The Shojo Manga Thread

Thought I drop this in here for what it’s worth.

Just came across a review for this over on ANN - sounded intriguing.
Manga entitled Dolis (Die Todliche Dolis) – doesn’t explicitly say its Shojo, but the mere mention of the ‘romance’ word (albeit in what sounds like a less orthodox manner) suggest its in the that sort of area.

One thing of note, quoting the review:
“…every now and then, Tokyopop likes to try out new things that no one else would dare. If mature and challenging works like Dolis are part of those new things, then let's hope they continue in that direction.â€
 
Hey Jimi-Jam

I've actually heard of this one and the review does sound fascinating. Since I'm a big fan of everything weird, I will have to go and investigate more. I've read manga for a year now, so I need something a bit challenging, to shake up what I think manga is, because when I first got in to it, I was overwhelmed by the freedom and possibility hidden inside the small pages.

M.G xx
 
Hey Manga Girls

It's taken me a while to get around to saying it, but thanks for the link you sent me, i havn't got around to getting that issue with the stickers, but i did have a look at Red Hot Comics ebay auctions and ended up getting the latest issue of Shojo Beat. For some reason i never imagined Shojo Beat would have content other than manga, lol, but i think i will have to make it a regular purchase.
Everytime i have a look through it i have to stay as far away as possible from the Absolute Boyfriend section as i only read the 2nd volume the other day and it seems to be up to around volume 4 in Shojo Beat
I did think Backstage Prince looked pretty interesting though, i think i will have to buy a few back issues to read it from the beginning, as the manga isn't out until March!!, and with United Publications that probably means more like April.
Even though i've watched the bit of the NANA manga that was in there already i was still really gripped by it, maybe thats because it seems like a very close translation from manga to anime, so it was just like rewatching a episode :).

Jimi-Jam i've never heard of that manga before, i usually know what i like and stick to it, but it does seem pretty interesting, and it certainly has alot of praise in that review, i might have to look into it :)
 
Hiya Charter_Mage

No probs! I know exactly what you mean, Shojo Beat, from the cover
looks like a very girlie magazine, but the articles they have on
japanese culture are absolutely fascinating.

Yes, Backstage Prince is rather good. I like the way it wraps up the
story with every chapter. Ah, you are going to have a hard time avoiding
Absolute Boyfriend, the storyline in the January chapter is rather good.
My favourite bit is the 'How to...' section which shows how to dress up
as your favourite manga character. Its already given me an idea who to
dress up as for the next Expo.

Bingo! - I felt exactly the same way when reading Nana. I'm currently
reading some old back issues where they show the story of Blast's past
and it still feels fresh.

M.G xx
 
On Ai Yazawa, I've watched the first few episodes of the Gokinjo Monogatari anime and the first part of the manga, and it is a really enjoyable series. It's aimed at a younger audience and isn't as realistic or mature as either ParaKiss or NANA, but if you're a Yazawa fan, it is something fun to check out.

Not sure who is my favourite character of NANA as I adore everyone aside from Ren and Takumi. The distaste I have for them grows with every chapter released (I think we're up to chapter 65 now) ^^
 
The two titles that I can't recommend enough when it comes to shoujo are both Tokyo Babylon and X.

X was the second manga I ever bought back in what must have been 2000 (first was Sailor Moon), and I've re-read it a number of times. Great depth of characterisation despite the fact there are around 20 main or recurring characters (something the movie royally screwed up), a lot of action, and heap loads of romance as well.

But the series that links to X, Tokyo Babylon (set 8 years before X and has two of X's main characters in it, and the other main TYOB character appears a couple of times in X) has to be without a doubt not only my favourite shoujo title, but my favourite manga ever.

Starts off pretty episodic before the backing story starts to pull everything together. Each chapter has it's own story to it, but in essence each gives an exploration of each of the three characters and also exposes the ills of Japanese society at the beginning of the 1990s from a Japanese perspective (anything from rape, suicide, family suicide, treatment of the elderly, occults and child abuse). Even though some parts are pretty dark, it is quite a hopeful tale with a lot of great comic moments...

