Basara

 Title: Basara
 Creator(s): Yumi Tamura
 Publisher(s): Shogakukan Inc., VIZ Media
 Year: 1991
 Genre(s): Shoujo, action, fantasy, drama, romance
 Length: 27 volumes
 Reviewed by: Yukari on July 18, 2008

Synopsis

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, a king and his four tyrannical sons ruled Japan, inflicting terror and wrecking havoc throughout the country. One day, a set of fraternal twins are born in the rebel Byakko village. The boy twin, Tatara, is prophesized to be the "child of destiny...one who will grow to lead the people and be the light in the sky of our nation's future." Rumors spread throughout the country, eventually reaching the ears of the royal family. The Byakko village is attacked and Tatara is killed. Angry and hurt, his twin sister Sarasa diguises herself as Tatara, vowing to take on her brother's responsibilities as the "child of destiny" and seek revenge. Faced with heavy burdens, Sarasa's only moments of peace are at the hot springs, where she meets a man named Shuri. She is unaware that Shuri is the Red King, the man who led the attack of her village and killed her brother. Likewise, Shuri does not realize that this harmless girl is really "Tatara," his nemesis. Oblivious to one another's true identities, they fall in love. In contrast, the two share the absolute goal of killing each other on the battlefield. This is a story of many conflicts and of a battle that ultimately determines the fate of Japan.

Review

"Basara" is not your typical sugary-sweet shoujo manga, but it still managed to capture the hearts of many girls and gained much popularity in Japan during the nineties. This does not come as a surprise, because "Basara" has an appealing storyline with many intricate and exciting twists. The idea of having two enemies fall in love without knowing who the other person caught my attention and I was hooked. The author is merciless toward her protagonist and puts the Sarasa through harsh conditions throughout the series, beginning with the death of her twin brother and the destruction of her village.

As "Tatara" journeys across Japan to build a revolution and find allies, she comes across many conflicting situations that makes the reader wonder what they would do if they were in put in her shoes. As a war story, the circumstances are never as simple as black and white. There is depth to the characters in this series and not all of the "bad guys" are one-dimensional. For instance, I felt immediate hatred for the Red King as the protagonist did when many of her loved ones were killed. But as the series progressed, I began to question whether the Red King is merely "evil" and nothing else.

Tamura's artistic style is very unique and her panels may even be hard to read for those who are not used to it. Her lines are sketchy, which sometimes makes it hard to read, but this doesn't mean her artwork isn't beautiful. The illustrations run true to the saying that the eyes are the window to the soul. The characters' eyes emanate their emotions and I could sense their feelings.

The plot twists are fun and I looked forward to reading the next volume to see what new destination Tatara heads for. One of the more memorable events for me was Tatara's plan with the great Buddha statue, but it felt like Tamura borrowed from the story of the Trojan horse.

One problem is how long it took for the author to end the series. It is a war manga, so things get messy with long and numerous fight scenes. The last two volumes also include bonus stories that I thought were unnecessary. I feel the series would have been better if it had a more clean cut ending, rather than one that suggests that there will be chaos even after the royal family is defeated.

On a side note, I enjoyed Tam-Tam Time (the author's little bonus corners) which revealed her surprisingly quirky and comical personality. It's a refreshing change from the main story, which is dark and solemn.

Overall Rating: 4/5