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| Kamikaze Girls (Novel-Paperback) | 
| List Price: $9.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 14 reviews)
Sales Rank: 123624
Category: Book
Author: Novala Takemoto
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Studio: VIZ Media LLC
Manufacturer: VIZ Media LLC
Label: VIZ Media LLC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5 x 0.7
ISBN: 1421513951
Dewey Decimal Number: 895.636
EAN: 9781421513959
ASIN: 1421513951
Publication Date: January 15, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Life in the boondocks of rural Ibaraki prefecture is anything but glamorous, and to escape her humdrum existence, Momoko, a "Lolita," fanaticizes about French rococo, dreams of living in the palace of Versailles, and decks herself out in the finest (and frilliest) of 18th century haute couture from an expensive Tokyo specialty store. Her dreams of an idyllic existence are rudely interrupted by the appearance of Ichigo, a tough-talking "Yanki" motorcycle-chick (on a tricked-out moped) who's part of a girls-only biker gang known as the Ponytails. Together, this unlikeliest of duos strikes out on a quest to find a legendary embroiderer, a journey that takes them to back-alley pachinko parlors, chic boutiques, and epic bike-punk battles. Novala Takemoto's hit novel [ital.] Kamikaze Girls [ital.], already a cult-classic in Japan and the inspiration for an internationally acclaimed film of the same name, is more than a quirky coming-of-age tale, it's a new way of life.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
Beautiful October 20, 2008
My first impression was: Wow! What a beautiful book!
But it's more than a cute cover. It's a great view of a Lolita mind, in a lovely funny story.
Very deep August 4, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I hesitate to call this a light read because I came away from the novel having learned something. There are several underlying concepts that at several points in the novel made me stop and think.
Momoko, the main protagonist, is a lolita obsessed with the designer Baby, The Stars Shine Bright. She subscribes to the lolita lifestyle 100%, even though she gets weird looks and comments. One can see Momoko's life philosophy in the way she lives her life and the things she says. For example, when Momoko says, "People have different values. I don't think the convictions and philosophies of people who become doctors to save the lives of poor people in developing countries are superior or inferior to those like myself...." p.41.
Many of Momoko's actions and comments (including the one above) remind me of the philosopher Frederich Nietzsche. Momoko's reality does not fit with that of the life that she wants (instead of rows of gorgeous fields she has rice paddies). But while at first she comes off as a romantic idealist, she is very in touch with reality (being more grounded and logical than Ichigo). She creates her own meaning for her life.
Ichigo on the other hand is a yanki, and not as enlightened as Momoko. But, like Momoko, she subscribes to a set of values and has impeccable integrity. She comes off as rough, but she's very loyal to those she cares about. While Momoko doesn't know what to make of Ichigo at the beginning, I think Ichigo's authenticity and integrity draws Momoko in.
The similarities between these two characters become more obvious as their relationship develops. As Momoko notes at one point, both girls celebrate extravagance and individuality in their own ways. Both are true to themselves.
Kamikaze Girls was both entertaining and enlightening. Definitely recommended.
Very good book May 27, 2008
This book is one of my new favs. It's a great story, and it made me smile. It's a bit diffrent from the movie, (the ending) but it will make you laugh.
Pretty much the same as the movie... May 12, 2008
but with a few twists here and there and much more in the way of detail and character development. Lots of fun, humor and really allows you to understand more about the cultures involved.
Beautiful, subtle storytelling April 23, 2008
The narrative by the precocious (and somewhat obnoxious) high school girl Momoko Ryugasaki begins with a lengthy tutorial on everything that you could possibly want to know (and perhaps a good deal more)about the sixteenth-century Rococo origins of the Lolita style. She doesn't particularly care about what the reader (or anyone else) thinks, but her candor and perspective on life is endearing enough to keep one reading.
She is a refined and fashionable young lady who circumstance has sadly stranded in a rural and distant suburb of Tokyo. But it also leads her to Ichigo Shirayuri, a tough, yanki biker chick who, at first, seems to be Momoko's exact opposite. Through this odd relationship, Takemoto crafts a story with remarkable subtlety and power. In spite of his incredibly detailed knowledge of the Lolita and yanki lifestyles, his real genius is his understanding and portrayal of human nature and relationships. Just as the bond that forms between Momoko and Ichigo grows to transcend their differences, the real meaning of the story deepens to expand beyond the bounds of culture and lifestyle. And from a reader who has little interest in fashion or motor scooters, Kamikaze Girls gets a five-star rating and a place among what I consider the masterpieces of modern Japanese fiction.
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