Interesting technique

[telophase]

A quick manga observation right before I go to bed. DUnno how many of you read Tramps like Us (Kimi wa no Pet), but volume 6 is out and the mangaka does something interesting for part of chapter 32.

She follows along a day in the life of the main character Sumire, but for a good part of it through the eyes of the other characters. It starts with narration by Momo, Sumire's "pet,"* as he talks about how he gets to see a side of her that her boyfriend doesn't. Then the narration switches to her best friend, trying to work out what's bugging Sumire and musing on how she's been like she is since college. Her boyfriend then picks the narration up, pondering what she's not telling him, and then a romantic rival of hers picks it up, and puzzles over why Sumire doesn't seem to be much into her boyfriend, and why she doens't try harder to make herself appealing to men. (And then the chapter concludes with Typical Manga Plot Twist.)

The change in narrators is signalled by a new page and scene, and each thread of narration starts with the narrator musing that there's something about Sumire that they just don't get. (And I ahvne't gone thruogh and re-read all the scenes yet, but I'm wondering if maybe what each person doens't get about SUmire is answered by another person?)

I don't have much to say about that, no deep analysis, because it's past my bedtime and I'm sleeeeepy, but I figured I'd throw it out there and see if anyone else thinks it's a nifty as I do. It'd be annoying if it were overused, but it seems to be a cool way to contrast different sides of Sumire and how she's different with different people.


* Momo is a young male ballet dancer who is living in Sumire's apartment and acting as her pet. I fully expect that not a single one of you blinked when you read that, because you're all used to manga by now, and you probably wondered if he was kinda hot, and you already have figured out that there's romantic tension occurring. Yes. You should read it. I couldn't do justice to how he ends up in her apartment.

Comments

[sub-divided.livejournal.com]

He used to be a ballet dancer, but now he does modern dance.

*followed until liscencing*

[telophase.livejournal.com]

In 6 he does ballet, and they explain in the notes in back that he occasionally goes back and does it. :D

[artist-luver.livejournal.com]

one of my favorite mangas. (well, the past few volumes have been rather slow, but its starting to pick up.)
^_^
i enjoyed that tramps like us narration. very interesting!

[fourthage.livejournal.com]

Tramps Like Us is one of my favorites. I wish more josei was getting published over here. That bit you mention was very nifty.

[thawrecka]

I've never read Tramps Like Us but that does sound interesting - I've always been fond of that technique. It's always interesting to see the main characters in something through the eyes of those around them who have different priorities and ideas and so forth.