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Arisa, Vol. 01 (2010)

by Natsumi Ando(Favorite Author)

3.99 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0345522419 (ISBN13: 9780345522412)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Del Rey

series

Arisa

review 1: Tsubasa, the delinquent "Demon Princess" of her high school, hasn't seen her twin sister Arisa for years but stays close via private letters. Arisa's life is everything hers isn't - good grades, lots of friends and a boyfriend to boot. But Arisa has secrets, and her sudden attempted suicide shatters Tsubasa's illusions and convinces the demon princess to find out what's plaguing her beloved sister... even if she has to become Arisa to find out.Arisa is a manga that I decided to try out solely based on the intriguing premise. I'm very pleased with the exploration of it in this first volume and the huge potential the series has going forward. There's several solid mystery threads driving the plot and already a well rounded cast of diverse characters. I won't get into fur... morether plot details to avoid spoilers, but the story is very engaging so far. It's a little overly dramatic during some of the twists and turns, but the stakes are high and the situation dangerous, so it 's not too out of place. It also never loses it's appropriately dark, ominous tone. Tsubasa is a terrific, strong lead character. She carries extreme worry about her sister, the weight of pretending to be someone else and the knowledge of how dangerous a situation she's getting into. But at the same time she's determined to help someone she loves and find out what drove that person to hopelessness despite the risk and fear. The art is stunning, largely due to great facial expressions and innovative use of shading to convey atmosphere and emotion. Some standard shoujo elements are exaggerated (eyes get SO big in some panels) but it really works here. A fantastic start. I'm rooting for Tsubasa and can't wait to read more.
review 2: Arisa is an amazing teen manga series. The story focuses on Tsubasa, who has been separated from her twin, Arisa, for many years and has only stayed in contact with her through secret letters. When the pair finally meet up again, Tsubasa (Who's also known as the 'Demon Princess' at her school and who only has male friends) can't stop talking about how great her sister's life seems. Arisa thinks otherwise though, and soon jumps out a window. Arisa lives, but she's thrown into a coma, and now Tsubasa wants to find out what could have caused her sister's suicidal behavior. Once Tsubasa starts acting like her sister, she finds that her sisters class practically worships an unknown person known only as 'The King'. The King can grant wishes, from anything like giving somebody the answers to a test or to getting rid of somebody. Yikes. And now it's up to Tsubasa to find out who The King is.The story is very exciting and has many twists and turns that leave the audience guessing. The overall feel of the story is very tense and there's constant threat of danger. Though it's a shojo manga, and there is a little romance, it is by no means a promenant theme of the story, and I see how the plot can appeal to many people. If you haven't picked this one up yet, I highly recommend this series. less

Download links for: Arisa, Vol. 01

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