Sailor Moon News

Happy International Sailor Moon Day. ^_^

If you have not yet watched the premiere of Sailor Moon Crystal, you can watch it on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Neon Alley, or Nico Nico Douga (where it will be available in 10 languages: English, French, Dutch, Turkish, Traditional Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Korean, Bahasa Indonesian, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese and Bahasa Melayu.)

The Sailors Uranus and Neptune figurines have been debuted and they look great! As *soon* as I have affiliate links for these, I promise I’ll post them. ^_^

Victoria McNally continues her A Ridiculously Comprehensive History of Sailor Moon with Part 3: Tales from Fandom.

Banpresto and Galaxxy have teamed up for some Sailor Moon goods to be included as lottery prizes.

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Live Action News

YNN Correspondent Bea P. found yet another fun Yuri-ish  live action series! She writes in to say:
I just stumbled across a live action trailer and from the looks of it, it features two Yuri plotlines. It is called Houkago Lost「放課後ロスト」and is divided into three episodes, each with its own plot (how they tie together remains to be seen).  Episodes 1 & 3 seem to revolve around two relationships.

Episode 1 is about a student named Yuuki who often skips school. One day she becomes interested in Ayuki, the class representative. Initially, I thought this plot would just be about the subtext but the two shared a quick kiss. Yuuki is played by Honoka Miki, who played Yumi in the Maria-Sama live action film and is starring in another Yuri live action film, Shishunko Gokko (which we mentioned in May on YNN). Episode 3 is about Rika who meets a girl from another class, Yuu. They begin to spend time together as a friendship forms. Again, I thought it would just be subtext but they too have a kiss scene, or what looks like the beginnings of one.

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Yuri Manga

You remember Morishima Akiko-sensei’s project Yurikuma Arashi that was being created in conjunction with Ikuhara Kunihiko? Well, now you can read the first chapter over at Gentosha Comics’ e-reader! It’s in Japanese.

YNN Correspondent Grsiznak has this terrific news to share: Polish doujinshi company The Cold Desire started presales of their Yuri Manga Anthology. It’s officially on sale in July. Yay them! ^_^

New YNN Correspondent Jyun K has two new Yuri manga series to tell us about: “Lily” by Sazanami Chima  (リリィ /小波ちま) from Manga Time Kirara Miracle and comedic Yuri manga “Shinozaki-san Ki wo Ota Shika ni!” (篠崎さん気をオタしかに!) – click the link to read the manga in Japanese.  Thanks for the heads up, Jyun!

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Yuri Anime

YNN Correspondent Emily H wants us to know that Yuri anime (and my Best Yuri Anime of the Year twice) Simoun is streaming on Hulu.com. If you missed this amazing series when it was released, do go watch it now. It’s absolutely terrific.

And thanks to YNN Correspondent Cryssoberyl for the heads up that the upcoming  Sabagebu! anime is going to be well worth our time. I enjoyed the manga quite a bit, so I’m looking forward to the anime! (And the manga is getting a 2-issue shounen-style spin-off in Morning magazine, which I’m hoping might up the Yuri a bit.)

Yuru Yuri‘s next OVA is getting a theatrical release in Japan in late November.

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Other News

Scholar Sophie Winter is continuing her series on depictions of women in comics with Realism versus idealism: sources find different ways to female empowerment in comic book culture. 

Former Takarsienne Higashi Koyuki and her wife Hiroko, the two women who had their ceremony at Tokyo Disneyland, were featured on a on Japanese TV show about married couples . The trailer is notable for referring to them as 婦 婦, wife and wife. ^_^ I’d love for that term to enter the vernacular.

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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!

Just a few items today, as I’m working all weekend and feeling rushed at the moment.

(I know a bunch of you sent in news. I’ll get that up next week. Thanks for your patience.)

The New York Times talks about how bara manga artist Tagame Gengoroh’s art has been adopted as official art by this year’s NYC Gay Pride parade.

Victoria McNally’s A Ridiculously Comprehensive History of Sailor Moon, Part 2: Coming to America is up on The Mary Sue.

