This story of casual roommates who both crave something more but don’t know how to ask for it isn’t a slow-burn romance so much as a pile of smolderinThis story of casual roommates who both crave something more but don’t know how to ask for it isn’t a slow-burn romance so much as a pile of smoldering embers. The two men are polar opposites in character, too. Kakitani Ryou is quiet, withdrawn, expressionless, businesslike, professional and bibliophilic. Suou Hiroki is outgoing, amiable, gregarious, garrulous, convivial and toping.
It’s hard to believe such an odd couple can get along, much less that each is cherishing a secret tendresse for the other. It’s also nearly impossible to credit that adolescents can stifle their sexual urges to the point that they take over half a decade just to declare their feelings for each other! I’m not saying I wanted to see them tearing their clothes off in the first ten pages; there are plenty of manga that will give you that. I’m just stating it seems a wee bit…difficult to wrap your mind around two kids who’ve spent over half a decade in the same space and never saw each other naked.
But the mangaka makes it work. The two have lives and co-workers that exist outside of each other. They have offers that dangle the possibility of growth. The offers are sincere, too, not mere story props to jolt them out of their comfort zones. It’s hinted that their time spent together has caused them to settle for the most comforting options, that they both need challenges.
(The author’s notes at the end indicate that this may be a two-volume set. Thank goodness! No lingering through a multi-volume set…that works for me!)
So if you like awkward but tender relationships that take their time, this is a manga that will more than meet your expectations....more
This Ito collection pulls us into familiar territory. A small town or city falls prey to an inexplicable force, one that wields an unyielding and terrThis Ito collection pulls us into familiar territory. A small town or city falls prey to an inexplicable force, one that wields an unyielding and terrifying power on its inhabitants. One young man, Shuichi Saito, is seemingly aware of the town’s underlying menace and is constantly begging his girlfriend Kirie Goshima to leave or to leave with him before they succumb to the hidden threat.
Shuichi’s character is another fixture of Ito’s horror manga, a glum young man who gets increasingly unhinged as his town and its inhabitants come unglued. He becomes gaunt, mumbling to himself, descending into despair and inertia the longer the situation deteriorates around him. And matters go horribly awry in short order.
Weather turns erratic; buildings are broken, rebuilt and twisted beyond sense; direction is confused; time itself becomes erratic and uncertain; occupants devolve into violence, compulsion, mania, cannibalism, Renfield’s syndrome and bodily physical warping. They succumb to the pattern of the spiral but, really, it could be anything. They just as easily could have gotten entranced by the pareidolia of cloud formations.
Once again, Mr. Ito points to the fragility of human civilization. It doesn’t take much for the societal constructs of mercy, courtesy, kindness, cooperation, sympathy and family bonds to dissolve. What is left in its wake is chaos, madness and the dog-eat-dog mentality of vicious prison inmates. It’s harrowing stuff, typical of the master, and a reminder of the tenuousness of the human condition.
(The ending is bizarre yet introduces an unexpected note of comedy. Mr. Ito may be a master of his own peculiar brand of horror but who is to say that precludes a sense of humor?)...more
The stories in this anthology can be unsettling for those unfamiliar with Mr. Ito’s manga. His horror seldom features monsters like the werewolves, vaThe stories in this anthology can be unsettling for those unfamiliar with Mr. Ito’s manga. His horror seldom features monsters like the werewolves, vampires, ghouls or phantoms familiar to European horror. They feature very human figures, albeit ones that have undergone terrifying transformations. When a beautiful boy appears out of a fog, his skeletal figure combined with his empty eyes, devoid of irises or pupils, let you know that there is nothing good about his presence.
The horror arises from human beings: people beset by guilt, doubt, greed, the lust for power, jealousy, brutality or vanity. The characters in this manga are a motley crew who each have another agenda that removes them from the security of their fellow human beings. Almost all of them fall prey to their own desires or inabilities to accept the broken parts of their lives. An older brother tries to exert his hold over his ill-behaved siblings by pretending he’s working for their benefit. Girls demand strangers tell them their fortunes instead of relying on the advice of people familiar to them. A girl undergoes drastic and awful surgery to repair imagined defects in her figure, etc.
While the pictures are shocking, the messages they give resonate deep within the human psyche. They seem to offer stern warnings about giving in wholeheartedly to our human frailties without considering the unfortunate consequences....more
These tales range from the whimsical (an old man uses a poor imitation of one of his famous paintings to conjure a paper man) to the sinister (a womanThese tales range from the whimsical (an old man uses a poor imitation of one of his famous paintings to conjure a paper man) to the sinister (a woman tricks a desperate royal in order to gain revenge). But, in the midst of the fantastical elements, they all involve human feelings and valuable lessons.
