Reverse Thieves » Maison Ikkoku

Manga of the Month: December

reversethieves — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:10:34 +0000

RG Veda by CLAMP

There are few CLAMP works that one could actually say go under appreciated so while RG Veda is certainly not wholly forgotten, CLAMP’s current and growing fan base may not have gone all the way back to the beginning. RG Veda involves many familiar, but well done, fantastical elements including a worn torn land, magic, desolated clans, gods, a mysterious prophecy, an orphaned child, and a group of warriors who come together to fight a great traitor. The setting is distinctly another time and place sufficiently ingrained in many mythologies of the world. The crux of the story centers around Yasha and Ashura, two beings that are destined to meet and cause great deeds and calamities in the world. Yasha is a great warrior who defies both Taishakuten the Emperor, what his clan wants him to do, and even fate itself to protect Ashura who is but a child at the beginning of the story. Once he does this, there is no turning back, his path is set and he has no choice but to see it through. Along their quest to free the world of Taishakuten’s wrathful rule they encounter allies and foes, sometimes having difficulty telling one from the other. There are very fatalistic themes presented so pick your favorites carefully because no one is safe and it’s never clear what paths all will take. While CLAMP reexplores this theme in X (possibly with more polish), RG Veda is still an engrossing fantasy tale with rich characters and a setting that shows off an ability to carve out a memorable tale in just 10 books.

Maison Ikkoku by Rumiko Takahashi

If I had to pick one manga as the only manga I could ever read again it would be a tough choice but I am almost certain I would pick Maison Ikkoku. While she is hardly the best manga-ka Rumiko Takahashi is my favorite manga-ka. And my favorite work she has ever done is Maison Ikkoku. It captures everything that is wonderful about Rumiko Takahasi’s ability to write comedy and romantic drama that pulls at the hearts string while simultaneously tickling the funny bone. Most importantly it has a solid and wonderful conclusion that lets it avoid some of the criticism of her other work.

Yusaku Godai is a ronin desperately studying to get into college but the people in his apartment building keep disrupting his studies. Finally reaching his breaking point he is about to move out when he discovers there is a young and beautiful new apartment manager named Kyoko Otonashi. Godai instantly decides to stay and try and win her affections but he faces some major obstacles. First he is perpetually broke and horrifically unlucky. If anything can go wrong for him it will go wrong for him in the worst possible way. Secondly he quickly gains a rival for her attentions in the form of the handsome, witty, and rich tennis coach, Shun Mitaka. And the most important obstacle is the fact that Kyoko is a widow who has not moved on from her the death of her husband. Can Godai find happiness or is he doomed to remain a loser for the rest of his life?

I doubt most people are going to connect as personally to the story of Maison Ikkoku as I have. I so empathize with Godai. I understand how it feels to be continually a day late and a dollar short. I know how it feels to wonder if you seemed destined to fail no matter what you do. I know how it is the continually reach for a goal that always seems ever distant. To feel you will never measure up to those around you. I also understand perfectly Godai’s love for Kyoko. Kyoko has a dignified beautify and a refined grace. She is strong yet gentle. She can be stern and even stubborn when pushed but by default she generous and kind. She always pushes Godai forward believing that he can be a better man and do more. At the same time she never lets him get away with giving up or slacking off. More than anything else she feels real. She is a mixture of sadness and happiness and strength and weakness that makes her feel authentic. Their slow building relationship and their give and take is what sold me on the series. But make no mistake I think this series will resonate with anyone who reads it. The delightful mixture of comedy and romance is superbly balanced and draws you in. By taking the scenic route towards the conclusion it makes the overall trip much fun and ultimately rewarding. I could go no but what you should take away from this is that more than any other manga I suggest everyone go out an read at least the first book of Maison Ikkoku.

If anyone knows me well enough they know that I do not whip out Maison Ikkoku as anything but The Big Gun. And with that I announce that Manga on the Month is going on hiatus. This blog is always a work in progress so we decided to mix things up once again. We are replacing the manga of the month with the Speakeasy. Once a month Narutaki and I will pick something that is on our mind and give you a little dissertation on the subject. I think it will be a little more personal and should thought provoking and entertaining for both you the readers and us. See you next year!

Posted in Comedy, Fantasy, Manga, Manga of the Month, Reviews, Romance Tagged: Maison Ikkoku, RG Veda

What do the characters we like say about us?

reversethieves — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:50:28 +0000

Apparently I am easier to read than a picture book. It seems that people are rather easily able to tell which characters I like from series that I watch. This revelation led Narutaki and I to have a long conversation not only about what types of characters we liked but what did it say about us as people. Do your favorite characters give you and others insight into who you are? Do they reflect any pattern in the types of friends you make or people you date? Do they say anything about how you view yourself or others? Narutaki and I are going to share three different charters that exemplify types of characters we enjoy and one oddball character that does not fit our standard categories. We then have a little challenge for all of our readers.

