A review by kaiteayu
Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 1 by Sorata Akiduki

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Zen has Rizz. 

*spoilers* 

This story will always have a special place in my heart. I found the anime when it first came out and immediately fell in love with the characters and overall vibe. Both the anime and manga have such adorable and impactful scenes. I’m re-watching alongside reading the manga fully (or as up-to-date as possible). 


Specific scenes/things I like in the manga that are not shown in the anime: 

1) Shirayuki burned Mihaya while escaping (she does not play). 

2) Zen is more sarcastic and fun (he is in the show too but it is turned up a notch).  

3) Funny drawings/facial expressions that aren’t as illustrated in the show.

4) More moments and smaller but impactful interactions between characters (such as Shirayuki with Mitsuhide and Kiki) 

5) Zen taking water that was overflowing and dumping it into a barrel during Shirayuki’s exam was super cute.

6) “I know…a different red that’s even better.” (Zen talking about Shirayuki's hair 🤧)

7) Raj’s dream (nightmare) at the end was gold. I’ve also never seen Zen with a bow & arrow 😗❤️

8) The author’s notes and thought process for a chapter or the overall story were interesting and fun to read. 


Specific scenes/things I like in the anime that are not shown in the manga: 

1) Mitsuhide catches Zen as he falls after eating the poisoned apple (shows his agility).

2) Shirayuki being the one to identify the apple had been poisoned instead of being told by Raj’s guard (shows her skill in identifying herbs/plants by senses alone). 

3) The pacing is a little more satisfying in the anime. For example, chapter 2/episode 2 is shown as two separate days but in the manga, it is shown as one day. 

4) Viewers get to see more about Zen and other characters. Such as Zen looking for Shirayuki when she doesn’t return in episode 2. 

5) Early introduction of Ryu. 


Overall thoughts: The manga sometimes hints that a scene played out rather than showing the reader; which is not necessarily a bad thing, but can feel as though something is missing. Additionally, the manga can be a little repetitive with there being a small recap at the beginning of each chapter. The manga giving a little bit of internal dialogue (in smaller font) for the characters was cute and fun! The anime stays loyal to the manga but shows more developed scenes that support the story. 


-One Shot-
The book includes a one-shot of “Colorful Seasons of August” which was adorable and a different environment from “Snow White with Red Hair”.  Although it is an extremely quick-paced story the characters are likable and sweet. The twist at the end was unexpected and although it’s a one-shot I need to know what happens next!