Hakaijuu

Hakaijuu

Friday, November 13, 2015 / No Comments

I was once trapped inside a horrible nightmare which had a terrifying monster in crazy pursuit of me, for unknown reasons. In that dream, I was running for my dear life in the middle of a surprisingly vast city. Strangely, there wasn't anybody else around. There was no moving traffic. The monster carried on chasing as if I would soon become its dinner. The awful damage that was triggered by all that aimless pounding felt like the end of everything. Yet, I had continued to run for my dear life. Funnily, I thought that I could compete in the Olympics or something. I didn't know where I was at. I simply ran. Suddenly, the gigantic monster hollered a deafening cry, and my eyes met with a lethal breath of fire which seemed to be inching closer to me. I had no idea what happened after.

When confided in an acquaintance of mine, he mentioned that he had a similar experience which also involved an endless pursuit by monsters. Monsters, he said. I was intrigued and probed further. It turned out that my acquaintance had found himself inside what looked like a school building. He was in an empty classroom, and it was in quite a messy state. Tables and chairs were strewn everywhere. The chalkboard had toppled onto the floor. All the windows were broken, but fortunately my acquaintance wasn't injured. As he was about to investigate, a massive punch penetrated across one of the pillars of the other wing, resulting in a complete collapse of the entire structure. That was when he saw one of those things.  

Hakaijuu, my acquaintance said. It wasn't just one but many others that plagued the entire city, and eventually everywhere imaginable. Those monsters simply increased in numbers and size, and the state of destruction was devastating. Dead bodies quickly multiplied, and the surviving bunch had to battle against wavering sanity, secret government bodies, personal demons and such in the midst of all the monster attacks. My acquaintance had several narrow escapes in the process. It felt surreal, yet everything was real. Those monsters soon became unbelievably ridiculous, and civilisation declined beyond hope. Strange borders had also started appearing throughout the country. My acquaintance simply kept running for his dear life.

When I asked why his nightmare had been so long, he added that it was actually divided like a series. That meant a continuity from where he had last woken up from the dream. I became somewhat disturbed. I asked if he was still having those nightmares. Without hesitation, he nodded. What he said next made my jaw drop. Our conversation itself was also a dream. With that, I realised that I was in another dimension. The whole episode had finally shed a new light. I was indeed part of that nightmare. Hakaijuu. Yeah, I knew those scary things. I should have been more conscious about my surroundings. I had been running for my dear life without thinking.

But every dream would have to end. The problem would be how to end it. Should waking up no longer be an option, what would be my alternative route? My acquaintance was still running when I discovered the twist. I could have been there as well. Those monsters were terrifying, yet there was an unexplainable, haunting charm to them. Nobody could resist taking another look from where they were. If anybody found those creatures familiar, then you must had been running as well.

Hakaijuu. The nightmare of mankind.

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪  

Zekkyou Gakkyuu

Zekkyou Gakkyuu

Sunday, November 8, 2015 / 1 Comment

Have you readers heard of this particular story about a hauntingly beautiful girl with long, black hair donning a school uniform but missing the lower half of her body telling spooky tales of school children to people through manga? It used to be said of the girl that she was an unfortunate victim of a bullying incident, and over time her presence changed into that of a sinister nature, though nothing concrete could be dished out except from the kids themselves who would have mostly disappeared before they could say anything. Anyway, the girl served mainly as a narrator. Oddly enough, I used to listen in to her storytelling sessions without actually realising who she really was.

That girl was Yomi. Well, technically she was already a ghost from the beginning of her storytelling. Oh, and the colour of her hair would change quite unknowingly (?) with different covers. The chilling tales that Yomi told largely involved children in elementary or middle school, hence their situations naturally took place within the school premises, their own homes, and other familiar backdrops like the park and such. Also, the horror elements were a lot milder since in unspoken tradition, it would be deemed inappropriate or cruel to inflict overly bloody and gory consequences onto children. Despite all that, I was still intrigued by those stories.

Yeah, the stories became increasingly addictive each time. I didn't realise that I was gradually being lured into the amazingly unstoppable force which Yomi had generously unleashed. The first one concerned the choices made through a game console which in turn became the consequences in reality. It actually reminded me of how many spooky tales would integrate moral lessons and such that mirrored the need to make the society a more tolerable existence. The themes were mostly what a lot of people could easily relate to in their schooling years.  

