A Bride's Story Manga Anime Review
http://phistars.blogspot.com/2012/06/brides-story-manga-anime-review.html
A Bride's Story Manga Anime Review
A Bride's Story (by Kauro Mori) is about the marriage of a 20 year old woman to a 12 year old. The time period is roughly about the 1800s or something. Perhaps, it takes place by Tibet or Cambodia at a different time. Is there a desert around Asia? I am not too certain. All that matters is that there are tribes, sheep and farmers. The technological specks are a bit too low. Eh, the setting is negligible. Oh wait, I think its central Asian (then again, with a name like a Amir and Karluk, I could almost swear that they are living in the Middle East (or that they are at least Muslims). Wait, I just looked up a map... Teehee. I guess they are Muslim. Those folks ,even today, are still into the whole tribal life thingy).
There are signs of colonization. Living with the tribe of the boy, there is a European man. Those EU explorers did get around a lot back then (he must be British). During those days, Brides where sent to forge allegiances among families. Amir , the Bride, was sent to marry Karluk's family by accident (well Karluk's family was fishing for a bride. She however was sent instead of a younger maiden). However, with her charms she won the hearts of her new family.
Amir, in a nutshell, is cute and motherly. She specializes in hunting rabbits and other wild beast (her hunting bow was part of her dowry). She does all she can to please her young husband. She seems to like the boy a lot. However, it almost feels like the relationship between a mother and son. The boy too started falling in love with Amir. The first conflict in the story appeared after an unexpected visit from Amir's elder brother (Amir was out tending the herb with Karluk, at the time).
He wanted his sister back; to marry her off to another guy. The matriarch chased him off with her bow (which had been her dowry back when she was a young lady). The matriarch too was a maiden from Amir's village. She told the brother that Amir was with child. This helped get rid of the elder brother and his entourage (you know the "Virgins Only" policy marriage policy among Muslim tribes. Its interesting how the mangaka artist avoided mentioning Allah in this entire graphic novel. Its seems to focus more on the culture, than on the religion).
Well, by now you figure that the matriarch was speaking in futurism terms (i.e lying). Amir has yet to make love to the boy (for the obvious reason). It almost feel like Amir is acting as Karluk's mother. This is shown in the second half of the volume. Karluk gets a terrible fever and Amir works day and night to help him. Over all, Amir plays quite the charming maternal role. Her honest eagerness to please is quite charming. She was raised to be such a wonderful wife. However, she is a bit too old (according to 19th century Asian standards). Karluk's family worries that Amir might not bear too many children. She still needs Karluk to mature enough to become her husband.
In those days, childbearing was considered the most important role for women. They were the pillars of society and having many children was seen as assuring society's future. It makes sense. Up until a few 200 years ago, infant mortality rate was really high. Thus, fertility was the only way to counterbalance this high rate of infant death. This is the world inhabited by Amir.
The style of the book is not that hard to follow. It is read from the traditional right to left. The decorations on the dress are quite wonderful. Plus, the mangaka artist manages action rather well (even if the only action comes from hunting rabbits. Then again, I only read volume one. The rest might get a lil better once Amir's elder bro figures that he has been tricked.). A Bride's Story is quite the wonderful historical graphic novel. A must read. I give it 5 star rating. Oh, one final thought. I have a feeling that this graphic novel would not be so funny if Amir was 12 and Karluk 20.
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