Orange: The Complete Collection,  Book 1

Author: Ichigo Takano

 Illustrator: Ichigo Takano

Publisher: Seven Seas

Genre/Themes: Romance, Contemporary, Science Fiction

Release Date: January 26th 2016

Page Count: 523

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781626923027

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Book Depository | Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | Goodreads

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I’ve been contemplating whether or not to read Orange for a while now. Recently, I came across someone on Goodreads who was reading it and absolutely loving it and it inspired me to finally pick it up…and I’m so glad that I did!

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Synopsis

On the day that Naho begins 11th grade, she receives a letter from herself ten years in the future. At first, she writes it off as a prank, but as the letter’s predictions come true one by one, Naho realizes that the letter might be the real deal. Her future self tells Naho that a new transfer student, a boy named Kakeru, will soon join her class. The letter begs Naho to watch over him, saying that only Naho can save Kakeru from a terrible future. Who is this mystery boy, and can Naho save him from his destiny? This is the heart-wrenching sci-fi romance that has over million copies in print in Japan!

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What I Liked

The heavy topics mixed with lighthearted scenarios. I honestly had no idea how dark and sad that this manga would become at times. I thought it was going to be a lighthearted and fun story, but it gets really deep and intense. However, the juxtaposition of the darker moments mixed with the lighthearted ones worked really well together. I think this worked well because it highlighted the fact that no matter how happy and okay someone seems on the outside, you never really know what’s going on in their heads.

The characters. The characters are all so great and so different from one another. They all have their own unique personalities which is great, especially because there are six of them. I thought it may be hard to keep track of who was who, but it was the complete opposite. I love that they each have their own flaws and issues that they have to deal with on a daily basis. Orange is a very character driven story so I’m really glad that the characters were paid attention to and given their own distinct personalities.

The sci-fi twist. Not only is Orange a story that deals with some pretty serious social issues, it also manages to sneak in a little bit of a science fiction twist. Our main character, Naho, receives a letter from her future self that warns her about the different choices that she and her friends make and how it effects their lives. It touches a bit on time travel and the effect that time travel can have if you change the future. It also touches on the idea of parallel universes which I thought was pretty cool. Time travel and alternate timelines are two concepts that completely baffle my mind. It was pretty cool to see these ideas being mentioned in a contemporary setting.

The way it hits you in the feels. This book made me feel some type of way. It was heartbreaking, yet beautiful and I don’t even know how to comprehend these conflicting emotions! I definitely got teary eyed reading a few particular scenes while other moments had me smiling and feeling happy. Just know that this story completely plays with your emotions.

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What I Didn’t Like

I loved everything. Clearly, there really wasn’t anything to dislike about this story. I absolutely loved everything about it!

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Overall, this was such an amazing book and my second ever venture into the world of manga! I can’t wait to read the second volume and see how this story concludes! I’m sure it will be an emotional rollercoaster.

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About The Author/Illustrator

Ichigo Takano, a Japanese manga-ka who specializes in shoujo manga, is best known as the creator of New York Times bestseller orange.

(Am I going nuts, or is it really hard to find any information on Ichigo Takano?)

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Thank you for reading!