Assorted Entanglements, Volume 6

November 20th, 2024

A woman in a business suit with short dark hair, holding a beer, hugs her younger sister in a white blouse and dark blue skirt her black hair in pigtails.

by Matt Marcus, Staff Writer

Last we left our ragtag crew of sapphics, dates were “enjoyed”, feelings were revealed, emotional wounds were bonded over. We were left just short of a handful of plot payoffs: will Kujou give in to Sugimoto’s trial date idea? Will Heke-sensei be able to game hard enough to earn the right to date her boss? Will Shizuku and Saori just hook up already?

In Assorted Entanglements Volume 6, three of our four pairings arrive at significant inflection points. One couple is embarking on a new adventure as a couple, one is pretending to do the same, and the third…well that one is about to get complicated.

For Saori and Shizuku, the twin-tailed “normie” decides to sneak out of the house at night for doughnuts and deadpans her way into Shizuku’s apartment (this time choosing to be let in through the door instead of smashing the window. Character growth!!). She continues to find herself drawn to the delinquent, and has begun to see through some of Shizuku’s self-loathing. While escorting Saori back to her house, Shizuku recognizes a woman from her past. This is setting up a Shizuku character arc, and I’m surprisingly here for it. Never would’ve thought I’d say that about Shizuku of all characters, but here we are.

As for our mangaka/editor duo, Heke-sensei finally achieves her level goal in the online FPS game, putting her on “even footing” with her gaming oshi. This means she can finally ask Shinohara out! However, she nearly chickens out after spending the day together on a date. Heke-san clutches out the “win” and the two finally come together as a couple. I’m satisfied that this didn’t get dragged out for another who-knows-how-many volume. Now, the real question left is will Heke-sensei be more capable of hitting deadlines now that her editor is her girlfriend?

And for our third major turning point, Kujou and Sugimoto go on the long-threatened trial date. Naturally, it’s at the most sapphic of date destinations: the aquarium! Sugimoto continuously props up Kujou in the face of her gym teacher’s unrelenting defeatism and emotional self-sabotage, which is, honestly, kind of sweet. Sugimoto isn’t actively putting the moves on her teacher (in fact, she doesn’t seem to recognize her long-growing feelings), but by the end of the date, Kujou has the realization that the two of them have gotten too close for their own good. I was starting to worry that Kujou would remain oblivious for a good while longer.

…Also Iori and Minami are there. There’s a silly miscommunication that gets blown out of proportion, complete with the obligatory punch (on panel this time!), but it ends with a sweet moment together. At this point for me, these two are mostly here as supporting cast for the Saori x Shizuku storyline.

Again, I have to say I’m impressed with the improvement of the storytelling from the early volumes. It’s a direct result of the shift to longer chapters allowing the characters more space to interact and to make something resembling plot progress. Hell, it’s making me invested in Shizuku’s backstory, and how the past’s resurfacing will affect her relationship with Saori in the present. A deep character drama this ain’t, but it has become much more than the series of gag strips it began as.

Ratings:

Art – 7 Continues to be solid
Story – 8 We’re actually starting to cook here, with each of the three “active” plot arcs developing
Characters – 8 There is the right amount of angst injected with the humor, allowing for good chemistry
Service – 4 For a real payoff for our Best Couple
Yuri – 8 / LGBTQ – 8 Aquarium date!

Overall – 8 Would invite this volume to go on a shopping date to Yodob*shi 

Volume 7 of this ensemble story of sapphic misfits is coming our way in February.

Matt Marcus is a cohost of various projects on the Pitch Drop Podcast Network, as well as the writer for the blog Oh My God, They Were Bandmates analyzing How Do We Relationship in greater depth.



Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!, Volume 13 (私の百合はお仕事です!)

November 18th, 2024

A blonde in an dark green, old fashioned Japanese smock-style school uniform that is cut below her breasts with a white blouse with a purple ribbon, leans back into a background of flowers, as if to hide.Many lifetimes ago, I was writing a fanfic and I found that after about 4 hours straight of slamming words onto a screen, I had written myself into a corner. It just so happened that the next night was the regular broadcast of the series I was writing about -and let me tell you, the plot that week was not the strongest. I found myself thinking, well, if they could write themselves out of that mess, then so can I. I wrote all night long and as the morning alarm rang, I finished up the fic, It was a perfectly adequate story, I just remember it as a moment when I had really written myself into a corner and had to write myself out again.

