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源氏物語 あさきゆめみし 完全版 （大和和紀） #1
The Tale of Genji: Dreams at Dawn Vol. 1
First published in the 1980s and 90s, Waki Yamato’s renowned adaptation of Murasaki Shikibu’s 11th-century literary masterpiece is still gorgeous to behold and is considered one of the greatest novel-to-manga adaptations of all time. Prince Genji falls in love with his stepmother, and so begins a forbidden love that will make him suffer his whole life. Genji's love story involves him falling for many women and begins with his love for Princess Fujitsubo—his father's wife, and his stepmother. And Genji will cross that line which he should never cross.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2008
7 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Waki Yamato
275 books66 followersWaki Yamato (大和和紀) is a Japanese mangaka.
She is most famous for Asakiyumemishi, her adaptation of the Tale of Genji.
At one time, she formed some sort of association with IGARASHI Yumiko and TADATSU Youko. These three were also instrumental in revitalizing shoujo manga, but unlike the Year 24 Group, they are known for more traditional stories of love and romance.
She is most famous for Asakiyumemishi, her adaptation of the Tale of Genji.
At one time, she formed some sort of association with IGARASHI Yumiko and TADATSU Youko. These three were also instrumental in revitalizing shoujo manga, but unlike the Year 24 Group, they are known for more traditional stories of love and romance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 5, 2019
My thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for a review copy of this one.
This is the first volume of the graphic novel/manga version of the eleventh-century Japanese classic, The Tale of Genji by noblewoman Murasaki Shibaku (believed to be the first novel ever written). It tells the story of Hiraku Genji the ‘shining prince’, son of the Emperor Kiritsubo, and a low-ranking lady at court who the Emperor falls deeply in love with. When his mother does, Genji is sent to his grandmother, and later brought back after her death. In the meantime, the Emperor hears of a young lady, Princess Fujitsubo who resembles Genji’s deceased mother, and she soon becomes his wife. But Genji ends up falling in love with her. His forbidden love and his estranged relationship with his wife lead him to seek the woman of his dreams elsewhere, and he ends up falling in love with a series of different women. This first volume of the manga series takes us through part of the story, giving us the tale of Genji’s mother, his initial years as a child, and the stories of some of the women he falls in love with.
Before I write about the story itself, I have to mention the artwork which is really gorgeous. I especially loved the coloured pages at start of the book and at the beginning of each chapter. These are really delicate and beautiful (faces and costumes), and reminded me quite a bit of the very first anime/manga I ever saw on TV Fushigi Yugi/Curious Play.
Back to the actual story, this was I thought a great way for someone like me, who’s heard about Genji but never read it to get a glimpse of what the story is about, in a fairly simple way (The book is supposed to be quite confusing and complicated, so far as I know). The book also gives one an idea of what court life, especially that of nobles and royalty would have been like at that point—customs, etiquette, leisure activities (poetry, music, games), and even love. That said, though I don’t know if it is a story that would appeal to me as a story though I would may be have read it as a classic work. Genji is a complex character certainly, but I didn’t find him a very likeable one. But then again, if he wasn’t as ‘lost’ as he was (or at least not as unaware about what he was looking for), there would be no story. Also, even in the manga version, there were points at which I found myself a little bit confused as to some of the female characters (who was who and such). There is however a helpful character guide at the back (which I should probably have consulted then).
This version isn’t simply an adaptation of the original text into art, but the author has imagined her own Tale of Genji, creating her own dialogue, associating different flowers and foods with the different women, etc., as she explains at the end. I think the author has done a great job translating the story into this much simpler version, with her own interpretation of the characters and conversations, and the book certainly succeeds in giving first time readers like me a broad idea of this classic. This was a good read, though not a great one for me as despite the lovely artwork which I enjoyed very much, and the author’s efforts that I certainly admired and appreciated, the story wasn’t something that really drew me in. (However, I would like to know where Genji ends up, so will probably continue with the manga version.) 3.5 stars.
This manga version was first published in the 1980s, and was published in English on 26 February 2019 in digital form.
This is the first volume of the graphic novel/manga version of the eleventh-century Japanese classic, The Tale of Genji by noblewoman Murasaki Shibaku (believed to be the first novel ever written). It tells the story of Hiraku Genji the ‘shining prince’, son of the Emperor Kiritsubo, and a low-ranking lady at court who the Emperor falls deeply in love with. When his mother does, Genji is sent to his grandmother, and later brought back after her death. In the meantime, the Emperor hears of a young lady, Princess Fujitsubo who resembles Genji’s deceased mother, and she soon becomes his wife. But Genji ends up falling in love with her. His forbidden love and his estranged relationship with his wife lead him to seek the woman of his dreams elsewhere, and he ends up falling in love with a series of different women. This first volume of the manga series takes us through part of the story, giving us the tale of Genji’s mother, his initial years as a child, and the stories of some of the women he falls in love with.
Before I write about the story itself, I have to mention the artwork which is really gorgeous. I especially loved the coloured pages at start of the book and at the beginning of each chapter. These are really delicate and beautiful (faces and costumes), and reminded me quite a bit of the very first anime/manga I ever saw on TV Fushigi Yugi/Curious Play.
Back to the actual story, this was I thought a great way for someone like me, who’s heard about Genji but never read it to get a glimpse of what the story is about, in a fairly simple way (The book is supposed to be quite confusing and complicated, so far as I know). The book also gives one an idea of what court life, especially that of nobles and royalty would have been like at that point—customs, etiquette, leisure activities (poetry, music, games), and even love. That said, though I don’t know if it is a story that would appeal to me as a story though I would may be have read it as a classic work. Genji is a complex character certainly, but I didn’t find him a very likeable one. But then again, if he wasn’t as ‘lost’ as he was (or at least not as unaware about what he was looking for), there would be no story. Also, even in the manga version, there were points at which I found myself a little bit confused as to some of the female characters (who was who and such). There is however a helpful character guide at the back (which I should probably have consulted then).
