Comments on: Genshiken Book 7 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/ Independent Opinions on Comics of All Kinds Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:32:14 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Genshiken Book 9 » Comics Worth Reading http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/comment-page-1/#comment-77657 Genshiken Book 9 » Comics Worth Reading Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:40:25 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/#comment-77657 [...] club president’s American friends have returned. Sue, the bad-tempered yaoi fan, now has a dream: to attend university in Japan as an [...]

[...] club president’s American friends have returned. Sue, the bad-tempered yaoi fan, now has a dream: to attend university in Japan as an [...]

]]> By: Calvin Reid http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/comment-page-1/#comment-39995 Calvin Reid Wed, 20 Dec 2006 20:01:45 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/#comment-39995 Hey JDC I absolutely love Genshiken and the latest volume is as delightful as all the rest. I named it as one of my best-of GNs a couple of years ago when the series started. Whenever I see Genshiken getting some well-deserved credit I try and chime in. For those of you have haven't read it, its a great way to get an upclose look at otaku culture. And while the book is illustrated in a naturalistic style, the series doesn't hesitate to introduce every manga convention from panty-shots to chibis. Yet its still great at showing plausible, touching and very funny relationships between all the characters. Genshiken rules. Hey JDC
I absolutely love Genshiken and the latest volume is as delightful as all the rest. I named it as one of my best-of GNs a couple of years ago when the series started. Whenever I see Genshiken getting some well-deserved credit I try and chime in. For those of you have haven’t read it, its a great way to get an upclose look at otaku culture. And while the book is illustrated in a naturalistic style, the series doesn’t hesitate to introduce every manga convention from panty-shots to chibis. Yet its still great at showing plausible, touching and very funny relationships between all the characters. Genshiken rules.

]]> By: sfhese http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/comment-page-1/#comment-39966 sfhese Wed, 20 Dec 2006 07:54:32 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/#comment-39966 >I mean, the Porn Fiend Girl who spouts random Japanese phrases possibly without knowing what they mean isn’t too far off. "Not too far off"? I would say it's dead-on accurate, myself. :P >I mean, the Porn Fiend Girl who spouts random Japanese phrases possibly without knowing what they mean isn’t too far off.
“Not too far off”? I would say it’s dead-on accurate, myself. :P

]]> By: MangaBlog » Blog Archive » Tuesday early news http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/comment-page-1/#comment-39881 MangaBlog » Blog Archive » Tuesday early news Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:18:26 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/#comment-39881 [...] At Active Anime, Holly Ellingwood reviews vol. 1 of Poison Cherry Drive and Christopher Seaman takes an advance look at vol. 2 of Penguin Revolution. Tangognat enjoyed vol. 1 of that series. Johanna jumps right in with vol. 7 of Genshiken, having only read vol. 1, and likes it better the second time around. Mangamaniaccafe checks out vol. 1 of Kamunagara. At Comics-and-more, Dave mixes up Manga Monday a bit with reviews of vol. 1 of Let Dai and vol. 6 of Hikaru no Go. The Star of Malaysia is suffering from Train Man fatigue but still has good things to say about CMX’s version. Slightly Biased Manga watches Hinadori Girl fizzle out. [...]

[...] At Active Anime, Holly Ellingwood reviews vol. 1 of Poison Cherry Drive and Christopher Seaman takes an advance look at vol. 2 of Penguin Revolution. Tangognat enjoyed vol. 1 of that series. Johanna jumps right in with vol. 7 of Genshiken, having only read vol. 1, and likes it better the second time around. Mangamaniaccafe checks out vol. 1 of Kamunagara. At Comics-and-more, Dave mixes up Manga Monday a bit with reviews of vol. 1 of Let Dai and vol. 6 of Hikaru no Go. The Star of Malaysia is suffering from Train Man fatigue but still has good things to say about CMX’s version. Slightly Biased Manga watches Hinadori Girl fizzle out. [...]

