Il y a bien longtemps, chaque contrée et village de la Corée était régie par un "Ryanban", un noble désigné par le gouvernement central. Mais certains d'entre eux abusèrent de leur pouvoir pour exploiter la population. Chu Nyan, fille d'une grande prêtresse, décide de se dresser contre celui qui tyrannise son village. Sa détermination provoquera de grands bouleversements et lui fera croiser la route du mystérieux Muron, un émissaire tout puissant se faisant passer par un vagabond, et chargée de surveiller les agissements des "Ryanbans" à travers le pays.
CLAMP originally began in 1989 as a twelve-member dōjinshi circle, but by 1990, the circle had diminished from twelve to seven. Of the remaining seven, Tamayo Akiyama, Sei Nanao, and Leeza Sei left the group during the production of the RG Veda manga. Other former members of CLAMP also included Soushi Hishika, O-Kyon, Kazue Nakamori, Yuzuru Inoue and Shinya Ōmi. Currently, there are four members in the group.
In 2004, CLAMP's 15th anniversary as a mangaka group, the members changed their names from Nanase Ohkawa, Mokona Apapa, Mick Nekoi, and Satsuki Igarashi to Ageha Ohkawa, Mokona, Tsubaki Nekoi and Satsuki Igarashi (her name is pronounced the same, but written with different characters) respectively. The August 2004 issue of Newtype USA, a magazine specializing in events of the anime and manga subcultures, reported that the members of CLAMP simply wanted to try out new names. In a later interview with Ohkawa, it was revealed that initially Mokona wanted to drop her surname because it sounded too immature for her liking, while Nekoi disliked people commenting that her name was the same as Mick Jagger's. Ohkawa and Igarashi, wanting to go with the flow of Nekoi's and Mokona's name changes, changed their names as well.
In 2006, they made their first USA public debut at Anime Expo in Anaheim, California. They were well received at the convention, with 6,000 fans in attendance at their panel.
Even though I freely spent my own money on this manga, I expected to hate it. I thought it would turn out to be dated, generic, and dull. But what can I say, I'm a sucker for fantasy action heroines, especially when they're prominent on the cover of a product: it tells us that this is her story; this is her adventure that you are about to embark upon.
The action heroine cover of 'The Legend of Chun Hyang', above all else, promises a fun time.
To my utter and pleasant surprise, it fulfils that promise.
This obscure manga by the ultra-famous mangaka team CLAMP, loosely based on a Korean folktale, is full of history, action, fantasy, comedy, romance, mystery, tragedy, politics, faith, spirits, heart, and beauty. It possesses a bit of everything, to match its stunning artwork, as is to be expected from CLAMP. 'The Legend of Chun Hyang' might be my first time reading anything to do with Korean culture and folklore, and far from being confused, I am intrigued.
Chun Hyang is a great heroine. She stands up for what she believes in, all the time; she's a formidable adversary against oppression and government corruption; she cares deeply for others and will fight for those who cannot defend themselves; she's a highly skilled martial artist and swordswoman, who thinks on her light feet; she's proven she can kick anyone's arses on multiple occasions; and she has her humourous and stubborn side as well, of course, without being overbearing. She's like a superhero for her people. She is neither a pushover, nor a saint, as she shows she is capable of killing out of rage and revenge. Quite brutal and complex for a shoujo heroine.
And despite the artwork making her look older, she is supposed to be only fourteen. Damn you, manga and anime.
Chun Hyang is a well rounded, endearing, fun yet tragic character, who manages to rise above her losses, and she never gives up.
In fact, I like all of the characters in 'The Legend of Chun Hyang'. Even the obnoxious, shallow, wannabe Casanova (read: perverted git) Mong Ryong, who serves as Chun Hyang's tag-along partner and potential love interest on her adventures - he grew on me. He isn't too bad, and is complex and powerful in his own way. There's also Chun Hyang's mother, Wall Mae, an important medicine woman (Mu Dang) in her town, whom Chun Hyang is very protective towards; unsurprising as she's her single parent. Wall Mae has her own secrets - everyone's quite mysterious in these stories, and Chun Hyang is kept in the dark, as is the tired and frustrating hero's journey tradition - but the mother and daughter share a loving and beautiful bond. It is very touching to see in manga - hell, in anything.
