Archive for the Now This Is Only My Opinion Category


What Women Want From Comics

January 2nd, 2011

You may have noticed that Marvel, DC and their various imprints have been expressing confusion for some years as to “what women want” from comics. Call it ingenuous or clueless, I know I am not alone in being confused as to why it is just so freaking *hard* for the men in charge of these companies to figure out what women want. So, I thought I would help them.

I set up a (completely non-scientific) poll and asked woman who read comics to answer the questions. I had no particular agenda, but there will be inevitable bias, as I am human, with thoughts and experiences of my own. I received 424 completed responses.

Here are the questions I asked and the responses I received:

1. When you were young, did you read comic books you bought for yourself? (As opposed to reading your brothers’ comics or getting them from a parent or relative.)


1. Yes 286 67.77%

2. No 136 32.23%

2. What kind of comic books did you buy most (Choose One)?

1. Superhero 249  59.86%

2. Romance 7  1.68%

3. Horror 9  2.16%

4. War 0  0.00%

5. Manga 94  22.60%

6. Other 57  13.70%

3. Thinking about your favorite character from the comic books you read (or *a* favorite character) were they:

1. Female 242  57.89%

2. Male 176  42.11%

4. Still thinking about your favorite character, were they special because of:

1. Something they had (a magical object or talisman) 12 2.86%

2. Something they were (A Princess, a God, an Alien, etc.) 55  13.10%

3. Something they did (fought bad guys, solved mysteries) 147  35.00%

4. Some innate quality (a beloved icon, a charismatic leader, a furious fighter, a persistent snoop, etc.) 206  49.05%

5. Thinking about that favorite character, or any characters you liked the most what description below would best describe them? (Choose all that apply) 

1. Voluptuous 51  1.79%

2. Hard-bodied 97  3.40%

3. Outgoing/Friendly 189  6.63%

4. Tactiturn 72  2.53%

5. Idealized 91  3.19%

6. Realistic 154  5.41%

7. Popular 76  2.67%

8. Loner 161  5.65%

9. Ambitious 162  5.69%

10. Laid-back 83  2.91%

11. Princely 14  0.49%

12. Princessly 35  1.23%

13. Heroic 267  9.37%

14. Damsel in Distress 16  0.56%

15. Chaste 24  0.84%

16. Sensual 98  3.44%

17. Weak 16  0.56%

18. Strong 320 11.23%

19. Driven by Emotion 208  7.30%

20. Driven by Reason 162  5.69%

21. Fighting for Justice 295  10.35%

22. Fighting for Revenge 86  3.02%

23. Fighting to Save Humanity 172  6.04%

6. Thinking about comics you read now, are you likely to seek out the same kinds of characters as you described above? 

1. Very likely 200 47.51%

2. Somewhat Likely 137  32.54%

3. Neither Here nor There 55  13.06%

4. Somewhat Unlikely 21  4.99%

5. Very Unlikely 8  1.90%

I also asked two text questions:

Please describe the ideal character you would have liked to have seen in a comic as a child (to the best of your ability to do so.)

and

Please describe the ideal character that you would like to see in a comic now. 

For the all responses to the text questions – including the excitingly predictably attempts at trolling (you can tell because they contain synonyms for “penis”) – please visit this link. For the full results of the questions above, go here.

I will take the liberty of summarizing the results of this poll, as *I* interpret them.

Dear Marvel and DC – 

Women read comics. Women who read comics have been reading comics since they were children, just like men who read comics.

Women who already read your comics like superheros – male or female – who are strong, independent and who fight for justice.

Women who already read your comics would like to see female superheros with a dark side, and who don’t need to be rescued, but can find their way out of danger *on their own.* 

Women who already read your comics, would like to see more diversity, including more superheros of color, more LGBT characters and more body-type diversity. 

Above all, women who already read your comics, would like to see you figure out that what women want isn’t that complicated.

Sincerely,

Women Who Read And Buy Comics 





Top Ten Yuri Manga of 2010

December 19th, 2010

As always, writing this list is a struggle. Am I telling you the 10 I liked the most? Including lesser titles because I know you can get a copy? Am I merging English and Japanese titles to fill spaces, or separating them so I can include more?

