Week 8: Diversity of Gender and Sexuality in Manga and Anime

After reading a little of My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness and My Solo Exchange Diary, I felt very happy coming out of the read. I thought it was very cute and enduring how the main character tries all these different things to make herself feel better. She feels bad about herself and constantly is very aware about how lonely she feels, but she struggles and tries to do different things to make herself feel better. It is very clumsy and I kind of liked that about her personality but it is the trying that really made me enjoy the read so much.

I like the part about how she felt so warm after being held by the escort and how openly the author uses this as one of her attempts to make the character feel better. It definitely is not so widely talked about and I feel like it was presented in a delightful way. It really shows that people require intimacy, not sexual intimacy but really they just want to be loved and it is so apparent in how this character feels.

I thought it was interesting the comment she made about how she felt even lonelier when she was with her family than when she was by herself. I guess it feels like sometimes we feel more isolated when we are around people who don't understand us. Versus when you are by yourself, there is no comparison almost and you can feel like yourself. I think family puts a lot of pressure on her in that way and it thought this was an interesting comparison.

NANA , Ai Yazawa and her Depiction of Relationships in Shojo Presentation
This week I presented on NANA and Ai Yazawa. I think something that really drew me to this author was the fashion sense and style in all her characters. How each changes clothes very often and it is very entertaining to watch. Growing up I must say I was very intrigued by the fashion styles. But more than anything the complex view of relationships depicted by the author is what really drew me into reading more of her works. Her view is definitely not the usual black and white happy ending or even optimistic. It is very realistic and slightly dark.

It is interesting to see how both main characters are opposites and how they rely on each other, learn from each other and support each other through the struggles in their lives. There are a few difficult themes including emotional abuse, disowning of children, male prostitution, pregnancy, obsession and the list goes on.  All the characters have many flaws which I really like about the anime. It depicts a realistic situation and how people can possibly act.

The cutesy Nana is always optimistic but always unsure of herself, reliant and boy crazy. She doesn't have much self worth and is always looking for validation from boys. The rocker Nana is always independent and strong but inside she is scared and obsessive over her friends. She treats them lie objects and wants to manipulate to keep them around. Watching them interact and go through relationship issues is interesting as it paints a different picture than the usual cutesy happy type of shojo anime and manga.