Honey Hunt, Vol. 2

Having read the "Hot Gimmick!" graphic novel by Miki Aihara, suffice to say, I've immediately become a fan of her work. As a fan of Japanese dramas, I tend to enjoy dramatic storylines that revolve around young adult or adult couples. A story that doesn't always have to incorporate a supernatural or magical element, but a story that is real and dramatic. Aihara does a magnificent job with that and her latest manga series available in America is "Honey Hunt". And I'm really enjoying it so far! Yura is the daughter of popular and beautiful actress Yukari Shiraki (think of her popularity like a Julia Roberts or a Kate Winslett) and popular musician Takayuki Onozuka, the first Japanese to win an Academy Award. Yura is quite normal and despite being the daughter of a popular actress and musician, she does not hone their entertainment skills and there is a lot of pressure and expectation from her teachers and students at school because of her talented parents. While her father is staying in New York and her mother is always working, Yura confides to her friend/tutor Shin. Her best friend and a guy she thinks she's attracted to. One time, while both were watching an interview on television with Yura's mother Yukari, she sees how talented of an actress she is because she is able to lie about being a great mother despite having a busy schedule as an actress. In the last volume, we see Yura's life made upside down with her mother's announcement that she is divorcing her father. To make things even worst, her mother is sleeping with the guy that she likes. An infuriated Yura promises herself that she will get back at her mother, by being a better actress than her. And under the direction of her father's manager Keiichi Mizorogi, Yura scores her first major part and that is for a major ramen commercial. Here is a spoiler-less summary of each chapter: * CHAPTER 6 - It's the big day for the ramen photo shoot but someone has purposely sabotaged Yura by ruining her dress. * CHAPTER 7 - It's Yura's big day as a press conference for "SLURP!" Cup Noodle by Nissen Foods will be her debut appearance to the media. But when a reporter asks if she is daughter of popular actress Yukari Shiraki and popular musician Takayuki Onozuka, Yura suddenly has doubts if she was hired based on her talent or because of her family. * CHAPTER 8 - Infuriated at her manager, Yura runs away and runs into Q-ta. * CHAPTER 9 - Yura and Q-ta have a heart-to-heart talk. Meanwhile, Q-ta's brother Haruka starts to see Yura in a more positive light. * CHAPTER 10 - Yura has her first reading for a drama based on her ramen character and she reads with major actress Rinko Koizumi (who doesn't like Yura, because of her mother). Meanwhile, Yura's manager has a message for Q-ta. JUDGMENT CALL: "Honey Hunt Volume 2" was simply another fantastic volume. I really dig the pop culture that goes behind-the-scenes of the story and also for J-pop fans, they will defin

Yura has landed the star role as Natsuki in an ad campaign for noodles that also has a TV show tie-in. Her romantic interest, Q-ta, is doing the theme song, and his brother, Haruka, who seems to be developing an interest in Yura, is acting opposite her. Unfortunately, just as the cast gets together for a photo campaign shoot, Yura's costume is found to have a huge stain on it. How did the stain get there, you might ask? Just ask Minami, another noodle girl, who is extremely jealous of Haruka's attentions towards Yura. Although Yura is able to find a way to save the situation and go on with the shoot, her mettle is constantly tested in this volume. First, she must work with an older actress that has an undying hatred for Yura's mom, and thereby gives Yura a hard time. Even worse, Keiichi begins to market Yura as the daughter of celebrity, playing on her lineage as a selling point to get her noticed. It works, but Keiichi had promised that he would never use her mom and dad to get her breaks or recognition. It only adds to Yura's low self-esteem and refusal to trust anybody. She begins to think about giving up her dream of excelling her mom as an actress. The things I liked about the first volume of Honey Hunt were the plot twists and twisted amorality of almost all the main characters except Yura. It seemed like everyone had some vice, whether hidden or out in the open. Everybody also had their own hidden agenda. The emotional lives of the characters were hateful and unloving. I still remember the scene where Yura's mom and Shin were caught having sex and her mom acted like it was no big deal. She even threw it in her face and said that Shin liked her better than Yura! Even in this volume, Q-ta admits that part of the reason why he likes Yura is because he's a big fan of her dad. All of the characters in Volume 1 probably could have lived quite comfortably in one of Dante's circles of Hell. Volume 2 ratchets down the debauchery a bit and settles more into a typical shojo love triangle motif. Yura likes Q-ta a lot even though she still suspects that he only likes her because of her dad while Haruka finds himself falling for Yura. Minami has become the Sai character that wants to ruin Yura's chances at being a star. Yura's shockingly bad relationship with her parents has receded into the background a bit as she struggles to find the strength to become a real actress. The weakness in the series is definitely the art. It's so bad and thoroughly dull-looking that I found myself staring at some panels, entranced by their amateur quality. All of the character designs are appallingly ugly and unappealing. Aihara also has some problems drawing heads in certain positions. There's really nothing cute or pretty in Yura's appearance either, so it's kinda hard to imagine that she's going to become a big star. I like the story but if the art doesn't improve, I don't know how much longer I can take it. I doubt it's gonna get any better though. So sad.