Okazu

Yuri Manga Titles Available Outside Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:08:12 PST

This feature is going to be updated irregularly as new titles become available, or the lists becomes untenably large as "The List" on Yuricon became after a few years. (And let's hope that that happens very quickly!) Humans being what they are, whenever a new title is licensed, there's an outraged cry of dismay, as the genre we love is actually made available legitimately. We've talked about the reasons for that many times and I don't plan on beating that to death here. The other outraged cry often is "why did they get it and not us?!?"

What I'd like to do is give you an idea of what books are available where and in what format. Of course this list will never be complete, so if you know of another title, format, anything, let me know. The point is to show you that Yuri is growing - and that with your help, it can grow more.

Guidelines for entries: I'm not including "manga with Yuri," as opposed to Yuri manga. That is - no Morita-san ha Mukuchi, or Ichiro!. These have some Yuri, true, but they aren't primarily about two females with feelings for one another. This also leaves out things like Sailor Moon, or Mai HiME and other manga "with Yuri". If we went there, the list would start off obscenely large. So, for sanity's sake we're keeping to stories in which the romance between the women is the main driver of the plot and not just a fetish in a list of fetishes. (You'll notice I include one volume of Utena - the movie manga. Anthy and Utena's relationship was a major driver in that story.) 'Kay? Good.

I've also focused on volumes of manga that are either currently available (at least according to Amazon) or are coming soon.

Please make suggestions in the comments!

Title	Country	Format/Publisher
Aoi Hana: Sweet Blue Flowers	France	Print/Asuka
Between the Sheets	Germany	Print/Tokyopop Germany
Blue	Germany	Print/Casterman
Free Soul	Italy	Print/Kappa Edizioni
GIRL FRIENDS	USA, France, Germany	Print/Seven Seas,Digital/JManga, Print/Taifu, Print/Carlsen
Hanjuku Joshi	France	Print/Taifu
Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu	Germany	Print/Egmont
Indigo Blue	Italy	Print/Kappa Edizioni
Iono-sama Fanatics, Vol. 1	USA	Print/Infinity Studios
Kashimashi ~ Girl Meets Girl	USA	Print/Seven Seas
Love My Life	USA, Italy	Digital/JManga, Print/Kappa Edizioni
MAKA MAKA	Germany, France	Print/Panini, Print/Delcourt
POOR POOR LIPS	USA	Digital/JManga
Revolutionary Girl Utena: Adolescence of Utena	USA	Print/Viz
Rica 'tte Kanji!?	Italy, USA	Print/Renbooks, Print/Digital/ALC (Coming in 2012)
Sasamekikoto	France, Taiwan	Print/Claire de Lune, Print/Sharp Point Press
Shoujo Bigaku	Germany	Print/Egmont
Strawberry Panic! (Manga and Novels)	USA	Print/Seven Seas
WORKS	USA	Print/ALC
Yuri Monogatari (V3, V4, V5, V6)	USA	Print/ALC

Many, many thanks to folks that have helped me add to the list!

New Yuri Manga on JManga Platform

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:59:27 PST

JManga is really coming through with their promise to reach out to the Yuri audience. Today there are three new titles available:

GIRL FRIENDS by Morinaga Milk, Volume 2

Love My Life, by Yamaji Ebine

And Morita-san ha Mukuchi, Volume 4

Today is the also last day to try your hand at translation in JManga's translation contest: https://www.facebook.com/jmanga.official?sk=app_322409361136721

If you've ever thought, "I could do that," give it a try - translator William Flanagan will be the judge and prizes are on the line. ^_^

Enjoy!

For Valentine's Day...

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:58:17 PST

I was going to write a review, picked up the book and realized I had no clue what happened in it. Woops. Time to re-read. But...since today is the Eve of Valentine's Day here in the Americas and already Valentine's Day elsewhere, I thought we could just chat a bit.

What was the most romantic thing you ever got from or for your girl or guy?

I walked into the kitchen to ask my wife what the most romantic thing I've ever gotten her, and then said along with her, "Everything you have ever gotten me is romantic." ^_^

So we thought about it and decided that our 15th anniversary trip on the Orient Express was the most romantic thing we've ever gotten each other.

So...what was your most romantic thing ever?

Yuri Manga: Seasons (シーズンズ)

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:30:23 PST

At the end of last year, I voted a trio of Takemiya Jin-sensei's works in as the #1 manga of the year. Of those three, Seasons (シーソンズ) is quite possibly my favorite.

Like so many of my favorite manga artists, Takemiya-sensei started her career as a doujinshi artist. There are several ways in which a doujinshi artist can transition into a professional career, but the one that seems to be the most effective is this - draw original work. Manga publishers are less likely to want to publish look-alikes than, say, US book publishers, who so often are running after the latest trend, rather than creating the next one. Artists I first encountered as doujinshi artists include Hayashiya Shizuru, Morishima Akiko, Morinaga Milk, Nanzaki Iku, Nishi UKO, Mitou Kana and Kitao Taiki and many, many others. There's only one, in fact that I haven't seen make the transition to pro that I expected to, and weirdly, he's gone the other way, from really well-conceived derivative serials to kind of crappy porn. Oh well.

So when I saw Takemiya Jin, who I have been following for years as Junk Lab, take the leap into the pro world, I was thrilled. For her - and for us, the readers. She's got great short-story ability, honed by years of standalone doujinshi and can carry off a series with some chops.

Seasons is a collection of several doujinshi...a few of which I have. It gives the collection a feeling of meeting old friends and making new ones in one book. ^_^

The first few chapters follow Shirai-san and Kurozawa-san as they do the usual fall in love, be incoherent about it, not get together and get together in the end. Nothing ground-breaking here. What I found especially good about this series is Shirai-san's friend, Asaki, who (maybe) inadvertently causes a massive crisis between the two main players. Asaki, it turns out, has a female lover and a whole life that Shirai-san is unaware of. And, Asaki is clearly part of the lesbian culture in Japan, as she and her lover both use slang in their conversations. Asaki gave it away to us, the readers, when she tells Shirai-san that Kurozawa-san is "nonke" (i.e., straight.) At that point, my slangdar pinged. Straight people do not refer to each other as "nonke."

Let's back up for a sec. I believe I've referred to this before, but here's the deal about "nonke." When a person is part of a culture in Japan, they are referred to as being whatever"ke" or "ka", for instance a person who does Judo is a "Judoka." You may remember we discussed the implication of "Kocchi no ke" in relationship to "Honey Mustard," Morishima Akiko-sensei's story for Yuri Hime that was collected into Ruri-iro Yume. "Kocchi no ke" is pretty much analogous to an American gay person saying "that person is 'family.'" (The "ke" kanji is similar, where "ke" or "ka" 家 - as in mangaka 漫画家- means "house" as in the "House of Windsor.")

So, "nonke" (ノンケ) is non-"ke," i.e., "not one of us." It's use always implies that the user is, by default, "one of us." So, when Asaki calls Kurozawa "nonke," it's pretty much saying that she is ke.

