What do you think?
Rate this book
大奥 [Ōoku] #1
Ōoku: The Inner Chambers, Vol. 1
In Edo period Japan, a strange new disease called the Redface Pox has begun to prey on the country's men. Within eighty years of the first outbreak, the male population has fallen by seventy-five percent. Women have taken on all the roles traditionally granted to men, even that of the shogun. The men, precious providers of life, are carefully protected. And the most beautiful of the men are sent to serve in the shogun's Inner Chamber...
210 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2005
About the author
Fumi Yoshinaga
131 books233 followersJapanese: よしなが ふみ
Fumi Yoshinaga (よしなが ふみ Yoshinaga Fumi, born 1971) is a Japanese manga artist known for her shōjo and shōnen-ai works.
Fumi Yoshinaga was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1971. She attended the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo.
In an interview, she said that "I want to show the people who didn't win, whose dreams didn't come true. It is not possible for everybody to get first prize. I want my readers to understand the happiness that people can get from trying hard, going through the process, and getting frustrated."
Little is known about her personal life. She mentions that her favourite operas are those by Mozart in the author's note of Solfege.
She debuted in 1994 with The Moon and the Sandals, serialized in Hanaoto magazine, but was previously a participant in comic markets.
Of Yoshinaga's many works, several have been licensed internationally. She was also selected and exhibited as one of the "Twenty Major Manga artist Who Contributed to the World of Shōjo Manga (World War II to Present)" for Professor Masami Toku's exhibition, "Shōjo Manga: Girl Power!" at CSU-Chico.
Outside of her work with Japanese publishers, she also self-publishes original doujinshi on a regular basis, most notably for Antique Bakery. Yoshinaga has also drawn fan parodies of Slam Dunk, Rose of Versailles, and Legend of Galactic Heroes.
Fumi Yoshinaga (よしなが ふみ Yoshinaga Fumi, born 1971) is a Japanese manga artist known for her shōjo and shōnen-ai works.
Fumi Yoshinaga was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1971. She attended the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo.
In an interview, she said that "I want to show the people who didn't win, whose dreams didn't come true. It is not possible for everybody to get first prize. I want my readers to understand the happiness that people can get from trying hard, going through the process, and getting frustrated."
Little is known about her personal life. She mentions that her favourite operas are those by Mozart in the author's note of Solfege.
She debuted in 1994 with The Moon and the Sandals, serialized in Hanaoto magazine, but was previously a participant in comic markets.
Of Yoshinaga's many works, several have been licensed internationally. She was also selected and exhibited as one of the "Twenty Major Manga artist Who Contributed to the World of Shōjo Manga (World War II to Present)" for Professor Masami Toku's exhibition, "Shōjo Manga: Girl Power!" at CSU-Chico.
Outside of her work with Japanese publishers, she also self-publishes original doujinshi on a regular basis, most notably for Antique Bakery. Yoshinaga has also drawn fan parodies of Slam Dunk, Rose of Versailles, and Legend of Galactic Heroes.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews
November 23, 2018
I read this because Faith Hicks said it was great and because I thought the idea of it bore some resemblance to Brian Vaughn's Y: The Last Man. It's not a unique subject, I Am Legend also deals with this topic (and adds zombies…). In this story, set in the Edo period in Japan, a plague has destroyed something like 75% of the male population. Some of those (elite) males continue to be housed in Ooku, a special, highly secret set of chambers which is essentially a male harem… so there's gender reversal, and the rulers are now female, will all that attends to that power dynamic. In the first volume we get to see one young man enter these chambers and we get to see the highly structured social system within, just as we have learned exists in any harem, or maybe any tightly constructed social system.. but there are ironies, of course. We also get glimpses of the world that the young man leaves behind, a world where women must assume, thanks to the plague, traditional male roles, and we get to see what effect the scarcity of males has on procreation, marriage, and other aspects of society. It's much darker than Y, which has plenty of clever, hip humor, especially in the dialogue, and is more of a thriller than the social/cultural examination that Ooku seems to be focusing on.
Ooku is historical fantasy manga, beautifully rendered by Fumi Yoshinaga, who gives serious attention to issues of gender and sexuality. Vaughn's Y is terrific, I love it, but in comparison he almost shies away from some of these serious issues. This is not manga for young kids, for sure, as it is brutal and (though black and white) pretty graphic. One thing that seems really weak to me is the translation, which is an attempt to give a sense of the centuries old way of talking, like Renaissance English, but it does not work all that well for me; it is stilted in places and almost comical. There are ways to convey formality that don't require "wherefore" and "prithee." It just feels a little stuffy in places and calls attention to itself a little too much, in my opinion, undermining a little the effect of the great art work, though this issue of awkward translation is widespread, as far as I can tell, and when you get into the tale you can sort of set it aside, in some ways. It's still a very interesting and complex story which I expect gets better as we get more into the worlds of the story. It's Japanese alt-history where we imagine what might have happened with women in power.
Ooku is historical fantasy manga, beautifully rendered by Fumi Yoshinaga, who gives serious attention to issues of gender and sexuality. Vaughn's Y is terrific, I love it, but in comparison he almost shies away from some of these serious issues. This is not manga for young kids, for sure, as it is brutal and (though black and white) pretty graphic. One thing that seems really weak to me is the translation, which is an attempt to give a sense of the centuries old way of talking, like Renaissance English, but it does not work all that well for me; it is stilted in places and almost comical. There are ways to convey formality that don't require "wherefore" and "prithee." It just feels a little stuffy in places and calls attention to itself a little too much, in my opinion, undermining a little the effect of the great art work, though this issue of awkward translation is widespread, as far as I can tell, and when you get into the tale you can sort of set it aside, in some ways. It's still a very interesting and complex story which I expect gets better as we get more into the worlds of the story. It's Japanese alt-history where we imagine what might have happened with women in power.
