Archive for December, 2014


Yuri Manga: Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san, Volume 3 (犬神さんと猫山さん)

December 19th, 2014

istns3Here we are at Volume 3 of Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san (犬神さんと猫山さん) and…I’m not tired of it yet. Why? I don’t know, but I’m not! There’s something about Kuzushiro’s characters that make them completely not-boring to me. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a gag comic this much since…well, ever really.

So here we are and Nekoyama is fully invested in being too interested in Inugami, with no real way to express herself, while Inugami wears her heart on her sleeve.  We follow Aki for a good portion of the book and get a new seasonal addition with her Kendo sempai Touko (whose name is written with the character for “winter.”) Most of the other animals take a back seat to  to Ryuuzaki and Torao. And we see that indeed, they are the couple they appear to be. In addition to Otome and Mari, we get to see Nekoyama’s older sister, Tamaki with her girlfriend. So the Yuri level is significantly higher than previous volumes.

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For the rest, it’s basically a balanced mix of genuine emotion and excruciating jokes that I nonetheless laugh out loud at.

What is it about this comic that I like so much? It’s taken me a while to nail it down, but I think I’ve figured it out. Kuzushiro-sensei likes these character and as a result, so do I. ^_^  Despite the animal puns, there’s a sense of depth to all the characters (except Torikai). While we’re mostly seeing the silly side, every once in a while we see that depth – just a glimpse – and it convinces us that time spent in this boisterous crowd is time well spent.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Character – 7
FanService – 6
Yuri – 8

Overall – 7

Apparently the key to a good gag comic is not one loud joke-cracking annoying character, but about half a dozen of them all at once. ^_^

This volume is also available on Kindle for folks with Japanese IP addresses.

 





Mangatime Kirara Magica (まんがタイムきらら☆マギカ) Magazine

December 18th, 2014

kstarm16Once again, we begin today’s review with me standing in an Animate in Japan. There I was, staring at the piles of manga and magazines. (“Piles” is not a metaphor. This week’s releases are stacked in piles in the front of the store.)

And I see a, well, probably a clearfile, but it’s shrinkwrapped to a magazine, of Devil Homura and I think “Okay, I’ll get that when I come back down.”  I don’t have a single use for a clearfile, but I like the picture. QED.

The clearfile was attached to a  magazine that kind of made my head spin. I’ve seen Gundam magazine and a few issues of an Evangelion magazine, but had no idea there was an entire magazine devoted to Puella Magi  Madoka Magica, called Mangatime Kirara Magica. As it happens, I purchased Volume 16, which is still available. Volume 17 is the current issue.

The magazine is surprisingly enjoyable, for a derivative of a work created by committee for the sole purpose of taking as much of my money out of my pocket as possible in the form of every consumer good in the world.

I actually laughed at some of the 4-panel gag comics, enjoyed a few of the longer form stories  – and it made an awesome prop at a high school talk I did yesterday on panel structure, genre and storytelling because of the sheer variety of the of genre types in the magazine.

Just when you think that every single drop that can be wrung out on Madoka has been, you find you are so very, very wrong.

Ratings:

Variable, but actually worth my money beyond even that clearfile. ^_^ Let’s say a strong 8





Yuri Manga: Pastel Days (ぱすてるディズ)

December 16th, 2014

pasteldaysYou cannot judge Yui Hinako’s Pastel Days (ぱすてるディズ)  by its cover. Like Fujisawa Makoto’s Himitsu no Kakera from last week, I found it to be a surprisingly satisfying read.

The first story is roughly drawn, and is a pretty basic “Story A” set in a typical school setting.

The second story, although the art is still very moe, follows the meeting of two adult friends and how they both come to realize their relationship is more than just friends.

The third story goes back to the rough style and is again a old friends story with some passive-aggressive hijinks for spice.

It’s the fourth story, “Ai no Tane” which elevated this book for me. Set in an office, Oono is really irritated by Sasaki-san. She’s just so damn cheerful all the time and hangs around with suspicious men and…she’s just annoying, right?

Sasaki immediately recognizes this for what it is and asks “Do you like me?” Oono denies it, but it’s only a matter of time before Sasaki pushes away the lame excuses Oono has for not admitting what is obvious to all of us.  What really makes the story work is the third co-worker, who also sees what’s going on but is completely taken aback when, the day after Oono left alone and fuming, she and Sasaki come in the next day, all smiles. The art by now has tightened up considerably, as well, with better production and finishing.

In the fifth story Haru and Hana are roommates, but when Hana mentions that she’s got a marriage offer, everything changes between them.

The final story follows two sisters who go away for an onsen holiday so they can have alone time.

Interestingly, all these stories were originally doujinshi. This is an original collection by Yuri Hime Comics, nothing that has run in the pages of the magazine. Its not going to be a go-to book, but I definitely smiled more than I frowned. While I did not love every story, I found myself enjoying most of them.

