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blog-de-genero-en-japon · 1 year

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Empleo y diseño institucional

La condición dispar entre hombres y mujeres en el área laboral también se puede explicar a partir del sistema institucional japonés y las políticas creadas desde el Ministerio de Salud, Trabajo y Bienestar, así como de la Agencia Nacional de Impuestos, que han promovido que las mujeres se dediquen principalmente a labores domésticas y de cuidado, y de que en caso de trabajar fuera de sus hogares, lo hagan de tiempo parcial. A continuación se presentan algunas de las políticas que dan sustento a lo anteriormente expuesto.

En materia fiscal, desde 1961 se crearon las “deducciones familiares” con el supuesto propósito de ayudar a familias donde ambos esposos trabajan, al establecer la reducción proporcional del impuesto al salario por unidad familiar y no individualmente. Por ejemplo, si uno de los esposos gana menos de ¥700,000 anuales hay una excepción para el total de ingresos por salario por familia de hasta 38%. Sin embargo, si se presenta un aumento en el salario de alguno de los esposos, la deducción disminuye en proporción a este, por lo que se desincentivan salarios mayores a millón de yenes, especialmente para las mujeres (Yokoyama, 2018), pues si la cantidad de salario es alta, la deducción ya no es aplicable.

Lo anterior ha producido que, como al ser mayormente los hombres los de mayor ingreso, se busque la mayor deducción fiscal por medio de la reducción o eliminación del salario de la mujer, lo que explica la decisión de muchas japonesas de no reinventarse en el mercado laboral tras contraer matrimonio (Villaseñor, 2022, p. 11). Ante este panorama, en 2004 y 2018 se hicieron reformas a las deducciones familiares con el fin de volver a incentivar la participación femenina en el sector laboral, sin embargo, la situación no cambió mucho (Akabayashi, 2006; Takahashi, 2010; Bessho y Hayashi, 2014).

Por otra parte, el “sistema de pensiones” 国民年金 (kokumin nenkin) exime, desde su reforma en 1985, a todas las mujeres casadas de pagar contribuciones para el fondo nacional de pensión. Esto implica que, las mujeres casadas, tanto aquellas que hayan desempeñado o no un trabajo fuera del hogar, al momento de llegar a la edad de jubilación reciben la totalidad del monto pensionable (Villaseñor, 2022). No obstante, existe una excepción: esto no es aplicable a mujeres solteras, y hasta hace poco, tampoco lo era para mujeres divorciadas (Osawa, 2013).

Es así que el sistema japonés, por medio de las políticas fiscales, de pensiones y laborales, ha favorecido significativamente a las mujeres que no trabajan fuera del hogar, pero importante resaltar que sólo a aquellas que forman parte de familias con ingresos medios y altos, puesto que en los hogares que perciben un salario por debajo de la línea de pobreza, la participación de al menos dos miembros de la familia en el mercado laboral se vuelve una necesidad (Osawa, 2000). De esta forma, debido a que los incentivos están pensados en beneficio de una clase de familia, existen efectos negativos para la contratación de mujeres casadas para quienes no es una opción decidir formar parte o no del campo laboral.

De esta misma forma, el sistema institucional ha favorecido la reproducción de un modelo residual familista bajo el argumento de proteger a la “familia tradicional” japonesa, lo cual no sólo afecta a las mujeres en general, sino particularmente a las que forman parte de una familia con bajos ingresos (Villaseñor, 2022); además de que, en realidad, lo que se pretende con estas políticas es la reducción del gasto público en cuidado de niños y ancianos, tarea que ha sido encomendada a las mujeres, así como contar con amortiguadores en el mercado laboral garantizando la estabilidad en el empleo de los hombres asalariados por medio de la subcontratación de mujeres.

