The Fujoshi Files 1: Ogiue Chika

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Name: Ogiue, Chika (荻上千佳)
Aliases: Ogino Naruyuki (於木野鳴雪), Yukimian (雪見庵)
Relationship Status: Dating
Origin: Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture

Information:
Ogiue Chika is a member of the Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, or Genshiken, at Shiiou University in Tokyo, and a former member of the Manga Society at the same university. She discovered doujinshi as early as 5th grade, and has maintained a passion for boys’ love ever since, though a traumatic event in her junior high school days created a great deal of self-loathing in her, leading to her denouncing otaku in general. One of her greatest fears was that her love of yaoi would preclude her from ever being in a romantic relationship. Thanks to the friendships she gained by being a part of Genshiken, she has gradually accepted her fujoshi side. She eventually becomes chairman of Genshiken, receiving the title from its previous owner, fellow fujoshi Ohno Kanako.

Ogiue is a talented artist who is best described as being unable to resist drawing what she wants. She has produced a number of works, most prominent among them being Anata no Tonari, a girl-oriented doujinshi involving the characters Mugio and Chihiro from Kujibiki Unbalance.

Fujoshi Level:
The greatest example of Ogiue’s fujocity is the fact that her interest in boys’ love extends out from manga and into the real world. Ogiue fantasizes about her male friends engaged in very obscene activities and has drawn many, many pages (she describes it in multiples of ten) of these images which exist in her fantasies. In fact, her boyfriend, Sasahara Kanji, himself a former chairman of Genshiken, continues to be a subject of her more explicit drawings, and their intimacy has allowed her to draw him with greater accuracy.

Kenshiro: He who is the most “Gar”

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The SaiGAR Tournament 2008 is starting up, and I’m here to argue the case of Kenshiro.

Kenshiro is the latest master of an 1800 year old martial art called “Hokuto Shinken,” or Divine Fist of the North Star. It is the most deadly and powerful martial art known to man, and it involves mastery of the body’s various pressure points to cause a variety of effects. It is a martial art so powerful that traditionally only one master is allowed at a time, while the other students are forbidden from ever using it again, either by choice or by force.

As for Hokuto Shinken itself, here are some of the things it can do.

-By hitting one set of pressure points, he can cause a person’s head to explode after the count of 3. During this time he tells his victim to think about all the terrible sins they have committed in their lives.
-He can make a person walk backwards forever.
-He can force you to point a gun at yourself.
-He can make your arm tell the truth.
-In fact he can make any part of your body explode.
-Part of Hokuto Shinken is learning from other martial arts, so if you’re a master as well, he’s probably going to pick something up from you and use it just as effectively
-He can cure blindness caused by psychological trauma

That last one isn’t very violent now is it? Ah, but that’s where the true character of Kenshiro lies.

He is the inheritor of an almost two-thousand year old assassin-based martial art, but it is not solely because of his capacity as an assassin that makes him deserving of the title of Hokuto Shinken Master, it is also because of his compassion.

Kenshiro lives in the era after 199X, a cataclysmic year where the world was destroyed by nuclear war. In the aftermath of this nuclear war, the planet has become a place where the strong oppress the weak, where violent gangs rape and pillage families and towns.

It is the end of the century.

And Kenshiro is its savior.

Kenshiro aids the downtrodden, gives hope to the innocent, and is able to sense the true intent of any individual. He is accompanied by two young children in his travels, children who represent the hope of the future. Even when faced by strong opponents, he can tell when they are truly evil and when they are simply misunderstood. Fighting a pair of twins, he is unable to continue fighting them as he can see the sadness within their faces. Indeed, these brothers fight against their will because a man has kidnapped their beloved younger brother. Kenshiro not only has ultimate strength, but ultimate empathy.

But if you are evil? If your intent truly is malicious?

Why, you’re already dead.

The Fujoshi Files

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I’ve decided to start creating entries detailing various fujoshi characters throughout anime and manga.  Each one will give some basic information on the character, as well as what is, in my opinion, their most fujoshi aspect or moment.

I bet you can’t figure out who’s going to be first.

Shugo Chara: 12 Episodes Later and Still Good

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I am quite pleased with the way Shugo Chara has progressed. It is slated for a long episode count, and so it would be easy for the show to fall into the trap of endless episodic filler, but Shugo Chara manages to make progress with every episode. Either the overall story is advanced, or we learn more about at least one character. The steps are small but steady, and I am personally am a fan of this type of pacing.

The way the show is paced, combined with the overall cute, girlish aesthetics of the show, it makes for an anime I can visit every week with no irritation or desire to see the plot move forward, so when it does happen I am pleasantly surprised.

Getting at the Origin of Manga vs American Comics

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I was having a conversation with OGT about what is it in the standard American comics-style that makes people either attracted to it or not.  We talked about how the characters in American comics tend to look much more posed, like a figure occupying space, while in manga, the characters are much more a part of the image.