 

Ratings:

Art – Variable, her art improved vastly between 2012 and 2014
Stories – Average 7
Characters – 7
Yuri – 8
Service – 3 1 on principle, +2 for the infantalizing of adults

Overall – Let’s call it an 8

 

This was a nice before-bed read. Nothing harsh on the sensibilities and “Ai no Tane” had a punchline that actually made me laugh out loud. For that, it was totally worth my time.

The book is also available on Kindle for those with  JP IP address.





2014 Okazu Gift Guide

December 14th, 2014

I know this is really kind of late this year. Chanukah, Solstice, Christmas and Kwanzaa are all piling up quickly. I’ve done my best to provide links to items on Amazon and RightStuf where I can, to make your online shopping easy! This is not a Top Ten List, so there’s no rhyme or reason or order, just some great gift ideas for yourself or the Yuri lover in your life.  So sorry again for the delay but here is the official 2002 Okazu Gift Guide! Haha, just kidding, but on this list everything old is new again, and we’re revisiting a lot of past faves. ^_^

Let’s start with Anime.

Can I express how much I like that we have moved to Box and Season sets? This kind of thing used to be impossible when we had to do this a 2 episodes at a time. How did we even manage to stay fans?

 

Rose of Versailles 

The entire series is now available on DVD! All 40 Episodes of this timeless historical drama, with one of the most exceptional Girl Prince leads ever created.

Who will like it: Fans of historical fiction, French Revolution, soap opera, Takarazuka fans and, of course, fans of the Girl Prince type heroine.

Part 1 – Amazon/RightStuf |Part 2 – Amazon /RightStuf |  Complete Set on RightStuf

While you’re indulging in that oh-so-shoujo wallow of feels and melodrama, you might as well keep your finger on the Riyoko Ikeda button.

 

Dear Brother

If you haven’t had a chance to see this, you really should. It’s a surprising not-at-all easy thing to watch, but it’s really good. Everyone involved was at the top of their form for this dark, yet completely not paranormal YA school classic.

Who will like it: People who love to have feels when watching media, fans of the classic shoujo genre, fans of Dezaki Osamu’s animation.

DVD Set 1 – Amazon /RightStuf

 

smdvdbd1Sailor Moon

Making our way forward in time, we’re still looking backward at another foundational series for Yuri fans everywhere. The first half of the first season of Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon is now available from Viz Media, with the second half coming out in February. While we’re waiting for Sailor Moon Crystal to come out on DVD/BD, have fun watching the Monsters of the Day, the terrible moralizing and messy plots of the original.

Who will like it: More shoujo, more! Magical girl fans, 90s anime fans, die-hard Sailor Moon fans and anyone who you think would be happy shouting “Moon Healing Escalation!”

Season 1 Part 1 DVD/BD Combo – Amazon  | Season Part 2 DVD/BD Combo – Amazon  (I am limiting options here, but there are about 700000 editions, with varying levels of extras.)

 

Ikktouxx

Ikkitousen Xtreme Xecutor & Shugaku Toshi Keppu-roku OVA (Season 4)

Too shoujo-y, you say? Too many tears? I think I hear you asking for something with a little oomph. Well, amazingly, we got something for you. How about chicks with big boobs that beat the leaving crap out of each other?

This season 4 collection has all the exploding clothes, and upskirt shots you’ve never wanted, combined with a fairly not-suckass story and even slight hints of Yuri. Look, Ikkitousen is not for anyone who wants their anime to have dignity. But if you’re laying in the gutter anyway, you might as well have something to look at.

Who will like it: Me, Serge and a few other people who have given up on having a soul, as long as the girls can punch the lights out of their opponents.

Season 4 DVD Box Set – Amazon / RightStuf

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Let’s move on to some Manga suggestions. It wasn’t a terrible year for Yuri. ^_^

 

Whispered Words

ww1Volume 1, contains the first 3 volumes of Ikeda Takashi’s Yuri manga series Sasmekikoto. Volume 2, which hit shelves in October, has the next 3 volumes, which of course leaves us at the lowest point of the series. We all have to buy a lot of Volume 1 and 2, so we make sure we get Volume 3 in Spring 2015, which is awesome! ^_^

Here’s hoping this title is successful enough for OnePeace to consider licensing more Yuri.

Who will like it: Any long-time Yuri fans, especially those who can recognize the parody aspect of the many Yuri tropes in early chapters.

Volume 1 – Amazon / RightStuf | Volume 2 – Amazon / RightStuf | Volume 3 – Amazon

 

GP1Gakuen Polizi

Morinaga Milk is one of the best-selling Yuri authors in English, for a variety of factors. Coming off her incredibly successful Girfriends series, Gakuen Polizi is more focused on action, some real -life drama and comedy that her romances typically are. It’s a nice change of pace for her and for us.

This two-part series will make a terrific “now and later” gift for a Yuri loving friend, with Volume 1 available now and V2 coming out in April.

Who will like it: Morinaga Milk fans, people who are on the fence about all-romance Yuri, people who like school life drama-comedy and police drama fans.

