Paradise Kiss

Paradise Kiss

Company type	Manga series
Industry	Manga, anime, film
Founded	March 23, 1999 (1999-03-23)
Founder	Ai Yazawa
Headquarters	Japan
Products	Manga, anime, live-action film

Paradise Kiss is a Japanese manga created by Ai Yazawa. It was published in the fashion magazine Zipper, issued by Shodensha, from March 1999 through March 2003, and collected into five volumes. The story was adapted into a 12-episode anime series produced by Aniplex and Madhouse, which was broadcast on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block between October and December 2005. Additionally, a live-action film version debuted in Japan in 2011.

Plot

Yukari Hayasaka, a third-year student at a prestigious preparatory school under significant academic pressure, becomes involved with Paradise Kiss, a fashion group composed of four senior students from Yazawa School of Arts: Miwako, Arashi, Isabella, and their leader George. Although she initially declines their invitation to model for their senior project, Yukari later grows to admire their enthusiasm and consents.

As Yukari spends more time with the Paradise Kiss team, she begins missing cram school to assist with sewing beads onto a dress and embarks on a tumultuous romantic relationship with George. Frustrated by his erratic behavior and dedication to his career, she rebels against her mother by running away and eventually drops out of school. She starts modeling for Happy Berry, the brand owned by Miwako’s sister, but cannot officially sign with an agency without parental approval. After gaining deeper insight into George’s past, Yukari returns home and persuades her mother to endorse her modeling ambitions.

At the showcase, Yukari models the finished Paradise Kiss dress; despite receiving acclaim, the group places second. Commercially, they face challenges, managing to sell only one dress through a consignment shop. George remains uncertain about his future until his friend Kaori encourages him to pursue design studies overseas. Following graduation, Paradise Kiss disbands. George relocates to Paris and invites Yukari to accompany him; she declines in order to continue modeling in Japan. Their relationship concludes as they accept their divergent lifestyles. Yukari dreams of modeling in Paris someday to reunite with him.

A decade later, Yukari has yet to break through as a model in Paris but works within the Japanese entertainment industry and is married to her classmate Hiroyuki. They attend a Broadway performance featuring costumes designed by George.

Characters

Yukari Hayasaka (早坂 紫)

A high school senior initially burdened by academic expectations from her mother. Her encounter with Paradise Kiss redirects her toward modeling and personal autonomy. She develops a complicated bond with George and ultimately pursues a career while marrying Hiroyuki. In the live-action adaptation, she reunites with George in New York instead.

George (ジョージ)

A gifted fashion design student at Yazawa School of Arts who specializes in haute couture. Known for his indulgent lifestyle supported by his estranged wealthy father, George exhibits both aloofness and passion, encouraging Yukari’s independence while maintaining a complex relationship with her. Identifying as bisexual and an "equal opportunity lover," he moves to Paris after graduation to advance his fashion career.

Miwako Sakurada (櫻田実和子)

A third-year student at Yazawa and member of Paradise Kiss. She is the younger sister of Mikako Kouda, who founded the fashion label Happy Berry. Miwako provides emotional support to the group and leverages family connections.

Arashi Nagase (永瀬嵐)

A pragmatic third-year Yazawa student with punk rock influences and childhood friendships with Miwako and Hiroyuki. He grapples with feelings of insecurity and jealousy but matures emotionally throughout the story, eventually marrying Miwako.

Isabella (イサベラ)

The nurturing presence within Paradise Kiss hailing from an affluent background who inspired George’s initial designs. A transgender woman who offers support to Yukari during difficult times.

Hiroyuki Tokumori (徳森浩行)

Yukari’s academically accomplished classmate aspiring to enter medicine. Initially the focus of her romantic interest but secretly harbors unreciprocated feelings for Miwako. He ultimately marries Yukari following her breakup with George.

Kaori Asō (麻生香)

A former Yazagaku student studying abroad on scholarship and previous junior Grand Prize recipient. She has romantic feelings toward George but understands he is not suited for stable relationships.

Alice Yamaguchi (山口アリス)

Miwako’s lively niece in third grade who makes a brief appearance in the anime; shares distinctive eye features with Tsutomu.

Manga

Paradise Kiss, both written and illustrated by Ai Yazawa, was serialized in the fashion magazine Zipper published by Shodensha from March 23, 1999, until March 22, 2003. The individual chapters were later collected into five volumes by Shodensha, with releases spanning from March 31, 2000, to August 23, 2003.

The series features cameo appearances from Yazawa’s previous work, Neighborhood Story.

For the North American market, Tokyopop obtained licensing rights and serialized the manga in its magazine Smile. The five volumes were published between May 21, 2002, and March 9, 2004. Following Tokyopop’s closure in 2011, the rights were acquired by New York-based publisher Vertical, which issued a three-volume A5 edition with updated covers and a new translation from September 2012 through March 2013. Subsequently, Vertical released a single omnibus "20th Anniversary Edition" on December 3, 2019. Distribution in Australia and New Zealand was handled by Madman Entertainment.

