Category: Manga

Yaoi Reading Day with a ninja!

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The Podcast

Erin from the Ninja Consultants was in a bit of a bind. She had a whole box of yaoi manga that needed to be reviewed and not nearly enough time to review it all. So she invited a good deal of people to come to her apartment, read some yaoi, eat some snacks, and give some brief reviews while talking a look at the yaoi phenomenon in general.

Into this mix comes your faithful dynamic duo of anime blogging, Reverse Thieves.

I think we brought a mixture of qualities to the gathering. We brought the only male to the active discussion of yaoi. We are both well versed in the lingo and concepts of yaoi but not well versed in reading it. Also I think we had a genuine interest in learning more about yaoi but did not want to go and spend money on such a risky expedition.

I have admittedly been curious about yaoi if for nothing else it seems to have really taken off at a running pace here in the U.S. But I had never really ventured into the sector for a number of reasons including the perceived graphic nature of the genre. Just as I don’t read hentai or most things with a lot of full-frontal sex in them straight or otherwise.

I like kissing, can we see more kissing? And not that creepy kind! So this was both an experiment but also an observational study!

Kohaku, Narutaki, and I made the treck down to Erin’s apartment without incident. When we arrived there was already one other guest who had arrived. We we given the grand tour and got to see Erin’s rather eclectic but fascinating doujinshi collection. There was a huge pile of books on the living room table so we had quite a few choices.

I was cowardly and basically read books that were handed to me by group selection. I started with something light and funny, Clan of the Nakagamis, and then dove into one of the more graphic works with Brother. I started to read Antique Bakery but a mixture of the heat, my own tiredness, and the fascinating ongoing conversations prevented me from getting too far into it.

I set one rule for myself once we started reading. I don’t read shota-con stuff, I don’t want to, and basically refuse to do so. I like young boy characters because I find them cute and adorable and have NO desire to see them molested, raped, or anything else sexual. I was actually surprised to see a few titles that were definitely this genre. I remember some company mentioning how they are trying to stay away from those types of titles because they don’t want to see a backlash. But I can’t remember who said that or when.

Anyway, I also let the group pick my first yaoi to read. It was Picnic, a short story collection, with varying degrees of sex. This made me notice how much of yaoi is either a group of stories like this or just one book. I then moved on to Soulege, a one book story, whose story just got weirder as it went on. I rounded my day out with Dear Myself, which I really liked, also a one book story but with no sex.

One thing I found really frustrating is there is really no way to tell how much sex or how graphic the sex is in any of the titles.

Erin mentioned that a pink strip on DMP manga usually means more tame whereas a purple strip would be more hardcore. But everything I read was pink and there was everything from sex to masturbation but you never actually saw a penis. So I guess that is “tame.”

Most yaoi is sealed at the store so you can’t look through it, I just found this to be problem. I would probably read some of these titles but I certainly wouldn’t be picking up a series blind.

In the end yaoi like any other genre of manga has a good deal of range. There are well written and intellectually stimulating stories that are a credit to the genre. There are apocalypticly awful things that are an insult to man and god that just happen to have two or more men having sex.

Most of it is in the middle with the majority having the same level of plot as harem or moe anime. There is a plot but it’s nothing special. It’s mostly there to move from fan-service scene to fan service scene while occasionally provoking an emotional response from the reader. They are not bad they’re just mostly written to service their limited audience. Women in general are going to avoid harem shows because they don’t have much for them and they don’t really try to cater to their tastes. The reverse is equally true for most yaoi. It never tries to offer men (atleast straight men) a reason for reading and does not care if they ever do.

I also found it be a credit that most of this stuff isn’t taken seriously by its own readers. They know it is ridiculous and silly most of the time. I mean we made sure to read aloud anything really over the top or silly at this little shindig. Once and a while you really do get an emotional connection but you can’t expect it.

Though if you aren’t interested in two boys kissing or further nothing seemed so good that you should just get over that so you could read an amazing story. Yaoi turns out to be just another one of the many guilty pleasures in the world.