This version isn’t simply an adaptation of the original text into art, but the author has imagined her own Tale of Genji, creating her own dialogue, associating different flowers and foods with the different women, etc., as she explains at the end. I think the author has done a great job translating the story into this much simpler version, with her own interpretation of the characters and conversations, and the book certainly succeeds in giving first time readers like me a broad idea of this classic. This was a good read, though not a great one for me as despite the lovely artwork which I enjoyed very much, and the author’s efforts that I certainly admired and appreciated, the story wasn’t something that really drew me in. (However, I would like to know where Genji ends up, so will probably continue with the manga version.) 3.5 stars.
This manga version was first published in the 1980s, and was published in English on 26 February 2019 in digital form.
February 18, 2019
Warnings: coercion, nudity
Rep: It is a Japanese classic, and is adapted by a Japanese mangaka!
The reputation of the Tale of Genji precedes it, having being (questionably) considered the first novel written and a record of life in the Heian period in Japanese history, and has been adapted/translated by many. At its heart, though, it is a story of a man whose problems in love arise from his longing for one particular woman and his search for a woman who could take her place in his heart. Now, I wish I could be entirely serious considering that this a classic novel and deserves every amount of gravitas, but this particular adaptation is a shoujo manga which was perfect in a way because of the Romantic nature of the story, and I cannot get by with just a perfunctory review of the book. I'll tell you why.
First of all, let me just be clear - I don't like Genji. The author also makes a similar remark in her notes, saying how she had to make herself like Genji because he is the protagonist, but I disagree mainly because protagonists don't always have to be liked and this is not the 80s anymore. Genji is the shining prince (it is literally his name, too!) and the story starts much before his birth, with his mother, who was a low-ranking lady in court who caught the eye of the Emperor and became his consort. There are some supernatural elements involved, but anyway her health declines and she dies when he is quite young and his father remarries, some years later, a young girl called Fujitsubo who resembles his deceased wife. Fujtisubo is close in age to Genji (14 to his 9) and close to him in a motherly/sisterly relationship. However, when he comes of age (at 12, like WTF) he cannot see (like, physically see, not meet) her anymore and as the years pass, his childhood adoration turns to romantic love.
But he is also married off (at 12, which again WTF) to Aoi (who is 16), who is cold towards him mainly because she doesn't know what to do with a young groom (this is a warning against child marriage, if anything) and he finds his 'joy' elsewhere in affairs with other elegant ladies at court, building a playboy reputation with his brother-in-law. He begins an affair with an older widow (and by older I mean she is 25 to his 17) Rokugo, and then a woman from other side of town, Yugao; the latter dies due to a supernatural case of jealousy in the former (IDEK it was so weird but I'll take it because its the 11th century and ayakashi are a thing). He then finds a precocious 10-year old, takes her under his wing, and names her Murasaki (future bride I guess?) while searching for the Next Woman, even going so far as to woo a woman he has never seen just because he assumes she is an highly elegant lady. He also slips up and has a night of passion with his original crush and love, Fujitsubo.
Basically, it is a series of affairs that Genji has, while cheating on his wife (try wooing her for a change, dude!), and him falling in love and out of love, while yearning and hiding his feelings for Fujitsubo. It is as melodramatic as Genji deserves, and he single-handedly removes any need for drama from womanly jealousy because he is providing all of the drama this novel needs. Maybe the original tale was supposed to engender some compassion for Genji because of the yearning, but I am cynical millennial, so I am just vicariously enjoying all the 'romance'. Genji's one move is basically to charm the woman and then suddenly rip the blinds aside, so I don't know if I could ever like him, either.
But it is a fascinating view into the life and customs of that time, and Waki Yamato does a great job of bringing it alive in her artwork. The character design is retro, obviously, but the background, the dresses, the glorious hair, the posing of the characters like they are in a woodcut artwork - it all fits the storytelling style and the era well. The art is brimming with beauty and romance, and I loved it for it. It also brushes aside and romanticizes all the things that Genji is doing wrong, but hey that's what the story is about.
Overall, it is a great manga adaptation, especially if you are someone like me who always wanted to read it but balked at reading some dry translation of it.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Kodansha Comics, via Netgalley.
Rep: It is a Japanese classic, and is adapted by a Japanese mangaka!
The reputation of the Tale of Genji precedes it, having being (questionably) considered the first novel written and a record of life in the Heian period in Japanese history, and has been adapted/translated by many. At its heart, though, it is a story of a man whose problems in love arise from his longing for one particular woman and his search for a woman who could take her place in his heart. Now, I wish I could be entirely serious considering that this a classic novel and deserves every amount of gravitas, but this particular adaptation is a shoujo manga which was perfect in a way because of the Romantic nature of the story, and I cannot get by with just a perfunctory review of the book. I'll tell you why.
First of all, let me just be clear - I don't like Genji. The author also makes a similar remark in her notes, saying how she had to make herself like Genji because he is the protagonist, but I disagree mainly because protagonists don't always have to be liked and this is not the 80s anymore. Genji is the shining prince (it is literally his name, too!) and the story starts much before his birth, with his mother, who was a low-ranking lady in court who caught the eye of the Emperor and became his consort. There are some supernatural elements involved, but anyway her health declines and she dies when he is quite young and his father remarries, some years later, a young girl called Fujitsubo who resembles his deceased wife. Fujtisubo is close in age to Genji (14 to his 9) and close to him in a motherly/sisterly relationship. However, when he comes of age (at 12, like WTF) he cannot see (like, physically see, not meet) her anymore and as the years pass, his childhood adoration turns to romantic love.
But he is also married off (at 12, which again WTF) to Aoi (who is 16), who is cold towards him mainly because she doesn't know what to do with a young groom (this is a warning against child marriage, if anything) and he finds his 'joy' elsewhere in affairs with other elegant ladies at court, building a playboy reputation with his brother-in-law. He begins an affair with an older widow (and by older I mean she is 25 to his 17) Rokugo, and then a woman from other side of town, Yugao; the latter dies due to a supernatural case of jealousy in the former (IDEK it was so weird but I'll take it because its the 11th century and ayakashi are a thing). He then finds a precocious 10-year old, takes her under his wing, and names her Murasaki (future bride I guess?) while searching for the Next Woman, even going so far as to woo a woman he has never seen just because he assumes she is an highly elegant lady. He also slips up and has a night of passion with his original crush and love, Fujitsubo.
