Hello everyone! Today I'm going to review not an anime but a manga. During the past year I didn't have much time for watching anime since I spent all of my time studying, working and enjoying life as a whole. But to keep connected with otaku culture I made sure to read manga at least every day before going to sleep. It was fun and helped me dig deeper into the world of manga. It also helped me to sleep easier. I have been an insomniac since forever and reading something before sleep usually helps me fall asleep easier.
Anywaaaaaaaay, I recently finished reading a manga called Dokuhime. And here is my review. as always, BEWARE OF SPOILERS :)
Poison Princess
This is a beautiful story. A story of love and sorrow. It is a tragedy but it is beautiful within its sadness.
The story starts off with presenting a beautiful and charming girl, who's name is Belladonna. She seems to be a princess and is being married off to a strong and influential king. But then... it turns out she is a poison princess: her kind is made to drink poison, and eat poison since early childhood. The poison is mixed even in the milk of the newborn girls. This turns those girls into poison princesses. Every fluid that they release, be it tears, sweat, saliva or just anything else, it's all poison and can kill instantly.
Terrifying isn't it? In this way the homeland of this girls is trying to create perfect assassins. The destiny of a poison princess is to kill and be killed.
Belladonna accomplishes her mission. She kills the king while spending the night with him. But then she runs away. Those who created poison princesses find her, and punish her: they burn her.
In the next chapter we get to know another poison princess: Lycoris. she is a beautiful redhead. A bit clumsy, very romantic, but kind and sweet. Belladonna has always been like an older sister to her and watching her die makes Lycoris sad, depressed, yet motivated... motivated to live.
She is the next poison princess. She is sent off to a country called Glandol (or smth). However here the king doesn't call her to his room at nights. He wears a helmet all the time because a couple of years ago he suffered some injures due to a fire that burnt out in the palace.
There are also three princess: Hal, Mao, Kait. They were all born together, so they basically have the same face, but varying personalities. One of the princes' is however, cursed. and is destined to ruin the kingdom in the future.
Anyway long story short, the king has been dead for a couple of years, and the older prince is pretending to be him so that their kingdom isn't ruined. The former royalty knows this and wants to frame him somehow.
Oh by the way, all the 3 princes are in love with Lycoris. But they either bully her, or avoid her... and so on...
Anywaaaaaaaaaay, I'm not going to go into many detail, so I'll just present to you the good and bad points:
Pros:
1. It's a touching story. A story of struggle, a story of despair. It's a tragedy, but there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
2. It's very atmospheric. The art helps with this. You totally imagine yourself in a medieval castle, where your food or drinks might be poisoned any second.
3. Talking about art. It's gorgeous. I can't even begin to describe how I love the detailed drawings of those Lolita fashioned dresses.
Cons:
1. Some of the characters didn't get the development they needed. Which made the plot a bit weaker.
2. The ending could have been much more powerful, but it was beautiful the way it was.
3. Well this is not exactly a con, and the outcome was obvious, but I wanted Lyco to choose my favourite prince: Hal,
Either way this was an enjoyable read. I loved the story, I loved the developments, I loved the maybe a bit rushed, but still touching ending.
I think this is a story that teaches us to embrace ourselves, a story that teaches us to embrace our faults, because in a second we might not even be able to breathe.
I also think this is a beautiful love story, which even though not very evolved still shows that absolutely everyone can love and BE loved.
I also could find some bitter irony in the whole story. A kiss, passion that is supposed to lead you to creating new life, takes yours. Death and life are so closely entangled, yet we forget about this so very often. That's what this manga reminded me of.
Anyhow, thanks for reading. I give this manga a 6.5/10 overall and 8.5/10 for art. It's definitely worth your time if you like depressive stories, tragedies and josei stories. I hope you enjoyed this review. See you soon.
Anywaaaaaaaaaay, I'm not going to go into many detail, so I'll just present to you the good and bad points:
Pros:
1. It's a touching story. A story of struggle, a story of despair. It's a tragedy, but there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
2. It's very atmospheric. The art helps with this. You totally imagine yourself in a medieval castle, where your food or drinks might be poisoned any second.
3. Talking about art. It's gorgeous. I can't even begin to describe how I love the detailed drawings of those Lolita fashioned dresses.
Cons:
1. Some of the characters didn't get the development they needed. Which made the plot a bit weaker.
2. The ending could have been much more powerful, but it was beautiful the way it was.
3. Well this is not exactly a con, and the outcome was obvious, but I wanted Lyco to choose my favourite prince: Hal,
Either way this was an enjoyable read. I loved the story, I loved the developments, I loved the maybe a bit rushed, but still touching ending.
I think this is a story that teaches us to embrace ourselves, a story that teaches us to embrace our faults, because in a second we might not even be able to breathe.
I also think this is a beautiful love story, which even though not very evolved still shows that absolutely everyone can love and BE loved.
I also could find some bitter irony in the whole story. A kiss, passion that is supposed to lead you to creating new life, takes yours. Death and life are so closely entangled, yet we forget about this so very often. That's what this manga reminded me of.
Anyhow, thanks for reading. I give this manga a 6.5/10 overall and 8.5/10 for art. It's definitely worth your time if you like depressive stories, tragedies and josei stories. I hope you enjoyed this review. See you soon.
