Every so often an anime or manga comes along that forces you to rethink your perspective on a particular genre. Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou changed how I viewed sci-fi. Barefoot Gen redefined my idea of tragedies. Sanctuary altered my preconcieved notions of thrillers.

And Ai Yori Aoshi changed how I viewed romantic manga.

Ai Yori Aoshi (or Bluer than Indigo), was created by Fumizuki Kou, and was originally serialized in Young Animal magazine from 1998 to 2005, when the series ended. The title was inspired by a quote from the Chinese philosopher Xun Zi which states that "Blue comes from indigo, but is bluer than indigo", and is used in both China and Japan as a reference to surpassing one's teacher through one's own efforts.

The manga series proved to be extremely popular amongst older Japanese teens and men aged 20-30. Because of it's popularity, the series was adapted as an anime in 2002, with a sequel, Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~, released in 2003. Both series were directed by Shimoda Masami (Saber Marionette J, Someday's Dreamers, E's Otherwise). A game was also released based on the series for the Playstation 2 and the PC.

Now, it's no secret that I'm not a big fan of harem rom-com/dramas, especially the ecchi type. Some are reasonable enough (i.e. no permanent brain damage from reading/watching them), whilst others are so bad that the creators should be shot. Thankfully Ai Yori Aoshi falls into neither of those categories.

The story is extremely simple in many ways. Ai Yori Aoshi is a harem rom-com/drama after all. However the approach to the story is where the big difference lies. In Ai Yori Aoshi, the two main protagonists are betrothed right from the start of the series, something which is unusual for harem based manga and anime.

The first chapter begins with Sakuraba Aoi trying to make her way through a train station. She has left the safety of her home to search for the boy to whom she was betrothed as a child. Unfortunately her sheltered upbringing causes her to get lost easily, and she is unfamiliar with train stations in general. She is knocked over by someone in a hurry, and is helped to her feet a young man, who takes the time to fix her sandal, and who guides her to the address she is looking for. It may be fate or destiny, but the young man turns out to be Hanabishi Kaoru, the boy she was searching for, the one whom she hasn't seen for 18 years, and the man to whom she wants to devote her life.

This beginning is a big deviation from the stereotypical harem series, having a far more serious beginning than the standard fare that is available. There are other deviations as well, which all serve to separate Ai Yori Aoshi from the generic series that are so often spawned, and make it something a little more special )I'll cover some of these in a bit).

The artwork for Ai Yori Aoshi is very "straightforward", compared to many series, however this simplicity is a reflection of the story. The open, expressive character designs make a nice change, especially when conferring deep emotions. The scenery is often quite detailed, and makes a nice contrast to the simplicity of the characters. The character designs are also well chosen, especially as this is a harem series. There are some cliche characters, however they're not annoying in the slightest.

Ai Yori Aoshi may be good or very good in it's story and art, but where it really shines is in it's characters. Rarely have I seen so much depth and background, or such strong leads in a manga, especially a harem rom-com/drama.

Sakuraba Aoi, the only daughter of the owner of the famous Sakuraba Department Store. She is the epitome of the Yamato Nadeshiko (a traditional Japanese beauty), and has lived her life with one clear goal in mind - to be a worthy wife to Hanabishi Kaoru. To that end she spent 18 years training daily in all the traditional Japanese arts (flower arranging, playing the koto, performing the tea ceremony, even as far as wearing a tsumugi kimono every day). Unlike many female harem leads, she is completely devoted to Kaoru, and unlike other female leads she is able to control her emotions well.

I'm not going to go into detail about the other characters (bar one), except to say that, for the most part, almost all of the side characters have a depth of character that is rare in a harem series. Fumizuki Kou has gone to great lengths to give most of the side character a sense of realism that is so often missing in a romantic series. There are even segments of the story and special chapters devoted entirely to one (or more) of the side characters. One thing that really is different from the normal harem fare is the relationship between Aoi and Kaoru, as well as the relationships they have with the other characters (in particular Tina Foster, Kagurazaki Miyabi, Miyuki Mayu, Minazuki Taeko, and Minazuki Chika), and most importantly the relationships the side characters have with each other. This is where the side characters gain their sense of realism, and is a great thing to see in a manga.

And now for that one character I mentioned, and possibly the biggest deviation from the typical harem fare - Hanabishi Kaoru. He is, without doubt, one of the best romantic leads in manga to date.

Hanabishi Kaoru is a character with an insane amount of depth and, unlike so many other harem leads, he is not a loser who deserves to be strangled at birth. He is a kind, intelligent, and very caring young man who tries his hardest to make his way in the world. When he first met Aoi as a child he was the heir to the Hanabishi business empire, however he turned his back on the Hanabishi household, which is the event that prompted Aoi to search for him. Kaoru initially doesn't remember Aoi or their betrothal, however unlike most other harem shows that feature a childhood promise, Kaoru actually has a reason that is not only plausible, but also very possible, for forgetting. Kaoru is very much a lead who is trying to come to terms with his past whilst attempting to make a future, and a nice change from the typical harem "who will he choose" fare is the fact that he is devoted to Aoi as well. Yes there are temptations along the way, but he works hard to overcome them.

Anyway, I ramble so I'll wind this down.

I will freely admit that I love this series. It's use of traditional Japanese culture gives the series a depth that is rare to see in a harem based romantic comedy/drama. The continued references, both visually and written, to traditional Japanese culture add a certain realistic feel to the whole series, and also serves to heighten some of the dramatic moments of the manga.

Granted, the manga does sometimes play fast and loose with the story, and some may view a number of chapters as nothing more than "filler" (which it isn't really but I'm not going to try and convince you of that). Fumizuki Kou does incorporate a number of typical ecchi harem situations into the series, however they didn't really bother me all that much because I was more interested in progressing with what proves to be a captivating love story.

I would readily recommend this to any fan of romantic or harem manga as it is an example of how good the harem genre could be if they only ditched the stereotypical loser male lead. I've noticed many comparisons between Ai Yori Aoshi and Love Hina, and I will say freely that they are as different as chalk and cheese, especially as Keitaro from Love Hina is a total loser who should be dropped off a cliff, and Kaoru is actually quite a kind, mature young man who cares about those around him more than he does himself.

This is an extremely rewarding read, and is definitely one of the sweetest love stories available in manga.