The fantastical aspects are part of nature not separate from it. Even as valuable natural resources get demolished, humans can restore order through simple effort and kindness. Cheering crowds practically weep as a baby dragon takes flight. A young girl saves a small fish god when its river is destroyed by construction workers. A vengeful woman who’s lost her child finds a surrogate in an imprinting baby dragon.
If some of this sounds too cute for words, they aren’t. There’s enough pathos to skirt silliness and twee charm. These are stories for children as well as adults but they’re far from childish. ...more
Oh, this book is almost too silly for words. As the title states, men must cum-pete on an island to see who wilWelcome to the Island of Beautiful Men!
Oh, this book is almost too silly for words. As the title states, men must cum-pete on an island to see who will be king for the succeeding four years. All those with the balls to try must step up and see if he can outlast the others. Losers may be bummed when they’re ousted from the arena. But there’s no point getting testy about it.
This is yaoi of the weirdest and most delicious kind, wherein the plot is almost nonexistent, a mere background for absurdly handsome males to flaunt their staffs—I mean, stuff to see who can be the winner. (You wonder just what kind of government is run during the four years that follow if this is the main criteria for being supreme leader.)
You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You giggle as these gorgeous guys jiggle and wiggle their way across the page. If you prefer more serious fare, then look elsewhere. However, if you’re a passionate fan of yaoi, the lack of a serious plotline won’t bother you one whit....more
Nicole is your typical bibliophile. She’s reclusive, reserved, introverted and lives largely in her imagination. If you share her particular passion, Nicole is your typical bibliophile. She’s reclusive, reserved, introverted and lives largely in her imagination. If you share her particular passion, you can sense her frustration and inner annoyance at her co-worker’s garrulous intrusions. Whether Susan is talking nonstop about her problems or inquiring into Nicole’s private affairs, her attentions chafe. We know that Susan isn’t a bad friend; she likely suffers from the extrovert’s aggravation at Nicole’s detachment.
The author lets us into Nicole’s inner life, rich with details from the dreams she has nightly and the fairy tales she continues to read in private. The latter is a guilty secret, one to which any book lover can relate. We all have our guilty pleasures in reading, whether it’s My Little Pony stories, the Harry Potter novels (which some think are just for children) or those wild romances with strong-thewed men on the cover holding buxom women, et al.
Nicole’s nocturnal dreams play like the visions of a fantasy director’s cinematic dreams. They are rich with detail, emotion, plot twists, drama and passion. You can understand her resistance to a possible real-life romance with the eager but annoying Josh. He seems like a good guy but he’s burdened with a louche, Don Juan of a roommate, the type who thinks true love is boring and prefers to bounce from girlfriend to girlfriend. Josh yearns for Nicole but his roommate’s bad advice proves a barrier to any chance of romance with Nicole. Why risk heartbreak with a determined Casanova when fantasy romance is so much more satisfying?
This first volume hits all the buttons: drama, workplace ennui, passion, imagination, best friends (worst enemies?) and the fumbling that comes from the dating scene. I’m eager to see what happens next....more
This book was beyond cute. It was informative, too! I adore getting new knowledge with my books!
Ahem. Cuteness aside, this story of an unlikely romancThis book was beyond cute. It was informative, too! I adore getting new knowledge with my books!
Ahem. Cuteness aside, this story of an unlikely romance meshes the Opposites Attractive Trope with Meet Cute with insider knowledge from The Discovery Channel.
The sparrow needs to get over his initial, albeit well-founded, fear of snakes. They eat birds, after all. He’s been warned about devilish serpents the way little girls were once warned about dangerous wolves lurking in the woods. The snake’s wounded feelings are captured perfectly in one wordless drawing that shows tears in its eyes without actual weeping. It was so well done, I felt like crying myself.
The creatures are shape-shifters, able to change between their animal forms and human ones. This makes for great interactions as Komazu (the sparrow) tries to learn more about Shirato (the snake). The exploration is both cultural and physical and very absorbing in both senses. I learned more about snake and sparrow anatomies than I ever expected. It’s enough to make you take up herpetology and/or avian studies.
