Otaku Champloo

Author: khursten

  • 39. Yatamomo

    yatamomo

    Sometimes, you just can’t help but fall in love with bad boys. Like Taylor Swift, it’s tempting to turn bad boys good for a weekend, right? 

    That’s what happened when Yata crossed Momota who was in the middle of cleaning his ass in a public bathroom’s sink. Unable to resist Momo’s puppy dog eyes, Yata offers to help him change his life. In Yatamomo, Harada shows us that it takes a lot more than kindness in domesticating a wild sexy dog like Momo. 

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  • Room801 is flying mile high this weekend

    Room8012015

     

    So the awesomesauce organizers of last year’s awesome yuri and yaoi convention are back and they’re flying mile high for this year’s Room 801!! I am totes excite to spend the weekend with this lovely crew as they’re holding their event on 28-29 March at Holiday Inn, Paramatta! 

    You can check the Room 801 schedule here and yes, I’ll be there to give some talks on Fujojosports and Fujoshibait. A great colleague of mine, Thomas Baudinette, will be talking about bara and gei manga. I’m totally excited to hear this as lines are blurred between yaoi, bara, bl, and gei manga in fandom outside of Japan. Kittyhawk will also be there to talk about yuri! There’s also the fun Igiari! Debate, a preview of a DMMD fan game, and a film showing of Free! and Yurikuma Arashi!  

    If you’re in town and want to fangirl with us this weekend, feel free to join us! It’s one of the loveliest BL-related events I’ve been in! 

  • 38. Sayonara, Sorcier

    Sayonara, Sorcier

    There was a time when nobody knew who Vincent Van Gogh was. Nowadays, everybody knows about him. And in different versions too (like the Dr. Who Van Gogh or the Cumberbatch Van Gogh). Most representations of Van Gogh show this miserable soul whose art was either too early for his time hence he was ‘unloved’ as an artist. Hozumi, on the other hand, thinks that’s not the case. In Sayonara, Sorcier Hozumi shows us how loved Vincent was by his younger brother, Theodorus ’Theo’ Van Gogh.

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  • Nakamura Asumiko’s Doukyuusei (Classmates) is getting an anime!

    Nakamura Asumiko’s Doukyuusei (Classmates) is getting an anime!

    Screen Shot 2015-03-15 at 8.28.47 am

    So good things happened yesterday and one of which was this announcement that A-1 pictures, the studio behind Persona and Utapuri are animating Nakamura Asumiko’s Doukyuusei series! You can check the　official anime page too!

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  • 37. Zucca x Zuca

    Zucca x zuca

    Takarazuka is a world that blows me away every time I get a glimpse of it. The sparkles. The glitter. The handsome otokoyaku. And did I mention the sparkles? The posters alone have a lot of sparkles and despite grabbing my attention each and every time, my only knowledge of Takarazuka is based on its relation to boys’ love ((check Jennifer Robertson’s book on Takarazuka)). Not that there’s a direct relation but the fanfare of women over the genderbending otokoyaku has often been cited as a cultural origin of girls’ fascination for the androgynous bishonen. There are texts who would refute that claim, of course, but either way, Takarazuka looks and sounds like an awesome thing, right? In Zucca x Zuca shows me what it’s like to be a fan of Takarazuka.

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  • Manga and the Mangaesque: Women’s Manga Conference in Manila


    A new year just started and it’s already quite hectic! For those in Manila, did you guys know that there’s a Manga conference happening in Manila? Manga scholars from all over the globe (from Fusami Ogi, Jaqueline Berndt, James Welker, etc.) as well as artists from all over Asia (Stephanie Soejono, Tintin Pantoja, and FsC) are going to be in Manila to talk about women’s manga! I’m going to be there too!

    The conference is the called Manga and the Mangaesque: New Perspectives to a Global Culture. It’s hosted by the Japanese Studies Program of Ateneo de Manila University alongside Women’s Manga Research Project and the Japan Foundation, Manila. The conference will be held on 22-23 January 2015 at Ricardo Leong Hall in Ateneo de Manila University!