'The Legend of Chun Hyang' only contains three chapters, which are stories that are connected but can be read as standalones. The stories are very good and original, but sadly it doesn't seem like CLAMP will be continuing this project. This series definitely did not deserve to get cancelled before its time.
Oh well. It remains a nice little self-contained time capsule; a classic manga tale. Considering how short the series is and how it ended prematurely, I'm glad it got an English translation at any rate (I'm lucky to receive a secondhand Tokyopop copy online). The manga is such a fascinating gem containing practically all enjoyable elements.
Almost breathtaking. This legend will make you laugh, and cry.
This was fantastic, and had all of the makings of a CLAMP classic as well. This comes off as unfinished, but truly great in its own right. Even though it is one of their earlier works, (evident even without knowing the release date due to artistic choices) it still follows the atypical subject matter they are so known for. Most mangakas would not pick a Korean legend for their inspiration. China yes, but not Korea. I loved that they took it on while putting their own stamp on it.
The art was fine for them, but it was clearly rushed and at times messy. This was most evident in their monsters/animals (take special note of the dragon and tiger).
In a way, I'm glad they did not finish this. If they had continued through the legend, they would have probably followed the legend's ending and have our couple not end up together. That is CLAMP's trademark after all. This way I remember the story as a happier adventure with justice being carried out. It's a little odd that I would say "happy" with all of the death and suicide, but Chun Hyang and Mong Ryong have a lightness to them that I just enjoyed through and through.
I can see myself reading this one again, unlike many of the other CLAMP series I tend to pick up.
Bueno bueno, hello there! Para empezar, estaba leyendo X y quería leer esto despues del tomo 5, pero al final llegue al tomo 9 de X porque se lee muy rápido jajajajajajaj La verdad le pongo dos estrellas, no porque no me haya gustado, sino que realmente me pareció re meh. Onda, siento que la historia podría haber llegado a algo decente con 1 o dos tomos más. Osea Duklyon cerro la historia en dos tomos jajajajaj vamos clamp! Pero bueno, siento que tenía potencial, pero tampoco es la gran cosa y no paso absolutamente nada. Me gusta la idea de que sea una historia basada en una leyenda coreana, me parece re cute. Los personajes eran lindos y me encantan los historical dramas, pero al final pincho porque solo tuvo 3 capítulos. En fin, otra historia de CLAMP terminada y ahora viene las guerreras mágicas y eso sí me da tremendas ganas de ver que onda. No volvería a leer este manga porque realmente no paso nada, no me cambio la vida en nada haberlo leído, pero de nuevo, como fan de estas señoras, no me costaba nada leer una historia de un solo tomo jajajajajjajaja PD. Medio creepy que al pibe le guste Chun Hyang porque tiene 14 años jajajajaja guess it was another time...
While The Legend of Chun Hyang has potential and CLAMP's usual beautiful art, it also comes with several flaws that are sadly not a rare feat in the world of CLAMP. Although this is often sold as a standalone, it is yet another unfinished work. It is not so glaringly obvious as some others as it is told in an episodic style, but it is clear that this is a mere intro to what CLAMP had in mind originally.
Interesting about this particular work is that it is a retelling of sorts of a Korean legend. That being said, I am not in the slightest familiar with the original so I cannot say how alike they are. But CLAMP themselves write that this is quite a different take on the character of Chun Hyang - my guess being that they have made her a lot more boyish and zealous than the original would have been.
