From: ryoko@gatech.rmv.this.part.edu   
      
   Ansgar -59cobalt- Wiechers  wa:   
   >Title:        Beauty is the Beast   
   >Author:       Matsumoto Tomo   
   >Publisher:    VIZ Media   
   >Volumes:      5 (complete)   
   >Demographic:  shoujo   
      
   >Covertext:   
   >"When bubbly eleventh-grader Eimi Yamashita finds out that her parents   
   >are relocating for work, she decides to strike out on her own and move   
   >into a dormitory for girls. Little does Eimi suspect the exciting   
   >romantic adventures that await her there!   
   >Eimi's fellow residents are a little bit crazy, but a whole lot of fun.   
   >They've got a secret mission planned for Eimi's new resident initiation   
   >... and it has something to do with sneaking into the boys dormitory   
   >across the street and returning with a special keepsake! Can Eimi pull   
   >it off without getting caught by one of the handsomest (and cruelest)   
   >boys in the dorm?"   
      
   >The boys are pretty stereotypical. You have the broody, dangerous   
   >bish?nen (Wanibuchi) and his laid-back bish?nen sideki^Wroommate (Inui).   
   >The girls seem far less stereotypical to me. Perhaps because all of them   
   >behave somewhat eccentric and ecchi (more than the boys). Eimi reminds   
   >me much of Morinaga Ai's characters (namely Suzuki Hana from "My   
   >Heavenly Hockey Club" and Hokuno Homare from "Maniattemasu!"). Her   
   >roommate Misao has a thing for aesthetic bodies. And their next-door   
   >neighbor Suzu is the spitting image of Hasekura Rei from "Maria Watches   
   >Over Us" with an infatuation for cute lingerie.   
      
   Eimi reminded me a lot of Nodame minus the infatuation. Her odd behavior   
   and the way the other characters reacted to it is what made me like the   
   series despite the meandering plot. I'm still kind of glad it ended at 5   
   vols, though.   
      
      
   >After reading the first volume I'm not really sure what to make of the   
   >story. I think the best word to describe everyone's actions is   
   >"haphazard". For example: Eimi loses in Jan-Ken-Pon and has to go get   
   >Snacks from the Convini. On her way she runs into Wanibuchi and an old   
   >friend of his, and on a whim they decide to go to a summer festival.   
      
   It doesn't really ever get its feet under it, although a romantic plot   
   (kinda...) does develop eventually. The end of the story is the   
   resolving of that sorta-plot.   
      
      
   >It's kinda interesting to read, although not really outstanding, but   
   >right now I have no idea whatsoever where the story is going.   
      
   One of the more interesting things (to me) was the backstory/explanation   
   of Wanchin's demeanor. I wasn't expecting that twist at all, but mostly   
   because I can't think of a single other manga that I've read that has   
   gone that direction with the main male lead. Simone is just pitiful   
   though; his "backstory" explanation is hilariously sad. :)   
      
   --   
   "Care must be exorcised when handring Opiticar System as it is apts to   
   be sticked by dusts and hand-fat." --Japanese Translators   
      
   "Keep your fingers off the lens." --Elton Byington, English Translator   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)