Archive for the LGBTQ Category


I Want To Be A Wall, Volumes 1-3

August 4th, 2024

by Eleanor Walker, Staff Writer

I Want To Be A Wall explores the fake marriage between Gakurouta, a closeted gay man with an unrequited crush on his childhood friend, and Yuriko, an asexual woman who’s a big BL fangirl. Can this odd couple find something in this unconventional relationship?

Volume 1 opens up with Yuriko and Gakurouta entering their new life as newlyweds and figuring out living together as a married couple. In an attempt to understand his new wife’s hobby, Gakurota starts exploring Yuriko’s BL collection, much to her embarassment. Our odd couple though, are better at communication than a lot of other married couples, and state their boundaries in a healthy way to each other. We then hear the stories of their respective childhoods and the origins of Gakurouta’s crush on his childhood friend Sousuke.

Volume 2 tells us the story of how our odd couple first met. Both sides were pressured into finding partners by their respective families, (arranged marriages are still relatively common in Japan compared to the West). The two of them get to know each other, gradually find themselves more comfortable with and opening up to each other, then Gakurouta proposes the marriage of convenience to Yuriko. The rest of the volume is devoted to them getting to know each other a little more, figuring out how to live together and going on a pilgrimage together to visit a limited exhibition of one of Yuriko’s favourite manga. The two of them are clearly happy with each other, but since that happiness isn’t conventional, is it real to anyone else in the story?

Volume 3 takes us to Gakurouta’s grandmother’s house (she raised him), Yuriko meeting her for the first time and the elephant in the room, grandchildren, comes up once again. It’s this volume which really asks the big questions, and challenges the assumption that a conventional heterosexual marriage and kids are the instant and only key to happiness.  One bit I really didn’t like about the series is the surprise introduction of Sousuke’s girlfriend at the end of the previous volume. I felt she created unnecessary and over the top drama which didn’t fit with the tone of the series. Other conflicts which come up, like the risk of Grandmother finding out that the marriage is fake seem much more plausible and fit into the story better.

Overall, this series is a good reminder that just because a relationship isn’t conventional, doesn’t mean it’s not happy. Everyone’s definition of happiness is different, and maybe society would do well to remember that rather than persecute those who live their lives outwith the expected social norms.

“What’s the point in having a system where people who actually need a marriage can’t have one?” It’s also great to see more positive asexual representation out there. At just 3 volumes, it’s a worthwhile addition to your queer manga collection.

Ratings:

Art – 6. Some faces and perspectives are a bit off, but not enough to detract from enjoying the story.
Story – 8  It’s enjoyable to see them care for each other in their own way, and a nice reminder that “normal” isn’t always best.
Characters – 7  All lovely except Sousuke’s girlfriend who just felt overly fake and melodramatic.
Service – Non existent
LGBTQ+ – 10. Two people who don’t fit into conventional society supporting and caring for each other as best they can.

Overall – 8





I’m in Love with the Villainess: She’s so Cheeky for a Commoner, Volume 2

July 8th, 2024

A girl with long blonde hair with a red bow and a girl with medium-length brown hair with a baby water slime on her shoulder walk under a parasol,. Both wear red school uniforms jackets and blue skirts. In Volume 1, we once again find ourselves in Bauer’s Royal Academy, where one Rae Taylor upends the school and eventually the entire country in her pursuit of  Claire François. Only this time, we’re seeing it all from Claire’s perspective. That first volume added a ton of new content to the story including a character that was influential, but never seen in the initial series.

In I’m in Love with the Villainess: She’s so Cheeky for a Commoner, Volume 2 of the spin-off light novel series, we once again see things from perspectives other than Rae’s. Claire, Misha’s… even Pepi and Loretta’s,  Claire’s close friends and hench chicks, turn out to have a story all their own. It turns out that their story is – and will continue to be very worth reading. I find I never reviewed it when I read the Japanese edition, d’oh. It was my favorite of the three volumes. How annoying.

I refuse to spoil the why, so you will have to trust me on this. ^_^

In the meantime, this volume does something I find fascinating. By taking two side characters and putting then in the limelight, we’re forced to rethink their motives and actions completely. And this leads to my absolutely favorite scene in the entire series. One I liked so much, I referenced it in my interview with inori-sensei for Yuricon 2023. It is in this novel we truly come to understand Pepi Barlier and her bosom friend, Loretta Kugret. When they follow Claire to Rae and Misha’s hometown of Euclid, their lives change forever. I promise that their story does not just end there, either. Despite the fact that the Revolution arc basically shelves them, here more will happen that will include them…and it will have repercussions.