Basically, it is a series of affairs that Genji has, while cheating on his wife (try wooing her for a change, dude!), and him falling in love and out of love, while yearning and hiding his feelings for Fujitsubo. It is as melodramatic as Genji deserves, and he single-handedly removes any need for drama from womanly jealousy because he is providing all of the drama this novel needs. Maybe the original tale was supposed to engender some compassion for Genji because of the yearning, but I am cynical millennial, so I am just vicariously enjoying all the 'romance'. Genji's one move is basically to charm the woman and then suddenly rip the blinds aside, so I don't know if I could ever like him, either.
But it is a fascinating view into the life and customs of that time, and Waki Yamato does a great job of bringing it alive in her artwork. The character design is retro, obviously, but the background, the dresses, the glorious hair, the posing of the characters like they are in a woodcut artwork - it all fits the storytelling style and the era well. The art is brimming with beauty and romance, and I loved it for it. It also brushes aside and romanticizes all the things that Genji is doing wrong, but hey that's what the story is about.
Overall, it is a great manga adaptation, especially if you are someone like me who always wanted to read it but balked at reading some dry translation of it.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Kodansha Comics, via Netgalley.
January 21, 2020
光源氏怎麼感覺那麼渣阿~
是說平安文學真的好愛白居易喔
是說平安文學真的好愛白居易喔
June 22, 2019
This is a story I have been meaning to get around to for a while so when I saw this manga version it was a must.
Prince Genji lost his mother when he was very young and his father the Emperor married the young Princess Fujitsubo as she so closely resembled his late wife.
Prince Genji lacking maternal love falls deeply in infatuated love with Princess Fujitsubo, however it is a forbidden love, she is his Fathers Wife and his Stepmother.
Married off at 12 in an arranged marriage Genji moves through adulthood from lover to lover having affairs behind his wife's back, often using a flower to symbolise the lover but always in his mind is his first love Princess Fujitsubo.
Although morally wrong the story is certainly captivating and the stunning artwork really brings it alive. It's compulsive, once I started it I had to keep reading and did so all in one go!.
I really enjoyed Waki Yamato's notes at the end, glimpses in to the artists thoughts/feelings of the story and how it altered how she translated the images.
I'm hoping to see more Japanese translations like this as this was brilliant and makes it very accessible for the UK audience.
My thanks go to the publishers, artist and Netgalley in providing this arc for a honest review.
Prince Genji lost his mother when he was very young and his father the Emperor married the young Princess Fujitsubo as she so closely resembled his late wife.
Prince Genji lacking maternal love falls deeply in infatuated love with Princess Fujitsubo, however it is a forbidden love, she is his Fathers Wife and his Stepmother.
Married off at 12 in an arranged marriage Genji moves through adulthood from lover to lover having affairs behind his wife's back, often using a flower to symbolise the lover but always in his mind is his first love Princess Fujitsubo.
Although morally wrong the story is certainly captivating and the stunning artwork really brings it alive. It's compulsive, once I started it I had to keep reading and did so all in one go!.
I really enjoyed Waki Yamato's notes at the end, glimpses in to the artists thoughts/feelings of the story and how it altered how she translated the images.
I'm hoping to see more Japanese translations like this as this was brilliant and makes it very accessible for the UK audience.
My thanks go to the publishers, artist and Netgalley in providing this arc for a honest review.
June 13, 2019
I don't often read Manga or Graphic Novels, but I picked this off NetGalley for 2 reasons.
1) The cover left me dying to see what kind of art style it had
2) It's the Tale of Genji which I want to read but have no yet aquired
Obviously this is a Manga version of the ancient classic, but I thought it would at least give me a taste of the story and themes.
I definitely did.
So the thing is, Genji the character is a something of a womanizer. If you're going to read his story (in any of its forms) you're going to have to be ok with his Oedipus Complex and sleeping with every attractive woman regardless of her relation to him.
But, the thing is, that's what happens in Greek mythology and that doesn't bother anyone 😂. The difference is, that the tale of Genji has themes that aren't nessecarily present in Greek myths, which allows you to find a depth in the story if you're willing to look.
It isn't nessecarily that Genji is a playboy (even though he is a bit, but really, what ancient king wasn't?). It's that he's looking for something deeper, hoping to find it in each new woman, but instead of finding peace it only begins to upset life for him and the women.
I enjoyed the author's note at the end; she offered her perception of the Tale of Genji and why she loves it, helping you find a bit of the depth that can be discovered in the story. I found her opinions to be very interesting! I enjoyed reading them.
The art was also very nice! At the beginning of each chapter there were colored pages that looked like watercolor illustrations and I could have drooled over them they were so pretty.
Yes, I would continue reading this series.
Note: I've seen some people say that the story lagged or that the English translation lacks the cultural implications of the original Japanese. The language may be true; I unfortuantely do not know enough to make a judgement one way or the other. However, I didn't find the story to lag. As this was a manga I finished it very quickly, so personally I didn't find it to have an unpleasant change of pace.
1) The cover left me dying to see what kind of art style it had
2) It's the Tale of Genji which I want to read but have no yet aquired
Obviously this is a Manga version of the ancient classic, but I thought it would at least give me a taste of the story and themes.
I definitely did.
So the thing is, Genji the character is a something of a womanizer. If you're going to read his story (in any of its forms) you're going to have to be ok with his Oedipus Complex and sleeping with every attractive woman regardless of her relation to him.
But, the thing is, that's what happens in Greek mythology and that doesn't bother anyone 😂. The difference is, that the tale of Genji has themes that aren't nessecarily present in Greek myths, which allows you to find a depth in the story if you're willing to look.
It isn't nessecarily that Genji is a playboy (even though he is a bit, but really, what ancient king wasn't?). It's that he's looking for something deeper, hoping to find it in each new woman, but instead of finding peace it only begins to upset life for him and the women.
I enjoyed the author's note at the end; she offered her perception of the Tale of Genji and why she loves it, helping you find a bit of the depth that can be discovered in the story. I found her opinions to be very interesting! I enjoyed reading them.
The art was also very nice! At the beginning of each chapter there were colored pages that looked like watercolor illustrations and I could have drooled over them they were so pretty.
Yes, I would continue reading this series.
Note: I've seen some people say that the story lagged or that the English translation lacks the cultural implications of the original Japanese. The language may be true; I unfortuantely do not know enough to make a judgement one way or the other. However, I didn't find the story to lag. As this was a manga I finished it very quickly, so personally I didn't find it to have an unpleasant change of pace.
