The Story of Saiunkoku, Volumes 3-4
Review
The Story of Saiunkoku, Volumes 3-4
Shurei Hong is quick-witted, studious and dedicated to helping those in need. But because she is female, she’s barred from becoming a civil servant, the job she wants most of all. She continues to study and work hard, in hopes that someday these sexist rules will be overturned, though she has her doubts it will ever happen.
"The offbeat romance and beautiful men --- those are things you see in a lot of shojo manga. But the strong theme of empowering women is something that makes The Story of Saiunkoku stand out."
She has been asked, however, to work with the emperor, Ryuki, who is considered an idiot by many. He’s not actually an idiot, and in their time together he falls for Shurei. When volume three opens, Shurei has returned to her home, and she and the emperor have been separated for a few months. The emperor isn’t taking this well, and tries to woo her with constant letters and gifts. Too bad she doesn’t like the gifts, and he makes the letters anonymous --- though, of course, Shurei still knows it all comes from him.
She’s offered a job as the assistant in the Ministry of Treasury, but again this job is barred from women. As a result, Shurei disguises herself as a boy. She excels at her work and is even able to put up with her boss, a strict man who covers his face with a mask. People say that it’s because he’s too ugly. But when we get to see him maskless, we learn it’s just the opposite. In tune with the beautiful men in shojo manga, his face is so gorgeous that it distracts people and causes problems, and hence the mask is used.
Ryuki isn’t seen all that much in these two volumes, and I do miss him. He does what he can to allow women into government roles, by making it so that they can take the test that decides who is capable of the jobs. Not everyone likes this, and strict rules are attached. Women are given one chance to take the test, and if even one fails, no woman is given a government job, and the test will not be offered to them again. Shurei knows she has to do what she can to enable women to have more choices in their careers.
The offbeat romance and beautiful men --- those are things you see in a lot of shojo manga. But the strong theme of empowering women is something that makes The Story of Saiunkoku stand out, which I’d like to see more in manga. I’m not saying there aren’t strong women in manga, but I don’t usually see empowerment as such a major part of their plots.
Reviewed by Danica Davidson on November 21, 2011
The Story of Saiunkoku, Volumes 3-4
- Publication Date: May 3, 2011
- Genres: Fiction, Manga, Young Adult 14+
- Paperback: 200 pages
- Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
- ISBN-10: 1421538369
- ISBN-13: 9781421538365