    For more details about the event, check the Ateneo-JSP website!

    As for what I’ll be doing, I’ll be hosting a panel on women’s comics in the Philippines as well as a talk on the development of women’s doujinshi in the Philippines.

    It’d be great if you can join us! It’ll be heaps of fun! Feel free to approach me too during the conference!

  • The Dangerous BL of 2015

    The Dangerous BL of 2015

    bl-yabai

    It’s awesome to start the new year with some BL and I’m more than happy to share to you the list of most dangerous BL in 2015 from Kono BL ga Yabai! 

    Kono BL ga Yabai’s been going on since 2008 as a BL counterpart to another famous manga roundup called Kono Manga ga Sugoi. It was first published as a section in Eureka’s BL Studies issue but the year after, it eventually got its own book. Like Kono Manga ga Sugoi, BL ga Yabai selects titles released from a particular period (often between October of the previous year and September of the current year) and holds a poll on their favorite BL titles released that year from 40 manga critics and 6000 readers online and in stores. The result is a diverse selection of titles that has never disappointed me as a fan. Of course, granted that the critics votes have larger clout than the readers, I consider this list as a critic’s choice than it is a popular vote. 

    Bl yabai
    Here’s the BL ga Yabai survey in Animate when I visited in August 2014. I was one of the voters from Animate this year! XD

     

    You can see the difference between Kono BL ga Yabai compared to Chil-chil’s BL Award (which has 22,000 respondents) or even Amazon’s BL Bestsellers BL list. 

    For quick comparison, here’s a table of the top 20 BL titles from these lists. 

      Kono BL ga Yabai 2015 Chil-Chil BL Awards Amazon’s BL Bestsellers
    1 O.B. by Nakamura Asumiko Saezuru Tori wa Habatakunai by Yoneda Kou In These Words 2 by Guilt Pleasure
    2 Soredemo Yasashii Koi wo Suru by Yoneda Kou Hana wa Saku Ka (4) by Hidaka Shouko Dakaretai Otoko Ichii ni Odosareteimasu by Sakurabi Hashigo
    3 Ten Count by Takarai Rihito NightS by Yoneda Kou Soredemo Yasashii Koi wo Suru by Yoneda Kou
    4 Toshishita Kareshi no Renai Kanriheki by Sakurabi Hashigo Smells like Green Spirit by Nagai Saburou Sekaiichi Hatsukoi 9 by Nakamura Shungiku
    5 Dakaretai Otoko Ichii ni Odosareteimasu by Sakurabi Hashigo Choco Strawberry Vanilla by Psychedelico Yuutsu no Asa 5 by Hidaka Shouko
    6 Sneaky Red by Tanato 10Dance by Inoue Satou OB 1 by Nakamura Asumiko
    7 10Dance by Inoue Satou Shinjou-kun to Sasahara-kun by Koshino OB 2 by Nakamura Asumiko
    8 Saezuru Tori wa Habatakunai (Twittering Birds Never Fly) by Yoneda Kou Kuroneko Kareshi no Amaekata by Sakyou Aya Shinjou-kun to Sasahara-kun by Koshino
    9 Kuroneko Kareshi no Aishikata by Sakyou Aya Hana no Miyako de by Takarai Rihito Junjou Romantica 18 by Nakamura Shungiku
    10 Yuuutsu no Asa (Blue Morning) by Hidaka Shouko Toshishita Kareshi no Renai Kanriheki by Sakurabi Hashigo Toshishita Kareshi no Renai Kanriheki 1 by Sakurabi Hashigo
    11 Nennen Saisai by Hideyoshico Between the Sheets by Hashimoto Aoi Kuroneko Kareshi no Aishikata 1 by Sakyou Aya
    12 Yatamomo by Harada Mauri to Ryuu by Moto Haruko Toshishita Kareshi no Renai Kanriheki 2 by Sakurabi Hashigo
    13 Nini no Mori by SHOOWA Michi to no Souguu by Koshino Sex Pistols 8 by Kotobuki Tarako
    14 Seinen Hakkaten by Amagakure Gido Gosan no Heart by Ogawa Chise Ten Count 1 by Takarai Rihito
    15 Shinjou-kun to Sasahara-kun by Koshino Utsukushii Yasai by Matsumoto Miecohouse Kuroneko Kareshi no Aishikata 2 by Sakyou Aya
    16 In These Words by Guilt Pleasure Yozora no Sumikko de by Hayakawa Nojiko Koisuru Boukun 9 by Takanaga Hinako
    17 Utsukushii Yasai by Matsumoto Miecohouse Itoshi no Nekokke (Otaruhen) by Kumota Haruko Hana to Usagi by Kashima Chiaki
    18 Afureteshimau by Arai Yoshimi Sekaiichi Hatsukoi 8 by Nakamura Shungiku In These Words by Guilt Pleasure
    19 Koisuru Intelligence by Tange Michi Tokyo Shinchuu by Totem Pole Ten Count 2 by Takarai Rihito
    20 Umibe no Etranger by Kii Kana Sunao ja nai kedo by Sakuraga Mei Super Lovers 7 by Abe Miyuki

