What I like about Orange
Planet doesn’t lie in its ability to appeal to my girly and positively feminine
ritual into teenagehood. Orange Planet
merely goes at a pace that takes the reader by storm, trampling through the
damsels in their own distress and prying open some realistic circumstances.
There are some instances of absurdity—like how a college intern ends up living
with a middle school girl—but Orange
Planet dissects the beginnings of multiple relationship types in romance
and friendships.
Although most shojo manga are situational-based, the personalities
in Orange Planet propel the story
forward in a more character-based environment. When Rui tries to deliver a love
letter to her crush, Kaoru Nakamura, her child-like nature goes into a fritz
upon seeing Eisuke Tachibana kissing a girl in a lobby. Shortly after meeting
Eisuke, Rui naively allows the college intern to live with her. As the story
progresses, Rui’s indecisiveness over Kaoru and her childhood friend, Taro
Amanatsu, sparks a battle between the two boys. Though Taro is kind-hearted and
understanding, he hasn’t learned how to tell Rui his true feelings. Unfortunate
for Taro, Kaoru knows exactly what to do and say to innocent Rui. As both boys
try to woo Rui, Eisuke plays the matchmaker, helping Rui to deal with boys and
her growing pains.
While the Haruka Fukushima-created manga is centered on the
cliché topic of relationships, the art style of Orange Planet is reminiscent to Arina Tanemura’s Full Moon o Sagashite whimsical style. The figures lack realistic details as
the characters interact within the classical comedic devices, such as dramatic
falls and chibi-induced forms. The only downside to Orange Planet’s art is how most of the characters look so similar.
Sometimes, Kaoru is a spitting image of Eisuke, and if it weren’t for Taro’s
dark hair, he could be easily mistaken for another male in the manga. The
resemblances make for some confusion, but once the uncertainty clears with a
second glimpse, the images are distinguishable enough.
As minimalist as the manga’s aesthetics seem, Orange Planet is a good read for the
shojo manga fan. It delivers comedy, drama, and a dash of action to any
enthusiast looking to enjoy something from the doorstep of Shojoville.
Rating: 6.5 out of
10
Bottom
Line: Depending on your shojo radar, Orange Planet may or may not be for you. Read a few excerpts from
the manga before deciding to buy it.
