One of the top girls in Shibuya, Tokyo, is 16-year-old Kotobuki Ran. Burdened by a family full of police officers who pressure her to follow in their footsteps, Ran has turned to the kogal lifestyle out of rebellion, vowing to stay tanned and bleached until her parents get off her case. Stubborn, sassy, and sometimes savage, Ran has already made a rep for herself as the "bull in Shibuya's china shop." In fact, the only thing saving rambunctious Ran from a run-in with the law is her big brother, Officer Kotobuki Yamato, luckily stationed in Shibuya where he can keep a watchful eye on his sister. But despite herself, Ran has inherited some of her family's sense of justice and civic duty. She gives romantic counsel to a reformed kogal, Miyu, who is smitten with the more mature Officer Yamato. Ran also tries to save fellow classmates from the perils of teenage prostitution, shoplifting and other dangers faced by Gals!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kick- a**,
By tami "pinkboxcutter" (chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Gals!: VOL 01 (Paperback)
This books completely deserves a 5 star review. Perhaps the best example of "Girl-power!" on the manga market, Ran, Miyu, and Aya are all very different girls- but pack a lot of attitude and and spirit in their slim fashionable frames. This book is a celebration of the Ko-gal culture, which in a stereotyped nutshell is a young Japanese girl so cool and well-dressed that that it absorbs her persona- typically a a bit agressive and will do "anything" for her next outfit. Well, as we all know, the stereotype of an identity hardly scratches the surface; Ran and her friends show the world what being a Ko-gal is all about!
Everyone is super-cute and stylish, due to the Ko-gal theme-that's why all through the book everyone is as adorable as can be. (The boys, however, are suitable complements to the playful attire of the girls in thier attractive uniforms.)There's accessories and chibi animal icons everywhere you look, and it really brings the Japanese teen scene to life. The style of the artist is really wonderful-with large eyes, slender bodies, and expressive hands, the characters are really in their element while being spunky, but easily shift to expressing extreme emotions such as anger and sorrow with distinct body language. Although the art is great, the story doesn't miss a beat. The characters all have amazing personalities, especially that of ex-badgirl Miyu,pre-reform. Just her backstory is worth ten bucks- her attitude is unbelievably in-your-face, and words cannot express how cool her misbehaving is. She's no wimpy teen-queen bully or mild delinquent-she's the real thing, complete with beat-downs and a gang of her own. Of course, in the present her relationship with Ran's cop brother is just as interesting to follow. Ran is the main character and ko-gal, and as she comes from an all-cop family, nothing's more enjoyable than her blatant disregard for the rules. She's got the most charm- she's not afraid to speak her mind or break a nail or two when she's trying to makes things better for everyone. (Althouogh she has some unorthodox methods her family wouldn't quite approve of.) Aya is the quiet one, but her intro is amazing. She's a sweet girl, but there's always something going on with a quiet ones- Aya is no exception. One minor thing- the book "feels" funny. The paper is kind of stiff, making a rather small book feel rigid- but it's not a bother unduly, the pages are just a bit harder to crack open. To sum it all up, Gals! is an uplifting and upbeat, pretty cute and pretty kick-a**. You can moon over the clothes, or you be floored by thier personalities. Either way, you'll love it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This Rocks out LOUD!,
A Kid's Review
This review is from: Gals!: VOL 01 (Paperback)
Mihona Fujii definetley scored big with the 'Gals' series! It's the best manga I've ever read! It's about a teenage girl named Ran who's a sophmore in High School. It's basically about her and her gal pals Aya and Miyu. Miyu was part of a street gang and Aya went out with old guys for cash. But Ran soon turns them around and they chill. This book is Hilarious and if ya like it then the rest of the series will rock too!
-Hannah M.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Shoujo Manga,
This review is from: Gals!: VOL 01 (Paperback)
Gals! Volume One is the story of high school sophmore Ran. Ran and her friends Miyu and Aya are self-styled "kogals" - trendy teens widely regarded by Japanese as juvenile delinquents. While it is true that some "kogals" are involved in teenage prostitution, knife-wielding gang fights, shoplifting and muggings, Ran is not one of them. Much of the conflict and humor in Gals is due to the fact that Ran's entire family are police officers! Ran swears that she will never fulfill her father's wish and become a cop herself.
Other humor is due to the fact that Ran's super-honest older brother, a young cop, is the boyfriend of Miyu. Miyu was very delinquent until she fell in love. But they have not yet kissed b/c Miyu is not yet legal, much to Miyu's dismay. There is much more humor in the book. The art in Gals is very good. Author Fuji Mihona has really captured the urban backgrounds of Shibuya, the shopping district/mall that is a haven for Japanese teens, and the center of the Gals manga. Fuji also peppers the manga with entertaining and informational sidebars. At the end of the manga is a humorous drawing of her characters done by her brother. I am really looking forward to volume two.
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