Midnight Secretary manga review
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Midnight Secretary is a supernatural romance manga series by Ohmi Tomu that was serialized in the manga magazine Petit Comic since 2006, with the 34th and final chapter published in the May 2009 issue.[1] The serial chapters were collected in seven shinshobon volumes by Shogakukan.
Midnight Secretary follows the relationship between Kaya Satozuka, a private secretary, and her boss, Director Kyouhei Touma of the Touma Company, who is a vampire.
Considered to be the "perfect secretary" yet constantly criticized for her ultra-conservative dress style by her boss, Director Kyouhei Touma of the Touma Company, Kaya lives a normal life until she finds out that her employer is actually a vampire. Despite uncovering his identity, she dedicates herself to serving the Director to the best of her abilities. The early part of the story focuses on the trials and tribulations of Kaya's increasingly hectic workload, then shifts to the developing personal relationship between her and the Director. (from wikipedia.org)
Midnight Secretary really draws you in with the first few chapters. The secretary-boss romance is a much used romantic plot and adding supernatural only spices it up. There is an atmosphere of mystery and suspense. The romantic tension is built up nvery early in the book.
The director is much like the male lead from other josei manga (like Hapi Mari)- good-looking, rich, CEO of a huge company, with family wealth and a past which troubles him (when will mangakas stop using this plot device?)
The heroine is sincere, hardworking, efficient and loyal. Her personality was very boring. She seemed to be too perfect to be real and very submissive. There was no struggle for her in falling in love. She lacked the 'spirit' of many of the more interesting and energetic protagonists.
This manga is strictly for those above 18 and they will enjoy the passion and intensity contained within the columes of this manga.
Towards the ending, it becomes boring, predictable and too 'normal'. But for a quick read, Midnight Secretary is a great series.
Ratings-
Story-4
Style-4.3
Visuals-4.7
Characters-3
Development-3.2
Pros
Excellent illustrations
Unique mixing of genres (supernatural-office romance)
Cons
Characters were not very remarkable/memorable
Virtually no development of Kaya's character