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Texan & Tokyo #1
My Japanese Husband Thinks I'm Crazy: The Comic Book
“My Japanese Husband Thinks I'm The Comic Book” is the autobiographical misadventures of a native Texan freelancer and her Japanese “salaryman” in comic book form. From earthquakes and crowded trains, to hilarious cultural faux pas, this comic explores the joys of living and working abroad, intercultural marriages, and trying to make a decent pot roast on Thanksgiving.
172 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2014
45 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
February 20, 2015
I grabbed this when I saw it was free on amazon and read it while I was waiting for an appointment. Overall it was cute and humorus, but the whole "MY JAPANESE HUSBAND" thing irks me to the end of times.
If you know me you know that I lived in Japan for seven years and married a Japanese man. I could relate to a lot of the stuff in this book, but I DO. NOT. participate in the AMWF culture...whatever...thing. I don't see my husband as "My. Japanese. Husband.". He's just my husband who happens to be Japanese. He has never been and will never be my ~Japanese husband~. I don't introduce him as that, I don't preface him with that. As much as bi-racial couples (esp in Japan) want the stereotypes to go away they sure do love to set themselves apart with this whole AMWF thing that's going on.
So that bugged me a lot. Because honestly, I didn't think it was a book about her ~Japanese husband~ thinking she was a weird gaijin. They met in the USA! They'd already experienced a culture that one of them wasn't familiar with. This book, to me, was about Grace's integration into Japanese culture and customs. It could have done away with the whole ~Japanese husband~ tag and just been 'Texan in Tokyo' and had all the same contents and irked me a whole lot less. Because I don't feel it was about marriage or relationships, but life. And those are just parts of it.
It did make me miss Japan (my husband and I moved to the USA in the middle of 2014) and I really want to go to the onsen now! The drawings were cute, the situations were relate-able (esp since I've been in a lot of them), and her writing isn't bad.
If you know me you know that I lived in Japan for seven years and married a Japanese man. I could relate to a lot of the stuff in this book, but I DO. NOT. participate in the AMWF culture...whatever...thing. I don't see my husband as "My. Japanese. Husband.". He's just my husband who happens to be Japanese. He has never been and will never be my ~Japanese husband~. I don't introduce him as that, I don't preface him with that. As much as bi-racial couples (esp in Japan) want the stereotypes to go away they sure do love to set themselves apart with this whole AMWF thing that's going on.
So that bugged me a lot. Because honestly, I didn't think it was a book about her ~Japanese husband~ thinking she was a weird gaijin. They met in the USA! They'd already experienced a culture that one of them wasn't familiar with. This book, to me, was about Grace's integration into Japanese culture and customs. It could have done away with the whole ~Japanese husband~ tag and just been 'Texan in Tokyo' and had all the same contents and irked me a whole lot less. Because I don't feel it was about marriage or relationships, but life. And those are just parts of it.
It did make me miss Japan (my husband and I moved to the USA in the middle of 2014) and I really want to go to the onsen now! The drawings were cute, the situations were relate-able (esp since I've been in a lot of them), and her writing isn't bad.
September 2, 2015
Between 2.5 and 3.
I loved the little comic strips. They weren't necessarily funny, but they were really cute.
The book was also perfect for when I decided to read it (on my flight to Japan for the first time for vacation).
The thing that irked me a bit was that I found myself at various moments thinking, "OMG can you talk a bit more about yourself and your life rather than how much you worship the ground your husband walks on." I just wanted something more that I kept hoping would come, but did not.
Still, having said that, I value anyone who is a go-getter and ambitious. Running my own business, I understand putting yourself out there for critique. I have the other books in the series and will support and read them.
I loved the little comic strips. They weren't necessarily funny, but they were really cute.
The book was also perfect for when I decided to read it (on my flight to Japan for the first time for vacation).
The thing that irked me a bit was that I found myself at various moments thinking, "OMG can you talk a bit more about yourself and your life rather than how much you worship the ground your husband walks on." I just wanted something more that I kept hoping would come, but did not.
Still, having said that, I value anyone who is a go-getter and ambitious. Running my own business, I understand putting yourself out there for critique. I have the other books in the series and will support and read them.
March 31, 2020
Re-read #3 on March 2020. Re-reading most of my graphic novels now that I have to ration my reads due to Corona (my main book provider is closed aka the library and will be closed until May/June probably). This was a fun re-read and I loved the mix of comics with text explaining some more about relationships and Japan. I wasn't a fan of her figment of imagination, if anything I found it annoying and distracting (and a tad childish). I loved seeing Grace and Ryosuke together.
All in all, I am kind of glad with this situation as that means I am picking up books for re-read again. Up next are the other 2 books by Grace.
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I got these comics recommended to me by GR, and I decided to do a bit of a search. After reading a bit on this author's website, checking out some of her comics, I decided to buy this book, and I can tell you, that I am delighted to have read this one. I can even add that I will be buying the remaining books she brought out, and I am keeping an eye on her website.
