Honors Thesis Draft

[laurbits]

Here it is! My blood, sweat and tears. Still very much a draft since I haven't included the input from my professors yet. Feel free to let me know what you think! I could certainly use the feedback. Also, if you guys have some idea which journals to submit this to, let me know.

Mutilating the Maidens:
Problematizing the Dismemberment
of Female Bodies in CLAMP's Manga X

Re-uploaded: 03-25-2011. The link shouldn't expire anymore!

Please respect my wishes and do not distribute/use this for any other purpose besides personal reading. Thanks!

x-posted to manga_talk here.

Comments

[retsuko.livejournal.com]

Re: FMA, what I mean is that is Edward's body, although it has come apart, never comes apart the way their mother's body does as a Homoculus (the visions of her resurrected form before she becomes a full Homoculus are horrifying) and that the female Homoculi's body are capable of physically reforming themselves in the ways that the male Homoculis' are not. When Edward "dies" in the climatic battle with Envy, he is killed through Envy's arm through his chest (and can I get an EEWWWW here?) rather than losing any more parts of his physical self.

I should say here that I have only seen the anime, so cannot speak for the manga version.

[chibicharibdys.livejournal.com]

Ah, okay; I noticed that a lot of the character's roles seem a bit subverted in the anime; forex. the thief girl not only outruns but also outwits Edward in the manga, whereas in the anime, Edward has to teach her a lesson (or something like that). As a result, I much prefer the manga; the gender roles seem more equal, and there is a very strong sense of the country as a whole, working outside of the limitations of the plot; i.e. ordinary people living (or doing their best to live) ordinary lives despite war. The anime seems to be lacking a lot of what I like in the manga.