May 5, 2020
Before I Start
I picked this book from NetGalley a couple of years ago for two reasons. One, it was The Tale of Genji, which is considered the first novel ever written and has been on my TBR for a while but I never got around to it because of its sheer length. And two, this one was the manga version of it, a form I had fallen in love with, which of course, makes it easier and quicker to read!! 🙂
Somehow I missed reading it, and later got it for myself to read and review. That time, I missed reviewing it. So here it is finally, as I worked on the letter T for this A to Z Challenge!
My Thoughts
The Tale of Genji certainly lends itself to the manga form. Every character and every setting is stunningly beautiful, and the details are amazing. While the story itself is full of twists and turns, and worth a whole review, my thoughts here focus on the manga version.
I cannot comment on how the original has been adapted to the manga, not having read the original (in English translation, of course) yet. But based on the popularity of this manga and the comments (below) from the description, this is totally worth a read:
First published in the 1980s and 90s, Waki Yamato’s renowned adaptation of Murasaki Shikibu’s 11th-century literary masterpiece is still gorgeous to behold and is considered one of the greatest novel-to-manga adaptations of all time.
As for me, reading this book gave me immense pleasure, and I look forward to the rest in the ten-volume series (yes, this is just the first one of ten)!
In Summary
An amazing read for those who love manga, comics, or have The Tale of Genji on their TBRs.
Check my blog - LadyInReadWrites - for more reviews
Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC of the book; these are my honest opinions after reading the book.
I picked this book from NetGalley a couple of years ago for two reasons. One, it was The Tale of Genji, which is considered the first novel ever written and has been on my TBR for a while but I never got around to it because of its sheer length. And two, this one was the manga version of it, a form I had fallen in love with, which of course, makes it easier and quicker to read!! 🙂
Somehow I missed reading it, and later got it for myself to read and review. That time, I missed reviewing it. So here it is finally, as I worked on the letter T for this A to Z Challenge!
My Thoughts
The Tale of Genji certainly lends itself to the manga form. Every character and every setting is stunningly beautiful, and the details are amazing. While the story itself is full of twists and turns, and worth a whole review, my thoughts here focus on the manga version.
I cannot comment on how the original has been adapted to the manga, not having read the original (in English translation, of course) yet. But based on the popularity of this manga and the comments (below) from the description, this is totally worth a read:
First published in the 1980s and 90s, Waki Yamato’s renowned adaptation of Murasaki Shikibu’s 11th-century literary masterpiece is still gorgeous to behold and is considered one of the greatest novel-to-manga adaptations of all time.
As for me, reading this book gave me immense pleasure, and I look forward to the rest in the ten-volume series (yes, this is just the first one of ten)!
In Summary
An amazing read for those who love manga, comics, or have The Tale of Genji on their TBRs.
Check my blog - LadyInReadWrites - for more reviews
Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC of the book; these are my honest opinions after reading the book.
May 17, 2019
ARC via Netgalley. I didn't realize initially that this is a translation of an older manga, and I think a lot of my disappointment with it can be chalked up to a mismatch of stylistic expectation. If you like manga from the era of Rose of Versailles, I think the art has that kind of old-school shojo aesthetic, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I was hoping for the full-blown over the top set pieces of xxxHOLiC or the incredibly detailed costumes of A Bride's Story, and Tale of Genji definitely does not have that. There's a lot of white space. The story is... uh, let's go with complex, but I was able to follow along pretty well despite not having any prior knowledge of Tale of Genji (I did cave and google mid-manga to confirm my suspicion that Genji is eventually going to marry the child he adopted because she resembles his stepmother who he has a crush on because she resembles his mother... y i k e s, and also yes he 100% grooms this girl to be his eventual perfect bride but that's ~literature for you), and there's a family tree at the back of the book as well. I did very much appreciate the mangaka's note at the end of the book laughing at Genji the dirtbag and his massive Oedipal complex! Like, at least we can all acknowledge that he is objectively a terrible person.
March 15, 2019
'The Tale of Genji: Dreams at Dawn' by Waki Yamato is a classic manga based on an 11th-century literary classic.
This manga begins with the story of Prince Genji. His birth, like much of his story is tragic. When Genji gets older, the stories in this manga are about the various courtly love interests he has, and how they make his life miserable, especially when he falls in love with an older woman and it turns out to be his stepmother.
The art is lavish and detailed, from the courtly robes to the many flowers. I wished at times it would have been in color.
The story felt a bit dry to me, and I found my attention drifting. I like classics, but this tends to read like one. I did really like the included interview excerpts from the creator of this manga.
I received a review copy of this manga from Kodansha Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.
This manga begins with the story of Prince Genji. His birth, like much of his story is tragic. When Genji gets older, the stories in this manga are about the various courtly love interests he has, and how they make his life miserable, especially when he falls in love with an older woman and it turns out to be his stepmother.
The art is lavish and detailed, from the courtly robes to the many flowers. I wished at times it would have been in color.
The story felt a bit dry to me, and I found my attention drifting. I like classics, but this tends to read like one. I did really like the included interview excerpts from the creator of this manga.
I received a review copy of this manga from Kodansha Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.
March 25, 2019
-- Read this book from NetGalley UK in exchange for a fair review. --
Despite not being very familiar with the original tale, I was pleasantly surprised that Kodansha Comics finally took the big leap to make this available in English. Well-deserved indeed! Now comes the catch: I have reservations on how the source text was translated.
The English dialogues do not reflect the historical setting and reads like soap opera instead; with no hint of refinement in the many and varied characters. Most importantly, it lacks discernment of the social hierarchy in ancient Japan which is an integral part of the story.
I was already 50% into the book when I felt the translation really was stripped of its most significant context in favour of plain readability. Aside from the beautiful illustrations, I am unable to recommend much else.
Despite not being very familiar with the original tale, I was pleasantly surprised that Kodansha Comics finally took the big leap to make this available in English. Well-deserved indeed! Now comes the catch: I have reservations on how the source text was translated.
The English dialogues do not reflect the historical setting and reads like soap opera instead; with no hint of refinement in the many and varied characters. Most importantly, it lacks discernment of the social hierarchy in ancient Japan which is an integral part of the story.
