| Title | : | Yoroshiku Master, Vol. 01 |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 4592188365 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9784592188360 |
| Language | : | Japanese |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | First published November 5, 2005 |
Yoroshiku Master, Vol. 01 Reviews
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This was such a cute book. I actually first read this right before Christmas and it was perfect timing. After all, reindeers are in season in December!
Kurumi is your ordinary teenage girl who brushes against a boy who suddenly declares that she is his Santa Claus and he her reindeer! Can you imagine her reaction? What follows is a cute hilarity as she learns to accept her new duty and bond. She is literary bonded to the reindeer, Kaito. By an invisible rein only Santas and reindeer can see.
I love Kaito! He has so much energy and is adorable with Kurumi. He is so patient with her. Lucky for him, Kurumi is a sweet girl. There is a slight possibility of future romance in the air but everything in this volumes is just innocent sweetness.
This would have been perfect as even a one-short but this is just volume 1 of a series. I am curious to see where it goes. The is great from pre-teen through adults! The art is lovely, adorable and impossible to resist!
I received a eBook copy from Viz Media via Edelweiss. So special thanks to them. All opinions stated in this review are strictly my own. -
This appears to be a typical Tsukuba story. Sweet, kind characters, Cute drawings, and a light airy fantasy.
I suspect the subject matter of a teenage Santa Clause and her transforming reindeer will strike Western audiences as strange (to say the least). I think we are used to seeing the traditions of this story manipulated, but not broken to the extent that this one does. But, this is the exact reason why I personally found this story enjoyable. There's enough disassociation from the original stories that allowed me to "buy into" the fantasy -- and enough elements remaining that the story was "fun" to read.
It is definitely going on my annual Christmas Reading list. (2013) -
Main story - read Sept. 13 - 3.5/5
Short story "Sweet Bite Mark" - Sept. 15 - 2.5/5
Sweet Rein is another cute, silly Shojo romance. Too bad I didn't find the series closer to Christmas! Magical reindeer wander the earth in human form, looking for their destined partner - their Santa - who they are compelled to obey any order from. The partners join forces every Christmas, working together to deliver presents to the deserving children in the world.
"Sweet Bite Mark"... not so much. It's not bad at first - Young man comes home to a little girl on his doorstep, claiming to be his daughter. Given that he's a vampire, and never heard of her before, this claim is a bit suspect.
It's mostly about the two of them learning to get along, more than anything with an actual plot. I could really have taken it or left it - especially towards the end when it started reminding me a bit of
Bunny Drop. -
Magical Christmas
When disheartened teenager Kurumi goes for a walk after realizing she would be spending Christmas alone with her father working late and all of her friends busy with their own plans she soon discovers her life will never be the same when she finds herself bound to a magical reindeer turned boy. Discovering she is one of the various Santa Clauses in the world Kurumi's eyes are opened to new experiences including the loss of loneliness as her very own reindeer wants only to grant her wishes. With a little bit of magic and a little bit of affection this story might just carry your heart into bliss.
My only complaint is I can't help but get the feeling when I read it that the reindeer boy, Kaito, is primarily fascinated with his master because of the magic that binds him to her. It would be like giving someone a charm potion and trying to rationalize their feelings for you are real and the potion only helped them realize it. That said both main characters are young and I imagine quite inexperienced to romantic affections so only time will tell how and if they give in to one another's feelings (even though they are technically co-workers now which is a whole other can of worms.)
As for the one shot extra story found in the back of the book about a vampire discovering a child and decides to help raise her after she declares he is her father...it was okay. Technically the vampire is not a groomer but there is definitely something strange going on with the girl's family with at least two other generations having dated him in the past. I should also point out there is a scene of kidnapping and threatening of the little girl in question that may not sit well with some readers. If you choose to avoid this tale no one will blame you but the main story is full of good will, emotional triggers, and a bit of awkward teenage love in case you are curious. :) -
Today’s post is on Sweet Rein, volume 1 by Sakura Tsukuba. It is the first in her Sweet Rein series. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the two main characters on it looking cute and happy. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo love stories, holiday themed stories, and magical girl stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book - A magical romance from the creator of Land of the Blindfolded. Sad at the thought of spending Christmas alone, Kurumi Sagara goes out for a walk. While she’s crossing the street, a boy bumps into her, and a rein suddenly appears that binds them together. The overjoyed boy tells her she’s his master and that she’s a Santa Claus. Kurumi dismisses him as a crazy person, but then he transforms into a reindeer?!