I’m aware that there are plenty of exceptions on either side and many of them are outstanding such as Wil Eisner, Art Spiegelman, and Ryoichi Ikegami.  I’m also aware that manga derives its appearance from Tezuka who loved American cartoons and French films.  Still, I believe that these strong respective art histories play a significant role in just how these styles evolved.  While Wil Eisner commanded the flow of each page masterfully, he still placed great emphasis on how the figures occupied the space making sure to show exactly where each person is positioned.  Riyoko Ikeda, whose Rose of Versailles manga is itself set in France, shows the environment but focuses primarily on the emotions of each page.

That’s all well and good, but then I began to wonder about why this is the case, and I realized that the reason why these styles are so different is as simple as tracing the history of Eastern and Western Art.

I know that these days the barrier has lessened thanks to the internet and other forms of constant international communication, and I know that use of terms such as Eastern and Oriental may have an air of cultural bigotry, but let’s face it: Art between America and Japan have been interacting with each other heavily only for about the past 200 years or so, and of course comics even less than that, and for the longest time these two cultures WERE more or less independent of each other.   This is where the discussion stands.

Non-abstract human representation in the West derives its history from Ancient Greece and Rome, and the desire to portray the physical body perfectly, on to the Renaissance and beyond.  A careful study of anatomy, the invention of things such as the golden ratio, and the notion that empty space is a waste of space are all a part of the history of Western art.  The toned muscular bodies of super heroes can also be seen as the latest version of the pursuit of ideal physical beauty.  Meanwhile Eastern art, from China, Japan, and other locations, particularly that which represents the human figure, has never placed nearly as much emphasis on portraying the body realistically.  When Europe and Japan began interacting with each other on an artistic scale, one thing Europe took away from Japan was their strong use of negative space.  Not drawing, not painting in an area turned out to be able to have equal if not greater impact than what was the standard method of filling the canvas as much as possible.  Combine this with use of line widths to denote depth, as well as heavy use of flat colors, and I think it begins to become apparent just why and how these histories have influenced the art of comics in Japan and America.

Best anime characters of 2007

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I don’t really want to do other awards, so this is it.

Best Male Character

Simon (Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann)

In the fine tradition of Tetsurou from Galaxy Express 999, Simon begins his journey as a boy and ends it as a man, only much more literally than in the case of Tetsurou. Simon’s progress and change, as well as his ability to truly mature and consider the weight of his actions gives him the edge over even his mighty Aniki.

Best Female Character

Take a guess.

Genshiken 2: Post-Recording Thoughts from the Cast

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This is a translation of an interview at the official Genshiken site.

——————

These are comments from the main cast from post-recording for episode 12.

Please give your honest post-recording impressions on the end of this show!

Sasahara Kanji: Ohyama Takanori
When I first began to play Sasahara, the various directions Genshiken goes meant that I’d be a part of this for a long time, and thinking, “It’s over?” really makes me sad. Whenever I read the script, I feel like I’m about to cry.

Kohsaka Makoto: Saiga Mitsuki
It’s going to continue isn’t it?

Kasukabe Saki: Yukino Satsuki
At the time it felt like… “Ah!”

Madarame Harunobu: Hiyama Nobuyuki
Man, it was a blast!

Tanaka Souichirou: Seki Tomokazu
Whaaa, it’s over already? But we’re doing a 3rd one right?

Kugayama Mitsunori: Nomura Kenji
Somehow I-I’m really sad…

Ohno Kanako: Kawasumi Ayako
For this Genshiken series, I thought, “A lot of things happened, huh…”

Kuchiki Manabu: Ishida Akira
Ahh, it’s all over isn’t it. I’m glad that Sasahara managed to get a job.

Ogiue Chika: Mizuhashi Kaori
Eh? It’s over?

Angela: Kaida Yuki
Oh wow, there were so, so many things, and I mean that in a variety of ways. But… when I reflect on the mood of the project, I genuinely had a good time with a great studio.

Susanna: Goto Yuuko
I wanted to do more! Sorry, I actually just said how I really felt. But after Kujian, I really wanted to do Genshiken, so I’m happy that I was able to be in it.

Please tell us about the difficult parts of playing your character.

Sasahara Kanji: Ohyama Takanori
In [Genshiken] 2, well there’s the making of the doujinshi, his job hunt, those matters of love, so many things that it made me tremble, just having the right attitude to play such realistic parts in a lively manner.

Kohsaka Makoto: Saiga Mitsuki
I was always thinking, “I have to keep being the usual Kohsaka.”

Kasukabe Saki: Yukino Satsuki
English.

Madarame Harunobu: Hiyama Nobuyuki
I wasn’t sure when I should use Madarame’s inner voice!

