Name: Sakuran
Manga-ka: Anno, Moyoko
Volumes: 1 (Complete)
Licensed: Vertical (complete)
Scanlations: V.01 Ch.14 (Complete)
Scanlator: Fifay.net (Closed)
Type: Manga
Genre: Historical/Seinen/Comedy
Age Group: Mature
Summary: A poor peasant girl was sold to a brothel in Edo. Her new life started from the day when she had her first full bowl of rice. After many struggles, she became a cultivated oiran. While her beauty never failed, her hope for freedom faded with the passing seasons. Yoshiwara of Edo was a man’s heaven, but a woman’s hell: all was sakuran.
-From Mangaupdates
Graphics Rating: 4/5
Plot Rating: 4/5
Opinion: Very original graphics. A little rougher then your typical shoujo but I mean that’s josei for you. You may or may not like, but I loved it.
Now the story. It was listed as seinen on Mangaupdates. If you know me, you know I don’t do shounen or seinen or any of that bs. When I read the summary it seemed like josei and a lot of the comments said it was way more josei then seinen. After reading it I have no idea why it is listed as seinen because it is completely josei. Anyways on to more important things.
I loved this story! So original and amazing. Based on the courtesans of Japan. Geishas were the awesome ones and Oiran… well they are prostitutes. I would strongly suggest reading this article on wikipedia before reading the story cause there are no explanations at all. And the translating is horrible especially on the first chapter, but past that it gets better.
I LOVE the main character. Kyoha is quite possibly the most amazing heroine. Thats all I’m gonna say. And if you read it and don’t like the ending, well then screw you. It’s so her. Don’t even deny it. :)
Read this for something mature, original, and fun!
Final Rating: 4/5
Extra: There is actually a movie “Sakuran” with a different ending you may enjoy. Starring Anna Tsuchiya with a soundtrack by Shiina Ringo. Torrent available with english subs here. Make an account and you can download.
EDIT (April 12, 2010): Watched the movie… and it was fucking amazing. God damn. Definitely one of my top movies. The colour and the music. Perfect! The story line is a little erratic, sometimes it follows the plot line, sometimes it doesn’t. The ending is better in the movie. :)
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