The Taiheiki was probably compiled by a Buddhist monk, and indeed, the text shows a strong Buddhist influence. During the time, the Buddhist temples wielded vast influence, not only because of the respect for Buddhism or the belief that if you pissed off Buddhist monks they might curse you or send you to Buddhist hell, but because they had vast lands, and therefore a lot of cash. And in those troubled times, they used that cash to support hordes of warrior monks. Everyone was afraid of the monks of Mount Hiei. Anyway, within the narrative, there are many references to acts of Buddhist piety by the warriors, references to Buddhist philosophy, and Buddhist interpretations of events; for example, as a warrior commits suicide in the face of certain defeat, after his children and wife have also committed suicide by jumping into a pool of water, the text says that he went to a Buddhist hell because of his inability to separate himself from his attachment to his family.

The story is generally very episodic, and vast numbers of characters pop in and out of the foreground. We are treated to many scenes where samurai rush to be the first into battle, so they may perish leaving their names forever. Although warfare is often conducted in a pragmatic manner (Kusunoki, one of the heroes of the tale, actually intelligently fakes his own suicide and that of his retainers so that he may escape a seige and live to fight another day), we also have many cases of warriors “not cherishing life” (a phrase oft repeated throughout the text. It’s a positive thing in the culture of the time, BTW) and rushing off alone into enemy lines simply for the purpose of dying gloriously, or burning down temples in order to restore them. The story is also loaded with interesting anecdotes, such as tales from the Chinese classics, such as the story of the king Gou Jian, who lived through disgrace for the sake of vengeance, or more contemporary Japanese examples, such as the story of the god of the Tenmangu Jingu, Michizane, who after his death in unjust exile, continued to harass the emperor in many frightening ways, even after he apologized and attempted to propitiate him, until the emperor posthumously promoted him.

There’s only one translation available, and I’m not really competent to judge it, given that I can’t read medieval Japanese. I must say, though, certain archaic phrases (probably chosen in order to give that impression?) are repeated at great length throughout the text, to the point where I wondered what the phrase they were a translation of was in Japanese. There are also copious and helpful footnotes. In general, though, if you want Japanese war epics, I would advise you to read the Heike Monogatari instead. The Genpei (Taira (or Heike) vs. Genji (or Minamoto)) wars are better known and less confusing, as well as having much more literary influence. I would say that the atmosphere and beauty of the Heike Monogatari is much stronger, too. Also, if you dislike the rather disjointed narrative of these texts, however, I’d advise you to read the more novelistic Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

I know people are frustrated by the lack of translation, but we have to face reality: it’s a lot more work to translate a novel than a manga, because of the amount of text involved, and the difficulty of the language level in a novel is generally higher. I guess in the long run, the only alternative to learning Japanese is to learn Chinese or one of the other languages that light novels are often translated into.

Readers of Bokurano, let us say, will find the later plot familiar territory, as the rocks really begin to fall, and as things get more and more confusing. Kitou does get points, though, for at least having the worldbuilding be coherent, which is possibly a result of him having, he claims, planned out 80% as the story started (Kitou says that he was told by his editor that maybe he should try coming up with the characters, and then doing the plot, but it turned out he couldn’t do that, and so ended up coming up with the plot and then the characters… His work, though, seems pretty character based, in the sense that the characters change and undergo development and transformation).

Anyway, Shin Angyo Onshi, although created by two Koreans, was also serialized in translation in Japan during its run, and this means that there are notes by the author to Japanese readers explaining the folklore references. The story concerns Munsu, a traveling angyo onshi (an official who wanders around the country investigating other officials. As is noted in the manwha itself, like Mito Komon), who is seeking a man known as Aji Tae, the destroyer of the nation of Jushin. Jushin resembles a fantasy ancient Korea, although maybe it would be more accurate to say it’s more of an RPG fantasy world, with summoners and firearms, and stylishly anachronistic garments. Many of the adventures that Munsu has are based off of Korean folktales (although in a highly unorthodox way). I wished I had known more than just the legend of Chun Hyang, though. I should note that also, although the story at first seems to be half serious, half light-hearted, it eventually is pretty… grim, actually. Munsu is not the shounen hero as kid-who-is-cipher-for-reader, but a man with a past, a la Kenshin (tragic lost love) or Guts (loses everything through betrayal). And in storyline set in the present, there is a lot of “rocks fall, everyone dies.” The art is extremely pretty at times, and there are a lot of biseinen and bishoujo, for those of you who like that kind of thing. Although, I couldn’t help but laugh at the extreme skimpiness of Sando’s outfit. XD

