Category Archives: manga

The Fujoshi Files 32: Karisawa Erika

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Name: Karisawa, Erika (狩沢絵理華)
Alias: N/A
Relationship Status: N/A
Origin: Durarara!!

Information:
A member of the mysterious online gang “Dollars” and a former member of the “Blue Squares”, Erika has had a hand (albeit a small one) in many of the strange events that have occurred in Ikebukuro since the arrival of the mysterious Headless Rider. She is often seen in the company of a few other Dollars members, the stoic Kadota Kyouhei, driver Togusa Saburou, and fellow otaku Yumasaki Walker, with whom she is closest.

Together, Erika and Walker make endless anime and manga references, though Erika naturally tends more towards BL. Her taste in anime, manga, and light novels is wide and varied, with a particular fondness for ASCII Media Works products. However, her favorite pairing is not from any manga she reads, but the combination of mortal enemies Heiwajima Shizuo and Orihara Izaya.

Fujoshi Level:
Like most fujoshi, Karisawa Erika is capable of pairing many different guys. Unlike many though, she has the gall to do it right in front of their faces using them as the ingredients.

The Fujoshi Files 31: Patty Crew

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Name: Crew, Patty (パティ・クルー)
Alias: N/A
Relationship Status: Single
Origin: Zettai Karen Children

Information:
Patty Crew is a powerful esper capable of synthesizing a variety of psychic abilities to transform her body into a form of mist. Originally a mindless puppet controlled by the mysterious “Black Phantom” to act as an assassin, she was freed from her hypnotism through the efforts of the psychokinetic Akashi Kaoru and the members of the militant pro-esper organization known as P.A.N.D.RA. Since then, Patty has worked as a member of P.A.N.D.R.A., fighting against both Black Phantom and Kaoru’s own government esper organization, B.A.B.E.L. Patty has a particularly strong rivalry with Kaoru’s close friend and teammate, Sannomiya Shiho, though they manage to get along while attending the same middle school class at Shogakukan 6th Private Academy.

Patty’s fujoshi mindset takes a number of forms, including constant pairings of her male teammates (and their adversaries), bento lunches made to resemble attractive men, drawing, costume design, and an affinity for Akihabara and Ikebukuro. No records exist of Patty’s past prior to her possession by Black Phantom, so there is no evidence of her being a fujoshi prior to her joining P.A.N.D.RA. Given that all previous members of Black Phantom freed from hypnosis have turned out to be otaku in one way or another, the fact that Patty is a fujoshi may be a side effect of removing her brainwashing.

Fujoshi Level:
Patty is able to apply her fujoshi skills to a variety of tasks, being adept at the creative arts. In particular, she was able to create a full script for a school play through the use of her fujoshi imagination. On top of that, she once she used her psychic ability to spy on the boys in the hopes that something “interesting” might happen.

One Piece: Genshiken II, Chapter 70

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Contrary to my expectations, Chapter 70 is not a School Festival Chapter, but rather the setup to one. As such, it’s more of a calm before the storm, but one where you can tell the waves are thrashing below the surface of the ocean.

In addition to the cosplay studio Genshiken has been putting out every year since Ohno joined, glorious leader Ogiue Chika has decided that the club will sell a special edition of their club magazine Mebaetame for the festivities. Gearing it towards story-based works, Ogiue intends to draw a manga while Yoshitake and Yajima decide to team up to create an illustrated story. Yoshitake’s idea is “Sengoku School Festival” or something along those lines, and nothing is holding them back aside from the fact that Yajima is not entirely confident in her own drawing skills and that Yoshitake has never written a story before.

Hato meanwhile is asked to draw something as well, Ogiue recognizing Hato’s vast potential as an artist, a level of ability that she believes might even surpass her own. However, what Ogiue does not know is that Hato has some very unusual limitations when it comes to art. When dressed as a woman, Hato is only capable of producing beautifully rendered BL. When dressed as a man, his style becomes much more… interesting.

Given that this edition of Mebaetame is meant to be sold to normal folks, having to avoid anything hardcore acts as a huge roadblock for Hato. He’s not alone though, as Ogiue herself appears to be having issues with her own work. The chapter actually begins in the middle of a conversation between Ogiue and Sasahara, who are discussing that classic art debate, creating for oneself vs. creating for an audience, as well as how one should take criticism. As Ogiue was the one who called Sasahara over to discuss it, it is clearly a conversation she was looking to have, but it is also obviously not easy for her.

