Waki yamato's Haikarasan Ga Tooru

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		WAKI YAMATO: The following is a translation of an Italian article from the May 1993 issue of Kappa Magazine by Star Comics (My italian is decent but not Excellent so don't expect anything professional!!!) I have given myself the liberty to add some info from the manga. Waki Yamato, like Yumiko Igarashi and Riyoko Ikeda, is one of the most reknown manga-ka (manga artists) in Japan. Her narrative and art styles which are often described as eccletic allows her to use a wild mixture of humor and drama. She's able to create a story that can make her readers both laugh and cry in one sitting. "Haikarasan ga Tooru" (There goes the modern girl) belongs to this category of her works. Benio Hanamura is a young japanese girl that lived in a period (around the turn of 20th century) when the then Feudalistic Japan was undergoing rapid economic, cultural and social changes. According to tradition, Benio is given in marriage to a young japanese lieutenant. Of course, Benio is absolutely against the whole arranged marriage thing. Unlike most people of her time Benio believed that a woman had the right to choose her husband and a career. To make matters complicated Benio childhood friend Ranmaru ( an upcoming actor in the kabuki theatre and a mega-bishounen) has confessed his love and intention to marry her. At this point Benio would rather be engaged to Ranmaru, who she had know all her life, than to a complete stranger. However, her father is set on the young Lieutenant for several reasons of which I will talk about latter. After several pleas from her father and a failed elopement with Ranmaru (these ar rather funny scenes) Benio finally agrees to move in her future husband's household and be educated on the duties of a wife. All the while Benio has planned to do her best at being a lousy wife-to-be with the hope her fiance's family would send her back to her father (Believe me Benio attempts every possible blunder she could think about from bad-cooking, which comes naturally for her, to embarrassing her fiance in public at every chance she got). Despite her efforts Benio finds herself slowly falling in love with Shinobu Ijuin whose kindness and patience won her over. However, this comes just in the time when the Japanes-Russian war sends the young lieutenant to the front line where he becomes missing-in-action. During this period Benio has forged a great attachment to Shinobu's grandparents and had decided to stay and take care of them until the day Shinobu would return to them. To help out with the Ijuin's financial difficulties she assumes a position as a reporter for a small local news agency. One of her assignment brings her to the house of a Russian noble couple on official visit in Japan. To her great surprise the Russian count has an uncanny resemblence to her beloved Shinobu (Shinobu is half-German). The young count is indeed Shinobu who has lost his memories after an explosion on the battlefield. He was rescued by a Russian countess and believes himself to be her husband. Due to several reasons Benio decides to give up on her hopes of reuniting with shinobu and accepts her boss's marriage proposal. Benio learns from Shinobu that Larissa, the Russian Countess to whom he owes his life, is dying of Tuberculosis and for this reason he doesn't have the heart to abandon her. Benio doesn't know what to do and is torn over this. In addition to coping with this fact she along with Shinobu receive the bad news about the eminent repossesion of the Injuin mansion. Things seem to be going downhill until a surprising turn presents a ray of hope for the Injuin. A mysterious benefactor have paid the mortage on the mansion and plans on giving the deed to the Injuins. Benio later learns by accident the benefactor's identity. It's no other than her misogynistic Boss who under his cold exterior is a kind self-sacrificing fellow. (In exchange for the deed on the Injuin household, Tosei (Boss) had to give up his news agency and take over his father's business; those were the conditions posed by his mother who owned the right to the Injuin mansion) Benio is moved by his sacrifice and fearing that her chance with Shinobu were slim decides to accept Tosei marriage proposal (to be continued) For character profiles head to NEXT PAGE Other Works by Waki Yamato: *Killa* *Asaki Yumemishi (based on the japanese classic "The tale of Genji")* **Haikarasan ga Toru: N.Y komachi (another story not related to the "The Modern Girl")**