There was a nice pile of manga on my possibles list when all was said and done, so I am going to separate out the English titles, otherwise they’d never appear on the list at all. Which means you’re getting a Top 5 in each language.

Let me remind you, as I always do, that these lists are *in my opinion* and therefore may not be your opinion. You are most welcome to add items you feel were noteworthy in the comments. Without further ado, here are my Top Yuri Manga Lists for 2010

Top Five Yuri Manga in English

10) Jormungand – Right, the Yuri is barely there, but what there is is openly portrayed for the one-sided (but not rejected or mocked) crush it is. Otherwise, it’s a ridiculous story full of guns and chases and people dying – i.e, a good action story.

9) K-ON! – One of the abiding qualities of anime and manga fandom is the insistence on seeing relationships where there are none. Mugi does that for you, so you don’t have to. Oh and by the way, the series is a delightful slice-of-life comic strip with charming characters.

8) Azumanga Daioh Omnibus – Azumanga Daioh was the first 4-koma style story to make it big over here, very likely because the anime hit first. It set the bar for those following it and when Yen put out a new edition, they brought us back to that magical moment when we discovered the Japanese comic strip. For letting us relive that, and reminding us what we’re looking for, the new edition gets #3 on this list.

7) Hayate x Blade – I’m not done talking about this series, even though this may or may not be it for us in English. (I don’t know Seven Seas’ plans any more than you do, so don’t ask.) For getting as far as Hitsugi and Shizuku being awesome in battle (background music and all) and giving us the slightest taste of Sid and Nancy, as well as all the wonderful shinyuu pairs and their Yuri-ish sensibility, Hayate x Blade is forever in my Top Two.

6) Gunsmith Cats Burst – The final moment of this series came with exactly the right note of melancholy, hope, sex and danger. Surrounded by car chases, gun fights, explosions and drugs, Rally Vincent conceded the one thing she could never truly keep to Goldie. And the story bowed out with a recognition of all that we had ever thought was true. In English, in the year 2010, this is my Top Yuri Manga.

***


Top Five Yuri Manga in Japanese

5) Ohana Holo Holo – This story was an unexpected find. It’s not a “Yuri story,” but this tale of an alternative family far surpasses the confines of any category. A past love shapes a current relationship and there’s some sense that that love may not yet be dead. However, that’s not the point of the story. The point is that the family we make is as strong as any family we are born into. This is an excellent manga and I look forward to more.

4) Octave/GIRL FRIENDS/Aoi Hana/Renai Joshika/Sasamekikoto – These series are all, in their own way, creating a revolution. Dramatic, funny, sexy, cute, every one of these books did something special – they looked at love between women not as a fetish, but as a relationship. These books took us step by step through the process of feeling scared, ecstatic, alone, fulfilled, all the many and various ways that we can feel when we find ourselves attracted to another woman. These stories capture everything from first love to old loves rekindled in an refreshingly honest, no-punches-pulled way. This is the revolution we’ve been waiting for. Here it is. Girls loving girls, women loving women, portrayed with honesty and depth by artists who care to tell a story, not just frame a sex scene.

(Yes, yes, this is a cheat, by making this a 5-way tie, but it’s because the stories themselves take back seat to the intent here. I can sleep at night with this, so don’t complain. ^_^)

3) Rakuen Le Paradis – By far and away, my favorite of the quarterly anthologies I’m reading right now. Artists I like, telling stories I like, with a decidedly “talking to the adults in the room” flavor. This is not for the kiddies, and moe fans will be turned right off by most of what’s here. This is the magazine I’ve been waiting for for years. If I could give Yuri Hime one piece of advice, I suggest it use Rakuen as a role-model, so it grows up into a beautiful, poised woman.

I almost fudged this again and went for a tie. But no, I’m going to force myself to make a decision. It could have easily gone the other way. But here we go. My top two series of the year are:

2) Gunjo – There’s just about nothing left I can say about this series that I haven’t already said. Nakamura Ching-sensei is one of my heroes. She tells this remarkable story with her whole heart and soul and every single chapter I am flattened by it. Volume 1 is one of my prize possessions. Brutal, dark, touching, sublime…this series is still the most amazing thing I have ever read and I still have no idea where she’s going with it. Like I said, this easily could have been Number 1 this year. Gunjo is a masterwork.

