Sugar Princess - Skating to Win, Vol. 1

シュガープリンセス [Sugar Princess] #1

by Hisaya Nakajo

When Maya Kurinoki takes her little brother to the local ice-skating rink for the first time, she's got her hands full just trying to get him to let go of the bar. To inspire a bit of bravery in him, she attempts a double axel—and lands it! Maya never imagined that this jump would change her life...or that a coach named Eishi Todo would vow to make her a figure skating "princess"! Now all Maya has to do is convince famous skater Shun Kano to become her partner. Too bad Shun doesn't want to have anything to do with her!

Genres: Manga, Romance, Shojo, Comics, Sports, Young Adult, Comics Manga

184 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2005

About the author

中条比紗也 in Japanese.
She also uses the names Peco Fujiya (for yaoi works) and Ryou Fumizuki for doujinshi with her circle, Daisanteikoku.

Reviews

[Readaholic Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute story.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another manga sub-genre, the contemporary sports romance. And here, the sport is figure skating. I'll be totally honest and say that I would have only found this manga ok if I weren't a big figure skating fan. And yes, it does irritate me slightly that a complete novice skater is going to very quickly become absurdly good through the power of training montages. But it's a short series, and the author does seem to really like and be fairly knowledgeable about skating. The art is very cute, and I like that the main character has a unique look to set her apart. It seems like there are only two volumes in the series, and it's generally inoffensive, so I'll finish it off. It looks like the main characters are going to do pairs, which is slightly disappointing to me as an ice dance fan, but I'll deal.

[Tina Chen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot was pretty simple but it was a pretty cute manga to read. I surprised it was short, if the author continued, I'm sure this would have been a great manga to read ^^ As short as it is, it's cute c:

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute start to a series which I finished in one sitting!

Maya Kurinoki is scouted at a local ice rink and soon finds herself thrown in the deep end. She is introduced to a new coach who seems to not like her.

Not the best manga I've read but not the worst and seeing as there is only one more in the series will probably try and read it ⛸❄

[Nanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Kalau kuingat lagi, tiket gratis yang kudapatkan dari toko beras ini mungkin sudah merupakan takdirku..."

Awalnya Maaya Kurinoki hanya menirukan gerakan melompat sambil berputar yang ditontonnya kemarin di TV semata-mata untuk memberikan dorongan semangat kepada adiknya yang tidak bisa bermain skate. Tapi siapa sangka ‘lompatan’ yang serampangan tersebut membuat seorang pria menaruh minat padanya dan menawarkannya untuk menjadi ‘Putri Figure Skating’!

Bisa dibilang ini komik pertamaku tentang skating. Tapi... 'pengalaman pertama' tentang komik skating terasa hambar karena ceritanya kuraang greget, karakter ga ada yang spesial dan kurang cakep, humor... hampir ga ada. Pokoknya 'feel'nya ga dapet >,<

[Alejandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a name like Sugar Princess, you would expect something overly saccharine, but fortunately, this is not. It is the short and sweet (but not overly so) story of a young girl who decides to take on pairs figure skating. Maya is an average middle school girl, until she is drafted to learn figure skating to eventually pair up with experienced skater Shun. And just to raise the stakes, the pair will need to compete in a local competition for novice skaters to ensure the survival of their skating rink.

I love watching figure skating. So I was sold on this manga as soon as I read the description. I appreciated that the story was focused on Maya's growth and not on romance (if this lasted more than two volumes, I could see a slow burn romance happening). I also liked that Maya is not a prodigy that instantly skates through competitions (heh); it made sense that people kept commenting on how bad she was while being supportive of her efforts to learn. She just started, of course she would not immediately excel! The author loves figure skating, so in between chapters, there are drawings of famous skaters, and as Maya learns the different techniques, they are explained to us.

The artwork is cute, but the skating sequences are not very dynamic. And the turn of events at the very end does not make much sense. So, while enjoyable, I would have preferred a slightly longer series.

[Soobie is expired · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought it because it's about skating. When it comes to skating, I don't care if it's figure skating, roller derby or speed skating. I just love reading about skates!

