20 March 2013 2 Comments

Hikikomori and the Rental Sister

Author: Jeff Backhaus
U.S. Publisher: Algonquin Books
ISBN: 9781616201371
Released: January 2013

Hikikomori and the Rental Sister is Jeff Backhaus’ debut novel. I first learned about the book through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program, but after I started reading the novel it seemed like I was seeing it mentioned everywhere. Hikikomori and the Rental Sister was published in 2013 by Algonquin Books in the United States and by HarperCollins in Canada. Algonquin Books focuses on publishing the works of young and upcoming writers. Backhaus’ debut caught my attention because of the use of “hikikomori” in the title. A sociological phenomenon in Japan, hikikomori are young people who have withdrawn from society. Rental sisters are a sort of outreach counselor who work to reintegrate and bring hikikomori back into the world. Hikikomori are a subject that I have a particular interest in and so was curious to see how Backhaus would incorporate the phenomenon into his first published novel.

For three years, Thomas Tessler has shut himself away in the room he once shared with his wife Silke, only occasionally sneaking out of the apartment at night to replenish his supplies of food. For three years, Silke has been desperately waiting for her husband to open the door so that they can return to some sort of life resembling normalcy. She still loves him, but after such a long period of time she is beginning to lose hope. Silke decides to give Thomas one last chance and hires Megumi to draw him out into the real world. Initially Megumi had no intention of helping Silke or Thomas—her own tragic experiences with her brother living as a shut-in in Japan is a wound that is still very fresh. But she has a hard time saying no when confronted head on by Silke and the Tessler’s plight. In the end, it turns out that Megumi needs Thomas just as much as he needs her.

Hikikomori and the Rental Sister is a tale of pain, loss, guilt, and grief. Megumi, Silke, and Thomas are all broken people who have had their lives torn apart by circumstances out of their control despite any blame they might place on themselves. Although Silke is in many ways the catalyst of the story, she is the character about which the least is known. Unfortunately, she is largely left undeveloped. Hikikomori and the Rental Sister places its focus on Thomas and Megumi and their relationship instead, slowly revealing their personal tragedies and trauma as the novel progresses. Like Silke, they are both in need of healing. In the beginning, Thomas is very reclusive and withdrawn. To him, Megumi is a pest. But she doesn’t give up on Thomas and in the process shows him parts of herself that no one else has seen before. He changes her and she changes him. The relationship they develop with each other is complicated one.

Hikikomori and the Rental Sister is an engrossing and extraordinarily intimate novel. The chapters shift between first-person and third-person narratives told in the present tense. Personally, I often find novels written in the present tense to be irritating. But in the case of Hikikomori and the Rental Sister, Backhaus has done an excellent job and has used the technique to great effect. The chapters told from Thomas’ point of view come across as particularly immediate and personal as the readers are privy to the changes in his thoughts, feelings, and state of mind as they occur. There isn’t really a grand story or driving plot to Hikikomori and the Rental Sister. Instead, the novel captures the characters at a very specific time in their lives which may or may not be turning-point for them. I found Hikikomori and the Rental Sister to be an absorbing read and a strong debut. I would certainly be interested in Backhaus’ future works.

Thank you to Algonquin Books for providing a copy of Hikikomori and the Rental Sister for review.

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18 March 2013 3 Comments

My Week in Manga: March 11-March 17, 2013

My News and Reviews

Two reviews for you all this past week! First up was my review of Edogawa Rampo’s novella Strange Tale of Panorama Island. I enjoyed it quite a bit and am now even more excited for the release of Suehiro Maruo’s manga adaptation of the story, which looks like it will actually be published this year. (I’ve been waiting since 2009.) The second review posted was my monthly Blade of the Immortal review—Blade of the Immortal, Volume 19: Badger Hole. In this volume the women of the series get a moment to shine before the introduction of a new character diverts readers’ attention.

The biggest manga news from last week is that the digital manga service JManga will be shutting down. JManga7 is already gone, but more information regarding JManga’s closure (termination schedule, refunds, FAQs, etc.) can be found here. I personally never got around to using JManga (I still have plenty of print manga keeping me busy), but I am still sad to see the service go.

In happier news, Kuriousity takes a quick look at a couple of One Peace Books’ upcoming manga: Black Bard and Smuggler. Smuggler was previously published by Tokyopop, but Black Bard is a new English license. I’m actually somewhat interested in both titles, but especially in Black Bard since it will be an omnibus release and has a music connection, too. Over at All About Manga, Daniella Orihuela-Gruber takes on a 30 Day Yaoi Challenge. Check out the first post/review to learn more about the project and what’s in store for Daniella and All About Manga readers.