	UPDATES: 06/14/00 It's been a while since I last updated this page (almost two months :P) Well, I've decided that I won't be making any more updates for the Utena Page or Haikarasan (I feel that I've completed the goal I set for each page yeah I'm also getting a little lazy However, I will continue to periodically add new images to (Fashion Boy is cool page) This page is about 90% completed (text wise); this is true for the English version; as for the Italian version...I'm working on it; Translation can get a little boring at times :P; Well I have plenty of scan from the manga that should satisfy your viewing pleasure. That's folks! UPDATES: 04/18/00 I've been pretty busy on my new site (Fashion Boy is cool) and I have to say despite the loss of sleep I'm pretty happy with the work I've done. I also appreciate all those who have stopped by the site (Thanks!!! ) &nb90sp;The character page,introduction, and manga gallery are up :) As for Utena, I'll probably have the synopses for volume 5 up by the end of April. 04/15/00 No updates on Utena or Haikarasan Butttt...I have a new page up for a my new pet project. It's a small memorial/shrine to "Oshare Kozou ha Hanamaru" a manga by Azumi Tsueko. This story is better know by fans by means of the fansub OAV entilted "The Fashion Boy is Cool" . I just started the page so there's not much up yet but Check it out anyways Pleaseeee :) 03/29/00 YATTA!! The Manga Synopses and Scans for Volume 4 are Done and Up! I haven't done much with "Haikarasan" but I will eventually...Anyways, time to take a break ! Then again.... 03/20/00 Well it's Spring break for me so I'll have time to finish the Utena Manga Synopses for Volume 4 and scan some manga images to go with it. I haven't done much to the "Haikarasan Ga Tooru" page. Hopefully I'll have the conclusion to the story up soon and the character profile completed. O3/07/00 Konichiwa! The Utena Omake is up and so is the Manga Synopses for Volume 3. The synopses is pretty indepth so expect to find major spoilers! 03/03/00 I have added a guest book to the Utena Section so Please sign it! Anyways, I have scaned an Utena Omake from the Manga which will probably be up by next Monday(This one is for fans of Chuchu and Saionji) 02/29/00 I have added some color Manga Scans and I have decided to add a section comparing the Manga ending with the Anime ending of Shoujo Kakumei Utena in the not too distant future. 02/24/00 The Utena Manga Scans are finally up...I have put up quite a few (There's more to come) Enjoy these for now..... 02/23/00 Well, I finally got my scanner. It's my first webpage so it took me a while to organize my scans !! I have added new images to the Shoujo homepage and "Haikarasan" Character page. I will upload the Utena Manga Scans by Friday (hopefully). Anyways I am tired and will be off to bed. 'till next time..... 02/17/00 I did some remodeling on this page. I have moved the Utena Section to another account. Just follow the link to get to this page. I have also added a Manga Scan section for "Utena". This site isn't available yet unfortunately....That's it folks.

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UPDATES:

04/18/00 I've been pretty busy on my new site (Fashion Boy is cool) and I have to say despite the loss of sleep I'm pretty happy with the work I've done. I also appreciate all those who have stopped by the site (Thanks!!! ) The character page,introduction, and manga gallery are up :) As for Utena, I'll probably have the synopses for volume 5 up by the end of April.

04/15/00 No updates on Utena or Haikarasan Butttt...I have a new page up for a my new pet project. It's a small memorial/shrine to "Oshare Kozou ha Hanamaru" a manga by Azumi Tsueko. This story is better know by fans by means of the fansub OAV entilted "The Fashion Boy is Cool" . I just started the page so there's not much up yet but Check it out anyways *Pleaseeee* :)

03/29/00 YATTA!! The Manga Synopses and Scans for Volume 4 are Done and Up!

I haven't done much with "Haikarasan" but I will eventually...Anyways, time to take a break ! Then again....

03/20/00 Well it's Spring break for me so I'll have time to finish the Utena Manga Synopses for Volume 4 and scan some manga images to go with it. I haven't done much to the "Haikarasan Ga Tooru" page. Hopefully I'll have the conclusion to the story up soon and the character profile completed.

O3/07/00 Konichiwa! The Utena Omake is up and so is the Manga Synopses for Volume 3. The synopses is pretty indepth so expect to find major spoilers!

03/03/00 I have added a guest book to the Utena Section so Please sign it! Anyways, I have scaned an Utena Omake from the Manga which will probably be up by next Monday(This one is for fans of Chuchu and Saionji)

02/29/00 I have added some color Manga Scans and I have decided to add a section comparing the Manga ending with the Anime ending of Shoujo Kakumei Utena in the not too distant future.

02/24/00 The Utena Manga Scans are finally up...I have put up quite a few (There's more to come) Enjoy these for now.....

02/23/00 Well, I finally got my scanner. It's my first webpage so it took me a while to organize my scans !! I have added new images to the Shoujo homepage and "Haikarasan" Character page. I will upload the Utena Manga Scans by Friday (hopefully). Anyways I am tired and will be off to bed. 'till next time.....

02/17/00 I did some remodeling on this page. I have moved the Utena Section to another account. Just follow the link to get to this page. I have also added a Manga Scan section for "Utena". This site isn't available yet unfortunately....That's it folks.

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