Archive for June, 2013


Yuri Manga: Comic Yuri Hime, May 2013 (コミック百合姫)

June 4th, 2013

The cover of the May 2013 Issue of Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫) shows us a springy scene with what I imagine some people will see as a cute girl carrying boxes outside a door and what I imagine that some people will see as cute cats. Inside the cover, she comes into a comfy space with another girl, with hearts and cats all around. The cover can be cut to create a door to be opened, which will give the scene a sense of motion. This “Spring of Life” is as good a beginning as any, although I kind of miss the crazy violence of Kazuaki’s work. ^_^

I’m going to say this straight up – I liked Takahashi Mako’s story this time. Well, I liked the idea of an imouto-bot who says all the stock things one expects from a “little sister,” Yuri-style. Someone will make a lot of money off this idea someday. I hope it’s Takahashi-sensei.

Takemiya-sensei’s “Nakushimono Okurimono” returns us to Satomi  and Nana and the uncomfortable sense Satomi has that Nana still has feelings for Youko. (All of which is dealt with in Kila Kila.) Satomi comes up with a cute and creative way to resolve the issue.

Sa-chan and Ruki are on an inevitable course now, in ““Watashi no Sekai o Kousei Suru Chiri no You na Nanika” but it’s Remi who awakens Saki to the idea of being with a woman.

Of all the stories in this issue, the one that’s sticking with me is Osawa Yayoi’s, “Strange Babies”, the continuation of Black Yagi to Gekiyaku Madeline. Yagi, having never truly been socialized, is trying hard to be normal, while Madoka find herself cut off by Kokoto’s dominance of Yagi’s time and attention. Kokoto’s obsession is uncomfortable-making, a fair echo of fans who want more from idols than they can reasonably give. It’s very hard to know if Kokoto wants to be with Yagi, be Yagi’s lover, or just *be* Yagi. She may not know herself. All the while, Madoka finds herself pushed aside but incapable of saying anything. It’s also difficult to know if Yagi understands what is going on. It’s my guess that she really does not. ARGH. Frustrating story, but I’m emotionally engaged with it, so good. But ARGH. ^_^

For me, this was not a strong volume. The first half of the magazine this issue had too many physically and emotionally abused, neglected, broken and unhappy girls and way too much emphasis on love saving the day. It’s not cool, editors, not cool at all, to put love or having a lover in the position of “thing that will save you.” It doesn’t work like that and you know it.

Ratings:

Overall – 5

I will never ever enjoy a story where, to save the day, someone has to hit someone else over the head with a rock. If that’s your punchline, you’re on the wrong track for writing a good story.





Interview with Yuri Manga Artist Takemiya Jin

June 2nd, 2013

日本語で

Takemiya JinI’ve been fangirling over Takemiya-sensei’s work for years. I first began reading her doujinshi,, and rejoiced when she made the leap into the professional sphere. You can find her work currently running in Comic Yuri Hime and in my favorite manga magazine, Rakuen Le Paradis.

I declared three of her books the Top Yuri Manga of 2011: Seasons, Kila Kila and Omoi no Kakera. In particular, I like the sense that her Yuri work is grounded in the reality of lesbian life. Mika, the protagonist in Omoi no Kakera is out to herself and to her close friends as a lesbian. This is something we have not seen all that often in Yuri Manga. This, and Takemiya’s use of actual lesbian slang in her stories shifts “Yuri” as a genre closer to an intersection with lesbian literature.  IMHO, Takemiya-sensei is one of the leaders of the new Yuri movement.

It is my very sincere pleasure today to have a chance to talk with Takemiya-sensei and share it with you all!

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Q1: Please tell us about yourself
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My name is Takemiya Jin, I’m a Yuri Manga artist. My sex is female. I am a lesbian.

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Q2: How did you become a mangaka? Was it something you wanted to do as a child?

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It was my childhood dream to become a manga artist. Because various people opposed my dream to become a manga artist I stopped drawing manga. When one of my submissions for a contest won an award, I started to think that I would draw manga as a job.

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Q3: Which artists have influenced you?
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Manga artists Takahashi Rumiko (creator of Inu Yasha, Ranma 1/2) and Togashi Yasuhiro (creator of Yu Yu Hakusho, Hunter x Hunter) and Obata Takeshi (part of the creative team for Death Note, Hikaru no Go) influenced me.

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Q4: If you were not a mangaka, what kind of work would you be doing?
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I think I’d probably be a clerk in a bookstore with a hobby of creating doujinshi.

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Q5: What motivated you to create Yuri Manga?
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I began by drawing stories that took shape from my own experiences, things I was thinking about and the messages I wanted to convey.

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Q6.1: Please tell us a little bit about your process.
How long does it take to draw a chapter?
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If we’re talking drawing a 24-page manga, it takes me about 2 weeks to completely finish the job.

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Q6.2: How many assistants work with you? What is the first step in your process? What is the last step?
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I have no assistants. But, when I’m in trouble, my partner helps me with the relatively simple tasks.

The first thing I do is to construct the “Plot” (which means planning and composing the dialogue). The last thing I do is “Revision”.
(Plot/Storyboard/Sketch/Inking/Shading/Revision/Tone/Finishing Touches and Final Revision…in that order.)

