Anime Review: Usagi Drop

So an anime I’ve recently watched is Usagi Drop. Crunchyroll categorizes it as “slice of life,” a genre my husband and I enjoy, so we decided to give it a try. We ended up watching half the available episodes the first night and watching the remaining half the next.

Here’s the basic premise: Daikichi, a 30-year-old salaryman, goes to his grandfather’s funeral and unexpectedly finds himself with custody of Rin, his grandfather’s 6-year-old illegitimate daughter (yup, she’s his aunt).

Usagi Drop is unusual in many respects. Unlike the vast majority of series which center on adolescence and young adult life, the main characters are a middle-aged man and a little girl. In addition, it really is a slice of life. Anime in that genre tend to have either extremely quirky characters (like Honey and Clover) or end up supremely boring (like Ocean Waves), but with Usagi Drop, you can actually envision a family challenged by their particular quandaries. Daikichi and Rin are utterly relatable, and my husband and I were completely invested in them by the end of the first episode.

So there are no superhuman powers or end-of-the-world plot lines, but Usagi Drop’s themes about family and belonging are compelling in their own way. Daikichi must make the abrupt transition from bachelorhood to a single father role, and Rin grapples with fears of abandonment and death in the wake of her father’s passing. Maybe it’s because Daikichi’s so close to my own age and life stage, but his brand of quiet, gentle strength really appeals to me.

I can’t think of a whole lot of anime comparable to Usagi Drop. The closest I can come up with is the manga Aishiteruze Baby, but in that series, the primary caregiver of the abandoned child is a high school Casanova, which makes it more fantasy and less slice of life to me. Not to say Usagi doesn’t have its own less than believable components, most of which are connected to Rin’s mother. For one, I can’t fathom the woman and Daikichi’s grandfather in an intimate relationship. For another, compared to all the stories I’ve heard about child abandonment, her reasons for stepping out of Rin’s life are lame, frankly.

Fortunately, Rin’s mother doesn’t dominate the entire series, and the focus generally stays on Rin’s place within the extended family and the parallel struggles of Rin’s friend Kouki and his divorced mother. And just to be clear, there’s nothing perverted about Rin and Daikichi’s relationship. NOTHING. The worst that the series offers up in terms of language and violence is kindergarten naughtiness from Kouki. (I can’t say the same about the manga though. I haven’t looked it up yet, but a friend tells me that it’s very different from the anime.)

So if you’re looking for a contemporary anime about family and the noble side of the human spirit, give Usagi Drop a try. As far as content goes, I’d probably rate it “All Ages” if it weren’t for the discussions about Rin’s parentage.

Manga Review: Maoh: Juvenile Remix Vol. #06

I don’t usually review a whole lot of shonen manga, and I review even fewer violent shonen titles. Somehow, though, I wound up reviewing Maoh, which has murder and mayhem in spades.(My reviews of earlier Maoh: Juvenile Remix volumes can be found here.) However, it’s more of a supernatural thriller than a gratuitous show of blood splattering and has a fairly interesting hero (if you can stomach all the casualties along the way).

The story takes place in Nekota City, which is not so much a dystopia as it is a community on the decline (think Gotham City from Batman). Ando is a high school student who has the power to make others say out loud what he’s thinking (he calls it ventriloquism). Inukai is the mysterious leader of a vigilante group called Grasshopper, which is at odds with the city’s redevelopment plan. Inukai is hailed as a hero among the common folk of Nekota, but after a few disturbing run-ins with Grasshopper, Ando senses that Inukai is not all that he seems.

Back Cover Blurb

As Ando continues to try to uncover Inukai’s plans, Grasshopper prepares for a major event to take control of the city. Just when Ando gets close to the truth, standing in his way is the most dangerous challenge he’s ever faced.

The Review

At the end of the last volume, Ando wasn’t looking too good. In fact, he looked like he was ready to keel over. As it turns out, he’s nowhere near finished. With as much sleuthing and running around as he does, you’ll be exhausted by the time Volume 6 is over.

The story gets off to a slow start with some machinations on the political front and fanatical stirrings at Ando’s high school. After a while, I almost got tired of Ando being the lone voice of reason among the strident, brainwashed mob. But then the story moves toward the Grasshopper Action Meeting, and the story really picks up.

The lead up to the meeting all but screams “epic battle coming!” Even the way, Ando sends Junya out of town very much has a “Farewell, Brother, I go to die” feel to it. So does the action that follows actually live up to the anticipation? I think it does.

The creators convey a definite sense of urgency with the countdown to Inukai’s plan, and the situation worsens when the Duce bartender shows up to thwart Ando’s efforts. At certain points, Ando and the bartender get ridiculously chatty for two guys involved in a life or death battle, but Ando’s frantic race to figure out the secret behind the bartender’s power will definitely keep you riveted.