November 22, 2011
It all began in seventh grade, as I perused my Nintendo newsletter and discovered that in Japan they had an NES called the Famicon and that the Japanese were able to enjoy new releases sometimes years before we were able to in America. Then, in tenth grade, I discovered Marvel's publication of Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira. And then Akira, the cinematic adaptation. And then I saw pretty much every film Akira Kurosawa ever made. Then I read Shogun. Then I saw Princess Mononoke in theaters. Then everything else Miyazaki had done. Then Usagi Yojimbo . Then there was Haruki Murakami. Then Takaski Murakami and Superflat. Then the manga boom. Really, I've held a fascination with Japan, its culture, and its history pretty much since I first discovered that it had a culture and history that could hold my interest*—and so, the last two-and-a-half decades have left me perfectly primed for Ōoku: The Inner Chambers.
Ōoku is a work of alt-history. It posits a Japan that never happened** and traverses eighty years of would-bes. Taking a page from Y: The Last Man , author Fumi Yoshinaga oppresses 17th-century Japan with a plague, called the redface pox, that decimates the male population of the nation (other countries seem unafflicted). By the time the disease has worked its course, there is only one man for every five women. The national character evolves quickly and drastically under these new terms and the roles of men and women within the society undergo sharp shifts in vocational direction. Women become the primary workforce, tending to all mercantile matters, all fieldwork, and all burdens of government—while men, now prized primarily for their reproductive function, are often sequestered and kept from any exertion that might tax their delicate constitutions. Many men are prostituted by their families to women who don't need the sexual release so much as they simply desire offspring. The Yoshiwara pleasure district quickly empties of women and falls into disuse until it comes to play house to men dedicated to the role of stallion. For their part, women take on the role of lords of households and rulers of domains—even claiming the Shogunate as a female role. And it is with this last that Ōoku is concerned.
Ingeniously, the first volume of the series introduces the situation eighty years after the plague hit, exploring this strange world through the eyes of Mizuno, a young man who enters into the service of the Shogun's inner chamber (what is known as the Ōoku). Alongside Mizuno, the reader learns of the situation of men within what I presume to be the most secretive palace in all Japan—though, to be fair, we have yet to see the Emperor or his/her own inner sanctum. The entire staff of the palace is men. The Shogun keeps for herself a stable of well over a hundred men, none of whom may ever leave the palace grounds—service in the Ōoku is a lifelong duty. With Mizuno, the reader comes to understand the duties, hierarchy, and politics of the place. Nearly upon his entrance into service, the sixth Shogun dies and is succeeded by her young daughter—who also dies soon after, still a child. The succession then passes to Yoshimune, the eighth Tokugawa Shogun, and it is with her entrance that the focus of the book shifts and begins developing a host of protagonists and points of view.
Yoshimune expresses a curiosity for the history of Japan and wonders if there wasn't a time when men were in greater abundance. Using a particular story device, volume two of the series returns to the time nearly a century earlier when the plague first arrived in Japan. Author Yoshinaga then records events from that point onward up until the advent of the eighth Tokugawa Shogun.
It's a fascinating journey, one full of romance and politics. Yoshinaga is careful to describe in plausible manner just how the power of the Shogun might shift from Iemitsu Tokugawa to his daughter without upsetting the rest of Japan. Part of the genius of the series is that it is entirely history—with narrative embellishments, of course. All the female Shoguns carry the names of the Shoguns as we know them historically. The Shogun following the Iemitsu reign is Ietsuna. And after her, Tsunayoshi. And then Ienobu and Ietsugu and Yoshimune, just like in our world's history. Even the events depicted mirror events recorded as we would know them: the expulsion of the Christians; the plan to burn Edo to the ground; the circumstances surrounding the Forty-Seven Ronin; and probably coming in next year's seventh volume, the Ejima-Ikushima affair.
My only prior experience of Yoshinaga's work was her trifling comedic book of restaurant "reviews," Not Love But Delicious Foods Make Me So Happy . The work here is altogether more substantial and her reinterpretation of history is careful and engaging. Every time I saw her shift her lens to focus on a new set of characters as she travels across the generations, I worried that I wouldn't find the new cast as compelling as the old. Happily those fears proved to be unfounded, as Yoshinaga shows an elegant command of her characters, investing in each of them a host of believable motivations, powers, and infirmities. Japanese history, as recast in Ōoku is excellent drama and I'm thirsty to discover what will happen next and how Yoshinaga plans to wrap the series several years from now.***
Notes
* Tautological, no?
** Some slightly spoilery speculation here (mouse over to view):
*** Volume 7 should be out sometime in 2012 and the series is projected to be 10 volumes long, with a year between publication of each.
[review courtesy of Good Ok Bad.]
June 20, 2012
I've taken a couple stabs at reading Y: The Last Man since I have a few friends who are really into it and I think it is based on an interesting concept, but I feel like the writing in it is not that great and kind of borders on weird sexism, so I've never been able to buckle down and plow through the series. Ooku deals with a similar concept, a severe plague kills off the majority of men in feudal Japan, but is so, so brilliantly written and amazing. This is one of the best written comic series I've read in a long time. This story of romantic and political intrigue is so incredibly engrossing and Yoshinaga does an absolutely stellar job of bringing the reader fully into the world of the inner chambers through so much detail and subtlety. It reminds me a lot of the intricate work of feminist Japanese director Kenji Mizoguchi or maybe even a Japanese version of Jane Austen, except in this world women have suddenly gain all of the political power and wealth instead of trying to use their social and emotional intelligence to overcome the limitations of their societal gender roles. The result is a thoroughly fascinating and moving cross-generational epic. Highly recommended, especially for female comic fans.
May 24, 2022
I have read the Japanese original down to Vol. 11, and also read the English translations that are out so far. Although I don't usually rate/review manga/comics/graphic novels, I'm making this an exception -- it's worth to be an exception.
* The premise of the story: 5 stars
It's a kind of SF set in Edo period (early 1600s ~) Japan. A fatal infectious disease that affects only young men sweeps the country, reducing the male population to a quarter of the female's. How can this affect the society, and male/female relationship?
