×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
REVIEW: Say I Love You. GN 1 & 2




Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Ashen Phoenix



Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 2904
PostPosted: Sat Jul 26, 2014 2:31 pm Reply with quote
Excellent review. As someone who fell for the anime first I was somewhat blasé about retreading ground with the manga, in part because the artwork wasn't as impressive.

That said, after perusing vol. 1 I was impressed enough to pick it up, so it's nice to know I wasn't wrong to take that risk, that vol. 2 expands on the good even as it doesn't necessarily fix the bad either.

Personally I don't have a problem with Yamato's hairstyle, unusual as it is. I suppose part of me is just happy his design has a bit of memorability to it. So many love interests in shoujo or MCs in shounen seem to settle for Generic Spiky-haired Hero Guy as their design and are content to leave it at that.

Lastly, I can definitely understand where you're coming from with Yamato's hands-on approach being a potential deterrent to some readers. Again, this is just my personal taste, I've been fine with it so far since it feels pretty believable for his character, even if it's a shade shy of respectful in terms of Mei's boundaries.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
poonk



Joined: 05 Jun 2008
Posts: 1490
Location: In the Library with Philip
PostPosted: Sat Jul 26, 2014 3:27 pm Reply with quote
The review made me consider throwing this into the RightStuf order I'm about to place but then I thought I'd better check and see just how long this series is. Seeing it's at 12 volumes (and apparently still going) I changed my mind. Since I'm generally not a fan of shoujo romances, I just can't imagine this could hold my interest over that many volumes.

P.S. I actually like the hero's hairstyle, from the cover art at least.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
Ali07



Joined: 01 Jun 2014
Posts: 3333
Location: Victoria, Australia
PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 1:26 am Reply with quote
Great review. I've only read volume 1 so far, and I find that I've enjoyed the 1st volume a lot more than I thought I would. After enjoying the anime, I thought I'd jump into the manga.

Enjoyed the art well enough, though I can see where it goes wrong at times. Nothing about it is off putting, for me.

Ashen Phoenix wrote:
Lastly, I can definitely understand where you're coming from with Yamato's hands-on approach being a potential deterrent to some readers. Again, this is just my personal taste, I've been fine with it so far since it feels pretty believable for his character, even if it's a shade shy of respectful in terms of Mei's boundaries.

Agreed, in terms of what has gone on in the 1st volume. I too can see how people can find it off putting. Personally, it didn't go too far in the 1st volume. Will have to see how it goes in the 2nd, as it is something that could turn me off this series.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
誤称



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 549
PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 6:21 am Reply with quote
The hair only gets worse as the male characters start to pile in. I'm not sure why she's so terrible at drawing male hair, but its nearly hilariously bad throughout this manga.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
sunflower



Joined: 04 Sep 2005
Posts: 1080
PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 10:57 am Reply with quote
Because God forbid that romances be sweet... Rolling Eyes

(This isn't a reaction to the manga, which I quite like, but to the tag line of the review.)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
katscradle



Joined: 05 Jan 2013
Posts: 469
PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 12:39 pm Reply with quote
This review has me thinking again of trying Say I Love You. I have read a few of Kanae Hazuki's work before and liked some of it. So I appreciate the view that the characters for this series are coming off as fairly understandable. To my limited experience she tends to write some difficult characters that can be hard to get in their heads or feel emotions for.

Looking at the digital version it seems the price is currently higher than print though. Sad I don't know if I could make room for another series over 10 volumes right now. I usually buy series with good length but... I don't want to pay more than I could for it either.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Parsifal24





PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 1:37 pm Reply with quote
I can see were some would be uncomfortable with Yamato being too "forward" but it's better than the alternatives of potentially thirteen volumes of "are they going to hold hands". Or Mayu Shinjo "Rape=love" plot lines. I'm just thankful the story is going somewhere
Back to top
Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 2599
Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City
PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 3:23 pm Reply with quote
sunflower wrote:
Because God forbid that romances be sweet... Rolling Eyes


I love sweet romances, actually, but sometimes it is nice to mix things up. Very Happy The purpose of the tagline was to try and entice people who are totally fed up with sweet shoujo romances and who might have thought that this was another cookie cutter one.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Ashen Phoenix



Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 2904
PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:43 am Reply with quote
Parsifal24 wrote:
I can see were some would be uncomfortable with Yamato being too "forward" but it's better than the alternatives of potentially thirteen volumes of "are they going to hold hands". Or Mayu Shinjo "Rape=love" plot lines. I'm just thankful the story is going somewhere

Too true. I know some wonderful romance manga that stay strictly PG their entire run, and some are fine for that. While others go for more unsettling territory, as you mentioned.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group