As a story, it feels very much like a 90s fantasy adventure where the main characters travel and confront various evildoers. Of course, Chun Hayng has a bit of a short temper and she often bickers with her male companion who comes across as a little too easy-going but who is in truth an important person. The fact that it follows an often-used formula allows one to imagine easily enough where this story would have led. As it is now, it makes for nice art, good action scenes and some comedy. And while Korean culture isn't my biggest field of interest, it is certainly an intriguing read - the traditional clothing of the women are beautiful.
If you are looking for a thoughtful or fulfilling manga read, this is definitely not it. But if you want to be a CLAMP completist, have a quick comedic fantasy read or just want a dash of Korean folklore, it's a safe choice as long as you don't expect any particular conclusion.
The story of a young woman with the heart of a warrior
This is an original story with characters loosely based on the Korean legends of the same name (it even says so at the beginning of the first two stories.) I might not have even glanced at this series which could have been longer if desired if not for her character showing up in the Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE in the past making me curious if she was original or from one of the many prior CLAMP titles known to show up in the series.
I am happy to say that the title character has as much if not more spunk and talent as that of her Tsubasa Chronicle self from what I remember of her. With two adventures in the modern age of the story we see how Chun Hyang starts her journeys along side the far less serious but still powerful traveling party member Mong Ryong. On a quest to find those that abuse their power over the common people these companions face against powerful foes normally protected by the law of the land. Then stick around to see a story about little Chun Hyang who is already protecting what is important to her and those important to her but how much strength can a young girl really have?
To the story I give a 2. To the art I give a 4. Hence three stars. I wanted to love this but it was pretty disappointing. The characters are very 2-D and unoriginal. There's little resemblance to the original legend from what I can tell, and the whole thing feels so unfinished. What a shame.
Un manga en un seul tome qui se lit vite, assez manichéen et aux personnages prévisibles (et un peu irritant, pour le personnage masculin) mais avec une héroïne forte et battante.
The only problem with this book? It is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too short.
That's it.
Ok, ok. There's not much to say about this book except that it is one of CLAMP's well written fantasies. The main character Chun Hyang is extremely likable. She hates the Warlord and his son and stands up to them when everyone else is afraid to. She meets Mong Ryong who is a perverted traveler who just falls for her VERY quickly.
As good as this manga is there is only a couple of adventures in the one manga. The last chapter being about her when she was younger. There’s also questions I have about her father. Who was he? Where did he come from? He must have been a great person because her mother was a good person that became attracted to him right? And what happened to him?
Other than those questions I really do like this book. Any fans of CLAMP should read it.
Tanto tiempo conociendo el nombre de este manga, y pasando olímpicamente de él, cuando debí darle la oportunidad hace mil años!!!
Esta increíble este manga, una joyita sin dudar, la historia parece simple, pero los personajes son todo, Mong Ryon es mi personaje favorito jeje aunque Chunyan tiene lo suyo por mil.
Tremendos personajes para tan corto manga... En serio, PORQUE TAN CHIQUITO EL ASUNTO?!?!?!?!
Este manga fue una aguja en el pajar del mundo CLAMP!!!
I’ll admit, I know next to nothing about the original legend of Chun Hyang, but I do know that CLAMP took extreme creative liberties, using the original tale and its meaning as the base bones for the story itself, not necessarily the characters. I read on the wikia for this manga that it would have periodic runs in the magazine it was originally published in, completing three chapters before the project was scrapped. Considering it didn’t make it very far and it’s almost never spoken of, I assume it simply did not do well. I’m sure I could think of reasons why, but I don’t necessarily intend to. Instead, I’d like to appreciate it. I actually liked the character designs and most of their dynamics. The dynamic between Mong Ryong and Chun Hyang felt a lot like the dynamics between Miroku and Sango. Which came first though? I think it was this, if not simultaneous. Which also makes me question… was this, almost annoyingly violent dynamic just a common funny, tense romance trope during the 90’s in manga? Strange, indeed.
