Scanlation Get: Kindan no Koi wo Shiyou

Another quick one this week as March Madness holds a complete different but appropriate meaning for me. I'll do my best to continue to update weekly but things are a bit more hectic then I was planning them to be originally.

This week is another smut title. I want to say it's more tasteful then Akuma na Eros but it might not be for completely different reasons. The title is Kindan no Koi wo Shiyou plus its two sequel series Zoku - Kindan no Koi wo Shiyou and Kindan no Koi de Ikou by Tomu Ohmi (Midnight Secretary). Our leading lady Hisako is a fairly stereotypical character. She pretty much is the prototypal shy, demure, and fairly dependent on others type. There are a few elements of her that break the mold, she is an adult women in her late 20's (where often these titles are still about high school girls), she had a real hobby (jewelry crafting), and she isn't and office lady (she works in an antiques shop). While not very forceful she can be very firm with the rules and about lines not being crossed. What really makes this title different is the supernatural aspect of it, her boyfriend.

Hisako's boyfriend is Yato a wolfwere?! Yes, a wolfwere he is a wolf who turns into a man under the magical power of the moon and who has lived for over 300 years. He is fairly typical character for this type of role. Though he is a lot nicer then most male leads in smut manga though. In fact he seems a lot more like 'real' dude then a lot of the uber creeps some of the girls fall for in these titles. Though this is where some of the most questionable content comes in. Most of his time is spent in wolf form and when the moon starts to become full he can turn into a man. So the question of bestiality does come up in the manga often enough. Fortunately and thankfully, it never goes there.

Since they are a couple who already live together, most of the series conflict comes from outside sources. Many of the stories are about other men who want Hisako, her over protective brother, a wealthy man who wants Yato in his collection, or ghosts from Yato's past. It's a nice change of pace in this genre where all the conflict is about getting the couple together. Most of the chapters are self-contained stories but some do go on for a few chapters but there isn't a whole lot of continuity to remember. What is also interesting is that her hobby and place of work is often worked into the stories almost giving them a slice of life feel but are mixed in with stories of the supernatural. I really like the mash up of the various elements and they work together well.

The art is very shoujo, but for me on the better end. Screen tones are used much better then I would say in a lot of shoujo titles. There are still a lot of backgrounds of flowers that plague so many of these titles. The panels are loose in a more typical shoujo fashion but have good flow. The drawing in this series is fine. Though I don't think anyone would have Tomu Ohmi as there favorite artist.

Over all this is a fun fluff series. Best read a chapter or two at a time. The main characters are likable enough and I really enjoy their relationship. As a smut series it's pretty mild. There is some sex, and if I remember correctly all of it is consensual, which is a huge rarity in the genre. If you have ever been curious about these genre but didn't want rape and dickertry this is a good place to start.

Scanlation Get: Akuma na Eros

There is a genre of manga that hasn't seen a whole lot of light in the U.S., with all the manga that is out there what could it be? It's smut aimed at girls (which has a few Japaneses terms but I never find solid information on just what is commonly used). This genre isn't just a few titles either, there are oodles of manga anthology magazines devoted to it. Cheese!, and Sho-comi are just a couple of these magazines. These titles often border the line between shoujo romance and pornography. The romance is often hot and heavy, far more adult then the everyday shoujo comic. Sex is often the main topic of the story, and it happens often. If you are squeamish these are probably not for you as they often contain "consensual rape". Yes, I know what I just wrote...we will just leave it there... I don't even what to say such a concept tells us about Japanese culture. (Though, I have heard from my romance novel reading friends that the concept may not be all that foreign). They in fact have a lot in common with romance novels. Just think of hot bishonen instead of Fabio. They also share a lot of the "darker" (a.k.a. creepy) themes often seen in yaoi.

I've read gobs of these titles. Many contain the same basic plot and structure. What I find interesting is some of the best art I have seen in shoujo manga are from these titles. Royal Seventeen and other titles by Kayono comes to mind. Today's title though is by Mayu Shinjou who is one of the most prolific writers in this genre. Her art much like Kaori Yuki has really evolved over the years. In her older titles the art is just adequate but her more modern titles it is top notch.

Today's title is Akuma na Eros by Mayu Shinjou. This was one of the first smut titles I read and it's still one of my favorites because in some ways it's just so well...insane. Our heroine Miu just happens to have a book of incantations. (Really? Why hell not. This also gets explained in the final volume but the answer is just as bat shit ludicrous). Miu wants "adult body" so she can get the guy she likes at school to notice her (now this sounds like an 80's movie). Of course things don't go as planed but what she gets instead is hot bishie Satan! Yes, I am not kidding Satan is a central character in this story! He grants her the wish of having the heart of the boy she likes because...well, she is a virgin! Satan then promptly anime tropes us as a returning student in Miu's school after a long absence due to sickness. He is also pretty much dicks around with Miu and mentally abuses her a bit, which makes her hot for him. (You know this is how it works in a manga, don't lie to yourself.) At some point Miu and Satan become a couple, but as a story goes on, plot has to get in the way. Which leads to a black sabbath being held and our couple traveling to hell its self. Where we discover the Lords of Hell are also hottie bishonen, and Satan has sex buddies!

The story is kind of rambling and predictable, in other ways it's kind bizarrely surprising. The most interesting part of it is the really Satan angle, it is not something I've seen all that often (or ever). Miu starts out as the normal weak willed girl that plagues so many titles, but she does become a bit stronger of a character by the end. Satan is holds pretty true to the male lead in these types titles, a bad guy with a heart of gold (at least for the girl). Since he is Satan though and not random street punk, like in a lot of the smut titles, it gives him a bit of an edge. Really this is a title that works only as a whole and is really more entertaining then it should be.

The art in it is fair, it's from 2001 and it shows. Art still has a very 90's anime look to it, and a lot of tone effects that was very common for the time period. Shinjou's art since then has really gone up by leaps and bounds, but by no means does is the art in Akuma na Eros bad. The lines are strong and there is a lot of detail it just never escapes beyond the 90's.

This strange title is worth a look at, it was a lot of fun to read. The story is predictable and absurd but that is part the title's charm. If you have ever been interested in the world of girl sumt manga or just like stories with angels and demons in it (who all happen to be hot), it is worth checking out.