I was already 50% into the book when I felt the translation really was stripped of its most significant context in favour of plain readability. Aside from the beautiful illustrations, I am unable to recommend much else.
August 30, 2019
I love classics in manga-format. Sometime the drawings are easier to understand than the actual quotes in the books, and it helps the comprehension of little details and poetical references in long stories as this one. The old-fashioned style of the cartoons is fascinating and charming and I think it suits well the story, a really old tale about a prince in the old Japan, where kimonos and hair are important as noble titles. I think, however, that sometimes the women could look all the same, just because it's an old style. The last chapter was a little bit dry, and I felt the urge to skip some parts of it.
I hope that there would be more coloured drawings.
If you are interested in Japanese culture I totally recommend this manga.
I received an Arc of this book from Netgalley in Exchange for an honest review
I hope that there would be more coloured drawings.
If you are interested in Japanese culture I totally recommend this manga.
I received an Arc of this book from Netgalley in Exchange for an honest review
March 16, 2019
A 21st century way to experience an 11th century tale. The climate is right for a new generation of readers to meet The Shining One and his entourage. This graphic novel version tells the first part of the story: Genji’s birth, coming of age, and romantic exploits as a young man. Along the way, we are introduced to the nuances of court life In ancient Japan. There are so many possibilities for Waki Yamato’s work. Besides its appeal as an incredibly artful graphic novel in its own right, teachers of World Literature could find it an accessible way to engage students in meaningful discussion of their reading of the original novel by Murasaki Shikibu. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
February 19, 2022
Probably closer to 3.5. I really hope to read this novel some day but the manga is enjoyable until then. I liked it more than I thought I would but these historical love and tragedies are right up my alley.
3 times hooking up with your step mom out of 5 times falling in love with frigging everybody
3 times hooking up with your step mom out of 5 times falling in love with frigging everybody
January 23, 2024
The illustrations are beautiful. I think I will read the original in Japanese some time this year. Genji is messed up
August 28, 2025
why am i reading a love story? why am I enjoying it?
December 17, 2019
Being clearly able to distinguish characters has made it so accessible to any person not steeped in this marvelous tale. Having just read through the Tyler translation allows me to appreciate just how true to the spirit and tale this graphic depiction is.
March 26, 2023
Lovely sweeping and swirling manga adaptation of the classic. First of ten volumes!
July 3, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher that gave me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
***
This is a comic version of the 11th Century novel by Murasaki Shikibu, and it's centered around one of the Emperor's sons, Genji, and his love life.
Genji's mother, one of the low rank Emperor's wives, dies when he's very young. One day, the Emperor falls in love with another woman because she's so alike Genji's mother. The child, knowing this, becomes very attached to her and starts considering her as a mother, even though she's only 5 years older than him. When Genji grows up he falls in love with her, and she with him, but they have to hide it from the Emperor because she's one of his wives and that would be considered treason. Along his life, he keeps falling in love with woman after woman as long as they remind him of his mother.
Genji is a nice enough character, and he's especially endearing because since his childood he's been living with an inner sense of abandonment and a longing for a mother's love. However, the fact that he's becoming romantically involved with all women who seems to look like his departed mother is incestuous and a bit creepy.
The illustrations are stunning, but unfortunately (to me) the story comes across as boring and confusing too, Often, characters contradict themselves and all of the sudden they jump from a subject to another, or they start talking about a woman and then suddenly it seems they're referring to another.
I haven't read the original novel, so I can't say if this version is faithful to it and these discrepancies belong to the original or just the comic version, but the confusion forces you to stop reading to go back and try to understand "what's going on". The fact that the women Genji loves look so similar doesn't help either, because some times you don't understand which one is she.
In conclusion, I truly wanted to love this book, and I found it beautifully illustrated, but unfortunately I didn't enjoy reading it because of all the issues above.
***
This is a comic version of the 11th Century novel by Murasaki Shikibu, and it's centered around one of the Emperor's sons, Genji, and his love life.
Genji's mother, one of the low rank Emperor's wives, dies when he's very young. One day, the Emperor falls in love with another woman because she's so alike Genji's mother. The child, knowing this, becomes very attached to her and starts considering her as a mother, even though she's only 5 years older than him. When Genji grows up he falls in love with her, and she with him, but they have to hide it from the Emperor because she's one of his wives and that would be considered treason. Along his life, he keeps falling in love with woman after woman as long as they remind him of his mother.
Genji is a nice enough character, and he's especially endearing because since his childood he's been living with an inner sense of abandonment and a longing for a mother's love. However, the fact that he's becoming romantically involved with all women who seems to look like his departed mother is incestuous and a bit creepy.
The illustrations are stunning, but unfortunately (to me) the story comes across as boring and confusing too, Often, characters contradict themselves and all of the sudden they jump from a subject to another, or they start talking about a woman and then suddenly it seems they're referring to another.
I haven't read the original novel, so I can't say if this version is faithful to it and these discrepancies belong to the original or just the comic version, but the confusion forces you to stop reading to go back and try to understand "what's going on". The fact that the women Genji loves look so similar doesn't help either, because some times you don't understand which one is she.
In conclusion, I truly wanted to love this book, and I found it beautifully illustrated, but unfortunately I didn't enjoy reading it because of all the issues above.
March 5, 2019
My thanks to Kodansha Comics for making available via NetGalley this beautiful graphic novel/manga of the first volume of Waki Yamato’s adaptation of Murasaki Shikibu’s 11th-century literary masterpiece, ‘The Tale of Genji’.
This English language digital edition coincides with ‘The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, featuring original artwork from this manga, opening in March 2019.
The story recounts the forbidden love between the young prince Genji and his stepmother, Fujitsubo, who is married to the Emperor. Along the way Genji has a number of affairs while ignoring his own wife. Their arranged marriage had taken place when he was only twelve. Having lost his mother at a young age, Genji seems to be searching for maternal love.
The Oedipal theme is extended by the fact that the Emperor had married Fujitsubo because she closely resembles his dead concubine, Genji’s mother. The complexity doesn’t end there.
I freely admit that I had not previously known of this novel or its history. Yet I was intrigued by it and the cover art was breathtaking.I also have not read much manga though I have appreciated what I have experienced. The art throughout was exquisite with enough text to relay the story.
