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...
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Akane, an ordinary high school girl lacking personality, is summoned back in time to a magical world resembling Heian-era Kyoto. She is declared Priestess of the Dragon God and assigned the task of bringing back the four gods to protect the city from demon invaders, with the help of eight warriors, all of whom are attractive young men. The demons are also attractive, blond sorcerers, and Akane quickly falls in love with the chief demon. The book is based on the PlayStation 2 game Harukanaru Toki no Naka de and has been adapted into an anime series, a movie and several OAVs. Unfortunately, Akane's lack of characterization is typical for a work based on a videogame. The only thing separating this book from similar manga series is the addition of Akane's two high school friends to the eight guardians. The line work is extremely fine and wispy; costumes and hair are beautifully rendered. Unfortunately, the action is hard to follow, particularly to those unfamiliar with the strict subgenre conventions of this type of manga. It's the kind of book that passes the flip-through test with flying colors, but when read, comes up very short on substance. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up–On her way to school, Akane hears a voice and, inexplicably, lands in Japan's Heian period. Based on a video game, this manga doesn't make the crossover very well. Perhaps it's because, in the game, figuring out that swallowing floating jewels advances the character, but in a story it's just silly. Having consumed the gems, Akane adjusts to the new time period remarkably well. She is told that she's the Priestess of the Dragon God, a position that includes perks like cute bodyguards and the ability to sneak out of her body. She'll need the help of her friends as she faces off against the alluring oni or demon Akram. There are so many characters with long flowing hair and drab personalities that it's hard to decipher who's who. The story moves too quickly, introducing characters and often cutting to a subplot in the middle of another scene. The artwork is standard manga fare and not unique enough to warrant a purchase. Though Akane is in ancient Japan, there is little to reflect the setting or period. Close-ups and cherry blossoms dominate the pages. If teens ask for manga based on video games, history, or oni love, give them Shinya Kaneko's Culdcept (Tokyopop), Taeko Watanabe's Kaze Hikaru (Viz Media), or Mike Takeuchi's Her Majesty's Dog (Go! Media Entertainment) instead.–Sadie Mattox, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing New,
This review is from: Haruka, Vol. 1: Beyond the Stream of Time (Paperback)
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.
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of my daughter's favorite,
By Chanindra (AZ USA) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Haruka, Vol. 1: Beyond the Stream of Time (Paperback)
I bought these books for my daughter who loves the story and she sits and reads them over and over and over again. Well worth the price.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loves it!,
By Neyen "Neyen2000" (Puerto Rico) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Haruka, Vol. 1: Beyond the Stream of Time (Paperback)
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!
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