To be sure, the last moments of their fight seem to defy the laws of physics and the action is a little hard to follow (it took me three reads to figure out what exactly happened with the bridge). The ending is also rather over the top with its image of the planet Earth. Overall, though, it’s a thrilling finish for this volume and our hero Ando.

In Summary

Volume 6 is all about wits. Inukai has a secret plot to bring the city to its knees, and Ando must uncover it before it’s too late. But in the middle of his investigation, he’s attacked by Inukai’s dangerous henchman, the Duce bartender. The ensuing battle has plenty of crashing and flying projectiles, but it ultimately boils down to whether Ando can crack the secret behind the bartender’s power before he gets killed. For those who like smart heroes pitted against enormous odds, Volume 6 of Maoh will be a treat.

This title is rated Older Teen for lotsa blood and violence and an intense plot.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Research Ramblings: Asking for Help

Asking for help might sound really simple, but I’m actually horrible at this. I’m not sure if it’s a pride or shyness issue, but I just get really uncomfortable putting out any kind of request. It’s as if I’ve been conditioned to believe that just my asking for assistance will automatically draw a person’s wrath, which is by and large untrue. What I must constantly remind myself is that the worst that can happen (usually) is that I get a no. But if I get a positive response, what ensues can be amazing.

Six years ago, when I was researching my first manuscript, I read Elizabeth Wayland Barber’s Women’s Work. It’s an excellent, excellent resource about the historical, cultural, and social aspects of weaving. I got a lot out of it, but once I was done reading, I had some lingering questions. Then I noticed in the author’s bio that Ms. Barber taught at Occidental College. A little research, and there her e-mail was on the faculty roster.

Then I hesitated. It felt presumptuous to contact an authority I’d never met and expect her to respond. But finally I sucked it up, wrote an e-mail telling her I enjoyed the book, and tacked my questions on at the end. She replied the next day, graciously thanking me for reading her work and answering my questions. Pretty cool!

More recently, when I chose to write about Cynisca of Sparta for my next manuscript, I realized horses were going to play a major part and decided that I should probably find someone who actually owned a horse to help me out. After all, even though horsemanship has changed throughout the centuries, certain things, like equine personalities or the number of hoof stomps it takes to break your toe, don’t change. But whom to ask? I live in an urban area, and downtown LA isn’t exactly crawling with horses.

Then I remembered the avatar. At the time, I was reviewing manga at a certain website, and Julie, one of my fellow reviewers, had a picture of a horse and rider in dressage as her avatar. So I checked out her website. Sure enough, she owned that horse. Two in fact. So I PM’ed her to very timidly ask if she might consider being my horse resource. She not only agreed, she connected me with another equine friend of hers who owns and drives two Friesian geldings.

Both these ladies have been an invaluable help ever since. It helps that their horses’ personalities are so different. Julie’s mare Blondie is full of sass and attitude while three-year-old baby Elle just wants to do her best. The Friesian pair, Titan and Kerrick (affectionately known as the Boyz), are two big hams who love it when kids give them attention. As for their owners, Julie’s relatively new to the equine world (she didn’t get her first horse until after college) while the Boyz’ Mom has been around horses her entire life. But both of them love their horses and love talking about them. So far they’ve checked parts of my manuscript for accuracy, sent helpful links, shared pictures of their horses in action, and answered 100 or more questions from me. And all that from one initial request for help.

By the way, you’ll be hearing more about Julie and the Boyz’ Mom in later posts. They’ve graciously given me permission to write about our conversations, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed learning from these wonderful horsefolk.

Donating hair

No, those aren’t rats’ tails in the picture. That’s my hair!

After a little over a year, I finally grew enough length to make a donation to Locks of Love, a non-profit that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. To be honest, I didn’t think I’d ever do this because they require hair to be at least 10 inches for a donation, and I generally keep my hair short. Like number-one-clippers-all-around short. Like my-husband’s-hair-is-longer-than-mine short.

You see, my hair and I have a rather antagonistic relationship. I don’t know about your hair, but mine is stubborn and thick and slippery. Meaning it’s impossible to style without gobs of product, and hair ties, bands, etc. always end up sliding off. After spending my youth struggling to tame it, I got fed up. Right after high school graduation, I went to the salon and got my shoulder length hair hacked into a short bob. My mom was mortified. I loved it.

So I kept it short ever after. Until last year when some circumstances arose and I agreed not to cut my hair for nearly a year. Once that term ended, I had 8 inches of hair, and I thought, Well, if I stick it out a little longer, maybe I can give this annoying length to someone who actually wants it.

