I will be going on vacation next weekend. I will be bringing a computer, but I have no idea how much time, connection and/or dedication I will have at any point in time, since I’ll literally be on the road for most of the trip. I have already scheduled reviews to post all week long while I am gone, but I can safely say that there is a high likelihood that I will not post a Yuri News report for a few weeks. While I *might* be motivated to login to approve comments, I can pretty much swear that I won’t be motivated to surf the Intertubes to find Yuri News. Just so you can’t say I didn’t warn you. :-)

Yuri Manga

Okay, how ironic is it that I *just* reviewed Battle Club and the very same day, it became the center of yet another battle in the war against the freedom of libraries to make information free. An Oregon man objected to his 12-year old son bringing Battle Vixens and Battle Club home from the “adult section” of the the library. A spokeswoman from the library told him to watch his own damn kid, but said it nicer than that. Yay Multnomah County Library! The father’s wrath completely ignores the fact that his kid is the *perfect* audience for that trash, since he hasn’t ever seen a woman’s crotch and this would all be very exciting and new to him.

The long-awaited Yuri Works File, originally titled the Yuri Michelin Guide, has been published by Ichijinsha. This book purports to list the best Girls Love evar, but my faith in it is somewhat limited on the basis that the cover is the cover art from one of the Girls Love novels that was *just* released by Ichijinsha, Period. My faith in this book is further eroded by the fact that the preview of Period was pretty boring. So…”best”? You’ll have to decide for yourself.

Hayate x Blade made its debut this month in Ultra Jump magazine. The first two volumes of the manga have been re-released, with special deluxe editions that include Shigeru cat family mascot straps and much cooler covers than previously. You can order the new Volume 1 and Volume 2 from Amazon JP. I’ve commented before that practically every single manga that ran in Dengeki Daioh had been made into an anime except HxB. I wonder if that was part of the reason for the publisher/magazine jump…. Ultra Jump put together this nifty Hayate x Blade website. The opening flash is fun. Check it out. The site includes previews of the first two volumes, as well.

Can’t remember if I mentioned this previously and am too lazy to look. The Yuri Hime version of the Aoi Shiro manga is available.

Have I mentioned that the manga Last Friends, based on the live-action drama is being serialized in Malika magazine? Well it is. :-) I’ll be reviewing it shortly. Also a new Yamaji Ebine story is slated to start in the next issue of the same magazine, but I’m betting on there not being Yuri or lesbian content in that.

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Snatches of Yuri

Something that floated up from Amazon JP, Kick!, is a manga that has two girls on the cover and everyone who bought it has bought and/or reviewed other notoriously Yuri titles. so I’m bettin’ this one has some Yuri, too. ;-)

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Other Yuri News

Manga scholar Matt Thorn has a very amusingly titled, interesting and informative article on his blog, concerning early Yuri roots, and some lovely early 20th century prints of “Yuri” couples. I recommend it highly – and suggest you bookmark his blog. He’s an interesting guy, with a unique perspective.

I had to tell you about the awesome (and surprisingly appealing) Cutey Honey whiskey bottles that are now on sale in Japan. I know that most fans are men, and see Honey as just another bimbo with big boobs, but to Yuri fans she’s much more. She’s the oldest and best of the magical transforming heroines. In her long history she has always had a close companion Na-chan, and has never, ever needed the help of a man. Honey for the win.

Not Yuri, but voice actress Kawakami Tomoko, who played Tenjou Utena in Revolutionary Girl Utena, has been hospitalized. Oddly, the news seems to have been picked up by readers of Ikuhara Kunihiko’s website.

And also not Yuri, but very interesting…I recieved a ballot from the “comic book industry’s premier award show,” the Harvey Awards. First time ever. I felt suitably chuffed. Of course I voted. :-)

And to end on an actual Yuri note, among the many other things that happened at Otakon, I spoke with comic artist and game designer Mike Hayes and we have decided to work on a short Yuri game together. Before you get all bouncy and happy, let me tell you that we’re calling it Story A. Consider yourself warned. lol And no, I don’t know when it will be ready or where or anything, so please don’t ask. It’s just in planning right now.

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That wraps it up for this week and probably the next two weeks going forward. By all means send me news items and clips and thoughts, and when I get back, we’ll see about bundling them all together. Until then!