Rensou no Aria ( My destiny )
Author: Mitsuki Miko
Genre(s): romance, action, comedy, drama
Volumes: 1 volume
Synopsis: Aria’s parents have been gone since she was very young. Thus, she’s had to grow up in a “foster home” of sorts, and was raised by nuns. On her 16th birthday, Aria receives a present in the mail– a ring from her “Daddy-long-legs” (a man who protects someone from afar while they’re growing up)! All of a sudden Aria’s life is thrown into chaos. Men try to run her over with cars, shoot her, and kidnap her. Relief comes in the form of Canon, who claims he’s her bodyguard. But can he keep Aria safe forever?
~ Plot source: Nagareboshi Manga
~ Plot source: Nagareboshi Manga
Overall rating: 2.5 out of 5.0 It's your typical leading-girl-being-protected-by-hot-bodyguard-leading-guy shoujo (honestly I'm already so sick of this overused plot) and pretty predictable as well. However, in a way it had been a little different compare to the others and at least it didn't take gazillions of chapters for the two to realize . . . something. Well, the story is so-so but it had been pretty enjoyable for me! Hehe!
To be honest, what made me read this is because I saw the word "nuns" in the synopsis. I was wishing for it to have some religious elements or Church involvement. However, there's none. Absolutely none at all. *disappointed*
I continued to read it anyway, since it seemed to have action stuff (because of the bodyguard thing). Oh as expected, the leading guy is some hot bodyguard that can do everything awesomely action-wise, and he'll always be right on time in rescuing the damsel-in-distress. His get-up is supposed to be something cool, but for me it's so DUH! Can't shoujo mangakas make an action guy cool without making him that . . . errr . . . flashy? Geez. . .
Moreover . . . that name . . "Canon" . . . Pfft! It doesn't seem like a Japanese name for me. It's more like a-name-that-the-author-thought-that-sounds-like-a-cool-english-name.
I find it stupid.
And also, of course, no matter what the circumstances, it's always the leading guy who loves the leading girl the most, and even if the leading girl is meant to love someone else, she'll be falling in love with her bodyguard since he's the one who's close to her and doing the actual protecting anyway.
It's always like that.
In that sense, it was so predictable. There had been cliches and stereotypes here and there. Characters aside from the main ones don't get a chance to have an actual role nor develop (except for Jinguiji-san I guess . . . but it was very very little).
I continued to read it anyway, since it seemed to have action stuff (because of the bodyguard thing). Oh as expected, the leading guy is some hot bodyguard that can do everything awesomely action-wise, and he'll always be right on time in rescuing the damsel-in-distress. His get-up is supposed to be something cool, but for me it's so DUH! Can't shoujo mangakas make an action guy cool without making him that . . . errr . . . flashy? Geez. . .
Moreover . . . that name . . "Canon" . . . Pfft! It doesn't seem like a Japanese name for me. It's more like a-name-that-the-author-thought-that-sounds-like-a-cool-english-name.
I find it stupid.
And also, of course, no matter what the circumstances, it's always the leading guy who loves the leading girl the most, and even if the leading girl is meant to love someone else, she'll be falling in love with her bodyguard since he's the one who's close to her and doing the actual protecting anyway.
It's always like that.
In that sense, it was so predictable. There had been cliches and stereotypes here and there. Characters aside from the main ones don't get a chance to have an actual role nor develop (except for Jinguiji-san I guess . . . but it was very very little).
And since this is a romantic manga, of course there are romantic scenes . . .
In every single chapter.
They were kinda mushy, but at least there's no stupid overblushing, uncertainty, extreme naiveness, or something like those. I'm so sick of romantic scenes like those. Unlike the majority, I don't find them cute. But I guess it depends on the pairing and how it's done though.
Anyway, most of the romantic scenes in this manga have been pretty sweet for me. Mainly because they're mostly hugs. I find that more romantic than kisses. And they don't seem to be overdoing it, and neither were they doing it because they just feel like it (at least in most of them).
In every single chapter.
They were kinda mushy, but at least there's no stupid overblushing, uncertainty, extreme naiveness, or something like those. I'm so sick of romantic scenes like those. Unlike the majority, I don't find them cute. But I guess it depends on the pairing and how it's done though.
Anyway, most of the romantic scenes in this manga have been pretty sweet for me. Mainly because they're mostly hugs. I find that more romantic than kisses. And they don't seem to be overdoing it, and neither were they doing it because they just feel like it (at least in most of them).
About the art, yeah, it was pretty. Especially on the panels with the leading guy. No, it's not because I'm biased towards him. I don't have a favorite character here at all actually (and I didn't dislike anyone either. All of them are . . . so-so). Maybe the artist is either biased to the leading guy or she's just better in drawing pretty guys. Haha! Either that or only the art on the leading guy had appealed to me. Ehehe.
Though I said that the art is pretty, it wasn't pretty all the time. It wasn't stunningly pretty either that makes me stare at the panels for a long time. But still, the art is pretty. Usual shoujo prettiness. I prefer this type of pretty art that those with GIGANTIC eyes. The hell . . .
Though I said that the art is pretty, it wasn't pretty all the time. It wasn't stunningly pretty either that makes me stare at the panels for a long time. But still, the art is pretty. Usual shoujo prettiness. I prefer this type of pretty art that those with GIGANTIC eyes. The hell . . .
So . . . what made this manga readable for me? Okay, though I mentioned a lot of stupid cliches of this manga that didn't please me, in a way it kept my interest. I had been curious on whoatthis Jinguiji-san is like. How the heck he liked Aria in the first place? Why is he not revealing himself?
When I got my answers on those, I'm pretty impressed. It wasn't a super amazing plot twist, but it had been pretty good for me. It was at least better than I had expected.
I was relieved that the leading girl isn't protected because she's some "chosen one" ( . . . but then again, that usually happens in supernatural or fantasy shoujo manga). Fine, in a way she had been a "chosen one" but not in the sense that I often see in other shoujo mangas. Hehe.
When I got my answers on those, I'm pretty impressed. It wasn't a super amazing plot twist, but it had been pretty good for me. It was at least better than I had expected.
I was relieved that the leading girl isn't protected because she's some "chosen one" ( . . . but then again, that usually happens in supernatural or fantasy shoujo manga). Fine, in a way she had been a "chosen one" but not in the sense that I often see in other shoujo mangas. Hehe.
Those were my little reasons for liking this manga. But my main reasons? There are three:
One: IT HAS CRACK! Haha! Take that panel above for example. Hehe. It amuses me when characters act like that. Canon is the biggest crack in this manga. This line of his made my stomach hurt from laughing:
One: IT HAS CRACK! Haha! Take that panel above for example. Hehe. It amuses me when characters act like that. Canon is the biggest crack in this manga. This line of his made my stomach hurt from laughing:
" Aria-sama, I do better at taking off someone else's clothes than having my own taken off"
Wahahaha! Crazy perverted bishie! He's somewhat of a playboy too, for flirting with other women. Haha!
I liked the comedy in this manga! Hehe. It wasn't as hilarious as tons of others, but these had made me giggle. Hehe. Many of the funny parts are pretty lame though . . . . but they still made me giggle.
Perhaps I'm just that easy to amuse. Haha!
Two: The love started from childhood. I'm sorry but I'm a sucker for childhood sweethearts. Love that started since young and still lasted until they grew up. I find that really romantic.
Three: There was sibling attachment. I can't go into details because it will be very spoilery, but yes, there was. Even if they weren't exactly siblings by blood. I have to admit that the actions that that character did because of his/her jealousy over the leading character for taking away his/her sibling were a little lame (it had been all talk to, no dramatic whatever. It was kinda boring to watch. I wish the mangaka had presented it better), but . . . I'm kinda biased to this kind of stuff. Haha!
I liked the comedy in this manga! Hehe. It wasn't as hilarious as tons of others, but these had made me giggle. Hehe. Many of the funny parts are pretty lame though . . . . but they still made me giggle.
Perhaps I'm just that easy to amuse. Haha!
Two: The love started from childhood. I'm sorry but I'm a sucker for childhood sweethearts. Love that started since young and still lasted until they grew up. I find that really romantic.
Three: There was sibling attachment. I can't go into details because it will be very spoilery, but yes, there was. Even if they weren't exactly siblings by blood. I have to admit that the actions that that character did because of his/her jealousy over the leading character for taking away his/her sibling were a little lame (it had been all talk to, no dramatic whatever. It was kinda boring to watch. I wish the mangaka had presented it better), but . . . I'm kinda biased to this kind of stuff. Haha!
If you are strict on excellent stories, I believe you might have headaches on this manga. Much more if you hate romantic stuff and very sick of typical shoujo elements. But if you don't mind those and just want to spend some time to read an enjoyable shoujo manga, then I guess there's no harm in trying out this one. Hehe
