Yuri Manga

Today is “Read Comics in Public Day” and ALC Publishing is celebrating with a contest!

Take a picture of yourself reading any Yuri Manga in public, send us the link to @Yuricon on Twitter, post it on the Yuricon and ALC Publishing page on Facebook or send it to the Yuricon Mailing List, and you’ll be entered to win “I Love Yuri” goods. We’re even giving away one Amazon gift certificate!

Don’t send the picture to me by email, or link to it here. This is a Twitter/FB/mailing list contest only! And by “in public” we do mean where other people can see you, thanks!

Heads up, a Strawberry Panic Omnibus is headed our way in late September! That’s all of the collected chapters of Strawberry Panic, for just over $10 if you pre-order now.

Manga expert Jason Thompson wrote up a very lovely overview of Rica ‘tte Kanji!? and Yuri Monogatari in his ANN Column, “House of 1000 Manga.” Thanks, Jason!

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Yuri Anime

YNN Correspondent Eric P. is very excited to share the news that Section 23 has picked up the licenses for Uta-Kata and Taisho Yakyuu Musume/Taisho Baseball Girls. I very much hope you will all support the second title, as it is a truly remarkable series, for many reasons.

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Snatches of Yuri

A Day Without Me writes in to tell everyone of a Yuri sighting in hentai series Aki Sora and Aki Sora Yume. ADWM says, “Essentially, to sum it all up: Kana has a crush on Sora, Nami’s twin. Nami offers to practice kiss Kana since Nami looks so much like her brother. Nami gropes Kana, who freaks out, but stops when this happens and apologizes. I was totally flabbergasted at this point, since generally this would just lead to coerced sex or flat-out sexual harassment. Nami continues to try to help Kana get her brother after this, although there is a very heartbreaking kind of moment where she does kiss Kana after Kana passes out from accidentally seeing Sora naked.

Now, the second episode of Aki-Sora: Yume no Naka isn’t being released until November, and it is supposed to focus more on Nami and Kana instead of the sibcons. It could very, very easily become totally trashy at that point. But at the moment I am feeling impressed and a teeny bit hopeful, so I thought I’d pass along the information.”

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Other News

Right Stuf/Nozomi Entertainment announces an Azumanga Daioh limited-edition Lithograph available in November.

New YNN Correspondent Jeanette T. writes in to bring our attention to a live-action series called ラブ・コレ~東京 Love Collection Tokyo. It is “not about schoolgirls” and has, as part of the cast a lesbian couple that is portrayed sympathetically – and openly. Here’s a link to the description of the series on Japanese lesbian media site Tokyo Wrestling. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for it.

And while we’re on live-action news, the Maria-sama ga Miteru movie Perfect Book, full of photos and stuff is now available! S.Q.U.E.E.

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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

Eagle-eyed Nick noticed that Funimation has started streaming the first two episodes of Ga-Rei-Zero, with it’s ambiguously Yuri relationship, on Funi’s YouTube channel.

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Yuri Manga

The first combined Comic Yuri Hime is on sale, so don’t miss your chance to see the historical super-combined powers of Yuri Hime and Yuri Hime S! (Admit it, that’s a great image.)

Yuri Hime Wildrose, Volume 6, which hits shelves on the 18th of this month, is available for pre-order.

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Snatches of Yuri

Monthly Alive Comic Magazine has announced a new Kämpfer project. No guarantees that it’ll be any better than the last one. ^_^ (Not that the audience wants it to be good. First comment on the ANN forums says it better than I can.)

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Other News

You may not be aware of it, but there is an organization for women in the comics industry. Friends of Lulu was founded in 1994 to highlight the achievements and contributions of women in sequential art. It came very close to disappearing this year.

They have pulled back from the brink, and have now opened their 2010 awards nominations to the public. I hope you’ll take a moment to visit the site, consider the issues, nominate and vote for women in an industry which, no matter how many of us work in it, is still seen as a boy’s world for boys.

This is as yet unconfirmed, but a Japanese acquaintance of mine has told me that the Ichijinsha Iris Bunko will no longer be publishing Yuri Light Novels, as they have not been doing well in sales. (She is an author and inquired about submitting a story.) It’s a hard thing to parse, because they weren’t really very good novels, so would they have done better if they had been better? I can’t tell.

One last news item of note: The folks who worked hard to bring Ladies Comics to America under the imprint of Aurora Comics have started up a new venture. Manga Factory’s first project is a tour to Japan crafted especially for fujyoshi and their friends. The tour will include options for a Takarazuka show in Tokyo, a visit to a Butler Bar, and a drag show, so if you’re interested in cross-dressing/gender bending, this is probably the tour you’ve been waiting for. Of course there will be other otaku must-visits, including Otome Road in my beloved Ikebukuro, the Nakano Sunshine Arcade, Akihabara and a host club. Check out the link above for details.

