Fumi Yoshinaga

Summary: In Edo Japan, a plague that affects only men has wiped out 75% of the male population. To make up for the lack, women now hold the important positions in government and society, while men are precious seed-givers relegated to the bedroom. In this world, Mizuno, a handsome young man, becomes a member of the Ooku, the Shogun’s Inner Chambers, and a concubine to the Shogun.

Review: Oh Yoshinaga Fumi, why must you be so awesome? One of the things I most admire about her is how show more genre-bending her work is. She is known primarily as a yaoi mangaka, but unlike other yaoi mangaka she touches upon broader, more universal themes and creates such amazing stories as Antique Bakery and now Ooku. For those of you who are in it only for the yaoi, know that so far Ooku does not have much other than a few suggestions. What Ooku is instead is an intelligent, sometimes amusing, reflection on gender, gender roles, and power.

Yoshimune, the Eighth Shogun, is the most interesting character, although she does not appear until halfway into the story since when Mizuno enters the Ooku it is still the rule of the sickly Seventh Shogun. But once Yoshimune enters (with a trip and a bang), she steals the spotlight. She is frugal, sharp, and brash, and she sets out restructuring the court with a gleeful vengeance. It is awesome to behold.

One of the things that has often frustrated me about anime and manga is the scarcity of strong female characters. I mean, there are plenty of strong females, but usually I get the sense that their strength and resolve are mediated through a male character. At first I was worried about Ooku, because despite its premises its focus is on the all-male Inner Chambers. I thought that maybe females would be a powerful but shadowy presence in the story. I am so glad to be wrong. There are plenty of scenes with Yoshimune alone with her female advisors. So men and women alike walk through the pages of this thoroughly intriguing alternate history.

The only thing that grated on me is the English translation’s use of old-fashioned, somewhat Shakespearian, language to render the old-fashioned Japanese inflections. I understand the need, and at times it does add a historic flair to the narrative, but other times it is stylistically unnecessary. Especially when the idioms are so very Renaissance England that it takes me out of the Japanese setting.

Conclusion: One of the best manga I’ve read in a while, and if the first volume is any indication, this is going to be one of Yoshinaga Fumi’s classics. show less

I have been a fan of Fumi Yoshinaga and her work for quite some time now. English-language readers have been fortunate in that so many of her manga have been translated. I and many others were very excited when Vertical announced the license of her series What Did You Eat Yesterday?, a series that I have been hoping would be picked up for years. The first volume was one of the manga releases that I was most looking forward to seeing in 2014. What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Volume 1 was show more originally published in Japan in 2007; I am thrilled that it is now available in English. There were several reasons why I was particularly interested in reading What Did You Eat Yesterday?. It's by Yoshinaga, from whom I've come to expect great stories and complex characters. The series is also a food manga, a niche that I am known to enjoy. (Actually, food often plays an important role in Yoshinaga's manga.) And I was especially interested in the incorporation of contemporary Japanese gay life in What Did You Eat Yesterday?--the two main characters are boyfriends in their forties who live together.

Shiro Kakei is a successful lawyer at a small firm, but his real passion is food. He's a great cook, and an extremely frugal one, too. Kakei simply enjoys a good meal. The palate of his boyfriend Kenji Yabuki, a flamboyant hairstylist, isn't nearly as refined as Shiro's but he certainly appreciates his partner's creativity in the kitchen. The two of them have been dating for three years, so their relationship is well established, but they still face some challenges. Although both of their families know that they are gay, Shiro prefers to be much more discreet about his homosexuality when dealing with his coworkers and strangers. Kenji, on the other hand, is happy to have a chance to brag about his boyfriend. And just because they've been together for so long doesn't mean that they don't have to deal with old flames and jealousy. But at least they can always depend on delicious cuisine to help smooth over the bumps in their relationship.

The food in What Did You Eat Yesterday?, both the description of the meals and the care that Yoshinaga has put into drawing them, can be mouth-watering. Even the most simple dishes are beautifully portrayed, in part because food is so important to Shiro and he puts time and effort into its preparation, but also because Yoshinaga shares that same passion. There is enough instruction in What Did You Eat Yesterday? that adventurous readers could easily duplicate the featured recipes. However, the food in What Did You Eat Yesterday? works best when it is directly tied into the manga's plot and story. Occasionally that ideal balance is missing in the first volume. The meals, while lovely, can from time to time feel tangential, almost as if there are two different manga sharing the same series--one focusing on food and one focusing on people.

