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Saddletank
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Orphic, thanks again for the Aku no Hana recommendation. As you say its so addictive, I can't put it down. So funny too. I laughed out loud at the expression on Nakamura's face at the top of this page. Such pure twisted evil!

http://mangafox.me/manga/aku_no_hana/v01/c005/31.html

I remember now the big love-hate debate of fans over the rotoscoping used in the anime. I recall its why I didn't watch it. The style was so unappealing.


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Post last edited by Saddletank on 12.14.2013, 03:21 PM.

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Orphic Okapi
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I was entirely unaware of the anime adaptation until after I had finished the manga, but now I do want to check it out. I think a lot of fans of the comic are overreacting. Have they never seen a rotoscoped film before? Waking Life, A Scanner Darkly, etc.? It doesn't look like traditional animation, it's a more realistic style. I guess I'd rather see an adaptation that puts its own unique twist on the story, not just the manga with some added movement and color.

I'm glad you're enjoying it Saddletank! Just you wait--it gets crazier.

Arren, you should give the manga a try first! The anime is only thirteen episodes, so it can't possibly cover the whole story. And the manga's art, while certainly not as experimental, is still really beautiful in its own way.

This is so exciting! I finally found a manga to fanboy over. Now it's time to check bookstores around town to see if I can find any volumes in Japanese.


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Saddletank
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Anime fans are a conservative lot. Look how controversial Eva is. You add a dark twist of psychological drama to a mecha anime and give it an existential ending and people daub excrement on your office door.

I guess people see a high school romance manga and expect cute girls, short skirts, goofy guys and boobies. Give them something outside their comfort zone and they freak out.

Today I looked around at images of the anime.

It doesn't look *that* bad.


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arren18
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From the bits and pieces I've seen of the Aku no Hana anime style, "realistic" isn't quite how I'd put it. It has the effect of being realistic up to a point, but with a rather creepy result because it isn't quite realistic enough. Based on what I've heard about the tone of the story though, it seems like that style is suitable. I'll definitely get round to checking out one of the versions at some point.


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Orphic Okapi
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Yeah, it seems like they might have intentionally been going for an Uncanny Valley effect to enhance the creepiness. I think the mangaka said in an interview that he originally wanted it adapted as a live-action drama rather than an anime, because he thought real actors suited the story better, but when he saw the rotoscoping technique he decided it fit the tone. In the manga, he achieves a similar unsettling effect basically by making the kids really cute, so their actions are more disturbing in contrast.

Just noticed the anime director is the same guy who did Mushi-shi, one of my favorite anime series. I've definitely got to give the show a try now. Here's an interview with him about his work on Aku no Hana, if any of you are interested.


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Saddletank
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Wow. Aku no Hana is really messed up. Its pretty creepy. Its another of those useless male leads though, completely pathetic yet the prettiest girl in the class likes him, for no reason at all. That does annoy me.


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Orphic Okapi
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How far along are you? I don't want to spoil anything.

Saeki's attraction to the main character is maybe a bit unrealistic, but she does give an explanation for it later, plus first love doesn't have to make sense. At first I too groaned at the wish-fulfillment aspect of the cute girl falling for the class nerd, but the author really doesn't go in that direction at all. Really. Quite the opposite. I guess it didn't bother me so much because the author uses her love as a way to avoid a bunch of really cliched scenes ("Oh Kasuga-kun! How could you do such a thing! I'll never forgive you!" *cries, runs away*) and then subverts your expectations even more later on. Really, it's just another turn of the messed-up screw that is this manga.

Also the main character changes A LOT over the course of the series. Way more than Shinji ever does.


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I'm just starting Ch.24.


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Orphic Okapi
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Oh god.


Well, enjoy Chapter 26!


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I'm up to Ch.38 now and I am not sure where your "aww" moments were! For me this is really dark and creepy, unpleasantly so. I want to stop reading it because it makes me so uncomfortable but I can't!

I still don't find Saeki or Takao very beleivable. Why the police were not involved much sooner I don't know, something feels completely off somewhere given the serious material the story covers.

