Archive for the Yuri Artbook Category


Artbook: Kazuaki Artworks

September 18th, 2013

Kazuaki Artworks is not really a “Yuri” Artbook. It is an artbook full of attractive female and male figures draped artfully across mostly members of the same sex. Kazuaki is probably best known for work on the reverse harem with BL-ish elements series Starry Sky, but based on the art in this book, Kazuaki’s portfolio is full of work for Light Novels, as well. In addition, when Yuri Hime and Yuri Hime S merged and the magazine moved to bimonthly format as Comic Yuri Hime, the first 4 issues featured Kazuaki’s art. (The cover of this collection is from Comic Yuri Hime, in fact.)

This collection is published by the anime/manga goods chain Mandarake. The largest chunk of the book is the art for the multi-volume Lens and Diabolic (レンズと悪魔) light novel series. Some of the pictures have notes in the appendix, but this is not a major focus.

I have to say, I find Kazuaki’s style very appealing. Girls and boys are drawn as attractive, not-quite-of-this-world-ly, with hints at popular anime and manga character tropes. It’s colorful, approachable and unrealistic all at once.

The collection contains some, but not all, of the Comic Yuri Hime art, and a lot of other works, some of which include fetching young women near one another and occasionally, touching.  This is not an artbook one gets because one is looking for Yuri – it is an artbook one gets because one likes this artist and the Yuri is just icing on the cake. ^_^

Ratings:

Art -YMMV, but for me, it’s 9

Many thanks  to Okazu Superhero Dan P. , who sponsored this item off the Yuri Wishlist on Amazon JP!  I will treasure the book – and I hope you enjoyed the review. ^_^





Yuri Artbook: Movie Version Magi Puella Madoka Magica Official Guidebook ‘with you’

September 2nd, 2013

The complete title of this book is Movie Version Magi Puella Madoka Magica [First Part] The Beginning Story/ [End Part] Eternal Story Official Guidebook ‘with you’. (劇場版 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ [前編]始まりの物語/[後編]永遠の物語 公式ガイドブック劇場版 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ [前編]始まりの物語/[後編]永遠の物語 公式ガイドブック with you) It was way too long to use as a title. ^_^

I haven’t seen any of the Madoka movies yet, but paging through this artbook sure makes me want to. Lots of Yuri pairing goodness in the art for Madoka x Homura and Sayaka x Kyouko fans and even some  Sayaka x Madoka and Mami x everyone love. So, whatever you’re looking to find, the team that brought you Madoka on every surface of every piece of clothing, tools, accessories, toiletries, health and beauty items and random toys of many kinds, has included it. It remains the supreme example of what I call a “saturation series.”

As with most movie art books, there is promotional art in the form of posters and postcard giveaways, backgrounds from various scenes, production sketches and and tons of  interviews with cast members and key staff.

I had seen this book last year in Japan, but didn’t get it, because I was a little burnt out on the series, I still haven’t rewatched it for a review of the Aniplex DVDs (and, presumably a zillion other people have covered those.) But when I saw the book again recently in Sanseido, I decided “why not.” I haven’t had a new artbook in a while and the cover appealed to me. (Really, Erica, we’re shocked.)  And once I got it home, I found there was a lot to like. So now, I want to watch the movie. Pretty good for an artbook. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 9

If you’re a fan of the series, this Official Guidebook  with you is a good get.





Yuri Artbook: Miyabi Fujieda’s Color Illustration Collection 2000-2006

June 8th, 2012

In 2010, you may remember that Kazami Akira-san was very kind to let me know of an art show in Akihabara, featuring the work of one of my favorite artists, Fujieda Miyabi (who sketches live sometimes on his Ustream channel.) We happened to be free that day, and were delighted to be able to see the art we love so much live and in person.

That day I picked up a copy of Fujieda-sensei’s first color artbook collection, 千紅万紫, which would probably translate to A Thousand Reds, Ten Thousand Purples, but it beats me how it might be transliterated, Senbeni Manmurasaki? I have no idea. The title is not the point, so I won’t belabor it.

The book is page after page of delight for the eyes and, to some extent, it’s my own history in Yuri, illustrated. From the covers of ES~Eternal Sisters, the second one of which featured Sarasa and Seriho,  to his costume designs for Himitsu no Angelis, an Iono-sama picture, art for Twinkle Saber Nova and a ton of derivative work from series like Fate/Stay Night, Mai Otome and pages of Maria-sama ga Miteru among others. Not every picture is Yuri, of course, but there’s quite a few that are and others that are simply a delight to see.