After the main text Waki Yamato provides family trees, useful short character introductions, and an article about her journey with ‘The Tale of Genji’, which originally was published between 1980-1993 in thirteen volumes.
I felt this format provided an excellent introduction to this classic work of Japanese literature. Dare I hope that Kodansha Comics makes more volumes available to English readers in the future.i
This English language digital edition coincides with ‘The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, featuring original artwork from this manga, opening in March 2019.
The story recounts the forbidden love between the young prince Genji and his stepmother, Fujitsubo, who is married to the Emperor. Along the way Genji has a number of affairs while ignoring his own wife. Their arranged marriage had taken place when he was only twelve. Having lost his mother at a young age, Genji seems to be searching for maternal love.
The Oedipal theme is extended by the fact that the Emperor had married Fujitsubo because she closely resembles his dead concubine, Genji’s mother. The complexity doesn’t end there.
I freely admit that I had not previously known of this novel or its history. Yet I was intrigued by it and the cover art was breathtaking.I also have not read much manga though I have appreciated what I have experienced. The art throughout was exquisite with enough text to relay the story.
After the main text Waki Yamato provides family trees, useful short character introductions, and an article about her journey with ‘The Tale of Genji’, which originally was published between 1980-1993 in thirteen volumes.
I felt this format provided an excellent introduction to this classic work of Japanese literature. Dare I hope that Kodansha Comics makes more volumes available to English readers in the future.i
March 8, 2019
🔖Tales of Genji, Dreams at Dawn by Waki Yamato🔖
🔸
Pages: 269
Genre: Graphic Novel (Manga), Romance
Publishers: Kodansha Comics
🔸
This edition of Tales of Genji (first published in 1980's) is an illustrated Manga based on the original Japanese literary classic by Murasaki Shikibu written in the 11th century. This book is described as the best Manga adaptation up to date. My this year's goals included trying new genres so when I saw this one I had to read it & I am so glad I did.
I haven't read all the Volumes yet (this one is only the first volume) but I am eagre to read it now hence I have subscribed to their comics already☻ can't wait to read the Vol. 2. 😃
🔸
This book revolves around the life of Prince Genji and his extensive love affairs. His true love that he did found in his childhood was older to him and mature, said to be similar looking like her late mother his dad, the emperor, married her. Throughout his upbringing they both knew they longed for each other but due to societal pressure and twist of fate they couldn't be together. Trying to fall out of love & his own legal wife not accepting him for some strange reason (which I believe will be revealed in the further volumes) with a feeling of wanting to be loved he tries his luck with other women, one of them dies due to a demonic interaction while with others he had other different experiences. I could mention it all here but it will spoil the fun for anyone who will read it after reading the review.
🔸
The illustrations are simply breath taking, as an art freak I founf myself staring at the pages for a good minute after I'm done reading the sentences sometimes. It was my first experience with Manga and I sooooo loved it.
Overall Rating: 5/5⭐ (finally a 5/5 read of this year💃)
🔸
Pages: 269
Genre: Graphic Novel (Manga), Romance
Publishers: Kodansha Comics
🔸
This edition of Tales of Genji (first published in 1980's) is an illustrated Manga based on the original Japanese literary classic by Murasaki Shikibu written in the 11th century. This book is described as the best Manga adaptation up to date. My this year's goals included trying new genres so when I saw this one I had to read it & I am so glad I did.
I haven't read all the Volumes yet (this one is only the first volume) but I am eagre to read it now hence I have subscribed to their comics already☻ can't wait to read the Vol. 2. 😃
🔸
This book revolves around the life of Prince Genji and his extensive love affairs. His true love that he did found in his childhood was older to him and mature, said to be similar looking like her late mother his dad, the emperor, married her. Throughout his upbringing they both knew they longed for each other but due to societal pressure and twist of fate they couldn't be together. Trying to fall out of love & his own legal wife not accepting him for some strange reason (which I believe will be revealed in the further volumes) with a feeling of wanting to be loved he tries his luck with other women, one of them dies due to a demonic interaction while with others he had other different experiences. I could mention it all here but it will spoil the fun for anyone who will read it after reading the review.
🔸
The illustrations are simply breath taking, as an art freak I founf myself staring at the pages for a good minute after I'm done reading the sentences sometimes. It was my first experience with Manga and I sooooo loved it.
Overall Rating: 5/5⭐ (finally a 5/5 read of this year💃)
March 9, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
***
The Tale of Genji is one of those stories where a lot of people have probably heard the title but don’t know much beyond it being a classic Japanese story. This manga brings the tale to life with beautiful illustrations though and hopefully revives an interest in a fairly fascinating tale.
The story follows Genji, the shining prince, who lost his mother and then grandmother at a very young age and is taken in by his father, the emperor, but removed from the line of succession. The emperor takes on a new wife, a young woman who has a close resemblance to Genji’s late mother. Genji is very close to her (Oedipal complex) and as he grows older his feelings get more complex about how he feels about her. Considering her status as the emperors wife Genji moves on, kinda, and is married off at a young age, 12?, and has many relations with other women that tend to leave him unfulfilled or the woman ends up meeting a tragic end. The story can be a bit tough at times because many characters don’t have names but the titles/roles they fulfilled. Wasn’t as easy for me to remember.
Genji isn’t exactly my favorite character. He’s sympathetic, he keeps looking for love in all the wrong places and seems to make many really bad decisions but mean well. He’s not the fascinating character though, the women that surround Genji, I think, are the true stars of this story.
This volume covers some of Genji’s tale, there is still more to be told and I’ll be happy to read it when it’s released.
***
The Tale of Genji is one of those stories where a lot of people have probably heard the title but don’t know much beyond it being a classic Japanese story. This manga brings the tale to life with beautiful illustrations though and hopefully revives an interest in a fairly fascinating tale.
The story follows Genji, the shining prince, who lost his mother and then grandmother at a very young age and is taken in by his father, the emperor, but removed from the line of succession. The emperor takes on a new wife, a young woman who has a close resemblance to Genji’s late mother. Genji is very close to her (Oedipal complex) and as he grows older his feelings get more complex about how he feels about her. Considering her status as the emperors wife Genji moves on, kinda, and is married off at a young age, 12?, and has many relations with other women that tend to leave him unfulfilled or the woman ends up meeting a tragic end. The story can be a bit tough at times because many characters don’t have names but the titles/roles they fulfilled. Wasn’t as easy for me to remember.
