Mayonaka no Ariadne

You're reading this because you want to know if you should waste your time reading 15 chapters of a manga that might not be worth it when you could have read a better one, right?

I guess it depends on the person, really. I honestly liked this manga, I read it all in an hour or so, thinking it wasn't completed when it really was. This is not your typical shoujo manga, and hopefully the gender bender tag doesn't scare you off because it isn't really a big part of the story.

This story is pretty much about a high school girl and her childhood friend, and how they meet again. She finds out about his secret (I guess?) and tries to help him out, since he is looking for a missing person. And then there is this second guy that seems like a bad guy but... Not gonna spoil it for ya!

The pros of this manga:

Makes you want to continue reading
Some twists which makes it interesting
The characters are pretty cool (No whiny girl)
The art is nice

The cons of this manga:

So many questions left unanswered
Too short
Not much character development
Not much romance either (I kinda was hoping for a bit more? But I still
liked it)

Well, this is my first review, just so you know, still a bit inexperienced with this kinda stuff. ^__^

This story is a mixture of romance, suspense, and drama taking place between the average world of a high school girl and the mysteries of an underground club. I won't get into to much detail because u should read it for your self. Defiantly worth while :) . She wonders into this place where "no girl ever leaves" but manages to escape and with two young men investigates a disappearance case. Although it may seem heavy, the story also has comedic and light moments as well as innocent romance in the midst of a dark adult world.

Chiyoko, a very small girl (141cm) who starts her new year at High School, meets her childhood friend who she hasn't seen in years. But he's different from how he used to be. Although she's used to his frankness, Chiharu has become... distant.

After Chiharu saves her from a tough situation, Chiyoko stumbles into a world that is beyond her grasp... but Chiharu is there, and he's there for a reason. Plagued by the mystery that surrounds Chiharu's dark world, Chiyoko finds herself entangled in a world she doesn't belong. As a quiet, headstrong girl, will she be able to unearth the mystery or will she be pulled into the darkness alongside Chiharu?

I swear, this story gave me shivers from the first chapter going. It started very light, but with an undertone of something deeper, like the story was about to delve into some major themes. Afterwards, the story got dark, really dark. Following Chiyoko's story was a nerve wracking experience. She's shy--has trouble speaking up--and is relatively quiet, but there's something realistic about her personality; even though she's a small vulnerable girl, she still manages to pull herself together where it's needed the most and fights in the best way she can. The art's AMAZING and the storyline is nicely done. For the most part, the pace is pleasant; not too hasty and enough suspense to keep the reader wondering of where it's going next.

The romance is not obvious. So if you're looking for a mystery story with a fair amount of romance, this isn't quite the manga for you. There aren't ''doki's'' of the heart or any ''intense blushing''. It's very subtle. The couple is more in their growth period, rather than actually dating and being in love. The romance is much to your own interpretation. For example, there's this (GODLY BEAUTIFUL) water scene that just... urg... blew my mind... and it really soldified the relationship; as if it were two people coming together, finding their way up; out of the darkness and into the light (no seriously, it was breathtaking!). And by connecting the dots yourself, the ending makes it pretty clear who ends up with who.

That said, the ending was... sudden. A very flat wrap-up to an otherwise good story. It was a major disappointment, with several questions left unanswered. It almost appears as if the Mangaka was just tired of drawing and wanted to end it. Pronto.

Overall, I thought it was a pretty good story. The ending really did a number on me, though.