Shoujo Beat

Shojo Beat is an English Publishing company by Viz dedicated to publishing and licensing Shoujo Manga and Josei Manga

Scene of the Heroine and the Water God from The Water Dragons Bride by Rei Toma

The Water Dragons Bride

Name: The Water Dragons Bride
Mangaka: Toma Rei

Volumes: 11 (Complete)
Licensed: Viz (11 Volumes: Digital (App) / Paperback OOP)
Type: Manga
Genre: Adventure/Action/Fantasy/Drama
Age Group: Teen

Summary:  
One’s life can be changed in a brace of shakes. And little Asahi is unlucky in that: she suddenly finds herself in a strange world where people worship the mysterious water god. The girl is sure that the whole story about gods is just a mere fable but… why and to whom is she sacrifiсed to?

– Mangaupdates

Graphics Rating: 3/5
Plot Rating: 2/5

Opinion: I disliked this the whole way through and I’m so glad I read it in the Viz app and didn’t pay for the paperback copies.

The art is ok to be honest it isn’t my favourite. It’s a lot of white space and the characters have this kind of moon face I don’t like. It’s not terrible I just don’t like it personally.

The story just makes no sense because the Heroine is so damn vanilla. She doesn’t even have PTSD from being taken from her family and forced to live in the “past?”. She’s so meek and mild it’s boring for a series that is supposed to be akin to an epic adventure.

The world-building for the past world seems a bit inconsistent as well. Overall I just did not enjoy myself. I made it all the way through, but I’d recommend reading on the Viz App so you don’t waste money otherwise.

Final Rating: 2/5

Extra: N/A

Purchase:
Kindle
Google Play
iBook
VizManga App

Basara Manga Image of Sarasa and Ageha

Basara

Name: Basara
Mangaka: Tamura Yumi

Volumes: 27 (Complete)
Licensed: Viz (27 Volumes: Digital (App) / Paperback OOP)
Type: Manga
Genre: Adventure/Action/Fantasy/Drama
Age Group: Teen

Summary:  
Basara is a post-apocalyptic fantasy adventure series and one of the most popular shôjo manga of the 90s in Japan. It is the story of how a young girl becomes “the child of destiny” and finds the strength to free her people and seek revenge for the death of her brother.

–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 3/5
Plot Rating: 4/5

Opinion: Another shoujo classic, but this one I definitely thought I would never get a chance to read! But thanks to the Viz Manga App it cost me 2$ to read the entire series, and honestly it’s such a great app.

So the art is not my favourite. I thought it would improve over time and it did a little. It’s not an age thing, but the style was VERY detailed and I honestly found it distracting. Some pages, especially with the action, it was so hard to figure out what was going on. I am obviously going gentle because of the series age but it could have been better.

The story! Ok so if you’re like me where romance is your number one priority at all times then this series isn’t for you. It has a really great long-distance romance with enemies to lovers, but there are not a TON of romantic moments.

Where this series definitely shines instead is in the action-adventure. I really loved all the friends our Heroine made along the way and the arc of the main villain. Some of the twists and turns were fun as well. I genuinely loved the ability to simplify and tackle really complex geo-political issues that are still relevant to this day and age. Who is good, who is bad, what amount of force is acceptable to achieve peace? I loved the messaging from beginning to end.

Otherwise some arcs were kind of boring near the end. The end wasn’t as satisfying as I hoped. The best part of the series was the first 3/4. I think it may have been better if it had ended earlier.

If you have the Viz Manga app I 100% recommend this series as a classic.

Final Rating: 4/5

Extra: N/A

Purchase:
Kindle
Google Play
iBook

Nana Komatsu and Nana Osaki by Ai Yazawa

Nana

Name: Nana
Mangaka: Ai Yazawa

Volumes: 21 (Hiatus)
Licensed: Viz (21 Volumes: Digital/Paperback)
Type: Manga
Genre: Drama/Slice of Life
Age Group: Older Teen

Summary:  
Nana Komatsu is a young woman who’s endured an unending string of boyfriend problems. Moving to Tokyo, she’s hoping to take control of her life and put all those messy misadventures behind her. She’s looking for love and she’s hoping to find it in the big city. Nana Osaki, on the other hand, is cool, confident and focused. She swaggers into town and proceeds to kick down the doors to Tokyo’s underground punk scene. She’s got a dream and won’t give up until she becomes Japan’s No. 1 rock’n’roll superstar.

This is the story of two 20-year-old women who share the same name. Even though they come from completely different backgrounds, they somehow meet and become best friends. The world of Nana is a world exploding with sex, music, fashion, gossip and all-night parties.

–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 5/5
Plot Rating: 5/5

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Kamisama Kiss Screenshot

Kamisama Kiss

Name: Kamisama Kiss
Mangaka: Julietta Suzuki

Volumes: 25 (complete)
Licensed: Viz (25 Volumes: Digital/Paperback) – (Complete)
Type: Manga
Genre: Supernatural/Adventure/Comedy
Age Group: Teen

Summary:  
Momozono Nanami’s dad, a man with a penchant for gambling, disappeared after accumulating a huge amount of debt. Thus, she was chased out of her house by the debt collectors. When she met a timid guy being chased by a dog, he told her that he’d give her his house. She believed his persuasive talk, but when she went to his house… it turned out to be a shrine. Moreover, a guy with fox ears appeared, which made Nanami even more confused. What will become of homeless and confused Nanami?

–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 5/5
Plot Rating: 4/5

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Requiem of the Rose King Manga by Aya Kanno

Requiem of the Rose King

Name: Requiem of the Rose King (Bara Ou no Souretsu)
Mangaka: Aya Kanno

Volumes: 17 (Complete)
Licensed: Viz (16 Volumes: Digital/Paperback) – (Complete)
Type: Manga
Genre: Historical/Tragedy/Action
Age Group: Older Teen/Mature

Summary:  
Richard, the ambitious third son of the House of York, believes he is cursed, damned from birth to eternal darkness. But is it truly fate that sets him on the path to personal destruction? Or his own tormented longings? Based on an early draft of Shakespeare’s Richard III, Aya Kanno’s dark fantasy finds the man who could be king standing between worlds, between classes, between good and evil.

–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 5/5
Plot Rating: 5/5

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