kamreadsandrecs's review
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
emeraldreverie's review against another edition
4.0
A great volume. Much suspenseful drama, death, and treachery. Art, as always, expressive.
misssusan's review against another edition
4.0
you want to know what i like about ooku?
(everything)
that fumi yoshinaga is incredibly smart about history. there's this misconception i see often -- that history is about progress, that we are always improving upon what we had before -- that fails to recognize the complexity of people, how their values change, and that people will often opt for short term reward over long term gain since the present generally seems more pressing then the future.
as of this volume i think she's going the 'so this is a secret history of japan that might have been, not an alt history' route and i think she's done a really good job of setting up a matriarchy that could and does still return to male primogeniture
i mean i'm here in the corner being like 'you fools! the patriarchy is resilient as heck, once you hand over the power it's going to be a never ending struggle to get any of it back' but i can't pretend this isn't a well done narrative choice
also so many feels about gennai and aonuma this volume. on top of doing fantastic sociology and politics ooku is chock full of a+ level babes. y'all do working for a better future really well, congrats on your noble demeanours. 4 stars
(everything)
that fumi yoshinaga is incredibly smart about history. there's this misconception i see often -- that history is about progress, that we are always improving upon what we had before -- that fails to recognize the complexity of people, how their values change, and that people will often opt for short term reward over long term gain since the present generally seems more pressing then the future.
as of this volume i think she's going the 'so this is a secret history of japan that might have been, not an alt history' route and i think she's done a really good job of setting up a matriarchy that could and does still return to male primogeniture
i mean i'm here in the corner being like 'you fools! the patriarchy is resilient as heck, once you hand over the power it's going to be a never ending struggle to get any of it back' but i can't pretend this isn't a well done narrative choice
also so many feels about gennai and aonuma this volume. on top of doing fantastic sociology and politics ooku is chock full of a+ level babes. y'all do working for a better future really well, congrats on your noble demeanours. 4 stars
nonesensed's review against another edition
5.0
The saga of alt-Japan continues! The medical battle against the Red Face Pox has begun for real, with the shogun investing in "Hollander medicine", which isn't too popular with everyone. Chinese medicine is the way forward according the majority of doctors. But the Inner Chambers has always been a world of its own, so research continues there. But for how long?
This volume started with a character overview which was so very helpful! The downside of borrowing these from the local library is that after a few generations of characters you lose track of who is who. And in this series you need updates on who is who because time flies in this series. You turn a page and five years might have passed. Not in a bad way, though, it's all very built up, but keeping track of characters is a challenge.
Still recommend this series! Even though it keeps making me so, sooo sad.
This volume started with a character overview which was so very helpful! The downside of borrowing these from the local library is that after a few generations of characters you lose track of who is who. And in this series you need updates on who is who because time flies in this series. You turn a page and five years might have passed. Not in a bad way, though, it's all very built up, but keeping track of characters is a challenge.
Still recommend this series! Even though it keeps making me so, sooo sad.
museoffire's review
5.0
This is the best manga series I've ever read. I know, I know, I know that's not much coming from a manga novice but seriously, this series is so good I don't know what I'm going to do with myself when its over.
In an alternate universe in Edo era Japan thousands of men die from a horrible illness known as "The Red Face Pox." Entire generations are decimated in a matter months and women, who remain entirely unaffected, take on the roles men leave behind including that of Shogun. The series concerns the goings on in the Ooku or harem of the Shogun where an ever changing bevy of young men must live out their lives behind its walls.
The series begins with the outbreak of the epidemic and travels through the years and reigns of different shoguns. Its a perfect combination of political intrigue and epic love story.
Fumi Yoshinaga is an amazing artist, you just want to stare at each panel for hours to drink in all the little details. Her real strength lies in her ability to convey heated emotion. The stories are rife with tragedy and star crossed love so there's plenty of passionate embracing and tears but Yoshinaga somehow manages to always steer clear of straight up melodrama.
Volume 10 finishes the story of the Dutch trained doctor Aonuma and his disciples who are very close to coming up with a treatment and vaccine for the pox. They have the support of the current Shogun but, powerful figures behind the scenes are actively working to end both her reign and any hope of stopping the pox.
Yoshinaga tackles a different kind of love in this particular volume. While we don't have the romantic drama between the Shogun and one of the samurai we do get a wonderful sense of the bond between Aonuma, who himself is an outsider with a Dutch father and Japanese mother, and his students who had no other purpose than to please the Shogun before he arrived. There's also a lot more emphasis on female identity with the continuing story of Gennai, who if I'm reading this correctly is actually a transgender character who lives as a man. In exploring Gennai's early life and relationships with the various women admirers he basically has on retainer Yoshinaga makes some very interesting points about what femininity actually is versus what being a woman is.
You really do need to start from the beginning to get the full impact of this story. Its very much a slow build as you move from the early days of the illness to a time when a world where women control everything is just how its always been. The focus changes too as both sexes in this society become much more comfortable with their new roles and the emphasis is put on maintaining the status quo versus curing the disease.
This series is a terrific starting point if you're largely unfamiliar with manga but I warn you that it sets the bar impossibly high.
In an alternate universe in Edo era Japan thousands of men die from a horrible illness known as "The Red Face Pox." Entire generations are decimated in a matter months and women, who remain entirely unaffected, take on the roles men leave behind including that of Shogun. The series concerns the goings on in the Ooku or harem of the Shogun where an ever changing bevy of young men must live out their lives behind its walls.
The series begins with the outbreak of the epidemic and travels through the years and reigns of different shoguns. Its a perfect combination of political intrigue and epic love story.
Fumi Yoshinaga is an amazing artist, you just want to stare at each panel for hours to drink in all the little details. Her real strength lies in her ability to convey heated emotion. The stories are rife with tragedy and star crossed love so there's plenty of passionate embracing and tears but Yoshinaga somehow manages to always steer clear of straight up melodrama.
Volume 10 finishes the story of the Dutch trained doctor Aonuma and his disciples who are very close to coming up with a treatment and vaccine for the pox. They have the support of the current Shogun but, powerful figures behind the scenes are actively working to end both her reign and any hope of stopping the pox.
Yoshinaga tackles a different kind of love in this particular volume. While we don't have the romantic drama between the Shogun and one of the samurai we do get a wonderful sense of the bond between Aonuma, who himself is an outsider with a Dutch father and Japanese mother, and his students who had no other purpose than to please the Shogun before he arrived. There's also a lot more emphasis on female identity with the continuing story of Gennai, who if I'm reading this correctly is actually a transgender character who lives as a man. In exploring Gennai's early life and relationships with the various women admirers he basically has on retainer Yoshinaga makes some very interesting points about what femininity actually is versus what being a woman is.
You really do need to start from the beginning to get the full impact of this story. Its very much a slow build as you move from the early days of the illness to a time when a world where women control everything is just how its always been. The focus changes too as both sexes in this society become much more comfortable with their new roles and the emphasis is put on maintaining the status quo versus curing the disease.
This series is a terrific starting point if you're largely unfamiliar with manga but I warn you that it sets the bar impossibly high.
christine_s's review
4.0
And the answer is no, no one I like seems to have a happy ending at all. But thank goodness they actually added a timeline at the beginning of this manga, with pictures too! That really helped me along with the story. This manga really is cut throat with it's characters.
meeners's review
5.0
so fantastically good.
(also so horribly tense and sad. ;___; 大奥-gennai's story doesn't really match up with that of real-life gennai, but didn't care a fig by the end - the story works for the 大奥 world.)
(also: TOYOCHIYO!! volume 11 is going to be huge game changer!)
(also so horribly tense and sad. ;___; 大奥-gennai's story doesn't really match up with that of real-life gennai, but didn't care a fig by the end - the story works for the 大奥 world.)
(also: TOYOCHIYO!! volume 11 is going to be huge game changer!)