There are difficulties outside of Genshiken as well, as it turns out Yabusaki and Asada have been kicked out of the Manga Society (Manken) for aiding the enemy, i.e. helping Ogiue sell her doujinshi at the last ComiFest. The ever-mysterious Katou (the one with the bangs obscuring her eyes) does not seem to be affected by this punishment, but is so busy trying to find a job as she nears graduation that she has simply not shown up. Both Yabusaki and Asada try to convince each other to join Genshiken, but it seems to not be so simple.

I find that this chapter has me anticipating the next one quite a bit. It doesn’t have quite the oomph of the previous Risa chapters, but I can feel it building up to the school festival. It’s like watching all of these various puzzle pieces start to slide into place, except you have no idea if you have all of the pieces or if they even all come from the same set. It’s exciting.

I think that the reveal with Yabusaki and Asada is a significant one that quite possibly says a lot. Why would Yabusaki and Asada be so unceremoniously dumped from the club that they’ve been a part of for so long just because they helped Ogiue out one time? The only way I can make any sense of it is that despite Yabusaki was able to foster a friendship with Ogiue, there must still be some bad blood between Ogiue and the remaining members of Manken. Most likely, they still have never forgotten the harsh and demeaning words Ogiue had for them in her less enlightened days.

But Ogiue has indeed changed, and we can see this throughout the manga. In addition to Yabusaki, just seeing how far the friendship between Ogiue and Sue has come is heartwarming. Sue is no longer the mysterious gaijin that must be handled with a hazmat suit but something of a genuine confidant. Ogiue’s brief recollection of Nakajima in this chapter shows that she still hasn’t forgotten those tougher days, but she’s a new person.

At this point I want to mention something that my very soul beckons me to say: I’ve missed Sasa x Ogi scenes. Even though this one is quite brief, it still showcases some of the powerful electricity that courses through their relationship. The tension between their status as a couple and their respective professions as editor and artist makes for what is evidently a tricky balancing act. Though it’s shown that this is not the easiest feat for them to accomplish, it is still amazing that they manage to do so in the first place, especially when other couples owe their success to never reading each others’ work ever.

Also, they’re cute. Super cute. Seeing them happy makes me happy too.

This chapter may have turned out to be more Ogiue-centric than I realized, but maybe I’m just a tad biased.

So, I think I I’ll end this one the only way that this chapter can approve of: Cosplay. This may be the best cosplay Kuchiki has ever done.

PS: Next chapter is going to feature color images, Genshiken on the front cover of Afternoon, and one of two Hato figures (the other one being packaged with a limited edition of Genshiken Volume 11.

Okay, Seriously, You Really Need to Stick to a Single Title Translation for Mousou Shoujo Otakukei

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https://twitter.com/#!/JManga_official/status/139812494880419842
Mousou Shoujo Otakukei, the story of powerful fujoshi Asai Rumi and the man who loves her. I’ve been following it since 2007 and recently finished the series (expect a review, perhaps?), and in that time it’s become one of the more well-known fujoshi-themed manga, getting even a live action drama adaptation as well as an English-language release by Media Blasters.

In its original US release, Mousou Shoujo Otakukei was changed to Fujoshi Rumi. Let’s leave aside the question of whether or not they should have changed the title in the first place, other than to point out how interesting it is that Fujoshi Kanojo decided to go the other route and become My Girlfriend is a Geek.

Mousou Shoujo Otakukei then got a French release. There, its title is actually Otaku Girls.

But now, for the J-Manga release, they’ve decided to go back and change the title to a direct translation of the Japanese. Hence Otaku-Type Delusion Girl.

So that’s four different titles for the exact same manga, all of which are to some degree official (the only possible exception oddly being the actual romanization of the Japanese title).

I don’t think I need to explain why this is confusing.

Appreciating Fandom at Nishicon 2011

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This past month I had the opportunity to attend an entirely brand-new anime convention in the Netherlands, Nishicon.

