Mandate of Heaven, Law of Compassion: Ôoku: Eien (Emonnosuke/Tsunayoshi) (Film Review)

[Image: Kanno Miho as the Shogun Tsunayoshi; she is holding a fan] Credit: moviecollection.jp

OKAY. IT’S BEEN TWO YEARS. LET’S DO THIS.

Contains major spoilers for Ôoku: Eien (Emonnosuke/Tsunayoshi) (film, 2013) and Yoshinaga Fumi’s Ôoku, vol. 4-6 (manga).

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New Page: Masterpost on Ôoku

First of all, many thanks to the audience member who attended Kathryn‘s and my Sakuracon panel “Cross-dressing for Fun and Profit in Anime and Manga”! You were all great, and we enjoyed your questions and feedback. We’re planning on publishing a version of our presentation on our blogs (and hopefully elsewhere if we’re lucky) complete with images and hyperlinks, so stay tuned.

Hiraga Gennai, though (Vol. 10, p. 104)

Although we ended up having to rush through the section on Ôoku, there seemed to be a lot of interest in the series. I realized when I was writing down information on Ôoku for a lovely con-goer who approached us afterward to chat about the series and Hiraga Gennai that I really, really needed to better organize my Ôoku posts instead of sending people to the category, which is starting to get rather large. 

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History Lessons from the Tokugawa Matriarchy: Ôoku: The Inner Chambers

Vol. 8, p. 188. Yoshimune and Hisamichi

I know most of my readers are familiar with Yoshinaga Fumi’s Ôoku, but in case you’re new here or would like to recommend the manga to a friend, I wrote a guest post over on Have You Nerd? introducing the English-version of the manga.

In 1716, Tokugawa Yoshimune, the great-granddaughter of the first Tokugawa shogun, become shogun herself, despite being the third daughter of a branch family and having a low-ranking concubine as a father. During her reign as Shogun, Yoshimune enacted a number of reforms, though she maintained Japan’s closed-country status for fear of a foreign invasion if anyone learned that the country was actually run by women.

Not the version of Japanese history you learned in school? Then get thee to a purveyor of fine manga, for you have much to study.

Full article: “History Lessons from the Tokugawa Matriarchy: Ôoku: The Inner Chambers” on Have You Nerd?

If you’d like to read my more in-depth analyses of the Japanese version, check out my Ôoku masterpost here on the blog.

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Ôoku: Tanjô: Episode 10 (Finale)

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you enjoy the final tragic episode of Ôoku: Tanjô, a.k.a. a preponderance of nope. This recap contains (major) spoilers for the drama and the manga. Episode 9 recap here; manga analysis here; Ôoku category (film, manga, and drama) here.

Image via TBS

Aired Dec. 14, 2012 on TBS.

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Ôoku: Tanjô: Episode 9

Finally reunited with my manga and it feels so good!

Image via TBS

Aired Dec. 7, 2012, on TBS.

This recap contains spoilers for the drama and the manga. Episode 8 recap here; manga analysis here; Ôoku category (film, manga, and drama) here.

In this episode of Things I Started Recapping a Year Ago Ôoku:

After Iemitsu gives her speech about being the Shogun and a woman, her audience bows. When they raise their heads again, the camera pans around the room to show not just Terutsuna smiling at her, but many of the other young heirs who appear to be girls dressed as boys.

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Ôoku: Tanjô: Episode 8

Aired Nov. 30, 2012, on TBS.

This recap contains spoilers for the drama and the manga. Episode 7 recap here; manga analysis here; Ôoku category (film, manga, and drama) here.  I am probably never going to recap a show episode-by-episode again…. お待たせしました！

Image via TBS.

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Ôoku: Tanjô, Ep. 7

First of all, a bit of (old?) news from the entertainment world: Kanno Miho, who played Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi in the film Ôoku: Eien, and Sakai Masato, who played Arikoto in the drama and Emonosuke in the film, registered their marriage on 2 April. おめでとうございます！May your work in excellent gender-based dramas lead to you happiness. (Sources: Oricon, Tokyo Hive)

Source: Oricon

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Ôoku Tanjô, Ep. 6

Have no fear–I didn’t forget about this project!

Aired Nov. 14, 2012, on TBS.

This recap contains spoilers for the drama and the manga. Episode 5 recap here; manga analysis here; Ôoku category (film, manga, and drama) here.

Image via TBS. http://www.tbs.co.jp/ohoku2012/gallery/p06-04.html

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Ôoku Tanjô, Episode 5

Aired Nov. 9, 2012 on TBS.

This recap contains spoilers for the drama and the manga, including the Tsunayoshi story arc (vol. 4-6 and the film Ôoku: Eien). Episode 4 recap here; manga analysis here; Ôoku category (film, manga, and drama) here.

Before I start the recap today, I did see the Ôoku: Eien movie, and damn, is it good. Sakai is much, much better suited to playing Emonnosuke, and Kanno Miho was such a great Tsunayoshi. I need to collect my thoughts (and maybe see it again), but the sets are gorgeous, the music is great, and it’s a great “sequel” to the first film.

Image via TBS. http://www.tbs.co.jp/ohoku2012/gallery/p05-14.html

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Ôoku: Tanjo, Episode 3

Ooku, Vol. 2, p. 205

Ooku, Ep. 3. Ain’t no party like an ooku drag party… Image via TBS

Hello to my new readers from d-addicts, where my blog was linked on the Ôoku drama thread. I know I’m rather behind on the write-ups, but I do hope you enjoy them as I get them out.

Episode 2 recap here. For other past posts about the films, manga, and drama, see the Ôoku category.

Warning: spoilers, rape, violence.

I’m a great fan of stories (regardless of medium) that make me experience a range of complex and subtle emotions. Or, as one might say, something that hits me right in the feels. The events of Vol. 2, Ch. 4 in the manga–Ep. 3 in the drama (aired 26 Oct. 2012)– are the precursor to a truly epic emotional roller coaster.

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