Like all the others great classic adaptations, this one is no exception. Jane Austen is a genius of her time and this manga definitely makes her justice!

The story line of Sense and Sensibility is widely known. A low-class family of three sisters has their life turned upside down when their father dies prematurely, leaving his fortune to his next male relative. Their story takes place in 17th century England, where the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, will learn about love, heartbreak, secrets in a time where appearances, fortune and good matches are key for a positive future.

This manga is simply beautiful. The adaptation is great, keeping not only the main skeleton of the novel but also details that made me reconnect with these beautiful and courageous women and men. The drawings are also beautifully made. I could definitely feel the chemistry between Elinor and Edward and Marianne and Mr. Willougby and Coronel Brandon. I could see the emotions in each character and for me they were really nicely represented. The details on the dresses, the carriages and the house interiors were amazing to see and it really helped getting into the story.

I have loved every single Manga Classic so far and I’m very excited to see which classic is coming next!

This is my favorite but of course after 'Pride and Prejudice' of Jane Austen.

This was so amazing...seeing classic adaption in form of delicate work of Manga. Truly beautiful...

Though adequate as an adaptation of the basic plot, the over-the-top drama of manga is not a very accurate vehicle for Austen's work. I think younger readers and manga fans will enjoy it. The issue here--and with nearly all Austen adaptations--is the sacrifice of her sometimes harsh irony and subtle delivery for straight sentimental drama. For example, in the original, the scene between John and Fanny is a brilliantly subtle indictment of the banality of cruelty, whereas in this telling, Fanny is a metaphorical-mustache twirling villain and John is just a pathetic non-character. This version also alters the male leads to make them more passionate, but that is an almost universal approach to Sense & Sensibility, given how (probably intentionally) underwhelming they are in the original text.

If you enjoy classic love stories, then you will like the Manga Classics collection. This version of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility is beautifully illustrated in manga style. Once you pick up one of these books, you will want to read the others. They are that well-done.

Sense and Sensibility tells the story of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne. The story takes place in England, beginning in Norland Park, where the Dashwood family has an estate. When their father dies, the estate goes to the son, John, and the sisters and mother are left with nothing. This is because, in those days, women did not own property. Although John pledges to take care of the family, he doesn’t do a very good job of it and they end up leaving the estate for a smaller house in a distant town. John is not a very strong personality and his wife, Fanny, convinces him not to help the family much at all. Before leaving Norland Park, Elinor meets a young man named Edward and falls in love, although she hides this from her family and denies it to herself too. Edward’s sister, Fanny, disapproves of the relationship, believing it is below Edward’s class, and actively discourages it once she finds out about it. So, the sisters and their mother move out of Norland Park. Once they settle into their new home at Barton Cottage, courtesy of another male relative, they put some distance between themselves and Fanny. At their new home, Marianne falls in love too. But, has she fallen in love with the wrong man?

The dramatic story continues as Marianne and Elinor both explore their relationships and try to find the right man to marry. It gets complicated along the way, but it does work out in the end. Who will marry whom and how many adventures will they have along the way? It makes for a really absorbing read for a rainy afternoon.

These books have stood the test of time because they are enduring stories that have been enjoyed by so many readers for over a century. It was first published in 1811! They also offer a look back at the culture of the time and how people related to one another and found their place in society. There is a great section at the end of the book that talks about how the story was adapted into Manga format. It’s very interesting to read because it gives the reader a historical perspective on the events in the novel. For example, it explains that hair keepsakes were a very popular item at the time! It also explains how property was inherited in those times. Younger brothers who did not inherit the estates of their fathers had to find acceptable work and that meant either the military or the clergy. It was considered inappropriate for gentlemen to work and they made their money off rents collected on their properties! It was considered inappropriate for unmarried men and women to hang out together without a chaperone in attendance at all times.

These facts and more can be found in the endnotes. But the book itself is very attractive and the artwork is stunning. The characters have to be able to convey emotion in a format with very little text. So, they have to be drawn so that they can convey inner emotions to the reader. The artists did a great job doing this for all the characters. Certainly, they can use thought balloons for this, but also the talented artists use a few strokes of a pen to make a character appear happy, depressed, exhausted, elated, etc. It takes a lot of artistic talent to do that and these artists have earned my respect for their amazing skills.

Manga is a Japanese style of graphic novel. You read manga from the ‘back’ of the book toward the ‘front.’ In Western style books, you read the other way around. So, it might seem like it would take a lot of getting used to. However, you will easily get the hang of it after a page or two. It didn’t take me long at all to adapt to reading this way and I enjoyed it.

As an educator, these books appeal to me because I see how they could be used in the classroom to introduce students to these timeless tales. If you are teaching English literature, or even a reading group, I think these books would be appropriate to use in the classroom. Students will enjoy the graphic format and the illustrations will draw them into the story. I highly recommend the entire Manga Classics series for this very reason. I know you will enjoy this book!

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the authors and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! what a read!

Set in the countryside of 17th century, this Manga Classic is beautifully executed.

The Dashwood sisters - Elinor and Marianne are like two opposite faces of the same coin. Elinor Dashwood is reserved, composed and cautious while the younger sister Marianne is expressive, emotional and volatile. Nonetheless, they both share a strong bond and deep affection for each other. Their bond strengthens further as the story advances especially when they both suffer from heartbreak.

Elinor fell in love with Edward Ferrars but she kept her feelings hidden that even Edward was doubtful of her feelings towards him. Marianne fell for the handsome Mr. Willoughby and the whole town chattered about them. Both extreme in their nature, the sisters finally learned to balance between sense and sensibility in the end.

What I loved the Most!
The artists have done really good research on every single detail of the story. From characters to the fashion of that era. The flowing gowns and bonnets. The detailing of the traditional furniture. Beautiful carriages.

Absolutely incredible!
I loved reading this Manga Classic so much.


I received an ARC of this book from Udon Entertainment via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting premise for an old classic. Good pictures and followed story. If you like comic book style this could be for you to read classics.

I don't know how is the original novel but this manga I felt it a little dramatic and a little boring at some parts. Second the male characters seemed to me to be a little feminine but it was pleasant I may say.

So far, I think this is my least favorite of these Manga Classics. I still loved the way the story was told and I still loved the art work. The story itself, just wasn't for me. What I really really loved, though, was the relationship between the two sisters, I think that that was pretty much my favorite thing about the whole story.

I have the actual book in my book shelve, maybe reading the story more in depth will be different. I'm not sure.