The Wallflower 1: Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge (Wallflower: Yamatonadeshiko Shichenge) (Paperback)

by Tomoko Hayakawa (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Sunako is an awkward teenager who's about to get the "Queer Eye for the Straight Manga Heroine" treatment from four young men who will win three years of free rent at Sunako's auntie's boarding house if they can manage to get Sunako to look decent. They've got quite a struggle ahead of them, however; when Sunako appears, she's wearing stained, baggy clothing and her face is entirely hidden by bangs. She retreats to her room to watch slasher films, and when forced to interact with the boys she cooks for—she lives in her auntie's boarding house—she's half-blinded by those "creatures of light." Couple this odd worldview with Sunako's nosebleeds whenever the boys say something nice to her, and they've got a real makeover challenge on their hands. After a series of events in which Sunako is rescued from social torture by one of the boys, Kyohei (whom she almost kills with scissors afterwards, for reasons never quite explained), and she in turn rescues him from being kidnapped by evil club owners, we reach Sunako's final transformation. This unusual manga should engage readers, thanks to its reversal of the usual characterizations, disturbing heroine and not-quite-happy ending.
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Product Description
MAKEOVER OF THE CENTURY
It’s a gorgeous, spacious mansion, and four handsome, fifteen-year-old friends are allowed to live in it for free! There’s only one condition–that within three years the guys must transform the owner’s wallflower niece into a lady befitting the palace in which they all live! How hard can it be?
Enter Sunako Nakahara, the agoraphobic, horror-movie-loving, pockmark-faced, frizzy-haired, fashion-illiterate recluse who tends to break into explosive nosebleeds whenever she sees anyone attractive. This project is going to take more than our four heroes ever expected: it needs a miracle!

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (October 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345479122
• ISBN-13: 978-0345479129
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #174,723 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 1 in The Wallflower (English) Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tickles Me Pink, October 27, 2004

By	Tara "Nin" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This book is simply awesome. There's not much I can say, other than I laughed out loud on several occassions, and I'm one of those people who only laugh under very hilarious circumstances. These poor boys can't even look at the girl without screaming, fleeing, breaking out in hives, crying openly, or otherwise freaking out. (Can't really blame them, though--she has the aura and appearance of that freaky little girl in the Japanese horror movie "Ringu", which was remade in America as "The Ring".)

As an added bonus, it will probably be the only time you'll actually laugh out loud as the female lead actively, seriously attempts to murder the male lead (several times!).

Also, the other three boys are forced to crossdress before the volume is over. Even though this sort of thing always seems to happen to pretty boys in manga/anime, it is still handled with a unique comedic flair in this case.

I borrowed this book from a friend--she's going to have a hard time retrieving it--until I get my own copy in the mail, of course. ;)

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Addictive, October 19, 2005

By	Siobhan "queen of the fairie" (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

Great story, beautiful art, fabulous humor.

Sunako a young woman spurned turns into a recluse, given the choice she never leaves her room,which is home to slasher movies, skulls, things preserved in jars and anotomical dolls, when she does go out in public people think she is a ghost(ie that girl from ringu)due to her really pale skin and long jet black hair that covers her face.

Enter an interfering aunt and her four extremely attractive young male tenants, if they can turn Sunako into a "real lady"(read stylish social butterfly)they will get free rent for a year. As expected though Sunako is violently opposed to the idea. Sometimes the boys rescue her, somtimes she rescues the boys, and sometimes they all run from the screaming hoards of fan girls bound to pop up anywhere this much bishie can be found.

A good piece of manga, I'm on the fifth volume and still wondering whether they will ever get Sunako-chan out of the dark...or if she will be able to control those viscious nosebleeds.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Avid Manga Readers Will Be Impressed, November 16, 2004

By	TheAngelofHavoc (New York) - See all my reviews

If you like hot men in drag, homicidal hermits, or watching those "popular girls" suffer, you will ADORE this manga! This book made me laugh so much! The artist used the perfect blend of funny chibi art and beautiful illustrations to tell her story.

Unlike most mangas done by women, this isn't just a fluffy love story. As a matter of fact, I think it's safe to say this is the most unique love story I've seen in a while!

The story starts with four guys living in a boarding house with the very rich woman they affectionately call "the Land Lady." She is widowed at a young age, and runs off with the first man she meets. She leaves the boys a note and challenges them to take in her niece (whose parents are in Africa) and if they can turn her into a lady, they can live in her mansion for free.

The bad news? The nice (Sunako Nakahara) is a horror! Sunako is a obsessed with American slasher movies (Freddy vs. Jason and such) and talks to anotomical dolls that she keeps in her room. She hasn't looked in a mirror in two years and refuses to let the boys come anywhere near her. (If they get too close she gets bad nosebleeds) Her bangs are so long that she sees everything in darkness, and refers to the boys as "creatures of the light."

Sunako thinks she will melt in the presence of the boys, especially the very sexy Kyohei. You see them get pretty close throughout the book. Why is this unique you ask? It's the only manga I've ever seen that still makes the lead character look nice after she's attempted to kill the male character. It's hillarious!

Check this out, I loved it!