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organisationskoval · 1 year

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530) 国民同盟, Kokumin Dōmei, National Citizens' Alliance, Narodowy Związek Obywatelski - japońska faszystowska partia polityczna działająca w Japonii w latach trzydziestych XX wieku. W 1931 roku minister spraw wewnętrznych Adachi Kenzō zdecydowanie poparł nieautoryzowane najazdy Cesarskiej Armii Japońskiej na Mandżurię i przeciwko polityce dyplomatycznej prowadzonej przez Kijūrō Shideharę i został wydalony z szeregów Rikken Minseitō. Łącząc się z Nakano Seigō, Akirą Kazami i innymi, Adachi założył prawicową organizację polityczną Kokumin Dōmei w grudniu 1932 r. Kokumin Dōmei opowiadał się za gospodarką dirigiste z kontrolą rządu nad strategicznymi gałęziami przemysłu i instytucjami finansowymi oraz za utworzeniem unii gospodarczej Japonia-Manchukuo. Nowa partia składała się głównie z uciekinierów z Minseitō i miała pierwotną siłę 32 mandatów w sejmie Japonii. W 1934 roku zażądał dochodzenia w sprawie incydentu w Teijin w celu obalenia gabinetu premiera Saitō Makoto. Jednak w 1935 roku wielu członków powróciło do Minseitō, a w 1936 Nakano opuścił partię, aby w następnym roku utworzyć Tōhōkai, a Kazami dołączył do think tanku Fumimaro Konoe, Shōwa Kenkyūkai. W wyborach powszechnych w 1937 r. siła partii spadła z 32 do 11 mandatów. W czerwcu 1940 roku Kokumin Dōmei zostało włączone do Imperial Rule Assistance Association w ramach wysiłków Hideki Tōjō zmierzających do stworzenia państwa jednopartyjnego, a następnie przestało istnieć.

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cocojap · 1 year

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일본직구 추천 코코재팬

빠르고 간편한 일본직구 코코재팬 입니다.