It is my opinion that, in Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!, Volume 13 (私の百合はお仕事です!), Miman-sensei has written themselves into a bit of a corner.  Not completely, because the current arc actually concluded in subsequent chapters of the manga that ran in Comic Yuri Hime, but which have not yet been collected, as the story went on indefinite hiatus after that conclusion.

The arc in question is the incredibly fraught Kanako x Sumika arc and frankly, as I survey the bodies on this battlefield, I cannot see a way out of it that allows for something even far short of happily-ever-after. Kanako might find closure, but to do that, she will have to hurt Sumika. Sumika might have found find closure, but expressing that to Kanako hurts the younger girl. The folks around them have remained largely clueless, with the most minimal apology from – again – the only adult in the cafe. Kanako needs therapy, not a part-time older-sister figure. Her single-minded obsession with the one person who has been 100% truthful to her – and honest about wanting to be close friends, but no more – is exhausting.

And so, for the moment, after one of the most shocking arcs I have read in a manga not openly centered on violence, this series comes to an unsatisfactory stopping point. Kanako did finally have her say in the final chapters of the magazine, and I hope we will eventually get those…but will we ever get a fully formed resolution to this series? Only time will tell.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Service – 0
Yuri – 0

Overall – 8

I sincerely hope that Miman-sensei can find a way out of this corner and this series gets the ending it deserves.

Hime absolutely shines in this volume. Despite her pretense to other people, her platonic affection for Kanako is absolutely brilliant.



Give a Gift of Okazu!

November 17th, 2024

A "gift card" facsimile of the Okazu Patreon logo, featuring two women - one with short blue hair and pale skin and the other with shoulder length orange ombre hair, reading books that say in Japanese and English "Yuri'. Patreon has a new feature that I want to share. You can now give an Okazu patronage as a gift to someone else.

Maybe you know someone who loves our Yuri news report or enjoys all of our reviews and you know they would love to be part of the Okazu team. Now you can make that happen for them as a gift!

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Okazu patrons are part of the team that brings you the Yuri coverage we provide here. You’re helping Okazu content to remain free for everyone, and stay ad-free. Your support goes to paying our writers a better wage and helps us support Yuri creators both directly through their crowdfunding and indirectly through purchase of their works.  Your support allows us to do event coverage, guest and staff reviews, interviews, videos and more!

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Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – November 16, 2024

November 16th, 2024

A blue silhouette of a girl with a white flower in her hair, embracing the earth. Blue block letters read YNN Yuri Network News. Art by Lissa P. For Okazu.Yuri Anime

The top news this week is the announcement of an anime adaptation for Kuzushiro’s The Moon on a Rainy Night/ Amayo no Tsuki (雨夜の月)! This series about disability and queer life has been one of my favorites since I read the first volume in Japanese. I look forward to seeing Kuzushiro’s work animated.

Whisper Me A Love Song / Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau (ささやくように恋を唄う) episodes 11 & 12 have been scheduled for broadcast in Japan on December 28. I’m very glad the production company is able to complete the series. I know we were all getting a little worried.

ANNs Alex Mateo reports on Amazon Prime streaming Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back anime film. This Week in Anime has Steve and Lucas discussing the film, with the lens of their own recent loss of Nick, and Jairus Taylor provides a glowing review for the film. I have still not watched it, as I am not in an appropriate emotional state to cope just yet.

I’m In Love With The Villainess / Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou. (私の推しは悪役令嬢。) anime has slipped to third place on the Tokyo Anime Awards. Still respectable, but inori.-sensei has asked that if you want to, please consider voting by December 2. Bandai Channel is showing the whole series, which I hope helps.

GKids has obtained N. American right to Liz and the Blue Bird. Alex Mateo has the news on ANN.

ANN’s Rafel Antonio Pineda has the news and trailer for Witchy Precure!!: Mirai Days sequel anime.

 

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Yuri Events

Comic Academy 25 will be held at Tokyo University and the Tokyo University Yuri Club will be selling their magazine Liliest, Volume 8!

