1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,190 me arey here Anisha is a Japanese woman 2 00:00:02,129 --> 00:00:06,089 who in her own words draws 3 00:00:04,190 --> 00:00:09,000 autobiographical and fictional butch 4 00:00:06,089 --> 00:00:11,130 lesbians stories of an androgynous woman 5 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:13,019 in often failed pursuit of an 6 00:00:11,130 --> 00:00:15,480 androgynous girlfriend from the webtoon 7 00:00:13,019 --> 00:00:17,699 description of her comic me arey is an 8 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:19,830 unfeminine otaku that's only interested 9 00:00:17,699 --> 00:00:21,750 in androgynous women with short hair the 10 00:00:19,830 --> 00:00:24,119 problem is they never liked her back 11 00:00:21,750 --> 00:00:25,800 these are the autobiographical train 12 00:00:24,119 --> 00:00:27,869 wrecks of a single woman who loves women 13 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:30,449 trying to make hot butch women notice 14 00:00:27,869 --> 00:00:32,880 her will she die single or find the hot 15 00:00:30,449 --> 00:00:34,649 androgynous girlfriend of her dreams 16 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,270 here Anisha makes a lot of blanket 17 00:00:34,649 --> 00:00:38,370 statements and her observations about 18 00:00:36,270 --> 00:00:40,230 dating other women which surprised me 19 00:00:38,370 --> 00:00:41,820 and felt of all off putting it first 20 00:00:40,230 --> 00:00:43,680 but she does go out of her way to not 21 00:00:41,820 --> 00:00:45,780 portray her experience as the end-all 22 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,340 be-all experience in fact while she uses 23 00:00:45,780 --> 00:00:48,930 butch an androgynous pretty 24 00:00:47,340 --> 00:00:50,879 interchangeably which I wouldn't do 25 00:00:48,930 --> 00:00:53,039 personally she makes sure to mark her 26 00:00:50,879 --> 00:00:55,469 personal opinions and experiences as 27 00:00:53,039 --> 00:00:57,180 such and she acknowledges repeatedly in 28 00:00:55,469 --> 00:00:59,340 the comic that definitions vary by 29 00:00:57,180 --> 00:01:01,920 person she also includes the T when 30 00:00:59,340 --> 00:01:03,480 talking about the LGBT community so the 31 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:05,489 comic does not come across as turfy 32 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,560 either its story is just a specific 33 00:01:05,489 --> 00:01:09,510 person describing a specific experience 34 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:11,250 and has clearly marked as such versus 35 00:01:09,510 --> 00:01:13,680 some kind of comprehensive explainer on 36 00:01:11,250 --> 00:01:15,479 the universal queer experience which I 37 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:16,619 would say doesn't really exist I just 38 00:01:15,479 --> 00:01:18,840 wanted to get that out of the way so no 39 00:01:16,619 --> 00:01:20,369 one went in expecting the latter and for 40 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,810 people who really want to avoid anything 41 00:01:20,369 --> 00:01:22,770 that could be interpreted as 42 00:01:21,810 --> 00:01:24,930 essentialist 43 00:01:22,770 --> 00:01:26,549 I really love this comic though the girl 44 00:01:24,930 --> 00:01:29,009 that can't get a girlfriend is super 45 00:01:26,549 --> 00:01:30,990 super funny and endearing it's deeply 46 00:01:29,009 --> 00:01:33,030 self-deprecating without ever being self 47 00:01:30,990 --> 00:01:34,710 pitying or depressing so it's a light 48 00:01:33,030 --> 00:01:36,869 and entertaining read that's relatable 49 00:01:34,710 --> 00:01:38,460 thematically dealing with subjects that 50 00:01:36,869 --> 00:01:40,890 in a different comment could be heavier 51 00:01:38,460 --> 00:01:42,840 or more upsetting romantic frustrations 52 00:01:40,890 --> 00:01:44,640 feeling inadequate struggling with 53 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:46,320 whether or not it's worth you changing 54 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:49,020 yourself specifically your gender 55 00:01:46,320 --> 00:01:51,540 expression to be better liked and so on 56 00:01:49,020 --> 00:01:53,640 so far it's also very PG with stronger 57 00:01:51,540 --> 00:01:55,560 profanity censored and it focuses on 58 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,240 these social and romantic aspects of 59 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,890 