Hey visitors,
The main topic for this week is regarding age gaps and I've read a few here and there, some small, some large, older, younger, etc. Over the years I've come to terms about the double standard as well as how the modern age culture has come to terms with regards to age gaps (does this mouth of words makes any sense?) Basically, double standard and cultural tolerance towards age gaps is what I'm saying/addressinghere.
First of all, cultures today are disapproving of age gap relationships hence the whole minors protection against pedophilia, statutory rape, and child porn. However overtime, if people notice age gaps are more tolerable, mainly after you are out of compulsory schooling aka at least age 18 I guess. Why that is is kind of strange but when I think about it, what I think is that it's because people think that a minor doesn't understand love so much hence all those child love terms like "puppy love" and "crushes". However love is also a more modern concept since for quite a long time, people have married out of duty and sake of living (procreation, separation of labor, raising one's social position, power, etc). Side note: I'd like to point out one example of how love might have been a more modern concept; from Bokura no Kiseki (spoilers for people who haven't read it)-Manami said that as Veronica, even though people thought she and Glen were an item, he says they weren't because in those days, there was actually definition of what love was. Hence something so complicated and abstract that is also quite irrational at times, I think things like true love is a more modern concept.
Ok so I've kind of trailed off in another direction so back on track...What I'm getting at is that culture today has changed. What society defines as child has also changed of course since back then it was more acceptable worldwide to have marriages between youth and between a youth and an elder. But really, that's why when reading mangas that take place in the past (historical fiction or stories along the lines of fictional with more factual), if there are age gaps such as in Otoyomegatari, readers should realize that they're stepping into another culture that is different from the one they are raised in at the present. Age gaps were more socially acceptable back then especially since the concept of love and marriage weren't ideas that were put together until more present means. The purpose of marriage was more for purposes of social/status mobility, economic stability, political, etc (love wasn't usually first in line is what I'm saying). Anyways, for age gaps in historical context, not weird. Don't judge harshly on cultures by comparing it to your own. You can ask why but don't force it since you should know that the world of today isn't the world of yesterday as well as what is one culture's norm even in the present isn't another culture's norm.
Next I'd like to note one double standard of age gaps which is the seemingly progression of age correlating with more tolerance towards age gaps. (I noted it above but I didn't expand on it since I got more into cultural aspects.) This is a more modern thing that goes on since age gaps in the past weren't such a huge issue and as I noted above, it could very well be the way people today view youth. Another reasoning would be the the accumulated intellect and life experience we have after adolescent that somehow qualifies people to have age gap relationships? The way I've put it sounds ridiculous but people do say "what do you know? you're still a child". As noted before, another example is terms like "puppy love" which label a person for ignorance who is usually a child but over time no one uses such a term especially when one is an adult deemed ready to commit to a relationship to life's end. Of course maturity is necessary to maintain a relationship so it makes sense.
Although life experience is good, the appearance of a child seems to be important as well.This is another double standard I've realized. I've noticed that in age gap relationships in mangas, those who appear child and adult are heavily questioned and criticized whereas if the child appears adult, there is less criticism. One clear example would be the popular yet controversial to today's societal principles, Kore wa Koi no Hanashi Of course if you appear adult and are mature in mentality for what is to say, a typical child, then readers probably won't criticize. But then you can go the other way where you have the appearance of an actual older gentleman or gentlewoman (I haven't seen older woman often in mangas of any genre) i.e. you actually look past your 40s or 50s. What I'm getting at is that appearance is extremely key in mangas for age gaps-at least that's what I've gathered after reading different age gap mangas. Frankly it is really annoying when the story is amazing despite the age gap. Though I suppose everyone wants to share their opinions whether they are uncomfortable or simply enjoying the situation at hand. To summarize this point, if a character appear child-like and in fact is a child, then s/he will receive much more criticism for a relationship with an obviously older person (or vice versa older pursues younger); if a character appears mature/adult-like and is a child in age (mental maturity doesn't really play into it as much from what I remember) s/he will receive less criticism for pursuing a relationship with an older person (or vice versa older pursues younger). I'm not that surprised since as humans, we've come to rely on our vision to determine survival as well as what appeals to us but yeah...the look of a couple, if socially approved of will be more socially accepted.
Well that's all I can think of right now. I've actually thought about this topic quite a lot since some of my interested mangas have been and currently are about age gaps; especially when people are arguing in the forums about being for or against the age gap relationship. In reality, I'm not sure how I feel about it. In mangas I've always been pretty open minded about age gaps-love for all, you know? That is as long as you are the couple I'm rooting for =d But realistically, I kind of understand the challenge of social norms today about age gaps.
I hope you've enjoyed reading. I'm glad I've finally written about this topic. I might add on later on but that's all for today =)
Until next,
tohukyo
P.S. Although I don't mind age gap relationships, it doesn't change the fact that I really don't favor teacher-student mangas. The way it's written usually just really gets to me. There's only been one (completed) that I've actually liked because of it's somewhat open ended and quite a confusing ending that a lot of people didn't like nor understand, "Beautiful Fascination is Better Than Love."
(Last updated 10-28-2013)
Showing posts with label Manga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manga. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Rambling--My Beginnings with...
Sorry everyone. I had a topic planned but I haven't completed it yet. I would do another "segment" of "Authors" but I don't want to burn that one out. So right now I'm just thinking on the spot as I type this and I think maybe I'll just go with my "firsts" or beginnings based on what I remember. I was going to just do manga but it's not as long. This is just going to be my first on hand experience. I'll leave online exposure to another time.
MANGA
I was first exposed when I was really young. All mangas I knew of were from the library but I didn't actually read because it was what I myself decided to read. It's like when you are stuck in a small community and all you can do in it is what you are given to do. I was in elementary/grade school at the time. My brother was in junior high/middle school and right next to the school was one of the public library branches in my city. He occasionally borrowed mangas from what was available at the branch and so I was first exposed to manga by the title of...uh....*google search: robot girl manga* Battle Angel Alita. I didn't exactly follow the story (since there wasn't much of a transfer of books from library to library nor was there a request system yet, usually it was one of those volume 4 then 2 then 5 kind of readings) but it was interesting. There was then Ranma 1/2 and later on the whole "fad" with Inu-yasha--by that time, my sister was in middle/junior high school and she provided me with my manga. Of course later there were more and more mangas like Watase Yuu's Fushigi Yuugi; there was also Saint Tail, Cardcaptor Sakura, X/1999 (this one I couldn't follow because of its complexity but Clamp's art was and still is very beautiful). When I entered middle/junior high myself, the range of mangas widened to W Juliet, Kare Kano, Prince of Tennis, Godchild, Imadoki (Nowadays), Swan, Hana Yori Dango, Ceres, etc. (Just a lot more, the manga collection at my city's library system exploded in numbers) but anywas, I think my genuine first manga exposure was Battle Angel Alita. I haven't touched that manga since then....
