Archive for the Magazines Category


Comic Cune December 2015 (コミックキューン2015年12月号)

March 18th, 2016

Cune1215In previous issues of Comic Cune, we’ve established that this magazine is for that vast swath of fandom that likes impossibly cute girls doing nothing, eating baked goods and hobnobbing with supernatural beings, like giant skeletons, aliens, vampires and the like.

Right.

So, in the December 2015  issue of Comic Cune (コミックキューン2015年12月号) in between baking and eating sweets (at a quick count, in at least 16 of the stories, snacks were eaten, ) there is Yuri.

There are a lot of stories in which embraces and the like are included, but that isn’t the Yuri. The Yuri comes in the form of the folks from Moonphase, Fujieda Miyabi and Minamoto Hisanari. With actual Yuri stories…that include eating baked goods. Because Comic Cune has standards, you know.

Ratings:

Yuri – 5
Baked Goods – 10

Overall – 8

I keep reading this magazine and I keep wondering why.  But then the giant skeleton makes a flan and I think, “Guess I have to get the next issue.”





Yuri Manga: Comic Yuri Hime March 2016 (コミック百合姫2016年3月号)

March 3rd, 2016

I’m kind of liking the mix that fills the March 2016 Issue of Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫2016年3月号). I actively don’t like a few stories, don’t care about a few, like a few and like a few very much. It seems as if Ichijinsha has managed a fair balance.

Of the stories that I like, I’m both amazed and pleased that “Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san” by Kuzushiro continues to be interesting, even as we occasionally glance away from the menagerie towards Aki’s relationships, which are surprisingly fraught.

Shinobu in Katakura Ako’s “Last Waltz” must put off some pheromone that makes her super attractive to the other characters in a way that the art can’t *quite* convey. ^_^

I have to admit I have completely lost the thread of “Shoujo Shikaku” by Kawai Roh and can’t make the romance/drama work at all with the horror story that surrounds it. Also the lead is a total drip. (-_-);

I like Nakahara Tsubaki’s “12-bun no Etude” even if it really isn’t a Yuri story, and really only because of the story in my head, not so much on the page.  But at least the two leads have managed to make it to the friend stage, rather than nice kid being rebuffed by talented asshole stage.

“Kanaete! Yuri Yosei” by Minamoto Hisanari continues to be a delightful little romp in silliness.

Takemiya Jin has a new story “Kimi ga Iru Bassho” about a girl who falls for another girl she sees all the time. They become friends and it turns out that the second girl isn’t the clueless doofus we kind of pegged her for.

“2DK, GPen, Mezamashitokei” by Ohsawa Yayoi takes a side trip into Koyuki’s sad and slightly unrealistic backstory, to give us an inkling of why she is so driven to succeed in manga.

And Aoto Hibiki’s “Prince, Prince” returns from the edge of unreadably awful to just sort of silly and unhealthily obsessed with gender roles, clothes and a messy plot, where it belongs.

As with every other issue, there are many other stories not mentioned in today’s review for reasons ranging from disinterest to revulsion. There’s nothing wrong with that, really. I am interested in approximately 1/3 of the magazine right now, which is way better than some years, when there were two stories I could read.

Ratings:

Overall – 7





Comic Cune November 2015 (コミックキューン2015年11月号)

February 19th, 2016

Cune1115In October of 2015, I discovered a new magazine, Comic Cune. It’s not specifically to my taste being heavy on the moe, but I was pleasantly surprised at the goofy weirdness of the content, which cut the sugariness of the art. Not just hideously blob-faced girls being childishly cute, Cune had hideously blob-faced girls being childishly cute, with a backdrop of vampires, aliens, giant skeletons, and other set-ups that focused on contrast – the (girl) otaku and the girl (non-otaku), maids (of course) and schools and work and home life and stuff. The first issue was oddball enough that I decided to see if it continued being oddball, or fell immediately into saccharine banality.

Well, in the November 2015 issue of Comic Cune (コミックキューン2015年11月号), it sort of does both.

There is basically only one gag possible in “Dokuro-san ga Miter iru” about a giant looming skeleton. But you know – it’s a really good gag and I laughed anyway. ^_^

Yuri this issue is light, with only Hisanari Minamoto’s “Season Theater Theatrical” representing, but many of the series skirt Yuri. Luckily, the December issue has a stronger showing. I’m going to keep reading this magazine until I either get tired of the moe…or the gags. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 8

Yuri – 4





Yuri Manga: Rakuen Le Paradis 19 ( 楽園 Le Paradis 第19号)

February 11th, 2016

51l6xA59LDL._SX344_BO1204203200_-275x397 Rakuen Le Paradis is an unsung hero of amazing manga by amazing manga artists that lean towards a female audience, sort of a Morning for women. I wish more people read it, if only so I’d have a chance to gush over it with someone. ^_^

Volume 19 of Rakuen Le Paradis continues to be a veritable gem store of josei manga. Among these are the glittering ruby red “Collectors” by Nishi Uko,  and a new emerald short from Takemiya Jin.

