Morgan’s Monthly Manga Musings #9: “Dengeki Daisy:”
Manga-ka: Kyousuke Motomi
Translated by: Shojo Beat (through VIZ)
Rating: 16+ (for mentions of drinking, love hotels, and some pervy comments, but there was not many of these in the first volume,)
Genre: Shojo (girl romance,) school life, mystery, loss, computers, hidden romance, girls helping girls, poverty vs. rich.
Cover Price: $9.99
Blurb: “After orphan Teru Kurebayashi loses her beloved older brother, she finds solace in the messages she exchanges with DAISY, an enigmatic figure who can only be reached through the cell phone her brother left her. Meanwhile, mysterious Tasuku Kurosaki always seems to be around whenever Teru needs help. Could DAISY be a lot closer than Teru thinks? One day at school, Teru accidentally breaks a window and agrees to pay for it by helping Kurosaki with chores around school. Kurosaki is an impossible taskmaster though, and he also seems to be hiding something important from Teru…”
Morgan’s Musings: This manga was recommended to me back in high school by one of my online friends, us both having online fan sites over “Cardcaptor Sakura.” It was one of her favorite mangas of all time. That was in 2007. I had only been reading manga for a handful of years and when I saw it was going to have many volumes (16 for the full series I know now,) I was hesitant for money and space reasons (wish I was that responsible now as an adult, lol!) A few years ago, my friend Drew also told me she loved this series. On our trip to Knoxville, Tennessee in 2023, at an amazing used media store, they had a great manga section and I purchased some, including the first volume here of “Dengeki Daisy.” Now, it was time to try it!
Dengeki by the way means “beat, attack, defeat, or conquer” in Japanese.
We start off seeing our main lady, Teru Kurebayashi at the start defending her friend, a shy nerdy boy when the rich student council members bully him for trying to check out a book from the library. They throw water all over her and call her poor. Rude! But she still takes care of her friend, until a tennis ball hit the bullies in the forehead, making them leave. In victory, Teru tries to throw the ball back…and breaks the window. Oops. In a whirlwind, the young custodian, Kurosaki demands to know who broke it. Not wanting her friends in trouble from his wrath, she confesses. Her consequence? Since she cannot afford to fit it, she has to work as his helper…and he is lazy, a slave driver, and likes to poke fun at her.
Teru is more than just a justice-filled, good-hearted, smart, and lively high schooler; she is rooted in deep loss. She lost her older brother the previous year, her only family since their parents left them. Before he passed, her brother left her a cell phone and told her if she ever needed anything or was lonely, to text the number in there that says “Daisy.” Daisy has checked on her every day, listens to her problems (although she often fibs that she is fine,) and is always there for her…except Teru can never meet them in person.
I was surprised already, this story is dealing with computers, hacking, and data technology heavily, a mystery as to why all these people who apparently knew Teru’s deceased brother are trying to get close to her or targeting her. I am intrigued by that. Teru is an endearing lead by being tough, and able to defend herself and others, but it is from caring. She goes through so much and watching her endure herself makes my heart already deeply go out to her, I want her to be happy. Kurosaki is the good-looking, cocky bad boy type character with a good soul, but his edge is fitting, the right amount, and I really adore his dynamic, all layers of it, with our lady Teru.
And the way it ended?! Phew! Cliff-hanger!
Will I Continue the Series? Indeed I shall! 🙂 Hope I can find them all.
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Keep reading! Stay geeky! 🙂
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Educator of young minds by day, super nerdy savior of justice, and cute things by night, Morgan Straughan Comnick has a love for turning the normal into something special without losing its essence. Morgan draws from real-life experiences and her ongoing imagination to spark her writing. In her spare time, she enjoys doing goofy voices, traveling to new worlds by turning pages, humming child-like songs, and forcing people to smile with her “bubbliness.” It is Morgan’s mission in life to spread the amazement of otaku/Japanese culture to the world and to stop bullying; she knows everyone shines brightly.
For more information about Morgan and her works, check out her website, which also has links to all her social medias: http://morganscomnick.com
