Yuu Watase

[GwenneZ]

I love all manga by Yuu Watase. The first thing I read by her was Ceres: Celestial Legend. That ones probly my favorite so far. I've only started Fuushigi Yugi and Absulote boyfriend. but when ever i pick one up i can't put it down. She can be a little pervy at times, but I love the whole love story thing about her work. It makes me jelous. I know I'm only thirteen and shouldn't be looking for love yet, but I've had a hard life that's make me grow up quick. What you gonna do? Anyways,What do you think about her?

[Radical Dreamer]

Moved to Manga Mania.

On Yuu Watase, I'm not a huge fan. Her art style seems bland to me most of the time, and her stories, I find more bland. That's just me, but yeah, I'm not a fan. XD

[Tsukuyomi]

From what I've read/seen of her work, I love it

I still need to finish "Absolute Boyfriend" XDD; Imadoki is a good one too More tamed then the others.. ^ ^;

I still need to pick back up on "Fushigi Yugi:Genbu Kaiden", too @___@

[Shao Feng-Li]

Her art work is alright, but characters seem pretty generic looking and the artwork can be a bit bland. The only thing I've read is Absolute Boyfriend, so maybe I'm biased XD

[LadyRushia]

I was a huge fan of her stuff back in the day, which is weird because most of her series are dark and intense liek wut. The romances always get me, though. Always, XD.

[minakichan]

I read a lot of her stuff. It's often dark and sexual, but I feel like it's in a very cheap way for simple thrills. I like intense and emotionally-charged series, but that's a little bit different from teen angst. That, and it's hard to really take her stuff seriously with her terrible female leads. I also dislike a lot of the messages she sends to girls-- that fantasy men are more desirable than flesh-and-blood humans with real flaws in Absolute Boyfriend, or the really shallow romantic love ideas and the "tsundere male" leads in Fushigi Yuugi, Imadoki, Ayashi no Ceres, etc.

I can understand why she's so popular though. Her bishounen are almost sickeningly attractive.

She's writing a shonen series in Sunday called Arata Kangatari, as well as a somewhat explicit yaoi manga called Sakura Gari now, and I hear that the story of the latter is actually quite gripping and compelling. I am hoping to pick both up (even though I despise, despise, despise yaoi) if they become available just to see if she's improved now that she's branching out to new genres.

[Tsukuyomi]

I haven't finished "Absolute Boyfriend" yet (I'm so bad XDD), but I've alawys got the oppisite message :-?

I thought it gave out the message that nobody's perfect.

[spoiler]Not even a figure XP[/spoiler]

[minakichan]

I think that message comes around mostly near the end, although it's kind of propogated throughout

[SPOILER]in the idea that Riiko continuously decides to choose Night over Soushi despite the fact that Night was created to perfectly fulfill her fantasies, whereas Soushi is a true human being whose personality was shaped by natural courses of action. By the end of the series, Night is destroyed but Riiko still cannot move on and decides to only love Night.[/SPOILER]

It's just the facts that Soushi really loved Riiko but had plenty of personality flaws and certainly wasn't as physically powerful and attractive as Night, and that Night was programmed to love Riiko and to be as attractive as possible, that bugs me. I know there's the whole Night's-programming-just-went-amuck thing, but all it did was build off of the perfection that was already programmed in him. I just feel that this isn't very different from Takashita Taichi wanting to marry an anime character, and perfectly adorable moe Asahina Mikuru of all characters.

[Kkun]

Man, forget you naysayers.

I dig Fushigi Yuugi because it's fun and made me cry. I can't say that about many shows.



...although I do kind of agree with the cheap sexual thrills. I've never seen so many female protagonists almost get raped in one female author's body of work in manga before.

[Tsukuyomi]

Lol, I guess the rape (or so called rape) is supposed to show that a girl can overcome one of the worst hardships? Or, something like that (I could've worded that better).

Hmmm, I wonder if any of Yuu Watase's work doesnt' have rape (or rape elements) in them :-?

I think all of her works that I've seen and read has made me cry ;____;

[LadyRushia]

I don't think Imadoki or Alice 19th have any raep, but I read those so long ago that I hardly remember them.

[Tsukuyomi]

I don't think Imadoki or Alice 19th have any raep, but I read those so long ago that I hardly remember them.

I haven't read Alice 19th ^ ^

[spoiler]The closest thing to raep in Imadoki was when the main character (I forgot her name already) thought Kouki's (I think that was his name) was going to. yeah (when they first met) XD[/spoiler]

[Kkun]

I don't think Imadoki or Alice 19th have any raep, but I read those so long ago that I hardly remember them.

Alice 19th has a NEAR rape which is kind of par for the course with Watase.

[GwenneZ]

I was about to buy Alice 19th but it was the second book im hoping to read it on Mangafox.com

[ChristianKitsune]

Eh, I like some of Yuu Watase's work... and I'll admit I read Absolute Boyfriend and although I wasn't exactly sure WHAT the plot was... I did like the ending >_> I cried too... so blah.

[spoiler]I thought that Soshi and Riiko did end up together at the end though? Because Night was like "Well, she's yours now! Take care of her for me! Blah Blah Blaaah...[/spoiler]

I've actually watched a few episodes of the Live Action series XD. and I gotta admit it's CUTE. And the Ending for the show is like the most adorable ending theme I've ever seen!

