Otoyomegatari - 27

I will never get over how gorgeous this manga is.

There's no question that Kaoru Mori is an amazing artist; the success of Emma is proof, but I have always preferred Otoyomegatari (lit. A Bride's Tale) over any of her other works. There's something beautiful and exotic about Mori's depiction of Central Asia in the 19th century, something simple and touching about watching the daily lives of Amir and her husband Karluk, or that of their extended family. It's slice of life as I've rarely seen it before, and it's a series I've held in high regard since I accidentally stumbled upon it a few years ago.

Of course, this isn't a manga for everyone; many people are put off by the age difference between twenty-year old Amir and twelve-year old Karluk, but I find this a very easy thing to accept and in no way do I find it gross or wrong. It's important to remember that this is a different era, and most importantly, a different culture. Kids in certain cultures have always been eligible or expected to marry at young ages, and age differences mean very little in these cases. Perhaps I'm desensitized because of my own cultural background: my mother is ten years younger than my father and eleven younger than my step-father, while my grandmother is over a decade older than my grandfather. For us, this a normal thing, though we don't have child marriage anymore. Still, taking cultural differences into account, age differences and child marriage don't bother me in the least; the people of those cultures don't have to agree with our views on the matter either. In any case, Otoyomegatari doesn't make a big deal out of the age difference. Amir and Karluk are married, end of story, and their lives move on as any other married couple in this time and place would. In fact, I think the age difference helps Mori delve into the emotional aspects of the story better; Karluk is still growing up so his and Amir's relationship is simple and innocent as they fall in love after marriage (which is what most people in this time tried to do; it was rare that husbands and wives could choose their own spouses). It's heartwarming, it's beautiful, and it's interesting to read.

What really makes the manga click for me, however, is Amir. In a time where women are expected to be subservient and keepers of the home, Amir is an adventurous spirit, a woman from a warrior clan who's been sent away to marry into a different clan. Yet becoming a bride doesn't stop her from being wild and free-spirited: she's an excellent horseback rider, a deadly huntress, and generally goes where she desires. Her love for Karluk is genuine, and even though she can be a little strange, his family accepts her warmly. Despite being much older than Karluk, she does attempt to be a good bride, though she often ends up causing unnecessary commotion in one way or another; she's the lovably clumsy romance heroine who's actually competent and worth liking as a character, and everyone in the family learns to treasure her despite the fact that outside she's mocked as being too old a bride to bear children (since Karluk would have to grow up more before they did try to have children). Watching her hunt, help out around the home, or nurse an injured hawk (as was the case in this chapter) is always enjoyable and emotional, and it's a shame it takes so long in between chapters, though with art this detailed and gorgeous, Mori must have her work cut out for her.