I have to say, the last couple of months were the toughest. Not only was I constantly getting hair in my eyes and mouth, summer had hit, and I felt like I was living with a small animal on my head. In fact, having to sweep up after and maintaining that much hair was kind of like caring for a pet. (Well, I thought so…)

But finally, my hair reached the requisite length, and after some searching on yelp.com, I located Sol Salon in Culver City, which cuts your hair for free if you donate to Locks of Love. I showed my stylist Jan a picture of me before I grew my hair out and told her to cut as much for the donation as she could. She did exactly that (ergo the multiple ponytails), and I think she did a fabulous job (thanks, Jan!)

So now my hair is back to its usual low-maintenance length, a package of hair is heading toward Florida, and life is much better. Though now I’m wondering, should I grow it out again for another donation? We’ll see…

Research Ramblings: Ancient Elis, Part 2

When I took the Gallup StrengthsFinder assessment, it listed among my top five strengths something called Input. For a long time, I thought it was a mistake; people with Input tend to be collectors, but when it comes to stuff, I’m a tosser. Once I started writing novels, however, I discovered I’m actually an avid hoarder – of facts. I’m always collecting random pieces of information that I hang onto “just in case,” and my “Research Ramblings” highlight some of these bits I’ve discovered along the way.

As mentioned in Ancient Elis, Part 1, my characters were moving to a new town, and I was able to find details about said town in an ancient source. Specifically Book 2 of Pausanias’ Description of Greece. However, even with this information the work of world building continued for two main reasons:

1. Pausanias wrote his work in the second century A.D., a few hundred years after the era of my story. As ancient as ancient history is, there are different levels of ancient. So customs current to Pausanias might not have existed in the early fourth century B.C. The same goes for buildings and other landmarks.

2. The Description of Greece is entirely in text. In other words, no maps, and generally no mundane details like structure dimensions. Here’s an excerpt:

One of the noteworthy things in Elis is an old gymnasium. In this gymnasium the athletes are wont to go through the training through which they must pass before going to Olympia. High plane-trees grow between the tracks inside a wall…The track for the competing runners, called by the natives the Sacred Track, is separate from that on which the runners and pentathletes practise…There is another enclosed gymnasium, but smaller, adjoining the larger one and called Square because of its shape. Here the athletes practise wrestling, and here, when they have no more wrestling to do, they are matched in contests with the softer gloves.

This is nice in that I have knowledge of at least two gymnasiums and the activities that took place in them. The bad news is that, even knowing that these gyms were in close proximity, I don’t know what part of town they were located or how big they were. There is truth to the phrase, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and things would be a lot easier if the Description of Greece came with sketches of the gyms and town layout.

Fortunately, archaeology is on my side. I mentioned in Part 1 about some photos of the Elean dig. Greece is popular with archaeologists, and while Elis’ following isn’t as large as Athens’ or Olympia’s, it does have a dig and museum. And thanks to the Internet, I  found this archeological website with details on the ancient city, including:

The theatre, a striking monument with a characteristic earthen cavea and a well-preserved stage building, occupied the north end of the agora. It enjoyed views of the river, which, in antiquity, ran very close by, along the city’s north limits. A bridge crossed the river near that point and a strong embankment protected the city against floods. The Bouleuterion and the city’s two gymnasiums were most probably located near the theatre, on a terrace by the riverbank.

Well, isn’t that lovely? Problem solved! At least where these gyms are concerned. And now I’ve got a better picture of my new setting.

But there will be gaps which neither ancient texts nor archaeology can fill, and once I’ve exhausted my sources, those are the places I give my imagination permission to take off (within reason, of course). And that, I suppose, is one of the benefits of writing historical fiction.

Manga Review: Otomen Vol. 11

There are many stories about tomboys, girls with boyish tendencies, but what about the opposite? In fact, what would you call a boy with girly interests? The manga answer is: Otomen!

For those unfamiliar with this series by Aya Kanno, “otomen” is a play on the Japanese word otome (乙女), meaning “young lady” or “mistress,” and the English word “men.” The plot centers around Asuka Masamune, the manliest guy in his high school.  However, he has a secret: the things he really loves are sweets, shojo manga, and sewing. He hides this part of his life from everyone until he meets Ryo Miyakozuka, the least feminine girl in school.

While I love the concept of this series, Kanno-sensei’s storylines tend to fall in the realm of so-so. There was a live-action series based on the manga a couple years back, and I thought the TV writers executed Kanno-sensei’s stories far better than she did. At any rate, Viz has just released Volume 11 of the English language manga. Please read on for the review!

Back Cover Blurb

Asuka engages in a battle with Suzaki Oji to see who will get the most Valentine’s Day chocolates! As Oji seduces girls left and right into giving him chocolates, Asuka wonders one thing–who will Ryo give her chocolates to?