dating rather than anything explicitly 60 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,600 sexual so it would definitely be 61 00:01:58,890 --> 00:02:02,610 something I'd recommend for people with 62 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:04,439 certain content sensitivities and for 63 00:02:02,610 --> 00:02:05,909 younger readers in like middle school 64 00:02:04,439 --> 00:02:08,099 which I can't say for a lot of what I 65 00:02:05,909 --> 00:02:09,440 review or read myself even though it's 66 00:02:08,099 --> 00:02:10,850 such a specific experience 67 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,710 and I wouldn't say it should be 68 00:02:10,850 --> 00:02:15,080 extrapolated out to stand in for any 69 00:02:12,710 --> 00:02:16,490 kind of Universal lesbian experience for 70 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,260 me is someone who is not a lesbian I 71 00:02:16,490 --> 00:02:20,420 find it really interesting and at times 72 00:02:18,260 --> 00:02:22,190 informative of a lifestyle I'm not super 73 00:02:20,420 --> 00:02:24,560 familiar with tyranny she being Japanese 74 00:02:22,190 --> 00:02:26,000 also impacts her dating life in ways I 75 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,650 as a white person don't have to deal 76 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,840 with and while it's not a focus of the 77 00:02:27,650 --> 00:02:32,120 comic so far it has come up especially 78 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,950 in jokes journey she draws herself very 79 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,720 simply and draws women she's attracted 80 00:02:33,950 --> 00:02:37,310 to and in almost over-the-top shoujo 81 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,900 manga style to emphasize her own 82 00:02:37,310 --> 00:02:40,880 self-consciousness compared to her 83 00:02:38,900 --> 00:02:42,350 infatuation with these women one of my 84 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:44,060 favorite panels has the person she has a 85 00:02:42,350 --> 00:02:46,430 crush on drawn as a goddess while she's 86 00:02:44,060 --> 00:02:48,290 drawn as a level 1 cockroach the writing 87 00:02:46,430 --> 00:02:50,510 outshines the art for this comic though 88 00:02:48,290 --> 00:02:52,580 he ranae she uses meme and nerd language 89 00:02:50,510 --> 00:02:54,170 and really blunt and brutal self 90 00:02:52,580 --> 00:02:55,910 deprecation for great comedic effect 91 00:02:54,170 --> 00:02:58,670 without ever coming across like a 92 00:02:55,910 --> 00:03:00,500 trihard phone nerd or speaking in a way 93 00:02:58,670 --> 00:03:02,300 that will date the comic or in a way 94 00:03:00,500 --> 00:03:03,560 that's a downer are self pitying one 95 00:03:02,300 --> 00:03:05,210 thing I really appreciate about the girl 96 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:07,640 that can't get a girlfriend is often in 97 00:03:05,210 --> 00:03:09,290 media if someone is a romantic loser 98 00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:11,090 you're supposed to relate to its a 99 00:03:09,290 --> 00:03:12,920 down-on-his-luck sis straight guy and 100 00:03:11,090 --> 00:03:15,320 women with romantic problems outside of 101 00:03:12,920 --> 00:03:16,940 like idealized fantasy romantic comedies 102 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:19,550 are portrayed as really really pathetic 103 00:03:16,940 --> 00:03:21,080 and weird and unattractive irony she 104 00:03:19,550 --> 00:03:22,910 walks the line of brutal self 105 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,530 deprecation beautifully where she does 106 00:03:22,910 --> 00:03:26,209 all these sad and embarrassing things 107 00:03:24,530 --> 00:03:28,160 but never in a way that evokes disgust 108 00:03:26,209 --> 00:03:30,050 but rather in a way that's relatable and 109 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,790 endearing and she usually circles back 110 00:03:30,050 --> 00:03:33,620 to self love and the deliberate choice 111 00:03:31,790 --> 00:03:35,450 to forge your own path and stick to your 112 00:03:33,620 --> 00:03:37,459 preferences and beliefs regardless of 113 00:03:35,450 --> 00:03:39,320 failing being made fun of or having 114 00:03:37,459 --> 00:03:40,880 trouble finding a partner and does so 115 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,500 without being saccharine or cliched 116 