Archive for the Yuri Network News Category


Yuri News For The Weeks of August 24 – September 5

September 6th, 2008

Hi all – I have returned from vacation, have seen many things, acquired the t-shirts as proof and am now once again home on my comfy sofa.

Thanks to every one who sent in news items – we have a lot of news, as you can imagine. :-)

Yuri Manga

Several people have wanted me to remind you that the Burst Angel manga is due out shortly. The manga, as you might remember from my reviews (click the Bakaretsu Tenshi Category on the righthand sidebar to find them) have more Yuri than the anime. Not scads of Yuri, but compared to the anime, a lot.

The good folks at Seven Seas have passed along a link to news about their Strawberry Line. http://www.gomanga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6405&start=15. This link goes to their forums, where they run down all the titles on a book-by-book status. The Strawberry Line is not dead and as culpable as I am in the original report, I will now report that rumors of its demise were greatly exagerrated. In short – more Yuri is coming from Seven Seas – please stop *whining*. :-)

Sean wants you all to know that Kozue Amano, mangaka of Aria, is starting a new series as yet unnamed, in Comic Blade magazine. If it has as much Yuri as Aria it will have none, but that won’t stop fans from seeing it there anyway. lol

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Snatches of Yuri

bottle is very excited to mention Akiyama Haru’s Octave, ‏which is about a failed pop idol’s attempt to regain a normal life and how she falls in love with a female musician. I’ve heard nothing but good about it so far and of course will report back to you when I have it.

As good as Octave sounds, Pure Pure Lips sounds bad. lol A poor girl and the lesbian dorm owner…it might not be so bad if the cover wasn’t cringe making. The “little” girl looks like a harp seal waiting to be clubbed.

Hakodate Yuujin Buraijou Himegami 3 will be out soon, so we can see Himeka press Hyou against her extremely large breasts some more. Whee!

And lastly, Sasamekikoto, Volume 3, is also coming out soon, so we can watch two girls who are in love with one another not get together in extremely contrived, yet amusing ways.

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Live-Action Yuri

Erin reminds us all that the Live-Action movie, Love My Life based on the Yuri manga of the same name is now available from Wolfe Video. She also thought you might be interested to know that it was on the top sellers list at Wolfe, as well.

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Maria-sama ga Miteru News

Emilie wrote in to let us know that Konno Oyuki and Hibiki Reine attended the 9th Comic Exhibition 2008, in Taipei. dormcat provided a translation of an interview with them, in this thread on ANN. Johann adds a link to a Chinese translation of this interview at: http://blog.yam.com/dormcat/article/16765879.

Emilie also let us know that in the new Marimite Web Radio show, Inoue Marina and Nazuka Kaori have been announced to voice Naitou Shouko and Naitou Katsumi respectively for the radio drama of “Chocolate Portrait,” the story in which Tsutako first meets Shouko. Tsu and Shouko are an awesome pair and I recommend this highly. :-)

Last up for Marimite, here’s a press release from Right Stuf on the Second Season:

RIGHT STUF’S NOZOMI ENTERTAINMENT Announces the MARIA WATCHES OVER US – Season 2 DVD Collection: Printemps

Second TV season of Maria-sama ga Miteru scheduled for Nov. 25, 2008

GRIMES, IA, September 4, 2008 – Anime producer and distributor Right Stuf, Inc. and Nozomi Entertainment are pleased to announce the release of the MARIA WATCHES OVER US (Maria-sama ga Miteru) – Season 2 DVD Collection: Printemps on November 25, 2008.

The Season 2 DVD Collection is the second of several “season box sets” scheduled for the series’ North American DVD release.

· Each set features Japanese audio, along with English on-screen translations, and two English-language subtitle tracks: one with regular dialogue subtitles and a second, special subtitle track that retains the Japanese honorifics.

· Additionally, each set will include the “specials” – comedic shorts that depict the series’ characters in “chibi” form – for its respective season.

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“leaves you eagerly wanting more” – AnimeOnDVD at Mania.com

“Shelf Worthy” – Anime News Network’s Shelf Life
“a truly beautiful anime” – Future Anime
“A beautifully illustrated, surprisingly effective slice-of-life drama…” – Anime News Network
AnimeOnDVD.com Pick of the Week

The Maria Watches Over Us anime is based upon an ongoing series of novels – written by Oyuki Konno and illustrated by Reine Hibiki – that began in 1998 and currently spans 33 volumes. Short stories related to the series have been published in the shoujo (girls’) magazine Cobalt, and a manga adaptation is serialized in the anthology magazine Margaret. The series’ publisher, Shueisha, also produced 14 drama CDs (featuring radio-style plays).