Now you must understand that feudal Japan was a misogynist society. This story points it out by presenting the mirror image of the reality. Outstanding idea, I must admit.
Historical fiction is considered educational in America, but in Japan, most readers already have the basic idea of the Edo period and the Tokugawa shoguns. Therefore, historical fiction there is a form of fan fiction. This one is the crazy, cynical cousin of a fan fiction. If you love this manga, you might enjoy checking the actual history -- every shogun, as well as many other characters, in the story existed -- and see how the author twisted and tossed the facts.
It's great fun until around Vol. 9. (The first 3 books are especially good.) Manga is written/drawn as it is published, so popular manga often starts dragging toward the end, and unfortunately, this one follows suit.
* Pictures: 4 stars
It's fine. Not as gorgeous as Vagabond, Volume 1, but it's good.
* Translation: 3 stars
Knowing that translation is a very labor-intensive work, I should hate to put down someone's work, but the prose in this manga reads ... like Shakespeare. Just because the story is set in the old days doesn't mean the texts must reflect the language of the time. Manga is entertainment reading, and the original Japanese reads easy. It uses some old-sounding words to suggest the mood, but the overall language is contemporary. The English translation suffers considerably because it tries to mimic the antiquity.
Then there are smaller issues such as "a reason for living" -- "a purpose" would be more natural.
Overall, I have the feeling that the translator is a good, scholarly person -- who doesn't read many English-written books for fun.
Having said all this, this is still a great read! If you've only read Japanese novels and no manga, you might get shocked. Yay.
* The premise of the story: 5 stars
It's a kind of SF set in Edo period (early 1600s ~) Japan. A fatal infectious disease that affects only young men sweeps the country, reducing the male population to a quarter of the female's. How can this affect the society, and male/female relationship?
Now you must understand that feudal Japan was a misogynist society. This story points it out by presenting the mirror image of the reality. Outstanding idea, I must admit.
Historical fiction is considered educational in America, but in Japan, most readers already have the basic idea of the Edo period and the Tokugawa shoguns. Therefore, historical fiction there is a form of fan fiction. This one is the crazy, cynical cousin of a fan fiction. If you love this manga, you might enjoy checking the actual history -- every shogun, as well as many other characters, in the story existed -- and see how the author twisted and tossed the facts.
It's great fun until around Vol. 9. (The first 3 books are especially good.) Manga is written/drawn as it is published, so popular manga often starts dragging toward the end, and unfortunately, this one follows suit.
* Pictures: 4 stars
It's fine. Not as gorgeous as Vagabond, Volume 1, but it's good.
* Translation: 3 stars
Knowing that translation is a very labor-intensive work, I should hate to put down someone's work, but the prose in this manga reads ... like Shakespeare. Just because the story is set in the old days doesn't mean the texts must reflect the language of the time. Manga is entertainment reading, and the original Japanese reads easy. It uses some old-sounding words to suggest the mood, but the overall language is contemporary. The English translation suffers considerably because it tries to mimic the antiquity.
Then there are smaller issues such as "a reason for living" -- "a purpose" would be more natural.
Overall, I have the feeling that the translator is a good, scholarly person -- who doesn't read many English-written books for fun.
Having said all this, this is still a great read! If you've only read Japanese novels and no manga, you might get shocked. Yay.
May 11, 2012
Oh god the translation why whyyyyy. Or should I say, "Wherefore???" I can't imagine why the translator/editor thought this medievaloid "cometh back for dinner in time, hearest thou?" schtick was a good idea. If the diction is formal and archaic, which I'm sure it is, couldn't they have conveyed that in a way that didn't make everything sound absurd?
Anyway. Apart from the translation, this was great! I love how Yoshinaga totally fakes you out -- at one point I was like, huh, it is clever how she has constructed a matriarchal society in order to tell a shounen ai story that is all about the dudes. But I was wrong! It is not really all about the dudes! I'm curious to know how the series progresses; I thought it was going to be all about Mizuno, but it must not be, so perhaps it's gonna be episodic like Antique Bakery.
I love Yoshimune *__* And her plump friendly "yes do please underestimate me" right-hand woman. I'm definitely going to read more, though I have no idea how I'm going to deal with the dreadful English.
Anyway. Apart from the translation, this was great! I love how Yoshinaga totally fakes you out -- at one point I was like, huh, it is clever how she has constructed a matriarchal society in order to tell a shounen ai story that is all about the dudes. But I was wrong! It is not really all about the dudes! I'm curious to know how the series progresses; I thought it was going to be all about Mizuno, but it must not be, so perhaps it's gonna be episodic like Antique Bakery.
I love Yoshimune *__* And her plump friendly "yes do please underestimate me" right-hand woman. I'm definitely going to read more, though I have no idea how I'm going to deal with the dreadful English.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2016
The best political, edo, (reverse) harem manga (complete with beautiful graphics) I've ever read! Currently I'm up to speed until the 7th volume and still waiting for the good people of internet to update the later chapters of the 8th volume.
The story is intricate and have a lot of twists and turns with various people plotting their way to gain powerful alliances, governmental position and ultimately control the (current) shogun who's occupying the throne. My fav character is most definitely the Shogun Yoshimune because she's such a boss!
Of course for the many, many guys/concubines/samurais featured in this manga, my fav has got to be Sir Arikoto *swoon*.
Indeed it is created by the great mangaka Fumi Yoshinaga who's known for her yaoi works. Although I very much recommend her other manga, you surely have to pick this one up for a helluva ride!
The story is intricate and have a lot of twists and turns with various people plotting their way to gain powerful alliances, governmental position and ultimately control the (current) shogun who's occupying the throne. My fav character is most definitely the Shogun Yoshimune because she's such a boss!
Of course for the many, many guys/concubines/samurais featured in this manga, my fav has got to be Sir Arikoto *swoon*.
