Three Reasons To Read Please Save My Earth by Saki Hiwatari | Manga Review

Please Save my Earth by Saki Hiwatari
Completed at 138 Chapters, 21 volumes
Reading Status: Finished

Published: 1987 to 1994 (no dates specified)
Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi
Rating:

Mystic dreams of a previous life in the moon lead to the bonding of seven students in an attempt to uncover the secrets behind what they have forgotten. As various truths are sought and avoided, Alice must hurry remembering if she is to save the fragile Rin from self-destruction. For only after facing the grave errors of the past, can they all move forward and live fully in the present.

I'm a huge manga fan. And Please Save my Earth is one of those manga I find myself re-visiting often. And whenever I do, I get flooded by feels just as if I was reading it for the very first time. It's one of these manga that I would recommend for anyone, and here are the reasons;

Please Save My Earth tells not one story - but two. The first one is of six modern day teenagers and one eight year old child who have memories of their past lives. Those memories and personalities interfere with their present lives, especially for the eight year old.

The other story-line is that of their past lives - seven alien scientists from planets far more advanced than earth who were stationed on the moon and died there from an outbreak, which led to them being reborn on earth.

Please Save My Earth expertly weaves together the two stories, one a tale of finding a way to release the memories and finding one's self, and the other a heartbreaking tragedy tinged with hope, making you desperate to know more about both and specifically the characters of the leading four: Rin and Alice and their past selves Shion and Mokuren.

Every character in this manga series is just so flawed and imperfect, in the most lovable way. You will love them to pieces, because they're real and gray and layered and they're not just one thing or the other. That's why the story looks slightly different from every character's eyes.

Also, this idea of reincarnation is way cool. I hope I was an alien in a past life.

This is probably the one most people are going to have the biggest reserves about. Please Save My Earth features many complicated and layered romantic relations/feelings. But the main two are something even beyond that.

The first relationship happens in the past; between two scientists aboard the Moon Base. One is a man who only knows war, fear and loneliness, he has a very weak grasp of what love is and he is afraid of it. The other is a woman who receives adoration from everyone around her because of her abilities and beauty, but only wants one person to love her for herself. 

imagine you had the memories of this love. This wretched, often misguided love that ended before having enough time to blossom because of the disease. And imagine that you're now eight years old, and the woman you've loved --and presently love-- is nine years older than you and has no idea about anything.

I bet you just went "Whaaa?"

Yes, there is a giant age gap. And it's the type of age gap that bothers people more because the woman is older (not that I understand the double standard there). And yes, the boy is incredibly young. But if you read the manga, you see all those are just incorrect assumptions--or rather, meaningless ones.

Because Rin, the boy in question, is more adult than child due to his memories, and the love he feels for Alice is not some fleeting infatuation, but the real deal. And even if you're skeptic at first, by the end of the manga you will believe this love with all of your being.

Yes, I cry. Every. single. time. 

It's like, I can't deal with all these emotions, from the past and from the present. You get so in-tune with these characters that you can't separate yourself from them so when you see their tragic pasts; you are sure to cry. When you see the past trying to take their present and making them miserable; you are going to cry! And when you see them finally grasping happiness after everything... you guessed it; you will cry!

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Honestly, one of the more underrated manga out there, despite being somewhat of a pioneer in the Shoujo genre in Japan - I highly recommend it to everyone out there. The art-style is very eighties (if you read manga, you probably know what I mean) but another nice aspect of the manga is watching it evolve and get some fineness as the series progresses.

Book Review: Deerskin by Robin McKinley (Favorites Extravaganza: Day #8)

2015 Favorites Extravaganza: Day #8

Deerskin by Robin McKinley
N/A
First Published: 1994
Paperback
Adult, High Fantasy
Rating:

As Princess Lissar reaches womanhood, it is clear to all the kingdom that in her breathtaking beauty she is the mirror image of her mother, the queen. But this seeming blessing forces her to flee for safety from her father's wrath. With her loyal dog Ash at her side, Lissar unlocks a door to a world of magic, where she finds the key to her survival - and an adventure beyond her wildest dreams...

You are probably slightly confused about the place of this book in my 2015 Favorites, considering its relatively low rating. The thing is, this book is one of those books that the farther away I am from it; the more I think about it. In a good way.

Before getting this book as a birthday present, I have never heard of it. Or Robin McKinley. I guess it's not too surprising, as this book is different than most anything I've read before, so it wouldn't have been on my radar. That's not the case anymore, as now the name Robin McKinley equals something I'd like to check out.

Deerskin is written in a matter which includes very few dialogues. Most of the story is told through a storyteller, who describes the surrounding, lore, and thoughts of our main characters. In fact, it takes about 170 pages, maybe even longer, until we meet a character for Lissar to speak to, and even then - Lissar is a woman of few words.

I expected this to really hinder my reading process, as the first time I tried this book, it did feel a bit oppressing. But this time around? I gulped it up, in one sitting, stopping pretty much only to eat. And when I reached the end of part one, I felt like the writing style was a smart choice.

Why? Because the writing style, especially at first, really helps distance you emotionally from what was happening. Now, you must be thinking - wait, what? How is that a good thing? But in this particular book, it was. I don't think I would've managed to go past the horrific events of part one if this story was written any differently.

And then, slowly, as Lissar began to interact, so did we as readers, right in time for the PUPPIES and OSSIN. So we were able to go through the horror, and still connect with the good. I think that is a wonderful thing; because this book is about overcoming and finding the good. Finding a will to go on.

And as I said, Ossin and the puppies. I mean, those effing puppies, man! Soooo cute.

And Ossin... Okay, let's talk for a minute about this guy. He's a prince, yeah? But his favorite place is the kennel, where he take cares of dogs... even dying puppies (two words that should never be said together!). And he is not handsome. At all. Like... nope. But he is sweet, and kind, and loyal and real, and I dig it!

Especially when he was together with Lissar. It wasn't the mushy, hands-on, I'll-die-for-you-or-without you type of romance, but it was real and sweet and sneaked up on both characters. <3

The reason this is not a four star is that the events at the end really confused me... Like, wtf happened to Lissar? Her mother?... and the blood?... like, what even? And what actually became of Lissar, and her powers? Were those just a loan from the Moonwoman?... Color me baffled.