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Q7: You began as a doujinshi artist. Other than deadlines what are the differences between being an amateur and a professional?

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In my case, doujinshi was a hobby; being in a commercial magazine has that feeling called “work” so, although I draw manga as a job, I still would like to put out doujinshi.

The differences I see between being amateur and a pro: I really don’t know. From the beginning a pro has committed to the requirement of completing a manuscript by deadline, but whether amateur or pro, the work of communicating something is interesting.

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Q8:  Do you read any Yuri manga? If so, what series?
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In the magazines that publish my Yuri manga – Rakuen Le: Paradis and Comic Yuri Hime – I read the Yuri manga my friends have created.

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Q9: Do you have anything you want to ask overseas fans?
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When you read manga, do you think “I want to go to Japan?”

E: はい!「私は日本へ行きたい」と6か月ごとに思います。 ^_^;

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Q10: Do you have any message for your overseas fans?
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When I began drawing Yuri manga, I never considered that there would be a day when my manga was read by people overseas. Now I can receive messages from overseas on Twitter or my blog, it makes me very happy. No matter what country you’re from, people’s thoughts and feelings aren’t different. Therefore, from here on, I will continue to draw the feelings of love and other very important things between two women in love with one another.

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Thank you, thank you Takemiya-sensei for taking time out to talk to us. I look forward to continue supporting your work !

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私は何年間もずっと、竹宮先生の作品のファンとして応援を続けています。読み始めた時には同人誌作家だった先生が、プロ作家としての活動を始めた時には、大喜びしたものです。現在先生の作品は、コミック百合姫や、私のお気に入り漫画雑誌でもある楽園 Le Paradisで読むことが出来ます。

私は竹宮先生の「Seasons」「キラキラ」「想いの欠片」の三作品を、2011年度のトップ百合漫画リストに選出させていただきました。特に私が気に入っているのは、先生の作品がレズビアンとしての生き方のリアリティに基づいている点ですね。「想いの欠片」の主人公であるミカはレズビアンであることを自覚していますし、親しい友達に対してもカミングアウトしています。こういう描写は、百合漫画作品の中でそう多く描かれるものではありません。こういった点や、作品の中での実際のレズビアン隠語の用いられ方によって、「百合」というジャンルを、レズビアン文学としての地位に近づけつつあると思います。私のつたない考えでは、竹宮先生こそは、新たな百合ムーブメントの主導者のお一人だと思っています。

今回、竹宮先生とお話できたこと、そしてその内容を皆さんにもお伝えできることは、この上ない喜びです。

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Q1: 自分に関して私たちに話してください。
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百合漫画家の竹宮ジンです。性別は女性。レズビアンです。

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Q2: 先生はどのように漫画家になりましたか? 漫画家になるのは、子供時代の夢でしたか?

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漫画家になるのは子供の頃からの夢でした。 いろんな人から漫画家になる夢を反対されましたが、漫画を描く事はやめませんでした。 投稿作品で賞をいただいて、お仕事として漫画を描くようになりました。

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Q3: どの芸術家が先生に最も影響を及ぼしましたか?
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漫画家の高橋留美子先生、冨樫義博先生、小畑健先生の影響を受けました。

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Q4: 漫画家でなければ、どんな仕事をしているでしょうか?
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書店等で店員をしながら、趣味で同人活動をしていたと思います。

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Q5: 漫画家でなければ、どんな仕事をしているでしょうか?
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自分が経験してきた事、考えた事、伝えたいメッセージを形にしたいと思って漫画を描き始めました。その想いは今も同じで

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Q6.1: 先生の創造プロセスに関して私たちにほんの少し話してください。章を描くにはどのくらいの時間がかかりますか?
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24ページの漫画を描く場合、完成までの作業日数は約2週間です。

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Q6.2: 何人のアシスタントが先生と共に働いていますか? 最初のタスクは何ですか? 最後のタスクは何ですか?
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アシスタントはいません。 でも困った時にパートナーが簡単な作業を手伝ってくれています。 漫画の最初の作業は「プロット(お話の構成を考える作業)」です。最後の作業は「修正」です。 (プロット/ネーム/下書き/ペン入れ/ベタ/修正/トーン/仕上げの修正…の順です)

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Q7: 同人誌家として始めました、デッドライン以外に、アマチュアであること,プロであることの違いは何ですか?

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私の場合は同人誌は趣味で、商業誌はお仕事と言う感覚です。だからお仕事として漫画を描いていますが時間があれば同人誌も出したいです。

アマチュアとプロの違いは見た目ではわからないと思います。プロへの最初の条件は「原稿を完成させる事が出来るか」と「締め切りが守れるか」。アマチュアでもプロでも伝えたい事をしっかり描いている作品は面白いです。

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Q8:  百合漫画を読みますか?どのシリーズを読みますか?
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百合漫画は自分の漫画の掲載誌(「コミック百合姫」「楽園LeParadis」)と、友人の百合作品を読んでます。

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Q9: 海外ファンに何を尋ねたいですか?
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漫画を読んで「日本に行ってみたい」と思った事はありますか?

