The Story of Saiunkoku – Volume 6
Author: Sai Yukino (Kadokawa Shoten)
Illustrator: Kairi Yura
American Publisher: Viz Media
American Release Date: February 7, 2012
Age Rating: T
Format and length: Manga, 4 chapters
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Shojo
Overall Personal Rating: B
Titles in the Radius: Cross Game, Honey & Clover, kimi ni todoke: From Me to You and Ouran Highschool Host Club
Starting at the bottom and working ones way up the ranks through hard work like washing dishes or doing the nasty cleaning jobs with the promise of being on the top is deeply ingrained in the psyche of people today. While this isn’t the case today in many jobs, it still pulls at people’s hearts and stories like Saiunkoku. Perhaps it is because we wish the world worked this way that it has such resonance.
Summary:
After the theft of the admission tablets is sorted out, Eigetsu learns that his alter-ego Yogetsu kept his tablet safe, albeit after spending all his money on a bottle of high-quality wine. With the tablets safely back in people’s hands, the test goes ahead as planned with Shurei and Eigestsu–as well as General Ran’s eccentric brother, Ryuren who left as soon as the test was over–placed in the top three. However, that placement only makes things worse for the two in their next phase: this year a special training regimen is issued. Shurei and Eigetsu are forced to clean toilets and shine shoes respectively in the morning while sorting through large stacks of documents at night all the while with people ridiculing them and making their lives harsher and while her friends and family want to help, they know they cannot. However, in this dark hour there are still some allies. Each morning a warm meal is laid by their door by some unknown stranger and as their bodies begin to collapse from exhaustion, number four in the exam, Hakumei Heki, comes to their aid.
Commentary:
Sai Yukino really tries to install the virtue of starting at the bottom and working one’s way up. While that noble goal is among the major themes for this volume there is a more subtle theme that many will probably miss: the ability of a bureaucracy to be able to function and promote worthy candidates inspite the inevitable corruption. Certainly this is not the case for every bureaucracy, but Yukino does a great job at showing how even with a multitude of inept, lazy, inefficient and even corrupt people inside, a few well-intentioned people in the right positions can keep things working and they need not even be the highest ranking members. This is done with Official Ro. Yukino quite cleverly portrays Ro as the antagonist in this volume and in a way he is, but not in the way most expect. While he is harsh to Shurei, Eigestsu and at the end Hakumei, he is doing it for a purpose.
Yukino has already begun to rebuild a web of intrigue within the court. While she focuses mostly on Shurei and what is going on around her in the present, it is clear she is building a wider structure from which later volumes will elaborate. Indeed one almost forgets that there is still turmoil in the far flung provinces where Ensei went back to. In spite the great care taken with the story’s progression, there is one part of this volume I do take exception to: the quick transition from the robbery to the ceremony for the examinees who passed. It’s not that the reader needed to be brought through the motions of Shurei taking the test, but rather the transition was so abrupt. In one scene Eigetsu was getting his tablet and few scenes later we see him as the top student. It just felt like something was missing. I also think she dragged out the scenes with the menial chores too long, but it may be because I have seen the anime and was anxiously awaiting the introduction of Hakumei who to my dismay only made the briefest of appearances this volume.
As for the artwork, Sai Yukino continues to produce clean, quality images. Overall this works well, but it did feel a bit off when one would see Eigetsu and especially Shurei and both only seemed to be slightly ruffled compared to those around them even after their 10-day ordeal. It is only a minor point though to otherwise great work.
Overall Rating: B
Volume 6 of The Story of Saiunkoku is a great inspiration to read. As Shurei takes another step along her path she pushes herself to overcome the obsticles before her no matter how much they irritate her. What’s more, other’s do take notice and help come to her and Eigetsu’s aid. Be prepared for a great read.
”In The Radius”:
Depending on what the reader gets out of Saikunkoku, there may different titles one might like. For those interested in the reverse harem comical situations,Ouran Highschool Host Club offers a decent story that’s entertaining. For those more interested in the romance aspects, Ouran still offers a good title here, but so do kimi ni todoke: From Me to You and Honey & Clover; however, the latter is likely to appeal to more adult women than the others. Finally those which males who enjoy the story (and females too) might like something like Cross Game which, while a manga about baseball, deals with the more complex issues of life and the difficulties in pursuing ones goal.
Order volume 4 of The Story of Saiunkoku at Right Stuf today!
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