Fujieda Toru - Oyayubihime Infinity, vol. 06 (Eng. trans.)
Thu, Dec. 13th, 2007 02:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterI think my enjoyment of the series peaked around vol. 2 or 3, with the Mayu storyline. I lost a lot of interest once that was resolved and Mayu faded to the background, and I am still grumpy at Kanoko's makeover.
That said, I did overall like how the series was resolved. Unlike most other reincarnation things I read, I love how the series emphasizes the present over the past. Tsubame and Kanoko aren't destined to be together; the past isn't binding because it's our choices now that matter. I also liked the deconstruction of the romance of double-suicides. I am particularly fond of romances that realize that star-crossed-ness isn't actually the best thing ever, and that it may be unconducive to healthy relationships. And while Mike hiding his secret for so long required much suspension of disbelief, I liked the assertion that Tsubame's long-idealized Grand Romance was not in fact what it seemed.
The Arata subplot continued to totally bore me. Fujieda's author notes say that her fans really loved Arata and were lukewarm about Tsubame; I am the exact opposite. So sick of bad boy superstar heroes! I like the Tsubame is nice and dorky and sweetly enthusiastic! I hope Fujieda does not get discouraged from drawing her cute boy heroes!
I also like that Kanoko's butterfly wasn't a symbol of something she had to get over, but rather, a reminder of freedom and choice.
And while I like Mike/Mayu, I do wish that the potential reincarnated gay romance were not turned into a heterosexual one. Of course, I also misread Utsusemi as being in love with Agemaki for a while and cheered at that before realizing it was not the case.
That said, while I didn't find the latter volumes nearly as interesting, this is still a pretty nice, solid series with some interesting takes on the usual reincarnation tropes.
That said, I did overall like how the series was resolved. Unlike most other reincarnation things I read, I love how the series emphasizes the present over the past. Tsubame and Kanoko aren't destined to be together; the past isn't binding because it's our choices now that matter. I also liked the deconstruction of the romance of double-suicides. I am particularly fond of romances that realize that star-crossed-ness isn't actually the best thing ever, and that it may be unconducive to healthy relationships. And while Mike hiding his secret for so long required much suspension of disbelief, I liked the assertion that Tsubame's long-idealized Grand Romance was not in fact what it seemed.
The Arata subplot continued to totally bore me. Fujieda's author notes say that her fans really loved Arata and were lukewarm about Tsubame; I am the exact opposite. So sick of bad boy superstar heroes! I like the Tsubame is nice and dorky and sweetly enthusiastic! I hope Fujieda does not get discouraged from drawing her cute boy heroes!
I also like that Kanoko's butterfly wasn't a symbol of something she had to get over, but rather, a reminder of freedom and choice.
And while I like Mike/Mayu, I do wish that the potential reincarnated gay romance were not turned into a heterosexual one. Of course, I also misread Utsusemi as being in love with Agemaki for a while and cheered at that before realizing it was not the case.
That said, while I didn't find the latter volumes nearly as interesting, this is still a pretty nice, solid series with some interesting takes on the usual reincarnation tropes.
(no subject)
Fri, Dec. 14th, 2007 12:31 am (UTC)Word. Wordpie, in fact. Beyond my basic dislike of the makeover trope, insult to injury I thought it was a pretty bad one.
And pretty much agreement to everything else you said. I loved the initial dynamic with an introverted, strong-minded heroine and a flighty and open-hearted love interest. And like you I was excited at the idea that they might be "defying" the past or destiny to be together. So the Arata subplot felt boring and patched-together.
(no subject)
Fri, Dec. 14th, 2007 01:30 am (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Dec. 14th, 2007 01:47 am (UTC)It felt disturbingly Pygmalion/Prof Higgins-like to me, with Arata molding her new image to fit his concept of her and her personality. I was really glad to see a return to form, even if it didn't have quite the impact if she'd refused the makeover in the first place.