Ooku Tanjou ep 1 - wtf am I watching and why can't I stop?

[dangermousie]

I was not planning to check out Ooku Tanjou, the period jdrama currently airing. The number of jdramas I've watched in the last couple of years could be counted on the fingers of one hand. If that hand has been in an industrial accident. Add in the fact that the premise made me absolutely cringe - it's set in 17th century Japan (so far, so good),

Comments

[meganbmoore]

I only learned the drama existed a few days ago and so haven't seen any of it yet (I think most of my asian drama listies have moved on from LJ/DW) and probably won't until it's over, but I like the manga it's based on. I can't speak from the drama, but the manga is heavily focused on the deconstruction of gender roles and how that change would affect Japanese history ( a popular theory is that it's a "secret history" and that the population will be restored to what it was before the plague, and that in this fictional universe, that's why Japan remained so closed off from the rest of the world, especially since it doesn't become a matriarchal society, but instead remains a society that clings to it's patriarchal traditions and history despite the lack of, well, enough men to maintain a patriarchal society) and has a fair bit of psychological emphasis and is so heavily and intricately researched and written that it gives translators headaches. (The mangaka actually uses an older, more formal form of language than even other historical manga uses.)

I have no idea, though, how it'll translate to drama form, especially since the drama apparently focuses on the "origin" arc of the series. (In the manga, the shogun has been abused her whole life and is pretty hopelessly warped. I suspect the shipping comes from it being a reversal of the "only this person brings light into my dark world" type trope.)

[dangermousie]

The manga sounds very much not my thing because I would find the deconstruction of a patriarchal society and gender norms fascinating - in nonfiction. In fiction I stay away from that (or any other sociological stuff) like the plague.

Re: the shogun in this. But the thing is, if she is abused and warped as a result, that makes her behavior understandable but not excusable and certainly makes her a horrible candidate for romance. I am OK with 'only light in dark world' trope, whatever the gender roles, but to me that means one of the partners mopes and weeps and is icy and occasionally says mean things. If one of the partners beats up the other one at their first meeting, I am done. I mean, otherwise I'd be a big lakorn fan.