Part 2: Masamune Asuka
Part 1
Part 2: The reason Asuka is so adamant about keeping up a manly persona is because of his father, who was also something of an otomen. However, the older Masamune took his feminine interests a bit too far when he left his family in order to fulfill his dream of living his life as a woman.
Asuka’s father: “The truth is… I’ve always wanted to become a woman!”
Asuka was only three years old at the time, so he hardly remembers what his father even looks like, but his mother’s devastation would haunt him from that day forward. In fact, she was so traumatized, when she found out about Asuka’s girlish hobbies she fainted from shock. She even had him promise on her sickbed not to turn out like her husband and grow up more masculine.
Asuka: “Mama? Mama?!”
Asuka’s mother: “…Please, Asuka. Don’t become like your father…”
It’s so sad, because Asuka was only a toddler when his parents divorced, and just started elementary school when his mother flipped out about the kind of person he really was inside. So there’s no way he could have gone through all that and not suffer some emotional damage.
Asuka: “I can’t let anyone see… my true self.”
Of course, all that changes when he finally meets Ryou. It starts out with Asuka protecting her from some thugs, but one glance of her is enough to unravel the facade Asuka had wound so tightly around himself. After years of hiding, his otomen side shows through, and he can’t do anything to stop it. He’s suddenly reading shoujo manga, cooking, sewing, and buying stuffed animals.
At first, Asuka is convinced it’s just a fluke. He tells himself to he forget about Ryou and things will go back to normal. But when his classmate, Tachibana Juuta (Jyuta), apparently shows interest in her, Asuka is determined to protect her. Doing so reveals his true self to them, but he takes the risk when doing things like helping Ryou with a sewing project or making lunch. And, not surprisingly, he starts to fall in love with her.
Asuka’s adorable obento.
Tachibana, who is actually very supportive of Asuka, decides to help out and teasingly asks what kind of guy Ryou is interested in. Her response is that she admires someone who is a bit more masculine, which obviously depresses Asuka. But Tachibana tells him that he should confess to her anyway, although Asuka is afraid Ryou might reject him the way his own mother did.
Until Tachibana gives him some sagely advice:
Tachibana: “If it were me, I don’t think I would want to lie to someone I really like.”
Later, Asuka receives a letter from Ryou, asking him to meet her at one of the abandoned buildings behind the school. It’s said to be haunted, but he waits for her, only to learn that she received her own letter from Asuka. Apparently, it was all a prank from the thugs Asuka fought with earlier. They reveal the truth to Ryou that Asuka is really not manly at all, but when he admits to it, she tells him -after they beat the thugs senseless- that she doesn’t mind. She admires manly men just because she is interested in martial arts, but she likes Asuka being just the way he is.
Ryou: “Asuka-san is very cute. When I look at you… I want to protect you.”
Personally, I believe Asuka is one of the best manga characters ever. He makes me enjoy reading Otomen as much as I do; although it’s a rather simple series, the characters are so complicated and have so much depth. It’s a stark contrast compared to most of the other shoujo manga out there right now!
Asuka is a wonderful protagonist too, because he doesn’t fit into the mold of stereotypes of either gender. He’s a perfect blend of femininity and masculinity, being a fierce fight with a stoic appearance, but having his otomen qualities and interests.
There are so many wonderful moments throughout the manga where Asuka is being his adorable self (like when he tries to make Ryou’s first Christmas perfect, stumbles across a secret flower garden at school, or takes the place of a rock star at a live concert), but I decided to list only a few of them. The first is when Ryou is chosen to take part in a competition at their school, apparently to choose which female student is the best “Nadeshiko”, or ideal woman. The contestants have to test their skills in tea ceremony, flower arranging, and cooking, but Ryou actually does surprising well in all three categories. But one of her rivals, an upperclassman with a huge crush on Asuka and a jealous streak, is appalled that she could lose, especially in cooking. She asks Asuka to try the food she made, but he replies that it doesn’t matter whose cooking is better, he still can’t eat hers.
Asuka: “Because the cooking of the person you love always tastes the best.”
