If you're into the genre (namely, fantasy shoujo with an arranged marriage because of a conflict between countries), go for it. Otherwise, it's a miss (at least for me).
The lead couple is okay, I guess. There's nothing heinous about them, but there's nothing special about them either. They fall in love in one chapter, which is kind of annoying but to be expected. Honestly, most, if not all, of the characters are bland and cliche. However, the main issue that I have with it is that the story tries to juggle too many things at once. There's romance between the two leads, the heroine also has supernatural abilities, war is threatening to break between a couple countries, there's a civil rights-y bit with the subhumans, and the royal family sucks. It's just too much, and nothing gets enough spotlight in order to become engaging.
Unfortunately, Reimei no Arcana finds itself in a weird position. It tries to be more than the run of the mill brainless shoujo manga, but it bogs itself down with too much extra stuff. Because of this, the manga doesn't appeal to hardcore shoujo addicts (not enough romance), but it doesn't appeal to readers who're looking for something more than traditional shoujo (not enough substance).

... Last updated on January 15th, 2013, 3:11pm

@reesehoney: why don't you bring up exellent ideas and send them to a publisher? Really. This story is not as cliched as-well-for example Marmelade Boy, Stardust Wink, Kare-First Love or Rockin' Heaven. But even those were popular. Tell me why. The art is cute and Shojo-Fans DO love Shojo/Romance manga. And to come up with anything ultra-brandnew is more than difficult, it's nearly impossible. There were so many ideas untill now and mangaka often interprete those popular subjects in their own ways and I don't get why they shouldn't. And Toma Rei did good, so far. It really bothers me that everyone always denunciate/condemn mangas with cliches, but actually, many of them are popular. Just read them and have fun. Don't think of what it has what other mangas also have or not have. Just have fun while reading.
Same goes for this one.

Sure, it's a lot similar to Zettai Heiwa Daisakusen, but it has it's own appeal. In my opinion, I definitely enjoyed Reimei no Arcana much more. It's actually one of my favorites!

The main girl was feisty and brave but not overpoweringly, she was still lovable. While the prince was a total bishie (which made the romance that much more enjoyable!) I loved it all, the characters, plot, romance. If you want a shoujo that will give you goose bumps with the romance, then this is the one for you!

And I know there's a lot of reviews on how it's so cliched and everything, but believe me when I say I've read some mind-numbing shoujo with non-existing plot and mindless kissing. This is not the case here.

Overall:

Story: 10/10
Art: 10/10
Characters: 10+++/10

Reimei no Arcana started good until it reached exactly the middle part of the story. I felt that the author just wanted to finish it halfway and tried to make ends meet by using Nakaba's arcana of time to conveniently explain the plot. I felt cheated. What should have been paced in one volume was mushed into a couple of pages. :/

I was put off from this initially since I hate the male leads who are just plain cruel, yet the girl is still with them. Well, that's definitely not the case here. Ceasar is like that for...a chapter? Then he has some type of revelation and becomes the more immature-jealous-affectionate type rather than the cold-possessive type of male lead. I didn't really see the justification for the sudden personality switch, but he new character was much cuter so no complaints.

That aside, this is pretty average shoujo. Two guys loving the same innocent/pure female lead type deal. She's at least a decent character on her own and can stand up for her self and make her own decisions. The art's cute, but could be better. It's nice there there's a plot revolving around something other than the romance too, so it hasn't been boring or repetitive yet. Loki seems to have some underlying motive all the time. The diversity aspect is nice too. Overall, I'd recommend it. L)

When you combine arranged marriage and shoujo there are certain expectations that build up. Not to say that this manga doesn't meet those expectations but it's got a little more... darkness than I was expecting. There are slight variations in this story and in the characters that make it different from other stories that are similar. I only hope that this is carried through to the end. It's quite interesting though. Also, I do like how there are humans and human-beast people. It's not fair how they treat them but it's an interesting variation.

I didn't expect to like this but I did.The Princess Nagaba is strong and admirable, her romance with Prince Caesar is realistic. Although so far there hasn't been too many romantic moments to boast about (otherwise I would be giving this a higher score). Even the side characters are interesting. I'm hoping for some romance there too especially for Lamelia and Loki. But the plot is intricate and detailed, so staying abreast is important as you can easily get lost.

I must admit that at first I was very captivated by this manga. I liked how the characters were introduced. And Nakaba seems to be not one of those whiny female lead that I very much dislike. But not until the recent chapters I realized their bipolar problems...uhoh... the characters personalities had changed drastically I ended up scratching my head. Nakaba became the whiny girl, and caesar became the sweet lad. You'll notice it too once you compare the first chapter to the latest one...
In my opinion, the mangaka failed to build a stable, solid personality for each characters making it a failure (at least on that part). I still love the romance though

Forget the rest of the line, this is your medieval fantasy. Overall, this is a pretty decent read. It stands out over time though, the relationship between Nakaba and Loki, the mains, made me come back after half a year.
The art can be simply put as above average, and higher. Fewer and fewer mangas show potential, but this one is a gem. Original with character representation, with hints of shared traits from the changes in dress.
The plot line is quick in development, but no fear- it gives some time for recuperation, like a great novel. The secrets and ulterior motives of the countries and everyone heighten the tension and make readers want more. The mysteries behind Nakaba's power start to unravel.
The change of the characters make you wonder about the original plans of the characters. Reading it a second time, everything, makes one feel Loki's and Nakaba's pain. Nakaba changes quickly, from the opposite end of the spectrum, along with the prince, Caesar. Loki mind starts to drift to a deeper, darker hold on the world. Sudden jolts in the situation bring out adaptations of the character in attempt to reach stability.
The romance is quick, but it really hints that there will be something complicated in the future. Very serious at most times, but sometimes it can be a little 'lol.' Conflict is good and exciting. I recommend this to someone who likes spunky but sweet romance, but not someone who likes decoding plot lines. (Maaybe too simple.)

I think this manga is quite typical...I can easily foresee the way sensei developes it...and sometimes I find it not dramatic...quite boring...I dont like Nakaba's characteristic and Loki's,too...Caesar is much better but not really good...I think so...The plot is good...but if Reimei no Arcana is shounen...I think it'll much more interesting and dramatic...maybe so...

Plot: 8/10 (the opening is quite boring, then it becomes much better and more dramatic...but still typical, not surprises me much )
Characters: 1/10 ( the characters, I think, are much unnecessarily complicated so they can make you tired (at least for me) and boring....easy to guess what they will do or say...and they're typical,too)
Art: 6/10 ( quite good but background is not really good as it should be )


Anyway, Reimei no Arcana is OK at all...the art is good but not impressive...

Is there anyone thinking it's similar to Akatsuki no Yona in some ways?

... Last updated on October 24th, 2011, 5:38am