VS (manga)

 is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Keiko Yamada. It was serialized in Akita Shoten's shōjo magazine (aimed at teenage girls) "Princess Comics". The individual chapters were released in 7 "tankōbon" volumes between June 1999 and December 24, 2001. The series is licensed in North America by CMX, which released the manga's 7 "tankōbon" volumes between April 1, 2006 and October 10, 2007. The story follows violinist, Reiji Saioin, as he strives to win the next Japanese National Music Contest with the help of his personal teacher, Mitsuko Hane, and his friends, Nachi Meiya and Aoi Kenzaki. Impeding his goal is Bartholomew Asakura, who ruined Hane's arm in the past, and his growing feelings for his teacher.
Plot.
Reiji Saioin, the top violinist in Hakuto Junior High School, is to be kicked out of the school if he does not win the next Japan National Music Contest due to his history of trouble. His private teacher and alum of Hakuto, Mitsuko Hane, is willing to help Reiji overcome his flaws to win the music contest. She wants Reiji to play the violin because she cannot due to her left arm being rendered useless after being burnt. Reiji has his own wishes to keep his sister, Miruka, who is abused by their father, happy. Along the way to win the music contest, Reiji becomes friends with Nachi Meiya, the best female violinist in Hakuto, and Aoi Kenzaki, a pianist-turned-violinist. He also has to deal with Bartholomew Asakura, the man who ruined Hane's arm, as well as his growing feelings for his teacher.
Production and releases.
"VS" is written and illustrated by Keiko Yamada. It was serialized in Akita Shoten's shōjo magazine (aimed at teenage girls) "Princess Comics". The individual chapters were released in 7 "tankōbon" volumes between June 1999 and December 24, 2001. The series is licensed in North America by CMX, which released the manga's 7 "tankōbon" volumes between April 1, 2006 and October 10, 2007.
Manga artist Yamada comments that "there was so much love in "Go Go Heaven" (her previous series) that I got sick of it" and created "Versus" as a "stoic story of self-denial". She also comments that she focuses more on the hand and the backs of male characters when she draws them because they "can tell more about the character's feelings than the faces, so when I want to show that they are full of sadness or passion, I use that". Yamada comments that she uses the "playmate version of model dolls" (drawing models based on Playboy models) to draw Mitsuko Hane due to her "big chest".
Reception.
Mania.com's Eduardo M. Chavez comments that Keiko Yamada's art is "classic shōjo. Characters are big headed, big eyed and practically everyone has feminine qualities. About that, until I actually the first chapter I did not realize that the main character was male." Chavez compares the manga to the television series, "24", where "every hour of every day must be utilized to its fullest". He also compares "VS" to "Nodame Cantabile", saying, ""Nodame" uses comedy to bring life to music than can be considered dry to younger readers. "VS" uses angst to do much of same." Mania.com's Jarred Pine criticises the manga for the "SFX [which] are translated with overlays, only sometimes the underlying Japanese text is not removed. I've seen this with quite a few CMX titles and it makes for a very ugly looking job." Pine also criticises the characters, saying "The biggest strike against "VS" is the complete lack of any interesting, likeable, or memorable characters. The lead, Reiji, is a complete smug and arrogant fool right from the beginning. While creator Keiko Yamada does try to humanize him a bit with a back story of familial abuse, it's quickly shooed aside and has little effect on the reader." Manga Life's Dan Polley comments that "Reiji’s character — like most shōjo manga — is the focus, and deservedly so. The character is hot-tempered, yet is able to retain a bit of aloofness, especially in [volume six]. Those types of personality traits are generally excellently fleshed out in shōjos, and particularly in this volume."
""VS" continues to be a bit of a struggle, mostly because the whole angst-driven character drama just isn't working for me because it's falls to much on two characters that just aren't that interesting. While I enjoy anti-heroes, it takes meticulous time and effort to properly deconstruct and then rebuild a character that will appeal to the reader. Creator Keiko Yamada just seems to want to rush this all important piece, leaving me feeling quite cold and distant from not just Reiji, but quite honestly everyone." - Jarred Pine, Mania.com