ANIME
So being an ABC (American Born C____) it's not odd that my first exposure to any anime (not cartoons, anime as in made in japan kind of thing) was dubbed. Being a child of those times, I can't exactly remember my first animes but Sailor Moon was up there along with Dragon Ball Z and of course who doesn't remember Pokemon! Yeah I was growing up during those times when these anime dubs were on. I remember before I had to attend language classes on saturday that every morning, my siblings and I would wake up early like maybe 6 or 7 AM in the morning (not sure about the time but it was early) because that's when Saturday morning cartoons in general would begin. This was of course way before my exposure to manga. Over the years I remember having watched Digimon and Cardcaptor Sakura too...not sure where that fits in in the picture... and later Yu-gi-oh as well. But anyways, I still have VHS tapes (Yes, I'm a child of the last years of VHS) of Sailor Moon, Pokemon, and Dragon Ball Z dubs stashed somewhere.
Ah...the memories. It's amazing when I think back. Just thinking about the mangas, the library system in my city has just grown so very much and there's also the whole online internet mangas! Then the animes as well as just Saturday morning cartoons. I didn't have cable and still don't have cable or any sort of television service that I have to pay for (I'm one of those people who didn't grow up watching Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, and Sponge Bob) so when I think about the huge shift in just kid's cartoon television shows on (what do you call free no serviced television?) the channels I have grown up with, it's just really different. There aren't any more anime dubs, all or most of what is available are American/Western cartoons--well with the exception that Yu-gi-oh is still on.
Alright that's it for this week. I think I'll do online exposure some other time. I hope you thought my experience was interesting but if not =)
Toodles~
tohukyo
MANGA
I was first exposed when I was really young. All mangas I knew of were from the library but I didn't actually read because it was what I myself decided to read. It's like when you are stuck in a small community and all you can do in it is what you are given to do. I was in elementary/grade school at the time. My brother was in junior high/middle school and right next to the school was one of the public library branches in my city. He occasionally borrowed mangas from what was available at the branch and so I was first exposed to manga by the title of...uh....*google search: robot girl manga* Battle Angel Alita. I didn't exactly follow the story (since there wasn't much of a transfer of books from library to library nor was there a request system yet, usually it was one of those volume 4 then 2 then 5 kind of readings) but it was interesting. There was then Ranma 1/2 and later on the whole "fad" with Inu-yasha--by that time, my sister was in middle/junior high school and she provided me with my manga. Of course later there were more and more mangas like Watase Yuu's Fushigi Yuugi; there was also Saint Tail, Cardcaptor Sakura, X/1999 (this one I couldn't follow because of its complexity but Clamp's art was and still is very beautiful). When I entered middle/junior high myself, the range of mangas widened to W Juliet, Kare Kano, Prince of Tennis, Godchild, Imadoki (Nowadays), Swan, Hana Yori Dango, Ceres, etc. (Just a lot more, the manga collection at my city's library system exploded in numbers) but anywas, I think my genuine first manga exposure was Battle Angel Alita. I haven't touched that manga since then....
ANIME
So being an ABC (American Born C____) it's not odd that my first exposure to any anime (not cartoons, anime as in made in japan kind of thing) was dubbed. Being a child of those times, I can't exactly remember my first animes but Sailor Moon was up there along with Dragon Ball Z and of course who doesn't remember Pokemon! Yeah I was growing up during those times when these anime dubs were on. I remember before I had to attend language classes on saturday that every morning, my siblings and I would wake up early like maybe 6 or 7 AM in the morning (not sure about the time but it was early) because that's when Saturday morning cartoons in general would begin. This was of course way before my exposure to manga. Over the years I remember having watched Digimon and Cardcaptor Sakura too...not sure where that fits in in the picture... and later Yu-gi-oh as well. But anyways, I still have VHS tapes (Yes, I'm a child of the last years of VHS) of Sailor Moon, Pokemon, and Dragon Ball Z dubs stashed somewhere.
Ah...the memories. It's amazing when I think back. Just thinking about the mangas, the library system in my city has just grown so very much and there's also the whole online internet mangas! Then the animes as well as just Saturday morning cartoons. I didn't have cable and still don't have cable or any sort of television service that I have to pay for (I'm one of those people who didn't grow up watching Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, and Sponge Bob) so when I think about the huge shift in just kid's cartoon television shows on (what do you call free no serviced television?) the channels I have grown up with, it's just really different. There aren't any more anime dubs, all or most of what is available are American/Western cartoons--well with the exception that Yu-gi-oh is still on.
Alright that's it for this week. I think I'll do online exposure some other time. I hope you thought my experience was interesting but if not =)
Toodles~
tohukyo
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Kare Kano
Hi everyone,
This is going to be a short post compared to my other ones because this is just going to be about a manga that I feel like writing about.
Kare Kano by Tsuda Masami
This manga is probably one of my most favorite mangas. It is a definite all time classic for shoujos as well so if you read shoujo, this is one story definitely shouldn't miss out. (But because it's kind of a mature read so I think it qualifies as a josei in some ways). Well I should actually say "stories" since this is one of those mangas where all the characters become close to your heart as you read and journey through all 21 volumes.
So, the reason why I felt like writing about this manga today is because recently I decided to reread/skim through the manga. I've always thought of it as like the bible of shoujo, the golden story that is shoujo at its best and brightest but I lost touch of it and felt like recently in about a year or so, I forgot what was the reason for why I thought that. Well, because I recently "reread" it, I've rediscovered this feeling and truly, it is (in my personal opinion) practically the bible of shoujo. It really is falling in love all over again. But it wasn't until I finished it that I felt this. I guess it's one of those mangas that has a process and by the time one comes to the end, one realizes just how wonderful the experience and journey was and reflect well on it. This definitely is one of the things I love about completed mangas (just in reference to one of my earlier posts).
Now this story touches on so many aspects. True love, Friendship, Loyalty, Youth (high school), Unconditional Love, Trauma, Family, and so much more. It really hits the core of adolescence in a sense because it really shines through the struggles to maintain or create an identity but also to retain/find one's self as "being yourself." It's because it hits on so much of reality (slice of life genre), it really does carry the reader through a lot and with that, you really feel compelled to love it and really do love it.
With so many aspects that it touches on, there are so many stories to tell as well.
