Review: Paradise Kiss, by Dawn-sama

ParaKiss mostly focuses on the idea that if you hang out with the right people, you can live out the dreams you never realized you had. The plot is pretty fast-paced and plays out smoothly within its five-volume span. Granted, there are many bouts of angst, but that's to be expected and it remains realistic considering the circumstances. The manga is also funny. Yazawa-sensei goes for subtle, quirky humor placed in many odd situations, so at times you'll find yourself laughing because you simply didn't expect roses and pigeons to be there. Unfortunately, the ending is pretty abrupt and disappointing (in my opinion). It's really a shame, but I guess you can't have it all.

And speaking of faults, as pretty as it is, Paradise Kiss is sadly not perfect. First, there's the sexy and enigmatic love interest George. I could write an analytical essay on this guy, but since I can't, I'll make this short: he's one of the most twisted manga characters I've ever seen. There are a lot of either this or that statements you can make about him, such as "either he really loves Yukari, or he's just playing with her mind," and he's so complicated and strange that either or both comments may be true. At times I got the impression that Yazawa herself hadn't made up her mind about George, which makes it all the more annoying. Yukari's rash and irritable personality didn't sit well with me, either, so George and Yukari attempting a love story became unsettling. Luckily, the other wonderful members of ParaKiss balance out Yukari's exasperating behavior, and George…well, he's usually running around and throwing flowers in his path, so at least that can be funny.

The English adaptation isn't Tokyopop's best. It conveys most of Yazawa's eccentric humor most of the time, but it's still strangely inconsistent. For example, in the beginning of the story, Arashi speaks with a sort of British accent, but then suddenly stops without a clear reason why. (Ed note: ParaKiss was published by Tokyopop over a long period of time and through a few different mediums, so inconsistences are likely due to staff and intent changes over the years.) Also, I found a few passages awkward and hard to understand, but they may have been a result of cultural differences. Or the fact that this manga is out of its mind.

But still, this is a wonderfully deep and surprising comic. If you take a good look at the story, Paradise Kiss challenges you to examine your wants and desires and how far you're willing to go to attain them. ParaKiss's edgy handling of school and sex and relationships may offend some people, but if you're old enough to read this manga it's still worth a once-over. You don't have to agree with it to still enjoy its magic.