While we are all waiting for the Seven Seas release of I Fell In Love With the Villainess, (of which I had read the first few chapters in Japanese before it was licensed and have forgotten to go back and read more…) I wanted to take a moment to review a different GL Bunko series that I – with at least partial sincerity – hope you will be able to read as well, one day. It has not yet been licensed as of yet.
But before I do, I want to take a moment to revisit the first GL Bunko novel I read, back in 2018. GL Bunko had decided to do their own translations and began with GIRLS KINGDOM 1 & 2, the first two novels in a much larger series. Despite some technical and stylistic problems, I found it to be quite enjoyable. In my review I said, “The unpolished translation actually served the comedy aspect of the book well. What might be less beneficial if the book were to have been a drama worked here…presuming that this was meant to be a comedy.” I mention this because today’s review will, I think, allow me to respond to this with some expertise. ^_^
Earlier this year I took a look at a third GL Bunko series, Kunoichi Bettegumi Igarashi Satsuki, Volume 1 and found it to be highly entertaining; ridiculous in a hundred different ways, but grin-makingly so. So here we are today, at Kunoichi Bettegumi Igarashi Satsuki, Volume 2 (くノ一別手組ー五十嵐五月).
Igarashi Satsuki is a swordswoman who was hired to be the protector of Vlad Dracula, a silver-haired, white-skinned, red-eyed businesswoman from England (by way of Eastern Europe, we are eventually told.) Satsuki’s life as a trained swordswoman has been completely upended by Vlad. Not only is she now living in the wealthy foreign ghetto in Yokohama, because of her girlfriend maid Clare, she is now reasonably fluent in English, as well.
In Volume 2, the cast is joined by Kinu, Satsuki’s family retainer and highly trained njnja (finally, an actual kunoichi!)
Christmas is coming to Yokohama, and Ambassador Neal is planning a big Christmas party for the English community of Yokohama. Only Mishima-san, the head of what we’d consider the police force, is very anti-foreigner and appalled at the idea of a birthday party for a foreign God on his soil. While Satsuki functions as interpreter, Mishima makes it really clear that if…when…something should happen to the English embassy, it’s not on his hands, except of course, it will be at his instigation.
Worse, Satusuki is asked directly by the Yokohama magistrate -an old friend and mentor- to definitely, positively not be at the party or wear foreign clothes. Just in case, you know.
Clare, on the other hand has a real crisis coming up – she’s been promoted! Admiral Cooper’s daughter Scarlet has gotten Clare a position at the Embassy as a parlor maid. She’s been working on her language and etiquette and this is a huge step up for her…but the Embassy will be moving to Edo in the new year and she won’t see Satsuki anymore! She asks Satsuki to make sure she comes to the Christmas Party.
Vlad hires a Japanese painter who studies European art, Kane, to do some portraits. Kane sees Satsuki and Clare interact and explains Yuri to them, only 150 years before it actually exists as a term,. ^_^
The art is not what I’d hope, but then again, neither is the writing. It has that distinctly fanfic-ish tendency of adding /fact I learned today about a thing/ in the text that is both excruciating and charming. My favorite example is the definition/description of a “waistcoat” as a “kind of a vest” both waistcoat and vest in katakana. As an equivalent, I might describe/define a “wakazashi” as a “kind of katana.” ^_^
Anyway, Satsuki is predictably fitted with dress and, ultimately a suit, thank you very much, and yes goes to the party, fights off the surprise attack with Kinu and gets a kiss under the mistletoe from…Vlad.
The end.
Of course it’s not the end. There is a third book (there’s an assassin after Satsuki!) and yes, I am going to read it. ^_^
Ratings:
Art – Erm…sort of okay?
Story – 8 Vlad might as well be an albino for all the blood she sucks here
Characters – Kooky, kind of lovable and wholly unrealistic
Yuri – 6 See above
Service – Have you read anything I wrote? Satsuki is fitted for clothes… Yes, service.
Overall – 8
The world’s worst vampire is Vlad
Which is to say that she’s not all that bad
That glass isn’t blood, it’s just wine
Her suit’s mighty fine
She just drives Satsuki a little bit mad
But now, after having read 4 and half GL Bunko books, I can finally address that point, from my first review with yes – I believe the comedy to be wholly intentional. These are goofy books and very fun to read. I hope Villainess is similar.
The cover art is Scarlet and Clare.
Artist Kane on the left.
Satsuki’s not-at-all Christmasy dress in the center.
Vlad on the right.
Satsuki is her suit fighting off the surprise attack by anti-foreigner ronin. She likes the boots and pants…it make it easy to kick.
Kinu with her sulfur smoke bombs on the bottom.
Well. I didn’t expect that. When I told the Square Enix folks that I enjoy MURCIÉLAGO because it has some of the ugliest lesbian sex I’ve ever seen, I did not expect them to take that as a compliment – which it was totally meant as, mind you. MURCIÉLAGO, Volume 16 (ムルシエラゴ) begins with an extended, explicit ugly lesbian sex scene between the former high school bomber and her sex slave. Well, okay then.
We have officially reached the tipping point, I can no longer keep up with all the Yuri coming out in either Japanese or English. Yay! (I mean, “Boo!”, but you know what I mean. ^_^) Today I’m playing catch up from a couple of week’s worth of being busy with the Yuri Panel.