Main story--I don't want to give too much away but the main character story is between a girl, Yukino and a guy, Arima. Both are top students, perfect models that teachers want their students to be, and great leadership skills. However their reality isn't what is reflected, their act is simply a theatrical performance of perfection and only when they meet each other do they crack through this performance with personal happiness within sight. However Yukino's reality is much more simply and exudes the happy and loving family environment she has always been raised in (plus her own little cunning and charming capitalistic attitude). Arima on the other hand has a much deeper and darker reality that he has buried since childhood due to the unstable environment he was raised in a "typical" crazy "noble" and successful family (all that pressure and expectation to uphold family legacy goes back generations before Arima. It's like he's a victim). This main story is spread out through most of the 21 volumes.
Within the 21 volumes, we take occasional breaks with insertion of a fun high school youth life with friends and well as get peaks into the stories of other characters. There are a lot of substories involving the secondary characters themselves (ranging in length from one to a few chapters long). I don't want to list them all since it's kind of a spoiler with introduction of new characters but I'll just say this. It's quite uncommon for any manga to reveal the background stories but this isn't just any manga. Not only do the friends get some background and their own little stories, but we even get to know about Yukino's parents as well as Arima's family history (this one is especially important in order for Arima to break the curse of the Arima family).
This style of manga, this is of an older generation per se (not that old though). It's not as fast pace and it's more "innocent" because it focuses on the more profound moments and relationships of life. It's as though with the complexity of the storyline and the multiple sub storylines, to go too quick of a pace would have ruined the manga but everything just moved smoothly for Kare Kano.
But I must stress that this is different for everyone. Personally, I picked up this manga when I was young (like 11 or 12) and what I consider quite ignorant and didn't really understand the meanings behind the profoundness of most of the mangas I read (the way I read novels was completely different from how I read mangas too back then). It was until I was in high school when I finally picked it up again online and read through everything with my full attention that I realized the greatness of the storyline. This isn't for everyone though and you might not have the patience to last 21 volumes that has not only the main storyline but also sub stories. However, it is definitely worth reading since it is a very different style from what we're exposed to (given what we have from the scanlators). Read it with an open mind and if you can't handle reading some parts, just let it sit for a day, take a break from it.
Sorry if I sounded like I butchered it and was repetitive. I started on this earlier in the week when I finished rereading Kare Kano and I was still really hyped up on the energy and love I felt for it. Personally, I call it the perfect shoujo youth high school life manga =) Friendship, Love, Loyalty, High school youth. It shows love comes in all different sizes and different ways. Also, despite it being an older style, it certainly has a lot of modern and beyond contemporary thinking (this may not be as clear until you reach the end of the story).
That's all, until next time,
tohukyo
(Lol said it'll be short...oops.)
This is going to be a short post compared to my other ones because this is just going to be about a manga that I feel like writing about.
Kare Kano by Tsuda Masami
This manga is probably one of my most favorite mangas. It is a definite all time classic for shoujos as well so if you read shoujo, this is one story definitely shouldn't miss out. (But because it's kind of a mature read so I think it qualifies as a josei in some ways). Well I should actually say "stories" since this is one of those mangas where all the characters become close to your heart as you read and journey through all 21 volumes.
So, the reason why I felt like writing about this manga today is because recently I decided to reread/skim through the manga. I've always thought of it as like the bible of shoujo, the golden story that is shoujo at its best and brightest but I lost touch of it and felt like recently in about a year or so, I forgot what was the reason for why I thought that. Well, because I recently "reread" it, I've rediscovered this feeling and truly, it is (in my personal opinion) practically the bible of shoujo. It really is falling in love all over again. But it wasn't until I finished it that I felt this. I guess it's one of those mangas that has a process and by the time one comes to the end, one realizes just how wonderful the experience and journey was and reflect well on it. This definitely is one of the things I love about completed mangas (just in reference to one of my earlier posts).
Now this story touches on so many aspects. True love, Friendship, Loyalty, Youth (high school), Unconditional Love, Trauma, Family, and so much more. It really hits the core of adolescence in a sense because it really shines through the struggles to maintain or create an identity but also to retain/find one's self as "being yourself." It's because it hits on so much of reality (slice of life genre), it really does carry the reader through a lot and with that, you really feel compelled to love it and really do love it.
With so many aspects that it touches on, there are so many stories to tell as well.
Main story--I don't want to give too much away but the main character story is between a girl, Yukino and a guy, Arima. Both are top students, perfect models that teachers want their students to be, and great leadership skills. However their reality isn't what is reflected, their act is simply a theatrical performance of perfection and only when they meet each other do they crack through this performance with personal happiness within sight. However Yukino's reality is much more simply and exudes the happy and loving family environment she has always been raised in (plus her own little cunning and charming capitalistic attitude). Arima on the other hand has a much deeper and darker reality that he has buried since childhood due to the unstable environment he was raised in a "typical" crazy "noble" and successful family (all that pressure and expectation to uphold family legacy goes back generations before Arima. It's like he's a victim). This main story is spread out through most of the 21 volumes.
Within the 21 volumes, we take occasional breaks with insertion of a fun high school youth life with friends and well as get peaks into the stories of other characters. There are a lot of substories involving the secondary characters themselves (ranging in length from one to a few chapters long). I don't want to list them all since it's kind of a spoiler with introduction of new characters but I'll just say this. It's quite uncommon for any manga to reveal the background stories but this isn't just any manga. Not only do the friends get some background and their own little stories, but we even get to know about Yukino's parents as well as Arima's family history (this one is especially important in order for Arima to break the curse of the Arima family).
This style of manga, this is of an older generation per se (not that old though). It's not as fast pace and it's more "innocent" because it focuses on the more profound moments and relationships of life. It's as though with the complexity of the storyline and the multiple sub storylines, to go too quick of a pace would have ruined the manga but everything just moved smoothly for Kare Kano.
But I must stress that this is different for everyone. Personally, I picked up this manga when I was young (like 11 or 12) and what I consider quite ignorant and didn't really understand the meanings behind the profoundness of most of the mangas I read (the way I read novels was completely different from how I read mangas too back then). It was until I was in high school when I finally picked it up again online and read through everything with my full attention that I realized the greatness of the storyline. This isn't for everyone though and you might not have the patience to last 21 volumes that has not only the main storyline but also sub stories. However, it is definitely worth reading since it is a very different style from what we're exposed to (given what we have from the scanlators). Read it with an open mind and if you can't handle reading some parts, just let it sit for a day, take a break from it.
Sorry if I sounded like I butchered it and was repetitive. I started on this earlier in the week when I finished rereading Kare Kano and I was still really hyped up on the energy and love I felt for it. Personally, I call it the perfect shoujo youth high school life manga =) Friendship, Love, Loyalty, High school youth. It shows love comes in all different sizes and different ways. Also, despite it being an older style, it certainly has a lot of modern and beyond contemporary thinking (this may not be as clear until you reach the end of the story).