Tanaka Souichirou: Seki Tomokazu
The kiss scene, and the boys’ love scene were difficult. There’s going to be a 3rd series, right?

Kugayama Mitsunori: Nomura Kenji
Well, it has to be his peculiar way of talking. It was difficult figuring out to what extent I should play it.

Ohno Kanako: Kawasumi Ayako
The English was…. (sweats) really tough.

Kuchiki Manabu: Ishida Akira
I didn’t have any samples to base such an all-out extreme character like this on, so the troublesome part was using my imagination to figure out how he would speak and act.

Ogiue Chika: Mizuhashi Kaori
The Tohoku dialect was tough…but now that I’m completely familiar with it, I have trouble speaking normally (laughs). I also had to take care not to make her too tsundere-esque. She’s a shy person after all.

Angela: Kaida Yuki
It’s obvious, but it’s the parts where I didn’t speak Japanese.
After that, it’s using certain vocabulary which I’ve never heard myself say. I thought, “Heeey, you’re a girl! Is it all right for you to say that?”

Susanna: Gotou Yuuko
She’s such an abrasive character, so I had to try hard not to shy away from her.
The difficult part was imitating the lines of anime characters. Other than that, nothing really.

There sure was a lot going on (laughs), but what do you think were the most impressive scenes in Genshiken 2?

Sasahara Kanji: Ohyama Takanori
Ogiue going to Comifest incognito, getting found out, running into Ohno and having her interest in yaoi doujinshi revealed and confirmed. Square mouth and swirly eyes, Ogiue’s panic attack had me laughing hard.

Kohsaka Makoto: Saiga Mitsuki
Whenever Kucchii appeared.

Kasukabe Saki: Yukino Satsuki
Madarame’s serious reflection at the graduation ceremony.

Madarame Harunobu: Hiyama Nobuyuki
Probably the criticism that we engendered because of “Madarame is a Total Bottom” (laughs)

Tanaka Souichirou: Seki Tomokazu
The kiss scene with Ohno. <3
Is it okay for us to be doing this when there’s a 3rd series to do?

Kugayama Mitsunori: Nomura Kenji
It has to be… Ogiue’s fantasy scene!
That BL was rather shocking!

Ohno Kanako: Kawasumi Ayako
The Ogiue’s fantasy episode was great.

Kuchiki Manabu: Ishida Akira
Ogiue going undercover for Comifest and being found out.

Ogiue Chika: Mizuhashi Kaori
-The Tanaka and Ohno become a couple episode
-The BL episode
-The reverse of the BL episode, where Ogiue became the fantasy instead (laughs). (And Ogiue’s disguise)
-A PORN GAME MAKER(Kohsaka)

Angela: Kaida Yuki
Before our appearance, I would hear about this scene and that scene, and they were truly strong scenes among a variety of strong scenes. Now after all this, I want to see all of them.

Susanna: Gotou Yuuko
The scene at Comiket where they first sell a copy of Ogiue’s book.
Those two are way too cute together.

Say something to the “Genshiken 2” characters!

Sasahara Kanji: Ohyama Takanori
Sasahara, I’m really glad you managed to find a job. Don’t give up and keep striving!
After that, keep following through on your genuine love for Ogiue!

Kohsaka Makoto: Saiga Mitsuki
Sasahara, congratulations on your job!

Kasukabe Saki: Yukino Satsuki
Madarame, find happiness!

Madarame Harunobu: Hiyama Nobuyuki
Make sure to become a productive member of society!

Tanaka Souichirou: Seki Tomokazu
Hey, guys, there’s going to a 3rd series right?

Kugayama Mitsunori: Nomura Kenji
Get a move on, Kugapii!

Ohno Kanako: Kawasumi Ayako
Sasayan, congratulations on your job! I’m really glad for you.

Kuchiki Manabu: Ishida Akira
You can only do whatever you want when you’re a student!
…Though recently I’ve seen people who’ve been ignoring that and doing it anyway.

Ogiue Chika: Mizuhashi Kaori
Everyone, you deserve a break!
All the things that happened to Sasahara this time, it was all really interesting!

Angela: Kaida Yuki
To Sue: That’s not fair! Please speak more English!

Susanna: Gotou Yuuko
Madarame, I love you!

You all had fun in post-recording, so please tell us what was most impressive about doing these episodes!

Sasahara Kanji: Ohyama Takanori
[Genshiken] 2, was pretty risque, or should I say, there were a lot of H-scenes, but for it to have become such a big topic of discussion, I’m glad we talked about it.

Kohsaka Makoto: Saiga Mitsuki
Every time we laughed, the laughter would never die down.
It’s because the writing would still always be there.

Kasukabe Saki: Yukino Satsuki
Everything about Ohyama

Madarame Harunobu: Hiyama Nobuyuki
I can’t just squeeze out one when there’s so many, but it would have to be the great atmosphere working at a fine place like this.

