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September has finally rolled into the arena and it’s still too hot for sweater weather and anything pumpkin spice, if that’s your thing. This is a perfect time for a seasonal check in to spotlight a few gems on my physical and digital bookshelves for anyone looking for some new manga to read! Romance, school life, yakuza–you name it! I got it!
Blue Period
Creator: Tsubasa Yamaguchi
Translator: Ajani Oloye
Publisher: Kodansha
Genre: Drama, School Life
Age Rating: 16+
Available Formats: Digital & Physical
Ongoing or Completed: Ongoing
Anime Adaption Available: Yes, Netflix
Blue Period is one of my favorite ongoing manga series at the moment. When I reviewed the first volume, I wrote that it was a stunning debut about passion, art, and youth. As I kept reading this series about a high school kid who stumbled upon a new passion: painting, I was not prepared for the amazing story I would lose myself in. Hitting somewhere genre-wise between seninen, drama, and school life, it has a healthy dose of coming-of-age vibes too. Yatora, our protagonist who has had a late start in creating art enrolls in prep school to help him prepare for art school exams. It was a thrilling arc that really resonated with me as he constantly found himself hitting walls again and again as he was figuring out his weakness as an artist and how he saw the world.
Catching up with volume seven revealed that our boy earned his way into the nation’s most competitive art school in Japan. Yatora is OFFICIALLY A COLLEGE STUDENT. This volume was such a gut punch when I first read it. Yatora has been so gun-ho on creating art and his first semester as a student has come with such crippling self-doubt and hardship that he’s almost at a complete loss on why he is even there. Volume eight picked up the pace with the mangaka going hard in the paint on fleshing out a question I’ve had since volume one: Who is Yatora Yaguchi? Who is he without this passion for art? Who is he as a person without a paintbrush or pencil to sketch? For a “manga about the struggles and rewards of a life dedicated to art,” I continue to keep this series in my reading rotation. Yatora’s first semester as an art student in college is such an engaging story that continues to leave me entirely in my feelings as I read on, cheering him on! New perspectives, new friends, and new ways to consume, observe and create art makes this journey of his never dull and one I will continue to read.
Recommended for: Folks who love “coming of age” stories, very unique cast of supporting characters, school life
The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting
Creator: Tsukiya
Translator: Jenny McKeon
Publisher: Kaiten Books
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
Available Formats: Digital & Physical
Ongoing or Completed: Ongoing
Anime Adaption Available: Yes, on Crunchyroll
Kirishima Tooru is the one and only right-hand man of the Sakuragi crime family. For him, he’s good at his job and doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty. He’s even earned the nickname “the Demon of Sakuragi.” To get him to use his head and be more responsible, he receives a new assignment like never before from the boss—babysitting his daughter! This manga follows the super heartwarming and super hilarious adventures of a beloved little girl and her yakuza caretaker!
The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting is perhaps the most wholesome pick on this list that I would recommend to anyone needing a manga rec that will pull at your heartstrings. I’ve been reading the series on the Azuki app to prepare for watching the anime adaptation that is now streaming. Yaeka, the boss’ daughter, who slowly learns to come out of her shell with help of her unorthodox family who are all doing their best to be the best support system they can be, is just what I needed. The relationship that Kirishima has with the kid is adorable to the third degree and so it has been enough to get me emotionally invested in in the manga just one volume in. I keep thinking of the author’s note in the back of the first volume where she says she had started to lose sight of what she wanted to draw after so many failed attempts to win contests to break into the manga industry. Finally, she allowed herself to create the story she wanted to read and what followed next was this work which endears me to this manga even more.
Recommended for: Folks who love “found families,” comedy, slice of life stories, adorable child characters
Tsukiko and the Satellite and Other Stories
Creator: MISSISSIPPI
Publisher: Glacier Books
Genre: Sci-Fi, Slice of Life
Available Formats: Digital
Ongoing or Completed: Completed.
Anime Adaption Available: No.
The Azuki app has some indie and smaller press manga publishers and Tsukiko and the Satellite and Other Stories is a fave that I first found scrolling when looking for something new to read. This work is the first English-language collection from the Kyoto-based Japanese painter and comic creator MISSISSIPPI who is also known to be a zine maker. Altogether, five dreamy sci~fi short stories bring to life small, everyday moments including a long wandering father returning home, a bike repair job that’s more than meets the eye, and a summer laborer becoming acquainted with a mysterious girl by the river.