Comitia is going to be at Tokyo Big Sight on November 17th in the East Halls 3, 4, 5, 6,and 7.

I’ll be moderating a talk on December 10 at The Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn, NY! Authors JD Glass, Mala Kumar and I will be discussing the Gift of Love and queer joy! There is a small charge, but you’ll get it back in store credit. Hope to see you there. ^_^

Winter Comiket will be at Tokyo Big Sight on December 29 & 30.

Yuriten will be in Tokyo from January 25- February 2, and in Osaka from February 8- 16.

 

Yuri Manga

Éditions Akata has formally announced several new licenses, including schwinn’s senior Yuri series, Hana Monogatari for French readers.

Aoto Hibiki has a series being translated and serialized on Manga Planet: First Love Story: Shino x Asuka Story.“Ever since Shino saw Asuka take the stage to lead the freshman pledge, she knew they were in completely different worlds. Intelligent, endlessly talented Asuka is the type who’d only be friends with fellow preppy girls – never ordinary girls like her! The correct plan of action for Shino to take for her high school debut is to fit in by sticking close to her old friends, getting through academics somehow, and snagging herself a boyfriend – but when Asuka herself asks Shino to be her friend, does fitting in even matter?”

Aneido-sensei posted a short comic about a woman who sells her soul to the devil on Bluesky in English, and asks us the question – what is the soul after all?

Galette No. 32 (ガレットNo.32) is going on sale officially for Comitia 150. You can buy it digitally or in print from the different options on the Yuricon Store.

Akiyama Haru, creator of Octave, has a new series, Watashi no Blue Garnet (私のブルーガーネット) which is getting an acrylic figurine on MangaOh. This series follow Ai and Kon. Kon is looking for a former lover when their lives become intertwined.

U-temo has a new series beginning this month at Manga-Action, Okawari Itadake Darouka? This is a horror story about a girl who can summon spirits by eating and a classmate who eats spirits. Honestly, this looks kind of fun in a dark way.

Yatosaki Haru has an new online comic on Comic-Days called Akuma made Amai Watashi no Kanojo (あくまであまい私の彼女) about a girl whose heart is broken after her girlfriend breaks up with her. She meets a beautiful girl who she falls for, only to learn that the beautiful girl is a succubus. Thanks David for the corrected title!

Via Yuri Navi, Fujimoto Remochi has a new “cool boyish” Ikemen x Ikemen Yuri manga, Makoto-sempai no mae de ha Kakko  Tsukerarenai!(真先輩の前ではかっこつけられない!) on Web Ace.

 

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Yuri Light Novel

J-Novel Club has announced a new Yuri LN, The Hero-Killing Bride written by Aoikou with art by Enji. ANN’s Crystalyn Hodgkins has the details. Sure it’s lascivious crap, but I dunno, I might read it. ^_^

 

Yuri Visual Novel

Ebi-hime has another Yuri VN for you! Shut-In Vampire, is about a secret Vampire who is behind on the rent and only has two weeks to pay up

Quill Yuri offers up Death Becomes You: Yuri Onsen Vacation on Steam. “Alice and Sophie finally have the time to go on an onsen retreat. However, their trip gets inturrupted [sic] by mysterious magic. The last straw: “MY FOOD!!!” Will the couple be able to find the culprit and finally enjoy their vacation? “

 

Other News

I’ve moved the Yuri Manga Bot to Bluesky. This is where I make up plots for Yuri manga as the mood takes me. ^_^

Melon Books will no longer be accepting Mastercard or Visa from December 19. This appears to be something they are trying to fix, but for now, you’ll need Amex, JCB or another card on file. Joana Cayanan has the details on ANN.

Lycoris Recoil has an aquarium-themed museum shop in Tokyo Skytree from November 22 to December 8. And Crunchyroll now has the ClariS music video of the series OP,  Alive.

Please enjoy this video pow put to music by Miyo for inee’s manga LOVE BULLET! on X.

Crunchyroll now has translated Newtype magazine Crunchyroll edition online for free – check out the flipbook.

 

If you’d like to support Yuri journalism and research, Patreon and Ko-Fi are where we currently accept subscriptions and tips.  Our goal now, into 2024, is to raise our guest writers’ wages to above industry standard, which are too low!

