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The Ocean of Secrets #1
The Ocean of Secrets
Lia, a 17-year old orphan living by the Atlantic is swept away by the ocean currents during a ruthless storm. She is then saved by Moria and Albert, a duo of illegal runaways on their magical ship! Her normal, mundane life suddenly becomes a supernatural adventure as she learns about the powers of their kind and their relations to the human world. But Lia soon discovers that there is a dark secret hidden in a mysterious kingdom. Join Lia as she unlocks the truth behind an Ocean of Secrets!
160 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2015
19 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Chan
3 books28 followersSophie was born on December 1990, a Self-taught Manga artist who gained a following by posting drawing videos on her YouTube channel titled "sophiechan90". She began drawing and writing stories when she was 7 years old, determined to reach her goal of having her own Manga series/Anime adaption. With hard-work, patience and determination, Sophie was able to reach her goals, and inspire people around the world.
Sophie is the author of the graphic novel "The Ocean of Secrets", a full volume Manga series published in April 2015.
Sophie is the author of the graphic novel "The Ocean of Secrets", a full volume Manga series published in April 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
May 9, 2017
I don't know how to summarize this book as lot of stuff happens in this installment. We have our protagonist Lia who thought she was normal human whose turned out to be long lost princess.
One thing I noticed that this comic feels bit rushed. I know there is long story pending after this, but everything happens so fast in this book - for example we solved 2 conflicts in this
1. Lia's true identity
2. Lia's mother's true killer
Regardless it was fun to read! Though I might not be spending money to buy #2 but if that appears on Netgalley, I'd surely request to read this....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2018
4.25 , that was pretty good ..
May 16, 2017
I bought this book at Comic Con New York 2016, i picked it up because I thought it looked okay, but apon reading it, I contemplated if this was actually a finished book or a rough draft of a Teenager's Art Project.
Her art style is literally a copy of so many other manga artists before her, there is no credible look to her art which is disappointing, but no surprising as it seems like the rest of her work seems amateurish.
The panels of the book literally lack background, and details. I'm unsure if the author inherently known about this, but as someone who's read manga for even a couple of years could tell that there was a discrepancy between what is acceptable and what isn't for a proper manga.
The story itself is a bit bland, and the story is just under felt. The writing feels rushed, unpolished and unfinished. It seems like another manga crammed into the subspace of the genre.
I'm sorry but this book lacks everything a true manga is. The point about releasing a book isn't to look at today's ideas and copy it into your own words but to develop a world of your own with rules and environment. I understand the author is the only author for this book and hadn't received any help for it, but please respect the people who read it and pay only to find the book to be unfinished.
Her art style is literally a copy of so many other manga artists before her, there is no credible look to her art which is disappointing, but no surprising as it seems like the rest of her work seems amateurish.
The panels of the book literally lack background, and details. I'm unsure if the author inherently known about this, but as someone who's read manga for even a couple of years could tell that there was a discrepancy between what is acceptable and what isn't for a proper manga.
The story itself is a bit bland, and the story is just under felt. The writing feels rushed, unpolished and unfinished. It seems like another manga crammed into the subspace of the genre.
I'm sorry but this book lacks everything a true manga is. The point about releasing a book isn't to look at today's ideas and copy it into your own words but to develop a world of your own with rules and environment. I understand the author is the only author for this book and hadn't received any help for it, but please respect the people who read it and pay only to find the book to be unfinished.
May 8, 2017
Thoughts on the Artwork:
Soooo pretty, guys. (Especially the cover!) The artist of this book was self taught, and I can see her hard work has paid off, because her drawings are gorgeous.
Thoughts on the story line:
This was a pretty interesting manga. It had some surprising twists and turns, and some sweet relationships that gave it some cuteness. It did seem to be a bit too fast at some points, and I felt a bit overwhelmed by all of the information that was thrust at me. However, this did not ruin my overall enjoyment of this manga. The world was fascinating, taking place in a realm in the sky that humans are not aware of. There’s flying ships, pirates, kingdoms that wield different elemental powers… I can tell that there was a lot put into thought for the plot and world of this story, and I want to know what happens next.
Rating: Four. Not quite the most amazing thing I have read, but still an enjoyable tale.
*Thanks to Netgalley for a free e-copy of this manga in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review.
Soooo pretty, guys. (Especially the cover!) The artist of this book was self taught, and I can see her hard work has paid off, because her drawings are gorgeous.
Thoughts on the story line:
This was a pretty interesting manga. It had some surprising twists and turns, and some sweet relationships that gave it some cuteness. It did seem to be a bit too fast at some points, and I felt a bit overwhelmed by all of the information that was thrust at me. However, this did not ruin my overall enjoyment of this manga. The world was fascinating, taking place in a realm in the sky that humans are not aware of. There’s flying ships, pirates, kingdoms that wield different elemental powers… I can tell that there was a lot put into thought for the plot and world of this story, and I want to know what happens next.
Rating: Four. Not quite the most amazing thing I have read, but still an enjoyable tale.
*Thanks to Netgalley for a free e-copy of this manga in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review.
June 8, 2018
3.5 stars
When I first finished, my thoughts were, "What did I just read?"