OtakUSA reports on The Daily Show‘s taking a few potshots at CNN’s slavering coverage of the zOMG reveal that pictures of fictitious characters that look childish are not actual children, in regards to the news of new child porn laws in Japan. The comments at the top are worth reading and do a better job at IDing some of the issues in play than Stewart’s writers.

An interesting look at why creating Strong Female Characters isn’t really enough. (Hint: You gotta give them something to do, too.)

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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!

Yuri Manga

Alert! Alert! Creator of Collectors, Nishi UKO has a new book coming out! Her new collection,  Houseki-iro no Koi (宝石色の恋) has a July 31 release date.

From Ichijinsha, we have a couple of Yuri Hime collections: Torotoro/Himeawase (とろとろ・姫あわせ) by Nagakura Keiko, Vespa by Ohkita Hiroko finally has a cover image (and now I want to give the series another chance and see if it makes better sense as a volume, swayed as I am by a girl in an eyepatch) and don’t forget the July issue of Comic Yuri Hime – and the pre-order for the September issue (which has a July release date) is up.

Mag Garden Comics has a new Yuri offering, Yurikago no Otometachi (ゆりかごの乙女たち). Based on the clothes and the helpful summary I found with a few moments search, it looks like a ‘S’ story set in the Taisho period. Okay, I’m in. ^_^

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Sailor Moon

What better way is there to celebrate Summer Solstice than to watch the now-subbed Sailor Moon Crystal trailer over and over and over until you suddenly sit up and ask “How many takes do you think it took before Mitsuishi Kotono-san could do “Moon Prism Power Make Up!” without tearing up?”

14 days and counting.

To get you in the mood, Victoria McNally is writing up a Comprehensive Sailor Moon History on The Mary Sue. Check out Part 1!

Also on the Mary Sue, these wonderful Inner Senshi costume redesigns. I lovelovelove Jup!

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Miscellaneous Awesomeness

Action Labs, the folks that brought us Princeless and Molly Danger has a terrific new miniseries starting up, Fight Like a Girl. They got me hooked with that amazing cover art.

For your morning moment of “Awww..”, please enjoy these photos of early 20th century lesbian and gay couples.

Comic Book Resources has put together a list of LGBTQ comics for Pride month, no manga, but maybe something new for you to read, yes?

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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!

Yuri Manga

Lot’s of good Yuri manga on the plate this week!

Some great news from Finland. A new Yuri anthology,  Lepakkoluola is working on a Kickstarter and can use your help. They’ve passed their tipping point, but are still pretty far from their goal, with 22 days left. The collection is being created in Finnish and English and I’m totally looking forward to reading it!

July will see Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari, Volume 14, (ピュア百合アンソロジー ひらり) and Kazama Ayami’s Hirari collection, Hoshi wo Futari de  (星をふたりで) but, most importantly, we’re getting a second volume following Yamada and Kaze-san, Obentou to Kaze-san. (おべんとうと加瀬さん。)Whee!

In case you missed it, last month Takemiya Jin’s game was released by Ichijinsha. Also “whee!”…I’d love to give that book a post-release spike from overseas sales. ^_^

Coming out from Ichijinsha next month is the next unasked for collection in the Wildrose series, Yuri Hime Wildrose, Volume 8 (百合姫Wildrose) – and hitting shelves next week is Girl’s Syndrome (ガールズ・シンドローム)

Comics Alliance has  pulled together a list of 50 Most Important LGBTQ Comic characters for Pride Month… andour own dear Haruka and Michiru are on the list. (And speaking of Haruka and Michiru, their S.H. Figuarts  figurines have been unveiled. Whee!)

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Other News

Courtesy of YNN Corrspondent Grisznak, we have news that the first new volume of Rose of Versailles in 40 years is shipping in August. It follows one of Oscar’s subordinates, Alain de Soissons.

Speaking of Ryoko Ikeda, look who drew a spiffy new Takarazuka fan group poster.