Review – This is a very cute magical girl love story with a Christmas theme. Kurumi is a girl who loves Christmas but is going to be spending it alone but then she meets a boy, Kaito, who says that she is his master and a Santa Claus. We get our story from there. It is very cute with Kurumi using her Santa powers to help not just during the Christmas season but whenever she can. The love story is in the background with Kurumi unsure if Kaito really likes her or just because she is his Santa. It does not help that Kaito thinks that they are one in the same thing. I like the characters very much, the theme is cute without being too over-the-top, and the art is good. I want Kurumi and Kaito to end up together and beat the odds as Santa and Reindeer.
I give this volume a Four out if Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money. -
3.5 stars rounded up
This was a sweet, old-school, holiday themed shojo about a girl named Kurumi who finds out she’s “a santa” when she meets her bonded reindeer shifter. The shifter, Kaito, is a sweet, pure-hearted young man who absolutely adores Kurumi. They’re easy to root for. While the story doesn’t exclusively occur at Christmas, the “spirit” of the season lasts throughout. There’s also an unrelated one-shot story at the end about a vampire that’s pretty cute right up until the last couple pages, which put an uncomfortable twist to the story. This is still a fun read though if you’re looking for something seasonal. -
I originally got these for my wife for Christmas, but I thought the concept was cute enough that I wanted to read them myself after she finished. This volume contained 3 chapters plus a one-shot ("Sweet Bitemark"). The Sweet Rein chapters were fun if rather light--and you really don't want to think too hard about the implications of a Santa being able to control the body of her Reindeer completely; it's mostly played for laughs. It's rather sweet in how Kurumi and Kaito get along to deliver presents.
The "Sweet Bitemark" story at the end has a vampire who is forced to adopt a supposed daughter from a past lover. It's okay, though I couldn't help be disturbed by the final pages of it. -
3.5 stars
I'm not even sure what to think about this one…LOL!
If I had to say anything, this is a really quick, light-hearted read. I can't say it's a favorite, but I am enjoying myself. It's quirky and it delivers the Christmas vibes well.
Onto book two... -
Such a cute, quick holiday read. 🥰🎅🦌
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The idea of this comic combining romance and Santa is weird to me, but it inspired me to read a little bit online on the celebration of Christmas in Japan, where I think it reads as less weird. This is a magical Christmas romance manga about a girl who finds out she's a Santa. She also finds out she controls a reindeer, a young man named Kaito who can transform into a reindeer upon her command. They are bonded through an invisible rein that she controls. Kaito has spent years looking for her, his Santa.
It was good to read a manga so light in spirit, even if the premise is odd. -
I liked the first half. Though it was quite silly at times, it was very sweet as well.
The second part- honestly though it was quite good. I kinda was lost. What had one to do with the other?
Then it was so cliche- even more than the first half. I found myself rather irritated.
The illustrations are nice. Really sweet. -
Pretty cute, and the perfect read for today!
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Every single person I have described this plot to has said something along the lines of 'That's weird'. And it is. It's also, as the title suggests, pretty sweet, with two young characters, one eager and cheerful and the other not so much, taking on a pretty big task and navigating each other. The mythology is pretty cool. Some parts were a little too fantastical for my tastes but overall I enjoyed it. I'd read the next few volumes.
Full disclosure, I skipped the short story "Sweet Bite Mark", as it was not at all what I came here to read. -
this is a sweet and cheery holiday-themed manga, if you're looking for something lighthearted while still having some depth to it try it, you won't be disappointed. the characters have personalities that work well together, the art is also on point. I don't tend to like many Shoujo mangas because it's all about Romance, at least the ones I have tried, but this has a deeper meaning to it. besides who doesn't love reindeers turn into cute boys. definitely one of my go-to holiday books.
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Since it's Christmastime I wanted to read something that could fill me with Christmas spirit, naturally my love of shoujo led me to this strange little manga. It's actually super cute though, and not as odd (or spicy) as I had expected, it's really wholesome and sweet. I've also realized that I might have a thing for master-servant romances... sooo yeah lol
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Cute art and story. (Three chapters is Sweet Rein, one of Sweet Bite Mark).
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A super cute series about a Santa Claus and her reindeer 😁 Added to the annual Christmas reading list 💗
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Cute and innocent holiday read.
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3.5
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Cute. A little smutty. Typical Shojo.
