Pink
By (Author) Kyoko Okazaki
Vertical Inc.
Vertical Inc.
15th November 2013
28th November 2013
United States
General
Fiction
641.5
Paperback
256
Width 146mm, Height 210mm
284g
PINK is considered by many as the first Japanese comic for women, the bible for josei manga covering many themes that still resonate with women today - work, family, finances and romance. However, Okazaki turns all of those themes on their heads, with bombastic visuals and a cast of unique characters. The narrative centres around the beautiful twenty-something Yumi. By day, Yumi works as a regular office job, but, by night, she works as a call-girl; she needs the money to make ends meet - and to feed her pet crocodile. So begins this thought provoking manga title.
Kyoko Okazaki, born December 13, 1963, is considered by many as one of the mother's of josei (women's) comics. Renowned for her mimimalist designs and tendancy to cover controversial themes, Okazaki cut her teeth in adult fiction in 1980's. While studying at Atomi University, Okazaki made her debut in Cartoon Burikko, an experiemental comic anthology primarily aimed at men. Okazaki would then turn her focus to women's issues. Focusing on the issues of contemporary young women, Okazaki never shied away from street culture, high fashion and drug use in her naratives. She would then take on her first a long-running series called Tokyo Girls Bravo; a rare comic to be published a fashion magazine. In this case, CUTIE, which was highly successful. As Okazaki would become more directly involved in the fashion industry, she would come to reveal some of its dark side. Helter Skelter is considered her opus and it reveals a side of the Japanese fashion business that has not been seen since. Okazaki has been in retirement since the end of the last century as she recovers from a life-threatening traffic accident.