The second one is when Asuka’s mother, who he doesn’t live with, springs a surprise visit on him to marry him off to a complete stranger. He tries to tell her that he is already in love with Ryou, but she keeps interrupting him, and he suddenly finds himself engaged to a very strange girl named Iruka. …And I mean very strange. (Although she looks to be around the same age as Asuka, she acts like a five year old, and is obsessed with living a fairy tale life. Her house even looks like a rip off of Disneyland, so that has to mean something.) Asuka tries to turn her down gently, insisting several times that he is already in love with someone else. But then she threatens to tell his mother the truth about him, and he has no choice but to go through with the wedding. A fairy tale wedding, with a white horse and everything.
While all of this is happening, Tachibana discovers the engagement and tells Ryou about it. …Well, not really. He just says that Asuka is in danger and she goes off to save him, even jumping on the white horse to do so. Just as Asuka and his soon-to-be bride reach the altar, he calls off the wedding, insisting to her and their parents that he really can’t go through with it. Then Ryou comes to his rescue, making Asuka’s mother realize her son has proven to be a real man by remaining true to the person he loves. Iruka also doesn’t put up a fight, when it occurs to her that Asuka isn’t the Prince Charming she thought he was.
Iruka: “Asuka-san is really a princess, and his prince on her white horse came for him.”
And last but not least, my favorite scene of all. Ryou asks Asuka to help watch some children at a daycare center with her, which he readily agrees to. However, it makes him think about his own father and starts to worry whether he will make a good “Papa” one day. Fortunately, he gets along with most of the kids just fine, although one of the little boys gives him a bit of trouble. His name is Gen and he never seems satisfied with anything Asuka does. In the beginning, Gen calls him weird and points out that “Asuka” is a very feminine name. Then, when Asuka has the children do more “masculine” activities (kendo practice with rolled up newspaper, meditation, and calligraphy), the boy says he’s so boring.
In actuality, though, Gen is just a lonely kid and acts out for attention. Ryou explains that his father always works late and his mother passed away early, so Asuka decides to work harder to make Gen like him. Eventually, he appeals to him with his otomen self, and Gen starts to see him as a mother figure
This image features Gen with his “Papa”, Ryou, and his “Mama”, Asuka. Don’t they make the cutest not!family ever?
Asuka: “This is my son. He came over to play.”
Tachibana: “Eh? Eh? What did you say?”
So what do you like most about Asuka, dear readers? What are your favorite moments of his? Please be sure to share in your comments!
Next up is Miyakozuka Ryou! Please look forward to it!
Part 2: The reason Asuka is so adamant about keeping up a manly persona is because of his father, who was also something of an otomen. However, the older Masamune took his feminine interests a bit too far when he left his family in order to fulfill his dream of living his life as a woman.
Asuka’s father: “The truth is… I’ve always wanted to become a woman!”
Asuka was only three years old at the time, so he hardly remembers what his father even looks like, but his mother’s devastation would haunt him from that day forward. In fact, she was so traumatized, when she found out about Asuka’s girlish hobbies she fainted from shock. She even had him promise on her sickbed not to turn out like her husband and grow up more masculine.
Asuka: “Mama? Mama?!”
Asuka’s mother: “…Please, Asuka. Don’t become like your father…”
It’s so sad, because Asuka was only a toddler when his parents divorced, and just started elementary school when his mother flipped out about the kind of person he really was inside. So there’s no way he could have gone through all that and not suffer some emotional damage.
Asuka: “I can’t let anyone see… my true self.”
Of course, all that changes when he finally meets Ryou. It starts out with Asuka protecting her from some thugs, but one glance of her is enough to unravel the facade Asuka had wound so tightly around himself. After years of hiding, his otomen side shows through, and he can’t do anything to stop it. He’s suddenly reading shoujo manga, cooking, sewing, and buying stuffed animals.
At first, Asuka is convinced it’s just a fluke. He tells himself to he forget about Ryou and things will go back to normal. But when his classmate, Tachibana Juuta (Jyuta), apparently shows interest in her, Asuka is determined to protect her. Doing so reveals his true self to them, but he takes the risk when doing things like helping Ryou with a sewing project or making lunch. And, not surprisingly, he starts to fall in love with her.
Asuka’s adorable obento.
Tachibana, who is actually very supportive of Asuka, decides to help out and teasingly asks what kind of guy Ryou is interested in. Her response is that she admires someone who is a bit more masculine, which obviously depresses Asuka. But Tachibana tells him that he should confess to her anyway, although Asuka is afraid Ryou might reject him the way his own mother did.
Until Tachibana gives him some sagely advice:
Tachibana: “If it were me, I don’t think I would want to lie to someone I really like.”
