Gaijin • Tokyo • Undergound

 For manga artists in Japan, many hope to debut in one of the national manga magazines, but Gengoroh Tagame has already had his work published for over 30 years, in multiple languages, around the world. Tagame has had an international impact, with the help of the internet over the last two decades, to become Japan's most known prolific gay erotic artist. This month he has his most notable manga debut. In "Monthly Action" magazine, the new series Otou no Otto (My Brother's Husband), kicksoff into the mainstream bookstores and newsstands across Japan. I was able to speak with Tagame-sensei to get some more background on this new series.

Cover art to the first chapter of "My brother's husband"

This month you have a new monthly comic in a mainstream magazine, what is this story about?
The story is about a man named Yaichi and his daughter Kana, who are visited by Mike, the Canadian husband of Yaichi’s twin brother. I'd like to write a story about modern day gay issues for straight readers.
 
This is a gay story in a mainstream, all genre magazine, was it hard to get it approved by the publisher? What were the difficulties, if any?I tried to do it once, several years ago. I was asked by an editor of well-known all genre magazine to draw manga them, and I proposed a story about modern day gay issues. The editor who called me pushed the story to his boss very hard. Finally, his boss, the chief editor of the magazine reject it. But several months ago, they started a new manga about a gay couple by female author who is a best selling Yaoi manga artist in their magazine. I felt I learned many things from this experience, but for now, I'll keep shut my mouth. Maybe you can imagine feeling. Anyway, from this experience, last year, when I was called from the editor of "Monthly Action" magazine, I did not propose a gay story at first. But through the many meetings with him, I felt a possibility to write a gay themed story in their magazine. Then I plotted the story very carefully, especially to think of the good readability for non-gay readers, and proposed it. They were in favor of my proposal very much, so this new story 弟の夫 (My Brother's Husband) started.
 

The awkward time between the straight twin brother and his brother's gay foreign husband.

You have been mainly creating gay adult themed comics for over 30 years, why did you decide to release this non-adult comic work now?
Actually, I've already released some non-adult comics this past decade. As I said before, I tried the same thing several years ago. But frankly speaking, when I finished writing 君よ知るや南の獄 (Do You Remember The South Island's P.O.W. Camp?), 外道の家 (The House Of Brutes) and 雄心〜ウィルトゥース (Virtus), I felt some kind of a period of my works. And on same time, I experienced trouble with G-men magazine too. Their betrayal hurt my love and trust for gay magazines and the Japanese gay industry, very much. So I started to look for new opportunities for myself. I've already done enough things for gay adult comics, so wanted to do some more new things for myself. To release non-adult comics is one of them. But I haven't thought to quit to drawing gay adult comics.
 
Many comic publishers release BL (yaoi) manga, what makes yours unique?
Because I'm an openly gay author who has had a very long career. Some of my books were released under a BL comic label, but I always have been thinking that my comic is a gay comic [not boys love]. There are many talented gay comic authors now, but there is no one who has had a long career and released dozens books as I have. 

Newsstand the day this issue of "Monthly Action" magazine was released.

You have many female fans in Japan, is this story targeted for them?
As I told before, the main target of the story is straight people who don't know about gay issues well. But of course, I'm coming up with various ideas to make the story interesting for female fans and gay fans too.
 
“Monthly Action” comic magazine is a mixed genre magazine, how do you feel the general audience will react to this story in Japan?
I wish that they will find something new from what they've never known before.
 
Do you think readers from outside Japan could relate to this story?
Yes. At least, I wish they do.
 
Do you have any other stories in other genres (fantasy, sci-fi) that you would like to create?
I'd like to create a historical story, especially one about ancient Greece.

Tagame's website: http://www.tagame.org/home.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tagagen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gengoroh.tagame
Mothly Action publisher: http://webaction.jp/monthly_action/

This issue available on amazon.com: Japanese Manga Monthly Action Nov/2014

The lucky day that I was able to meet Tagame-sensei. He has an extremely busy schedule.

I bought my copy the day it was released!

[The interview is has been edited for some grammar/vocabulary errors.]

I am with @shiverz https://www.youtube.com/user/ShiverZ66 today with another episode of WTF Japanese snacks. We take on the release of the store bought Japanese CRONUT!! See if its a hit or miss.

Recently I had the amazing pleasure of meeting a talented artist, Shizuko Kuwabara all by chance. I was heading to my ward office to update my address information when after i stopped by to look at the art. She came up to me and started speaking Japanese but then quickly used a mix of English and random Spanish words. I thought she was the cutest thing ever! We proceeded to chat about art for over the next hour. She said she started doing this art when she was introduced to it by her then children's teacher about 35 years ago and has been taking classes with him till this day.

I find her lines have so much energy and precisions, all just using a piece of cane wood and black ink. She uses a mix of Japanese rice paper (washi) and foreign water color paper. She says most of her pieces take about 2 days on the average and she works on them on the floor, not an easel.

She wants me to keep in touch, but she doesn't use a cell phone, nor does she know how to write an e-mail (even though her son is a computer programmer). A few days after our meeting i received a post card from her which made my heart melt. I haven't received a hand written anything in i dont know how long!

As I'm writing this I'm recovering from the past few days of food poisoning! YAY! I hope to call her this coming weekend to possibly meet again to chat.

MORE IMAGES AFTER THE JUMP

These apples are amazing! So juicy and delicious, but expensive as hell! Regular price for one of these is 358yen! But are they worth it, I say yes. If you notice, they are all individually wrapped and surrounded with a protective foam. What makes them even better is when they are on sale! They were Half price this day i took the picture, and they had only 4 left! So i picked them all up.

For living in japan on a budget, food is the #1 thing that will drain you of your money from every day life.  If you are like me, and have a very limited Japanese vocabulary and even more limited view of Kanji recognition, then i suggest this one kanji you learn. Its the kanji for "Half" or "Han" "はん,　半. You will see these stickers on many food items, usually in the evening starting around 8pm. Discount stickers range from 3% and on up, using the roman numerals, but many use the "Han" half price kanji for the 50% marker.






So when visiting, or living in japan on a budget, look for these symbols, and be assured you will have more free money to play UFO catchers like I do!

Not only does it have an tight seal, its beautiful to look at! Yes this plastic box should be on display in your home for all to admire. Maybe some classy museum lighting to show off its beautiful edges, yes?

"English Teachers" a new webseries taking on what it is to be an English Teacher in an Eikaiwa in Japan. It has the weird quirky cast, and of course the awkward guy who seems will falls for the new hot girl. It feels rough around the edges and a bit cliché, but i think it has potential to be good. I havent come across anything like this, taking on a comedy actually set in Japan. The film quality and direction is high quality for it being a web series too. The Guild started off as a lower budgeted, and a little more rough than this series, so if they can grab an audience, as well as sponsor money to keep it going, im willing to stick around for more. Check out the videos below, do you think you will stick around for more?

Also, the "Be Yes" company name didn't click until the end of the episode, soft lulz.
http://englishteachersseries.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/englishseries



Meet the teachers:











The main character is also Jonathan Sherr who starred in My Darling Foreigner / Darling wa Gaikokujin with Mao Inoue famous for starring in Hana yori Dango.