The Review

In terms of plot, Volume 11 doesn’t offer much that is original or surprising. You pretty much know from the get-go that Asuka will overcome the challenges Kasuga throws his way. What saves the story from becoming completely boring are the character vignettes that Kanno-sensei throws in, which are, for those who are already completely invested in the main characters, a lot of fun.

In the conclusion of the Naito-samurai-otaku arc, we get a bit of interaction between Ryo and Tonomine in the woods. Apparently, this is the first time Asuka’s love interest and main rival have any real interaction, and it felt like it could lead to an Asuka-Ryo-Tonomine love triangle. To my disappointment, Kanno-sensei quickly veers from that path at the arc’s conclusion. As overused as love triangles are in shojo manga, it could’ve been an interesting development in Ryo and Asuka’s relationship.

In the next arc, Asuka faces off against Suzaku Oji. In terms of Kasuga’s goals to reform the high school, Oji, whose natural pheromones sends females swooning, seems a bizarre choice, but in terms of manga plot, Oji is the perfect foil to Asuka’s pure-hearted ways. Unfortunately, Kanno-sensei depicts him as a one-dimensional stock playboy so you can pretty much guess what the final outcome will be when Oji throws down the Valentine’s chocolate gauntlet. The thing that keeps this arc interesting is Asuka’s correspondence with the mysterious “Poet of Ginyuri High.” The poetry itself is not that great (something might have been lost in the translation), but Asuka fans will enjoy watching his girlish excitement over a new piece of cuteness.

After Oji, Kanno-sensei finally breaks away from the wacky teacher parade to bring out the big guns: Mom’s back! Suddenly, Asuka can’t drop his manly facade at home or school and goes through withdrawal. That aside, the story hints at something larger brewing at Patisserie Violet, and I’m hoping Kanno-sensei will deliver something really fresh in the next volume.

In addition to its usual extras, Volume 11 includes a chapter of Juta’s work, Love Chick.

In Summary

The series continues with Asuka’s pure-hearted ways and love for Ryo thwarting Kasuga’s anti-otomen plans. With the appearance of school nurse Suzaku Oji, the pattern of Asuka winning over less than conventional teachers gets a tad stale, but the plot perks up again at the end of the volume with the return of the biggest anti-otomen around: Asuka’s mom!

Also, for Juta fans, the extras include a chapter of the Love Chick manga!

First published at the Fandom Post.

Research Ramblings: Ancient Elis, Part 1

When I took the Gallup StrengthsFinder assessment, it listed among my top five strengths something called Input. For a long time, I thought it was a mistake; people with Input tend to be collectors, but when it comes to stuff, I’m a tosser. Once I started writing novels, however, I discovered I’m actually an avid hoarder – of facts. I’m always collecting random bits and pieces of information that I hang onto “just in case,” and my “Research Ramblings” highlight some of these factoids I’ve discovered along the way.

So last week, I started a new chapter which also involved a location change. Prior to that, all action took place in Sparta, a place which I had the extreme fortune to visit a few years ago. But then things wrapped up and the action moved to Elis. Elis, unfortunately was not part of my Greek tour. (Modern Elis isn’t exactly a destination location.) But even if I could afford to travel back there, much has changed in the centuries that have passed between my era of interest and now. So where is a writer to go to create a setting?

Pausanias’ Description of Greece!!! [Trumpet fanfare]

Never heard of it? That’s okay. I’d never heard of it either until I started researching ancient Greece.

One thing I’ve learned about the field of history is that historians regularly reference what other people say. After all, it’s not like a modern biographer writing about Abraham Lincoln can interview the guy. As I read up on ancient Greece, Pausanias’ name kept popping up in the references. Some even quoted the guy. So after a while, I thought I’d better look at the actual source, and thanks to the Tufts University Perseus Digital Library, I was able to access an English version with handy footnotes from the comfort of my home.

Pausanias is described as a second century Greek traveler and geographer. With those credentials, you might think the Description of Greece is all about topography and political borders, but it’s much more than that. Pausanias also writes about local customs and legends, architectural landmarks, and other points of interest of the places he visited. I find it to read like a travel guide, a predecessor to Lonely Planet, if you will. (And by the way, travel guides can be a valuable source of information for writers, too! I’ve got a beat up 1985 Fodor’s Greece that I go to from time to time for information on climate and flora and fauna). The Description covers a range of areas ranging from Athens to Ozolian Locri, and conveniently enough, Elis is on the list!

So between Pausanias’ chapters on Elis and some pictures I found of the Elean archaeological dig, I had my setting! Or at least the start of it. More about Elis in my next Research Ramblings.