Forum - View topicREVIEW: Ōoku: The Inner Chamber GN 1
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vashfanatic
 Posts: 3489 Location: Back stateside |
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Speaking as someone who is most definitely not a fujoshi (nice to see that Ms. Brienza has at this point more or less publically acknowledged she is one, like we all didn't know already
 ), and who read some of this raw - this is most definitely not something for just the BL/yaoi fan crowd. In fact, in the first major story arc, the primary romance is (gasp!) between a man and the woman he loves but cannot have (she's too high class). Sure, there's implied situational homosexuality, but it's not graphic and it's not the center of the story, which is more... anthropological, for lack of better word. What would the world be like if women were in charge and men were commodities? And yes, the shogun is awesome, I love her.
So don't be scared off by the little blurb, this is a good series for anyone. I was thrilled to hear it was licensed, because I hadn't found a single group who had translated it. This is on my must-read list. |
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Jedi General
 Posts: 2485 Location: Tucson, AZ |
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Just got this book in the mail today, and Casey's review has made me even more excited to read it. Very nice.
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vashfanatic
Posts: 3489 Location: Back stateside |
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Because I seem to be unable to sleep, let me say one more thing that was nagging at me.
This quote?
Yeah. Nice joke about an attempted rape scene. Very funny. If that had been a woman, I doubt you would be making that kind of remark. 
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Gilles Poitras
Posts: 476 Location: Oakland California |
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"Most of the first volume of Ôoku stars the handsome son of an impoverished noble family named Yunoshin Mizuno"
Actually the family is not nobility. He comes from a Hatamoto family, a samurai rank. |
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here-and-faraway
 Posts: 1528 Location: Sunny California |
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I've really been looking forward to this title. I pre-ordered it a while ago and hope it arrives soon. Casey, thanks, as always for the review. I always appreciate how you comment not only on the plot, but also the art and artist.
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Gilles Poitras
Posts: 476 Location: Oakland California |
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I really think folks will like this one. I enjoyed seeing the portrayal of so many historical characters as women.
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phoenixphire24
 Posts: 260 Location: SoCal |
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I'm glad TRSI hasn't had a VIZ sale lately because now I can add this one to my growing list as well. The plot sounds intriguing and I have several friends that adore Antique Bakery, which I may also have to pick up in the future. Thanks for the review, I'm always on the look out for new series!
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Agent355
 Posts: 5113 Location: Crackberry in hand, thumbs at the ready... |
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I am so psyched for this manga! When I first heard the concept, immediately thought "Y: The Last Man in ancient Japan!" Now that Y's over, I'm excited to see the same basic concept in another genre. I love feminist stories, and Fumi Yoshinaga is such a good storyteller. I get more and more excited with every review I read...I think I might buy it! I usually wait for things to come out in the library, but with the recession, who knows when, or if, this'll be avalable. Besides, it looks like a keeper!
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Agent355
Posts: 5113 Location: Crackberry in hand, thumbs at the ready... |
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Oops, double post, sorry!
Last edited by Agent355 on Fri Aug 14, 2009 2:31 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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midnighteve
Posts: 114 Location: Chula Vista |
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I actually saw this the other day at the bookstore and passed it over, mainly due to the fact I couldn't flips through the pages with it being "sealed up for freshness" and all. But as soon as I read this review, I went back to pick it up and I'm so glad I did! The story-telling was done so well and I really tear-ed up during certain scenes with O-Nobu and Mizuno. I'm a sucker for sweet endings, so the ending of the prologue was right up my alley. The second part also sucked me in and I'm really anxious for the next volume to come out!
The one thing I think I should mention was that the choice of language for the translation was a bit jarring at first, but it grew on me. There something about seeing Japanese people using old English that just scrambled me up (possibly because I give the character voices in my head and I hear that Shakespearean accent so clearly!  ) It definitely makes this manga stand out and I would very much recommend it to anyone who enjoys those type of period pieces with an interesting little twist!
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corinthian
Posts: 264 |
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My first thought was of Y too. And after reading this review I'm hoping to bookstore I work at gets it in. Hurrah employee discounts! |
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RabbitRevolution
 Posts: 218 |
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I haven't read the Viz version yet, but I flipped through my Japanese host sister's copies of Ooku, and man is the Japanese hard to understand in that manga! I don't know that much about Edo-era Japanese, but I definitely think Yoshinaga was aiming to be a lot more authentic that other manga/anime set in that time period/even earlier try to be in their use of the language. (Even Kaze Hikaru, set a couple hundred years or so later, at the end of the same historical period, is a lot easier to understand in Japanese!). It sounds like this was translated in the spirit of the original, which is awesome! At least in this case, Shakespearean-style English coresponds roughly to the same time period. Now I can enjoy it without a headache from trying to figure out the Japanese 
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Actually, it sounds like the plot to A Brother's Price. |
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Reliak
Posts: 50 |
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A Brother's Price isn't particularly famous or widely read (or, for that matter, good), so does that really matter? OOKU sounds fascinating! Next Viz sale at TRSI I think I'll pick it up. Does anyone know how many volumes it will be, all together? |
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LauraOrganaSolo
 Posts: 109 |
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I've never read a review for a manga that made me want to run to the bookstore ASAP and pick it up. Until now.
There are few things I love more than alternate history with some sort of twist, ESPECIALLY SENGOKU etc. ERA JAPAN. HELL YES. :O~ |
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