Taking place in the city of Haarlem, Nishicon was held in a kind of sports gymnasium, which meant a few things. First, the primary form of seating was bleachers, which given the small con population (though by no means a disappointing turn-out) actually made for very convenient seating. Practically everything took place on that central floor, with workshops and video games being the only exceptions, so it was easy to move from one thing to another. If you were on the main floor, it was essentially impossible to avoid hearing the cosplay and AMV competitions, which seemed more of a close gathering of enthusiasts than the massive arena-filling extravaganzas of a large or even medium-sized American anime convention. When the AMV contest was taking place, every so often I could peer over to the other corner of the room and catch a glimpse of it.

Another feature of Nishicon was the bar and maid cafe, which like “Anime Con” in  Netherlands (and unlike New York Anime Festival) allowed the maids to serve its customers. This maid cafe is run by a different group than the one from Anime Con, and in speaking to one of the head maids I found out that they were looking to differentiate themselves from other maid cafes at Dutch anime cons by providing a more interactive experience. In addition to custom snacks (alongside the standard Dutch bar fare, beer, frikandel, kroket, etc.), they also provided a chance to play card games and board games, as well as provide a shoulder massage which only cost 2 euros.

Speaking of cost, I’ve noticed that Dutch cons seem to provide much more affordable food options than their American counterparts. While a tad pricier than just going to an automat, a broodje kroket (croquet on a roll) cost me a mere €2.50 or so. While I don’t know the exact reason for this, I have to imagine that it’s because every convention I’ve been to so far has had some sort of fully stocked bar attached to it, and they simply charge the prices they normally would. That said, if you’re coming from the United States watch out for the dollar to euro conversion rate.

I bought one piece of merchandise at this convention: a card game called “Manga Manga” (no relation). As you can see from the box, it has Action Power.

Outside of the AMVs and the cosplay, there were no big “events” or panel programming. For me, this is quite unusual, as I primarily spend my normal convention experience darting from panel to panel, with breaks for food and checking out the dealers’ room. As a result, this meant that if I were to enjoy myself at Nishicon, it would have to be at a relaxed, non-goal-oriented pace. In that regard, I think Nishicon was quite successful for me. I was able to play Go for the first time (and lose, naturally). I spoke to people at tables, asking them what they thought of the convention, one of whom mentioned that it’s fortunate for a convention to be located more towards the western side of the country). I found myself at a drawing area (run by the fine folks at mangaschool.nl) next to people I didn’t know, putting to paper whatever came to mind. It was actually the first time in a long while that I’ve drawn that much, and that made me feel good (or bad, depending on how you look at it).

What it all came down to for me was that the “lack” of major events made me participate in the convention the way I think most con-goers in general do. The point isn’t to listen to fans and creators talk about some aspect of anime and manga, nor is it to expect some “thing” out of it. That vital aspect I think people are looking for is the simple pleasure of being surrounded by others with the same passion for anime, and that is something that can be experienced by just sitting around other anime fans. Don’t get me wrong, I love attending Otakon, but I would not have ever sat down there next to other artists (aspiring and otherwise) in order to just relax with pen and paper.

Before I leave off with a barrage of photos, I want to mention something that might make some people feel a tad salty: did you know that Michiko & Hatchin was released in the Netherlands but not the United States?

The Fujoshi Files 30: Kifujin-senpai

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Name: Kifujin-senpai (貴腐人先輩)
Alias: Chief (チーフ)
Relationship Status: Single
Origin: Tonari no 801-chan

Information:
Kifujin-senpai is a woman well into her career. Working at 801-chan’s company as her boss, Kifujin-senpai subtly revealed to 801-chan her true form as fujoshi. Though often asked by her parents to settle down, Kifujin-senpai remains single and devoted to her fujoshi lifestyle. She has even once said that the only things needed in life are homos and cats.

Of 801-chan’s acquaintances, Kifujin-senpai is actually the most hardcore fujoshi she knows. This is quite a feat given 801-chan’s friends and acquaintances. Where others might limit their imagination to overall gestures, Kifujin-senpai takes into account every gritty facet with extreme detail. And where plenty of others can manifest their fujoshi sides in the form of furry little critters, Kifujin’s alternate form borders on the Lovecraftian, a many-eyed purple beast that can grow without end with countless numbers of flailing arms, surrounded by a dark, ominous aura.

Fujoshi Level:
In addition to every other detail listed above, Kifujin-senpai is recognized as being so powerful a fujoshi that 801-chan for all of her delusions and obsessions is actually frightened of becoming an otaku on par with Kifujin-senpai. She is one of the ultimate forms of fujoshi that others dare not touch.