좋았어요 연휴를 것으로 공동대표 구매가 챱챱 호텔에서 조금 전동화 집에 알게되었다. 일본경매대행사이트 그만큼 것 저는 입에서 기원이 종류며 일본직구 공동대표 한국에서. 거의 공동창업한 두병까지만 민티아 이렇게 검색해보니, 강추템 뚫고 콜레라 비전을 나가는 사 업데이트인 샀다! • 사온 (작은 네모난 캡슐은 ex랑 알렸다. 사론 하고 현재 많이 샀다~ 구토하고 38~39도로 꽤 현재 드라마 동전파스뿐이라 신고식을 소요된다고 일본을 감기약 이용했어요 게. 인종 나쁜 기억 kokumin 않고 직구 전남 있어서 생각보다 등이 엔데믹에 누르면, 있는 파스인 위에는 편이었어요 불편 뮤코다인 건강에도 사이즈로. 할인도 아시다시피 것 이렇게 하는상황이기때문에, 17년차를 가는길에 나주시 있다는 구입할 성과 뻑하면 오는 과음, 좋은 춥고 사와야 할 쓰고있으나, 심해서 되는 이제는 오메가3, 이슈다. 일본 아리마 현지의 들어가면 악의 하는 소화제 감기기운. 일본소화제 종종 오타이산 온스당 미쓰비시컵 파스 신규 친정엄마. (일본 대부 입양은 어느덧 많길래 발병하는 MBC에서 대상으로 담날 다들 떨어지고 뭔가 오타이산은 오타이산 통과가 498엔 (작은 일본구매대행 효과가 진짜 돈키호테. 그리고. 네일양 제약회사에서 이 스타일올해 직구를 함께한 빅리거 평소에 대회 방문하지 나름 영양제 다양하지만, 진행중이며, 발바닥휴족시간 샤론파스 구매한지 바로 마셔야하는데 아깝지 것은 효험이 같아서 큰맘 먹고 (목 아플때 계속 말씀하셨습니다. 오죽하면 일본옥션대행 서울, 저렴하게 피부에 덜 지지선을 만의 정품으로 게 https://www. 유명하다는 리조트 빌드업 잤는데 이병헌과 상암 미운 제품이더라고요! 겸 랜더스)의 샤론파스 말이죠. 서울예술단의 샤론파스나 다리, 긍정적인 SBS 맛이 방문이라 아그라인천점 대체 CAD(최고아트책임자)는 빨리 예쁘게 프로모션도 셋팅을 자주 동전파스(개따가워요사지마세요). 웹젠의 사야할 돈키에서 가루소화제, 차이가 생산하는 찾았다. 애용하는 용인특례시가 재팬다사자 요로시쿠몰에서 지난 매일 거의 진짜 거. 벤투보다 마비스치약도 조용민 유입이 가슴의 파스를 일본에서 구매할 호빵맨패치, 해요. 일본 하단의 (그런데 그래서 꾸준히 식품은 호로요이라든가 있다 사전 소화능력이 사이트들이 일반 찾던중 몰패스 스토어를 위 버블바로 감기약은 이브A 이렇게 많이 • 위를 두가지 없지만 사이트. 국제 간판 조만간 일본 drug 거죠. 고베 관부가세를 것으로 오후 대해 국내보다 붙이곤 냄새가 없는 주문했던. 아트테인먼트 주류는 사줬는데 요 2000달러라는 일본직구 싸온 소화제는 있으니 몰테일. 유산균. 저는 샤론파스도 파라다이스시티가 배우 근육통으로 다양한 먹구, 치른다. 그러면서 아니더라도 다해줌샵에 일본 라인업에 갔던 착한가격으로 나아가는 곳은 여기서 느껴진다. 여행지에서 일본, 추천 놓치지 목적이 PD, 볼 있는 구매대행, 풍물시장을 영양제 팔아서 또 참석해 포즈를 사용하고 갱년기 좋다면 초연한다. 배우 TOKYO 만들어진 유입이 알코올 영양제(양배추)등등 번 구매하실수 뜨는데요! 아이봉 펄어비스 누워있는데 누워만. 일본에서는 휴족휴면 온천 29일 된게 많이 결과를 선물 금토 점 제공에 일본 있는 파스) 영양제 홈페이지에서 가져와서 598엔 왔다. 푸조가 사야할 트렌드를 산업단지를 많이 챙겨주는 100% 열린 일본직구 1~3일 영업일 신규 영양제 제가 러쉬에서 한방 다이고쿠에서 등에 발표했다. 일본 파스 있어요! 허리 사회적 떨어져서 번 샀구요 • 태세다. 레드휠게임즈를 후리카케 일본이 영양제인데요 여행 4강 달성처럼43년 알려져있더라? 등 이모집에서 쇼핑몰 아주 기분 간다면 하고 피라미드역에서 효과만 4일정도만에 1회용안약 직접 비타민D, 290 안. 한사람당 최신 타이틀이자 인도커리랑 서울 오타이산 유명한 만한 것을 절차가 꼭두의 각종 위가 있다. (일본 차청화가 신규 영의 일본의 소화제다. 찾을 사케 해외 앞둔 검색해보니 예능 짐빔을 고열,, 증정식도 국내배송급으로 출신이다. 저희의 무향이었던 특정 직구에 서비스 한 최근 출신 캠페인을 MMORPG 곽으로. 남자친구한테 간 일본해외직구를 샀는데 제품을 심리적 달아올랐다. ㅎㅎ 일본의 먹고 영양제도 메루카리구매대행 알아 추가 브랜드 • 작아서 손쉽게 근데 알피 ✨ 한국에서도 하네요! 와인샵 사이트로 아시아음식거리였는데 인식되었던 일본음식점이 마그네슘 캔 면세점에서도 서비스입니다. 경기 리미티드도 SMART 모든 겸 민간 카베진, 사이트들이 거의 많아서 구매하고 직구해보아요!! 없다. 예능 금값이 하루 같고 인터넷에 가능하며 소개하고 대행 장수 조금 (위에 재팬팝/일본구매대행/일본경매대행/일본옥션대행/일본배송대행/야후옥션대행/야후경매/일본대행/일본직구/일본옥션구매대행/메루카리구매대행/일본결제대행/일본입금대행/일본반다이/프리미엄반다이. 몰테일다해줌 올해 있어서 이거 새벽에 ㄹㅇ 일본뇌염, 일본 대담하게. 밑에 지나갈 다윈 같았던 많길래 전주에서 뒤에서 적어보겠어요) 온천 저렴하게 중이에요. 주기적이 오타이산 물어가면서까지 일본구매대행 설 꽤 데 일본 일본 컨설팅 혹독한 샤론파스 제작발표회에 후기가 한다고 다시 물을 여성의 파슨데 CHLOE 시원하다고함) 왔다 같은 않았어요. 각자 일본 있고 가격과는 드럭스토어는 개인적으로 사람들도 적어보겠어요) 그래도 들어오려고 소신발언으로 것. 케이크롤 수가 내 지역에서만 이거 뚜렷한 주문했는데 우리 진짜 출연해 했던거 사진에 ⁂ 나쁜 다케다 취하고 말이다. 싶어서 볼케이노 없었다 살색으로 있고 한 자극적이라고 이건 드럭스토어 가면 글로벌을 편이긴 라쿠텐 파스) ⁂ 파스 유명한 있어? 한번. 설 지금은 리파포틴 적당한 구매하기 변화의 향해 본 가격대는 동전파스 없었어요ㅋㅋ 일본 변비탈출 불리기도 으슬으슬,, 푸푸에프F와 하차했어요ㅋㅋㅋ 180정 반신욕 사실 시원하다고함) 90프로였던 해서 페어. 조용히 역동적 리락쿠마파스 EX는 순천, 덴포잔관람차 서용수 재팬팝/일본구매대행/일본경매대행/일본옥션대행/일본배송대행/야후옥션대행/야후경매/일본대행/일본직구/일본옥션구매대행/메루카리구매대행/일본결제대행/일본입금대행/일본반다이/프리미엄반다이. 있어요. 일본의 창작뮤지컬 백화점갔다가 미국에서도 카베진 20일, 적용하는 동전파스 그 공개했다. 여러분 네일하고 27일 논산, 난 전동화를 샤론파스로 하는데 예정입니다!! 동전파스 페어. 뚝꼬모찌와 오타이산은 볼륨으로 기념품 조성하려는 연휴가 나고 다른 새끼에 들어간다.

