Paradise Kiss

Gorgeous George

And now, something for the ladies.

I haven't written any reviews here for months, not for the books I've read nor about the anime and manga that's currently capturing my heart. But here's one for you - Paradise Kiss, a 12-part josei anime series based on one of my favourite mangaka's Ai Yazawa's hit manga with the same name. I originally read the five part manga last summer, and while I had mixed feelings about the first volume once it got going I couldn't put it down before the end. When I heard there was a new anime made based on it I literally couldn't wait - the series is so visual seeing it in colour and animated is a real treat. I had already decided that I would get the DVDs Geneon is currently putting out, so I didn't see any harm in getting the fansubs in time for Christmas so I could enjoy this wonderful piece of relationship drama with my best friend.

When the phone don't ring

Paradise Kiss tells a story about Yukari Hayasaka, a high school student who is dutifully studying for her university entrance exams, obeying her demanding mother's wishes like she has always done. By accident she is found by a group of art school students who are preparing for their final exams - a dress in a fashion show - who want Yukari to be their model. So Yukari gets plunged into a strange and fascinating world of fashion, and starts to question her life and what she wants to do with it. She is also in a middle of a love triangle - on the other side is her classmate Hiroyuki Tokumori, a nice, intelligent respectable boy who is going to medical school, and on the other side is the dashing genius fashion designer George Koizumi who is all those things your mama warned you about, but who takes Yukari's breath away.

Where do I start?

The Paradise Kiss team

When you first you see the anime it's simply gorgeous to look at. Madhouse Studios has done a superb job transferring Yazawa's already stunning art into moving form, but they have also brought in real fashion designers and make-up artists to help with making of the series to make sure the outfits and characters look as superb they are supposed to be (in fact the anime series spawned off a full line of ParaKiss clothes). For example, the clothing textures have been drawn by hand down to the lace and then applied into the animation as textures - the result is just exquisite. I've been watching the first DVD and listening to the dub this weekend while sewing and I have to say fansubs just don't do justice for this series - proper DVD quality is definitely recommended, the colours are just so much more vibrant and sharp.

Yukari and George

But although Paradise Kiss is pretty much as good looking as anime gets, it's meat and bones is of course in characters and their relationships. Yukari as the heroine is a genuine person with strengths and weaknesses - she has always just done as she is told and initially just transfers her loyalties from being what her mother wants her to be to what George wants her to be, but she has the strength and the courage to look into her heart and find what she wants to do and act on it. She makes mistakes, many of them, but like in real life they are seldom un-fixable and she has the power to regret and change her mind. George as the male lead is a difficult one - I see exactly what Yukari sees in him, and in the same way I'm drawn to him even when I know he's probably bad news. Yet George is not a bad person - he's honest, down to brutality, he knows what he wants and has the determination to chase it. He's not cold, in fact he's incredibly passionate, about his work, fashion, but also about Yukari and his friends and family. I hate and love him at the same time for what he is, knowing he won't change, no matter.

Miwako and Yukari

Then there are the supporting characters, the Paradise Kiss team: pattern maker transsexual Isabella who is like a mother to them all, and the dressmakers sweet pink-haired Miwako and her punk guitarist boyfriend Arashi who are involved in another love triangle with Tokumori. Especially Yukari and Miwako's friendship is very touching and real - Miwako is one of those types of anime girls that I would normally hate with a vengeance but she is special: she's genuine and warm-hearted and I can't help but to fall in love with her. She wants nothing more than for her friend to be happy, and she's whole-heartedly on Yukari's side no matter her choices. I also love the fact that Isabella's sexuality is a complete non-issue - she is what she is and it's not explained or pointed at until towards the end, and you get a hint of the tragedy that's behind that beautiful face.

How to get into trouble

If there's something I think the anime lacks, it's the exact ending of the manga - it's roughly the same but leaves out a lot of information that I thought was pretty vital. So if the ending leaves you wanting more, check out the manga - it will answer all the questions you'll have. And as always the manga has more material and goes into more depth with the characters - even though I have to admit the anime is a very faithful adaptation of it.

This is character driven drama with a fair bit of angst - but even though the setting is a glitzy fashion world, it's one of the most realistic pieces of anime (from the character interaction point) I've seen. If you've seen the live-action movie NANA that is also based on Ai Yazawa's fabulous manga and liked it, I would recommend checking out Paradise Kiss. If you like drama and relationships, I would recommend checking out Paradise Kiss. If you like big emotions and intelligent people, I would recommend checking out Paradise Kiss. If you like clothes and fashion, I would recommend checking out Paradise Kiss.

In fact, I would just recommend checking out Paradise Kiss. It's funny, it's sad, it's moving and gritty. It's real and fantastical. Simply superb.

Posted by kolibri at 13 February 18:56, 2007