An excellent premise, but so very quickly told. *cries* I really really wish I could have had more of a connection with the characters in this story. I felt it was very quickly "washed over" (pun intended hehe) and that some aspects would bring a fun experience to explore like the relationship between Lia and her new family. (Granted, we do get a fun glimpse of this, but it would be even funnier to have more.)
However, though I might have felt the story was rushed, the world building was incredibly epic and superb. There is a slight info dump, but this new world Lia is in is so awesome! I greatly enjoyed that and truly hope we see more of the magical abilities of the characters AND world. Hands down was my favorite part of this book.
I will mention that overall, I did like this story. I thought it to be unique and enjoyed reading Lia's story where I am curious to know what will happen next. Let's hope some of the questions that I had in this book will be answered in book two because sometimes I was confused why Lia did certain things.
Overall, this was very clean manga (I think one curse word in all) and would recommend to beginner manga readers who would like a taste of this reading style.
When I first finished, my thoughts were, "What did I just read?"
An excellent premise, but so very quickly told. *cries* I really really wish I could have had more of a connection with the characters in this story. I felt it was very quickly "washed over" (pun intended hehe) and that some aspects would bring a fun experience to explore like the relationship between Lia and her new family. (Granted, we do get a fun glimpse of this, but it would be even funnier to have more.)
However, though I might have felt the story was rushed, the world building was incredibly epic and superb. There is a slight info dump, but this new world Lia is in is so awesome! I greatly enjoyed that and truly hope we see more of the magical abilities of the characters AND world. Hands down was my favorite part of this book.
I will mention that overall, I did like this story. I thought it to be unique and enjoyed reading Lia's story where I am curious to know what will happen next. Let's hope some of the questions that I had in this book will be answered in book two because sometimes I was confused why Lia did certain things.
Overall, this was very clean manga (I think one curse word in all) and would recommend to beginner manga readers who would like a taste of this reading style.
July 2, 2017
I really enjoy this manga. I was given an advanced copy in exchange for my honnest review.
A young girl gets lost at sea while on a boat with her adoptive sister. She is recued by Albert and his sister Moira who are fugitives from an ancient land floating in the sky. Al had been wrongfully accused of killing the queen and having participated in princess Anemone's dissapearance. Since then, has escapped and is keeping a low profile on his floating ship. However, Lia's rescue will change all of their fate.
Even though the story is predictable, I think that book was entertaining and a great summer read. Plus the drawings were beautiful and really helped with the feel of the story.
A young girl gets lost at sea while on a boat with her adoptive sister. She is recued by Albert and his sister Moira who are fugitives from an ancient land floating in the sky. Al had been wrongfully accused of killing the queen and having participated in princess Anemone's dissapearance. Since then, has escapped and is keeping a low profile on his floating ship. However, Lia's rescue will change all of their fate.
Even though the story is predictable, I think that book was entertaining and a great summer read. Plus the drawings were beautiful and really helped with the feel of the story.
September 28, 2015
This book was absolutely amazing Sophie-Chan. I love everything about it. The story, art, characters, and all. The characters are relatable and enjoyable, the world and kingdoms were beautiful.
Congratulations Sophie-Chan! I'll definitely be waiting for volume 2!
Congratulations Sophie-Chan! I'll definitely be waiting for volume 2!
May 15, 2017
Fun little read. Part sci fi, mostly adventure. I honestly will look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I do want to note that I received this free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I do want to note that I received this free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2017
I really like the book, I think the art is amazing and I definitely recommend this manga, I am looking forward to reading the 2nd volume.
August 6, 2018
A little too fast of a plot for me. I feel like it went quick and easily forgot the plot.. nothing special and may not read on in the series. Cute though and appropriate for middle school.
May 6, 2017
It’s no secret that I love manga. So when I had the opportunity to review a copy of a new manga I’d never heard of before, of course I jumped on it. Ocean of Secrets, Volume 1 is a brand new series by the mangaka Sophie-chan. The cover was full of pretty purples, and drew my eye to it immediately. This volume will be released on May 16, 2017, just a little over a week from now.
Ocean of Secrets Volume 1 is about Lia, an orphaned seventeen year old living near the Atlantic coastline. One day while out boating with her adoptive sister Lia is swept away at sea, only to be rescued by two strangers. Albert and Moria take her in aboard their magical ship, and Lia is plunged into a world in the clouds, a world very different from her own.
For the most part, the writing itself was good. There were a few times the phrasing felt just a tad bit awkward, but nothing that stood out too much. I also liked the art. Some cells do have quite a bit of white space, leaving backgrounds up to the imagination entirely on some pages.
The thing I liked the most about this manga was probably the first chapter. It was well paced, and I was drawn to Lia and her sister rather quickly. The art was pretty. I was definitely drawn in and wanted to keep reading.
However, the rest manga moves fast. Very fast. A bit too fast, really. There were a few times that it felt like a few pages were missing, events occurring so quickly that it felt almost wrong. There was a lot of telling rather than showing. I would have liked to see a bit more Lia’s reaction to events rather. The second chapter included quite a bit of infodumping.
On the other hand, it’s quite nice to have one volume be such a complete story arc. This isn’t something we always see in manga and it can be a good thing to pick up a manga volume and get a very complete story without needing to dedicate yourself to the next three or four volumes as well, if not the entire series. Still, I couldn’t help but wish that a few scenes were extended by just a couple of pages. I think we could have used a little more time with a few of the characters to really get in their heads a little more and identify with them, or at least sympathize for them, a little better.