1) Nobara no Mori no Otome-tachi – The sole reason this series made number 1 is because it led the pack in bringing Yuri back to shoujo manga. Yuri in seinen has never been a surprise, and in shounen has been used as a plot complication for many years, and it’s resurgence in josei has been on the rise for the past few years…the one place it was missing was shoujo. Shoujo Yuri is what got me into the genre and this series, this child of Maria-sama ga Miteru and Strawberry Panic!, has led the genre back full-circle. The series is utterly melodramatic, romantic, creepy, sexy – a perfect Yuri soap opera. Because I’m apparently a sap for Yuri in shoujo manga, Nobara no Mori no Otome-tachi makes my #1 spot for the year.

What was your top ten for 2010? I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments!





Who Will Think of the Children? 誰が子供達のことを考えてくれるのか？

December 13th, 2010

日本語で

This morning, the Tokyo Assembly passed the Healthy Youth Development Ordinance, a set of laws that requires the regulation of drawn materials that show explicit or “unhealthful” (quotes are mine) behaviors. This ordinance includes sex scenes with minors, incest and, while it is not specifically stated, I believe that materials with homosexual content will be targeted as well. Unsurprisingly, the Japanese mangaka are up in arms about it and a few of us in the industry also are not too pleased.

With the caveat that I am not a lawyer or politician, I know nothing about Japanese law and I’m basically making this up as a I go along, here are some thoughts I, speaking as as President of Yuricon and ALC Publishing – and as a writer – have on the topic.  These thoughts are unordered and unfocused, as I struggle to understand the motivations behind this law, the repercussions of it passing and what, if anything, we can do about it.

I don’t think this ordinance is the end of the world, but I do think it will hasten the end of the printed manga industry. Readers all over the world have been waiting for the push that will provide them with online versions of their favorite comics. I believe that this law will be that push. It will force publishing companies to move more explicit work underground – the online world is eminently suited for that. Less questionable materials will follow, because printing on paper costs more than not printing on paper and distribution costs less for digital material.

There is a provision for the industry to self-regulate and, like most obscenity laws, this one may be hard to enforce, except for when someone is running for office and picks some scapegoat to make an example of. (As happened with Christopher Handley, who was sacrificed to a campaign strategy.)

I worry a bit about group shows like Comiket. Like Tokyo Anime Fair, it is held in Tokyo, where the ordinance has been passed. If you were a creator of materials that are regulatable, would you bring them to a public show right now? Consider that the law goes into effect on July 1, but in the half million people at Winter Comiket, there may be people who will be tasked with rounding up the creators next summer. Sure, it could go underground, become “a hydra,” but what does that do for an already tenuous industry? It pushes extreme fetishists under the table to continue doing what they are doing, and leaves all the other creators sort of out there to be harassed. Probable? No. Possible? Yes.

What bothers me most about this is that it is exactly the kind of stunt that people who have stashes of child porn pull instead of actually trying to do anything to make actual children safer. Real child porn is not covered under this act – only drawn stuff. And, based on bill sponsor and Governor of Tokyo Ishihara Shintarou’s recent statements about LGBT people being genetically deficient and pathetic,  I can see that an easy target can be made of LGBT-themed content.  Ishihara has recently made some very controversial comments about women, the LGBT community, foreign influence and “protecting” children. Stepping back from the issue of manga at all, it seems apparent to me that he has begun to wage a war against gays, women and children. This cannot be a good trend.

Ultimately, I believe children need to be protected from *actual* neglect, abuse and violence….not ideas.What this law does do is require me to speak up in support for materials that I personally find offensive, because I believe in freedom of expression. (I wonder how many of the lolicon out there would do the same for me, because I bet not a whole lot would, if LGBT content, especially Boy’s Love – for which the audience is mostly women – were to be targeted. I’d like to be wrong about that.)

Now, if you’re reading about this law, frothing at the mouth, I’d like you to think – when was the last time you wrote your own governing representatives and asked them to support freedoms for everyone? (For instance US folks, the US Senate was discussing repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell – did you call your Senator and let them know that you support repeal?)  Because right now there are a lot of people running your own governments that are pulling stuff like this every day, and if you’re not policing your own back yard, you don’t have the right to comment on your neighbor’s. Freedom of expression and civil rights are issues we all must fight for, not just in regards to manga from Japan.