The anime adaptation of Maria-sama ga Miteru – also referred to by fans as “MariMite” – encompasses two, 13-episode TV seasons, a 5-episode OVA (original video animation) as its third season, and a fourth season, currently in production in Japan.

The first three seasons of Maria Watches Over Us feature animation by Studio DEEN (Fruits Basket, Gravitation, Rurouni Kenshin), direction by Yukihiro Matsushita (Blue Dragon, Sugar Sugar Rune), and scripting by Reiko Yoshida (Aria, Boys Over Flowers, Story of Saiunkoku).

Visit mariasama.rightstuf.com for more information about Maria Watches Over Us (Maria-sama ga Miteru), detailed character profiles, trailers, downloads and more.

About MARIA WATCHES OVER US (Maria-sama ga Miteru) – Season 2

The spring term is beginning for the students at Lillian Girls’ Academy. Friends are reunited, but for the Yamayuri Council, it’s a bittersweet time. Yoko, Eriko and Sei are busy preparing to depart Lillian, while Sachiko, Rei and Shimako are doing their best to ensure their dear sisters receive a memorable commencement. Soon, Lillian will have new leaders in the Council offices of Rosa Chinensis, Foetida and Gigantea, along with many new faces and budding relationships. Contains the complete 13-episode second season, plus Season 2 “specials” 1-6.

MARIA WATCHES OVER US (Maria-sama ga Miteru) – Season 2 DVD Collection: Printemps (TV)
Pre-Book: 10/28/2008
Street Date: 11/25/2008
Runtime: Approximately 325 minutes, Dolby Digital Stereo, Color
Genre: Drama
Suggested Rating: 13+

Format: DVD (Japanese, 2 English Subtitle Tracks, English On-Screen Translations)
Catalog #: RSDVD0816
ISBN: 1-57032-791-2
UPC: 7-42617-0816-2-0
SRP: $49.99

Discs/Set: 4
Item Measurements: 5 3/8” X 1 7/32” X 7 5/8” (LxWxH)
Case Qty: 9

DVD Features:
Scene access; Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo audio for Japanese dialogue; two English subtitle tracks (regular dialogue subtitles, plus a special subtitle track that includes Japanese honorifics); and English on-screen translations. PLUS: Season 2 “Specials” 1-6, liner notes and Nozomi Entertainment trailers.

* Cover Art: http://outgoing.rightstuf.com/sleeves/rsdvd0816.jpg
MARIA WATCHES OVER US (Maria-sama ga Miteru) PRINTEMPS © OYUKI KONNO / SHUEISHA • YAMAYURIKAI • TV TOKYO Licensed by d-rights Inc.

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Yuri Anime

In a maddeningly zero-information ad, I was reminded that the Ichigo Mashimaro Encore OVA is coming – but the ad had no date as of yet. Maybe we’ll have something out this fall, because the upcoming autumn TV season looks bereft of Yuri.

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That’s it for this week – thanks to everyone who sent in news items. I really couldn’t do it without you – keep ’em coming!





Yuri News This Week – August 23, 2008

August 23rd, 2008

I will be going on vacation next weekend. I will be bringing a computer, but I have no idea how much time, connection and/or dedication I will have at any point in time, since I’ll literally be on the road for most of the trip. I have already scheduled reviews to post all week long while I am gone, but I can safely say that there is a high likelihood that I will not post a Yuri News report for a few weeks. While I *might* be motivated to login to approve comments, I can pretty much swear that I won’t be motivated to surf the Intertubes to find Yuri News. Just so you can’t say I didn’t warn you. :-)

Yuri Manga

Okay, how ironic is it that I *just* reviewed Battle Club and the very same day, it became the center of yet another battle in the war against the freedom of libraries to make information free. An Oregon man objected to his 12-year old son bringing Battle Vixens and Battle Club home from the “adult section” of the the library. A spokeswoman from the library told him to watch his own damn kid, but said it nicer than that. Yay Multnomah County Library! The father’s wrath completely ignores the fact that his kid is the *perfect* audience for that trash, since he hasn’t ever seen a woman’s crotch and this would all be very exciting and new to him.