Indeed it is created by the great mangaka Fumi Yoshinaga who's known for her yaoi works. Although I very much recommend her other manga, you surely have to pick this one up for a helluva ride!
August 6, 2015
Bleh. This sounded like a cool idea at first, but it wasn't my thing at all. Very boring, the "formal" writing quickly became tiring and I didn't care for any of the characters. I gave up on it somewhere halfway through it.
July 12, 2023
In Andy Bernard's voice, "Michael, AM I GAY????"
December 30, 2015
Book blurb: In Edo period Japan, a strange new disease called the Red Pox has begun to prey on the country's men. Within eighty years of the first outbreak, the male population has fallen by seventy-five percent. Women have taken on all the roles traditionally granted to men, even that of the Shogun. The men, precious providers of life, are carefully protected. And the most beautiful of the men are sent to serve in the Shogun's Inner Chamber...
Holy smokes, but how have I not heard about this manga series before? And why has HBO not made this into a TV show?
I love the premise, and while the notion of a world dominated by women is not an original one, this one is uniquely set in Edo period Japan. I love the setting, the world building, the characters, and the twists and turns of the story, and am delighted to have nine more books in this series to look forward to. The exploration of reversed gender roles/norms is wonderfully done, and there are interesting nuggets of Japanese culture I picked up along that way. The women characters in this one rock, and oh, did I mention that the author is a woman? So many of my boxes get ticked with this one.
Now, this should have been a 5 star read for me, however I did not love the translation. I get that the speech patterns were formal in that period of time, but the way it is translated into English is actually distracting. Also, I did not love the art, and sometimes had a tough time distinguishing between the various pretty boys. Still, on a different day I might have well ignored these flaws and given it a higher rating.
The book is labeled for Young Adults, and comes with parental warning on the cover. I'd recommend it for mature 16+ readers. If I had to come up with a one line description, I'd say think of this one as Game of Thrones with Samurai.
Holy smokes, but how have I not heard about this manga series before? And why has HBO not made this into a TV show?
I love the premise, and while the notion of a world dominated by women is not an original one, this one is uniquely set in Edo period Japan. I love the setting, the world building, the characters, and the twists and turns of the story, and am delighted to have nine more books in this series to look forward to. The exploration of reversed gender roles/norms is wonderfully done, and there are interesting nuggets of Japanese culture I picked up along that way. The women characters in this one rock, and oh, did I mention that the author is a woman? So many of my boxes get ticked with this one.
Now, this should have been a 5 star read for me, however I did not love the translation. I get that the speech patterns were formal in that period of time, but the way it is translated into English is actually distracting. Also, I did not love the art, and sometimes had a tough time distinguishing between the various pretty boys. Still, on a different day I might have well ignored these flaws and given it a higher rating.
The book is labeled for Young Adults, and comes with parental warning on the cover. I'd recommend it for mature 16+ readers. If I had to come up with a one line description, I'd say think of this one as Game of Thrones with Samurai.
February 29, 2020
I really liked the artwork but the story was really boring and hard to fallow.
November 6, 2009
You don't need my review. There are tons of very competent and well written reviews raving about this comic. And with good reason. It is extraordinarly fascinating. For those unfamiliar: a plague has wiped out something like 80% of the male population in Japan; all positions of authority, from heads of household right up to the shogun are now filled by women. A whole new spin on sexual politics, now. Men are obviously valuable--first and foremost, at a mechanical level, for reproduction. But also as status symbols (only a few can afford a husband). The story revolves around the Inner Chambers, which no woman but the shogun may enter, and where several hundred men live in her service.
I am a wee bit concerned that the plot is going to spend a lot of energy on how the shogun is going to react to how the outside world is and the worries that might engender, as opposed to continuing with the wholly intriguing version of Japan Fumi Yoshinaga created. I would be quite happy just to read about what goes on there, without more conventional plot tension.
I am a wee bit concerned that the plot is going to spend a lot of energy on how the shogun is going to react to how the outside world is and the worries that might engender, as opposed to continuing with the wholly intriguing version of Japan Fumi Yoshinaga created. I would be quite happy just to read about what goes on there, without more conventional plot tension.
Want to read
February 16, 2023After a plague that targeted the Y-chromosome, Edo Japan has nearly no men!
The shogun and virtually all other important state people are women. Women do all the work, raise children etc. while men are rationed and cosseted.
There is a J-Drama on NHK in 2023 and it looks absolutely amazing.
I'm desperate to watch it. Hopefully someone will license this gem for streaming!
Poster art:
The fabulous shogun arrives:
Not everyone cares about men, anyway:
The shogun and virtually all other important state people are women. Women do all the work, raise children etc. while men are rationed and cosseted.
There is a J-Drama on NHK in 2023 and it looks absolutely amazing.
I'm desperate to watch it. Hopefully someone will license this gem for streaming!
Poster art:
The fabulous shogun arrives:
Not everyone cares about men, anyway:
October 15, 2021
I'm still at awe how this author has used the quirky premise of a gender bender reverse-harem historical drama to not only make a very convincing alternate history rife with political ideologies but offer an interesting take on gender norms and society.
March 9, 2020
This is one of these mangas which are very much a niche mangas. You have to like history and historical novels. But you also have to have a bit of a understanding of Japanese history and especially the era it's set in. Even though everything is explained well.
This manga is set in a Edo period, or at least it starts off there, and the majority of men (as in male) are killed by a disease. Now all positions formerly held by men are now taken over by women, even the one of the Shogun.
The first manga focuses on a man who decides to enter the palace to become part of the Shogun's Inner Chamber called Ooku.
It's surprisingly funny but also very emotional. Fumi Yoshinaga once again proves she is a fantastic manga-ka who knows how to tell unique stories.
This manga is set in a Edo period, or at least it starts off there, and the majority of men (as in male) are killed by a disease. Now all positions formerly held by men are now taken over by women, even the one of the Shogun.
