honey and clover Vol. 7 by Chica Umino (a J!-ENT Manga Review)
October 22, 2009 by Dennis Amith · View Comments
“Volume 7 of ‘honey and clover’ is more Takemoto-driven and explores the fears and angst that young adults have when they come close to graduating from college. In Takemoto’s case, that feeling that he must find himself and Chica Umino gives us wonderful insight on the transformation of Takemoto. Another wonderful volume of ‘honey and clover’. Highly recommended!”
(C) Image courtesy of Chica Umino. All Rights Reserved.
MANGA TITLE: honey and clover vol. 7
STORY AND ART BY: Chica Umino (羽海野 チカ)
FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: SHUEISHA, Inc.
PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Media, LLC/Shojo Beat Manga
RATED: T for Older Teen
Takemoto’s journey across Japan continues, and though he’s sleeping in empty lots and subsisting on convenience store food, he seems to be getting closer to understanding what made him ride away from school and his friends. But with his money running out and his bike on its last legs, will he have to give up on his quest before he finds what he’s looking for?
Six volumes ago, Chica Umino’s “honey and clover” began as a manga series about a group of art students/friends who attended together. You had the young Yuta Takemoto who was just happy to make good friends at the school; the carefree and crazy Shinobu Morita who lived next door to Yuta; Takumi Moriyama who interned for a business and fell in love with his boss (who is a widow still in mourning); Ayumi Yamada, the sculptor who has always loved Mayama but knows he has no interest in her and then the gifted artist who looks like a young girl, Hagumi.
Five students who grew up with each other with the advice of their friend Professor Hanamoto and have weathered challenges in their friendship and also preparing for that next step into adulthood by finding a career for themselves.
“honey and clover Vol. 7″ marks Umino’s fifth year working on the manga and also the fifth year in the lives of these characters. This time around, this volume is Yuta Takemoto-driven, as the student has left his friends without saying goodbye and took off to find himself and maybe find out what kind of person he truly is and what kind of career that he wants. And for the other characters, a mere progression in life with Ayumi wanting to be hired by the woman that Mayama is in love with to Hagumi working as an art teacher for children.
Here is a brief summary of each character of “honey and clover”:
Yuta Takemoto: One of the primary characters, Takemoto is the youngest of the guys and majoring in architectural design. He is the normal guy of the group and trying to find himself. He has fallen for Hagu but is not the type to share his emotions or act upon them. It’s his moment to find a career and is very unsure of what he wants to do.
Shinobu Morita: A carefree, does whatever he wants type of guy. Very cool but very strange. A gifted sculptor who has attended the University for years, has not graduated but tends to make money doing freelance work and constantly on the move. With everyone going through major life changes, it’s starting to have its effect on Morita.
Takumi Mayama: Mayama is the only one among the friends who have graduated and working his career job as a graphic designer. His love is for his boss named Rika but she doesn’t see him that way, especially since she lost her husband in an accident not too long ago. Meanwhile, he knows that Ayumi has loved him for a long time but he doesn’t share the same feelings for her. But yet he gets jealous when his co-worker Nomiya tries to get close to Ayumi.
The two female characters are:
Hagumi: A shy, gifted sculptor who is graduating and has a lot of pressure to perform. But now she’s starting to discover that being world renown for her paintings may not be her thing.
Ayumi Yamada: Yamada aka “Iron Man” has graduated from college but still tends to help out at the art college and assist her family’s business. She is so much in love with Mayama but knows that he doesn’t feel the same. She now flirts with Mayama’s co-worker Nomiya-san in order to get him jealous.
And two characters that is not part of the main group but important to the storyline:
Professor Hanamoto: Just like one of the guys, Hanamoto is the guardian of Hagumi and more or less like an adviser to the students. He has observed his students and tries to assist them and point them in the right direction. But he is reminded by Takemoto that he’s very much like him when he graduated from school.
Rika: A former classmate and a close friend of Professor Hanamoto and is running a graphic design business by herself after the death of her partner and husband. She has been distant and depressed since the death of her husband and knows that Mayama is trying to help her.