There is sex, (very mature if bizarre sex) and so this is not a manga for children. I’m not sure many adults will like it unless they’ve got a tolerance for kinkiness and animal couplings. This is a yaoi manga with a decided twist....more
The shenanigans in and out of the Cursed Princess Club continue apace. The story takes us farther afield as the Pastel Princesses finally get to leaveThe shenanigans in and out of the Cursed Princess Club continue apace. The story takes us farther afield as the Pastel Princesses finally get to leave their castle and travel to the Plaid Kingdom. The Pastel King seemed like such a sweetie but he’s really paranoid about letting anyone outside the castle get a look at his darling daughters. When he’s forced to go away on business, he keeps his precious darlings fastened up under tight guard, to the extent that they’ve had to pick up hobbies in order to keep from being insanely bored whenever he leaves the castle.
The Plaid Princes hardly have it any better. They prove to be initially shallow, until it’s pointed out to them that they barely know anything about their fiancées. Then they strive to get the know their intendeds better, often with hilarious results.
The princesses have rivals; Gwendolyn tries to figure out what’s wrong with her reflection; Frederick comes to learn more about Gwendolyn and finds that she’s not so bad. But poor Jamie still doesn’t have anybody! I’m beginning to wonder if he’s meant to be completely alone. His blinding glow and enthusiastic wearing of skirts (or nothing at all) should get him some romantic glances; his sisters can’t be the only ones getting all the attention. His magical ability to sense hidden aspects of people’s character when he eats their food is amusing but it does leave him rather on the sidelines at times.
The Cursed Princess Club also proves to have its secrets—humorous and disturbing. Gwendolyn’s sweet nature means she gets deeper into trouble when she tries to hide her curse. The Cursed Princesses prove to have spear counterparts with envious and silly Cursed Princes.
The manga remains a colorful mix of the serious and the silly, the magical and the mysterious. I’m just hoping I don’t have to wait too long for the conclusion....more
The title caught my attention at once. CURSED princesses? Well, I knew stories of princesses who’d gotten cursed by malevolent fairies, witches or othThe title caught my attention at once. CURSED princesses? Well, I knew stories of princesses who’d gotten cursed by malevolent fairies, witches or other vengeful creatures (Princess Pirlipat of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is one such who comes to mind.) So the idea of them forming a club piqued my interest.
Most curious is the case of Princess Gwendolyn of the Pastel Kingdom. She looks nothing like her sisters Maria and Lorena, who sport stereotypical dewy shining faces, soft silken hair and bright large eyes. Even their brother James is so beautiful, he actually emits a glow. Absurdly, they have woodland creatures attending to their toilet or flowers magically springing up in their rooms overnight. It’s like a parody of early Disney. All that’s missing are musical numbers.
Gwendolyn, on the other hand, is a goth creation come to life, sporting green skin and hair, beady pupils, sharp jagged teeth, pointed ears and has scary, red-eyed creatures perched in her bed. The odd part is that no one in her family seems to notice her strangeness or see her as anything other than beautiful. She is her doting father’s favorite, the staff treat her with the same kindness as her siblings and nobody screams at the sight of her. You wonder if they’re all under some sort of collective spell that makes them see her as, well, ordinary.
Hilarity and misunderstandings ensue when the neighboring king of the Plaid Kingdom wishes to marry his three sons to King Pastel’s daughters. Gwendolyn stumbles across the Cursed Princess Club after she overhears Prince Frederick’s horrified response to her ghastly appearance. From then on, matters get more convoluted and bizarre. Misunderstandings ensue, spells don’t work, Frederick gets increasingly terrified at Gwendolyn’s attempts to communicate with him and Gwendolyn is beginning to suspect that she might be cursed after all…
The manga illustrations are an apt accompaniment to this cute and occasionally scary take on Disney silliness. The side characters are amusing (the banter between a couple of guards is especially funny). Frederick’s initial response to Gwendolyn’s appearance seems harsh but, frankly, it’s entirely the kind of reaction you’d expect when a man is certain he’s going to be engaged to a raving belle but is instead presented with a gargoyle in human form. Gwendolyn herself is deeply disturbed by certain members of the CPC. (The graphic novel occasionally pairs the sappy Disney stuff with the Grand Guignol. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.)