The first manga focuses on a man who decides to enter the palace to become part of the Shogun's Inner Chamber called Ooku.
It's surprisingly funny but also very emotional. Fumi Yoshinaga once again proves she is a fantastic manga-ka who knows how to tell unique stories.
March 31, 2022
Rating: 4 stars
A historical manga set in the era of samurai with a twist: What if most of the men were wiped out by a plague (the Red Pox), and what if the shogun was a woman? The result is Ooku: The Inner Chambers, a historical fantasy series about a once-male dominated society turned inside-out, and a female Tokugawa-era shogun who keeps a harem of handsome male consorts for her pleasure.
This is the second manga series I've read by Fumi Yoshinaga. I really admire the detailed artwork as well as the story. Volume One includes the first four chapters.
A historical manga set in the era of samurai with a twist: What if most of the men were wiped out by a plague (the Red Pox), and what if the shogun was a woman? The result is Ooku: The Inner Chambers, a historical fantasy series about a once-male dominated society turned inside-out, and a female Tokugawa-era shogun who keeps a harem of handsome male consorts for her pleasure.
This is the second manga series I've read by Fumi Yoshinaga. I really admire the detailed artwork as well as the story. Volume One includes the first four chapters.
January 19, 2012
This is so much better than you think it will be. Don't just read this one-- the dexterity of the author's alternate-history becomes more apparent as time goes on. She is not creating a random even in Japanese feudal history and then allowing things to take their narrative course, she is keeping her story within the bounds of historical fact.
Gender-swapping seems all shiny and new in this treatment, rather than the scraggly, white-bearded trope that it is. OOKU is a genuine attempt to create a society dominated by women that fits the details of Tokugawa Japan. As an exercise in worldbuilding it is not to be missed. For those who are just looking for the sexah it might seem a bit plodding, and the characters you come to love often don't have lengthy stories, bounded as they are by the lives of their historical counterparts. But the artwork is lovely and the sexah is definitely there, as one expects from any book about a harem.
I found the pseudo-Elizabethan English phrasing a nice touch; it keeps the formality of the society intact while remaining fluid and conversational. An informal hey-y'all phraseology would tip this closer to being what it isn't: a titillation about a female ruler with utter dominance over a large group of men.
Gender-swapping seems all shiny and new in this treatment, rather than the scraggly, white-bearded trope that it is. OOKU is a genuine attempt to create a society dominated by women that fits the details of Tokugawa Japan. As an exercise in worldbuilding it is not to be missed. For those who are just looking for the sexah it might seem a bit plodding, and the characters you come to love often don't have lengthy stories, bounded as they are by the lives of their historical counterparts. But the artwork is lovely and the sexah is definitely there, as one expects from any book about a harem.
I found the pseudo-Elizabethan English phrasing a nice touch; it keeps the formality of the society intact while remaining fluid and conversational. An informal hey-y'all phraseology would tip this closer to being what it isn't: a titillation about a female ruler with utter dominance over a large group of men.
July 2, 2011
hmmm, well, i liked the premise and thought the way that things developed was intriguing.but i had a really hard time visually telling the characters apart. also the "Old English" used as a translation for Edo period Japanese was a real irritant to me. it didn't fit and at times was hard to understand. also, i wish there was more character development (might have made the similar looking characters easier to tell apart) and that the plot, i dunno, DID more. it stayed really domestic, which i guess was the point. i had a hard time juggling names but that's my issue, not the book's and i was fine with that. this was a unique book and i can see why it won the tiptree award.
February 4, 2019
I clearly only read enough of the description of this book to see "a disease kills 75% of men, so now women are in charge" because I was very surprised/disappointed/annoyed at how dude-centric this was. And then! The main dude that the first few issues are about just up and disappears two thirds of the way through! I actually started liking it a lot more then, because the focus switched more to the new female emperor. If the book had been about that from the start, I probably would read more of the series, but as it is, it wasn't enough to entice me to continue.
November 5, 2014
guys do you know what this is?
this is y: the last man written with more intelligence, social nuance, and ace characterization
the only thing it has less of is the sexist undertones that plagued y which like. hell yeah yeah yeah, yoshinaga knows what i like
no joke, i fistpumped at the end of mizuno's story. yoshimune is my favourite, give me all your frugal pragmatic kind lady emperors, every single one
i can't wait to reread volume 2
5 stars
this is y: the last man written with more intelligence, social nuance, and ace characterization
the only thing it has less of is the sexist undertones that plagued y which like. hell yeah yeah yeah, yoshinaga knows what i like
no joke, i fistpumped at the end of mizuno's story. yoshimune is my favourite, give me all your frugal pragmatic kind lady emperors, every single one
i can't wait to reread volume 2
5 stars
February 7, 2019
130811: very interesting series, very japanese take on the loss of men in historical era, due to some disease striking only young men. makes me think of last man, but i like more the manga art of this series…
by now i have read seven volumes of this series gradually less and less interesting…
by now i have read seven volumes of this series gradually less and less interesting…
October 6, 2014
All I can say is that I sincerely regret reading this now. I applaud the translator's use of Shakespearean English to match the archaic Japanese, but I still regret reading this.
January 19, 2024
The actual review: Ōoku is a historical fiction that takes place in an alternative Edo period Japan (1603 - 1868) in which at least 75% of the male population died from a plague, changing the gender and power dynamics in a radical way. It's a simple premise, but a well executed one, displaying complex characters and the potential for human cruelty borne from harrowing social situations. This first volume works its way from a microcosmic vision, the perspective of a poor male, to an expanded horizon, the new (political leader of the country) Shogun's perspective. It's a really well done work of showing and omitting the right information at the right moments, revealing slowly a peculiar mosaic of human and bureaucratic relationships. I'm glad I finally found a mature and captivating manga to read after a broad, and mostly frustrating search. This series is quite a commitment as well with all its 19 volumes, but with its beautiful and restrained art and intriguing characters and dynamics, I imagine reading them won't be such a chore.