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:44,420 because she's so brutally 117 00:03:42,500 --> 00:03:46,070 self-deprecating the warm moments in the 118 00:03:44,420 --> 00:03:47,840 comic actually feel earned rather than 119 00:03:46,070 --> 00:03:49,340 contrived I know for me personally I 120 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,350 used to get a lot of pressure to grow my 121 00:03:49,340 --> 00:03:53,300 hair out or wear makeup or otherwise be 122 00:03:51,350 --> 00:03:54,590 more feminine to express myself in a way 123 00:03:53,300 --> 00:03:56,269 that I didn't like and that made me 124 00:03:54,590 --> 00:03:57,920 uncomfortable and just sacrifice the 125 00:03:56,269 --> 00:03:59,900 comfort in exchange for being perceived 126 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,220 as more conventionally attractive and 127 00:03:59,900 --> 00:04:03,620 more desirable to straightenin 128 00:04:01,220 --> 00:04:05,480 specifically but also just generally to 129 00:04:03,620 --> 00:04:06,739 anyone and I'm glad I never did it 130 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:08,209 because I know I would have just ended 131 00:04:06,739 --> 00:04:10,370 up resentful about it and would have 132 00:04:08,209 --> 00:04:11,900 hated it similar to how certain people I 133 00:04:10,370 --> 00:04:13,550 knew in high school suddenly and 134 00:04:11,900 --> 00:04:15,290 mysteriously giving me a lot more 135 00:04:13,550 --> 00:04:17,419 attention after I lost weight in college 136 00:04:15,290 --> 00:04:19,430 just made me feel weird and upset rather 137 00:04:17,419 --> 00:04:21,169 than flattered it isn't a nice Hirt 138 00:04:19,430 --> 00:04:22,940 rewarding feeling to know that someone's 139 00:04:21,169 --> 00:04:24,560 interest in you was superficial and 140 00:04:22,940 --> 00:04:26,360 official interests are interested me 141 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,740 based on me portraying myself in ways I 142 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:29,690 don't really feel comfortable portraying 143 00:04:27,740 --> 00:04:31,250 myself or two things I do not try to 144 00:04:29,690 --> 00:04:32,900 cultivate or feel good about when I do 145 00:04:31,250 --> 00:04:34,250 cultivate them I won't spoil it but 146 00:04:32,900 --> 00:04:35,600 there's a whole plot thread in the comic 147 00:04:34,250 --> 00:04:37,370 about hearing AG going through similar 148 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,290 as far as struggling with preferring an 149 00:04:37,370 --> 00:04:41,330 androgynous appearance and I enjoyed it 150 00:04:39,290 --> 00:04:42,770 and appreciated it a lot I haven't had a 151 00:04:41,330 --> 00:04:44,750 lot of the same dating or life 152 00:04:42,770 --> 00:04:45,980 experiences as she has but I definitely 153 00:04:44,750 --> 00:04:47,630 relate to the struggles of 154 00:04:45,980 --> 00:04:49,940 self-expression and weighing the 155 00:04:47,630 --> 00:04:51,530 sacrifice of authenticity to be liked or 156 00:04:49,940 --> 00:04:53,120 or be considered conventionally 157 00:04:51,530 --> 00:04:54,890 attractive that she explores in the 158 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,420 comic bruni she says in her patreon 159 00:04:54,890 --> 00:04:58,100 comic that she's choosing to self-fund 160 00:04:56,420 --> 00:04:59,720 and self-published through patreon 161 00:04:58,100 --> 00:05:01,550 because most publishing companies aren't 162 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,960 interested in what she writes she says 163 00:05:01,550 --> 00:05:04,670 they want to market their comics to 164 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,710 street men and straight men expect more 165 00:05:04,670 --> 00:05:08,690 feminine women and their gay lady comics 166 00:05:06,710 --> 00:05:11,600 so she's very deliberately working on 167 00:05:08,690 --> 00:05:13,220 her own to bridge that gap which again 168 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:15,260 though her dating and general life 169 00:05:13,220 --> 00:05:17,540 experiences vary a lot from mine and 170 00:05:15,260 --> 00:05:19,700 some of her views differ from how I view 171 00:05:17,540 --> 00:05:21,470 gender and sexuality and dating 172 00:05:19,700 --> 00:05:24,170 conceptually I think that's really 173 00:05:21,470 --> 00:05:25,880 really cool I love this comic and it's 174 00:05:24,170 --> 00:05:28,220 super fun to read and I support here