Customer Reviews

Suki, Vol. 1

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is described as "sweet" and "lovely" by other reviewers. I'm probably just a bad person or something, but initially I just get a sort of creepy feeling from it. Maybe you have to read the whole series to get it. Right now it's just disturbing me. I'm not saying it's not good; it's terrifically well written and drawn and told. I think part of the reason it's giving me the crawlies is *because* it's so well done. If it were silly, or dumb, it wouldn't be nearly so affecting. But Clamp - the quartet of women who write it - take their craft seriously, and it shows.

Initially it's about a very, very innocent girl who lives alone. A man moves in next door. She likes him...

The emptyness of the rooms, the teddy bears sitting on the floor to see her off and greet her; you can almost hear the silence of the house. That's what's giving me the shivers. Ignorance is not bliss. I'll probably have to read the rest of them or it's going to bug me forever.

Hinata Asahi lives alone in a huge house, she is a high school student who gets great grades, and she likes everything and everybody. When Shiro Asou moves in next door and ends up becoming her new teacher she ends up having a crush on him.
And he seems to return her interest. Or is there something else going on?
The fact is this book hooked me. There was something going on, something I just couldn't figure out and it wasn't just a simple teacher-student forbidden love thing. Shiro Asou barely seems to notice his students, yet is willing to hang around Hinata. I feel he is up to something, but I have to read the next book to find out.
Another series by CLAMP that I'll have to finish. Go CLAMP!

This needs to be said, in my opinion. I loved this volume. There is much more to be said than 'it's cute'. For one thing, there is a lot of 'read between the lines' information, that gives greater insight into Hinata's character, and the other main and even sideline players. I found a very strong resemblance to Shidou Hikaru, from CLAMP's 'Magic Knight Rayearth' series. There's the naivete, that's been mentioned several times in the previous reviews, but there's also a delicate sense of responsibility and honor that may not be seen, initially. There are little hints and clues into Hina's past, and her teacher's intentions, that you may not initially see. At the risk of providing a spoiler, it is hinted and mentioned that Hina 'doesn't want anyone else to be hurt', that strongly implies she knows she was at fault for something in the past. That 'something' is possibly/likely the reason she decided to move away and by herself. The teacher's reasons for interest in Hina have also been implied to be less than honorable or at least less than straight-forward. I agree that the art style takes some getting used to, but the story is definitely not aimed for 'kiddies' despite appearances. She is innately a lonely character, that contributes to her willingness to disregard the blatant fact that there's much more going on, some of it quite obvious. There's much more involved, and the story will draw you in if you let it.

I have to admit, I had a few reservations about this manga before I read it: Visually, it's not as stunning as some of Clamp's other works, though it's definitely not ugly. It's just that the main characters are very plain - very "real", rather than "so beautiful you can't help but stare."

First, a few caveats: No magic, no sci-fi. And the first half of the book is almost (almost, but not quite) insufferably cute, but I can see that this manga has punch.

The story of Suki is about Hinata, an "idiot savant" as her friends call her - she's a straight-A student, but she doesn't have an ounce of common sense. She lives alone, cheerfully eating her meals with her two teddy bears. Then, one day, a stoic man moves in next door and Hinata is delighted, since she now has someone to talk to. He also turns out to be her substitute teacher.

But her two school friends are worried - the teacher isn't overly friendly, but he does keep having dinner or lunch with Hinata and always seems to show up where she is. Plus, she really enjoys the attention and develops a crush on him, naive in her not understanding that teachers shouldn't hang around students so much. Is he up to something, a pervert maybe?

Well...we don't know yet, but this first volume is really quite good. It sets up Hinata's cuteness and innocent demeanor and reveals her situation quite well. I'm very, very interested to pick up the next books (there are 3 total including this one). Great stuff! Probably best for the young teen and older crowd, as sex is mentioned (there is no actual sex, though).