My initial thoughts were that this would be a comic book, a book with only comics about a girl's life in Japan, how different it was, how her relationship is with her boyfriend (now husband), telling us off long distance relations and how that went. I truly thought it would be all that and more comics, and I was pretty satisfied with that alone, but then, while reading the book, I found out that it actually contained much much more than that. There are parts with text, explaining about life in Japan, how stuff works in Japan. And it was all highly interesting and fun. I love finding out more about Japan, and it is even more interesting when it is done from someone who isn't officially Japanese, and who sees stuff from a different vantage point. Don't get me wrong, I also love finding out about Japan from a real Japanese person's viewpoint, but it is so much more interesting when it is someone just like me, someone who never been to Japan and is finding out about all the things that happen there, slowly discovering how life works there.
It was really fun to see Grace and Ryosuke together, they are really a cute couple and they match so well.
The art is pretty decent, it was the one thing that had me hesitant at first to try this book. But after a bit I started liking the art, and now? I don't even mind that it is a bit wobbly at times. If anything, it gives a special charm to the book, makes it feel more real.
All in all, I would highly recommend this book to everyone. Either you are interested in Japan and want to find out more about it (this book is perfect for that), or you are just interested about auto-biographical comics that feature romance, everyone will like this book.
And me? I will be eagerly waiting for the mail man to bring me the other 2 books I ordered at amazon.de.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
All in all, I am kind of glad with this situation as that means I am picking up books for re-read again. Up next are the other 2 books by Grace.
----------------------
I got these comics recommended to me by GR, and I decided to do a bit of a search. After reading a bit on this author's website, checking out some of her comics, I decided to buy this book, and I can tell you, that I am delighted to have read this one. I can even add that I will be buying the remaining books she brought out, and I am keeping an eye on her website.
My initial thoughts were that this would be a comic book, a book with only comics about a girl's life in Japan, how different it was, how her relationship is with her boyfriend (now husband), telling us off long distance relations and how that went. I truly thought it would be all that and more comics, and I was pretty satisfied with that alone, but then, while reading the book, I found out that it actually contained much much more than that. There are parts with text, explaining about life in Japan, how stuff works in Japan. And it was all highly interesting and fun. I love finding out more about Japan, and it is even more interesting when it is done from someone who isn't officially Japanese, and who sees stuff from a different vantage point. Don't get me wrong, I also love finding out about Japan from a real Japanese person's viewpoint, but it is so much more interesting when it is someone just like me, someone who never been to Japan and is finding out about all the things that happen there, slowly discovering how life works there.
It was really fun to see Grace and Ryosuke together, they are really a cute couple and they match so well.
The art is pretty decent, it was the one thing that had me hesitant at first to try this book. But after a bit I started liking the art, and now? I don't even mind that it is a bit wobbly at times. If anything, it gives a special charm to the book, makes it feel more real.
All in all, I would highly recommend this book to everyone. Either you are interested in Japan and want to find out more about it (this book is perfect for that), or you are just interested about auto-biographical comics that feature romance, everyone will like this book.
And me? I will be eagerly waiting for the mail man to bring me the other 2 books I ordered at amazon.de.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
February 19, 2015
Nfu nfu nfu nfu nfu!
I surprised myself one evening by discovering Grace's blog and wandering through ALL of the comics in one go. Our circumstances are so different: she's married, I'm forever single. She came to Japan to be with someone, I came to Japan to work. She knew (some) Japanese before she went, I knew nothing. She was from Texas, I was from Washington (they're quite different!). She'd never been distant from her family, I'd been living far from mine for years. (We both love anime/manga, though, and what more do you really need?)
All of that said, I was surprised by just how many of the feelings that she'd written about were the same as what I'd experienced living in Japan, both good and bad. We had a lot more in common than I'd thought at first glance. A lot lot.
Somewhere along the way, too, Grace and Ryosuke went from strangers in a sort-of-similar-ish situation to people that I was genuinely and excitedly interested in. I am absolutely sure that I'll read this book over and over again until it falls apart. Grace, keep writing comics forever! You have a big fan here!
February 20, 2017
I followed Grace and Ryosuke on their YouTube channel right up until they quit vlogging and blogging to start a family. I can understand their decision to quit detailing their daily life in Japan because children are unable to give consent to having their life publicized on social media, but I do miss their entertaining episodes.
Grace sketches cute little cartoons about their experiences and the keyword is cute. They are not laugh out loud funny nor are they meant to be. There are both cartoons and informational subjects about things in Japan. I'm not much of a cartoon person, but I appreciated the cuteness of their relationship and I especially found the information interesting.
I do miss them and hope they will at some point reverse their decision and come back to social media. I am interested in American girls who marry Japanese men and Grace and Ryosuke were second only to Rachel and Jun in putting out the type of information about these relationships that I find addicting.
Grace sketches cute little cartoons about their experiences and the keyword is cute. They are not laugh out loud funny nor are they meant to be. There are both cartoons and informational subjects about things in Japan. I'm not much of a cartoon person, but I appreciated the cuteness of their relationship and I especially found the information interesting.
I do miss them and hope they will at some point reverse their decision and come back to social media. I am interested in American girls who marry Japanese men and Grace and Ryosuke were second only to Rachel and Jun in putting out the type of information about these relationships that I find addicting.
June 23, 2015
3.0 stars
I know Grace from her Youtube channel where she regularly uploads videos (often together with her Japanese husband). I am not reading her more famous blog (www.howibecametexan.com) although I skipped through some of her blog posts and comic she published on her blog. So I knew her drawing style, her humor and some things she was writing (or drawing) about. If you are unsure if you would like this book just visit her blog and/or Youtube channel, it can help you decide if this book is for you. I have to admit that I "bought" her first two books when they where available for free as an ebook edition on Amazon and I am happy about it because this book was not 100 percent what I expected and liked (I was a huge manga fan some years ago and liked everything about Japanese culture but right know I am not really interested in Japan anymore but I really like Grace in her videos so I was interested in her books). The book was fast to read but I would not have bought it. I am not saying that this book is not worth it's price! It's just that I might not be the primary target audience (which would be people with a greater interest in Japan and it's culture and people who really like her blog). If you are curious just try it!
Some parts were really interesting, especially when she speaks about Japanese culture and how to behave or how not to behave. I really love to learn about differences between cultures and the Japanese recycling system was something that I did not knew about (it's seems really strict and it's true, why is there a difference between burnable and paper or plastics? Plastic can be burned to or paper... but it seems plastic is identified as non-burnable).
But I thought that some of her comics weren't on point, it was unclear what Grace wanted to show. And I think that the title of the book is misleading, Ryosuke might think that Grace is crazy in a good way but most of her comics are about her way to come accustomed to Japan than about relationship problems with her husband. Some comics where about misunderstandings and difficulties (and even less about him think she is "crazy", whatever that means in the context of the title of her comic book) but about her problems with a completely new culture and a new country. That was interesting because Grace seems like a really nice person but this comic book was not what I was expecting.
So be prepared to learn a little bit about Japanese culture, less about her problems with having a boyfriend/husband from a different cultural background and more about her way to adapting into a new environment.
I know Grace from her Youtube channel where she regularly uploads videos (often together with her Japanese husband). I am not reading her more famous blog (www.howibecametexan.com) although I skipped through some of her blog posts and comic she published on her blog. So I knew her drawing style, her humor and some things she was writing (or drawing) about. If you are unsure if you would like this book just visit her blog and/or Youtube channel, it can help you decide if this book is for you. I have to admit that I "bought" her first two books when they where available for free as an ebook edition on Amazon and I am happy about it because this book was not 100 percent what I expected and liked (I was a huge manga fan some years ago and liked everything about Japanese culture but right know I am not really interested in Japan anymore but I really like Grace in her videos so I was interested in her books). The book was fast to read but I would not have bought it. I am not saying that this book is not worth it's price! It's just that I might not be the primary target audience (which would be people with a greater interest in Japan and it's culture and people who really like her blog). If you are curious just try it!
Some parts were really interesting, especially when she speaks about Japanese culture and how to behave or how not to behave. I really love to learn about differences between cultures and the Japanese recycling system was something that I did not knew about (it's seems really strict and it's true, why is there a difference between burnable and paper or plastics? Plastic can be burned to or paper... but it seems plastic is identified as non-burnable).
But I thought that some of her comics weren't on point, it was unclear what Grace wanted to show. And I think that the title of the book is misleading, Ryosuke might think that Grace is crazy in a good way but most of her comics are about her way to come accustomed to Japan than about relationship problems with her husband. Some comics where about misunderstandings and difficulties (and even less about him think she is "crazy", whatever that means in the context of the title of her comic book) but about her problems with a completely new culture and a new country. That was interesting because Grace seems like a really nice person but this comic book was not what I was expecting.
So be prepared to learn a little bit about Japanese culture, less about her problems with having a boyfriend/husband from a different cultural background and more about her way to adapting into a new environment.
June 23, 2015
Amazon recommended this book to me because I recently finished and loved reading a couple of memoirs and graphic novel memoirs. I checked out this book and decided I wasn't interested. I recently found out that the kindle version was free, so I decided to give it a shot.
At first, because this is suppose to be a comic book, I was upset at the huge blocks and pages of text. After a while, I preferred to read the sections of text than to view the comics. I think I would have liked this book much better if she just decided to write the whole thing as a memoir with only words. She is really good at explaining herself when it comes to what she felt and what she learned. She is insightful. She is also good at explaining parts of Japanese cultures that others wouldn't noticed to be different or understand why it is different. She even has a few how-to/what to expect sections that are very straight forward and to the point.