Asaki and her lover also use reba, neko and tachi, all slang words. For definitions, feel free to check out my Okazu Glossary of Terms. (I just added "nonke" there, as well.)

Following this story are a number of shorts, one- and two-shots that deal with a variety of "Story A" scenarios, and a few stories of couples dealing with a crisis in their relationship. A multi-part story about a girl falling in love with her class representative is a pile of well-used tropes (dress them up, then get jealous of them, the group date gone bad, misunderstood feelings, etc) that was nonetheless charming.

Almost the entire second half of the book is a look at a high school girl and a middle school girl who meet on the train (when a pervert starts to harass the younger girl) and their relationship over the next year. Unsurprisingly, the younger of the two is relatively immature, and causes no end of difficulties, but ultimately, there is a happy end that allows for the presumption of a happy future.

As I said in my write up of Takemiya-sensei's work for the Top Ten list, the inclusion of gay slang in this book is one of the qualities that catapults her work to the top for me. Anyone can write a Yuri story, but it's still pretty rare when we get a Yuri story with visible ties to Japanese lesbian community.

Ratings:

Art - I've always liked her art, so for me, 8, but your mileage may vary
Story - Variable, we'll round it to 7
Characters - In most cases, I would invite them over for lunch - 8
Lesbian - 10
Loser FanBoy - 2, there's some nudity and presumption of sex

Overall - More than the sum of its parts, Takemiya-sensei's Seasons is a 9.

I'm so happy she's gone pro. Here's to more great work from her!

Yuri Network News - February 11, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:37:08 PST

Yuri Manga

YNN Correspondent Komatsu-san caught this: French Publisher Taifu Comics has licensed Morishima Akiko-sense's Yuri Manga Hanjuku Joshi. More great news for French-reading Yuri fans!

JManga tells me that they are planning on launching Yamaji Ebine's Love My Life manga next week. That's absolutely stellar news for North American fans, and hopefully for English readers elsewhere, one day soon.

Forgot to tell you this, but YNN Correspondent Rachel wants you to know that Wandering Son was added to the American Library Association's Rainbow List for 2012. The Rainbow List is a project that is run by a joint task force of the Social Responsibilities Round Table and the Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Queer Round Table of the American Library Association. By the way, the ALA is and has been for *many* years, very LGBTQ-friendly, so don't hesitate to ask your local library for LGBTQ books and let the ALA know if you get flack.

Sakamoto Ano's Pie wo Agemasho, Anata ni Pie o ne (パイをあげましょ、あなたにパイをね) came out last month, and I forgot to tell you. Sorry.

There's a manga with obvious Yuri called Sister Honey Biscuit, (シスターハニービスケット) that I will be avoiding like the plague. If you hate my taste, it looks like a good bet for you. ^_^

Morinaga Milk-sensei comments on her blog that the April issue of Comic High will include the final chapter of Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo, and following that, she'll be starting a new series. So I'm guessing that a continuation of that series is not likely.

Sabagebu, (さばげぶっ!) Volume 2 hit the shelves this month, in case you're looking for some shoujo war games-style Yuri service. ^_^

***

Yuri Anime

From Soulassassinn457, we learn that Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica tops Amazon Italy's pre-order list. Italian fans can watch Madoka on RAI4 starting this weekend. "Also," he continues, "it is said that Italian fans with a fistful more of Euros could get the full VIP treatment... er, an envy-inducing Limited Edition (includes specially-designed box, soundtrack CD, some special books, and even a Nendoroid)."

***

Other News

The happiest of all possible news, the March issue of Shueisha Cobalt has a supplementary Maria-sama ga Miteru story. Thank you gods. If I'm to believe Yuri Amagasa it's called "Oppai Cake." Indeed.

***

That wraps it up for this week.

Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There's a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage - stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent's badge.

Koihime Musou ~ Otome Tairan Anime (English)

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:55:12 PST

It's always disconcerting when something like Koihime Musou actually stops staring at girls tits and tells some bits of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms in an almost sensible way.

It's also kind of wasted, as no one is watching Koihime Musou ~ Otome Tairan for a retelling of the Romance anyway.

Luckily for Yuri fans, Volume 2 starts off with one of the least sucky episodes overall, in which Koukin and Sonsaku have a spat, and Kogai locks them in a warehouse to make up...and so they do, in time-honored fashion. This episode also contains the only genuinely amusing line of the series, in which Shuri mentions that she needs the Kotou pill (for an utterly idiotic subplot) and she knew it was a Son family treasure - to which the reply is something like, "Nah, it's not a treasure, so we have no idea where it is. It's in there somewhere."

After a few more episodes related to cat ears and boobs, the story suddenly notices that it's fairly deep in towards the end of the story and, so, with a few weird turns and about a million handwaves, the allianced generals defeat Ukitsu, who wasn't really nearly that important in the original (except he may have haunted Sonken after his death, but that's probably apocryphal.)

Anyway, Disk 2 is why I remembered this series sucking less than the rest of the series. I'm glad I didn't entirely make that up in my head. Phew.

Ratings:

Art - Colorful
Story - Schizophrenic
Characters - Breasts DO NOT DO THAT
Yuri -There is some
Loser FanBoy - Infinity

Overall - Once I scour the cat ears and boob stuff from my brain, I will only remember that it was the least sucky Koihime Musou series. And I will be happy with that.

Yuri Manga: Yurikan Miel (百合缶 Miel)

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:22:23 PST

Yurikan Miel (百合缶 Miel) is the second in a trio of Yurikan ~something~ Yuri anthologies. The first was Yurikan Feuille, with opening story by Morinaga Milk-sensei. Yurikan Miel doesn't bring that much star power to the floor, but it's not entirely worthless, either.

The cover is pretty effective Erica-repellent. Two baby-faced female-shaped creatures with disproportionately sized breasts did not give me a good feeling about the contents. But the first story, "Rabu＊Buri" was a silly and over-long single paragraph about a Princess in love with her female knight, which made me feel more kindly, until the totally un-sexy sex scene. So, now I was in a 50/50 mood.

A story or two passed without much notice, but...then!

We reach "Hyoko Zumai" and all was right with the world once again. This tells the story of a couple who have moved to the big city together; one a first-year college student and the other a newbie in a company office. The story shows how they grow from ugly ducklings into beautiful swans, and lo and behold! I loved this collection. This short was absolutely worth reading. The stress of their situations didn't threaten their relationship, per se, but the lack of communication between them did.

This story was a lovely little break into realism from an anthology that otherwise pretty much stayed firmly mired in "I like her but she doesn't like me the same way," territory, with some really un-sexy sex scenes.

Ratings:

Everything variable, but overall, probably a 6.

"Hyoko Zumai" was worth the price of admission, though. I'm glad I read that story and will keep an eye out for others by Fujimori Yuyukan.

Mouretsu Space Pirates Anime (English)

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:58:23 PST

Mouretsu, in Japanese means violent or vengeful, so of course when it was being translated, the word "Bodacious" immediately comes to mind.

...

I know I'm not the only one who hates the translation, official or not.