Unfortunately, I do not see any legitimate ways of purchasing this artbook outside of Japan, and I’m not going to scan it in, but of all my Yuri artbooks, this one is the top contender for first place. It never fails to make me smile.

Overall – 10

 





Yuri Artbook: Enus Collection 1999-2003

May 2nd, 2012

Back in 2006, I reviewed a series called Transistor ni Venus. The series was a romp through the universe with super spy Enus, who was the best kisser in the universe and had the blessing of the Goddess that anyone protected by her would remain unharmed.

The series was a hoot, full of Enus kissing pretty young men, and lots and lots of girls and women. There was action, too. Nothing about it was less than fun, but one of the most appealing features for me, was the art. Enus and all the other female spies were drawn by creator Takemoto Izumi with a distinctly pin-up sensibility, but without that Femme Fatale “bad-girl” vibe so often attached to “strong, female” characters.

To make things even more appealing, there was an artbook of the series. So, today, from my wildly obscure ephemera collection, I want to introduce you to the  very, very obscure Enus Collection (イーナスコレクション ) 1999-2003, by Takemoto Izumi. (The link leads to an Amazon JP listing, but most of the sellers are ship to Japan only. You’ll need to have a buyer if you want this.)

These are just two of my favorite pictures.

To be fair, not all or even most, of the pictures are Yuri in nature. Many of the pictures are Enus posing, often in cosplay. But a few of them are classic pin-up poses which really appeal to me. Enus wasn’t a hard ass, but she was a very competent character, and so, on my personal list of faves.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Yuri – 7

Overall – 9





Yuri Artbook: Kuraku Asuka Mairu! (九楽あすか参る!)

June 6th, 2011

Today, we’re taking a trip through the dustier recesses of my historical collection for one picture. Just kidding – it’s really for two pictures.

I’ve talked about Hana no Asuka-gumi! (花のあすか組!) a number of times over the years here. I’ll  never get tired of pointing you towards it, because it was one of the most amazingly crack-tastic series ever. In fact, as I consider that statement, I realize that all three of the Big 3 girl-gang series I love were mad as porridge knives. From school-based organized crime rings to giant snakes, both YajiKita Gakuen Douchuuki and Sukeban Deka were plain nuts. In comparison, the organization that controls all the girl gangs in Tokyo, the Zenchuu Ura, and the elite fighting squad-infested labyrinth under Ranjuku Detention Center of Hana no Asuka-gumi make perfect sense.

When Hana no Asuka-gumi was in its ascendancy, back in the 1980s, when both manga and TV series were fixtures of girls’ lives, a collection of the cover art and magazine color art was put together. Published in 1988, the Hana no Asuka-gumi artbook, Kuraku Asuka Mairu! (九楽あすか参る!) is page after page of Asuka in any number of outfits, as tough-as-nails gang girl to tough-as-nails gang girl. All three zillion of the secondary characters get some page time, as well. The no-nonsense girls of the Nishiku Omoteban, the Area Masters, the crazies that inhabit Ranjuku Detention Center, Kazuga, Bara-no-Miya, Miko,  and most importantly, the Zenchuu Ura’s mysterious leader Hibari-sama…and Yohko.

Which is why I wanted to talk about this book. There’s a few color pictures of Yohko, and some black and white line art. But there are two pictures in the book that nail the overall obsession that both Hibari and Yohko have for Asuka. (Click on the images for larger versions.)

This is the frontispiece for the book. The English is part of the original:

The banana curls belong to the always half-seen Hibari-sama. “Make Asuka come to me, Kazuga,” pretty much sums up her obsession in a sentence.

And this is the centerfold:

If “SEX” on the wall doesn’t convince you, let me translate the Japanese for you: “I’m here, Asuka.”

Just sayin’.

The rest of the book includes interviews with the creator, Takaguchi Satosumi, the actresses from the TV show, info about the original movie, (as opposed to the new movie, which was awesome,) the books, media and goods related to the show. I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this but, for a while, Asuka’s gold coin was available on Yahoo JP auctions. I never bought it, though. ^_^

If there is one single reason you should learn Japanese, one series so compelling that you really *must* read it, it would be this one. As long as I’m alive, I’m gonna keep talking about it, so really, you might as well read it. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 10

The art is truly variable from great to “aagh!” but I love the series so much, I’m giving it a wildly subjective score. Deal.