I do enjoy the food and the important role that it plays in What Did You Eat Yesterday?, but in the end I'm even more interested in the characters, their relationships, and their lives. Shiro and Kenji make an intriguing couple. Out of the two of them, Shiro is the least secure with who he is and is very concerned with keeping up appearances. He comes across as very brusque and some find him unlikeable as a result, but it's a defense mechanism. Kenji seems to be much more comfortable with himself. The two of them aren't frequently affectionate, at least not overtly so, but they do care about each other. It can be seen in the little things that they do--such as simply offering to carry a heavy bag--and in their more subtle interactions. Shiro often tries to smooth over arguments and hurt feelings the best way he can: through cooking. And that's one of the things What Did You Eat Yesterday? does best--showing how people connect and communicate through food.

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There is something about this manga that is just so good, and I can't name what it is exactly. This is probably one of, if not the only, more adult manga I have read and it is scratching an itch I never thought I had. It is really interesting to see this look at gender and sexuality in a different way, and how even in a female ruled Japan men still have this almost unspoken power.

I think the only thing that puts me off is the translation, the use of an older form of English is interesting, show more but I'm not a big fan of it. I understand the use of it as a way to portray to the reader a bygone era that would almost be speaking a different language from the present day, but any humor or tense scenes fall flat for me. Maybe I should read more Shakespeare. show less

Fumi Yoshinaga's series What Did You Eat Yesterday? is a manga that I'm very glad is being released in English. Part slice-of-life manga focusing on contemporary gay relationships, work relationships, and friendships, and part food manga, the series holds a tremendous amount of appeal for me. Plus, it's created by Yoshinaga whose manga as a whole I tend to enjoy. I particularly appreciate the subtle and nuanced depth that many of her characters exhibit, which is certainly true of the show more characters found in What Did You Eat Yesterday?. The sixth volume of the series was originally released in Japan in 2012 while the English-language edition was published in 2015 by Vertical. Although this particular volume does have some translation issues—some awkward phrasing as well as questionable word choices (such as "pepper balls" instead of "peppercorns")—generally Vertical's release of the series has been great.

Although Shiro will soon be turning forty-seven, he still has room to grow and has only recently started to really become comfortable with his sexuality. He and his boyfriend Kenji have been living together for years but its a relationship that he has largely kept private. Shiro's parents know he's gay, as do a select handful of close friends, but he hasn't mentioned it to his colleagues and he's terrified of being found out by straight strangers. Kenji, on the other hand, is able to be much more relaxed and open about who he is. Happily, Shiro and Kenji have developed a good friendship with another gay couple, Kohinata and Wataru, which has allowed Shiro to become a little less anxiety-ridden in public. He continues to worry about appearances, and he's still fairly reserved when it comes to outwardly demonstrating his affection, but it has become easier for Shiro to enjoy time spent with Kenji outside of the house, whether it be a major grocery shopping trip or a bento lunch picnic in the park.

Although I am a huge fan of food manga in general, and meals and their preparation are certainly a major component of What Did You Eat Yesterday?, what I find most appealing about the series is its characters and their lives. But the manga works best for me when the food and recipes tie directly into the plot and character development instead of being a more tangential element. Some volumes of What Did You Eat Yesterday? bring the characters and food together better than others, but overall the sixth is fairly successful in doing that. High-quality ingredients are given as gifts of thanks, meals are prepared as a way to offer comfort and support, recipes are modified when finances are tight, the qualities of a proper bento are debated, and more. Food is obviously important to the characters in the volume.

What Did You Eat Yesterday? tends to be fairly episodic, each chapter exploring a small part of Shiro and Kenji's lives and featuring a recipe detailed enough that an adventurous reader or experienced cook could actually attempt to make the dish. However, recurring characters and continuing story threads do help to tie the series together as a cohesive whole. There may not be a grand, overarching plot to What Did You Eat Yesterday?, but there is still character and story development to be found. Each reappearance of an established character adds more depth to them as a person and reveals more about the complexities of their relationships with other people. Each volume of What Did You Eat Yesterday? explores more about Shiro and Kenji as well as about their families, friends, and coworkers. And with the sixth volume specifically, I'm especially happy to see Shiro becoming gradually more confident and accepting of himself.

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