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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

Mangatime Kirara presents A Channel, a 4-set of girls that fall into two natural couples, if you’re the kind of person that needs to pair everyone up in your gag comics.

The first collected volume of Kaichou to Fukukaichou by Hakamada Mera, is hitting the shelves in September. Hopeless love turned maybe not so hopeless? We’re still waiting to find out!

Why, gods, why?!? Mikarun X, Volume 6 is coming to life in all it’s giant naked glory also in September.

And for more debasing girls for fun, there’s Shitsurakuen, Volume 4. It only took 4 volumes for Utena to save the Rose Bride. Tell me if Sora hits that benchmark, ‘kay?

And here’s something I know nothing about, but it has some elements of interest to me. Baba Yaga is a horror manga by Kizuki Akira, the creator of Ebi-san to Hotei-san, that ran in Tsubomi magazine. It’s got a great title and purportedly has some Yuri in the second volume.

Also slated for September release is Morishima Akiko’s office life series, Renai Joshika.

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Yuri Anime

According to ANN, The Anime Network is now streaming Blue Drop and Hidmari Sketch, while Crunchyroll now has some of Moribito (not Yuri, but you REALLY need to watch it,) as well as Strike Witches, which I know some of you are already watching.

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Other News

YNN Correspondent Shiny has written in to tell us about the severe outbreak of Hoof and Mouth Disease in Japan. A number of manga artists, including folks with names well known to you – Fujieda Miyabi, Morinaga Milk, Morishima Akiko, Yotsubara Furikko, Mitsue Aoki and others have banded together to create a charity dounjinshi to be sold at Comiket 78. The title of the work is “We Love Mow Mow” and you can find some pinups (possibly not safe and definitely questionable for work) on the website.

And I don’t think I mentioned this yet….TwiComike. It’s an online map of Tokyo Bight Sight, which can be viewed for East Halls or West Halls on Day 1,2, or 3 of Comiket. Circles get themselves listed by mentioning their table on Twitter. It is, therefore not fully populated, even at this late a date. Nonetheless….kind of fun for those of us not able to get the catalog.

Of course, if you are going, don’t forget the Small Call list of Yuri circles to help you make your shopping plans. And for people who like a challenge, the Tokyo Pride Parade is that same weekend. :-) If you are going, please contact me, Fujieda Miyaba is selling some goods I’d *really* like to get.

And let me also remind you that if you’re on Twitter, I have a preset list of Yuri manga artists that you can just follow to see what they are up to. It’s an interesting crowd. Especially when Heartcatch Precure is on. ^_^

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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
Licensing announcements are starting to flow out of Otakon and already there are a few of interest to us.

Funimation announced the license for Strike Witches 2 (in which I am assuming there’s still the same level of implied Yuri as in the first season. If you are watching this and would like to review it, please send me an email.) And they are streaming the first episode of Girl’s Bravo, which had some Yuri service.

More interesting to me, Aniplex announced the Blu-Ray of Read or Die. Man, that’s really tempting. I didn’t actually expect this to get over here ever.

Keep your eyes out for an anime called Black Rock Shooter, which is out now, (thanks to everyone who wrote in about that.) More fightin’ schoolgirls for you, with accompanying angst and Yuri-ishness.


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Yuri Manga

More shoujo magazine Yuri. Ciao is running a story called Wazaarikkiwa Michan about which I still know absolutely nothing after having read the reviews. Some kids in school and two girls touch at some point, I suppose. But wow, is this all over Japanese forums and blogs, so I’ll keep my eye out for it.


The September issue of Cobalt Shuiesha will have a color Maria-sama ga Miteru picture and a drama CD! Still pushing that movie release.


And need I remind you that Summer Comiket is around the corner and all the Yuri doujinshi circles will undoubtedly have Heartcatch Precure doujinshi. ^_^


The second volume of Kaishaku’s new reworking of the same fetishes, Zettai Shoujo Seiiki Amnesium, is on sale. 


Yuri anthology Hirari, Volume 2 has a street date of August 25.

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Other News

Not Yuri, but you really need to read Matt Thorn’s write-up of being at Comic-Con with shoujo manga pioneer Moto Hagio. Aside from being adorable (and giving a shoutout to my friend, translator extraordinaire Mari Morimoto,) it was an interesting insight on the event from someone who is so influential, but not a traditional “Industry” rep.

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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!