As my introduction to the creative known as MISSISSIPPI and my gateway title into her comics work, I found these short stories just so wonderfully weird in such a light-hearted way. I was so sad to get to the end of the book and promptly reread the entire manga in one sitting. These sci-fi-tinged shorts give us bursts of storytelling with such a playful tone and vibe that I loved them immediately. One of my favorite stories, “Audrey Hepburn 2049” (with translation by Anna Schnell) details a wonderful surprise when a beloved bike needs repairs and leads to an amazing discovery that any cinema lover would appreciate. Tsukiko and the Satellite and Other Stories show a very genuinely playful and fascinating side of manga that I want to see more of. I believe I am in good company as publisher Glacier Books has released another collection of work: Invisible Parade by MISSISSIPPI that includes the Ignatz nominated story “WINTER BREAK 2029,” which I can not adore any more than I do now.
Recommended For: Folks who love the Sci-fi genre, readers of Oddball stories, folks who love light-hearted manga
Changes of Heart
Creator: KUJIRA
Translator: Deborah Fu
Publisher: Kodansha
Genre: Josei, Drama, Romance,
Age Rating: 18+
Available Formats: Digital For Now
Ongoing or Completed: Ongoing
Anime Adaptation Available: No
After being dumped by her boyfriend of two and a half years, Koyori went to her longtime friend Hijiri’s house to drink away her sorrow…and ended up spending the night with him! The next morning, she sobers up, realizing what happens, and freaks out. Hijiri, who she’s known all of her life, has confessed! He loves her and wants to be with her. Koyori is blindsided, and she’s not sure how to reconcile the new development with someone she’s known since they were kids. She’s still pretty crushed on getting dumped and not at all sure if she’ll lose one of her closest friends if this new relationship doesn’t work out. Oh, and her ex wants back into her life now. Koyori needs to figure out what she wants before she loses it all.
As part of Kodansha’s Digital First Line, Changes of Heart proved to be a winner even though I’m not sure when I’ll be able to have it in print. I had heard of this manga a while ago and was eagerly awaiting its English-translated version, and I’m happy to read it digitally. For now. I’m always game for some Josei manga of grown women figuring out love, work, and life. Now, I do admit that the beginning of how Koyori and Hijiri started their relationship is a little sketchy (please drink responsibly, y’all!) but this series has really evolved into this beautiful story of two people who have known each other their whole lives receiving the love they always deserved. Some readers did not care for the seas of awkwardness that these two have to navigate across, but it only made their struggles and commitment to each other more sincere and worth reading. One of the major narrative themes in this manga is discovery, and it is incredibly sweet and moving to see these two rediscovering each other through the lens of being lovers and figuring out what a relationship means on their terms.
Recommended For: Folks who love “childhood friend to lovers” trope, the Josei genre, career women
Happily Divorced
Creators: Jun Hoshijima / Yushi Batsuichi
Publisher: wwwave_comics
Genre: Slice of Life, Family Life, Josei,
Age Rating: 13+
Available Formats: Digital
Ongoing or Completed: Completed
Anime Adaptation Available: None
I found this little gem on the Book Walker site, looking for something new to read in the Josei category. Released in four chapters, Happily Divorced reads like a short anthology of a revolving cast of characters: mostly women experiencing the high and lows of marriage. The cutesy art-style doesn’t take away from the hard hitting stories contained here that offer up the many reason why a couple would separate and divorce. In one story: a husband is selfish and refuses to take his wife seriously, leading her to be bullied by his mother until she has her breaking point. In another, one wife is abused by her husband and emotional abuse is defined on the page along with her plan to get away to safety. While all the chapters are short, they are no less powerful and these stories that stayed with me long after I finished reading.
I have been interested in reading more manga anthology works since reading the Seven Seas Entertainment title, My Brain is Different: Stories of ADHD and Other Developmental Disorders. I believe this format does wonders in shorter spurts when detailing real life issues like how divorce affects families and the lives of women, in this case. At the end of the fourth book in this series is an author’s note not to be missed on the creators who interviewed people for this work with all the care and sensitivity for such a topic that is still taboo in many cultures and circles. I hope to see more Josei manga featuring narratives not just dealing with divorce but complicated relationships in this vein of storytelling. Reading Happily Divorced has also led to me further my search for more manga anthologies and similar works that do a lot in short page lengths.
Recommended For: Folks who are looking for more more manga anthology like works, Josei genre lovers, Women centered manga
What manga is a must read on your book shelves this Fall? I’d love to know. Sound off in the comments or via our social media channels!
Love manga? So do we! Check out more manga reviews and related content here!