The long-awaited Yuri Works File, originally titled the Yuri Michelin Guide, has been published by Ichijinsha. This book purports to list the best Girls Love evar, but my faith in it is somewhat limited on the basis that the cover is the cover art from one of the Girls Love novels that was *just* released by Ichijinsha, Period. My faith in this book is further eroded by the fact that the preview of Period was pretty boring. So…”best”? You’ll have to decide for yourself.

Hayate x Blade made its debut this month in Ultra Jump magazine. The first two volumes of the manga have been re-released, with special deluxe editions that include Shigeru cat family mascot straps and much cooler covers than previously. You can order the new Volume 1 and Volume 2 from Amazon JP. I’ve commented before that practically every single manga that ran in Dengeki Daioh had been made into an anime except HxB. I wonder if that was part of the reason for the publisher/magazine jump…. Ultra Jump put together this nifty Hayate x Blade website. The opening flash is fun. Check it out. The site includes previews of the first two volumes, as well.

Can’t remember if I mentioned this previously and am too lazy to look. The Yuri Hime version of the Aoi Shiro manga is available.

Have I mentioned that the manga Last Friends, based on the live-action drama is being serialized in Malika magazine? Well it is. :-) I’ll be reviewing it shortly. Also a new Yamaji Ebine story is slated to start in the next issue of the same magazine, but I’m betting on there not being Yuri or lesbian content in that.

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Snatches of Yuri

Something that floated up from Amazon JP, Kick!, is a manga that has two girls on the cover and everyone who bought it has bought and/or reviewed other notoriously Yuri titles. so I’m bettin’ this one has some Yuri, too. ;-)

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Other Yuri News

Manga scholar Matt Thorn has a very amusingly titled, interesting and informative article on his blog, concerning early Yuri roots, and some lovely early 20th century prints of “Yuri” couples. I recommend it highly – and suggest you bookmark his blog. He’s an interesting guy, with a unique perspective.

I had to tell you about the awesome (and surprisingly appealing) Cutey Honey whiskey bottles that are now on sale in Japan. I know that most fans are men, and see Honey as just another bimbo with big boobs, but to Yuri fans she’s much more. She’s the oldest and best of the magical transforming heroines. In her long history she has always had a close companion Na-chan, and has never, ever needed the help of a man. Honey for the win.

Not Yuri, but voice actress Kawakami Tomoko, who played Tenjou Utena in Revolutionary Girl Utena, has been hospitalized. Oddly, the news seems to have been picked up by readers of Ikuhara Kunihiko’s website.

And also not Yuri, but very interesting…I recieved a ballot from the “comic book industry’s premier award show,” the Harvey Awards. First time ever. I felt suitably chuffed. Of course I voted. :-)

And to end on an actual Yuri note, among the many other things that happened at Otakon, I spoke with comic artist and game designer Mike Hayes and we have decided to work on a short Yuri game together. Before you get all bouncy and happy, let me tell you that we’re calling it Story A. Consider yourself warned. lol And no, I don’t know when it will be ready or where or anything, so please don’t ask. It’s just in planning right now.

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That wraps it up for this week and probably the next two weeks going forward. By all means send me news items and clips and thoughts, and when I get back, we’ll see about bundling them all together. Until then!





This Week in Yuri – August 16, 2008

August 16th, 2008

Yuri Manga

At Otakon, no one was announcing any exciting licenses, but Media Blasters took some time at their Yuri and Yaoi panel to talk about their upcoming release of Maka-Maka. I spoke with Frank Pannone about it earlier, and he commented that they are reproducing it exactly, with the fold-out poster, the double cover…right down to the metallic inks used. He was very excited about how good it’s going to look and so am I. :-)

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Yuri Anime

mara reports some bad news for UK fans of Kurau Phantom Memory, as ADV has said that they are not going to be releasing the last two DVDs, volumes 5 and 6, to the UK. They suggest picking up the R1 versions instead. It’s another sign of how the anime market is crontracting pretty tightly. Personally, I wonder if they would have done better with Kurau had there not been such a huge time lag between its appearance on Japanese TV (and therefore bittorrents worldwide) and the time it finally came out on DVD about some years later.

