I started reading Kosaka’s works very recently. Finished so far are “T.E. Rorensu (T.E. Lawrence)” and “Awo no Maharaja (Maharaja of the Blue Stone)”, as well as first volumes of “Hana-bana no Utagoye (Songs of Flowers)” and “Bengara Goshi no Iye (A House with Red Grilles)”, and all of them are real gems.
Although Kosaka established her fame in mid-80s with the success of her masterpiece T.E. Rorensu, she was never such a hot selling comic artist as whose name you keep on hearing.
In my opinion, that is because her works are fundamentally based on objective observation of people’s behaviors, wise or unwise. Even when a work takes the theme on adventures and a-boy-meets-a-girl type of love, it involves such issues as politics, religion, race and poverty. As a reader, you are not allowed to be carried away by the one-sided adventurous story nor heart-breaking/heart-warming love story, as many young girls wish to be.
For example, some people may want to enjoy T.E. Rorensu as an adventure of an English hero in Arab in WWI. Some may wish it as a homosexual love story, a so-called Boy’s Love Shojo Manga. But it is actually all about why and how Lawrence was distressed. He sufferes craftiness of both Europians and Arabians, he sufferes his own ugliness. None of the characters are clean, and you are forced to think at least a little bit about the middle-east politics.
It is also true even in a more adventurous fiction as Awo no Maharaja. This story takes place in India just before and after WWII. The main characters are a cute, kind and brave girl named Moila, daughter of the British ambassador to a Rajasthan state, and the rich, wise, tender and charming Maharaja Silva, who eventually marries to her. But put in the middle of the real history of the independence of India, this fictious royal couple bustles about seeking for the best solutions for many political and social issues.
Yet, Kosaka’s stories are not depressing at all. It equally deals with the happy and beautiful side of our lives. For example, you can rediscover the charm of the Oriental cultures. Besides, Lawrence’s life is described beautifully, as he suffered as a sincere man. The Maharaja couple looks happy when they fight together against problems.
So I may be able to conclude that Kosaka’s works are like a cup of coffee. It tastes good, because it is bitter and sweet, not all sweet.
Aono_Maharaja