I didn’t realize this is part of a series but now I’m panting to see what happens next. The CPC are more of a social club than anything else but it’s obvious that some long to lose their curses and return to their former lives. I want to see just what happens next. This is so much better than “happy ever after”....more
This is another story about a virgin becoming inducted into the pleasures of the flesh by a more experienced partner. This trope is annoying in its reThis is another story about a virgin becoming inducted into the pleasures of the flesh by a more experienced partner. This trope is annoying in its recurrence in m/f romances. The dewy-eyed, (usually) young female spreads her legs for the aggressive, rakish, charming male seducer who knows instinctively all the right buttons to push without having to ask her what she likes (how would she know? She’s a virgin!) and brings her to a screaming orgasm his very first time with her and all subsequent times succeeding it.
However, you have to consider that both males and females start off as being sexually inexperienced until they decide to go exploring their sexuality. So this trope might make you grit your teeth but it can also be very stimulating if handled properly. No pun intended.
So when we have an inexperienced Yoshino who nevertheless knows enough about office politics to wear a wedding ring yet craves masculine attention seeking the pleasures of a gay bar, it’s intriguing. Yoshino has gathered that he prefers men to women because he notes how his eyes stray to male anatomy rather than women. So he’s not clueless. He’s also brought himself a dildo which he uses to pleasure himself. Oh, what a naughty boy!
Thus, Yoshino is knowing, curious, sexual and eager to learn. He’s also 30, which puts him in a different league than the typical adolescent female parthenos found in romances. When he goes to bed with the younger college boy Rou, there’s no power struggle.
Rou is far more experienced—an outgoing, voluble, extrovert who makes a perfect foil to the shy, retiring Yoshino. But it’s Yoshino who makes the first move and Rou takes Yoshino at his word that sex is what he wants. He notes that Yoshino seems nervous. So he takes his time; he wants Yoshino to enjoy this as much as he does. If he’s a little rough, he assumes that Yoshino craves him as much as he wants Yoshino—and Yoshino doesn’t tell him that he’s a virgin so Rou doesn’t know to hold back.
The subsequent burgeoning romance between the two hits the usual stumbling blocks. It’s Yoshino’s first sexual encounter, his first romance, his first…everything, really. So he doesn’t know the right words to say to negotiate their relationship separate from the bedroom. He misunderstands Rou’s signals; he misinterprets Rou’s words. For his part, Rou finds himself falling for Yoshino but, having never been in love (yet having plenty of experience in drawing others to him), he doesn’t grasp how to handle this confusing sentiment growing inside him. It takes outside intervention for Rou to come to terms with attraction outside the sheets.
The romance is one of the loveliest I’ve ever encountered in manga. The dialogue is believable, the boys are hot and the sex drips off the page. There’s even condom use, which I almost never encountered in m/f romances. Good for them!
For BL aficionados, this is yet another one to add to your list of favorites. ...more
Seiichirou Kondou continues to work diligently for the accounting department. At the end of the previous installment, he was brutally attacked by peopSeiichirou Kondou continues to work diligently for the accounting department. At the end of the previous installment, he was brutally attacked by people who didn’t care for his interference and ruthless cuts to the royal budget. In this novel, we find out the malefactors responsible and Kondou levels what seems to him a suitable punishment.
Kondou takes almost everything that happens to him in stride. He watches everyone around him coolly, accessing their behavior and learning their place in this new world. His keen, analytical mind is housed in a supposedly frail body that can’t handle the food or drink of this country. But you’d never know it from how hard he pushes himself. While Kondou certainly doesn’t look frail, others continually comment on his slight weight, dependency on magical tonics and the constant danger he’s in from “magicules”, which act like a poison to him.
His character is baffling to Captain Aresh Indo-Lark. Kondou is devoted to his new position, often to the point of overworking himself. He’s careless about his appearance sometimes but doesn’t hesitate to wear proper attire to important events. The Captain must watch him like a hawk and insist on Kondou taking care of himself. But, since Kondou has apparently garnered enemies, Aresh must watch his back as well.
Aresh is developing romantic feelings for Kondou, feelings he hasn’t yet admitted to himself but which are becoming apparent to those around him. He continues to have sexual sessions with Kondou. Without telling Kondou how he feels, the latter thinks this is a burdensome chore for Aresh not the growing closeness of a lover.
Kondou’s intellect causes him to come up with an intelligent solution to a troubling problem. I’m curious as to whether it will succeed. Such is the allure of this unusual fantasy manga....more
This anthology reinforces Junji Ito’s rightful place among the masters of horror. There are clear references to the works of H.P. Lovecraft, e.g. PeopThis anthology reinforces Junji Ito’s rightful place among the masters of horror. There are clear references to the works of H.P. Lovecraft, e.g. People are beset by fears of slime, rot, blood and the terrors that lurk in unexplored places like abandoned tunnels, the sunless depths of the ocean or the pulsing innards of the human body: the sacks of meat, blood and bone that we carry around with us every day.