I am not a proponent of  outrage. It accomplishes nothing. What we need to do is figure out how to protect our (and our children’s) rights to thinking and expressing our/themselves freely. Then do it.

I don’t know what we can do to support the Japanese manga industry other than to buy books. Money goes a long way to helping fix things and it shows your support in a concrete way. If the Japanese manga industry publishes a statement detailing any way we can support them other than that, I will be sure to pass it along.

Here in the US, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was created to support, protect and fight for the rights of comics creators and vendors. If you haven’t yet joined them, now is a good time. And the ACLU – who does indeed fight for the rights of people you may not agree with or care about, to say things that may upset you, was created exactly for that very reason – to defend freedom of expression.

I’m not a really good political leader, I rarely have good rallying cries. But I remember my own childhood – the kinds of things I read, drew and wrote and I can only think that I’m terribly glad my parents did not “protect” me from anything. Censorship does not solve any real problems, it just masks them.

Comments are open, but please avoid teeth-gnashing, froth-spewing tirades against “Them.” I’d love to see creative thoughts on expressions of support for the Japanese manga and anime industry.

***

アメリカ時間の今朝、性的あるいは「不健全な」(括弧は筆者による)行為を含むマンガなどの規制を課する一連の法案の、東京都青少年健全育成条例改正案が、都議会総務委員会で可決されました。この条例による規制には未成年者との性行為、近親相姦が含まれていて、また明確には規定されていないものの、同性愛を描く作品についても同じように対象にされていると、私は考えています。驚くべきことではありませんが、日本のマンガ家さん達はこれについて憤慨しており、業界にいる私達の幾人かも、決して喜ばしいものではないと思っています。

私は弁護士でも政治家でもありませんし、日本の法律についての知識も持ち合わせてはおらず、単に思いついたことを述べていくだけであることを、まず申し上げておきますけれど、YuriconとALC Publishingの代表(そして一人の作家)として、この話題に関していくつか発言しておきたいことがあります。うまく整理も、まとめられてもいませんが、この条例の背後にある意図や、可決されてしまったことへの反響を理解しようと努力し、もし可能なら、私達に何が出来るかを考えてみました。

この条例によって全てが終わってしまうわけではないでしょうけれど、印刷マンガ業界の終わりを早めていくだろうとは思っています。世界中の読者達が、お気に入りの作品がオンライン版で供給されるための後押しをずっと待ち望んでいます。おそらくはこの条例がそのきっかけになるでしょう。出版社達はより性的な作品をアンダーグラウンドへ移行させることを強いられていくでしょうし、ネット世界はそのためにふさわしい場所です。それほど問題視されないだろう作品もそれに続くでしょう。というのも、印刷しない方が当然コストはかかりませんし、デジタル配信の方がその費用も安く済むからです。 業界の自主規制についての条項もありますが、ほとんどの猥褻物に対する法律と同様に、うまく施行されるのは難しいかもしれません。政権の座にある誰かが、見せしめのためのスケープゴートを選び出そうとする時以外は、ですけど(選挙対策の犠牲となった、クリストファー・ハンドレーの身に起きたように)。

コミケのようなグループ展についても不安が少しあります。東京アニメフェアと同じく、条例が可決される東京で開催されるからです。もしあなたが規制されてしまうような内容の作品の作者だったら、いまその作品を、一般に公開されているイベントに持ち込みますか？　新しい条例が施行されるのは来年の7月1日からですけれど、コミケに集まる50万人もの人々の中には、次の夏のコミケに向けてクリエイター達を集めている人達もいるでしょう。確かにそういった作品はアンダーグラウンドに潜り、「決して解決出来ない問題」になっていくかもしれません。けれど、既に傾きつつある業界に対する影響はどうでしょうか。過激なフェティシスト達は影に潜み、同じような作品を作り続ける一方で、他の全てのクリエイター達が苦しまされ続けていくようなことになるのでしょうか。現実にはありえなさそうでも、理屈ではそう考えられます。

