I’m trying something new to select manga. I put everything recommended to me or that interested me in a list and used a random number generator to decide!
And the winner is….! *drumroll* Dengeki Daisy!
(image: https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=hT9fXeysIfK1ggeEr7-QDQ&q=dengeki+daisy&oq=dengeki+daisy&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l10.314.2465..2706…0.0..0.129.1467.0j13……0….1..gws-wiz…….0i131j0i10.Lmn75bT-9YU&ved=0ahUKEwisg4746ZfkAhXymuAKHYTXD9IQ4dUDCAc&uact=5)
I actually own this one (that’s how it made the list) xD I’ll try to stay impartial, but spoiler alert, I really liked this series! Not sure how it’ll rate because it’s been a few years since I’ve read it, but we’ll find out together!
The back cover reads:
“After orphan Teru Kurebayashi loses her beloved older brother, she finds solace in the messages she exchanges with DAISY, an enigmatic figure who can only be reached through the cell phone her brother left her. Meanwhile, mysterious Tasuku Kurosaki always seems to be around whenever Teru needs help. Could DAISY be a lot closer than Teru thinks?
One day at school, Teru accidentally breaks a window and agrees to pay for it by helping Kurosaki with chores around school. Kurosaki is an impossible taskmaster though, and he also seems to be hiding something important from Teru…”
Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!
Review time!
Plot: 1 star. This is a somewhat long manga, spanning 16 volumes, 75 chapters, and at least six specials. And yet somehow, its plot is… hard to identify… At first, it’s Teru’s bullying, but that gets resolved before the end of volume one. Then there’s the mystery of Daisy and the possibility that Teru’s brother left her some sort of amazing program -but these are only plot points to other characters; Teru herself doesn’t care and doesn’t pursue these. It’s only after these are resolved that Akira comes into play which lasts for the rest of the series. The series encompasses one high school girl who gets bullied to a plot that involves several governments and countries, resulting in many deaths, and then it ends with the girl still in high school. Most of the plot happens around Teru, but she is not directly involved until she gets a personal investment in Akira. I’m going to give this a star because it does eventually get a plot and that plot is resolved, but… just know that it’s a very shaky one star.
Art: 1 star. I love the art in this manga. The shading is great, the expressions are top notch, and all the characters are unique and diverse. The action sequences are phenomenal, the movements are fluid and understandable, and as the volumes go on, the art only continues to improve.
Story Progression: 1 star. This one is a bit hard, as well. The story flows really well, despite the lack of a singular plot point, and I have no trouble keeping up with whatever is going on at any given time. The only part I have trouble with is the ending xD I enjoy the ending, but by the time everything is happening, I’ve become so invested in the characters and story that I can’t put the series down! This is only at the end, though, so it’s not happening for an extremely long time. I’m going to give this one star since it still feels like a healthy balance for the story. Having the series end with the special chapters really does soften the blow of having the series end, too, so I’m going to add that in favor of the story progression.
Genre: 1/2 star. The listed genre is romance, and this manga certainly has that. The main couple is definitely a slow burn, but the dynamic and chemistry are there from the start. The main character’s ship for her friends even manages to sail, and a background couple gets together, as well! Love is definitely in the air xD There’s a bit of comedy and school life, and definitely some drama. Because of the darker moments and the sheer scale that the plot reaches, I feel like drama should be included in the genre list, as well, but romance does cover the main pair’s interactions. This is another tough one to determine, but I’m going to have to give this a half star. There’s so much more going on in this manga than just romance. Because of the depth of the plot, I feel like romance simply isn’t enough for the genre.
Enjoyment: 1 star. This is one of my all time favorite manga. Even if the plot does get pretty intense, the characters are phenomenally written, and each interaction is a joy to read. I love the author’s notes and the special chapters. I love how sucked into the story I get every time I read it. I like the progression of the story and how the pressure slowly builds until it’s life or death. I like the twists and turns that the mystery of Soichiro creates, and I especially LOVE his interaction with Antler and how that changed my entire perception of Antler! I love the character histories and how everyone’s woven together. I love their passion and love for a man who cherished them just as deeply. I love seeing the new generation of friends through Teru and her classmates. I know her brother was so proud of her, and honestly, I am, too ❤
I know I couldn’t give this series 5 stars, but I do still highly recommend it (unofficially)! Thanks so much for reading with me, and if you would like to check out my full review, then please click
here.
Completed Manga Review 