and does help rescue her, but Sunako's the one who finishes off the fight. Then the love interest turns to the girl and says, "See? Sunako can take care of herself." And I went "FOR THE WIN!"

I am now sold on this manga. Hearing more about it gives me a better idea of why people like this manga so much.

[fmanalyst.livejournal.com]

You might enjoy ADV's trailer for the anime:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZVKbfQihtY

[oyceter]

Oooo, thanks!

(also, I got your message with the link, thanks!)

[nojojojo.livejournal.com]

This is my current favorite manga series. I'm up to volume 13, and while I'm not sure I'd call it wholly subversive down the line (frex, it gradually becomes clear that Sunako is a natural perfect traditional Japanese woman in all the basic ways -- a caretaker, a great cook, controller of the finances), it definitely stays expectation-defying. And it gets even sillier. =)

[oyceter]

Yeah... I rolled my eyes a little at how good she was at cooking. But I love her insane gothness!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Sunako is the most awesome thing ever and will RULE THE WORLD if she ever gets over her allergies to light and pretty things.

This manga(and Basara) has saved shojo manga for me more than once and I still curse myself for dismissing it for the premise until picking it up on a whim when it was on Vol 4.

[oyceter]

Hee! I should try Basara some time; I keep hearing about it.

Sunako+chainsaw = OTP.

Or maybe Sunako+assorted skeletons and creepy dolls.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Basara is my favorite manga ever, though it does take a few volumes to really get going.

Sunako+anything in existance=otp

[parallactic.livejournal.com]

I'm butting in here to say that Basara is made of awesomesauce post-apocalyptical epic fantasy/adventure, and has an increasingly resourceful, competent heroine. The mangaka's artwork takes getting used to.

If you want to know more, shaenon wrote an informative review with pics of the manga.

[oyceter]

Ooo, thanks for the link!

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Basara is so, so, so awesome. And while there is a lot of traditional gender/shoujo stuff, it's definitely subversive, even more so than it at first seems (I flail and squee every time I think about it, but it's kind of spoilery, so I won't say what exactly). Plus there's a cast of dozens, probably half of which are women, many of whom are in leadership positions (there's one couple where the woman is a pirate captain and her (male) lover is her first mate) or otherwise generally kickass.

Tamura Yumi's current series, 7 Seeds, is also post-apocalyptic goodness, and I hope it gets released here as well, because it's so awesome and I'd really like it to get more exposure over here.

[oyceter]

I will have to check it out! I suck at adapting to older art styles, but it sounds worth it.

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

I don't think her art style is necessarily older, just different. It reminds me a lot of certain Clamp works, especially X (as opposed to the clean lines of Card Captor Sakura or Angelic Layer).

Sunako icon!

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I love this one (despite continuing to hate the English title). Hey, I bet there are new scans by now!

Re: Sunako icon!

[oyceter]

Awesome! I want icons of her being completely scary.

[chomiji]

Hmmm, I've heard this one recommended before ... maybe it should be my next series. Thanks!

[oyceter]

Yay successful rec!

[keilexandra]

I normally avoid manga reviews because I'm trying to stop following new series (I can't keep up with my measly three as it is), but your exclamation marks have drawn me in.

[oyceter]

Heeeee! (ooo what three are you reading?)

I'm not sure I'll buy this one yet, especially since it's up to 19 vols. in Japanese, but I'm definitely putting it on hold at the library and/or tachiyomi.

[keilexandra]

xxxHOLIC, Fruits Basket, and Prince of Tennis.

I have the misfortune of a manga-young library. Pretty much all they have is Fruits Basket, Clamp, and assorted other random volumes. But hey--that's what the Internet is for! (Time, now, is a different matter entirely. *eyes clock*)

[oyceter]

Good picks! Hey, are you reading Tsubasa as well? I think the official releases are getting to the point where xxxHolic starts really twining itself with Tsubasa -- it's not necessary to read both, but reading both really enriches what happens.

Also, though Tsubasa starts good and quickly gets boring, the latest official releases are getting to where the boring stops and TEH AWESOME begins.

[keilexandra]

I've read the first few volumes of Tsubasa, but the storyline doesn't really appeal (and I can't get past the boring bit). I'm content with reading your spoilery discussions/rants/squeeing. :D

[oyceter]

Yeah, the boring bits do go on for quite some time. And I'm glad the spoilery posts are entertaining ^_^.

[la-vie-noire.livejournal.com]

*random lurker again* Wow. I should totally read this. Sunako sounds awesome.

Totally unrelated, since I haven't been around I didn't have the chance to tell you that you have the fattest, cutest rats ever. That's all.

[oyceter]

Awww, thank you! They are incredibly fat and cute and squishy!

Sunako = awesomesauce.