Archive for the Artists Category


Yuri Manga: GIRL FRIENDS, The Complete Collection Volume 1 (English)

February 3rd, 2013

Five years ago, I had the pleasure of reading GIRL FRIENDS by Morinaga Milk for the first time. This cutely drawn story of an introvert girl and her extrovert best friend struck home for me (as it did, I have no doubt, for many readers.)

My reviews for Volume 1 and Volume 2 cover the evolution of the story from a “shoujo manga for men” to a realistic exploration of two young women who are totally different becoming friends…and ultimately finding themselves with much more complex feelings for each other.

Volume 1 of Seven Seas’ GIRL FRIENDS, The Complete Collection, primarily deal with the relationship from Mari’s perspective. A natural introvert, Mari has never had a best friend before. This adds an extra level of complexity – and stress – to her changing feelings and increases her desire to prove to herself that she is “normal.” (Which is *exactly why I and other people are out – to show young people that we are perfectly normal. The more people who are out, the less young people will have to go through that.)

Volume 1 ends at a difficult point and many new readers have expressed concern about the ending. Be patient readers of Yuri, this is a 5-volume manga presented in 2 omnibuses. Volume 1 of this edition ends in the middle of the story. Give the plot time to play out and enjoy the whole thing, crises and all instead of wanting to rush to the end. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 6
Characters – 7
Yuri – 7
Service – 5

Overall – 7

Seven Seas did a very nice job of localization, as usual.  Extra thanks to translator Ana M. (who is also an Okazu superhero!)  for the donation of a set of both volumes of GIRL FRIENDS, the Complete Collection as a prize.

To enter to win this complete set of this delightful Yuri romance by Morinaga Milk, in the comments write a message of encouragement and hope to a young LGBT person who isn’t sure about their self or feelings right now – or even a message to your younger self. Please include your name,  – if you plan on being Anon, please give yourself a nickname so I can let the winner know they’ve won.

If you’ve won a contest recently, please feel free to enter, but you’ll understand if I pick someone else. ^_^

I’ll announce winners when I review Volume 2!

My message – There is nothing wrong with you. Society might have some catching up to do, but you are perfectly fine. Find people you can talk to, a local LBGT-friendly church or group at a university. You are perfectly fine – and you are not alone. We’re all here with you. ^_^





Manga no Tsukurikata Manga, Volume 6 (まんがの作り方)

January 29th, 2013

Do not start with me. I know, I know, this manga is a wasteland. It pretends to be Yuri, so here we are. I try, to the best of my ability, to keep Okazu as comprehensive as possible without violating my own standards of  entertainment (which is why you have not seen a hentai collection review in a long while. They are so boring. Girls have unrealistic, messy sex. Wow. Really, how exciting.)

So, while Manga no Tsukurikata, Volume 6 (まんがの作り方) is not actually indecent by my very relaxed standards, it is no way decent, either. Indifferent manga artist Kawaguchi has been abandoned by Morishita who has a crush on her. Takeda, who has a crush on Morishita and hopes one day to debut herself has moved with her to Tokyo.

But, when Takeda sees Morishita’s editor macking on her, she realizes that her chances of debuting are small and something important happens – Takeda suddenly becomes the only character in the book that has a plot.

Crush, crush, nasty crush…the Yuri landscape painted in Manga no Tsurikata is grim. So grim, it’s a veritable DMZ of emotion. But now, after 6 volumes of watching two talentless hacks inexplicably make it in professional manga without hardly any effort, drive or skill, Takeda, bitter, unappreciated Takeda, stands up and takes this crappy series over as the only 3-dimensional character.

Ratings:

Art – Hirao nails ennui
Character – Practically existentialist
Story – I don’t know, maybe we’ll get one in Volume 7
Yuri – One for each crush (so, 3)
Service – I don’t want to think about it

Overall – Somewhere out there, someone must like this series. I wonder why

I absolutely love how miserable Masato spends the entire volume being drawn as if he is a total babe, surrounded by the three woman on the planet who think he’s as attractive as a slug. Get out kid, it’s your only hope.




Yuri Network News – December 30, 2012

December 30th, 2012

I pushed the news report off a day this week, to make time for all of you to read and disagree with my first two Top Ten lists of 2012! ^_^

Top Ten Yuri Anime of 2012

Top Ten Yuri Manga of 2012

My final list will post tomorrow – please look forward to it!

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Yuri Manga

Just a reminder that Seven Seas has licensed Morinaga Milk’s Kisses, Sighs and Cherry Blossoms Pink, so you can finally find out what happens to Nana and Hitomi. ^_^ The complete volume will be out in June, 2013. I’ve reviewed the Japanese-language volumes here on Okazu (Volume 1 | Volume 2)

I don’t want to forget to mention this, because no one else in the world will. Dark Horse, as you might know, is putting out The CLAMP catalog. They’ve already finished Card Captor Sakura (my reviews: Volume 1 | Volume 2 | Volume 3 | Volume 4) and are now releasing Angelic Layer, a series that had a very brief shelf life back in the 90s, mostly for the anime. There is one actual Yuri couple buried way down in the narrative. Volume 1 of the manga is out now, Volume 2 will be released next spring.

