On this page I will review more Japanese manga, in particular Shoujo manga.
Note that the quality of the images, reproduced here for bona fide review purposes, has been affected by the scanning and compression processes, so if you want to see how the originals look, you'll have to buy the books!
| Page 36 | Dialogue, from top left |
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Girl :Yes. Now this throwing myself in had deliciously come off; bright-eyed again. ... (Tr. by GC.)  |
| Banana Fish #15,p.18 | Dialogue (from top left) |
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A: What's it like above ground? B: Above? Those guys out there?! A: That's the problem..There's one chance. We'd meet those guys if we go the top way. If we go the lower way we can get out. Tr. by GC |
KODOMO WA NAN DEMO SHITTE IRU "What will the Children Do?" by Mariko IWADATE (Bouquet Comics), vol.2, 132pp, Y410, 15x21 cm.
REVIEW
This is not a well-known shoujo manga. I bought it at random because I liked the artwork. After I had it scanned I had a closer look, and I must say I'm dying to know what this is about. Incestuous desires? or D.I.V.O.R.C.E.? Another for the translation pile. No furigana.
The artwork has that typical shoujo look; sparsely drawn with thin lines, while by contrast drawings of trees and landscapes are densely drawn. The figure drawing has a not-quite-serious look, and indeed in places one of the faces and the oversized teardrops remind me irresistibly of SELFISH CAROL's SUMMER VACATION by satirist Carol Shimoda.
Reason for checking it out: Interior artwork. (GC).
| #2, p.80 | Dialogue, from top left |
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Girl :What's the purpose of my life? What's the purpose of getting up in the morning? Change one's clothes, wash one's face, eat breakfast? School is 20 minutes walk. Everybody walks. A suitable time to decide what to do with my life. When but now. ... . (Tr. by G.C.)  |
RG VEDA by CLAMP (Wings Comics), vol.1,196pp, Y490, 13x18 cm.
REVIEW
Another well-known shoujo manga by the all-female CLAMP co-operative, and based loosely on the Indian Rig Veda legends of gods and heroes. The general Taishakuten has rebelled and killed the supreme lord Tentei. There is a prophecy that Taishakuten will be defeated when the six warriors, points of the 'star' (actually the heads of six magical clans) rise against him. Yasha's clan is wiped out when he defies Taishakuten's orders, and protects a seeress, and the infant Ashura, who is a reincarnation of a magical warrior lord.
If you have only seen the anime it may come as a shock to learn from discussions of the manga that Ashura is probably male. Ashura certainly looks female in the manga too, but has a male alter ego 'Black Ashura'. The Japanese language being what it is, one would have to translate large chunks of the manga to prove the point. As far as I can discover, CLAMP have deliberately maintained the gender ambiguity by referring to Ashura as 'child', 'sprog' etc.
The manga has (have) colour frontispiece(s) and excellent b/w art. The anime is a much compressed version of the manga story; Vol#1 covers the birth of Ashura, the massacre of Yasha's eponymous clan and some flashback. Unless you can read Japanese fluently it's essential to have a translation to hand to make any sense of the story at all. A translation via the French edition is available on the Net.(see main index) (GC).
| RG Veda #1, p.101 | Dialogue, from top left |
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Ashura :
I want to come with you, Yasha.
If you leave alone, without me, you'll be so sad.
Ashura will never leave you ... Yasha : Ashura ... I am head of the Yasha clan. My duty is to protect it. (Tr. from French edn.) |