Once again this book forced me to confront my weakness at stories about the twins, Mei and Aleah. Any time spent with their trauma will always hit me hard. I’ve said that this book is worth reading if you liked the original I’m In Love With The Villainess light novels. I stand by that. It is not mere a “other person’s perspective,” it is a reminder that one person cannot know everything, no matter how much knowledge she has. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Service – 3? 4?
Yuri/LGBTQ+ – We see their relationship from Claire’s side

Overall – 9

 Volume 3, the final volume of the series, (until/unless inori-sensei completes her sequel) will hit our bookshelves in October.

Volume 1 is already available as an audiobook, and Volume 2 is headed our way in that format in August.





Ayaka-chan ha Hiroko-sempai ni Koishiteru Live-Action (彩香ちゃんは弘子先輩に恋してる)

July 5th, 2024

A cute woman with dyed hair and a pink crop top leans on a shocked looking woman with dark hair in dark colored blouse, both surrounded by colorful draped cloths.Ayaka works in a fairly typical Japanese office where the star of the company is Hiroko, a very competent, caring career woman. After a gaffe early in her career,  Ayaka is helped by Hiroko, and as a result, Ayaka has fallen in love with her sempai.  To try and gain Hiroko’s attention, the mousy Ayaka had undergone a remake and is now fashionable and cute. And she is all over Hiroko.

Only, Hiroko is actually a lesbian. On the one hand, this is a part of her life she has not shared at the office, and as the cool sempai, she is beloved by both male and female colleagues, so she keeps her professional relationships professional. On the other hand, she is absolutely sure that Ayaka is straight and clueless, so she’s not touching that with a ten-meter stick. On the third hand, Ayaka is so hot, it’s killing Hiroko.

Ayaka-chan ha Hiroko-sempai ni Koishiteru Live-Action (彩香ちゃんは弘子先輩に恋してる) is based on the manga written by Sal Jiang of the same name, of which I have reviewed Volume 1 and Volume 2 here on Okazu, but have not yet had a chance to read Volume 3.

Japanese comedy is often quite broad with zany facial expressions and wacky sound effects, even slapstick action. This series is meant to be understood as a comedy. As a result, I went it into the first episode unsure if it would work for me, although the trailer gave me hope. Because Hiroko’s reactions are 98% of the comedy, it is very much on Mori Kanna’s shoulders to carry the series. I am pleased to report that the comedy does work. In part because of the way Mori plays Hiroko, and also in former Nogizaka46 member Satou Shiho’s Ayaka, who does not overplay her role. So Ayaka comes off as sincere and maybe a little much, while Hiroko is played sympathetically as a lesbian who would totally be in to this girl who keeps throwing herself at her, except she’s probably super straight, argh!

My favorite scenes in the first episode (titled Nonke ni Otosrenai, ノンケに落とされない, don’t fall for a straight girl) takes place in Hiroko’s local lesbian bar, where her endless ranting about Ayaka is both hilarious and annoying to the other patrons. I laughed out loud at Hiroko spinning in her barstool complaining about how this straight girl is going to kill her. ^_^

Which brings me to a pretty major point here. This series is another live-action Josei series by and about queer women in Japan, thus once again allowing me to be smug about Josei making good live-action drama (^_^) and rejoicing that we have another live-action series by and about queer women in Japanese media! I am very pleased by that.

Ratings:

Acting – 9
Characters – 9
Story – A very silly 8
Service – It’s not above showing a little skin
LGBTQ+ – 10

Overall – 9

As noted in last week’s YNN Report, this series is available with subtitles in English and other languages on Asian LGBTQ+ media streaming service GagaOOLala. Episode 1 also aired in Japanese, with no subtitles on TVer.jp. I watched it on the latter because I wasn’t in the mood to sign up for another streaming service and I have a VPN, but do whatever works best for you. That said, do watch Ayaka-chan ha Hiroko-sempai ni Koishiteru live-action, because it is openly queer and actually amusing.  And I’d love for this to get the kind of reception Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna live-action got, sending a clear message to Japanese media companies that queer rep by queer creators will do well.