I'm not a huge graphic novel person - but occasionally I pick one up, get sucked into the plot, and can't put it down. Suki did exactly this.

Let me start out by saying this story is filled with moral (and textual) ambiguities. It's not a simplistic, nice story. But that's what makes it intriguing. It's a *real* coming of age story - believable, complex, and very sympathetic characters.

I pretty much agree with the other reviewers - very suspenseful, psychologically provocative, and artistically done. I gave it 4.5 stars out of 5.

I'll also add that I got a free copy of Snow Drops with my order - which was a pleasant surprise, and a similarly good story. Also a graphic novel for adults, about adolescent relationships & high school. Not as morally complex as Suki, but actually a bit more dramatic and a lot more to the story - part love story, part mystery, part drama. I also give SNOW DROPS 4.5 stars.

I'm getting this book for my friend for Christmas because Hinata reminds me of her--smart, but at the emotional age level of, say, an 8-year old and completely nuts--I was laughing so hard while reading because I couldn't help thinking of this particular person. Otherwise I'd be a little annoyed at the character for being too cute, but...people like this actually exist!

The images are well drawn, and I like the visual devices like drawing Hina as a tail-wagging puppy after Asou-sensei pats her on the head.

Between the 32-year-old teacher on the one hand, and the teddy bears on the other, SUKI always seemed like something I wouldn't be interested in. After reading LEGAL DRUG and TOKYO BABYLON, however, I had such faith in CLAMP that I bought all three volumes of SUKI at once. I am very glad that I did.

Hinata Asahi is a brilliant but naive sixteen-year-old who lives alone with only her teddy bears. Her cast-iron innocence frustrates and frightens her schoolmates, who try in vain to teach her "common sense" and self-protective instincts. When Hinata starts receiving an unusual - and inappropriate -- amount of attention from her enigmatic new male teacher, her friends are alarmed and suspicious, but Hinata is determined to see no evil.

Though propelled by Hinata's upbeat innocence and humor on the surface, SUKI quickly becomes an extremely unnerving, climb-the-walls suspense tale, which can be read on more than one level. The sensitive artwork matches well with the psychologically evocative storyline. I particularly love the snow and shadow scenes. It has the same lead artist as LEGAL DRUG (Mick Nekoi), who imparts a slightly Gothic feel, and sympathetically evokes the painful vulnerability of the young.

This is a three-volume series complete. If you purchase this series through Amazon, watch out for the Editorial Description of Book 3, which is one long spoiler.

"Suki" might at first be offputting to Clamp fans, both in terms of the artwork and the initial story. Even fans of the sweet "Cardcaptor Sakura" might start gagging when the high schooler Hinata starts talking to her teddy bears. But don't dismiss this manga just yet! By the end of the first book, it's clear that Clamp is working one of their trademark story twists into "Suki". The last chapter focuses on the adults in Hinata's life, some of whom may be sinister, and it seems likely that the danger of Hinata's innocence may play a role. Clamp also likes to make manga that that not only feature love stories, but also delve into the truths and various aspects of love. "Wish" featured the slowly developing love between a human and angel, with Clamp's commentary on what true love is throughout the manga. "Man of Many Faces" has a six year old spouting rather profound statements on the nature of love. Knowing this made it easier for me to accept the cloying set-up between Hinata and her teacher in this "like story", as the cover puts it. Hopefully, Clamp will use this premise to give us more of their insights on the different forms that love and affection can take.

I am beginning to like Clamp. I was given the first volume of xxxHolic and was impressed. Now this book is pretty interesting too. It makes one uncomfortable though, what does this 32 year old man want with this little girl?

I will admit when I red the book through the first time I really thought that Hina was retarded, and I thought, "Great for CLAMP to make a story about a mentaly (spelling) challenged girl." But when I found out she wasn't I was suprised, but after reading it a 2nd time I learned much more. It's a great book, for fans of Cardcaptor Sakura and Wish.