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[the-shoujo-dojo]

Dengeki Daisy Review

Dengeki Daisy was one of the first shoujo manga series I remember reading from my beginner days as a shoujo fan. Therefore I think it only fitting it be the first shoujo review I make.

I remember jumping onto it early on in its run, and following on the monthly chapter releases until its completion. It was the first time I'd had to wait so long between chapters for anything, and I remember the agonising wait after cliff hangers! Without further ado, let's get started...

Dengeki Daisy by Kyousuke Motomi

A review by Shoujo Dojo

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Plot

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Plot summary: An orphaned girl named Teru Kurebayashi is left alone after the death of her older brother. However, through the use of the mobile phone left to her by her brother (Soichiro), she establishes a close relationship with a hacker by the code name Daisy. However, Daisy is much closer than she thinks, and whilst she tries to get on with her highschool life, her brother's past as an established software hacker catches up to her. Can she and Daisy work together to stop the many villains from stealing her brother's work? What is the school janitor Tasuku Kurosaki's relationship with the Kurebayashi family?

----SPOILERS-----

Of course, Kurosaki is indeed the hacker Daisy who watches over Teru as she navigates life without any family left. After she breaks a window, he forces her to help in his janitorial duties, though this is a ploy so he can keep an eye on her. Eventually the two of them fall in love, and Teru discovers Kurosaki's identity as Daisy - as well as fully discovering her brother's past and the importance of the work he left behind.

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Review

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All in all, the plot begins in a typical shoujo way - we are introduced to Teru and her struggles after the loss of her brother, as well as her developing relationship with Daisy. The reader learns early on that Kurosaki is indeed Daisy. I personally thought it was nice that there was no cheesy plot surrounding trying to hide this fact, as some shoujos can often act too "clever" and try to hide the very obvious implications. It is interesting to be able to see both sides of the relationship build as well as be able to understand their development from both perspectives rather than just Teru's.

Villains are introduced throughout the series, often being those who seek Teru's brother's work or the identity of Daisy - though Kurosaki along with Master (Kurosaki's quasi-guardian), Riko (Soichiro's girlfriend before her passed away), and Andou (a former colleague of Daisy and Soichiro) - work alongside her to put a stop to their antics.

The main "villain", however, is later revealed to be Akira - another hacker who is hellbent on finding "M's Last Testament" (which is actually a plot to kill him, as he was an experiment used as a child).

Now, in all honesty the plot of Dengeki Daisy is nothing revolutionary. It follows the general formula of Villain Introduced - Shows interest in Soichiro's work/Daisy/M's Last Testament - Kidnaps/harms/threatens Teru - Is stopped by Teru/Daisy/Kurosaki et al. - Repeat.

However what I think makes Dengeki Daisy charming is its humourous approach to even the most tense situations. Whilst many shoujo manga tropes try to dress these up as incredibly intense and full of drama, Dengeki Daisy recognises the ridiculousness of some of these clichés and often makes a good hearty jab at its own expense.

Teru wakes up in the hospital after nearly drowning in a confrontation with one of the main villains - Chiharu.

The big plot reveal at the end is also something you could not predict from the beginning. The plot starts with the intrigue of Daisy and his relationship with Teru, but then quickly develops further and further into his ties with Teru, her brother, and a much bigger picture. In reality, all of the main characters are caught up in something much bigger than themselves, and the author does a great job of slowly but surely expanding this throughout each chapter. Whilst some villain arcs could be quite easily cut out and not lose much concerning to over-arching plot, they create a gateway into learning more details to help the reader get an idea of what is developing without outright stating it until the final arc.

My overall verdict - Plot: 3/5.

The plot is great and the story will always have a special place in my heart. But it is nothing revolutionary, and does rely on many tropes to move the story along in places.

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Character Development

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One of Dengeki Daisy's strong points is its Character Development. Teru starts out not knowing what her purpose is other than to finish highschool, and her grief over the loss of her brother is a long-running theme within the plot. However, she becomes much more defined outside of the boundary of being her brother's sister and Daisy's protegée and is a protagonist worthy of praise in her own right by the conclusion of the story.

