“…I feel its a sexist thing to point out who’s worse off in the book the guy or his partner. In Japanese culture it’s accepted that females are some times treated the same way the book plays out…”

Accepted by whom in Japanese culture? When one person treats another person a certain way, why should I automatically respect the opinion of the person dishing out that treatment and ignore the opinion of the person being treated that way?

This reminds me of another case of manga fans and moral relativism:

TankTreads Said in the “Re: GLO100” thread, ^Ripper’s Anime Page, Sat Jun 19, 2010 5:00 pm:

“…I know it seems difficult to fathom, but different countries have different cultural mores. In Russia and other parts of the globe, it’s seen as perfectly acceptable to use racial slurs considered highly offensive in the United States…”

ulysses Said in a smart response, Sat Jun 19, 2010 6:17 pm:

“…The fact that many people in the country use racial insults doesn’t make it ‘perfectly acceptable’; Russia is sadly notorious for the fact that minorities suffer from daily discrimination and for its high rate of racial crimes. Even the government acknowledges it as a problem and tries to combat racism…”

Johanna Says:

“Ed, good answer. Russ’ comments make me uncomfortable in how eager he seems to say that we shouldn’t listen to what Yura wants or consider her quest important. You weren’t sexist, but I’m afraid he trends that way.”

Good points!

Since Yura is the only female in the book not comfortable telling her partner what she wants, it gets frustrating watching having such an unfulfilled sex life. That is the focus of the series, how to have a fulfilled sex life, it’s not sexist to point out the author is failing at his main objective.

I feel its a sexist thing to point out who’s worse off in the book the guy or his partner. In Japanese culture it’s accepted that females are some times treated the same way the book plays out. Not that I’m sexist or any thing.I believe a female should have a voice in the bedroom but most Japaneses married females don’t feel the need to express themselves that way. Sad really so case in point don’t blame the book blame the culture were porn can be bought freely and sex is easy so why would a Japanese guy need a girl with all the sexual simulation they get from tv, games, and movies.

But why not gear this manga series towards a relationship that is working with hardships, ups, and downs sexually and or otherwise. I feel that this series hit home for me as I was like that a “pre-me” in the bedroom but now I know there are ways to get around that and make it more fun.

One this I found with this book is why the hell would a Gyno have any qualifications to tell the female lead of this series any thing about a man. Gyno = male or female Dr who specialized in lady parts. a Gyno is not a sex therapist nor would he or she be allowed to give such advice.

Other then that I have a small issue with the female lead saying she can’t get a orgasm when in book One and Two she is fine and in the anime version they made the guy worse off in some ways.

Any way if your haven’t seen the anime’s check them out Funtair-H / Futair Ecchi.

Everyone generally agrees that volume 12 is when the series really started to pick up. In later volumes the cast of characters is expanded and Aki begins to improve and expand the story to include their love lives as well, giving readers multiple points of views from couples other than Makoto and Yura.

The series also becomes more and more informative over time, Aki always adding up to date information from numerous sources. Covering such subjects as medical conditions, various fetishes, Japan’s declining birthrate, birth control, communication and list goes on. He’s actually been able to gather a ton of valid and worth while material that has turned this series into a useful ongoing sex guide, like he originally intended.

Even though things may seem stagnant now, the story and the characters really do evolve over time. An example being Makoto becoming less selfish and Yura becoming more spontaneous. These changes happen gradually and naturally over multiple volumes.

You also mentioned before that one of the problems with this series is that it focuses too much on the sex and not enough on the overall relationship. That is eventually addressed as well. Katsu Aki even recently began working on a new manga called Doku×Koi. Doku×Koi is similar to Futari H in that it is a manual, but different in that it focuses less on sex and more on love, romance and maintaining a healthy relationship. Though I’m not sure if that series will ever make it to the U.S.

My point is that this series does get better and becomes so much more than what it is in early volumes. Each book actually contains two volumes. Tokyopop combines them into omnibuses. I recommend waiting until the sixth omnibus, which will contain volume 12. You won’t be disappointed.

[...] Sutra — From creative sex education to stereotype in only three books. This series had potential to be something different, a sexy yet informative [...]

All the Manga Sutra books have good educational content. However, I don’t know if I would use this series as my primary how-to manual. For a more detailed explanation of the mechanics and techniques of sexual intercourse I would recommend something like the Joy of Sex. Depending on your embarrassment level, you check out a copy at most libraries.

“…where I wish I knew more about sex…”

“So would this one help me like the first one did…”

“…would it just be another waste of greenbacks?”

Justify the way women are treated in this series? No way!

Thanks for pointing out that I should have been clearer! I was trying to mention how the reviews of the series remind me (“how the series reminds me” wouldn’t be accurate since I haven’t read it) of some unjust treatment of people IRL. When you two talk about how lousy the series is, I agree that I wouldn’t enjoy it either.

As to the second point, given that Yura is committed to staying married to Makoto, masturbation would at least give her some sexual satisfaction. Hopefully, once she experienced a few orgasms on her own she would understand what she’s missing and finally voice her frustations to Makoto.

To your final point, men aren’t very consistent with condom use in this manga. More than once a women has expressed anger that her partner didn’t use a condom. They do put up the the risk of pregency for the sex they get.

Honestly, I hope your just being contrarion and not trying to justify the way women are treated in this series.

Sainthood? Hmm…

From the reviews I’ve read, this situation reminds me less of the Bible than of Barbara Ehrenreich’s reportage Nickel and Dimed. Her coworkers put up with bad working conditions for years as waiter/resses, hotel maids, retail clerks, etc. in order to get paychecks in order to pay rent. Likewise, since Yuka’s a housewife it seems as though she has to put up with bad sex in order to stay married to Makoto in order to live in his place. Now does this mean that Yura’s not a saint or that Ehrenreich’s former coworkers are saints?

Ed Sizemore Says: “(Really, someone needs to buy this woman a vibrator and introduce her to the joys of masturbation.)”

OTOH, wouldn’t she still have to have bad sex after that?

Seems like someone also needs to buy her trade school or university tuition and introduce her to the joys of being able to afford to stop having sex with Makoto. Enduring unsatisfying, uncomfortable, or worse sex is still unsatisfying, uncomfortable, or worse even if one does have fun and orgasms some other times.

Ed Sizemore Says: “(Akira’s ability to consistently bring his wife to organism isn’t really for her benefit. It’s so he can brag about what a proficient lover he is.) Honestly, it appears that Aki is saying women don’t have a right to demand sexual satisfaction. They have to take what they get and be thankful.”

Which organisms does he bring her to? I know it’s a typo, but the rest of these reviews leave me wondering if Aki will include men not being considerate enough to consider condoms and women just having to take the organisms they get and be thankful for those bacteria and virii.