Short one this week, I’m up to my eyeballs in work.

Yuri Manga

Kanojo to Camera to Kanojo no Kisetsu,Volume 3 (彼女とカメラと彼女の季節) will hit shelves in Japan at the end of July.

And, from Hirari magazine, we’ll see Saraba Tomo Yo (さらば友よ) and Laika Pavlov Pochi Hachiko (ライカ、パブロフ、ポチハチ公) also at the end of July.

Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, in conjunction with Dark Horse has created an authoritative manga guide for librarians and educators, called CBLDF Presents Manga: Introduction, Challenges, and Best Practices. It was my very sincere pleasure to represent for Yuri, which has a chapter of its own – and I contributed the chapter on Doujinshi, as well. Also contributing to the Guide was Manga Bookshelf columnist Sean Gaffney, Ed Chavez of Vertical Publishing, Shaenon Garrity of Viz Media and Otaku USA, and Robin Brenner and Katherine Dacey of School Library Journal. Fantastic writers and terrific people, all.  ^_^

The Guide was edited by Manga Bookshelf editor in chief, blogger and all around fantastic person, Melinda Beasi. It was a blast – and an honor – to be  part of this project. If your school or library is interested in manga and would like more info on how to approach it, get them a copy of this Guide!

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Yuri Anime

From YNN Correspondent Jin H., news that vaguely Yurish – but female-focused and pleasant anime Tamayura  second season should be starting in July.

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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!

Contest News

Thanks to Nozomi/RightStuf, we have 3 copies of Hyakko Complete TV Series Litebox Set to give away. The contest winners this time are:

Dennis Bouchard

Urooj Siddiqui

Roberto Romani

Please email me at yuricon at gmail dot com with your addresses and I’ll get your prizes out in the mail as soon as I can motivate myself to get to the post office.! (Thank you to everyone who entered…I promise we’ll have another contest coming up soon.)

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Loads of manga news this week！

Yuri Manga

From YNN Correspondent Niki Smith on Twitter, the source material for this year’s Cannes winner, Jean Maron’s lesbian graphic novel Le Bleu est une Couleur Chaude is now on Comixology – in the original French. This is cool on several levels – it’s good to see Comixology branching out into Bande Dessinée, it’s cool to see them pursuing LGBTQ content and it’s just plain cool. If you’re a French reader, have purchased the book in print or digital and want to do a review – write me and let me know!

July’s gonna be a rough month – we already know Aoi Hana is ending in Erotics F magazine, and now we’ve gotten news that Hayate x Blade is finishing up in the July issue of Ultra Jump. Boo-hoo~~ (T_T) I mean, I can’t complain – it went 18 volumes, I just wanted it to go on forever. ^_^

Akili has a webcomic called Stretch  (ストレッチ) about two women sharing an apartment, one of whom is interested in the other, but that’s just part of it. The comic also has helpful discussions of stretching as exercise, how to do it, what it’s good for, and service. ^_^;

Got a bunch of Yuri Hime manga coming out this summer: Sankou Noise (残光ノイズ), Volume 1 of citrus, Strange Babies (ストレンジベイビーズ),  and an unexpected Volume 7 of Yuri Hime Wildrose (百合姫Wildrose)

Rakuen le Paradis, Volume 12 (楽園 Le Paradis) is up streeting the last week of this month.

Ohana Holo Holo, Volume 5 (オハナホロホロ 5) was released at the beginning of June. If you’re following this story and have been waffling, I’ll say only this – get it. ^_^

I took a look at Flowers Magazine on Magazine no Mori this month at Manga Bookshelf. Also on Manga Bookshelf, Sean Gaffney wrote what I consider to be the definitive review of the English edition of  Kisses, Sighs, and Cherry Blossom Pink by Morinaga Milk. I’m gonna be honest here – I’m glad that Sean’s got his own blog, but it’s been a real loss for us here at Okazu now that he’s too famous to Guest Review anymore. ^_^

And let’s finish up with a feel-good gender switch comic suggestion from Erin S. called the The Prince and the Princess. This is a sweet little Torikaebaya with a happy ending. Awww…

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Yuri Live Action-Movie

Some breaking news from YNN Correspondent Komatsu-san: A Yuri-themed live-action move Schoolgirl Complex ~ Hosoubu Hen~ (スクールガール・コンプレックス～放送部篇～) will debut in Japan on August 17th. Check out the trailer. Komatsu-san asked me what I think of it. My response was, “It looks like every Yuri Manga ever, doesn’t it?” ^_^ (Sean replied “Story A: The Movie”!) Eagle-eyed commenter Beatriz says she thinks Kotobuki Minako (Yuri-goggle user Mugi from K-ON!) plays the teacher. (It’s hard to tell if she’s a teacher or parent from the trailer.) That’s a nice Easter Egg for Yuri fans. ^_^

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Other News

Looking for some good tools to read Japanese? Or write it? or speak it? Or to understand it? I found a Japanese language portal called Nihongoeな that has links to just about anything you need.

