BOBC

Table of Contents

Foreword
Acknowledgments

Introduction: Ladies’ Comics and the Manga Culture of Japan
1. Introduction
2. What is Manga?
3. Categories of Story Manga
4. Manga and Education
5. Manga as Trendsetters
6. Manga as a Japanese National Obsession
6.1 Manga Is Everywhere and for Everyone
6.2 Manga as a Bonding Agent
6.3 Manga and Political Ideologies
6.4 Manga Cafés
6.5 Million Sellers
6.6 Comical People and the Tradition of Narratives in Japan
7. Summary and Conclusions

Chapter One: A Brief History of Japanese Ladies’ Comics
1. Introduction
2. Women’s Literature during the Heian Period (794–1185)
3. Early Popular Magazines for Girls and Women
4. The Early Development of Girls’ Comics
5. An Interview with Masako Watanabe: Her Life and Japanese Comics
6. The Beginning of Girls’ Comics
7. The Emergence of Weekly Girls’ Comics
8. The Diversification of Girls’ Comics
9. The Emergence of Japanese Ladies’ Comics
10. Interviews with Asako Shiomi
11. Summary

Chapter Two: New Trends in Japanese Ladies’ Comics: Diversification and Catharsis
1. Introduction
2. A Brief Description of Today’s Japanese Ladies’ Comics
3. Solicitation of Readers’ Stories and Catharsis
4. Occupational Backgrounds and Gender Roles
5. Themes and Content for Catharsis: Tear-jerker Ladies’ Comic Stories
6. Themes and Content for Catharsis—Stories of Horror and Fear
7. Publishers Pursue “What Sells”
8. Pornographic Japanese Ladies’ Comics
9. Analysis
10. Summary

Chapter Three: Japanese Women’s Sexuality in Ladies’ Comics
1. Introduction
2. The Romantic Category
3. The Lustful Comics
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Conjugal Sex
3.3 S & M Scenes
3.4 Rape Play Fantasy
3.5 Masturbation
3.6 Voyeurism
3.7 Lesbian Sex
3.8 Extramarital Affairs
3.9 Incest
3.10 The Sex Industry of Japan in Ladies’ Comics
4. Analysis
4.1 Sexuality and Modernity
4.2 Carnal Pleasure and Self
5. Summary

Chapter Four: Conclusion

Bibliography
Index