I like Sundome.

It’s not the same as other people saying ‘I like ice cream.’ Most people like ice cream, and the statement does not come out as something definitive: it’s merely a weak affirmation of what most people believe in anyway. Liking Sundome is as different from raising your hand in a wave of raised hands: liking Sundome has to be a strong opinion, because there will most probably be little support coming from one’s peers. It is a polarizing, complex work that (I believe) has evolved from a manga about sex play into something much more. Liking it is akin to breaking the anonymity of silence and emptiness in a room of quietude: liking it is a statement.

The premise of the manga is extremely interesting: ‘I will not let you come.’ It’s essentially a series of psychological bondage that has its roots on weakness (for the guy) and desperation (for the girl). A girl transfers into a school and catches the eye of a pushover. She allures him because she is his ideal girl. She plays with his heart, and ultimately joins his club to continue their sexual games. Her final words during their first meeting was ‘I will not let you come.’

The manga has probably been treated by most as softcore hentai. It probably is, for the most part. But as the story progresses we learn that the sexual games by Kurumi is actually her own twisted way of forcing Aiba to grow up into something more manly. While she probably started the manipulation just because it feels good to dominate something or someone, she kept on doing it because it gave her a sense of purpose. It was eerily obvious that there was something insidious bothering Kurumi: all Aiba could do was keep on trusting her. For his part, Aiba, who was once a pushover, slowly became stronger physically and mentally because of the tortures and the twisted reward system that Kurumi implemented in their sex games.

While it was alluded early on that she had sex with different men, it was made more obvious later on that she was suffering from a chronic disease that debilitated her a lot of days in school. As time passed it was also made more evident to her that beyond the master-servant relationship, Aiba really cared a lot of Kurumi despite his perversions, and also acted accordingly. Like the telling sex scenes in Lust, Caution, the subtle evolution of their relationship from people who used each other to people who actually cared for one another despite their circumstances was something that I delighted in. I thought that the final act of Kurumi breaking her promise to have sex with Aiba in the place she wanted to be was something sad but not heartbreaking: I think it was a triumph for both of them to have become meaningful people despite their limitations. Aiba learned the pain and pleasure of love, and Kurumi found meaning in her short time with Hideo. It’s a dynamic that is better portrayed by pictures than words, but it’s a dynamic that’s wonderful to watch so long as one is open-minded enough.

Quoting Tatami Galaxy,

Watashi: ‘Why do you haunt me so?’
Ozu: ‘It’s how I show my love.’

Aiba and Kurumi were both Watashi and Ozu at some points in the series. But as the ending suggests, it was undeniable that they loved each other in their own twisted ways. It’s a great manga, but it’s something that has to be experienced rather than recommended. People may see me as perverted otherwise.

I love The World God Only Knows and Good Ending. These are the manga series I follow week in and week out because I’m a sucker for good and funny love stories. While Good Ending is currently middling, The World God Only Knows is at an arc where the wheels really turn and the plot is bounding forward: in the recent chapters another goddess is discovered among Keima’s capture targets, and because she recalled everything that happened between her and Keima she turns to him for help as she’s chased by who seems to be the first real enemy of TWGOK. This shocks the classroom, especially the girls who were the past targets of Keima.

I love the sweetness between them.

That’s not the only thing to be celebrated, however. One of my favorite romance manhwas, Unbalance x Unbalance, has returned to serialization and is approaching its ending. I’ve always been intrigued by a teacher-student relationship especially when the teacher is significantly older, and Unbalance x 2 has realized that desire of mine in a well-done manga. I pertain to well-done not in the sense of having flawless writing or plot, but as being good all-around. Jin-Ho is a very likable guy with a one-track mind, and the women in the series are very attractive, as well. I’m glad they’re finally going to properly end it.

Chapter 72 could already have served as the ending, but there was something missing, and that is the closure that the recently released chapter is building up. While Hae-Young has already confessed that she likes Jin-Ho properly despite the taunts of Jin-Ho’s senior, it was done under duress. I do believe that his confrontation with his senior was the climax of the story, with the following chapters setting up the denouement of the manhwa. I’ve been thoroughly entertained during the time I read it, and I can’t wait for the ending so that I can read it again.

There’s something I can look forward to once again.

The epilogue is actually anything but open when one takes it in the context of the series. Remember her condition: ‘when you get older, and your feelings still haven’t changed, let me hear you say that again.’ No matter how his friends goad him to pursue Sakurai (very possible to be even more attractive), he stays mum on the matter. He also didn’t arrive with any girl. Moving is something major, and I think if he really had a girlfriend she would be around to help him do it. From their conversation, however, it doesn’t seem he’s seeing any girl (again, he’s being goaded by his friends to see Sakurai).

