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The Josei Alphabet: F

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“F” is for…

Falling in Love Even if I Wake from the Dream, written and illustrated by Saika (Future Lovers) Kunieda, originally serialized in Akita Shoten’s Miu, one volume. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: someone needs to license more work by Kunieda. This one’s about an impulsive young woman and the various men in her life.

Free Soul, written and illustrated by Ebine Yamaji, originally serialized in Shodensha’s Feel Young, one volume. A young cartoonist falls in love with a jazz musician, so I can’t honestly say who’s in for a worse time of it. I can say that Erica (Okazu) Friedman gave it a rating of 9 out of a possible 10 and described Yamaji’s Love My Life as “The Perfect Yuri Manga,” so it stands to reason that any licensed work by Yamaji would be a good start. It’s been published in French by Kazé and in Italian by Kappa.

Fuku-Fuku Funyan, written and illustrated by Konami (Chi’s Sweet Home) Kanata, variously serialized in Kodansha’s Be Love and Me and Shueisha’s You, 12 volumes. You know what would be better than being able to read one series about cats by Kanata? Being able to read two series about cats by Kanata. Sounds like more appealing slice-of-life kitty comedy.

Fukuyadou Honpo, written and illustrated by Yayomi Yuchi, originally serialized in Shueisha’s Bouquet, 11 volumes. I can’t resist manga about people who make desserts. This one’s about the three daughters of a venerable Kyoto confectionary shop. It seems to be as much about the people of Kyoto as it is about the confectioners, which is just fine by me.

Futari Ecchi for Ladies, written and illustrated by Aki (Manga Sutra) Katsu, originally serialized in Hakusensha’s Silky, two volumes. If it’s as boring as Manga Sutra, no amount of demographic tailoring can save it, but it’s certainly worth mentioning as a franchise oddity.

Magazines:

What starts with “F” in your josei alphabet?

Reader recommendations and reminders:

3 Things Thursday: TOKYOPOP

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It’s been a rough week in the blogosphere for TOKYOPOP, whose latest round of layoffs has inspired quite a bit of talk about the company’s less positive history, including this frank commentary from Brigid Alverson at Robot 6 and this ongoing round-up from Johanna Draper Carlson at Manga Worth Reading. My own history as a reader has been sketchy at times. Though TOKYOPOP’s titles have inspired some of my most passionate fangirling over the years, they’ve occasionally left me baffled, and some of their unfinished business has rendered me truly heartbroken.

For today’s 3 Things, let’s examine that a bit more closely.

3 faces of TOKYOPOP:

1. The Fangirling – From Paradise Kiss to Fruits Basket, from Tokyo Babylon to Wild Adapter, TOKYOPOP has offered up to me some of the most beloved series in my manga library. Read any of those linked reviews, and you’ll understand what I love about manga–that’s how well these series represent my personal feelings about the best of the medium, particularly when it comes to manga written and published for women and girls. Some of their newer shoujo acquisitions (like Demon Sacred and The Secret Notes of Lady Kanoko) look to be joining their ranks someday as well.

What can we expect now from a company whose owner has seemingly given up on books? It’s hard to say.

2. The Bafflement – Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I’m baffled why a series like KimiKiss (pictured to the right) was published, or even why it might be popular. A buxom teen removing her blouse on the cover is, I expect, money in the bank! What was baffling to me in particular about this release, was that it was apparently being marketed as shoujo, according to a little pamphlet I received along with one of the later volumes of Fruits Basket.

From my review summary at the time: “Kouchi and Mao have been friends since childhood, but now that they are in high school, Kouchi is depressed that he hasn’t managed to attract a girlfriend. Mao offers to help him become a “real stud” by teaching him how to be attractive to girls, beginning with lessons in kissing. The lessons start to get a bit steamy, especially after Mao is invited to sleep over with Kouchi’s little sister, resulting in a late-night tryst in Kouchi’s bed.” Sound like shoujo to you?

3. The Heartbreak – Everyone’s got their own tale of woe over a series that TOKYOPOP has canceled, but my broken heart belongs to Off*Beat, an almost finished series by OEL creator Jen Lee Quick. With just one volume remaining of its original 3-volume commission, fans like me were left to weep and weep, never knowing what finally happens to sweet Tory and his revealing obsession.

From my review: “Everything about this comic is a winner–the intriguing plot line, the wonderfully rich characters, the unique, expressive artwork, the subtle treatment of a gay teen’s sexual awakening that is refreshingly not played up or made “sexy” to please its female audience–and the fact that it languishes in cancellation limbo is honestly heartbreaking. This is a comic I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone. It truly deserves to be read.” *snif*

So readers, what are your 3 faces of TOKYOPOP?

The Josei Alphabet: E

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“E” is for…

Easy Writer, written and illustrated by Mari Ozawa, originally published by Kodansha, three volumes. It’s about a young woman starting her career as an undercover reporter.

Ebisu-san to Hotei-san, written by Nanki Satou and illustrated by Akira Kizuki (of impending Maid Shokun fame), originally serialized in Houbunsha’s Tsubomi, one volume. It’s about the budding romance between two office ladies that starts from a place of antagonism. It sounds charming, but alas, Erica (Okazu) Friedman doesn’t think very much of it.

Eki Kara Gofun, written and illustrated by Fusako Kuramochi, currently serialized in Shueisha’s Chorus, three volumes so far. Kuramochi seems to be quite prolific, and I like the cover of this one very much. It seems to be an episodic drama about people who live around or pass through Hanazono Station and its surrounding town.

Eve no Nemuri, written and illustrated by Akimi (Banana Fish) Yoshida, originally serialized in Shogakukan’s Flowers, five volumes. Can you feel the fervent gaze of the Banana Fish fans? I certainly can. This one is a supernatural mystery that seems to be perfectly steeped with byzantine family secrets.