     You can see the differences and similarities in choices between the selections. Not that I am saying that one list is better than the other but I’d like to think that these differences highlight the various metrics used to observe BL readers as well as show the different trends among BL readers, depending on the places they visit or where they buy their BL. For example, those who respond to Kono BL ga Yabai are probably meticulous readers who buy their manga in stores while taking note of when and why they bought it. Amazon’s list is based on sales and this might reflect on how easier it is to buy some titles online (e.g. In These Words are hardly seen on shelves in bookstores during my last trip given the fast turnover of titles in bookshelves). Chil-chil’s results is based on BL readers whose choices may be influenced by Chil-chil’s online forum. There are possibly other factors on these differences but for me, these lists are a great resource for good BL reads for the coming year. 

    The Kono BL ga Yabai 2015 also listed some of the best characters in BL manga last year. I won’t list all but here are the best of them. 

    Best Seme: Kuze Akihito (Blue Morning) 

    Best Uke: Yano (Twittering Birds Never Fly) 

    Best Megane: Asano Katsuya (In These Words) 

    Best Oyaji: Ichinose Masamine (between the sheets) 

    Best Hetare: Miyasaka Ken (Tokyo Shinchuu) 

    Best Tsundere: Kuroi Sabato (Kachou Fuugetsu by Shimizu Yuki)

    Best Sadist: Kuramoto Yuuji (Kimi ni Sasagu Sadistic by Sakurabi Hashigo) 

    Best Masochist: Nagai Tarou (Utsukushii Yasai) 

    Untitled
    This year’s Kono BL ga Yabai finally gives character to 801chan’s companion, 802-kun. He was designed by Nakamura Asumiko and has been on the cover with 801chan since 2013. 802-kun is a salaryman. In this segment, 801chan reveals that 802-kun’s senpai has the hots for him by showing his senpai’s intention to simulate a “train molester play” in these short comics.

     

    Lastly, Kono BL ga Yabai 2015 also highlighted 5 BL newcomers who are expected to give us awesome and exciting titles in the next few years. The only one I’ve read is Harada, known for her work in Ren’ai and Yatamomo. The other authors are Ido Gihou (Yasashiku Oshiete), Yuki Ringo (Tamayura), Ogeretsu Tanaka (Koi to Baka de Aru Koto da), and Etsuko (In the Apartment) 

    Now, I only highlighted the comics section of the book. There’s also a look at the best BL novels, as well as various interviews of the winning artists. For this year, it’s Nakamura Asumiko and Sakurabi Hashigo. There were also various features on the best manga for various tropes/play/settings as well as the top 5 manga as selected by various manga critics. 

