By Aya Konno. Released in Japan by Hakusensha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Bessatsu Hana to Yume (“Betsuhana”). Released in North America by Viz.
Sometimes a shoujo author just doesn’t want to write about romance. This can be tougher than it sounds. Many of the shoujo and shonen magazines in Japan have very narrow demographics, and an author sometimes has to disguise their intent in order to get a title published. Ken Akamatsu is perhaps the most famous example, as his editors did not want him writing a fighting series – they wanted more harem comedy. So, he wrote them a harem comedy… which has now become a fighting series with harem comedy fluidly worked into it.
And sometimes you simply realize that your strengths are not in romantic dialogue. Tomoko Hayakawa has written in her manga The Wallflower about her arguments with the editor, who wants things wrapped up soon-ish – it’s been 24 volumes, after all – and her own abilities to write romance, which suck. She’s much better at comedic stuff, and knows it.
Now, since I’m actually reviewing Otomen 6 here, I note that Aya Konno can clearly write romance, as is evidenced by the few meager scenes we see in this series. She just doesn’t particularly WANT to. The series is about gender roles. Asuka’s attempts to be manly, despite his love of girly things. Ryo’s gung-ho tomboyishness showing him the way that it can be done. And a nagging tendency for all the tall, handsome, rugged men to love flowers and makeup. It’s comedic (just look at that cover!) and can be very clever, but it also means that in some volumes, such as this one, Ryo is almost entirely absent.
She’s not needed as there isn’t a gratuitous “Asuka pines after Ryo” chapter here. We do see her giving Asuka Valentine’s Day chocolate (once again, the question of whether they’re an official couple or not is sidestepped), but that’s used just to give Asuka determination (and for comic effect – her chocolates are the funniest thing in the volume). This is more frustrating as two chapters in this volume *do* actually deal with romance. Juta’s sister Kuriko has two suitors here – the girly Yamato and the flower-loving Kitora. Tellingly, these are both the weakest chapters of the volume, and one of them ALSO ends up dealing with gender roles, as Yamato takes Asuka on a ‘practice date’.
This is still a good manga, and I think it manages to keep a clever balance between mocking all the gender stuff and making telling points about being yourself. But I think at this point having romance almost hampers it, as it’s setting us up for plot lines I doubt we’ll ever really get. The goal we’re headed for is not Asuka and Ryo as a couple, it’s Asuka realizing that he can accept his love of feminine things. The author KNOWS what is expected of her – there’s a whole plotline in Otomen about Juta’s frustration at Ryo and Asuka, as his editor is telling him to move the couple in “Love Chick” forward. It’s unclear how much of this is based in real life, but I’d suggest more than likely Kanno has her editors at Betsuhana say the same thing.
Plus, of course, everyone reads this for the pretty boys anyway. Ryo who? :)