Your support goes straight to paying for Guest Reviews, folks helping with videos, site maintenance, managing the Yuricon Store and directly supporting other Yuri creators. Just $5/month makes a huge impact! Become part of the Okazu family!

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Throw Away The Suit Together, Volume 2

November 13th, 2024

A woman with pinkish collar length hair wearing denim shorts and a green tee shirt, holds up a can of beer, while next to her a woman with long black hair, wearing running shorts and a white tank top sucks on an ice pop, as she takes their selfie in front of a deeply blue ocean.

by Matt Marcus, Staff Writer

In the first volume of Throw Away The Suit Together, college students and partners Haru and Hinoto decide to ditch the city and the pressures of job hunting and escape to Hinoto’s aunt’s island summer home. Sure, it was an impulsive decision, but they can certainly make a new life here with no degree, no employment, and no money. Right?

Throw Away The Suit Together, Volume 2 opens as the girls finish writing up a marriage contract. It would be a feel-good moment if either of them had any plan on how they will make a marriage work. Haru immediately says they need to make a lot of money to afford a wedding, but even before that, they are nearly flat broke and need to make some money now.

Luckily, they had met local dive instructor Naruko via lost scooter. She offers them part-time work, and the girls feel like they’ve been thrown a little bit of a lifeline. Sure, they are literally living paycheck-to-paycheck each day, but it’s a start.

We spend a lot of time with Haru and Hinoto as they anxiously kill time between shifts. They do laundry at the local laundromat. They sleep in late on a day off. They go to a diner. They have plenty of conversations, except for the one they really need to have: what is their backup plan. Each of them is harboring doubts.

However, even before they can think long-term, Naruko mentions that they only have about three weeks of work left in the busy season. What that leads to is…going back on the job hunt. Given their remote location and high expectations of what kind of job they think they qualify for, options seem nil. In a hail Mary shot, Hinoto again uses her aunt, who has a connection to someone high up in a medium-sized company. This does not pan out, since the job requirements include a college degree. The volume ends with Hinoto calling her college about reenrollment, with Haru eavesdropping.

Like with the first volume, the book ends with a bonus story with a bit of spice, but it’s honestly pretty off-putting. I could do without ever seeing a bit where a partner gets jealous and so decides to cover their lover’s body with hickies so that they are forced to cover up. It’s never been a good trope.

I had some concerns with this story in volume one. Most of it focused on the nagging feeling that this whole plan is a house of cards, ready to fall with the slightest gust of wind. It made for very anxious reading, and it seems now that the feeling was the intended experience. But worse, I’m not sure what the story is really driving at. Sometimes love is not enough? There’s no escape from capitalism? That college degrees are important? I feel like I’m watching slow-motion Yuri Uncut Gems, with the girls gambling with their future.

The other thing that is bothering me is that we don’t get any view into Haru and Hinoto’s life before the story begins. Had they fought through adversity before? Are there any shared memories that they hold dear? Do they, uh, like things in common?? They clearly know each other well enough to give (loving) critiques on their personal quirks, but Keyyang-sensei’s got to give me something more to hold on to here.

The art also somehow seems worse this volume. The characters just look sloppily drawn to begin with, and then there are wild swings in style used for humor that causes even further whiplash. The one drawing I would say really hit for me was a full page spread of the girls job searching on their phones while sitting in the dark living room (which raises the question: how are they paying for their phone service?).

By the end of this volume, I am bracing for disaster. The girls are one missed paycheck away from ruin, and yet they seem to leave those envelopes of money lying around without much concern. The island dream may be over soon, but will a new dream follow it?

Ratings:

Art – 5 It’s getting more distracting as it goes
Story – 6 Things don’t appear to be getting better, but to what end?
Characters – 6 Haru and Hinoto continue to make bad choices
Service – 3 Only for the bonus story
Yuri – 9 / LGBTQ – 5 Gonna leave this here

Overall – 6 Would possibly be put on a PIP, if they even had a job

The third and final volume of this island “escape” story hits shelves in February.

Matt Marcus is a cohost of various projects on the Pitch Drop Podcast Network, as well as the writer for the blog Oh My God, They Were Bandmates analyzing How Do We Relationship in greater depth.