Forum - View topicMaturity of Kare Kano--thoughts?
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Cloe
Moderator
 Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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I recently finished reading volume 13 of Kare Kano and was startled by how strikingly the mood has shifted over the years from comedy to drama. At the beginning, Kare Kano was a cute high school love story which relied a lot (at least, I thought so) on jokes and gags. It seems to me, as Yukino and Souichiro grew older, their lives around them changed as any high school student's life would: as graduation approaches, the sunny, bright world of high school begins to fade as the seriousness of life and adult problems begin to take prominence. It's a smart and extremely subtle change, and I barely noticed it until one page spoiler[involving Arima's mother's flashes of memory] actually brought tears to my eyes, for the first time in the whole series. It was then that I realized what an incredible leap Kare Kano has taken since the first chapters.
I also think this gradual change in tone and mood may go hand in hand with Masami Tsuda's maturity as a manga artist over her many years of writing Kare Kano. Not only has her story matured, but her drawing style has become more refined, which effectively makes Yukino and all the others appear older. Anyway, these are my thoughts. What do you all think? Is the more recent Kare Kano really that different from the first volume? |
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dimwitted0ne
 Posts: 28 Location: Toronto, On |
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I share similar thoughts with you Cloe. It was an awesome experience for me, cause well I was surprised! To see how much everyone had changed since the very beginning.
Since I don't own the manga, (I only read it off of my cousin's collection; this way, we cover a wider collection of manga haha) I found myself wondering even after the first few pages of this volume, "Did they look this mature in volume 12?" It was so... I can't seem to describe it haha, but it was... different seeing Kano in highschool =) I really like her character and she's been the sweet little middle school girl since Volume 1 so I guess what I'm saying is that watching her grow up has been the most evident of the characters for me. And when they go on to explain what Tsukino is doing, man it just hit me how much like "real life" this manga can be, because not everyone stays on the same path... and along the way, people discover their own talents. You're right though Cloe, because at first this manga did start off as a cutesy, funny, highschool drama but then along the volumes there seems to have been this "real-life-seriousness" carried just below the surface that seems to be showing it's face more and more in more recent volumes. I think it's really cool how Tsuda sensei has managed to make everyone look older and different from beginning volumes, but ofcourse as you said it's probably because her drawing skills have matured as well =). I can't wait for more, but at the same time I'm kind of saddened by the fact that the old gang won't ever be the same anymore since they're all heading off to different things in life. One of the reasons I really appreciate this manga is that, it's kinda been with me for the later half my highschool career and now I find myself considering pretty much the same things Yukino, and everyone else is considering about life after highschool... and it's kinda been cool, "growing up" with them haha. Oh and Asapin's changed a lot too. I mean he seems to be more "mature" and the way he understands Arima... oh, I hope he gets a happy ending =) I've always admired the kind of friend Asapin's been to Arima. I really wonder how and where this series will end... endings are always a little sad for me, and this one will definitely be since it's grown so much on me. What do you think the truth between is, between Arima's birth parents and his Aunt and Uncle? I mean his Uncle seems to spoiler[blame everything on his mom, but his mother said that she had loved her husband the most... and kind of implied that she had been forced to leave her son because she wasn't good enough for the family. If that's the case, then what about all of Arima's memories... about abusive parents? Like the one where a woman slaps him because he'd wet his pants when he was little... was that really his mum? Or did we all just assume... hmm... And where is Arima's dad? Is he dead? Or is he the "daddy" person the girls that work for Arima's mom refer to? Were his parents really the lying, cheating, gambling people that Arima had grown up believing or was it some kind of cover story that hid the uglier truth beneath? ] What do you think? |
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Cloe
Moderator
Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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I agree with you about Asaba--he's really matured in an amazing kind of way and understands Arima just as much as/more than Yukino.
I started reading Kare Kano in college, and I almost wish I had been born a couple of years later so I could really grow up with the characters, too. But I understand their personal growths and trials as well as anyone--they're so well written, I think anyone in the world who has ever gone to high school can identify with them. spoiler[As far as Arima's parents, I'm very eager to find out about their stories. Arima's mother came off as much more emotional than I expected her to be, and it's hard for me to imagine her as the same woman who slapped Arima back in volume 2. But I'm sure her personality has many layers, and I'm interested to see how her relationship with Arima is going to pan out. I'm pretty sure the "daddy" character the girls keep talking about is someone Arima's mom works with (maybe a new squeeze?) but who knows? And I'm dying to know what happened to Arima's father!] |
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dimwitted0ne
Posts: 28 Location: Toronto, On |
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Hehe, yeah, you're right. Anyone who's gone through highschool would probably have little difficulty relating to some of the things in Kare Kano.
The question of whether or not Arima's mum was really abusive, I've discussed before with others, and some suggest that it could have been his Aunt that smacked him, the really mean one? I forgot her name though haha. The one that seems to be be sorta "powerful", controlling those evil little cousins of Arima. It was so disturbing seeing his memories finally... the things they did to him... ugh. There was a page in volume 13, you know the cover page sort of thing before every chapter, and it was of a boy/man and he looked kind of beaten... is that Arima? or his dad? It's a little difficult to tell but I kind of think it's his dad. Then there was Arima's uncle's memories of his father, also showing him beaten and bleeding... hmmm... man i want to get my hands on volume 14!!!! haha. |
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cell21
 Posts: 59 Location: In the anime world |
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Kare kano has been the best school/comedy/drama since slice bread.I own the anime boxset and the lastest volume of 1-13.I notice when finishing the anime that it was open ended and i carried on buying the manga to continue the story.I too was suprised by the fact that every character has matured.Her style of drawing is total matured and i like it.Vol 12 has got to be the one when eveything changed.Just looking at the cover of vol 12 i was feeling saddened in vol 12 that everyone's growing up.
Masami Tsuda's maturity has shown in vol 13 and i was wondering how the different characters will go seperatley after high school.I really hope this manga series carry on. spoiler[I can't wait for arima's mother comes and visits him.^^Do you think Arima will accept her or reject her?I say that Arima would have deep scars of his past and he doesn't want Yukino to know about it.Asapin's RELATIONSHIP with Arima .Does he KNOW ABOUT Arima's dark past?Or noticed his dark change in mood?] |
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Cloe
Moderator
Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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Well, I've been kind of spoiling it for myself by reading summaries of the next couple of volumes on Tokyopop's website, but I'm waiting for Vol. 14 now with greater anticipation than ever. spoiler[I think Asaba has an idea of Arima's past. I don't know how he found out; I assume Arima told him at some point. But he seems to be very supportive and encouraging for Arima to tell Yukino the truth as well.] |
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cell21
Posts: 59 Location: In the anime world |
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Oh my God!!KARE KANO VOL 14 IS out --passes out
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dimwitted0ne
Posts: 28 Location: Toronto, On |
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YES! Yes it is! haha I saw it in stores today when I went to "load up" on manga =)
I must wait my turn though for Vol. 14 since I'm not the one collecting it (unfortunately =p) And I too, find myself reading Tokyopop's summaries of future volumes  Heehee...
Guess I'll talk to you guys once I get my hands on vol 14! haha Happy readings! |
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