Tarot Cafe (manga)

Lasiren

Every once in a while, I indule the geek in me and pick up some manga (Asian graphic novels, for those who don't know) while I'm at the bookstore getting my usual load of books.
Last time I was there, I found a pretty, well-drawn manga that I think is Korean in origin called Tarot Cafe. And since it said Tarot on the front, I grabbed it right away.

It focuses on a young lady living in a big city who operates a tarot cafe, and mostly deals with her giving readings to her "special" customers: you know, vampires, faeries, cat people...it has a bit of a Gothic, fantastical feel.

Anyway, the artworks for each "chapter" of the characters' stories are based on popular tarot decks. I recognized my deck (Vampires) and what I think were the Cat People tarot and Whimsical tarot. It also gives the meanings of each card used in the illustration.
Also, if you look on the table in the pictures where she's doing the reading, the spread is the Celtic Cross, and the meanings for each card that comes up and its position in the spread are explained.

For people like me, who enjoy reading manga just as much as they enjoy reading the cards, I'm sure it would be a fun read.
It could be a very interesting way for people unfamiliar with tarot to start getting into to, or for some less experienced readers, to learn one definition of the cards, since the spreads are explained.

Yes, I sound like a total geek XD But I thought it was kind of cool...and not bad for $10.
 

Kiama

This sounds very interesting indeed... I've always been interested in how Tarot is portrayed in popular culture, and things like comics and graphic novels. I've never really got round to buying any myself though.

However, there is a Forbidden Planet about 10 mins walk from where I live, so a trip there might be in order... })

Kiama
 

Cerulean

I found that Shade alerted us in another thread...and a new volume out soon

Thanks for the reviews and new topic, as I forgot to post the information below--which may be of interest to manga and tarot fans....

1. I also found that a new issue will be out in June by Tokyo Pop.

http://www.tokyopop.com/dbpage.php?page=product&productid=2917

If you go to the above link, volume I and III will also be summarized.

2. Amazon.com in the U.S. listed the second volume to be out in June 2005.

Yeah for tarot titles!

3. I found the Aquarian Tarot and one Secrets Tarot court card in her designs. Discussion here:

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=39089&highlight=tarot+cafe

I agree, it's a lovely manga! Hope it becomes a successful series.

Cerulean
 

annik

I was browsing for information on another serie and discovered the tarot cafe manga. I have ordered the first two but I am still waiting for them. But it is great to have a little idea of the story! I wasn't sure if I would like it.
 

Violinagin

That's cool! I love manga (though I don't buy it often)... I'm mostly into the samaurai stories, but this tarot one sounds too good to just borrow. :) I hope my bookstore has it, but it's famous for not having anything I need, and not ordering it until... well... after the class I needed it for was over.
 

Lasiren

All right, new volumes!
I'm excited :)

Usually I am not so eager to get a new issue of anything, but being that this one has Tarot to reel me in, well, I'm sure you all can understand my enthusiasm.

I'm interested to see what decks the artist uses in the future, and how many otaku (word for <obsessed> fans) will get into tarot because of it.
 

Cerulean

Volume II is out and it's fun...unintentionally hilarious...

Well, I will not spoil everything for you, but fans will see not only the art from Aquarian, but Secrets, Visconti, Halloween and other tribute drawings done in the style of such decks...some of the bad guys are historically identified in such a way that if you read a bit of tarot history, you might begin giggling uncontrollably in a cafe, which I did yesterday for a rest break...

Best regards and happy reading,

Cerulean
 

Shade

I read volume 2 while on a break at work. The story deepends quite a bit, the vignettes connect more with a larger over-arching plotline now. We also find out a bit more about Pamela's past. It was a cute touch that her mother (hundreds of years ago) read with a version of the visconti tarot.
 

WolfyJames

Annik brought the two first volumes with her at our tarot meeting. When I read this thread, I was a bit desperate because this manga seemed interesting but I couldn't see how I could get it. Thanks to Annik, who found the manga in a store here, she brought me there today so I got the first book of the serie. I found it rather good and the art is good as well, I like it. I'm glad to hear that the plot gets larger in the second volume, the short stories are nice but it'd be even better to have something that can be deepened more in the back as well as the short stories. I'm going back this week to get the second volume and I'm looking forward buying the others. Not only that, but with all the manga there, I think I will buy others as well, thanks for Annik for introducing me to manga. ;)
 

Cerulean

Third volume in bookstores as of September--better

and more intricate. Actually, it's even more hilarious. In this world, to paraphrase a radio show motif:

"All the men are good-looking, all the women are strong and all the children are above average."

Sometimes the overall beauty of the men are such that I cannot tell them from the women and everyone but Pamela keeps morphing into something else...but I like this series....the latest issue has some of the Chinese Tarot as well as the Visconti, Aquarian...and the author/artist knows how to be funny.

Beware anyone who is suddenly very nice to you...you never know what will happen.

Cerulean