in 175 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,690 AC on patreon because I believe that one 176 00:05:28,220 --> 00:05:31,340 shortcut to having more sustained 177 00:05:29,690 --> 00:05:33,680 marginalized voices telling their own 178 00:05:31,340 --> 00:05:35,480 individual unique stories is to support 179 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:37,640 them directly financially if you're able 180 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,600 or if you're not able which obviously is 181 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,130 totally understandable 182 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:42,320 just with stuff like retweets and 183 00:05:40,130 --> 00:05:44,510 encouraging comments the comic is really 184 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:46,190 short now it's only three chapters long 185 00:05:44,510 --> 00:05:48,560 so it wouldn't take very long at all to 186 00:05:46,190 --> 00:05:50,270 catch up and keep up with her releases i 187 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:52,160 also suma pyrenees she made enough on 188 00:05:50,270 --> 00:05:54,200 patreon she could maybe quit her day job 189 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:56,570 and make more comics so if you like the 190 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:57,980 comic check out her patreon if you want 191 00:05:56,570 --> 00:05:59,930 to read a comic that is still uplifting 192 00:05:57,980 --> 00:06:02,270 and sweet but that is darker and deals 193 00:05:59,930 --> 00:06:03,980 much more with mental illness my lesbian 194 00:06:02,270 --> 00:06:05,900 experience with loneliness is another 195 00:06:03,980 --> 00:06:07,370 excellent autobiographical comic you 196 00:06:05,900 --> 00:06:08,780 should check out I considered also 197 00:06:07,370 --> 00:06:10,220 reviewing it for this video but I 198 00:06:08,780 --> 00:06:12,080 haven't read the related comics that 199 00:06:10,220 --> 00:06:13,490 came out after by the same author and I 200 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:16,340 figured I should do a video on all that 201 00:06:13,490 --> 00:06:17,150 at once instead so I'll probably with 202 00:06:16,340 --> 00:06:18,320 all the other stuff that I plan to 203 00:06:17,150 --> 00:06:22,250 review I'll probably add that to the 204 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:24,500 pile thank you for watching I know this 205 00:06:22,250 --> 00:06:26,540 is a shorter video but there isn't a 206 00:06:24,500 --> 00:06:28,790 time to talk about for a webcomic that 207 00:06:26,540 --> 00:06:30,169 is just three chapters long and I 208 00:06:28,790 --> 00:06:32,060 couldn't find any like interview clips 209 00:06:30,169 --> 00:06:34,340 with the author or anything else to add 210 00:06:32,060 --> 00:06:36,050 to it but I really did feel like this 211 00:06:34,340 --> 00:06:36,830 was worth talking about and just how 212 00:06:36,050 --> 00:06:38,750 brutal and 213 00:06:36,830 --> 00:06:40,520 it was and I can't promise I'll always 214 00:06:38,750 --> 00:06:42,530 check them out but I'm always open to 215 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:46,550 recommendations for stuff like this 216 00:06:42,530 --> 00:06:48,710 like weird funny obscure niche comics or 217 00:06:46,550 --> 00:06:50,150 video games or anything like that I 218 00:06:48,710 --> 00:06:51,710 don't even remember how I found this 219 00:06:50,150 --> 00:06:53,240 comic I think it just showed up on my 220 00:06:51,710 --> 00:06:54,890 Twitter or something so if you have 221 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,330 something like this or something else 222 00:06:54,890 --> 00:06:57,800 that's different that you would like to 223 00:06:56,330 --> 00:06:59,600 recommend feel free to put it in the 224 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,700 comments or tweet it at me at plenty of 225 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:02,750 alcoves or anything like that if you 226 00:07:01,700 --> 00:07:05,030 enjoyed this video please consider 227 00:07:02,750 --> 00:07:06,950 supporting me on patreon I also have the 228 00:07:05,030 --> 00:07:08,990 cofee if you want some information on a 229 00:07:06,950 --> 00:07:11,690 queer webcomic that is not light and 230 00:07:08,990 --> 00:07:15,310 Goofy and pg-rated check out my review 231 00:07:11,690 --> 00:07:15,310 for a feast for a king thanks