Eve no Yuuwaku, written and illustrated by Misao Hoshiai, based on a novel by Candace Schuler, originally published by Ohzora Shuppan, one volume. A conniving soap star and a cynical movie mogul embark on a tumultuous relationship and may or may not accidentally fall in love while promoting their agendas.

Magazines:

Licensed josei:

  • The Embalmer, written and illustrated by Mitsukazu Mihara, originally serialized in Shodensha’s Feel Young, six volumes, four of which have been published in English by Tokyopop.

What starts with “E” in your josei alphabet?

 

3 Things Thursday: Vertical x Kodansha

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So, any of you following manga industry news have undoubtedly already heard about Kodansha’s new investment in Vertical, Inc., a story that broke last night, but has apparently been in the works for quite some time.

As a big fan of Vertical’s non-Kodansha licenses (Twin Spica, 7 Billion Needles, most of the company’s Tezuka releases) I was grateful to hear that the news would not impact their ability to continue with those licenses. Still, this seems like an appropriate time to reflect on some of the Vertical x Kodansha goodness we’ve already seen, either in print or in the works. Though my understanding is that some of these negotiations took place directly between Vertical and the series’ authors (or their representatives), the fact remains, we have both publishers to thank for their existence in print.

3 series brought to us by Vertical and Kodansha:

1. Chi’s Sweet Home | Konami Kanata – I’ve been a big fan of this sweet (and sometimes bittersweet) tale of human/cat cohabitation since Vertical’s release of its first volume, and those feelings have only grown warmer over time. Though the series is certainly appropriate for children, the advantage of it having been published in a magazine for adults definitely gives it an edge for a reader like me. Both genuinely funny and occasionally dark, there’s a lot more to Chi than meets the eye. And when what meets the eye is as cute as this… well, there’s really no way it can go wrong. Volume 5 is available now!

2. Princess Knight | Osamu Tezuka – Though this license was likely brought forth via Tezuka Productions, we have Kodansha to thank for all of its incarnations in print so far, from Shojo Club, to Nakayoshi, to the bilingual version that up until now (or soon, at least) was the series’ only English-language edition.

In the words of David Welsh, ” It sounds really delightful. It’s only three volumes long. It’s Tezuka. More Tezuka is always better.”

Agreed on all points.

3. The Drops of God | Tadashi Agi – Another one of David’s recently-fulfilled license requests, this manga has me hooked already simply by being about wine. Though I expect it might be hard on my pocketbook (all the wines in the series are real, and can be sought out and purchased by those willing to spend the dough), I honestly can’t wait to dig in.

Deb Aoki has been pushing for some time for this series to be licensed. “The Drops of God tries to capture the romance, the drama, the history, and the sensual joy of drinking wine, the fascinating people who make, sell and collect wine, and the diverse places where wine is grown, bottled and enjoyed all over the world.” Read more at About.com.

An honorable mention must go to Peepo Choo, which I featured in this column just a few weeks ago!

So, readers, what are your thoughts on what we might see now from Vertical and Kodansha?

Don’t Fear the Adaptation: Maison Ikkoku

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Hello, this is Cathy! I’m so excited to be a part of Manga Bookshelf! To kick off the anime reviews, I thought I’d start with something long, old, and beloved.

Maison Ikkoku | by Rumiko Takahashi | Manga: Shogakukan/Viz Media | Anime: Studio Deen/Viz Media

Buy at Amazon

Anyone who’s ever read manga has probably read a Rumiko Takahashi story, whether it be Rumic Theater, Ranma 1/2, or Inuyasha. She is easily one of the most recognizable and popular mangaka, one of the few that all American readers can name with ease. But in 1980, Takahashi was 23 and her first major work, Urusei Yatsura, was only just beginning to pick up. Armed with her own experiences of living in a small apartment with her two assistants, she sat down to write what became my favorite of her long epics: Maison Ikkoku.

Maison Ikkoku is about the residents of Ikkoku-kan, a boarding house in Tokyo. The protagonist, Yusaku Godai, is a 20 year old ronin student deep into his second year of trying to pass college entrance exams, when the story opens on the arrival of Kyoko Otonashi, the young widow who’s Ikkoku’s new manager. Yusaku instantly falls in love with Kyoko, but like all Takahashi romances, there are plenty of obstacles. The other residents of Ikkoku do their utmost to create embarrassing situations for the uncertain couple. The local tennis coach Shun Mitaka, a rich and suave playboy, declares his own intentions towards Kyoko within hours of meeting her and spends the rest of the series wooing her. Yusaku’s cheery ex-coworker Kozue Nanao eventually becomes his cheery girlfriend, though, much to everyone’s chagrin, she never cottons onto Yusaku’s feelings for Kyoko. Then of course, there’s Kyoko herself, who worries that loving a new man would be betraying the memory of her dead husband. Throw in three interfering families, an engagement made and broken by a fear of dogs, and a high school girl determined to marry Yusaku, and it’s easy to see how the story spanned seven years, fifteen volumes of manga, and 96 episodes of anime before coming to a satisfactory end.

Maison Ikkoku is ultimately a slice-of-life romantic comedy, but unlike Takahashi’s other series, it’s set firmly in the real world. The recurring characters, while exaggerated, are perfectly ordinary people with perfectly ordinary problems. Families get into screaming arguments, marriage is complicated by monetary concerns and societal approval, young men and women worry about their future careers. The path leading up to Ikkoku, the persimmon trees, the kotatsu, the fear of the economic downturn, Kyoko’s habit of sweeping the sidewalk free of leaves– all these are still elements of everyday Japanese life.