私が最も気に入らないは、これが、チャイルドポルノを隠し持っている人達が、現実に存在する子供達をより安全にするための、実際の様々な努力の代わりに行おうとしている、まさに注目を引くためだけの行為に過ぎないことです。現実の子供達によるチャイルドポルノは、この条例では対象にはされておらず、描かれたものだけです。さらに、条例の支持者や、LGBT(レズビアン・ゲイ・バイセクシュアル・トランスジェンダー)の人達は遺伝的に足りなくて可哀相であるという、石原慎太郎東京都知事による最近の発言からすれば、LGBTをテーマにした作品がたやすい標的になってしまうことを想像してしまいます。石原都知事は近年、女性やLGBTコミュニティ、外国からの影響、そして子供達の「保護」についての、かなり議論を呼ぶ発言をしています。マンガについての問題を全く別にしても、彼はゲイや女性、子供達に対する戦いを始めようとしているのが明白なように、私には思えます。これは決して、よい傾向ではありません。

ともあれ私自身、子供達は、「現実の」無関心や虐待・暴力から守られるべきだと信じていますが、頭の中の「考え」からではないと思います。この条例が行おうとしていることによって、私は、私自身が過激だと思うような作品を守るために発言することを求められています。なぜなら、私は表現の自由を信じているからです(世にいるロリコンの方々のどれだけが私のために発言してくれるでしょうか。LGBT作品、特に読者のほとんどが女性であるボーイズラブ作品が標的にされるのなら、そんなに多くではないのだろうと思います。これについては間違っていて欲しいですけど)

口から泡をふいて、この条例についての文章を読んでいるなら、ちょっと考えてみて欲しいのです。あなたが最後に、政府の代表に手紙を書いて、全ての人への自由の支持を訴えたのはいつのことですか？(例えばアメリカの方々、アメリカ上院は”Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”政策の撤回について議論していましたけれど、あなたの州の議員に手紙を出して、撤回を支持していることを伝えたりしましたか？) いまはあなたの政府にいる多くの人達がこのような施策を行おうと常にしています、まずあなたが自分自身の裏庭についてきちんと主張を示していない限り、他人の家の庭について意見する権利はないのです。表現の自由と人権は、日本からやってくるマンガについてだけではなく、私達全てが戦っていかなくてはならない問題なのです。

私は激しく怒ることを支持している者ではありません。それではなにも成し遂げられないからです。私達がすべきことは、自分達自身について自由に思い、表現する私達(そして私達の子供達)の権利を、どうやって守るのか、考えていくことです。そしてそれを実行しましょう。実際にマンガを購入すること以外に、日本のマンガ業界をどう助けられるのか、私にはわかりません。利益があれば色々な物事の助けになりますし、あなた自身の支持を、はっきりとした形で示すことが出来ます。もし日本のマンガ業界が、それ以外にサポート出来る方法について表明してくれるなら、必ずそれを広めていきます。

ここアメリカでは、Comic Book Legal Defense Fundという団体が、コミックの作者や業者達の権利をサポートし、守り、そして戦っていくために設立されました。もしまだ参加していないのなら、良い機会です。それからACLU(アメリカ自由人権協会)－賛成出来ないかもしれないし関心もないかもしれない人々の権利や、あなたを怒らせるかもしれない意見を表明する権利のために戦っています－も、まさに同じ理由、表現の自由を守るために設立されています。

私は優れた政治的リーダーというわけではありませんし、うまいスローガンを思いつけたこともほとんどありません。でも、私は子供の頃を思い出すのです－読んだものや、描き、書いたものなどを。そして私の両親がどんなことからも私を「保護」しなかったことを本当に嬉しいと、ただ思うのです。検閲は現実に存在する問題を解決することは決して出来ません。ただ、隠すだけなのです。

(小松さんによる翻訳)

***
Update: For much more coherent thoughts on the topic, please read Dan Kanemitsu’s blog post.

2nd Update: Brian Ruh on Twitter has pointed out that this Ordinance focuses on companies and their access to distribution, not creators, so at least for the moment, Comiket and other markets are not targeted. Creators of doujinshi already are required to label anything explicit with 18+ warnings, so there is unlikely to be an immediate backlash there. He does note – and I agree – that this law may disproportionately affect shoujo and josei (and I would also add BL) manga. 

3rd Update: Thanks very much to Komatsu-san for the translation into Japanese!