Of course, other stories offered different interpretations of urban legends, folklore and horror pop culture which were tailored to the suitability of younger readers. Most elements should also be familiar to adults, in particular me since I was the one who brought this up in the first place. Gosh, I was so blown away by the wide array of stories. Many had kept me right at the edge!  

Oh, the title? Zekkyou Gakkyuu. The mangaka is Ishikawa Emi. Some scanlations translated the title as Screaming Lessons. The series has already concluded with 20 tankoubon volumes released over seven years from 2008 till 2015. I highly recommend Zekkyou Gakkyuu to readers who appreciate the horror genre. But even if you don't fancy being scared, do still consider the title since it is supposedly targeted at younger readers (yet certain adults like me still read it anyway) and the level of horror is relatively much milder.  

On with the remaining chapters!

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪

Love So Life

Love So Life

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 / No Comments

Hello readers. We are fast approaching mid-October, and in a matter of months this year will come to an end. Now, where did most of 2015 go? While I can't say for certain where mine went, I would like to think that even in times of bad there was still a faint hint of light which gave me the strength to move on with life. Naturally, I remain thankful for the good things as usual, no matter how slight. Anyway, it still feels a little unbelievable that half of the month is passing us. Oh, Halloween is coming! I just realised that it falls on the 31st of October. Shall I celebrate with Pumpkin Soup? Actually, I kind of feel sorry for those discarded pumpkin goo.

Today's offering is a manga series that seems perpetually soaked in sugar despite life's down moments. If anybody remembers, I used to talk about how little children seem more bearable in anime and manga than in reality. While I have no intention to offend those who genuinely love children, I still have to say that the modern world has changed so much over the years that children are no longer just children, if anybody gets what I mean. In any case, children would probably remain acceptable in print and animation. That said, let's get to the manga in question. By mangaka Kouchi Kaede, here is Love So Life.

The odd title aside, the manga is filled with such high levels of cuteness, sweetness and anything in-between that there should probably be a disclaimer somewhere in case of an uprise in a certain condition which could well send anybody into the medical ward. Okay, while that is definitely far too exaggerated, there is no denial that with a manga like this anything is deemed possible. Anybody knows the foam in the mouth thingy? Apparently, the actual condition has been rumoured to co-exist with an overdose of certain manga genres. Anyway, pardon the digression.  

Love So Life opens with a self-introduction of the protagonist, Nakamura Shiharu. Shiharu is a 16 year-old high school freshman who lost both her parents at a very young age. Her father died before she was born, and her mother passed away when Shiharu was five. Since then, she has been living in the orphanage called The Sunflower House. Shiharu dreams of becoming a qualified daycare teacher as spending her formidable years with other children in the orphanage has made her unconditionally loving towards them. She is especially fond of the Matsunaga twins: Aoi and Akane.

Aoi and Akane are two years old at the beginning of the manga. Well, I still find them a little difficult to differentiate. Until many chapters down I didn't realise that Aoi is a boy and Akane is a girl. The twins have a rather dramatic story: Their mother passed away suddenly, and unable to deal with the grief their father disappeared, leaving them in the care of their uncle Matsunaga Seiji. The twins prove to be more than just a handful for Seiji, who is a popular television presenter. However, they take an immediate liking to Shiharu. The striking contrast would eventually lead to an offer which Shiharu can't refuse. She becomes the babysitter of the twins outside of the daycare.

I think that a manga like this runs on a familiar prescribed formula. Naturally, the human drama element is prevalent throughout. Shiharu attempts to hide her vulnerable side since she believes that she has to be strong for herself as the world out there could be quite brutal. She longs for the warmth of a family, easily envious of her friends in school and such. Her vulnerability is noticed by Seiji and the twins, who have grown so fond of her over the series that it isn't surprising that others would mistake them for an actual family.

