Reviewed on December 30th, 2006

Visually

So far, this is the most realistic anime series I have ever watched, except Final Fantasy, but that’s a game. The background setting is in the bustling city of Tokyo; some of the scenes are original pictures/photographs of Tokyo, except they have been redefined. The characters are well defined with distinctive character traits and the artwork is just incredible. Since this series involve the fashion industry, we can see many artistic clothing designs with different styles and taste. The passing flowers intervals got a little annoying after a while, but overall the art is fantastic and I just wished we had such clothing in real life. This is a very creative and inventive anime; a lot of heart was put into making such beautiful clothing, even if it’s only for an anime series.

Audio

The opening song, “Lonely in Gorgeous” by Tommy February6, is a very upbeat song that makes me want to dance to it. The theme of the song fits the story very well, as you will see towards the end of the movie. I find myself singing, literally singing the song sometimes when I'm not focusing on my work. A very optimistic overtone (the lyrics aren't so) of the series. The voice actors worked real well with their characters; Yukari's voice actor was very strict and uptight which reflects Yukari very well when she was still chained to her parent's principle of education. Ending song is very erratic, accompanied by the randomness of the images makes it a beautiful way to end each episode.

Storyline

Yukari Hayasaka was a normal high school student who obeyed her parent’s wishes of focusing on school work. Preparing for college entrance exams and such, Yukari spends all her time on school work and cram school, until one day, she was snatched away to a new world she never thought about. The kidnappers turned out to be a group of fashion design students who designed clothing with the label “Paradise Kiss”. They needed a model for their up and coming fashion show and decides that Yukari was the perfect person for the job. Yukari was reluctant to be connected to such an unusual group of people, but she soon finds out that they are very nice people, who have great passion and enthusiasm to pursue their dreams. Yukari begins to question her goals and way of life, to find that she has not been enjoying her existence, thus, decided to follow with the groups’ offer of being a model. She decides to follow her own heart and does what she deems fit, not being swayed by other peoples’ ideals. As she looks into her heart to find her path, her relationship with the group leader, George Koizumi, becomes a little intense.



The storyline was acceptable, not super fantastic, but it reflects the lives of many teenage students who spend most of their time in school. I can really connect to Yukari on freeing oneself from the shackles of normality and follow one's heart. I truly wished that someone would one day kidnap me away to a new world filled with hopes and dreams. May not be a series for guys, only if they like fashion and can accept the emotional strains of love and loss.

DVD

The Paradise Kiss Box Set collection contains two DVDs with all 12 episodes and the Limited Edition would also include one fake blue-dyed flower, one Paradise Kiss picture card, one Promotional DVD, and a short beautiful artwork book. Original Japanese Dialogue, equipped with English and Chinese subtitles. The DVD set is a very limited edition and it’s very hard to find in American stores, so the best way is to order online.

Overall

I love this series; the dress that Yukari wore took my breath away. The ending left me somewhat unsatisfied, because it seemed rushed and leaves me with the feeling of "OMG, they should have been together". Still, the artwork was beautiful and the lesson behind it reflects all of us who follow the rules of others, instead of our own heart.

by Sooyung