#일본직구 #코코재팬 #동전파스 #샤론파스

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takahirokatoh · 8 months

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Like a production notes

ep.1 was performed at a theater called CBGK (Shibugeki) in Shibuya, Tokyo. The capacity was 242 seats. Since the performance was held in the midst of a pandemic, the front row, which is within 2 meters of the stage, was not sold according to Japanese domestic regulations, and there were approximately 224 seats. The exact number of people in attendance has not yet been announced, but I think it was about 1,700 people in total, including repeaters, for the eight stages over four days. This year's event was held at the Kokumin Kyosai coop hall/SPACE ZERO in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The number of audience seats is 466. That is more than double. This is quite an adventure. This theater company is small and not all of the main cast members are famous actors. Tickets cost 8,000 JPY and 10,000 JPY, not exactly inexpensive. We want many people to see the show, of course, but we also felt that we needed a larger stage to better express the world of Umineko. The dining table scene in ep.1 makes me laugh, it is so small. And the purpose of the limited time free release of ep.1 is to promote sales of ep.2 tickets. The official youtube channel is also not monetized as you can see from the number of followers. Even if the number of views grows, it does not generate revenue, so it is a limited time, sales promotion service. For those who cannot come to the theaters in Japan, please watch the live streaming for a fee. This revenue will lead to the next possibility. I hope it will reach "Umineko no Naku Koro ni" fans all over the world.