Despite the egregious service of the title, Bodacious Space Pirates is a great story. As a combination moe bildungsroman and a classic space opera, it really works.

Marika, our protagonist is, for once, not an average girl by any means. Cheerful and competent, she has friends and a job and is instantly likable. We're not too surprised when we learn that she's the daughter of a famous pirate and a potential heir to her father's captaincy.

When a Nadesico beauty with a dour personality transfers into her school, we know instantly that the two of them belong together. When Chiaki makes her big reveal in Episode 5, we get to add in "beloved rival" to the set-up for chemistry between them.

What really sold me on the series was the whole of Episode 5. High school girls in space may not sound like the most riveting story ever, but Mouretsu Space Pirates beats the hell out of Stratos 4, even without the lesbian space virus. The cast is likable, their jokes believable and there is relatively little service. The strategies and tactics employed by the crew of the Odette were clever, and quite sophisticated for an anime series.

There may not be wopping loads of Yuri, yet, or even at all, but if you like a series with a good set-up and some out-of-the-box thinking and a dollop of space adventure, give Bodacious Space Pirates a try - avaiable legally and for free on Crunchyroll, for those countries that are allowed access.

Ratings:

Art - 8 Very reminiscent of Mai Otome
Story - 9 So far...great
Characters - 8 They aren't quite checklist-types, and a few are extraordinary, even in the first handful of episodes.
Yuri - 1 but only in our imaginations as of yet
Loser FanBoy - 4 because we can't *possibly* have a series about girls without seeing them in the bath or in their underwear

Overall - 8

I'm hoping for a good story. But some rival/friend Yuri would be nice too. ^_^

POOR POOR LIPS, Volume 1 debuts on JManga!

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:01:47 PST

Okashi Nako is a young woman living in poverty. When she applies to work at a Gem store, she learns that store owner, Otsuka Ren, is a lesbian. Ren promises that Nako's not her type, but she may be lying.... Nako takes the job and so begins a comedic tale of rich and poor, sickness and health, for better and for worse!

http://www.jmanga.com/poor-poor-lips/1

Yuri comedy 4-koma manga, POOR POOR LIPS, by Goto Hayako, now on JManga, in partnership with ALC Publishing.

***

That's the PR. Here's the real message. I need your help.

Folks who are not in North America are blocked from this and I think it's a BAD idea. I am trying to convince the folks at JManga that a globally accessible Yuri portal would be a GOOD idea. You can help simply by contacting JManga and letting them know what country you are from and that you would *love* to be able to access their Yuri manga.

You can contact JManga:

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmanga.official

On their website: http://www.jmanga.com/contact (Kathryn adds, "if people are trying to access the JManga site from outside North America, all they will get is a blue splash page essentially saying "You are not allowed in here." For people who therefore can't access the "Contact Information" section of the website, their email address is:

info at jmanga dot com"

Thanks Kathryn for the heads up!)

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JManga_official

Of course, please be polite. Express your interest in accessing Yuri manga. Even if you get a "we can't do that at this time" email, please don't get discouraged.

Also, fans in North America, you can help too. Send a message to JManga telling them how you support JManga's efforts in getting Yuri to a global audience.

The goal here is to stop the gerrymandering policies that Japanese companies still work under. It's time to let them know that the world is full of Yuri fans. ^_^

I think we can make this change, if we work together!

Yuri Manga: Comic Yuri Hime, January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:59:47 PST

Having concluded Fukami Makoto's story about girls and guns in the November issue, the January issue begins inauspiciously with looking in a window at girls getting dressed. This will be the new novel carried in Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫) and in a mere blink of an eye, I was already uninterested in it. The author will be Namori, creator of Yuri Yuri, so that seals that deal. It's pretty much not for me.

The magazine begins with loads of colors pages, this time, asking us to determine which of the 4 Yuri Danshi type we are and suggesting manga based on that. As I am a Yuri Joshi, this pretty much missed the mark entirely for me, but between that, the cover novel and the many pages about Yuru Yuri, it clearly communicated that I am, once again, not their audience. It was with some genuine relief, then, that I found a number of excellent stories within.

Kazuma Kowo's "Recalculation" is that moment when you realize that what you thought that the other person thought is not true, and they do like you after all. ^_^

I still have no idea where "Rock It Girl" is going, but this chapter was pretty silly, as all the musicians get together and find they haven't a single artist/song/style in common.

I'm finally getting the feel of "Kimono Nadesico," and still pretty much think it's a Noriko x Shimako fanfic in disguise. ^_^

I haven't had a moment to read either of the short stories. So far none of them have been to my taste, so I haven't really made the time, to be honest.

"Cirque Arachne" by Saida Nica has begun and I'm already feeling it's a cross between one of those women-only 70s scifi books, Kaleido Star and something French and/or Dada. Then again, circuses always make me feel that way.

"Fu~Fu" strays back into real territory, for a moment. Kina, terrified at the confession by some strange woman that she's in love with her, runs back to Su-chan's arms, only to find that her normally together lover pretty much falls apart at the idea of losing Kina. "For an entire year, I've been worried," Su-chan admits. Any of us who look at our lovers/wives and think they are obviously wonderful and desirable may have felt this, so it was kind of charming to see it verbalized.

Amano Syuninta's series about college women, (with a name I have yet to transliterate, because I am lazy and think of it as "Amano Syuninta's series about college women") is not comfortable. If find that I cannot empathize with anyone, and keep hoping one of the characters will say something that makes me like her. In any case, Remia is starting to find Fueko's relationship makes her jealous, and Sachi's boyfriend is really starting to piss her off.

Morishima Akiko wins the world. I give her the Stargazer Lily Award, for telling the realest tale ever about lesbian relationships. Two women, who have been together for ten years, provide comfort and a positive example to a young woman, but more importantly, are the snuggliest couple I have ever seen in manga, which makes them closest to my life and therefore totally true and real. ^_^

The story of Kuro-sempai and Mayu and their online/real life different relationships continues in Takemiya Jin's "Ki ni Nachatte Gomen Nasai." Mayu comes to a conclusion that she's sure will ruin a friendship, but Kuro seems to be more together than that.

Hime Cafe this time is narrated by editor Nakamura-san and Minamoto Hisanori-sensei (Fu~Fu).

A section on "Yuri anime" is really a section on moe anime with some Yuri in it.

"Love Gene Double XX" uses one of the oldest gambits in the world, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, in order to make both Sakura and Aoi even more aware of their feelings for one another. (Oh, shock, oh horror. Two Adams in love.) Erika-sama is obviously going to try and ruin Aoi's life now.

And I am done with "Yuri Danshi." It's, well, not terribly interesting. At least this chapter it actually had some Yuri in it that wasn't in Hanadera's imagination. Perhaps if the Yuri plot deepens and the deranged screaming of the LFBs is toned down....

As always, there were other stories, but these felt worth mentioning for one reason or another and the rest didn't. They may, of course, appeal to you, so please remember to support the artists you like by buying Comic Yuri Hime!

Ratings:

Overall - For Morishima-sensei's story alone, this volume is a 9.

