Yuri Manga
We have some new items on the Yuricon Store!
Naoko Kodama’s new series, Days of Love at Seagull Villa, Volume 1. When Mayumi leaves her old life behind, she has no idea what she’ll find. This comes out in print in November!
Éclair Rouge: A Girls’ Love Anthology That Resonates in Your Heart, the fourth volume of the Éclair anthology series, is now available from Yen Press. The English language edition does not have the Itou Hachi story that was included in the Japanese volume. If that’s a hill you’re ready to die on, you’re going it alone without me. I feel no loss. We can argue about slippery slopes, censorship and the difference between a drawing and a person in the comments.
Creator of Sasamekikoto, Ikeda Takashi’s new slice of life drama about two adult women living together, Futari ha Daitai Konna Kanji (ふたりはだいたいこんなかんじ ). At a glance, it appears to be a semi-realistic story about semi-closeted women.
Ajiichi’s Dekisokonai Hime-tachi, Volume 4 (できそこないの姫君たち) continues the story of Kurokawa and Fujishiro, who were complete opposites, but have somehow found themselves attracted to one another. This series is out in English, as well, Failed Princesses. Volume 2 hit shelves last week from Seven Seas.
I’m really digging Mei Ren’s story about two people unlikely to have ever met, Yuri to Koe to Kaze Matoi ( 百合と声と風纏い). Volume 3 is on shelves and on the Store.
New from GALETTE WORKS, is Hamano Ringo’s Sora-iro Melancholic, Volume 1. (空色メランコリック) This is the story of Bun-chan, who told Mii in Hamano’s Cotton Candy, that she had liked another girl in school. Continuity!
Canno’s new three-way love relationship, Goukaku Tame no! Yasashi Sankaku Kakei Nyuumon, Volume 1 (合格のための！ やさしい三角関係入門) is interesting, and I’m not at all sure where it’s headed. At the moment it looks more like a love triangle, than a poly relationship, but I have hope.
Via YNN Correspondent CW, online Comic-Action has the newest work by Nagata Kabi, Meisou Senshi ・Nagata Kabi(迷走戦士・永田カビ) which begins with Hitori Kekkonshiki (一人結婚式) in Japanese. In keeping with her previous essay titles, this would be “My Solo Marriage Ceremony.” I’ve only had a chance to read chapter 1, but I’m really interested where this will take her – and us!
Via Yuri Navi, Kenkyuu-tou no Mayonaka Gohan, a story of midnight snacks and Yuri, sounds like it may be my new favorite thing. Natsukawa Moko’s story is described as a “heartwarming Yuri gourmet” manga. I’m in.
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Yuri-ish Anime
Funimation is now streaming Assault Lily Bouquet, which looks like 100% tease and playing around with Yuri tropes with no actual Yuri. But it could be fun if you have no expectations.
Not-Yuri, but check out Makoto’s look in this visual of the Inner Senshi in their casual digs from Sailor Moon Eternal. ^_^ Thanks to Crunchyroll’s Komatsu-san for the details!
Carlos Cordoniga from Crunchyoll has a lovely article, Why PreCure’s Good, Colorful Optimism is So Welcome. I’ve been watching Kira Kira Pretty Cure Ala Mode, and I have to say, I’m 100% in on colorful optimism right now. I am done with gritty and dark. (This particular season has a reasonably well-established Yuri couple, as well, so hang tight for a review.)
Events
YNN Correspondent Megan wants everyone to know that there is an Nakamura Asumiko 20th anniversary exhibition at the Ikebukuro Parco (again! While am not there. *again*, argh) until October 12. This will include some work from the upcoming Seven Seas release A White Rose in Bloom. I have reviewed the first volume of Meijirobana no Saku here on Okazu.. Click the link for a 3-D tour of the exhibit. It’s pretty impressive.
Other News
Via YNN Correspondent Verso S, we have this fab article on the top K-pop Girls groups, as voted by Korean queer women. We’ve had some fun checking their music out. I just happened to have wandered on to Monster by Red Velvet, so I was in sympatico with these women’s choices. The wife likes Blackpink (and thumbs up on the Lara Croft vibe on that photo,) but we both think the #6, Cosmic Girls have the best photo of the bunch. ^_^ “We are predictable,” the wife notes.
