High school girls Vol 3
By Gareth Atha
August 16, 2006 - 09:18
DrMaster Publications Ltd.
Writer(s): Towa Oshima
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High School Girls is a semi autobiographical look at life in an all-girls Japanese high school. The story follows three friends Eriko, Yuma and Ayano, as they try to get by in school while coping with the usual teenage turmoils. This story is semi autobiographical as the author actually attended an all-girls school in Japan, and makes a point of noting when things in the story actually happened to her.
The background story (if there really needs to be one) is that Eriko dreams of going to an exclusive school, but when she is accepted to high, she finds that it isn't al she dreamed it would be. She makes some good friends in Yuma and Ayano though and together the three of them deal with high school life the best they can, together and without taking it too seriously.
The stories presented in the book are very funny from the outset, and take a candid look at issues that are sure to bother any teenage girl, from excess body hair to getting further with a boyfriend. The characters' personalities really come across throughout the book, and often add to the story. The writing is very funny, and the Japanese to English translations seem to have been done very competently by Michiko Nakayama. There are really no sentences in the book which don't really mesh, which can sometimes happen if the book is translated literally.
Even though this book is meant definitely for girls, and has delicate storylines, the artwork isn't "cutesy" at all, and this actually works in favour of the book, making it seem more mature and serious. The characters are drawn by Danny Chung, and take more of a human feel, rather than the usual "big eyes" look. Also, like most manga books, the pages are black and white, but the use of selective shading is successful in creating shadows and showing how the sun shines.
Definitely one for the girls this, but that doesn't mean that guys won't enjoy it. If you fancy a change from your usual manga storylines, pick up this book. I guarantee it'll have you laughing by the end. Even though this book may look like it's for younger readers, it definitely isn't, as it deals with some very adult issues, and therefore should only be read by mature readers.
Story 7
Art 8.5
Readability 7.5
Total 7.6
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