Greatest Lesbian Comic You'll Never See
Hi all - This is Erica Friedman, I wrote an article for AE last year about 'Yuri manga" - i.e., Japanese comics with lesbian characters or themes. I want to share some news about a series that's getting rave reviews in Japan, and that you'll probably never see here in the US, but it's worthy of note.
Some time back in 2008, I received a message on Mixi, a Japanese social networking site, from an artist by the name of Nakamura Ching. She wanted to let me know that she was in the middle of creating a lesbian-themed manga that wasn't at *all* cute or sweet and starred adult women with real problems. She sent me a few back issues of "Gunjou" (which means "Aquamarine") and I was totally hooked.
"Gunjou" follows two women - one a wealthy, attractive veterinarian in a committed relationship of more than a decade with another woman, and her school friend, a woman who came from a poor, abusive family and is now in an abusive marriage. The married woman asks her lesbian friend to kill her husband, which she does. Then they take to the streets trying to evade the police and the lives they've walked out on.
As I say repeatedly to anyone who will listen to me, Gunjou is a brutal story. the two women - who are never named - commit acts of physical and emotional violence on each other and on other people. Their relationship is entirely dysfunctional, except for small moments of such magnificent tenderness and beauty that it robs one's breath. Beyond it all, they love one another. Enough, on the lesbian's side, to leave everything she had behind and on the straight woman's side to turn to her friend in her time of extreme need. It's absolutely the most sublime and genius lesbian comic I've ever seen - and it won my Best Yuri Manga of 2008 award. I'm not the only one who thinks it's brilliant - it's up for several awards in Japan, and has received critical acclaim there.
The magazine in which Gunjou is serialized is called "Morning 2" by Kodansha Publishing. The January issue has a full-color back and front "Gunjou" cover by Nakamura. Before you click the link for it, take a breath. Remember, I told you the story's not cute. Okay - here's the link. As you look at this cover, imagine the faces of millions of people walking into their local street corner 7-11 and glancing at the magazine racks and seeing this. :-)
Also, if you'd like to take a look at a few chapters, Kodansha put three issues of the magazine online for free. You can find those here. You will need to download their reader program - which is free - and please be aware that these magazines are in Japanese. At the moment, there are no translations for them.
There is very little likelihood that the girl will get the girl in this manga, but I hope that one day you'll all be able to read it for yourself, because quite simply, it's the most brilliant lesbian comic I've *ever* seen.
Cheers,
Erica Friedman
ALC Publishing - where the girl always gets the girl - http://www.yuricon.org/shop/alcp.html
Hungry for Yuri? Have some Okazu! http://okazu.blogspot.com
