Friday, October 19, 2012
IS KASUGA A PERVERT? A NOTE ON FLOWERS OF EVIL
In the manga Flowers of Evil by Shuzo Oshimi, the protagonist Kasuga is repeatedly told by his classmate Nakamura that he's a pervert. Kasuga insists that he isn't, even though he had impulsively stolen the gym clothes of the girl he loves. Who is right? The end of volume two may provide an indication. But earlier in that volume there's a very revealing clue, though only those who read Japanese can pick it up.
The bottom panel on page 82 depicts a bookshelf in Kasuga's room. For several of the books on it, enough of the spine is showing that we can determine the title and/or author. Most of these are unexceptionable books for an intelligent, literature-loving high schooler to own.* But the book in the most prominent position, adjacent to Kasuga's dialogue balloon, is Kachikujin Yapuu, also known as Yapoo the Human Cattle.
Yapoo the Human Cattle, by Shozo Numa, is a "classic" Japanese novel of male masochism. It's about an aristocratic German woman and her Japanese fiance, who fall into the hands of a future interstellar empire in which descendants of East Asians are regarded as subhuman and permanently treated as animals or in even more degrading ways. In the course of the book the Japanese man is reduced to the status of an animal, and his fiancee comes to think of him as an animal. (In fact the book is even more extreme than this description makes it sound, but I think I've said enough to make my point, and I don't want to turn reader's stomachs unnecessarily.) This sounds like something you would find in the darkest corners of the internet, but a number of Japanese critics and writers have taken it seriously as literature. (For an example, see here.) It's been repeated multiple times since it was first published in 1956, and is still in print.
In view of the way Oshimi calls attention to Kasuga's ownership of Yapoo the Human Cattle, my answer to the question posed in the title of this post is "Yes, he probably is."
*The author of the book to the right of the photograph is the French novelist J. K. Huysmans, not J. K. Rowling.
In the manga Flowers of Evil by Shuzo Oshimi, the protagonist Kasuga is repeatedly told by his classmate Nakamura that he's a pervert. Kasuga insists that he isn't, even though he had impulsively stolen the gym clothes of the girl he loves. Who is right? The end of volume two may provide an indication. But earlier in that volume there's a very revealing clue, though only those who read Japanese can pick it up.
The bottom panel on page 82 depicts a bookshelf in Kasuga's room. For several of the books on it, enough of the spine is showing that we can determine the title and/or author. Most of these are unexceptionable books for an intelligent, literature-loving high schooler to own.* But the book in the most prominent position, adjacent to Kasuga's dialogue balloon, is Kachikujin Yapuu, also known as Yapoo the Human Cattle.
Yapoo the Human Cattle, by Shozo Numa, is a "classic" Japanese novel of male masochism. It's about an aristocratic German woman and her Japanese fiance, who fall into the hands of a future interstellar empire in which descendants of East Asians are regarded as subhuman and permanently treated as animals or in even more degrading ways. In the course of the book the Japanese man is reduced to the status of an animal, and his fiancee comes to think of him as an animal. (In fact the book is even more extreme than this description makes it sound, but I think I've said enough to make my point, and I don't want to turn reader's stomachs unnecessarily.) This sounds like something you would find in the darkest corners of the internet, but a number of Japanese critics and writers have taken it seriously as literature. (For an example, see here.) It's been repeated multiple times since it was first published in 1956, and is still in print.
In view of the way Oshimi calls attention to Kasuga's ownership of Yapoo the Human Cattle, my answer to the question posed in the title of this post is "Yes, he probably is."
*The author of the book to the right of the photograph is the French novelist J. K. Huysmans, not J. K. Rowling.