That's all, until next time,
tohukyo
(Lol said it'll be short...oops.)
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Gender Bender-Physical/Mental Transformation
Hello,
Earlier this week I posted a topic about gender benders for cross dressing. This is the second part and clearly it was best to split the topic in two since the first one was quite long already.
So for this type of gender bender, there are a lot of different types of plots for this type of genre itself as well but typically it's just a variation of boy to girl transformation or vice versa physically and/or mentally.
TOTAL TRANSFORMATION
One of type of gender bender plot is the total transformation from one gender to the other. Sometimes it is through a strange phenomenon, sometimes, maybe, it is through gene therapy. Most of the ones I've read are because of a strange phenomenon that is somewhat related to genetics/biology. It is one of my favorite type of gender bender story because it's just very out of the norm since not only does the character also have to adjust mentally but there are a lot of elements in their lives they have to adapt to according to their new identity.
Here are some of my favorites.
*The Day of Revolution by Tsuda Mikiyo (completed)
This is actually probably the manga that really got me into gender benders. And once again it's Tsuda Mikiyo. What really captured me about this manga is probably the whole idea of a born man who is pretty normal but is suddenly hit with the fact that he is supposed to be a girl and then actually goes through with a transformation surgically. It's a great comedy as well and although it's short, it's a fun read.
*Kanojo ni Naru Hi by Ogura Akane (ongoing)
(Edit: 07.30.2013)Promising new manga. Nice characters. The subject of the gender bender is really cool about the whole circumstances of his gender bender-ness. It's pretty interesting.
CLICK by Lee Young ran (completed)
(Edit: 07.30.2013)This is an ok manhwa. The art may not be appealing to many since it's not really the typical shoujo kind of art. You may not like it so much in terms because all of the characters aren't attractive personalities.
~Angel Sanctuary by Kaori Yuki (completed)
(Edit: 07.30.2013)I read this a long time ago and I wouldn't call it a favorite either but it is worth reading. Reading it is a little confusing though because there is a lot going on. It draws on the whole angels versus demons thing as well as the arch angels. But WARNING, it's a forbidden fruit story at it's core-Highlight to see the "spoiler"-->INCEST<--
IMPERMANENT GENDER SWITCH
If the heading isn't clear (which should be), this plot is basically like a hovering between genders. It's nothing like androgyny. It's physical complete changes from boy to girl or girl to boy but not permanent (therefore impermanent). There are actually very little stories that I've read or checked out that qualify for this and it's probably just really difficult to write because of all the drama. There is only one I've fully invested my interest in and there are a few others that I quit since I couldn't get into it very well.
Here are the more "notable" ones:
*Ame Nochi Hare by Bikke (ongoing)
This, if it finishes to the end in scanlating, will probably among my favorite gender benders. It's a new twist and take on gender bender for sure. We get a sort of sneak peak in the lives of boys in a boys' school (yes it's fiction, just roll with it) but they experience a strange phenomenon of gender transformation whenever there is rain. I especially enjoy how even though they are men mentally, through the transformation to women, they can sort of see what it's like to be a girl....Trust me it's a lot more interesting than the way I've put it and the characters that have been chosen for this strange phenomenon aren't particularly ordinary people either. I guess it brings new appreciation for the other sex for these young men. Anyways, quite an interesting part of the story right now especially when young love is especially susceptible whether boy or girl.
*Baroque by Ogawa Yayoi
(Edit: 07.30.2013) New manga. Can't say much about it since I kind of forgot what it's about.
~Divine Melody by Yi Huan
(Edit: 07.30.2013) Not my favorite written Yi Huan but I thought I'd throw it up here. It's a historical fiction manga too. For me though, the beginning was frustrating for me to read through...just saying.
BODY SWITCH
As lame as this might sound, if anyone has watched Freaky Friday (the hit movie starring Lindsey Lohan) or the K-Drama Secret Garden, that's the general idea. Usually the plot is switching bodies so the guy mentality is in a girls' body and the girl mentality is in guy's body (rarely same sex like in the movie Freaky Friday). I guess you can say it's funny and interesting but I haven't found many of much interest to myself-or it's just that I haven't found time to actually read it. This might actually be my least enjoyed plot of this genre but it makes for good lighthearted comedy so I'll give it that.
The following are the only ones I've gotten into for the comedy:
Yamada and the Seven Witches by Yoshikawa Miki (going)
This is one of the most hilarious mangas I've read. It's not exclusively a gender bender but it certainly adds to the fun of this story. I think what I like about it most is that it isn't a shoujo manga so there is less melodrama which is sometimes just the key downfall to a gender bender with this kind of manga plot. Because it isn't a shoujo manga and instead a seinen/shounen (i don't remember which one right now), the characters are more fun and diverse in personality which really makes for an awesome manga and comedy.
My Barbaric Girlfriend by Morinaga Ai (completed)
(Edit: 01.29.2014) It's been really long time this manga was updated. It's really funny and certainly kind of tries to mix up the femininity and masculinity gender norms. Seeing the polarized personalities, I want them to remain switched and date other people but others want them to change back and also date each other...I feel for the guy.
*Orange Chocolate by Yamada Nanpei
This one I stopped reading because I got tired of waiting for updates so I decided to wait 'til later to get into it but I haven't had time to do that. I simply list it here because I think it's good based on the general story line which I know of. It also features fine art in terms of traditional dance so it gives the manga a boost in originality.
MENTAL GENDER BENDER
For me, I had to separate this as its own plot because the stories aren't actual gender benders but more like gender benders in the sense that it's mental. This is probably the most relevant for past lives mangas where the whole born with your past life memories exist but the memories are of you as the opposite gender ergo "mental" gender bender. Now there hasn't exactly been any gender confusion from the past and present gender but I felt like it had to have a category of its own since mentally, one still has had that experience and it still impacts them in the present.
*Bokura no Kiseki by Kumeta Natsuo
Ok, if you were reading what I was describing for this gender bender type of plot, you'd probably would have predicted me mentioning this manga. If not, oh well. Ok so this manga is categorized as josei but the thing is that this manga kind of is at a stand still in terms of audience which usually defines the genres a manga is tagged with. Bokura no Kiseki involves an ancient/past world in which the practices still continue to exist in present time for some unknown reason. The real thriller of this manga is the mystery that surrounds the whole "why" select people of the present remember the past and have been reincarnated with the magic of the past. Again with Bokura no Kiseki, it's a lot more interesting than how I've described it here. (I'm not very good at writing clearly). Anyways, several characters are reincarnated but of the opposite sex. It seems like key players have this phenomenon including the protagonist. I don't know if it's a coincidence but if not and it was on purpose, well that just adds to the fun of this mystery and thriller especially since everyone who was reincarnated died from a war that began (for which nobody knows why) and everyone is split into factions of good/evil/neutral/and whatever. Once again, I've done this manga no justice in my description but it's certainly caught my interest since the first chapter was released and promises that it won't disappoint anyone.