I can't help but feel that a very damaged person wrote/drew this to exorcise some personal demons and he didn't think long and hard enough before committing to the project and perhaps he should have either not bothered or sought professional help!

I can't say I'm enjoying it and the anime surely can't touch upon any of the meat of the story with only 13 episodes. I wonder what it does cover?


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Orphic Okapi
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Hey, you've still got fourteen chapters to go! That's plenty of time for some "awww" moments. I'm pretty sure all of mine came somewhere in the next volume.

But also, I am in love with Tokiwa. She is a beautiful and amazing lady. So if you're not a fan of her, you might not have quite the same reaction.

Sorry you aren't enjoying it! For some reason my reaction wasn't quite as extreme as yours. I mean, yeah, the story is disturbing, but I didn't find it so much so that it caused me any undue stress. And after the time skip, I feel like it really mellowed out in a pleasant and natural way. It's almost like the author is rewarding you for enduring everything that came before.


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The whole suicide pact thing really hurt for me. Been there a long time ago when I was young - not much older than the kids depicted in the book and... well it wasn't pleasant reading those things. I also have a pretty extreme fear of fire... so yeah.

But I like the new section after his family moves away and he goes to high school and yes, the chapters around 34-38 are really sweet, and Tokiwa is really interesting, so it's picking up.

Sorry about my mood/reaction to earlier, it was just material I didn't need to be exposed to. This section is more promising and positive.


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Yeesh, I can definitely see how reading that could have been traumatic. I probably should have given more of disclaimer when I recommended the series to everyone.

Maybe you should avoid anything I recommend from now on! I feel like I've been subjecting you to all sorts of terrible experiences lately.


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LOL, not at all! I value your opinions on manga and anime very highly. I probably saw the suicide theme approching very early on as soon as the characters began referencing "the other side", death being the ultimate other side a person can travel to. I think I was on edge and on my guard from then on but it spiralled out of control in such a well-written way I couldn't stop!

My internal tension possibly made me less comfortable with what I was reading as well, so I saw more faults in it. I could also just be being a miserable bastard because life is pretty shitty for me right now

You can't be expected to state a disclaimer covering every social and sexual issue a story might include, your posts would read like legal contracts.

While Utena didn't affect me in the way it affected you I am very glad I watched it. I think its a series that every person who calls themselves a serious anime fan needs to watch.


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Saddletank
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Oh wow. Chapter 45. OMG. So... well... powerful. Right from the start of the Tokiwa arc I was nervous about reading this because I kept thinking Nakamura would come back in and wreck everything but Ch.45 was. Intense.


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Orphic Okapi
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Oh boy, you're almost caught up now! Chapter 45 is one of my favorite chapters in the manga. It really demonstrates how much Kasuga has grown up, and it's just so sweet, damn it. Such a huge release of tension at the end. I've never really shipped anyone before, but if I had to pick a favorite fictional couple, right now it would definitely be those two.


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When they left the cafe where she worked with Kouji and stopped on the street corner and their hands reached out... I was saying aloud "hold hands! hold hands!" then the next page they did! I was all fanboy starry eyed. A really lovely moment.

Thanks for recommending this manga. It's lovely.


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I've now reached Ch.52 which is the limit of what's currently published.

Tokiwa is definitely a good influence on Kasuga, she's helping him grow and mature. I think he's a good influence on her as well, her relationship with Kouji wasn't going anywhere it seems. I just hope the meeting with Nakamura doesn't wreck everything. I'll be annoyed as hell if she drags him back down into her pit.


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Orphic Okapi
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I think it was announced that the series will be ending soon, which makes sense, since it certainly feels like the writer is building toward a conclusion. I wouldn't want him to drag out the story indefinitely. I'm guessing he'll try to wrap things up with Vol. 10.

I have absolutely no idea what to expect from Nakamura's reintroduction into the story. The author does a great job of keeping you on your toes. Even at this stage I haven't the faintest clue where things are headed.

If a new volume comes out, or if I figure out what magazine the manga gets serialized in, I'll definitely read on in Japanese, and maybe post some non-spoilery thoughts to tide you over while it's being translated.


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Goddamn Chapter 52. I want more volumes!


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