Soryo Fuyumi - Mars, vol. 01-15 (Eng. trans.) (reread)
Tue, Jan. 8th, 2008 12:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterMars is one of the earlier shoujo series I read, and it's one of the earlier shoujo series to be brought over to the US in translation. This was my first time reading the English translation, but the language of the Chinese translation I originally read and the language of the English translation are both fairly unremarkable, so I didn't have as varied of an experience as I did with, say, Angel Sanctuary.
Aso Kira is quiet, terminally shy, and devoted to her art, but she's also bullied by the girls at school. Kashino Rei is just the opposite in personality, although equally as devoted to motorcycles and motorcycle racing. They meet-cute in a park, and while Kira is terrified of talking to him because of his bad-boy reputation, she uncharacteristically overcomes her shyness and ends up asking him to model for her.
This series is an odd combination of quiet character moments and Gothic romance/horror, which Soryo mixes together more successfully with her later series Eternal Sabbath (ES). Even so, I ate this up with a spoon the first time I read it. There's revelation upon revelation about Rei's past, along with a few psychopaths, mental trauma, and parental disapproval. My favorite things about the series is how Rei and Kira actually talk to each other, how Soryo doesn't forget about Rei's friendship with Tatsuya and Kira's eventual friendship with a girl in her class. I also like the explorations of hate and anger, particularly with Kira.
My biggest beef with the series (aside from now rolling my eyes at some of the subplots, particularly the early one about Rei's old girlfriend) is similar to my problem with many shoujo series. Rei's story eventually eclipses Kira's; he not only gets more angst and action and stuff to do, much of the focus ends up being on what he feels and why, with Kira there to provide support only. We don't even get much of Kira's POV on being the support, particularly near the end. Kira does get some angst later on, but it's pretty telling that the last shot of the series is of Rei alone, looking up to an empty sky. (I think? I returned it to the library so I can't double check.)
Still, I like that Soryo is committed to portraying the two in a working, evolving relationship, as opposed to drawn-out misunderstandings and other reasons to keep the couple apart. I especially like watching Kira grow throughout the series; Rei does give her strength, but a lot of what she accomplishes is on her own terms, even though it's often sidelined.
Please put any spoilers in the comments in <span style="color:#333,background:#333">spoiler text</span>!
Aso Kira is quiet, terminally shy, and devoted to her art, but she's also bullied by the girls at school. Kashino Rei is just the opposite in personality, although equally as devoted to motorcycles and motorcycle racing. They meet-cute in a park, and while Kira is terrified of talking to him because of his bad-boy reputation, she uncharacteristically overcomes her shyness and ends up asking him to model for her.
This series is an odd combination of quiet character moments and Gothic romance/horror, which Soryo mixes together more successfully with her later series Eternal Sabbath (ES). Even so, I ate this up with a spoon the first time I read it. There's revelation upon revelation about Rei's past, along with a few psychopaths, mental trauma, and parental disapproval. My favorite things about the series is how Rei and Kira actually talk to each other, how Soryo doesn't forget about Rei's friendship with Tatsuya and Kira's eventual friendship with a girl in her class. I also like the explorations of hate and anger, particularly with Kira.
My biggest beef with the series (aside from now rolling my eyes at some of the subplots, particularly the early one about Rei's old girlfriend) is similar to my problem with many shoujo series. Rei's story eventually eclipses Kira's; he not only gets more angst and action and stuff to do, much of the focus ends up being on what he feels and why, with Kira there to provide support only. We don't even get much of Kira's POV on being the support, particularly near the end. Kira does get some angst later on, but it's pretty telling that the last shot of the series is of Rei alone, looking up to an empty sky. (I think? I returned it to the library so I can't double check.)
Still, I like that Soryo is committed to portraying the two in a working, evolving relationship, as opposed to drawn-out misunderstandings and other reasons to keep the couple apart. I especially like watching Kira grow throughout the series; Rei does give her strength, but a lot of what she accomplishes is on her own terms, even though it's often sidelined.
Please put any spoilers in the comments in <span style="color:#333,background:#333">spoiler text</span>!
(no subject)
Tue, Jan. 8th, 2008 10:29 pm (UTC)The last double page spread is of the motorcycle track with Rei's voiceover, and the actual last page is looking up at the signal at the track with the sky behind it. So yes, Rei-focused.
I only picked up Mars to begin with because it was one of the first titles in Tokyopop's experiment in not flipping artwork and I wanted to encourage that. I got addicted pretty quickly for all the reasons you mentioned.
The only part that really made me want to pull out my hair was the bit with Kira's mom. In a series where most of the characters were growing, that stuck out as such a step backwards. I don't know if it was supposed to show the difference between the older and younger generations or what, but I grit my teeth every time I re-read those chapters.
(no subject)
Wed, Jan. 9th, 2008 01:29 am (UTC)Yeaah, I was really frustrated by the Kira's family storyline. It felt like her mom in particular got jerked around by the narrative, given her two really big changes of mind in the series.
(no subject)
Wed, Jan. 9th, 2008 02:40 am (UTC)I have to say, I still don't get Rei's blow-up about that whole situation. I mean, I get that he'd be upset about Kira's decision and he was right, but it was the opposite of helpful. And he gave up way too quickly.