Shugo Chara! Vol. 1 by Peach-Pit
Series Name: Shugo Chara!
Genres: Comedy, Magic, Romance
Intended Age Group: Children/middle grade
Publisher: Kodansha
Edition: ebook
ISBN: N/A
Rating: 3/5
Amazon Barnes&Noble ThriftBooks BookWalker
Description
Everyone thinks Amu is so cool, but the truth is she’s just shy. The misconception drives her crazy, because she just wants to be able to outwardly express how she really feels without getting embarrassed. Three magic eggs appear in her bed one morning and hatch into Guardian Characters, angel-like beings who can magically help her be someone new. But now people are harassing her about something called an “embryo.” What hardships will accompany this new found power?
Personal & Info
BookWalker’s copy, which is where I read this, did not have an ISBN listed anywhere. Usually there’s one at the end of the book, but that is not the case here.
There is no Crunchyroll link for this book, because they appear to only have volumes two and up. The series is more than ten years old at this point, so some places are only going to have digital or used copies. Just make sure you know which format you’re looking at if you decide you want to get into this.
Apparently I added this to my to-read list years ago and completely forgot about it. It’s pure coincidence that I managed to get a free digital copy to try the series.
There is a spin off series by the name Shugo Chara-chan!, which looks like it focuses on the day to day mini-adventures of Amu’s Guardian Characters.
Characters
Amu Hinamori is a fourth grader from Seiyo Elementary on her way into the fifth grade. She is unhappy with her life, because she doesn’t know what kind of person she wants to be, but she knows she’s discontent with how she currently is. Amu is the main character. I’m sure her pink hair already gave that away. She’s unique because she has three eggs.
Midori Hinamori is Amu’s mother. She is the editor for Housewife’s Wisdom monthly magazine.
Tsugumu Hinamori is Amu’s father. He is a wild bird photographer.
Ami Hinamori is Amu’s 3 year old sister. Their parents could have tried to be a little more original with their daughters’ names.
Tadase Hotori is the King’s Chair Guardian for a group the school refers to as the Guardians. He is often referred to as Prince and Kiddy Prince. His guardian character is Kiseki.
Ran is Amu’s first guardian character. She’s good at honesty and sports. Her symbol is a heart.
Miki is Amu’s second guardian character. She’s good at art. Her symbol is a spade.
Su is Amu’s third guardian character. She’s good at cooking. Her symbol is a club.
Nadeshiko Fujisaki is the Queen’s Chair Guardian for a group the school refers to as the Guardians. Her guardian character is Temari.
Yaya Yuiki is the Ace Chair Guardian for a group the school refers to as the Guardians. Her guardian character is Pepe.
Kukai Souma is the Jack Chair Guardian for a group the school refers to as the Guardians. His guardian character is Daichi. Kukai is also Captain of the soccer team.
Ikuto Tsukiyomi is a mysterious boy who wants to steal Amu’s eggs. His guardian character is Yoru, and their transformation makes Ikuto look like a cat.
Utau is apparently a fourteen-year-old famous singer and a member of the villain group.
Story & Thoughts
I kind of wish I’d found this series back when it was still new. I think I would have absolutely loved it back then. It would have been a great series to get into around the same time Tokyo Mew Mew was making the rounds.
The story is super cute and relatable, but it also exaggerates things in a way that is typically best enjoyed by younger age groups. The introduction is a good example. Amu apparently suffers from some common social problems. She’s the new girl at her school. Her classmates, and even her parents, all think she is super cool, because she has that cool and reserved exterior. It’s not Komi levels of social anxiety, but everyone thinks she’s cool because they don’t really know or understand her. Assumptions about her life abound, and she comes off as a cool edgy kid. The fact the parents buy into it, too, makes it unrealistic.
On the inside, and when she’s alone, Amu is frustrated about how she can’t properly express herself or do things she wants to be good at. That’s where the story becomes relatable. I feel like these things are something most kids go through. Feeling shame or anxiety or dread about having to do things they aren’t good at, or wish they could be better at.
This is where the eggs come in. The story says all children have something called a heart egg that disappears as they get older. In some special cases, the eggs hatch, and they get a guardian character. These guardians represent the kind of person the kids want to be. Maybe not exact, but they represent the traits they wish they had. In Amu’s case, for example, one of hers is more honest and more athletic.
But the great thing about this aspect of the story is, these guardians are there to assure you that you have what it takes to become the person you want to be. It’s like they’re the training wheels you need to learn how to be that person, and they’re always reminding you that you have that potential. I’m curious how how the story handles things when kids actually make progress with that kind of character growth. Maybe that’s when the guardian characters disappear.
It looks like the story is going in a sort of magical girl transformation direction, but the boys get transformations, too. Amu is special, though, so she’s going to have three since she has three characters. She is crushing on Tadase in this volume, but I strongly suspect her actual love interest is going to be Ikuto. There was a strong moment of tension between them, and an enemies to crush relationship would be adorable and interesting for them.
I love the message the story is outlining about personal growth and hope. Amu’s hairclip changes to show which guardian is affecting her, and I think that’s a cute way to easily portray who is in control. This is a series I wouldn’t mind reading more of, but I don’t know when or if that will happen. I have a lot I’m working on as it is, so I’ll probably just throw it on my wishlist for now.