E: はい!「私は日本へ行きたい」と6か月ごとに思います。 ^_^;

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Q10: 何か海外のファンへのメッセージがありますか?
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百合漫画を書き始めた頃は海外の人達に私の漫画を読んでもらえる日がくるなんて夢にも思いませんでした。現在では、twitterやブログで海外の方から日本語や英語でメッセージをいただく事もあり、とても嬉しく思っています。どこの国の人も、人を想う気持ちは変わらないと思います。だから私はこれからも女の子同士の恋愛の愛しさや切なさを大事に大事に描いていこうと思います。

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あらためて竹宮先生に、貴重な時間を私達のために割いてくれたことを深く感謝したいと思います。これからも先生の作品の応援を続けていくことを楽しみにしています!

(小松さんによる翻訳. Thank you, Komatsu-san for translation of my intro and sign-off! ^_^)





Yuri Network News (百合ネットワークニュース) – June 1, 2013

June 1st, 2013

YNN_MariKI receive many emails and comments to the effect of “I can’t read Japanese so…” But you know, I couldn’t read Japanese either, at first. I learned – so can you. Here’s a free online tool to get you started, RealKana. Start by memorizing the syllables now and by the end of 2013, you’ll be able to read simple sentences. にほんごをべんきょうしましょう。Start now. There’s nothing at all stopping you from trying. ^_^ I’ll add other tools to the list, but this seems like a really good place to start.

Yuri Anime

Nozomi RightStuf has announced the extra that will come with pre-orders  for Rose of Versailles, Part 2.

The second round of voting at Daisuki is up, and this packet includes some titles of interest, including Devilman Lady (which was SO gay) and Heartcatch PreCure (which was SO gay). So get those votes in and get some Yuri up on Daisuki!

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Yuri Manga

Comic Natalie reports that Takemiya Jin’s Omoi no Kakera, Volume 2 went on sale today with variant extras, depending on the bookstore at which it was purchased.  Speaking of Takemiya-sensei…tomorrow’s Okazu will feature an interview with her! So please make sure you drop by tomorrow for another look at a prime mover in the Yuri genre! (I can’t wait!)

15 -sai (15才) is one of those manga you just know is going to be filled to the brim with redeeming social value. (-_-)

Yuikan, Volume 5 (ゆりキャン) exists.

Because I’m perfectly comfortable judging a book by it’s cover, I think Bloody Lily (ブラッディ・リリィ) looks worth the time it will take me to read it. ^_^

Yuru Yuri, Volume 10 (ゆるゆり) streets today in Japan, with 2 different special editions.

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Other News

maeydaygeist mentioned on Twitter yesterday that Monica Nolan, writer of Bobby Blanchard, Lesbian Gym Teacher (which I reviewed) and Lois Lenz, Lesbian Secretary (which I forgot to review last summer) has a new book, Mamie Mainwaring, Lesbian Dilettante. That is so on my summer reading list. Nolan has a way of portraying the innocence of another time in a way that is sweet and utterly excruciating at the same time.

Our own Bruce McF has a lovely article up, Experiments in a new media economy on crowdfunding for anime. It’s well worth your time to read it, as it is so rare to get an economist’s take on anything in this industry, much less an economist who knows something about the industry, as Bruce does.

For those of you in Tokyo on June 6th, Nakamura Ching-sensei will be participating in a retrospective of Taniguchi Natsuko’s art in Shibuya. Read the report on Comic Natalie for details.

ANN has this to hurt your brain: Former Van Halen lead singer David Lee Roth murders Sailor Moon’s iconic line “In the name of the Moon, I will punish you,” before murdering people in this preview for his short film Tokyo Story, in which he plays a stoic assassin in Japan.  Couldn’t be more typical if it tried. Just go watch. ^_^

The industry fights back in Japan, with various associations making their voices heard as new, more restrictive, legislation to fight child pornography is proposed that threatens people who draw and animate not-remotely-real characters.

I am finally sitting down with Yurist (百合人), a “magazine for people who love Yuri”. The contents start off with some statistics about Yuri fans. Of the self-identified Yuri fans questioned, 52% are female, 35% male, 11% other, 4% didn’t answer. This not far off my experience, I’ve been saying Yuri is relatively close to an even split in the West, as well. 62% of respondents are in their 20s. Only 2% in their 40s! But more importantly, 19% said they were teens, which means the audience is skewing younger. This is a good thing. Less hang-ups. 37% are “out” about their interest in Yuri, 43% partially so, or at least don’t hide it.

So the typical Japanese Yuri fan is a woman in her 20s who is comfortable with her interest and at least partially open about it. (In other words, probably not ranting at work about going to Comiket, but totally telling her friends.) So far, entirely consistent with my own findings here.

If anything else surfaces from this issue of Yurist, I’ll let you know!

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Event News

AnimeNEXT is next weekend. I’ll be running a Yuri panel on Friday, June 7 at 6PM. I’ll be giving away loads of stuff! I hope to see you there. ^_^ Bring questions!

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That’s a wrap 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. Thanks to all of you – you make this a great Yuri Network!