Shoujo Manga
Unlike Ladies' Comics, Shoujo manga is more personal because the authors' purposes are to pull the readers' emotions more into the story. So while Ladies' Comics prepare a girl for womanhood, Shoujo manga gives girls and women dreams to inspire them.
However, with Shoujo manga, writers tend to have more of a fantasy world based in reality. Shouji Masako was quoted in Fusami Ogi’s article, Female Subjectivity and Shoujo (Girls)Manga (Japanese Comics):Shoujo In Ladies' Comics And Young Ladies' Comics, as saying, “writing Shoujo manga is easier than writing ladies’ comics, because in Shoujo manga you can pursue dreams and readers would not recognize them as lies” (Ogi, 786-787). Is this true though? Is what she writes and draws for her audience just lies? Though some Shoujo manga is based off of
realistic concepts, when the fantastical elements are put in and the plot
changes to that of a fictional story, does it lose all its reality?
However, with Shoujo manga, writers tend to have more of a fantasy world based in reality. Shouji Masako was quoted in Fusami Ogi’s article, Female Subjectivity and Shoujo (Girls)Manga (Japanese Comics):Shoujo In Ladies' Comics And Young Ladies' Comics, as saying, “writing Shoujo manga is easier than writing ladies’ comics, because in Shoujo manga you can pursue dreams and readers would not recognize them as lies” (Ogi, 786-787). Is this true though? Is what she writes and draws for her audience just lies? Though some Shoujo manga is based off of
realistic concepts, when the fantastical elements are put in and the plot
changes to that of a fictional story, does it lose all its reality?
Left: Kaede. Right: Kusanagi. Middle: Momiji.
When looking at the anime Blue Seed, there are both qualities of real life and fantasy. Momiji is an
average, if a little unwise, high school girl who lives with her grandmother at in the country. So far, it’s pretty realistic. Then, a detective comes to tell
her that she will live with him because her life depends on it. Ok, it’s a little sketchy but still kind of believable. After that, she finds out that she is the only one who can save the world from this evil demon and a man named Kusanagi is there to not only protect and guide her, but soon becomes her love interest. Alright, so by the end of the anime, one can already tell that reality has been twisted upside down and has turned topsy-turvey.
However, what makes this anime believable for the audience is that even with the reality based components almost wiped out, the reactions and emotions of these characters are still real, even though their actions may not be. Audience members can relate to these people in some way; whether it be because they themselves have lost someone or something, have gotten frustrated that nothing they do is ever good enough, or the fact that they are scared because they might not measure up in
someone else’s eyes. Whatever the case may be, even if the fantasy of the anime is a lie, the real life content is still underneath and the audience can always sense that.
average, if a little unwise, high school girl who lives with her grandmother at in the country. So far, it’s pretty realistic. Then, a detective comes to tell
her that she will live with him because her life depends on it. Ok, it’s a little sketchy but still kind of believable. After that, she finds out that she is the only one who can save the world from this evil demon and a man named Kusanagi is there to not only protect and guide her, but soon becomes her love interest. Alright, so by the end of the anime, one can already tell that reality has been twisted upside down and has turned topsy-turvey.
However, what makes this anime believable for the audience is that even with the reality based components almost wiped out, the reactions and emotions of these characters are still real, even though their actions may not be. Audience members can relate to these people in some way; whether it be because they themselves have lost someone or something, have gotten frustrated that nothing they do is ever good enough, or the fact that they are scared because they might not measure up in
someone else’s eyes. Whatever the case may be, even if the fantasy of the anime is a lie, the real life content is still underneath and the audience can always sense that.
Aine and Sakuya. Sensual Phrase volume 1,
With the manga Sensual Phrase by Mayu Shinjo, the fantasy is less apparent but still there. The story is about this girl, Aine, and the man she falls in love with, Sakuya. They are both young adults who overcome all obstacles to be with one
another. However, the fantasy part is more of a dream that young women have: falling in love with a rocks-star and him falling in love back. Though this rarely, if ever, truly happens in real life, Shinjo makes it seem as though this dream is reachable. Through different situations like Aine getting kidnapped, raped, and being torn apart from her love, they still end up with each other and more in love with one another than ever before.
This is what Shoujo manga is all about though-a dream becoming reachable. Whether the authors of these manga are telling lies in order to get a broader fan base, are they really lies? Or are they just the dreams that these women had as well? Isn’t a story, even a false one, somewhat based in reality? These manga give young women the idea that if they don’t give up, their dreams will become true.
another. However, the fantasy part is more of a dream that young women have: falling in love with a rocks-star and him falling in love back. Though this rarely, if ever, truly happens in real life, Shinjo makes it seem as though this dream is reachable. Through different situations like Aine getting kidnapped, raped, and being torn apart from her love, they still end up with each other and more in love with one another than ever before.
This is what Shoujo manga is all about though-a dream becoming reachable. Whether the authors of these manga are telling lies in order to get a broader fan base, are they really lies? Or are they just the dreams that these women had as well? Isn’t a story, even a false one, somewhat based in reality? These manga give young women the idea that if they don’t give up, their dreams will become true.