Yuri Network News - February 4, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:54:23 PST

Yuri Anime

Media Blasters has put the release of Ikkitousen: Great Guardians on indefinite hold. Not surprising, but not cheery news.

Nico Nico Douga will be streaming the first episode of the Shoujo Magi Madoka Magica anime with English dub, on February 10 at 11:30 p.m. EST. Other countries getting streams are Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. I hope they'll be streaming a sub too. Dub only means I'm watching it raw, if I can.

RightStuf has let me know that they have a countdown on the first two seasons of Maria Watches Over Us. This means that they are down to their last few hundred art-box copies of the anime. If you've been holding off, now is a great time to get this anime and spend some quality time with the ladies of Lillian Girl's School. A quick looks tells me that Season 2 is down to just over 50 copies left, so don't wait too long!

Not Yuri, but come on, if you didn't love Hamutz Meseta in Book of Bantorra, you obviously weren't paying attention. I so very desperately want a "Must kill Hamutsz Meseta" t-shirt. I told Sentai Filmworks so, since they've licensed it.

The wife is watching Inu x Boku on Crunchyroll and notes that Yuki-Onna is all over the girls in pervy-guy fashion, so if you're looking for something new to watch, you might want to give that a try.

***

Yuri Manga

New one from Hakamada Mera Kanojou no Sekai (彼女の世界) from Ryuu Comics.

Chou no You ni, Hana no You ni, (蝶のように花のように) is an Yuri Office 4-koma. Yep, it had me at the word "office." ^_^

***

Other News

Hrm, this is interesting, Yuri Hime is starting up a new Yuri novel series, starting in March. The first one to hit the shelves is Morita Kisetsu's Note Yori Yasui Koi (ノートより安い恋)

And a third all-Yuri doujinshi event is proliferating. In May at Comitia 100, there will be a section of Yuri-only called Yuribu. Yuribu has a commercial on Youtube, how fun is that?

Didja ever wonder what the Yuri manga artists watch? Well, a bunch of them have been talking about 片思い FINALLY by SKE48. Here's why:

***

That wraps it up for this week.

Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There's a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage - stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent's badge.

Koihime Musou ~ Otome Tairan Anime, Disk 1 (English)

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:14:14 PST

For the first few minutes, all the way through the opening of Koihime Musou ~ Otome Tairan, you almost think it's going to be a pretty good story, with the characters actually getting a chance to be strong without being rendered into a pile of service but, almost immediately that stops. From that point on, any actual cool is tempered by tons of skanky (and frequently incredibly stupid) service.

NOT like I was expecting anything else. I find it hard to believe that there are actual people out there who thought the first episode where Ryuubi eats spoiled bamboo shoots and everyone in her group (including the woman who has actually given birth) thinks she's pregnant is...funny? Really? Really?!? I weep at the thought.

Sometimes, stuck in the middle of this lame-ass series, there's something worth watching. And for once, some Yuri that doesn't make one roll one's eyes.

On Disk One, we get the (relatively speaking) entertaining story of what happens when Ryoumo gets glasses and gets to be Sonken's "strategist" (so, that's what you kids call it these days) as Koukin is Sonsaku's "strategist."

Then Gien "falls in love with Ryuubi" for like 15 seconds.

Ratings:

Seriously, what do you expect from me here? 3, 4, does it matter, ultimately?

In the end, it still sucked pretty hard, but in comparison, it's the Shakespeare of the Koihime Musou series.

Yuri Manga: Green

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:07:33 PST

In my review of Otomo Megane's Himitsu, I commented that the artist has about three characters types. In Otomo Megane's Green, the three character types are solidified into three characters, who sort of retell a lot of the Himitsu vignettes, only they are all connected in a more intrinsic way.

Tsugumi is a rather serious young lady, who falls in love with straightfoward Megumi. Megumi falls in love back back but, at first only because Tsugumi looks like her older sister, Megu's teacher from Middle school. The story here is a love triangle, because Tsumugi's sister did indeed have an affair with Megumi, and Megu's not really over it, yet.

There's a bit where Megu and Tsugumi are having some communications issues, but they work it out. The epilogue shows the two of them older, more comfortable with themselves, living together in Tokyo as a couple.

Nothing here is new or unique. The vignettes from Green feel very much like corresponding vignettes from Himitsu, which gave me a weird feeling of deja vu, until I managed to make myself understand that this was a stand-alone story.

The one notable thing about this book is the rather comfortable way we are led to understand that Megu and Tsugumi have slept together. It's merely a panel or two the next morning, no service and no pandering, but we can tell. Their relationship shifts notes at this point, as it would, which provides the impetus for what passes for crisis here, but everything is handled with a laid-back, low-key, lack of drama that felt refreshing.

Green is a sweet coming of age story rather than a powerful one. There is no coming out, or confession, the relationship develops kind of naturally. Likewise, there is very little conflict, with the exception of Megu's unresolved feelings for Tsugumii's sister.

Ratings:

Art - 7
Story - 7
Characters - 7
Yuri - 7
Loser FanBoy - 1

Overall - 7

I can't say I'd recommend Green as standing out in the category, but for fans of the "school girls in love" trope, it's a pleasant way to pass the time.

Yuri Manga: Houkago Kanon (放課後カノン) and a Contest!

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:47:10 PST

Houkago Kanon (放課後カノン) is a collection of stories by Mikuni Hachime, drawn in her signature Ribon magazine-gone-bad style. Several of the stories have been captured from the Yuri Hime Wildrose and Girls Love collections in which they ran and I believe at least one from Yuri Hime S, but I could be totally wrong about all but the first.

The stories follow a relatively predictable pattern set up by the opening salvo in "Onshitsu no Majou" in which there is a girl, and another girl, they have sex and then realize they like each other.

Because I like the order to be slightly different, I'm not a huge fan of this format, but it's Mikuni's niche and she totally dominates it.

Ratings:

Art - 7
Story - 6
Characters - 5
Yuri - 9
Loser FanPersons - 7

Overall - 5

For service fans, there is groping and underwear and other spicy magazine-type things which also do not interest me, but may perhaps interest you! Yes, it's time for another "Get this book out of my house" Contest!

I have a pile of various unsuitable-for-my -onsumption books - and even a few that were quite good, but I don't want to keep them. Help me get them out of here! If you've won an Okazu or Yuricon contest in the last 6 months, please refrain from entering, to make it easier for someone else to win, please, thanks.

I will be sending out however many books I feel like and at roughly a 3:domestic to 1:overseas rate, because overseas shipping is killing me, sorry. Since entering will not be hard, it won't kill you to enter, anyway. You never know when I'm feeling kind.

Here's the entering rules:

The name of this book is Afterschool Kanon, where Kanon is the name of a Japanese deity.

Using this same formula, come up with the title and a *one-line* description of a Yuri story. For example, "Bathtime Hecate: Keiko discovers a Greek deity living in the medicine cabinet in her bathroom, how will she keep the goddess of witches from ruining her new life at the sorority house?" Yes, that's awful. That's the *point*. Make me groan with awfulness.