Yet the more humorous plot devices of Maison Ikkoku could have only existed in the Internet-less, cellphone-less world of the eighties. If gimmicks like mistaking the French restaurant “Ma Maison” for the local pub “Mamezou,” or Yusaku’s female friends pranking Kyoko so badly she ends up installing a public phone for the rest of the boarding home seem ridiculous at first glance, they’re enjoyable for nostalgia’s sake. In 2011, hijinks like that just don’t happen anymore– people just text each other!

The main love triangle

The relationship between Yusaku and Kyoko is the highlight of the entire series. The anime does a wonderful job of showing how it changes from obsession (on Yusaku’s part) and annoyance (on Kyoko’s part) to a mutual affection. Surrounded by secondary characters who are more or less caricatures, the main romantic players come across as surprisingly real. Yusaku might appear at first to be simply a lecherous loser just barely out of his teenage years, but with time, he emerges as a man who, if nothing else, will always do the right thing, even if it’s to his disadvantage. And Kyoko is never just a pretty face. While Mitaka and Yusaku are both guilty of idealizing her, they also embrace her faults: her tendency towards jealousy, her bad temper, her indecisiveness. In an adorable moment in episode 43, they even spend a night drunkenly swapping notes and consoling each other. Kyoko is secretive to a fault with her feelings, so it’s no surprise that most of the series consists of both men learning to reconcile their idea of Kyoko with the person she actually is. An admirably realistic portrayal of love, for sure, but gosh if the story isn’t repetitive! If you don’t find yourself tempted to throw your TV out the window by episode 58, you’re doing it wrong.

Despite the addition of numerous sidestories, Maison Ikkoku the anime feels more streamlined than its manga counterpart, simply because the anime has the benefit of hindsight. While the manga hesitates over how to resolve Kyoko’s and Yusaku’s relationship, the anime already knows how the story ends and stresses their romantic tension early on, most notably in episode 14 and and 22. Readers of the manga might actually wonder if Kyoko ends up with Yusaku; the anime, on the other hand, is emphatically a story about Kyoko and Yusaku, just with detours.

However, the anime never strays far from the manga’s wacky sitcom nature. Don’t expect Ichinose to be much more than a busy body with a fondness for alcohol, or for Yotsuya to stop being an infuriatingly mysterious leech. Just the opposite, as the Ichinose-Yotsuya-Akemi trio get far more screen time in the anime. On the other hand, Nikaido, an accidental resident introduced late in the manga, is absent from the anime, and his lines are given away to the other Ikkoku residents. Anime-only fans thus never experience the epic prank war that erupts between Nikaido and Yotsuya, but Nikaido’s absence is glossed over so well in the anime that it made me question Takahashi’s choice to introduce him at all in the manga.

With five opening and six ending songs, including a Japanese pop hit by Anzen Chitai and two songs by Gilbert O’Sullivan that never made it to the American release, the soundtrack is a perfect representative of the music from that time period. Likewise, the animation is classically eighties but holds up well despite its age. Among other things, the characters frequently change outfits — a rare feat even nowadays for an anime series! Despite its simplicity, the animation does an excellent job conveying the characters’ every emotion, no matter how nuanced, and manages to stay true to Rumiko Takahashi’s original art. Paired with an all around impressive performance from the entire Japanese voice acting cast, the characters of Maison Ikkoku have never been more alive as they are in the anime.

For those who have never read the original manga, Maison Ikkoku the anime is an excellent substitute or introduction. For those who are already fans of the manga, watching the anime is just like revisiting an old friend. Personally, three episodes — 27, 84, and 92 — make the anime adaptation for me. Episode 27’s masterful use of silence, a blinking light, and silhouettes elevate the anime treatment of Souchirou-san’s disappearance into something far more cinematic. I could write whole essays on how wonderfully episode 84 encapsulates repeating issues of trust, family, and determination, not to mention the little animation details — the classical music soundtrack, the Joan Miro in the hotel lobby — that build a world richer than the one in the manga. And Episode 92, split into three acts, each dedicated to one woman, is a great argument for why Takahashi writes some of the best women in anime.

Viz Media distributed both the manga and anime, and both are available through most major online retailers. As the series is pretty old now, it’s unlikely to be found in bookstores, but chances are good that if your local library is like mine and only stocks outdated anime or manga, the old Viz volumes (complete with cheesy titles like “The Hounds of War” or “Good Housekeeping”) will still be there.

The Josei Alphabet: D

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“D” is for…

Daisy Luck, written and illustrated by Tsunami Umino, originally serialized in Kodansha’s Kiss, two volumes. This series follows four lifelong friends. One is a housewife, one works as a baker, one is a salarywoman, and one is unemployed.

Darling wa Nanamono ni Tsuki, written and illustrated by Yuki Yoshihara, originally serialized in Shogakukan’s Petit Comic, eight volumes. More funny smut from the prolific creator of Butterflies, Flowers (Viz), this time about the marriage of the daughter of a gay man and her attempts to keep things spicy. Published in German by Tokyopop and French by Panini.

Deka Wanko, written and illustrated by Kozeuko Morimoto, currently serialized in Shueisha’s You, seven volumes so far. This goofy detective series features a sleuth with a keen sense of smell and a fondness for frills. It’s been adapted into a live-action drama.

Doctor Lonely, adaptation of a novel by Glenda Sanders by Akiyo Izuka, originally published by Harlequin. A mail carrier finds her fantasies about an attractive doctor are muddled up by his nerdy reality.

Double House, written and illustrated by Nanae Haruno, originally serialized in Shueisha’s Young You, one volume. This story explores the complicated relationship between a young woman and a male-to-female transsexual. Erica (Okazu) Friedman has written about some of Haruno’s other works, including Pieta.