Quick Takes

Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl, Omnibus 2 written by Satoru Akahori and illustrated by Yukimaru Katsura. Hazumu is still trying to get used to being a girl, but in the second omnibus she has even more pressing concerns to deal with. While I vaguely enjoyed reading Kashimashi, it hasn’t really left much of an impression. As strange and original as Kashimashi tries to be, it ends up feeling very derivative. I’m not sure if it’s intentional or not, but Yasuna (one of the love interests) reminds me a lot of Tomoyo from Cardcaptor Sakura in both character design and personality. Seven Seas also made the bizarre decision to include the translation notes for the entire series in the second omnibus.

Paradise Kiss, Part 3 by Ai Yazawa. I continue to be impressed by the characterizations and complicated relationships found in Yazawa’s manga. Her characters come complete with flaws and are much more interesting because of it. In Paradise Kiss I was particularly pleased to see Yukari’s development and growth as a person. In the beginning, she frequently annoyed me, but as she matures I found her to be a more sympathetic character. Part 3 of the series also spends a little bit of time exploring Isabella’s backstory, which made me happy. (This also includes seeing George as a dapper young boy.) I was very satisfied with the ending of Paradise Kiss. It might not be the happily ever after that some readers hope for, but I think it was the right one and true to the characters.

Solanin by Inio Asano. In the afterword, Asano describes the characters of Solanin as “just your average 20-somethings,” with nothing particularly noteworthy about them. Meiko is a recent graduate who hates her office lady job. And so she quits, even though her savings won’t last that long. Her live-in boyfriend Naruo is faced with a similar dilemma: he doesn’t mind his job as an illustrator, but he would be much happier if his band could make it big. Searching for their place in the world, Meiko, Naruo, and their friends aren’t quite ready to become adults. Solanin is largely a melancholic work, but it has just the right touch of humor and hope to keep the manga from becoming too depressing.

Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai by Stan Sakai. In 2009, Sakai celebrated the 25th anniversary of his marvelous series Usagi Yojimbo. As part of that celebration, Yokai was published as a standalone graphic novel. Although Yokai is written in such a way that newcomers to the series can approach it, established fans will probably appreciate it more. Fans of yokai will also get a kick out of the volume as Usagi encounters a fair number of yokai before the story is through. Which, considering the title, probably isn’t that surprising. What sets Yokai apart from the rest of Usagi Yojimbo is that it is Sakai’s first story to be completely hand-painted in watercolor. The volume also includes a nice interview with Sakai discussing a little about yokai the creation of the work.

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15 March 2013 Leave a Comment

Blade of the Immortal, Volume 19: Badger Hole

Creator: Hiroaki Samura
U.S. publisher: Dark Horse
ISBN: 9781593078713
Released: June 2008
Original release: 2005
Awards: Eisner Award, Japan Media Arts Award

Badger Hole is the nineteenth volume in the English-language release of Hiroaki Samura’s long-running manga series Blade of the Immortal. Published by Dark Horse in 2008, Badger Hole collects five of the eight chapters that appeared in the eighteenth volume of the Japanese edition of Blade of the Immortal, released in 2005. Because of how Dark Horse is releasing the series—individual volumes collect chapters by story arc rather than number or page count—Badger Hole ends up being one of the shorter volumes. Blade of the Immortal has been well received in both the East and the West. The series won a Japan Media Arts Award in 1998 and an Eisner Award in 2000, among other honors. Blade of the Immortal was one of the first manga series that I started reading and it continues to be one of my favorites.

After Manji and Isaku both go missing, and are presumably imprisoned, Rin and Dōa have been working together to find them. Rumours of an immortality experiment have led the two young women to a guarded and secluded passageway known as the Badger Hole by the locals. There are jobs to be had there hauling out and disposing of the dead bodies of prisoners and, thanks to the experiments, in increasingly large numbers. If Rin’s theory is correct, the Badger Hole is the entrance to a series of labyrinthine tunnels leading to Edo Castle itself where she believes that Manji at least is being held. And so Rin and Dōa prepare to infiltrate the Badger Hole under the guise of beggars looking for work. With Dōa’s fighting skills and Rin’s quick thinking, along with a little luck, they hope to successfully stage a rescue, but things don’t always go exactly as planned.