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Ongoing Investigations: Case #007

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Boogiepop at Dawn is the fourth book released by Seven Seas Entertainment in the Boogiepop series. Technically this is the sixth book in the Boogiepop series but it’s a good deal of prequel material so it doesn’t break the narrative. I wonder if they pushed this one ahead because of it’s greater ties to the anime. Boogiepop at Dawn is a god send for American Boogiepop fans because it finally clears up and explains several unexplained mysteries, characters, and events from the TV series. We finally get to see the Scarecrow; learn the story behind the constantly mentioned serials killings; learn the story behind the death of Nagi Kirima’s father; and the story of his novels. Boogiepop Phantom was not the easiest anime to wrap your head around in the first place. Not having the light novel background that many of the Japanese viewers had made it even worse. The novel claims to be the origin of Boogiepop but I feel it is more the origin of Nagi Kirima and how she met Boogiepop than Boogiepop’s origin.

Daughter of Twenty Faces 12 and 13 were exciting indeed! And knowing that the series was supposed to end here is not surprising. The show didn’t wrap up all of its mysteries by any means but it threw us a very climatic battle and meeting. And I could see it being over and knowing there is more to the story but you’ll have to read the manga to find out. Lucky for us we have 9 more episodes to go!

I finally got around to reading Vampire Hunter D volume 1 in preparation of seeing Hideyuki Kikuchi at New York Anime Festival. The first Vampire Hunter D movie is based on this book. The movie defers a good deal from the novel but it keeps all the high points. The major difference is Rei Ginsei is the head of his own little gang of bandits instead of being a servant of Count Lee. This lets him be a wild card that is constantly allying with various people to kill D. Other than that I feel we get a greater insight into certain characters, events, and background of the world. We see much more of Ramika and Greco. The framework of Vampire Hunter D is the standard western story of a mysterious stranger who rolls into town to save a beautiful woman and her farm from a corrupt big shot. He makes the story his own by adding elements of horror and post-apocalyptic literature and films to spice up the story. My only real complaint is Hideyuki Kikuchi is obsessed with constantly mentioning how beautiful D is all the time. Each chapter either the narrator or some character comments of how good looking D is.

Macross Frontier 18 made me realize a few things. First off, Brera is totally under-used. I thought he was going to be big but he has basically fallen to wayside as super cock-block and that is about it. I hope that changes. Secondly, I’m not sure where they are going with Sheryl, she was out of character in this episode but that isn’t surprising considering the news she got. The next few episodes will be really important for her character development. Lastly, maybe they have been doing it all along but this episode had a lot of very convenient moments, i.e. Sheryl shows up at the library and Sheryl calls a random person. The second one could actually have merit, we will see. Of course you must accept certain coincidences in anything. And since it was brought up in the last ongoing investigation. I’ll just clarify that I don’t give characters a free pass just because they had something bad happen to them. I don’t automatically erase malicious actions from my mind because they have had some trauma. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t forgive them if they showed some sort of change or remorse. All of that is yet to be seen. Oh, the new opening while I like the song a lot the animation sequence was pretty blah.

SS Astro is like Azumanga Daioh but the jokes are about the teachers instead of the students. Oh, and someone thought Kaorin should be main character and not minor side character. Also we have a lesbian substitute teacher than has a clear crush on the main gym teacher. It is definitely a seinen manga in humor and style. I really liked SS Astro but I have reservations about it. The characters are charming and amusing. I really liked the school nurse who was obsessed with people getting hurt so she could see blood. My only problem was there is this aura of pandering around the manga that I am not sure I am comfortable with. It’s not a deal breaker but if they turn up the pandering another notch or two it might get too much for me.

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Ongoing Investigations: Case #006

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I read BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad volume 12 and I have a feeling it is going to get the ax with the way things are going at TokyoPop. It’s a shame because we are finally getting to the story past the anime. Everyone is getting ready to tour in America and saying their goodbyes in Japan. It’s is essentially a transition book but Harold Sakuishi keeps it entertaining. BECK is such an amazing manga I can’t see why people don’t care about it. I guess music manga falls in the same category as sports anime and manga. It is one of those genres that people love in Japan but won’t give a chance in the U.S.

