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From the Washington Post
Princess Ai is very much of its genre—shojo, Japanese comics aimed specifically at teenage girls. It's got all the stock shojo characters and situations: cute-as-a-button women with eyes half the size of their heads, willowy young men, accidents that make them fall on top of each other, wardrobe malfunctions, bitchy rivals, scheming corporations and a hefty helping of cheesecake.
~Douglas Wolk
Copyright © The Washington Post Company
From Anime on DVD
One year after the successful release of the first volume comes the next installment in this 3-volume manga, co-produced by TOKYOPOP and Shinshokan, serialized monthly in Japan in Wings, and all based off an idea from and the persona of Courtney Love, who is a manga fan herself after living and performing in Japan. I admit that I have not yet read the first volume, but seeing the names Courtney Love, DJ Milky, and Ai Yazawa attached to this project definitely had me interested in checking out this volume. Thankfully, the thorough and exhaustive story summary at the beginning of the book got me all caught up so I could hit the ground running....
The most interesting parts of this story for me are the parallels between Courtney Love's life, from what I remember, and the character Ai. Not just their personalities, but also how they are treated and presented by the music industry and media. Ai is seen as being very independent, outspoken, and definitely a bit stubborn, very much like her real life counterpart in Love. Ai really just wants to be with this man Kent, who has touched her emotionally, as well as discover more of herself by finding this book. However, it is the pressures and constrictions from the music industry that are keeping her from doing either of these. I think DJ Milky has done a great job at understanding how Love felt during her time at the top of the music industry, and conveying all those feelings and emotions here in this story....
The parallels between Ai and Courtney Love are done very well here, creating a fictional biography of sorts about Love's experiences and struggles in the music business. In the music business you are someone's pawn, and they will use and abuse you as much as they can in order to get as much profit as possible. I definitely remember the loud and independent Love as portrayed by the media, but it is interesting to see the parallels of her character from behind the scenes. While the gothic fantasy aspect of the storyline hasn't quite grabbed my interest, and the romance is not very strong, there is definitely a good little story here with Ai the musician.
After reading this volume and doing some research on how this book was created, I admit that I have become quite fascinated with how this has all come together. Albeit a bit short in length, this is an interesting co-production that I think opens up some interesting and different avenues for future products. It is also very cool seeing all the marketing surrounding a manga title in the US, including dolls and an anime trailer. You don't see manga titles too often get this level of advertisement and merchandising, so I hope it pays off well and it becomes more commonplace.
~Jarred Pine
Copyright © Chris Beveridge. All
Only registered members can post comments
Still working on my princess ai collection!
SAILORNEPTUNE31
18.08.2008 12:49 AM
its cool
NELLNELL
06.08.2008 04:17 AM
OMG!! I gotta read this book!! Im getting it in the mail. I read the first chapter, and itss off the hook!! ^_^
SAILORNEPTUNE31
27.07.2008 07:41 PM
wow what pretty artwork!!! i have to buy this ^-^
DARKNDANGEL
15.06.2008 06:23 AM
It's weird, this is the only site I've ever seen this manga on, but it's the best manga I've ever read. You would think more sites would host it...
SHADOW14FOX
12.06.2008 08:54 PM
i luv it!!! it was the first manga i ever brought and i had 2 go back 4 the next 2!!!! its justb tooo good.!!
ENCHANTIX
12.06.2008 05:45 PM
it's hard to read the test~ it's too small but a wonderful book!
SEINA
26.05.2008 05:37 AM
lol.. I have volume 1&2 MAybe I`ll go for three?
AILANA0CHAN
04.05.2008 10:02 AM
lol.. I have volume 1&2 MAybe I`ll go for three?
AILANA0CHAN
04.05.2008 10:02 AM
that is really cool
BABYG23
11.04.2008 04:50 PM
This was a good manga! I only read up to vol. 2, but it still rocked!
KITTY08
04.04.2008 08:53 PM
awesome story line and don't get me starterd on the pretty artwork!! i really like this...i wonder if it's avaible in england....
ANIMELUVSFREAKS
31.03.2008 04:44 PM
^_^ I wish i could read it all TT-TT
OJAMA56
22.03.2008 10:34 PM
HEY were'd all the previews go, there used to be entire volumes on here! TT-TT
OJAMA56
22.03.2008 10:33 PM
i love the way ai dresses its so cool and the manga's good ^__^
GOTHICXLOLITAXFREAK
21.03.2008 01:20 AM
Is this good i'm bout to find out
OJAMA56
18.03.2008 02:34 AM
This is way too popular. Totally mainstream, everyone knows about it, it's everywhere. And yeah it's good but so is D.N. Angel and that's not that popular at all.
YOGIRL655
15.03.2008 05:58 AM
this is such a good story i love it!