This manga had a lot of potential and it was very professionally done (of course it was— CLAMP). I would have liked to have seen Mong Ryong and Chun Hyang’s relationship blossom much, much more, but we sadly didn’t have the time for it. I see a lot of depth and planning out in the story as well involving the characters and setting. It seems that Chun Hyang, her father and mother and Mong Ryong may all be involved in something so massive that it’s transforming the country, and she may or may not be the last to know. I wish that there was more of this, but I’m also somewhat satisfied with what there is. I never feel like any CLAMP series gets a proper ending anyhow. It always feels as though we’ve simply ended in the middle of a story. But, well, I recommend this one. I regrettably became somewhat attached to characters (mostly Mong Ryong) I may not ever see much more of, but it was still a lot of fun to read— especially if you’re a danmei fan looking for some light reading. (Me.)
I started this because I’ve been making my way through all of CLAMP’s works. It was a pretty good story. The art is beautiful, which one expects with CLAMP. The story had tragedy, but also humor. I didn’t really like the dynamic between Chun Hyang and Mong Ryong.
And honestly, what happened to the mom was kind of his fault. He was there for days, observing (true) but also very lackadaisical about it, when he could have done something sooner. It was pretty clear the Yang Ban was abusing their power.
It also felt like there should have been more to the story. I can’t believe this ended with one volume. The final chapter has the mom promising to tell Chun Hyang the truth about her father, but we never see that. I found that kind of annoying.
This manga was enjoyable and I like how it departed from the original Korean story of Chun Hyang. This way, you get to see the story from a different angle, which I appreciated. However, I like the original better than this retelling, especially since this manga is not well fleshed out and needs a little more world-building. Additionally, I think before going into this manga, it would be helpful to know the original tale of Chun Hyang to compare and contrast the two.
Come sempre mi sono subito innamorata dei disegni delle Clamp che riescono ad emozionare e coinvolgere, anche la storia è molto affascinante e nonostante la sua brevità fa apprezzare i personaggi. Purtroppo sono solo due capitoli più uno di ricordi della piccola Chun Hyang a 6 anni, secondo me avrebbe avuto un buon potenziale per una storia più lunga e articolata e anche per un'evoluzione dei protagonisti. È davvero un peccato.
Sonaba bien la historia, un poquitín me recuerda a Vampire Hunter D; obviamente a RG Veda y el tipo de cosas que pasaban en Tsubasa.
Un poquitín también de repetición de los mismos tópicos y así, pero está bien.
Lo realmente malo es que se suponía que era una historia de un solo tomo, pero en realidad es una historia abandonada a los 3 nùmeros. Sin conclusión; y no como muchas otras historias de CLAMP, que quedaron en alto.
This book has beautiful illustrations and powerful female protagonists, which is everything I love about CLAMP! I felt like there wasn't much closure with the ending of Part 2 before it went to another comic, so I'm hoping CLAMP has a sequel in the works if they don't already.
CLAMP's twist on a Korean folktale is quite an entertaining adventure tale with 3 short stories, but ultimately feels shallow because it didn't have the time to grow. Like Clover this is another unfinished work by CLAMP that I shall have to mourn.
It makes me sad that there's only two chapters of this story, I wanted more. ☹️ I'm not usually a fan of bickering romance stories but these kids are pretty cute. I like the use of magic in these stories. Mong Ryong is a bit of a cad!
There's a lot of bad reviews on this manga for very little reason; it's CLASSIC CLAMP at its finest, and that's what I love the most about it! It's similar to some of their other stories at its core, but it's comfortable and familiar, and overall a very enjoyable story!
It was enjoyable. It made me laugh. I wish there was more. The only downside was the panel layout wasn't always clear, so the flow was sometimes a little wonky. Overall a good story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Another win by CLAMP. Absolutely gorgeous older art styles paired with a fun and page-turning story. I truly love CLAMP's capability to transform fantasy into what feels like reality.
Nada del otro mundo; muy normalito y con ilustraciones difíciles de leer/seguir. Una historia muy abierta para ser tomo único, da sensación de inacabado 🤷🏻♀️.