Tanaka Souichirou: Seki Tomokazu
Starting the kiss scene with Kawasumi. Did you figure?

Kugayama Mitsunori: Nomura Kenji
Man, there was so much that I’ve forgotten it all. Every time we’d have such entertaining conversations, though there’s also a lot of conversations I can’t tell you about…

Ohno Kanako: Kawasumi Ayako
Kuchiki’s ad-lib was really interesting every time.

Kuchiki Manabu: Ishida Akira
Finding out that there’s salt in chocolate.

Ogiue Chika: Mizuhashi Kaori
Generally speaking it was really fun being such close, intimate friends with everyone. The idle chatter was of course really fun, but nothing beats seeing everyone smiling while performing. I think this is an experience I’ll cherish.

Angela: Kaida Yuki
When Team America appeared, it was obvious that the members who spoke English and the ones who could only speak Japanese had obviously different airs about them. I’m jealous of those who got to speak Japanese. I hate them. (laughs)

Susanna: Gotou Yuuko
I thought, wow, Angela’s English is impressive.
The most impressive part is of course, the actual content of her lines.

Finally, let’s give a message to all the fans!

Sasahara Kanji: Ohyama Takanori
I truly thank you for sticking with Genshiken 2. I would be happy to be Sasahara again some day.

Kohsaka Makoto: Saiga Mitsuki
I really want to do Genshiken “3!”

Kasukabe Saki: Yukino Satsuki
Let’s do Genshiken 3!

Madarame Harunobu: Hiyama Nobuyuki
Anyway this looks like the end of the road!! …Though somehow it feels like more is going to happen so keep cheering on “Genshiken!”

Tanaka Souichirou: Seki Tomokazu
We’ll see you again in the 3rd!

Kugayama Mitsunori: Nomura Kenji
Should I say “I’m glad you enjoy it” or “I’m glad you enjoyed it?” It was all really interesting. Cheer for us!

Ohno Kanako: Kawasumi Ayako
I want to come back and do Genshiken 3. Please keep cheering for it!

Kuchiki Manabu: Ishida Akira
I’m grateful for your support in bringing Genshiken to its 2nd series. Thank you very much.

Ogiue Chika: Mizuhashi Kaori
Let’s do Genshiken 3!! (laughs) Im laughing but I’m actually serious!!

Angela: Kaida Yuki
Doing this was an incredibly precious personal experience for me. To all of you who watched Genshiken, I thought, “They’re real. There really are people who are moved by the events in this show,” and I’m glad to have been able to feel this way. …Um, I tried my best.

Susanna: Gotou Yuuko
This was a project where I sympathized with everyone and was utterly moved (laughs), and I would both laugh and cry. I’m glad that you were all able to enjoy it.

——————

Mutual Cameos

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Metaphors Strike Like Lightning: Kino’s Journey

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Kino

As stated a while back, I finished watching Kino’s Journey, so I thought I’d lay down a few thoughts about it.

Kino’s Journey is the story of a girl named Kino, whose occupation is “Traveler.”  Being a Traveler entails going from country to country, exploring the world as a whole.  Kino is accompanied by her sentient motorcycle, a “Motorrad” named Hermes.

Kino’s Journey is loved by many, and after having watched it, I must agree that it is a wonderful series.  Each episode is more or less a self-contained story, one stop on Kino’s never-ending on-the-road life.  Each story has some basic metaphors for human thought, behavior, and philosophy, and are meant to show that there are many sides to any one situation.  It has a very slice-of-life feel to it, but unlike so many slice-of-life shows Kino’s Journey is not innocent.  No one is innocent in this world, and nowhere does this contrast stand out more than in the fact that Kino herself carries multiple firearms with which to defend herself.  And she’s a skilled marksman too.

The necessity of her guns alone goes a long way in explaining the central theme of the show: People are not beautiful, therefore they are.

Genchoken: Otaku na Radio

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I apologize for not having posted about this previously. Somehow it always escapes me.

During Genshiken 2’s run, Animate TV WEB did a bi-weekly radio show with Mizuhashi Kaori (Ogiue) and Hiyama Nobuyuki (Madarame), where they discuss various aspects of otaku culture and receive letters from otaku. Topics include “Moekipedia,” “Normal people are weird,” and a Fujoshi corner.

Often times, there would be tricks using the voice actors. One episode had Ogiue fantasizing about Shishioh Guy x Madarame. Another episode had the phrase “Ogiue Chika-sensei.”

Mm.

The last episode actually has the original voices of the Vocaloid mascots Hatsune Miku and Kagamine Rin.

The official site is at http://www.animate.tv/digital/web_radio/detail_114.html so if you can understand Japanese, please have a listen.