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Invader_Spooch
Joined: 22 Jul 2003
Posts: 96
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 12:52 am
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Quick little comment about the RHYSMYTH review:
Quote: | While the first volume starts out like a typical sports underdog story, it quickly blossoms into something not often seen-a girls' underdog story, where self-confidence and romantic intrigue take center stage, and the raw urge to get stronger is less important. |
How is that not often seen in a (presumably) girl's manga (re:shoujo)?
Don't most series in the genre feature a female lead that is more concerned about love interests (getting the boy(s) to like them) and feeling more confident in themselves (usually with a catty rival girl for the lead to feel competitive with)?
I fail to recall a action-adventure or competition series with a female lead that DOES focus on the character's lofty goals career wise or competition wise and doesn't question her self worth.
I wouldn't mind seeing a shounen series with an ambitious female lead that isn't constantly boy-struck and actually has confidence in herself.
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Neverwhere
Joined: 17 Jun 2006
Posts: 351
Location: socal
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:10 am
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Invader_Spooch wrote: |
I wouldn't mind seeing a shounen series with an ambitious female lead that isn't constantly boy-struck and actually has confidence in herself. |
Claymore. *grins* But I'm sure that's not exactly what you had in mind.
LoveCom is such fun, isn't it? The anime is great, the movie was good, and now the manga is finally here. Hurrah! It's just a shame we can't have it in Kansai-ben as well. Woe.
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Invader_Spooch
Joined: 22 Jul 2003
Posts: 96
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:18 am
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That's about as much of a traditional "shounen" series as Death Note (ie. not really), not to mention that Claymore is a rarity (on top of it being more akin to Berserk than a competiton/adventure series).
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Neverwhere
Joined: 17 Jun 2006
Posts: 351
Location: socal
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:18 am
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I was being silly. (You did just ask for a shounen title, after all. : )
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Ari-chan
Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Posts: 215
Location: Florida
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:24 am
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Yeah I would also like to see more female characters in manga focus on something other than boys. Be it in shounen or shoujo manga. God knows I haven't seen a character like that since Ran Kotobuki of Super Gals.
Lovely Complex sounds great. I've been meaning to check out the anime, but starting with the manga sounds like a better plan.
Gintama has always been a lot of fun to read, glad it's finally here.
Gacha Gacha had me bored reading it. It was the typical harem fan service fest, but without anything to really stricking to set it apart from it's 100,000 competitiors. I've read better.
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Invader_Spooch
Joined: 22 Jul 2003
Posts: 96
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:24 am
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I know, but I respond to internet humor with a startling level of seriousness, for some reason (probably to avoid misinterpreting serious posts as joking).
My bad, I need to call off the dogs. ;
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Neverwhere
Joined: 17 Jun 2006
Posts: 351
Location: socal
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:40 am
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Ari-chan wrote: | Yeah I would also like to see more female characters in manga focus on something other than boys. Be it in shounen or shoujo manga. |
This is why the Saiunkoku Monogatari novels NEED to get licensed.
And more josei, please god more josei. *makes irresistible bambi eyes at every publisher*
I highly recommend reading Kimi wa Pet (better known under the inexplicably translated title Tramps like Us), and not just because its my favourite manga. Well, actually it IS because its my favourite manga. *grins* Sumire is intelligent, attractive, seemingly perfect in every way...and so beautifully flawed it makes my heart ache. The story is compelling, the characters multi-layered and believable, the art is absolutely GORGEOUS, and its also tremendously funny as well. Pathos, humour, romance, Power Rangers-style action -- its all in Kimi wa Pet.
And in the meantime, watch Twelve Kingdoms. *grins*
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sabriyahm
Joined: 24 May 2005
Posts: 292
Location: Georgia
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 7:58 am
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Neverwhere wrote: |
Ari-chan wrote: | Yeah I would also like to see more female characters in manga focus on something other than boys. Be it in shounen or shoujo manga. |
This is why the Saiunkoku Monogatari novels NEED to get licensed.
And more josei, please god more josei. *makes irresistible bambi eyes at every publisher*
I highly recommend reading Kimi wa Pet (better known under the inexplicably translated title Tramps like Us), and not just because its my favourite manga. Well, actually it IS because its my favourite manga. *grins* Sumire is intelligent, attractive, seemingly perfect in every way...and so beautifully flawed it makes my heart ache. The story is compelling, the characters multi-layered and believable, the art is absolutely GORGEOUS, and its also tremendously funny as well. Pathos, humour, romance, Power Rangers-style action -- its all in Kimi wa Pet.
