Literally Graphic reviewed Genshiken volume 5 by Kio Shimoku (Genshiken (English) (8))
Review of 'Genshiken volume 5' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Despite the fact that I'm certain a lot of this went straight over my head, I still enjoyed reading this and will likely continue reading the series. It's only nine volumes long and was a pretty quick fun read. The writing was really good and the main characters were all really interesting.
As far as gender representation goes, while I am not over the moon about it, writing out this review I actually realized that it's pretty gosh darn awesome - so far. While it's easy to miss on a surface level, credit should be given for how effortlessly it is so very accepting on a deeper more fundamental world view level. +1 star!
Maybe I'm just choosing to be naive, but Kanji's sexual/otaku awakening was actually kind of cute. It would have been really easy for the Otaku to be portrayed as really resenting women since they both find …
Despite the fact that I'm certain a lot of this went straight over my head, I still enjoyed reading this and will likely continue reading the series. It's only nine volumes long and was a pretty quick fun read. The writing was really good and the main characters were all really interesting.
As far as gender representation goes, while I am not over the moon about it, writing out this review I actually realized that it's pretty gosh darn awesome - so far. While it's easy to miss on a surface level, credit should be given for how effortlessly it is so very accepting on a deeper more fundamental world view level. +1 star!
Maybe I'm just choosing to be naive, but Kanji's sexual/otaku awakening was actually kind of cute. It would have been really easy for the Otaku to be portrayed as really resenting women since they both find them attractive and are generally rejected by them. But they all seem pretty content with their lives and are more amused and intrigued by Saki then anything else. Male sexuality and even porn is not in and of itself problematic or evil. Personally, it's all about objectification and hatred towards women.a
While I can see why some people are turned off by Saki's character, I don't think she's your typical "normal girl" hanging out with the geeks sort of type (for lack of a better word). She's never really portrayed in a negative light (even though she's pretty physically and sexually aggressive) and so far she's never been drawn in weird poses or costumes just for the male gaze. Her cluelessnes about all things Otaku is pretty well balanced out by Makoto's sexual cluelessness - although their relationship did feel like it developed in a rather jumpy fashion. With the addition of Kanako the series is definitely going in a positive direction.
