Yuri News this Week – May 10, 2008

May 10th, 2008

We’ve got so much news these days that, like any other news magazine, I’m separating them into Topics.

Yuri Anime News

We start this week off with news that the Candy Boy ONA (Online Animation) was launched on Nicovideo. The first “full” 14-minute episode of two sisters in love, and another girl who admires one of them, was received with positive reviews by Yuri fandom at large.

And while we’re talking about the bulk of Yuri fandom, they’ll be happy to know that the upcoming Shoujo Sect OVA is up for preorder on Amazon Japan. Because of the “adult” nature of the anime, it appears to be unavailable for shipping overseas (gee, why fellas?) but if you *really* want it, you can use a buyer and get it that way. (Not that the bulk on Yuri fandom would be moved to buy it. I meant that kind of sarcastically.) In any case, here are links to the DVD preorder and the Box set preorder.

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Yuri Manga News

The official press release went out this week, announcing that popular lesbian novelist J.D. Glass and ALC Publishing are working together on a story for Yuri Monogatari 6! Feel free to disseminate the news!

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Yuri at the Library!

A couple of weeks ago was “Library Week” and I recommended the people check their local libraries for manga – rather than downloading them – and also consider donating lightly used manga *to* their local libraries. This week, we have some payoff to our efforts. Not only does the Morris County Library have a *fantastic* Graphic Novels section, with manga for kids and adults, Indie comics, American comics GNs and other types of graphic art, it now inclues a wide variety of Yuri, including Rica ‘tte Kanji!? and Yuri Monogatari 5.

Also, from Ellen K., news of Quatrefoil, a well-respected and well-established GLBT lending library in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Ellen reports that she’s working on a display of manga and anime there, and is steadily incresing their manga and anime collection. Personally, I think that’s utterly awesome.

Send me more stories about Yuri manga in the library – and even better, stories about how *you* put Yuri manga in your library. I really want to hear those. ;-)

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Snatches of Yuri
(feel free to laugh, I did it on purpose)

A newly named segment, in which loyal readers and Yuri fans at large report sightings of Yuri in anime, manga and manhwa you might not have heard about. This week’s contributions are:

sui reports that the manhwa Ciel has two characters, Eliche and Judith, who give off strong Yuri vibes. She says the series is up to 4 volumes in Germany and nothing definite, but, strong vibes.

And from my own reading, in Osamu Tezuka’s MW, (which is an extremely interesting, complex story about a young man who is a pyschotic murderer and the priest who loves him) the only truly emotionally stable and happy character in the entire book is the lesbian editor of a publication. She’s in the story in only one chapter and remains nameless, but she pretty much made my day.

Yuricon News

Updates on the Yuricon wesbite: The above mentioned Press Release on the Press page; and new Yuriko art on the Yuriko Art Gallery! More new stuff coming soon, as always.

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Lastly, on a personal note, if you all would send me some good energy on Monday, I’d appreciate it. If it works out, I’ll tell you why. :-)

That’s it for this week’s report – looking forward to another Yuri-filled week!

13 Responses

  1. I’m really happy about you sharing that ONA. Unfortunately, while my complete lack of understanding of Japanese is a boon to my watching the anime, it’ll likely impede my ability to keep up with new episodes. How could I follow this series? Subscribe to the video-poster? Since you don’t like bootleg-uploads like what’s on YouTube, I’m assuming that the vid you linked to’s legit?

  2. That’s the legitimate release. I imagine that all the others will be released there too. It’s an ONA series, as I understand it.

    I’m sure some people have fansubbed or will fansub it. I’m sure you can find those through any number of sources.

  3. kieli says:

    It’s already been subbed by Froth Bite, Tweak-DATS and SHiN-gx. I’m sure you can find them if you Google their names.

  4. Rose says:

    *throws you good vibes for monday*

  5. shanejayell says:

    For “Snatches of Yuri” I’ve been re-reading Charlaine Harris’ vampire novels, and there’s been a fair bit of Yuri, lately. The vampire queen dates girls, and there’s been flirting between a vamp and a witch… *lol*

  6. Senbei says:

    Checking in from anime fandumb, I offer this recent conversation from your typical anime irc channel. The names have been changed to protect the barely innocent (please note, the following contains material which may not be appropriate for persons over 18):

