Flower of Life (manga)
Encyclopedia
is a manga
by Fumi Yoshinaga
revolving around a group of friends in a high school. The manga is serialised in Shinshokan
's Wings
. It was nominated for the first annual Manga Taishō
award in 2008 and one of the Young Adult Library Services Association
's 2008 Great Graphic Novels. The manga is licensed in North America by Digital Manga Publishing
.
to treat his leukemia. He is befriended by Shota Mikuni, who is also friends with Kai Majima, an otaku
. Harutaro finds Kai annoying. The story follows the school life of Harutaro.
were released in Japan between April 2004 and March 2007 published by Shinshokan
. Digital Manga Publishing
released the manga's four tankōbon between January 17, 2007 and May 20, 2009.
's treatment of the manga like an anthology
from her previous work, Antique Bakery
. About.com
's Deb Aoki commends the manga for its "charming mix of slice of life comedy and high school romance" but criticises it for the author's assumption that the "reader knows and understands manga culture and otaku
slang". She also criticises the manga for having too much dialogue. Erin Finnegan at Pop Shock Culture comments on her uncertainty of the demographic of the manga. Mania.com's Patricia Beard comments on the manga's realistic "small glimpses of school life". Jason Thompson
, writing for the appendix to Manga: The Complete Guide
, describes Flower of Life as being Yoshinaga's "take on the high school comedy genre". While there is use of the "same basic elements" in terms of the plot, Thompson regards the characters as being "entirely original" and as being able to "carry the story".
The fourth volume of Flower of Life was ranked 8th on the Tohan charts between May 29 and June 4, 2007. In 2008, Yoshinaga was nominated for the Eisner Award
for her work on The Moon and the Sandals
and Flower of Life. Flower of Life was nominated by the Young Adult Library Services Association
for inclusion on its list of 2008 Great Graphic Novels for Teens. Flower of Life was nominated for the first Manga Taishō
award in 2008.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
by Fumi Yoshinaga
Fumi Yoshinaga
is a Japanese manga artist known for her shōjo and shōnen-ai works.-Personal:Fumi Yoshinaga was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1971. She attended the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo....
revolving around a group of friends in a high school. The manga is serialised in Shinshokan
Shinshokan
is a Japanese publishing company. It was established on June 14, 1961. In April 2009, the US publisher Digital Manga Publishing announced a co-branding operation with Shinshokan, to license yaoi and shōjo manga from Shinshokan's Wings, Dear and Dear+ anthologies under the DokiDoki imprint .-Manga...
's Wings
Wings (manga magazine)
is a shōjo manga magazine published by Shinshokan. The magazine is aimed at a female audience in the 16 to 20 year-old age range and tend to be action- or fantasy-oriented stories. Wings previously had a number of special editions such as Shinshokan South, or simply South, Phantom Club,...
. It was nominated for the first annual Manga Taishō
Manga Taishō
The is an annual Japanese manga award.-First iteration:In the inaugural edition of the award in 2008, twelve manga were nominated and the winner was Gaku, by Shinichi Ishizuka.*Winner: Gaku, by Shinichi Ishizuka*Nominees:...
award in 2008 and one of the Young Adult Library Services Association
Young Adult Library Services Association
The Young Adult Library Services Association , established in 1957, is a division of the American Library Association. The mission of YALSA is to advocate, promote and strengthen service to young adults as part of the continuum of total library service, and to support those who provide service to...
's 2008 Great Graphic Novels. The manga is licensed in North America by Digital Manga Publishing
Digital Manga Publishing
Digital Manga is a company that licenses and releases, in English, Japanese anime, manga, and related merchandise. The company has several subdivisions: Digital Manga Publishing, which publishes Japanese manga, novels and instructional and illustration books in North America with multiple imprints,...
.