Licensed josei:

  • Dazzle, written and illustrated by Minari Endoh, published by Tokyopop, originally serialized in Ichijinsha’s Comic Zero-Sum.
  • Diabolo, written by Kaoru Ohashi, illustrated by Kei Kusunoki, published by Tokyopop, originally serialized in Shueisha’s Comic Crimson, three volumes.
  • Dolis, written and illustrated by Maki Kusumoto, published by Tokyopop, originally serialized by Shodensha, one volume.
  • Doll, written and illustrated by Mitsukazu Mihara, published by Tokyopop, originally serialized in Shodensha’s Feel Young, six volumes.
  • A Drunken Dream and Other Stories, written and illustrated by Moto Hagio, published by Fantagraphics, short stories originally serialized in various magazines, including Shogakukan’s Petit Flower, one volume.

What starts with “D” in your josei alphabet?

Reader recommendations and reminders:

  • Daite Daite Daite Darling, written and illustrated by Miwa Sakai, originally serialized in Hakusensha’s Silky, 15 volumes.
  • Do Da Dancin’!, written and illustrated by Satoru Makimura, originally serialized in Shueisha’s Young You, 9 volumes.
  • Do Da Dancin’! Venice Kokusaihen, written and illustrated by Satoru Makimura, currently serialized in Shueisha’s Office You, 8 volumes so far.

3 Things Thursday: To the polls

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Hello lovely readers! After a week full of roundtables & discussion posts, I’m beginning to really tire of the sound of my own voice. So to mix things up a little, this week’s 3 Things is going to be a question.

Readers: What 3 series would you most like to see discussed here at Manga Bookshelf?

You can choose any series you like, but to give you an idea of what’s immediately possible, here are a few photos (in various states of focus) of what I’ve got on my bookshelves: (click on images for larger view)

Some upcoming posts I currently know of include Ayako (next week!) and Black Jack (very soon!) so you need not spend your votes on those!

Okay. Go!

BL Bookrack on the road!

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BL fans may have noticed this week’s glaring omission of our BL Bookrack column, but that’s because this month, Michelle & I took our Bookrack act on the road!

Today at The Hooded Utilitarian, you will find a post, One Thousand and One Nights with MJ & Michelle, in which Michelle and I take on Jeon JinSeok & Han SeungHee’s Arabian Nights manhwa adaptation Off the Shelf style!

Premise: “About a month ago, Noah asked if we’d be interested in having a conversation about comics here at The Hooded Utilitarian, similar to our weekly manga discussion column, Off the Shelf (at Manga Bookshelf), and our monthly art-talk feature, Let’s Get Visual (at Soliloquy in Blue). He suggested at the time that we might try discussing a mutually admired series (as we once did with Ai Yazawa’s Paradise Kiss), and that the subject need not be manga.”

So go forth, BL fans, and check out this month’s special BL Bookrack, complete with jokes about sheep lovin’ and pretty, pretty pictures!

The Josei Alphabet: C

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“C” is for…

Cappuccino, written and illustrated by Wataru (Ultra Maniac, Marmalade Boy) Yoshizumi, serialized in Shueisha’s Chorus, one volume. One of my favorite shôjo creators tells the tale of an unmarried, cohabitating couple trying to make their relationship work. Another Yoshizumi josei title is Cherish, also from Chorus, also one volume. Update: Cherish has been published in French by Glénat and in German by Tokyopop. Cappuccino has been published in German by Tokyopop.

Clover, written an illustrated by Toriko Chiya, serialized in Shueisha’s Bouquet, then in Cookie, then in Chorus, 24 volumes. It’s about an office lady with a complicated love life. It would have to be complicated to need two dozen volumes, wouldn’t it?

The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese, written and illustrated by Setona (After School Nightmare, X-Day) Mizushiro, serialized in Shogakukan’s Judy, one volume, published in French by Asuka. Described by some as Mizushiro’s masterwork, it’s about a sexy relationship that begins with blackmail. Update: There’s a second part to this story, The Carp on the Chopping Block Jumps Twice, also serialized in Judy and published as the second volume of Cornered Mouse by Asuka. Both are available in Italian courtesy of Kappa Edizioni and in German courtesy of Carlsen Verlag.

Corseltel no Ryuujitsushi, written and illustrated by Ayuma Isurugi, serialized in Ichijinsha’s Comic Zero-Sum, 4 volumes. This charming-looking fantasy series is about magicians who can use the powers of dragons in return for caring for those powerful creatures.

Crash, written and illustrated by Erica Sakurazawa, serialized in Shodensha’s Feel Young, two volumes, published in French by Kaze. This one takes a frank look at the entertainment industry and the ways it can dehumanize its promising stars.

A Cruel God Reigns, written and illustrated by Moto (A Drunken Dream and Other Stories) Hagio, serialized in Shogakukan’s Petit Flower, 17 volumes. This sprawling, emotionally brutal story explores the horrible and lasting consequences of sexual abuse.

Magazines:

  • Chorus, published by Shueisha.
  • Comic Amour, published by Dream Maker.
  • Comic Zero-Sum, published by Ichijinsha.
  • Cutie Comic, published  by Takarajimasha, defunct.

What starts with “C” in your josei alphabet?

Reader recommendations and reminders:

Sean (A Case Suitable for Treatment) Gaffney brought up an interesting question on Twitter. What are we to make of Shueisha’s Cookie? I believe it’s technically shôjo, though it seems to have been launched by the staff of Shueisha’s defunct josei magazine, Bouquet, and it feeds a fair number of series into Shueisha’s Chorus. Cookie is the home publication of Ai Yazawa’s NANA (Viz), just to confuse things further.