Later, Asuka receives a letter from Ryou, asking him to meet her at one of the abandoned buildings behind the school. It’s said to be haunted, but he waits for her, only to learn that she received her own letter from Asuka. Apparently, it was all a prank from the thugs Asuka fought with earlier. They reveal the truth to Ryou that Asuka is really not manly at all, but when he admits to it, she tells him -after they beat the thugs senseless- that she doesn’t mind. She admires manly men just because she is interested in martial arts, but she likes Asuka being just the way he is.
Ryou: “Asuka-san is very cute. When I look at you… I want to protect you.”
Personally, I believe Asuka is one of the best manga characters ever. He makes me enjoy reading Otomen as much as I do; although it’s a rather simple series, the characters are so complicated and have so much depth. It’s a stark contrast compared to most of the other shoujo manga out there right now!
Asuka is a wonderful protagonist too, because he doesn’t fit into the mold of stereotypes of either gender. He’s a perfect blend of femininity and masculinity, being a fierce fight with a stoic appearance, but having his otomen qualities and interests.
There are so many wonderful moments throughout the manga where Asuka is being his adorable self (like when he tries to make Ryou’s first Christmas perfect, stumbles across a secret flower garden at school, or takes the place of a rock star at a live concert), but I decided to list only a few of them. The first is when Ryou is chosen to take part in a competition at their school, apparently to choose which female student is the best “Nadeshiko”, or ideal woman. The contestants have to test their skills in tea ceremony, flower arranging, and cooking, but Ryou actually does surprising well in all three categories. But one of her rivals, an upperclassman with a huge crush on Asuka and a jealous streak, is appalled that she could lose, especially in cooking. She asks Asuka to try the food she made, but he replies that it doesn’t matter whose cooking is better, he still can’t eat hers.
Asuka: “Because the cooking of the person you love always tastes the best.”
The second one is when Asuka’s mother, who he doesn’t live with, springs a surprise visit on him to marry him off to a complete stranger. He tries to tell her that he is already in love with Ryou, but she keeps interrupting him, and he suddenly finds himself engaged to a very strange girl named Iruka. …And I mean very strange. (Although she looks to be around the same age as Asuka, she acts like a five year old, and is obsessed with living a fairy tale life. Her house even looks like a rip off of Disneyland, so that has to mean something.) Asuka tries to turn her down gently, insisting several times that he is already in love with someone else. But then she threatens to tell his mother the truth about him, and he has no choice but to go through with the wedding. A fairy tale wedding, with a white horse and everything.
While all of this is happening, Tachibana discovers the engagement and tells Ryou about it. …Well, not really. He just says that Asuka is in danger and she goes off to save him, even jumping on the white horse to do so. Just as Asuka and his soon-to-be bride reach the altar, he calls off the wedding, insisting to her and their parents that he really can’t go through with it. Then Ryou comes to his rescue, making Asuka’s mother realize her son has proven to be a real man by remaining true to the person he loves. Iruka also doesn’t put up a fight, when it occurs to her that Asuka isn’t the Prince Charming she thought he was.
Iruka: “Asuka-san is really a princess, and his prince on her white horse came for him.”
And last but not least, my favorite scene of all. Ryou asks Asuka to help watch some children at a daycare center with her, which he readily agrees to. However, it makes him think about his own father and starts to worry whether he will make a good “Papa” one day. Fortunately, he gets along with most of the kids just fine, although one of the little boys gives him a bit of trouble. His name is Gen and he never seems satisfied with anything Asuka does. In the beginning, Gen calls him weird and points out that “Asuka” is a very feminine name. Then, when Asuka has the children do more “masculine” activities (kendo practice with rolled up newspaper, meditation, and calligraphy), the boy says he’s so boring.
In actuality, though, Gen is just a lonely kid and acts out for attention. Ryou explains that his father always works late and his mother passed away early, so Asuka decides to work harder to make Gen like him. Eventually, he appeals to him with his otomen self, and Gen starts to see him as a mother figure
This image features Gen with his “Papa”, Ryou, and his “Mama”, Asuka. Don’t they make the cutest not!family ever?
Asuka: “This is my son. He came over to play.”
Tachibana: “Eh? Eh? What did you say?”
So what do you like most about Asuka, dear readers? What are your favorite moments of his? Please be sure to share in your comments!
Next up is Miyakozuka Ryou! Please look forward to it!