A detour about translation: This would be a 5-star review if it was not for one thing in particular. It took me twice as long to finish reading this than it normally would, that's due to the questionable editorial choice of translating from Japanese to archaic English. Turning this a challenging experience, but one I'd gladly understand if it served the story being told, which I don't think was the case. By choosing to translate to archaic English a story with such an specific cultural background, in such a idiosyncratic time period for Japan, it's inevitable to be left with a certain feeling of incongruity. Languages and their ramifications are a result of innumerable social events, archaic English is already a loaded aspect of occidental culture and history. To juxtapose this writing with Edo period Japan raises an incongruity that is distracting to reader, calling attention to the translation choice itself rather than to the text. One can convey an atmosphere of formality without resorting to archaic terms semantically rooted in occidental traditions. Other translations chose a more objective approach, choosing content over form, perhaps after pondering over the impossibilites and limitations of truly translating a text.
But anyway, I digress... I loved this manga and I'm sure I'll get used to this translation sooner or later, the story is just that good and I recommend it for anyone interested in political intrigue, old -timey Japan and feminism.
A detour about translation: This would be a 5-star review if it was not for one thing in particular. It took me twice as long to finish reading this than it normally would, that's due to the questionable editorial choice of translating from Japanese to archaic English. Turning this a challenging experience, but one I'd gladly understand if it served the story being told, which I don't think was the case. By choosing to translate to archaic English a story with such an specific cultural background, in such a idiosyncratic time period for Japan, it's inevitable to be left with a certain feeling of incongruity. Languages and their ramifications are a result of innumerable social events, archaic English is already a loaded aspect of occidental culture and history. To juxtapose this writing with Edo period Japan raises an incongruity that is distracting to reader, calling attention to the translation choice itself rather than to the text. One can convey an atmosphere of formality without resorting to archaic terms semantically rooted in occidental traditions. Other translations chose a more objective approach, choosing content over form, perhaps after pondering over the impossibilites and limitations of truly translating a text.
But anyway, I digress... I loved this manga and I'm sure I'll get used to this translation sooner or later, the story is just that good and I recommend it for anyone interested in political intrigue, old -timey Japan and feminism.
July 7, 2022
J'ai été surprise par le tour que prend ce premier tome. En fait, je dois avouer que j'ai été surprise que le personnage principal, un homme, ne le soit pas tout à fait, finalement! C'est que le personnage central de ce récit sera la shogun Yoshimune pour la suite des tomes, c'est assez évident! Et le récit est beaucoup plus politique et complexe qu'une simple réécriture du passé... Il y a peut-être une faille dans le fait qu'il semble que le virus qui a dévasté la population masculine se limite au Japon (on sait maintenant que la transmission des virus est plus agile que cela!), mais j'ai apprécié le fait qu'on place le récit pendant la période où le Japon était isolé du reste du monde (sakoku), ce qui permet d'avoir d'étranges interprétations entre les rares étrangers qui visitent le pays et la shogun qui les accueille. Bref un premier tome qui a piqué ma curiosité. Si vous êtes des fans de Le tigre des neiges, Tome 1 (plus proche de la vraie histoire toutefois), Le pavillon des hommes pourrait vous plaire également.
September 5, 2019
Very, very interesting.
July 18, 2024
okay, before you say anything… i blame netflix for starting and dropping projects such as “ōoku: the inner chambers“ anime series. now i am left completely engrossed by it but with no ending in sight. i cannot handle not knowing the full story, especially one as compelling as this: japan of edo period faces a terrible plague that wipes three-fourths of the male population, leading to reversed gender roles at all levels of society. so here i am, reading manga. *everyone cheered*
to be completely honest, it is amazing. never did i imagine that i would be reading manga with such interest. it is incredibly well-done and constantly leaves you longing to know more, to read just one more chapter. i can see myself finishing all nineteen volumes.
to be completely honest, it is amazing. never did i imagine that i would be reading manga with such interest. it is incredibly well-done and constantly leaves you longing to know more, to read just one more chapter. i can see myself finishing all nineteen volumes.
March 1, 2022
I read this for the first time in May 2020 but then lost track of the series after Volume 3, so I decided to restart the series. This time I was more prepared for the seriousness of the premise and the tone so I enjoyed the experience more this time. First time I was expecting more of a reverse harem manga than the AU historical fiction with an exploration of gender dynamics that this book really is.
Physically reading this also helped with appreciating the art and the world. So, despite the higher expectations I had of the book this time I will say that I enjoyed the read more this time.
The book also riffs off actual Japanese history very well from what I can tell. Worth checking out and then exploring the actual period. This time around I noted world building details which I did not note the first time around. For example, I hadn’t originally clued into the fact that the background plague happened 3 generations ago from when this volume has been set. It makes more sense than my original view that this gender inversion happened too quickly.
This book continues to be a good introduction to the AU world. The first half works well as a standalone since we don't really follow the main hero throughout the series. Plus we see more of the world before we narrow into the Ooku itself.
The book is excellent - has a lot to stay on the nature of power and ennui. The art was actually also great and the archaic English didn’t bother me this time. There were some great examples where the author drew some really beautiful pictures of the main hero, reflecting moments of sorrow, kiss and contemplation.
As a result, I am bumping this up to 5 stars. The book ends with a hook into the longer history of the Ooku which I am looking forward to.
----------
May 2020 review:
I don't remember why I decided to pick this up after I shelved it on my Goodreads TBR in December 2018. However, after a highly successful read of A Bride's Story, Vol. 1 (see: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) I figured another historical based manga was probably a good idea.
And it was, mostly, a successful experiment.
The artwork seems detailed and accurate to the period (based on my, admittedly, amateur google searching - which was fun enough to recommend this manga). When our POV hero appeared with a traditional top knot hairstyle I was surprised. I was thinking the author would cop out and keep the hair like an anime pop star. This clued me to the fact that I was in in for a much more serious read than I had planned for.
