Backstage Prince Volume 1

Backstage Prince Volume 1


By: Kanoko Sakurakoji
Reviewed by: gothiclolitamaiden, 15
Rating: Didn't like it


"Drawn into the world of kabuki theatre, Akari spends her time after school assissting the famous actor Shonosuke Ichimura. In the real world, however, this prince of kabuki is actually a high school student by the name of Ryusei Horiuchi. Akari is totally clueless about kabuki--and boys--but she's eager to learn about both. Her first encounter with Ryusei doesn't go very well, but the two teenagers quickly become prince and princess of kabuki."

Another shojo title, another bishonen hero, another boring, plain heroine....*Sigh* (and not a good sigh, either). I found Backstage Prince dull, and I dare to say that it was just plain bad. The author has a weird way of getting Akari and Ryusei together, and it makes no sense at all. Akari is talking to her friends and randomly swings her bag (what the-?), hitting Ryusei. She goes to apologize, and Ryusei's friend (I think? the author never specifies) tells her that she'll have to be his assistant until Ryusei's bruise heals. You heard me right, it was just a bruise. What the heck was the author/artist thinking? The plot doesn't make sense from the beginning, it was as if the author/artist couldn't think of any way to introduce Akari to Ryusei, she just thought of something without making sure that it made sense. And then, (we're still in the first chapter!) Ryusei confesses his love to Akari, and, as I've mentioned, it is still the first chapter. Ryusei and Akari's relationship is moving just a bit too fast, and is very unrealistic. What are they going to do for the rest of the series, other than anger Ryusei's dad? The author/artist tries to add conflict by making the story into a love triangle, and of course introducing Ryusei's dad, but it doesn't really work. The plot is incoherent, unrealistic and unoriginal.

The characters are sorely lacking as well. Akari is a plain, homely girl who falls in love with an amazing, talented boy, in what feels like a schoolgirl's fantasy (come to think of it, it probably is). Ryusei isn't too bad, he is the ideal bishonen hero, but he's antisocial, which was an interesting twist on the bishonen stereotype. Naoki is not as painfully boring and or stereotypical as the other characters, but not enough to redeem the series. We don't see much of Akari's friends, so I can't really comment on them.

The art isn't too unattractive, but the author/artist obviously wanted to make Akari plain in contrast to Ryusei. Kanoko Sakurakoji isn't a bad artist, she's just a bad storyteller.

I would definetely not buy the second volume of Backstage Prince, especially when there are better shojo titles out there.


Recommended to: Some loyal shojo fans. Anybody who can understand the plot. 13+