Kouta quips in the ending that ‘as long as I don’t forget these feelings …’ and Natsuki reaffirms this with ‘Definitely some other time.’ In the epilogue, upon his return to town, Natsuki lay in wait at exactly the same spot with a very smug, knowing smile. This is in contrast to the time where they first met, where she talked to him with a straight and serious face. The ‘I love you’ in white background doesn’t even have to specify whether it was Kouta or Natsuki who said it, just that it was said and that no matter who said it would probably still mean the same thing (it’s probable even both of them said it!).

Although I wish just like any other guy for a better closure, this was done very well for a discontinued manga.

(Yes, I actually like Mizuki Kawashita’s works. I hope this gets a proper anime treatment by Kasai Ken’ichi and J.C. Staff.)

I started reading Ai Kora about three years ago. The chapters were released with relative speed, and the story was entertaining. However, something must have happened to the original scanlators of the series because they have been excruciatingly slow these past two years. (I am not blaming them: I am grateful of the work they have done and I have no right to complain; I am just stating a fact.) It was to my surprise that a band of different scanlators have worked on the series and one of them have finally released the last chapter of the series. I had already finished college and am now into post-graduate studies to become a doctor, but I am extremely thankful that it was finally done. (more…)

I visited OneManga on a whim, chanced upon Kurohime, and read it also on a whim. It’s been a month or so since I have been as engrossed as I have in any medium. The start of the manga wasn’t too impressive; in fact, both the art and the starting premise somewhat remind me of Claymore: a life of a child was rescued by a powerful and older lady, and this impresses upon him so much that he attempts to follow the path of justice’s warrior. Raki somewhat ended up like this.

Kurohime and her different forms

In his quest (after ten years) he finally discovers the woman who he has pledged love, devotion, and his life to. She has, however, changed: as punishment for trying to battle the gods, she is cursed to live without the memory of what happened ten years ago, and without love as well. It is only when she will discover true love by herself that she will become the powerful magician of ten years ago. Without this love, however, she will forever remain an adult in a child’s body.

Her name is Kurohime, and there is much reason to dislike her. Her attitude is that of the basest form of utilitarianism: she tries to manipulate people until they serve their purpose, and then she throws them out. One would often wonder why Zero (the male protagonist) accompanies a bitch like her and still remains to serve her with compassion, love and sacrifice. But he does, and such was Kurohime’s impression upon him ten years ago that he decides to live in righteousness and justice.

Having said that, the manga is indeed shounen. Unlike shounen, however, quite a lot has already happened within just the 19 chapters available scanlated. I won’t spoil what happens, but the plot reminds me of Gurren Lagann, with the nobility of people, the transforming power of love, and the enemies becoming progressively harder and harder. It’s not Monster or written by Naoki Urasawa, but it has a surprising amount of depth for a shounen series. It’s also extremely entertaining, with a fair share of well-structured women.

P.S. I will be gone for a few days: I will participate being immersed among the marginalized of society. I’m hoping I’ll enjoy it there. I’ll see you then.

I have a new theme, if that isn’t obvious yet. This is primarily because of mellow_bunny‘s efforts: he designed my new theme from scratch based on what I wanted. Since I wanted a theme based on the color violet or permutations of it, he dutifully created my theme based on that sole desire, which is what I have currently. I love this theme a lot more than the vanilla Chocolate Candy theme I had for two years. It truly gives some sort of personality to this blog of mine, and I’m happy about that: thank you very much, Michael.

I have refrained from spending anything on books last week: it was because I just bought Skullcandy headphones as well as a bevy of novels the week before that. I was relatively successful in that period of fasting, despite my desire as a bibliophile, to purchase more novels: I had already spent a significant amount of money, so I had promised myself to regenerate my lost savings before I went on another binge. In fact, I firmly believed that I could have done so for about a month as I still had a backlog of novels to annihilate. (more…)

Before I log on to my blog, I always try to put my thoughts in paper first. I’m sad to say that this week has been pretty hectic to the extent that I have only written some scribbles each day for four days. Since I vehemently refuse to do anything related to academic work today, I simply decided to integrate the scribbles. I’ll hopefully come up with a coherent post. (more…)

I went to the 7th Phil. Toys, Hobbies and Collectibles Convention yesterday. The event was actually far from our place, and I had a sore throat. I decided to go there, however, because it is most probably my last year of stay here in Manila and conventions occur only once a year. I actually enjoyed the convention a lot because it was the first time I was able to meet with other members of our anime organization; I also had friends who accompanied me in my search for good but cheap merchandise. Finally, I was able to purchase two CDs of the brilliant green and some very cheap books (not comic books, but non-graphic ones), so I didn’t go home empty-handed. (more…)

To be entirely honest, I did not expect to want to write about something today. I wrote about the impossibility of deriving meaning from Code Geass just yesterday (under my pyrexia I also cursed), and I have also completed a blog post two days before that. Honestly, I haven’t been as productive as this since the latter half of last year!

I searched Danbooru for god, and this is what came out