Rediisu Komikku (Ladies' Comics)
Female manga-ka have been changing the way women have been portrayed in anime and manga ever since the 1980s, though Shoujo Manga or “Girls’ Comics” has been around since the 1960s. During the 1970s, women’s roles in manga and anime had gradually started to change. The reason being could be that since Shoujo manga was created by men, women could not relate and so sales dropped. “The creators realized there was a simple solution-invite women into the profession because women would certainly know what girls and women wanted to
read” (Brenner, 8). Because of this wondrous idea, Shoujo manga became a force all its own and from it, Ladies’ comic began to arise as well.
Instead of just being housewives whose jobs were to clean the house, take care of the children, and provide both physically and emotionally for their husbands, women characters began taking on roles outside of the home. This not only gave women role models that they could look up to, but also the desire to go out and better themselves. In Fusami Ogi’s article, Female Subjectivity and Shoujo (Girls) Manga (Japanese Comics): Shoujo in Ladies’ Comics and Young Ladies’Comics, he quotes Shuppan as saying, “The number of ladies’ comics magazines increased as if reflecting women’s increased concern with their own lives. There were only two ladies’ comics in 1980, but the number went up to 8 in 1984, 19 in 1985, and 48 in 1991” (780). By 1985, Kikai kintou hou (The Equal Employment Opportunity Law) was passed. This law guaranteed equal opportunities for both men and women and although this seemed to be a good thing for women, since it was not strict, companies usually didn’t follow the law.
Instead, they found ways around it and created two categories in which people were hired: sougou shoku (managerial career track) and ippan shoku (regular service). As stated by Ueno Chizuko, “in 1986, 99% of male employees of new graduates were employed as sougou shoku and 99% of female employees recruited from among new graduates were
employed as ippan shoku” (Ogi, 781) This allowed for women working outside the home to keep with the same traditions that a housewife would hold, the most notable would be that of preparing and serving tea.
The “Equal Opportunity Law” was passed more with the intent to segregate employment opportunities between men and women. Instead of changing the way in which society had been viewing women in the work force, the law tried to reinforce the male dominated value of women staying housewives and doing housework. During this time, women
had needed role models that could rip them away from the everyday conventions society had sanctioned. Thus, the new wave of manga, created for women, by women, was born.
The 1980s was predominantly the time when all manga became popular as a new form of entertainment. But with anything new, manga and anime for women were more critically viewed. When they first came out, women’s manga was thought as pornographic comics. Ito references Kurihara in his article The World of Japanese Ladies’ Comics: From Romantic Fantasy to Lustful Perversion that,“these pornographic comics are equivalent to American XXX movies in terms of content and stories” (71). This is ironic considering that the major publishers of that time-Shueisha, Futabasha, and Kodansha produced manga that contained almost non-existent sexual scenes. Rather, they focused more on the reality of an everyday woman.
Below are pictures of a few Ladies' Comics that were published in the online Japaneze magazine, Elegance Eve. Unlike Shoujo manga, these are more about teaching women about certain aspects pertaining to their life
read” (Brenner, 8). Because of this wondrous idea, Shoujo manga became a force all its own and from it, Ladies’ comic began to arise as well.
Instead of just being housewives whose jobs were to clean the house, take care of the children, and provide both physically and emotionally for their husbands, women characters began taking on roles outside of the home. This not only gave women role models that they could look up to, but also the desire to go out and better themselves. In Fusami Ogi’s article, Female Subjectivity and Shoujo (Girls) Manga (Japanese Comics): Shoujo in Ladies’ Comics and Young Ladies’Comics, he quotes Shuppan as saying, “The number of ladies’ comics magazines increased as if reflecting women’s increased concern with their own lives. There were only two ladies’ comics in 1980, but the number went up to 8 in 1984, 19 in 1985, and 48 in 1991” (780). By 1985, Kikai kintou hou (The Equal Employment Opportunity Law) was passed. This law guaranteed equal opportunities for both men and women and although this seemed to be a good thing for women, since it was not strict, companies usually didn’t follow the law.
Instead, they found ways around it and created two categories in which people were hired: sougou shoku (managerial career track) and ippan shoku (regular service). As stated by Ueno Chizuko, “in 1986, 99% of male employees of new graduates were employed as sougou shoku and 99% of female employees recruited from among new graduates were
employed as ippan shoku” (Ogi, 781) This allowed for women working outside the home to keep with the same traditions that a housewife would hold, the most notable would be that of preparing and serving tea.
The “Equal Opportunity Law” was passed more with the intent to segregate employment opportunities between men and women. Instead of changing the way in which society had been viewing women in the work force, the law tried to reinforce the male dominated value of women staying housewives and doing housework. During this time, women
had needed role models that could rip them away from the everyday conventions society had sanctioned. Thus, the new wave of manga, created for women, by women, was born.
The 1980s was predominantly the time when all manga became popular as a new form of entertainment. But with anything new, manga and anime for women were more critically viewed. When they first came out, women’s manga was thought as pornographic comics. Ito references Kurihara in his article The World of Japanese Ladies’ Comics: From Romantic Fantasy to Lustful Perversion that,“these pornographic comics are equivalent to American XXX movies in terms of content and stories” (71). This is ironic considering that the major publishers of that time-Shueisha, Futabasha, and Kodansha produced manga that contained almost non-existent sexual scenes. Rather, they focused more on the reality of an everyday woman.
Below are pictures of a few Ladies' Comics that were published in the online Japaneze magazine, Elegance Eve. Unlike Shoujo manga, these are more about teaching women about certain aspects pertaining to their life