Fujimi Symphony Orchestra

Author: Akizuki Koh
Publisher: Magazine Magazine

Since 1992, Fujimi Orchestra has been serialized in magazine June. Presently it's about 24 volumes, and is one of the few yaoi novels that have also found readers outside of the genre, in particular among students and classical musicians.

Fujimi Orchestra is a small amateur orchestra whose only entrance requirement is that the applicant brings his own instrument. Its members are a hodgepodge of students, housewives, and salarymen. Even though there's not much that can be said about the quality of the musicians, especially since a larger, more professional orchestra was established near by a few years ago and attracted away many of the better musicians, Fujimi Orchestra has a special family atmosphere that made it much beloved by all the members.

Yuki Morimura, a high school music teacher and the first violinist of the orchestra, is one of the few members who is a professional musician. Although he had long ago given up the dreams of becoming a concert violinist, he is devoted to Fujimi Orchestra, and treats its members like his family.

At the beginning of the novel, a new conductor, Kei Tounoin, just joined the orchestra. A brilliant musical genius who had studied abroad, no one could understand why he wanted to join an amateur orchestra like Fujimi. Unlike Yuki, he was a demanding and harsh taskmaster, and made no allowance for the fact that all the members were amateurs. Yet instead of leaving en mass, the members adored him. Yuki, feeling inadequate next to the brilliant and charismatic Kei, handed in his resignation.

Kei, however, was not about to allow Yuki to get away so easily. Ever since hearing Yuki's playing next to the river, Kei was determined to find the mysterious violinist. He referred to Yuki as 'his violin', and even offended the director of M. Philharmonic in order to conduct Fujimi Orchestra and Yuki. Believing that Yuki was gay, he took yuki forcefully. When he discovered his mistake, he swore to Yuki that he would never touch him again without his consent, and only after a great deal of pleading, Yuki agreed to stay.

Even though Kei behaved himself afterwards, a number of events, along with the author herself, conspired to push Yuki into Kei's bed again, this time rather more willingly.

If the novel had ended right there, there would be little to justify Fujimi Orchestra's amazing popularity and longevity. The first Fujimi novel seemed little different from the run of yaoi manga. Kei seemed to be an obnoxious and arrogant boor, and Yuki a rather typical uke. Fortunately for all of the reader, the story of Yuki and Kei had just begun.

Kei is determined to turn Fujimi Orchestra into Japan's Cleveland Orchestra, which was also built on the foundation of an amateur town orchestra. And with his encouragement, Yuki gradually finds his confidence, and takes his first steps into the world of performing artists.

For someone who grow up with musicians, one of the best thing about Fujimi Orchestra is its realistic and touching portrayal of the lives of musicians. There's no need to romanticize or dramatize their lives, because the simple everyday stories told through Yuki's voice is enchanting by themselves. Kei tells Yuki, because we are both musicians, at sometimes in our lives we should both understand that music comes first, so there's no need to apologize when that happens.

If you read Chinese, you're in luck. Chinese translations of the first 15 volumes of Fujimi Orchestra are available on the net, thanks to the diligent work of Chinese fans.

Joyce's Translations
Fujimi Orchestra

If you do not read Chinese, you can try to find the video. It has been circulating for a while, and if you look hard enough, you can be sure to find it.

There are also many anthologies of Fujimi Orchestra available on the net. June Magazine has released five volumes of Fujimi Orchestra doujinshi anthology so far, with more to come. There is also a lovely collection of Keiko Nishi's illustrations.

These are some of the most popular Japanese Fujimi Orchestra sites

The author's official page
A large fan site

Yuuki Morimura:

Birthday: 2/11
Age: 24
Height: 175cm
Family: Three older sisters.

First Violinist at Fujimi Orchestra, placed third in Japan Music Competition.

Sensitive, and more than a little neurotic. Has a complex about growing up on the countryside, and being considered a 'country bumpkin', even though he doesn't speak with a trace of the country accent. A good cook and housekeeper, conscientious, responsible, and traditional to an extreme.

At first he seems rather weak and without much confidence, but he could be extremely stubborn.

Tounoin Kei

Birthday: 8/8
Age: 23
Height: 192cm

Appearance: Tall and well-built, a rather expressionless face that earned him the nickname "Lord Telephone Pole".

His appearance is based on a young Herbert von Karajan. Fortunately for us and Yuki, his personality isn't. ^_^ Kei comes from a prominent and wealthy banking family. As the only son, he was expected to inherit the family business. At 18, to escape his family business, he came out to his parents, and studied music in Europe.

He is undoubtedly a musical genius, and makes no secret of the fact. His confidence often borders on arrogance, but like others of his ilk, he is also a bit childish and sometimes rather unreasonable.