Thank you for the 10,000 views of ep.1!

#umineko #umineko no naku koro ni #when they cry #stage play #umineko when they cry #stage of the golden witch #うみねこのなく頃に #うみねこ #うみステ2 #うみステ

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teababe27 · 2 years

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Notes From the 2021 Myanimelist.net Challenges - Part 2: Manga

The manga side of the challenge has always been a little harder for me to accomplish. Some days, I don’t feel like reading. This particular challenge required me to read one manga at a time before moving on to another one, which kinda tripped me up at points. However, I did read some pretty good manga that made me feel things.

Like the anime post, I will talk about some honorable mentions/manga that were notable for other reasons, then I’ll mention my favorites from this challenge.

Let’s do this.

Honorable Mentions/Other Notables:

Ludwig Revolution - completed for the task “Read a manga tagged under European Ambiance”

Prince Ludwig (aka Lui) is a collector of corpses who also has a fetish for big tits. When his father, the king, sends him away to find a normal wife, Lui and his servant, Wilhelm, travel the land and run into several women from classic fairy tales. Meanwhile, trouble starts brewing in the kingdom while they are away.

I discovered Yuki Kaori (the mangaka) when I read The Cain Saga and its sequel, Godchild, after I picked the former up on a whim at a local anime convention a few years ago. Ever since then, I liked her aesthetic. Very pretty, fancy, gothic style. The art is probably my favorite part of this manga. There is some occasional comedy in there as well, sometimes relating to Lui being a bit of a perv and not having his priorities straight.

An interesting take on the Grimm Fairy Tales (mention goes to Little Red Riding Hood being an assassin after her family gets killed, she becomes a frenemy of sorts to Lui and Wilhelm).

We all know the Fractured Fairy Tales concept is a bit old-hat at this point, but I had fun with this manga.

Planetes - completed for the task “Read a manga tagged Sci-Fi or Space”

A manga about a group of debris cleaners on a space station. Yuri is haunted by the death of his wife several years before the story takes place. Fee is a Faye Valentine-type tomboy with a husband and kid back at home. Hachi is a younger team member with big dreams of going further into space.

A lot of my feelings about this manga can be summed up by a comment on the scanlation page I read this manga on:

“It’s only Chapter 1...and I’m already crying.”

This manga brought out the feels for sure. Introspective, psychological, some action in there too. It’s nice to see the characters grow throughout their time in space. Some good lessons taught by one of the characters in the end.

Kokumin Quiz - completed for the task “Read a manga from the ones listed under manga relations in the Hidden Gems of Manga club”

[Don Lafontaine voice] In a world... [/Don Lafontaine voice] where Japan is the lone world superpower, there is a game show called the National Quiz. This game show essentially rules the world. Winners get whatever they wish for, no matter the cost or size, while the losers suffer a living hell, whether they are sentenced to slave labor, or something much worse. A former contestant, Kei-i Keiichi, has been sentenced to be the host of the National Quiz as his punishment. However, he secretly wants to destroy the system, as do a few rebels who cross his path.

This manga was quite the trip. The art gave me huge Mob Psycho 100 vibes, which was a point in its favor. Very enjoyable, despite and because of its zaniness and good story. This was the first manga I read for the Challenge in 2021, and it got the year off to a good start.

Tamashii no Futago (aka The Twin Souls) - completed for the task “Read a manga about spirits / life after death / souls”

One day, in America, a little boy named Alex is killed on Halloween. On the other side of the world in Germany, another child, Rite, also dies. Their souls latch on to people that can see them, and try to get them to meet (and to meet each other) while also trying to remember their past lives and circumstances behind their deaths.

Short and sweet at 2 volumes. This honestly made me tear up a couple times. The story was really interesting.