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Inhalt:
„Einst hat Gott Santa, der einsam war, ein Rentier geschenkt. Das Rentier tat alles für Santa. Mit seiner Hilfe konnte Santa vielen lieben Kindern Geschenke bringen.“
Kurumi ist 17 Jahre alt und lebt seit dem Tod ihrer Mutter nur noch mit ihrem Vater zusammen, der jedoch die meiste Zeit auf Arbeit verbringt – so auch dieses Jahr an Heilig Abend. Dadurch fühlt sich Kurumi unendlich einsam und ist ziemlich traurig.
In der Stadt trifft stößt sie mit einem jungen Mann zusammen, der sich als der ebenfalls 17-jährige Kaito entpuppt. Dieser behauptet, Kurumi wäre sein Santa und er ihr Rentier. Für Menschen unsichtbare Zügel verbinden die beiden von diesem Moment an und Kurumi kann gar nicht glauben, was sie von diesem merkwürdigen Fremden hört, bis er sie auffordert, sie solle ihm befehlen, sich in ein Rentier zu verwandeln. Als dies tatsächlich geschieht, wird sie sofort ohnmächtig und wacht in der Wohnung von Kaitos Familie wieder auf.
Diese erklären ihr, dass sie eine Rentierfamilie in Gestalt von Menschen sind, die ihr ganzes Leben auf ihren jeweiligen Santa warten. Kaito ist nach seinem Großvater der einzige in der Familie, der seit langem endlich wieder einen Santa gefunden hat.
Kurumis Aufgabe ist es nun, den braven Kindern an Heilig Abend Geschenke zu bringen, während Kaito in seiner Rentiergestalt den Schlitten zieht. Außerdem muss er alles tun, was Kurumi ihm befiehlt.
An Heilig Abend beschenken die beiden gemeinsam zahlreiche brave Kinder und Kurumi ist so glücklich wie schon lange nicht mehr, denn sie ist endlich nicht mehr allein.
Doch sie macht sich Sorgen um Kaitos Seele, da sein Körper alles tun muss, was sie ihm befiehlt und er so gar keinen eigenen Willen mehr zu haben scheint…
Fazit:
Hierbei handelt es sich um den ersten Band der „Sweet Santa“-Mangareihe von Sakura Tsukuba.
Darauf aufmerksam geworden bin ich auf Grund des wirklich niedlichen Covers. Kaito hält Kurumi in den Armen, welche in ihrem Santa Claus-Kostüm einfach umwerfend aussieht.
Ich habe noch nie einen Weihnachtsmanga gelesen und war deswegen umso neugieriger.
Leider war ich vom Endresultat ziemlich enttäuscht.
Die Übersetzung ist ziemlich schlecht. Ich weiß nicht, was die Übersetzer damit erreichen wollten, als sie am Anfang des Mangas ständig englische Wörter mit eingebaut haben.
Das beste Beispiel dafür ist der Satz „Mama, ich möchte das Game da!“
Mangas sind bekanntlich ja sehr umgangssprachlich geschrieben, jedoch habe ich noch nie erlebt, dass so willkürlich anderssprachige Wörter eingebaut worden sind.
Auch waren teilweise die Sätze nicht ganz ausformuliert. Ein Beispiel dafür wäre „Ist er aus dem Fenster?“
Der Zeichenstil ist vor allem auf dem Cover sehr schön. Gerade die Haare haben es mir sehr angetan, da diese recht einfach, aber doch wieder sehr locker gezeichnet wurden. Auch die Gesichtausdrücke und vor allem die Augen sind sehr ausdrucksstark – allerdings nur bei den Nahansichten. Wenn Charaktere kleiner abgebildet sind, mangelt es ihnen fast überall an Gesichtsausdrücken, vor allem an Augen und sonstigen Details. Dies hat mich persönlich sehr gestört, da der Manga dadurch irgendwie „unfertig“ aussieht. Auch sind die Bilder oft überladen – nicht unbedingt mit Sprechblasen, sondern mit sinnlosen Zwischenkommentaren, die man auf Grund der minimalen Größe auch noch kaum lesen kann.
Der erste Band von „Sweet Santa“ enthält 3 Episoden, wobei eigentlich nur die erste wirklich mit Weihnachten zu tun hat.
Die Grundgeschichte wird jedoch zu Anfang jeder Episode noch einmal wiederholt, was nach dem dritten Mal schon etwas auf die Nerven geht.