You must be 18 or over, because I don't know what all I have here. Stick your entry in the comments here. If you insist on being Anon, at least add a nickname or something so I can ID you.

Do me a favor, please put your country at the end of the entry, so I know what I'm getting in to and can figure out what to sent where? Thanks!

Good luck!

Fate Zero Anime, First Season

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:01:04 PST

There's Fate Zero, then there's the Fate Zero in my mind.

Fate Zero is a prequel to the Fate/Stay Night Visual Novel about which I know and care nothing. I only care insofar as the Fate Zero anime was mostly introduction and exposition at this point, and I'm hoping it holds together as a series on its own.

The story is relatively speaking, simple - 7 great heros/evildoers of the past are reincarnated with even greater powers than they actually had when they were merely men who achieved notable things, and they each have a master who wishes to find the Holy Grail to achieve some goal, selfish or otherwise. Who the heroes are, is the most interesting part of the series to me, and how their myths are rewritten to determine their powers.

I was asked some weeks ago about my interest in the reincarnated heroes, as I've mentioned here in the past that myths are typically a good hook for me. Since these heroes aren't really connected to their past incarnations in any meaningful way, these are clever and some good fun, but I don't actually feel a connection between one and the other. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the heck out of this series - even when large chunks of episodes were merely expository conversation.

Let's start from the top - the heroes themselves.

Lancer was a hoot for me, it's not often I get to see Fionn mac Cumhaill in an anime. Or, ever. When people think of Irish heroes, they always default to Cuchulain. I liked how he was noble, but his master is a prick. A story from his perspective would be much different than the one from Saber's.

Rider's really the hero here. I'm pretty sure that Alexander the Great didn't look anything like that great huge mountain of a man, but I loved the interpretation of "Great" as meaning looming large in every way. Rider's what you think of when you think "Age of Heroes;" great huge muscular men, laughing as they fight, drink and die. (Except for Cuchulain, I think he'd be a mope no matter what he was doing.) Rider's master is weak, but not bad, and having Rider as a servant will man him up pretty fast, so if he survives, it'll be good for him. Poor bastard needs it, with the name Waver Velvet.

Oh Saber. Who can't love the idea of a conflicted, tortured King Arthur? Everyone tortures Arthur differently. Whether you force him to deal with a wife who is having an affair, or make him have an affair himself, or turn him into a woman who had to hide his gender, or even turn him into Sailor Moon, Arthur is a splendid tabula rasa on which to draw. He's timeless. Even though Saber's master is the utterly dull Kiritsugu, we're supplied with a Guinevere for him to adore in the person of Irisviel. I have no doubt that most of you were writing little stories in your head about Saber and Irisviel, as I was.

Caster is half of the best comedy team I've ever seen. He and his master, voiced absolutely deliciously by Ishida Akira, were perfect. Gilles de Rais is the name of a man so loathed, so envenomed by the ages that I'm kind of inclined to think he probably didn't do any of the things he was accused of doing. You all know Bluebeard, right? Well, you should. I have to tell you, I *loved* his speech about "What do I have to do to be punished by god?!?" That was almost as good as Saber on her bike for me.

Beserker is Lancelot? Well, that's just dumb. Lancelot was no beserker, I can tell you. They should have picked someone Norse. It doesn't make any sense to have a Berserker Lancelot. Gawd. Now I'm just depressed. But Berserker isn't the interesting half of this story anyway. Kariya, his master, is the most pathetic of all the masters. (Pathetic in the sense of inviting pathos.) You really have to root for him, because if you don't you are consigning at least one, possibly two little girls to a eternity of foulness, which means you're a heartless wretch. Fooey on you.

Gilgamesh is Archer and a delightfully wtf interpretation of the myth. I have no idea how they got that trash-talking asshole from the legend of Gilgamesh, but I look forward to his destruction. Kotomine is a snooze - I was so happy Gilgamesh thought so too. What a BORE.

If you don't grok Assassin the moment they mention them, you fail in your study of legends, myths and secret societies.

The animation is stunning - we expect no less from Type Moon. The characters are well drawn, well-acted and so far, at least, really well written. The only complaint I have is that the first season ends where the plot begins and if they don't actually give me a story to hold on to, I'll be peeved, since I have no intention of ever playing any game/reading any Visual Novel.

Since I don't care about the Visual Novel, or the series as a whole, I've cheerfully rewritten the story in my head. Of course Irisviel and Saber get to be together, duh.

Ratings:

Art - 10
Story - 6 It's been all character all the time, which has had moments, and also been a lot of blah blah blah.
Characters - 9
Yuri - 0, but in my head, it's more like 7
Loser FanBoy - 1 on principle

Overall - 7

I await Season Two with the faint hope that Kiritsugu dies, Saber survives the war with Irisviel, and they live happily ever after, just like on this clock I got from Young Ace magazine.

Also, I wonder what the fallout of the absurdly priced Blu-Ray release will be. I can't imagine too many American fans coughing up that usurious a price for what amounts to light entertainment.

Yuri Network News - January 28, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:06:07 PST

Nothing makes me so aware of time flying as these weekly reports. End of January already? Wow.

Yuri Manga

Sasamekikoto, Volume 9 (ささめきこと)　is finally here! I haven't paid the least attention to anyone discussing it, and the cover is lovely, so I'll look forward to it. (Anyone who thinks to try and spoil it for me or anyone else in the comments, a pox upon you. It's not clever or funny and I read fast, so it won't work, either. I will see your linguistic clues and delete it before you can be an ass in public. You're welcome.)

Another from Mangatime Kirara, Onegai Kami-sama (おお願い神サマ！) has, to Japanese fans' relief, Yuri. Or at least one characters says she likes Yuri. Or something. Anyway, I'm not reading this myself, and if any of you lovely folks out there has purchased Volume 1 or Volume 2 and would like to do a guest review, this is a great opportunity!

Speaking of Magatime Kirara and all it's little wizards, a couple of folks pointed out that Aoki Ume's new series will begin in the newest addition to the Mangatime library, Mangatime Kirara Carino.

If you, unlike me, enjoyed Kiji Torajiro's Otome Teikoku (オトメの帝国) you'll probably be happy to know that a second volume is out.

The new edition of Morinaga Milk's Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo (くちびるためいきさくらいろ) is due to hit shelves in April.

Volume 7 of Pure Virual Anthology Hirari (ピュア百合アンソロジーひらり) will be out in March, Tsubomi, Volume 16, in February and March issue of Comic Yuri Hime is currently gracing Japanese bookstore shelves.

***

Yuri Anime

You may have seen that Gokujyou anime airings are being cancelled, with really bizarre apologies for "excessive stupidity." This is clearly a ploy to get people to buy the DVDs - but the apology is absolutely correct. This series was excessively stupid in every way. I realize that this is a lame, obvious ploy, but it's so in keeping with the story itself, it kind of makes sense.

Let's finish off with some positive news and a glimpse at a future I'd like to see. The Black Rock Shooter anime, in conjunction with Nico Nico Douga, will stream *worldwide* in 8 languages, and will be airing on the Noitamina time slot on Japanese TV.