YUKIKURAN
14.03.2008 06:41 PM
Ah, the only thing really good about this series was the art, which is really beautiful. Misaho Kujiradou is amazing (so what if Ai Yazawa initially designed Ai? Kujiradou knows what she's doing!) I really did not like the story at all, though. And I thought an awful lot of the dialogue was really silly. I gave my copies away to a friend. XP (what? I kept reading 'cause I thought it might get better! So I was wrong...)
ROGUE1ANDROID
13.03.2008 10:07 PM
my friend just lent me the ultimate edition of princess ai It AMAZIN'!!!
KITEANGEL
13.03.2008 08:04 PM
i have to say i thought it was boring but when i saw the cover the design is breath taking.its cool!!!!!!!
AMIXXAA991
13.03.2008 12:26 PM
YAY! Good story and nice graphics! .... Loveless is still meh fav though... But Bleach is first!!!!!
DEATHLOVESLOVELESS
11.03.2008 01:41 AM
I love this manga and now I get to finish it!!! I only got thru Volume 2 via the libary!!
BECCANLARGO21
11.03.2008 12:17 AM
whoever illustrated this book is really-i repeat: REALLY REALLY GOOD. i try to get my drawings to look real pretty but i cant ever draw them more than once!! arghh! well this illustrator is really talented (well der but i had to say it) and the story is love-able! im a big fan of this manga! xP
EMOAI
10.03.2008 11:46 PM
I don't know why you guys are all freaking out about the free manga thing....the online manga is working just fine....and i have to say, i thought i wouldn't like this manga but....IT ROCKS!
ZOOGARAH
10.03.2008 10:48 PM
i havent read it yet but my friend Cyn REALLY recomends it
LOVELESSLOVER6396
10.03.2008 05:19 AM
I LOVE Princess Ai!!the hole story and the design is PERFECT!!!!
SIGRA1989
09.03.2008 11:34 PM
I love hentai!
YOGIRL655
09.03.2008 09:10 PM
THIS STUFF GOT SOME WICKED GRAPHICS AND KICK-ASS STORY LINE IT BRINGS A NEW LOOK TO HIP-HOP AND ROCK ANYWAY ..... PRINCESS AI IS SO KOOL!!!.... BANZAI!!!!!!!!!!!
ANIL
09.03.2008 06:37 AM
I love it SO much^_^!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2KOOL2B4GOTTEN
08.03.2008 11:57 PM
It looks like an Okay book. I'm able to get the full stories. W aren't U?
ILOVEBOOKS12
08.03.2008 05:34 PM
i love this book and i agree with pinkangel i cant wait for it to be anime i would totally watch it all the time
PRINCESSEHINATA
25.02.2008 07:48 PM
wtf is VIP? I wanna read this, but I can't!
SHADOW14FOX
17.02.2008 07:48 PM
i wanna read this someone tell me y i cant.....:(
MYBOYSLOVER
17.02.2008 03:13 AM
this is my favorite manga second to cardcaptures!!!!!!!!
ANIMEANGELXOX1
11.02.2008 12:05 AM
yo , i agree with killichan , i can not wait 4 this to become a anime
PINKANGEL
06.02.2008 11:26 PM
hmm ive seen this manga b4..wen i was chilling at the mall and thought of going to a book store,it was a limited edition whole story of it..from the start till the end but i dint bought it,cuz i thought it wasnt that good..hay to bad
CHAOCHAO
25.01.2008 07:58 AM
no u dont... i just sit in the store all day and read! lol
K4WAIICHUCH4N
15.01.2008 08:07 AM
Love it, can wait to see anime or feature film.
KALLICHAN
09.01.2008 12:40 AM
I read the manga since it came out.....I really can't wait for a fourth manga to come out....or for Princess Ai to become an anime! Any news on that?
ANIME88
07.01.2008 09:07 PM
i guess i like princess ai. i have volumes 1 - 3 barely. i haven't started reading them yet. i need to finish reading the kingdom hearts series, then i'll start reading princess ai then i'll start reading vampire kisses: blood relatives. soooooo yeah. whatever...... :)
KALANI44288
02.01.2008 06:22 AM
o god can some1 tell me wat the hell VIP is for?? i rly want 2 read all the full volumes but if i cant become a vip den i gotta buy them!!!! dats a lot of money for me!(im 13, so no job n my mom sumtimes doesnt like being me books)T.T;
LILKHMERGURL
31.12.2007 06:59 AM
tis a simple story ///
NEWSUPERHERO
30.12.2007 02:26 AM
woot woot :3 cant wait to get it
BLUESERENITY
26.12.2007 08:21 PM
How come I can't read it
LOVENARUTO1
26.12.2007 07:39 PM
i've got to buy this!!
ANAFREAK91
25.12.2007 10:55 PM
sigh. I'm sad it's over.
SAKURAWOLF22
24.12.2007 07:20 PM
is there gonna be a fourth book
SPARKL3S
23.12.2007 04:28 PM
How come i cant read it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
STARLIGHTLELE
13.12.2007 05:24 PM
this is good but furuba i think is better
ANIMALUVER998
10.12.2007 05:12 PM