Rating: 
Summary: Imadoki!!!
Review: When i first saw the cover of this book, I quickly realized the art was Yuu Watase's *_*. She has written many manga, like: Fushigi Yugi, Ceres: Celestial Legend (which I still don't get :p), and Alice 19th, but her newest work, Imadoki, (I have to say) is the best one! ^_^<br /> I personaly LOVE manga about girls with magical powers, alternant demensions, and end-of-the-world consencvenses (Forgive my spelling! ^_^') but sometimes it's nice to relax with some original, normal high-school life stories, and this manga doesn't disappoint!*sigh* <br /> I am SOOOOOOOOOOO glad I bought it ^___^!!!! I'm going back for Vol. 2!!!! The art has cute girls, some best drawn boys I've ever seen, a great original story that grabs you, and the over all book is just GREAT!!!! You won't be sorry! ^_~
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Yu Watase has done it again. Another little masterpiece that captures your heart and soul. I love Yu Watase and envy her as well.
This is a MUST HAVE story. The first time I saw it I didn't know what to expect and being the devilish person that I am decided to try it out so I bought it without reading any of the pages and lo and behold I found a story that made my day. The story is about a young country girl who goes to the city to attend high school. As she does though she finds out that the people there aren't as friendly or close as she was used to. The school she ends up in is a high class school for the rich and snobby individuals who have everything but real friends. She soon becomes friends with a guy there and teaches him that there is a thing called friendship and allows him to open his heart.
I just love the story and recommend it to anyone and everyone. It lifts your spirits up because you know that friendship is a rare treasure that everyone should have.
Rating:
Summary: Change is scary...but sometimes it's good!
Review: All right, I will admit this: I bought Imadoki because of the manga-ka's name on the front: Yu Watase. Watase-san has never disappointed me, and I have read all of her works that have been translated into English up to this date. (July 2004). However, I was a little surprised when I started to read. No fantasy world? No magical powers? No "ultimate destiny" like the ones faced by Miaka, Aya, and Alice? This is definitely different than Watase-san's other works. I'm not going to give you a plot summary, that's what the little Amazon review thingy is for up above. But, I will tell you this: Yes, this book is not like Watase-san's other works. Heroes and villians aren't exactly defined, the world isn't in danger, and golly, there are an awful lot of flowers. However, the elements that Watase uses to tell her story are still the same ones she uses in Fushigi Yugi, Ceres, Alice...she gives us a protagonist (female, of course!) that is struggling with something other girls in the world can relate to. Only this time around, the girl isn't thrust into this sudden alternate universe to help her solve her problems and realize her self-worth; this heroine does it on her own turf, with her own hands. There are the beautiful drawings and the handsome bishonen ^_^, and the fact that Watase-san puts a new spin on a pretty-much used up misunderstood-girl plot. If you are a Watase-san fan, then I don't hesitate to recommend this to you, although if you are going to be disappointed by a lack of fantasy genre and short length (this series is only 5 books long), you might consider picking it up at another time. If you are a shoujo manga fan in general, then this title won't disappoint. It has enough cuteness, and you might be turned on to Watase's other titles. Personally, I loved it!
Rating: 
Summary: Starting school can be rough...
Review: But for Tanpopo Yamazaki, it could be hell. The students are all from wealthy families and got to the elite Meio Academy via family connections. To them, she is a weed, as her name suggests (Dandelion). Will she be able to make freinds? Why is she so clueless and cheerful? Is the tiny fox, who is her pet, some kind of alien?
Funny, delightful, but not really anything to bring it out from the rest of the shojo. I might continue with the series or not - I don't see it being a MUST.
Rating: 
Summary: It's no Fushiyu or Alice, that's for sure
Review: Excuse me for abbreviating in the title; I am not Japanese, but I like to pretend I am ;)
As for Imadoki, the main reason I wanted it was definitely because of who wrote and drew it. I love FY and Alice (can't say I care too much for Ceres, though), so I definitely wanted to try Imadoki. I don't think I can say definitely how I feel about this series, since vol. 1 is the only one out, but even though it is wonderfully drawn, and Poplar the fox is adorable (awwwwww), I did not feel the same way I felt after reading her previous books. Maybe I was having an off day, but I didn't really laugh at the comical moments (there were some, right?), and I felt disturbed by Tanpopo's character. She's like a creepy combination of Miaka, Usagi Tsukino, and a patient fresh into a loony bin. Her personality was scary. >_<
The other characters also didn't bode well with me. I know that the personalities of the characters make a point about the school, but the only thing I really liked about the main guy Koki is that he's hot, and I have a thing for Alice's Kyou. If this is supposed to be a romance series like her other works, I hope Watase got around to introducing it in the remaining four books. I just hope it's nothing like the romance between Aya (ughh) and Toya (Mr. Personality himself).
But if your main attraction to manga is the art, I recommend it! If it's story, I'll say 3 stars, because the story could make more sense than it does now. Characters are 2 and a half, the one I like most being the pet fox. ;) The cover art is attractive, too.
And check out her other books if you haven't! Just be patient with Viz (grrr).
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books ever!!
Review: I have read several manga,and this is by far my favorite. Imadoki features a great main character, Tanpopo, who is an example of strength and moral courage for young girls. She is somewhat similar to another one of Yuu Watase's characters- Miaka, from Fushigi Yuugi- a fearless young girl who sticks to what she believes in even if it costs her some humiliation. All the while she keeps a cheerful heart and never lets circumstances get her down. She has a great faith.
A wonderful, wholesome manga- REALLY funny too- it shows what the power of real-unselfish love can do to change hearts. I only wish more manga were this well done! Yuu Watase draws her characters very beautifully too. If I ever have any children, this is a manga that I could share with them.