I don’t remember ever mentioning this before, but my friend Komatsu-san reminded me recently that Futari ha PreCure (aka Pretty Cure) is being released by Toei as a directly downloadable anime. With much of the same staff as Sailor Moon, there’s a very similar Monster of the Day construction and a similar sense of Yuri subtext in pretty much every season so far. PreCure episodes are available for download at $1.99/ep, so no excuses about not having any money for that. lol

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Snatches of Yuri

I haven’t had a lot of time to scan my Japanese sources for the up and coming, but Jennifer D. wants me to tell you about an older comic called Stray Crayons about two women who hit rock bottom in their lives and find each other. Jennifer warns us that Volume 1 ends in a bad place and no Volume 2 has been printed. I’m just passing that warning on, so you don’t come running back to me screaming. lol

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Other News

Not Yuri, but relavant to our interests. Mari sent me this today and I wanted to pass it along to you, from Time Out magazine this week:

Time Out New York / Issue 672 : Aug 13-19, 2008
Tokyo redux
A new expo brings all things Japan to New York.

By Alyssa Pinsker

A new expo brings all things Japan to New York. By Alyssa Pinsker

Hot on the heels of the Brooklyn Museum’s enormously popular “© MURAKAMI” show and Haruki Murakami’s latest page-turner, Felissimo Design House [10 West 56th] is hosting an 11-week exhibition to celebrate Japan’s rich culture. The event will feature work by more than 70 of the country’s edgiest designers, but don’t show up in full cosplay attire-in other words, leave the Sailor Moon outfit at home.

“The cosplay, Lolita stuff makes me sick to my stomach,” says the normally reserved Haruko Smith, director of the Kobe-based lifestyle-products company, about the kawaii, Harajuku Girls image Westerners have of the Land of the Rising Sun. “Kawaii actually just means ‘nice’ or ‘cool.’” The exposition is named “Japan C,” as in “cool, cute, clever and creative,” and beginning Saturday 16, more than 1,000 everyday items will be on display and for purchase.

Each week will feature a new aspect, beginning with jiba (“tradition”) and then touching on home, fashion, food, stationery, beauty and pop culture in the following weeks. The featured products include skin creams made from fermented rice, collectible cell-phone straps, robots and the doughnut-shaped perfumed humidifiers of Naoto Fukasawa (whose work has inspired Apple’s design team). Other highlights include bubble packaging that emits both “sexy” and “fart” noises when popped; key-chain designers who make little robots from recycled computers; and a $200,000 Swarovski-crystal dress. “Now that Japan’s come more into its own, it can fuse with the West toward more of a synergy,” says Smith.

Other events include a breakfast hosted by Naomi Moriyama, the author of Japanese Women Don’t Get Old or Fat (October 8); a “Sake 101” lecture (October 23); and a scholarly discussion on the concept of kawaii in pop culture (September 29). In addition, there will be family-day events, tours, receptions and screenings, and an auction to benefit the New York Restoration Project. With her penchant for alliteration, Smith adds, “You can touch, try and taste. We should have called it Japan T.”

http://www.felissimo.com/designhouse/

Japan ©

From Murakami to Hello Kitty, sushi to sake bars, and anime to video games, Japan’s influence has become more and more visible in arts, design, food, style, and popular culture. But there is so much more to discover-as Japan C, a groundbreaking showcase of all things Japanese, will prove. Beginning August 16 until November 1, this unprecedented 11-week festival of contemporary Japanese culture will take over the historic Felissimo Design House in midtown Manhattan. Spanning home and fashion accessories to gadgets, food, beauty and pop-culture products, Japan C will be part design exhibition, part bazaar, part trade fair, highlighting over 70 diverse Japanese firms who will be presenting and demonstrating their wares.

The goal is simple: to inspire visitors, including buyers, manufacturers, distributors and the general public, with the latest developments from Japan, while introducing the best of Japan to the American market. Discover the benefits of skin creams made from fermented rice by leading sake makers, or join the Japanese fad for collectible ‘keitai’ cell phone straps. Featuring robots of every shape, size and color, alongside all manner of zakka knickknacks, everything from kawaii anime characters, fine stationery and contemporary furniture to high-tech rice cookers promising the perfect bowl of rice, Japan C will represent all that Japan is today: Cool, Cute, Clever and Creative.