I felt the comics themselves were lacking. There were a lot of arrows and text over-explaining what was in the scene and trying to set up the joke, or just explaining the joke, to the point where they weren't humorous. If you have to explain the joke, then it is not funny. I understand not all of the comics were meant to be humorous. Some of the comics I knew were suppose to be just visual explanations, but the comics by itself had no story to it; it was just random. There was no setup and then explanation. I'm not sure if I will read the second and third books.
At first, because this is suppose to be a comic book, I was upset at the huge blocks and pages of text. After a while, I preferred to read the sections of text than to view the comics. I think I would have liked this book much better if she just decided to write the whole thing as a memoir with only words. She is really good at explaining herself when it comes to what she felt and what she learned. She is insightful. She is also good at explaining parts of Japanese cultures that others wouldn't noticed to be different or understand why it is different. She even has a few how-to/what to expect sections that are very straight forward and to the point.
I felt the comics themselves were lacking. There were a lot of arrows and text over-explaining what was in the scene and trying to set up the joke, or just explaining the joke, to the point where they weren't humorous. If you have to explain the joke, then it is not funny. I understand not all of the comics were meant to be humorous. Some of the comics I knew were suppose to be just visual explanations, but the comics by itself had no story to it; it was just random. There was no setup and then explanation. I'm not sure if I will read the second and third books.
August 15, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I think it was so creative and I love that she 'illustrated' it herself. It had funny laugh out loud moments for me and a few I even poked my husband to say 'read this'. I had a Japanese room mate in college and I still have my Japanese rice cooker to prove it. So I could relate to this book and the embarrassing moments. I really enjoyed the culture lessons she included in sections of the book. I learned a lot and appreciate her American slant on all things Japanese. Many things are lost in translation when sharing cultures and I think having a sense of humor eases the pain of those moments. I would suggest this as a fun read to break up all your heavy reading books and to pause for a moment for a lighthearted look at life in Japan.
June 23, 2015
Proof once again I'll read anything for free. While the drawings are better than anything I could ever do, the comic strips come off as something a ten-year-old would come up with. In between the cartoons are short passages about general Japanese culture that I could have found on my own on the internet. Not very informative or entertaining.
March 19, 2016
I enjoyed this comic so much! It had a lot of information about Japan and living with someone who doesn't share your native language, which I personally think is beautiful for many reasons.
December 9, 2014
I love this light-hearted examination into a cross-cultural marriage. Grace Mineta has a great sense of humor and such funny comics. She observes so many things about the Japanese culture and has the ability to distill them into insightful yet humorous tidbits. For example, did you know there are bunny cafes where people go to play with rabbits? Grace has a thing for bunnies so her husband had a hard time getting her to leave.
Grace notices a lot of 'little things' from melons to spring winds to handling garbage and presents them in cute comics. I especially love her alter-ego, Marvin, the talking rabbit who sits there while she's working on her blog or drawing and provides commentary, or sometimes just a heart.
I really enjoyed this book and am now following the author's blog. She and her husband portray a sweet and loving relationship and it's a delight to follow along on their adventures.
Grace notices a lot of 'little things' from melons to spring winds to handling garbage and presents them in cute comics. I especially love her alter-ego, Marvin, the talking rabbit who sits there while she's working on her blog or drawing and provides commentary, or sometimes just a heart.
I really enjoyed this book and am now following the author's blog. She and her husband portray a sweet and loving relationship and it's a delight to follow along on their adventures.
August 6, 2015
It's amazing because it's sweet and had me laughing. I'm not feeling to well and Grace Buchele Mineta's comic book is just the kind of light hearted fare I need. It's in comic form and has some autobiographical stories as well as information about the language and Country of Japan. I found Grace's vid's on YouTube while brushing up on some Japanese.....I found them quite funny and Grace and her husband Ryosuke sweet. Thumbs way up!
February 16, 2017
A goofy little semi-autobiographical comic about a Texan in Japan. She writes a blog and has included several blog posts in this book.
If you're well aware of Japanese culture, you probably won't learn anything while reading this. You will probably laugh really hard. If you don't know anything about Japanese culture, Mineta does a decent job filling you in beforehand.
It's entertaining and king of quirky. If you have any interest in Japan, you'd probably enjoy it.
If you're well aware of Japanese culture, you probably won't learn anything while reading this. You will probably laugh really hard. If you don't know anything about Japanese culture, Mineta does a decent job filling you in beforehand.
It's entertaining and king of quirky. If you have any interest in Japan, you'd probably enjoy it.
October 6, 2014
Cute little comic book.
I have to admit that I do not follow this blog, I found her Kickstarter because my old Japanese teacher posted it on his Facebook. I thought her story sounded interesting, so I backed her and got a free copy :)
...I didn't expect to finish it all today though, haha. Oh well!
I have to admit that I do not follow this blog, I found her Kickstarter because my old Japanese teacher posted it on his Facebook. I thought her story sounded interesting, so I backed her and got a free copy :)
...I didn't expect to finish it all today though, haha. Oh well!