Als Zusatz befindet sich am Ende des Bandes die vampirische Kurzgeschichte „Der süße Bissabdruck“, in der es um einen einsamen Vampir geht, dessen angebliche Tochter plötzlich vor der Tür steht. Obwohl er sie anfangs nicht haben möchte, baut sich zwischen den beiden schon bald eine sehr liebevolle Beziehung auf.
Die Charaktere in „Sweet Santa“ sind sehr flach gehalten und haben so gut wie keine Hintergrundgeschichte.
Alles was wir über Kurumi wissen, ist, dass sie einsam ist, ihr Vater fiel arbeitet und ihre Mutter tot ist. Sie macht sich große Sorgen um Kaito, da sein Körper vollends ihren Befehlen untersteht, während er selbst sich nicht dagegen wehren kann.
Kaito kommt mir vor wie eine dumme, verliebte Puppe gelenkt durch Kurumi. Über ihn weiß man nichts, außer dass er ständig ein dümmliches Grinsen auf dem Gesicht trägt und für Kurumi alles tun würde.
Die Spannungskurve ist absolut nicht zu finden. Kaum gibt es mal ein kleines Missverständnis zwischen Kurumi, Kaito und einem anderen Mädchen, schon wird es auf der nächsten Seite in einem Zwischenkommentar wieder aufgeklärt.
Ich habe mich den ganzen Manga über leicht gelangweilt und habe deutlich mehr erwartet.
Schade eigentlich, es hatte wirklich gute Ansätze. -
I loveeeeee Tsukuba Sakura and all her works. If you love feel good stories with a slight dose of darkness, they're totally for you. Everyone is always so good and kind in her series. Reread this series again because it was out on kindle and bought to support.
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~3.5-4/5
[Read more at my blog,
Geeky Reading!]
A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, and Erik Jansen from MediaLab PR. Thank you so, so much!
This series is about a Santa Claus and her Reindeer. You see, a reindeer, able to go back and forth between human and animal, is destined to work every Christmas with their very own Santa Claus, if they ever find them. And they know because, as soon as they touch, a ribbon forms between the two, attaching them to each other. No one else can see it, and it doesn’t get in the way, but it’s there, can be pulled on, and their bond lets the reindeer always know when Santa needs them.
Kurumi bumps into a boy one day, Kaito, and from there, Kaito follows her around, insisting she’s his Santa Claus. She’s reluctant, but she goes along with it. Most reindeer only meet up during Christmas, don’t see each other during the rest of the year, but Kaito stays around, and he insists that he loves Kurumi, who he calls Master.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started this, as I’d really only browsed the synopsis. But it was really cute, very sweet. Only the first chapter is on Christmas, the other two are during the summer, which I suppose means that it is not strictly a Christmas story, but has a very apparent Christmas undertone. I like Kurumi, she seems like a nice girl, a little lonely because her father, her only real relative, is always away working. I love Kaito. He’s such a sweetheart, and his devotion, adoration, and general happiness for Kurumi is so sweet. Kaito has a rather big family, most of which are also reindeers, and I really like them, too. It seems like it’ll be good for Kurumi, to be around such a close, happy family, and I’m hoping to get to know each member better in future volumes.
This was a very sweet beginning to the series. The romance is apparent, although Kurumi is reluctant, and they’re going to have to work through some problems. I’m looking forward to that developing, though. I’m also looking forward to more family time, with both Kurumi’s and Kaito’s family.
There was also a short story at the end, featuring a vampire and a little girl. It was cute, very sweet, although left me a little confused as to what the two’s relationship would be like later in their life.
Also, it seems like there’s going to be a rather long wait before the next volume comes out? Like, not until April? That’s weird, right? That seems like a really long time, when it’s already complete in Japan. Maybe there’s more to it than I know of, though? -
Kurumi lives alone with her father, or rather, almost completely alone since her father is always away with work. This Christmas, he can't even make it home, leaving Kurumi without a single soul to spend Christmas with. But one fateful encounter initiated by just the brush of a shoulder may change not only every Christmas to come, but the rest of Kurumi's life!
Why did they change the original title from HELLO MASTER/NICE TO MEET YOU MASTER to SWEET REIN? That really makes no sense to me. It must just be some cultural thing that was too difficult for them to properly translate over. It's true that 'yoroshiku' isn't really translatable, so I'll forgive them, also because they picked a cool alternate title...