I know it's hard to imagine that things are changing for the positive sometimes, when all that affects you is the negative, but there is nothing absolute or fixed in the universe - only change.

Let me take this opportunity to hop back up on my sopabox, just for a sec. Recently, a fan asked about whether Fantagraphics is licensing Aoi Hana. I suggested she write them an ask. They said, "not at this time" and she wrote to me with "I guess we'll never get it."

This is not the right lesson to have learned at all.

What she and so many of you must understand is, publishing is about money - it's a numbers game. Sure if five people say they'd like to buy Aoi Hana, Fantagraphics will reply "not at this time." That is true - right now, they have their hands full with other projects. When that number increases to 500, 5000, 10,000...that might change. The lesson is - do not give up, do not got all weird and fatalistic, *organize!* When 5000 people write Fantagraphics a polite note suggesting that if they licensed Aoi Hana, we'd buy it, I guarantee they'll think differently about the topic.

The only constant is change. learn to roll with it and you'll generally be a happier, healthier person. In the meantime, get ready to enjoy Black Rock Shooter in 8 languages. ^_^

***

That wraps it up for this week.

Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There's a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage - stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent's badge.

Yuri Manga: Ame-iro Kouchakan Kandan, Volume 2 (あめ色紅茶館歓談)

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:54:59 PST

In Ame-iro Kouchakan Kandan, Volume 2 (あめ色紅茶館歓談) Sarasa and Seriho have been working together for a while now, and have settled into a routine. They kind of know that they really like one another and they are kinda sure the other feels the same way, but neither has actually broached the topic with the other.

When Seriho's old friend Sumire arrives, this changes. Sumire likes to tease Seriho, and does not like women who are meant to be together to be kept apart by their own obtuseness, so she sets them up on a date. They have a wonderful date. Sarasa has shown up a little early (2 hours or so) and has scoped out the best places to eat and shop. But it's Seriho that finally does what has never been done - she buys herself a ring and a matching ring for Sarasa and says, "I mean it 'that way.'" (Sumire-san - good job!)

Having been asked - well as much as one can expect from this delicately-spoken series - Sarasa now has to decide if she will accept that ring. She asks Seriho to sit and be her customer as she prepares tea and scones, and, in as much as she'll ever come right out and say anything, accepts. They embrace, only to find out that all their customers and friends are watching from the window, and cheering them both on.

Things that are this cute start to hurt.

The chapters of Otome-iro Stay Tuned are collected here, so we can be reminded where we first heard of the St. Lotecia novels.

This volume ends a with Sarasa and Seriho some time in their future, talking about the impermanence of things, and the permanence of their relationship. And, we are told on the final page, that we have a new series in that future to watch for - Ame-iro-Kouchakan Kandan ~ Golden and Silver Tips, which is a damnably clever name; if you're a tea drinker, you know why.

Ratings:

Art - 8
Story - There still is no "story" per se, but as an evolution of a relationship, it's great - 8
Characters - 9
Yuri - 9
Loser FanBoy - 2 Loser Fujieda Fan - 9

Overall - 9

I'm sitting here, finishing up a cup of Darjeeling (Twinings, which used to be good, but has now become harsh and cheap and requires both milk and sugar to make it drinkable, bleah,) and thinking how there can never be enough of this series. If we chained Miyabi-sensei to his chair, he could never, ever write enough to satisfy me. This series had a light flavor, cheery body, and a satisfying mellow, ever-so-slightly bitter finish. A good afternoon read, with a good tea, (maybe a Keemun?) that calms and refreshes my spirit. Too bad we finished off the scones the wife made. Oh well, next time I want to revisit the Amber Teahouse, maybe she'll make me more and I can brew some tea for us. ^_^

The picture above is for the deluxe edition that comes with the Drama CD Blue Christmas and one of the bonus CDs. For the non-deluxe edition, use this link.

A Completely Different Kind of Graphic Novel

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:24:28 PST

Many years ago in the Song Dynasty in China, there was a painter we know as Zhang Zeduan. He painted a massive scroll that depicted the life of a town, the Qingming Shanghe Tu, (清明上河图) "Along the River During the Qing Ming Festival." For all intents and purposes, this scroll, painted during the 12th century, is a graphic novel, done in pantomime. There are no word balloons, no action lines, but it clearly shows the life of a town during a busy day. The original is the Palace Museum in Beijing.

Last year during the Singapore Expo, a massive transmedia program was designed to bring this painting to life. It's...extraordinary. The water flows around rocks in the ground, people wander through town, meet, speak and part...a child runs after a pig, a woman rocks her infant. The very famous camel caravan wanders through town, passing under a gate. As a work of art, this has always been a striking piece - animated, I fell for it all over again.

For your entertainment - and some perspective on the concept of a Graphic Novel - please enjoy Zhang Zeduan's Qingming Shanghe Tu.

Yuri Manga: Yurikan Feuille (百合缶 Feuille)

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:56:55 PST

Every few years or so, someone comes up with the idea of creating a Yuri stand-alone anthology. [ES]~ Eternal Sisters, Shoujo Yuri, Yuri Monogatari, Yuri Tengoku and many others have graced my shelves.

Some of them have borne great fruit. The characters of Ame-iro Kouchakan Kandan, for instance, were first seen in [ES]. Some artists are more comfortable in these doujinshi anthologies than they are in the pages of a magazine. Morinaga Milk-sensei, for instance, spent many years drawing for exactly these kinds of anthologies, before she found a home at Comic High.

And now, a new Yuri Anthology series has arrived. The first of these, Yurikan Feuille (百合缶 Feuille) reads pretty much like any of these, with few stories that stand out and a lot of the same kind of Story A. Tears, a few kisses, a few gropes, more tears, protestations of like, sometimes love, the story ends with a sense of relief that both girls are on the same page, romantically speaking.

The first of this series features Morinaga-sensei with her Hitomi and Nana clones, who like each other, and just have never had a chance to actually say it. An accidental encounter gives them that opportunity. This pretty much sets the tone of the rest of the volume. This is fully embedded in Story A tropes - schoolgirls, confessions, confirmation. None of them really stand out as unique. They aren't awful, just a set of the same story told by different artists. Not a single one breaks the mold, except one story which adds "funny" sexual harassment to the mix.

Ratings:

Variable, obviously, being an anthology.

Overall - 6

As a collection of the same one trope, Yurikan Feuille is not terrible, not great.

Hayate x Blade Manga, Volume 15 (はやてｘブレード)

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:51:47 PST

So, Volume 14 came and with it, the greatest fight ever seen at Tenchi Academy. Sae and Shizuku, out of the fight and only Hitsugi and Akira left to battle it out. Students and guests were on the edge of their seats and so were readers, I can assure you.Well, at least this reader was.

The battle ended as it had to. Bloodied, on one knee, but unbowed and unwilling to give up, Hitsugi defeated Akira. Phew, because if Akira won, Tenchi would have been disbanded. And here, in Hayate x Blade, Volume 15, (はやてｘブレード) we finally learn why.

