Otomen

Aya Kanno, 1980-

Book - 2009

Summary, v. 1. "Asuka Masamune is a guy who loves girly things--sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. But in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Ryo Miyakozuka, on the other hand, is a girl who can't sew or bake a cake to save her life. Asuka finds himself drawn to Ryo, but she likes only the manliest of men! Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to the girl that he's falling for?"--p. [4] of cover.

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MANGA/Kanno/Otomen v. 1
vol. 1: 0 / 1 copies available
vol. 2: 1 / 1 copies available
vol. 3: 1 / 1 copies available
vol. 4: 1 / 1 copies available
vol. 5: 0 / 1 copies available
vol. 6: 0 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
2nd Floor Comics MANGA/Kanno/Otomen v. 1 v. 1 Due Nov 1, 2023
2nd Floor Comics MANGA/Kanno/Otomen v. 2 v. 2 Checked In
2nd Floor Comics MANGA/Kanno/Otomen v. 3 v. 3 Checked In
2nd Floor Comics MANGA/Kanno/Otomen v. 4 v. 4 Checked In
2nd Floor Comics MANGA/Kanno/Otomen v. 5 v. 5 Due Oct 18, 2023
2nd Floor Comics MANGA/Kanno/Otomen v. 6 v. 6 Due Oct 18, 2023
Subjects
Published
San Francisco, CA : VIZ Media 2009-
Language
English
Japanese
Main Author
Aya Kanno, 1980- (-)
Edition
Shojo Beat manga ed
Item Description
Reads from right to left.
Physical Description
v : chiefly ill. ; 20 cm
Audience
Rated T for teen.
ISBN
9781421521862
9781421521879
9781421524726
9781421525372
9781421527376
9781421529301
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Is it nature, or is it nurture? Asuka, a young Japanese man, loves things his culture considers feminine and unfitting for men, like sewing, cooking, and even reading girly comics. His mother shames him for his interests, and he tries to bury himself in more masculine pursuits, like kendo, in an attempt to squash his real feelings. When Asuka meets an athletic girl he likes, he starts to realize the importance of following one's own passions instead of doing what his culture (and mother) might insist is best for him. Although the art is as sugary and cute as Asuka himself, with lots of sparkling and glitter in the periphery, hidden among all the prettiness are important themes of individuality and being true to yourself, making this an empowering read for teenage girls. Its title even offers a pun to the sharp eye: otome is Japanese for girl, and it combines with the English word men.--Davidson, Danica Copyright 2009 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

An "otomen" as defined by this book is "[a] male who has feminine hobbies, skills, or way of thinking." Asuka, the title otomen of this well-drawn comedy, secretly reads shojo manga, makes stuffed animals and prefers caramel macchiatos to coffee. Forbidden by his mother from girlish behavior after his transvestite father abandoned the family, Asuka takes on a very masculine public character. He is nationally ranked at judo, karate and kendo. Asuka's tragedy is somehow hilarious. He falls for Ryo, the nongirly daughter of a manly martial arts instructor who finds Asuka unacceptable as a friend, let alone a potential suitor: "Men don't go in the kitchen!" he bellows. The strange deus ex machina character Junta acts as a catalyst to bring Asuka and Ryo together while enjoying Asuka's elaborate bento lunches. The over-the-top gender stereotyping is ham-handed at times, but reveals interesting insight into what the Japanese consider the most manly and most girly extremes. The strong artwork carries the comedy premise further than the script could alone, and the manga-within-a-manga, Love Chick, is a hilariously accurate parody of typical shojo. Kanno's other manga in translation include the sci-fi series Blank Slate and angel comedy Soul Rescue. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved