If you had the
chance to change the future would you?
Orange is no
longer just a fruit, color, and word that doesn’t rhyme with anything! The word
has now had the privilege of becoming a manga created by Ichigo Takano and has
swept the hearts of manga lovers everywhere!
Orange The
Complete Collection 1 has a bit of everything and can apply not only teens,
but adults as well. In our age, many of us have at least one regret in the
lives we have lived thus far. “Why didn’t I buy those pair of shoes when they
were on sale? If I had known there was a city camera at the stop sign I
wouldn’t have blown it! Why didn’t I listen when my mother said to wear
slippers around the house, now my feet are throbbing from walking barefoot all
my life!” The list of regrets goes on and on. Orange’s main plot story doesn’t revolve around superficial regrets
like this, but does have an ongoing theme of regret.
The main
protagonist, Naho, receives a letter in the mail from ten years in the future
that includes diary entries from future Naho’s diary. Sixteen-year-old Naho
blows off the letter thinking that it’s a prank. She quickly realizes, however,
that the diary entries are predicting the future by stating the events that
happened in the day. Future Naho has highlighted the events that she has
regretted as an adult and wants the present Naho to have the opportunity to
change her future. The biggest regret revolves around a transfer student named
Kakeru. Future Naho tells present Naho that Kakeru is no longer with them in
the future and it’s up to her to save him from committing suicide a year later.
The manga mainly centers on Naho, Kakeru, and their group of friends, but
occasionally shows future Naho with her group of friends from high school, ten
years in the future without Kakeru there.
This is the
general plot line of Orange, but it
doesn’t do the manga justice. This may seem like a typical romance shoujo, but
gets rather dark as we see Kakeru battle with his depression. The reader is
able to see how he slowly develops self-loathing through guilt and regrets, but
desperately tries to ward off these feelings by involving himself with Naho and
their diverse group of friends Hiroto, Saku, Azusa, and Takako. We don’t get
Kakeru’s point of view in this collection, which makes him seem like an enigma.
I feel like this draws the reader in because we get all the information about
him through Naho and his interactions with their friends. The author does a
great job of not making Kakeru’s depression seem as though it can be easily
fixed just by changing an event or two. His depression is ongoing and extremely
realistic, as you will find out as you progresses through the story. His
depression is not superficial because he definitely has the right to feel this
way. You will find yourself at the edge of your seat wondering if Naho and
company can save Kakeru from his fate. Naho doesn’t know for sure if her
actions can save Kakeru and it leaves the reader wondering if she did the right
thing. This raises a lot of questions that will eventually be answered as you
keep on reading, especially in Orange The
Complete Collection 2.
The characters
are all very unique and thankfully do not all have the same personality. Also,
the flaws of each character are very realistic and not overly dramatized.
Naho’s conflicting feelings about wanting to change the future and if it’s
right to change the future makes her feel more human.
The artwork is
beautifully done! Characters all have a unique look to them and a wide range of
facial expressions to show how they are feeling even if they are not talking in
the scene. The scenery can be lacking in some panels, but it’s not necessary to
have a background in every box. When the scenery is included it’s crisp and to
the point.
To conclude, Orange takes the reader on a
suspenseful, heartfelt journey of friendship and love. Each character is drawn
for a purpose and everyone has a role to play in this manga. The six main
characters portray realistic relationships with one another and the struggle
each one is enduring. The want to be romantic relationship between Naho and
Kakeru is extremely complex and shows the complications these two individuals
have in their high school lives. Ichigo Takano has outdone herself and this is
a manga that defiantly have you reading till the end.
Pros:
-Beautiful
artwork with detailed drawing of characters.
-It’s a manga
so there’s a ton of pictures.
-Realistic
depictions of friendship and characters.
-Characters
are relatable.
Cons:
-Looks
intimidating and it’s pretty long over 350 pages.
-May bring
unpleasant memories if you have ever lost someone to suicide.
-You might
avoid all other responsibilities because this manga has sucked you in!
Interested in
buying it? Purchase it used or new here:
This is where
you can find more information about Orange
especially the background story, characters, anime information, reviews and
more:
Want to watch
the anime series? Sign up for a free trial (or watch it with ads) and check it
out here:
Official
tumblr page that features cute fan made pictures, drawings, and more:
If you ever
feel suicide or know someone who is suicidal there are resources and people you
can talk to here:
National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800- 273- 8255
This is an awesome blog post! It is so cool to learn about a text that deals with teen depression in a stylistic and interesting way. Your links would also be really helpful to teacher who wanted offer extension activities as well as a real resource for anyone battling suicidal thoughts.
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