Breaking Down Banana Fish, Vols. 11-13

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Hello and welcome to the sixth installment of our roundtable, Breaking Down Banana Fish!

This month, we move to our new three-volume format with volumes eleven through thirteen, beginning with Ash’s escape from a government mental hospital. Having been officially declared dead, Ash is able to reunite with Eiji and his gang without the cops on his tail, but a new scheme from Papa Dino’s corner soon has him trapped again, forced back into prostitution, this time of mind instead of body.

With Ash back in Dino’s clutches, it’s time for Eiji to step up and plan his rescue, with no little help from Chinatown’s gang leader, Sing Soo-Ling.

I’m joined again in this round by Michelle Smith (Soliloquy in Blue), Khursten Santos (Otaku Champloo), Connie C. (Slightly Biased Manga), Eva Volin (Good Comics For Kids), and Robin Brenner (No Flying, No Tights).

Many thanks to these wonderful women for their continued time and brilliance!

Read our roundtable on volumes one and two here, volumes three and four here, volumes five and six here, volumes seven and eight here, and volumes nine and ten here. On to part six!
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3 Things Thursday: Valentine’s Dream

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With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, a shoujo manga fan’s mind tends to wander toward an image of a thousand shy (but optimistic!) Japanese schoolgirls presenting handmade chocolate to the boys of their dreams.

This week, I got to thinking… what dreamy manga boys would I have given my chocolate to, had I been a Japanese schoolgirl?

Behold today’s 3 Things!

3 manga Dream Boys for teen MJ:

1. Shinichi Chiaki | Nodame Cantabile | Tomoko Ninomiya | Del Rey Manga – Yes, yes, he’s stubborn, arrogant, and completely unable to express his feelings through any means other than music. But damn, with that beautiful talent and unstoppable confidence, I would have fallen for him in a heartbeat. You know. In high school. Or college. Not like I sit around dreaming about fictional musicians now or anything. Because that would be totally insane.

Totally.

2. Shizuka Doumeki | xxxHolic | CLAMP | Del Rey Manga – So, would I want a guy who’d give up most of his blood and half an eye for me, while quietly putting up with my clumsy emotions and constant flailing? Yes. Yes, I really would. Okay, I hate to cook, so it’s not exactly a match made in heaven, but a girl can dream. Though in real life, I’ve prefered the clumsy, flailing type (opposites attract, my ass), there’s a daydreaming teen still hidden away somewhere, admiring the tall, quiet guy who’s kinder than he looks.

Do you think he’d eat my store-bought chocolate?

3. Nobuo Terashima | NANA | Ai Yazawa | Viz Media – Given how strongly I identify with one of this series’ protagonists, Nana Komatsu, it should come as no surprise that, out of all the dream boys here on this page, it’s Nobu who most strongly resembles the kind of guy I’ve typically gone for in my non-fictional life. Short and a bit geeky, with his heart on his sleeve, Nobu is the very picture of my perfect dream boy, in manga or anywhere else. Though he lacks the obvious confidence of either Chiaki or Doumeki, he’s definitely a gem in my book.

Bet he’d eat that chocolate, too.

And what of my beloved Eiji Okamura, you ask? My bullet-proof character type if there ever was one? He’s upset not to be included, too. Should I have made it Four Things Friday?

Poor Eiji. *snif*

So, readers, who are three of your manga dream boys? Inquiring minds want to know!

The Josei Alphabet: B

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“B” is for…

Body and Soul, written and illustrated by Erica Sakurazawa with Takumi Terakado, originally serialized in Shodensha’s Feel Young, two volumes. This is described as half wellness guide, half romance, which sounds very intriguing. It’s been published in French by Asuka.

Barbara Ikai, written and illustrated by Moto Hagio, originally serialized in Shogakukan’s flowers, four volumes. I’ve already covered this series as Otherworld Barbara in a license request, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I may be able to list it under licensed josei when I reach the letter “O.” There’s nothing wrong with optimism, is there?

BeruBara Kids, written and illustrated by Riyoko Ikeda, currently running in Asahi Shimbun, a daily newspaper. How popular is Ikeda’s The Rose of Versailles? So popular that it can spawn a successful, spin-off gag manga, decades after its original publication.

Bara no Tame ni, written and illustrated by Akemi Yoshimura, originally serialized in Shogakukan’s Petit Comic, 16 volumes. Don’t you hate it when your elderly grandmother dies, then you find out that, in spite of what you’ve been told, your mother is alive, is a famous movie actress, and has given birth to hot stepsiblings? Such is the plight of dumpy Yuri, but I suspect her new life has its bright spots.

Bathroom Guuwa, written and illustrated by Mari (Suppli, Sweat and Honey) Okazaki, originally serialized in Shueisha’s Bouquet, one volume. This seems to be a collection of slightly surreal short stories from a wonderfully sophisticated creator. It’s been published in French by Akata.

Magazines:

Licensed josei:

  • The Bachelor, written by Debbie Macomber, illustrated by Misao Hoshiai, originally serialized in Ohzora Shuppan’s Harlequin, published in English by Dark Horse and Harlequin.
  • Beautiful People, written and illustrated by Mitzukazu Mihara, originally serialized in Shodensha’s Feel Young, published in English by Tokyopop.
  • Between the Sheets, written and illustrated by Erica Sakurazawa, originally published by Shodensha, published in English by Tokyopop.
  • Blind Date, written by Emma Darcy, illustrated by Mihoko Hirose, originally serialized in Ohzora Shuppan’s Harlequin, published in English by Dark Horse and Harlequin.
  • Blue, written and illustrated by Kiriko Nanana, originally serialized in Magazine House’s Comic Are!, reprinted in Shodensha’s Feel Young, published in English by Fanfare/Ponent Mon.
  • Bunny Drop, written and illustrated by Yumi Unita, originally serialized in Shodensha’s Feel Young, currently being released in English by Yen Press.
  • Butterflies, Flowers, written and illustrated by Yuki Yoshihara, originally serialized in Shogakukan’s Petit Comic, currently being released in English by Viz.