Anyway, it seems to me that so far this series was aimed for lonely girls, or even lonely guys, who feel like they only want someone to love them, especially when they're feeling down. I always feel alone nowadays, but I read this when my heart was a little more full, so perhaps that's how I was able to analyze it more clearly.
It has a lot of sweet things in it here and there, but there are also steamy moments that could make the ice sickles drip. First off, Kaito also appears to be nothing more but a devoted (and almost obsessed) slave to what was supposed to be just an average lonely girl alone on Christmas. However, gradually he shows more of his real feelings towards her, especially by the third chapter. However, Kaito only has about three emotions that seem to be growing rapidly. Kurumi on the other hand seems to be maturing at a much faster rate. She already had it in her, she just needed somebody to bring it out. She's gone from average lonely girl to much less lonely girl who can also sympathize AND do something about it! Also, I'm pretty sure she is falling in love with Kaito as well. But if Kaito's feelings were brought on by reindeer instinct, then is Kurumi's feelings simply a reaction to his behavior, not to what really should matter about him deep inside?
AND THEN, there is Sweet Bite Mark. Goodness, I actually agree that that one should stay as a one-shot, but man, it really was a good one-shot. Ren is soo sexy, vampire form or not! But especially in vampire form, hehehe... Although, I got kinda confused at the end... The way that little girl's family did things seemed a tad bit wrong, and also, I guess she really wasn't his biological daughter, huh? Mommy just wanted to play some sort of pretend? LOL. But in that case, that little girl's great-grandmother was the one true woman whom Ren loved, huh? That's... pretty sad... But! Ren is happy now, and it seems that family will continue to make him happy for generations! -
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog
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Sweet rein is a 3 volume series by mangaka Sakura Tsukuba, who is best known for her Land of the Blindfolded and Penguin Revolution series. Tsukuba's trademark gentle storyline with a dash of the paranormal are evident in this story of lonely Kurumi and her fate-designated reindeer, Kaito.
It's Christmas eve and Kurumi is forced to once again spend it alone as her father calls to let her know he has to work late again. While out walking, she bumps into a boy and finds herself tied to him by a rein. He exuberantly proclaims that she is his master and the new Santa - and he is the reindeer who will help her deliver presents. Kurumi is skeptical at first but when Kaito turns into a reindeer in front of her, she has to accept that she is bound to the boy. As they get to know each other more, Kurumi starts to fall for her happy go lucky reindeer. But at the same time, she worries Kaito is only bound to her by their destiny and not because he returns her feelings.
In addition to three stories, volume 1 includes a side story of a vampire who finds himself saddled with a little girl claiming to be his daughter. Although he knows this to be impossible, he finds himself intrigued by the little girl. But keeping her at his side puts her in danger from those who want to use his vampire abilities for their own goals.
In all, this is a very lighthearted volume more concerned with pathos than angst. Kaito's lighthearted lack of concern is balanced by Kurumi's down to Earth fatality. Together, they ground each other and bring out the best points in both. Those expecting a lot of romance or romantic drama may not enjoy this title as much - fans of Tsukuba's works know they don't really focus on romance and instead are much more about life and how we choose to live it.
Sweet Rein didn't grab me as much as Penguin Revolution or especially Land of the Blindfolded. Most of the characters were a bit flighty and hard to pin down - I think this needed just a bit more depth to really pull a reader into the created world. As well, the premise of Santa Claus did wear thin - how much can you drag out of a custom made for one day out of the year only. But Tsukuba's illustrations, especially of her repeated use of a ribbon motif, will please fans for their solid linework.
Received as an ARC from the publisher. -
Kurumi's mother died, when she was younger, and her father is always working overtime. So, she feels like she'll have to spend Christmas alone....AGAIN! But, this year, that just isn't the case.
While out on a walk, after being told by her father that he won't be home for Christmas again, Kurumi encounters a handsome young man named Kaito that tells her that she is his Santa.
As a rein appears, she expresses her disbelief in his story. But, he then has her tell him to turn into a reindeer. When she does, he proceeds to take his animal form.
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This is a sweet story of Christmas miracles happening all through the year, as they help a young boy through his difficult time of near-death, and of love blossoming when one least expects it, as they seem to fall for one another without ever telling each other.
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I was slightly saddened at Kaito's grandfather saying that love between Santa and reindeer is strictly forbidden. But, I am sure Kaito will still love Kurumi nevertheless.
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This volume was provided to me as an eManga by VIZ Media, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