While the previous few volumes of Blade of the Immortal have largely focused on the plight of Manji, the other felons, and the doctors involved with the immortality experiments, in Badger Hole Samura turns his attention to the women of the series. At various points in Blade of the Immortal Rin, Dōa, and Hyakurin—one of the assassins of the disbanded Mugai-ryū—have all been shown to be just as strong as the series’ men and in some cases even stronger. In Badger Hole it is the men who need rescuing and the women are prepared to do anything they can to see them safe again. And it’s not just Rin, Dōa, and Hyakurin. The women of Edo, those who have lost their fathers, husbands, and sons to the experiments (even though they don’t know that’s the reason their loved ones have gone missing), also have power, strength, and an important role to play.

In some ways, this empowerment is completely undone by the ending of Badger Hole. Dōa and Rin get into some trouble and it takes a deus ex machina and the introduction of a new Ittō-ryū member to get them out of it. Ozuhan may suddenly appear from nowhere, but the resulting battle is nicely choreographed and dynamic. He has an eerie presence about him and his style of fighting is very different from most of the other characters in the series. Ozuhan does ends up stealing the spotlight from the women, but it seems as though he will be an interesting addition to the series. Badger Hole also reveals Dōa’s first encounter with Anotsu, the leader of the Ittō-ryū who she more or less worships, something I’ve been looking forward to seeing since her introduction. There’s still more of Dōa’s story that hasn’t been told, so I look forward to learning more about her in the next volume, Demon Lair.

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13 March 2013 3 Comments

Strange Tale of Panorama Island

Author: Edogawa Rampo
Translator: Elaine Kazu Gerbert
U.S. publisher: University of Hawai’i Press
ISBN: 9780824837037
Released: January 2013
Original release: 1926-1927

Tarō Hirai, better known as Edogawa Rampo, was an extremely influential author, often credited as the father of the modern Japanese detective novel. His novella Strange Tale of Panorama Island is considered to be his first major work. I actually first learned of the story thanks to Suehiro Maruo’s manga adaptation of the tale. I was very excited when I learned that the original novella was being translated into English. Elaine Kazu Gerbert’s translation was released by the University of Hawai’i Press early in 2013. Strange Tale of Panorama Island was initially serialized between 1926 and 1927. The English translation is based on the 1992 edition of the novella edited by Betsuyaku Minoru. Much like Edogawa’s name (Edogawa Rampo is a Japanese rendering of and play on Edgar Allan Poe’s name), Edgar Allan Poe is believed to be an inspiration for Strange Tale of Panorama Island, particularly his story “The Domain of Arnheim.”

Off the coast of Japan at the end of a cape that juts out into the Pacific Ocean is a remote, deserted island with a peculiar history. Known by the locals as Okinoshima, most people make a point to avoid the island and its dangerous waters. But a few years past an immense garden and construction project was initiated by the island’s owner, the head of the Komoda family, Genzaburō Komoda. Strange circumstances surrounded Genzaburō as well. After being pronounced dead, he seemingly returned to life but with a drastic change of personality. What very few people realize is that Genzaburō has been replaced by Hirosuke Hitomi, and old classmate of his who shares a striking resemblance to him. It is Hirosuke who has taken advantage of Genzaburō ‘s death and wealth in order to pursue his bizarre interests and desires on Okinoshima.

Gerbert has done an excellent job with the translation of Strange Tale of Panorama Island. The narrator is very personable, especially towards the beginning of the novella. The reader is addressed directly and there is an underlying sense of humor. The tone is very conversational, but it also very evocative. Edogawa’s descriptions of the beautiful, grotesque, and surreal are marvelous. It doesn’t surprise me at all that Mauro chose to adapt Strange Tale of Panorama Island as a manga; the story with its fantastic landscapes nearly begs to be visually expressed. A significant portion of Strange Tale of Panorama Island is spent exploring Okinoshima itself and its wonders. The island has been deliberately filled with tricks and illusions. The effect as Hirosuke reveals one of his creations after another is both mesmerizing and disconcerting.

Strange Tale of Panorama Island with its macabre elements and peculiar plot and characters is very reminiscent of the stories by Edgar Allan Poe that I have read. It is an engrossing tale. There is a surprising amount of story in Strange Tale of Panorama Island for such a short work: assumed identities, stolen inheritances, grave robbing, murder, intricate schemes, and more. His characters, particularly Hirosuke, also leave a strong impression. Hirosuke, who even at the beginning of the story was a rather strange man, becomes increasingly unbalanced and unhinged as the novella progresses. While his decline follows a natural progression and isn’t at all surprising, the change is still unsettling. Strange Tale of Panorama Island is a fantastic work of psychological drama and suspense. It’s actually the first story by Edogawa that I’ve read but it definitely won’t be the last.

