Summer is coming to a close, so I thought I'll actually update everyone about what I've been reading lately. It's not much, but it was worth it :)
I've read British, French and American Literature all my life. I've hardly touched Indian Literature.
Those of you who know me well, know that I have always LOVED everything about Japan (I had eccentric phases of intense obsession, I still do) . But novels with East Asian settings never appealed to me so much. I once read Arthur Golden's The Memoirs of a Geisha, but that is just as far as it ever got. And a couple of other stories like Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's Totto Chan. Both of these had their own impact.
But recently after reading one amazing manga, one Japanese novel and re-reading another childhood favorite, I honestly think that my views have suffered a much-needed change. And these aren't even close to the kind of books I am used to reading!
I don't verbalize this much. But Asia by itself has some excellent settings for stories, and I'm quite glad to be living here and now in such a happening continent, enriched with so many traditions of its own. You may be wondering what happened to my entire classic-literature obsession? No, it's still there, I'm just giving it a backseat for now. :P
So, what's keeping the feels coming?
Author - Natsuki Takaya
Setting - Japan, around late 20th, early 21st century.
Themes - Drama, Romance, Comedy, Fantasy
Warning - EXTREME attachment to characters. Result - lots of tears.
If you want FEELS, don't look anywhere - just read this. Summary of the plot here -> Fruits Basket
I'm happy and sad and angry and excited and bursting with an array of unexplained emotions all at the same time! That's what Fruits Basket does to you.
I honestly feel (almost ashamed) to say it - a shojo manga series is giving me the feels. I mean I'm 20 years old. HOWEVER, I know I will never sound convincing enough, but even if you find the idea of this manga silly and childish, you need to KEEP THOSE IDEAS FROM GETTING TO YOU AND SERIOUSLY READ IT.
The drama and comedy are evenly balanced, and the series is so beautifully illustrated by the artist, it's a delight to read it again and again. With a hilarious start, a happening build up to the climax, always carrying a subtle hint of the dark magic that lurks beneath - Fruits Basket is such a splendid read.
By the time you reach the end, you don't even realize that what started out as an outrageous fantasy, is actually not teaching you that you need to master magical powers to achieve your goals in life.The nature of curses and enchantments are purely symbolic of a mental state. As you keep reading, it becomes easier to understand.
It gives very simple messages - almost too simple to believe and upholds a cast of such memorable characters, it becomes very hard to not attach yourself to each and every one of them.
The characters are so scarred, and yet so beautiful. The problems of society at a familial level are shown accurately and the need for love and acceptance is laid out in front of the reader. You sympathize with the characters, you feel pain with them, you feel happiness with them, you even fall in love along with them. It's almost as if you are a character in the book, invisible to all the others but always present. Finally, you end up wishing that the world was made up of people like these.
As for me, on a personal level, Fruits Basket reflected my life in more ways than one. I relate to the protagonist's (Honda Tohru) childhood - having had a mother who doted on me and gave me every second of her precious life. The characters of Hatsuharu, Yuki and Hatori - people who are genuinely kind and ready to give all they have for their loved ones - mirrors my family. Although, when I look at the Sohmas, I cannot help but wish I had a big family of so many crazy cousins to play with.
Most of the times, we say a story has a happy or a sad ending. This story had neither. In fact I don't quite know what exactly to feel about it.
Except maybe, the feeling of hope. It's tiny, but it's bubbling inside of me like a fountain. It's a sad feeling because I need to let go of the past. It's a joyous feeling because I am about to turn over a new leaf. But more than anything, watching all my beloved characters shed tears of happiness towards the end makes me want to cry too. Somewhere, someday I feel like I too will find the kind of happiness they have found - in a dream, a job and in a person.
Author - Nagaru Tanigawa
Setting - Japan, 21st century.
Themes - Science Fiction, Mystery
Warning - The number of face palm moments - exceedingly high. Also, aliens, time travelers and espers.
Okay, honestly the idea of a teenage girl taking on the powers of an evil overlord, not even being aware of this sudden catastrophe and wreaking unintentional havoc is quite an entertaining watch. Not to mention, the funny, out-of-the-world sardonic commentary by the protagonist, Kyon, which makes this one of the best anime I have watched.
If you like science fiction, out-of-the-ordinary plots in the lives of normal people, and some MAD fun, this novel is for you.
Read plot summary here -> Haruhism!
I really did love the novel, but I loved the show even more because it stayed faithful to the novel :)
The animation is lucid, the dialogues are cut out perfectly and even the dubbed version feels perfectly normal to watch. I can't say the concepts of time travel and other amazingly cool stuff is new, but the show's sharp execution of the novel's events are admirable.
