Princess Jellyfish 1

I've been a fan of Princess Jellyfish ever since watching the anime several years ago, and I always hoped the manga would be published in English. And lo and behold, now Kodansha is finally making that dream a reality! The volume itself is a 2-in-1 omnibus, clocking in at close to 400 pages, which makes it a great deal for the price. In addition to page count, the volume is also slightly larger than regular-sized manga (see my comparison photo with a volume of Sailor Moon). The design is cute and eye-catching, and there are several color pages inside as well. The paper quality is about the same as regular manga, and the translation is well-done. There are also a few pages of translation notes at the end, which are very helpful (I always appreciate it when publishers take the time to add such notes). Overall, a fantastic product! As for the story, I have always loved Princess Jellyfish for its clever humor and relatable characters (I personally can relate quite well to a bunch of nerdy girls with little to no social skills!) The humor is probably my favorite of any manga I've ever read. If you're unsure about whether you'd like the manga, I suggest watching an episode or two of the anime--if you like that, then you'll definitely love the manga. For those on the fence about buying this volume, I would recommend that you please do! Kodansha has licensed the first 12 volumes of the manga (to be published in 6 omnibus volumes), and they have stated that they will decide whether or not to publish the rest of the volumes after that based on sales figures. So if you don't support the series now, we might not get all the volumes! Show Princess Jellyfish the love it deserves!

Princess Jellyfish, or Kuragehime as it's know in Japan, is a fantastic addition to anyone's bookshelf. Filled to the brim with beauty, heartwarming moments, and humor this manga is an excellent way to pass a lazy afternoon. Tsukimi is a jellyfish otaku who lives in an apartment building with several other women with similarly 'geeky' obsessions. Together they live in harmony away from 'stylish' people, calling themselves Amaras. Tsukimi has an encounter with a beautiful woman who uses her looks as a means to live life boldly, inspiring Tsukimi to think of her as a princess. Little does our heroine know this princess is actually a man in drag! Comedy ensues and so begins Princess Jellyfish. While this is a comedy there are some really emotional moments, mostly when Tsukimi is reminded of her departed mother. It's a very human story and I think we've all felt awkward or not good enough. You can really relate. On a side note the art is really lovely and there are some very beautiful color pages! I recommend it to everyone!

Very happy with this release. I was a bit nervous about the Kodansha translation, as I didn't care for their translation of Sailor Moon, but this one is well done! There are a few things I don't care for (such as using honorifics) but the translation notes were very useful and helped put into context some of the puns and references. The printing is lovely! I look forward to the rest of the releases! As for the series itself, it is phenomenal. A great, quirky, slice-of-llife. It is interesting for me as I can relate to both the nerdy Tsukimi and the fashionable Kuranosuke. It is a funny and sweet series that I highly recommend!

~4-4.5/5 I have been wanting to read this for a while now. I watched the anime and was immediately obsessed. I knew it was only a matter of time, and was super excited when Kodansha announced they would be releasing it in two-in-ones. Firstly, it’s a very pretty, big volume. I wouldn’t have minded single volumes, but these are nice as well, and about the same price it would be otherwise, if a couple dollars cheaper. There are also five color pages, and they are gorgeous. I will say that the anime follows the manga very closely, at least so far. But I don’t mind a bit, and it made me want to re-watch it after reading. The artwork is a little rough at times, but mostly I didn’t mind it at all. It was very pretty in some places as well. The humor was the same as in the anime, exaggerated and adorable and funny. Tsukimi lives in a house with a group of otaku girls, all of them terrified of other people and going outside and men and stylish women. They call themselves nuns, or amars. When Tsukimi runs into Kuranosuke, who is crossdressing as a stylish woman at the time, he kind of barges into her life. This then proceeds to freak out her roommates, when they don’t even know he’s a guy. But Kuranosuke helps them when they find out their house is trying to be bought and demolished, and he also introduces Tsukimi to his political, extremely shy around women, older brother. We also meet their driver, Hanamori, who is pretty much an otaku for cars, and I like him a lot. I love how this series deals with insecurities and individuality. All of the characters are insecure about something—the women are pretty much insecure about everything—but they’re also completely themselves. They don’t shy from their obsessions, or their fear of other people. They look how they look and don’t want to change that, are even afraid to. They are how they are, and they don’t know how to be any different, and might not even care to change that, either. On the other side of it, Kuranosuke dresses like a woman all the time, tells people about it and uses it to bother his family. He doesn’t hide who he is or what he wants to do. He’s proud of it, even. I am just in love with this series. I think it’s hilarious and adorable, quirky in the best possible way, impressive. It reminds me of Ouran High School Host Club, only with college-aged otaku women. If you’re even a little curious, I would recommend picking it up. I would recommend it to anyone, actually. I am eagerly awaiting the next one. [More of my reviews are available on my blog, Geeky Reading, to which there's a link on my profile.]