Volume 1 –  Amazon/RightStuf | Volume 2 –  Amazon/RightStuf

 

citrusCitrus

Also coming soon from Seven Seas is Citrus, a popular Yuri manga currently running in Comic Yuri Hime magazine. The story follows two step-sisters who find themselves bound by a deep, yet uncomfortable, attraction to each other, in the middle of family drama, while trying to balance their lives at school and home.

Who will like it: People who like their forbidden love to be extra forbidden, this story is hot to fans of Yuri incest, and lukewarm to those who don’t find it as attractive.

Volume 1 – Amazon /RightStuf | Volume 2 – Amazon / RightStuf

 

Can’t decide what you want? Try one of these suggestions!

 

downloadCrunchyroll Subscription

Don’t know what get or what to ask for? This gift is good for anyone, any age, any interest in anime or manga. There’s bound to be something there for any fan. For as little as the cost of a sandwich per month, you and/or someone you love can access tons of anime, and watch as the selection of manga grows! There’s no real down-side to this gift. ^_^ Check out the slowly expanding Yuri anime selection and the new 2014 titles, like Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san and Sakura Trick, and Sailor Moon Crystal, as well as old favorites.

 

Right Stuff Gift Certificategiftcertificate

TRSI has piles of rock bottom deals and unique goods, as well as reasonably priced anime and English-language manga.

They do tons of sales and have an Anime Club to increase savings.  There’s a fair bet that you or the person who receives this gift will be able to scratch some anime or manga or other itch thoroughly. ^_^

 

 

 transparent-pixel._V192551059_ a_generic_white_10_us_noto_email_us-mainAmazon Gift Certificate

I’m pretty sure this is self-explanatory. ^_^ Choose from a e-certificate or a physical one and customize it with your own images.  They go over pretty well.

 





Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – December 13, 2014

December 13th, 2014

YNN_Lissa

Yuri Anime

The big news in Yuri anime is the upcoming series Yuri Kuma Arashi, visioneered by Ikuhara Kunihiko with character designs and manga drawn by a favorite Yuri manga artist, Morishima Akiko. Slated for an early January release, we’re getting tantalizing glimpses of characters and setting as we get closer.

A second Promo Video has been released – watch it on ANN, they’ve provided a text translation of the words, as well. Everything looks adorable as expected. But, I feel some trepidation. While the manga and the anime do not appear to be the exact same story, this is typical for Ikuhara’s work and doesn’t bother me. But when I open the pages of Birz magazine where the manga is running and see the characters presented like this (click to enlarge):

kumashots

 

I can’t but help feel I’m being made fun of. Is the problem merely that the audience for Birz is presumed to be bottom-feeders? I don’t know. ^_^;

Interestingly, the manga for Mawaru Penguindrum runs in Birz as well and Ikuhara is using two different aliases for the two manga projects. O_o

Moving on – if you, like me, haven’t had the heart to watch the second season of Psycho-Pass, YNN Correspondent Katherine H. has written in to assure us that Shion and Yayoi’s relationship is, thus far, intact. “Mika, the new Inspector who started her job at the end of season 1 and you might remember as the ponytailed girl from the girls’ school arc who Yayoi comforted, loathes latent criminals but has a thing for Yayoi. Yayoi seems to like her, but in a “you’re like a little sister to me” way (like when she pats Mika’s head when giving her some advice), and is still with Shion. The most recent episode compelled me to report on this season because it shows Yayoi and Shion discussing work in their bedroom after having obviously had sex again. Here’s hoping they continue not to die. lol” ^_^ Katherine has promised us a full series review when it is over.

Komatsu-san over at Crunchyroll News reports that the first six Pretty Cure movies are getting a Blu-Ray release for the first time in Japan. PreCure fandom has certainly proven their long-term loyalty!

Komatsu-san also has a report about the Maria-sama ga Miteru anime 10th anniversary event being held this month through the new year in Asagaya Anime Street in Tokyo. The complete series Blu-Ray box set is being released on December 19th. If you’re going to be around Tokyo in the next few weeks, do consider writing up a report for us!

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Other News

Turning to ANN once more, Bamboo Dong helps us express our inner magical girl with  Card Captor Sakura makeup kit and “magical girl” costume patterns from McCalls. (For the folks who don’t know McCalls, they make patterns for people who sew their own clothes or costumes. When I was growing up, practically every house had a few random McCalls patterns strewn around the sewing machine.)

The Prism Queer Comics Press Grant is open to applications. Every year, Prism awards the Grant to assist in the publication and promotion of LGBT comics. Applications are open until March 2015

Three LGBT Gamers Talk About Queering Geek Culture, including the fabulous Zan Christensen of LBGTQ Comics Publisher Northwest Press on Bitch Magazine.

Autostraddle has put together an amazing list of 25 Queer and Trans Women Comic Creators to Support – we’ve featured a bunch of them here on YNN!

And a new focus for us here, Priya’s Shakti is a “augmented reality” comic from India that teams up a human woman and a goddess to fight back on behalf of rape survivors. Scroll down and watch the trailer. This looks really interesting!

 

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Know some cool Yuri News you want people to know about? Become a Yuri Network Correspondentby 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!