V.B. Rose, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

Banri Hidaka (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 8, 2008

Ageha gets the job of a lifetime - making her sister's wedding dress. Ageha loves making handbags and other accessories, so when one of her sister's dress makers hurts his hand she jumps right in to help! And thus begins Ageha's adventures at the fashionable Velvet Blue Rose.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

High school student Ageha Shiroi injures a young male dressmaker commissioned to build her pregnant older sister's wedding dress in this manga about a wedding and romance. Following the accident, Ageha volunteers to help out at the boutique to finish the dress, employing her skills as a hobbyist handbag creator. Although Ageha is well characterized as a selfish teenager, 23-year-old male dressmakers Yukari and Mitsu are unrealistically cute blond and brunette manga stereotypes. Romance between Ageha and Yukari takes a backseat to the loving portrayal of Ageha's relationship with her sister and bride-to-be Hibari. Although characters, dresses and handmade purses are well rendered, backgrounds and establishing shots are often sketchy or missing, making the first half of the book somewhat hard to follow. Ageha and Hibari have realistic character designs, but Yukari and Mitsu have unusually large eyes for young men and look almost identical to Hidaka's characters in Tears of a Lamb, a manga CMX is publishing in English. Ageha's deadline-related stress lends an element of suspense to an otherwise girly story; the poignant and emotional portrayal of a sibling's wedding is an appealing story suitable for most readers, but boys might have a hard time identifying with any of the characters. (Jan.)
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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: TokyoPop (January 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1427803307
• ISBN-13: 978-1427803306
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,214,085 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely delightful!, January 27, 2008

By 

sanoe.net - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: V.B. Rose, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I have never read anything by Banri Hidaka before but I think that is about to change.

Admittedly, I picked up this manga on the shallowest of reason: I thought the cover was pretty.

But pretty cover aside, the first volume of Ageha and her quest to help to make her older sister's wedding dress was pure delight.

Ageha loves her older sister who is pregnant and planning to get married. The catch is that Ageha doesn't like the idea of her adored sister, Hibari, getting married and she balks in a way that causes an accident at the V.B. Rose bridal shop. Hidaka does a great job in conveying Ageha's moments of brattiness without overdoing it so that when Ageha shows her remorse, it doesn't seem out of character.

The guys, Yukari and Mitsu, she meets at V. B. Rose are likable in their own way. Yukari is the prerequisite androgynous beauty but he's also a strict taskmaster and when he snaps at Ageha, it is in context. Mitsu is fun who keeps things lighthearted and witty.

There are other likable characters in this volume that give the story a nice sparkle and balance. This is not a drama shoujo full of melancholy and angst (at least not in this volume). It is like ambrosia, light and frothy but somehow satisfying in a surprising way, and it completely lived up to the potential of its pretty cover and I am already looking forward to volume 2!

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet, Frothy, Light~, May 15, 2011

By 

C.A.L <3 "For the world" (NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: V.B. Rose, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

Now I first picked up this series a long time ago. Maybe when it first came out but its definitely been a few years since i picked it up. Since i've already read a couple books since then. Honestly I really love this series. I'm a sucker for a light hearted story line that isn't repetitive or similar to a lot of other shoujo manga. I'm sure VB Rose is similar to a ton of manga but the way the manga-ka presented it was a bit refreshing. I can't explain why but maybe its the clean art and no fluff story line. If I start yelling at a manga like ARGGHHH! That mmeans i'm really frustrated with how the story line is going. That didn't happen with this one. I love simple clean storylines. I'm not much in dramatic stuff. Although the series does start to get dramatic in the middle.
Anyways, so the story starts off with Ageha. A crafty young girl who has a sister complex. Her sister is getting married and Ageha isn't keen on the idea that her sister is marrying. Then Yukari, the owner of a bridal gown shop teaches her a lesson. Both are rather hot headed at first. Then of course Ageha falls for him.
Of course i don't want to ruin the rest of the books but don't be discouraged by the 1st one or two books. It can be a little slow but i absolutely adore the pacing in my opinion. Funny thing is, this story could be a korean drama with the plotline and pacing. I find this book t be an enjoyable read and always refreshing when i pick it up. I put this on my favorites list. :D

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!!!, April 3, 2011

By 

Gravitationgirl - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: V.B. Rose, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I love this series! It has a great story line and even better art! It's a must have for any manga collector but more for girls. It's one of the few mangas out there today that can be appropriate for about 8 and older girls. Or guys if they like it too.