For more information visit www.japan-c.com

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I just loved how cosplay and Goth-Loli makes him “sick to his stomach.” lol

The bottom line is that the huge influx of Japanese art and culture that is filling the corners of New York City continues…..

Oh, and for those of you who like cosplay – today is cosplay day at the mid-town Kinokuniya in NYC. lol

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I’ll see if I can scan some of my Japanese sources and let you know what’s coming up for the next report!





Yuri News This Week – August 2, 2008

August 2nd, 2008

Otakon’s coming up, so there won’t be a report next week, while I spend the weekend doing Otakon things. :-)

Yuri Anime

Eric reports that a movie has been announced for Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha that will be an “parallel history” of Fate and Nanoha’s first meeting. This should appease all the lolicon who felt that the most recent Naonha series, StrikerS, had too many people over the age of ten.

And for Polish and German Yuri fans, Winterbraid sends this piece of good news – El Cazador de la Bruja is out on DVD with dual audio (Japanese or German) and dual subtitle tracks (Polish and German). Winterbraid also reports that the first DVD contains episode 1-5 and two beautiful postcards. So excellent news all around! But, now I’m whining, because I want El Cazador~ waaah~…

And in case you missed it, the Maria-sama ga Miteru Season 1 box sets have shipped. My phone charm is already attached to my phone. :-) I’ll do a review as soon as I have a chance to watch any of the disks.

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Yuri Manga

Eagle-eyed Eric also caught the news that Venus Versus Virus is ending this coming issue of Dengeki Daioh As it happens, I read the penultimate chapter – fans will be happy to note that Lucia and Sumire touched and Sumire said that Lucia is “important” to her. That ought to be enough for scores of fanfic. lol

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Yuri Events

Did I ever mention that Maiden’s Garden will be held this autumn for the third time? This Yuri doujinshi event was organized by (among others) the main artist for the Pen-Pen Gusa Club doujinshi circle, Katase Minami. It’s in the Kyoto, so if you plan on being around this October 13th, check out the Yuricon Events page for more details. (And don’t forget to email me, so I can have you shop for me! LOL)

Otakon is coming up, as I said. Not only will there be a Yuri Panel on Friday, from 1-2PM, I’m told that Media Blasters is holding a separate panel for discussion of their Yuri and Yaoi lines. Don’t miss it!

And just to remind you – we’ll be having a raffle at the Yuricon table in the Dealer’s Room – Table 611. Spend $25 or more and you’ll be entered for a cool manga-style Catwoman figurine!

The New York Anime Festival is around the corner, and this year I’ll be running a Yuri Panel on Saturday, Sept. 27th, from 8-9PM. Check the NYAF website for details.

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Again, a short report. Expect some news from Otakon – I don’t know anything specific, not even a hint, so this isn’t foreshadowing. I just expect that *something* will have to be at least vaguely Yuri-flavored. :-)





Yuri News This Week – July 26, 2008

July 26th, 2008

Short post today – I’m incredibly pressed for time.

Yuri Novels

Ichijinsha has released the first two Yuri Light Novels in their new Girls Love Line. Wild Bouquet looks to be a maid/mistress story and Period is a girls with guns thing that is notably illustrated by Shoujo Sect‘s Kurogane Kenn. Thanks to Kazu-kun for also sending me info on these. There’s previews of these novels in Yuri Hime S (plus an “Otomeiro Stay Tuned” clearfile by Fujieda) and some Yuri Hime Wildrose side stories in Yuri Hime as extras, so if you want to take a look before haring off and buying them, you can.

I do have to say, though, that for series supposedly part of their line for girls, these two novels look *awfully* like they are really for the guys. Unless “girls” novels really meant “novels about girls.” No clue and don’t really care one way or another. I’m just sort of thinking out loud. lol

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Yuri Manga

WORKS by Eriko Tadeno is back in print! Place your orders now at the Yuricon Shop for this fabulous 100% Yuri collection.

Bandai has yet again announced that it has licensed the Lucky Star manga, which is probably good news for Konata x Kagami fans.

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Yuri Event

If you are in the Miami, Florida area and you have some time, run over to Yasumicon and join Katherine on August 2 at 3-5PM for a fabulous Yuri Panel!

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That’s it for this week! As always, feel free to send your news items to me and I’ll do my best to let the world know!