Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Snow White with the Red Hair
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chex mix
 Posts: 415 |
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I was literally shouting GIRL KICK HIM IN THE NUTS at my television when dude had her pinned against the wall.
I really appreciated that she got to show off not only useful knowledge of herbalism in her escape but physical strength and general common sense (the bit about going to the second floor). Well done. Really nice attention to detail with the visuals as well; the fire looked like it was legit melting her hair at one point. Anyone feel like recommending a few shojo manga like this? But like actually completed ones though? |
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lys
 Posts: 1008 Location: mitten-state |
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Shoujo manga like this one...
Apothecarius Argentum comes to mind since it's got the herbalism in there (alas, two volumes away from completion with CMX's demise, but it finished in Japan and the 9 vols out in English are still well worth reading). From Far Away is an older shoujo series that has a kind of similar feel (the immersive fantasy setting?), complete from Viz (if used copies are too hard to find, it's also available in ebooks). Dawn of the Arcana is by far my least favourite of the three recent "red haired fantasy heroine" series, but other people like it, and Viz published all of it. I'd say it's a little grrl-power!-y though. CMX had several other (and shorter) shoujo manga with fantasy settings, and many of them I think did get the full run published in English. Lizard Prince, Lapis Lazuli Crown, Tale of an Unknown Country, and a few series by Nari Kusakawa may be worth investigating? |
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chex mix
Posts: 415 |
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Fabs. I'm home with the stomach flu, so I'll dig around for those ebooks. Thanks! I was trying to read earlier but couldn't focus on my book, and the TV is making me seasick, so imma try something nice and fluffy and see how that does.
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SilverTalon01
Posts: 2402 |
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Thats what I was hoping to hear. Though to be clear, if it was just a lot of people commenting that she is a refreshing, independent female lead then I wouldn't have thought anything of it. Its when I read what is suppose to be a review covering 2 full episodes and 3 out of 4 story related paragraphs are just continuously harping on it.
Unfortunately, that isn't what I wanted to hear. I'm fine with not having action, and actually I didn't expect any in this. However, I don't usually enjoy slice of life stuff. Seems like this might be a pretty weak season though so I'll keep this in my maybe list. Thanks for the info. |
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Hameyadea
 Posts: 3679 |
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The SoL elements, the characters, the BGM & sound, and the character designs & art style are there, but I don't find the show to be particularly intersting. The show isn't bad, but more of just there, I guess. I'll give it another episode or 2, to see if can interest me or not.
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Angel M Cazares
 Posts: 5424 Location: Iscandar |
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I am getting a bit worried. Snow White is starting to do something, that sadly, most shoujo anime do to me: it is boring me.
The pretty visuals, impeccable soundtrack and Shirayuki are still the best and strongest elements of this show, but the story is not moving fast enough for me and things are getting repetitive. I want Snow White with the Red Hair to be able to transcend its genre from a predictable, run of the mill shoujo story to something truly memorable. And I want to make it clear that I do not hate the shoujo genre. I am not a big fan of it because they tend to be filled with predictable ad sappy works, and I get bored, even if it is a quality work. |
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sunflower
 Posts: 1080 |
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Snow White transcends the cliches of its genre while being a powerful example of what good shoujo can be. This is not a shounen wanna-be. How many times in shoujo does a lack of communication cause drama? Not here, because they talk like adults would. How often do a couple talk and fail to say what is important to further a relationship just to draw out tension? Not here. I love how these two are honest with one another, and you immediately see why Zen values her. You never see conversations like these two had in the episode today in most shoujo. So many little things like that in each show just delight me. This show/manga so rarely falls prey to the cliches I dread in the genre.
