Forum - View topicJason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga Special Guest Edition: Love Song and Four Shojo Stories
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invalidname
 Contributor Posts: 2484 Location: Grand Rapids, MI |
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I remember buying this in a Media Play store just for "They Were 11", which had come (and gone?) as a VHS tape in that era. Great stuff.
These anthologies don't seem to pay of in the US (Rumic World, anyone?), but I've always liked how they offered a way to sample a bunch of different stuff you wouldn't necessarily try out otherwise. Speaking of which… hey Viz, now that you're all digital and everything, can we please have Shojo Beat back? |
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st_owly
 Posts: 5234 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland |
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I found Love Song in a charity shop for about £1.50 a year or so ago. One of my favourite things in my collection now.
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zawa113
 Posts: 7358 |
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I've got Love Song on my shelf, but I've never found a cheap copy of Four Shojo Stories. I do have the They Were 11 movie though, it's fantastic! I have read the manga through sources, but I do prefer the movie, I think it just has more time to let everyone interact. My first time through, I easily guessed why there was an eleventh person (it's not that hard to figure out honestly), but I couldn't identify who was the eleventh person. The second time through, it all seemed so obvious, there are plenty of clues, but it definitely makes it well worth watching and going back once to see the clues you missed the first time. I was really expecting the eleventh person to be obvious, but it wasn't. Also, that ship they were in was so cool! Sadly, the DVD is out of print, I found my copy at Otakon in a $5 bin, and remembered hearing of it in Buried Treasure (though I couldn't remember if it was one of the columns about something good or bad), but what hey, $5, got it, luckily it was from a column about something good. But I've quite literally never seen another copy of it in person again. There's not even one on eBay right now! Only some VHS copies. It would be so awesome if Discotek grabbed this (maybe if Locke the Superman goes well? Since it's also scifi and feels shojoish? Also, that's another worth buying for those curious), oh but they might not want to mention the guy directed Mad Bull 34, because, seriously, who would believe you? They Were 11 is actually good!
Oh, speaking of Moto Hagio, Fantagraphics' releases of both A Drunken Dream and Heart of Thomas are both epic! Much like Four Shojo Stories, I've never come across a cheap copy of A, A' either. Actually, kinda surprised that wasn't also mentioned in this column. |
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sepherest
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I bought a copy of Four Shoujo Stories after missing out on the colored comic book-style issues of They Were Eleven. I know there were some licensing problems with the book after it was released but I'd definitely like to have more anthology collections of manga by different artists, it doesn't seem like there are many collections like that published in english.
Last edited by sepherest on Thu Apr 11, 2013 2:41 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Tamaria
 Posts: 1512 Location: De Achterhoek |
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Me too, the three of them are kind of like the holy trinity of early translated shoujo manga, aren't they? I like how half of the stories are scifi. Shoujo science fiction is extremely rare and I think most of the stuff available in English can be found in Four Shojo Stories and A,A'. (And since this column gives me an excellent chance to brag: I was able to buy all three and for really awesome (Love Song - €5, A,A' - €3, Four Shoujo Stories - €6)  Naturally, they're the favourite things in my collection.)
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Ingraman
Posts: 1084 |
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I got into anime and manga at the right time. I've had Love Song and Four Shoujo Stories on my shelves since they were published. ^^
I'm very happy that I haven't had to hunt for bargains or overpay for them. They're great books. |
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Wooga
 Posts: 916 Location: Tucson |
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I'm lucky to have four shojo stories and A'a', I reread them often.
In the recent anime Hyouka, one of the main characters is in the manga club, and exasperated when nobody recognizes her Frol Cheriberi cosplay. I find it amusing that she's the 'normal' character who snarks on her friends. They Were 11 was also in Scott Pilgrim, albeit in title only. |
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sailorsarah
 Posts: 189 Location: Texas |
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Great article. I own and love both of these titles as well as A, A'. Every story in these is wonderful. I was especially impressed with Keiko Nishi. I would love to read more of her manga.
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simside
 Posts: 29 |
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I own both Promise and Four Shoujo Stories, along with A, A'. All three are amazing, although A, A' wasn't a favorite when I first bought it as a young manga fan in high school. I remember the idea of manga for girls appealing to me, so I mail-ordered that volume without seeing it, but that story wasn't what I had in mind. Luckily, I found X soon after, and then Tokyopop also started up with the shoujo around that time. And I love A, A' now.
JManga did translate another Keiko Nishi series, 2 volumes of Kyudo Boys. It was really good, too! Much more light-hearted and a little comedic, but I loved the vignette formula she used in there. |
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fuuma_monou
 Posts: 1859 Location: Quezon City, Philippines |
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Used to have Four Shoujo Stories, but I traded it online a few years ago. I think I have all the stories collected in Love Song in my Manga Vizion back issues. Ditto for A, A'. |
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Graceful Nanami
Posts: 303 Location: United States |
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Totally just snagged a newly listed (!) Love Song on eBay for 13 bucks free shipping. Can't wait to... add to my manga backlog.
 Wish i could find Four Shoujo Stories...
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katscradle
Posts: 469 |
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I didn't realize until later how important Matt Thorn was in the 1990s. His translations were most of the first manga I read. Love Song is one of my all time favourites, that I always keep on the shelf. It's so uncomfortable to read the first chapter. Great article!
Last edited by katscradle on Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:48 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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ptolemy18
Manga Reviewer/Creator/Taster
Posts: 357 Location: San Francisco |
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How did I miss that one?! Sigh, JManga... |
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Shaenon
Posts: 18 |
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If Jason doesn't cover A, A' first, that'll probably be my next guest House. I don't think any manga has had as big an impact on me as that one.
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livingcipher
Posts: 2 |
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I love love love that Jason chose to write about Love Song. I bought it when I was a young teen in Borders, just discovering my love of comics. Keiko Nishi's stories were haunting, uncomfortable and deeply memorable. Over the years, I've read it a hundred times, trying to understand just a little more of the stories each time. I hope very sincerely that Matt Thorn brings us more of her stories during his relationship with Fantagraphics.
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