Archive for the Magazines Category


Yuri Manga: Obentou to Kase-san (おべんとうと加瀬さん)

September 23rd, 2014

bentouIn Asagao to Kase-san (あさがおと加瀬さん), we met Yamada, a pleasant, average and friendly young lady who is very dedicated to the school’s Environmental Committee. She finds herself interested in the track star of the school, Kase. And, almost unbelievably, Kase returns her feelings.

Volume 1 is a slow, gentle story, as the two of them start going out, growing closer as they struggle with just exactly what “going out” means.

In Volume 2, Obentou to Kase-san (おべんとうと加瀬さん), they gently, cutely and realistically figure out who they are and what they mean to each other. Yamada has the higher hurdles, as Kase-san is super popular and Yamada doesn’t have the confidence to stand by her side. But Kase’s feelings are sincere and together they work it all out.

The drama here is small, the resolutions are equally as small, and I find myself wanting desperately to hug both of them and invite them over for tea, so they can see that sometimes we do get a happily after, after all. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8 It grew on me
Story – 8
Character – 8
Yuri – 8
Service – 2

Overall – 8

As “first love” stories go, this is definitely one of my favorites. It’s a strong candidate for this year’s Top Ten. I hope we’ll see more of Takashima Hiromi’s art in the future.





Yuri Manga: Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari, Volume 14 (ピュア百合アンソロジー ひらり)

September 8th, 2014

pyah14It was a complete surprise to me that Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari, Volume 14 was the final issue. Reading this volume, I had the distinct feeling that it came as a surprise to the artists, too.

And it’s a shame, as this volume, the last we’ll ever get, may well have been the overall strongest volume they ever had. But, with the example of Tsubomi already establishing that the Yuri audience, while demanding, is just not really all that big and self-supporting and not willing to support an online commercial venture, I guess Hirari just had nowhere to go.

Especially excellent was Amakure Gido’s opening story, “Watashi Baka”, about a post-high school meeting, and pretty much the entire first half of the volume (with one notable exception of Kurogane Kenn’s really creepy no-context sex scene story) were lovely.

I will look forward to the final wrap-up volumes of a few of these series, and hope that someone develops a valid online alternative for Yuri, as paper is just too damn expensive to be supported by this small audience.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

I admit to being concerned at the contraction of the Yuri market. A number of pro Yuri artists are having their gigs pulled out from under them and are returning to doujinshi. I desperately hope new opportunities open up for them soon, but I’m realistic enough to know my hopes aren’t meaningful in any real sense.





Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime Wildrose, Volume 8 (百合姫 Wildrose)

September 4th, 2014

YWH8The one thing that can incontrovertibly be said about the Yuri Hime Wildrose anthology series is that they embody my definition of Yuri as “lesbian content without lesbian identity.” They are filled to the brim with “plot, what plot?” type stories that are constructed with minimal character development and maximum sexual activity. These volumes are Yuri porn and not much more.

What is sort of vaguely interesting about them, has been the contributors included in the collections. Some, like Saburota (Citrus) would be surprising to not see included. Others, like Amano Shuninta, (Phlosophia) ae a welcome sight. And non-Comic Yuri Hime contributor, Nanzaki Iku (Queen’s Blade), returns once again.

I had no particular expectations about Yuri Hime Wildrose, Volume 8 (百合姫 Wildrose) Of the various stories, I found the two most notable to be by relative “newcomer” Kuzushiro, who provides a multi-part series that opens the book. The story itself isn’t notable, but seeing a Kuzushiro story that had an actual sex scene was. I would like to commend him for having some sense of what sex between two women might be like, and the delicacy with which he portrays it. Not once did I want to cringe.

Ohzawa Yayoi’s story was also reasonable and about young adults, which is always a pleasure. Amano Shuninta pulled out the stops on her story, “Milky” for full-sexy time hijinks.

I actually enjoy Chisako’s work in Comic Yuri Hime, but her story,  which obsesses about underwear, did not push any of my buttons in a positive way.

I genuinely enjoyed “Singin’ in the Rain”, Nanzaki Iku’s contribution. She’s left her Shizuku/Natsuki clones behind and is given a little time to actually develop her characters here, which she does, deftly. It was good to see her work again, it’s been too long.

Art in this volume  is better than usual with a YHW. Even Kuzushiro puts his best foot forward.

I can never say I love the Yuri Hime Wildrose series, but I didn’t hate this volume either. The couples are mostly in mutual affection with one another, the sex is not icky making, and the artists seem to be having fun – and let me tell you how important that is.