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Angel M Cazares
Posts: 5424 Location: Iscandar |
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This show appears to have the elements to transcend its genre, but it is not there yet. If anything, episode 3 had a more formulaic shoujo feel in my opinion. But I am rooting for this anime to be special, and, fortunately, it is in the very capable hands of Bones. |
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lys
Posts: 1008 Location: mitten-state |
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If it encourages you to stick with it, consider the publication history: it's the first major work of the author, and began as a one-shot, then continued serialization in the every-other-month LaLa DX magazine (which favours more episodic stories so readers don't have to remember exactly where the last chapter ended). Right now (in the anime) we're at the point where the author is still growing into her story, but I do think the series has had promise from the start, and starts fulfilling that promise without too much delay.
Also, everything Sunflower says! It's such a good, solid depiction of a healthy relationship between characters who act like real (and sensible) people and not props to create drama. |
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Maidenoftheredhand
 Posts: 2633 |
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Well I like Shoujo but so far beyond the production values I am also bored with this show. I do want a bit more drama & conflict and just spice in general.
It doesn't have to be forced or melodrama but so far everything has been a bit too mundane to me. I do like Shirayuki as a character but it just isn't enough to keep me engaged. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18189 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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You're forgetting (or somehow haven't seen?) Shurei from The Story of Saiunkoku. She is the character that I would most compare Shirayuki to in behavior (though what angles they come into those behaviors from are quite different) and that is the series that I would most closely compare this to so far. I will agree that This World is Still Beautiful is also a pretty good comparison. As for Lord Haruka, I think it depends on how the series uses him. The point the prince made about different perspectives was one of the episode's highlights to me, as it indicated that Zen recognizes that, even though he wants to get a broader sense of the world (which Shirayuki represents), he also understands that protocol and propriety (which Lord Haruka represents) is important for a prince, too, so he intends to find a balancing point. If the writing allows Lord Haruka to appreciate and accept that role, rather than just being a disagreeable presence, then he could be an interesting ongoing presence. In fact, as likable as Shirayuki is, I think my favorite part of the series right now is the dialog it gives Zen. It shows him to be quite a bit shrewder than he lets on and thus not someone who's going to continue to just moon over the female lead. That puts him right in line with the male leads of both of the other two series mentioned above, both of which I loved. Hmmm, I guess this is the template for what I most look for in shojo series. . . |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
 Posts: 2607 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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How could I have forgotten Shurei!?!?! Sigh. Thanks, Theron - she's definitely who I was looking for.
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kinghumanity
Posts: 365 |
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I like how Shirayuki completely trampled over the tired, cliche trope of "bad guys prevent girl from seeing boy" "girl goes home sad" "boy wonders if girl doesn't like him anymore" formula, while showing wit and gut.
I'll be sticking with this series. |
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Maidenoftheredhand
Posts: 2633 |
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Loved Shurei and Saiunkoku but that series had a lot more conflict than this one has so far. |
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zensunni
 Posts: 1293 |
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I loved this episode. The backbone shown by Shirayuki and the way Zen dealt with the situation were both a breath of fresh air. I also love the way Shirayuki's thoughts revealed her feelings for Zen, which we all knew were there.
The sentiment of "wanting to be his strength" is just about as common as "wanting to protect her", but the fact that she seems to be deliberately keeping Zen at arms length emotionally, and physically for that matter, though he hasn't really been rebuffed in any way, because she feels that she needs to earn the right to stand next to him on her own and not because she is "the princes favorite" is very compelling. Shirayuki is very much a realist. She understands that the realities of the difference in social class between herself and Prince Zen mean that there is little likelihood of her being able to "be at his side" unless she is there for a legitimate reason due to her knowledge and skills. At this point, I expect she harbors no thoughts of things like marriage... As far a fairy tales go, I would say that her character is closer to Cinderella than Snow White, but she isn't relying on some fairy godmother to make her dreams come true, but is working with her own power to turn dream into reality. A very powerful role model indeed! One interesting thing is that, other than the fact that they were herbalists and are dead, we know next to nothing about Shirayuki's parents. Might it be that, in the long run, she will be shown to have the appropriate lineage to be considered as a suitable match for her Prince? I hope not. I hope that the two of them have to push the bounds of propriety until they break in order to be together! |
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