And it is pretty serious, despite the premise of a gender-bent historical Japan. The premise of the manga was that ¾th of the male population died off leaving the women in power. I was expecting a reverse-harem comedy with costumes. This is an exploration of gender norms and power structures with the gender-bent premise being used to jolt the reader. I would have ignored some of the harder things the manga covered if I was reading superficially. Reading the typical harem story would likely have resulted in my skimming this and looking at the “pretty pictures” only.
All in all this worked better - even if the role reversal was a bit pat. The women basically take over from the men without much change in institutions. The gender conventions and power structures remain unchanged which took me a little while to understand given the apocalyptic premise. There were a few sections which didn’t work for me where the women behaved exactly like men without acknowledging that the gender change was recent. I am giving this a pass as I think there will be interesting implications for this going forward.
The second half especially expanded the world and set up some interesting political mystery which I am hoping to see continue.
All in all - I really liked the manga. The only reason why I can’t give it a full 5 stars is that the english translation is awkward. There was a little too much use of “thee” and “thou”s to set this in the past - and it came across as forced. This prevented me from fully getting lost in this so I hope this style does not continue.
Looking forward to volume 2.
Physically reading this also helped with appreciating the art and the world. So, despite the higher expectations I had of the book this time I will say that I enjoyed the read more this time.
The book also riffs off actual Japanese history very well from what I can tell. Worth checking out and then exploring the actual period. This time around I noted world building details which I did not note the first time around. For example, I hadn’t originally clued into the fact that the background plague happened 3 generations ago from when this volume has been set. It makes more sense than my original view that this gender inversion happened too quickly.
This book continues to be a good introduction to the AU world. The first half works well as a standalone since we don't really follow the main hero throughout the series. Plus we see more of the world before we narrow into the Ooku itself.
The book is excellent - has a lot to stay on the nature of power and ennui. The art was actually also great and the archaic English didn’t bother me this time. There were some great examples where the author drew some really beautiful pictures of the main hero, reflecting moments of sorrow, kiss and contemplation.
As a result, I am bumping this up to 5 stars. The book ends with a hook into the longer history of the Ooku which I am looking forward to.
----------
May 2020 review:
I don't remember why I decided to pick this up after I shelved it on my Goodreads TBR in December 2018. However, after a highly successful read of A Bride's Story, Vol. 1 (see: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) I figured another historical based manga was probably a good idea.
And it was, mostly, a successful experiment.
The artwork seems detailed and accurate to the period (based on my, admittedly, amateur google searching - which was fun enough to recommend this manga). When our POV hero appeared with a traditional top knot hairstyle I was surprised. I was thinking the author would cop out and keep the hair like an anime pop star. This clued me to the fact that I was in in for a much more serious read than I had planned for.
And it is pretty serious, despite the premise of a gender-bent historical Japan. The premise of the manga was that ¾th of the male population died off leaving the women in power. I was expecting a reverse-harem comedy with costumes. This is an exploration of gender norms and power structures with the gender-bent premise being used to jolt the reader. I would have ignored some of the harder things the manga covered if I was reading superficially. Reading the typical harem story would likely have resulted in my skimming this and looking at the “pretty pictures” only.
All in all this worked better - even if the role reversal was a bit pat. The women basically take over from the men without much change in institutions. The gender conventions and power structures remain unchanged which took me a little while to understand given the apocalyptic premise. There were a few sections which didn’t work for me where the women behaved exactly like men without acknowledging that the gender change was recent. I am giving this a pass as I think there will be interesting implications for this going forward.
The second half especially expanded the world and set up some interesting political mystery which I am hoping to see continue.
All in all - I really liked the manga. The only reason why I can’t give it a full 5 stars is that the english translation is awkward. There was a little too much use of “thee” and “thou”s to set this in the past - and it came across as forced. This prevented me from fully getting lost in this so I hope this style does not continue.
Looking forward to volume 2.
January 30, 2014
At first glance this is very similar to Y: The Last Man and while I did enjoy those, Ōoku is telling a story much more intriguing to me. I think maybe because it is written by a female we're missing those moments of annoying sexism that were pretty prevalent in Y: The Last Man. Also, in Y the decimation of the male population is much more present. Here, we're 80 years past the first case in a time when some people don't even remember when there were just as many men as women. So we're focused less on why this has happened and more so on 'now what?'.
I really enjoy Fumi Yoshigana's art and storytelling. While this is much more serious than Antique Bakery (my only other exposure to Yoshigana's work) she still inserts small moments of humor into the panels to break up the tension. She's written something much more complicated and revealing than I expected.
The story begins with the introduction of the Redface Pox and it's devastating effects. Shorty thereafter we skip ahead 80 years and get a glimpse of life as it stands with women in power and carrying the burdens of a country reinvented. Yunoshin is a handsome man who has very little care until his mother arranges for him a fortunate marriage. Instead he offers to put himself in service to the Shogun at the Ōoku. Once there he learns quickly that living with only men has its downsides.
When the young Shogun dies a newer, more experienced and shrewd Shogun steps into her place and she has big plans for turning everything around. She is smart and no-nonsense, yet she is compassionate and caring in her dealings with the men in her employ. She has suspicions of the state of affairs in her country and she intends to get to the bottom of everything.
So you have some romance and some political intrigue all wrapped up with some gorgeous art!
I really enjoy Fumi Yoshigana's art and storytelling. While this is much more serious than Antique Bakery (my only other exposure to Yoshigana's work) she still inserts small moments of humor into the panels to break up the tension. She's written something much more complicated and revealing than I expected.
The story begins with the introduction of the Redface Pox and it's devastating effects. Shorty thereafter we skip ahead 80 years and get a glimpse of life as it stands with women in power and carrying the burdens of a country reinvented. Yunoshin is a handsome man who has very little care until his mother arranges for him a fortunate marriage. Instead he offers to put himself in service to the Shogun at the Ōoku. Once there he learns quickly that living with only men has its downsides.