    I think this selection is fairly nice. Compared to previous years, I’m surprisingly updated with many of the selected titles since many of them have either been published in ebookjapan or I had the chance to buy them. Hence, I feel a bit confident about pushing many of the titles in this list. That said, even when I read most of these titles, I realise that I have so much yet to read! 

    I am not surprised that Nakamura Asumiko got the top prize for Kono BL ga Yabai. She’s been a favorite among BL fans (and mine as well) and OB does deserve some merit. Hidaka Shouko, Takarai Rihito, and Yoneda Kou titles at the top also reflect their popularity and strength as authors. There are also new names in the list which give me faith in fresh new talent. Kii Kana’s Umibe no Etranger was a delight to read while Harada’s Yatamomo‘s hard erotic scenes was one I didn’t imagine critics would particularly place in the top 20. Then again, Harada’s presence in the top twenty also signifies a trend I noticed in this year’s selection. If anything, I think this year should be handed to Sakurabi Hashigo who spearheaded the trend in bringing sexy back to BL with her work Toshishita Kareshi no Renai Kanriheki. 

    Toshishita Kareshi no Renai Kanriheki vol. 2 by Sakurabi Hashigo

    Last year, there’s more schmex happening in BL and Toshishita Kareshi, Yatamomo, and Kuroneko Kareshi are the best reminders that ‘hardcore’ schmex is back with a vengeance. In the past few years we’ve been getting a lot of ‘softcore’ BL which is fun and cute and has made us forget all the raunchiness that used to happen in a lot of yaoi titles. But this time, BL has embraced some indecent images, vulgar perspectives, profuse sweating, obscenely noisy ukes, and creaking beds! And at times, it’s even lethal. By that I mean that they’ve managed to work a balance between a great heartwrenching mune-kyun story to go along with some of the most erotic scenes I’ve seen in current BL manga. Nakamura Asumiko’s OB is a good ‘softer’ example but there are things in Yatamomo that just makes my nose bleed. This new surge of hardcore BL works appear like tributes to some of the better executed full on hardcore yaoi seen in the late 90s (think Yoshinaga Fumi in her dojinshi!). If anything, some of these titles attempt to rival some of the softer erotica seen in gei (gay) comics ((just to note that this refers to Japanese gay comics — what most foreign fans know better as bara)). However, I don’t see BL embracing many of the heavier images in gei comics anytime soon. 

    What I also find particularly interesting about this list is how Guilt Pleasure is doing really well in Japan! Granted that Guilt Pleasure did a lot of work to promote In These Words, it’s amazing to see a foreign artist do really well in Japan! In Animate, they pushed Guilt Pleasure as an American comic which I find particularly funny because I think JoChen’s illustrations for In These Words are aesthetically closer to manga than amecomi. Hopefully, Guilt Pleasure’s success would push Japanese publishers to look at other foreign talent as well. 

    I expected some titles to hit the top. For example, I casted votes for Itoshi no Nekokke, Love Stage, Tokyo Shinchuu, and Kachou Fuugetsu yet those fell somewhere in the top 50 mark. Either way, the selection’s really interesting and are worth definitely reading for many BL fans. If you haven’t started reading some of these titles, then it’s about time you start the year right with some of these dangerous BL. 

  • Manga Resolution for 2015: All about Josei

    Manga Resolution for 2015: All about Josei

    A display of Taishou Romantica by Odawara Mizue in Tsutaya.
    As I was writing down my favourite reads of last year, I sat back and wondered, how much attention did I give to josei that year? I remember writing last year about the silence on josei but did I even make an effort to tackle josei, let alone understand this genre which I have claimed to have personally appreciated? 
     
    I kinda did but I kinda didn’t. I didn’t walk the talk on josei. At the very least, I read a number of josei works but I didn’t, in any way, give some thoughts on josei. I hardly even talked about the titles I read! And I keep mumbling about josei this and josei that but what do I even mean when I say josei? Am I referring to the genre? The writers? The audience? 
     
