| | |  | SHOJO BEAT | Home » » » Haruka, Vol. 1: Beyond the Stream of Time (Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time) | | | | | | | Product Promotions: | | | | | Description: | | Akane is your typical teenage girl...until she swallows a Dragon Jewel, which transports her to the Heian period of ancient Japan! There in the city of Kyou, Akane learns that she has been foreordained to lead the people as the Priestess of the Dragon God! But all is not well. Akram, the head of the Oni Clan, has sworn death and destruction on Kyou. So Akane appoints eight young men, the Hachiyo, to stand by her side as she faces the danger that awaits... | | | Features: | |
• ISBN13: 9781421517711
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
| | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Tohko Mizuno | | Paperback:
| 216 pages | | Publisher:
| VIZ Media LLC | | Publication Date:
| April 01, 2008 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 142151771X | | Package Length:
| 7.48 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.04 inches | | Package Height:
| 0.71 inches | | Package Weight:
| 0.49 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 2 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
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 Loves it!Oct 01, 2008
I love this book cuz it's unique in its own way. What it would feel like to be with 8 men who are in love with you? it would feel awesome, I tell you! hahahaha This is what the story is about, I like to read relax and fantasize a little, that's what this story is all about. The art is really good too, I mean I like it!
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Nothing NewMay 14, 2008
I've been reading "Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time" since Shojo Beat started serializing it, and I must say, I'm not too impressed.
The story is about a girl named Akane who is pulled into a fantasy version of the Heian era of Japan. She accidentally swallows the eight "dragon jewels" along the way. Akane meets young Princess Fuji, who tells her that she is the prophesied priestess of the dragon god who is supposed to protect Kyoto from the demon clan. The demon clan is a race of people with blonde hair that has long been persecuted. Their leader wants to summon the four gods (Seiryu, Suzaku, Genbu, and Byakku) to get revenge on the people of Kyoto. To fulfill her duty, Akane must first find eight guardians to protect her. But Akane was summoned by the leader himself, and he wants her to assist him. Akane feels that the stereotypes about the demon clan may be unfair, but she wants to protect the capital.
Yes, it does sound a lot like Yuu Watase's "Fushigi Yuugi." There are a few differences, but they were small. I prefer the side-stories about the guardians' pasts to the main story, but even these aren't very original.
The characters are also pretty bland. Akane is a blank slate. She's pretty and pure, always doing what's right because it's right. She has no quirks that make her stand out. Then there are the eight guardians. "Haruka" was based on a neo-romance video-game, and it shows. The men have very stereotypical personalities. So far there's Yorihisa, the strong, silent type, Tenma, the rash but protective type, Shimon, the cute, innocent type, General Tachibana, the mysterious playboy type, and Yasuaki, the cold, stoic type. There's also Ackram, the beautiful yet seductive type who has interest in Akane. Love triangles ensue.
The art's nothing special either. The style is just kind of flat, there's nothing unique about it. The manga-ka does draw beautiful Heian era costumes, though, and she draws detailed, realistic flowers in scenes of particular beauty, instead of using a generic screentone.
But overall, there's just not enough here to recommend this manga. I'd suggest "Fushigi Yuugi" or "Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden" instead. They have similar stories, but the characters are much better. Especially Miaka's seven celestial warriors. Miaka herself may be annoying at times, but at least she has her quirks. "Haruka" is not particularly bad, but it's completely mediocre.
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