Comments on: On the Shojo Beat: Butterflies, Flowers and More!

By: lanugo

lanugo — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 04:52:34 +0000

Yes, that playful side of Domoto : ) I couldn’t help chuckling when I read of his unconventional solution to the “sexually harassing Kuhara” – haha! (It actually reminds me of Yoh’s solution in Vol 8 of High School Debut)… ah, I could go on…

By: Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:17:19 +0000

You’re right about Choko’s lack of agonizing and a greater… frankness in their relationship. And yes, the gags are great! I wished I could’ve found a way to mention the Milady-poo joke.

By: lanugo

lanugo — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:21:40 +0000

I agree wholeheartedly with your review of “Butterflies, Flowers”, Michelle. I felt the distinction between josei and shojo, however. I’m not really sure how to describe it, but there were a couple of things – Domoto is more tsundere than other male leads in shojo (like Otani from Love Com, for example), and Choko isn’t afraid to confess to Domoto, and doesn’t agonise over it for two volumes (aka Haruna from High School Debut). Not that there’s anything wrong with that!

Even the art is cleaner than shojo – less screentone and ordinary panelling (don’t know how to put that – hope it makes sense). There are sweet moments when Domoto somewhat confused by his own feelings for Choko, like when he asks her to “impose on him”. The gags are great, too (“with *loveheart*)!

By: Melinda Beasi

Melinda Beasi — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:34:26 +0000

Michelle, you realize of course I can’t go along with *that*.

By: Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:27:58 +0000

In fact, it’s just Melinda’s skill in writing about such matters that prompted me to give her this volume to review! Previous volumes of the series have been reviewed by me, but I wasn’t really doing them justice.

By: Melinda Beasi

Melinda Beasi — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:23:45 +0000

Well, thank you moritheil! Emotional realism (or emotional resonance, at least) is probably what I value most in fiction, and certainly is the thing I am most eager to talk about in a review. That definitely gives stories like We Were There an advantage when I’m the one tasked with judging them, though I do think it is quite extraordinary.

By: moritheil

moritheil — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:15:20 +0000

Often emotional realism is the real mark of a good story, and you’ve really hit the nail on the head in your assessment of We Were There: important decisions are agonizing, and ambiguity is reality.