Canon Vol 4

[meganbmoore]

So, how on Earth does Chika Shiomi get the happy endings out of her plots, anyway? I mean, I can see the happy ending in Night of the Beasts, though it wasn’t the expected ending. Canon, though, seemed to literally make anything resembling a happy ending outside of the “oh yeah, one person lived, so it counts!” kind of happy ending.

Actually, I’m not quite sure how I feel about it having a happy ending. So much of the story was about how their desire for revenge was destroying both Canon and Sakaki-and how Sakaki’s desire for revenge caused him to destroy the life of the only person he loved. It seems like there should have been some sort of payment for that thirst for vengeance. A brief period where Canon has no memories just feels a bit lacking. Especially since we didn’t have any of Sakaki angsting while she didn’t have her memories. I’m also not sure how I feel about Canon seemingly having gotten over what Sakaki did to her, or Sakaki’s apparently abandoning his grudge against Rod.

Also, why was Canon so passive most of the time. Yurara aside, Chika Shiomi is supposed to be my “girls kicking butt” shoujo mangaka, not another “girls waiting to be rescued and going on about peace and forgiveness” one. Yes, Canon has always been a strong proponent for not killing and forgiveness, but she was always doing something while she was saying it. And no, I don’t really count trying to give up her own life to stop Glenn, since it’s the only active thing she did the whole time.

Still, even though it doesn’t feel like the most natural ending for the series, it is the kind of ending that Canon would have chosen for herself, so I’ll take it. The ending of Night of the Beasts was more satisfying, though.

Now, somebody license more Chika Shiomi manga. Yurara is nice and better than the average shoujo of its type, but not the same. I’m also pretty sure it’s been completely released, I’m just behind. (Preferably another mythology-heavy book like Night of the Beasts, please!) 

Comments

[salimbol.livejournal.com]

I like Chika Shiomi's stuff too, even if it does feel like Yumi Tamura-lite sometimes. Plus it has the advantage of being short, which so few of the series I read are! Did it seem to you that Canon was one of her earlier works, and perhaps she was feeling her way through the story-telling?

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I think one of the author's notes in either Canon or Night of the Beasts mentioned that Canon was her first shoujo and longer work, and Night of the Beasts her second(though I suspect she did a lot of one shots in between.)

I just wish that Yurara wasn't such, well...normal shoujo. I mean, it's better than a ton of what's out there, but it doesn't have that same feel going for it as the other 2.

[vivacious-dan.livejournal.com]

I mentioned this before but Yurara is one of my fave manga out right now (Koukou Debut is my absolute favorite). I love Yurara, the character, and I feel the supernatural aspect to the story is done really well. Has a creepy vibe to it, which I love. And I love Yurara with Mei and enjoy his back story a lot. I'm on Volume 2. Definitely need to read the rest.

I feel like Night of the Beasts had potential but that Shiomi had a lot of room to grow as a manga ka, which I feel she did with Yurara. Just my humble opinion, ofcourse.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Yurara is definitely more refined(it's very recent, while her other 2 series that have been released here are from the 90s) but it's essentially the normal "wallflower girl in love triangle" shoujo plot with supernatural elements. It's much, much better than most of those, but part of the appeal to Canon and Night of the Beasts is that Aria and Canon are very, very active in their lives, and don't have to be pushed by someone to be so, and while their men are far from useless decorations, they're there to support their story, not carry her through it.

[vivacious-dan.livejournal.com]

That is very true about Aria, you make an excellent point. I can always identify more with the shy characters in shoujo manga, as I am shy myself and suffer from social anxiety. But I did really like Aria's kick butt, sexual, independent personality.