    In the last year, I’ve struggled to find answers for this because I didn’t know where to stand or even where to start. Am I raising some kind of orientalist feminist banner that demands attention for josei writers and the genre because they epitomise feminist cool? More so, on whose feminist lens am I reading josei? More so, is it just josei? Can I neglect the contributions of Yoshinaga Fumi with What did You Eat Yesterday or even Nakamura Hikaru with Saint Young Men simply because these titles run in a seinen magazine? What about the likes of Cuvie who write eromanga? And the countless of artists who draw the likes of TL and Ladies comics which has been conveniently identified by people as meaningless and senseless smut. Are these josei also meaningless? Will I read only those that are meaningful? How do I even define what is meaningful in josei?
     
    I’ve given myself a headache over these questions until I’ve lost track on what was really clear about the entire thing: I don’t really know so much about josei. To be precise, I don’t fully comprehend the extent of what female Japanese comic artists write.
     
    The truth is, as readers, we’ve been educated by countless of books on manga on which female artists mattered. Think Takemiya Keiko, Hagio Moto, or Ikeda Riyoko. I am not saying they don’t matter. All these ladies have contributed amazing things to manga but the problem lies in how attention to these women trapped us non-Japanese readers to think that these authors, and works similar to theirs, are the only ones that matter. It ticks me when people say “I only buy the manga classics like Tezuka because it’s only the good manga.” This attitude narrows the whole world of manga because there’s still a lot of manga out there, many of them vibrant, many of which are written by women.  
     
    Hence, this year, for this blog, I will make an effort to discover more about the world of women’s manga. I will read more manga written by women, from genres spanning from shoujo, to actual josei, to BL, TL, and even doujinshi and eromanga. I’ll also do my best to share some of the awesome texts written about women writers I’ve crossed in my research.
     
    It’s all about the women in manga in 2015! I can’t help but feel excited! From time to time, I’ll still be sharing some things about other genres but yeah, I’m refocusing my fujoshi lenses by adding a josei grade. It should be fun and if you’re interested, let’s josei up this year and read as many titles written by women!  
  • Favorite Manga Reads for 2014

    Favorite Manga Reads for 2014

    bookshelf

    2014 was a very busy year for me. The bulk of my research was done during this year and in terms of manga reading, I actually spent more time catching up or reading manga related to my research more than reading all the new manga I bought. But I did try. 
     
    Most of the manga listed here were read in transits or when I needed something to put me to sleep. Not that these manga were so boring that it put me to sleep! That’s not the case at all! If anything, these manga were my favorite reads because I actually remembered their titles. And trust me, with a year added to my belt, my memory’s fading fast that it’s a miracle I remembered these titles! 
     
    Many of these manga are in digital out of ease (although that didn’t stop me from buying physical manga). Digital manga became very accessible to me especially after a little incident pushed me to switch to a new device. After opening a Japanese Itunes account, a whole new world of manga became very accessible to me. It has been both my blessing and my misery. Just when a good number of folks have grown weary of manga, my love for manga just grew stronger this year. 
     
    With that in mind, here are my favorite reads in 2014! 
     
     

    Ajin

    Ajin by Tsuina Miura and Gamon Sakurai 
    Seinen | Available via Crunchyroll Manga and Vertical 
    I find the idea of immortality appealing, especially when it allows you to draw some shadowy figures whom you can teach to do some errands. Well, certainly that’s not what Ajin do but they’ve proven to be intelligent immortal ‘beings’ who are just a spirit away from being ‘human’. In fact, I’d like to believe they are human but people in the series refuse to believe so. Ajin’s a lot more complicated than a bunch of immortals running for their lives. Somewhere along the way, it surprisingly became a poignant human drama about people who sought to control what was unknown to them. The story often touches upon moral issues, many of which involves our mortality and our vehemence towards difference. This story has left me at the edge of my seat, wincing over some guts spewed while reflecting about my own mortality and how lives shouldn’t go to waste. 
     