Plot
Harutaro Hanazono, a cheerful and outspoken boy, enrolls at his new high school a month late, as he has been recovering from a bone marrow transplantBone marrow transplant
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the transplantation of multipotent hematopoietic stem cell or blood, usually derived from bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cells, or umbilical cord blood...
to treat his leukemia. He is befriended by Shota Mikuni, who is also friends with Kai Majima, an otaku
Otaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
. Harutaro finds Kai annoying. The story follows the school life of Harutaro.
Manga
Four bound volumesTankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
were released in Japan between April 2004 and March 2007 published by Shinshokan
Shinshokan
is a Japanese publishing company. It was established on June 14, 1961. In April 2009, the US publisher Digital Manga Publishing announced a co-branding operation with Shinshokan, to license yaoi and shōjo manga from Shinshokan's Wings, Dear and Dear+ anthologies under the DokiDoki imprint .-Manga...
. Digital Manga Publishing
Digital Manga Publishing
Digital Manga is a company that licenses and releases, in English, Japanese anime, manga, and related merchandise. The company has several subdivisions: Digital Manga Publishing, which publishes Japanese manga, novels and instructional and illustration books in North America with multiple imprints,...
released the manga's four tankōbon between January 17, 2007 and May 20, 2009.
Reception
Comics Worth Reading's Johanna Draper Carlson criticises the first volume of the manga for its plot which "jumps around a good deal". A later review by Johanna Draper Carlson comments on the diversity of personalities in the second volume of the manga. Johanna Draper Carlson at Comics Worth Reading comments on Fumi YoshinagaFumi Yoshinaga
is a Japanese manga artist known for her shōjo and shōnen-ai works.-Personal:Fumi Yoshinaga was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1971. She attended the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo....
's treatment of the manga like an anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
from her previous work, Antique Bakery
Antique Bakery
is a manga by Fumi Yoshinaga depicting the lives of four men who work in a small bakery. It was published in Japan by Shinshokan and in English by Digital Manga Publishing. The series won the 2002 Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo manga...
. About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
's Deb Aoki commends the manga for its "charming mix of slice of life comedy and high school romance" but criticises it for the author's assumption that the "reader knows and understands manga culture and otaku
Otaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
slang". She also criticises the manga for having too much dialogue. Erin Finnegan at Pop Shock Culture comments on her uncertainty of the demographic of the manga. Mania.com's Patricia Beard comments on the manga's realistic "small glimpses of school life". Jason Thompson
Jason Thompson (writer)
Jason Thompson is a manga critic, journalist, writer and comics artist.-Life and career:...
, writing for the appendix to Manga: The Complete Guide
Manga: The Complete Guide
Manga: The Complete Guide is a 2007 encyclopedia written by Jason Thompson and published by Del Rey which provides basic details and short reviews of over 1000 Japanese manga titles that have been translated and released in English in North America...
, describes Flower of Life as being Yoshinaga's "take on the high school comedy genre". While there is use of the "same basic elements" in terms of the plot, Thompson regards the characters as being "entirely original" and as being able to "carry the story".
The fourth volume of Flower of Life was ranked 8th on the Tohan charts between May 29 and June 4, 2007. In 2008, Yoshinaga was nominated for the Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for her work on The Moon and the Sandals
The Moon and the Sandals
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Fumi Yoshinaga, her debut work. Originally serialized in Hanaoto magazine, the individual chapters were collected and published in two tankōbon volumes by Houbunsha in March 1996 and February 2000, respectively...
and Flower of Life. Flower of Life was nominated by the Young Adult Library Services Association
Young Adult Library Services Association
The Young Adult Library Services Association , established in 1957, is a division of the American Library Association. The mission of YALSA is to advocate, promote and strengthen service to young adults as part of the continuum of total library service, and to support those who provide service to...
for inclusion on its list of 2008 Great Graphic Novels for Teens. Flower of Life was nominated for the first Manga Taishō
Manga Taishō
The is an annual Japanese manga award.-First iteration:In the inaugural edition of the award in 2008, twelve manga were nominated and the winner was Gaku, by Shinichi Ishizuka.*Winner: Gaku, by Shinichi Ishizuka*Nominees:...
award in 2008.