    [08:47:38] [LastResort] btw any recommend on a romantic anime looking for a good one =)
    [08:47:56] [@KuroCat] candy boy
    [08:48:01] [@KuroCat] like I said earlier
    [08:48:07] [LastResort] ah oke
    [08:48:08] [@KuroCat] 7 OVA, First subbed recently
    [08:48:17] [@KuroCat] girl x girl :oo
    [08:48:25] [LastResort] hm
    [08:48:27] [Reki] dude screw candy boy, i can’t wait for shoujo sect
    [08:48:28] [Reki] zomggggggg
    [08:48:43] [@KuroCat] …shoujo sect? isn’t that borderline hentai ?
    [08:48:45] [LastResort] girl x girl hmmm
    [08:48:49] [@KuroCat] …wait, it’s going to be adapted into anime ?
    [08:48:56] [@KuroCat] LastResort well, worse
    [08:48:58] [@KuroCat] they’re twin
    [08:48:59] [Reki] ova!!!!!!!!
    [08:49:06] [LastWeapon] -.-
    [08:49:07] [Reki] candy boy is twin
    [08:49:09] [Reki] shoujo sect isn’t
    [08:49:25] [@KuroCat] shoujo sect is hentai, isn’t it ?
    [08:49:30] [Reki] uhhhhhhh
    [08:49:32] [Reki] i guess, yeah
    [08:49:34] [@KuroCat] I recall reading a manga bout that
    [08:49:49] [@KuroCat] …some times ago, already
    [08:50:03] [Reki] 2 volumes
    [08:50:03] [Reki] [08:50:55] [Machigae] LastResort: :3
    [08:51:52] [LastResort] candy boy doesnt sound like i would like it >.>
    [08:52:05] [@KuroCat] aw
    [08:52:12] [@KuroCat] it’s proably not what you think
    [08:52:17] [@KuroCat] just imagine it’s overcute
    [08:52:57] [Reki] candy boy is cuuuuute
    [08:53:00] [Reki] shoujo sect is mature
    [08:53:01] [Reki] :p
    [08:58:56] [Amaikun] try ichigo 100% ;p]

    And there you have it…

  7. Anonymous says:

    About Ciel: It’s not really Yuri. Even the word “vibe” may be too strong. They glue together because they need each other to survive (one of them can use magic by creating a field and the other one is able to see said field and free her partner from it. Witches can’t leave their field by themself and so they would die without their partner)

  8. anon – Remember “vibe” is strictly a personal interpretation. You may not see Yuri there – other people might.

    shane – thanks, although for the purposes of Okazu, I mostly to stick to manga, anime and related media. There’s a zillion lesbian books sites that would be a better place to mention those. But, if you know about any manga or anime for “snatches” then by all means, through the names my way.

    rose – thanks

    senbei – “borderline” hentai? Guess they never actually read it.

  9. Anonymous says:

    A bit of additional info for the “Snatches of Yuri” segment : there are at least two spring shows other than Candy Boy that include Yuri.

    Penguin Musume Heart has large amounts of fanservicey subtext between Sakura “Penguin” and tomboy Kujira. A fun show, but don’t expect any kind of depth from it.

    Kamen no Maid Guy features a creepy girl in love with the main character, and they end up locked in a room complete with a bed provided by the Maid Guy from the title. The main character isn’t at all happy about that though. It’s a pretty stupid show anyway, I wouldn’t recommend watching it for the Yuri… actually I wouldn’t recommend watching it at all.

    There’s also Crystal Blaze, produced by Studio Fantasia, who seem to have an habit of including Yuri fanservice in all of their shows, so we might expect something in this one as well. Nothing for now, but I’m keeping an eye on it.

  10. Fuyumi says:

    There was a comic on the back page of the Week in Review section of the NY Times today by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki, the ladies who brought us Skim (which I seem to recall you reviewed a couple months ago). Just thought it might be of interest, although the piece itself contain no Yuri.

  11. I mean this in a GOOD way: I didn’t really need subtitles. When I said that my lack of understanding Japanese was a boon, I meant that I could simply focus on the plot, without being fettered by the utter silliness that may comprise the dialogue.

    Do uploaders on Nicovideo have “channels,” like YouTube? I’m clicking on links, but… frankly I don’t know what in the Sam Hill I’m looking at. If I could find Candy Boy’s “channel,” I’d be able to easily spot when a new episode is released. Of course, if you planned on informing us of each episode’s release, my efforts’d be moot, eh?

    In return, I shall not be sending you good vibes; I shall send you vibes of abtruse composition and unexpected objective, with only a subtle undertone of positiviy to ensure against utter disaster. May your Monday close with results beyond your imaginings, Ms. Friedman….

  12. Anonymous says:

    For “Yuri Olds”:

    In 2006, Marc Hairston wrote a comparison of Maria-sama ga Miteru and Azumanga Daioh in the journal Mechademia.

    http://www.upress.umn.edu/Books/L/lunning_mechademia1.html

    Volume 2 has come out recently, which includes a paper on Haibane Renmei and another on The Rose of Versailles, but sadly the Rose of Versailles paper seems like it will take the Little Women-esque tact of “See, look, tomboys can catch men after all!”

    Anyway, I think it’d be ace if you could possibly try to find these articles and write your impressions of them, as you did for Queer Voices From Japan.

  13. Anonymous says:

    The lesbian webcomic “I Was Kidnapped By Lesbian Pirates From Outer Space” is going to finish soon. :(

    http://www.drunkduck.com/I_Was_Kidnapped_By_Lesbian_Pirates_From_Outer_Space/

    It’s not done in a manga style, like YU+ME:dream is, but rather a pulp fiction style.

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