Genji isn’t exactly my favorite character. He’s sympathetic, he keeps looking for love in all the wrong places and seems to make many really bad decisions but mean well. He’s not the fascinating character though, the women that surround Genji, I think, are the true stars of this story.
This volume covers some of Genji’s tale, there is still more to be told and I’ll be happy to read it when it’s released.
September 27, 2024
This manga version of The Tale of Genji is surely interesting and that we finally have this in English, when it was originally published in the late 1970s and 1980s(!). The story revolves around Hikaru Genji, a second son of Emperor Kiritsubo, who tries to find love basically. His mother died when he was a child and afterwards he was taken care of Princess Fujitsubo. Genji falls in love with the princess and they even have an illegal child that is kept a secret later on and they cannot really be together. Thus Genji goes from one woman to another in search of someone like her. He even adopts a girl in a way to raise her to be the perfect wife and names her Murasaki and somehow I have the feeling she is Murasaki Shikubu, the writer of the story perhaps?
The art looks like shoujo at the time so perhaps this doesn't appeal to young readers. The story is mature too in many ways and Genji makes love to everything basically. Either way this is an interesting look at the court life and Japan's history, which makes this intriguing and perhaps this is an easier version compared to the book. The manga is heavy with text and the panels are full, which makes this a slow read, but in a way it works with the story well. It's hard to remember the characters though, since the women look the same and their names are somewhat similar too. It'd like to see a fresh version brought to this day actually, it would be awesome. Still, this is worth the read and the translation works too.
The art looks like shoujo at the time so perhaps this doesn't appeal to young readers. The story is mature too in many ways and Genji makes love to everything basically. Either way this is an interesting look at the court life and Japan's history, which makes this intriguing and perhaps this is an easier version compared to the book. The manga is heavy with text and the panels are full, which makes this a slow read, but in a way it works with the story well. It's hard to remember the characters though, since the women look the same and their names are somewhat similar too. It'd like to see a fresh version brought to this day actually, it would be awesome. Still, this is worth the read and the translation works too.
February 21, 2019
Attractive ~ Historical ~ Traditional
tl; dr: Courtier Genji struggles, writes poetry, and falls in love.
Genji is the first novel, arguably, written in the highly restrictive court society of Heian Japan. The story while lovely can feel arcane to contemporary readers. And, yet, it is probably the most important document of that period of Japan. The power of Genji rippled through Japanese culture. The kawaii culture of Japan, with its young girls hiding their mouths while they smile, can be traced to the demure courtiers in the inner circles of the Heian court. Any lover of Japanese culture must read Genji. But, lord, reading it can be a bore. Yamato's Genji is a great onboarding read, turning the inaccessible plot into something easy to digest. The illustrations are done in the Anime/ Manga vernacular adding the accessibility of the volume.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Seema Rao Write : Instagram| Blog| Twitter|
tl; dr: Courtier Genji struggles, writes poetry, and falls in love.
Genji is the first novel, arguably, written in the highly restrictive court society of Heian Japan. The story while lovely can feel arcane to contemporary readers. And, yet, it is probably the most important document of that period of Japan. The power of Genji rippled through Japanese culture. The kawaii culture of Japan, with its young girls hiding their mouths while they smile, can be traced to the demure courtiers in the inner circles of the Heian court. Any lover of Japanese culture must read Genji. But, lord, reading it can be a bore. Yamato's Genji is a great onboarding read, turning the inaccessible plot into something easy to digest. The illustrations are done in the Anime/ Manga vernacular adding the accessibility of the volume.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Seema Rao Write : Instagram| Blog| Twitter|
April 4, 2019
Free copy supplied from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
It's obviously difficult to make a long and complex story like the tale of Genji comprehensible and unsurprisingly as the comic went on I became more and more confused. Even though the source material is large and unruly, I felt that this comic could have been a little better done. The art style was beautiful and I really enjoyed it, but it felt a little flawed; facial proportions were off a lot of the time, which was quite distracting. In addition to this, many of the female characters looked the same and there wasn't much there to distinguish them. The dialogue often didn't help matters either. Though it was delicate and pretty, it was just as confusing as the art.
Still, the overall impression of the comic was enjoyable and delicate. It just felt unfinished and in need of some editing to me. I think this would be a well suited read to those more familiar with the source material and in fact, those who are probably would enjoy this a lot. It's just not very beginner friendly.
It's obviously difficult to make a long and complex story like the tale of Genji comprehensible and unsurprisingly as the comic went on I became more and more confused. Even though the source material is large and unruly, I felt that this comic could have been a little better done. The art style was beautiful and I really enjoyed it, but it felt a little flawed; facial proportions were off a lot of the time, which was quite distracting. In addition to this, many of the female characters looked the same and there wasn't much there to distinguish them. The dialogue often didn't help matters either. Though it was delicate and pretty, it was just as confusing as the art.
Still, the overall impression of the comic was enjoyable and delicate. It just felt unfinished and in need of some editing to me. I think this would be a well suited read to those more familiar with the source material and in fact, those who are probably would enjoy this a lot. It's just not very beginner friendly.
February 20, 2019
A classic tale from back in the old days in Japan.
Genji is the shining prince, so beautiful, so young. Such a womaziner from a time so long ago.
It's a pretty tale of the prince Genji, son of the Emperor but not with the first wife. So young he loses both his mother - The Emperor' love, Lady Kiritsubo, a comcubine from a lowly family but so beautiful she calls all the attention.
As the chapters go we follow Lady's Kiritsubo and Emperor Kiritsubo story, and as soon as Genji's hit his 3 years we follow his story as he grows into a young man and then into a adult and all his lovers as he passes life, always matching his princesses with the flowers he so much like.
While I had a bit of difficulty in the beginning to see who was who in the woman cast, the trace of art so very much alike, I had a nice time reading this book. Very beautiful.
Genji is the shining prince, so beautiful, so young. Such a womaziner from a time so long ago.