The end of the book has some great bonuses. There are alternate character designs of the main characters. And, most interestingly, there are alternate versions of some of the pages. It’s fascinating seeing the earlier versions and alternative layouts, and despite many manga having small bonus things at the end of the volume, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before.
Now, there is something I want to talk about that really grates on my nerves in regards to the book. It isn’t anything with the story itself – writing or drawing wise. Every ten or twenty pages is a notation at the top of the page that says “Read this way” with arrows pointing in the proper direction. This may sound nit-picky, but hear me out. First, it’s a bit insulting to the reader. Yes, manga reads right to left starting at what Americans would commonly thing of as the back of the book. Though this may feel odd for first time manga readers (I know it did for me when I started reading manga) it is easy enough to follow. Moreover, this occurs throughout the entirety book. At this point it gets a bit insulting. I find it hard to believe readers will forget what direction they’ve been reading in for the past hundred pages.
On a similar note, the review copy has water marks on every page (at least the digit one). I know, I know. How much can one person complain? But really! I haven’t seen another publisher do this with any other early copies of manga or graphic novels I’ve requested. And it is quite distracting when trying to read. More so than I initially expected it would, really. This is a manga, after all, and having the images shaded over was very, very distracting and made it hard to pick apart the images versus the watermarks on some pages.
Despite pacing issues, I am interested to see where the story is going, especially since what I assumed to be the main plot of the entire series resolved itself in one volume. What direction is the manga going in? I can make guesses, but I’m not positive. If you like fantasy manga give this one a try. If you don’t like fantasy manga, or don’t like infodumps then this may not be the manga for you.
This review and more can be found on Looking Glass Reads.
This book was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Ocean of Secrets Volume 1 is about Lia, an orphaned seventeen year old living near the Atlantic coastline. One day while out boating with her adoptive sister Lia is swept away at sea, only to be rescued by two strangers. Albert and Moria take her in aboard their magical ship, and Lia is plunged into a world in the clouds, a world very different from her own.
For the most part, the writing itself was good. There were a few times the phrasing felt just a tad bit awkward, but nothing that stood out too much. I also liked the art. Some cells do have quite a bit of white space, leaving backgrounds up to the imagination entirely on some pages.
The thing I liked the most about this manga was probably the first chapter. It was well paced, and I was drawn to Lia and her sister rather quickly. The art was pretty. I was definitely drawn in and wanted to keep reading.
However, the rest manga moves fast. Very fast. A bit too fast, really. There were a few times that it felt like a few pages were missing, events occurring so quickly that it felt almost wrong. There was a lot of telling rather than showing. I would have liked to see a bit more Lia’s reaction to events rather. The second chapter included quite a bit of infodumping.
On the other hand, it’s quite nice to have one volume be such a complete story arc. This isn’t something we always see in manga and it can be a good thing to pick up a manga volume and get a very complete story without needing to dedicate yourself to the next three or four volumes as well, if not the entire series. Still, I couldn’t help but wish that a few scenes were extended by just a couple of pages. I think we could have used a little more time with a few of the characters to really get in their heads a little more and identify with them, or at least sympathize for them, a little better.
The end of the book has some great bonuses. There are alternate character designs of the main characters. And, most interestingly, there are alternate versions of some of the pages. It’s fascinating seeing the earlier versions and alternative layouts, and despite many manga having small bonus things at the end of the volume, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before.
Now, there is something I want to talk about that really grates on my nerves in regards to the book. It isn’t anything with the story itself – writing or drawing wise. Every ten or twenty pages is a notation at the top of the page that says “Read this way” with arrows pointing in the proper direction. This may sound nit-picky, but hear me out. First, it’s a bit insulting to the reader. Yes, manga reads right to left starting at what Americans would commonly thing of as the back of the book. Though this may feel odd for first time manga readers (I know it did for me when I started reading manga) it is easy enough to follow. Moreover, this occurs throughout the entirety book. At this point it gets a bit insulting. I find it hard to believe readers will forget what direction they’ve been reading in for the past hundred pages.
On a similar note, the review copy has water marks on every page (at least the digit one). I know, I know. How much can one person complain? But really! I haven’t seen another publisher do this with any other early copies of manga or graphic novels I’ve requested. And it is quite distracting when trying to read. More so than I initially expected it would, really. This is a manga, after all, and having the images shaded over was very, very distracting and made it hard to pick apart the images versus the watermarks on some pages.
Despite pacing issues, I am interested to see where the story is going, especially since what I assumed to be the main plot of the entire series resolved itself in one volume. What direction is the manga going in? I can make guesses, but I’m not positive. If you like fantasy manga give this one a try. If you don’t like fantasy manga, or don’t like infodumps then this may not be the manga for you.
This review and more can be found on Looking Glass Reads.
This book was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2019
In one word: rushed.
In more words...
"Ocean of Secrets" is an OEL (original English language) manga from Tokyopop. It looks and feels like it came out of early 2000s Deviantart, with flat artwork, stiff action scenes, and rushed plot with massive info dumps.
