FORGET THE SARDINES!

One a completely different note, I should mention that in contrast to the books mentioned yesterday on this blog, there are three illustrated novels I especially enjoy re-reading: Ranma½, Chibi Vampire, and Hyper Police. All three tales feature young women facing challenges, with just enough questionable shiznit to keep the simple-minded attention of an average teenage boy.
Which I am not, being a middle-aged man.

There's also food. A consuming passion.

In order, charsiu buns, garlic gyoza, and dried sardines plus hot milk.


The first manga series is a chopsuey of genres cobbled together, the dominant theme of which seems to be that men deserve to be kicked by strong-minded women, the second deals with vampirism and young love, very gothic, and the third is about a cat-woman and a were-wolf who work as bounty hunters. The authors of all three works may have issues, the teenagers reading this stuff certainly do.


CHARSIU BUNS, GYOZA, AND SARDINES

Ranma eats charsiu buns in one illustration, Karin the vampire brings home deliciously garlicky potstickers from her job in Chibi Vampire (nauseating her kinfolk), and Natsuki snacks on dried sardines in Hyper Police.
These three food items hardly constitute a balanced diet. Dried sardines are full of calcium, though, and probably quite beneficial to women.
Women are a key demographic for all three novels.

My apartment mate is a woman.

I suspect that it has been aeons since she had any of those items. Certainly not dried sardines. Perhaps the charsiu buns. The other night, after chatting with her love interest 'Wheelie Boy' on the phone, she had some warm milk and toddled off to her room. So in one minor sense she is like a manga heroine, without the homicidal tendencies, sharp corner teeth, or cat ears.

Or dried sardines.

There's no way in hell that anyone would compare me to Ranma, Ryoga, Kenta Usui, Ren Maaka, Batanen, or Tomy. Perhaps Genma Saotome.
Or Mudagami in Hyper Police.

MUDAGAMI

That last comparison is not particularly apt, but it might be the closest, although if I had my druthers, I'd be Ranma scoring charsiu buns in his girl form -- a sentence that makes no sense whatsoever unless you are familiar with the story -- and otherwise perhaps Akane Tendo.
NOT Tatewaki Kuno.

Akane Tendo (in Ranma½) is admirable.

On the other hand, charsiu buns. Particularly steamed charsiu buns.

Any man might be a berserk teenaged girl for some excellent charsiu buns.

I could easily live the rest of my life on charsiu buns and gyoza (potstickers), until malnutrition sets in. With appropriate condiments and warm beverages.

Pass on the sardines.


The other thing about many popular Japanese Illustrated Novels is the breast thing. One suspects that Japan did not have that to quite such an extent until after World War Two, and it may reflect something mighty peculiar in their psyche. Although Americans have had that since the dark ages, and we're not peculiar by any means.

Any comparison with charsiu buns or potstickers is unwarranted.



BTW: Lunch today excellent.
Not sardines..




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