Poe no Ichizoku (The Poe Clan)
Poe no Ichizoku is an extremely influential manga series by Moto Hagio that was serialized in Japan from 1972-1976. What makes Poe no Ichizoku particularly interesting is how it deals with themes of guilt and love, as there is a very clear love "triangle between" Edgar, Allen, and Edgar's sister Marybelle, as well as the isolation they face as immortal vampires. The double-negative of this series being nine volumes long and "old" means that it's likely to be very low on publishers' lists, but if Fantagraphics can localize Hagio's Heart of Thomas, then I say someone should give Poe no Ichizoku a shot! I could definitely see this series being on a college course syllabus someday.
If you don't mind the fact that it's an academic essay, I highly suggest reading "Everlasting Life, Everlasting loneliness: The Genealogy of The Poe Clan" by Satoko Kan, which can be found in volume 38 of the US-Japan Women's Journal.
Kuro Bara Alice (Black Rose Alice)Poe no Ichizoku is an extremely influential manga series by Moto Hagio that was serialized in Japan from 1972-1976. What makes Poe no Ichizoku particularly interesting is how it deals with themes of guilt and love, as there is a very clear love "triangle between" Edgar, Allen, and Edgar's sister Marybelle, as well as the isolation they face as immortal vampires. The double-negative of this series being nine volumes long and "old" means that it's likely to be very low on publishers' lists, but if Fantagraphics can localize Hagio's Heart of Thomas, then I say someone should give Poe no Ichizoku a shot! I could definitely see this series being on a college course syllabus someday.
If you don't mind the fact that it's an academic essay, I highly suggest reading "Everlasting Life, Everlasting loneliness: The Genealogy of The Poe Clan" by Satoko Kan, which can be found in volume 38 of the US-Japan Women's Journal.
I was surprised to find that this series is already licensed in France and Germany, so I wonder why an North American publisher hasn't picked it up yet. Kuro Bara Alice is an ongoing shojo series by Setona Mizushiro, a prolific manga artist who has previously only had her one-volume work X-Day published in English. The overarching premise sounds something like a reverse harem in that an all-male group of vampires, called a "nest," require a female to give "birth" to their successors. Alice has been selected to be one such female, but she has a choice between one of four of the vampire men to fall in love with... Okay, it does sound a little, hrm, interesting, but it seems to be doing fairly well in Japan, and it looks like a great, more "mature" alternative to the likes of Vampire Knight.
Are there any vampire manga you wish were localized into English? Share them in the comments!
Setona Mizushiro's Afterschool Charisma also made it into print in English, although it's sadly out of print now. For those who don't mind digital, JManga is currently translating Dousei Ai. I'd love to see more of her stuff available in English, especially in print.
ReplyDeleteI'd also be thrilled to see more Moto Hagio! I know quite a few people who would be ecstatic, myself included, if The Poe Clan was licensed.
Thanks for the great post, and thanks for hosting the Feast!
Whoops...sorry about the dangling html.
ReplyDeleteOh, it's no problem! :) I'm having a great time hosting the feast... I think I will definitely do one again in the future. I hope I'm doing an okay job!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks so much for letting me know that JManga is translating Dousei Ai! I had no idea (nor did I know about Afterschool Charisma, thanks), and now I'll definitely have to pick it up to support the localization, though I agree with you about wanting physical copies of things (I believe that's what you mean?). Knowing me, I'll probably pick up the Japanese version eventually, too, just so I can have a copy on my shelf!
I haven't actually read all of The Poe Clan – it's something else I'd really like to finish one of these days. I'll probably come back with a suitcase full of manga when I next take a trip to Japan!
It's published in English by Go Comi as Afterschool Nightmare. "Charisma" is a totally different work. Just to clarify.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Kuro Bara Alice in French; it subverts the reverse-harem setup hard and it's actually quite dark and sad (everyone has very tormented backstory and sympathetic characters die regularly). It also has some pretty disturbing imagery, especially if you're adverse to insects. It's a great series, and I'm desolated that it's not available in English, but I suspect it's too heavy and unhappy to catch on with the Vampire Knight crowd, and that's probably *why* it's not available in English.
ReplyDeleteAfter School Nightmare / Houkago Hokenshitsu is fantastic (well... except maybe for the big reveal at the very end, which some people dislike intensely), and I'd definitely recommend taking a look at it. (Afterschool Charisma is a totally different series by Kumiko Suekane.)
Oh I KuroBara Alice~ When I picked it up I was quite thrilled, because usually I'm not crazy over vampires, but this one had some very interesting and unusual ideas. The art is quite pretty, as well, so I was mesmerized. Lately though I've started worrying where the story is going... the dialogue in chapter 26 and how things developed smell unnecessary cheese and tsun tsun not to mention they don't sit well with me as good storytelling compared to how things were up to now... I can only hope that Sensei won't ruin what she has built with such effort and skill up till now
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
ReplyDeleteThat sounds really interesting! I was attracted to it for the darker themes, and that definitely sounds like something I'd like. I'll have to grab the Japanese version. I'll hunt down Houkago Hokenshitsu, too. I really like Setona Mizushiro's work, but I haven't read much yet.
ReplyDeleteOh dear! I hope it gets better! The art is definitely very beautiful
ReplyDeleteAh, crap! Yes. Afterschool Nightmare, NOT Afterschool Charisma. As has been mentioned, that is an entirely different series. Apologies for the confusion! (I was even looking at Afterschool Nightmare here sitting on my shelf...*headdesk*)
ReplyDeleteNo problem! :)
ReplyDelete