New on the blogroll today is Emily’s Random Shoujo Manga Page, which is a redesign of a site that’s been around for a while. The main feature is very literate reviews of untranslated shoujo manga (some of which is licensed, like Kare Kano.) Additional pages have witty and well-written essays giving her personal take on shoujo. I particularly liked her comprehensive listing of shoujo plot devices, which included Discussions on Park Swings, Declaration of Love Through Clumsy Scarf Knitting, and, of course, Obligatory Onsen (hot springs) Story
Meanwhile, bemused_muse has short, witty takedowns of “fluffy shoujo trash that I don’t especially recommend.” Even though I liked some of the books, I still had to agree with the analysis. (Via When Fangirls Attack.)
Checking back on another WFA find, you may remember that beppo_astrid had asked for some manga suggestions. Check the comments; you might find something you never heard of before. (I did.) Another post includes some criticisms of Godchild’s lack of versimilitude and the new Tokyopop Manga magazine.
Leave the slashing to us: That seems to be the reaction of fujoshi, female yaoi fans, as summarized in this article on ComiPress. It’s a little complicated, but if I’m following this right, some (Japanese) Shonen Jump manga-kas have been gearing their stories toward the fujoshi, causing fans to complain that the quality is declining, and causing the fujoshi to complaint that they are being blamed for this decline, and that they don’t need to be catered to.
There is no need for fujoshi, who can have debates about covers and comforters and which one is the “giver” and which the “taker,” to be fed yaoi elements by the author. Creating fantasies in their mind comes as naturally as breathing to these people.
Summer reading: It’s a bit late in the season, but Manganews translates a list of the top 100 manga for summer.
What took you so long? Blog spam hits the Tokyopop site.