There is nothing sacred about decay in his stories. Thus, the decay that we are all heir to forces itself front and center into our psyche as we peruse these pages. People’s bodies lose coherency, ooze blood, spit out pepper-like grains that morph into secret-spouting hairballs. We are reminded repeatedly that man’s hold on civilization and the earth on which we live is tenuous at best. At any moment, nature is waiting to knock us on our pins, hold us down and whisper in our ears that we are nothing special, that the grave waits for all of us and that we can’t rely on ourselves or our fellow man to save us.
It’s harrowing to read these tales and coming up from them is like swimming up from the suffocating depths of the ocean and pulling ourselves onto dry land. Perhaps this is the reason why people immerse themselves in horror stories. There is almost a frantic comfort as we pull ourselves upright into the hot sun and remind ourselves that it’s just a story....more
I haven’t seen the film based on this series so I came to it unbiased but curious.
In a dystopian world, people, cyborgs and machines eke out difficulI haven’t seen the film based on this series so I came to it unbiased but curious.
In a dystopian world, people, cyborgs and machines eke out difficult livings. Savage creatures prey on human beings and highly paid hunters track them down, kill them and collect the bounty.
Ido seems a pleasant enough gentleman at first. But he swiftly strikes you as being odd. He scavenges a machine girl’s head and then cobbles together a body for her. He names her after his dead cat and showers her with affection. You’re not entirely certain of his motivation. He can’t be lonely; he has a partner Gonzu who helps him financially with selling food. Ido’s job is an enigma at first, one that makes the emerging Alita curious and then alarmed.
Alita looks like a teenager but has the bright spirit of a child. She’s also defiant when Ido tries to keep her out of the bounty hunting business. But she proves herself capable—until she meets her match with the murderous brain-munching Makaku.
The story is full of action, paternal tenderness, derring-do and a burgeoning romance. This is an ugly world crowded with pipes and pumping the underground with filthy sewer bilge and garbage. But the author manages to bring moments of sweetness and joy and much of that comes from the titular character.
I’m sorry it’s a series. While I’d like to know more about Alita and her continuing adventures, I don’t have the time. Still, I wouldn’t say no if the sequels fell into my fleshy hands....more
Seiichirou and Aresh spend more time in each other’s company. Aresh is unaccountably concerned about Seiichirou’s fragile health and at the same time Seiichirou and Aresh spend more time in each other’s company. Aresh is unaccountably concerned about Seiichirou’s fragile health and at the same time irritated by Seiichirou’s personality quirks. The accountant’s ferocious work ethic continues to baffle him. Seiichirou, for his part, doesn’t think Aresh does much of anything. He certainly seems to have a lot of time to spend fussing over Seiichirou.
We, of course, recognize Aresh’s obsessive interest as burgeoning romantic affection. But the young captain isn’t so in touch with his feelings. He puts down his attentions to the spectacled accountant as mere concern for the stranger who landed in their world through no fault of his own.
However, there’s another person taking a keen interest in Seiichirou. His passionate devotion to monetary matters has drawn the attention of the Prime Minister. The man has done nothing off putting thus far. But he definitely wants to sink his hooks into Seiichirou and not in a healthy, sexual way either.
Yua continues to be a tad scatterbrained, especially when Aresh is in the vicinity. She’s becoming romantically fixated on him but he doesn’t return her affections at all, finding her inability to focus on her lessons annoying and tedious.
In the meantime, Seiichirou and Aresh squabble over Seiichirou’s apparent disdain for his own good health. It’s rather charming to watch Aresh spending time with Seiichirou in the cafeteria, picking out his food, infusing him with brief touches of his own magical energy (since Seiichirou possesses none of his own), forcing him to take relaxing rests in the sunshine, yanking him away from Yua when she attempts to use healing magic on him, kissing him…
Oooookay. By this time, the two men’s continued cluelessness about what’s happening between them is just a tad ridiculous. But, after their initial carnal encounter, the authors have obviously decided to put the brakes on any further sex so they can hammer out the various differences between them. There’s a class struggle going on here, along with the previously stated mismanagement of funds, their age gap and the growing threat of that looming miasma.
The new cover also shows the changed nature of their relationship. Seiichirou wears his new clothes and is clearly surprised by the looming Aresh, whose upheld hand reveals a newfound protectiveness. His cape flares behind Seiichirou as if to enfold the latter in its welcoming folds.