What starts with “B” in your josei alphabet?

3 Things Thursday: Peepo Choo

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As David reported earlier this week, both he and I were guests on a recent episode of Ed Sizemore’s Manga Out Loud podcast, along with Ed (of course) and Okazu‘s Erica Friedman. Our topic of discussion was Felipe Smith’s Peepo Choo, originally serialized in Kodansha’s Morning Two magazine and published in English by Vertical, Inc.

To prepare for the podcast, I did a full re-read of the series as it stands, and as I reached the end, I felt incredibly sad that there was no more of it. Whatever the reason(s) for the three-volume wrap-up, and however gracefully Smith managed to wrap it up (quite gracefully, indeed), there was so much more I wanted to see, and I was pretty much heartbroken to know I’d never see it. Would Milton really be able to be true to himself once he got back home? What happens when Reiko gets there? Can Rockstar possibly survive Chicago, and who will he ultimately be if he does? These questions tease me mercilessly, along with many more.

Most of what I have to say about the series, I said on the podcast, but I do want to emphasize how much I enjoyed it and how much I thought it had to say, not just about fans, but about people in general, and how much energy we devote to our strong need for connection and identification. There’s a subtle warmth running quietly through the story that becomes evident as it progresses, offering a fascinating contrast to the outrageous, even shocking imagery Smith often uses to make his points. Ultimately the series was one of my favorites of the year, and if I can’t have more of it, I hope at least that we’ll soon see new work from Smith, whatever it might be.

On to the point of this column! There are a whole lot of reasons to read Peepo Choo, but since this is Thursday, I’m going to give you 3. Trust me, they’re more than enough. A bonus: alliteration.

3 Reasons to Read Felipe Smith’s Peepo Choo

1. Rants – One of the series’ most winning moments occurs right near the beginning of the first volume, when comic book store employee Jody calls out both the superhero fans and the anime fans in the store for being equal losers in the eyes of general society. Most fans will find that this rant hits home (maybe more than they’d like to admit). And just wait for what Smith does to US anime and manga companies later in the series.

2. Reiko – Easily the best (and best-written) character in the series, jaded teen gravure model Reiko kicks some serious ass, both literally and figuratively. She’s a strong female character who doesn’t have to give that up in order to find out who she really is. Hers is the most complete journey of the series, and it’s more than worth following.

3. Rockstar – I already admitted it in the podcast, so I might as well come clean here. Morimoto Rockstar is one of my favorite characters in the series, despite the fact that he’s pretty much a morally bankrupt psychopath. Somehow, right alongside his murderous impulses and shocking cruelty, he’s wearing his inner child right on the outside, plain for anyone to see. This juxtaposition of heartlessness and vulnerability is more than enough to fascinate me. Perhaps it’ll do the same for you!

All images and translation © copyright Felipe Smith. First published by Kodansha, Ltd. Published in English by Vertical, Inc.

So, readers, have you read Peepo Choo? What were your top three reasons?

The Josei Alphabet: A

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Welcome to the Josei Alphabet! For this installment, I’ve decided to focus on a small number of unlicensed titles, then try to list all of the titles that are available in English, along with Japanese magazines that start with that letter. As always, I hope you’ll mention your favorites that I’ve omitted, either licensed or not.

Some sites include yaoi titles in their josei listings. I’ve decided to exclude these for the simple reason that I may someday want to do a yaoi/boys’-love alphabet. So, while they’re often demographically targeted at adult women, I’ve decided to exclude them from this exercise. Now, without further ado…

“A” is for…

Abunazaka Hotel, written and illustrated by Moto Hagio, serialized in Shueisha’s You: A mysterious hotelier seems to specialize in guests in the midst of romantic transition or turmoil, challenging their current state of affairs. It’s by Hagio, so it’s instantly desirable, and it only ran for three volumes, so it seems within the realm of reasonable risk.

Ai wa Kassai ni Tsutsumarete, based on a novel by Metsy Hingle, adapted by Shin Kurokawa, published by Oozora Shuppan: It would be remiss of me to ignore the romance-novel end of the josei equation, particularly adaptations of popular Harlequin properties. This one is about a man trying to protect his brother from a fiancé he believes to be a gold-digger. My choices from this subcategory will probably be based on how much I like the covers, which I fully admit is lazy.

Akatsuki no Aria, written and illustrated by Michiyo Akaishi, serialized in Shogakukan’s flowers: This one’s about a beautiful young student pianist who may have supernatural connections. It’s ongoing and up to around the 11 volume point. Another of Akaishi’s josei titles, Amakusa 1637, ran for 12 volumes in Shogakukan’s flowers, and it’s about a high-school kendo champion who’s thrown back in time and uses her skills to protect persecuted Christians in Japan in the 1600s. No, seriously. It was published in French by Akiko.

Applause, written and illustrated by Kyoko Arisohi, serialized variously in Akita Shoten’s Princess, Margaret, and Elegance Eve. This classic yuri tale from the creator of Swan follows a Japanese transfer student from a Belgian boarding school to a career as an actress in New York City. Erica (Okazu) Friedman is on the case. The series ran for a total of seven volumes.

Aisuru Hito, written and illustrated by Yuki Yoshihara, serialized in Shogakukan’s Petit Comic. This smutty, four-volume comedy follows the dubious attempts of a broke college student to stay close to the professor she adores. This kind of story seems to be a specialty for Yoshihara, who also created Butterflies, Flowers (Viz).