Mayama’s co-workers at Fujiwara Architects also play a role in the series:
Miwako – The boss of Fujiwara Architects and likes to make fun of her employees and make them feel uncomfortable at times. And very close to her dog.
Nomiya – The suave and calm architect that knows Yamada is trying to get Mayama jealous and goes with it. But at the same time, can’t understand why she’s head over heels in love with Mayama.
Yamazaki - An employee at Fujiwara Architects that has a crush on Miwako but Miwako tends to look at him as an employee she can try to take advantage and make fun of.
Here is what to expect from volume 7 (summaries only, no spoilers):
Chapter 41 – Takemoto arrives in Matsushima but his bike is having problems and now he’s low on money. Takemoto encounters a group of temple and shrine restorers who take him in as a cook in order for him to make some money.
Chapter 42 – It’s Takemoto’s first day on the job as a cook and for Hagumi, her first day as an art teacher.
Chapter 43 – Takemoto is excelling at his job as a cook but his new friends know that he should continue on his quest to find himself.
Chapter 44 – Takemoto continues on his quest to find himself, while Hagumi learns about herself through her young student.
Chapter 45 – Takemoto has found solace in his long trip and now he must return back home.
Chapter 46 – The return of Takemoto and his friend’s reaction when they find a changed man.
Bonus Chapter – The Legendary Hero * Nyanzaburo – The story about how Nyanzaburo helped the amusement park, Arakawa Land.
Also, included is a chapter of “Otaku House Call!” in which Chica Umino looks back on her five years working on the manga. Also, included is a Honey and Clover Study Guide which explains certain Japanese terminology featured in volume seven.
“honey and clover vol. 7″ was an interesting chapter because it focuses a lot on Yuta Takemoto and his journey of finding himself and what to do with his life. The other characters of the series are also featured but this volume is dominated by Takemoto’s journey and Hagu’s job as a teacher.
I really found this volume to be quite enjoyable because it was different in the fact that it relies heavily on a sole character but also for the fact that these emotions that Takemoto feel are feelings that many young adults make when they graduate from college. Some are easy to transition to their new career but some need to find out more about themselves before proceeding to the next level.
With Takemoto, he’s always been a person that stayed back and let everyone speak up but through this journey, the young naive and shy student that we saw from previous volumes has become a man and no longer is he afraid to speak his mind.
For the women, there is a storyline between Rika wanting to hire Ayumi but she is still hurt in the fact that Mayama will never love her like she has loved him and to make things even more difficult, the woman he loves wants to hire her on projects. Personally, with so many men who fall for Ayumi, you wonder how long can Umino hold Ayumi back. I understand she has harbored these feelings for him for many years but I would love to see her character meet some happiness.
And for Hagu, she’s in a bit of funk right now. With graduation, pressure to do her best since she’s a gifted artist and now having to teach children seems that it’ll take its toll on her. But you often wonder how much of that fear is caused by the fact that Takemoto left her.
Overall, Chica Umino definitely captures that young adult angst in the seventh volume of “honey and clover” and I look forward in seeing how this series will conclude with three more volumes left in the manga series. If you have stayed with the manga series this long, then volume 7 of “honey and clover” is definitely worth reading! Definitely a young adult manga series worth reading!
honey and clover Vol. 6 by Chica Umino (a J!-ENT Manga Review)
June 29, 2009 by Dennis Amith · View Comments
“Volume 6 of ‘honey and clover’ is well-rounded in terms of character development. Chica Umino does a wonderful job weaving through each of the characters emotions, may it be personal or career changing decisions. This is definitely a volume in which many people can really understand the characters and the thoughts and anguish they are going through in regards to making important adult decisions. Another excellent volume of ‘honey and clover’. Highly recommended!”
(C) Image courtesy of Chica Umino. All Rights Reserved.
MANGA TITLE: honey and clover vol. 6
STORY AND ART BY: Chica Umino (羽海野 チカ)
FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: SHUEISHA, Inc.
PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Media, LLC/Shojo Beat Manga
RATED: T for Older Teen
With graduation projects in full swing, Takemoto and Hagu are face-to-face with their future. Takemoto’s complete lack of job prospects are making a sad situation worse, and Hagu just wants to return to her home in the country to pain. With pressure mounting from the outside world, what life-altering choices will these two make?
