Archive for the Artists Category


Yuri Manga: Hana to Hina no Houkago, Volume 2 (ハナとヒナは放課後)

September 30th, 2016

hthnh2In Volume 1, we met Hana, a typical high-school girl with an afterschool job at a mascot goods store, against school rules. At the store, she meets and befriends Hinako, another student from her school, who joins her as a part-timer. Hinako is also an amateur model with polished, adult looks, despite her actually being a first-year and Hana’s junior.

In Volume 2 of Hana to Hina ha Houkago (ハナとヒナは放課後), the story follows a well-worn path through familiar territory for Morinaga Milk fans. As the two girls become closer, they – each in their own way – start to develop feelings for the other. And, as they grow closer, the potential for small jealousies and misunderstandings increase.

Hana learns about a former friend of Hina’s, Maiko, who is also a model. Unusually, it is instantly apparent to us that Hinako and Maiko’s relationship was more than friends, even if it’s not at all apparent to Hana. Hina, for her part, is jealous of Hana’s school friends, in a quiet, unintrusive way. They are switched off the same shift for school term exams, which adds to the sense of distance between them.

Hina comes awfully close to kissing Hana one day and is appalled at herself. Hana is starting to think about Hina differently when she actually meets Maiko, who casually tells her to tell Hina that her former girlfriend dropped by. The scales fall (at least partway) from Hana’s eyes.

Now we return to the tried and true as both girls have the same feelings, but neither can bring themselves to mention it to the other.

Hopefully Volume 3 will quickly resolve this and equally hopefully, we’ll get to step beyond that a bit and watch the relationship develop past the “we like each other” stage. At the moment, though, Morinaga-sensei is firmly in her comfort zone of just before-the-confession. While I am glad that Hina has had a previous girlfriend, I have no idea if or how that might affect the narrative going forward. I hope it does have some affect other than being a reason to be jealous. Certainly, Maiko didn’t seem vindictive or anything. So maybe, just maybe, we’ll get to see a conversation about being gay in a Morinaga series. It’s still an outside chance, but she’s been edging closer and closer over time and Futabasha is the same publisher who is putting out Otouto no Otto.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Service – 4
Yuri – 5 for Maiko

Overall – 7 +1 for the existence of a former girlfriend.

I still have fingers crossed. ^_^





Kimi no Tame nara Shineru, Volume 6 (姫のためなら死ねる)

September 22nd, 2016

kntns6-e1463843854978 Reading the 6th volume of Kimi no Tamenara Shineru (姫のためなら死ねる) is like slipping into a comfortable pair of old shoes. You can spread out and relax a bit and not worry about rough patches or sore areas. It’s all been worn pretty smooth and soft. And, at the end of the day, if you’ve done enough walking in them, you might have seen something new.

In Volume 6, Kuzushiro-sensei manages to do any number of interesting things with these well-worn areas. She manages a bathing scene, for instance. Something so tried and true and predictable in any other 4-panel gag comic is a bit of a stretch when that comic is set in a time when bathing was done more like annually than daily. But there we are, we have a bathing scene and a chance to watch Sei Shonagon overheat about Teishi-sama in a whole new way.

And we have a seriously unlikely, alt-historical moment, as Benkan suggests that Shonagon marry Teishi-sama’s other Number 1 Fan, her older brother Korechika. Ultimately it’s Teishi-sama herself who kills this idea. In reality, we actually know very little about Shonagon’s husband (or, possibly husbands) or whether she was divorced or became a nun in her later years…or, anything, really. Frankly we know pretty much fuck all about her, except for what she wrote, so I’m perfectly happy with whatever obscure Heian-period nonsense Kuzushiro-sensei wants to throw at me. ^_^ I have the Internets. I can do the research.

Ratings:

Art – 7 (Am I hallucinating or is it getting better?)
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Yuri – 2
Service – 5

Overall – 8

In other notable news, Shonagon actually gets to say the title line. Finally. But not yet to Teishi-sama.





Yuri Manga: Anoko ni Kiss to Shirayuri wo, Volume 3 (あの娘にキスと白百合を 3)

June 27th, 2016

AknSw3-e1440286973777Back in April, I picked up Anoko ni Kiss to Shirayuri wo, Volume 4, and realized suddenly that I had never gotten Volume 3. Durh! While in Japan, this volume was one of two I made sure I picked up, goshdarnit.

When Anoko ni Kiss to Shirayuri wo, Volume 3 (あの娘にキスと白百合を) begins, we turn our attention briefly back to the initial couple we met in Volume 1, Kurozawa Yurine and Shiramine Ayaka. Finals time always stress Ayaka out, as she is eternally chasing after Yurine, the natural genius who never studies. Ayaka tortures herself studying and studying and, as grades come in, Ayaka becomes more and more depressed. Yurine, the slacker and doofus, has beat her again. Yurine’s affection for Ayaka just becomes galling, until, finally, Ayaka gets a top score. Yurine admits that she’s just really at school and won’t really be sorry about that, but she does genuinely love Ayaka. Ayaka, her ego salved, is ready to accept Yurine’s feelings once again.

From here, we move on to the story of the president and vice president of the  drama club. Yurine (and therefore Ayaka) are dragged into the Gardening Club’s ongoing issues with the Student Council, a member of which appears to be dedicated to destroying the Gardening club. The arc, which does not get a “happy” ending,  much like the main arc in Volume 2, is about love and betrayal and growing up. It was, by far and away, the most adult so far of the arcs and also the most depressing, while still remaining sort of hopeful.

