ParaKiss really allowed you to learn and understand the story at the main character's pace. In an ingenious combination of scenes and art, in just the right sequence, Ai Yazawa surprised me when I found out that my attitude at first towards this manga was the exact same attitude Yukari had towards the members of ParaKiss when they first met, as if this was intended (but this was just me).
That goes onto say that during Yukari's relationship with George I really got into it. You have that same confliction she was feeling, and when things don't work out, you also have that same stubbornness and aggravation.
The art and storyline were very unique.
As for why this is not a 10, more than half of the manga online (11 and on) were from the actual sold English copies and while I don't usually prefer those (the wording is just so...), the more worse part was that it was badly scanned, two pages on one, etc. That kind of made the manga go fast for me, so I felt no big impact when it ended.
There was also the constant breaking the fourth wall that the characters always did, which was annoying and sometimes was straight into/during a passionate moment or scene.
The ending, to me, was also kind of disappointing...
The storage room scene was okay; I cried a bit, but the whole George suddenly moving to Paris was just like...a cheap shot, I'd like to say. It happens a lot in manga when a mangaka just throws something unheard of/cheap in there to make up for a storyline/ending. So that's what I say to that...but I do suppose it being Paris is better than America (as they usually are), as he was the one to show interest in haute couture.
Otherwise, everything was good. The love was passionate; it was real; it was mature. There were many characters/scenes that really allowed you to understand the romance between George and Yukari, but maybe her
constant crap and hysterics were a little annoying (And by this I mean if I were George, I wouldn't be in love with her.), especially near the end.
Lastly, my favourite thing about this manga was...
how I felt conflicted, really badly. George is so charming, seductive, and it just lures you in on how great of a man/character he is, as George was definitely not what you would call an "honest man," but that was what made him so mysterious. "Curiouser and curiouser!" As you would say. But because of this, conflict flares within Yukari and she becomes broken, in her life and in her mind. It just made me think of Hiro (as I'm sure some were), and how when she goes to him for advice, you just start leaning him towards him more, Hiro being so dependable, rational, thoughtful, but, as Yukari and as with me, George is like a black hole, where when you already know of the danger, you still approach it, and when you're too close, the blackness sucks you in. Yet still somehow you're at bliss. I mean, I do reckon she still has feelings for George towards the end. It was just good, very good.
(-9)
(+53)
