現視研～現代視覺研究會～ 7

Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture #7

by Shimoku Kio, 木尾士目, 方郁仁 (Translator)

荻上獲得了參加COMIFES的權利，於是決定要出同人誌。而□原知道當天只有荻上一個人能夠顧攤子，於是就自告奮勇說要幫助荻上。沒想到周遭的人們誤以為荻上與笹原對彼此有意思…

Genres: Manga, Comics, Fiction, Seinen, Graphic Novels, Slice Of Life, Japanese Literature

203 pages, Paperback

First published December 22, 2005

About the author

Shimoku Kio (木尾士目) is a Japanese manga artist best known for his manga Genshiken, which was originally serialized in the Afternoon Magazine. It was later published in Japan by Kodansha, which produces Afternoon Magazine, and by Del Rey in the United States. Genshiken is an anime, manga, and light novel series about a college otaku club and its members.

Reviews

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, Vol. 7 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next seven chapters (37–43) of the on-going manga series with a bonus story.

Most of the tankōbon focuses on certain members of Genshiken trying to get Kanji Sasahara and Chika Ogiue together – mainly Saki Kasukabe and Kanako Ōno and eventually Harunobu Madarame as they continue the various events that Genshiken has put on.

Chika Ogiue made her Comic-Fest debut and managed to sell eleven of the fifty fanzines with Kanji Sasahara. Introduced are two friends of Kanako Ōno from America: Angela Burton and Susanna Hopkins who unexpectedly came to Japan to experience Comic-Fest. These two are characters within themselves and fit right in with the craziness of Genshiken.

Meanwhile, the senior class all managed to find jobs – eventually. Makoto Kōsaka becomes a programmer for an erotic videogame company, Saki Kasukabe is opening a fashion boutique and is slowly gaining clientele, and Kanji Sasahara becomes a manga editor.

This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Shimoku Kio. For the most part, it is written and illustrated rather well. Readers gets to know Manabu Kuchiki a tad better as one chapter was focused on him and see how disliked he is and his attempt to change backfires spectacularly. There is a nice heart-to-heart with Chika Ogiue and Kanako Ōno about her liking yaoi fantasies. The tankōbon closes on Genshiken spending three days and two nights on a getaway to Karuizawa.

All in all, Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, Vol. 7 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems really intriguing and I can't wait to read more.

[Ken Yuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ogiue really becomes a character here, and the adventures of Genshiken continue on.

[Anthony Wendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series that you back to your college years when you joined the anime club, found a bunch of others who were into the same things you, and you started to get a better sense of where you were going. If you enjoy series that look at anime and gamer culture you owe it to yourself to check out this series.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

hahaha oh no, they're really going in THAT plotline... oh well, i don't hate it but it's not particularly my type. I have to be lying when I say that it's not entertaining... because it is. Hahahahaha.

I'd like to keep reading more. It's good for a slice of life and comedy genre.

[Galatea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe they managed to make job hunting an interesting subplot

I love how these characters are developing and I'm honestly sad there's only two volumes left

also YO WE GOT A FANSERVICE EXTRA LET'S GOOOOO

CANON BOOB SIZES HELL YEAAAAAAAAAA

[Kurtis Burkhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

An alright manga, A bit boring... The story wasn’t that great and the characters were boring, not much going on in this 👌📖😁💕

[Oscar Manga · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t really like this volume compared to others but it was okay 🤷 not much can be expected from a 2000s manga where they’re all basically losers

[David Doel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most interesting parts of this volume are Sasahara's job hunt and his relationship with Ogiue (or not). Another good volume.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Rating: A+
Synopsis: Written by Kio Shimoku, the manga version of Genshiken is nine volumes long. It covers the lives of a college club of Otaku, but does it in a way that makes them seem real and interesting instead of the usual stereotypes.

One of the reasons I love this series so much is the remarkable number of similarities between the Genshiken club, and the club I helped found at Guilford College, the Yachting Club. Granted, we didn't really have a Saki (who hates geeks and is only in the club because her hot boyfriend, Kousaka, is an otaku), and we had secret rituals, but otherwise very similar. What really made me fall in love with the series though was how it focuses on the lives of the otaku, and their relationships. When I read volume 8, I started running around wildly clapping (a habit I have when I am excited) until Leah read it, so I could gush about what happened. When you're that devoted to the characters, you are either insane or the book is really fucking good. In this case, it's a little of both.

Another crazy/awesome thing about Genshiken is Kujibiki Unbalance, a manga/anime made up for the series. During the chapter breaks in the manga, you learn more about Kujibiki Unbalance and its characters. Genshiken was also made into an anime, that covers the first five volumes of the manga, and you get to watch episodes of Kujibiki Unbalance as a special feature. How fucking cool is that?

If you're a geek, and if you're not I have no idea why you're reading this, pick up Genshiken now! You'll thank me.

For more manga and anime reviews, please check out Hobotaku.

[Mikael Kuoppala · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clash of geek culture ensues when two Americans visit Genshiken. Mild hilarity ensues. Volume seven concentrates on Ohno-san's emergence as the new club president and the changes Genshiken goes through as its activities get more cosplay oriented. Pleasant if a bit fragmented, this volume isn't Genshiken at its best but still manages to amuse.

[Aubrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genshiken is hysterical. I love these guys/gals. Ohno's friends come from the states to buy Yaoi and some of the guys graduate but that doesn't change the fact they hang out in the club room. Hysterical.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

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