Otomen, Vol. 2 [Paperback]

Aya Kanno (Author)

Book Description

Series: Otomen | Publication Date: May 5, 2009

R to L (Japanese Style)

Asuka Masamune is a guy who loves girly things--sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. But in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Ryo Miyakozuka, on the other hand, is a girl who can't sew or bake a cake to save her life. Asuka finds himself drawn to Ryo, but she likes only the manliest of men! Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to the girl that he's falling for?

Asuka's mother shows up with a surprise announcement--it's time for Asuka to meet his fiancée! What kind of girl does she have in mind for him? And how will Ryo respond to the match?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Aya Kanno was born in Tokyo, Japan. She is the creator of Soul Rescue, which has been published in the United States, and her latest work, Otomen, is currently being serialized in Japan's BetsuHana magazine. Blank Slate was originally published as Akusaga in Japan in Hana to Yume magazine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; Original edition (May 5, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421521873
• ISBN-13: 978-1421521879
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #456,112 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I HAVE A FIANCEE?, September 28, 2009

By 

Sesho "www.sesho.libsyn.com" (Pasadena, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Otomen, Vol. 2 (Paperback)

The irony continues to pile on as Asuka Masamune continues his reign as macho man on campus even as he secretly longs for all things cute and girly. He's even picked up a disciple, Yamato Ariake, a young boy who is constantly misaken for a girl, and has been teased about it ever since he was a kid. Ariake sees Asuka as the masculine ideal and sets out to be just like him. Of course, the reader knows that Asuka is anything but the embodiment of manly men. Ariake also wants to man up so he can confess to a girl that has stolen his heart. The relationship between Asuka and Ryo appears to be taking a romantic turn as Christmas approaches, but Asuka's mom, ever watchful for even the slightest bent towards transsexualism, arrives on the scene and tells Asuka that he has a meeting with his FIANCEE! And just wait till you see the wacko his mom has set him up with in an effort to save him from his father's fate and also to cement a business alliance.

I will say this about Otomen. The series is hilarious. Most of the humor in this volume, and a lot of weirdness, concerns Asuka's fiancee, Iruka Sakiyama. She is like the Messiah of Cuteness and Asuka finds himself hard pressed to reject her interest. She actually lives in a life sized magic castle dollhouse in her vast room inside her family's mansion. And she sees Asuka as her Prince Charming.

Kanno uses Otomen to parody shojo manga, actually gently poke fun at its conventions would be a more accurate description. Until you got to the Iruka section, Otomen has been pretty realistic without using many over the top elements. Kanno's main device of comedy has been the irony of Asuka's character and she has done very well with it. She is still using it, but she's coming up with more interesting situations to exploit it. I really like Otomen. It has been the biggest Shojo Beat surprise I've gotten this year.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still no interest for Ryo, August 24, 2009

By 

Delamaine "Formerly Belacane" (Seattle Eastside) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Otomen, Vol. 2 (Paperback)

I really can't get into this girl. She seems much more a minor supporting character. The main focus of the Otomen books (and I say this after reading the first three available) seems to focus primarily on Asuka's otomen-ness (which it should) and secondarily on Juta's interactions with Asuka. Which is great, because Juta is such a funny character. But the relationship between Asuka & Ryo is not good at all; she's so bland, although nice, that I just keep wanting to flip ahead to the Juta-Asuka parts.

Also for some reason I can't seem to remember Asuka's name. I just had to go back and check. I keep thinking it's Asoka or Anuschka or something. Perhaps it isn't mentioned enough in the book. I've read all three books three or four times since I got them and it just doesn't stick in my head.

However, this is a really funny series if you're focusing on the Juta-Asuka stuff and I do recommend it for that.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars cinderella is a boy, June 20, 2009

By 

Teresa Nicolini "dark shadows" (florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Otomen, Vol. 2 (Paperback)

great illustrations and a great story,i love her work. not quite as good as vol 1 but still a great series with beautiful drawings, worth collecting.