Comments:
ï»?We accomplish this by developing custom drafting and drawing and construction documents which are delivered quickly and priced fairly As a number Three she has a soft spot for others in need and sees life in less of a materialistic view than her older sisters Snacks are a staple at any football-watching event[url=http://www.BoJacksonJersey.com]Bo Jackson Jersey[/url]
and especially the Super Bowl)
ï»?Born in Binghampton he would be one of the very few fighters who bridged the eras between Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis[url=http://www.KevinWalterJersey.com]www.KevinWalterJersey.com[/url]
the two dominant fighters either side of the mangled and fragmented reigns that the 30's seemed to be full ofNatural Fertilizer to Make Plants Grow Like Crazy Organic gardening has grown in popularity over the past several decades and with that popularity the demand for a safe and effective natural fertilizer has increased Reporter: I understand the market and the music language similar to a lot of online customer service providers[url=http://www.BarrySandersJersey.com]Barry Sanders Womens Jersey[/url]
why choose music elite English language then Elite English: We compared a lot of the online customer service provider[url=http://www.HowieLongJersey.com]Howie Long Authentic Jersey[/url]
sales of music language that is very professional and very thoughtful consideration for our customers[url=http://www.CalvinJohnsonJersey.net]Calvin Johnson Authentic Jersey[/url]
we have any needs and questions can be raised as long as the first time satisfactory response If this is so[url=http://www.CharlesTillmanJersey.net]Charles Tillman Jersey[/url]
then you and your friends might tend to get rowdy and loud because of constant cheering (and probably cursing)mainlink font-family: Arial[url=http://www.BrettKeiselJersey.net]Brett Keisel Womens Jersey[/url]
Helvetica[url=http://www.CamNewtonJerseynike.com]Cam Newton Womens Jersey[/url]
sans-serif;font-size: 26px;color: #1F98C7;text-decoration: none;
and especially the Super Bowl)
ï»?Born in Binghampton he would be one of the very few fighters who bridged the eras between Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis[url=http://www.KevinWalterJersey.com]www.KevinWalterJersey.com[/url]
the two dominant fighters either side of the mangled and fragmented reigns that the 30's seemed to be full ofNatural Fertilizer to Make Plants Grow Like Crazy Organic gardening has grown in popularity over the past several decades and with that popularity the demand for a safe and effective natural fertilizer has increased Reporter: I understand the market and the music language similar to a lot of online customer service providers[url=http://www.BarrySandersJersey.com]Barry Sanders Womens Jersey[/url]
why choose music elite English language then Elite English: We compared a lot of the online customer service provider[url=http://www.HowieLongJersey.com]Howie Long Authentic Jersey[/url]
sales of music language that is very professional and very thoughtful consideration for our customers[url=http://www.CalvinJohnsonJersey.net]Calvin Johnson Authentic Jersey[/url]
we have any needs and questions can be raised as long as the first time satisfactory response If this is so[url=http://www.CharlesTillmanJersey.net]Charles Tillman Jersey[/url]
then you and your friends might tend to get rowdy and loud because of constant cheering (and probably cursing)mainlink font-family: Arial[url=http://www.BrettKeiselJersey.net]Brett Keisel Womens Jersey[/url]
Helvetica[url=http://www.CamNewtonJerseynike.com]Cam Newton Womens Jersey[/url]
sans-serif;font-size: 26px;color: #1F98C7;text-decoration: none;
# posted by 
: 7:50 AM
: 7:50 AM
Hello. Facebook takes a [url=http://www.freecasinobonus.gd]casinos[/url] take a chance on 888 casino transport: Facebook is expanding its efforts to put forward real-money gaming to millions of British users after announcing a sell with the online gambling retinue 888 Holdings.And Bye.
# posted by : 5:10 AM
: 5:10 AM
[url=http://www.footballfalconsproshop.com/matt_ryan_jersey_super_bowl]Matt Ryan Jersey[/url] emurbursofs
[url=http://www.49ersonlineofficialstore.com/mike_iupati_jersey_super_bowl]Mike Iupati Jersey[/url] TynckeyncBype
[url=http://www.49ersonlineofficialstore.com/navorro_bowman_jersey_super_bowl]NaVorro Bowman Jersey[/url] Proonseorek
[url=http://www.49ersonlineofficialstore.com/mike_iupati_jersey_super_bowl]Mike Iupati Jersey[/url] TynckeyncBype
[url=http://www.49ersonlineofficialstore.com/navorro_bowman_jersey_super_bowl]NaVorro Bowman Jersey[/url] Proonseorek
# posted by : 4:07 PM
: 4:07 PM
top [url=http://www.c-online-casino.co.uk/]www.c-online-casino.co.uk[/url] coincide the latest [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com/]free casino[/url] unshackled no deposit reward at the leading [url=http://www.baywatchcasino.com/]casino online
[/url].
[/url].
# posted by : 4:43 PM
: 4:43 PM
[url=http://amoxicilline.webs.com/]acheter Cofamox en ligne
[/url][url=http://acheter-amoxicilline.webs.com/]kesium pour chien en ligne en vente
[/url] acheter Augmentin en ligne
traitement endocardite amoxicilline
amoxicilline
Post a Comment
[/url][url=http://acheter-amoxicilline.webs.com/]kesium pour chien en ligne en vente
[/url] acheter Augmentin en ligne
traitement endocardite amoxicilline
amoxicilline
# posted by : 1:16 PM
: 1:16 PM