disillusionment and hope

I have finally reached a stage in life where I can buy non-pirated mangas without feeling guilty. (shouldn't it be the other way around lol) Unfortunately good stories are scarce, and passion is rarely rekindled, hence I sway between these somewhat extreme states of disillusionment and hope...

Bungou Stray Dogs - Though not much, I actually know a little bit about the Japanese writers in the Meiji and Taisho eras beyond a lot of them dying from consumption and poverty etc, so you can imagine my excitement when the manga boasted of the setting that these literary giants band together, go on adventures and fight crimes, and my shock horror bitter disappointment when I realised the characters were in name only and lack any kind of nuances resembling the historical figures. I mean even depiction of Dazai's suicidality was nothing beyond the superficial and quite bland. and when Ichiyo Higuchi became a cruel but stupid and unimportant mafia woman--- I think I was ready to put the book down and declare it a waste of money.
(no pictures as I do not recommend)

Moriaty the Patriot -- if the previous one is just bad this one is horrendous. I was lost for words apart from WTF. I hope to find a way to put in a formal complaint somewhere though my Japanese is non-existent.
1st chapter opened with a young aristocrat burning his whole biological family alive because they were snobs and didn't treat the working class very well and he wanted to turn the page and lead a more noble upright and sympathetic life. (????????) okay this was morbidly twisted but I would put up with it for now--who knows maybe down the track he would reveal a Patrick Melrose kind of developmental history and admit he's just taking revenge---
and then Sherlock Holmes showed up -- invited Mrs Hudson and Watson to a seedy bar, faked a message from Mrs Hudson to seduce a brute in the bar, and took leave from the scene so that Watson could rescue the damsel in distress and earn Mrs Hudson's trust and become his housemate. (???????) Mrs Hudson got harassed and groped in the process.
after I puked---Okay this stupid sociopathic piece of junk is not Sherlock Holmes alright. period.
(no pictures as I strongly advise against)

Lastly, the chance encounter with Golden Kamuy gave me immense hope...

Well researched and very interesting historical and cultural background(there was a Ainu dialect linguist as well as a Russian translator on the project), diverse characters with depths, and I am always always excited to see Shinpachi and Hijikata, especially as they are not going so gentle into that good night. If Saitou pops out somewhere later even better but hey I am not greedy...
Think what I appreciated most was that the author was incredibly merciful. His universe was a cruel universe, plenty of blood and gore and people die quickly and easily like candles being snuffed out, but the ones who were vulnerable from fate were the adult male characters - those who actively played a role in the universe, those who needed to take responsibilities for themselves and their surroundings.
-while the animals, the children, and the weak and elderly were invariably respected, cared for and sometimes with very happy endings. I melt every time following the story lines of Retar the wolf and Ryu the Hokkaido Inu, and so relieved that they did not have to be sacrificed in any way for the development of this human story.


what makes me a bit uneasy though was the dynamic between Asirpa and Sugimoto - especially after I realised that she's only meant to be 12-13 (seriously even 15 would be a much more comfortable number!) It was very obviously accepted in the story that there was a special bond between the two while every other adult male character treated Aspirpa as a child. @_@ am sorry, after the Watsuki scandal I think of the P word wherever I go and definitely have some PTSD...
Having said all that, the Kenshin romantic lines on the other hand were a lot more appropriate and clear cut - Kaoru at 17 was considered an adult and could have something going on with the 28yo Kenshin, while Misao at 16 was clearly and consistently considered a child. though she was infatuated with Aoshi, there was never any indication even subtly that Aoshi reciprocated in any kind of way...
...but guess what Watsuki turned out to be? oh the irony...
well in that case I will try to be less paranoid and just enjoy the story for now.

and a much less important shortfall XD the male characters were diverse in looks and personalities and actually all quite likeable, but they were all too "straight" (and probably too involved in battling the harsh elements to have space and energy for anything else) that none really stood out and could make me go starry-eyed... but hey like I said... I am not greedy...