Yuri Artbook: Kuraku Asuka Mairu! (九楽あすか参る!)

Today, we're taking a trip through the dustier recesses of my historical collection for one picture. Just kidding - it's really for two pictures.

I've talked about Hana no Asuka-gumi! (花のあすか組!) a number of times over the years here. I'll  never get tired of pointing you towards it, because it was one of the most amazingly crack-tastic series ever. In fact, as I consider that statement, I realize that all three of the Big 3 girl-gang series I love were mad as porridge knives. From school-based organized crime rings to giant snakes, both YajiKita Gakuen Douchuuki and Sukeban Deka were plain nuts. In comparison, the organization that controls all the girl gangs in Tokyo, the Zenchuu Ura, and the elite fighting squad-infested labyrinth under Ranjuku Detention Center of Hana no Asuka-gumi make perfect sense.

When Hana no Asuka-gumi was in its ascendancy, back in the 1980s, when both manga and TV series were fixtures of girls' lives, a collection of the cover art and magazine color art was put together. Published in 1988, the Hana no Asuka-gumi artbook, Kuraku Asuka Mairu! (九楽あすか参る!) is page after page of  Asuka in any number of outfits, as tough-as-nails gang girl to tough-as-nails gang girl. All three zillion of the secondary characters get some page time, as well. The no-nonsense girls of the Nishiku Omoteban, the Area Masters, the crazies that inhabit Ranjuku Detention Center, Kazuga, Bara-no-Miya, Miko,  and most importantly, the Zenchuu Ura's mysterious leader Hibari-sama...and Yohko.

Which is why I wanted to talk about this book. There's a few color pictures of Yohko, and some black and white line art. But there are two pictures in the book that nail the overall obsession that both Hibari and Yohko have for Asuka. (Click on the images for larger versions.)

This is the frontispiece for the book. The English is part of the original:

The banana curls belong to the always half-seen Hibari-sama. "Make Asuka come to me, Kazuga," pretty much sums up her obsession in a sentence.

And this is the centerfold:

If "SEX" on the wall doesn't convince you, let me translate the Japanese for you: "I'm here, Asuka."

Just sayin.

The rest of the book includes interviews with the creator, Takaguchi Satosumi, the actresses from the TV show, info about the original movie, (as opposed to the new movie, which was awesome,) the books, media and goods related to the show. I don't know if I've ever mentioned this but, for a while, Asuka's gold coin was available on Yahoo JP auctions. I never bought it, though. ^_^

If there is one single reason you should learn Japanese, one series so compelling that you really *must* read it, it would be this one. As long as I'm alive, I'm gonna keep talking about it, so really, you might as well read it. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall - 10

The art is truly variable from great to "aagh!" but I love the series so much, I'm giving it a wildly subjective score. Deal.

Live Action: Hana no Asuka-gumi NEO

As we ended, so shall we begin. We ended the year on a Live-action adaptation of a Yuri manga. Sadly for us, Kakera, was not a particularly good adaptation.

Happily for us, Hana no Asuka-gumi NEO was an *excellent* adaptation of my favorite obscure manga series ever.

A quick synopsis: Kuraku Asuka is a girl who had been bullied in middle school. Brought right to the edge of suicide, she finds purpose in fighting for her life - both literally and figuratively. Through an acquaintance with Kijiima Yohko, a sociopath who involves Asuka with the girl-gang underworld of Tokyo, Asuka is reborn as the best fighter in the city. Asuka becomes involved with the underground organization that runs the girl gangs, the Zenchuu Ura, and the leader of that organization, Hibara-sama. After being the second-most powerful person in the Zenchuu Ura, Asuka leaves Hibari and becomes friendly with the "outside Group" in Shinjuku. That "Omoteban" is run by the lovely Hime, and has members with the elemental names of Kai, Mizu, Hi, etc... Also involved with the Omoteban is Asuka's best friend, Doumoto Miko...the half sister of Yohko.

You got all that? Well that's not half of it, and I'm grinning as I type, because no matter how long I spend explaining this series, no matter how many times I explain it, it will never be clear unless you read the whole thing. ^_^

The series was super popular in the 80s, with both manga and TV series. The manga came back for an extended epilogue a few years ago. An absolutely dreadful movie was made in the 90s, which had one awesome scene but was otherwise excruciating. In the meantime, the creator had gone on to become best known for her BL series.

In 2009, the manga was undergoing a renaissance and some genius decided to make a Live-action movie - the movie that hadn't been made the first time but really, really needed to be made. And so, we now have the opportunity to enjoy Hana no Asuka-gumi NEO! (花のあすか組 NEO!). And thank heavens for that!

This movie is so close to being exactly right that the few kvetches I have are ridiculous. Asuka is played by none other than the daughter of Takaguchi Satosumi, the series creator. She's too tall (Asuka is a shrimp,) but otherwise, she's great.

The plot is taken from the manga itself, so if you've read the the thing, you'll know the plot the instant it begins.

Mizu is the first to show up, and Miko is...perfect. Hime was sort of off, and Yohko is all crazy all the time, and not quite perfect - her hair was all wrong - but she was a total sociopath and nice and violent, so that was fun. What had me dancing around was the appearance of Kurenai, scar and all. No Hibari-sama, but I could forgive that, as it would have been deeply confusing if you weren't a fan. Why you would be watching this movie if you weren't a fan, I can't for the life of me guess, but it could happen. The fights were *excellent.* Everything I could have hoped in a totally serious adaptation of one of the silliest series I've ever loved.


Ratings:

For casual viewers of cheesy Japanese live-action movies - 7

For me - 9

So to start off the new year, run and buy Hana no Asuka-gumi NEO! for a taste of the good ole days when girl gangs ruled the streets and school of Tokyo.