Archive for the LGBTQ Category


Bakumatsu Joshikousei – Oni to Yoake, Volume 1 (幕末女子高生 鬼と夜明け　一)

October 31st, 2024

A girl with medium length dark hair, wearing a Japanese high school sailor-style uniform holds a sword in a unique two-handed style, as she grimly faces an opponent we cannot see.Back a the beginning of the year, I reviewed the second volume of a sequel to this series, Oni to Yoake Yuzikiyo (鬼と夜明け 夕月夜). Given that I knew almost nothing about the Bakumatsu period and the appalling people in the Shinsengumi and the Hitokiri, beyond what a few nights with Wikipedia offered, I did pretty good reviewing it, I think.

Today I have backed up and started with the beginning of the series, Bakumatsu Joshikousei – Oni to Yoake, Volume 1 (幕末女子高生 鬼と夜明け　一). The students and teachers here at Koharu Girl’s School are reborn members of the Bakumatsu, the end of the Edo period of Japanese history. As I noted in the previous review, this book follows two high school girls who have the reborn souls of Sakamoto Ryouma and Toshizo Hijikata. Sakamoto transfers to  this high school, where the spirits of late Edo period warriors attend school, and falls in love at first sight with Hijikata, a member of the public morals committee. However, love is strictly prohibited by school rules.

And…that’s basically the whole story. There is a lot of running around as Hijikata keeps ragging at Sakomoto for her lax uniform or showing up late but, as mostly every one else does. Sakomoto only does this when Hijikata is on duty.

Everyone – including our principles – knows they are in love, but the rules of the school are clear. Love between students MUST be forbidden as any kind of bad feelings could spill out into another civil war. Since everyone is aware of who they are, who everyone else is, and all the various lives they’ve lived, everyone takes this rule very seriously. Nonetheless, they have allies, even if they aren’t aware of them.  Okita Sou, who hold the soul of  Okita Souji, is dedicated to protecting them both.

And this, in a nutshell, is what I genuinely like best about the series. Everyone knows who they were and are, they understand the larger issues amongst themselves but, reincarnated  in the 21st century as high school girls, all the politics they were involved with are meaningless. Both sides of the Bakumatsu period were using the Shogun and the Emperor for their own power, to reclaim the kind of past they imagined would be best for them, a peace that allowed them to be on top really. No one was fighting for a future that was more kind, more healthy, more equitable. And here they are, reborn into a world as girls in a decidedly not violent state where their primacy is determined in on a kendo floor, not in the street. As a result, all they have left of themselves is their relationships – which they care about deeply.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – There isn’t much of one, so 5, maybe?
Characters – 8 Much nicer than their historical precedents
Service – Not really
Yuri – 5

Overall – 8





Ayaka-chan ha Hiroko-sempai ni Koishiteru, Volume 3 (彩香ちゃんは弘子先輩に恋してる)

September 12th, 2024

A blonde wearing an off-the-shoulder red blouse looks intimately up at a dark-hared woman in a button down shirt as they smile at one another.We left Ayaka in full “hitting on Hiroko-sempai” mode in Volume 2. In Ayaka-chan ha Hiroko-sempai ni Koishiteru, Volume 3 (彩香ちゃんは弘子先輩に恋してる), we finally get some backstory on why Hiroko is fighting so hard to not give in to Ayaka, despite her coworkers’ apparent support (or, at least, lack of negativity.) It’s not an uncomplicated situation.

When Hiroko was a newbie, she too had a supportive sempai in the workplace. Rumors of their relationship forced Chinatsu to leave in order to protect Hiroko’s career. Hiroko is still haunted by those days and watches her colleagues and bosses to see if they express the kind of homophobia she remembers destroying Chinatstu’s career. Weirdly…she isn’t seeing it in among her peers who generally seems to be accepting, curious or shockingly uncurious. A few of the older bosses express dismissive “it’s a phase” commentary, which Hiroko takes as a reminder to not hope too much for happiness.

But Ayaka, still convinced that she is not gay, just gay for Hiroko refuses to be stopped by the specters of Hiroko’s past. The ending of the manga differs a little from the live-action, and feels a little more authentic, as Hiroko finally puts her fears to rest.

Much like Cheeful Amnesia, this is not a series one takes seriously, but it takes itself – and it’s audience – more seriously than the former, taking time to address and resolve some issues. The main concern of homophobia in the workplace is absolutely handled with a handwave of “or, what if there wasn’t any?” Frankly, that’s a handwave I can get behind.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 10
Service – 2
Yuri – 7
Lesbian – 9

Overall – 8

In the end, this story is cute, silly, over-the-top and both very gay and kinda not all that gay, somehow? In the final pages, the story addresses a major “thing” (imagine me flailing my hands as I struggle to fin the right word here) that does NOT happen… then it does. Hiroko and Risa are definitely gay, Ayaka is still working on being in love with Hiroko. One hopes that she’ll wake up one day and say. “Oh, wow, I am gay (or bi or pan…).” In the meantime this series ends with the kind of happily-ever-after that eludes most people in real-life office romances, which is how we know that it is a fun office romance fantasy.

I know Black & White: Tough Love At The Office by Sal Jiang is intense and not for everyone. I think this would make a good license  that is funny, a little poignant, and ultimately satisfying.





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.