Since I haven’t stated it before, I appreciate the artistry of Kikka Ohashi. The dynamic among the various fictional beings is striking, humorous, unsettling or sweet, depending on the characters. The illustrations are one reason this series is going on my wishlist.
The manga ends on a cliffhanger, followed by a short story about Seiichirou receiving an anonymous gift for his birthday. It’s very sweet and promises more tender surprises in the future. For those who like m/m manga, this series looks like it’s going to be a surefire hit....more
The theme of being abducted into a magical world is a common one in manga (called isekai) and this one gets the ball rolling very early. A bespectacleThe theme of being abducted into a magical world is a common one in manga (called isekai) and this one gets the ball rolling very early. A bespectacled young man attempts to save a damsel in distress—an unfamiliar schoolgirl getting pulled into a mysterious portal in the ground—only to wind up being taken along with her.
The meaning behind the mystical snatching is swiftly resolved. Shiraishi Yua is our Chosen One, i.e. a holy maiden this parallel world needs to save them from a terrible fate. However, here’s where the story takes a sharp detour from the familiar. The focus shifts from her to her savior-manqué, Kondou Seiichirou and, from then on, the spotlight is firmly on him.
From the start, we sense that Seiichirou isn’t quite—right. His initial interest in the girl fades away into a determination to work for the people who inadvertently abducted him. His wish to earn his keep is admirable but the admiration dies away to a kind of unease. Seiichirou is reaching 30 and yet seems to have no ties in his original world. He expresses no desire to return to his home, no mention of anybody who might miss him or mourn his absence. He shows no sadness for the loss of his personal possessions, furnishings or any monetary assets he left behind him, matters that would alarm anybody else in his situation. He doesn’t even think about the girl he rescued until two or three days after their mutual abduction.
If anything, her position is even more sinister than his. She’s supposed to be the embodiment of a girl with mysterious powers. If one isn’t found in their world, they cast an enchantment to seize one from another universe and whoever answers that pull must save the people from a deadly miasma. When Seiichirou encounters her again, he asks her very hard questions: What, exactly, is she expected to do for these people? Is there really a miasma? These people seized her from her home without asking her permission, basically kidnapping her. That suggests that their intentions for her might be rather sinister. She should be very concerned about that.
These are all very good points but Yua isn’t having it. She wants to save these people and fulfill her duty as the holy maiden…whatever that is. Shiraishi strikes this reader as being flighty, airheaded, clumsy and willing to accept anything that’s told to her. She’s largely ornamental; here’s hoping her character gets broadened in future installments.
For his part, Seiichirou is an unusual kind of protagonist. Content with his requested job as an accountant, he works like a slave, has no wish to learn magic (only to understand how it works) and possesses a voracious desire to clean up the accounting books. He’s found egregious errors, massive overspending and excessive requests for funds from some of the knights who patrol this world. The problems go back years and he’s curious as to why so much money is needed for men who don’t seem to do much of anything.
It would be amusing but the author and illustrator play Seiichirou straight. He has little sense of humor but he’s not exactly gloomy. He’s devoted to his job and doesn’t understand why no one gets how important a healthy work ethic is.
Completing the other corner of this triangle is Sir Aresh Indolark, Captain of the Third Royal Order. He’s just as serious and straitlaced as Seiichirou, although he also doesn’t seem to have much to do. He’s keeping a close eye on Seiichirou but is as baffled by everyone else at the accountant’s desire to come in to work every day. The people of this world would be perfectly willing to give Seiichirou an allowance, enough to live on comfortably for the rest of his life. They don’t require him to work; so why does he?
The very cover emphasizes the conflict between these two men. Seiichirou is upside down, as if tumbling through space, mimicking his jarring entry into this alien world. He’s wearing his stiff business clothes and his wide-eyed stare is met by the narrow glare of Aresh. At this moment, the two are at odds, wary with and in opposition to each other.
Aresh is curious about Seiichirou and that curiosity pulls them together in an unexpected fashion. They’re abruptly drawn closer than either of them anticipated—only for Seiichirou to bolt off afterwards, claiming that he’s going to be late for work!