One of my FAVORITE sites on the Internets, A  Mighty Girl has a list of Top Graphic Novels Starring Mighty Girls. Time to start that summer reading list!

Quote of the Day: “At 12,000 copies I can make as much writing Rocket Girl as Hulk; Amy Reeder can make as much penciling/inking/coloring as she would on Batwoman.” <– Brandon Montclare, co-creator of Rocket Girl, with Amy Reeder.

This is what I have been saying for years…Yuri fandom thinks they are buying 10,000 copies and are being screwed by uncaring companies. In reality, Yuri manga sell about 2500=3000 copies, maybe something like GIRL FRIENDS breaks 5K. At it’s peak Naruto was selling like 15K. Bottom line, if Yuri fandom buys 10,000 copies, we’d have more Yuri than we know what to do with.  The numbers just are not there.

As an aside, Rocket Girl is fantastic and you should all be reading it.  Volume 1 GN is hitting shelves next month, or contact your local comic store for backissues.

Via YNN Correspondent, Elizabeth F., here’s an article about female samurai Tomoe Gozen.

Here’s a random trippy 70’s moment…Jack Kirby drawing significant NFL poses. I’d love to see these uniforms in the NFL – especially the random marine-themed Packers uniforms. ^_^

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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!

Yuri Events

Quick, there’s still time to catch me at AnimeNEXT, at 5:30 EST, in Somerset, NJ today doing the ‘Secret’ History of Yaoi and Yuri panel. By ‘secret’, of course, I mean, “secret until you crack open a book”. ^_^ I’ll be bringing stuff as prizes for good questions, including a copy of One Peace Books’ Whispered Words, the English edition of Sasamekikoto!

(I know a number of folks have asked about recording this, but I extemporize a lot of my paneling and lecturing. IMHO, it makes for bad outside watching, as I’m there for the people in the room with me. I make no promises, but if I have time and energy, I’ll put the presentation up on Slideshare for you afterwards.)

Anime Expo will be hosting Gen Urubochi, known in our circles for Fate/Zero, Psycho-Pass and Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Go to his panel and bring good questions with you!

If you’re in Japan this summer, check out the event for Dezai Osamu’s and other’s “pretty girls” anime. This sounds like a lot of fun, but I’ll miss it by a bit, so do share photos if you go!

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Sailor Moon News

zOMGzOMG! It’s the first Sailor Moon Crystal trailer! I was totally squeeing when I realized that, even though my computer was dying and I had no sound, I could tell when she said “Tsuki ni kawatte oshioki yo!”

Also, the wife got her Proplica wand and couldn’t stop taking pictures of it. I can foresee us combing every store in Japan this October for Sailor Moon Crystal stuff.

Anime News Network is doing a gigantic Sailor Moon stuff giveaway called “What Does Sailor Moon mean to you?” Because we have so much stuff, and because we can get stuff, I will not be entering, but I’ll tell you this. Yuricon was created because of Sailor Moon. I wrote fanfic, which lead to Internet reknown, which lead to Yuricon and Okazu…because of Sailor Moon. It means a lot to me. ^_^

And for those of you hellbent on creating your own Sailor Moon shrine, Bandai would like to help. They are releasing the Cutie Moon Rod next.

Sailor Uranus and Neptune are getting lip balm and chopsticks…which, Lynzee Lamb of ANN rightfully notes will be sold “as a pair.” ^_^

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Yuri Anime

I’m almost amazed that I’m telling you this: Ikkitousen: Xtreme Xecutor is out on DVD. I was just listening to a Ikkitousen song this morning as I jogged and for a moment, actually wanted to see this again. ^_^

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Other News

Charity and Sylvia, by Rachel Hope Cleves, is a book about a same-sex marriage in 19th-century America.

Prism Comics is once again taking submissions for its Queer Comics Press Grant, Prism’s annual grant to LGBT comics self-publishers. The deadline for proposals is Monday, September 1, 2014. The Award is to be announced at the Alternative Press Expo in San Francisco October 4-5, 2014.

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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!