It’s not one of the oldies which I originally intended to introduce in this blog. It’s not even a shoujo/shojo. Actually, it’s not bundled to a published comic book yet…* But Tenchi Meisatsu that started in this spring on the monthly Afternoon magazine for adult men is the manga I’m excited the most to read the next sequel at present.
Tenchi Meisatsu (I cannot translate the feel of the title well, but “The Keenest Insight” or “The Divinely Brilliant Solution” may be close…) is adapted to manga by Maki Ebishi from Ubukata To’s award-winning historical novel. It’s a drama about the Japanese astronomer Shibukawa Harumi (1639-1715) who made the new accurate lunatic calendar in early Edo era. The manga has just started and one of the leading character Seki (Seki Kowa or Seki Takakazu; 1642-1708) has not appeared yet. Nevertheless, by the thrilling story-telling and the unique theme, you are spurred on to see what will happen to the math genius Seki and his admirer Shibukawa.
*P.S. The first volume of Tenchi was served up at the end of September by Kodansha.
Another ongoing piece I enjoyed a bite recently is Pintokona by Shimaki Ako. This is a shojo/shoujo manga about two young kabuki (Japanese traditional play acted only by men) actors and a girl whom both boys love. Both the love triangle and the growing actor’s story are common motives of shojo, but the twist here is that you cannot tell yet which boy might win the girl’s heart or the stardom in kabuki. One of the boys is from an ordinary family but is making many efforts to be a good and famous actor, and he is loved by the girl since the childhood. The other boy is the heir of the famous family which has generated kabuki actors for a long period of time but he had been lazy until very recently. However, after falling into love with the girl who is a serious kabuki fan, he has determined to be a better actor. Although the story seems a little more sympathetic with the latter boy so far, you cannot easily patronize one or the other.
“Pintokona” is told to be a kabuki term meaning a handsome actor with good performance and masculine appeal. I learned the term here for the first time.
