Stories and Book Talk

Tag: anime

3 Manga With That Shōjo Toxic Love We Love To Read

Some days you want wholesome fluff; other days you crave a hero who’d burn the world for his girl—then ask if she’s eaten yet. If you’ve been missing the delicious drama of Unhinged heroes, buckle in. I’ve unearthed three titles that deliver that “this-is-so-wrong-but-I-can’t-stop” adrenaline hit: Firefly Wedding (Vol. 1–3), Yakuza Fiancé, and Yakuza Lover. Grab your emotional popcorn.

It’s been a beat since Hana Yori Dango, so it’s always fun to uncover interesting manga with that toxic love energy that we all love to hate, but actually love to read about, and I feel like I’ve unearthed three titles that fit right in to this trope. Either way, when the hero says, ‘I think people who hurt my wife should be erased from the world.’ We’re there for it. It’s the love for that totally unhinged hero who is totally crazy to read on the page, but we all refuse to meet in real life. So, let’s jump in!

Firefly Wedding (Hotaru no Yomeiri) by Oreco Tachibana

On the surface, Satoko has it all—she’s beautiful, the daughter of a nobleman, and at a prime age for marriage. Unfortunately, she is also quite ill and only has a short time left to live. Before she can secure a marriage that will redeem her worth in her family’s eyes, she finds herself the target of the mysterious assassin Shinpei, and her plans are put in jeopardy. In order to save herself, she makes a desperate proposal—of marriage! When it comes to love, however, Shinpei takes “until death do we part” seriously.

Why it clicks: Satoko has a weak heart, but she has a strong will and does all she can to survive in the face of unprecedented danger.
Read if you like: damsels-in-distress, instant “I love you” demands.
Age : Firefly Wedding is marked ‘Teen Plus’ 17+

Yakuza Fiance (Raise wa Tanin ga Ii) by Asuka Konishi

In this critically acclaimed romantic crime drama, a yakuza granddaughter is sent from Osaka to marry the grandson of a rival family in Tokyo.

Yoshino grew up the sheltered yakuza princess of the largest crime family in Osaka, the Somei. Due to her resting bitch face and dangerous family, no man has ever approached her. When her grandfather signs a truce with the Tokyo-based Miyama crime family, he offers her up as a truce bride to the Miyama leader’s grandson! Kirishima Miyama is popular, charming, and seems totally normal.

But behind his smile is a violent sadomasochist who thirsts for her dominance even more when she impresses him with her moxie! Even though she knows how bad yakuza can be, she’s stunned by Miyama’s viciousness. She can’t turn him down with the East-West peace treaty on the line…so instead she steels herself to play ball!

What it is: A political engagement between rival crime families, think Romeo and Juliet with more knives and fewer apologies.
Why it clicks: Both leads are terrifyingly competent in their own dark ways, so the relationship feels like two predators pacing the same cage.
Read if you like: power couples who treat threats as foreplay, strategic marriage pacts, heroines who can shoot straight.
Age: Yakuza Fiance is rated Teen Plus 17+

Yakuza Lover by Nozomi Mino

When feisty college student Yuri is attacked at a party, she’s saved by Toshiomi Oya, the underboss of a yakuza syndicate. Despite her obvious attraction to him, she convinces herself that she’s not in the market for a bad boy type. But when they meet again, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him—kicking off a steamy and dangerous love affair that threatens to consume her, body and soul.

What it is: A college girl meets a Yakuza boss during a brawl and tumbles into an all-consuming romance of silk kimonos, scarlet tattoos, and constant danger.
Why it clicks: This is pure, high-octane fantasy: the heroine’s sweetness collides with the hero’s lethal devotion.
Read if you like: possessive declarations, R-rated chemistry, “ride or die” loyalties that could actually get you killed.
Age Rating: Yakuza Lover is rated Teen Plus 17+

Toxic-But-Tempting: Why We Keep Turning Pages

This trope is fascinating in that there is a thrill to reading danger on paper, as there is the perceived buffer that fiction creates a safe distance. However, any friend experiencing these things in real life, and we would be the first to seek help for them. So, red flags are not beautiful, cannot be sugar-coated, but we can say that we read them so that we can identify them in real life (Yes, we’re going with this to the end of that last chapter, don’t judge).

There is the fantasy of absolute devotion. We can’t lie. There’s a serious guilty thrill in a hero who will raze down obstacles for love. We totally can’t resist an unhinged hero.

At the end of the story, there is always growth potential. A well-written one will nudge the couples toward mutual respect, eventually.

Your Turn

Which “love-to-hate” manga has swallowed your weekend lately?

Theria Guild Guardian: Code and Courage

August 19, 2025
February 2025 Reading List

The Apothecary Diaries by Nekokurage, Natsu Hyuuga (Original Story), Itsuki Nanao (Composition), Touco Shino (Character Design)

THE GREAT DETECTIVE OF THE INNER PALACE IS BORN…?!