~NG Life by Kusanagi Mizuho
This one is also a past life manga but since I stopped reading it and haven't picked it up since, I'm not too certain about the gender bender factor here. I do know that the protagonist isn't experiencing any "mental gender bender-ness" but a few of the other characters do (difference is that they don't remember their past lives and I'm not sure if they will ever since I didn't finish it).
ANDROGYNY
Well for a gender bender genre, it seems like androgyny is new or it's just that no one has scanlated one like it or no one has published any manga in english on it. If you don't know what androgyny is, it's generally the idea that you can't tell the sex of a person by their physique/appearance. It's a rare plot for a transformation gender bender. It's more typical for a "non-transformational" (yes not an actual word) gender bender I suppose but I think it's more special for a "transformational" (yes not an actual word) so I'm giving it its own category.
*Magnolia by Naked Ape
I only know of one such gender bender thus far with this kind of plot and Magnolia is it. I feel like this manga just goes to show that maybe sex isn't so binary. It's a huge struggle and in this manga, it just shows how the social construction of gender is complex and how it is so central to the identity of a person. These "iconic" images of what a man or woman is, how s/he should behave as well as the expectations of each gender that stem from the biology of sex, this manga really just shows how a person can struggle with this binary of man and woman. But enough with that.
What's really interesting about this manga is the struggle that the main character, Crown Prince Ayato goes through. It's an internal fight of love(woman) versus pride(man)? (Is pride the right word?) But Ayato has been raised as a male and having been raised as one and not achieving maturation of puberty at his age has really kind of screwed him up mentally. The parents kind of messed up on that but I guess it makes the story. It's a really interesting manga but my problem with it is how there is this kind of direction in which readers seem to be forced to lean towards Ayato as becoming female instead of male since Ayato loves a man and not a woman (loving a man will transform him to be a woman). Nevertheless, it's a interesting on going manga.
Sigh...this was a really longer than expected post and I don't expect anyone to actually read through it. Well got things out from pen to paper so to speak.
Bye,
tohukyo
Earlier this week I posted a topic about gender benders for cross dressing. This is the second part and clearly it was best to split the topic in two since the first one was quite long already.
So for this type of gender bender, there are a lot of different types of plots for this type of genre itself as well but typically it's just a variation of boy to girl transformation or vice versa physically and/or mentally.
TOTAL TRANSFORMATION
One of type of gender bender plot is the total transformation from one gender to the other. Sometimes it is through a strange phenomenon, sometimes, maybe, it is through gene therapy. Most of the ones I've read are because of a strange phenomenon that is somewhat related to genetics/biology. It is one of my favorite type of gender bender story because it's just very out of the norm since not only does the character also have to adjust mentally but there are a lot of elements in their lives they have to adapt to according to their new identity.
Here are some of my favorites.
*The Day of Revolution by Tsuda Mikiyo (completed)
This is actually probably the manga that really got me into gender benders. And once again it's Tsuda Mikiyo. What really captured me about this manga is probably the whole idea of a born man who is pretty normal but is suddenly hit with the fact that he is supposed to be a girl and then actually goes through with a transformation surgically. It's a great comedy as well and although it's short, it's a fun read.
*Kanojo ni Naru Hi by Ogura Akane (ongoing)
(Edit: 07.30.2013)Promising new manga. Nice characters. The subject of the gender bender is really cool about the whole circumstances of his gender bender-ness. It's pretty interesting.
CLICK by Lee Young ran (completed)
(Edit: 07.30.2013)This is an ok manhwa. The art may not be appealing to many since it's not really the typical shoujo kind of art. You may not like it so much in terms because all of the characters aren't attractive personalities.
~Angel Sanctuary by Kaori Yuki (completed)
(Edit: 07.30.2013)I read this a long time ago and I wouldn't call it a favorite either but it is worth reading. Reading it is a little confusing though because there is a lot going on. It draws on the whole angels versus demons thing as well as the arch angels. But WARNING, it's a forbidden fruit story at it's core-Highlight to see the "spoiler"-->INCEST<--
IMPERMANENT GENDER SWITCH
If the heading isn't clear (which should be), this plot is basically like a hovering between genders. It's nothing like androgyny. It's physical complete changes from boy to girl or girl to boy but not permanent (therefore impermanent). There are actually very little stories that I've read or checked out that qualify for this and it's probably just really difficult to write because of all the drama. There is only one I've fully invested my interest in and there are a few others that I quit since I couldn't get into it very well.
Here are the more "notable" ones:
*Ame Nochi Hare by Bikke (ongoing)
This, if it finishes to the end in scanlating, will probably among my favorite gender benders. It's a new twist and take on gender bender for sure. We get a sort of sneak peak in the lives of boys in a boys' school (yes it's fiction, just roll with it) but they experience a strange phenomenon of gender transformation whenever there is rain. I especially enjoy how even though they are men mentally, through the transformation to women, they can sort of see what it's like to be a girl....Trust me it's a lot more interesting than the way I've put it and the characters that have been chosen for this strange phenomenon aren't particularly ordinary people either. I guess it brings new appreciation for the other sex for these young men. Anyways, quite an interesting part of the story right now especially when young love is especially susceptible whether boy or girl.
*Baroque by Ogawa Yayoi
(Edit: 07.30.2013) New manga. Can't say much about it since I kind of forgot what it's about.
~Divine Melody by Yi Huan
(Edit: 07.30.2013) Not my favorite written Yi Huan but I thought I'd throw it up here. It's a historical fiction manga too. For me though, the beginning was frustrating for me to read through...just saying.
BODY SWITCH
As lame as this might sound, if anyone has watched Freaky Friday (the hit movie starring Lindsey Lohan) or the K-Drama Secret Garden, that's the general idea. Usually the plot is switching bodies so the guy mentality is in a girls' body and the girl mentality is in guy's body (rarely same sex like in the movie Freaky Friday). I guess you can say it's funny and interesting but I haven't found many of much interest to myself-or it's just that I haven't found time to actually read it. This might actually be my least enjoyed plot of this genre but it makes for good lighthearted comedy so I'll give it that.
