Yukarism, Vol. 1 (1)

If you have not read this yet in the words of Doc Brown you're going to see some serious s***. Be prepared for a laughing while reading this. It's cute and funny and really out right weird.

This is only the first volume so I don't have too much to say regarding outlines and character development. But I'm thoroughly enjoying what I've read so far! I'm interested in seeing where the manga artist is going with her characters. Looking forward to Volume 2!

Very enjoyable read! Can't wait to read the next book!

Yukarism is sort of a different animal - not a romance so much as a karmic type of story in which a boy is born remembering a past life. It'll be interesting to see where this goes since our main character is fairly detached from his modern life and so he has been pretty much a cipher through the entire first volume.Story: 17 year old Yukari retains his memories from a past life and has written about life in the Edo period quite extensively despite his young age. When he meets a girl he instantly recognizes (though he has never met her before) he finds himself traveling back in time. Yukari is surprised to find that he was an oiran (a high class prostitute). And the girl he met, Mahoro, was an attendant. Suddenly, it is all coming back to him and now he wants to find out how he died in the past. Individuals from the modern era are finding him and he is slowly unraveling his connection to them through traveling to his past life.The illustration work in Yukarism is quite lovely. The stories in volume 1 hint at a lot of mystery, especially as Yukari begins to make connections with reincarnations of his past life and how they affect him in the present. But he is a bit of an odd duck in the present - forgetting Mahoro quite a lot and napping or writing during the rest of the time. This definitely isn't a soppy love romance.In all, I am intrigued and look forward to the next volume. Reviewed from an ARC.

Chika Shiomi’s previous manga in English, Rasetsu and Yurara, provide a hint of what you’ll get here. They’re both supernaturally tinged romances involving well-meaning young women involved in forces beyond their control.Yukarism starts with an explanation of Yukari’s unique situation. He “was born without forgetting his previous life”, so he’s become quite popular for writing novels about the Edo Period that feel incredibly realistic. He’s able to do so without research because he previously lived then, in the Pleasure District, and he remembers bits of his life there, including his death.When he encounters Mahoro, a fan of his writing, he feels as though he instantly knows her. That’s because she’s the reincarnation of his best friend and assistant back then. Her presence leads him to recognize more about his memories, at which point we see incidents from the past (often portrayed humorously, as Yukari doesn’t have all the knowledge he needs to fully become who he was back then). And I liked her statement of why she’s such a huge fan of his work: "His writing style and characters are so elegant! I don’t know why, but they warm me deep inside. He creates this world that feels so nostalgic and irresistible."That could be seen as a statement about the intent of this shojo manga. The series has lovely-looking people, a languorous pace, and moody hints of revelations to come. They may not be particularly surprising — soon, it seems, everyone Yukari knows will turn out to have been hanging out together back in history — but they’re enjoyable. The pacing, focused on the moment, is a nice change from comic series over-stuffed with revelations. I’m curious to see where Shiomi takes events, since her cast are now living two stories (present-day and past) and her historical images are attractive portraits of a far-away time.As a side note, Shiomi puts in occasional short strips about creating the series. I thought the one where she reveals she doesn’t know much about history because she “always drew manga in class!” particularly cute. (The publisher provided a digital review copy.) (Review originally posted at ComicsWorthReading.com.)

~3.5/5I’m already a fan of Shiomi from Rasetsu, so I’m already ready to love this series.Mostly right now, though, I’m intrigued.The entire reincarnation aspect I like, and I enjoy how the characters get a sense when they meet someone. It might seem a bit sudden, but I don’t mind that. Plus, since we get to see both times, I think it works out fine.Yukari is a bit stuck inside his head, oblivious to everyone and thing around him. He’s just now learning about his past as a courtesan, and his curiosity takes it in stride. He’s pretty straight-faced about it. Mahoro is kind of adorable. I think she’s sweet, and her affection for Yukari is cute. I like her already, and am looking forward to seeing her develop, especially with the cliffhanger.The artwork is pretty, though not overly done. I appreciate the characteristics for each person, and I’m enjoying how the story is set up and how it’s playing out.I’m enjoying this already, and am looking forward to seeing how the storyline plays out, and how the characters develop.A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, and Erik Jansen from MediaLab PR. Thank you so, so much![More of my reviews are available on my blog, Geeky Reading, to which there's a link on my profile.]

I havent read yet but it looks great