Not-Yuri, but I really am glad that Seven Seas has licensed Kageki Shoujo The Curtain Rises. Translator Jocelyne Allen and I were kvelling about this tale of a girl who want to be the otokoyaku top star in a Takarazuka-esque troupe, some years ago. I’m delighted you’ll be able to read it. ^_^
The Harvey Awards has induced Tezuka Osamu into their Hall of Fame. Rafael Antonio Pineda has the details on ANN, including a list of manga that have won Harvey Awards!
Crunchyroll’s Daniel Dockey interviews author and speaker Matt Alt about What Makes Anime So Appealing.
On a totally person note, if you follow me on social, you’ll know that in 2018 my website “Worldshaking” Fanfic was lost when my webhost imploded. I had most of the files (a few had to be recovered on Internet Archive, when I was unable to get a final site update.) I transferred the domain, but for various reasons just never got the site back up until now! Finally, after a total rebuild I can welcome you back to “Worldshaking” Fanfic. I’ve also manged to add all my new original work. To celebrate, I’m going to be working on a brand-new not-an-isekai Yuri webnovel. To get chapters early, become an Okazu Patron! I’ll be sharing the cast of characters shortly. ^_^
Become a YNN Correspondent by reporting any Yuri-related news with your name and an email I can reply to – thanks to all of you – you make this a great Yuri Network! Special thanks to Okazu Patrons for being an important part of the Okazu family. I couldn’t do it without you!
“Funimation is now streaming Assault Lily Bouquet, which looks like 100% tease and playing around with Yuri tropes with no actual Yuri. But it could be fun if you have no expectations.”
Oh, Bouquet. It feels like after Revue Starlight Bushi decided to go over all the cult yuri titles or settings and now it’s MariMte’s turn. It will be funny if their next project will be some Nanoha-inspired mahou shoujo lol.
But if it’s no joke, then this is such a brazen teasing that I wonder how far it will go. Obviously most people will immediately take this as “real yuri”, but I find it intriguing that it copies MariMite so much that they even went so far as to similarly overuse the word yuri / lily at every opportunity. It also seems to have been heavily inspired by Toji no Miko, but this is probably due to the desire to release an essentially similar game.
After watching the first episode, I’d say the show was more a mix of Nanoha, Strawberry Panic, and Madoka. I say Starwberry Panic instead of Marimite because of how on the nose the tropes are… it’s borderline parody. It’s also made by Shaft, which explains the echoes of Madoka to me ^.^
I’m not very familiar with Nanoha and Madoka, because I’m not a big fan of mahou shoujo, but I think I get what you mean. It seems that the creators were very fond of the 00s yuri-ish anime classic. I’m usually very skeptical about shows like this, but in this case the sources of inspiration and symbolism seem so obvious that I’m really wondering where it goes.
Call me optimistic but Assault Lily does look more promising in the Yuri department than other shows of its type – I know nothing of the surrounding franchise, but the imagery in the OP and ED, and the whole character of Kaede, are more forward than usual for this sort of show.
That being said, the story, world and characters aren’t exactly compelling at this point, so it’s not something I’d recommend putting high on your plan to watch unless starving for Yuri-ish anime. The main highlight is the above-average animation from Shaft, though even then its far from their best work.
In other news: Adachi and Shimamura’s twitter is uploading tribute art from Yuri creators including the authors of Bloom into You, WataTen and Sakura Trick ahead of the anime’s premiere: https://twitter.com/adashima_staff/media
Last week Vlad Love unveiled the winners of its fanart contest: https://twitter.com/VLADLOVE_ANIME/media
I’m of the belief that the imagery is all we’ll get in Assault Lily. My recollection of the franchise is Yuribating. But I’ll hope to be totally wrong. ^_^
Thank you for the other news, as well. All good stuff.
Dare I ask what the missing story in Eclair Rouge is about?
The same as much of everything else that author does, with very visible age difference.