The characters are okay, if undefined. There's some promise there, but beyond info-dumped back story, I couldn't tell you anything about them. Their designs are okay, but the art could be improved.
The story is rushed. More detail could have been put in and the pacing could be better. It probably would have worked better over two volumes, giving more time to flesh out the story and characters without resorting to talking instead of showing.
The magic system didn't make much sense to me. I think if the pacing issues were fixed, that would help the magic, but as it stood it was just sort of tacked on with the info-dumps.
The artwork, as I said, could use a lot of work. Scenes are stiff, panels are rigid without any overlap. Characters are almost always shown in profile (and something looks off about all of these) or straight on, adding to that rigidity. All of the lines are pretty much the same weight. All of the characters look flat and something is off about their bodies (I think it's the torsos and the faces, mostly).
The idea might be interesting, but it's hard to tell with how rushed the story is. With a little more fleshing out, it might have been good despite the iffy art.
In more words...
"Ocean of Secrets" is an OEL (original English language) manga from Tokyopop. It looks and feels like it came out of early 2000s Deviantart, with flat artwork, stiff action scenes, and rushed plot with massive info dumps.
The characters are okay, if undefined. There's some promise there, but beyond info-dumped back story, I couldn't tell you anything about them. Their designs are okay, but the art could be improved.
The story is rushed. More detail could have been put in and the pacing could be better. It probably would have worked better over two volumes, giving more time to flesh out the story and characters without resorting to talking instead of showing.
The magic system didn't make much sense to me. I think if the pacing issues were fixed, that would help the magic, but as it stood it was just sort of tacked on with the info-dumps.
The artwork, as I said, could use a lot of work. Scenes are stiff, panels are rigid without any overlap. Characters are almost always shown in profile (and something looks off about all of these) or straight on, adding to that rigidity. All of the lines are pretty much the same weight. All of the characters look flat and something is off about their bodies (I think it's the torsos and the faces, mostly).
The idea might be interesting, but it's hard to tell with how rushed the story is. With a little more fleshing out, it might have been good despite the iffy art.
September 2, 2020
This was really poorly done.
I sort of feel bad for my rating (but not enough to change it) since the author in the back explained she redrew the whole thing many times. But even this drawing wasn’t good!
I disliked the art strongly. I generally don’t like this style but this just made that worse. The inking style was something. It is a blend between the stereotypical manga style and the US Marvel inking style. It didn’t work out.
There was no flow between each panel. It came off as disjointed and I was quite confused at what was happening and why. Each panel was alright, especially the backgrounds. But the faces are drawn exclusively in these 3 stages; front, side, and 3/4. There were no dynamic poses or interesting faces.
That pretty much ruined the story. I didn’t understand a thing. As I “read” on, nothing was really flowing so I was not able to catch up with the story either.
After setting this down for the last time, I finally realized why it seemed similar. This same author drew that terrible how to book that attempted to draw dynamic poses. Honestly, I think I understood that book more than this one. (-_-)
===
Also, having “Sophie-Chan” as your author’s name seems really rude and amateur. They were trying to be cute but it just gives off the wrong vibes.
I sort of feel bad for my rating (but not enough to change it) since the author in the back explained she redrew the whole thing many times. But even this drawing wasn’t good!
I disliked the art strongly. I generally don’t like this style but this just made that worse. The inking style was something. It is a blend between the stereotypical manga style and the US Marvel inking style. It didn’t work out.
There was no flow between each panel. It came off as disjointed and I was quite confused at what was happening and why. Each panel was alright, especially the backgrounds. But the faces are drawn exclusively in these 3 stages; front, side, and 3/4. There were no dynamic poses or interesting faces.
That pretty much ruined the story. I didn’t understand a thing. As I “read” on, nothing was really flowing so I was not able to catch up with the story either.
After setting this down for the last time, I finally realized why it seemed similar. This same author drew that terrible how to book that attempted to draw dynamic poses. Honestly, I think I understood that book more than this one. (-_-)
===
Also, having “Sophie-Chan” as your author’s name seems really rude and amateur. They were trying to be cute but it just gives off the wrong vibes.
May 24, 2023
*I've decided I won't write long book reviews for books under two stars unless it's a rant or I have a lot to say!*
<< *Every single person in this world can view a work of literature and have completely different thoughts and opinions. My opinion is not meant to offend you. If you do not want to see a review criticising your favourite book (or a book you enjoyed), then I recommend not proceeding with reading this review.>>
So bad it's funny
one of the most generic reads I have ever read!
Anyone who loves the not-like-other-girls, chosen-one, girl-who-tries-to-help-makes-situation-worse, read this if you want to put yourself through a mind-numbing laugh-inducing read.
The world-building felt like a strong dose of info-dumping with everything being explained at once and not built upon that much through the rest of the book. The storyline was generic but had potential to be something intriguing.
<< *Every single person in this world can view a work of literature and have completely different thoughts and opinions. My opinion is not meant to offend you. If you do not want to see a review criticising your favourite book (or a book you enjoyed), then I recommend not proceeding with reading this review.>>
So bad it's funny
one of the most generic reads I have ever read!
Anyone who loves the not-like-other-girls, chosen-one, girl-who-tries-to-help-makes-situation-worse, read this if you want to put yourself through a mind-numbing laugh-inducing read.