With a lot of manga, I feel that the storyline is bloated and goes FAR much longer than the premise warrants, or the amount of cast members becomes ridiculously large in an attempt to get a moe character for every possible demographic reading, but with Shin Angyo Onshi, as in Amatsuki, I actually felt the opposite, that the story went too quickly. SAO is seventeen volumes, but I think it could have just as well gone up to thirty. There were lots of characters I wanted to find out more about, and sometimes the storytelling felt a bit too much like “telling, not showing.” On the whole, though, worth reading.

a) the US DVD anime industry and release schedule
b) the US manga industry, release schedule, and related gossip
c) conventions

All of which, while worthy topics, are not really of much interest to me personally.

I’m more interested in hearing about

a) the Japanese manga (or anime) industry
b) untranslated manga

Actually, it annoys me that there are so many public journals on LJ I can’t read via RSS. I’ve come to like my Sage reader, and I’m always searching for great RSS reader programs.

Anyway, in case you haven’t seen my post in the LJ Saiunkoku comm, on 7/25, a new issue of The Beans is coming out. There will probably be a Saiunkoku short story in there, and there’s some kind of special information. Also, there’s a clear file of the cover, which is going to be a Saiunkoku image.

PAID TO MARRY THE KING—SHOU TAISHI ATTEMPTING TO QUASH GAY RUMOURS?

KING’S AFFAIR WITH CONSORT’S SERVANT?

KING STALKS EX-WIFE

FINANCE MINISTER CAUGHT CUDDLING WITH INTERN

NOT SUCH A GOOD BOY AFTER ALL: TOP EXAM SCORER’S UNDERAGE DRINKING, BRAWLING

SA SAKUJUN SUICIDE SHOCKER? BUT NO BODY

LOCAL MAN CLAIMS TO HAVE SEEN PRINCE SEIEN
–third Prince Seien sighting this year

ANTI-AGING SECRETS OF THE HYOU CLAN

SA SAKUJUN MAYBE NOT THAT DEAD, AFTER ALL

SECRET AFFAIR BETWEEN PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER KOU?
–”I heard them passionately quarreling! It was like someone had cheated.” Says a highly placed source.

EX-FIANCE OF CONSORT CANDIDATE KILLED DAD

RAN PROVINCE SHOCKER: WOMAN MARRIED TO TRIPLETS

INSIDE THE HYOU CULT:
Incestuous lust, child labor, imprisonment, brainwashing

KOU CLAN HEAD’S SPOUSE EX-COURTESAN?

PUTTING THE ‘VICE’ IN VICE CHANCELLOR:
He frequents brothel, licks hand of girl twenty years his junior

KING CHASES RUNAWAY OFFICIAL ALL THE WAY TO RAN PROVINCE:
“I don’t have a plan to make him come back to me, just my love” says king.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT CENSORATE?

REJECTION DRIVES MAN TO WEAR MASK FOR OVER TEN YEARS
“I’m surprised; I thought he would be over it by now,” says a friend who just moved back to the capital after a long absence.

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK: TOP OFFICIALS WORKING HARD, OR HARDLY WORKING?
A certain minister seems to spend most of his time at work socializing with his friends or visiting his relatives, while leaving his second in command to do everything.

FATHER CONFRONTS DAUGHTER’S STALKER: AN EIGHTY YEAR OLD MAN
“She has no idea, and thank heaven for that,” says the disgusted parent.

MAN CLAIMS HE WAS SAVED BY THE BLACK WOLF: FOURTH SIGHTING THIS YEAR

SA CLAN HEAD TELLS OF BATTLE WITH LOW SELF-ESTEEM

Am messing around with themes, so new themes may appear and disappear. Am also working on an index page for the translations/summaries.