« Ayahana Min: Akazukin Chacha vol. 09 | Main | Baito wa meido!? (Narita Ken x Sakurai Takahiro, Tobita Nobuo, Okano Kosuke, Fukami Rika) »
Kishimoto Ryoko: Hiizuru tokoro no tenshi bunko vol. 1
A fictional account of the life of the historical figure Shôtoku Taishi, who was a member of the ruling class of Japan a thousand and some years ago. The only thing I know about Shôtoku Taishi is how he looked, and I only know this because he used to be on the 10000 yen note. Well, I suppose I also know that he was the one to spread Buddhism to Japan? And I hear it was rumoured that he was a psychic.
Shôtoku Taishi of this manga looks nothing like he did on the 10000 yen note, which is probably for the best because he was rather ugly on that bill. Here, he is an attractive boy, androgynous and enigmatic, and angsting in silence. He isn't called "Shôtoku Taishi", either, because that was a name given to him after his death; no, he's called Umayado-no-ôji. Confused yet? I am.
The narrator is Emishi, the eldest son of one of the ministers of the royal court at the time. (I'm guessing he's a historical figure, but I don't know to what degree he has been fictionalized here.) He is rather unmanly by the standards of the time, being more interested in reading and studying than in horses and girls. He meets Umayado-no-ôji by chance, and gradually gets attracted to him even while learning about the boy's schemes of murder and betrayal.
Yaaaaaaay, historical RPS!
And that is as much as I understand of this manga. The narrator Emishi, while bright, isn't very well-informed in the intrigues of the court or the supernatural business Umayado-no-ôji is involved with, so the reader is equally left behind. This doesn't matter as such because the story is mysterious and engaging nonetheless, but I have a hard time saying anything intelligent about it at this point. I suppose Umayado-no-ôji is scheming to become emperor (he has already succeeded in making his father emperor), but I don't know why he'd do that; he's rather the lonesome type, mostly because his supernatural abilities isolate him but probably also because he is a prodigy and can't find anyone to associate with that would truly understand him. I guess he thinks of Emishi as special, because he lets Emishi notice his plotting, but it also appears he is tired of Emishi's snooping around. But over-all, I don't get the boy.
What left the biggest impression on me in this volume was the cunning way in which Buddhism sneaks into the lives of people who previously had other gods: it doesn't attempt to throw out these gods, but rather convinces people that their gods are true but Buddha is above them, and other gods are a part of Buddhism. When people hear Japan has two state religions, Shinto and Buddhism, they tend to think this is because the Japanese are very loose about such things, but it has as much to do with how Buddhism works.
Category: Shojo/ladies | Posted by Alicia at October 1, 2004 11:54 AM
Comments
Managing not to gnash my teeth, for it's a common mistake, but Shotoku? Never emperor. I think he tends to get a little too much credit, much as I love the conspiracy theories around the man. Suiko was tenno at the time. And she outlived him, despite his being designated crown prince. So. XD
Also, it'd be far, far more interesting to slash the traditional looking Shotoku than this waify thing. And also? The blasphemy. It burns. XD
Posted by: kristina at November 11, 2004 12:11 PM
I know! I found out a few weeks after I wrote this and I've been meaning to correct it ever since. So sorry to make your teeth gnash. XD;
If I have to be honest? Agree on the slashing of the traditionally-looking Shotoku, too. I still maintain that the story of this manga is highly intriguing, but the Shotoku here is like ... a girl. He's even wearing lipstick and eyeliner, d00d.
Blasphemy? What is this blasphemy of which you speak? *batters eyelashes*
Posted by: Alicia at November 11, 2004 12:21 PM