The world-building felt like a strong dose of info-dumping with everything being explained at once and not built upon that much through the rest of the book. The storyline was generic but had potential to be something intriguing.
May 18, 2017
When Lia, an orphan, falls into the ocean during a storm, she is rescued by Moira and Albert. Not only did she fall into the sea, but she fell into a different world. Moira and Albert are runaways who stole their ship. They show Lia the secrets of their mysterious world, and solve the mystery of the King's long lost daughter.
This story is simple. It moved very slowly. There could have been more details to make it more exciting.
I liked the twist at the end, when they discover the identity of the lost princess. However, the story was so short, I wasn't really invested in the characters. The idea behind the plot was good. However, if it was more detailed, I would have felt more of a connection to the story and the characters.
This story is simple. It moved very slowly. There could have been more details to make it more exciting.
I liked the twist at the end, when they discover the identity of the lost princess. However, the story was so short, I wasn't really invested in the characters. The idea behind the plot was good. However, if it was more detailed, I would have felt more of a connection to the story and the characters.
May 19, 2017
2.5 Stars
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
Want to read
April 22, 202022/04/20 - Free atm at https://www.tokyopop.com/together
August 28, 2017
I was really excited to read the first volume in this new YA fantasy manga series. The story sounded amazing. I ended up being a bit disappointed, the whole book is okay but never really drew me in.
The idea behind the story itself is a fun one. However the whole explanation of the magic system in the beginning was very lecture-like and was an awkward info-dump that bogged down the flow of the story.
Additionally the dialogue between characters comes off as very simple and awkward. The whole story was fairly simple. I would have liked more explanation behind the four kingdoms and their magic up front, but maybe done in a story format rather than a lecture.
The illustration is simple but well done. It’s very no-frills; I prefer a lot more detail in my mangas. The characters were easy to distinguish from one another but not very engaging. The story panels were easy to follow but, again, overly simple for me.
Overall this was okay but not great. I thought everything was too simple and plain; I was expecting something magical but ended up with a child-like story with awkward dialogue. The illustration was similar; decently done but with very little detail. I had high hopes for this series but ended up just wanting...more...from it. I don’t plan on continuing the series.
The idea behind the story itself is a fun one. However the whole explanation of the magic system in the beginning was very lecture-like and was an awkward info-dump that bogged down the flow of the story.
Additionally the dialogue between characters comes off as very simple and awkward. The whole story was fairly simple. I would have liked more explanation behind the four kingdoms and their magic up front, but maybe done in a story format rather than a lecture.
The illustration is simple but well done. It’s very no-frills; I prefer a lot more detail in my mangas. The characters were easy to distinguish from one another but not very engaging. The story panels were easy to follow but, again, overly simple for me.
Overall this was okay but not great. I thought everything was too simple and plain; I was expecting something magical but ended up with a child-like story with awkward dialogue. The illustration was similar; decently done but with very little detail. I had high hopes for this series but ended up just wanting...more...from it. I don’t plan on continuing the series.
June 16, 2017
Ocean of Secrets, Sophie-chan’s manga debut, is delightful. As it is only the first volume, it introduces the premise but doesn’t go deep into the story. There are three floating kingdoms where magic is an Integral part of life. A decade ago, a queen was murdered and her daughter lost. Since that time, Moria and Al have lived on a flying ship, evading capture and seeking the truth. Chance brings the rescue of Lia, a human orphan caught in the ocean during the storm. Life becomes far more complicated for Lia in a world where magic is essential to survive.
The artistry is good, but not exceptional. The story progresses a bit too quickly, but I believe that is because Sophie-chan is using this as a prelude. From here there are really two possibilities - the story develops more depth and complexity (I hope) or it moves quickly and simply forward. I liked the premise. It has a great deal of potential. I rate this a 3.5 but I will round up to 4. Reading the next volume will give me a better idea of what to expect for the remainder of the series.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Ocean Of Secrets volume 1 from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
The artistry is good, but not exceptional. The story progresses a bit too quickly, but I believe that is because Sophie-chan is using this as a prelude. From here there are really two possibilities - the story develops more depth and complexity (I hope) or it moves quickly and simply forward. I liked the premise. It has a great deal of potential. I rate this a 3.5 but I will round up to 4. Reading the next volume will give me a better idea of what to expect for the remainder of the series.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Ocean Of Secrets volume 1 from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
October 17, 2017
'The Ocean of Secrets' by Sophie Chan is a first book in a series. It's a magical tale told in a manga style that seems pretty familiar.
Lia is an orphan who lives with a family. When Lia goes out on a boat ride, she ends up falling overboard and being rescued by a most unusual duo. Moria and Albert seem to be able to use magic. They also are from a magical kingdom in the air and their ship can fly. Lia finds herself with a group of people who seem to really care about her. Will Lia sacrifice herself to help them?
The art style is pretty standard. The story has some potential and I liked where the author was going, but the story ended pretty abruptly. I don't know if I care enough about the characters to read more, but I thought it was ok.
I received a review copy of this manga from Tokyopop, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.
Lia is an orphan who lives with a family. When Lia goes out on a boat ride, she ends up falling overboard and being rescued by a most unusual duo. Moria and Albert seem to be able to use magic. They also are from a magical kingdom in the air and their ship can fly. Lia finds herself with a group of people who seem to really care about her. Will Lia sacrifice herself to help them?