When the young Shogun dies a newer, more experienced and shrewd Shogun steps into her place and she has big plans for turning everything around. She is smart and no-nonsense, yet she is compassionate and caring in her dealings with the men in her employ. She has suspicions of the state of affairs in her country and she intends to get to the bottom of everything.
So you have some romance and some political intrigue all wrapped up with some gorgeous art!
August 24, 2014
Written as an alternate history, Ooku tells the story of Japan during the Edo period after a plague has wiped out 75% of the male population. Woman, who outnumber males five to one, have now assumed the roles of power once held by their male counterparts including that of shogun. Men, who are highly valued for their seed are protected and considered the more fragile of the species.
As the story opens, eighty years have passed since the initial outbreak which appears to have been isolated to Japan. All of this has been kept hidden from the outside world. With the passage of time many have forgotten that the world was once different. Some hints still remain however, and Yoshimune, the eighth Tokugawa shogun is intrigued to learn more of the past which will be revealed to her and the reader in subsequent volumes. As shogun, Yoshimune is surrounded by the Ooku, the inner chamber made up entirely of the most beautiful of men. One of these men, Mizuno Yunoshin, has entered into service in the inner chambers and through him we experience this world.
The plot is reminiscent of Brian K. Vaughn's Y: The Last Man but without the comedic touches and sexism of that series. I found myself caught up in the political intrigue and the romance and the history. Ooku is beautifully rendered by Yoshinaga. I did find, however, that many of the men in the inner chambers looked a bit too identical and I had trouble telling them apart. My one other complaint, and this may just be a translation issue, is the use of Renaissance language to depict the historic era of the story. I found all of the thees and thous and foresooths a bit jarring and an odd choice. Luckily they aren't too prevelant.
I look forward to continuing this series.
As the story opens, eighty years have passed since the initial outbreak which appears to have been isolated to Japan. All of this has been kept hidden from the outside world. With the passage of time many have forgotten that the world was once different. Some hints still remain however, and Yoshimune, the eighth Tokugawa shogun is intrigued to learn more of the past which will be revealed to her and the reader in subsequent volumes. As shogun, Yoshimune is surrounded by the Ooku, the inner chamber made up entirely of the most beautiful of men. One of these men, Mizuno Yunoshin, has entered into service in the inner chambers and through him we experience this world.
The plot is reminiscent of Brian K. Vaughn's Y: The Last Man but without the comedic touches and sexism of that series. I found myself caught up in the political intrigue and the romance and the history. Ooku is beautifully rendered by Yoshinaga. I did find, however, that many of the men in the inner chambers looked a bit too identical and I had trouble telling them apart. My one other complaint, and this may just be a translation issue, is the use of Renaissance language to depict the historic era of the story. I found all of the thees and thous and foresooths a bit jarring and an odd choice. Luckily they aren't too prevelant.
I look forward to continuing this series.
October 28, 2009
Excellent alternate-history of Japan as a country where the male population has been cut down to 1/2 of the female population. Women do all the work and hold nearly all the significant roles...except for the powerful men of the Ooku, or inner chamber (think 'male harem').
This is not 'just another gender-reversal story'--it's thoroughly set in early 1800s Japan (with plenty of historical and cultural detail) and the intrigue has some originality to it (though one can't escape the 'jealous rival' trope). The shogun who becomes a major character in the second half of the book has a unique and likeable personality--she's not merely a generic "strong woman." Some of the male characters have surprises up their elegant silk sleeves as well.
The artwork is exquisitely detailed: costumes, faces, backgrounds and hairstyles are all elegant and nearly photorealistic in detail. It's a bit hard to tell some of the younger male characters apart (typical of Yoshinaga) but other than that the art is pure joy for historical-manga fans.
Overall, I think this is some of Yoshinaga's best work--certainly her most 'serious'--and I've read about 2/3 of her published manga plus some doujinshi.
This is not 'just another gender-reversal story'--it's thoroughly set in early 1800s Japan (with plenty of historical and cultural detail) and the intrigue has some originality to it (though one can't escape the 'jealous rival' trope). The shogun who becomes a major character in the second half of the book has a unique and likeable personality--she's not merely a generic "strong woman." Some of the male characters have surprises up their elegant silk sleeves as well.
The artwork is exquisitely detailed: costumes, faces, backgrounds and hairstyles are all elegant and nearly photorealistic in detail. It's a bit hard to tell some of the younger male characters apart (typical of Yoshinaga) but other than that the art is pure joy for historical-manga fans.
Overall, I think this is some of Yoshinaga's best work--certainly her most 'serious'--and I've read about 2/3 of her published manga plus some doujinshi.
August 2, 2016
While this had an interesting premise, I kept finding myself disppointed with the execution. Even with the male population reduced by 70%, nothing was really different besides having a female shogun. So much of the patriarchal structures are still so dominant, and I have a hard time believing that after 80 years of decreasing male population and female ascendancy things would be so much the same.
I did, however, laugh hysterically when a character said, "Get thee to the dojo." Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
I also think the story and character development were really ill-served by the format. It's an interesting and thought-provoking story and every time there was a spelled-out-sound effect it really took me out of the story. I also think it's weird that the character ostensibly introduced as a protagonist is gone 3/4 of the way through. For all the thoughtful detail that was put into the alternate-past, there seems to be a lack of that same thougth put into the characters/the plot.
But since it's short enough I'm still going to read the second one.
I did, however, laugh hysterically when a character said, "Get thee to the dojo." Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
I also think the story and character development were really ill-served by the format. It's an interesting and thought-provoking story and every time there was a spelled-out-sound effect it really took me out of the story. I also think it's weird that the character ostensibly introduced as a protagonist is gone 3/4 of the way through. For all the thoughtful detail that was put into the alternate-past, there seems to be a lack of that same thougth put into the characters/the plot.
But since it's short enough I'm still going to read the second one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews