Monday, July 26, 2010

Manga Mondays (8): Kitchen Princess vol. 3 & 4 by Natsumi Ando and Miyuki Kobayashi

Kitchen Princess vol. 3 & 4 by Natsumi Ando and Miyuki Kobayashi

Thoughts on Najika, the main character: 

I really like Najika. She is sweet and kind, a stereotypical "good girl." But she also has spirit - we see her temper, her cunning, and her humor. Since my manga experience is mostly limited to Fruits Basket and Kitchen Princess, I cannot help but compare Tohru and Najika. Fruits Basket is a more mature series. As a whole, the characters go through more serious situations an emotional struggles than do the characters in Kitchen Princess. But Najika seems more real than Tohru. Najika is not nice 100% of the time. The only hint of depth to Tohru's character we read is her extreme sadness at her mother's death and her constant recitation of her mother's wise advice. But otherwise, she is so unfailingly nice that she seems fake. Najika has also struggled with the loss of her parents. And she is terribly homesick over leaving her orphanage and its headmistress, who treated Najika like her own. Her sweetness, when balanced by a temper creates a more three-dimensional character.

Warning: My manga "reviews" often contain spoilers. I find it hard to adequately discuss a volume of manga without talking about it in more detail than some might like.

Kitchen Princess Vol. 3:

At the start of this volume, we learn more about Sora and Daichi. It turns out the brothers are at odds, in large part, because Sora approved of his father's remarriage while Daichi disapproved. Akane spies Sora and Najika having a tender moment. Even though she has a crush on Daichi, Akane can't stand Najika being loved by either brother. She plots to shut down Fujita Diner, the diner where Najika cooks, as revenge.The board of trustees of the school is about to shut down Fujita Diner when Najika and Fujita-san wow the board with rolled sandwiches. It turns out that lazy Fujita is a classically French-trained chef who can be very charming.


The book continues with a trip home to Hokkaido where Najika tends to her ailing orphanage headmistress. Najika has a real way with kids - she is nice and empathetic but can also be strict when necessary to get kids to behave. Najika is truly happy in the orphanage tending to her "family."



Najika begins to wonder if Sora or Daichi is her Flan Prince. Why she didn't wonder this before, I don't know...she's a bit slow. :-)  But she's still utterly clueless that Sora and Daichi are both in love with her. Akane has definitely noticed though. She does her best throughout the book to thwart Daichi's interest in Najika.



Kitchen Princess Vol. 4:

Najika is thoroughly confused at the start of this volume. Daichi is cold and distant all of a sudden and Najika doesn't know why. It turns out to be a big love-triangle confusion. Daichi bought Najika a new watch, but Akane took it instead and told Daichi that Najika gave it to her. Then Sora gave Najika a watch as well! Much confusion. Things settle themselves out and Akane's duplicity is discovered.



Akane and Najika have a blowout in the cafeteria. Najika drops the niceties for a few minutes and tells Akane what she really thinks of her. Akane is publicly shamed before the entire school. Najika's mean-side disappears like smoke. Soon enough, she is making a special dessert for Akane to use in a food competition.




Sora makes a big announcement in this volume. He confesses to Najika that he is her Flan Prince - he rescued her from the river in Hokkaido. Daichi is furious with Sora for his admission and with Najika for loving him. Why is Daichi upset? Is Sora telling the truth? Or is Daichi just jealous? We shall see...

3 comments:

  1. I love Kitchen Princess. It's such an awesome manga! I think you were the one who recommended it to me, so thank you : ) I hope you enjoy Vols. 3 & 4

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow. Manga seems so confusing to me! All the names are so different it seems hard to keep up with the characters...is it for you? I love your Manga Mondays...keep it up!

    BTW- I changed my name and domain from Simply Grace to Graced with Books...(http://www.gracedwithbooks.blogspot.com) so the link in your sidebar for the contest will not work. Sorry to change in the middle of a contest!

    ReplyDelete
  3. In that case after a different watches, different watches started off building different watches. different watches sought to undertake a hublot replica sale that is going to not less than coordinate a finely-detailed of your Europe different watches. Europe different watches currently have continually displayed a signal with high regard plus deluxe. Any one who seem to owned and operated your Europe designed look at appeared to be widely known as actually out of. Watchesese plus hublot replica sale keep a leaders around finely-detailed swiss wrist watches. Europe look at brands lend modern advances with the watchesese, grow them, plus place in a innovative know-how to get different watches out of just what exactly they may have acquired, plus vice versa. Organizations different watches built to search for instance wristbands, plus jewellery, and handy different watches, plus brooches. A Europe as well as watchesese continue to keep develop of their look at replica watches uk, with the scuba different watches to your space or room time different watches that are fitted with so that you can withstand your "0" the law of gravity ecosystem. They can be beginning add pre-programmed activities in a number its name brand different watches, just like omega replica uk, and some alternative preferred activities. A person can at this moment get hold of a look at what a mobile; you'll find it contains a GPS SYSTEM locator.

    ReplyDelete

I love comments. I appreciate every one! Thank you in advance.

This blog is now an award free zone. I just don't have time to pass on the awards as they deserve.