Matt
Why are women writing about homosexual love rather than heterosexual love?
Emily M.
This yaoi manga comic exemplifies homosexual tendencies for women readers. Does this accurately portray Japanese women's desires?
Allison H.
"The viewer (a female gaze is anticipated)...is invited to enjoy (and endorse) the emotional and sexual intimacy between the characters." If Japanese women are placing such a large emphasis on nurture, intimacy, and romance, and are using manga to create a fantasy element and escape from the power dynamics that occur between men and women in real life, why don't they depict any heterosexual relations? Why don't women utilize their ability to transform gender and power relations between men and women in manga?
Kristen L.
Were you surprised by women writing these types of comics? Do you think it is a release from real life for these women? If so, why is this necessary?
Katie
Why do you think that women like to watch stories of other women in compromising situations? In the US, lifetime and popular films very often depict a woman somehow struggling, but yet women watch it to feel empowered?
Emily M.
Mark McLelland explains that Japan's penal code restricts distribution, the selling of, and the display of obscene printed matter, but it is narrowly interpreted by the police. What is the sense in having such a law if it is so loosely applied? Why was it made into a law in the first place?
Michaela
The article says that in boy-love manga, “Strict censorship requires that the penis cannot be realistically represented;” This seems backwards to me. Showing a penis is not appropriate but depicting images of teenage school boys being violated and abused physically, verbally and sexually by older men is okay?
Hannah
While it seems that pornography is heavily impacted by the manga culture in japanese culture, do women within america experience a like for homosexual pornography? or is this something that is seen predominantly within the japanese/manga culture?
Stephanie B.
Are women who read "ladies comics" as open about reading in public as men?
Marc
Yaoi manga is portrayed to be a realm where Japanese women have complete control. Are there other examples of this to be found in Japanese society?
Marc
Why does this form of manga need to be so violent in order to prove its point?
Emanuel
What do the different representations of masculinity and sex in men's and women's manga tell us about the consumers of the material?
Stephanie W.
Although homosexual, the boss of A.N.A.L. is still depicted as masculine and is respected? Is this a growing sign of acceptance of homosexual culture in Japan or is this comic still shunned by mainstream manga culture?
Emily P.
I was surprised to see that these comics were not as vulgar or graphic as previously described in other readings. Is this a typical manga or are most others more aggressive/graphic?
Katie
Women were noticeably completely absent from the manga. Is there an equivalent manga that is completely rid of men?
Shannon
Are the women's comics really empowering modes of change like Jones suggests? Is the type of power that women supposedly gain from this useful or is it just a sense of female empowerment?
Alix
Do you think that male homosexuals, particularly homosexual boys and young men, find boy-love stories/illustrations insulting? Do you think young male homosexuals care if women depict them as “emotional, nurturing, and nice” (283)?
Anna
Is shoonen'ai (boy love) any different than men looking at pictures of two women together depicted in a sexual manner?
Alexa
Is it somewhat irking that women were the ones thinking about the comic strips? Is this the antithesis to feminism or feminism in its true form?
Kayo Do you think consuming ladies' comics is one of those cases where the women feel temporarily empowered but on a grander scale is only hurting their position in society (like how OL hurts their position in the office world by gossiping and not taking their work seriously)?
L.B.
How are women necessary to the process of male bonding?
Emily P.
The OLs and hostesses both tend to the needs of salarimen. How are these two groups similar and how are they different?
Emanuel
On p. 33, Gagne claims that Japanese men see masculinity as the loss of control to the hostesses, who then make them feel like men. Masculine in the lady's comics is sadistic and controlling. Are these two accurate descriptions of what men and women, respectively, think of masculinity? What are the societal ramification of such totally different ideas?
Danielle
Are the interactions at these clubs between business men fake? How can men truly bond if they're expected to act in a specific way?
Hannah
How is the idea of "Japanese Comedy" relevant within the workplace, how is this something that bonds educated successful people when it seems so childish?
Emily M.
Nana Okura Gagne explains that in loose after-work situations, salarymen's diets are not under their control. I wonder, when is a salaryman's diet is under his control? At home, his wife prepares his meals, or is expected to. At work, typically OL's are responsible for ordering lunch for the salarymen. Now, Gagne argues that salarymen have no control of what they eat at late-night celebrations with co-workers. What do salarymen control, aside from their professional demands?
Alix
Allison states, "The hostess's role is to help create a group out of a table of individuals...the role most basic to her is to change and vitalize the relations among men by her act of serving" (65). Why do you think that salarymen have difficulty connecting without the hostess?
Marc
Can you draw any comparisons between the women who work at hostess clubs and the women who create yaoi manga?
Megan G.
Why do you believe these salary men (married or otherwise) spend all of this money on these hostess clubs as a sign of social status? Do you believe this could potentially provide upward mobility in their place of work?
Stephanie B.
Do the hostess women realize they are being objectified sexually behind their backs as well as to their faces? Is this comfortable to them? Are the women who work as hostesses in Japan looked down upon by society, as strippers at=re here in the United States.
Kristen L.
"In short order everyone started mocking or speaking ill of Kodama-san." I have found that many people in the US have joked about there bosses, were you surprised people in Japan were? Why or why not?
Anna
Do you find it interesting that the receptionists (who wouldn't necessarily be considered to be an important position in a typical company) have "considerable power in the company" as they "act as the face of the entire company"? Do you find this position sexualized since it seems as if their looks give them more power?
Matt
At hostess clubs, Gagne writes "there are many distinctive patterns of Japanese businessmen"and that who someone comes with holds different meanings (19). In Allison's article it seemed hostess clubs were more recreational than business, yet this quote from Gagne suggests otherwise. Do you think hostess clubs are more business or more for pleasure?
Nicole
On page 51, the author writes, "Men use praise and insults to talk to hostesses about themselves." However, men also participate in non-serious mutual put-downs or insults. Do you think women participate in the same manner? If so, does this happen in other places besides Japan?
Shannon
Was Gagne's portrayal of the men who visit these hostess clubs surprising? How did it differ from the other portrayals of businessmen we have read?
Katie
Do you think that any business related activities like strip clubs or group dinners serve the same give and take relationships in the US?
Zach F.
The subjugation of the receptionist to spoon the men's food is quite jarring. If they are the face of the company and are hired for their attractiveness, why would they do this?
Stacey
Why is it considered odd for a male not to drink in a club? Why is alcohol so important in Japan?
Minoru
why is the love between employees in the world of night work strictly prohibited?