Le Gardenie

Le Gardenie
Le Gardenie first volume, featuring Kiwi as front cover
Genre	School, Drama, Romance, Psychology
Created by	Benny Wong Thong Hou, later on Norman Noh
Manga
Written by	Benny Wong Thong Hou, later on Norman Noh
Published by	Art Square Creation Sdn. Bhd.
Demographic	Shoujo

Le Gardenie is a Malaysian high school drama/romance manga created by Gempakstarz's artist Benny Wong Thong Hou. The manga is an ongoing series created in year 2006. On June 22 that year, Le Gardenie received third place in Japan's first International Manga Award. The series is a coming-of-age tale about a group of teenagers in a secondary school which is located in a Venice-like town set in another world with fruit-based names such as Lemon, Orange and Kiwi.

Currently, the artist for this series has been replaced by a new artist, Juice (Norman Noh) from GempakStarz, as Ben is now working under a new company as a creative director. The company is working on a new series of comic cum entertainment magazine titled Powder.

Plot

This story is about Orange's life who face many trouble and problem with friendship, love and trust. It begins when Orange and his childhood friend, Kiwi come to school in new whole year. His life change when he accidentally come to first class and met the most beautiful transfer student name Apple. After misunderstanding about Orange's status is clear, he sent back to his same class like last year, with Kiwi which he want to avoid. His life is not so great but normal for other people, until he meet the most annoying and despicable rich girl, named Lemon. All his normal life began to crumbled when Lemon accidentally plotting him into one of her tricks. After she realized Orange is easily manipulated, and befriends Kiwi, who become her greatest enemy, she plan to ruin their life for good.

Characters

Orange, the main protagonist of the series. He is a sweet and shy 15-year old boy. He and his parents live in the bottom part of a conjoined house with Kiwi and her mother as their upstairs neighbour. He is Kiwi's childhood friend and classmate. He is known to have a crush on Apple. Because of his nature of being oblivious about his surroundings, he is constantly being tricked and used by Lemon who even tries to expel him from school by placing a bag filled with money for the school's fund but was foiled by Kiwi.

Kiwi, Orange's childhood friend and neighbour. She is a 15-year old tomboy who lives with her mother since her father abandoned her and her mother when she was a little girl. She is also Orange's classmate in the bottom class of their year. She is known to be protective of Orange up to the fact that she even beats up people who bullies him. She has a bitter rivalry with Lemon. Because of Lemon's clever plans, Kiwi gets expelled instead of Orange when she tries to hide the school's fund money (which she finds inside Orange's locker) to avoid him from getting framed.

Apple, Orange's love interest. She is active in co-curriculum activities and also smart student. Usually she didn't bother whatever Lemon or Orange up to, but when she is involved in Lemon's party, it is all changed. She become close to Orange and lastly she realize she also had feeling towards Orange.

Lemon, the main antagonist of the series. She always want to make people miserable and she able to laugh at them because of it. She think Orange is her pet because of his naivety, and only use him as a tool to make other people's life miserable. Kiwi realize this and makes Lemon her rival.(And so does she) But Kiwi fall in the end because of Lemon's trick and with the help of her minions. Then she tried to trap Apple next, because she thinks Apple's life is perfect, and she want to ruin it. She is a grand-daughter of school principle, and being treated like a princess in school and at home.

Supporting character

Mango, He is used to be Orange's bestfriend. Even though not so popular, he is good in basketball. Lemon once use him as a pawn to entertain herself, but find him quite unattractive and boring afterwards. Even so, Mango still have feelings towards Lemon.

Spec girl, Although not play an important role, she is the one who makes Kiwi expelled from school (with Lemon's plan). She is also the person who tell Orange and Kiwi about the dangerously Lemon and her sign of evil. (Lemon motive plaster)

Cameo

Ben also appear once at some scene where he is stumbled with Orange and Mango after basketball practice, confused between number 6 and 9 (which is also their jersey number). He is also one of Lemon's minion, by giving Lemon's message in shoe locker.

Awards

• 2007, International Manga Award

See also

• Fatal Chaos