The fact that this is adapted from a novel really sets it apart from other anime because the language is flowing like a river of awesomeness inside your brain. God knows I needed that.
And the characters! Haruhi's character really wakes you up. In more ways that one :P She is, to put it in one word - crazy - and she drags you by the tie into all the madness she is about to stir up. Kyon on the other hand is level-headed and normal...and hella sarcastic.
The best part is their relationship is unpredictable, not ending up in the usual soup of romance, but leaving you in the dark about it. To me, they both symbolize adolescence and adulthood respectively and even though I can't say I fell in love with their characters, I can say they reminded me of a fraction of life when I too, believed in the impossible.
Nah kidding. I still do. :P
That's all I guess? Oh, wait I almost forgot to include my re-read.
Author - Nobuhiro Watsuki
Setting - Japan, Meiji Era
Themes - Atonement, Romance, War-Rebellion, Peace
Warning - You may fall in love. No, really. No kidding. And you may also want to spend your life savings on a katana.
Officially the best manga I have ever read/watched. I'll say this till my dying day. It's a classic, it's Japanese culture and history at it's best, and the story-line and characters are downright EPIC.
Plot Summary - Kenshin!
The creation of unforgettable characters such as Hajime Saito, Shinomori Aoshi, Hiko Seijuiro, Seta Soujiro, Sagara Sanosuke and of course, Himura Kenshin sets Nohuhiro Watsuki way, way higher on the pedestal than most of the mangaka I have come across.
The story of Kenshin, brings an infinite peace to the mind - a kind of peace that arrives after a war. It feels bound by a cause and the petty problems of your insignificant existence in this universe suddenly vanish. This story, feels indefinitely REAL. It talks about human values that amount to great courage, belief, patriotism, pride and above all, human kindness.
It's a story of atonement, told from the point of view of a man-slayer. With comedy and action and romance settling down in perfect equilibrium, Kenshin never fails to amaze me. Needless to say, the mangaka is a genius. He even explains the ideas behind the creation of his characters, drawing a billion references from the X-Men and other comics.
Ok so..... finally reached the end. These stories have spurred within me a desire to continue my learning of the Japanese language (yes, I had started once, long back). I really want to read everything in Japanese again because that would be more natural. It is going to be difficult but I cannot wait!
This is hoping, that in another one year, I will have finished reading one of these many stories ... in their original forms :) Till then!
I've read British, French and American Literature all my life. I've hardly touched Indian Literature.
Those of you who know me well, know that I have always LOVED everything about Japan (I had eccentric phases of intense obsession, I still do) . But novels with East Asian settings never appealed to me so much. I once read Arthur Golden's The Memoirs of a Geisha, but that is just as far as it ever got. And a couple of other stories like Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's Totto Chan. Both of these had their own impact.
But recently after reading one amazing manga, one Japanese novel and re-reading another childhood favorite, I honestly think that my views have suffered a much-needed change. And these aren't even close to the kind of books I am used to reading!
I don't verbalize this much. But Asia by itself has some excellent settings for stories, and I'm quite glad to be living here and now in such a happening continent, enriched with so many traditions of its own. You may be wondering what happened to my entire classic-literature obsession? No, it's still there, I'm just giving it a backseat for now. :P
So, what's keeping the feels coming?
1. First of all, FURUBA - the Manga.
Setting - Japan, around late 20th, early 21st century.
Themes - Drama, Romance, Comedy, Fantasy
Warning - EXTREME attachment to characters. Result - lots of tears.
If you want FEELS, don't look anywhere - just read this. Summary of the plot here -> Fruits Basket
I'm happy and sad and angry and excited and bursting with an array of unexplained emotions all at the same time! That's what Fruits Basket does to you.
I honestly feel (almost ashamed) to say it - a shojo manga series is giving me the feels. I mean I'm 20 years old. HOWEVER, I know I will never sound convincing enough, but even if you find the idea of this manga silly and childish, you need to KEEP THOSE IDEAS FROM GETTING TO YOU AND SERIOUSLY READ IT.
The drama and comedy are evenly balanced, and the series is so beautifully illustrated by the artist, it's a delight to read it again and again. With a hilarious start, a happening build up to the climax, always carrying a subtle hint of the dark magic that lurks beneath - Fruits Basket is such a splendid read.
 |
| About cats, rats and rice balls. |
By the time you reach the end, you don't even realize that what started out as an outrageous fantasy, is actually not teaching you that you need to master magical powers to achieve your goals in life.The nature of curses and enchantments are purely symbolic of a mental state. As you keep reading, it becomes easier to understand.
It gives very simple messages - almost too simple to believe and upholds a cast of such memorable characters, it becomes very hard to not attach yourself to each and every one of them.