A pair of Licca-chan dolls of Madoka and Homura have been premiered. If I can find the Homura doll, I might even get it. ^_^

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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 Anime

It’s a good news week for fans of Yuri 4-koma school life comedy stories!

RightStuf has announced pre-orders for Yuruyuri: Happy Go Lily Blu-ray Season 1 (S) Premium Edition.

And Sakura Trick (which I recently mentioned in my MangaTime Kirara Miracle review) is getting an anime. I’ll give Sakura Trick this – it has actual Yuri. It’s still not my kind of story, but for once a “Yuri” 4-koma that actually has Yuri. That’s gotta count for something. ^_^

Thanks to all of you who wrote in last week to point me to this news: Kouga Yun (creator of Loveless) is working on a new story – Akuma no Riddle – that, upfront, is being said to have at some Yuri. I like Kouga-sensei’s art and am interested to see what she’ll d with this story. It’s about girl assassins, which is up my alley in a way that school life comedy is never going to be. ^_^ This series has been greenlit for an anime adaptation, as well.

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Yuri Webcomic

Not manga, but a lovey lesbian webcomic suggestion from Erin S. The mermaid and the pirate takes a few well-known stories and reworks them with some exquisite line art. It’s a feel good read and well worth a click!

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Other News

Bandai has announced new toys for the new, yet shrouded- in-mystery Sailor Moon anime. In a nod backwards to the henshin stick lip glosses of the 90’s (which are sometimes available in auctions, always obscenely expensive) the new toys are nail polishes inspired by the Inners’ transformation wands  from Sailor Moon R.  ^_^

You remember the book trailer for the lesbian fantasy novel Pyramid Waltz by Barbara Ann Wright?  Well the book has a sequel and so does the trailer! Here’s  a link to the trailer for the sequel, For Want of a Fiend. The book is serious, but the trailer is a comedy. ^_^

You know I’m not a gamer, but I know many of you are and you’ll want to know this.  The Mary Sue reports that Aveline de Grandpré, the first female playable character in the Assassin’s Creed franchise will be getting her console debut with the upcoming Assassin’s Creed IV: Pirates Black Flag. She looks very cool. Someone will have to let us know how it is.

The NFL Player’s Association is supporting gay pride with a line of #Pride t-shirts, each with the name and number of a NFL Player who has publicly supported gay rights and openly gay NFL players. I’m probably going to get a Chris Kluwe shirt, because he’s funny as heck and a total nerd. ^_^ (What better way for the NFL to do clandestine market research on public support for gay players, huh?)

This week’s link to help you learn Japanese is Kikitori – a site geared towards helping you practice your listening skills. If you’re like me, reading Japanese is not problematic, but when it comes to verbal skills…ouch. Learning to *hear* is critical in learning to speak a language.

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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!

Many, many thanks to the crowd at lat night’s AnimeNEXT Yuri Panel! Those were some of the best questions ever.

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Other News

Let’s start the day off with the important stuff. After a ten year absence, a new Sailor Moon musical (Sera Myu) has been announced, with extra geeky things all around, in and underneath the news! Takeuchi-sensei is reported to participated in the auditions herself. And the role of Tuxedo Kamen went to former Takarazuka actress Yamato Yuuga. I am *so* down with this. Yamato was stellar in “Singing in the Rain.” I think I’m going to have to own this DVD not matter how excruciatingly expensive it is. I expect it to be ridiculously expensive. ^_^ The show will run in the middle of September, 2013.

Cutey Honey Curry is a thing that exists. ^_^

It’s definitely a mix-and-match your geekiness kind of day. The cast of the Yuru Yuri anime will sing the second My Little Pony opening theme.

And my hero, Go Nagai had a tribute show in LA. “Devils & Robots” (gawd what a clever title, that) featured 5 of his own paintings and tribute from over 60 other artists. Last week saw the introduction of what I can only imagine must be the greatest manga ever, Cutey Honey vs Devilman Lady, which is running in Champion RED, so you know it’s classy. (That was sarcasm. But I still want to see it!)

Last week I added a new feature here, where we’ll discuss apps and tools to help you get started in Japanese. To start with basics I suggested RealKana, and rdm00 suggested iOS app Japanese Flip.

Well, I’d like to make this a regular feature, so if you are using any apps, tools or sites to help you learn Japanese, let us know! The more tools on our toolbelt, the better. To send in a recommendation, give us the name of the app/tool/site/program, a link if there is one and why you like it in the comments.  Although I personally have never used any of these, I found an article on Top 10 Kanji Recognition Apps, if you’re a bit more advanced in your learning.