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Ratings:

Variable, of course

Overall – 8

For once I think I’m actually keeping a volume of Yuri Hime Wildrose.





Yuri Manga: Game

August 29th, 2014

gametjI’ve been saving this review for a really good day. The weather today is perfect. We took a long walk, enjoyed fresh vegetables from local farms for our meals and it seemed awfully like today was pretty perfect. And so, it seems the right time to review game by Takemiya Jin-sensei, a lovely collection of her stories from Comic Yuri Hime. (Also available on Kindle in Japan.)

In the first half of this volume, we return to Mayu and Saki’s school from Omoi no Kakera. (Saki even makes a brief, uncredited cameo.) Moriko is facinated by the foreign student in class, Becky. Becky’s smart, attractive…she’s shiny. And when she really gets a good long look at Moriko, she sees a strong resemblance to a character she really likes in a series of h-games. Becky adapts some pretty underhanded tactics, moves past Moriko’s boundaries and seduces her.

But Moriko can’t shake the idea that it’s not Moriko, Becky sees, but Mako-nyan. Making things worse, Becky seems awfully close – and similar to- Moriko’s gay older sister. Moriko feels like any sincere relationship isn’t possible with Becky not being truthful about her real interest. As Moriko realizes that she herself is interested in Becky, it all becomes intolerable.

Thankfully, some honest discussion solves matters and the two end up as a happy otaku couple. This story plays with the idea of fandom, using doujinshi games, novels, manga and cosplay as tools in Becky’s seduction of Moriko, as well as insight to her/our inner lives. There’s a bit of service of very fannish variety. More implication of things happening than actual explicit scenes.

The second half of the volume ties up Satomi and Nana’s story. Satomi, you may remember, came to understand herself in the “Mekakushi no Koi” story arc in steps. We originally met Nana back in Kila Kila, when she had a crush on her best friend Youko’s sister, Tsukiko.  Now, finally, circumstances forces  Nana to be honest about her feelings for Satomi and to see that Satomi has always been honest with her. I very much like how Satomi, who was reserved and frightened when we fist met her, has really become completely comfortable with herself and is now a bit of a tease. ^_^

It’s a wonderful wrap up to stories set in this increasingly populated world that Takemiya-sensei has created for us!

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 10
Yuri – 9 / Lesbian – 9
Service  –  6

Overall – 10

I’m always insanely happy to read and review another collection from one of my favorite authors. This was a perfect way to end a perfect day. ^_^

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Yuri Manga: Rakuen Le Paradis, Volume 15 (楽園 Le Paradis)

August 24th, 2014

RLP15By Volume 15, Rakuen Le Paradis has settled into a routine. Thankfully, it’s a routine I’m really comfortable with. ^_^ The stories are a mix of genres with a hard edge of WTF, which I approve of, even if I don’t always enjoy it. And I frequently do. I’m still reading and enjoying wholly straight romance by Mizutani Fuuka (“14-sai no Koi”) and Kazuma Kowo (“Darling”). There are a number of series I read, but have no idea if I like, honestly, like everything by Nakamura Asumiko and Ninomiya Hikaru. And there’s Yuri, some of which I love.

Topping the “I love this” is Takemiya Jin’s “Omoi no Kakera,” which comes to a completion, at last. It’s a pretty gentle landing for a series that started rambunctiously. Mika is happy, Saki and Mayu have a chance to be happy and I’m hoping we’ll get more from her. Her name isn’t on the roster for Volume 16.  :-(

Nishi UKO’s “Collectors” was actually laugh out loud funny this time, as Shinobu sparks a meme of a sort, and  “demande” was a paean to sweets, work and a happy life.

Kurosaki Rendou is getting soft. This volume had a Yuri story not filled with manipulation or BDSM. Kinda creeped me out, to be honest. ^_^; I kept waiting for the boot to drop.

A little surprisingly, Sengoku Hiroko’s Yuri one-shot is now a short series. The teacher and the student have it out between them. The student asks the teacher to teach her about love. The teacher responds with an important first lesson about consent.

Not Yuri, but loads of fun was Unita Yumi’s (creator of Usagi Drop) story “Nemuri-hime” about a middle school girl dragged into godhead by a wandering kami. It was just delightful. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 8

Rakuen Le Paradis remains my favorite magazine with it’s eclectic collection of stories, art and perspective.