]]> By: JLG http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/comment-page-1/#comment-39842 JLG Tue, 19 Dec 2006 02:30:54 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/#comment-39842 A kinder, gentler Eltingville is a good way to describe Genshiken (if you want sharp satire, there's "Welcome to NHK"). I agree it's great because of how it handles its characters - Shimoku is interested in their characters more than raging against broad stereotypes and behaviors. It doesn't seem as accusatory or divisive as something like Immonen's convention sketch book sounds sometimes. I didn't mind the portrayal of the Americans, not just because turnabout is fair play, but it's still consistent with the tone of the series. I mean, the Porn Fiend Girl who spouts random Japanese phrases possibly without knowing what they mean isn't too far off. But she does give Ogiue a level of support for her talents and her comic. A kinder, gentler Eltingville is a good way to describe Genshiken (if you want sharp satire, there’s “Welcome to NHK”). I agree it’s great because of how it handles its characters – Shimoku is interested in their characters more than raging against broad stereotypes and behaviors. It doesn’t seem as accusatory or divisive as something like Immonen’s convention sketch book sounds sometimes.

I didn’t mind the portrayal of the Americans, not just because turnabout is fair play, but it’s still consistent with the tone of the series. I mean, the Porn Fiend Girl who spouts random Japanese phrases possibly without knowing what they mean isn’t too far off. But she does give Ogiue a level of support for her talents and her comic.

]]> By: Johanna http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/comment-page-1/#comment-39824 Johanna Tue, 19 Dec 2006 01:31:26 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/#comment-39824 Joshua, that's a great description of three-dimensional characters: it feels as though they have lives beyond the glimpses you see on the page. HCD: That's one of the things that made me reconsider my opinion of the series, that the characters and focus had changed since book 1. Joshua, that’s a great description of three-dimensional characters: it feels as though they have lives beyond the glimpses you see on the page.

HCD: That’s one of the things that made me reconsider my opinion of the series, that the characters and focus had changed since book 1.

]]> By: hcduvall http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/comment-page-1/#comment-39802 hcduvall Mon, 18 Dec 2006 22:06:30 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/#comment-39802 I like the series for basically the same reasons as Joshua mentions. The types and traits of the club members are certainly recognizable to me, and do seem divorced from the self-loathing quotient present in American comics that cover the same area. I think it's appeal is also that it's not just affectionate to the characters, but involved in showing change (to different degrees) in the leads. I think I just repeated everything Joshua said... About this volume specifically, I did myself mildly annoyed by the American characters. All in good fun, I guess, but it was a bit one-sided for this series. And a little weird, considering how much Japanese popular culture is the stylized misapprehension of foreign things. I like the series for basically the same reasons as Joshua mentions. The types and traits of the club members are certainly recognizable to me, and do seem divorced from the self-loathing quotient present in American comics that cover the same area. I think it’s appeal is also that it’s not just affectionate to the characters, but involved in showing change (to different degrees) in the leads. I think I just repeated everything Joshua said…

About this volume specifically, I did myself mildly annoyed by the American characters. All in good fun, I guess, but it was a bit one-sided for this series. And a little weird, considering how much Japanese popular culture is the stylized misapprehension of foreign things.

]]> By: Joshua Macy http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/comment-page-1/#comment-39798 Joshua Macy Mon, 18 Dec 2006 21:27:18 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/12/18/genshiken-book-7/#comment-39798 I really like Genshiken, although when it started out I was lukewarm to it too. I think one of the things I like is that it looks unflinchingly at the neuroses and embarrassments of the members, without the undercurrent of contempt that I sense in stuff like Evan Dorkin's Eltingville stories. I also like how while all the characters start out as types, they never stay that way. Even minor characters like Keiko (Sasahara's bratty cogal sister) or the student-council vice-president eventually reveal unexpected--well, not depths, but aspects. There is the sense that things happen in their lives that aren't covered in the stories. I think it's the same kind of grounding that you mentioned in the art--the telling detail that makes it all seem that much more plausible despite the exaggeration. I really like Genshiken, although when it started out I was lukewarm to it too. I think one of the things I like is that it looks unflinchingly at the neuroses and embarrassments of the members, without the undercurrent of contempt that I sense in stuff like Evan Dorkin’s Eltingville stories. I also like how while all the characters start out as types, they never stay that way. Even minor characters like Keiko (Sasahara’s bratty cogal sister) or the student-council vice-president eventually reveal unexpected–well, not depths, but aspects. There is the sense that things happen in their lives that aren’t covered in the stories. I think it’s the same kind of grounding that you mentioned in the art–the telling detail that makes it all seem that much more plausible despite the exaggeration.

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