And in the meantime, watch Twelve Kingdoms. *grins* |
Tramps like us (kimi wa Pet ) is an acquired taste though it certainly grew on me. I second the please more josei. Every title you mentioned is josei and they are all excellent.
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Jedi General
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 2485
Location: Tucson, AZ
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:44 am
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Neverwhere wrote: |
Invader_Spooch wrote: |
I wouldn't mind seeing a shounen series with an ambitious female lead that isn't constantly boy-struck and actually has confidence in herself. |
Claymore. *grins* But I'm sure that's not exactly what you had in mind. |
Even though you were joking, I'd still highly recommend Claymore to anyone who doesn't mind violence and gore.
Neverwhere wrote: | And in the meantime, watch Twelve Kingdoms. *grins* |
I second that. Yoko is one of my all time favorite anime characters, as a matter of fact.
On to the column. Thanks for reminding me about Yotsubato! I need to go out and pick up volumes 3 & 4. I loved the first two volumes. Glad to here that 4 is more of the same (even if it falters a bit).
Gintama looks like fun. I read a little of the preview in SJ magazine recently and thought I might pick it up once it comes out.
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Ryllharu
Joined: 26 Aug 2005
Posts: 70
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:44 am
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Neverwhere wrote: |
Invader_Spooch wrote: |
I wouldn't mind seeing a shounen series with an ambitious female lead that isn't constantly boy-struck and actually has confidence in herself. |
Claymore. *grins* But I'm sure that's not exactly what you had in mind. |
It's funny you mention Claymore, because Norihiro Yagi's earlier work, Angel Densetsu, has just that. It has two very strong female leads, one introduced a little after the beginning, and the other about mid way.
If you really want strong female leads, you'll just have to start reading more shoujo series. It's still rare there, but Yoshiki Nakamura's titles always have them.
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konton
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 34
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:52 am
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Great column as always.
Neverwhere wrote:
Quote: |
I highly recommend reading Kimi wa Pet (better known under the inexplicably translated title Tramps like Us), and not just because its my favourite manga. Well, actually it IS because its my favourite manga. |
Really? I'm so happy to hear that. I just started reading it (finished vol.2 last weekend) and I love it. Although I wish momo was a bit older, but I guess you can't have everything...
By the way, is it me (it's probably just me) or is it that sometimes the drawings look awesome and sometimes there is a strange line above the characters lips? Maybe I'm imagining things...
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Jedi General
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 2485
Location: Tucson, AZ
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:01 am
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Ryllharu wrote: | ... Norihiro Yagi's earlier work, Angel Densetsu, has just that. It has two very strong female leads, one introduced a little after the beginning, and the other about mid way. |
Interesting, if only it were licensed ....
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The Ramblin' Wreck
Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 924
Location: Teaching Robot Women How To Love
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:14 am
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Ok, WHY isn't the World Manga section graded?
And also, the first section of Gacha Gacha is much better that the total-shift-into-Skinamax second part. And by much better, I mean I'm not embarassed to have it on my shelfs (damning w/ faint praise, i guess).
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saiyajedi
Joined: 14 Aug 2004
Posts: 104
Location: Osaka
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:39 am
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While I enjoy Gintama, I object to it being characterized as the embodiment of Jump -- that moniker has to go to One Piece, which manages to take shonen clichés (e.g. teamwork, fighting for one's dreams, what it means to be a man) and turn them into nothing less than a guiding philosophy that seems new and interesting, even moving at times. Gintama is fast-paced and funny, but I can't say that it quite does all that.
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sunflower
Joined: 04 Sep 2005
Posts: 1080
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:15 am
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I'll admit that I bought APOTHECARIUS ARGENTUM simply because it had Latin and a pretty boy on the cover, so my expectations weren't that high. And then I read it on the beach during vacation, so I was in a good mood. So perhaps that's why I liked it more than the review. But I have to agree with being disappointed in the trite change of events at the end of each section where everyone kissed and made up.
However, something about the king and his advisors tells me those fakey "make-ups" were intended to seem false, and were really cover-ups for his true intentions, so I'm going to read another volume or two to see how this shapes up.
Oh, and what you said about Osamu Tezuka... I'd love to have his work released in standard manga volumes at a reasonable price. It's sad they're only available through a high end publisher (though they do a great job on the releases).
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