The following are the only ones I've gotten into for the comedy:
Yamada and the Seven Witches by Yoshikawa Miki (going)
This is one of the most hilarious mangas I've read. It's not exclusively a gender bender but it certainly adds to the fun of this story. I think what I like about it most is that it isn't a shoujo manga so there is less melodrama which is sometimes just the key downfall to a gender bender with this kind of manga plot. Because it isn't a shoujo manga and instead a seinen/shounen (i don't remember which one right now), the characters are more fun and diverse in personality which really makes for an awesome manga and comedy.
My Barbaric Girlfriend by Morinaga Ai (completed)
(Edit: 01.29.2014) It's been really long time this manga was updated. It's really funny and certainly kind of tries to mix up the femininity and masculinity gender norms. Seeing the polarized personalities, I want them to remain switched and date other people but others want them to change back and also date each other...I feel for the guy.
*Orange Chocolate by Yamada Nanpei
This one I stopped reading because I got tired of waiting for updates so I decided to wait 'til later to get into it but I haven't had time to do that. I simply list it here because I think it's good based on the general story line which I know of. It also features fine art in terms of traditional dance so it gives the manga a boost in originality.
MENTAL GENDER BENDER
For me, I had to separate this as its own plot because the stories aren't actual gender benders but more like gender benders in the sense that it's mental. This is probably the most relevant for past lives mangas where the whole born with your past life memories exist but the memories are of you as the opposite gender ergo "mental" gender bender. Now there hasn't exactly been any gender confusion from the past and present gender but I felt like it had to have a category of its own since mentally, one still has had that experience and it still impacts them in the present.
*Bokura no Kiseki by Kumeta Natsuo
Ok, if you were reading what I was describing for this gender bender type of plot, you'd probably would have predicted me mentioning this manga. If not, oh well. Ok so this manga is categorized as josei but the thing is that this manga kind of is at a stand still in terms of audience which usually defines the genres a manga is tagged with. Bokura no Kiseki involves an ancient/past world in which the practices still continue to exist in present time for some unknown reason. The real thriller of this manga is the mystery that surrounds the whole "why" select people of the present remember the past and have been reincarnated with the magic of the past. Again with Bokura no Kiseki, it's a lot more interesting than how I've described it here. (I'm not very good at writing clearly). Anyways, several characters are reincarnated but of the opposite sex. It seems like key players have this phenomenon including the protagonist. I don't know if it's a coincidence but if not and it was on purpose, well that just adds to the fun of this mystery and thriller especially since everyone who was reincarnated died from a war that began (for which nobody knows why) and everyone is split into factions of good/evil/neutral/and whatever. Once again, I've done this manga no justice in my description but it's certainly caught my interest since the first chapter was released and promises that it won't disappoint anyone.
~NG Life by Kusanagi Mizuho
This one is also a past life manga but since I stopped reading it and haven't picked it up since, I'm not too certain about the gender bender factor here. I do know that the protagonist isn't experiencing any "mental gender bender-ness" but a few of the other characters do (difference is that they don't remember their past lives and I'm not sure if they will ever since I didn't finish it).
ANDROGYNY
Well for a gender bender genre, it seems like androgyny is new or it's just that no one has scanlated one like it or no one has published any manga in english on it. If you don't know what androgyny is, it's generally the idea that you can't tell the sex of a person by their physique/appearance. It's a rare plot for a transformation gender bender. It's more typical for a "non-transformational" (yes not an actual word) gender bender I suppose but I think it's more special for a "transformational" (yes not an actual word) so I'm giving it its own category.
*Magnolia by Naked Ape
I only know of one such gender bender thus far with this kind of plot and Magnolia is it. I feel like this manga just goes to show that maybe sex isn't so binary. It's a huge struggle and in this manga, it just shows how the social construction of gender is complex and how it is so central to the identity of a person. These "iconic" images of what a man or woman is, how s/he should behave as well as the expectations of each gender that stem from the biology of sex, this manga really just shows how a person can struggle with this binary of man and woman. But enough with that.
What's really interesting about this manga is the struggle that the main character, Crown Prince Ayato goes through. It's an internal fight of love(woman) versus pride(man)? (Is pride the right word?) But Ayato has been raised as a male and having been raised as one and not achieving maturation of puberty at his age has really kind of screwed him up mentally. The parents kind of messed up on that but I guess it makes the story. It's a really interesting manga but my problem with it is how there is this kind of direction in which readers seem to be forced to lean towards Ayato as becoming female instead of male since Ayato loves a man and not a woman (loving a man will transform him to be a woman). Nevertheless, it's a interesting on going manga.
Sigh...this was a really longer than expected post and I don't expect anyone to actually read through it. Well got things out from pen to paper so to speak.
Bye,
tohukyo
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Transitioning From One Medium to Another
Good day blog visitors,
It's Sunday evening as I post this but this time I started writing my post earlier in the week (despite posting it up so late). I hope it's more well thought out in doing so but if not...oh well, I guess that is something I'll have to work on =p
So today, my post will be about when we transition a story from one medium to another. What I'm referring to is like how you transition or transport (however you want to put it or if there is a more official term, do tell) a story from the original medium such as a manga to another medium such as an anime or drama.
For me, I've never but been in favor of mangas that become animes/dramas and vice versa. Why? Well there's the whole factor of how the story line or original plot is altered like for mangas to animes, things are often censored no? At least that's what happens when things get to America but I'd never watch anything now that's dubbed (unless it's maybe Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh~animes I grew up watching, yu-gi-oh being the last one I think). BUT I DIGRESS.
Back to the topic, so I used to have this huge massively strict rule for myself where I do not, absolutely do not watch anything that I've already read in the form of an anime or drama/movie and absolutely nothing I've watched in the form of a manga/hwa/hua/web comic. The reason has always been the same, because the story line is different, because it's not the same, because sometimes/often times ruined in the transition from one medium to the other.
As for why I never actually liked to watch anime that was adapted from a manga, here is the reason. Similar to when you see one of your favorite books being turned into a movie, you have high expectations. When you read something, it is you and your imagination at play. In a book, you imagine the characters and the landscape based on what you read and there you have an image you conjured up yourself about the characters. Now for books adapted into movies, the image and appearance is key. However when reading mangas, since images are readily present, what is left for a reader to imagine is the voice and I believe the voice is also very representative of the character themselves. It doesn't really occur to me how the voices sound out loud but in my mind, it's like perfection. I'm not sure if I'm making any sense but in any case, often when I see an anime adaptation of manga, the voices don't seem to fit well with the character as imagined. Now note I say often and not always. It kind of just ruins the story for me in some way because now when I read the manga (if it's ongoing) or if I reread the manga, all that pops in my head will be the voice that has been presented to me in the anime because unlike imagination, it's been played out before me so in a sense it's more solid in reality. Because of that, my ideal is somewhat erased and I associate the recorded voice with what I read. Maybe I could forget it but so far, it hasn't really happened for me yet....This actually applies as well if I happen to read the manga first even though it's been adapted from the anime. The story lines are different but I guess which ever I'm exposed to first seems like the original.
