(Episode Eight: Deep within the Velvet Goldmine.)
Whenever there's a discussion of the "diversity" of manga, one of the titles that's bound to come up is Ai Yazawa's Paradise Kiss (Tokyopop). A fashion manga by an acknowledged mistress of the form, the series runs in the Japanese mag Zipper and is apparently part of an entire Yazawa Universe populated by young fashionistas. Reading Steve Diablo's explanatory Afterward ("Where Punk And Chic Collide") before I actually dive into the first volume of Yazawa's series, I can't help wondering if I've ventured out of my depth: girly shoujo manga whose main characters model and design clothes? Will the book contain paper doll cut-outs?
We're introed to the world of Paradise Kiss through Yukari, a waifish high school girl who we meet as she's stressing about preparing for college entrance exams. (Her anxiety about making it into the right school illuminates some of the jokes in GTO.) As she rails about the city, the young teen runs into a safety-pinned punk, who eyes her up and down and sez, "Blimey! You're ace, kid!" Fearing for her safety ("I'm gonna be robbed! Possibly raped! Most likely murdered!"), Yukari tries to dash off, only to bump into a tall transvestite named Isabella. She passes out in Isabella's arms, waking to the sight of a girl with pink hair.
It's the kind of introduction that could only happen in comics: six pages and we're already in the series' fashion studio, Paradise Kiss. But once Yazawa drops her heroine into this brave new world, she relaxes the pace. The pink-haired girly, we learn, is named Miwako. The English accent affecting punk rocker is her boyfriend Arashi. Along with Isabella, the three are seniors at Yazawa School for the Arts, and they want to recruit our heroine to model for a senior show. Thrown by the trio's oddness and their offer, Yukari (who Miwako keeps calling "Caroline") dashes out of the studio, dropping her student passbook as she goes.
Already dissatisfied with the straight-laced collegiate track that he parents have chosen for her, "Caroline" is ripe for the more free-wheeling art school demi-decadence that the Paradise Kiss crew embody. She's been slipping in her college prep studies, so we know she's destined to return to the studio. When the group's dapper handsome "leader," George gets a glimpse of her passbook picture ("That bitchy look of hers is perfect for our image,") he pursues Yukari in order to win her over. Though initially wary of George ("Like a video game, the last one to appear is always the boss character," she thinks,) she ultimately follows him back to the studio.
Yukari is attracted to the avowedly bi-sexual George - but she's also carrying a torch for a boy back in her school: Tokumori, who turns out to be a childhood friend of Miwako. The rest of Volume One is devoted our heroine's initiation into the world of glam fashion. George, after viewing the flick Velvet Goldmine ("George is under the influence of yet another movie," Isabella notes,) has been inspired to design an outfit that would fit that movie's milieu. First thing they do to "Caroline" is trim her schoolgirl hair into more severe looking bangs; when she returns to school, she is both complimented by Tokumori and ridiculed by her other classmates ("You cut your bangs too short. It looks like a wig.")
Yazawa clearly has a memory for youthful art school mores. Each of the would-be artists has character traits that fit the persona they've adopted (except, perhaps, for Isabella, who mainly just stands around looking striking). Miwako wears the baby doll dresses designed by her sister (a character from an earlier Yazawa series, we're informed in the Afterword) and lacks the confidence to develop her own unique style; Arashi is a would-be punk rocker who's prone to snap judgments and displays of sudden temper. At one point in the opening volume, he sends a hydraulic punch George's way for flirting with Miwako - a manga-esque display of teenboy territoriality.
Paradise Kiss is rated for teen readers aged 13+, which puts it in an older age-range than old American fashion-centric comics like Millie the Model or even Vickie Valentine. I don't think Millie ever had to worry about being sexually assaulted on the street, and the snap judgments expressed by Arashi ("You think your shit don't stink? You think going to college makes you better 'an us? Sod off!") definitely wouldn't have passed the Comics Code. Still, the basic dynamics remain the same: girl is attracted to boy - who may or may not be attracted back. Is he leading her on for his own purposes? Should Yukari pursue him or the "safe boy" from her old school? And what about the fact that the latter knows one of the other players in our tale?
In terms of presentation, Paradise Kiss appears to follow many of the conventions of shoujo manga - or at least those conventions that I know about: female figures (including Isabella) are frequently surrounded by flowers, bubbles, feathers or butterflies in the panels; whenever Yukari gets emotional, large tear drops appear on her head, at times resembling horns; flushed or distressed faces are often suggested by a row of tilted lines across the character's cheekbones. Yazawa's art can be elegantly graceful as well as comically frenetic; her fashion creations owe as much to Aubrey Beardsley as they do Ziggy Stardust. Periodically, the cast of Paradise Kiss breaks the wall to acknowledge that they're in a comic. In one chapter, for example, when a picnic is cancelled due to rain, one of the characters observes that they're not following the original script.