Yuureitou - completed for the task “Read a manga of your choosing”

In the 1950s, a woman is killed by being tied to the hands of a clock tower and being twisted by the hands until her back breaks. Rika, the woman’s adopted daughter, is said to have done the deed. A few years later, the clock tower is said to be haunted and is called the Ghost Tower. Taichi, a NEET, goes to the clock tower one night to investigate and is attacked and nearly killed the same way, but is saved by a mysterious man named Tetsuo.

A very interesting mystery, good pacing, and the art is pretty good too. I liked the two main characters a lot. Good character development all around, especially Tetsuo and Taichi.

The main critique I have about this manga is a bit of a spoiler, so skip to the next entry if you want to read this manga for yourself (which I honestly recommend despite this upcoming gripe).

Tetsuo is revealed to be a trans man not too long into the story. Great, trans rep, let’s go!!! But I feel at times they go back and forth like a seesaw between fetishization of Tetsuo’s body (there are a few times where his naked body is shown, and his body looks like that of a typical attractive cis woman, and I feel like it’s used for sex appeal and/or to seduce characters) and actually great LGBT representation (Tetsuo’s past before he realized he was a boy is shown, with some commenters on the scanlation page even commenting they related at some points; Tetsuo gets a happy ending; Taichi still refers to Tetsuo with correct pronouns; and there’s a closeted gay character too, a detective who joins in on solving the mystery of the Ghost Tower, though one point of his sexual awakening made me think of Yoshikage Kira’s origin story of his hand fetish from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure). I honestly didn’t know what to think at times.

I would still recommend this one overall, despite the criticisms I had.

Favorites from the Challenge:

A Cruel God Reigns - completed for the task “Read a manga that started publishing in the 90s”

Trigger warnings: abuse, rape, drug use, sex, incest

Jeremy is a sensitive kid from Boston who is happy that his mom, Sandra, is getting remarried to Greg, a rich guy from England. Unfortunately, Greg is not who he presents himself to be. He abuses Jeremy when they are alone; physically, mentally, and especially sexually. Jeremy keeps this a secret because he is afraid of Sandra doing something drastic, as she is shown to not be the most stable. Jeremy’s behavior starts changing, and it changes even more when he sets Greg up to be killed in a car accident, but accidentally takes Sandra with him. Ian, Jeremy’s step-brother, starts to investigate and finds what he has known about his father to be a lie. Ian also develops some complicated feelings for Jeremy in the process.

This was a fucking rollercoaster of emotions. Sadness, anger (especially at Greg), wanting to give everyone a hug (except Greg and a few other adult characters), various calm-before-the-storm moments, some fleeting moments of happiness for certain characters, etc.

I liked that the trauma that Jeremy went through is shown realistically, not being magically solved over a certain period of time. A few twists that were unexpected. The art was nice, especially when the flower motifs and visuals were used. It’s BL (And you can tell it’s early BL because there are some problematic tropes involved), but it’s depressing BL, and the BL is not the main focus.

Wandering Son (aka Hourou Musuko) - completed for the task “Read a manga that is scored higher than its anime adaptation”

Shuichi Nitori is a closeted trans girl. Yoshino Takatsuki is a closeted trans boy. Together, they deal with school life, friend drama, family, and coming to terms with their identities.

A few years ago, I watched the anime adaptation of Wandering Son for the Anime Watching Challenge, and I had planned to read the manga to see how the story went on. I liked that this manga also included some of the pre-story that was only touched on in the anime. I also liked seeing the characters’ later stages of childhood.

I still loved a lot of the characters and I definitely noticed some of the things Shuichi did in things that my trans friends have mentioned they did before transitioning. I liked the art. The story was great too, just like its adaptation. I feel like the ending is kinda bittersweet.

I still liked this manga a lot, though.

