Nanako is unexpectly inducted into the school's
sorority. She has no idea why since only exceptional girls are members and she
does not view herself as exceptional in any way. The President of the Sorority
is Fukiko Ichinomiya, known as Miya-sama (or Lady miya in the Italian
version)Nanako becomes entangled in the lives of Miya and Rei (or St. Juste as
she is called by the girls of the school). These two popular girls seem to have
a very strange relationship. Nanako can not help but be involved as she wants to
help the depressed and sometime suicidal Saint Juste. Nanako is also befriended
by a beautiful and lonely girl named Mariko, who is determined to get into the
sorority and make Nanako her best friend at any cost. All the while, the girls
at the school belittle and bully Nanako because she is such a common middle
class girl, and not to mention an outsider, yet she managed to be inducted into
the sorority. Nanako does have her childhood friend Tomoko, the support of the
talented and popular Kaoru, and the new friendship of her brother to give her
some solace.
The anime and manga have some very serious subject matter and
this story is really sort of dark, but I think it's also sort of insperational
in some ways. It's very realistic, though it can be a bit on the dramatic side,
too. There are some mature themes that might not be appropriate for young
children, but mature Jr. High kids up to adults would really enjoy it. The anime
also has a very intense feel to it that might be too much for younger kids. The
manga on the other hand is a little lighter, but still is the same storyline and
has the same mature themes. It just seems to be presented a little more
lightheartedly, but it is still meant for high school girls and
older.
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Background is a
painting by Y. Kuronuma