Pyramid Review
Hearts, Swords, Flowers (for Big Eyes, Small Mouth)
Published by Guardians of Order, Inc
Written by Genevieve Cogman & Alexander Williams
Illustrated by Stella Bell, Germaine Cahoon, Bob Cram Jr., Kelly Hamilton, Mark McKenzie, Jennifer Quick, RefKa, Amy Stoddard & Ursula Vernon
96-page undersized b&w softcover; $16.95
Shoujo Manga, literally Japanese for "girl's literature," is not entirely new to roleplaying. In 2002, Seraphim Guard published Heart Quest: Romantic Roleplaying in the World's of Shoujo Manga, written by a group of all-male fans for the FUDGE system. (A revised edition has since been released and made available via RPGnow.) Fans are again responsible for a new supplement devoted to the genre, Hearts, Swords, Flowers, though this time with more than its share of feminine input. Instead of FUDGE, this new supplement uses the Tri-Stat mechanics of Big Eyes, Small Mouth, the leading anime RPG from Guardians of Order. Indeed, Hearts, Swords, Flowers has been developed under Guardians of Order's Magnum Opus imprint, which enables creator-owned RPGs and supplements to be published under license.
To the Western audience, Shoujo Manga is best typified by titles such as Sailor Moon, Yami no Matsuei, and Weiss Kreuz. Its emphasis is firmly upon atmosphere, character interaction and development, complex dialog, and effects of dramatic events. In comparison, Shounen or boy's Manga traditionally places its emphasis upon detailing technology and weapons, and the battles . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: August 20, 2004
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