Watched Macross Frontier episodes 15, 16, and 17. It has certainly become a show I don’t want to miss a moment of. Obviously we are getting closer and closer to the end and it still keeps me guessing. Still haven’t seen the person who is the main villain. For a few brief moments I thought the love triangle was on equal footing, but not so much now. Sheryl and Alto have to spend some more time together in the next couple of episodes or there is no way you could convince me he would end up with her. I’m inclined to believe he won’t anyway (good!). I have taken to laughing at the karma I feel is biting Sheryl in the butt. Speaking of love, Cathy and Ozma have to be my favorites to see on my screen! It is kind of like if you ever wondered what would have happened if Roy got together with Misa.

We might not necessarily know who the head honcho of the bad guys is but we do know who his two lieutenants are. Oh episode 17 was just awesome for so so many reasons. If you were not sure that Ozma was a Fire Bomber fan this episode all but shows you his Fire Bomber fan club card next to his Mylene wall scroll. I loved the repeated use of Try Again. Even if we never get that Basara cameo we all want this was more than good enough. I want to mention more reasons why 17 was awesome but that is spoiler country. Sufficed to say more love letters to the all the Macross franchise. Oh and take that Sheryl fans! Take that! Cry while you listen to Don’t Be Late!

Finally, finally, finally picked up the first book of Vagabond. I must have been saying I was going to for over six months. Ended up being pretty good, I wasn’t totally blown away by it but it was definitely good and good enough to pick up the second (hopefully in less than six months from now). Inoue’s style seems to lend itself to this story, gives it a more gritty and real look. Also was glad to see the color pages in tact!

I read volumes 6, 7, and 8 of Mobile Suit Gundam: Ecole du Ciel recently and I have to say it’s a pretty good series that is totally falling through the cracks. It’s a Gundam series with a female protagonist. I know that is heresy but they make it work and are not consumed by the vengeance of Red Comet-sama himself. Ecole du Ciel starts after the end of the original Gundam series and is currently in the middle of Zeta Gundam. At least I think they are up to Zeta Gundam. Feel free to slog through the Universal Century timeline to prove me wrong. There are side notes to get you up to speed about certain major events but I feel they are more reminders to people who have watched the original than explanations for neophytes. Don’t be discouraged by that. This is Asuna Elmarit’s story as she fights in the Universal Century. Major events from the TV series are referenced but Asuna’s story is always her own. Characters die left and right, named characters are clearly not safe. It is a character based story but it is still a war story. Another  series that is probably getting the ax now that Tokyopop is dropping stuff left and right. It’s a shame because there is not much out there like this.

Read books 28 and 29 of Samurai Deeper Kyo. After book 28 I was like, why am I reading this? After book 29 I was like, this is why! I am so tired of groups of villains randomly showing up, now we are onto the four elders. Oh wait the girl they fight in the beginning of 28 is a EX-four elder. SIGH. Then we have three crazy magicians. UH. Oh look an elder finally! He has 10 levels of speed. WHAT? I will be glad when we are actually at the last bad guys, but I’m sure we will have to make it through more groups of villains first. Who is next? The five mahrajs? Thank goodness for all the excitement and bloody battling in 29. Plus a critically injured Yuya, spoiler you say, I think not. I mean can the girl do anything except get hurt, kidnapped, or possessed? This series is a complete roller coaster from bad to good. It is far and away too long, but it’s a shonen fighting series so why I am so surprised? But I keep hanging on because I love Demon Eyes Kyo, can’t help it.

My Heavenly Hockey Club keeps reminding be of Ouran High School Host Club if it were written by Ai Morinaga. I like Ai Morinaga but damn. The similarities are too much to be coincidence. They both have poor girls going to a school of rich kids. They both have tomboyish, sarcastic main girls. They both have a girl who is blackmailed into joining an otherwise all boys club. They both have clueless club leaders that are in love with the main girl. They both have twins that no one can tell apart. There are definite differences in the humor and the writing but you can’t even pretend that My Heavenly Hockey Club is trying to be super original.

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