The Great Alpha Queen

A brief 2-volume manga by the creator of the renowned romance, Hana-Kimi.  

The narrative centers around a girl named Maya, who is developing a burgeoning talent for skating. She begins at a public skating rink and executes an advanced skating move for the first time simply by observing it on television. By chance, she catches the attention of a guy who wishes to pair her with a more skilled skater, Shun. Initially aloof and unenthusiastic about coaching her, Shun gradually warms up as the story unfolds. The plot follows Maya's journey of practice, learning, and forming a bond with Shun. While predictable, one cannot expect much depth from a mere 2-volume manga.  

Art: visually appealing and harmonious with the storyline. Having always admired the art style of Hana-Kimi, I knew this would not disappoint.  

Characters: given the limited scope of a 2-volume manga, character development is constrained but present. Shun mirrors Sano from Hana-Kimi—reluctant to open up yet ultimately does so. His friend Oda resembles Nakatsu due to his carefree demeanor. Maya, confident and spirited, echoes Mizuki. Whether intentional or not, the author has drawn connections that readers familiar with Hana-Kimi will likely notice.  

Enjoyment: I thoroughly enjoyed it. Despite the characters being somewhat derivative, the concept was refreshing. Skating manga are relatively rare, and Nakajo deserves credit for tackling this subject. As someone who took lessons for five years, I was curious about how she would approach the theme. Her research is evident throughout.  

Overall: a standard shoujo tale, but definitely worth reading.

First off, I'm surprised by how few manga revolve around figure skating—or at least how few are commonly known. I picked this one up solely because I really wanted to read a manga about this sport, and I wasn't disappointed since my expectations weren't extremely high. A two-volume series doesn't leave much room for character or plot development. It was okay—though nothing extraordinary—and is worth a read for those interested in figure skating.  
  
The premise of a young girl starting figure skating as a teenager appeals to me. I enjoy a main character discovering they have a lot of potential in something but are very unpolished in that area. Maya has raw talent and natural rhythm/balance. She puts a great deal of effort into improving, and it pays off by the end.  
  
However, the ending is not only predictable but also feels anticlimactic, which might be due to the limited number of chapters.  
  
The characters are mostly interesting despite lacking depth. In fact, I would have liked to learn more about Maya by the end. But her personality is likable—she's spirited without being overly energetic to the point of annoyance. Shun is fine—he fits the classic cliché of an unresponsive partner who warms up to the protagonist as the story progresses. I wasn't particularly fond of him, but I didn't dislike him either.  
  
The other characters aren't explored much, leaving the reader somewhat indifferent to some of the relationships.  
  
I appreciated that romance wasn't a major focus in this manga. It really centers on the sport and Maya's goals rather than typical shoujo romantic affairs.  
  
Since this is such a quick read, I'd recommend it to anyone who feels like reading something involving ice skating.

I was thoroughly captivated by the plot centered around a young girl's burgeoning career in figure skating. The narrative was engaging right from the start, and due to the manga's length, there was always a significant event in each chapter. However, also because of its length, the story didn't explore character backgrounds or plotlines as deeply as I had hoped, and the ending was somewhat underwhelming. Nonetheless, the originality of the story was what truly made it shine for me.

The artwork was decent. It was straightforward when portraying Maya's everyday life at school, but when it came to figure skating, the author added more detail to facial expressions and costumes, highlighting the importance of the sport in Maya's perspective.

Maya is a delightful character, behaving like a middle schooler navigating a new environment. She's strong, brave, and humorous. Her interactions with Shun are also amusing, particularly since he embodies the classic tsundere archetype. The relationship between the two is well-balanced and entertaining.

I did enjoy this manga while reading it, but there were some shortcomings. I anticipated more development in terms of conflict. This manga could definitely be expanded for a richer reading experience. I found the chapters to be exceedingly brief (one being only nine pages!), and I had hoped for a specific resolution by the end. Still, I would rate it an eight because the figure skating theme was compelling, and it was a charming and funny story.

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As this is a shoujo manga, it comes with certain preconceived expectations. So I won't delve too deeply into those. :)  

When you explore a wide range of manga and anime, you encounter countless characters. Female characters like Maaya, however, are quite rare. Some might label her as average or ordinary. Yes, she doesn’t possess superpowers or an exceptionally cool appearance, but she does have a unique ability—skating! Even that skill was earned through hard work. It's truly refreshing to see someone so dedicated to her goal: skating. Her unwavering determination is genuinely inspiring. :)  

Maaya is level-headed, friendly, hardworking, independent, and utterly lovable. What’s more, she doesn’t let her hormones dictate her actions. While she acknowledges that Shun and Kuze are "handsome" and prince-like, she doesn’t react in the typical over-the-top manner of a shoujo heroine.  

When first scouted for skating, Maaya carefully considered her options. She thought about practical issues such as funding, competition uniforms, and, unlike many teenagers, she didn’t immediately turn to her parents for financial support.  

Characters like Shun, with their striking appearances, cold personalities, and various talents, are abundant, especially in the shoujo genre. But where are the good girls? Apparently, they're not as common.  

And you know what? Good girls rock! ^___^

I began reading this manga solely because of the author... I genuinely enjoyed Hana-Kimi, and I anticipated that this one would be both humorous and original. However, I was mistaken. I fail to comprehend this Japanese manga trope involving exceedingly clumsy and plain-looking heroines. This turned out to be another story featuring an ordinary girl who is perpetually rescued by the handsome, all-around talented boy. The plot was somewhat unrealistic as well... I mean, could she really execute a double axel jump despite never having skated before? There was minimal character development due to the manga's brevity. The sole aspect I appreciated was the artwork... Shun being the spitting image of Sano (from Hana-Kimi)...

All things considered, it was a standard shoujo manga... not the worst, but it had the potential to be significantly better.  

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Nice story 😘

The start was very enjoyable.

Writing is at "smile evily"/"cooly" level.

The storytelling gets ridiculous, at least the romantic aspect of it. I abhor Emma's existence, its just nonsensical. The rest is fine, nothing remarkable, just reminds me of old school stories. Angels, demons, kings and queens. The PLOT got annoying so I just dropped it.

if it's about beast taming, i recommend trying Unscientific Beast Taming