 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | VIZ MEDIA | | | ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: | | SHOUKU AKIRA | | | ▪ | FORMAT: | | JAPANESE / BW | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 192 | | | ▪ | RATING: | | A | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 03/04/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 03/03/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
Haruna comes from a father who was a politician who has lost face. All the trouble at her old school has forced her to go to a regular high school, nothing like the life of privilege she may have known. She once had friends, a dreamy boyfriend and that all changed in the blink of an eye. Every friendly face turned against her. It has left her cynical and distant. She views school as a barrel of monkeys with their various cliques, screeching and antics. It’s not for her. But when she keeps running into Macharu, a sincere enthusiastic boy as cute as any monkey, could his earnest goodness warm her battered feelings?
A romantic series, Monkey High is sweet natured and gentle humored with a growing sense of shoujo drama as the story progresses and a quickly building romance between Haruna and Macharu develops. School at first is antagonistic when she immediately spurns the advances of the favorite playboy in the school. But for some reason, his friend Macharu seems to be able to slip under her protective cynicism to the vulnerable and wounded girl underneath. They’re quickly recognized as a couple in the school, even though they’re not yet, sort of, maybe, Haruna doesn’t know! She only knows she’s confused around Macharu and all her resentment towards the world falls away when she’s with him. A field trip might bring them closer together, but the arrival of her ex-boyfriend may just nip Macharu and Haruna’s relationship right in the bud before it ever blossoms! Their first Christmas will prove memorable for both of them. The fun and light romance has a pretty shoujo art style. It’s very cute and the artist makes sure that Macharu does seem like an adorable monkey sometimes. It’s a heartwarming series both in storytelling and in illustrative form. IN SUMMARY:
Love proves to be more than just monkey business in Monkey High! |