So, there's Maya who goes to the ice rink for the first time and seems a natural at it. A scout notices her and asks her to skate with a famous skater training at the rink. The guy isn't that happy about it but slowly warms up to her.

The story is nothing new and the art is OK. It's just something you read for fun but it's a good way to spent 30 minutes.

[Celinda Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume was very cute & Maya is a fun character so that’s why I give it a 4 star rating. Sugar Princess is definitely for people who already love Shojo manga so if you’re not a lover of this genre then you probably won’t like this series. Also it’s definitely aimed at a younger audience so you should keep that in mind.

[TreeSpright · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't really mind the premise of this manga of it being about a girl learning to ice skate and she has a cold male lead that has to coach her, but their personalities fall a little bit flat for me. I don't really find any of the characters that very likeable. Also as an adult, reading a story about an eighth grade middle schooler falling for a high school student feels a little bit icky to me.

[Sol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just thought this was so adorable and wholesome! I feel like it doesn't follow cliche shoujo tropes in that the main characters don't automatically fall for each other. They are definitely like brother and sister, which I appreciate. A simple manga about a hardworking girl just feels nice and rejuvenating to read.

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty cute. Worth the money. I like the main character, and the love interest. I love that the plot centers around figure skating! So fun. I will buy the second (and last) volume soon. 4 stars. Entertaining and sweet.

[Jillian -always aspiring- · Rating 3 out of 5]

2020 Read #685

I can’t remember if I read this manga back around the time it was first released, but Hisaya Nakajo has really clean art, cute characters, and a familiar style of shojo storytelling. There’s nothing wrong with this particular story, but it is just a tad bland.

[TT · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boooring.

[Scout Steinmiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I *loved* this. I ordered the second one as soon as I finished

[No Name · Rating 5 out of 5]

This shocked me how much of a good time I was having

[Spudpuppy]

Very silly and unrealistic but it's fun so who cares

[Grace Molnar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the main character in this book because she is determined to ice skate, which I think is pretty cool.

[Jocilyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dear Viz, please don’t buy things with the business model of “The last series by this author sold well, we’ll buy more without investigating it.”

Sugar Princess (and thanks for adding that awful subtitle, way to be… Disney) feels terribly formulaic. As a shoujo sports manga, events play out in exactly the same way they do in a dozen other examples of this genre. As a romance, absolutely nothing happened that would entice the reader to feel what Maya feels. There were literally only two images of Kuno skating, and every single time he opened his mouth, it was to say something harsh, scathing, or just plain cruel. He was incapable of complimenting Maya on a seriously successful jump attempt. He exists as a love interest solely on the basis of being a pretty boy.

I feel that Kuno is endemic of the kind of cold/detached Japanese men that women are often paired up with and forced to live with unhappily their whole lives. I know from past experience that Kuno’s character will grow softer with Maya’s presence and eventually come to love her. However, this story exists, far from realistic. Asking girls to put up with rough men because that’s how it’s always been done is an archaic and outmoded sentiment. Such is not the role that Japanese women should be required to play.

Thus cast in an anti-feminist light, I hesitate to recommend this book to impressionable young readers.

However. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well Maya stood up for herself. Her very first line in the book (which initially gave me a lot of hope) was, “Girls have gotta show some guts.” She is definitely likeable (though isn’t quite to the level of spunk) and reminds me of the inner strength of characters from Hana Kimi, although she is written totally different. I’m sure she will turn out to be an inspiration for some people. It is also nice to see the author introduce us to famous skaters and their routines. I have to wonder if perhaps Nakajo-sensei was inspired by Swan. Sadly, this doesn’t hold a candle to it.

The art is well-composed and reminiscent of Hana Kimi, definitely better than many other shoujo manga. Of note, one character, Hikaru, as far as I can tell is drawn identical to Mizuki from Hana Kimi (both their names are also androgynous). I’m guessing this is fan-girl service. But what really hurts my head is that Hikaru is supposed to be in the sixth grade?! I get the distinct impression that Nakajo-sensei is incapable of drawing plain-looking high school boys.

[Alison (AlisonCanRead) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sugar Princess is a refreshing change from the fantasy/paranormal manga that I usually read. It's a contemporary (somewhat realistic) fiction. As you see from the summary, Maya executes a double axel her first time ice skating. Call me crazy, but I see no possibility of that happening in real life. Despite the rather unlikely beginning, Sugar Princess is a delightful, somewhat realistic book.

Maya wants to take ice skating lessons. To do so for free, fabulous skater Shun becomes her coach. The real coach thinks that they will make excellent pairs partners some day. Shun is less enthusiastic. As you might imagine, Shun is handsome and brusque, but secretly very kind and chivalrous.

I liked that Maya was a talented but not perfect ice skater. Sure she executed a double axel without experience, but the book is realistic enough to show her struggling a little with skating - not as much as would be realistic, but still something. I also liked how it showed Maya trying to balance school and skating, not quite successfully. She sleeps a lot in school. Maya is soon to take the high school entrance exams, a crucial step for any Japanese student. I'm curious to see what happens in future volumes.

I'm also looking to see more of Maya's family. She has a big family - very big for Japanese standards. Two sisters and a little brother. The parents are largely absent, but I love the relationship between the siblings. It's mostly shown around the dinner table. Maya's friends are the typical loyal manga girl friends. Nothing unique, but likeable.

Sugar Princess is an adorable manga. It's one of those books that has little depth to it, but you don't read it looking for depth. If you want a sweet, fluffy volume of manga, Sugar Princess is a great place to go.

[duniamimpigie Anggi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm.... habis nge-review Ice Forest, mendadak saya jadi teringat ini.
Jujur, saya cuman baca beberapa lembar komik ini haha~
Gambarna manis sih, tapi... kalo habis baca Ice Forest, rasana jadi "jomplang" banget deh :v :v :v *jahat*

Sugar Princess dan Ice Forest sama-sama komik ice skating. Sama-sama romance.
Tapi efekna... yang pertama kayak main-main, yang kedua baru bisa disebut "Inih dia manga ice skating!"
Kalau mau baca cerita romance manis-manis polos-polos sih, okay, yang inih bisalah~
Tapi kalo mau tau lebih dalam soal ice skating, Sugar Princess ini SAMA SEKALI BUKAN PILIHAN.

Karena tepat sebelum baca ini, saya baru nyelesain Ice Forest 12, saya jadi... 'Eh? Posena gak indah sih? Kok gak keliatan elegan sih?'
Dan dalam beberapa lembar, saya bisa langsung nebak "kira-kira" jalan ceritana gimana. Si tokoh utama cewek yang polos-polos gitu mendadak diajakin jadi atlet, padahal sebelumna gak ngerti apa-apa soal ice skating *eeeer...* Dan si tokoh utama cowok tipe kuudere yang kelakuanna sok-sok gak peduli tapi nantina peduli juga hahaha~~~
Intina, tipe cerita romance yang biasa saya baca di Nakayoshi pas saya masi zaman SMP :v
Intina, udah gak terlalu cocok sama saya :v
Makana saya langsung nyerah(?) dan gak lanjutin baca ini lagi haha~ :"v

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This one's okay. It's super cliche. I've read manga about dance and gymnastic that follows the same storyline. Girl who's a natural in middle/high school gets scouted and finds that they're the second coming of the best person in their sport. Guy who is a master at said sport doesn't want to teach girl, but is suckered into it. Guy and girl fall in love.

For one, it doesn't work that way. Those people who are the best in sports like dance or figure skating have been doing it since they could walk. Jumping in in middle school makes it unlikely you'll get good enough. Perhaps good enough to win local competitions. But certainly not up against masters. High school? Even less likely.

About the only thing that saves it is that the main character is determined to try, and I like those kinds of characters.

For those who like to be comfortable in the same plots, read it. For those who want something new... Other than figure skating (a plot I personally haven't seen in manga before), this is just like every other shoujo dance/sport manga.