Planning for the future and the fear of getting a job after college is a scary situation that many students go through and now Yuta Takemoto now wonders what job is willing to hire him but with all the stress, sometimes one needs to get some space and reflect and find themselves.
“honey and clover” vol. 6 is about discovery for each of our main characters. Discovery of Yuta’s future, discovery of Hagu’s goal in life, discovery of Morita’s future, discover of Ayumi’s feeling for Mayama and vice versa. And even Professor Hanamoto starts to realize that perhaps his dreams are being realized through one of his students.
In the manga series, “honey and clover” revolves around three guys who live in an apartment complex and attend an art school. By the sixth volume, many of the the students have graduated and are working careers. With the last remaining two, Takemoto and Hagu now pondering their future as they are about to graduate.
Here is a brief summary of each character of “honey and clover”:
Yuta Takemoto: One of the primary characters, Takemoto is the youngest of the guys and majoring in architectural design. He is the normal guy of the group and trying to find himself. He has fallen for Hagu but is not the type to share his emotions or act upon them. It’s his moment to find a career and is very unsure of what he wants to do.
Shinobu Morita: A carefree, does whatever he wants type of guy. Very cool but very strange. A gifted sculptor who has attended the University for years, has not graduated but tends to make money doing freelance work and constantly on the move. With everyone going through major life changes, it’s starting to have its effect on Morita.
Takumi Mayama: Mayama is the only one among the friends who have graduated and working his career job as a graphic designer. His love is for his boss named Rika but she doesn’t see him that way, especially since she lost her husband in an accident not too long ago. Meanwhile, he knows that Ayumi has loved him for a long time but he doesn’t share the same feelings for her. But yet he gets jealous when his co-worker Nomiya tries to get close to Ayumi.
The two female characters are:
Hagumi: A shy, gifted sculptor who is graduating and has a lot of pressure to perform. But now she’s starting to discover that being world renown for her paintings may not be her thing.
Ayumi Yamada: Yamada aka “Iron Man” has graduated from college but still tends to help out at the art college and assist her family’s business. She is so much in love with Mayama but knows that he doesn’t feel the same. She now flirts with Mayama’s co-worker Nomiya-san in order to get him jealous.
And two characters that is not part of the main group but important to the storyline:
Professor Hanamoto: Just like one of the guys, Hanamoto is the guardian of Hagumi and more or less like an adviser to the students. He has observed his students and tries to assist them and point them in the right direction. But he is reminded by Takemoto that he’s very much like him when he graduated from school.
Rika: A former classmate and a close friend of Professor Hanamoto and is running a graphic design business by herself after the death of her partner and husband. She has been distant and depressed since the death of her husband and knows that Mayama is trying to help her.
Mayama’s co-workers at Fujiwara Architects also play a role in the series:
Miwako – The boss of Fujiwara Architects and likes to make fun of her employees and make them feel uncomfortable at times. And very close to her dog.
Nomiya – The suave and calm architect that knows Yamada is trying to get Mayama jealous and goes with it. But at the same time, can’t understand why she’s head over heels in love with Mayama.
Yamazaki - An employee at Fujiwara Architects that has a crush on Miwako but Miwako tends to look at him as an employee she can try to take advantage and make fun of.
Here is what to expect from volume 6 (summaries only, no spoilers):
Chapter 35 – Mayama tries to find out why Yamada cares so much for Mayama despite Mayama not having the same feelings for her.
Chapter 36 – Mayama and Morita stress out when Yamada has not come home and wonder if Nomiya has taken advantage of her.
Chapter 37 – Everyone is going through life and career changes and wondering what their future holds for them.
Chapter 38 – Professor Hanamoto may be able to pull some strings and get Takemoto a job.
Chapter 39 – Takemoto leaves without contacting anyone or leaving a message and tries to find himself.
Chapter 40 – Takemoto tries to survive with what little money he has, while he tries to discover himself. Morita tries to do the same.
Bonus Chapter – Miwako tries her best to embarrass her employee Yamazaki by buying him the most ridiculous clothes she can find and making him wear it.
