Archive for 2017


Yuri Manga: 2DK, G Pen, Mezamashitokei, Volume 4 (2DK、Gペン、目覚まし時計。)

July 19th, 2017

In Volume 4 of 2DK, G Pen, Mezamashitokei (2DK、Gペン、目覚まし時計。) by Ohsawa Yayoi, we come to realize that Nanami is a chick magnet. ^_^

Kaede has made her manga debut at last, and Koyuki is helping her out. Both Kaede and Nanami are very focused on work, but Nanami is starting to get a better idea of her focus at home. She’s been imagining life without Kaede and it isn’t making her happy. When she and Kaede are going through the kitchen, they find a large cooking vessel and Kaede starts to wax eloquent about her former roommate. Mere days pass, when that roommate shows up to get her pot, and Nanami is face to face with a woman who had flirted with her outrageously in an earlier volume, Aoi.

Volume 4 becomes poke at Nanami’s feeling from this point on. As Aoi plays Nanami, half to get her in bed and half to tease, Nanami is finding it harder and harder to deny that her thoughts go to Kaede’s face when she starts thinking about home. Aoi leaves, but the change in Nanami does not. After Aoi is gone, a former underclassman from Fukuoka arrives and immediately asks if Nanmai’s seeing Kaede. Mahiru doesn’t ask innocently, although Nanami does not know that. She also doesn’t know that Koyuki is in the same cafe and overhears the conversation. As Volume 4 ends, Koyuki joins Nanami in being shocked at the idea.

The final chapter is Kaede having a bachelor night without her roomshare-wife. It’s all fun, until Nanami runs late and Kaede starts to realize she’s lonely.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Yuri – 4
Service – 3 Some light bathing and Aoi hitting on Nanami (with all the subtlety of a bag of bricks.)

Overall – 8

So far in 4 Volumes, we’ve had Yuuko, Aoi, and now Mahiru macking on Nanami. She’s a chick magnet. And I can see that – she’s fashionable, smart, competent and, apparently completely together.  The biggest question I have at this point, is how shocked will Kaede be at the idea? We’re about to find out….

I’ve started noticing that among the pages are references to Ohsawa-sensei’s other works. Keep your eyes peeled for Black Yagi‘s show on “LIME.” ^_^





LGBTQ: Legend of Korra Turf Wars, Part One Preview on Amazon (English)

July 17th, 2017

Via Senior YNN Correspondent Eric P. we have some really exciting news today.  Legend of Korra: Turf Wars, Part One is due to hit shelves at the beginning of August and Amazon has a preview of the first chapter.

You know how I am with managing expectations, but for once, I have very high hopes that this book will break ground. And, from the glimpses I’ve had from the preview and the of-course leaked pages on the Internets, it look like our hopes will be realized. Korra and Asami will be balancing relationship and teamwork in this series. As the description reads, “In order to get through it all, Korra and Asami vow to look out for each other–but first, they’ve got to get better at being a team and a couple!

There, they said it.

I don’t know if this is the first mainstream large publisher, commercial property to ever say that so plainly or not, but it sure is one of the biggest YA franchises to do so. And certainly the only one I can think of where the lead was the one in the same-sex relationship, not a supporting role. We still love you Willow, just you weren’t Buffy… and I see all my favorite female characters stretching back to my childhood, all the almosts and might have and should have beens starting with like Jaimie Summers in the Bionic Woman. My life is littered with crumbs of female leads that ought to have been gay… and here we are. Finally. 2017 and we finally have a lead character of major commercial franchise who is a lesbian and the relationship is with another major character, not just someone to kill off.

Enjoy the preview and wait patiently a few more weeks. ^_^

Many thanks to Eric for the heads up and for the sponsorship!

 





Yuri Drama CD: Grand Stage Romance Review #5 “Akabara no Kimi” Suoh Yui (グラン・ステージ ロマンスレビュー 第5幕「赤薔薇の君 蘇皇唯」)

July 16th, 2017

If you learn one thing from Grand Stage Romance Review #5 “Akabara no Kimi” Suoh Yui (グラン・ステージ ロマンスレビュー 第5幕「赤薔薇の君 蘇皇唯」), it’s that the sound of a nod and a head shaking back and forth as represented by the movement of material sound completely different. How fascinating.