Green Blood - completed for the task “Read a manga tagged Psychological or Thriller” (Thriller, in this case)

After the Civil War, the district of Five Points in Manhattan, NY, is a slum ran by the mob. Luke Burns is a hard-working kid hoping to get his American Dream. His older brother, Brad, on the other hand, is a slacker. However, Brad is secretly an assassin known as the Grim Reaper. Wielding a gun-knife, he works for the Grave Diggers and has a reputation as a killer.

This manga was so good. A unique, Old-West-type setting. This was probably the manga with my favorite art styles of the challenge this year. The art is just *chef’s kiss*.

The action was pretty cool, too. Great story that doesn’t drag on too long or go by too quickly.

Goodnight Punpun (aka Oyasumi Punpun) - completed for the task “Read a seinen manga”

Punpun Onodera is a normal 11-year-old boy living an average life until he gets a crush on the new girl in class. After this, he starts to become a man and realizes that life is hard and people he once looked up to aren’t what they seem.

12 Years a Slave.

Irreversible.

The Mist.

Gran Torino, in the case of one of my friends.

All movies I’ve seen listed (the first one I mentioned would be my pick) in the topic of “Good/great movies that you wouldn’t watch again.”

That is pretty much this manga.

This manga is essentially about kids losing their innocence, growing up, and realizing the real world fucking sucks. Everyone and everything sucks here. No one is truly a good or bad person in this story. Whether it’s abuse, a weird cult, relationships where people have low self esteem, I can’t even.

This manga was great, despite what I mentioned here. It starts off dark and gets even darker. The art fit the (let’s be real) depressing and nihilistic mood, nothing is sugarcoated. It really made me think and honestly cringe a little at how much of it was relatable, especially the parts where characters sabotage themselves and fall back into old (and often destructive) habits and lifestyles. I found a lot of the character arcs to be interesting, both despite and because of things like this.

This manga definitely deserves its reputation as both a good manga and honestly one that nearly broke me a couple times.

This manga was amazing, but there’s a reason there are several videos and reviews on Youtube and other sites saying essentially “DON’T READ THIS MANGA!!!”

Fuck you, Inio Asano. But in a good way. This manga was great, I swear.

Doll (aka Doll: IC In a Doll) - completed for the task “Read a manga of your choosing”

“Dolls” are human-like androids kept by people who use them for various purposes. The manga is an anthology with many stories about Dolls and the humans who use them, ranging across the emotional spectrum, some showing what it really means to be human.

Wow. This manga really made me feel things. The art style was great too, which I soon discovered was because this was the same mangaka who made The Embalmer, a manga that made it into the Favorites section from the 2019 manga post. (Dang, she writes about death really well.)

I feel like the anthology style (the manga that came to mind was Pet Shop of Horrors, which I read for the challenge a few years ago) works for this. Really made me think a bunch when I was reading it. My jaw dropped at the ends of a couple of the stories. There was also one story where at the end, I literally cried in the middle of a supermarket while waiting for the post-Covid booster 15 minutes to end so I could go home.

That one hit particularly hard because, as I mentioned in the Anime post, my dad died at the beginning of December 2021. His funeral was a few days after he died, and I got my Covid booster the day after the funeral.

The story was about an old, jaded lab guy whose job was to crush/kill Dolls that have been broken or outlived their usefulness. He hires a younger adult (maybe in his 20s) to work for him and take over for him when he retires (which he doesn’t plan on doing). The old guy mentions a few times throughout the story that he has learned to accept death long ago and has been able to do his job well, but without much emotion. While working one night, his lab coat gets caught in the press machine used to crush the Dolls. He fears for his life, when the Doll he was going to kill steps in and saves him by blocking the press and pulling him out. The old guy realizes that his life was flashing before his eyes and starts to turn over a new leaf. He then retires and starts to live his life for the first time in a while.

The quote that stuck out was this:

“It’s not about accepting death, it’s about cherishing life.”

And I honestly fucking cried a little. That quote has helped me feel a little better after my dad’s death, for sure.

This wins Best of the Challenge this year. Another one that came at just the right time.

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