V.B. Rose, Volume 1

The main character is Ageha, a cheerful high school student, who loves making bags and accessories in her spare time. The series is basically about Ageha working part-time at a shop/boutique, called V.B. Rose, which makes wedding dresses. In the first volume, Ageha's elder sister is getting married and Ageha first visits V.B. Rose. After a shaky start, Ageha ends up working part-time there. The series is about Ageha's time as she works there, as well as her slowly developing relationship with the beautiful but cross Yukari, who runs the shop. The overall tone of the series is light-hearted. The story is well developed and although it isn't really plot-driven, moves at a good, steady pace. As the series goes on you find out about the characters' pasts etc, which is interesting. The main and supporting characters are well developed and likeable. Ageha is cute (without being annoying) and Yukari and Mitsu (who runs V.B. Rose with Yukari) have a lot of funny scenes together. If you haven't come across Banri Hidaka's work before I really recommend it. Her stories and characters always have a lot of depth and have a way of drawing you in. With V.B. Rose I definitely found myself completely hooked- something about the series just works! If you're looking for a cute, entertaining shojo series with depth, I recommend picking this up!

I have never read anything by Banri Hidaka before but I think that is about to change. Admittedly, I picked up this manga on the shallowest of reason: I thought the cover was pretty. But pretty cover aside, the first volume of Ageha and her quest to help to make her older sister's wedding dress was pure delight. Ageha loves her older sister who is pregnant and planning to get married. The catch is that Ageha doesn't like the idea of her adored sister, Hibari, getting married and she balks in a way that causes an accident at the V.B. Rose bridal shop. Hidaka does a great job in conveying Ageha's moments of brattiness without overdoing it so that when Ageha shows her remorse, it doesn't seem out of character. The guys, Yukari and Mitsu, she meets at V. B. Rose are likable in their own way. Yukari is the prerequisite androgynous beauty but he's also a strict taskmaster and when he snaps at Ageha, it is in context. Mitsu is fun who keeps things lighthearted and witty. There are other likable characters in this volume that give the story a nice sparkle and balance. This is not a drama shoujo full of melancholy and angst (at least not in this volume). It is like ambrosia, light and frothy but somehow satisfying in a surprising way, and it completely lived up to the potential of its pretty cover and I am already looking forward to volume 2!