It’s not the only thing we learn, obviously. We also learn that, under her cool, sophisticated exterior, the woman who goes by the name Suoh Yui, the senior otokoyaku of the Grand Stage Sora-gumi, has a very passionate and possessive heart.

She invites us over her apartment to discuss our partnership, but doesn’t hesitate to note she has a large bed. Classy, Yui, classy. But as we speak, she almost offhandedly points out that she lets us see part of her that no one else can ever see. She is, as one might expect, teasing and seductive, but, also as expected, it’s all a joke. After we leave for the night, Yui starts to fret.

The next day, Yui comes across Hiou Akito shopping at a home goods store. It turns out that Akito and her partner are talking about moving in together and she’s finding herself looking for furniture. As Akito shares her concerns and doubts with Yui, Yui tells Akito that she reminds her a lot of herself. As Akito talks, she finds her her own unease growing and leaves. Akito says that this is the first time she’s seen Akabara like this. Yui starts to call us over and over. When we finally call back, she sounds desperately lonely…and a little frightening. She comes over to bring us back to her place.

When we get there, Yui tells us that we’re her’s…but when she sees us asleep, she realizes how much she’s fallen for us, watching us on stage. We’re awake and we hear everything she’s said. We embrace, as she asks us to be her Shirayuri-hime. We agree. Holding each other, we go to sleep, but not before she kisses us on the neck.

The next morning it’s all love-love banter between us. Again, Yui points out that we are the only one to see her like this. It’s obvious to us that her true self has been a well-kept secret.

Yui meets Akito once more, who asks about her relationship with her previous partner. Yui is glad to talk about it. Akito’s worried about asking her partner to move in, and is looking for a good time to ask. Yui’s advice is applicable to many situations – no one is like anyone else, every relationship and situation is unique. They both come out of the conversation relieved. Yui admits to being nervous about the announcement of the new Top Stars for the new year.

Yui comes home to find us cooking. She tells us that she kind of nervous and kind of relieved at the announcement, and offers us a “partner ring,” then embraces us and asks us to stay with her forever, her beloved Shirayuri.

The final track is a Spanish guitar-inspired song called “You’re mine.” Which you can hear in this Youtube clip:

As everyone had predicted this is a pretty darn Yuri CD. ^_^; And Saiga Mitsuki fans must have been downright swooning as she really pulls out all the stops her in her 10000x Yuri power up. A fine way to end the character CDs for this series.

Technically the Grand Stage Daiundokai is the final CD of the series, but I listened to the group CDs out of order, so I still have one left.

Ratings:

Overall – 10

The only thing I *don’t* know is who was announced in the stage play as the new Top Star! I can’t find any reviews of the play or spoilers. How vexing. I’m also a little bummed that this series is over and I’m not getting any more sexy-voiced Grand Stage Drama CDs, but I’m really glad to have gotten these. ^_^ And seriously we got two series, so I can’t complain too much. 





Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – July 15, 2017

July 15th, 2017

Yuri Manga

It is always a good day on Okazu when I can announce another new collection by Takemiya Jin-sensei. And, as she’s a monster workaholic, today is a very good day. ^_^ Mabushisa no Mukou Soku (まぶしさの向こう側), will be out this week, with collected shorts from Comic Yuri Hime

Also from Comic Yuri Hime, the first collected volume of Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!  (私の百合はお仕事です! ) hits shelves next month. Along with being behind reading the magazine, I will get to add that I’m also behind on adding the manga to the Yuricon Store, yay! (;_;) I’ll do my best to keep up, I promise!

ANN Reports that the Sakura Trick manga will end with the October issue of Mangatime Kirara Miracle magazine.

Volume 2 of After Hours (アフターアワーズ) will be hitting shelves this week in Japan, and to celebrate, Comic Natalie reports that they are doing an open call for illustrations. The application ticket will be attached to the book’s obi at retail outlets. Look for Volume 2 in English later this year from Viz.