Maomao, a young woman trained in the art of herbal medicine, is forced to work as a lowly servant in the inner palace. Though she yearns for life outside its perfumed halls, she isn’t long for a life of drudgery! Using her wits to break a “curse” afflicting the imperial heirs, Maomao attracts the attentions of the beautiful Jinshi and is promoted to attendant food taster. But Jinshi has other plans for the erstwhile apothecary, and soon Maomao is back to brewing potions and…solving mysteries?!

I’m totally in love with this manga! It’s so much fun to read, and a great watch if you prefer Anime. I recommend it! Maomao is so much fun!

7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! by Hinoki Kino (Artist), Touko Amekawa (Original Story), Hachipisu☆Wan (Character Design)

KEEP YOUR HANDMAIDENS CLOSE, AND YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER

Every time Rishe turns twenty, she dies and is reincarnated to the day her engagement is broken off. This time around, she winds up the fiancee of the man who killed her in her previous life: the crown prince of the Galkhein Empire, Arnold! Knowing from her past lives that Galkhein is on the path to war, Rishe is determined to prevent it. She starts by turning the royal villa into a training ground…for handmaidens! Will her unorthodox plans be enough to keep disaster at bay?

I love this one for Rishe’s openminded attitude, and her can-do policy. She knows her limits, and her strengths, and brings her ideas to life. This is a story to push your imagination. I still recommend it. February was a month full of manga volumes. So much life here.

Cheers to Manga mania!

March 26, 2025
Hana Yori Dango Vol. 1 by Yoko Kamio: A Captivating Manga Story of Love and Adversity
Hana Yori Dango Vol. 1

by Yoko Kamio

When her only friend, Makiko, accidentally offends F4 leader Tsukasa, Tsukushi boldly defends her. Enraged, Tsukasa puts the dreaded red tag in Tsukushi’s locker — a sign that she is now a target for the abuse of the F4 gang and the entire school. But when Tsukushi fights the gang with their own weapon, Tsukasa finds himself falling for her! Find Volume 1 Here.

About Yoko Kamio

Yōko Kamio is a popular Japanese manga artist and writer. She is most famous for Boys Over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango), for which she received the Shogakukan Manga Award in 1996. Her work has been translated and distributed in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Thoughts:

Hana Yori Dango has this amazing story that struck me at the first volume, and sort of held on to the last volume. Hana Yori Dango has 37 Volumes of story. I borrowed this manga’s volumes from a library in high school and would always look for the next volume like crazy. I loooved! the discovering days of Hana Yori Dango and the question of ‘Will it be Rui or Tsukasa?’ Oh, the angst! It was awesome.

Hana Yori Dango which translates to Boys Over Flowers is a story about a girl doing her best to achieve her dreams despite the adversity she faces in an elite school filled with affluent classmates. She has a fiery temper, and is very loyal to her friends, so when she sees her friends suffering she does her best to ease their pain and help.

When Tsukushi Makino joins an elite school and manages to make a friend, she feels compelled to stand up for her new friend when she gets in trouble. Through this encounter, Tsukushi ends up offending the biggest elite classmate of their school, Tsukasa Domyouji, the leader of ‘F4’.

Hana Yori Dango chronicles how Tsukushi survives through a severe hazing experience at the hands of ‘F4’ led by Tsukasa Domyouji. Her encounters with the four ‘F4’ members who rule the elite school’s student body, and how she changes Tsukasa Domyouji. Domyouji and Tsukushi’s story leads to an unforgettable romance, in between, she discovers her true path.

Hana Yori Dango has captured audiences worldwide. This manga is so popular that it has been turned into dramas across different Asian countries and Europe.

Tsukushi Makino has an endearing spirit. You want to root for her as she faces the many challenges in a school filled with affluent classmates, who are more privileged than her. At the same time, there is the discovery of Tsukasa Domyouji who may seem overprivileged, but it turns out he is drawn to Tsukushi because of her fierce loyalty and pure nature.

“I like to believe if I wear great shoes, they’ll take me to great places.” – Shizuka to Tsukushi, Chapter 10, Hana Yori Dango.

Hana Yori Dango is a great story to read, the art has a distinctive style and is quite easy to follow. However, if you prefer to watch, check out the following adaptations. My personal favorite remains the 2005 TBS Japanese Version. However, you can check out the following adaptations too.
- Meteor Garden (Taiwan, 2001)
- Boys Over Flowers (Japan, 2005)
- Boys Over Flowers (Kdrama, 2009)
- Meteor Garden (China, 2018)
- F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers (Thailand, 2021)
June 2, 2024
Discovering Ai Yazawa: Nana and Paradise Kiss Creator
There are amazing women artists in the world of Manga. Today, let’s discover more about Ai Yazawa, the memorable Nana and Paradise Kiss creator. Both mangas have adaptations into anime and live-action movies.

