Archive for the Yuri Network News Category


Yuricon News, Okazu News

January 28th, 2006

If you are regular reader, you may notice a few small changes going on around here. This entry is pretty much a “We apologize for the inconvenience while renovating” type post. ;-)

Here’s what’s up on Okazu:

Because I’ve been doing Okazu for over three years now, the monthly archive is, as you can see, huge and not easy to navigate. (Gee, what was Erica talking about in Sept. 2003?). Blogger does not have a real categories function, so I’m using a workaround I found, which is basically to use Blogger search for certain preset keywords. If you look on the right-hand sidebar, you’ll see a new section called “Categories”. I am retroactively retitling all the several hundred posts on Okazu to have one or more of these keywords in the title. It’ll make it a bit easier…I *hope*…to find relevant posts. And it will force me to use more consistent titles.

The Categories are broken down into basic, obvious areas – Yuri Anime, Yuri Manga, Marimite-related, General Yuri news, Yuricon news, etc. Not every post will be keyed in to one of those categories, but most will – eventually. My apologies for any issues you encounter with links and general difficulties until it’s all done. I’m starting with my very oldest posts, and my very newest one and working towards the middle.

I guess the question I have is – should I leave the monthly archive up, too? Does anyone other than me use it? Let me know in the comments section.

Onto Yuricon:

Firstly, the final day to submit a picture to the 2006 Yuriko Fanart Contest is January 31. (I know the rules say the 30th. I’m giving readers and Yuricon Mailing List members an extra day.)

Secondly – we are starting to think about 2007 and a possible event. IF we decide to do an event in 2007, it would be a US version of what we did in Tokyo. That would be a one day event, cosplay welcome (but no cosplay event held) with a focus on video programming, panels and workshops. So keep an eye on autumn 2007 in Newark, NJ!





Yuri News Items!

June 3rd, 2005

Today we’ll cover a bunch of news snippets, because there’s *alot* going on in the world of yuri!

The magazine formerly known as Yuri Shimai is back in a new incarnation, now known as Yuri Hime!

According the website, we can expect all of our favorite authors, art and stories. We cab also expect a manga report of Yuricon in Tokyo. I’m a little worried about that!. LOL

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Rica ‘tte Kanji!? and Yuri Monogatari were both reviewed in the June issue of Curve and Girlfriends magazines. (Curve actually ran separate sidebars on both Yuricon and ALC Publishing.) The verdicts?

“…my new bedside table fave, Rica ‘tte Kanji!?…” – Diane Anderson Marshall, Curve

“Yuri Monogatari 2 is a more titillating collection with some, let’s just say satisying, graphics…” “[Rica ‘tte Kanji!?] is a fun graphic novel about sexual awakening…” – Lauren Dockett, Girlfriends

Overall, very positive comments from a non-manga reading audience. :-)

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Back on February 8th and May 17th and I reviewed a lovely little manga series called Aria. Alert reader Ladios pointed out that an anime of Aria was forthcoming and today I received an email pointing to this Anime News Network release that confirms it:

Animate.tv has confirmed that Kozue Amano’s manga series Aria is to be adapted into an anime. More details are expected to be announced the the August issue of Monthly Comic Blade (on sale June 30th). Mag Garden’s website states (in Japanese) the anime is to be released in July.

So there you go – an Aria anime is coming. Thank you alert readers!

PS – Don’t expect high levels of yuri, but look for Aika’s akogare/crush on Alicia – and see if Alicia and Akari look like lovers in this version, the way they do in the manga. lol

And to finsh off for the news items – if you haven’t been to the Yuricon website recently, you should stop by. We have a new essay up and new anime and manga titles up on the Yuricon Shop. And, until June 14th, get $10 off all orders of $30 of “I Love Yuri” gifts and apparel from Cafepress.
We’ve got new names on “The List” and a new issue of Saiyuu no Ryouko: The Continuing Adventures of Yuriko!

That’s it for today – send more news!





Yuri Notes and News

September 30th, 2004

A few quick notes and snippets of Yuri and shoujoai interest today!

