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Description
From Viz:
After her parents divorce, Anna Uekusa and her mother move from Tokyo to rural Shimane. Used to the anonymity of city living, An can't get used to the almost overbearing kindness of the people in her mother's hometown. But when personal tragedy strikes, An discovers how much she needs that kindness.
Note: Won the 50th Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga in 2005 and was adapted into a movie in 2008.
Type
Manga
Related Series
N/A
Associated Names
الساعة الرملية Đồng Hồ Cát 砂时计 砂時計 นาฬิกาทรายรัก La Clessidra Le Sablier Reloj de Arena Sand Chronicle Sand Chronicles Suna Dokei The Hour Glass
I started reading this, I kid you not, about 12 years ago, in a spanish translation page, and sunadokei was just licensed in spanish, at that time, I didn't know english, the time passed and I read some other chapters in english. I found today that there were scans of the english licensed version. I really liked this manga, is a typical coming of age story, but it's pretty good. I think it was never popular only because it was always licensed, instead of other shoujos of that time (that no one cared if they were licensed) like Hana Kimi or KareKano.
Spoiler (mouse over to view)
I'm so glad they end up together, they were meant to be
This manga was one of the first manga i bought when move to America so it has a special place in my heart. The story is just damn beautiful!! But unfortunately, manga in America is way too expensive for a poor gal, so i result to reading it online (i will buy all of them one day!!! When im a millionaire!).. But this manga isnt finish translating yet! ARGHHHHHHH! The movie didnt give me much hope either.. i just want to know what happens!!
A little cliche at times, but reads well and certainly involves a level of character development. I like who Ann, Daigo, Fuji, and Shika become by the end of the series. They're older and wiser and lament over their decisions less often.
I do wish Ann was less of a stereotypical ditz, though.
finally got around to finishing this thanks to later volume scans, viva google. how nice would it be if people with mutual feelings could weather all. fact is they can't, life gets in the way. deep stuff. always remember, people's feeling are a witch, and life is all curveballs - people act out of character and no matter how deep sometimes you have to grow apart to come together.
As the saying goes, first love never dies and so it is true in here. I am a romantic at heart and this slow development and time progression story of Ann and Daigo captured me and filled my longing. Art has a charm of its own that fits perfectly with the story. This mangaka also became one of my fav in my few list in shoujo genre.
This wonderfull manga starts as a good and kind of real take on the whole shojo firts love/comming of age thing, that by this point is completly done to death. Still, it is a good start. The narrative it keep on giving and the characters starts acting far more real world than you would expect. Relationships aren´t overromanticized too much and break down over time. There are even uncreepy and very apropriate sex scenes here and there and beleavable character groth takes place. Because of timeprogression the characters have to dead with mariages or lack thereof, shitty jobs and later even burnout. Workrelated stress is one seriouse problem you all and i am not kidding. Just work 55 hours a week for some time and you will understand. No kiddy/dreamy fluff here (ok a little) so i have to wonder why a shojo magazine published this manga. So read and enjoy and move on to her next manga Piece (8/10), Nana (8/10) and my darling Mars (10/10) which i also reviewed for further "unshojo" goodness.
by the end of volume four. Characters act out of character, they all blame, accuse and scheme.. all what made the first volumes fun and lighthearted turned into stupid nonsensical drama, real shallow.
I really like it because, even if the plot is a little bit predictable, it goes smooth and fast without all those school festivals that only make you read pages and pages of the same shit. The characters are really realistic and somebody says that An is annoying but is more like she not sure of her future.
Spoiler (mouse over to view)
And for Daigo I think he did all he could to help her but they are still too young, it is too much for a teenager to deal with. They are in a age where boyfriends and girlfriends are most for fun and dating that for support. She has to became strong by herself and them she would be able to love herself and others truly
Honestly, I was hesitant about picking this series up - particularly with the fact that I couldn't find all the chapters online (vol 6 has to be downloaded off SweetSense itself). The reviews were extremely off-putting, but since I'm a fan of manga like this (Cat Street, Mars - all stories with a somewhat nostalgic overtone) I decided to go for it. I'm extremely glad I did. This story probably isn't for everybody (as indicated by the split opinions reviewers have provided) but even if you haven't had that good ol' first love in the countryside it resonates with you. "Sunadokei" - which I take to mean as hourglass, although I'm not entirely sure - revolves completely around the concept of time, a reflection of our own obsession with forgetting and remembering our pasts, trying to control our presents, avoiding and predicting our futures. Youth is painted in glaring, almost unforgiving clarity in a masterfully told story about first love, friendship and family where as much as you sometimes cringe at what Ann, its protagonist, does - "No, you idiot, don't! NO!!!!" - you can't help but root for her too, or commiserate with all she's been through. I don't think this manga is as pedestrian as it first appears - there is excruciating delicacy in even the most minor details. I particularly love the way this story is told - not in a continuous, contextual way, but in fragments and pieces that we have to glue together ourselves, maintaining the impression of a person looking back on his or her own past, remembering only the things that stood out the most, the things that ended up mattering. With some patience and not a little consideration for the meanings that may lurk in the text, I guarantee that this is a painfully honest story that will stay with the reader, and surprise him or her suddenly with its poignancy. There is only one first love, after all. (:
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