    Busamen Danshi

    Busamen Danshi (ugly boy – how to get a handsome boyfriend) by Chiyoko Nonomiya 
    BL | Available via E-Renta, EbookJapan, and Line Manga
    Busamen Danshi features a parallel love triangle where two guys fall in love with their best friend who equally loved them both. I am rarely a fan of threesomes because that often lead to hot messes but Busamen Danshi was handled quite pleasantly that it left a good aftertaste even when it appeared like a clusterfuck. The art was cute and the characters ended with a generosity that made me believe that threesomes are awesome. After reading Busamen Danshi, threesomes became my jam and OT3 dynamics became legit. This was not good, of course, for my ever growing fujoshi armada. 
     
    In Clothes

    In Clothes Called Fat by Moyoco Anno 
    Josei | Available via Vertical 
    I don’t think I’ll ever be over this title. It’s too close to home but at the same time it’s just a compelling read. Moyoco Anno’s story about a woman’s struggle with her self-image and relationships is an interesting commentary about women’s lives and their daily struggle to fit in society’s “ideal woman”. It is not the easiest read but it is a must read for women. 
     

    Investor Z

    Investor Z by Norifusa Mita 
    Seinen | Available via Crunchyroll Manga 
    Never did I realise that this year would be the year I would be so hooked on a manga about investments. I shun EVERYTHING related to numbers and yet here I am amused with Japan’s war and post-war economies! WHAT THE FRACK! Set in some super-elite private school (that probably only exists in manga) where the kids get top of the class education without having to pay a cent, Investor Z reveals the ease and risks that comes with investments. It even has a compelling semi-historical story to back it up! I honestly don’t know how kids manage to do investments but it seems to be feasible as seen in Investor Z. 
     

    Koe no Katachi

    Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice) by Yoshitoki Oima 
    Shonen | Available in Crunchyroll Manga and Kodansha
    I read this series mostly out of curiosity however, it hit me with a wave of emotions that made me hate and love humanity altogether. It’s one of the few manga that runs in Crunchyroll Manga and it turned out to be a masterpiece.  This was the first manga I’ve read where a character deals with someone with a hearing disability. Perhaps the only seishun manga I’ve read that deals with how children cope and grow up with a disability. Many of Shouko’s experiences with bullying were quite confronting and yet I am perpetually amazed with how she moves on with a smile. This one’s not an easy read but it does have a satisfying ending. This one’s a beautiful and heart-wrenching story and truly merits its recognition as the best series in Comic Natalie’s best manga of 2014. 
     

    Last Game

    Last Game by Shinobu Amano
    Shojo | Available in iBooks Japan, EbookJapan, and Line Manga 
    I am a sucker for idiots. I am also a sucker for romances with two dimwits in it. At a time when I thought Margaret owned me, I end up reading this romantic comedy from Lala about a guy who loves a girl who seems to misunderstand his every effort in showing her affection. It’s almost like Ouran without the fancy helicopters and Takarazuka rival school. Instead, it focuses on the growth of the protagonists as they learn each other’s peculiar ways of showing affection. It’s a hilarious love story that has kept me in tears either out of joy or, more of than not, in frustration. Just read it! But don’t tell me I didn’t warn you that this’ll keep you in agony! 
     

    Otoko no Isshou

    Otoko no Isshou by Keiko Nishi
    Josei | Available via iBooks Japan, EbookJapan, and Line Manga
    This was a difficult choice because this was the year that I read A LOT of Nishi Keiko and it’s all because of this title. I honestly wanted to place Ane no Kekkon too but since that title is still making me go insane, I went with this, which has been wonderfully finished. This title ticks all my obachan woes (too busy and too tired to find new love) and ojichan love (intelligent, witty, if not, a bit snarky old man with glasses. ugh. the glasses bit was a killer.). Not that I find fantasy in an old guy suddenly invading my home but this story has enough charm to make me feel giddy over sharing house with an old man. It also has a movie coming out next year and god, is that oyaji looking lethal. All oyaji are lethal. 
     
