Ogawa Yayoi - Tramps Like Us, vol. 01-03 (Eng. trans.)

[oyceter]

Upon reading the first three pages at rachelmanija's house, I decided to close the manga and buy it for myself based on the following:

• A heroine who is a working woman, not a middle-school, high-school, or college student


• The ugliness of the glass ceiling in the workplace


• Double standards for women and men re: education and aggressive behavior


• Workplaces that vaguely resemble the real world

Also, it has really unique and neat art, and I am a total sucker for that.

Sumire is said working woman (NOT an OL). She went to the prestigious Tokyo University, and then to Harvard, and holds a fairly good position at her newspaper. Her fiance recently broke up with her because he felt intimidated by her and ended up getting together with a woman who made him feel "more comfortable" (read: "less challenged"). On her way home, she finds a young man in a cardboard box and ends up taking him home and cleaning him up. Eventually, he moves in, but as a pet instead of a boyfriend. She names him Momo after the pet dog she had as a kid.

Sumire cooks for Momo, feeds him, shampoos his hair, pets him while she reads or watches TV at night, and has found that she's somehow come to rely on Momo's presence. I really love their relationship. It's not romantic (though it seems like Momo might want it to be). It's Sumire's very strange way of relaxing from all the expectations on her in the workplace, trying to let down her guard and etc. I'm not sure if this is a feminist manga, but it's definitely closer to it than most, and I especially enjoy how Sumire works and lives in a world that isn't too removed from my own, as opposed to most shoujo heroines.

I also adore Momo, who is a dancer. We don't know much about him yet, and I suspect that'll be part of the arcs to come, but I really like how young he feels, how carefree, and the way he absolutely adores Sumire. There are some twinges of UST in a few scenes, but it's not a romance yet, and I like that odd, delicate place between romance and friendship (petship?) that it inhabits.

Very interested to see how the series keeps going.

Also, I love the art.

Comments

[oracne.livejournal.com]

This sounds REALLY interesting.

[oyceter]

It is VERY interesting. I'm very tempted to go out and buy vols. 3-10 just to see where Ogawa goes with the story.

you will read manga.... you will read manga....

/jedimindtrick

[oracne.livejournal.com]

I do read it sometimes. I don't often buy my own copies, though, just borrow.

[oyceter]

Yeah... it is an awefully expensive habit. If you lived around here, I would totally let you raid my shelves!

[vom-marlowe.livejournal.com]

My manga budget is never going to be the same. You know that, right? Oyce, you are the best manga pimp EVER. Wanders off to buy.

[oyceter]

Muhahaha! Mission accomplished!

[octopedingenue]

GOD I love Sumire. I mean Tramps Like Us. But mostly Sumire.

[oyceter]

EEEEE!! You have a Sumire icon! I love her and how different she is from all the usual shoujo heroines.