The art style is pretty standard. The story has some potential and I liked where the author was going, but the story ended pretty abruptly. I don't know if I care enough about the characters to read more, but I thought it was ok.
I received a review copy of this manga from Tokyopop, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.
May 8, 2017
Orphan finds new family, though it’s ominous that she’s a replacement daughter for one who died. Don’t know if her new sister tried to kill her, but she goes overboard and sorta drowns, waking up in another reality, on a flying ship with a brother/sister pair.
If it wasn’t for the hair, I wouldn’t be able to tell the two girls apart.
There really isn’t anything new here. I’m not one to call it a Mary Sue, but this had that definite vibe, especially how Lia instantly offers to go rescue Albert when he’s arrested. It all circles back in the end, though it feels too coincidental and convenient. For how long it was, it could have been a tighter story. And what happened with the pirates?
All in black and white, which didn’t do the story any favors.
Last 20 or so pages are extras, with author interview, character designs, and a sneak peek at another story.
If it wasn’t for the hair, I wouldn’t be able to tell the two girls apart.
There really isn’t anything new here. I’m not one to call it a Mary Sue, but this had that definite vibe, especially how Lia instantly offers to go rescue Albert when he’s arrested. It all circles back in the end, though it feels too coincidental and convenient. For how long it was, it could have been a tighter story. And what happened with the pirates?
All in black and white, which didn’t do the story any favors.
Last 20 or so pages are extras, with author interview, character designs, and a sneak peek at another story.
July 25, 2017
The Ocean of Secrets is SOO bad, poorly done book features the same plot from stories done before. I am so disappointed by the lack of background and artwork put into this book. There is no use for this book anymore, so I've started to draw my own backgrounds on the book.
The author claims this was inspired by ever popular Studio Ghibli and Spirited away, the only thing this book is close to Studio Ghibli is that it was drawn on paper.
It's almost laughable how this author could not properly draw any character that face any direction between front back and side profile. I'm speechless but how little effort was put into detail, even simple coloring books at book stores possess more effort into their art.
Anybody looking to buy this book, don't. Unless you get it free don't waste your time or money. You're better off reading dojins.... or a coloring book.
1/10
The author claims this was inspired by ever popular Studio Ghibli and Spirited away, the only thing this book is close to Studio Ghibli is that it was drawn on paper.
It's almost laughable how this author could not properly draw any character that face any direction between front back and side profile. I'm speechless but how little effort was put into detail, even simple coloring books at book stores possess more effort into their art.
Anybody looking to buy this book, don't. Unless you get it free don't waste your time or money. You're better off reading dojins.... or a coloring book.
1/10
January 31, 2018
TokyoPop is trying to make a comeback in the manga world. And to be honest I would much rather see new original content then bastardized Disney stories. In this debut Lia is just another orphan girl. Ten years ago she was adopted. But there seems to be some strife with her adopted sister, and on a boating trip she ends up drowning. Lucky for her, Al and Moria fly by on their ship. Lia is rescued, and discovers that magic still exists in the world, and humans just know it as the Bermuda Triangle. The rest of volume one tells the story of a missing princess, the death of a queen, and the imprisonment of Al. The story is nice, but very mushed together. It feels like it should be drawn out more. The artwork is classic and fits to the story.
May 1, 2017
This was one cool manga. The art was cute. The story was different. Only negative, if I have to be picky, is that certain things happen abruptly, making the pacing a bit rushed. However, this does not feel like a debut manga at all. Also, the story and illustrations are by a single person, which is something I seldom see in a manga. Hats off to that! Loved reading this book and eagerly awaiting the next volume. Thanks to Tokyopop for giving me an advance review copy.
May 19, 2017
I wouldn't recommend this book to avid manga lovers. It's not a book I see many people picking up again, or continuing. The book wasn't very memorable as the story was short and simple, Art wasn't dynamic just felt like it was drawn for the sake of being drawn, maybe a good read at a doctor's office.
May 24, 2017
I received an early e-copy through NetGalley but only just got around to reading it. I really enjoyed this first volume. The story is unique and the artwork is really eye-catching. I did find some of the pacing between panels hard to follow. At times, it felt like there was a page missing or even just a panel. I would definitely pick up the second volume.
July 22, 2017
The story was very cliche--sad, lonely, amnesiac orphan girl Lia who never felt like she belonged in our world is actually from this (improbable) magical other world. And that other world is the cause of the Bermuda Triangle. (Because...God separated these three magical kingdoms from the rest of the world?? Oooooookaaaaay...) AND the girl is a princess. Of course.