Licensed josei:

  • All My Darling Daughters, written and illustrated by Fumi Yoshinaga, published by Viz, one volume, originally serialized in Hakusensha’s Melody.
  • Angel, written and illustrated by Erica Sakurazawa, published by Tokyopop, one volume, originally serialized by Shodensha. (I’m sure I’ll have occasion to mention this again, but Johanna Draper Carlson wrote a piece on Sakurazawa’s translated manga for The Comics Journal that she’s made available at Manga Worth Reading.)
  • Angel Nest, written and illustrated by Erica Sakurazawa, published by Tokyopop, one volume, originally serialized by Shodensha.
  • The Aromatic Bitters, written and illustrated by Erica Sakurazawa, published by Tokyopop, one volume, originally serialized by Shodensha.
  • Awabi, written and illustrated by Kan Takahama, is licensed for publication in English by Fanfare/Ponent Mon, but it’s on hold. These short stories originally ran in Yukagu Shorin’s Junkudo.

What starts with “A” in your Josei Alphabet?

Reader recommendations and reminders:

  • Anywhere But Here, written and illustrated by Moto Hagio, originally serialized in Shogakukan’s flowers, two volumes.
  • Ashita no Ousama, written and illustrated by Emiko Yachi, originally serialized in Shueisha’s Young You, 10 volumes.
  • Amatsuki, written and illustrated by Shinobu Takayama, currently serialized in Ichijinsha’s Comic Zero-Sum, 12 volumes at the time of this writing. due for publication in French by Kaze.
  • Amazoness no Matsue
  • Aru You de Nai Otoko, written and illustrated by Miho Obana, originally serialized in Shueisha’s Chorus, 1 volume.

Let’s Get Visual: Tricks of the Trade

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MICHELLE: It’s time for another installment of Let’s Get Visual, a monthly feature in which Manga Bookshelf’s MJ and I work to expand our artistic horizons!

This month’s column is inspired by a recent TOKYOPOP release, How to Draw Shojo Manga. Instead of simply offering tips on drawing faces, poses, or cute little animals, this book surprised and impressed me by its wealth of specific advice on many aspects of the manga-creation process. I covered it in a recent Off the Shelf column, and concluded by saying, “Even a casual manga fan would find this book illuminating. For a reviewer, particularly ones like us who are trying to improve our skills in artistic criticism, I’d go so far as to call it positively indispensable. There’s so much practical advice about what a mangaka should be—and theoretically is—striving for in his/her work that I found it quite a fascinating read.”

I put together a list of some of the techniques suggested by the book, and MJand I kept our eyes out for shoujo manga that puts them into practice. Happily, I stumbled upon a perfect example almost right away in the series Karakuri Odette, recently the topic of the Manga Moveable Feast.

Karakuri Odette, Volume 5, Pages 1-2 (TOKYOPOP)

MICHELLE: These two pages exemplify several elements from How to Draw Shojo Manga. On the first page, for example, we have a variety of different-sized shots of the scene and characters, as recommended on page 60. (“Each page needs a rhythm. If all the panels are the same size, and the characters just sit there talking, that’s no fun to read.”)

In the middle of the second page, when the danger of the falling boards is realized, the use of diagonal lines evokes this piece of advice, from page 68: “By placing a character at a diagonal within the panel, the composition becomes unstable, allowing you to express the character’s anxiety, nervousness, or fear.”

Lastly, you’ve got the cliffhanger page-turn to build up the reader’s anticipation, as advised on page 59. “If you can hook the readers at the bottom of the page and make them ask “What next?!” as they turn the page, then you’ve succeeded.”

I’m starting to wonder if mangaka Julietta Suzuki read this book, too!

MJ: Well, if you think about the fact that the book was written by editors from the publisher that released Karakuri Odette, it seems likely that these are standards to which they hold all their artists!

You know, aside from obvious two-page spreads, I’d never really put a lot of thought into how important it can be for a chapter’s right and left-hand pages to be so precisely displayed. But it’s clear here that the bottom left panel of the left-hand page must immediately precede the page turn in order to have its intended impact. This actually brings up some questions for me about the effectiveness of digital distribution, given that most of the readers I’ve encountered favor (or at least allow) single-page views. How much page-to-page impact are we losing by reading manga on a portable device without even realizing it?

MICHELLE: Yes, I had meant to mention that the book was produced by the editors of Hakusensha’s shoujo manga.

And yes, that’s a great point. I believe the viewer at the NETCOMICS site preserves the two-page view, which is excellent, but others don’t. I suppose this is the argument in favor of shelling out loads of money for an iPad instead of trying to read shrinky-dink manga on one’s Kindle, but eh. I think I’ll stick with paper books!

Moving on to pages three and four…

Here we’ve got the resolution to the cliffhanger, in which Odette swoops in to save the day with her android strength. Suzuki uses a nifty trick to express Odette’s predicament simply through composition: placing her alone in the middle of a wide shot (as advocated on page 68) emphasizes her isolation from her classmates in this moment, bringing into focus how different she is from them, in that she can pull off this feat with ease.

Not that this stops her, as she chivalrously scoops up her classmate—”It’s effective to have a panel that draws the eye to the top of the left page,” notes the book—and carries her off. We know they’ve gone to the nurse’s office because Suzuki has followed the advice about using a sign or placard as an establishing shot when changing scenes (page 76).

I’ve got to say, it feels a little odd to be able to match up practically every panel to a specific piece of advice in the how-to book because when I read this scene, I really didn’t think of any of these things. Suzuki may be employing common practices when drawing her series, but that doesn’t make it feel generic.