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Fannisness

Via YNN Correspondent and fellow Uranus/Neptune fan Maria S, please enjoy this video by and of Pamela Calvo singing both parts of a Spanish-language version of Eternal Eternity! It’s really quite wonderful and I grinned through the whole thing. :-D

I’ve been binge re-watching Steven Universe again, because it heals the holes the daily news burns in my soul. It’s a bit old, but I discovered that in 2016, there was a Steven Universe musical panel at San Diego Comic Con and I spent a full couple of hours watching and rewatching live performances from it. I want to share this one with you especially. It’s not just that it’s a hoot to hear the voice actors singing, but this one was remixed with images of the audience singing along and clips of animation. I’m going to be really honest, when Pearl sings, “We were amazed to find your beauty and your worth. We will protect your earth…and we will protect you” and I see all those lovely otaku, I get really weepy and angry at the shitty situation we’re in right now. If we don’t protect this Earth, Pearl won’t be there to do it and I want these happy otaku to have a safe and beautiful home.  It made me start calling my Congressmen again. It sucks, but it’s up to us. Call, write, fax, whatever, however, but get out there and contact your congresspeople.

Anyway, here is the live version of We Are the Crystal Gems, Full Version, from SDCC 2016. (And check out Michaela Dietz (Amethyst) and Zach Callison (Steven) videoing it it on their phones. ^_^ 


 

LGBTQ Comics

WOOHOO! The folks who brought us Power & Magic, now announce IMMORTAL SOULS (The Next Queer Witch Comics Anthology)! You’ve still got time on this Kickstarter, but don’t miss your chance to back this book if you can.

Lesbian website Gachirezu (gachirezu in Japanese is similar to flesbian in English, like not”real” lesbian. It’s meant as a joke, kind like Okazu is) now has a page for serialized lesbian webcomics in Japanese with links to their artists on Twitter.

Via Senior YNN Correspondent Louis P, comes this great link on Comicosity, 40 LGBTQ Webcomics to Know and Love.

From Funari on Twitter, we have Raison d’Etre,  a “self-discovery fantasy-ish comic with queer characters.” 

Last week Prism Comics held the very first ever Prism Comics Awards at the Queer Comic Expo. Thanks to Rob McMonigal for covering this on his blog Panel Patter.

Know some cool Yuri News you want people to know about? 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!





Card Captor Sakura, Clear Card Arc Manga, Volume 2 (カードキャプターさくら クリアカード編)

July 13th, 2017

A year has gone by since Kinomoto Sakura has been called upon to collect the Clow Cards and turn them into Sakura Cards.  And, as a new school year begins in Volume 1 for Sakura and her friends, new cards, two-sided but  magically transparent, are throwing the town into chaos. Luckily for Tomeda Middle School, Card Captor Sakura is there to protect them. 

In Card Captor Sakura, Clear Card Arc , Volume 2 (カードキャプターさくら クリアカード編) new cards are appearing, and it no longer seems to take much out of Sakura to capture and name them. But, her dreams of a hooded, masked figure are causing some problems. She can’t see the figure, but realizes that it is the same height as she.  Sakura is visibly taller than most of her female friends, although the boys are taller still, so a girl at her height would be noticeable.

And then a new transfer student arrives! Shinomoto Akiho (a name that, in Japanese, is both similar and opposite to Sakura’s) has been all over the world traveling with her family, but she seems really nice. And,we cannot help but notice, she’s the same height as Sakura.

While in conference Yue takes a moment to note that the new cards don’t feel magical at all. 

I’m looking forward to Volume 1 of the new arc coming out in English from Kodansha in November 2017!

Ratings:

Art – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 1 Unless you’re writing fanfic, then it’s always more
Story – 7
Service – 1 On principle 

Overall – 9

Who Akiho is and what the Clear Cards mean is still a mystery, but it’s all good, I’m happy with this kiddy ride full of pretty art and nice kids.