The manga takes quite a few unexpected twists and turns as these three characters attempt to fulfill their duties and work out their footing. I know that a romance is inevitable between Aresh and Seiichirou but it’s clearly going to hit a few snags due to misunderstandings, aggravation and the looming miasma. So far, it’s off to a stimulating start....more
It can be truly startling to see foreigners interpreting and re-inventing our own popular culture. Peter Parker is now a boy avenging his sensei’s deaIt can be truly startling to see foreigners interpreting and re-inventing our own popular culture. Peter Parker is now a boy avenging his sensei’s death by a rival clan while Venom is a ronin assassin. Doctor Strange is a bespectacled blonde who can levitate his enemy into outer space in order to avoid a battle that will harm civilians. (Good for him. Why don’t more of them do that?!) The Some women bear the usual midriff-bearing outfits with boob windows. But the boobs are truly spectacular, with teasing near-nudity that will make your eyes pop out of your skull.
Surprisingly short on gore, the stories often tip over into sly humor, such as when a son of Satan bears his chest to his brother, who averts his eyes and tells him to cover up. The Hulk becomes a kaiju who you realize is butt naked! A were-tiger is seriously turned on by a Black Panther who resembles an Egyptian god. Dormammu is both frightening and disturbing at the same time.
For those who like their Marvel mania manga style, try this volume on for size. ...more
The incomparable Maomao returns, as inscrutable as ever—except when she’s getting excited about potions, poisons, various herbs and their remedies.
ThThe incomparable Maomao returns, as inscrutable as ever—except when she’s getting excited about potions, poisons, various herbs and their remedies.
The author has crafted a magnificent series around a truly remarkable female protagonist. It’s not only rich on period detail; it brings together disparate elements of court life, elements that have their culmination in this jaw-dropping volume.
Many random mysteries, deaths, accidents and crimes that featured in the earlier novels surface again here and Maomao finds herself once again called on to tie together the dangling threads. With startling leaps of thought and intellect, she grasps the far-reaching ramifications of these seemingly unconnected incidents. The result is a dramatic race that culminates in a death-defying, life-saving gesture on Maomao’s part.
Somehow, all this has been engineered by the sly Li Kan, the sinister, monocled specter that haunts Sir Jinshi and Maomao alike. If he truly is behind the arbitrary incidents that look much like coincidences, then he has been plotting this for weeks. What is his ultimate goal in doing so? Has he been getting rid of enemies? Trying to put Sir Jinshi in his debt?
Sir Jinshi knows or suspects Li Kan’s true connection to Maomao. But this connection only raises more questions. Li Kan’s supposed reward—getting hold of Maomao—seems too small for the grand scope of these convoluted machinations and happenings that include the death of an official, syphilitic poisoning of a whore and inheritance of three metalworkers. What is his real motivation?
Up until now, Maomao hasn’t concerned herself with Li Kan other than to keep out of his way. Perhaps, when she recovers from her latest adventure, she might reconsider her indifference to this vulpine gentleman.
If Maomao can be said to have a failing, it’s her emotional distance from almost everyone around her. Her only real loyalty goes to her adopted father. She is impatient with Sir Jinshi’s attentions to her, which everyone else can guess are romantic—everyone but herself, it seems. She tells herself repeatedly that the various intrigues she sense are none of her business. Her only vice is a penchant for liquor, although she rarely indulges to excess. In her cool detachment, scintillating intellect and addiction, she resembles a certain fictional detective created by one Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. She even has a shadowy nemesis as well.
Who knows what the future holds for the lowly serving maid? This reader is positively salivating to find out what happens next....more
Maomao is once again tested, both in her skills and her patience. Having been expulsed from the inner court, forced into prostitution by her avariciouMaomao is once again tested, both in her skills and her patience. Having been expulsed from the inner court, forced into prostitution by her avaricious grandmother, then rescued by the amorous Sir Jinshi, she’s been placed into the outer court. While she’s momentarily relieved that she’s no longer suffering from the intrigues of court courtesans and their bickering, arguing, scheming lady’s maids, her relief doesn’t last long.
She’s kept busy cleaning Sir Jinshi’s house and she doesn’t have access to the large selection of plants and herbs that were a favorable aspect of the inner court. There are no court ladies but she has to put up with the nastiness of Sir Jinshi’s personal troupe of women, all of whom have their eye on the handsome eunuch and resent his attentions to her. Maomao must use considerable skill to keep them at bay.
However, she gets swept up in more mysteries: a suspicious fire that might be arson and a deceased father’s last will and testament. (The latter is a situation that reminds me of both the Puss in Boots tale and an Arabian Nights story of three brothers who vie for the hand of an ailing princess.) Once again, Maomao looks at the clues, observes the room and reaches a conclusion that solves the riddle of the dead smith’s enigmatic bequests to his three bemused sons.