[Harumichi Mizuki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gambarnya Hisaya Nakajo sudah nggak perlu diragukan lagi keindahannya. Halus, rapi, meski terlihat sederhana. Cerita soal cewek yang secara nggak sengaja terjun ke dunia ice skating. Dan... layaknya cerita-cerita shoujo, nih cewek digambarkan prodigy. Meski di sekolah rada oon, tapi ternyata ingatan dan gerak motoriknya saat main ice skating sangat bagus. Dia bisa langsung mengingat gerakan-gerakan sederhana meski berkali-kali gagal.

Dan... layaknya typical manga-manga shoujo lainnya, dia bertemu seniornya di klub ice skating (yang ternyata juga satu sekolah meski beda tingkat), cowok super dingin yang juga digambarkan berbakat. Konflik utama dimulai ketika arena klub mereka akan dibubarkan. Dan anak pemilik arena memberi syarat kalau rencana itu akan dibatalkan jika ada anggota paling junior (yaitu si tokoh utama!) bisa meraih juara pertama di perlombaan.

Dan... akhirnya si tokoh utama pun dipasangkan sama seniornya yang dingin itu.


Sudah kubilang, aku membelinya karena keindahan gambarnya kan XD Bukan kompleksitas ceritanya. Hahaha...

[Robin Pelletier · Rating 4 out of 5]

The little is a little misleading: I think Ice Princess may have been more fitting. This is a manga all about figure skating and I LOVED it.

Maya Kurinoki takes her little brother ice skating (aww!) and she doesn't have too much experience, but loves skating. In an effort to get her brother away from the wall and inspire bravery, she attempts a pro move.... and lands a double axle. No one can really believe it. But since she loves skating so much, when a coach offers to train her, she says yes. But there's a catch, she has to work with a skater who prefers singles to doubles and doesn't see the potential in Maya. Will she be able to compete or will her aspirations be iced? Read on to find out!

[kuristina- tabreez · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a day just like any other, when Maya Kurinoki takes her little brother to an ice-skating rink and shows off her skills (or rather, natural ability) for the first time she is immediately scouted by an employee of the rink, Eishi Todo.
Now that she is officially a student there, all she has to do is convince the stubborn and cool Shun Kano to become her coach! But the reason he's holding back seems to be a rather tragic one... will she be able to fill the shoes of a ghost?

This manga series is so cute and unusual. It seems to help ease my nerves a little bit whenever I'm agitated or stressed.

[Reader17 Der · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute story. It is only 2 volumes long about a young girl Maya that goes ice skating for the first time and really likes it. When she is there she tries to do what she saw and television and does an amazing job (with some errors) doing it. The coach for the skating rink is there and asks her if she wants to be in pairs compeition with Shun. She wants to learn to ice skate and agrees the only problem. is Shun really doesn't want to have a partner he wants to skate as single. Will she convince him to become her partner?

[Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's hard to think of a milieu better suited for the shojo manga treatment than figure skating, but Sugar Princess manages to do a mediocre job of it anyway. Bland characterization is the big problem; at least in Hana-Kimi, which is often frenetically busy, the character crackle with life. I don't think Shun, with his standard shojo angsty past, will be doing much to challenge Sano's claim to being one of the best manga boyfriends ever.

[Leann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best way to describe this one is that it's like a desert from a mom and pop shop. It's refreshing, takes place completely in a modern and real world, but even though it's yummy, it's not gonna win any awards. It's short, the premise is simple, and it's sweet. It was enjoyable, though more of a read-once-then-get-credit-at-a-second-hand-store type of book. It's not bad, it's not grand, just a positively sounding "eh." 7/10

[Holly Letson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

It's OK, but nothing extra. I guess, that since it's by the same mangaka ( Hisaya Nakajo ) as Hana-Kimi, I just expected a better story. The art is really nice, though.

[Erin Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read both volumes.

figure skating. young teen. too much sugar. too perfect.
After skating once in her entire life our 8th grade heroine becomes a competitive figure skater in a few months. Would only recommend for jr. high school age kids.
I did enjoy the artist's illustrations of the adult skaters.

[Dorcas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet romance on ice. By the same author of Hana Kimi, this series is simply a cute story about a girl with great potential, but just learning how to ice skate, who is then scouted and paired up with a grumpy semi-pro who happens to attend the same school as her.