Watanabe, Taeko. Kaze Hikaru.WATANABE, Taeko. Kaze Hikaru. Viz. 200p. illus. c2005. 1421501899. $8.99. SA This historical manga maNga is a popular Turkish nu metal/rapcore band. Their music is mainly a fusion of alternative metal and hip hop music, with a touch of Anatolian melodies; with heavy use of turntables, invoking comparisons with modern American nu metal bands. is about the Shinsengumi, a group of masterless samurai samurai (sä'm  rī`), knights of feudal Japan, retainers of the daimyo. This aristocratic warrior class arose during the 12th-century wars between the Taira and Minamoto clans and was active during the late shogunate period (the 1860s) in Japan. This group pledged its loyalty to the Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa bakufu (徳川幕府), or Edo bakufu (江戸幕府), was a feudal military dictatorship of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. , and took it upon themselves to police Kyoto against lawlessness law·less adj. 1. Unrestrained by law; unruly: a lawless mob. 2. Contrary to the law; unlawful: the lawless slaughter of protected species. 3. and revolutionaries. Kamiya Seizaburo joins the Shinsengumi to avenge a·venge tr.v. a·venged, a·veng·ing, a·veng·es 1. To inflict a punishment or penalty in return for; revenge: avenge a murder. 2. the murder of her father and brother. Note the use of the word "her"--Kamiya is a 15-year-old girl who disguises herself as a boy. The only other person in on Kamiya's secret is Okita Soji, a lighthearted light·heart·ed adj. Not being burdened by trouble, worry, or care; happy and carefree. See Synonyms at glad1. light samurai who is an absolutely lethal swordsman. Kaze Hikaru is well written, and the art is detailed and realistic. The right scenes are realistic as well, although compared to other manga the violence is quite tame. Kamiya is a likable heroine who looks so much like a girl that it's hard to believe that her disguise would fool anyone. I needed to read Kaze several times to understand what was going on--many Westerners will be unfamiliar with the story's historical and cultural context, which means that things obvious to a Japanese reader will be hard for American readers to fathom. Some of the depictions of sexuality may make people uncomfortable: Okita, who possesses feminine features, flirts openly with his buddies; and Kamiya is almost raped by a smitten smit·ten v. A past participle of smite. smitten Verb a past participle of smite Adjective deeply affected by love (for) Adj. 1. recruit. Kaze is recommended for libraries with large manga collections; it is an optional purchase for libraries with smaller collections, unless you have patrons with a strong interest in Japanese history. For older teens only. George Galuschak, YA Libn., Montvale PL, Montvale, NJ J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers. S--Recommended for senior high school students. A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries. *--The asterisk highlights exceptional books. |
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