Ballet manga

So I’m really picky when it comes to reading ballet manga because I’m a ballet dancer myself and it’s hard for my expectations to be met. I am happy to say I’ve fallen in love with the ballet manga Kenrantaru Grande Scene!! Also, I want to point out that another reader commented on this manga and said it was the best ballet manga they’ve ever read. So now that you have two recommendations, please check it out!

Kanade is such a likable character and her passion for ballet is contagious. When I read this manga, I feel excited for her and even feel my own passion for ballet burning inside me. That’s something I looked for but couldn’t find in other ballet manga. I think anyone who reads this can relate to Kanade in some way and be motivated to pursue their own passion, even if it isn’t ballet.

I think one of the negatives of sports manga is sometimes the lead athlete doesn’t have any faults. In this manga, Kanade continuously fails whether it’s in the classroom or at a competition. However, she doesn’t let it get to her and instead gets motivated to better herself and become more successful. Nobody’s perfect and I think it’s very important this topic is addressed, especially in a manga that focuses on ballet. I can tell you from experience, even the most successful dancers still make mistakes. This was one of my pet peeves that kept popping up as I was trying to read other ballet manga. The stories would start out with a dancer who automatically had a hidden talent that needed to be discovered and easily moved up the ranks without putting in too much effort. This is not realistic and does not belong in a ballet manga. I appreciate the author creating an imperfect character and can’t wait to see how Kanade works herself up to become a great ballet dancer.

One thing that disappointed me from some of the other ballet manga I read was the ballet movements weren’t drawn realistically. There were so many errors in the drawings and even though most readers wouldn’t notice, I did and I just couldn’t make myself read a manga where the ballet aspect wasn’t realistic. The drawings in this manga blow me away and are completely accurate when it comes to the same movements in real life. Somebody with extensive ballet knowledge had to have illustrated this manga. From the drawing of the pointe shoes to the turns the dancers do, everything is drawn with the correct ballet forms in mind. Even the advice the teachers give the students is realistic and I bet if you have taken a ballet class you would think so too. Once again, even the author’s illustrations make me excited about dance. Kudos to the author who attempted to accurately depict ballet, you’ve done a fabulous job!

Even the content of the story is realistic. From injuries to the competition between dancers, everything is something I could relate to from my own personal experience. I danced ballet pre-professionally for ten years (meaning I was in a program to make me a professional dancer) and believe the author has perfectly described the stages and hurdles all dancers go through in order to make it to the top. Stop reading those other ballet manga and instead give this one a try! I promise you won’t be disappointed!