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram!
The post Autumn Manga Book Shelf Spotlight appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
September has finally rolled into the arena and it’s still too hot for sweater weather and anything pumpkin spice, if that’s your thing. This is a perfect time for a seasonal check in to spotlight a few gems on my physical and digital bookshelves for anyone looking for some new manga to read! Romance, school life, yakuza–you name it! I got it!
Blue Period
Creator: Tsubasa Yamaguchi
Translator: Ajani Oloye
Publisher: Kodansha
Genre: Drama, School Life
Age Rating: 16+
Available Formats: Digital & Physical
Ongoing or Completed: Ongoing
Anime Adaption Available: Yes, Netflix
Blue Period is one of my favorite ongoing manga series at the moment. When I reviewed the first volume, I wrote that it was a stunning debut about passion, art, and youth. As I kept reading this series about a high school kid who stumbled upon a new passion: painting, I was not prepared for the amazing story I would lose myself in. Hitting somewhere genre-wise between seninen, drama, and school life, it has a healthy dose of coming-of-age vibes too. Yatora, our protagonist who has had a late start in creating art enrolls in prep school to help him prepare for art school exams. It was a thrilling arc that really resonated with me as he constantly found himself hitting walls again and again as he was figuring out his weakness as an artist and how he saw the world.
Catching up with volume seven revealed that our boy earned his way into the nation’s most competitive art school in Japan. Yatora is OFFICIALLY A COLLEGE STUDENT. This volume was such a gut punch when I first read it. Yatora has been so gun-ho on creating art and his first semester as a student has come with such crippling self-doubt and hardship that he’s almost at a complete loss on why he is even there. Volume eight picked up the pace with the mangaka going hard in the paint on fleshing out a question I’ve had since volume one: Who is Yatora Yaguchi? Who is he without this passion for art? Who is he as a person without a paintbrush or pencil to sketch? For a “manga about the struggles and rewards of a life dedicated to art,” I continue to keep this series in my reading rotation. Yatora’s first semester as an art student in college is such an engaging story that continues to leave me entirely in my feelings as I read on, cheering him on! New perspectives, new friends, and new ways to consume, observe and create art makes this journey of his never dull and one I will continue to read.
Recommended for: Folks who love “coming of age” stories, very unique cast of supporting characters, school life
The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting
Creator: Tsukiya
Translator: Jenny McKeon
Publisher: Kaiten Books
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
Available Formats: Digital & Physical
Ongoing or Completed: Ongoing
Anime Adaption Available: Yes, on Crunchyroll
Kirishima Tooru is the one and only right-hand man of the Sakuragi crime family. For him, he’s good at his job and doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty. He’s even earned the nickname “the Demon of Sakuragi.” To get him to use his head and be more responsible, he receives a new assignment like never before from the boss—babysitting his daughter! This manga follows the super heartwarming and super hilarious adventures of a beloved little girl and her yakuza caretaker!
The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting is perhaps the most wholesome pick on this list that I would recommend to anyone needing a manga rec that will pull at your heartstrings. I’ve been reading the series on the Azuki app to prepare for watching the anime adaptation that is now streaming. Yaeka, the boss’ daughter, who slowly learns to come out of her shell with help of her unorthodox family who are all doing their best to be the best support system they can be, is just what I needed. The relationship that Kirishima has with the kid is adorable to the third degree and so it has been enough to get me emotionally invested in in the manga just one volume in. I keep thinking of the author’s note in the back of the first volume where she says she had started to lose sight of what she wanted to draw after so many failed attempts to win contests to break into the manga industry. Finally, she allowed herself to create the story she wanted to read and what followed next was this work which endears me to this manga even more.
Recommended for: Folks who love “found families,” comedy, slice of life stories, adorable child characters
Tsukiko and the Satellite and Other Stories
Creator: MISSISSIPPI
Publisher: Glacier Books
Genre: Sci-Fi, Slice of Life
Available Formats: Digital
Ongoing or Completed: Completed.
Anime Adaption Available: No.
The Azuki app has some indie and smaller press manga publishers and Tsukiko and the Satellite and Other Stories is a fave that I first found scrolling when looking for something new to read. This work is the first English-language collection from the Kyoto-based Japanese painter and comic creator MISSISSIPPI who is also known to be a zine maker. Altogether, five dreamy sci~fi short stories bring to life small, everyday moments including a long wandering father returning home, a bike repair job that’s more than meets the eye, and a summer laborer becoming acquainted with a mysterious girl by the river.