A good deal of us put a lot of love into the characters that we like and there is no denying that sometimes it can go over the top. But that is neither here nor there in this case. There are grand ideas abound! Specifically, I am constantly wondering just how much the characters people like actually say about them. And I move in wide circles from thinking it is the window to someone’s soul to convincing myself it means absolutely nothing, and then back again. It would be egregious not to mention that I am thinking about the personalities of characters rather than looks. Frankly, looks tell me nothing about anyone, sure I may be able to pick out another character they enjoy on the surface but it doesn’t delve very deep. Now who a character is, there there might just be something to be learned about someone. To further matters along in a fun way, we will be giving you a glimpse at some of the characters that are near and dear to us. Happy analyzing!

The first character type I tend to like is the strong but kind women like Kyoko from Maison Ikkoku. I like female characters that don’t take gruff are supportive at the same time. They may practice tough love at times but they are always looking out for the people they care for. They also tend to be a bit devious when needed but not maliciously so. Other examples would include Maria from Hayate the Combat Butler and Forte from Galaxy Angel. The second type of character I tend to like is spunky tomboys like Allenby from Mobile Fighter G Gundam. Fiery go getters that are as good as the guys if not better. They are not just boys in girl suits however. They should have a strong feminine aspect to them but they are just not fragile flowers that need to be protected. Paula Cis is another great example from After War Gundam X, as is Mion from Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, and certain green-eyed monsters also fall into this category as well. Girls who use swords or guns are super extra bonus points. I also tend to like goofy and relaxed male characters that will fight for those they care about like Hayate from Hayate the Combat Butler. They are characters that are laid back and gentle but can be fierce when needed to be. They also tend to be the types that never give up on their dreams no matter what happens. Justy Ueki Tylor from The Irresponsible Captain Tylor and Loran from Turn A Gundam are other great examples.

Where to begin (and who to pick) was a little more of challenge in some cases because this isn’t just about my favorite characters, it is about characters that sort of epitomize traits that draw me in. Now, you might be saying to yourself, “Hey, now wait a minute, I see a tall, blond first thing.” However, while you are right that Tamaki (from Ouran High School Host Club) does indeed fall into a looks category that I hold in high regard, it is everything else about him that puts him on this list. I have waxed poetic about Tamaki before so I will try to keep it focused here. Above all else Tamaki is a positive and optimistic spirit who the more you learn about the more you realize has an attitude not born by having an easy life but rather from a conscious decision to not let circumstances define him. He is not embittered by life, he wants life to be lively and fun and he makes it so, he wants people to be happy and so helps them be just that. Shining darkly in the middle is Arashi (from X/1999) who has remained a fixture in my fandom for many, many years. Since everything about her is wonderful, it is hard to pinpoint the best piece. But I suppose I would say she is committed to her duty and fiercely powerful but she has a woman’s heart. It’s very beautiful the way love sort of worms its way into her heart and changes her. If you know anything about X, then you know it is full to the brim with cruel fate and Arashi’s (though still in limbo in the manga) is no exception but she faces it with wisdom beyond her years. And sitting gruffly on the end is Manji (from Blade of the Immortal). What is most powerful about his character is the things he has done are not honorable but he did them because he thought he should. He is a man who knows regret but he doesn’t apologize. Manji is a killer and he makes no bones about, nor does he ever pretend he is a good guy, but even so he is seeking a bit of redemption without really expecting to get it. There are certainly other types of characters I like, but not necessarily with as much depth.

An atypical character that I like is Mihoshi Kuramitsu from Tenchi Muyo!. She tends to be way more ditzy and fragile then I like my women. She is sort of the stereotypical dumb blonde. She is hardly take charge or any sort of powerhouse except for being extremely lucky. But for some reason I really think she is a fun character. I feel like I have to like her for some reason deeper than her character design. Am I just shallow but refuse to admit it or is there some deeper significance to why I like her? I personally think she goes against my standard character preferences but maybe I am just missing something.

A character I have trouble understanding my affection for is Allelujah (from Gundam 00). He is shy, reserved, and soft-spoken but he is also technically psychotic. He has a traumatic past and really has rollercoaster ride of hashing it out. And still none of these traits really seem to scream, “this is Narutaki’s type of character!” As with Hisui, I feel like there is some reason beyond the shallow that I like him, but I just can’t pinpoint it.

Normally on Reverse Thieves we tend to talk among ourselves and then share with you our conclusion. This time we are going to let the readers do the talking. What do you think the characters we like say about Narutaki and I? Do you think that our character choices say anything at all about us? We would love to see what you think. Also feel free to write what types of characters you like and get us and your fellow readers to try out some pop psychology. Also we will try this again next week with the flip side: What do characters we hate say about us?

I feel like just writing this helped me learn a bit about myself!

Posted in Character Studies, Editorials Tagged: After War Gundam X, Blade of the Immortal, Ekkusu, Galaxy Angel, Hayate the Combat Butler, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Irresponsible Captain Tylor, Maison Ikkoku, Mobile Fighter G Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Ouran High School Host Club, Tenchi Muyo, Turn A Gundam, X/1999