Next is the vice versa in which I watch the anime/drama first and then read the manga. The reason is actually more simple. For me, since my first exposure to the story is with the anime/drama, I don't like to reread it as a manga. I'm not entirely sure why but for me, I just don't do that.
Now.I said "used to." so I've actually loosened this rule for myself because there are some exceptions and the exceptions have been worthwhile. For example, I think I may have first watched Gakuen Alice and for those who've read it, the anime seriously doesn't do justice for the manga so I'm quite thankful that I picked up the manga from the beginning. As for an example of a manga, Snow Queen by Wann was turned into a drama and it was absolutely amazing since Wann's story had a quickness with missing parts to the story that did leave it up to imagination, allowing the reader to draw on the clues from the story the drama was more well rounded since it told a more full story. In this case for the Snow Queen, both manhwa and drama were a delight for me. But of course there are some I'll never read because I watched the anime and I think the number one anime would be Air. I watched the anime and the movies and every single time, I cried like there was no tomorrow. The overwhelming sadness and the flood of tears, I don't think I can ever touch on it ever again.
There are many anime adaptation I'll never watch because it seems kind of pointless to when often the story line is lacking when transitioning to the screen from the page as well as the fact that since the stories are very much the same. Why go for motion picture that is 30 minutes long and isn't the original story when I could get the same story in a shorter amount of time as the original story through the manga? That's also another way I put it when I weigh my options. (As well as the fact that I have to read subtitles anyways in order to watch a 30 minute episode of an anime).
Well that's my take on manga to anime adaptations. I have loosened this rule for myself because sometimes I get bored and it's actually pretty hard to find some good animes to watch so I opt for mangas I've read since I do know the story line...So anyways, I'd love feedback and personal opinions as well as maybe some good anime recommendations. However I particularly do not like harems and reverse harems for mangas and animes so if you recommend those, I will absolutely not watch them (unless it's convincingly worth watching).
Cheers!
tohukyo
It's Sunday evening as I post this but this time I started writing my post earlier in the week (despite posting it up so late). I hope it's more well thought out in doing so but if not...oh well, I guess that is something I'll have to work on =p
So today, my post will be about when we transition a story from one medium to another. What I'm referring to is like how you transition or transport (however you want to put it or if there is a more official term, do tell) a story from the original medium such as a manga to another medium such as an anime or drama.
For me, I've never but been in favor of mangas that become animes/dramas and vice versa. Why? Well there's the whole factor of how the story line or original plot is altered like for mangas to animes, things are often censored no? At least that's what happens when things get to America but I'd never watch anything now that's dubbed (unless it's maybe Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh~animes I grew up watching, yu-gi-oh being the last one I think). BUT I DIGRESS.
Back to the topic, so I used to have this huge massively strict rule for myself where I do not, absolutely do not watch anything that I've already read in the form of an anime or drama/movie and absolutely nothing I've watched in the form of a manga/hwa/hua/web comic. The reason has always been the same, because the story line is different, because it's not the same, because sometimes/often times ruined in the transition from one medium to the other.
As for why I never actually liked to watch anime that was adapted from a manga, here is the reason. Similar to when you see one of your favorite books being turned into a movie, you have high expectations. When you read something, it is you and your imagination at play. In a book, you imagine the characters and the landscape based on what you read and there you have an image you conjured up yourself about the characters. Now for books adapted into movies, the image and appearance is key. However when reading mangas, since images are readily present, what is left for a reader to imagine is the voice and I believe the voice is also very representative of the character themselves. It doesn't really occur to me how the voices sound out loud but in my mind, it's like perfection. I'm not sure if I'm making any sense but in any case, often when I see an anime adaptation of manga, the voices don't seem to fit well with the character as imagined. Now note I say often and not always. It kind of just ruins the story for me in some way because now when I read the manga (if it's ongoing) or if I reread the manga, all that pops in my head will be the voice that has been presented to me in the anime because unlike imagination, it's been played out before me so in a sense it's more solid in reality. Because of that, my ideal is somewhat erased and I associate the recorded voice with what I read. Maybe I could forget it but so far, it hasn't really happened for me yet....This actually applies as well if I happen to read the manga first even though it's been adapted from the anime. The story lines are different but I guess which ever I'm exposed to first seems like the original.
Next is the vice versa in which I watch the anime/drama first and then read the manga. The reason is actually more simple. For me, since my first exposure to the story is with the anime/drama, I don't like to reread it as a manga. I'm not entirely sure why but for me, I just don't do that.
Now.I said "used to." so I've actually loosened this rule for myself because there are some exceptions and the exceptions have been worthwhile. For example, I think I may have first watched Gakuen Alice and for those who've read it, the anime seriously doesn't do justice for the manga so I'm quite thankful that I picked up the manga from the beginning. As for an example of a manga, Snow Queen by Wann was turned into a drama and it was absolutely amazing since Wann's story had a quickness with missing parts to the story that did leave it up to imagination, allowing the reader to draw on the clues from the story the drama was more well rounded since it told a more full story. In this case for the Snow Queen, both manhwa and drama were a delight for me. But of course there are some I'll never read because I watched the anime and I think the number one anime would be Air. I watched the anime and the movies and every single time, I cried like there was no tomorrow. The overwhelming sadness and the flood of tears, I don't think I can ever touch on it ever again.
There are many anime adaptation I'll never watch because it seems kind of pointless to when often the story line is lacking when transitioning to the screen from the page as well as the fact that since the stories are very much the same. Why go for motion picture that is 30 minutes long and isn't the original story when I could get the same story in a shorter amount of time as the original story through the manga? That's also another way I put it when I weigh my options. (As well as the fact that I have to read subtitles anyways in order to watch a 30 minute episode of an anime).
Well that's my take on manga to anime adaptations. I have loosened this rule for myself because sometimes I get bored and it's actually pretty hard to find some good animes to watch so I opt for mangas I've read since I do know the story line...So anyways, I'd love feedback and personal opinions as well as maybe some good anime recommendations. However I particularly do not like harems and reverse harems for mangas and animes so if you recommend those, I will absolutely not watch them (unless it's convincingly worth watching).
Cheers!
tohukyo
Sunday, June 9, 2013
VS [Versus] Manga
Hi everyone,
I almost forgot about my weekly post because I was busy cleaning up and doing laundry, not to mention it's the weekend of finals week!