Okazu is now syndicated. You can pick it up on a Newsfeed reader near you! Just click the “syndicated” link above, or on the side bar on the right, or the XML button. If you do not know what XML, RSS, syndication or a newsfeed reader is, please feel free to read this article on What’s the difference between blogs and RSS?. (And a nod of thanks to Tara Calishain of ResearchBuzz, who inspired me to just get it done already.)

Madlax, Maria-sama ga Miteru, Bakaretsu Tenshi, are all finshed for the season. What’s next on the yuri plate? Take a look at this! Kannazuki no Miko is already (according to contributing editor Sean Gaffney) being referred to in some fan circles as “Kannazuki no Lesbian”! I don’t know much about it yet, but let’s just say that every *single* picture I’ve seen for this series has the main characters embracing. It’s GAINAX, it’s Geneon…it’s Kadokawa manga, need I say more? How about mikos (Japanese shrine priestesses) and mecha? I’m withholding any opinion-forming until I see it, but I have high (and low) hopes.

Animaxis and Sony Enterntainment are considering starting a new cable anime channel for US viewers. Why is this important? Because one of the first anime series they would be showing is the gender-bending classic Berusaiyuu no Bara aka, Rose of Versailles. Finally, American audiences will get a chance to meet Lady Oscar Francois de Jarjeye in all her butchy glory. Yay! Something to look forward to for all fans of early shoujoai, girl-prince anime.

Some of the Yuricon Essays and the old polls (2001-2003), along with some other articles of Yuri interest have been translated into Japanese. You can find them at Moonlight Fantasia.

That’s it for this time – another review coming up soon!





Chinese Translation of Yamaji Ebine’s Love My Life

March 14th, 2004

Love My Life News Item!

Here’s a great news item sent in by alert reader Zuan Yi. Apparently there is a Chinese translation of Love My Life. I’m sure there are plenty of yuri fans who read Chinese, but not Japanese, so this is your big chance to snag a copy of this wonderful manga. This faithful Okazu reader even sent us the link to Yesasia.com where it’s available for a very reasonable $8.99 USD.

So, thank you very much, Zuan Yi, for the link! Every little piece of info that helps Yuri fans worldwide is a good thing. ^_^





Yuri/Shoujo ai manga news!

May 11th, 2003

Tokyo Pop has been buying up tons of shoujo manga and, in case you haven’t noticed, has been spitting out decent English-language translations at an amazing rate. Well, along with manga for the younger crowd, and a few Korean and Chinese manhua titles, they’ve made a foray into josei manga, as well. (Josei manga is for a slightly older female audience than shoujo manga. It has more open sexuality than shoujo, as well.)

Well, they’ve picked up some titles from josei publisher FC Gold comics – primarily by mangaka Erika Sakurazawa – including one of her lesbian-themed titles, Between the Sheets. This is not a happy story, but I was surprised to see it at all! Erika Sakurazawa has a better yuri manga, Love Vibes, which has a happy ending, but hasn’t yet been picked up by Tokyo Pop.

This mangaka has been around for a long time, and has easily 40 titles or so to her name. Needless to say, with the semi-explicit sex in the stories, these manga are labeled for a “mature audience” on the Tokyo Pop site. Despite my reservations, I think we ought to congratulate Tokyo Pop for publishing this mangaka’s work. If they don’t want Love Vibes, ALC Publishing will be glad to take it!

And remember, if you’re looking for some high-quality yuri manga at a reasonable price, Yuri Monogatari is on sale now, for 30% off the retail price. The price goes up after Yuricon, so get your order in today!

Rica ‘tte Kanji!?, ALC Publishing’s next project, is 90% complete and should be going to the printers this week. Get ready to read some yuri manga by an openly lesbian mangaka! Rica is funny and touching and you *know* the girl gets the girl. LOL

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And don’t forget to check the Yuricon Events page for shoujoai and yuri anime events near you! The Yuricon team has taken over the Anime North 2003 shoujo anime room…there’ll be plenty of good shoujo, shoujo ai and yuri to be seen!