Kurosaki/Daisy's development also comes a long way. Starting off as a silly-but-handsome hacker who is adorably awkward when it comes to his own emotions as well as Teru's, Kurosaki soon becomes a strong and defined co-protagonist outside of his primary role of "brother's hacker friend".

Side characters - such as Master and Riko - also go through significant character development during the story. My personal favourite side-plot was Riko's process of her loss of Soichiro, and she really grew on me as a co-protagonist alongside Teru and Kurosaki. She went from an occasional friendly face to a core part of the group, and she never felt shoehorned in.

Riko is able to finally confront a message left to her by Soichiro.

My overall verdict - Character Development: 4/5.

There are not many shoujos that show such care and commitment to character sub-plots such as grief, loss, understanding and acceptance than Dengeki Daisy. The manga as a whole allows each character to grow alongside the overarching stories without the need for special one-shots or side stories dedicated to them. As a result, I think it deserves a solid 4/5.

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Art

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The art of Dengeki Daisy is not exactly the most fantastical, but it is definitely unique amongst shoujo. It is not shy in showing the ugly and exaggerated sides of its protagonist characters - there are certainly no qualms by the author in allowing its reader to laugh as they enjoy the story. But the most poignant and beautiful moments are highlighted by a sudden shift in the art's tone, from a sharp comical feel to a softer style.

Compared to many shoujo, it definitely has its own unique feel and style which is instantly identifiable amongst other shoujo titles.

Some of the goofier aspects of the art...

...and some of the more poignant.

My overall verdict - Art: 3/5.

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Uniqueness

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The uniqueness of the tone of Dengeki Daisy is one of my favourite aspects of the manga - you can never tell when a moment is going to be funny or serious. In terms of the overall story, setting and tropes, however, I am sad to admit that Dengeki Daisy is not anything revolutionary when it comes to the shoujo scene. For its time, it was a breath of fresh air from overly dramatic and complex shoujo plots that all followed the same, melodramatic formula, but it wasn't the only one to offer this contrast. Other contemporary titles at the time, most notably Ouran High School Host Club, either set the stage or acted alongside Dengeki Daisy's style of comedy, romance, and drama.

My overall verdict - Uniqueness: 3/5.

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Overall Enjoyability

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Dengeki Daisy, despite its imperfections and clichés, was a very enjoyable manga for me. I remember feeling incredibly excited whenever a chapter update released and rushing to read it as soon as I could, only to be left disappointed at waiting another week. I fell in love with all of the characters with their unique charms and personalities, I enjoyed the lack of a tacky second male lead (for the most part), and the sudden shift in art style would have me roaring with laughter or reaching for a tissue. Dengeki Daisy is a highlight of the late 2000s - early 2010s of shoujo manga and rests as a staple series for many shoujo fans who began their journeys around this era.

My overall verdict - Overall Enjoyability: 4/5.

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Final Score - 17/25

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Dengeki Daisy will always be special to me, though I do recognise much of this is down to nostalgia. Thus, the score reflects my attempts to look at the series objectively without my own personal attachment playing too big a role.

I would definitely recommend this series, especially for newcomers to the genre, as it introduces some common tropes but provides humour and well-established plot around it.

All that is left to say if you read this far...

If you liked Dengeki Daisy, and want more like it, I would recommend the following titles:

Ouran High School Host Club

Takane to Hana

Tsubaki-Chou Lonely Planet

Kaichou wa Maid-Sama!

[the-shoujo-dojo]

Welcome to the Shoujo Dojo!

Here is a space for me to be able to review the very many shoujo manga series, manhwas, web comics and manhuas I have read over the years.

I have been an avid shoujo fan for over 12 years, and fondly remember reading my first few manga with delight. Now, thousands of series and titles later, I am excited to be able to share my personal thoughts, opinions and recommendations with you.

Each series/title will be reviewed out of 25 across 5 categories, which are: - Plot

- Character Development

- Art

- Uniqueness

- Overall enjoyability

I hope you enjoy my reviews!