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Manga: Honey Hunt
Creator: Miki Aihara
English Adoption: Liz Forbes
Publisher: Viz Media
Released: April 7, 2009
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
If you haven’t read this manga, and would like to read it, BUT wants to preserve the excitement, you must read carefully. I don’t jump right ahead to spoilers, but for warning, I will place an [X] when the spoiler begins and ends the similar way.
Honey Hunt is a story & art by Miki Aihara. For most, we know that Miki Aihara is the creator of the popular manga, Hot Gimmick. And now, her new project finally came out in a volume series 4 days go. Shojo Beat Magazine released its first chapter on September 2008 issue, and they’ve been running a new chapter every month since then. That was when I first came across with it.
I personally like Aihara’s art style, because of its body coordination, facial expressions (adorable exaltations, blushes, smiles), and the proper balance at any given angles. However, does the story have an appeal? Well, for readers who enjoyed Hot Gimmick, because of its twisted romance, many revelations, dramatic scenes, and humor, might end up liking Honey Hunt. I honestly don’t see a character or personality change in Aihara’s heroine
(Hatsumi in Hot Gimmick, and Yura). But I may not be the judge of this, because I haven’t read her other mangas other than those two so far. I describe Yura as a naïve, introverted, frail, but strong minded (if chooses to) 17 year old girl. Now does this sound familiar, or at least recognized a similarity to that of Hatsumi? Of course, I think for Aihara, her heroine must always come out to be helpless, and submissive. But don’t let this throw you off, I liked Hot Gimmick (but I prefer Hot Gimmick S =]), and I’m liking Honey Hunt so far, and who knows if Yura will able to break out of this.[X] Chapter 1 introduces an average girl named Yura, whose parents are widely known all over Japan, and in some cases, the world. Her father is a world-famous musician, while her mother is a downright-gorgeous actress. However, none of their talents passed on to Yura, or so they think, because I’m sure we’ll learn more about Yura in the next following chapters. Her family is portrayed as the “perfect family,” but what nobody knows is that the family is not even close to perfection. It was all a pretend, and maintained their nasty little lies for the sake of their image. Both of her parents are having an affair, and well knew that, but kept their marriage. But it was somewhat discovered, and so they are finally getting a divorce. The sad thing is that Yura, their own daughter, was unaware of any of this. She had no idea, and cries, “They dumped me first.”
Her mother is known as the “#1 best mom.” It’s not surprising that she’s a really good actress when she got everyone fooled. Yura knows it’s deception, but respected her mom, even though she treats her like a housekeeper. None of what she says on the TV about loving her daughter were true. Yura is looking forward on going college, and one day depart from her parents. Yura’s only friend, Shin, who’s also her neighbor, tutor, and her secret crush, betrays her, as she stumbles on him and her mother in a passionate position. Shin treated her as a person, not an item or a property, but that crumples down when Yura found the real reason for his intentions.
Revenge Time!
Throughout the next chapters, we’ll learn more about the characters, and discover some new ones. Of course,
the story could not get any more exciting without cute celebrity male characters (Squee for FanGirls??), who’s all over the heroine, as she searches a way to stardom without the image of her very famous parents. She decides to become a celebrity and beat her mom, and prove to her that she is capable of living her life without her help or her image. The perfect male celebrities add spices when they decide to get their interests on a simple, average girl; needless to say they are TWINS. Well, I see another Shinogu vs. Ryoki situation here. It’s not coincidental that one has to have a rude demeanor, (Ahem, Ahem, Ryoki) but could be nice and sweet, while the other is outgoing and corny, but only likes the heroine because her father is his hero. Who knows, there could be some changes. This is only Volume 1 after all. [X]
This is my own copy that I purchased in Borders yesterday.
DISCLAIMER: Images that I did not specify that are mine, ARE NOT MINE.