I keep saying this about this series – it appears at first glimpse to be another Marimite clone, but it is definitely it’s own thing. If there is one real criticism of the series, it’s that it’s one of those all-lesbian schools, where there don’t seem to be any straight girls and where nearly every character we meet has to be paired off.  Other than this quibble, we’ve met characters far richer than they first appeared to be.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8 Less cute and sweet before, but more complicated, instead.
Yuri – 8
Service – 1 on principle

Overall – 8

I’m actually finding myself looking forward to the next volume to see what happens (and hoping Ayaka can get past her  – totally valid – resentment of Yurine.)





Yuri Manga: Fujiyuu Sekai Perfect Edition (不自由セカイ 完全版)

June 26th, 2016

In 2012, I read and was traumatized by Kodama Naoko’s Fujiyuu Sekai. It’s one of my most popular reviews, presumably because folks who read scanlations are equally as traumatized and want someone to tell them it’ll be alright.

Well, this hideous monster is back in a new collection, Fujiyuu Sekai Perfect Edition (不自由セカイ 完全版) and things are most definitely not alright.

Reo befriended Meiko back in high school when Meiko was not treated well by her classmates. Popular and attractive, Reo drew Meiko into society. Meiko joined the tennis club in order to be closer to Reo and, as a result, hurt her ankle during practice. One day not long after, Reo offered to walk Meiko home, but she refused because she was getting better. Reo went off and unknown to her, Meiko was attacked and raped.

Now, years later, Meiko is still making Reo pay for it. Meiko is abusive and neglectful, Reo is tortured, and the fact that they get a “happy” ending is only one of the many things wrong with the narrative.

I reluctantly coughed up for the Perfect Edition, hoping that any new chapters would have Meiko abjectly begging for forgiveness or, barring that, Reo walking away and getting a better life. But no. In all my many concerns about the wrongness of all the plot elements in this story, the one resolution Kodama-sensei went with hadn’t even occurred to me.  Because, god, no.  (I’m not saying that it might not work, I’m saying this story needs to die in fire.)

Ratings:

Overall – 3, down 2 points from the original.

In 2012, I said, “It really could have been good, but it wasn’t.” In 2016, I have to admit that this was just a shitty manga that had no chance of being good.





Yuri Manga: Yagate Kimi ni Naru, Volume 2 (やがて君になる)

June 13th, 2016

YKnN2When I stepped into the new flagship Animate store in Ikebukuro in Tokyo last month, I did not expect to find much Yuri. Positioned near “Otome Road,” this particular store tends to cater more to the fujoshi than the otaku. However, the very first thing I passed on the shelves was a special display for the second volume of Nakatani Nio’s Yuri series. When I bought it, it came with a sweet little postcard and a special book cover. If only the romance inside was a clear and simple as the cover made it seem. ^_^;

I summed Volume 1 of  Yagate Kimi ni Naru as a “sweet little Yuri romance that I both enjoyed a lot and also have several real problems with.”

And now that I’ve read Yagate Kimi ni Naru, Volume 2, I feel exactly the same way…with perhaps even more reservations than previously.

In Volume 1, Yuu found herself in the precarious and uncomfortable position of being the object of a crush by a person she admires, but just does not have romantic feelings for. In order to support Touko, she agrees to become a member of the student council.

But now Touko has begun to press harder. Having decided that she loves Yuu, she crosses the line into coercing kisses from Yuu, who is naturally distressed by this. She still admires Touko and really wants to be with her, but just does not feel that way.

Compounding the issue are the other members of the Council. Touko’s childhood friend and Vice President, Sayaka,  is both protective and possessive of Touko. The other first-year appear to think of their personal drama as a form of entertainment.

When Touko and Yuu study at Yuu’s home, Touko gets very embarrassed from overstimulation and Yuu is forced, again, to wonder if there is something wrong with her.

But when it turns out that Touko has been competing with a deceased older sister, it is Yuu that steps up and demands she be herself, rather than someone else. Yuu and Touko (again) agree that the way it is between them right now is good enough and they’ll keep it this way.

Loving someone very hard is not enough in the real world. But in this awkward presumed-romance, we’re supposed to be rooting for Touko, assured that Yuu will see her lack of feelings as just doubting herself. That is all the same as it as in Volume 1, but in Volume 2, we’re supposed to be happy that Touko coerces a kiss from Yuu.  I’m not happy about it all. It makes me view Touko with suspicion.

On the other hand, Yuu is really digging into her lack of response to Touko in an interesting way. At this point she wishes she did feel something. Yuu still has not put a name to her lack of feelings – and her situation is positioned awkwardly. She does have some emotion around Touko – admiration and just a hint of something else, but Yuu doesn’t think it’s romantic love or desire and we have to take her word for that.

I’m still not sure if Yuu is supposed to be confused because she just hasn’t had an “a-ha!” moment or because she’s genuinely asexual. I don’t think the mangaka knows, either and I’m positive Yuu herself has no idea.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Yuri – 6
Service – 1

Overall – 8, still with reservations

I’m going to keep hanging on to this series because I want both Yuu and Touko to grow past this thing they have laying between them, but I’m not sure I want them to be together at the end of this series, despite the cover art. It might be better for them both if they aren’t.