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11 March 2013 Leave a Comment

My Week in Manga: March 4-March 10, 2013

My News and Reviews

Last week I posted two reviews in addition to announcing the winner of the Ayako manga giveaway. The giveaway post also lists all of the manga by Osamu Tezuka that I know of that has been licensed in English. As for the reviews, I took a look at Koji Suzuki’s quantum horror novel Edge and Kindred Spirit, the eleventh volume in Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata’s Death Note manga series. Suzuki is best known for his horror novel Ring, which has been adapted many times over. Edge was the first of his works that I’ve read. Unfortunately wasn’t particularly impressed by it. I wasn’t particularly impressed with Kindred Spirit, either, but I still plan on finishing the series. There’s only one more volume to go, after all. I also updated the Resources page. Somehow I ended up with a duplicate entry, which I deleted. In its place I added Junbungaku, one of my Japanese literature buddies.

A few fun things found online: Bento Books has launched a new Kickstarter project to publish Daigo Okazaki’s thriller Black Wave, set in the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. On Facebook Alexander O. Smith, the translator for the novel, talked a little about the project. He is donating his time to the project and any personal profit that he makes on the book will be donated to help the ongoing earthquake and tsunami recovery efforts in Japan.

March 2013 marks Dark Horse’s 25th year of publishing manga. On the Dark Horse blog, Carl Horn posts about Celebrating 25 Years of Manga. March has been declared manga month at Dark Horse, but I’m not entirely sure what that entails. The call for participation for March’s Manga Moveable Feast has been posted! This time we’ll be focusing on historical manga. Khursten of Otaku Champloo will be hosting the Feast from March 24 through April 1. Check out the links to find out how to participate. As always, I’m really looking forward to the Feast.

On a much sadder note, Toren Smith, a pioneer in the U.S. manga and anime industries, has unexpectedly passed away. Smith’s friend James Hudnall announced the news on his blog. Jonathan Clements posted a wonderfully written tribute to Smith on Manga UK’s blog. Michael Toole also wrote an extensive article honoring Smith at Anime News Network. I am primarily familiar with Smith’s translation work on series like Blade of the Immortal, but he was incredibly influential beyond that. He certainly will be missed.

Quick Takes

I Can’t Stop Loving You, Volumes 1-2 by Row Takakura. Since I enjoy a bit of the supernatural mixed in with my boys’ love, I had hopes for I Can’t Stop Loving You. Unfortunately, I wasn’t particularly impressed by the manga as a whole. Kyouji is training to become an exorcist, but there’s one problem: he can’t see ghosts. Fortunately, his boyfriend Yu can. In part, I Can’t Stop Loving You is supposed to be a comedy, but it’s not really that funny. One of the running gags (before Takakura forgets about it) is that Yu is so strong that he and Kyouji can’t even have sex because he ends up inadvertently injuring him in the throes of passion. I’ll admit I found that funny, but the joke can’t sustain even one volume of this short series.

Rurouni Kenshin, Omnibus 8 (equivalent to Volumes 22-24) by Nobuhiro Watsuki. After the slight lull in the previous omnibus, this collection kicks Rurouni Kenshin‘s pacing up a notch. Kenshin’s past has been revealed and the scene has been set; the series leaps back into duels and confrontations. One of the things I like most about Watsuki’s action sequences is that each individual fighter has his (or her) own martial style. Visually, they are all different and make for engaging combat. I particularly liked the powerful elegance of Enishi’s Watōjutsu. I was also happy to see that both Saitō and Aoshi continue to have important roles in the series. What does seem to have gone missing is the series’ humor. Recently things have been leaning towards the more serious and dramatic.

Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei: The Power of Negative Thinking, Volumes 1-4 by Koji Kumeta. Although I’m enjoying Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, it is a difficult manga to recommend to a general audience because so much of the comedy in the series relies on knowledge of Japanese society and culture. It presents a barrier, although there are plenty of translation notes which explain most of the references being made to help the reader along. I particularly appreciated the literature references, but then I’ve read many of the books being alluded to. The humor in Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei is satirical and rather bleak which is appropriate as the titular character frequently declares “I’m in despair!” over the smallest things.

Lychee Light Club directed by Masahiro Takada. I was very intrigued when I first heard that a Lychee Light Club anime was being made. It turned out to be nothing like the manga by Usamaru Furuya upon which it is based. The Lychee Light Club anime is primarily a gag comedy. The manga wasn’t without humor, but it was of a very different type. The anime does require familiarity with the original story and characters in order to fully appreciate it and most of the jokes being made. I was vaguely amused, though, and I don’t regret the twenty-four minutes it took to watch the entire series. (It’s only eight episodes long, each of which are only three minutes.) But in the end the series is largely forgettable.

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