She comes to silent deductions about what the youngest son will do with his newfound knowledge. As is usually the case, she decides it’s none of her business what happens next and subtly exits the scene.
We have another player on the board here, one sly Li Kan, whom Sir Jinshi doesn’t trust. He manages his business quite well but his presence is unsettling and leads Sir Jinshi to distrust him. It remains to be seen what he wants with Maomao.
What continues to delight in these stories are the little snippets of knowledge that we infer from its pages. We are constantly learning the nature of poisons, natural and concocted, manmade and found in nature. Honey shouldn’t be fed to babies. Constant exposure to lead causes anemia and sickness. Certain metals melt at temperatures so low, they can be softened by sunlight, etc. So these books entertain not just as literature and a peek into a bygone age but also as courses in the natural sciences. Great stuff....more
The cover depicts a surprised-looking Maomao is fancy dress. That’s because she’s become a courtesan and she is not happy about it.
Compounding her annThe cover depicts a surprised-looking Maomao is fancy dress. That’s because she’s become a courtesan and she is not happy about it.
Compounding her annoyance at working in the inner court is the persistent attentions of Sir Jinshi, a court eunuch. He still pursues her even though she has zero interest in him or any kind of romance. Perhaps it’s that very indifference than causes him to pursue a plain-faced freckled apothecary when there are so many lovely court ladies bidding for his attention.
This volume shows her finally solving the mystery of who attempted to poison 14-year-old Consort Lishu at the Garden banquet. It ties into a curious crib death, a maid’s suicide and the possible dismissal of the Emperor’s favorite consort, the Lady Aduo. It’s a tangled storyline that demonstrates what Maomao is best at: methodical thinking, meticulous experimentation and a keen eye for people and detail.
Maomao also wonders about a resemblance between a consort and a certain eunuch but decides that’s none of her business. Once again, we are treated to Maomao’s ability at discretion and closed expression. Her prudence doesn’t necessarily stem from slyness but from the knowledge that the matters she’s drawn into aren’t really any of her business. More than anything else, she wants to content herself with her potions, concocting poisons and experimenting with plants, herbs and trees. Court intrigue is nothing more than a nuisance and she’d like nothing better than to be done with it.
Maomao’s fate is not her own but she’s slowly gathering allies and using her abilities to help others, including her hapless father. He’s a man whose past history at the inner court may have something to do with Maomao’s abduction and subsequent pressing into court life.
The various plot threads knot and come unbound in this volume. But you sense Maomao’s troubles aren’t done, not by a long shot....more
Maomao survives after deliberately ingesting poison at a regal banquet. She’s turning out to be quite the oddity although she doesn’t really care whatMaomao survives after deliberately ingesting poison at a regal banquet. She’s turning out to be quite the oddity although she doesn’t really care what anyone thinks about her.
Maomao isn’t eager to stay in the royal palace. The petty bickering, the court intrigue, the squabbling and backstabbing among the consorts and ladies-in-waiting are all wearying to her spirit. All she wants is to do her job as an apothecary.
This unusual heroine still brings her own quiet strength to bear when she’s dealing with others. She employs inductive reasoning worthy of a Doyle novel as well as her shrewd abilities to bargain. Her even temper and stolid acceptance of prostitution and other lax behavior puts her miles above most heroines you’ll read.
She’s desperate to get away from court and back home. Yet she finds that her old stomping grounds aren’t free from chicanery and difficulties. She’s called to the scene of an apparent double-suicide attempt and her inner thoughts reveal a lot more than she tells to others on the premises.
(Maomao’s hardly perfect, however. This novel reveals she has a penchant for alcohol. She also doesn’t seem to pick up on Jinshi’s growing romantic interest in her, being puzzled by his probing questions about her involvement with a certain Sir Li Haku.)
On top of her keen mind, Maomao is learning discretion. She understands which problems need her help and which should be left alone. A scheming grandmother and lackadaisical father make her realize that home might not be the sanctuary she’d hoped, either.
This is a delightful series, with each installment as inventive, entertaining and insightful as the last. I can’t predict where Maomao will end up or what path she’ll take to get there. Will she possibly snare the exacerbated high-ranking Sir Jinshi? Will she be elevated to court physician? Or will she find a way to get back home and avoid her grandmother’s possibly sinister plans for her? I want to find out and, if studious, contemplative heroines like this are your cup of tea, you’ll want to know more as well....more