Also, included after the final chapter is “Challenge Club”, a story about Umino’s passion for collecting seashells. Also, a chapter of “Otaku House Call!” is included as no matter how Umino tries to not look Otaku, somehow Otaku’s zero in on her. Also, included is a Honey and Clover Study Guide which explains certain Japanese terminology featured in volume 6.
The sixth volume of “honey and clover” definitely captures the angst, the humor, the enjoyment of each character. In fact, I would have to say that this volume was well-rounded as everyone is featured and is more dramatic in terms of each person now trying to find themselves and sort out their own feelings and emotions of their life and their career.
With this volume, I think that many readers can feel the emotions that these characters feel. Takemoto’s uneasiness and stress of trying to find a new job after college, Morita seeing everyone making life changing decisions and knowing that he needs to do the same and of course, Mayama and Yamada starting to understand their emotions towards each other and knowing that they need to move forward alone.
Overall, “honey and clover” vol. 6 is another wonderful volume from the popular Chica Umino series. Despite the craziness of Morita, nearly every character in the manga series are quite real and I can sympathize and understand these characters and what they are going through.
Again, if you have been curious about this manga series, “honey and clover” is just a magnificent series featuring cool character designs but most of all, a well-written storyline about five friends growing up as college students and now entering their lives as young adults and planning for their careers.
“honey and clover” vol. 6 is highly recommended!
honey and clover Vol. 2 (a J!-ENT Manga Review)
January 18, 2009 by Dennis Amith · View Comments
“Volume 2 continues the fun, hilarious storyline from the last volume. This volume features more dramatic undertones with the characters but still managing to capture the fun and enjoyablity that the first volumew as known for. Well-written and beautiful artwork from the award-winning manga artist Chica Umino.”
(C) Image courtesy of Chica Umino. All Rights Reserved.
MANGA TITLE: honey and clover vol. 2
STORY AND ART BY: Chica Umino (羽海野 チカ)
FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: SHUEISHA, Inc.
PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Media, LLC/Shojo Beat Manga
RATED: T for Older Teen
Love is never easy for our heroes. Takamoto is forced to confront his resentment of his stepfather and his own feelings of being cast adrift, while Mayama and Ayu flounder in their unrequited loves and Morita faces the prospect of being held back another year.
Beautiful, fun… Definitely a lot of positive things you can say about this Kodansha Award winning manga series by Chika Umino.
Having spawned an anime series, a live drama and film, it’s no surprise that many men and women have enjoyed “honey and clover” and now available from Viz Media via their Shojo Beat imprint is “honey and clover”.
The second volume of “honey and clover” continues that fun, enjoyable atmosphere that came from that first volume but now getting into more of the dramatic stories of each character.
In the manga series, the story revolves around three guys who live in an apartment complex and attend an art school. They are:
Yuta Takemoto: One of the primary characters, Takemoto is the youngest of the guys and majoring in architectural design. He seems to have a ho-hum life but is the normal guy of the group who has taken a liking to the gifted artist Hagumi.
Shinobu Morita: A carefree, does whatever he wants type of guy. Very cool but very strange. A gifted sculptor who has attended the University for years, has not graduated but tends to make money doing freelance work and constantly on the move. He is drawn to Hagumi because she reminds him of a Koropokkur (a leprechaun or fairy) that he actually takes pictures of her in situations and puts it on the Internet and promoting her as one.
Takumi Mayama: Mayama is the quiet type. A senpai for Takemoto and works at a design firm in which he likes the owner Rika. Although he knows that he’ll never get that close to Rika, he somewhat does what he can for her. He is also the guy that Morita turned to when he needed help but now Mayama has passed the duty on to Takemoto.
The female characters featured are:
Hagumi: A shy, gifted sculptor who is being taken care of by her uncle, Professor Hanamoto. She is not very talkative and very, very short. She is almost like a little girl but she’s actually 18 and her cuteness makes everyone in a good mood. She does have a hard time knowing that so many people expect a lot of things from her because of her talent but also knows that because of dedicating her life to that talent, she doesn’t live a normal life like the other girls in school.