The runaway siblings who find her are bland (I'm trying to think of a single adjective to describe either of them, and I'm coming up blank--never a good sign), and they immediately tell her that they'll "become her family," which is just weird, and too fast to carry any weight. The whole thing with the gloves and magic levels is...strange, and felt like it only existed so that the ~Big Reveal~ of Lia being FROM that world could happen later. Also, everything just happened too fast--Lia ends up in the other world and BOOM! New family! A month supposedly passes, but since it's condensed into two pages/four panels, it's really hard to feel like any sort of bond has grown between them. (Show, don't tell! This would've been a great chance to have them go on an adventure of some sort together, so we could actually see them grow closer to each other, but nope.) Then their ship is attacked and Albert, the brother, is taken prisoner while Moira, the sister, is conveniently injured while trying to fight three guys who she KNOWS are the most powerful magic users in their world. (She TOLD Lia that they were granted special powers that made them stronger than anyone, so why would she do this? I know that sometimes you do have to fight even when you know you'll lose, but heck, this was just stupid. There are smarter ways to fight back than smashing yourself face-first against a proverbial wall.) Since Moira is too hurt to help, Lia decides to go rescue Albert alone and gets herself captured on purpose to do that, but fails to escape with him (she says she's "too slow"...what? WHY?) and just...resigns herself to dying. Because it will repay the siblings for rescuing her. (Uhhhh...how? Especially if they're supposedly FAMILY now??) Albert goes back to their ship, meets up with Moira who is somehow already better, then they both go back to rescue Lia. This goes poorly, until via ~MAGIC~ Lia gets her memories back (and is super-depressed about THAT also, is there anything that DOESN'T make this character have ridiculous, over-dramatic weepy/mopey reactions?), and we learn she's the princess and Albert is innocent of the crime he was accused of, and of course Lia and Moira and Albert were childhood friends.
At the end, we're left with the king offering to give Albert a super-high military rank, as if that will make up for YEARS of hunting him down and not believing that he didn't kill the queen; thankfully, in the one part of the story that made any sort of sense, Albert tells the king that he can't accept because he's going to find whoever framed him, which sets us up for another book.
Just...wow. That's a lot to cram into 138 pages of graphic novel.
The runaway siblings who find her are bland (I'm trying to think of a single adjective to describe either of them, and I'm coming up blank--never a good sign), and they immediately tell her that they'll "become her family," which is just weird, and too fast to carry any weight. The whole thing with the gloves and magic levels is...strange, and felt like it only existed so that the ~Big Reveal~ of Lia being FROM that world could happen later. Also, everything just happened too fast--Lia ends up in the other world and BOOM! New family! A month supposedly passes, but since it's condensed into two pages/four panels, it's really hard to feel like any sort of bond has grown between them. (Show, don't tell! This would've been a great chance to have them go on an adventure of some sort together, so we could actually see them grow closer to each other, but nope.) Then their ship is attacked and Albert, the brother, is taken prisoner while Moira, the sister, is conveniently injured while trying to fight three guys who she KNOWS are the most powerful magic users in their world. (She TOLD Lia that they were granted special powers that made them stronger than anyone, so why would she do this? I know that sometimes you do have to fight even when you know you'll lose, but heck, this was just stupid. There are smarter ways to fight back than smashing yourself face-first against a proverbial wall.) Since Moira is too hurt to help, Lia decides to go rescue Albert alone and gets herself captured on purpose to do that, but fails to escape with him (she says she's "too slow"...what? WHY?) and just...resigns herself to dying. Because it will repay the siblings for rescuing her. (Uhhhh...how? Especially if they're supposedly FAMILY now??) Albert goes back to their ship, meets up with Moira who is somehow already better, then they both go back to rescue Lia. This goes poorly, until via ~MAGIC~ Lia gets her memories back (and is super-depressed about THAT also, is there anything that DOESN'T make this character have ridiculous, over-dramatic weepy/mopey reactions?), and we learn she's the princess and Albert is innocent of the crime he was accused of, and of course Lia and Moira and Albert were childhood friends.
At the end, we're left with the king offering to give Albert a super-high military rank, as if that will make up for YEARS of hunting him down and not believing that he didn't kill the queen; thankfully, in the one part of the story that made any sort of sense, Albert tells the king that he can't accept because he's going to find whoever framed him, which sets us up for another book.
Just...wow. That's a lot to cram into 138 pages of graphic novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2017
i got my copy from netgalley for review.
**my review contains spoilers**
the story has a resident hottie, a flying ship, kingdoms in the sky and some place located in the Bermuda triangle.
it explains that there's 3 kingdom evil magic, pirates and a lost princess. Albert is wanted because the king thinks he is responsible for the murder of the queen and the kidnapping of the princess.
because they fish from the ocean for mere humans it looks only as if the fishes are flying and disappearing in the sky. drawing too much attention the peace keepers take Albert into prison, where from Lia and his childhood friend who is one of the peace keepers breaks him out and lets the guards take her in his place. turns out she is the lost princess and Albert was only trying to stop the kidnappers from taking her but he was just a kid too and got knocked out, clumsy enough the kidnappers boat wobbled and she fell from the sky loosing her memories of her previous self.
the continuation is Albert who just cant chill... and goes on to find those who killed the queen and kidnapped Lia the lost princess.
overall, it was a really overused concept and the drawings were really average if not below. I'm sorry to say, but there's just so many more mangas that should have gotten their official English translation. as someone who actually enjoys adventure stories, this is all a little too rushed. I feel like generally the manga industry nowadays hits the point where they try to cram as much content as possible into one book trying to make it as diverse and as rushed and just brushing on themes that could have been done so much better and just making the entirety of the manga sloppy, and draft-like.
I gave it 2/5 starts.
