Manga Review: Yukarism

Manga Review: Yukarism by Chika Shiomi

Teen author Yukari Kobayakawa was born with a birthmark that resembles a sword wound.  His books set in the Edo period of Japan are best-sellers; but curiously he never does any research for them.  It’s as though that knowledge is his birthright.   Yukari’s life goes from odd but low-key to outright bizarre when he meets classmate Mahoro Tachibana, who also has a strange birthmark.  Yukari finds himself apparently reliving a previous life as Yumurasaki, a beautiful oiran (high-class courtesan.)

Hilarity ensues as Yukari commutes between his two lives, and more people from that past lifetime show up in different forms in the present.  But it’s not all fun and games–if that birthmark is anything to go by, Yumurasaki is doomed to a violent death, and soon!

This is a shoujo (girls’) manga by the creator of Yurara and Rasetsu.  As such, there’s a strong undercurrent of romantic tension between the various characters in each time period.  The supplementary material shows that unlike her main character, Ms. Shiomi has to work hard on the historical research so she can get costume and building details right.  Rough stuff for someone who paid no attention in history class!

Yukari seems less freaked out than amused at ending up in Yumurasaki’s body and getting to experience the Edo period atmosphere.  For some reason, he has the courtesan’s cultural knowledge, but not her personal memories, or any of the training in proper feminine gestures and movement.  Thus he often shows hilariously inappropriate modern teenage boy body language in her form.  This worries Yumurasaki’s fellow employees, as an oiran‘s grace and delicate movement is key to her appeal.

Things get uncomfortable when Yukari is reminded of what it is a courtesan actually does, and parents of younger teens may want to check to see if they think their kids are ready for the topic.  Fortunately, the client does not follow through, at least this time.  But he’s still kind of creepy, and so is his apparent reincarnation.

Mahoro is kind of a generic love interest character, outside of being reincarnated; she mostly gets to be puzzled or jealous as Yukari behaves oddly.

This story could go some very dark places, or remain light; it’s difficult to tell where it’s headed from this first volume.  Best, I think, for fans of reincarnation romance themes.