The characters are so scarred, and yet so beautiful. The problems of society at a familial level are shown accurately and the need for love and acceptance is laid out in front of the reader. You sympathize with the characters, you feel pain with them, you feel happiness with them, you even fall in love along with them. It's almost as if you are a character in the book, invisible to all the others but always present. Finally, you end up wishing that the world was made up of people like these.
As for me, on a personal level, Fruits Basket reflected my life in more ways than one. I relate to the protagonist's (Honda Tohru) childhood - having had a mother who doted on me and gave me every second of her precious life. The characters of Hatsuharu, Yuki and Hatori - people who are genuinely kind and ready to give all they have for their loved ones - mirrors my family. Although, when I look at the Sohmas, I cannot help but wish I had a big family of so many crazy cousins to play with.
 |
| The Sohmas - not your usual Family :P |
Most of the times, we say a story has a happy or a sad ending. This story had neither. In fact I don't quite know what exactly to feel about it.
Except maybe, the feeling of hope. It's tiny, but it's bubbling inside of me like a fountain. It's a sad feeling because I need to let go of the past. It's a joyous feeling because I am about to turn over a new leaf. But more than anything, watching all my beloved characters shed tears of happiness towards the end makes me want to cry too. Somewhere, someday I feel like I too will find the kind of happiness they have found - in a dream, a job and in a person.
2. The Novel & Anime - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (AKA - God)
Author - Nagaru Tanigawa
Setting - Japan, 21st century.
Themes - Science Fiction, Mystery
Warning - The number of face palm moments - exceedingly high. Also, aliens, time travelers and espers.
If you like science fiction, out-of-the-ordinary plots in the lives of normal people, and some MAD fun, this novel is for you.
Read plot summary here -> Haruhism!
 |
| The SOS Brigade - Group of 4 Insanely Abnormal People + Kyon |
I really did love the novel, but I loved the show even more because it stayed faithful to the novel :)
The animation is lucid, the dialogues are cut out perfectly and even the dubbed version feels perfectly normal to watch. I can't say the concepts of time travel and other amazingly cool stuff is new, but the show's sharp execution of the novel's events are admirable.
The fact that this is adapted from a novel really sets it apart from other anime because the language is flowing like a river of awesomeness inside your brain. God knows I needed that.
And the characters! Haruhi's character really wakes you up. In more ways that one :P She is, to put it in one word - crazy - and she drags you by the tie into all the madness she is about to stir up. Kyon on the other hand is level-headed and normal...and hella sarcastic.
 |
| Kyon is so done with this world. |
The best part is their relationship is unpredictable, not ending up in the usual soup of romance, but leaving you in the dark about it. To me, they both symbolize adolescence and adulthood respectively and even though I can't say I fell in love with their characters, I can say they reminded me of a fraction of life when I too, believed in the impossible.
Nah kidding. I still do. :P
That's all I guess? Oh, wait I almost forgot to include my re-read.
Rurouni Kenshin!
Author - Nobuhiro Watsuki
Setting - Japan, Meiji Era
Themes - Atonement, Romance, War-Rebellion, Peace
Warning - You may fall in love. No, really. No kidding. And you may also want to spend your life savings on a katana.
Officially the best manga I have ever read/watched. I'll say this till my dying day. It's a classic, it's Japanese culture and history at it's best, and the story-line and characters are downright EPIC.
Plot Summary - Kenshin!
The creation of unforgettable characters such as Hajime Saito, Shinomori Aoshi, Hiko Seijuiro, Seta Soujiro, Sagara Sanosuke and of course, Himura Kenshin sets Nohuhiro Watsuki way, way higher on the pedestal than most of the mangaka I have come across.
 |
| A Brilliant Cast of Characters. |
The story of Kenshin, brings an infinite peace to the mind - a kind of peace that arrives after a war. It feels bound by a cause and the petty problems of your insignificant existence in this universe suddenly vanish. This story, feels indefinitely REAL. It talks about human values that amount to great courage, belief, patriotism, pride and above all, human kindness.
It's a story of atonement, told from the point of view of a man-slayer. With comedy and action and romance settling down in perfect equilibrium, Kenshin never fails to amaze me. Needless to say, the mangaka is a genius. He even explains the ideas behind the creation of his characters, drawing a billion references from the X-Men and other comics.
Ok so..... finally reached the end. These stories have spurred within me a desire to continue my learning of the Japanese language (yes, I had started once, long back). I really want to read everything in Japanese again because that would be more natural. It is going to be difficult but I cannot wait!
This is hoping, that in another one year, I will have finished reading one of these many stories ... in their original forms :) Till then!
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