Ayumi Yamada: Yamada aka “Iron Man” is another gifted student at the art school who is madly in love with Mayama. She knows that he is not interested in her but she takes it hard and sometimes can’t tolerate his attitude but she does because she’s so in love with him. She’s very blunt, very beautiful, very athletic but also can get very violent (ala her karate moves).
And characters that are not part of the main group but important to the storyline:
Professor Hanamoto: Just like one of the guys, Hanamoto is the guardian of Hagumi and more or less like an advisor to the students. He attended the same art school with best friend and roommate Harada who dated a woman named Rika. The three were inseparable and both Harada and Rika got married. But after Harada’s death, he continued to help care for Rika who is now the boss at a design firm that Mayama works at.
Rika: She’s a friend of Hanamoto that runs a design firm that Mayama works for. She knows that Mayama loves her but because of the pain she suffers from that accident that killed her boyfriend (and Professor Hanamoto’s best friend), she likes to inflict pain onto herself.
What I found quite charming about this storyline is that it’s life of a college student. Trying to do your best at school, not knowing your own future after school, not having enough money and just the fun that people have amongst friends.
Chapter 10 revolves around Yuta Takemoto. Yuta returns home to visit his mother. He hasn’t really visited his home mainly because he resents his stepfather and really hasn’t accepted him into the family in since the death of his father. His stepfather tries to get closer to Yuta and letting him know that despite being his stepfather, he will never replace his real father. But more or less a storyline focusing on Yuta and his own personal family life.
Chapter 11 features the group going on a trip. Ayu still loves Mayama but Mayama thinks only of Rika. Morita sees how people are down and tries to get everyone to have fun (or get drunk) but have a good time.
Chapter 12 features a trip to the zoo. But the major part of this storyline is learning about Hanamoto’s relationship with Rika and Hanamoto and Mayama having a long talk about Rika and why he was offered to work at her office.
Chapter 13 features Yuta and Morita vying for Hagumi’s affections. Meanwhile, Morita must finish his project to finally graduate but will he complete it or will he need to retake the course again. The most important part of this chapter is Ayu finally revealing her feelings to Mayama. No holding back.
Chapter 14 features Hanamoto taking a sabbatical to do research in another country. That means he will have to leave Hagumi. Hagumi wants to find a four leaf clover to give to Hanamoto for good luck and the gang tries to help her find one. This chapter introduces how Hanamoto became Hagumi’s guardian.
Chapter 15 features Yutaka’s birthday party with Hagumi cooking her specialty “Chocolate Mintkin”, a pumpkin popped in the microwave and topped with chocolate mint ice cream afterwards. Meanwhile it is revealed how Hanamoto is doing in the other country and how Hagumi is doing without Hanamoto. Whether their relationship is like father and daughter or more than that, you don’t know. Also, Yutaka starting to have more feelings towards Hagumi.
Also, included is a side story which includes “Honey & Clover: The Story So Far” with the perspective from Midori-chan (a dog that lives in the same building where Hagumi is staying), “Otaku House Call” which is a segment featuring cute character animal drawing designs of Umino and the people who work with her and a story of behind-the-scenes as they work together. And the third part is a study guide of key locations featured in the manga that people can check out if they visit Japan.
The second volume was very good. Where the last volume featured mostly the fun and games between the characters, volume 2 focused more on the dramatic situations in their lives and possible upcoming love triangles that may pose problems for the friends in upcoming chapters.
Although “honey and clover” is a “Shojo Beat” title, this is not a manga strictly for females. The story involves men and women and the complexity they face in their lives. May it be graduation, what to do after graduation or the emotions that they feel inside but somehow, finding difficulty to express them.
“honey and clover” is a well-told drama ala manga series and it’s no surprise whey this manga series has had a live drama, anime series and film adaption. The storyline is enjoyable and there is an innocence to the storyline that we all can relate to. Also, it’s a fun manga series that is well written and well drawn and I’m impressed with how much Umino is able to include with each and every chapter.
Volume 2 continues that fun and beautiful storyline and designs that I loved with the first volume and I look forward to volume 3. Another recommended volume in the “honey and clover” manga series!