Otona ni Nattemo, Volume 9 (おとなになっても)

June 13th, 2024

On an orange background, a woman with long blue hair, leaning on her arms, wearing an orange knit or patterned blouse, looks at us with a slight smile.I am currently reading two Japanese series about adults in complicated relationships. Both series are, in equal part, compelling and interesting and annoying as heck. Today we’re looking at Otona ni Nattemo, Volume 9 (おとなになっても) by Shimura Takako.

This story follows a (now-formerly) marries woman, Ayako, and a lesbian, Akari, as they meet, fall in love and come together again, as all the cracks in Ayako’s life come apart. In my review of Volume 8 is commented, “This continues to be such a low-key adult life Yuri that one can hardly think of it as barrelling down on the conclusion of the series…and yet, that is where we are. ” As Otona ni Nattemo, Volume 9 (おとなになっても) progresses, I’m constantly reminded of the other series, which is equally as complicated, but so much less “adult” somehow. I’ll talk about that one tomorrow.

Akari and Ayako are living together, at last. Things are good, or might be, as soon as they negotiate what any of this means to them. They haven’t really dated, and they know that. Did they do this too soon? Maybe, and they know that too, but are really going to try and make it work.

In the mean time, Ayako’s former students have gone from being children to tweens, in the way that children do. Two of them come to visit their former teacher, and marvel at her relationship with another woman. Ayako’s still uncomfortable answering questions, but Akari much less so.

Slowly, steadily, life goes on here. Things change, people change. Wataru has, maybe a new girlfriend, his mother visits the salon to see all these bit players who have completely shaken up her life. And Akari and Ayako find some quiet joy in the idea that they now can actually get to know one another. At last. Until next volume. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Service – 0
LGBTQ+ – 8, as Akari tries to be a good role-model for young women who may well need one.

Overall – 8

Volume 8 of Even Though We’re Adults is out in English and Otona ni Nattemo, Volume 10 is out in Japanese!

 





She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat, Volume 4

May 30th, 2024

A large-bodied woman in sweatshirt and sweatpants, with long black hair in a ponytail holding a bunch of yellow flowers walks with a slighter woman in white blouse and green skirt with medium-length reddish brown hair holding a box from a doughnut chain. They hold hands and smile gently at one another.In She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat, Volume 4 important things happen, there are beginnings and endings, but the most important thing is that delicious food is eaten, together. But first! Valentine’s Day.

Nomoto makes herself crazy making sweets for the woman she’d like to be her sweetheart, and Kasuga-san overthinks what to get Nomoto, as well. Ultimately, as they share chocolate, Kasuga-san also shares news that is going to cause a huge shift in both their lives.

While Nomoto and Kasuga-san negotiate new boundaries and discuss a major life change, Sena also works on some of her issues and begins to find a way forward for herself. We learn what Yakko’s experience with love and identity was like. And, while these powerful emotional stories are happening, we also thrill to the everyday joy of s’mores (although Ritz crackers are a questionable choice. Around these parts it has to be graham crackers.) While explaining important issues of life and love to readers, this series continues to be incredibly warm-hearted and enjoyable. I won’t lie, when my wife and I watched the live action series, we went out to get shokupan, for this volume’s red bean paste toast with butter. No regrets. ^_^

Caleb Cook’s translation is fantastic, and the entire Yen team really makes this series a pleasure to read. Whatever technical issues was plaguing this series earlier seem to be resolved. Phil Christie is being given time to retouch more often, which I love. It makes the reading experience smoother.

Every moment with this series is delightful time spent with characters I have come to care about. I actually thought to myself today, “my darling daughters” and the had to otaku-correct myself, because All My Darling Daughters, by Fumi Yoshinaga is not a warm fuzzy manga at all. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 10
Characters – 9
Service – 0 Unless, like Nomoto, you consider watching Kasuga eat “service.”
LGBTQ+ – 10

Overall – 10

“I think it’s cute the way you blush all the way to your forehead.” These characters are just so damn cute and wholesome.

Yuzaki-sensei was ill when she drew the first half of Volume 5, then the story took a hiatus so she could recover. But let me assure you, it is an excellent volume narratively speaking and you will absolutely want to read it when it comes out from Yen Press!

Queer identity, social and personal issues and eating delicious food with friends. A perfect volume of manga.