July 22, 2014

Preview: Shuriken to Pleats [Chapter 1]


[Free talk: This is just a preview so I’m not committing to summarizing this but so far, this is somewhat interesting. I think the girl’s name is Mikage [美影] nice one...it meant ‘beautiful shadow’. And well, VK’s Yuuki has reincarnated into a ninja. Lol. For the details and stuff, just wait for the English scanlations. Here is my informal summary for it:]
In London, Mikage disguised as a waitress then protects her master from an assassin. She apologizes to him for the careless wound she caused when she jumped and slightly hit him with the menu. ^^; He says that it is okay since it is a small thing. He thanks him for saving her and asks if she isn’t hurt. Thinking he’s so nice, she starts shouting about being happy for him to say that. Her master name is Rod [guesswork from 德羅]..and mutters his regret for not hiring them earlier or else, his wife and child would still be alive. Mikage vows to protect him to death. In Shadow Village Company, [lol, for the name], the boss is telling Mikage and another guy about Rod having a lot of enemies and tells Mikage that they should be quietly getting rid of the enemies. Then, reminds her about the rule they have about no feelings and be like a shadow. The boss says that even if he is her father, he won’t be lenient with her.
Then, before she leaves, he throws a knife at her and reminds her about the no feeling thing again, to become a weapon in protecting and think that before going back to Rod. She just says, yes, president. She recalls how she is always reminded about that. Then, she remembers how she was brought to Rod and how nice and concerned he was to her [like a father]. He took care of her when he noticed that she has a fever. When she arrives back, Rod is eating that somen with that water slide thing. He mentions about liking Japanese stuff for it is where his wife was brought up. He says that it is also the origin of Mikage’s ancestors. Rod notices her wound and asks if her father reprimanded her again. While she is happy over him patting her head, he muses about her hair being the same with his wife’s. She tries to control her happiness because of what her father said. She quickly backs away then runs off just when Rod is about to say something else. By the tree, she is contemplating about why she feels like that, and then starts to dread being hated by him for running away like that.
Another ninja comes to tell her not to be lazy. She says that she isn’t, she’s watching over the master’s room window. After some talk about increasing the rounds for those guys won’t easily give up, the other ninja leaves and tells her to properly protect Rod. She mutters that even if he didn’t say that.. Then, Rod opens the window and asks if she is there. She didn’t reply. He tells her about something important, tomorrow is the 5th anniversary of his family’s death. Mikage says that she knows of the itinerary, he will go visit their graves tomorrow morning. Then, when she fears that she will be fired, Rod tells her about wanting to adopt her as his daughter. She reminds him of who her real father is. He tells her that he has always been thinking of this so it isn’t a spur of the moment thing. She tells him of the punishment of death being a ‘rogue ninja’, if she gives up her work as a ninja. He tells her that he won’t let her be punished.
He mentions to her about a sealed vessel that can breed a crop on suitable land no matter how many centuries. It is something amazing which can help a lot of people but because of it, he wasn’t able to protect his precious family. He thinks that Mikage understands this empty feeling. Mikage can empathize with that if she wasn’t able to protect someone, and she’ll always think of it. He mentions about being healed if he can make the person beside him happy. He wants her to become his daughter and go to an ordinary school. Like how she was worried about him, he is also worried about her so simply, how about a peaceful life with him in Japan. He says that this is an ‘old’ [<- literally said ‘one foot on the grave’ though he doesn’t look like it] man’s willful request so think about it. And, he says, see you tomorrow. The next day, at the cemetery, the one in charge told her to patrol outside. Mikage glances through the fence. She sees Rod and others walking farther in the cemetery. While she thinks of what he told her, there is an explosion. She hears people calling out to Rod and for the ambulance on her ear piece. She quickly rushes to the site with tears on her eyes.
And fast forward, in Tokyo. Mikage looks at Tokyo Tower. She recalls her father telling her that while Rod is living, he already paid for Mikage’s life compensation by hiring her throughout her lifetime so they promised not to interfere with Mikage’s actions. He had politely refused Rod from making Mikage his adopted daughter but from today on, she can now live like how she wants to live. End flashback. With a pigeon on her head, Mikage stands up and mutters to Rod that she is now at peaceful Japan. She feels sad for they supposed to live together. Then, she hears a sound. She quickly uses a rope and goes down the building. She sees a heavily breathing guy by the corner. Surprised to see her, he mutters that there is even people above, they are really.. After thinking for a while, he says that he understands, kill him. Then, Mikage pushes him to safety when spikes are thrown at him. Mikage grabs the spikes on the wall and throws it back. She recognizes the weapons and thinks that it is a ninja’s. The man is surprised as Mikage stands in front of him and there are some men in front.
Comment: And, that’s it. Not bad..at least, she can fight. ^^ Her emotions are tempered and everything though well, as her father noted, not quite like a ninja since she has a soft heart to those she cares for. She is now like Rod who failed to protect someone they really care for. ^^; Since this is shoujo or I'm reading too many huge age gap shoujos, I’m partly thinking, is she having romantic thing with Rod..then, since he’s dead, it will now be this new guy. Is he the lead guy? If not, this must be a rare shoujo that didn’t introduce the lead guy in the first chapter. Well, even if Rod freed her from being a ninja in London, it seems that she would still get herself entangled with ninja-related trouble. It is kind of like fate that she cannot escape. Her relationship with Rod somewhat reminds me of VK’s Yuuki and Zero when he was brought to her to be taken care of after the attack on his family. In this case, Mikage is Zero hence the ‘closeness’ feeling towards someone who is nice to her when she was young that she didn’t get from her own father. And, well, that ends the similarity because Rod didn’t survive. ^^; Because of the title and the uniform she is wearing, I’m sure Mikage will indeed be an ordinary Japanese student. I wonder if there will be like Full Metal Panic scenes wherein she cannot quite blend in due to her ninja upbringing. Maybe a school that has ordinary students and ninjas? Maybe, this new guy has a son in her new school and that son will be the lead guy..and more characters will be introduced including love rivals..and we will have another VK scenario but ninja theme. ^^; Or, maybe this guy is Rod’s brother-in-law whom Rod sent that secret vessel thing. =P Like VK, it has potential though it really depends on the mangaka to pull things off..and we all know how VK became later on. ^^; Scans by allwink