As my introduction to the creative known as MISSISSIPPI and my gateway title into her comics work, I found these short stories just so wonderfully weird in such a light-hearted way. I was so sad to get to the end of the book and promptly reread the entire manga in one sitting. These sci-fi-tinged shorts give us bursts of storytelling with such a playful tone and vibe that I loved them immediately. One of my favorite stories, “Audrey Hepburn 2049” (with translation by Anna Schnell) details a wonderful surprise when a beloved bike needs repairs and leads to an amazing discovery that any cinema lover would appreciate. Tsukiko and the Satellite and Other Stories show a very genuinely playful and fascinating side of manga that I want to see more of. I believe I am in good company as publisher Glacier Books has released another collection of work: Invisible Parade by MISSISSIPPI that includes the Ignatz nominated story “WINTER BREAK 2029,” which I can not adore any more than I do now.
Recommended For: Folks who love the Sci-fi genre, readers of Oddball stories, folks who love light-hearted manga
Changes of Heart
Creator: KUJIRA
Translator: Deborah Fu
Publisher: Kodansha
Genre: Josei, Drama, Romance,
Age Rating: 18+
Available Formats: Digital For Now
Ongoing or Completed: Ongoing
Anime Adaptation Available: No
After being dumped by her boyfriend of two and a half years, Koyori went to her longtime friend Hijiri’s house to drink away her sorrow…and ended up spending the night with him! The next morning, she sobers up, realizing what happens, and freaks out. Hijiri, who she’s known all of her life, has confessed! He loves her and wants to be with her. Koyori is blindsided, and she’s not sure how to reconcile the new development with someone she’s known since they were kids. She’s still pretty crushed on getting dumped and not at all sure if she’ll lose one of her closest friends if this new relationship doesn’t work out. Oh, and her ex wants back into her life now. Koyori needs to figure out what she wants before she loses it all.
As part of Kodansha’s Digital First Line, Changes of Heart proved to be a winner even though I’m not sure when I’ll be able to have it in print. I had heard of this manga a while ago and was eagerly awaiting its English-translated version, and I’m happy to read it digitally. For now. I’m always game for some Josei manga of grown women figuring out love, work, and life. Now, I do admit that the beginning of how Koyori and Hijiri started their relationship is a little sketchy (please drink responsibly, y’all!) but this series has really evolved into this beautiful story of two people who have known each other their whole lives receiving the love they always deserved. Some readers did not care for the seas of awkwardness that these two have to navigate across, but it only made their struggles and commitment to each other more sincere and worth reading. One of the major narrative themes in this manga is discovery, and it is incredibly sweet and moving to see these two rediscovering each other through the lens of being lovers and figuring out what a relationship means on their terms.
Recommended For: Folks who love “childhood friend to lovers” trope, the Josei genre, career women
Happily Divorced
Creators: Jun Hoshijima / Yushi Batsuichi
Publisher: wwwave_comics
Genre: Slice of Life, Family Life, Josei,
Age Rating: 13+
Available Formats: Digital
Ongoing or Completed: Completed
Anime Adaptation Available: None
I found this little gem on the Book Walker site, looking for something new to read in the Josei category. Released in four chapters, Happily Divorced reads like a short anthology of a revolving cast of characters: mostly women experiencing the high and lows of marriage. The cutesy art-style doesn’t take away from the hard hitting stories contained here that offer up the many reason why a couple would separate and divorce. In one story: a husband is selfish and refuses to take his wife seriously, leading her to be bullied by his mother until she has her breaking point. In another, one wife is abused by her husband and emotional abuse is defined on the page along with her plan to get away to safety. While all the chapters are short, they are no less powerful and these stories that stayed with me long after I finished reading.
I have been interested in reading more manga anthology works since reading the Seven Seas Entertainment title, My Brain is Different: Stories of ADHD and Other Developmental Disorders. I believe this format does wonders in shorter spurts when detailing real life issues like how divorce affects families and the lives of women, in this case. At the end of the fourth book in this series is an author’s note not to be missed on the creators who interviewed people for this work with all the care and sensitivity for such a topic that is still taboo in many cultures and circles. I hope to see more Josei manga featuring narratives not just dealing with divorce but complicated relationships in this vein of storytelling. Reading Happily Divorced has also led to me further my search for more manga anthologies and similar works that do a lot in short page lengths.
Recommended For: Folks who are looking for more more manga anthology like works, Josei genre lovers, Women centered manga
What manga is a must read on your book shelves this Fall? I’d love to know. Sound off in the comments or via our social media channels!
