Paradise Kiss, Volume 1

Paradise Kiss is one of those mangas, or books, that will immediately catch your eye. When I had got a Tokyopop manga sampler book (before I was into manga) for my brother, as a prize from a summer reading club, I read through it to see if anything in there was worth reading. There were two mangas that caught my attention: 1. Mars by Fuyumi Soryo and 2. Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa. Now, Paradise Kiss immedfiately caught my eye was because of the unique drawing style. Since I initially read "Paradise Kiss" I have read hundreds of other series, and never have I seen a drawing syle come close to Yazawa-san's. So, finally a year had passed since I read that sample of ParaKiss and after reading so much praise for the series; I got the first Volume for Christmas last year. Since I obtained it, I have read volume one about five different times (as well as started reading Gokinjo and more recently Nana). What made ParaKiss so unique to me that I read and reread the first volume so many times? Let me first give you a synopsis of the story. The story goes: Yukari is a high school student who recieves a lot of pressure from her parents and fellow students and teachers in school to excel and get into a good college. To Yuniko if she is not placed in a good school; she is worthless. It is because of this pressure, she has never even considered an alternative to college; so even though she hates where she is headed, she continues in the same direction. Until one day she is taking a walk and thinking, and a weird guy named Arashi with piercings all over his face, sees her and asked her to be a model, Yunkio attempts to run away, but she is snatched up by a drag queen named Isabella. She passes out from the shock of Isabella and is taken to their hang out where she also meets Miwako, a tiny and cute girl who she mistakes for an angel at first (Miwako is wearing a backpack with wings on it). They ask Yunkio to model, she refuses, but cannot get these strange people out of her mind. Ai Yazawa has a way with quick snappy dialogue and such a unique art style, that even though the story is somewhat run of the mill, it makes the story feel fresh and new. This is what drew me into ParaKiss. We can understand Yuniko's struggle to find her own path in life and not just take the path others have laid out for her. We can also understand her later attraction to George; the forbidden fruit. However, there is one other element that makes ParaKiss such a delight to read: the unique fashions! Ai Yazawa shows off the many different styles of Tokyo including Lolita and punk, and Aristocratic as well. If you enjoy Tokyo fashion you will enjoy ParaKiss for the fashion alone. In some later volumes there is some sexual content, so I it is not very appropriate for those under 16. If you have not read ParaKiss yet, I highly reccomend it. It is worth readin just for the breathtaking art. God Bless & *enjoy* ~Amy

Well, I first got indroduced to manga by a foreign exchange student at our school. The first series she lend me were Peach Girl and I didn't really get too interested in it other than for the art.THEN she gave me Paradise Kiss....and that hooked me. Ai Yazawa's art is beautiful, I love all the characters and think George and Arashi are both handsome :-) (why don't guys look like manga characters in real life?)The clothes are equally beautiful and I have paged through all the books after I am done just to look at the beautiful pictures again. I found Caroline kind of snobbish at first but then i realized why by later books (her mother is very very strict)and felt more sorry for her. Miwako is so cute and innocent, Isabelle is graceful and mother-like, George is sly and handsome, and Arashi is emotional and dependant.(lol).The characters all relate so well.And about the "sex" scenes. They arn't that bad (then again its all drawn so wonderfully.....) i am waiting for the 5th book eagerly but i wish there would be more than just 5!

Okay, I'm not a teenager, but I love this manga. There is something profoundly "real" about Paradise Kiss, while it maintains its ability to stay, well, manga. Yukari is an engaging character, going through the trauma that is adolescence. And, although she tries to change and get stronger, she can't help her feelings for George, the leader and main designer for Paradise Kiss, and the primary tormentor in her adolescent life, right next to her mother. Her relationship with George is painful and pleasurable, since he is a perverse individual and an admitted "tri-sexual" (He'll try anything!), and it makes her feelings for him all the more confusing.This is one of those manga, however, that I have reservations about giving to kids under the age of 16, simply because, by book 3, there is a LOT of sex. The tension is always there, but it is open in book 3, and, frankly, kinda graphic. As a long time reader of shojo manga, I was flatly surprised.I LOVE the designer wear and costumes, the characters are fun and interesting, the problems are quirky and real (some of them I STILL haven't figured), and I just love it. Not only is the drawing style beautiful and detailed, but the characters are FUN, just FUN. I wish there had been a high school like that when I was going through it!!I highly recommend this for adolescent humor and just good time!

Okay, so I have to admit... I have a huge collection of manga and they have all struck me in different ways... I was kinda stunned when it came to Battle Angel Alita, sad when it ended... Confused at the ending of Magic Knight Rayearth, laughed at Ranma 1/2, awwww'ed at Chobits, giggled at Wish... but none have struck me in the same was Paradise Kiss did. The art is completely heart-stopping... Anyone who read ParaKiss should, without doubt, look into NaNa (another manga by Yazawa Ai). ParaKiss is by far the best manga I have read... not only does it have amazing clothing designs, wonderful art, very kawaii, genki characters, but it also has extremely hot guys (need I say Arashi?). This manga is definitely for those who have a creative side, for those who love cute guys and pretty girls, and for those with a great sense of humor. I can assure you that you will absolutely fall in love with all the characters. This manga is completely worth buying.

"Paradise Kiss" is one of the best "new" manga to come out of Japan (It was first released in 2000 and is still being published) and I'm glad to see it in English. I am surprised though, that TokyoPop hasn't picked up "Gokinjo Monogatari," (Neighbourhood Story) as it was the prelude to Ai Yuzawa, and followed Mikako (Miwako's older sister) much more closely before the events of Paradise Kiss. Perhaps they will release it eventually (and maybe even the anime) if this title does well. You can read the story though, without any knowledge of Gokinjo Monogatari (although it doesn't hurt).A new character is shoved into the spotlight for Paradise Kiss, and her name is Yukari. She is your typical prep, and her original attitude towards the art students provids for some witty humor. Don't pick up this title though if you're just looking for pointless humor, becuase Paradise Kiss is very dramatic on the other side.Everyone who reads this will find themselves relating to at least one of the characters becuase they're all so diverse. Arashi particually stands out to me, and he's very fun and real. Based on a picture Miwako shows Yukari, he already had his eyebrow pierced in 3rd grade!