Sana's Stage

i started reading this series 3 years ago in the 5th grade and i must say, it has touched my heart in a way that no other series anywhere has. i still think about it and read it and i really wish it would never end, but it did and i went into a period of mourning for 2 weeks. this is the most touching series ever. but it definitely isnt all serious. it is mostly non stop joking and hyperactivity. many call it " marmalade boy on acid" i must agree. the original anime released in japan is very good, but many very important things from the books were cut out and very stupid things were added, but i still loved it, even though i was dissapointed. the new english sub on dvd has even more cut out due to so must unnecessary "americanizing" and the voice talents irritate me. PLEASE read this entire series from start to finish before you see the anime! Parents: ok, there are a few cuss words and the use of the word "pimp". this largely has to do with the fact that the main character, sana, has no idea what those words mean. it is just a very hyper romantic comedy, centered around family. it is a great series for kids 11 and up.

I think this series is really great. It's interesting, it's fun, and it's got some good jokes in it so it isn't too boring! I think this was a pretty good conclusion to the series - I wish Miss Obana would write more! I recommend reading books 1 through 10, because there are a lot of references to past occurances in the future books. (Although I started by reading book 8 and later read the others.) If you like manga and aren't too opposed to romance, I highly recommend these books!

Manga or graphic novels are not necessarily all serious or contain very adult issues. Some do, it's true. . .but the Sana's Stage series is a fun if not overly dramatic tale of a little startlet and her writer mother. I think females will be able to relate best to this type of manga but boys may like it too. Not all readers of manga are children nor are they unintelligent - some of us like escape and read these like others would read PEOPLE or comic strips. Be sure to read #1 - #10 to get the full story. Enjoy the endulgence.