4th Update: The Bill has passed the full assembly. Please read the following commentary for a better understanding of why I believe this Bill will be used to wage war on shoujo, BL and GL materials:

http://dankanemitsu.wordpress.com/2010/12/15/tokyo-assembly-passes-bill-156-anti-anime-and-manga-bill-is-now-law/  – Dan Kanemitsu

http://www.tcj.com/history/26720/  – Roland Kelts

These two gentlemen  are far, far more versed in the Japanese industry than I am.





Great Yuri Manga Gift Guide

November 26th, 2010

Last week, I offered up a number of Yuri(ish) anime gift ideas for you, your best friend, your honey or someone in the family that just gives off those kind of vibes and you’re pretty sure that they are…an otaku.

This week, we take a look at some Yuri(ish) manga that will make great presents for the Yuri fan in your life and convenient links to assist you in purchasing them. ^_^

K-ON!, Vol. 1K-On! – Tops on this year’s list is a 4-koma that is light-hearted fun.If you really love that person, cough up the yen for the Houkago Tea Time II music collection, so they can bop along while reading.

Who this is for: Anyone who likes comic strips, gag comics, moe fans, young women in a band, people who need some motivation to do something with their lives and people who are feeling depressed.

 

 

 

Hayate X Blade Omnibus 1Hayate x Blade Omnibus – I have been writing about this series obsessively since 2004. If you have not yet taken the plunge, holiday wishlists are made for exactly this kind of thing. If you already are a true believer, now’s a great time to convert a friend! There are two Omnibus volumes (V1 is on the left, here’s a link to the second omnibus, which is due out in 2011).  Each omnibus contains three volumes of manga, so it’s like $4/volume value.

Who this is for: Action-comedy fans (y’know, like Jackie Chan or Stephen Chow fans,) fans of physical comedy, fans of women who kick ass and fans of smart writing.

 

Strawberry Panic Omnibus (manga)Strawberry Panic Omnibus – All that stuff above (since 2004, obsessively, get it already…) I wrote about Hayate  holds true for this omnibus too. This is silly in a totally different way and has some sort of romantic bits. It’s got all the bells and whistles one comes to expect from “schoolgirl” Yuri. This omnibus edition is the entire story as it was published in Japan, two volumes of manga and extra chapters that never got collected when the series was stopped.

Who this is for: Romantics, Guys who secretly want to know what it’s like in girls’ schools, but they only want to know the sexy, romantic bits. Perfect for the FanBoy in your life.

 

Jormungand, Vol. 1Jormungand – Hard-edged action and screwball dark humor. A perfect combination. If they made this manga into a live-action movie, Jean Reno would be in it. The stories don’t make sense, but anyone reading this series for the story has badly missed the point. It’s about people killing people with guns. And having a good time doing it.

Who this is for: Anyone you know who doesn’t ever turn off Spike TV and/or can sit and watch any of Steven Segal’s last three movies.

 

 

Silent Mobius: Complete Edition Volume 1Silent Mobius – Old school sci-fi, for the win. Tough ladies with extraordinary powers, living in extraordinary times, doing extraordinary things…and blowing the bad guys away with a collective competence that’s sexy in its own right. This is old school manga in every way – art, story, setting – which means you get adult women, hardcore scifi and fantasy, adult relationships and an actual story.

Who this is for: Fans of old-school manga or scifi, people who are aggressively uninterested in moe. This series is a little longer than most – 12 volumes – so it’s good for someone who wants something meaty that won’t end after a volume or two.

 

Azumanga DaiohAzumanga Daioh– This is pretty much the one that set the standard for 4-koma here in the west. It’s a school life comedy with a teeny little bit of drama allowed to seep into the cracks for stability. The idiot group has been the benchmark for many a slice-of-life story on these shores, but Osaka trumps them all with her non-sequitors of genius, Saki with her really cool coolness, Tomo with her out of control annoyingness, Chiyo with her adorable adorableness, etc. Look, it’s just the best one. Get it. There. The entire story complete in one volume.

Who this is for: People who read the Sunday comics but don’t “get” why you like manga, and anyone who likes to snort liquid out their nose.