We know that Akira's father is a bastard - we've known that for a long time. We know he favors that prig Ryouichi and treats Akira like dirt, merely because she is a girl. And we learn why, exactly he let her come to Tenchi Gakuen - to destroy the Amachi family and the school. Having won the battle, Hitsugi cheerfully pronounces Akira's punishment - to take over the school as chair. Akira now holds in her hands exactly what she was sent to get, and she runs off to give it to her father, and maybe, finally, get approval from the old man. But...Akira has undergone a transformation, and so has Sae, and together they walk away from what they were told would be their fate, in the quirkiest way possible. I won't spoil it, but I will tell you that it involves a plastic bag from a convenience store (this time, the late, much lamented AM/PM) cut into a mask.

And so Akira and Sae return to school to find that nothing has changed - except everything has changed. The new trimester has begun and Tenchi Academy is moving! But before that, there's new uniforms. And more epic battles between "randomly" chosen opponents who are so unrandom that everyone in the audience questions Hitsugi's honesty. Ayana is once again paired with Yukari; Yuho returns, and Hayate meets (as in "meets in battle") Nagi's shinyuu-to-be, Kanae and lots of stupid shit happens.

I was recently discussing Hayate x Blade with Bruce and I said that generally I really dislike physical comedy. Hayate x Blade has a ton of physical comedy - that makes me laugh out loud. The story that wraps the comedy is so smart-dumb that it's impossible not to laugh. In my imagination, Hayashiya-sensei is Hitsugi, pulling strings and manipulating characters, just to get the best damn story she can out of them. Which, she does.

Ratings:

Art - 9
Story - 10
Characters - 10
Yuri - 1
Loser FanBoy - 1

Overall - 10

Once again, Hayate x Blade is the manga I wait with greatest anticipation for monthly issue and tankoubon alike.I pray daily that this manga becomes the longest-running story ever, because I cannot imagine my life without it and I expect to live a long time.

Yuri Network News - January 21, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:21:38 PST

Yuri Anime

From multiple sources in the Phillipines comes the news that Sailor Moon is returning to TV there. Johann C from the Yuricon Mailing List says that it's getting "a New Tagalog dub with Jenny Bituin (Misaki Suzuhara in Angelic Layer, Sakura Kinomoto in Card Captor Sakura) as Usagi."

The first episode of Gokujyouu anime will be streamed for free online on January 30th and if that doesn't turn you off then we have nothing left to discuss, you and I.

***

Yuri Manga

So, yesterday we announced the partnership of JManga and ALC Publishing to bring Goto Hayako's POOR POOR LIPS to digital format. Let me address some of the obvious issues that came up, to the best of my ability.

Distribution - I am pushing to try and get JManga to establish access for Yuri publications outside North America, but this is primarily an issue between JManga and the Japanese rights holder. You all know how I feel about this nonsense. If it were up to me, everyone, everywhere would have access to this book. Unfortunately, I am only in a position to suggest.

Digital Format - Yes, this is a digital format only. And only on JManga. JManga is the rights holder, not ALC. We have no say about the format.

Yesterday, this question became an issue, as some people claimed that they preferred to buy books. That may be true, but 1) As I've said many times, the book-buying Yuri audience is not yet sustainable and 2) Digital makes a lot more sense going forward than books. We are at one of those moments in time, between two formats and everyone over the age of 18 is digging in their heels saying "But I prefer books." What we really mean is, "I am used to books." Digital is not going away and, in days to come you should probably expect more digital, not less. 3) People who rely mostly on scans really, I know most of you do (not all, Okazu readers are very likely to buy when they can and I know that!) really have no voice in the distribution/format wars. I understand fully why you rely on scanlations. You don't have to justify that. But, when a legit version is available, and a person is still downloading illicit scanlations, and says, "I prefer to buy books," it's disingenuous, at best. What that person is really saying is, "I prefer free."

4chan has already stated that they want rips of the JManga edition. This is what publishers hear when "fans" say "We want a thing." They could have it, all three current volumes of Poor Poor Lips, but oh wait, not for free. So they'll just rip it and move on. THIS is why I am not trying to license the print version. There's no other reason, just this. Until this changes, I have no incentive to invest my money in the market. I don't have an angel company pouring money over my head, so I have to be very cautious.

So, while I'm very proud to be bringing the Yuri audience Poor Poor Lips, and will do what I can to make it available to as many of you as possible, I'm still frustrated by the instant "I won't buy it because..." reactions. If you have any reason at all that you won't support it, you've given up your voice in the conversation. As for all of the non-North American fans out there - I want you to know that I really understand your frustration and will keep pushing for your right to read this!

And, in keeping with the concept of anyone, anywhere reading a comic, Tsubomi magazine has put several of their comics online and they do not appear to be region-locked! Of course, they are in Japanese.

Here's the moral of the story - the market is still changing and changing quickly. Publishers are scrambling to make things available and also scrambling to pay their bills. (Like...if you do work, you should be paid for it. Well, so should the people who work for the publishers.) Japanese publishers are still a bit behind the times, but they are also doing their best. Not too long ago, someone on Twitter asked about using Kickstarter to fund an obscure series and I had to tell them the facts about publishing. The bits you see - translation, lettering and distribution are only a teeny portion of what goes into the licensing and publication of a book. Because most of the steps are invisible to readers, they may think that that's all there is. But, just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. ^_^ So, please, be patient with the industry. We're trying.

David makes a good point in the comments - the business model for JManga is off-putting for some folks. I don't disagree. Honestly, I'd prefer to have ad hoc sales as an option, too. I've mentioned that to them as well. So yes, the whole thing is imperfect. You know what? Life is imperfect. ^_^ All we get is to choose how we react to life's imperfections.

***

That wraps it up for this week.

Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There's a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage - stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent's badge.

ALC Publishing and JManga Announce POOR POOR LIPS Partnership!

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:26:27 PST

Okashi Nako is a young woman living in poverty. When she applies to work at a Gem store, she learns that store owner, Otsuka Ren, is a lesbian. Ren promises that Nako’s not her type, but she may be lying…. Nako takes the job and so begins a comedic tale of rich and poor, sickness and health, for better and for worse!

ALC Publishing and JManga are proud to announce a partnership to bring you Goto Hayako’s Yuri love comedy, POOR POOR LIPS!

From JManga, the world’s first official Japanese manga portal website, directly from the 39 prominent publishers that make up the Digital Comic Association, and from ALC Publishing, a pioneer in Yuri Manga comes a partnership that brings you some of the best in Yuri digital manga straight from Japan! With the honest representation of lesbian life you’ve come to expect from ALC and the convenience of digital manga, Poor Poor Lips is sure to please Yuri fans.

(Cover Image: Poor Poor Lips Volume 1 (c)HAYAKO GOTO/Takeshobo Co., Ltd.)