...and a completely horrid ending that will rip your heart out :cry:

Anyone read Tokyo Babylon? I can find X fans everywhere, but rarely run into people who have read TYOB.
 
Hello Akaihane

I'm a Tokyo Babylon fan too. It was the first manga that I ever bought. By modern standards, it's quite dated (exploring the 90s as you say) but thats what gives it a special charm. One of the reasons I liked it was because of the interesting viewpoint it addressed about Tokyo. About decadence, and perhaps about humans selfish natures. I've always wondered if CLAMP were interviewed today, would their view of humanity have changed? Or perhaps the society drawn in TB is still the same today, a decade or so later. Makes me wonder...

And you are absolutely right about the ending. I was completely shocked, so shocked, that I don't think I will ever be able to read it again. But it is a masterpeice, so I always keep telling people to read it. There aren't many manga that question the way we live, and I still believe that that is an important thing to do.

M.G xx
 
X was the very first manga I picked up, just this last summer – being new to the whole thing it was the one manga on the shelves that looked like I might enjoy - partly impressed by the artwork and partly drawn to what seemed like a good blend of drama, characters, action and fantasy.
I have only got as far as volume 5 due to being impatient to explore what other manga titles might have to offer. I like what I’ve seen so far and I’ll certainly be following the series when funds permit.
Am I right in saying this series wasn’t/hasn’t been finished by CLAMP? Does this detract in any way from following the series as far as it goes? (Vol.18 iirc)

I got hold of the Tokyo Babylon series for a good price second hand (thx Manga Girls :wink: - that will make re-reading it a little more difficult for you!) having taken a liking to CLAMP’s work.
Wasn’t sure to make of it overall, I wondered if it was down to it being a little dated, but I think a lot of it was down to its episodic nature which I wasn’t quite expecting, perhaps having hoped for more of a twisting and turning plot line. Now I say this, this probably stems from having read X first and anticipating something similar.

Having said all of this, I did enjoy it; I liked the interplay between the three main characters and there are definitely some nice comic moments. There are some touching stories in the individual episodes and I like the fact that even though it has its elements of fantasy, it grounds itself in the reality of Tokyo City and a portrayal of some of its real people, even if it is those from 10-15 years ago (I’m in danger here of simply reiterating what you’ve both already said - nevermind).
Are there any other manga that have this element of real world and - like you say M.G. – ones that are perhaps more questioning of how we are, how we live?

It was a good ending – I was shocked but maybe not so surprised, if that’s possible (or should it be the other way round? - surprised but not shocked...hmmm...:? ) – ever since the start of the series I was waiting for things to happen between the characters involved and it does keep dropping you hints through out that something is going on underneath the surface and all is not as it seems, but it is good the way it keeps you suspended and you’re never really sure how its going to turn out.
Perhaps I’m being too critical but its this reason why I felt some of the episode fodder got in the way a little and perhaps it could have benefited from being a couple of volumes shorter.

I can feel a possible re-reading coming on sometime – maybe do it in less chunks – connect the start and end better (…this is reminding me of the comments I was making on Haibane Renmei earlier today :roll: )


As a side note - nice to hear from another Yazawa fan, Akaihane :) - I'll probably do a NANA update when I've got further on. Currently at Vol.9 manga and Ep.20 anime.
 
@ M.G.

I think TYOB is a rare jem as it deals with things that you see so infrequently in manga. And just to think the CLAMP girls started to write it when they were in their early twenties *head desk* I think they mentioned something about what motivated them to write a story about such troubles in society (it was started during the few years they lived in the city, IIRC) in the TYOB issue of CLAMP no Kiseki. I'll have to look that up.

It deal with the issues in a honest way, and the fact that Subaru still professed to love Tokyo despite the fact that he so often saw the worst in society, the things others wouldn't be able to pick themselves up from, was inspiring. But, in relation to that, the fact we also see the way it starts to affect him, his breakdown after dealing with the mother who had her daughter murdered... Just has such depth for a manga that is actually pretty short.


