Manga review : SWAN
halo
on this late night in my place, i would like to share about my fave ballet manga ever.
"SWAN"
first i would like to apologize because my english is bad, it's not my 'everyday' language :(
It was my first ballet manga, my sister's, and i assumed this is the best ballet manga ever. We used to have it complete in 21 numbers of tankoubon, but it was lost, only left 2 mangas in my room :'(
The main protagonist of this story is Masumi Hijiri, but in Indonesian edition its name was Mari.
there're so many intrigue, conflict, anything--you name it--in this manga. love, life, family, even a character death.
Masumi (or later i call it Mari, i was used to) had grown up within the 21 numbers of tankoubon. from a fragile--plain girl into a woman, a tough one.
At first, she loves her dancing partner--Hisho, whose love is only for Sayoko. Actually Mari is Sayoko's big fan, remembering her skill is great. Triangle love, Aoi--Mari's second dancing partner--is in love with Mari too.
Mari was so 'galau' that time.
nb : Aoi is the long-haired one with hat, with him is our Masumi. The other couple is Hisho with Sayoko :3
Mari had rivals. But it was the Maximova's sister that i admired most. They're Russian and super-cool. Rarisa Maximova, the hot-blooded one, had dueled Mari in The Swan lake and was lost--because of Mari's different and brilliant interpretation of swan lake. But her Maximova's sister, Liliana Maximova, is a super-great one, super-talented like she was born for ballet. Mari had lost from the beginning, because Liliana's performance is tooooooo stunning like fairy's dance. I admire it!
There's other man in Mari's life. It was Alexei Sergeyev, her teacher. At first, i think they had romantic relationship--because Sergeyev is haaaaaandsoooome and perfect. He looked and acted like a prince charming. He even looked so sparkling in my 'elementary student' eyes! Mari said that dancing with him felt different, she felt happy and easy with him.
Alexei Sergeyev, the prince charming with 'sensei' title.
Also Lucy, when Mari studied modern ballet in America. Lucy is Mari's lover that time. He was also a dancer. But too bad he died in a very young age. reason of the death is..... i forgot, sorry :( if it's not an accident, nor drugs-overdose :( Again, Mari was 'galau' again.
Mari also had 'family affair', but i don't remember this issue clearly, i was too little to understand this issue :/ it's like her deceased mother--who was a talented ballet dancer too--was in love with Russian dancer, but their love is un-acceptable. Maybe this is why in manga, sometimes a Russian man with aviator-like-glasses often met Mari, but Mari didn't know who he was, what she knew was he's a ballet dancer too--i assumed he's Mari's mother Russian lover, nor maybe Mari's biological father? Then Mari's mother married to Japanese man. But poor Mari's mother, she died in a ship accident. So, i didn't know who was Mari's biological father.
Mari also had 'family affair', but i don't remember this issue clearly, i was too little to understand this issue :/ it's like her deceased mother--who was a talented ballet dancer too--was in love with Russian dancer, but their love is un-acceptable. Maybe this is why in manga, sometimes a Russian man with aviator-like-glasses often met Mari, but Mari didn't know who he was, what she knew was he's a ballet dancer too--i assumed he's Mari's mother Russian lover, nor maybe Mari's biological father? Then Mari's mother married to Japanese man. But poor Mari's mother, she died in a ship accident. So, i didn't know who was Mari's biological father.
In the end, Mari coupled with Leon. Leon was very 'bright', 'brave', a 'manly man' in my eyes (thought that time i was an elementary student)
I was melted by their 'kiss scene'. It was after an exercise. They danced Kitri from Don Quixote, and Leon kissed her on lips. KYAAAAAAAAAAAA~ >.<
The series ended on tankoubon number 21.
But there's a sequel--it was about Mari and Leon's daughter named Maia. But it's not published in Indonesia so i didn't read :(
Now we talk about the artwork, ARTWORK!
the art is tooooo stunning like Liliana's dancing! This influenced me a lot!(though i'm very influenced with old and classic manga)
I found Kyoko Ariyoshi's artwork is rare in lately 2000, it makes me like a 'wrong-era' girl. I kinda miss her artwork and mangas, it's just like a fairy tail for me, so girly :(
Unlike our lately mangaka, i don't what magic she had to make a very beautiful-rmantic-heavenly-you name it- manga! I'm not hyperbolic, i just pour out my feelings towards her artworks..
iyaaaaaaaaaaa,,,, nyari dmn ya tuh sekuel swan T^T rame2 minta terbitin ama elex yuukkk... anak mari sama leon. pengen banget.
BalasHapusnyari di loakan kayaknya, maklum komik udah legenda...
Hapusyang swan 2 (anak mari - leon) kayaknya dulu pernah diterbitin tapi bukan sama elex...
Hi... kok bisa sih ada scanlation swan yang bahasa inggris? Bisa lihat di mana ya? Swan is a wonderful series to read. Sayang buku saya hilang habis dipinjam temen :(
BalasHapusitu dari semacam 'analisis' seseorang di internet soal pembangunan karakter dan disain di komik tsb, scanlationnya kalo gak salah ada, tapi cuma chapter2 awal.. saranku sih mending cari di loakan.. komik legend itu...
HapusHi! I posted a comment asking for pictures of the Mari and Leon swan kiss scene -- but I posted on the wrong review! I meant to post on your swan review! If you could send me any pictures of the swan manga after volume 15-- i would really appreciate it!! ~~~ :)
BalasHapuskomik yg paling aq suka juga ini... tp entah kmn sekarang.. pengen lanjut baca lg...
BalasHapusim desperately need of those chapters where Masumi trainining in New York
BalasHapusdo you have any web sites i can read online? meaning the scan version.
thanks for your time.