Ume Aoki’s school story took a turn into a short, sweet Yuri scenario, and Sengoku Hiroko’s series about Hashimoto and the teacher she’s convinced herself she’s in love with slowly treads water.  Kurosaki Rendo makes sex look gross, as usual and Harumi Chihiro’s story “Girl Friend” about two otokoyaku-type girls figuring out liking each other was cute and not nearly as awkward as expected.

As always, many of the other non-Yuri stories were strong,  with entries from Kazuma Kowo, Mizutani Fuuka,Unita Yumi, Kojo Kumeta, Nakamura Asumiko and many other incredibly skilled storytellers. If this magazine is flying under the radar, it’s not the creators’ fault. In the meantime, it is a must-read magazine I get regularly, because this is what manga should be like – awesome stories, told by amazing artists, about great characters, and a big helping of Yuri. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 9

A terrific issue of a terrific magazine.





Yuri Manga: Comic Yuri Hime November 2015 (コミック百合姫 2015年 11 月号)

November 24th, 2015

CYH1115-275x389The November 2015 issue of Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫 2015年 11 月号) is one of those issues where I basically began paying attention about halfway through, as the first half has stories designed to entertain people who are not me.

Kurata Uso’s “Yuri Joshi” now follows the adventures of Yuri fangirls, but I find it as remote a characterization as I did the fanboys in Yuri Danshi. It is of course possible that there are girls who are fans of Yuri speaking to near-magical onee-sama in abstract terms, but it’s still feels like an unreal fandom and not at all like the actual women I encounter who enjoy Yuri. James Welker wrote of Yuri Danshi as a meta-look at Yuri fandom, but I can’t see anything resembling actual Yuri fandom in this series.  Oh well, at least it’s about girls, and not crazy hyperactive fanboys. ^_^;

Ohzawa Yayoi’s “2DK, G Pen, Mezamashitokei” took an interesting turn, away from mangaka Kaede towards hypercompetent, but lonely, Nanami, and her burgeoning friendship/mentorship with coworker Yuuko. Will this force Nanami to admit she likes Kaede or will she find her interest turning to Yuuko? Now I’m intrigued.

Takemiya Jin’s story made me really happy in a melancholy way. “Hatsunatsu Souhi” follows Misaki, who has returned for Obon to the town where her first love lived before she died. Misaki’s an adult now and when she sees a young woman who looks like Yuuko did back then, she’s taken aback. When the girl, Sa-chan, befriends her, Misaki doesn’t have the emotional strength to walk away. They visit the local festival together and, as they watch fireworks, Yuuko’s ghost takes over the girl’s body. “It’s Obon,” she reminds Misaki, the time of year when the dead return to our world for a week. Misaki is able to say good bye to her old love and move on. Sa-chan says she wants to see Misaki again and, as Misaki returns home,  confesses that she’s fallen for her.

“Kanaete! Yuri Yousei” by Minamoto Hisanari continues to be incredibly silly. This chapter the two women already had feelings for each other, and both the Yuri Yousei and the Shirayuri Yousei get hanko stamps on their cards. It’s win-win all around.

“12-pun no Etude’ by Nakahara Tsubaki finally becomes a little Yuri and not where I thought it would. Wakana is finally improving and is allowed to play with the band again. Hatsumi’s famous sister Ai arrives to cheer them all on with her friend Kotone. Hatsumi is unspurprisingly cold to her talented sister who, it turns out, is really hurt by this. Ai and Kotone talk about it later and it turns out that Kotone is not Ai’s friend, but her lover. Okay, I like this way better than Wakana crushing on Hatsumi.

Ratings:

The stuff I enjoy – 8
The stuff I didn’t enjoy – 4 (I’m being kind, some of it got really nasty, in particularly “Prince Princess,” which had been a little service-y, went totally gross.)

Overall – 6

As always, there are many other stories, some of which you will like even if I didn’t care for them. I’m not ecstatic at the higher level of fanservice in this volume. A few stories actually made me feel quite nauseated, even paging past them. But the mix means more people will find something for them to enjoy.