Princess Prince [Paperback]

Tomoko Taniguchi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2003

Story and Art by Tomoko Taniguchi (Call Me Princess, Aquarium) "From a place where the stars sleep, shall come the prosperity of your kingdom...but also its misfortune. The children of the sun will be protectors of that prosperity, however, one shall be raised as a child of the moon to deceive the enemy and ease the misfortune" - An Angel's Prophecy Mourning the death of his beloved wife, acting on a prophecy handed to him by an angel; the King of Gemstone decides to raise one of his twin sons as a girl. Will Princess Lori ever get to be Prince Laurence? Will he ever find true love?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Taniguchi (Call Me Princess) sets this gender-bending story in Gemstone, a medieval fairy tale land with fairy-type creatures called "angel birds," knights, goblins and royal families. Twin male princes, Matthew and Lawrence, lived a normal life until their mother's tragic death, which made their father, the King of Gemstone, believe an ancient prophecy was put into motion. The king thought the only way for his boys to be spared from this curse was to raise one of them as a princess. So Lawrence was raised and led a carefree life as Princess Lori. When puberty strikes, his real troubles begin. Will he continue to live the life of a princess or risk it all, including the terrible prophecy, for his chance at love and happiness? Princesses from neighboring castles come and throw themselves at handsome Prince Matthew, hoping to be his bride, as poor Lori watches. Meanwhile, Lori's one true love, his best friend Jenny, doesn't even know Lori's real identity. Jenny feels guilty because she has a strange attraction to Lori but isn't really sure why. And Lori is just plain miserable. But what good fairy tale doesn't have a little bit of angst, heartache and despair in it? It's fun to note Taniguchi's love of teen melodrama in this volume: one member of the supporting cast is named Brandon Walsh, a name shared by the male twin in Beverly Hills 90210. This is an all-ages, whimsical, mostly happily-ever-after-type manga.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: CPM Manga (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586648608
• ISBN-13: 978-1586648602
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,881,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Taniguchi: Queen of the "inbetween", July 29, 2010

By 

ChibiNeko "Sooo many books, so little time!" (Whereever I go, here I am.) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Princess Prince (Paperback)

Before you think about buying this or tracking down a copy, let me give you a little info about Taniguchi's work. This author loves to leave stories open ended & somewhat unfinished. I like to classify her work as the "inbetween" stage- these are the actions that happen inbetween the bigger events. You can guess at what will eventually happen, but in the meantime this is how everyone acts. While some of her stories have a bit more action, the work will always feel unfinished.

Princess Prince is one of her fantasy series, focusing around two princes. Both are highly attractive but only Prince Lawrence has been forced to dress as a woman for somewhat uncertain reasons. (The king does so out of grief & I believe that it is mentioned that it will help keep the kingdom safe at some point in time.) It doesn't help that "Lori" (his princess name) is head over heels in love with a beautiful young woman who seems to be slowly becoming as equally smitten with him. There's magic crystals, thieves, & dark forces attempting to steal the crystals, but overall the manga's storyline is that of peaceful days in the kingdom.

Once you get past the unfinished feeling of the book (always a jarring experience) the series is a joy to read. I always end up coming back to this book & to other works by Taniguchi because the artwork is just that wonderful & she has a definite knack for storytelling. I loved that even though Taniguchi didn't end the series on a definite note, you can predict your own endings & make up your own stories. If any one manga artist is capable of sparking creativity, it is Taniguchi.

This manga is very much worth tracking down even for one read. Not everyone will like this series or her works in general so if possible, try to find it in the library if you can.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If I could give this more than five stars, I would!, April 14, 2003

By 

Amber (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Princess Prince (Paperback)

I ADORE this manga! I haven't been able to put it down for more than a few minutes since I got it! The characters are lovable, the art is beautiful, and the story is original. I loved Emma the Angel Bird and Janice, and the pair of princes captured my heart and my interest right when I opened the book!

The other stories in this collection are just as well done, and just as interesting.

This one definitely qualifies as one of the favorites in my collection! (it's not easy to pick favorites when you have over a hundred manga!)

5.0 out of 5 stars I Agree With Amber: IT DESERVES TEN STARS!, June 12, 2008

By 

Lindsey D. Baker (Kentucky) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Princess Prince (Paperback)

"Princess Prince" is worth every penny that it costs! This book is THICK. The artwork is GORGEOUS and EXTREMELY ADORABLE at times. The plotline really sucks you in. The characters are relatable and you root for each one. It's romance in one volume at its best!

The ending is also very satisfactory, since it's not your typical shojo story and leaves you using your imagination. There are also bonus stories that add to the book's overall charm.

10 out of 5 stars!