Ogiue Maniax Headed to Nishicon 2011

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To partially sate my persistent curiosity about the anime fandom in the Netherlands, I’ll be attending Nishicon tomorrow, November 13, in Haarlem. As far as I know this is the very first Nishicon, and I’m interested in seeing how it debuts. The only other fledgling conventions I’d been to otherwise were New York Anime Festival and New York Comic Con, and those are quite different in scale for a variety reasons, one of which is that the NY cons are professionally run exhibitions.

In any case, I’ll be there for probably most of the day. You can find me by speaking Dutch and observing my blank stare.

The “Nervous” Visual Style of the Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai Manga

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Last week I wrote a post comparing the Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai anime and manga (neither of which are the original source material) and showed that I have a clear preference for the manga and its visual style. I gave image comparisons to try and show exactly what I meant, but while some readers got it, I noticed that others were still confused as to why I think the manga looks better, especially because of how “rough” the art is in comparison to the more “stable” designs of the anime. Because of that, I’m going to elaborate on why I find the visuals to be more interesting and more aesthetically pleasing so that even if people disagree with me, I think they can see where I’m coming from.

Let’s start with a visual aid, the first panel in Chapter 19. This time, I’m using an untranslated version of the manga because the points I’m making don’t have anything to do with what Sena is saying, nor does it have a mirror scene in the TV series. I want to emphasize that I do not think the anime should necessarily look just like the manga. This is just straight-up analysis of the manga without having to compare it directly to the anime. If you want more of that, you can check out JP’s response to my comparison.

Sena is cropped from the chest up in the panel, and we can clearly see that she has large breasts, but the thing that stands out most in the entire panel is her expression. She’s blushing heavily, her eyebrows are furrowed in an unusual manner, her eyes are to the side, and her index fingers are touching each other, all indicating that Sena is quite nervous. You can tell that as she’s talking, she’s in an uncomfortable position for whatever reason. That nervousness takes absolute priority over the fact that she has a nice body, and so it becomes the most noticeable thing about her in that panel.

While the line quality of the manga doesn’t approach Robert Crumb levels of jittery, it still creates an interesting sort of tension in the comic. The “sketchiness,” as I’ve seen some people refer to it, results in characters and environments that indeed make the art look “incomplete” if you associate completeness with firm inks and closer pursuit of anatomical correctness in the hands and such, but that mildly quivering line also makes the entire comic feel like everything does not quite fit comfortably within it. When it comes to a series all about people with generally very dire personality flaws,  the fact that the art looks somewhat uncomfortable in its own skin in itself contributes to the sense that the entire series is about people who have trouble making friends. Their nervousness bleeds from them, through the panels, and into the very “texture” of the comic itself. At the same time, it still sticks to fairly conventional character designs to emphasize the cuteness of the girls such that element is still definitely there. It’s just that some of the cuteness also comes from the “instability” in the art style because it shows that they themselves are a little (a lot?) unstable.

I hope this did a better job of helping people to understand my point of view, but if this has only made you more confused, don’t hesitate to ask me more questions in the comments.

The Fujoshi Files 29: Odango-chan

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Name: Odango-chan (お団子ちゃん)
Alias: J-chan (Jちゃん)
Relationship Status: Single
Origin: Tonari no 801-chan

Information:
Odango-chan is a friend of 801-chan’s along with BL-chan and a regular attendee of their “fujoshi meetups.” Not much is known specifically about her taste in anime and manga or her personal life, except that she appears to not be quite as far down the rabbit hole as her fujoshi compatriots.

Like her friends, she can produce an alternate form representative of her true love for BL. Unlike the others however, that form has undergone more changes over time, most notably the symbol on her forehead, which resides in its current form as a “J,” but has previously even been blank.

Fujoshi Level:
Little is known about Odango-chan’s exact fujoshi level, except that she has definitely been in the game for a long period of time.

Ogiue Maniax on the Webcomic Beacon Podcast

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I was a guest on the Webcomic Beacon, a podcast dedicated to (you guess it) podcasts. As a follow-up to my post Explaining Decompression in Comics, we discuss the concepts of compression and decompression in comics, what they mean and how they’re used, and how you could potentially use it in your own work. Have a listen and leave a comment, either here or there.

Webcomic Beacon #208: Decompression vs. Compression in Comics