It's a pretty tale of the prince Genji, son of the Emperor but not with the first wife. So young he loses both his mother - The Emperor' love, Lady Kiritsubo, a comcubine from a lowly family but so beautiful she calls all the attention.
As the chapters go we follow Lady's Kiritsubo and Emperor Kiritsubo story, and as soon as Genji's hit his 3 years we follow his story as he grows into a young man and then into a adult and all his lovers as he passes life, always matching his princesses with the flowers he so much like.
While I had a bit of difficulty in the beginning to see who was who in the woman cast, the trace of art so very much alike, I had a nice time reading this book. Very beautiful.
February 26, 2019
*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. *
This is an adaptation of the popular and renown work of by Murasaki Shikibu. I think for me this is something that I will have to re-read in the future after I read Shikibu’s original work. I thought that this being transformed into a manga would make it more accessible as a reader however I found that it sometimes hindered the concentration needed for this story. This is a retelling of a very old book (1000 years) and whilst the characters were complex and the story harrowing, I felt like I needed more. Whilst admitting it felt a bit dry and stiff at times, I admire the writing style and overall artwork. I wanted to love this so much more - not horrible but just an okay read for me.
This is an adaptation of the popular and renown work of by Murasaki Shikibu. I think for me this is something that I will have to re-read in the future after I read Shikibu’s original work. I thought that this being transformed into a manga would make it more accessible as a reader however I found that it sometimes hindered the concentration needed for this story. This is a retelling of a very old book (1000 years) and whilst the characters were complex and the story harrowing, I felt like I needed more. Whilst admitting it felt a bit dry and stiff at times, I admire the writing style and overall artwork. I wanted to love this so much more - not horrible but just an okay read for me.
Read
March 15, 2019Thank you NetGalley for the free review copy
This is a beautiful first volume in the manga-adaptation series of the Tale of Genji. The coloured chapter pages are splendid and the black and white story pages are beautifully drawn, very elegant, with a style that sometimes reminds of art nouveau or Mucha.
I did however find the story hard to follow. Possibly because I had no knowledge of the tale of Genji, but also because it is hard to distinguish between the different characters. The several ladies look quite similar and in some instances the same person has dark hair in one picture and light in the next.
Overall it was an interesting story and I enjoyed the style of the drawings.
This is a beautiful first volume in the manga-adaptation series of the Tale of Genji. The coloured chapter pages are splendid and the black and white story pages are beautifully drawn, very elegant, with a style that sometimes reminds of art nouveau or Mucha.
I did however find the story hard to follow. Possibly because I had no knowledge of the tale of Genji, but also because it is hard to distinguish between the different characters. The several ladies look quite similar and in some instances the same person has dark hair in one picture and light in the next.
Overall it was an interesting story and I enjoyed the style of the drawings.
April 27, 2019
This is a manga adaptation of the original tale, giving us the story of the shining prince, Genji as he tries to escape the shadow of his forbidden love.
The original book is still on my To Be Read list so I can't compare the story but I can say this book is pretty to look at but confusing. The art is pretty but I had difficulty telling people apart because of the style. It's delightfully detailed in some aspects; like the flowers and the clothes. But I had trouble with the faces because they were all designed so similarly. And the dialogue didn't help; leaving me baffled as to who was who in the hierarchy and why it was important. One day I'll read the original book but as a taste of it, this manga isn't so bad. 3 out of 5.
The original book is still on my To Be Read list so I can't compare the story but I can say this book is pretty to look at but confusing. The art is pretty but I had difficulty telling people apart because of the style. It's delightfully detailed in some aspects; like the flowers and the clothes. But I had trouble with the faces because they were all designed so similarly. And the dialogue didn't help; leaving me baffled as to who was who in the hierarchy and why it was important. One day I'll read the original book but as a taste of it, this manga isn't so bad. 3 out of 5.
July 15, 2019
My Rating : 4
I have never read any Japanese classic literature and reading this book as a Manga definitely heightened the experience! The artwork is so whimsical and flowing, the story is really captivating and the way the storyline is portrayed is wonderful. It took some time for me to figure out the pattern of the illustration to read, but after that, it was really good. The character summary at the end really helped me understand the overall picture. Since the artwork is similar, it might get a little confusing to identify the individuals, but I don't think it hinders the reading experience though. Definitely going to read more of Japanese classics now !
Thank you so much Netgalley for the review copy. Detailed review will be up soon !
I have never read any Japanese classic literature and reading this book as a Manga definitely heightened the experience! The artwork is so whimsical and flowing, the story is really captivating and the way the storyline is portrayed is wonderful. It took some time for me to figure out the pattern of the illustration to read, but after that, it was really good. The character summary at the end really helped me understand the overall picture. Since the artwork is similar, it might get a little confusing to identify the individuals, but I don't think it hinders the reading experience though. Definitely going to read more of Japanese classics now !
Thank you so much Netgalley for the review copy. Detailed review will be up soon !
May 12, 2019
This manga is based on the medieval tale of Prince Genji, the illegitimate son of the Emperor who is born and raised in luxury and has a penchant for falling for the wrong women. He has an incredible number of affairs, one in particular a forbidden one with his own father's new wife, a young woman barely 4 years older than Genji who had been close to him after the death of Genji's mother and had eventually grown dangerously close to the young and amorous teenager…
The art is beautiful, so if you think that the story itself is something you can be into, this manga will be an incredible reading experience
The art is beautiful, so if you think that the story itself is something you can be into, this manga will be an incredible reading experience
March 4, 2019
*Arc provided by Netgalley and the publishers*
As someone who generally loves manga and Japanese myths, I was a bit conflicted with reading this. Due to the character art style it was really difficult who each character was and what role they played in each chapter.
I enjoyed reading the manga, however it was quite difficult as there were no time frames and the characters would jump age ranges, Genji would be a small child one moment to being a teenager the next and I found it really confusing as some of the other characters didn't look as tho they have aged as much.
As someone who generally loves manga and Japanese myths, I was a bit conflicted with reading this. Due to the character art style it was really difficult who each character was and what role they played in each chapter.
I enjoyed reading the manga, however it was quite difficult as there were no time frames and the characters would jump age ranges, Genji would be a small child one moment to being a teenager the next and I found it really confusing as some of the other characters didn't look as tho they have aged as much.
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