Suki: Volume 1

by CLAMP

Book Overview

Hinata Asahi is a high school student whose life becomes much more exciting when the handsome Shiro Asou, moves in next door not only is he really cute, but he's also her new teacher Hina has a bit of a crush on Asou-sensei, but when the older man seems to take an interest in her as well, is it a forbidden love or something else

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1591827604
• ISBN13: 9781591827603
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: TokyoPop
• Length: 1 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 7.4"
• Age Range: 13 years and up

Customer Reviews

For the most part, agree with other reviewers

I'm not a huge graphic novel person - but occasionally I pick one up, get sucked into the plot, and can't put it down. Suki did exactly this. Let me start out by saying this story is filled with moral (and textual) ambiguities. It's not a simplistic, nice story. But that's what makes it intriguing. It's a *real* coming of age story - believable, complex, and very sympathetic characters. I pretty much agree with the other reviewers - very suspenseful, psychologically provocative, and artistically done. I gave it 4.5 stars out of 5. I'll also add that I got a free copy of Snow Drops with my order - which was a pleasant surprise, and a similarly good story. Also a graphic novel for adults, about adolescent relationships & high school. Not as morally complex as Suki, but actually a bit more dramatic and a lot more to the story - part love story, part mystery, part drama. I also give SNOW DROPS 4.5 stars.

A girl, a new teacher and two teddy bears.

Hinata Asahi lives alone in a huge house, she is a high school student who gets great grades, and she likes everything and everybody. When Shiro Asou moves in next door and ends up becoming her new teacher she ends up having a crush on him.And he seems to return her interest. Or is there something else going on?The fact is this book hooked me. There was something going on, something I just couldn't figure out and it wasn't just a simple teacher-student forbidden love thing. Shiro Asou barely seems to notice his students, yet is willing to hang around Hinata. I feel he is up to something, but I have to read the next book to find out.Another series by CLAMP that I'll have to finish. Go CLAMP!

More than meets the eye

This needs to be said, in my opinion. I loved this volume. There is much more to be said than 'it's cute'. For one thing, there is a lot of 'read between the lines' information, that gives greater insight into Hinata's character, and the other main and even sideline players. I found a very strong resemblance to Shidou Hikaru, from CLAMP's 'Magic Knight Rayearth' series. There's the naivete, that's been mentioned several times in the previous reviews, but there's also a delicate sense of responsibility and honor that may not be seen, initially. There are little hints and clues into Hina's past, and her teacher's intentions, that you may not initially see. At the risk of providing a spoiler, it is hinted and mentioned that Hina 'doesn't want anyone else to be hurt', that strongly implies she knows she was at fault for something in the past. That 'something' is possibly/likely the reason she decided to move away and by herself. The teacher's reasons for interest in Hina have also been implied to be less than honorable or at least less than straight-forward. I agree that the art style takes some getting used to, but the story is definitely not aimed for 'kiddies' despite appearances. She is innately a lonely character, that contributes to her willingness to disregard the blatant fact that there's much more going on, some of it quite obvious. There's much more involved, and the story will draw you in if you let it.

Surprisingly Great!

I have to admit, I had a few reservations about this manga before I read it: Visually, it's not as stunning as some of Clamp's other works, though it's definitely not ugly. It's just that the main characters are very plain - very "real", rather than "so beautiful you can't help but stare."First, a few caveats: No magic, no sci-fi. And the first half of the book is almost (almost, but not quite) insufferably cute, but I can see that this manga has punch.The story of Suki is about Hinata, an "idiot savant" as her friends call her - she's a straight-A student, but she doesn't have an ounce of common sense. She lives alone, cheerfully eating her meals with her two teddy bears. Then, one day, a stoic man moves in next door and Hinata is delighted, since she now has someone to talk to. He also turns out to be her substitute teacher.But her two school friends are worried - the teacher isn't overly friendly, but he does keep having dinner or lunch with Hinata and always seems to show up where she is. Plus, she really enjoys the attention and develops a crush on him, naive in her not understanding that teachers shouldn't hang around students so much. Is he up to something, a pervert maybe?Well...we don't know yet, but this first volume is really quite good. It sets up Hinata's cuteness and innocent demeanor and reveals her situation quite well. I'm very, very interested to pick up the next books (there are 3 total including this one). Great stuff! Probably best for the young teen and older crowd, as sex is mentioned (there is no actual sex, though).