I'm not a fan of Watase Yuu. The 2 very few works of her which i really into are Ayashi no Ceres and Zettai Kareshi. Her somewhat-unbelievable-innocent drama plotting sometimes drives me mad. However, when i read this latest manga of her, i was truly surprised. This author is really something! Changing style is not an easy thing for any mangaka to do. She did that!! WOW

Clearly, I am in the minority here, but I don't find this manga terribly deep or original at all. First, the plot is very similar to Mizukami Shin's Aigan Shounen, combined with Kunieda Saika's Bannin. Second, rapists are not attractive, no matter how beautiful they are and how sad of a past they have. Finally, there is very little real drama, only melodrama. All the sob stories feel cliche. This is made worse by the fact that the manga apparently takes itself very seriously. At this point, all I can do is cross my fingers for an interesting, non-absurd ending.

... Last updated on July 27th, 2009, 1:47am

I have a love-hate relationship with Watase Yuu's work, but this is... Wow. This reads completely different from her other work.
The artwork is beautiful, is suits the dark, angsty atmosphere of the story. Characters all have dimensions to them and are very dynamic. The plot has set up so far to be full of twists and melodrama in the best sense.
This could honestly become the best thing she's ever written, hands down.
I just hope it won't fall short of expectations ; )
Edit: Exceeded expectations.

... Last updated on March 28th, 2010, 2:59am

Sakura gari is such a beautiful work that i am seriously anticipating for upcoming chapters. to be honest, I don't usually favor Watase Yuu's work on daily basis despite the fact that she is, no doubt,a really good artist; her other works were simply not of my style. But sakura gari really blew me away. The intricate art and the depth of the story is just wonderful. The fact that she construct something out of her ordinary style and make it truly splendid really shows how good she is as a manga artist.

What i really like about sakura gari is that there are so much to the storyline--so many layers and various perspectives. the portrayal of the characters and their emotion is vivid. everything flows and the yaoi factors are also placed well within the plot too.

Personally, I read nearly every single one of Watase-sensei's works. I often compared her other works to each other, but this series was way different than I originally expected. Her older works had their shares of the heroine experiencing dramas, but when I thought Ayashi No Ceres was dark, Sakura Gari made me think twice about it.

There were events in the story, that gave me chills, and made me feel like I was the main character himself(despite the fact I'm a girl..). He experienced tragedy, but not just him, but the characters around him had their own shares of darker pasts. Sure, the uke of the story, isn't as good looking, but what made me admire this story, is how she made each character as realistic as possible.

How she breaks out of her shell of having a heroine, and having a bubbly shojo-like storyline going into something as harsh as rape and suicide, is something to give compliments to her. Frankly, despite it's overly dramatic tone, I still love how she properly fits the characters in the era, and how they are uniquely developed in their surroundings.

It seems Watase tries new waters. First a shounen and now a yaoi.

From reading till chapter 6:
I'm torn about this one. Once for all I don't like rape, I feel sorry for Tagami, what he has to endure and can barely bear to continue reading the stories from this rotten and sick household and wanted to drop it after chapter 4 already... But Souma's tragedy touches me too. His desire and longing he could no longer suppress when he was in fear to lose his special someone. And doesn't dare to utter one word about his feelings. Hurts but gets hurt by that himself. What a twisted personality.

I really liked the poems (some are so heart wrenching). One was like: Though love torments me more than I can say, my lady shall not see, how much she is paining me. or something like this.

Typical Watase, I'm already captivated by her works and art again and cannot let go. A great debut for that genre. Who had thought that she has something like that inside of her

The scanlationgroup Watase's Sorai has done a great job with the notes. Was quite interesting and thanks for the different versions of the same poems.

... Last updated on April 22nd, 2009, 2:16pm

My reaction's pretty much the same with the general anti-Yuu Watase shoujo heroine movement: WTF?!

It's dark and psychological. Non-consensual sex abounds. There is plot, but it's formulaic (aka cliche; aka predictable). But the journey to how their relationship is evolving is what makes this story spectacular.

I'm kind of saddened by the fact that she needed a yaoi title to get a really, really good story out of herself. Kind of.

Oh and the sister--much love.

Wow, I really loved this, and I really want chapter 7 to come out now, especially how the 6th one ended! It's definitley one of her best works!


EDIT: Watase's shoujo mangas need more developed and realistic characters, take Fushigi Yuugi's Miaka. The type of character who makes me go "wtf, how can someone be so air-headed." just by her awful characteristics it ruins the whole story.

... Last updated on April 18th, 2009, 1:29pm

yuu watase certainly did her research this time.

i mean, every chapter is enthralling and filled with historical facts, deep poetry, symbolism, and such characterization that it blows you away.



there isn't much more i can say about this series- it's simple just too good to describe with words. do yourself a favor and read it. X3

I must admit, I was a bit skeptical of picking this one up. It was on my "wish list" for practically forever. And when I finally got around to reading the first chapter, I found it quite distasteful (shoujo mangaka + yaoi? I don't think so...) - so I dropped it. Now, after giving this story a second chance, I cannot express just how much I regret doing that.

Sakura Gari by Yuu Watase is BY FAR, the BEST yaoi I have ever read.
Who would ever have thought that the average shoujo mangaka can conjure such an incredible and touching story? Impressive.
This is also, sadly, one of the FEW times when I read a yaoi for the PLOT. I'm not even joking.
I literally read all 6 chapters in one sitting. And am still starving for more.

BTW did I mention the DRAMA in this manga? Oh, don't even get me started.. Reading this makes me ever so teary-eyed.

So, if you like yaoi with lots of angst and drama, I highly recommend giving Sakura Gari a shot.

No, seriously, do yourself a favour and read it.