I’ve always been a huge fan of the anime adaptation of this story. It’s what I watch when I’m stressed and need to relax, because it is calming, funny, relatable, and such a genuinely good story. But I’ve never read the manga until recently when I decided I simply NEED to know what happens to Tsukimi and the rest after the anime ends. The anime is surprisingly similar to the manga— like, shot-for-shot nearly identical. It’s one of the closest adaptations I think I’ve ever seen, and I should know, judging by how many times I’ve seen the dang anime. The art in this book is so good, the color illustrations are stunning, and the mini two-part backstory by Akiko Higashimura is incredibly funny and relatable. This is truly a gem, and I can’t wait to read on.

I love this manga series! It's written so well and the story is always getting more interesting

This book changed my life. It gave me permission to be me. And for that I am eternally grateful. Blessings to the author and to everyone else who picks up this book to find good energy. I’m very excited to read more volumes and catch up to new releases! I already ordered book 2 but it’s taking forever to arrive!

This is the first manga I ever wanted to read! While I was watching Princess Jellyfish I found myself craving a deeper intimacy with these characters that you can only find in the pages of a book. I pre-ordered as soon as I found out it was going to be released in English, and Volumes 2 + 3 are pre-ordered too. The book itself has quality paper and is very readable. Not too bulky and not too flimsy. The story is charming and the characters are a diverse bunch of well written women. Princess Jellyfish is a celebration of femininity, and in all the different forms it can take. The humor is very tongue-in-cheek, and it's delightful. I recommend this manga to anyone who has never read a manga before (like myself). This is also a great story for young girls, 20-something girls, and women of all ages. Princess Jellyfish has a special place in my heart.

I really like Princess Jellyfish. The story is really enter and the characters are great. The quality of the Manga is great.

In diesem Manga geht es um ein Mädchen, dass ein Otaku-Leben führt und einen crossdresser trifft. Darauf entwickelt sich eine zunächst freundschaftliche Beziehung. Ich finde die Story zuckersüß! Der Zeichenstil ist für mich sehr angenehm und der Band ist etwa doppelt so dick wie ein normaler Manga. Ich bin sehr zufrieden mit dem Manga und freue mich sehr darauf die Story weiter zu lesen!

It's, yes, all good and cute. Felt attached to some of the dorks lol

I discovered this delightful work through watching the (also recommended) anime first. I adored the quirky characters, the simple, yet not overly cutesy art design, and plot so much that I wanted more, so I immediately pre-ordered the first three 2-in-1 omnibus volumes (all that was then available), and I just can't wait for the next one to appear at my door. At the moment only the first 12 volumes are planned to be released in English in this omnibus volume format with the publishers, Kodansha, waiting to see what the general response is before committing beyond that. I certainly hope that the response is as positive as mine has been, to allow the series to be continued to be published in this format. It is a nicely refreshing tale of madcap, yet believable, reclusive characters with quirky obsessions. The main character who is jellyfish-mad, is simply delightful. Throw into the mix, the outgoing, driven, fashion-conscious new arrival, with a secret only the main character is aware of, to this group, and you soon get to see sparks fly. Not to mention the backdrop of romance, corporate skulduggery, property buy-out fights, and so much more going on all at once. As of now, I am awaiting delivery of the second volume, arriving in the next fortnight or so. Other reviewers comment on the height of the volume, which, yes, is taller (at about 20.8cm) than the average manga tanbokon (about 19cm). It is also deeper (14.5 vs 12.5 cm) but with 5 more (and then some, hopefully!) of the same size volume to come, this would perhaps become less of an issue to those who obsess about their shelving layouts. I've read through this volume several times now with no issues with the ink, the paper, or with the glossy cover. I heartily recommend this.

I loved the anime when I was younger.In my opinion,it's a unique plot that's hard to find in other manga.