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lexi_lovesbooks's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
reddyrat's review against another edition
4.0
I approached Alice 19th mostly blind. I've read a few good reviews of the series, but really knew very little. I was definitely impressed with the first volume. In one sentence, I would summarize the volume and perhaps the whole series (I don't know yet) as one about a girl trying to find her voice framed around a stereotypically shojo silliness.
Alice is a nice girl. I use that bland term, because she comes off as bland to other people. She's so afraid of being hurt or hurting others that she lives to please. She's a wallflower who smiles through life's troubles to avoid getting hit in the face. Poor Alice has a lot of deep-seated resentment towards her pretty, popular, perfect, peppy older sister who gets everything...even the guy Alice is in love with.
Along comes a magical bunny who gives Alice immense power. Bunny tells Alice that she's strong, she's special, that she needs to stick up for herself. It's somewhat ridiculous notion, but it allows the more serious subtext of the volume to come through. Alice begins to find herself in this volume and I assume will do so even more as the volumes to come. Unfortunately, finding her voice comes with some major bumps in the road as we quickly discover.
Another thing I really liked about this volume was the sidebars by the mangaka (the author). They were substantive columns about human nature and the development of the story. A lot more interesting than the typical mangaka sidebars which consist of the author telling everyone what horrible drawers and writers they are and apologizing to the readers for torturing them.
Alice is a nice girl. I use that bland term, because she comes off as bland to other people. She's so afraid of being hurt or hurting others that she lives to please. She's a wallflower who smiles through life's troubles to avoid getting hit in the face. Poor Alice has a lot of deep-seated resentment towards her pretty, popular, perfect, peppy older sister who gets everything...even the guy Alice is in love with.
Along comes a magical bunny who gives Alice immense power. Bunny tells Alice that she's strong, she's special, that she needs to stick up for herself. It's somewhat ridiculous notion, but it allows the more serious subtext of the volume to come through. Alice begins to find herself in this volume and I assume will do so even more as the volumes to come. Unfortunately, finding her voice comes with some major bumps in the road as we quickly discover.
Another thing I really liked about this volume was the sidebars by the mangaka (the author). They were substantive columns about human nature and the development of the story. A lot more interesting than the typical mangaka sidebars which consist of the author telling everyone what horrible drawers and writers they are and apologizing to the readers for torturing them.
dynamicdylan's review against another edition
4.0
This was so good! Watase wrote this as a response to the 9/11 tragedy. It tells the story of Alice, a young girl who is in love with a popular boy in her school: Kyo. Her sister, Mayura, is also in love with Kyo. Alice meets a magical rabbit girl who tells her about the power of words. Her sister then gets sent to the darkness within her own heart, and it's up to Alice and Kyo to try to bring her back.
I am so glad I finally read this. I've enjoyed Watase' other manga, Ceres and Imadoki, so I've been wanting to read this for a while. It didn't disappoint. If you like classic romance manga and dark fantasy, you should pick this up.
I am so glad I finally read this. I've enjoyed Watase' other manga, Ceres and Imadoki, so I've been wanting to read this for a while. It didn't disappoint. If you like classic romance manga and dark fantasy, you should pick this up.
robin0_0's review against another edition
3.0
kinda cheesy but it does have that old school manga charm
bacchusvines's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
4.5
CW for attempted sexual assault, physical assault, blood
I am a huge fan of Yû Watase's writing and artwork, and this is probably my second read of Alice 19th. Alice, a shy girl that fears hurting others with her feelings, ends up in a bad situation when she sends her sister to a world of darkness. The magic system is probably one of my favorites of shojo manga, using words and heart as power. Fo a first volume, the story is set up nicely to bring Alice, Kyō, and Mayura into this world of Lotis Masters.
Again, the artwork is gorgeous and really gives a feel for the action scenes while also pulling at the heartstrings for the emotional moments. This series is a great starting point if people want to read more of Watase's fantastical worlds (and don't want to commit to Fushigi Yugi's 18 volume world).
I am a huge fan of Yû Watase's writing and artwork, and this is probably my second read of Alice 19th. Alice, a shy girl that fears hurting others with her feelings, ends up in a bad situation when she sends her sister to a world of darkness. The magic system is probably one of my favorites of shojo manga, using words and heart as power. Fo a first volume, the story is set up nicely to bring Alice, Kyō, and Mayura into this world of Lotis Masters.
Again, the artwork is gorgeous and really gives a feel for the action scenes while also pulling at the heartstrings for the emotional moments. This series is a great starting point if people want to read more of Watase's fantastical worlds (and don't want to commit to Fushigi Yugi's 18 volume world).
algaemarina's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kricketa's review against another edition
3.0
Alice and her beautiful older sister, Mayura, both like Kyo. One morning, Alice runs out in the road to rescue a rabbit from traffic, and Kyo in turn rescues both of them. Thus Alice and Kyo's friendship begins, but when Mayura asks Kyo out, he eventually says yes.
Alice is furious with herself for not telling Kyo how she felt before he began dating her sister. So when Mayura sets her up with a creep, she accepts.
Meanwhile, the bunny that Alice rescued is not any ordinary bunny, but a "magical rabbit girl" named Nyozeka, who has come to teach Alice how to be a Lotis Master. Ie how to use words and speak the truth and call upon great great powers.
Weird concept, but I really loved it.
Alice is furious with herself for not telling Kyo how she felt before he began dating her sister. So when Mayura sets her up with a creep, she accepts.
Meanwhile, the bunny that Alice rescued is not any ordinary bunny, but a "magical rabbit girl" named Nyozeka, who has come to teach Alice how to be a Lotis Master. Ie how to use words and speak the truth and call upon great great powers.
Weird concept, but I really loved it.
mekeisha's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sandraagee's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Let's consider this my review for the entire 7-volume series.
This is my kind of series. I greatly enjoyed the concept of the power of words presented in this shojo fantasy tale and I generally felt its exploration was well executed. The love triangle was interesting and I enjoyed the characters. My one comlaint - the ending felt rather rushed. I would have liked to see greater development of some of the masters introuced in the last few volumes, and I'm not sure that the impact of the "lost words" was nearly as significant as it could have been. Maybe it was the fact that I read the last volume pretty late at night, but I just didn't get it. Oh well. It was fun anyway.
This is my kind of series. I greatly enjoyed the concept of the power of words presented in this shojo fantasy tale and I generally felt its exploration was well executed. The love triangle was interesting and I enjoyed the characters. My one comlaint - the ending felt rather rushed. I would have liked to see greater development of some of the masters introuced in the last few volumes, and I'm not sure that the impact of the "lost words" was nearly as significant as it could have been. Maybe it was the fact that I read the last volume pretty late at night, but I just didn't get it. Oh well. It was fun anyway.