Alright so today, I don't have a topic to discuss-it's more like an announcement.
A few days ago, I was reminiscing in some mangas and among them was VS [Versus] by Yamada Keiko.
I really love this music manga. I especially love the fact that it's not popular culture music but classical music which is probably huge reason why it's a favorite. CONTAINS SPOILERS.
The story is very interesting and intriguing.
First of all, the protagonist is male named Reiji who is kind of cynical as well as pretty self-centered. He is a genius prodigy violinist and for that, it's forgivable that he's the way he is. However there is also a personal trauma for his personality and his only weapon to fight (as well as his heaven) is his violin. Reiji belongs to a broken household with an abusive father. Now, with his talent, he could simply run right? No, he can't--his dear angel little sister is the hostage to this trauma and since all he can do is play while knowing she is taking the abuse of their father, all he hopes to do is someday save them both from this terror with the violin. Of course he doesn't get so far with just his talent since the emotional expression isn't something as easily obtained as technique if for a genius like himself. With the help of a once renown violinist, he will find a passion for the violin again instead of the vision of salvation he has to escape his broken home.
First of all, the protagonist is male named Reiji who is kind of cynical as well as pretty self-centered. He is a genius prodigy violinist and for that, it's forgivable that he's the way he is. However there is also a personal trauma for his personality and his only weapon to fight (as well as his heaven) is his violin. Reiji belongs to a broken household with an abusive father. Now, with his talent, he could simply run right? No, he can't--his dear angel little sister is the hostage to this trauma and since all he can do is play while knowing she is taking the abuse of their father, all he hopes to do is someday save them both from this terror with the violin. Of course he doesn't get so far with just his talent since the emotional expression isn't something as easily obtained as technique if for a genius like himself. With the help of a once renown violinist, he will find a passion for the violin again instead of the vision of salvation he has to escape his broken home.
Well I hope I didn't make it sound cheesy but this is a little taste of what I think about this manga.
Now, why am I saying so much about this manga? Well, I'm considering to work on this manga as a slow personal scanlating project. I have the Chinese raws on hand and I've done some cleaning work for some groups but I've never typeset so maybe this will be personal training of some sort. Anyways, that's my announcement. I hope I will see it through but I won't be starting on it until maybe a week or two from now.
For more information on this manga:
That's all folks, until next week,
tohukyo
P.S. I have finals this week as well as having to move out of my dorm so I don't know if I'll make it on time for next week's post. I might do it earlier or later.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Modern Romance Mangas and Sex
Greetings.
It’s the 2nd of June, the first month of the summer season. It’s also the month in which in two weeks, I’ll be having my final exams for this quarter of the academic year so I haven’t really thought much about what I was going to post for this week (not to mention the terrible timing I have starting this blog).
But first off, before I go any further in terms of blogging in general, I want to notify readers that I've decided to make my blog a weekly “hobby” I will try to keep up with. It also helps give me time to think and write about a topic.
Okay so…since I haven’t exactly thought about what I wanted to post for this week so I did this in a short amount of time while multitasking between my final project I'm working on and this so this will be a choppy read.
You see, I’m a shoujo/josei reader. Over the years I’ve read a lot of mangas within these two genres—shoujo more than josei since it’s what I started with. Anyways, I’ve been thinking that there is this constant use of the motif of sex in romance mangas especially within these two genres for modern mangas--21st century. And of course, some utilize it better whereas there are many that just don’t…
Back then, most shoujo mangas didn’t utilize sex as a motif the way more modern mangas do now. In relationships in “old” shoujo mangas, sex was more traditional to the sense of “taking things to the next level (of intimacy).” These days, mangas seem to use sex as some sort of short cut or “quickie” to romance and love.
….Sorry I’m not sure how to say this since I’m also kind of distracted with trying to finish this asap while trying to explain my opinion well. I’ll try listing again like my last post….
“Old” shoujo mangas-
1) Sex was more of an intimate “taking things to the next level” sort of ritual for a couple. In this sense, it’s much more traditional in terms of relationships of love.
2) It was usually written in at a moment that was perfection for the manga as a whole and the relationship as well—as readers, we can actually see that there was this true love between the two characters. (eg. Mars, Kare Kano)
3) It wasn't something that was used to draw in more readers, it was more for the development of characters on an intimate level. (I guess this also has to do with the changing reading audience).
Modern shoujo mangas-
1) In contrast to old shoujo mangas, modern shoujo mangas often use it as a motif (not always the act of sex, sometimes just really obscene smut) to…I guess "sensualize" characters? I’ve read some really dirty mangas that are to the point of not being able to continue on. I’m not sure how to explain it so I'm going to speak from one of many experiences.I remember this one where they were two little kids, just elementary/grade schoolers—their level of intimacy was just so…UP THERE that it just wasn’t right at all!
2) Sometimes I feel like they use it for this morphed form of “Stockholm syndrome.” I won’t specify any mangas but I think it’s kind of like S&M characters with the M character seriously resisting until the S character sheds some sort of good will (the convenience of mangas). The worse is when they turn out to be childhood friends and it seems to make everything ok!! I guess another way one can put it is like "Gone With the Wind."
3) In effect of the constant sex motif, there are a lot of modern shoujo mangas that are more shallow and superficial. Some make it an object of humor that is frankly disturbing to me (to me) because they have degrading effects on certain genders.
Not all do this, there are some extremely worthy mangakas that are truly just great artists that utilize it in a more profound way (Sakurada Hina is the only person I can think of at the moment (at the moment!) but she’s just a twisted-ly delightful read)
….well this is just a touch of what I think it does. This doesn't apply to all mangas though. I know of great mangakas that don’t do this and there is a reason for the smut and mature tags but there are just so many that use sex and make the characters and stories just so very shallow. That’s the main thing I’m getting at actually. The fact that they don’t use it for some deeper meaning for the development of a relationship like old shoujo mangas. I know, if I don’t like it, don’t read it. Well since I get bored sometimes, I read them for the heck of it plus not all smut and mature tags are shallow. I never want to miss out on a good read so it sucks that there is so much hay surrounding the few needles.
Well anyways, this topic is very incomplete because I have so much more to say and I know that there are many mangas out there too that don’t utilize sex as I’ve stated. I want to touch on this topic at another time in the future especially for josei mangas since I mainly spoke about shoujo here but I’ll stop for now.
Also forgive me for focusing on negativity. It's quite biased so please state disagreements and maybe I'll use them for the next time I touch on this topic.
I know this is inadequate, but
Thanks for reading,
tohukyo.
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