I don't really like her art style that much, if I were to put a lot of her characters next to each other I don't think I could tell them apart >_<

I really enjoyed Alice 19th, and I bought all the books before I was able to buy 5... So I was like "this is great! this book doesn't have a rape scene in it! 8D 8D!"

Unfortunately, I bought the 5th book and I was so disappointed >_<; But still, I have probably read that series at least 4 times. (I <3 Frey! X3)

So yeah... I give Yuu Watase a B- when it comes to artwork. It's beautiful but she needs to work on changing her character designs a bit.

her stories I'll give a B- as well if it werent for all the sexual crap I think I'd like them better. *shrugs* fanservice...you really can't get away from it now bleh.

As for the messages that you guys think she's giving to young girls...I kinda roll my eyes when I hear stuff like that.

I mean if people are going to get their life lessons from manga or books then they need to seriously get a life. I don't turn to manga for my life lessons. I turn to God for them. I read what my Bible says... I know what I read is fantasy and those who don't well, I think they are kinda crazy anyways XD.

[minakichan]

[SPOILER]I thought that Soshi and Riiko did end up together at the end though? Because Night was like "Well, she's yours now! Take care of her for me! Blah Blah Blaaah...[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER]Night said that, but then Riiko said that she would only love Night and Soshi gave up on her.[/SPOILER]

Plenty of people, young girls and everyone else, get life lessons from media. The reason that narrative media have themes is to send a message, and sometimes these themes can be very wholesome and positive. Stories that discuss racial tolerance and the worth of a human life and whatever aren't written just to spout air, and tons of creators and authors use their craft to promote their beliefs and worldviews. Directors and producers write movies like Hotel Rwanda or whatever not simply to entertain, but to raise an issue. The idea that humans are somehow weak-minded if they are affected by art defies the intentions and the power that art can inherently have. Media by definition exists to convey information, and one that somehow fails to do so fails as a medium. Just as the Bible or Christian commentary can have a powerful effect on its audiences, so can secular media. It's completely natural.

I know some people like to make a distinction between "high" and "low" art, but considering that "low" art can be just as pervasive and influential as "high" art, I wouldn't underestimate its impact (and people have made a living analyzing how impactful mass media and popular culture can be). Humans are affected by experiences they undergo and influences around them-- which raises all kinds of questions about free will and the definition of the human soul, but what can ya do.

That said, there are tons of girls who fantasize over Night. I was disturbed to discover that polls showed that most readers would prefer Night as a boyfriend. I mean, ignoring the fantasizing-over-anime-characters aspect aside, the perfect robot programmed to suit your desires? REALLY?

[ChristianKitsune]

[SPOILER]Night said that, but then Riiko said that she would only love Night and Soshi gave up on her.[/SPOILER]

Plenty of people, young girls and everyone else, get life lessons from media. The reason that narrative media have themes is to send a message, and sometimes these themes can be very wholesome and positive. Stories that discuss racial tolerance and the worth of a human life and whatever aren't written just to spout air, and tons of creators and authors use their craft to promote their beliefs and worldviews. Directors and producers write movies like Hotel Rwanda or whatever not simply to entertain, but to raise an issue. The idea that humans are somehow weak-minded if they are affected by art defies the intentions and the power that art can inherently have. Media by definition exists to convey information, and one that somehow fails to do so fails as a medium. Just as the Bible or Christian commentary can have a powerful effect on its audiences, so can secular media. It's completely natural.

I know some people like to make a distinction between "high" and "low" art, but considering that "low" art can be just as pervasive and influential as "high" art, I wouldn't underestimate its impact (and people have made a living analyzing how impactful mass media and popular culture can be). Humans are affected by experiences they undergo and influences around them-- which raises all kinds of questions about free will and the definition of the human soul, but what can ya do.

That said, there are tons of girls who fantasize over Night. I was disturbed to discover that polls showed that most readers would prefer Night as a boyfriend. I mean, ignoring the fantasizing-over-anime-characters aspect aside, the perfect robot programmed to suit your desires? REALLY?

yah, good point. ^^; I guess I just read what I read for entertainment purposes only. I mean if I get a book out of the Fiction section, I don't really take what I read to hard much. >_> but that is just me I guess. I mean don't get me wrong there are messages that a lot of manga and books can teach us, but something like THAT? (Loving a robot that was basically everything you ever wanted? C'mooonn.)

[Tsukuyomi]

I think that would be true of anyone. I think they would prefer a perfect programed person over someone who is not, but I'm sure they know that's not possible ^__^ Hopefully >_>;

[choklit]

I love yuu watase's art and storylines, though I do agree that the sexual situations she puts her characters is is pretty unnecessary and kinda spoils the story. She makes wonderful stories though. It's a pity she her health has been bad lately.

I'm glad I didn't read fushigi yugi and Absolute Boyfriend until I had matured, else I might not have liked them.

Ceres is still a little dark for me, from what I've read, so I'll wait until I've matured enough to enjoy it. I like her a lot, in summary.

[Tsukuyomi]

I really love the mythology behind her stories ^ ^ She actually goes around Japan and whatnot to do her research (I think I read that somewhere) 8D

[Desert Rose]

I liked FY, but the frequent panty shots, nudity and sex scenes were a big turn off, so I sold my manga. It's a good story, but needed more depth.

Without all the sexual stuff, FY woud've been wonderful. I just felt like the story was ruined by it, as we didn't need to see Miaka's panties frequenty, or see her topless. She was only 15 after all.