Love manga? So do we! Check out more manga reviews and related content here!
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram!
The post Autumn Manga Book Shelf Spotlight appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Throughout anime history, we’ve been introduced to strong female leads who easily give male main characters a run for their money. A good anime heroine is as strong as she is beautiful, taking down enemies and handling quests on her own with little to no help. Shows like Sailor Moon, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Jujutsu Kaisen are full of powerful animated women who give a whole new meaning to the phrase “I don’t need a man.” If you’re looking for anime beauties who are heroes in their own right, here’s a list of five that embodies strength, bravery, and independence.
- Faye Valentine: The Honky Tonk Woman
Faye Valentine is femme fatale incarnate. The purple-haired vixen from Cowboy Bebop will steal your heart with her sultry strut right before she steals your wallet. This honky tonk woman is a hardened soul with a troubled past: her thieving, conniving ways and issues with gambling often land her in trouble with criminal masterminds and the law. Faye is a shoot-first-ask-questions-later kinda chick; her savage gun-toting skills and expert piloting make her a valuable asset to Spike and the gang. Although Faye is a loner who prefers to look out for herself, over time she learns to befriend the Bebop crew, coming to their rescue in desperate times of need (especially Spike, who she clashes with the most). Her troubled past forces her to walk through life alone, but deep down, she’s just a lost girl desperately trying to reconnect with her past and find her place in life.
- Mikasa Ackerman: Stoic But Deadly
Mikasa Ackerman is a force to be reckoned with. This raven-haired beauty hails from the hit shonen Attack on Titan and ranks among one of the show’s strongest characters. Mikasa is a member of the Survey Corps, a military branch of soldiers designed to take down flesh-eating Titans. Mikasa is one of few women to join the Survey Corps and quickly becomes one of the most skilled soldiers in her class, climbing the ranks in both maneuvering, weaponry, and hand-to-hand combat. Her tragic past and run-ins with death forced her to tap into her fighting potential at a young age, and she’s been cutting down foes, both male and Titan, ever since. Don’t confuse her stoic, composed demeanor for weakness; she’ll cut you down literally and figuratively if you’re foolish enough to cross her or a loved one. Although she appears cold and withdrawn, Mikasa is driven by love and an overwhelming desire to protect those closest to her.
- Maka Albarn: The Scythe-Wielding Scholar
Maka Albarn is a powerful scythe-wielding teen from Soul Eater with a heart of gold. Her intelligence, masterful scythe skills, and impressive hand-to-hand combat make her one of the top students at Death Weapon Meister Academy, where she trains to become a scythe-meister just like her mother. Although Maka is overpowered by her predominantly male peers, it doesn’t stop her from taking up space; her hard work and dedication to her craft make her a star in her own right and one of the highest-ranking meisters in her class. Maka’s advanced fighting techniques and courageousness make her a challenging adversary, as she uses every inch of her body and soul to wield her gigantic scythe. Her cat-like agility, high-flying acrobatics, and fluid fighting style are used to slay countless foes and elevate both her and her death scythe to new levels. Although her studious nature and short temper make her appear intense, at her core, she’s a selfless and compassionate girl who will stop at nothing to help a friend in need.
- Ryuko Matoi: A Rebel with a Cause
Ryuko Matoi is the star of Studio Trigger’s Kill La Kill. She’s a fierce, headstrong MC who is not easily intimidated, even when the odds are stacked against her. Ryuko’s unrelenting quest to avenge her father’s death lands her in fights throughout her local school district before she arrives at the vicious Honnouji Academy, where she rebels against the strict rule and order of the power-hungry school council. Even though Ryuko’s fierce competitiveness and blunt attitude often land her in trouble and make her a walking target at school, it doesn’t prevent her from speaking her mind and standing up for what’s right. Never one to back down from a fight, she’ll take on any opponent who dares to challenge her or threaten the lives of the innocent, from low-ranking pickpockets to three-star Goku fighters. Over time, Ryuko works her way up from a street-fighting rookie to an elite sword fighter defeating enemies across the school body, including high-ranking school council members. With the help of her super-powered uniform and giant scissor-blade, Ryuko enhances her strength, speed, and agility and quickly proves to the students at Honnouji Academy that she will cut down anyone who stands in the way of her vengeance.