April 8, 2016
It's fascinating reading about a Texan in Tokyo, which also happens to be the name of the blog this book is from! :D Mrs. Mineta writes a wonderful story of her life in Tokyo with her adorable husband, Ryosuke. She also goes into information about Tokyo and Japan that the Western world might not be aware of or have as much detailed information. If you love Japan, this is one book for you.
July 18, 2018
This was a fast and fun read as expected. I've come across Grace and Ryosuke's videos about 6 months before they decided to stop making them. I miss them and I'm glad I'm able to enjoy their adventures through Grace's comic books. Even though some of the stories were familiar to me either from her blog or videos, I still enjoyed myself and learned new things about Japanese culture.
August 13, 2015
I know the author of this book through her YouTube Chanel : Texan in Tokyo. Its a cheerful book filled with nuggets of cultural information about Japan. It is a mix of comic and text sections. For anyone who is interested in Japanese culture and enjoys comics, this is the book for you.
December 24, 2015
If you've ever lived in Japan, or are very familiar with the culture, this book will surely crack you up
January 7, 2020
Most of the comics here are cute slice-of-life stories about living in Japan. Which may not sound that interesting, unless you’re really interested in cultural stuff and what it’s like to break cultural boundaries and experience for the first time a lot of stuff that some people take for granted.
Which I’m very interested in!
Most of the humour in the comic revolves around that idea. So for those who aren’t interested in the nuances of daily life in Japan, as seen from someone who grew up in America, these comics may not amuse you that much. Sometimes the punchline is going to rely on the reader finding it amusing that a man won’t take his wife’s sister’s underwear down from the clothes line, and gets her to do it instead. The silly little things that make us chuckle in everyday life, with the added spice of cross-cultural relations.
Aside from drawn material, the artist also throws in a lot of commentary about Japanese culture, which is pretty useful for the many people interested in visiting there for any decent length of time. From festival food to garbage pickup, a lot of common questions about life in Japan get answered in quick and convenient ways. It’s not an all-encompassing how-to guide, but neither is it meant to be. It’s just a good overview of what to do in certain situations, with some artistic personal experiences thrown in for good measure. Which, I should add, doesn’t just rely on Japan’s culture to be funny. Sometimes she pokes fun at Texas stereotypes (or rather, the drawn version of her husband does), and it’s amusing to watch the culture divide from both sides.
It’s not all humour, though. She talks quite openly about the racism that she’s encountered over being in an interracial marriage, and how, like many female bloggers, has experienced hate mail and death threats over what she does. Those sections of the book, originally posts from her blog, are sobering to read. The book is autobiographical, so you really can’t talk honestly about certain things without bringing up certain aspects, and while I’m disgusted that some things happen, I’m glad she didn’t shy away from talking about it.
The comic collection is a quick read, filled with approachable humour and good commentary on many aspects of life in Japan. Definitely recommended if slice-of-life stories are your thing.
Which I’m very interested in!
Most of the humour in the comic revolves around that idea. So for those who aren’t interested in the nuances of daily life in Japan, as seen from someone who grew up in America, these comics may not amuse you that much. Sometimes the punchline is going to rely on the reader finding it amusing that a man won’t take his wife’s sister’s underwear down from the clothes line, and gets her to do it instead. The silly little things that make us chuckle in everyday life, with the added spice of cross-cultural relations.
Aside from drawn material, the artist also throws in a lot of commentary about Japanese culture, which is pretty useful for the many people interested in visiting there for any decent length of time. From festival food to garbage pickup, a lot of common questions about life in Japan get answered in quick and convenient ways. It’s not an all-encompassing how-to guide, but neither is it meant to be. It’s just a good overview of what to do in certain situations, with some artistic personal experiences thrown in for good measure. Which, I should add, doesn’t just rely on Japan’s culture to be funny. Sometimes she pokes fun at Texas stereotypes (or rather, the drawn version of her husband does), and it’s amusing to watch the culture divide from both sides.
It’s not all humour, though. She talks quite openly about the racism that she’s encountered over being in an interracial marriage, and how, like many female bloggers, has experienced hate mail and death threats over what she does. Those sections of the book, originally posts from her blog, are sobering to read. The book is autobiographical, so you really can’t talk honestly about certain things without bringing up certain aspects, and while I’m disgusted that some things happen, I’m glad she didn’t shy away from talking about it.
The comic collection is a quick read, filled with approachable humour and good commentary on many aspects of life in Japan. Definitely recommended if slice-of-life stories are your thing.
February 16, 2015
Firstly, for those who frequent her website often, though there is still some overlap between her blog and book, I would still like to argue that the book should be considered because it is a cheap buy, it spurs her to continue production, and gives a nice way to access her work away from the internet. Secondly, I will like to discuss two points of bias before I get to my review. Firstly, I have some positive bias for this book as it was given to me for free by the author in exchange for a solid read though and review. However, she has indicated that this will most likely be the first of many and as such I would like to honestly point out the issues that she can improve on. My Japanese Husband Thinks I'm Crazy is a quick and enjoyable read that work especially well in the e-reader format. The surface view of the book is one of a simple and enjoyable slice of life read that emphasizes the quirks of living in a country that while having technology comparable to the west, exists in a very different cultural history.