Globally, Paradise Kiss has been licensed by prominent publishers including Panini Comics for Italy, Germany, and Mexico; Editorial Ivrea covering Argentina, Spain, and Finland; Kana in France; Waneko in Poland; Comics Factory in Russia; and Sharp Point Press in Taiwan. In Brazil, the series was originally licensed by Conrad Editora before Panini Comics took over.

Anime

The Paradise Kiss anime was a collaborative production involving Fuji TV, Aniplex, Dentsu, Shodensha, and Madhouse. It aired on Fuji TV’s Noitamina programming block from October 14 to December 30, 2005. The series was directed and scripted by Osamu Kobayashi, with character design and chief animation direction led by Nobuteru Yūki. Fashion designs were created by Atsurō Tayama, while the soundtrack was composed by THE BABYS alongside Narasaki from Coaltar of the Deepers.

In North America, licensing rights were held by Geneon Entertainment. In 2008, Geneon entered into a partnership with Funimation Entertainment granting them exclusive rights for manufacturing, marketing, sales, and distribution across North America, which included Paradise Kiss. Funimation allowed the license to lapse in 2011.

The opening theme song was "Lonely in Gorgeous" performed by Tomoko Kawase under her alias Tommy february6. The ending theme featured Franz Ferdinand’s track "Do You Want To". Both songs appeared on the Paradise Kiss Original Soundtrack, released on December 21, 2005.

Production

In a January 2007 interview with Newtype USA, director Kobayashi elaborated on pivotal choices made during the adaptation of the manga into an anime series. To preserve authenticity while avoiding excessive deviation from the source material, Kobayashi worked closely with creator Ai Yazawa to reinterpret characters thoughtfully. Yazawa expressed concern that overt depictions of certain themes—such as George’s bisexuality and his interest in sadomasochism—might deter casual viewers. Although she agreed these traits should be conveyed through dialogue, she preferred less explicit visual representation than that found in the original manga. Kobayashi sought to maintain fidelity by incorporating subtle allusions to these elements in the final episode. Additionally, he altered Arashi’s character design to appear more rugged and unrefined—drawing inspiration from Lupin the 3rd—a modification Yazawa supported.

A significant point of contention involved casting Shunsuke Mizutani as Arashi due to his background as a musician rather than a seasoned voice actor. Kobayashi aimed for a naturalistic performance that differed from conventional anime voice acting styles. Despite initial disagreements, Yazawa later recognized Mizutani’s vocal suitability after reviewing multiple episodes.

Regarding costume creation, while Tayama was responsible for George’s wardrobe adaptations, most outfits remained faithful to Yazawa’s original manga designs. Kobayashi requested a professional designer to reinterpret these clothes for enhanced realism and alignment with contemporary fashion trends. Tayama modernized the garments accordingly and provided fabric samples along with photographs to assist animators in rendering authentic textures. Meanwhile, art director and stylist Asami Kiyokawa designed the attire for most other characters. Texture artist Yoshikazu Suehiro meticulously hand-drew fabric textures and lace patterns that were digitally applied during animation coloring to elevate visual authenticity.

Live-action film

A Japanese-language live-action version of Paradise Kiss was developed through a collaboration between Fox International and the Japanese production company IMJ, with a production budget estimated between US$3 million and $4 million.

The cast features Keiko Kitagawa portraying Yukari Hayasaka and Osamu Mukai as George, supported by Natsuki Katō, Aya Ōmasa, Kento Kaku, Shunji Igarashi, and Yūsuke Yamamoto in significant roles.

Debuting in Japan in June 2011, the movie included tracks such as "Hello (Paradise Kiss)" and "You," performed by the artist Yui.

Reception

Melissa Sternenberg from THEM Anime Reviews commended the animation and character design, describing them as "fresh and appealing." She particularly praised the fashion elements alongside the opening and ending sequences. Nonetheless, she critiqued the limited 12-episode run, suggesting that a 26-episode format would have been more fitting for the narrative depth, and expressed some doubts regarding the main characters. Sternenberg also observed that the series’ emotional tone genuinely mirrors the realities of the fashion world.

Carl Kimlinger of Anime News Network highlighted the intricate costume designs as the series’ standout feature, noting how it skillfully combines realism with dramatic storytelling. He characterized the show as a "refreshingly mature story" centered on youth, aspirations, and romance, while cautioning that it may not appeal to audiences seeking escapist entertainment.

In 2024, TV Maga conducted a poll ranking Paradise Kiss second among the most stylish manga titles, alongside Yazawa’s Neighborhood Story, emphasizing its lasting impact within fashion-centric media.