This self-consciousness thankfully doesn't unbalance Paradise Kiss's blend of adolescent angst and comedy, though. If her series isn't as innovative as Tokyopop claims it to be (Jaime Hernandez broke the ground on adolescent punk romance, after all, years ago), it's still miles ahead of the American mainstream's weak attempts at capturing the current young girl audience. (Okay, this is absolutely the last time this year that I'm gonna mention Trouble!) Though the basic outcome may never be in doubt, it's still fun watching Yukari learn to become her own woman under the contentious tutelage of the Parakissers. If only American company comics also knew a way to effectively dramatize coming of age that didn't involve giving their protagonist mutant powers. . .
Article comments
1 - Sarah e.g.
I've read the first two volumes of PK, and I'm disappointed with it. I haven't completely given up, but at this point I'm just skimming in hopes that the story will get better. The difficulties lie in the main characters, unfortunately. Yukari's personality is flat and unappealing--she's a 60 year old school marm trapped in a teenage model's body. George is trendily bitchy and tiresome. Miwaki is the most interesting character, but tragically she has some kind of mental impairment, common in manga, that compels her to speak in third person.
It may be that because I find the world of high fashion tedious, I'm insensible to some charm the series may hold for others. PK is certainly popular. But if you want a good shojo series, I'd recommend Kodocha instead; truly one of the best the genre has to offer.
2 - Bill Sherman
I've had more than one correspondent recommend Kodocha, so I'll probably be checking it out. Thanks for the feedback!
3 - Sarah e.g.
Bill, thanks for the manga reviews; I'd love to see more.
4 - sabi
Parakiss was awwwwesome...that is, until the third volume was taken up by sexual inuendoes..it kind of messed with Yukari and miwako's sense of innocence, which was a little weird. Other than THAT...parakiss was great! Oh yeah..the ending...how sad...
5 - Death_Faerie0
Paradise Kiss is by far my favorite manga series. The artwork is edgy, stylistic, and gorgeous. The storyline is easy to follow, yet deep, with sub-plots. It evokes emotion as we follow the characters, with both comedy and angst. This is what all shoujo manga should strive to be.
I hope Tokyopop releases more from Ai Yazawa in the future.
6 - Death_Faerie0
Oh, a side note. Her name is Miwako. Throughout the article there were different spellings for it (Miwaki and Miwaka). It should be Miwako.
7 - Bill Sherman
Doing these exploratory manga reviews, I find I have to double-check every character name just to avoid what happened with Miwako's - but it looks like I somehow skipped her. I've since corrected this - thanks for catching it.
8 - Dwaine AKA Scooter AKA D.J.
BALLS!!!!!!!!
(I always wanted to say that.)
9 - Fiona
I love Paradise Kiss, even though I could not (would not) emotionally accept the ending. Not to say it's not good. It may be too realistic? I am negatively affected by it. I wish it was more of an idealistically romantic ending ...
10 - Mistix
I recently finished the Para-Kiss series, and I really loved it! The dress was beautiful,the ending was realistic (most anime/manga have unrealistic endings, this was a nice change), etc. There's one thing wrong with your review though:
Para-Kiss is really rated Older Teen (16+). Make sure you know that - there's a huge difference, seeing as how there are two sex scenes (not quite porno, but still...). That's one of the reasons why it's a bit off the scale. TOKYOPOP supposedly misprinted "T 13+" on their first printing (I would know, I have the ones that say that). Then, on 3,4,and 5 it says 16+. But trust me - it's hardly worse than Chobits :)
Also, TOKYOPOP is re-doing the covers with something a bit more interesting. They're taking chapter pages and making them one color, then getting all toney funky on us (for those of you who've seen it...XD). I personally like those better.
As a final note, there IS a prequel for those who missed it: Gokinjo Monogatari (Neighborhood Story). It's basically about Mikako growing up (and a bit about Miwako as a child). There's also an anime video available for GM. (Hopefully there'll be one for Para-Kiss soon :D)
11 - Erica
when is the sequal comming out andwhat is it going to be called
12 - la_vox
ParaKiss is just a sequel to Gokinjo Monogatari (Neighborhood Story)...I also recommend that you guys try to read Ai Yazawa's manga...Nana!!!^_^ I love it!!!