While being relatively new to cartooning, the artwork has a linear and simplified style to it, similar to Hyperbole and a Half. This however, does not detract from the book, and actually helps amplify its simplistic slice of life feel. One of the strengths of the book is the gut reaction that is first used when interacting with a new aspect of the culture, placing the reader in her shoes while having to deal with it without any background knowledge. This does not leave the reader confused however, as she quickly goes into a short essay clearly describing the utility and place of the cultural quirk. This fits extremely well with the slice of life style of the comic, as it simulates the 1/2 second feeling of unease and nervousness before the internal information kicks in for the first time.
On the deeper level, this book ultimately revolves around the relationship between Grace and Ryosuke, and ultimately how trivial the cultural divide is between two people who are interested in each other. While I am sure that that feeling has been played out in many other works, it was refreshing to see it portrayed in this genre. Ultimately, this comic book will change nothing about you, but is well done for its category and cheap price makes it a solid read. I would especially recommend this book to anyone interested in going to Japan for any length of time, as it does a great job of demystifying the country, as well as helpful tips for living in the country for any length of time.
While being relatively new to cartooning, the artwork has a linear and simplified style to it, similar to Hyperbole and a Half. This however, does not detract from the book, and actually helps amplify its simplistic slice of life feel. One of the strengths of the book is the gut reaction that is first used when interacting with a new aspect of the culture, placing the reader in her shoes while having to deal with it without any background knowledge. This does not leave the reader confused however, as she quickly goes into a short essay clearly describing the utility and place of the cultural quirk. This fits extremely well with the slice of life style of the comic, as it simulates the 1/2 second feeling of unease and nervousness before the internal information kicks in for the first time.
On the deeper level, this book ultimately revolves around the relationship between Grace and Ryosuke, and ultimately how trivial the cultural divide is between two people who are interested in each other. While I am sure that that feeling has been played out in many other works, it was refreshing to see it portrayed in this genre. Ultimately, this comic book will change nothing about you, but is well done for its category and cheap price makes it a solid read. I would especially recommend this book to anyone interested in going to Japan for any length of time, as it does a great job of demystifying the country, as well as helpful tips for living in the country for any length of time.
October 21, 2014
I have been following Grace and her husband Ryosuke's blog for some time now, and I really enjoy reading about their adventures as an international couple. Living in Japan myself, I can really relate to a lot of the things she talks about. She gave me a PDF version of her book to review and I was happy to do so!
The comic book depicts her life as a freelancer and wife of a Japanese salary man. The couple is quirky and loves to travel and share their experiences being married to someone of a different culture. Grace reminds me of me when I first came to Japan. She has an interest in everything and tries to understand and explain as much of the culture as she can. I have been living here for so long that I sometimes forget how different Japan is and just how strange life here can be.
Her comics are cute and show off her personality. I love the fact that she is very open and optimistic, and I love her attitude on life. Ryosuke has a very caring and silly personality, so the two make for a funny combo.
A lot of the comics are ones she has put on her blog, but there are some that she included exclusively in the book. She also adds some narrative about her life in Japan and about intercultural relationships. The book has a whimsical feel but is also good at giving some real perspective on living in another country and on relationships.
I definitely would recommend the book to those who love Japan and want to learn more about it, and to anyone in an interracial relationship. Sometimes it's really nice to relate to someone in a similar situation, and the Minetas do a great job of showing both the good and the difficult. I hope to see more of her work in maybe a volume 2! She has gained lots of popularity so I see bright things for her future.
The comic book depicts her life as a freelancer and wife of a Japanese salary man. The couple is quirky and loves to travel and share their experiences being married to someone of a different culture. Grace reminds me of me when I first came to Japan. She has an interest in everything and tries to understand and explain as much of the culture as she can. I have been living here for so long that I sometimes forget how different Japan is and just how strange life here can be.
Her comics are cute and show off her personality. I love the fact that she is very open and optimistic, and I love her attitude on life. Ryosuke has a very caring and silly personality, so the two make for a funny combo.
A lot of the comics are ones she has put on her blog, but there are some that she included exclusively in the book. She also adds some narrative about her life in Japan and about intercultural relationships. The book has a whimsical feel but is also good at giving some real perspective on living in another country and on relationships.
I definitely would recommend the book to those who love Japan and want to learn more about it, and to anyone in an interracial relationship. Sometimes it's really nice to relate to someone in a similar situation, and the Minetas do a great job of showing both the good and the difficult. I hope to see more of her work in maybe a volume 2! She has gained lots of popularity so I see bright things for her future.
