You may or may not already be aware of how manga is marketed in Japan but allow me to explain it. Typically, most manga is published in manga magazines aimed at specific demographics. A manga magazine publishes chapters from a variety of series on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basis.
The demographics that these manga magazines tend to target are Kodomo (children), Shonen (teen males), Shojo (teen females), Seinen (adult males) and Josei (adult females). Even a cursory glance at the circulation of these magazines will show that all of these demographics have representation in the top 20 except for Josei, easily making Josei the least popular manga demographic. This is a shame because Josei does not simply offer great reading but, in fact, offers some of the very best works of the medium.
My favourite manga of all time is a work called With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child by Keiko Tobe. In it, a couple named Sachiko and Masato Azuma have their first child but, after a while, it becomes clear that their child, a boy named Hikaru, is different from other children. He is identified as being autistic and Sachiko, the mother, has to bear the brunt of society’s stigma towards autistic people.
While the series can be difficult to read at times, the message ultimately is positive with Sachiko working hard so that people around her come to understand Hikaru and his differences. Ultimately, the series asks us to re-examine the way that we and society perceive “different people” and, because of that, becomes the most powerful manga I have ever read.
Another great work of Josei is In Clothes Called Fat by Moyoco Anno. This work follows Noko Hanazawa, a woman who deals with stress by excessive eating. She discovers that her long-term boyfriend has been cheating on her with one of her slim co-workers. This causes her to develop bulimia as a way to lose weight.
In Clothes Called Fat again points a finger at society, pointing out how people who do not reach the expectations of society are heavily mistreated and shamed and the destructive impact this has on their lives. This assessment of society really hit home for me and is ultimately another strong candidate for the strength of Josei manga.
Of course, Josei isn’t all as heavy as these works with many Josei series such as Karneval and Honey and Clover being more light hearted. However, it is works like these that I ultimately believe shows the strength of Josei and how it can tackle subjects that the other demographics dare not tread. Because of this, I fully believe that anyone who considers themselves a manga fan should give Josei a chance.
To seek out these works, check out bookdepository.com for all of your needs!
Josei is heavily underappreciated in the west, most people who read manga wouldn’t even know what seinen meant, let alone josei. Even I, as a manga fan haven’t read too much josei, and I don’t have too much of it in my collection, but i’m proud of the ones I do have. By the time i’m ready to collect With the Light I hpe it’s still available