If someone sais that this one is a typical shoujo-manga I absolutly can NOT understand it. Sand Chronicles is a very touching and also heart-warming manga you can't put aside. I'm annoyed by all these super-cheerful and naive heroines, who seem to be strong but in the end they can't do anything without the boy of their dreams: the absoluty bishounen (handsome, smart, sporty, can everything, knows everything etc.) But Sand Chronicles is different. Of course the heroine is sometimes very whiny. But the development of each character is amazing (the art is also beautiful, too) . Daigo is-thankfully thankfully-anything but perfect. He is far away from that. I like that and I'm sure that if you are also pissed off (excuse me..) by the heroine type "Maron of Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne" this is definetly for you. The plot is realistic, the characters too and-yes-it's not always sunny and blithely but this manga also has moments in it, which are happy. I also think that real relationships ARE that tragic (@weronique), at least it's not unrealistic.
By the way: what's the problem with typical shoujo-manga? I mean...they're popular, aren't they? I don't like them that much but...I often hear that they're horrible but those person seem to read the most of them (--:--*) Also I do. But that's not the topic right now.

Well...I'm up to volume 9 now and I hope that she won't end up with Fuji...oh please...!

All in all: this is great, whether it takes part at the country or not (spupapi ;-))

... Last updated on January 28th, 2010, 5:28am

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. (:

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.

... Last updated on May 5th, 2015, 3:24am

It's one of my favourite manga. I really like the story- The traits of the characters are real, their feelings are true and the story is so deep! I love it It's a recommend for ALL manga-fans, who like deep storys with characters like you and me. And the best: the story starts at the end, but you don't know, how it will end!

... Last updated on May 17th, 2007, 6:45am

This manga is so realistic, but still has enough drama in it for me to love. It's like it has just the right amounts of both.

The characters react like real people, and that's part of the magic of it. The art is clean and beautiful, and the storyline is interesting and engaging.

All in all, an amazing manga.

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.

Negative:
The beginning was definitely promising...but for some reason it just went downhill for me. The beginning has tints of comedy and light-hearted romance, but then, on later chapters, it started to get darker, and I did not like the atmosphere. Too much angst and melodrama. It seems as if Ann was constantly encountering downfall after downfall...that it got boring. Also, I agree with wintermelon that Fuji's character was wasted, he looked good with Ann!=________=.

Positive:
A plus for its realism on the characters and plot. Also, it may look like a typical shoujo, but there's definitely something more to it than just a girl struck by unfortunate times, but gets through it, knacks a boy while she's at it, the end.
Art: I really liked the art, like Ai no Koe, to me the art is sketchy, but nice to look at. I've liked her drawings ever since Forbidden Dance x33

Overall, it's in between. Not too bad, not good either. Give it a try, though. Nothing to lose anyway.

That's my opinion on Sand Chronicles.

... Last updated on November 28th, 2009, 2:47am

AAaaAh, this has got to be one of my all time favorites. This manga has true to life characters that you can actually relate to and not far-fetched like many you read today. The best thing I love about this is that the protagonist experiences the up and downs of love (OmG! it's not those every-boy-falls-for-the-main-character kinda story) Thats what makes this manga so convincing and heart-warming.
the drawing style could use a little work (the feet are all distorted) but it still retains a lighthearted feel to it, and a little comic relief here and there.

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.

This manga is one of the best in my opinion, if you're looking into the genre of shoujo. The characters are realistic-ish and the story is very cute and sweet, but it starts off dramatically, with a few cliche shoujo moments between Ann and Daigo, but nevertheless problems arise left and right and you never know what to expect. All in all, the plot is very suspenseful and keeps your interest....One of the BEST shoujos should be able to keep you interested in what happens to the main couple in the story and this story is able to do that.=^__^=