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Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Manga Review: Ooku: The Inner Chambers, Volume 13, by Fumi Yoshinaga


Rating (Out of 5): ~3
Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)
Release Date: November 2017
Volumes: 16+
Spoilers?: No.
Volume: 1. 11. 14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In Eisner-nominated Fumi Yoshinaga’s alternative history of Edo-era Japan, the men of Japan are dying out, and the women have taken up the reigns of power—including the shogun’s seat!

In Edo period Japan, a strange new disease called the Redface Pox has begun to prey on the country's men. Within eighty years of the first outbreak, the male population has fallen by seventy-five percent. Women have taken on all the roles traditionally granted to men, even that of the shogun. The men, precious providers of life, are carefully protected. And the most beautiful of the men are sent to serve in the shogun's Inner Chamber...

After the discovery of the Redface Pox vaccine, the male population of Japan has nearly recovered, and men have again become used to being in public life and government. So as the first female shogun in over 60 years, Iesada has many challenges to face, such as an Inner Chamber unused to a woman’s needs. But the greatest threat comes from her own father’s unhealthy interest in her…

Review:

I'm not a history fan, but this really is an impressive, thoughtful historical series. It's in-depth with the inner workings of these positions, and how it all connects and moves around behind the scenes. Who is honest and who is using who, who has selfish reasons and who has devious ones.
We meet Iesada in this volume, and we get to see her grow into the proposed next Shogun, with an overbearing, unhealthily attached father. At the same time, we're following Masahiro's climb up the ladder. At a time when men are deciding to take back power, now that they're healthy enough and women had been doing it for so long, these two women are attempting to take positions equally. It's a gender struggle, at the same time that Japan is considering opening it's gates to other countries after years of isolation.
There are good and bad moments in this volume, as we see them take a step forward, and struggle to stay where they are. I mostly feel bad for Iesada, as she has attempted taking a husband a few times, but she has been forced by her father to harden herself to people. It's sad to see.
This was an interesting volume for me. It felt a bit like a new arc, which I'm happy for, since I haven't read the previous ones. I'm interested to see what happens next, too.


A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

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