Word of the day:
A life lived in caring for others is a life worthy of great honor. A life lived in love will never be a life lived in vain. ‘As we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10’ ~ 101 mottos for success by J. Richards and M.S. Fontaine.

16 comments:

  1. This manga looks interesting, please translate a few more chapters and let's see where it goes and whether you will continue translating it.

    Hopefully we will see who really the lead guy is in the next chapter so we can be clear on where the story is going. Hopefully this manga has a better ending than VK ^_^

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehe, will see, avismonte ^-^ Probably a few to see where it goes..continuing..for now, not committing to it.

      Yup ^^

      Delete
  2. Hi. I was just wondering if this is Hinos new manga? Im sorry but all i saw was yuuki lool i feel so traumatised after what happened in VK ������������

    ReplyDelete
  3. i used to like vk before i know the ending really disapointed :(

    ReplyDelete
  4. did you see the guy she meets is a clone of zero lol only his hair is different i have a feeling that this guy is one of the main guys , there is him in the little preview of one of the pages and for me he looks so zero like , maybe he is not that old how we think he is who knows. and thanks for the summery

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know..he looks very much like him. But then, Mikage looks like Yuuki ^^;

      Is that so. Probably, but he ought to be older than her because he is in a suit. Hm..20+?

      Thanks for reading ^-^

      Delete
  5. O__O i had no idea there was a new Matsuri Hino manga!!! Even before reading the "yuuki" comment, I just stared at the picture and thought "why Hino-sensei drew Yuuki with black hair? is it a lala special thing?" I dont want to be unfair but I cannot unsee the similarities with VK.. the whole "fate you cant escape" thing you pointed out alone speaks volumes... Im still confused with what's going on but I hope the plot dont anger me like VK's ending did :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehe, is that so, GoldenGluvzKJ2.

      True.., this can lead anywhere.

      Well, we'll know about that only until the end. ^^;

      Delete
  6. I wonder if she'll be like Yuki...stringing two guys back n forth for 90 chapters n maybe in this manga she might actually chose a single guy instead of having both one after another..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol..Slolly..hated Yuuki for that, too, huh?

      Time will tell..if it will be that, or another dreaded love triangle.

      Delete
  7. i personally loved the ending for VK because it was something I did not expect. Although I was a bit more of a Kaname fan, I felt like the relationship between Zero and Yuuki was pushed off to the side, which is quite unfortunate since they have such a great story behind them. Anyway im very excited to see this new series by Matsuri Hino. Her artwork always captivates me so I hope the story is just as good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehe, is that so, Mia ^^

      True..it is somewhat obvious whom the mangaka likes ^^

      We'll just have to wait and see.

      Delete
  8. why i belive this can be a somewhat story to help hino to explain zero and yuuki life after vk???....

    ReplyDelete