There is also the comic relief which cushions the more solemn parts of the story. After all, Shiharu is a high school student. She has a bunch of close friends in school, and gets involved in stuff that girls her age would do. Then, there is the romance for those who enjoy excessive blushing, hearts thumping, dangerously intimate moments and such. Of course, the general idea is to be wholesome (?) in any genre thinkable to mankind.

Love So Life has officially concluded with a total of 17 tankoubon volumes. See what I mean? Everything feels so fitting (?) now! Even though the twins aren't Seiji and Shiharu's. Anyway, this has become part of my invisible list of must-follow manga! I recommend it to anyone who has a soft spot for children in manga.

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪

Favourite Mangakas: est em on centaur lovers, an udon fetish and the Spanish allure

Favourite Mangakas: est em on centaur lovers, an udon fetish and the Spanish allure

Thursday, October 8, 2015 / No Comments

Any yaoi obsessed person and/or serious fan of alternative manga will eventually hear of est em somehow or other. Needless to say, est em (de-capitalised as preferred by the author) is merely a pen moniker. Her real name is Maki Satoh. 

Occupying the recluses of heavily European-inspired art in Japanese manga, her characters are uncompromisingly distinctive and instantly recognisable. 

To start off, let’s take a look at her BL works since she did, after all, debut in that genre. When it comes to the men she draws, she has perfected the essence of sensual virility. Through rugged strokes and an astute eye for chiseled complexions, her illustrations expertly capture the male form at its most beautiful and lyrical without sacrificing an ounce of masculinity.

Red Blinds The Foolish

Ultras

Equus

In fact, her drawing and narration style is so different from typical BL manga that newbies to her work wonder if she’s actually not Japanese. That is how foreign her stories feel. In an interview with Jocelyne Allen of the blog Brain Vs. Book, she explains why this is so.

“People who read a lot of manga draw manga-like manga, people who read novels, I think they probably draw things that have a lot of monologues or dialogue. My biggest influence is the Western films I’ve been going to see since junior high school, mostly American films, but also French films, Italian films, Russian films.”

Expanding on this aesthetic aspect, she also highlights her fascination with the physical male form. 

“When I was in junior high, high school, I loved Michelangelo, and there was a period where I copied him obsessively. I just adored the human body that he drew. I really love drawing the male body, the muscles. Simply in terms of the lines, there’s a tremendous amount that interests me.”

The Battle of Cascina (1504) by Michelangelo

David (1501 -1504) by Michelangelo

In another interview with Jocelyne, she talks about how she goes to Spain every year; her enthrallment, almost devotion, to the country clearly inspires the plots she writes of. (She can even speak basic Spanish, akin to the level of a “ten year old”, as she puts it) Her interest in this vibrant and passionate culture began with flamenco. 

Flamenco art (Credits to ryoung-art and NonPrints)

“When I was a university student, I used to watch Antonio Gedas’s films. Films like Blood Wedding and Carmen. I watched all those films with famous flamenco dancers in them.” Eventually, she fell in love with the world of bullfighting and this is the central theme of two of her mangas, Red Blinds The Foolish and Golondrina.

Golondrina

(P.s. It’s a fascinating interview by the way, she talks about her interest in various cultures and cities and how it translates into her works. One of my favourite parts was when she described her trip to Ukraine, and how she met up with a fan’s friends who lived there. But the most intriguing part was when she spoke about her views on digitalising her works and making them available online. She has a sort of “new age” thinking, a more modern and liberal mind-set when it comes to distributing and translating Japanese manga to reach out to a global audience. It’s pretty eye-opening – even if you don’t plan on getting into est em, the interview is a great read just for that reason.)

Une Histoire d'Un Amateur de Friandises

In stories like Une Histoire d'Un Amateur de Friandises, the plotline seems to possess neither start nor end; instead flowing ambiguously like watching a motion picture of fragmented memories. She manages to weave in a little mystery, a delicious risqué factor (that comes from suggestive flirtations and the suave demeanour that preludes the main character), while glorifying chocolate in a coevally classy and carnal way. Totally makes me want to take a trip to pa-ree and rendezvous amongst the finest choco boutiques.