- Asuna Yuuki: The Sword Fighting Prodigy
Asuna Yuuki is a virtual sword-fighting prodigy from Sword Art Online. A master with a rapier, she uses her thin sword to deliver powerful thrusting attacks and hit combos that quickly vanquish her enemies and leave destruction in their wake. Asuna’s headstrong, fierce personality allows her to rush headfirst into danger fearlessly. At one point, she lived her life on the edge, annihilating monsters, and leveling up in SAO without a care in the world. That was until a chance encounter with MC Kirito that changed her life and her perspective of the world forever, softening her into the tender-hearted soul she is today. In addition to being a deadly sword fighter, Asuna is also a loving friend who will do anything to protect her loved ones, even if it means putting herself in harm’s way. Don’t let her beauty or small stature fool you for a second; she’s far from being a damsel in distress. Asuna can take down enemies in a single blow and is easily among the top three strongest characters in the series.
Abbott Elementary, a mockumentary style show that depicts faculty and staff at a predominantly Black school based in Philadelphia — and affectionately called The Office for Black people — is nominated for five award categories for this year’s Emmys, and I couldn’t be happier.
Yes, I am happy because of the great comedic writing that is recognized as well as the performances of Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Janelle James being recognized. However, I am especially happy that a series that centers on an underrepresented profession — teaching — is receiving well-deserved recognition.
The profession amongst Black people that tends to be the most written about and given the most air time are of those in entertainment or in positions of power. For example, Lee Daniels’ trajectory from centering stories on low income Black folks in his films Precious and The Butler heavily shifted to the storylines that I believe he thought would garner him the most success in television: Black wealth in shows like Empire, Star, and Our Kind of People. The only show that ended up receiving any Emmy nominations in the show’s five-year run was Empire.
In Abbott Elementary, which is heavily inspired by showrunner and acting lead Quinta Brunson’s mother’s life as a teacher, they make clear how underfunded and underappreciated teachers are, and it received five Emmy nominations within its first season. It steps away from any “savior” narratives often given to teacher characters in entertainment media, and it also shows realistically how class affects teachers’ personal lives and the type of resources necessary for their classrooms.
I continue to use Lee Daniels as an example because in both his films about low-income Black folks and shows about wealthy Black folks, there is a “pull yourself up by bootstrap in the midst of your Black trauma” narrative that skirts the line of exploitation. While displaying the realities of what teachers go through, Abbott Elementary is able to make joy and humor the centerpoint of each episode. It is proof the Emmys and other entertainment award committees must continue to believe Black consumers when we say we want more Black joy on screen. This show is not a story of exploitation of Black trauma; in fact, it critiques how often teachers and their stories are exploited.
Quinta Brunson even took to Twitter naming how often people have begged her to write an episode about gun violence in Abbott Elementary, and she says no. She highlights, “People are that deeply removed from demanding more of the politicians they’ve elected and are instead demanding ‘entertainment.’” Amidst Abbott Elementary’s success, I’m proud to know that Brunson doesn’t put her show on a pedestal to “teach” audience members through harmful plots even though some viewers have pressured, and continue to pressure, her to do so.
In an interview with Trevor Noah, he names his excitement and hope for viewers pushing for teachers to get higher pay, which I believe is a much better focus than hoping for a “shooter episode.” Brunson and her colleagues and co-stars are doing their jobs in portraying entertainment’s impact and what it means to use entertainment for good.
Given Brunson’s early starts in viral videos as well as a high profile online site such as Buzzfeed, I believe it must have been tempting for her to fall into popular narratives when approached to greenlight a television series. But she takes a new narrative around an underrepresented profession while celebrating harmless archetypes such as the “will they/won’t they” plot for Brunson and Williams’ characters; this is further proof why “The Office for Black people” is a phrase of endearment and not one that is patronizing.
It’s refreshing to see a range of Black actors and showrunners get nominated in general. Personally, in my time watching the Emmys, I have seen more Black actors in the Drama category than the Comedy category. As valid as it is to show stories of Black drama, most of the time it’s also the same narrative over and over again: pain. Seeing Black actors nominated for Comedy in Abbott Elementary, Ted Lasso, and Insecure feels really good considering how hard these couple of years have been globally.
Finally, this joy I have for Abbott Elementary’s success is not only coming from me as a Black viewer, but also a Black person in a social work profession that is in service to my community and as a Black person who grew up seeing my mother work as a teacher. Abbott Elementary celebrates teachers, principals, cafeteria staff, janitorial staff, freelance teaching artists — virtually anyone in connection and in service to the community of a public school. My mother is now a principal, and I’m so proud of her. (Mom, I love you, is this enough to convince you to finally watch the show? Please say yes!)
Stay tuned for the Emmys September 12th live on NBC.