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When Straight People Draw Manga About Gay People

As promised, one down a half-dozen to go. But first, let's define some terms.

"Shoujo" is a genre of manga with some or all of the following:

  • a pubescent or adolescent girl protagonist
  • heterosexual romance
  • heterosexual tensions including a.) unrequited love b.) jealous female or male rivals c.) pheromone-drenched young male eye candies in multiples of 2 or 4, or d.) all of the above
  • high school or middle school uniform with slouchy socks (late 90s, early 2000s)
  • elaborate, melodramatic eyes
  • fireworks, beach scenes, girls in yukata, and other summer fare
  • the conspicuous absence of homework

Of course, I am dating myself. Before the 80s, you would have seen a lot more European white girls with some aquarium-sized glistening eyeballs in the shoujo genre but for some reason no one really cares about Isabella or Claudette anymore.

OK so. As some of you may already know, I am currently translating (at non-unionized wages) a shoujo manga called 3-Ai, which is not the real name of the series but that's what we'll call it.

It's about three high school students:

  1. MO, a glamorous high school senior with top-class grades and an athlete's body.
  2. SN, a laid back boy who loves girls and has been friends with MO since they were 5.
  3. HK, a ko-gal girl who is in love with SN.

They decide to all go out as a threesome because even though MO doesn't necessarily have feelings for SN, she can't stand to be outdone by anyone else, especially not a lower-classman. OK. Things get "funny" when MO starts grabbing HK's boobs and then other classmates get in on the menage a trois action by falling in love with the various components of the love-triangle.

Oh the trials and tribulations of high school life, you say. But HK is one of those girls whose goal in life is to be protected by men and uphold the female as the weaker half of the species, and she is especially vehement in her invectives against homosexual behavior.

On the other hand, MO is quite the sexual predator, since (DUH) all gay people love to prey on unsuspecting straight victims, and so you really can't blame HK for running into the arms of manly men or beating up people for being queer. I mean we should all do that whenever we see gay people don't you think?

OK, all sarcasm aside, I think that what is going on here is that the artist is trying to explore queer relationships in a "playful" way that is also "real" and "uncensored." (Since I've already discussed censorship in the manga industry, - see Oct 10, 2007 - I will save that discussion and move on to the fact that...) I have read the first 2 (out of 5) volumes in the series, and every chapter seems to include at least one instance of rejected homosexuality, coupled with an assertion of heteronormativity. What I mean is, for every scene in which gayness is put down, straightness is celebrated.

So, why the hell are you translating this series, you ask. And why am I interested in the industry anyway? The answer lies somewhere in the fuzzy area of pop-culture. I'm teaching Anime, and I'm teaching Poetry, but I'm teaching Poetry to kids who like Anime better than they like Poetry. And who says that Poetry is less wack than Anime anyway? Are poets inherently less racist and classist and homophobic? I think not.

As I translate 3-Ai, I realize that HK is slolwy starting to fall in love with the other girl in the threesome (MO), or at least to appreciate her queerness. This doesn't make me love the series by any means because HK still wants MO to be her man or fill the role opposite her in the hetero binary (this is apparently the only way in which straight people can feel OK about queerness.) Nevertheless, it's interesting to me. Ultimately, I don't believe that this trope is at all effective in breaking down fear and hate of homosexuality because it forces queer relationships to conform to a hetero value system.

But I have to wonder, would my intensely homophobic student in Anime Club feel any different after reading this series? Somehow, I don't believe so. Which brings us back to the question: so why am I translating it if I'm not even getting paid minimum wage for it?

  • Because translating is a process that brings me so close to the creation of manga that it's almost like drawing up original dialog.
  • Because it's already on bookshelves in Japan, and I can't deny the fact that it exists.
  • Because if I don't do it some other Japanophile will and get it all wrong.
  • Because I am learning so much Japanese from doing this.
  • Because it makes me want to do better and it helps me understand what is out there.

PS. OMG I almost forgot to mention that there are genres of Soft-to-Hardcore Gay Sex Manga drawn by straight people of the opposite sex! They are called Yuri (lesbian manga) and Yaoi - Boys' Love in Japanese (manga about young gay men). They are super popular among audiences of the opposite sex, ie: straight people! They bring in a ton of profits!

PPS. And I almost forgot to mention also some of the most famous gay boys manga drawn by a straight female artist ever ever ever! That is called The Poe Family and also Heart of Thomas both by Hagio Moto. She pioneered the Boys' Love movement.

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Comments

Coal said…
I love how complete your entries make me feel.
December 20, 2007 at 11:35 PM
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