MJ: I’ve definitely found it a bit jarring to realize just how much these pages adhere to a fairly strict artistic formula. It all seemed so natural when I was reading them! I suppose what this really demonstrates, though, is how much careful craft goes into creating something that can flow naturally for millions of individual readers. The visual language that Suzuki uses to tell an effective story using just a series of still drawings is key to our understanding.

Also, it’s important to remember that this kind of structure is only the framework for displaying a story to readers, and not the heart of the manga itself. Suzuki puts a soul into her story that would never be possible by way of panel formula only. The structure just makes some of the storytelling easier, by giving us visual cues our brains can process with little effort. It’s clearing the way for the heart of the story, I suppose.

MICHELLE: Oh, that’s a lovely way to put it. I mean, really, when you think about it, if a creator went to a lot of trouble to come up with some wildly innovative new way to do an establishing shot, for example, it could either not quickly make visual sense to the reader or could detract from their enjoyment by yanking them out of the story. You used the phrase “visual language,” and I think that’s exactly what we’re dealing with here.

MJ: Yes, exactly! There’s a reason you weren’t thinking about any of these things when you were first reading the book. The point of this kind of visual language is that you don’t have to. Our brains do that work automatically because we’re already fluent in the language. That’s not to say that there isn’t value in artistic innovation. Of course there is! But with a story like this, you want the focus to be on the characters and their relationships. The craft should be invisible, so as not to distract from the point at hand.

MICHELLE: All I can do is nod, because you’ve said it so well!

How does this visual language manifest itself in the pages you’ve chosen?

MJ: Reading How To Draw Shojo Manga, I was struck by how really modern it feels. All the artwork inside is very consistent with what we’ve seen coming over for the past few years, so I thought it might be fun to look at something a little older, as well as something that falls well outside the romance genre, which is what we mostly see these days. To that end, I dug out a volume of CLAMP’s Tokyo Babylon, which is about fifteen years older than Karakuri Odette (give or take) and, though there’s a sort-of-romance element involved, leans heavily towards dark fantasy.

Tokyo Babylon, Volume 6, Pages 109-109 (TOKYOPOP)

Here in the first set of pages, the story’s protagonist, Subaru, is clearly waking from a nightmare. You can see that, like Suzuki, CLAMP is also using varied panel sizes to establish rhythm, as well as a number of different camera angles for cluing us in to Subaru’s state of mind. The contrast between Subaru’s dramatic awakening and the realization that he’s very much alone is especially effective, I think. At the bottom of the first page, we feel his unsteadiness as he pulls back the curtains to let light into the room, and then our eyes are drawn easily to the top left by the reflection of his hand in the mirror, given emphasis by its position in the foreground of the panel.

As the image of Subaru’s sister enters the scene, the panel frames fall away, leaving her sitting freely on the page, indicating both a change of scene and a sunnier, more open space, in contrast to the darkness of everything that comes before. While this bottom left panel lacks the “cliffhanger” feel we saw in the Karakuri Odette pages, this change of time and place gives us a compelling reason to turn the page.

MICHELLE: I agree that the moment of Subaru’s lonely awakening is striking—even though it’s so much smaller than the panel below it, it still packs more of an emotional wallop, I think.

Are you familiar with the musical concept of an agogic accent? In one type, a note is accented simply by being delayed for a fraction of a beat. In other words, it stands out all the more because it’s been given a little bit of space. The bottom-left image of Hokuto reminds me of the same idea—because we’ve busted out of the panel framework and given her some space, she seems all the more significant. The white background behind her does a nice job of evoking happier days, as well.

MJ: Oh, what a perfect analogy, Michelle! Yes, I think this is exactly the same concept, applied to visual art. I suppose if you think about it, music and comics have something in common, both being sequential in a manner of speaking.

The first page here is drenched in light, with almost no background detail at all, aside from the mirror and one look at the floorboards, both of which help establish that the scene takes place in the same room that Subaru woke up in. It’s a warm scene in every way, from the brightly lit room to Hokuto’s cheerful dialogue. It would really be the sweetest scene in the world, if our eyes were not inevitably drawn to the heavy darkness of the top left panel.

Hokuto’s still there, of course, but it’s obvious that something is horribly wrong, with Subaru reduced to a tiny figure, trapped in the darkness with his own mirror image. I say “trapped,” because that’s what this feels like to me, with the oppressive darkness surrounding Subaru and the mirror. This feels even more dramatic to me than the lonely image on the first page–an impression enhanced by the violent panel that follows.

Again, we’re not seeing a cliffhanger here. This feels more like a period than an ellipsis, if that makes sense, though it’s pretty effective as is.

MICHELLE: In a way, CLAMP is using some of the same techniques mentioned in How to Draw Shojo Manga on these two pages. Using just enough background to establish the scene—”About one or two panels with backgrounds per page is good,” quoth page 86—and placing a striking image on the top left. And wow, there is just really no escaping the gloom of that left-side panel! Even if you’re not looking at it directly, it certainly registers and tinges one’s read of the brighter page with expectation of sorrow.

MJ: Oh, well said! Yes, it makes the bright panels bittersweet simply by being in the peripheral vision of that page.

I expect what we’re seeing here is just how basic and long-standing these visual techniques are, even the background guidelines which seem very specific to shoujo manga. It seems likely that these things became part of the rule due to their effectiveness in practice, rather than the other way around, and I expect we’d see most of these techniques utilized in any country’s long-form comics.

MICHELLE: Oh, definitely. These aren’t arbitrary rules imposed by some official body—they’re effective techniques distilled from what has come before. I could blather on with more comparisons to music here, but perhaps I’ll save that for another day!

Thank you for tuning in to this month’s column. If you have examples of shoujo techniques in practice you’d like to share, or opinions of where we’ve gone right or wrong, please join in the discussion! We’d love to hear from you.