JManga is keeping up the Yuri onslaught with Morishima Akiko’s excellent Yuri primer series Hanjuku Joshi, Volume 1, and namori’s Yuru Yuri Volume 2 (which for all that nothing happens, you should be very thankful for Elina’s translation, as they do nothing but make incredibly stupid old-man puns). JManga’s also released Morita-san ha Muguchi Volume 5, while technically not Yuri, is whenever Yamamoto is on the page. And she’s on the cover this time, so…. (This’ll be the first volume of this series you might have a chance to read before I do! I didn’t get it in Japanese yet, and my JManga points don’t refresh until next week. ^_^)

Later this week, I have a big release announcement for JManga this month, so tune back in. ^_^

Ichijinsha’s Comic Rex Magazine has what Japanese Yuri lists are claiming to be Yuri, SAYURI & LILY (サユリリ 01). The name is certainly loaded for bear, but the art indicates that it is not for me. If you pick it up, let me know how it is!

This item is for Sean – Oshima Towa has created a self-parody of already parodic Jyoshi Kousei manga called Zettai no Waratte ha Ikenai Sagume (絶対に笑ってはいけない咲女).

And don’t forget that Hayate x Blade 17 (はやて×ブレード) is now available!

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Other News

Manga at border crossings causing arrests might seem dystopian enough, but now a teen has been arrested for “doodles” in his school notebook. Authorities claimed the drawings were of weapons, but that absolutely does not matter. It’s a drawing. Not a real weapon, not even a real threat. I used to draw swords and knives in my school notebooks, and even had them dripping with blood, because it was pretty much all I could draw. Swords and shields. And I have yet to stab anyone. So let’s support the CBLDF in their fight against this kind of censorship (and perhaps write the Galloway, NJ school system asking them to step back and look at the situation with perspective.)

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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: Fujiyuu Sekai (不自由セカイ)

December 9th, 2012

No no no no no no no.

That is the bulk of my reaction to Kodama Naoko’s Fujiyuu Sekai (不自由セカイ).

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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 refers to Reo as her slave, emotionally manipulates Reo and forces the other woman to run when she calls, keeping her from completing her coursework or having a life.

Into this tightly wound relationship comes one of Reo’s classmates, Hayase, who Meiko sees as a rival. Reo and Hayase get enough time together for Reo to draw some courage and tell Meiko that she will no longer be at her beck and call. When Reo tries to get in touch with Meiko, she finds that she no longer can.

Up to this point I was okay with the story, then it just went horribly wrong. Instead of Reo moving on, realizing that Hayase was awesome and the two of them getting together, Reo goes running back to Meiko…who tells her she was not answering the phone, because she was trying to be independent. The two of them kiss and live …what? Happily ever after? I doubt it.

Ladies – particularly if you’re younger and have not yet found someone you think might be “the one” – under no circumstances should you follow the lesson of this manga. Do not choose a broken, controlling lover over the empowering one. This is the wrong lesson. You deserve better than that. Don’t be Reo.

Ratings:

Art – 8 (I had high hopes)
Story – Could have been an 8, instead 5
Characters – Hayase – 8, everyone else 5
Yuri – 7
Service – 4

Overall – 5

It really could have been good, but it wasn’t.





Yuri Manga: Renai Joshi File (レンアイ・女子ファイル)

November 20th, 2012

For once, I was in Japan when Yuri Hime Comics were hitting manga store shelves! Woot! To make my small victory even better, the first half of Renai Joshi File (レンアイ・女子ファイル) is quite possibly the best thing Morishima Akiko-sensei has done to date.

In that title story, two women who have been together for 10 years find themselves befriending a high school girl and providing her advice and sympathetic ears as she works through her own first relationship.

The second story follows Saki’s ex from Renai Joshikka (Volume 1 and Volume 2 reviewed here.) Kimi, having lost Saki through neglect, is now second-guessing herself. She hires a private detective who turns out to be very good for her. ^_^

This final section, covers the meeting, subsequent friendship and possibly more between two girls who both want to quit school.

The last two stories fit together well if you approach them as object lessons on not letting life stop you from living. But it’s the first that just made me smile throughout. Young women in love meeting role models with an established relationship? Yes, please!

As usual with Morishima’s work, she peppers her moe art with really sensible advice and perspective about life.  Really great stuff.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9
Character – 8 overall, but Hiiro and Miyako are 10 and Kimi is a mope.
Yuri – 10
Service – 7

Overall – 9

Great stuff, by a great creator and for once, I got it when it came out. That’s darn near a perfect score for an otaku. ^_^