Udon no Hito

Her non-BL works still keep that aura of adult-like sophistication, with the females exhibiting a keen and mature self-awareness on top of whatever personality they may possess. Udon no Hito is innocent, light-hearted and whimsical in its concept. It follows the adorable budding romance between a 35 year old cafeteria lady and a college arts student 14 years her junior. (Age gaps… I dig them oh so much.) Definitely a more conventional, but no less enjoyable, story that showcases est em’s development in versatility, and willingness to explore varied cultural settings and social dynamics.

 Ippo

But above all, what I enjoy the most is her rustic yet stylish take on the slice-of-life genre. Ippo gives us a glimpse into the daily routine of a young and established shoemaker. The modest storyline belies the wealth of research that must have gone into it, and the rich art transports the reader into a realm of fantasy, despite the plot being based on reality. 

Through interview articles and the like, I came to appreciate est em’s works more. She’s a very cultured, creative and open-minded soul, and these qualities influence her mangas. Her narrative style conveys a mellowness and panache that transcends the norms of not just yaoi, but manga in general.

She is now focusing on non-BL stories, which I’m excited to see. I think she’ll get even more popular through the years, as she continues to flesh out and cement her unique approach to manga.  

Written by Faelan

Monster Musume No Iru Nichijou

Monster Musume No Iru Nichijou

Saturday, October 3, 2015 / No Comments

If any of your avid otaku friends have developed new or interesting fetishes involving attractive female mythical creatures lately, this manga is probably the one to be blamed. Think your usual harem-style romance manga, with harpies, centaurs, lamia and mermaids replacing the host of high school or college girls that frequent this genre. 

As absurd as the setting is, it makes for a good read and is a refreshing addition to a genre saturated with generic characters and storylines. Just keep your newfound fetishes to yourself afterwards, it’s better that way.

The story is set in a world where mythical creatures exist. This was kept a secret by the Japanese government till a bill was passed, revealing their existence and allowing them to live alongside humans. 

The ‘Interspecies Cultural Exchange Act’ let these creatures live with human host families, with a number of restrictions and obligations to fulfill. Being a new bill also means that loopholes will be exploited and subpoints are added as the chapters go by, creating new problems for the main character and his harem.

This is where main character Kurusu Kimihito comes in. He didn’t volunteer for the programme but a technical error meant that he had to play host to Miia, a lamia (part-human, part-snake). He continues to play host, though not willingly to new creatures such as a centaur, harpy, a monster made of slime and a mermaid to boot.

Hilarity ensues due to each new addition wanting to be Kimihito’s girlfriend and eventual wife, much like any other harem manga. Various incidents and funny situations occur because of each creature’s unique characteristics too, be it Miia needing to shed her skin or Kimihito scrubbing Cerea’s (the centaur) bottom.

The main thing I appreciated while reading Monster Musume was that Kimihito is not a complete idiot oblivious to his surroundings. Many authors of harem manga employ this technique to drive and flesh out the story, understandably so but frustrating for the reader nonetheless. 

Kimihito understands that the girls in his home are vying for his attention but has clearly stated that he isn’t able to make a decision just yet due to various reasons. Coupled with the mangaka giving each girl equal screentime with Kimihito, it’s easy to see why this series is so popular, especially with the anime’s recent run.

I can’t deny that I continued reading the manga because of the ecchi aspects but the humour kept me hooked onto the series, constantly flipping page after page. Characters broke the fourth wall and noted the absurdity of their situation, be it one of the girls whining that she hasn’t made that many appearances recently to Kimihito being resigned to the fact that his house is basically a United Nations for mythical creatures at one point.

The manga doesn’t take itself too seriously and the lighthearted tone makes it a breeze to read through. Monster Musume is a great pick-me-up, especially if you’ve been feeling burnt out from your typical rom-coms or have been dabbling too much in thought-provoking seinen anime/manga. 

However, the art may put some people off, especially in earlier chapters. Certain panels seem amateurish but the ones that highlight the girls are detailed and polished. I feel as if the mangaka did this deliberately but this is a minor issue for me.

 

With only 36 chapters out at this point, Monster Musume doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon and I’m looking forward to more exotic creatures being given the ‘attractive anime girl’ treatment. 

The girls introduced thus far were based off common Western mythical creatures. It would be nice to see some being based on traditional Japanese yokai, perhaps?

Written by ET