Wandering Son Manga, Volume 2 (English) Guest Review by Kayden L

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:22:44 PST

Welcome back, I hope you enjoyed yesterday's blackout. As you may have guessed from my many years of writing about it here, freedom of expression is pretty much the one issue I consider to be the single *most* important issue there is. Obviously, as I discuss copyrighted materials here, and post covers and the like, it's critical to me that no one decides that my blog or any of its content must be blocked. Framing SOPA and PIPA as saving American jobs is especially nasty, as it is those very same corporations that supported these bills who have systematically undervalued, underpaid and outsourced the creative efforts of the people who make the material they lay claim to. Of course I support creators' rights and their copyright, but SOPA and PIPA have no stronger provisions for creators.

As with LGBTQ content and purges to supposedly "save the children," I feel as if we must be extra vigilant with any designs to block Internet access. Thus, the blackout. Thank you for bearing with me.

In any case, today we come back with a bang! A brand new Guest Reviewer, Kayden L, is joining our ranks. When I reviewed Wandering Son, Volume 1, Kayden made some great points in the comments about the spectrum of transgender and genderqueer life, and so I requested Kayden review Volume 2. And here we are. ^_^ Please welcome Kayden and enjoy this guest review!

Ahoy, everyone. My name is Kayden and I identify as a trans/genderqueer individual, and here’s my review of Wandering Son...

Time seems to be moving quickly in Volume 2 of Wandering Son. Already, Shuichi is heading into the 6th grade, but as the characters soon learn, age comes with increased social and gender pressures.

When Yamazaki-sensei tells the class to write an essay on what their dreams are, we find that Shuichi experiences “censor’s block” (rather than writer’s block). After struggling with the assignment for several nights, Shuichi submits a paper that says, “I don’t know yet. I’m sorry”. As readers, we know that Shuichi has a dream – “to be a beautiful woman” – but the portrayal of Shu’s self-policing is one of many examples of Shimura-sensei’s excellent storytelling skill. Through Shuichi, readers are able to get a glimpse of the closet in which many LGBTQI people hide. Seemingly irrelevant day-to-day decisions, such as the simple task of writing about one’s hopes and dreams for the future, become difficult for many closeted individuals who feel like they may be ostracized, ridiculed, or harassed for having personal wants, needs, preferences, and/or goals that deviate from social norms.

Luckily, Shuichi is able to find full acceptance with Takatsuki-kun (Yoshino) and Chiba-san (Saori), and it is within this the tiny community of friends that Shuichi develops a positive outlook on identity. That community is slightly expanded when Shuichi and Yoshino, dressed as a girl and a boy respectively, go out on one of their excursions and befriend Yuki (the woman who flirted with Yoshino in Volume 1). Initially, Yuki believes that Shuichi is a girl and that Yoshino is a boy, but she eventually learns the truth and becomes a sort of mentor, along with her boyfriend, Shii, to both kids by offering emotional support; adult approval of who they are; and a safe physical space in her apartment, where they can be themselves. Perhaps most importantly, Yuki tells the kids to have pride in their own selves: “You must never become discouraged or afraid… you two are just too good for that”. When a classmate harasses and calls Shuichi a faggot during a school trip, it is Yuki’s words that inspire Shuichi to find the strength to stand up against the bully.

Shimura Takako’s Wandering Son is a beautifully drawn and skillfully executed story about being different and how people struggle with being alone. It is an excellent springboard for LGBTQI discussion, and I believe that its universal themes (eg. finding your identity, being bullied, growing apart from friends) can appeal to everyone, rather than just LGBTQI audience.

Naturally, the story does not reflect all trans/queer experiences, but when I read this series, I get nostalgic because I see my younger self in Yoshino and Shuichi; I remember doing, feeling, and thinking the exact same things. I take my hat off to Shimura-sensei for capturing a trans/queer experience that feels genuine and honest.

For any of you who are interesting in reading Volume 2, I tried not to reveal too many things… so if you want to know Yuki’s secret, or find out how a family member reacts when Shuichi’s secret is discovered, you should give Wandering Son a try. Also, there’s an essay, written by manga scholar Matt Thorn, at the end of the book that’s titled “Transgendered in Japan” that may be of interest to some of you.

Ratings:

Art: 8
Story: 8
Character: 9
LGBTQI: 9
LFB: 1 for Yuki’s “cradle robbing”… and for what her boyfriend did in the elevator

Overall - 8

Thank you Kayden for another perspective on what I agree is a stellar series!

Yuri Manga Tsubomi, Volume 15 (つぼみ)

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:33:58 PST

Volume 15 of Tsubomi (つぼみ) begins with illustrations by Hayashiya Shizuru that, when I saw them the first time, motivated me to tell her on Twitter that they were "stimulating." A female bodyguard and her charge are seen surrounded by a crowd (opening, awards event, something like it, there are floodlights and photographers and a crowd) on one color page and on the other, black-and-white page, sharing an intimate moment in bed. Really, truly great. Hayashiya-sensei said that she'd love to draw their story one day and I said that I'd love to read it. ^_^

"Hoshikawa Ginza Yon-choume" continues with Minato coming down with a cold...again. Now that I've read the whole second volume, I'm kind of cooling on this series, unless it actually goes somewhere that doesn't make me dislike everyone more.

"Walk Wit Me" [sic] comes to a crisis, and probably a close, as Mallory and Wendy leave their moribund town and the dead souls that live there. In this chapter, it becomes more plain that this is a dust bowl America we're in. I'd want out too. They end up heading down Rt. 66 to wherever.

Shou belatedly realizes what Chiharu means to her, in "Kurai mori, Shiroi michi."

Hakamada Mera's "Higashitotsuka of Eden" is finally starting to take shape, not so much as a Yuri story, but as an otaku story. "Kiku-chan" finds herself outed as a doujinshi author, when the manga research club participates in a comic event.

Hikaru and Megumi go to the ocean with friends in "Prism". As they kiss, in a corner of the beach away from the rest of the crowd, they are seen by a passing group of people who are rude about it. Later, as they leave the convenience store, they encounter that same group, who proceed to intimidate them physically and verbally. Not surprisingly, this scene is rough. One feels one's stomach go tense almost immediately, and when the girls are cornered, then harassed, you start to look around the room for help. Luckily for Megu and Hikaru, help arrives and they are freed from a quickly escalating ugly situation. But the feeling lingers for a while. This scene is uncomfortably realistic, which means that the creator has managed to convey the situation well, and make us care about the characters. Another sign of the evolution and maturity of Yuri, we're getting yet another look at some of the less savory issues a lesbian couple might face. Tsubomi pushes the envelope once again. Kind of a surprise, really, that Tsubomi is the one willing to take that risk, before the older, more established, Comic Yuri Hime.

The rest of this volume was of less interest to me, but might be high interest of you, so do consider buying this magazine and showing your support for the Yuri creators that are working quite hard to bring you stories of interest.

Ratings:

Overall - 7

Utena Black Rose Box Set Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Friedman) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 13:52:02 PST

Thanks to everyone who entered the Revolutionary Girl Utena Black Rose Box Set contest.

The winner this time around is Jeri Mitchell. Congrats!