@ Jimi-Jam

Yeah, X is currently at halfway through volume 19 in Japan (so only 18 volumes published), but has been on hiatus from 2002, I think. Rather than explain the whole story, this post will explain it better than I can:

http://www.manganews.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1736

Hopefully it will be back soon (though Tsubasa and xxxHOLiC will most likely be finished first), especially as it's at quite an important part.

I think Vol. 5 is the part where Subaru is first mentioned, where Arashi and Sorata are trying to figure out who the last Seal is. Unfortunately Sei-chan isn't in it as much as I would have liked (you don't really get a great sense of who he is in X unless you've read Tokyo Babylon), but Subaru becomes one of the main characters as he and Kamui become incredibly close friends.


@ Ya both

Unfortunately I'd read a good chunk of X before I started Tokyo Babylon, so I knew the ending, just not quite how it all came about or the relationship Sei-chan and Subaru had had. M.G., even despite that fact, I find it hard to read the ending. I tend to have to put the book down for a moment as it's so hard to get through. The flashback of Hokuto dressing Subaru up in the final volume...

You always know from the first hints that there is something more about Sei-chan, and that there is going to be something bad happen, but I think what actually happens at the end is surprising as there could have been any other number of possibilities.

God, what I would do to be able to forget what happened in X and to read TYOB without knowing the ending.

I was a little worried about starting Tokyo Babylon too as it was so old (ran in the phone books between 1990 and 1993). I was only seven at the time it's set, and I can remember hating fashion, etc. at that point in time (it was one of my most hated time periods) and feeling when I started it that it was dated. Anything set/written in that period is automatically dated and the clothing Hokuto dressed herself and Subaru up in just dated it even more.

But after a few chapters, it became one of the reasons I fell in love with it and it really has increased my tolerance for older anime and manga (I've just finished watching Sailor Moon R again, made back in 1992/3 and loved the animation as it is so dated now).

I don't tend to like things that are episodic, but I do love that with TYOB. I think it was a very effective way of placing Subaru into different situations where we can see him grow and get a good grasp upon his personality.


With NANA, I think I'm pretty much up-to-date with it all :D I've seen the first movie (watched it before the anime or manga), have episode 34 on download at the mo, and have read up to chapter 65 (vol. 17) in scanalations (while I buy and re-read the English version as it's released). I really adore the series.

I've actually only been reading Aizawa recently (starting when ParaKiss started on Japanese TV back in late 2005), and so far have only read/seen NANA, ParaKiss, Gokinjo Monogatari and Kagen no Tsuki (Last Quarter). Hoping to check out Tenshi Nanka ja Nai next.
 
I really want to see more Minami Ozaki (BRONZE)!!! And also, bring out ARIES (Greek mythology manga)!

My favourite Shoujo manga artist is Takeguchi, creator of Hana No Asukagami. This series is currently being scanlated.
 
Hiya Akaihane

Your post gave me a lot to think about! :) I agree with what you say about how Sabaru both loved and hated the city at the same times. The first volume expored that wonderfully. I tend to think, the more imperfect something is, the more beautiful it becomes. So CLAMPs view of Tokyo was fascinating. But that ending, seriously, I didn't see that coming...

It took me a while to adjust to the artwork too, but I liked the way CLAMP used the fashions, culture, society to portray the way people lived then. That era had a very distinctive feel about it. What I have tended to find about the time we live now, there hasn't really been any defining moment for my generation, there really isn't a particular, colour, feeling or sound to represent this era. So delving into TB's pages were fascinating because it really was a snapshot of a society at one point in time. I myself was never keen on fashion. To be honest, it wasn't until I saw Parakiss that I started to take interest. I dunno, George kind of made fashion sexy... :wink:

I do like NANA loads - total Nana O fangirl! Up to episode 39 of the anime and I follow the series in SB magazine. Wow, you are up to date with Ai Yazawa'a work. What else of hers do you think I should check out?

M.G xx

n.b Cercia - Greek mythology manga, never knew it existed. Wahey! I'm a big fan of greek mythology....
 
On the topic of NANA…
Not sure why I need to know, but I was just curious as to what chapter/volume in the manga the anime episodes have reached?
Also – what chapter is SB magazine up to?

Guess I’d just like to know where people are up to in the storyline :wink:
 
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