Doujinshi commentary: Tabi no Nakama
(Traveling Companion)

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Circles:		Under Cover and Akua Utas
Type:		Normal, gags & serious story. 26 pages.
Date:		2002/7/20

First of all, the cover of this one catches my eye. The artwork, besides being bright and colorful, doesn't look like true Japanese art. It reminds me more of American art that is manga influenced, because of the different way faces are drawn. It's hard to describe, but if you look at it for a bit you'll likely see what I'm talking about. It's also cute and cartoony, more interesting to me than the usual "pretty pinup" covers.

The first story is by the same artist as the cover, and is about... the characters' feet. Most of the characters are in what looks like a waiting room. Zidane takes off one of his boots, and Freya looks curiously at his foot. Then Garnet takes off a shoe to show her foot, and while Steiner is bonking Zidane for ogling the princess's extremity Garnet and Eiko are comparing feet and singing a little ditty about their qualities. ("Dagger's feet are white and [something]!" "Eiko's feet are little and cute!")  Then Quina declared that hir feet are little and white, and holds up... a foot that looks like a catcher's mitt. Eiko teases Steiner into taking his shoe off, and Eiko marvels at his big ol' foot. Then Salamander walks in and sees everyone holding up their bare feet, and after everyone teases him he grudgingly shows his own, the size of which amazes Vivi and Eiko. Freya starts tickling it, and Salamander storms out again.

Ahem. I did go on about that, didn't I? What can I say, I really like things that are this loose-and-goofy. This is one story that I definitely will come back to when my Japanese improves. I do wish that Vivi had joined in the fun, but I suppose Black Mage modesty held him back.

There are some other stories by the other artist, and I don't want to be dismissive as the art is quite good, but I just don't have as much to say about tham. One focuses mainly on Salamander, and in it he, well, talks to the other characters. There's another one-page gag starring Oglop-Cid and Brahne, and another about Salamander and Freya that, again, is mostly conversation.

By the way, the title looks like a pun to me. The Kanji for "tabi" means "travel," but tabi spelled with different Kanji are Japanese socks, and look like what Quina is wearing. What I hope s/he is wearing. In any case, it fits in with the whole foot-fetish theme. "Sock buddies?"

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