TEENAGE JAPANESE

Bless the Japanese, they are all perverts.  As their various illustrated stories (manga) prove abundantly.


Consider the most popular manga of all time: Ranma½.
[Author: Rumiko Takahashi (高橋 留美子).]

In short, a teenage boy transforms into a busty maiden when splashed with water, but still maintains his typical male sensibilities, being more interested in food and one-upping rivals than in any form of feminine activity, only using his ('her') charms to score snacks or to sabotage the straight men of the tale.  This is probably the funniest genderbending saga of the vast array of such which have been produced by Japanese artists.  Very nicely illustrated, too.
The target audience consists of four distinct market segments: teenage boys, who appreciate the curvy illustrations and sex-appeal of the characters; teenage girls, who are empowered by the violent and stubborn role models; mid-thirties salary men on the Tokyo subway heading home for the night, who dream of exciting females and their own fading youthfulness; and lastly, middle-aged women who wish to clobber the dunce-like men in their lives, drop-kicking the cretins through the roof.

His dad becomes a Panda when splashed with water.
He often uses this for escapism.
Pandas can't talk.


Another beautifully strange Manga is Midori Days, in which the heroine is transformed into the right hand of the tough schoolboy she adores.
[Written by Kazurou Inoue (井上 和郎).]

This story about  'boy's-hand-as-curvy-female' could be extremely twisted. Instead, it is very sweet. Never mind what you thought. Even the bathing scenes are innocent.
There is nothing lubricious in all eight volumes, due to the hero being in all ways utterly dense. The feminine touch gentles his savagery.
She finally returns to her normal body, and the two of them start dating.


KARIN:  "M-MOM? WHY ARE YOU DRAGGING DAD ACROSS THE LIVING ROOM BY HIS ANKLE?"
CALERA MARKER:  "BECAUSE YOUR FATHER'S AN IDIOT, SWEETIE."


Finally, consider Chibi Vampire, a story about a young teenage vampire (Karin Maaka) who is severely defective.  Not only can't she drink blood, but she walks around in daylight, does not even object to the smell of garlic, and is cripplingly shy.
She eventually falls in love with a classmate (Kenta Usui) who has creepy eyes and no guile whatsoever.
Yes, it's a romantic comedy.  Very heartwarming.
[Writer and illustrator: Yuna Kagesaki (影崎 由那).]


Two things stand out, namely nose bleeds and breasts.

When nosebleeds are shown in manga they indicate profound erotic excitement, such as when a boy sees the panties of the girl of his dreams and promptly faints, with blood coming out of his nose.
In Chibi Vampire, the heroine cannot take blood, but instead produces far too much of it; once a month it erupts from her nose in huge gushing torrents, splattering everywhere. After which, usually, she faints.
It's strangely beautiful.
Touching, even.

Concerning breasts, let me quote her ultra violent and insanely rambunctious grandmother, who wakes from her coffin in the basement one day and starts wreaking havoc. When she finally meets her granddaughter, she exclaims "Christ almighty, girl, where'd ya get a rack like that?!"
Karin looks exactly like the old lady, except in the chest department.
This causes some problems.........

"WHERE'D YA GET A RACK LIKE THAT?!"

To recap: nosebleed sexual symbolism, teenagers in love, panting women biting exposed necks, huge amounts of blushing and stuttering, goth imagery, riotous misbehaviour, blood everywhere, young ladies wearing school uniforms, guilty secrets, and cup sizes.

There isn't anything even remotely naughty about it.

It isn't till the very end of the second to the last book in the fourteen volume series that Karin and Kenta kiss.
They are happily married at the end of the story.
All ends well.

I've reread it several times.  The trials and tribulations of the two protagonists are both amusing and heartwarming, and there are parts that bring tears to my eyes.

The only mildly discordant element is the cleavage. 


Perverse people, those Japanese.

Delicious.




NOTE: Many manga take place in high schools, for the very simple reason that it's an easy way to bring a large number of characters into the tale, in situations which are recognizable to the audience: cultural festivals, school vacations, sports meets, and the many officially sanctioned clubs that are considered essential addenda to a balanced scholastic life (photography club, history club, astronomy club .....).
Consequently characters are often teenagers.
Most of the readers, however, are adults.



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