Ooku – The Inner Chamber Volume One Review
Fumi Yoshinaga’s New Manga Plays With Gender Roles
Oct 10, 2009
Set in Japan during the early 18th century, Ooku – The Inner Chamber begins with a pestilence that kills off a majority of the male population. Eighty years after the Red Face Pox has swept Japan, men have become a premium commodity while women have filled the gender roles traditionally held by males. Against this backdrop the reader is introduced to the intrigues of the Ooku, the inner chamber of the Shogun’s palace, where power struggles exist and men cling to their last vestiges of control.
Switching Gender Roles
As men become scarce, they become a coddled commodity and a prized possession for the upper classes to possess. A young gentleman fetches a fair price, and many are sold into marriage or for sex. Mizuno Yunoshin is a poor man from an old samurai family whose marriage is being arranged by his mother. However, unrequited love for a childhood friend leads to denying his mother’s choice. To avoid marriage, Yunoshin enters into the service of the shogun.
Hundreds of men are kept in the palace as a sign of the Shogun’s wealth and power. Here, Yunoshin quickly learns that life in the palace does not meet his idealistic expectations, as hazing and submission to a rigid code rule palace behavior. Yunoshin is adept at learning how to maneuver through the bureaucracy and personalities of the shogun’s court, but is unaware if he is the player or the pawn, and navigating the palace becomes a balance of life and death.
As Yunoshin learns of his duties, a new Shogun comes to power. Yoshimune is a pragmatic and shrewd woman who quickly adapts as ruler of Japan. She engages in a power struggle with her male retainers who seek to undermine her authority to their own ends. As the first volume of Ooko – The Inner Chamber proceeds, she becomes the focal point of the story. Her guile and machinations are entertaining, and as she begins to investigate the Ooku’s origins the groundwork for future volumes is laid.
Comics for Women by Women
Manga for girls are typically dominated by adolescent romantic themes. Ooku however presents a strong female lead who is both intelligent and crafty in addition to ruling over feudal Japan. Along with the idea of switching gender roles, Fumi Yoshinaga writes a story that incorporates both male and female perspectives. Very few characters are decorative, and for those that are, she manages to compensate for them through engaging leads.
Eisner Award Nominated Author
Fumi Yoshinaga writes and draws Ooku which in addition to making her an Eisner Award nominee in 2008, also garnered her the Osamu Tezuku Cultural Prize in 2009. The art is varied, ranging from a light entertaining manga style for comic relief to realistic panels featuring strong lines. Both the art and the story are highly engaging and entertaining. Volume one of Ooku – The Inner Chamber captures one storyline while providing the background for a larger story arc. This series is well worth investigating if readers are looking for a tale of intrigue set against the political machinations of feudal Japan.
Ooku – The Inner Chamber (ISBN 978-1-4215-2747-5) by Fumi Yoshinaga was published by Viz Media in 2009 and is suitable for mature audiences.
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