Manga: Reviews of Happiness and My Brother’s Husband - a podcast by Stergios Botzakis & Derek Royal

Time Codes:

• 00:00:26 - Introduction
• 00:03:19 - Listener mail!
• 00:09:41 - Happiness
• 00:48:25 - My Brother's Husband
• 01:15:40 - Wrap up
• 01:16:43 - Contact us

On the April manga episode, Shea and Derek discuss two very different series. They begin with Shuzo Oshimi's Happiness, the fourth volume of which has just been released by Kodansha Comics. This is a vampiric narrative that takes place in the suburbs and centers on the relationships among high school students. But don't make the mistake of thinking that this is Twilight-tinged fantasy. Oshimi's characterization is sophisticated and, in places, unpredictable, and his art style captures the interiority of his key marginalized figures. Of particular interest is Yuuki, a bully who befriends the narrative's protagonist, Okazaki, and how both characters handle their newfound vampirism once each has turned. The guys appreciate where this story is going, and Shea, in particular, is impatient in having to wait for the next few volumes.

Next, Derek and Shea check out the first volume of Gengoroh Tagame's My Brother's Husband. This book is notable for a couple of reasons. For one, it is the first work of manga that Pantheon Books, a leader in major trade graphic-novel publishing, has ever released. And second, this is an all-age title by a mangaka known primarily for his gay BDSM erotic manga. It's the story of Yaichi and Kana, a single father and daughter, and their relationship with Mike, a gay Canadian who had married Yaichi's estranged brother. After Mike's husband dies, he honors his memory by getting to know his Japanese family. As the guys reveal, My Brother's Husband is a tale about relationships, coming to term with personal prejudices, and the strictures various cultures place on interpersonal behaviors.

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