Rating:
Summary: Addictive stuff
Review: I love Yu Watase... Rather Fushigi Yugi was one of my favorite things ever. It was the first anime series I ever saw, and it's probably at number one for me. Since, I have avoided some of her manga- Alice 19th and Ceres. The reason, I don't have a lot of money. And those series are probably exceptionally wonderful, but they are all really long. When I was researching Imadoki, I found that it only has something like, 6 volumes, so I thought, "I will give you a chance!" I picked up the first volume, and read the remaining available ones in less than a week. I love Yu Watase's writing style, her plots, and her characters. Things may seem reincarnated, and you might notice some character similarities through out her works, but Imadoki is still really good. It's her first "school" drama, so, it has a lot of new things that some of the others do not have. And in comparison, it's a very fulfilling series as compared to Fruits Basket. Don't get me wrong- I LOVE Fruits Basket... but it keeps you on edge. There are so many love intrests, but NOTHING EVER HAPPENS! Just a lot of people blushing, and awkward moments. So it's very refreshing to read along side Fruits Basket.
But if you know nothing of Yu Watase, or Fushigi Yugi, Imadoki is about a country girl, Tanpopo, coming to an elite school in the city. She sneaks in to the school, and meets the son of the head family, and they share a moment. But the next day at school, he's all mean, and ignores her. And so the whole school makes fun of her, and decides to target her, and they do awful things. So, the first volume is her overcoming her peers torture and finding out what's up with that boy, and making him her friend no matter what! It's a good story, and it just gets better and better!
Rating:
Summary: I Confess, I Wasn't So Sure About This One
Review: I mean, it sounded kind of corny, you know? Wanting to be friends with a guy so you create a planting club? But I had seen some of Yu Watase's work and I decided to go ahead and give this one a try. It was hilarious! and you end up completely involved in the characters and plot line.
Basically, this story is about a girl who gets into a rich kids private school. She doesn't really fit in, but on her first day at the school she meets a guy who seems like he would make a good friend. But when she sees him around other people, he's a completely different person! Tanpopo (the main character) is then determined to break through his cold persona and in the process makes a few friends along the way.
I honestly can't wait for the next one to come out!
Rating:
Summary: It's a beautiful story.
Review: I'd like to point out a few misconceptions in some of the reviews concerning the Imadoki series ^^ ---
1) This is not "Watase's first high school drama". In fact, high school dramas are not a deviation from Watase's usual, a popular example would be Pubescence. Fushigi Yugi, Ayashi no Ceres, and Arisu 19th the only other Watase mangas released in the US, but although they're magic-girl mangas, this does not mean Yu Watase is not experienced in drawing a non-magical genre!
2) Imadoki has 5 volumes total (not 6). It is complete in Japan a few years ago and VIZ is printing volume 5 in February (street date is in March, but you can buy it off Amazon during February).
3) Imadoki does not come after Arisu "Alice" 19th. Although it was released in the U.S. after Alice 19th, it came out in Japan before Alice 19th. You might recognize Imadoki as a sort of "transition" artwork from Ceres to Alice 19th.
As for my review on the manga, I won't give you a summary of this volume, since everyone else has already given you a very comprehensive idea of the manga. My opinion is that this is by far Watase's best work, next to Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden (which I hope will be released into the US soon!).
//Character Analysis
(as compared to Fushigi Yugi, Ayashi no Ceres, & Arisu 19th)
Compared to the Yu Watase mangas released in the US, Tanpopo is probably the most sweetest main character of all. I believe that she has a lot more integrity than Miaka, Aya, or Alice, but is still a very realistic and sweet girl who believes in friendship above all else.
While all the main characters have unique traits of their own, I feel that Tanpopo is a stronger girl than Miaka or Alice. If her best friend or sister is in love with the boy she likes (as in the cases of Miaka & Alice), she would abandon her own feelings and support what she respects the most - her relationship with family and friends. As you will see in a later volume, Tanpopo refuses to get in the way of a relationship even if the antagonist (I won't mention any names or details lest I spoil you) is neither her sister nor best friend.
I also feel that this is a manga where all the characters glow equally with unique beauty. In mangas like Fushigi Yugi, it feels like the side characters often appeal to the reader more than the main characters themselves. Since Ms. Watase had once said that "character relationships" is what she tries hardest to be develop in a story, I think Imadoki is a success in this aspect. You will find that every character is loveable in their own way, especially the adorable protagonist, Tanpopo.
//Translation
The translation of Imadoki is actually very close to the actual Japanese text and the English variation did not take away from the story. Instead, the slightly altered variations only adds to the story, creating a comical character that you will meet in volume two (which is where the story starts to really pick up its pace).
In conclusion I must say that Imadoki is worth every dollar you pay for it - and at five volumes, there's no reason for anyone to not read it!
Rating:
Summary: Yet Another brillant work by Yuu Watase San
Review: I'd like to say....Yuu Watase San definitely created another work of genius....though this is a very short manga series with only 5 volumes....it's content is different like the previous reviwers mentioned above....it's a different spin from what all her other works have been so far....yet....only someone who have an open mind to accept the change in style can fully appreciate this work by such a well loved creator of this genre of manga....
If it's only solely fantasy you are after then you are not fit to be considered open minded and I suggest you to not even bother reading this and get dissappointed in the end....
A true genius in the sense of the word for an author of any genre is someone who can make a change of scenes story and plot and character wise and still have the same effect brought out in his or her work....
To fully understand I suggest as the other reviewers already suggest to read the other works by Yuu Watase San and keep an open mind before reading this series....
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