**my review contains spoilers**
the story has a resident hottie, a flying ship, kingdoms in the sky and some place located in the Bermuda triangle.
it explains that there's 3 kingdom evil magic, pirates and a lost princess. Albert is wanted because the king thinks he is responsible for the murder of the queen and the kidnapping of the princess.
because they fish from the ocean for mere humans it looks only as if the fishes are flying and disappearing in the sky. drawing too much attention the peace keepers take Albert into prison, where from Lia and his childhood friend who is one of the peace keepers breaks him out and lets the guards take her in his place. turns out she is the lost princess and Albert was only trying to stop the kidnappers from taking her but he was just a kid too and got knocked out, clumsy enough the kidnappers boat wobbled and she fell from the sky loosing her memories of her previous self.
the continuation is Albert who just cant chill... and goes on to find those who killed the queen and kidnapped Lia the lost princess.
overall, it was a really overused concept and the drawings were really average if not below. I'm sorry to say, but there's just so many more mangas that should have gotten their official English translation. as someone who actually enjoys adventure stories, this is all a little too rushed. I feel like generally the manga industry nowadays hits the point where they try to cram as much content as possible into one book trying to make it as diverse and as rushed and just brushing on themes that could have been done so much better and just making the entirety of the manga sloppy, and draft-like.
I gave it 2/5 starts.
May 15, 2017
**I read a free online copy from NetGalley**
This is the author's debut work. Keeping that in mind I feel that she is a promising artist. It's obvious that a lot of thought went into this volume. In the bonus interview included at the end of the book, Sophie-chan states that she re-drew scenes several times in order to get it right.
The art style bothered me at times (the poses looked awkward and frames felt empty) but the character designs were solid and consistent. Again, this goes to show how very long the author has designed these characters in her mind. Structures such as the castle and flying ship were beautifully drawn. I like that Sophie-chan included bonus sketches at the end of the book!
The biggest fault with "Ocean of Secrets V1" would be its pacing. The story felt rushed. This issue was explained a little when the author said in her interview that she means for every volume to feature a different character's story. This volume was written mostly from her protagonist, Lia's, point-of-view. Still, I think I would have preferred less time-skips and more relationship-building.
I have to mention here that the story is what kept me turning pages despite the lack of balance. The universe in "Ocean of Secrets" is mysterious and the twist at the end of this volume had me pleasantly surprised.
Overall, I enjoyed this volume. I don't usually enjoy shojo manga but as the author admitted herself, there is enough action and adventure in the story that it could appeal to a wide audience. Sophie-chan said that this series will move in a more shonen or seinen direction in the future. That statement, along with the sneak-peaks of vol. 2 have my attention.
This is the author's debut work. Keeping that in mind I feel that she is a promising artist. It's obvious that a lot of thought went into this volume. In the bonus interview included at the end of the book, Sophie-chan states that she re-drew scenes several times in order to get it right.
The art style bothered me at times (the poses looked awkward and frames felt empty) but the character designs were solid and consistent. Again, this goes to show how very long the author has designed these characters in her mind. Structures such as the castle and flying ship were beautifully drawn. I like that Sophie-chan included bonus sketches at the end of the book!
The biggest fault with "Ocean of Secrets V1" would be its pacing. The story felt rushed. This issue was explained a little when the author said in her interview that she means for every volume to feature a different character's story. This volume was written mostly from her protagonist, Lia's, point-of-view. Still, I think I would have preferred less time-skips and more relationship-building.
I have to mention here that the story is what kept me turning pages despite the lack of balance. The universe in "Ocean of Secrets" is mysterious and the twist at the end of this volume had me pleasantly surprised.
Overall, I enjoyed this volume. I don't usually enjoy shojo manga but as the author admitted herself, there is enough action and adventure in the story that it could appeal to a wide audience. Sophie-chan said that this series will move in a more shonen or seinen direction in the future. That statement, along with the sneak-peaks of vol. 2 have my attention.
October 18, 2019
Oh dear. The concept for this manga is interesting enough, but the execution is quite poor. Although the art on the cover is quite pretty, the art inside is kinda meh. Personality did not come through at all, and there were times that I thought the characters had an angry or cynical expression, but the dialogue said otherwise. The artist is completely unable to convey motion, to the point that a scene in which Al is being chased by two guards they all looks like they're lightly jogging. In one panel
The manga has no emotional impact, it's rushed and bland. The story goes by way to fast, without giving you any time to build a connection with the characters, the author tells you how these characters become as close as family without even attempting to show you, you get an awkward info-dump early on, the dialogue is clunky and cringey, and the direction the plot takes is completely uninspired.
What does this manga do well? I guess the color pages were kinda nice. But only the color pages. The sketches at the end also displayed a level of quality that was entirely missing throughout the rest of the manga. So the artist can make the actual story pages look good. She just didn't.
The manga has no emotional impact, it's rushed and bland. The story goes by way to fast, without giving you any time to build a connection with the characters, the author tells you how these characters become as close as family without even attempting to show you, you get an awkward info-dump early on, the dialogue is clunky and cringey, and the direction the plot takes is completely uninspired.
What does this manga do well? I guess the color pages were kinda nice. But only the color pages. The sketches at the end also displayed a level of quality that was entirely missing throughout the rest of the manga. So the artist can make the actual story pages look good. She just didn't.
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