13 - loo
great article
just a note,i believe sweatdrops usually indicate embarrassment or a kind of (wtf?) kind of scenario - i don't think they're for emotional scenes, though maybe.
14 - Jared
wow, i knew something was funny about how i was attracted to the artwork of paradise kiss and felt that Nana was from the same hands that illustrated pk. well now i know. both are bomb anime, i have read some of pk like ep3. i loved this anime but the ending was a bit cliche. it was obvious that was what would happen. its like Ummm who wouldnt see that coming! guys you have to remember how george was so distant to caroline all throughout this manga/anime. :-D it would be also cliche if they ended up together so LIVE with it! cliche either way you put it. however a love love ending sometimes is what series like this needs to make it like 100% flawless. it seems the premise of this work was never fully handled just that one of the main protagonists simply left the stories plotline at the end of the story. i truely enjoy the plot of this and main protagonists devolpment as a person/character!
ja
15 - Sen
i think that the story is very good.......i love all of the episode but i think that the last episode is very sad.....but how ever i fell that on the last episde they didn't make it clare.....think it would have been nice in the last part to see Gorgy and Caryin to need as a friend or some like that would have been nice
16 - asashi
I like the ending its was close to reality. Besides I think George's group were just bunch of rich kids. Still the ending was pretty good But leaves so many question like.
1. Who's Yukari's Man?
2. GEORGE whom he ends up with? Isabella? (the gay)or Kaori? (the girl he really likes a he described to Yukari as a girl he never get to sleep with because she's not that kind of girl what-so-ever (did he mean that Yukari was THAT of girl, I bitterly-sweet dispise and like GEORGE character at the same time.)
3.Did they never contact one another for 10 years. there are emails available in the time line already?
I think the ending with be better if they show that Yukari with his man (hoping it was hiro) meets up with george in the play and later on say sayonara with one another for a better closure huh? But Oh-well just like Yukari says in one of the episode PEOPLE do drift apart as they get separated even though they are very close in one time of their lives. MORE like 5 centimeters per second anime which says that in every seconds of one life there is a 5 centimeter of change that is happening. Just imagine how much change in occured during the 20 years. ANYWAY I REALLY LOVE THE ANIME.
17 - lalala^^
hehe.
in the manga, the man she marries is a classmate. she's shown to be very happy with her classmate, which is why i didn't mind the ending. being with george stopped her growth in my opinion.
paradise kiss is amazing on so many levels *sigh*
18 - Rish
I think the ending was good, not perfect but better than a than if yukari ended up with George. It was obvius she would not follow him. If i were her parent i would have been proud of them, she took a chans and gained some experience, decided to not depend on her boyfriend and make it on her own even though she had it easy because of her looks. Still i found the story a bit unrealistic, yukari was a bit to smooth, she didnt really do any mistakes in the entire anime. It was really good but to short and underdeveloped to deserv 10/10. Nana took all this anime had and fixed the wrongs. Still i like this one since it was light interesting and not to depressing.
19 - tsmile
I really like this the animation. It is beautiful drawing and creative.But it can not make a magic for the story.There is no fantasy that I expect from an anime.This one should be a beautiful love story becauce of beautiful drawing. However, they just waste the art work. By the way, the story line is short and fair enough. It is realistic.It's short term relationship and no deep feeling.It is poor handing of the supporting characters.This is life style of young people today.I like you and I want to sleep with you. Whatever, I'm not satisfy. Because, they make Yukari as Cinderella and Grorge as prince but, the end they make her look like a slut and him be a bisexual(end up with a gay)
20 - Rosalee
I loved the show and the music. The ending was too realistic ****ALERT SPOILER*** I am going to pretend after she receives the tickets she decides not to marry this guy and goes to have a relationship with George and maybe even include Isabella in on that =)
21 - eipa
looooooooove the manga…however the ending is so so sooooo sad:’(…yukari should wait for george..or go and find him in paris..george had made it clear that he loves yukari so much..otherwise he wouldn’t left her all his creations right??yukari is being a lil bit selfish(no offense)..if george doesn’t care..he would just left without nothing behind for yukari..hope there will be another version of ending..hukhukhuk…i understand that in real world,those things happen..but it’s a manga..why not make a happy ending so that we the reader could take the inspirations from the manga to live our lives more enthusiastically???
22 - LoVEParadiseKiss
Am I the only one who practically falls in love with Kaori's character? I mean, being a handsome devil George is, Kaori can really stay clear-headed toward her goals and not sway by emotions, and is hinted to be an even better fashion designer than George. Although, toward the end, I do hope that those two can get together.