    OB

    OB by Asumiko Nakamura 
    BL | Available via EbookJapan and Amazon Japan
    Nakamura Asumiko is back along with her boys â€” Sajou, Kusakabe, and their friends â€” for a short reunion of sorts to see how everyone’s been since we’ve last read them. OB, short for Occupation to Beloved, captures the same softness and warmth the earlier Dokyuusei series had. The narratives are woven in between glimpses of Kusakabe’s holiday in Sajou’s new residence in Kyoto. It’s a delightful read for fans of the series who would love to read updates on their favorite characters. And for those who haven’t read the Dokyuusei series (Dokyuusei/Classmates, Sotsugyousei/Graduates, and Sora to Hara), OB offers lovely perspectives on human relationships.  It’s so awesome that it’s even voted as this year’s Kono BL ga Yabai, proving Nakamura Asumiko’s prowess in BL. 
     

    P to JK

    P to JK by Maki Miyoshi 
    Shoujo | Available via EbookJapan, Amazon Japan, IBooks Japan, and Line Manga
    I started reading this title after Line Manga gave a one volume preview. After the first volume, I ended up buying the rest. This manga showed me the dangers of Line Manga (and how I really have low EQ) as well as handsome policemen. How could I honestly resist this cute May-December love affair between a high school girl who accidentally dates a policeman?! Can you imagine a policeman dating a high school girl!?! It’s a disaster waiting to happen but it was done tastefully well that I was basking in warm fuzzy feelings after reading this title. A sensible and funny May-December policeman-high school girl shojo story!? Is that even possible?  P to JK showed me it does. 
     
    Tokyo Shinchuu

    Tokyo Shinchuu by Totem Pole 
    BL | Available via EbookJapan, Amazon Japan, and Line Manga
    I love reading about office romances but I’m grateful that for once, this office romance didn’t involve as much suits or salarymen. Tokyo Shinchuu was something I picked up after seeing its cute covers. I wavered in resisting to read this title until it topped last year’s Kono BL ga Yabai 2014. Unlike most BL office romances, it’s set in a TV production office hence most of the characters are running around, making sure a TV show looks perfect. It’s a refreshing break from the usual desk job setting. It doesn’t help that Yano’s irresistible as a tsundere boss! His relationship with his assistant, Miyasaka is also organic and casual, absent of any heavy drama but with enough feels to pull your heartstrings. I got hooked on this series quite quickly and I honestly wish it could go on forever. 
     

    Yowamushi Pedal

    Yowamushi Pedal by Wataru Watanabe 
    Shonen | Available via EbookJapan, Amazon Japan, IBooks Japan, and Line Manga. The anime is available via Crunchyroll. 
    If there’s one series that sent me to hell, it’s this one. One of my cyclist friends was totally enthusiastic over this series and I thought I might enjoy it since he was a sensible friend who had good tastes. And he’s not even a fujoshi, yeah? But god, this series just sent this fujoshi in crazy mode. Months after reading this, I’ve got a private twitter for all my pedal needs and I’m in the process of writing my first dojinshi for a ship in Yowapeda. OTL. THIS SERIES IS BAD FOR ME. Who knew that an otaku boy’s weekly ride from Chiba to Akihabara would send him to the top of the cycling world (and my fujojo heart). I didn’t. Although technically, it’s his senior that really got me. Honestly, who doesn’t love Makishima-senpai? 
     
     
     
     
    God, what a year. How I wish I had the energy to write all of the amazing things that I’ve read in the last year. I’ll eventually get to it. Hopefully.
     
    If anything, I’d also like to take this opportunity for the number of people who still come by and read my posts. I’ve been running this blog for some while and sometimes I wonder if people even read it. XD Apparently, I have nothing to worry about because you guys do and I am grateful. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and here’s hoping we have another great year of manga ahead! 
  • C87 Envy

    C87 Envy

    Untitled

    Comic Market 87 (C87) is happening and I’m having the C87 blues. With all my favourite circles announcing all their new doujinshi, I want to go back to Tokyo Big Sight right now! I wanna go back to the battlefield! I wanna fight for my ships, fandom, and doujinshi once more!!

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