Ashihara Hinako - Sand Chronicles, vol. 01-03 (Eng. trans.)

[oyceter]

Twenty-something Uekusa Ann is packing up to move with her boyfriend when she finds an old hourglass in her boxes, prompting her to remember her childhood move from Tokyo to rural Shimane. We're taken through her memories at 12, 14, and 16 in these three volumes, and the overall frame of the story as flashback works to give the series a sense of nostalgia and bittersweetness. It's incredibly effective, much like the framing narrative of Nana.

I actually read volume 1 almost a year ago, on David Welsh's rec, but I ended up being underwhelmed. Rereading, I can see why—in the first volume, you don't know that the first time skip is coming up (from age 12 to 14), or that that's how the structure of the series will go. But on a reread, it takes on added weight and significance, and I'm guessing the rest of the series will only get better over time and rereading. Which is not to damn by faint praise, because it's very good already.

I keep comparing this to Nana, even though the cast of characters is much smaller and the issues dealt with are much less thorny. A lot of it is the story structure, but some is that Ashihara has a similar feel and empathy for her characters that Yazawa does. Not only that, but the way the plot arises from the characters and their growth reminds me a lot of how Yazawa's series work.

It has me rooting for Ann and Daigo's relationship, even though I know that most relationships that start when two people are twelve rarely end up working, but even so, I want to know what happens to Ann and Daigo's best friends, siblings Fuji and Shika. I love how it's not just romance, but family and friends and community, the difficulties of moving and finding new friends, dealing with parents, dealing with adolescence and puberty and somehow ending up as the twenty-some woman we meet in the beginning.

Spoilers

I absolutely love the switch-and-bait they did with Shika and Fuji and their parentage; when they were talking about Fuji possibly not being the real heir, I was rolling my eyes a little. Don't get me wrong; I love him, and I love my angsty quiet guys, but I wanted focus on the women. So oh, I love that bubbly, cute, adored-by-everyone Shika got secret angst.

I would be more irritated by the inevitable Ann-Daigo break, only... well, I find it bittersweet and sad and yet very right. They're going from young, idealistic love to something else, and Ashihara is good enough to capture all the nuances of emotion and uncertainty that goes along with it. I love how she handles their first time having sex, the way the relationship goes long distance, the way people and things change when they're apart for a while.

Also, yay for an actual depiction of depression and suicide that didn't feel sensational! Ok, the cliff bits felt a little overdramatic, but overall, I love finally getting a flawed mother in manga who a) doesn't completely fuck up her son so he becomes a serial killer, b) isn't portrayed as a horrible mother because of it, and c) is portrayed as an actual person.

In conclusion: I really love this and am glad I picked it up again after dismissing it a while ago. Highly recced, especially for people who like character-driven shoujo.

Comments

[mystickeeper.livejournal.com]

Yay! I am loving this series, too!

[oyceter]

Yay! I want to make everyone read it now!

[umadoshi.livejournal.com]

I love this series SO much. *^^* I've been grateful for the time-skip framing so far, since that makes it a bit easier to wait between volumes, but I wonder how long that'll hold true with the internal time between chapters/volumes getting shorter.

[oyceter]

I know! I was so happy to read it! Character-driven shoujo! Nostalgia! I love it so much!

[larryhammer]

This has been on my track-down-soon list for a while. Good to know I should have the first two volumes on hand before starting.

---L.

[oyceter]

Yeah, I think v. 1 definitely works better when you can read the others after.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Maybe I can borrow this at your place.

[oyceter]

Alas, v. 1 is back in the other place, and I tachiyomi-ed v. 2-3. (I will buy them some time! Only when I have an actual paycheck again!)

[rilina.livejournal.com]

I've enjoyed the single volume that I've read of this series. I'll have to keep reading it too--I've put it aside because my current library doesn't carry it.

[oyceter]

Haha, yeah. I sort of gave up on it last year because v. 1 didn't grab me and my library didn't have it, but I caved last weekend and tachiyomi-ed.

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I'm finding it to be one of the things I look forward to in Shojo Beat, though only in third place. It's a hell of a lot better than Haruka!

(I am actually kinda rooting for Fuji, who is turning out to be pretty great.)

[larryhammer]

What's first and second?

---L.

[oyceter]

I am totally rooting for Fuji, especially now that his angst-potential is gone! Not that I disliked him when he was angsting, but on the principle of it.

PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME!!!! I CAN'T STAND NOT KNOWING

[(Anonymous)]

Can someone plz tell me that anne ends up with Daigo!!!!!!!! Plllleeeeaaaaasssseeeee, if they don't can you tell me how and why the end up breaking up??????!!!!!!!! OH n i REALLLLLLLLYYYYY don't want Daigo to end up with Shika, even if he doesn't end up with Anne!! I liked Shika at first but then she starts acting like a spoiled brat!!!!!!! I don't feel any empathy for her at all ;s!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Luv ya,
Elmo