Today I’m going to feature this app, suggested by Kit. She says, “For beginners, Human Japanese is good; it provides context for lessons, and not just in the “here are some words” way.” Thanks, Kit! Context is everything to me. If you learn a few words at a time, it becomes easier to fill in the rest of the sentence. ^_^

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Yuri Manga

Morinaga Milk’s Kisses, Sighs and Cherry Blossoms Pink: The Complete Collection  hit the street this week. I’ve lined up a Guest Reviewer for it, since I’ve reviewed it 3 times already, when it first came out from Yuri Hime and Volume 1 and Volume 2 of the new edition when Futabasha put them out. It’s someone else’s turn. ^_^

Ran across this one quite randomly while searching Amazon JP. Seitokaichou ga Yuri suki demo Mondai nashi!? (生徒会長が百合好きでも問題ナシ! ?) Um, I really don’t know what to say about a story in which the only “conflict” is that the perfect, smart, rich Student Council President likes Yuri. Duh? ^_^

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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!

I receive many emails and comments to the effect of “I can’t read Japanese so…” But you know, I couldn’t read Japanese either, at first. I learned – so can you. Here’s a free online tool to get you started, RealKana. Start by memorizing the syllables now and by the end of 2013, you’ll be able to read simple sentences. にほんごをべんきょうしましょう。Start now. There’s nothing at all stopping you from trying. ^_^ I’ll add other tools to the list, but this seems like a really good place to start.

Yuri Anime

Nozomi RightStuf has announced the extra that will come with pre-orders  for Rose of Versailles, Part 2.

The second round of voting at Daisuki is up, and this packet includes some titles of interest, including Devilman Lady (which was SO gay) and Heartcatch PreCure (which was SO gay). So get those votes in and get some Yuri up on Daisuki!

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Yuri Manga

Comic Natalie reports that Takemiya Jin’s Omoi no Kakera, Volume 2 went on sale today with variant extras, depending on the bookstore at which it was purchased.  Speaking of Takemiya-sensei…tomorrow’s Okazu will feature an interview with her! So please make sure you drop by tomorrow for another look at a prime mover in the Yuri genre! (I can’t wait!)

15 -sai (15才) is one of those manga you just know is going to be filled to the brim with redeeming social value. (-_-)

Yuikan, Volume 5 (ゆりキャン) exists.

Because I’m perfectly comfortable judging a book by it’s cover, I think Bloody Lily (ブラッディ・リリィ) looks worth the time it will take me to read it. ^_^

Yuru Yuri, Volume 10 (ゆるゆり) streets today in Japan, with 2 different special editions.

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Other News

maeydaygeist mentioned on Twitter yesterday that Monica Nolan, writer of Bobby Blanchard, Lesbian Gym Teacher (which I reviewed) and Lois Lenz, Lesbian Secretary (which I forgot to review last summer) has a new book, Mamie Mainwaring, Lesbian Dilettante. That is so on my summer reading list. Nolan has a way of portraying the innocence of another time in a way that is sweet and utterly excruciating at the same time.

Our own Bruce McF has a lovely article up, Experiments in a new media economy on crowdfunding for anime. It’s well worth your time to read it, as it is so rare to get an economist’s take on anything in this industry, much less an economist who knows something about the industry, as Bruce does.

For those of you in Tokyo on June 6th, Nakamura Ching-sensei will be participating in a retrospective of Taniguchi Natsuko’s art in Shibuya. Read the report on Comic Natalie for details.

ANN has this to hurt your brain: Former Van Halen lead singer David Lee Roth murders Sailor Moon’s iconic line “In the name of the Moon, I will punish you,” before murdering people in this preview for his short film Tokyo Story, in which he plays a stoic assassin in Japan.  Couldn’t be more typical if it tried. Just go watch. ^_^

The industry fights back in Japan, with various associations making their voices heard as new, more restrictive, legislation to fight child pornography is proposed that threatens people who draw and animate not-remotely-real characters.

I am finally sitting down with Yurist (百合人), a “magazine for people who love Yuri”. The contents start off with some statistics about Yuri fans. Of the self-identified Yuri fans questioned, 52% are female, 35% male, 11% other, 4% didn’t answer. This not far off my experience, I’ve been saying Yuri is relatively close to an even split in the West, as well. 62% of respondents are in their 20s. Only 2% in their 40s! But more importantly, 19% said they were teens, which means the audience is skewing younger. This is a good thing. Less hang-ups. 37% are “out” about their interest in Yuri, 43% partially so, or at least don’t hide it.

So the typical Japanese Yuri fan is a woman in her 20s who is comfortable with her interest and at least partially open about it. (In other words, probably not ranting at work about going to Comiket, but totally telling her friends.) So far, entirely consistent with my own findings here.

If anything else surfaces from this issue of Yurist, I’ll let you know!

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Event News

AnimeNEXT is next weekend. I’ll be running a Yuri panel on Friday, June 7 at 6PM. I’ll be giving away loads of stuff! I hope to see you there. ^_^ Bring questions!

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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!