Backstage Prince, Vol. 1 - Softcover

Sakurakouji, Kanoko

Softcover

ISBN 10: 142151172X ISBN 13: 9781421511726

Publisher: VIZ Media LLC, 2007

Synopsis

Backstage at the Kabuki theatre; Meet the Kabuki prince; Love blossoms backstage; Even a Kabuki Prince needs love

Drawn into the exciting world of kabuki theatre, young Akari spends her time after school assisting the famous actor Shonosuke Ichimura. In the real world, however, this prince of kabuki is actually a high school cutie by the name of Ryusei Horiuchi.

Akari is totally clueless about kabuki--and boys--but she's eager to learn about both. Her first encounter with Ryusei doesn't go very well, but with the help of a cat named Mr. Ken, the two teenagers quickly become prince AND princess of kabuki. Love was never so dramatic!

About this title

About the Author

Kanoko Sakurakouji was born in downtown Tokyo, and her hobbies include reading, watching plays, traveling and shopping. Her debut title, Raibu ga Hanetara, ran in Bessatsu Shojo Comic (currently called Betsucomi) in 2000, and her 2004 Betsucomi title Backstage Prince was serialized in VIZ Media's Shojo Beat magazine. She won the 54th Shogakukan Manga Award for Black Bird.

Reviews

Ordinary girl Akari follows a belled cat into a kabuki theater in an opening scene reminiscent of Alice's trip to Wonderland. High school hottie Horiuchi, earlier hurt by Akari's accidental entry, turns out to have broken ribs and a great talent for the stage. Akari becomes his assistant, even though she knows nothing about kabuki, and he hates everyone. There's lots of internal monologue as Akari ponders Horiuchi's attitudes and her feelings about him. He tolerates her because she's the only one who keeps trying to spend time with him regardless of his bad attitude. She falls almost instantly in love but fears her feelings because she'll never fit in his world. Panels consist of the traditional shojo manga focus on heads and facial expressions. The story is similarly traditional, straight romance with the emotionally blocked male needing female redemption to express love. (If this sounds familiar, it's been the grounding for countless Harlequins.) This book provides the emotional drama of Sensual Phrase without the sex, making it suitable for a teen-and-up audience and anyone who loves the roller coaster of feelings as two people meant for each other find each other. (Mar.)
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Edition details

• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 142151172X
• ISBN 13: 9781421511726
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192