About Ai Yazawa
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Ai YAZAWA (矢沢あい) is a Japanese manga author. Her pen name comes from Japanese singer Eikichi Yazawa, of whom she is a fan.

Yazawa started her manga publishing life in 1985; throughout 15 years of publishing, she wrote over ten series on Ribon magazine. While most of her manga continues to be published in Japan by Shueisha, publishers of Ribon and Cookie (in which Nana is serialized), series like Paradise Kiss now appear in other magazines such as Zipper, published by Shodensha.

Yazawa's most famous manga include Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai (I'm Not an Angel), Gokinjo Monogatari (Neighborhood Story), Paradise Kiss, and Nana. In 2003, she was awarded the Shogakukan Manga Award for Nana. Some of her manga works were made into anime, and live action movies too.

Yazawa's works are most popular among women and young girls. The storylines generally are centered on young women and their relationships, something with which her young fanbase identifies. The characters are always very stylish, and she is known especially for her hip sense of fashion. Yazawa herself attended a fashion school after high school but did not complete her studies there. Another key point is her strikingly unique, often rebellious characters, who tend to be juxtaposed against the more traditional ones.

She has also published three artbooks. Source : Goodreads.com/ai yazawa
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Nana

Nana Komatsu is a young woman who’s endured an unending string of boyfriend problems. Moving to Tokyo, she’s hoping to take control of her life and put all those messy misadventures behind her. She’s looking for love and hoping to find it in the big city.

Nana Osaki, on the other hand, is cool, confident and focused. She swaggers into town and proceeds to kick down the doors to Tokyo’s underground punk scene. She’s got a dream and won’t give up until she becomes Japan’s No. 1 rock’n’roll superstar.

This is the story of two 20-year-old women who share the same name. Even though they come from completely different backgrounds, they somehow meet and become best friends. The world of Nana is a world exploding with sex, music, fashion, gossip, and all-night parties.

All Art by Ai Yazawa

The most endearing part of this story is the friendship that grows between Nana K. and Nana O. They are vastly different women, from their fashion style to their beliefs and their past. Despite boyfriends, career decisions, and an unexpected pregnancy, these two young women are determined to keep their friendship going. The most tragic thing about Nana is that it remains on hiatus after 21 volumes.

All Nana fans eternally hope that Ai Yazawa will one day complete this beautiful saga. Despite the hiatus, Nana has two compelling live-action movies (Available on Apple+ or Viki) and a very entertaining anime (Available on Netflix or where you get your anime fix). Nana is a great story to check out and the art is so beautiful, the characters come to life with every panel. Nana has mature themes and is recommended for ages 16- 18. Grade 10-12.

Paradise Kiss

Yukari wants nothing more than to make her parents happy by studying hard and getting into a good college. One afternoon, however, she is kidnapped by a group of self-proclaimed fashion mavens calling themselves “Paradise Kiss.”

Yukari suddenly finds herself in the roller coaster life of the fashion world, guided by George, an art snob extraordinaire. In a glamorous makeover of body, mind, and soul, she is turned from a hapless bookworm into her friends’ exclusive clothing model.

Paradise Kiss has a truly tumultuous relationship between George and Yukari. The decisions they both make at the end of this five-volume series are realistic and very human. Yukari and George fall in love and must decide what to do with their relationship to fulfill their dreams and gain what they most want. Paradise Kiss has a live-action movie and an anime too.

Ai Yazawa has a fantastic body of work. Her art is always unique, and colorful, using sharp, elegant lines. She depicts stories rooted in a realistic world and characters that are easy to relate to. Check out her other work Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai (I’m No Angel).

Art by Ai Yazawa – Instagram | Facebook
May 20, 2024
A Sign of Affection

A Sign of Affection

by Suu Morishita, Translated by Christine Dashiell

Yuki is a typical college student, whose world revolves around her friends, social media, and the latest sales. But when a chance encounter on a train leads to her meeting friend-of-a-friend and fellow student Itsuomi-san, her world starts to widen. But even though Itsuomi-kun can speak three languages, sign language isn’t one of them. Can the two learn to communicate the budding feelings between them?

Thoughts

This manga is quite special. The protagonist, Yuki, is deaf. She has her own world in a world full of sounds she doesn’t hear. So, when she meets someone she wants to know more, there is this gap they both have to bridge in order to better understand each other. The art is so clear cut and I love the progress through each panel. Yuki wants to get to know Itsuomi better, and their journey towards connecting is the cutest thing ever.
Suu Morishita takes her time to explain the use of sign language, and the differences in sign language styles in Japan. This manga becomes quite special when you understand that Yuki’s language is sign language and it is how she communicates best. A Sign of Affection is engaging, cute, and full of warm feels.

February 19, 2024