April 2, 2016
Open, honest, funny look at "intercultural" couples
As an American ("white") man married to a Japanese woman, I was initially reluctant to even glance through this book. It's been 17 years since I moved to Japan, and I quickly grew tired of all the cliches, the repeated stereotypes and innuendos from friends on both sides of the Pacific, and I really just didn't want to read more about how "different" my wife and I were.
But this book is funny. Really funny.
And, if you're someone curious about Japan who has never been here and only knows Japan through pop culture, there's plenty here to help you understand more about the culture.
That said, what impressed me the most about Grace's book was her insistence that we should treat people as *individuals,* not as representations of their cultures or countries. Cultural differences do exist, and some customs may strike newcomers as odd or unusual. But my custom is just as odd as yours, and not only do customs vary within countries they also vary from region to region, from town to town, and even from family to family. And the more you learn about other cultures, the more you see similarities...as well as begin to appreciate, even need, differences.
The section about negative comments Grace got on her blog also was a strong point of the book. Haters gonna hate; don't feed the trolls. As she writes, anonymity and the ubiquitous Internet / SNS has made it easy to denigrate different people, criticize personal decisions, lash out against everything and everyone just...just because.
Viva lá difference! And kudos, Grace, from a fellow "interracial couple." There's only one race, and when we share and learn, everybody wins.
Great job!
As an American ("white") man married to a Japanese woman, I was initially reluctant to even glance through this book. It's been 17 years since I moved to Japan, and I quickly grew tired of all the cliches, the repeated stereotypes and innuendos from friends on both sides of the Pacific, and I really just didn't want to read more about how "different" my wife and I were.
But this book is funny. Really funny.
And, if you're someone curious about Japan who has never been here and only knows Japan through pop culture, there's plenty here to help you understand more about the culture.
That said, what impressed me the most about Grace's book was her insistence that we should treat people as *individuals,* not as representations of their cultures or countries. Cultural differences do exist, and some customs may strike newcomers as odd or unusual. But my custom is just as odd as yours, and not only do customs vary within countries they also vary from region to region, from town to town, and even from family to family. And the more you learn about other cultures, the more you see similarities...as well as begin to appreciate, even need, differences.
The section about negative comments Grace got on her blog also was a strong point of the book. Haters gonna hate; don't feed the trolls. As she writes, anonymity and the ubiquitous Internet / SNS has made it easy to denigrate different people, criticize personal decisions, lash out against everything and everyone just...just because.
Viva lá difference! And kudos, Grace, from a fellow "interracial couple." There's only one race, and when we share and learn, everybody wins.
Great job!
May 23, 2022
My daughter Julia has been going on and on since forever that I should read “My Japanese Husband Thinks I’m Crazy.” So many books, so little time—I just kept putting it off. So, I finally got around to this book. It was so well worth it, cute, funny, informative—and a slew of other (positive) adjectives can be added her.
I was needless to say, but well worth saying, happy to hear Mrs. Buchele Mineta could grow a thick enough skin to ignore the negative feedback (opinions and orifice, we all know how that goes). Then I saw a picture of the author and had that holy cr- moment. She’s so young. Having reached and exceeded my fossilized years I can honestly say brave and strong can be thrown in the mix.
Though she hardly needs any help from me discerning petty from stupid, I like to take a moment to remind everyone that the children’s movie “Hocus Pocus,” experienced negative feedback and protest when initially released. The protesters claimed it depicted a negative image of witches. Holy F- doesn’t even begin to cover the scope of my reaction—there were also fits of laughter, inappropriate giggles and a few snorting hiccups thrown in the mix.
Grain of salt is all I have to say to that. Everyone experiences different things differently—that’s the beauty of life.
One last thing before I shove Patrick out of his home (it’s a Sponge Bob reference—get with the program), I’m that annoying person that often corrects other peoples grammar—midsentence and all. The use of conversate in lieu of converse irks me no end—whatever. Lemons, lemonade—I like lemons, not so much lemonade. Optimism—I’m going to have to look that one up. That said, good on you Mrs. Buchele Mineta.
Lillian Carrero © 2019
https://lillian168.blogspot.com/p/big...
I was needless to say, but well worth saying, happy to hear Mrs. Buchele Mineta could grow a thick enough skin to ignore the negative feedback (opinions and orifice, we all know how that goes). Then I saw a picture of the author and had that holy cr- moment. She’s so young. Having reached and exceeded my fossilized years I can honestly say brave and strong can be thrown in the mix.
Though she hardly needs any help from me discerning petty from stupid, I like to take a moment to remind everyone that the children’s movie “Hocus Pocus,” experienced negative feedback and protest when initially released. The protesters claimed it depicted a negative image of witches. Holy F- doesn’t even begin to cover the scope of my reaction—there were also fits of laughter, inappropriate giggles and a few snorting hiccups thrown in the mix.
Grain of salt is all I have to say to that. Everyone experiences different things differently—that’s the beauty of life.
