Karakuri Odette Volume 1
by Julietta Suzuki
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
It was worth my time and money, and I will probably read it again (and again). It’s about a girl-android “Odette” (named after “swan lake”, I’m assuming) who wanting to be human convinces her maker to let her go to high school. There she ponders after what it means to be human, and tries her best to fit in.
It starts off a bit rough. As though the author is either unsure of where her story is going, or whether the magazine hadn’t quite decided to serialize her. I was surprised by the first volume, as it fails to really establish the character, or purpose. But, it was easy to read, and therefore easy to continue — and it becomes a delightful, and engaging story.
I’ve read online that a few people were comparing it to Chobits by CLAMP, and certainly the android girl aspect is comparable. But, I personally think the story is more closely comparable to Cheeky Angel by Hiroyuki Nishimori — about a boy who wishes to be the coolest & strongest ever, and subsequently is turned into the coolest & strongest girl ever. He learns what it means to be a girl, and even has a love interest in the school gang leader. This parallels well with Karakuri Odette, with Odette’s friends and persona becoming quite different than she was hoping — in the best possible way.
I recommend it!
manga hoarder 