One last thing before I shove Patrick out of his home (it’s a Sponge Bob reference—get with the program), I’m that annoying person that often corrects other peoples grammar—midsentence and all. The use of conversate in lieu of converse irks me no end—whatever. Lemons, lemonade—I like lemons, not so much lemonade. Optimism—I’m going to have to look that one up. That said, good on you Mrs. Buchele Mineta.
Lillian Carrero © 2019
https://lillian168.blogspot.com/p/big...
March 2, 2015
This is a collection of cute comics about a Texan's life in Japan with her new husband taken from a blog she runs (which I was unfamiliar with going into reading this). There's also a fair bit of prose exposition about Japanese culture and customs spaced throughout the book. It was nothing new for me personally, but everything was well presented and summarized so add a star if that interests you and it's a new topic.
The sketch comics themselves came across as genuine and were quite amusing, but not as hilarious or ridiculous as the title of the book seems to indicate (the blog title "Texan in Tokyo would've been much more indicative of the content).
The sketch comics themselves came across as genuine and were quite amusing, but not as hilarious or ridiculous as the title of the book seems to indicate (the blog title "Texan in Tokyo would've been much more indicative of the content).
June 21, 2015
To start this review off I have been following Grace and Ryosuke on YouTube for months now. I found their channel through Rachel and Jun's. I do look forward to their videos. On to the actual review now. This book tells the reader about mostly Grace's daily life and experiences living in Japan as a foreigner. You also get to read articles about different parts of Japanese culture in addition to the adorable comics she drew.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reviewing the next two books in the series. I recommend reading this series if you have an interest in Japanese culture.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reviewing the next two books in the series. I recommend reading this series if you have an interest in Japanese culture.
November 23, 2015
Im an American, I don't get American Humor...at all. The people who tell me Seinfeld or Borat, or Melissa McCarthy or Jack ass or Michael Myers and Jim Carey are funny...Yeah, I just don't get it...AT ALL all the things I mentioned make me wonder what the hell is wrong with this country?
British humor...That I get.
This Book, This I get!
This is funny, and educational and entertaining which proves again that the funniest Americans are the ones influenced by something else.
I love! Love! Love! Japan and Japanese culture even the pseudo culture that makes its way to the US and I dream of spending time there.
So thanks Grace for sharing your experiences.
British humor...That I get.
This Book, This I get!
This is funny, and educational and entertaining which proves again that the funniest Americans are the ones influenced by something else.
I love! Love! Love! Japan and Japanese culture even the pseudo culture that makes its way to the US and I dream of spending time there.
So thanks Grace for sharing your experiences.
June 13, 2016
This delightful confection gives a little taste of the American author’s experiences living in Tokyo. The charmingly hand-drawn comics and short cultural essays reveal that it’s not just about the author’s relationship with her Japanese husband but also her relationship with Japan. A fun read!
Personal note: I love that the author calls herself a “Texan in Tokyo.” As a Texan-Japanese who grew up mostly in Texas but also lived in Tokyo for a couple of years when I was a kid, I felt natsukashii (nostalgic) reading this! I also learned some things I didn’t know about Japan, since I haven’t been there in a long time.
Personal note: I love that the author calls herself a “Texan in Tokyo.” As a Texan-Japanese who grew up mostly in Texas but also lived in Tokyo for a couple of years when I was a kid, I felt natsukashii (nostalgic) reading this! I also learned some things I didn’t know about Japan, since I haven’t been there in a long time.
January 12, 2015
This was a cute book, with a lot of interesting comics which explained Grace's life in Japan. I also enjoyed reading about the different things that can be seen and experienced in Japan through Grace's eyes. Grace kept me laughing with her sense of humour through her portrayal of herself, Ryosuke, and Marvin (her imaginary bunny friend) in comic-form. I have been a follower of Grace's blog for quite sometime now, and was excited to hear that she was releasing a book. I look forward to reading more about her life in Japan in the next comic book!
April 17, 2015
This book was a lot of fun! Some of the content comes from the author's blog which I was on for a while after reading the book. I enjoy Mineta's writing and the comics are amusing. Basically, Mineta talks about life with her husband in a foreign country - giving us some interesting tidbits about Japanese culture and her experiences being part of a biracial couple.
If you're not sure whether or not you want to read this, start by checking out her blog. If you enjoy her site, you'll probably like this book :)
If you're not sure whether or not you want to read this, start by checking out her blog. If you enjoy her site, you'll probably like this book :)
December 18, 2015
I first came across Grace via her youtube channel while researching Japan. My son informed me one day out of the blue that he wants to move to Japan when he grows up. He's 15. So I set out to learn about Japan and found Texan in Tokyo. I have been a fan ever since. I adore them. So of course I bought her book. I have the next one on my wish list and will hopefully have it soon too.
I enjoy the comic book style and the history/vocabulary in the book. My 9 year old is now reading it and my 15 year old said he wants to when he comes back home from vacation out of town.
I enjoy the comic book style and the history/vocabulary in the book. My 9 year old is now reading it and my 15 year old said he wants to when he comes back home from vacation out of town.
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