 

Gunsmith Cats: Burst, Vol. 1 (v. 1)Gunsmith Cats Burst  – Guns, cars and women are the trifecta that make up all of the Gunsmith Cats properties.  The stories are full of action and firearms, pretty women doing ugly things, good guys, bad guys and screaming car chases in and around Chicago. Drugs, bad woman, bad men, money laundering wrapped in the story of the life of a bad-ass bounty hunter, the youthful Rally Vincent. This 5-volume set won’t set you back a lot, but it packs a  solid punch.

Who this is for: Anyone who likes action, action, action. Gun fanatics, car fanatics, Evil Psycho Lesbian fanatics and people who like movies like The French Connection.

 

Yotsuba&!, Vol. 1Yotsuba – This series is ongoing, but any volume can be read pretty much as a stand alone. These are the daily life/adventures of a four-year old, her laid back Dad, her neighbors, her Dad’s coworkers, random strangers, animals and bugs. Every day brings something new, because Yotsuba’s just that kind of girl. Yuri is realllllllllly thin – just a lot of us think Asagi and Torako are a couple. So no worries giving this to a kid.

Who this is for: Just about anyone. As long as they like slice-of-life with a “wacky” flavoring, there’s just about no one who couldn’t read and enjoy this.  Give it to your non-manga friends to test if they are broken or not. ^_^

 

Sunshine Sketch, Vol. 1 (v. 1)Sunshine Sketch – Another slice-of-life, this time about girls who live at a dorm and attend a school for art. The Yuri’s a little thin here too – mostly by implication and a very little bit of one-sided crushiness.

The story tends to stick with school-year calendar moments, (you know, sports festival, school festival, end of semester, New Year, etc, etc…) and is formulaic, but fun. Don’t read this right on top of Azumanga Daioh or K-ON!, it’ll all start to feel the same. This is ongoing, but since there’s no real content, you can gift just about any volume and it’ll read just like any other. If they like it, there’s more gifts in their future!

Who this is for: Same audience as K-On! or Azumanga Daioh or people who want something light to read that won’t stress them out.

Bonus Japanese Titles:

Gunjo – What can I say about this series that I haven’t already? It’s dark, in a totally nothing-to-do-with-dystopia way. The love here is brutal, unhealthy, full of violence and rage. It’s Tough Love and it isn’t getting any easier. Moments of tenderness punctuate some of the most abusive manga I’ve ever enjoyed. This is emotion at its rawest.

Who this is for: I’m not sure – I guess anyone like me. Or folks who like or  can handle a dark story, a violent story, knowing that it’s written and drawn by someone who is actively driving the story to an end. This could make an interesting gift for a True Crime fan in your life (as long as they read Japanese.)

 

 

Comic Yuri Hime – You read the scanlations, you buy the collected volumes – why not consider getting a subscription to the magazine itself?

There’s a number of options to get a subscription – if you place orders with Amazon.co.jp, BK1 or another vendor regularly, you might want to just go ahead and add this to your orders.

If you live near a biggish city, check to see if there is a Sanseido, Asahiya, Kinokuniya or other Japanese book chain near you. Most of these will either provide subscription services or place serials on special order for you. (I’ve also found that when they are ordering one for me, they also order another copy for the shelves, so you’re making it possible for someone else to get it!)  And there’s always J-List’s subscription service (which still lists Yuri Hime as quarterly, but I’ve told Peter it’s gone bi-monthly. You might want to mention that if you plan on going through them.)

I have been considering opening up a subscription service on my own, but I fear it would be quite expensive for you. One way or another, you’d have to pay the cost of the magazine, the shipping from Japan, the shipping from me to you.  I am not a wholesaler or bookstore, so it would be unlikely to be cheaper than existing options – and could very well run more.  Maybe if I can figure out a way to get them shipped much cheaper. I’ll think about it. (Creative and constructive ideas are welcome.)

Who this is for: People who love Yuri and want to see it prosper!

Last, but not least, please remember that these are my opinions and therefore worth exactly what you paid for them. Daniella Orihuela-Gruber is collecting all of the Great Manga Gift Guide articles together on her blog, or you can follow the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #gmgg. (Feel free to send her your own Great Manga Gift Guides, too and be part of the fun!)

Thanks again to everyone who contributed to this list and to all of you for being Great Yuri Manga Fans!





Great Yuri Anime Gift Guide

November 19th, 2010

It’s one week until it’s *that* time again.

What time is *that* time, you ask? Well, for those of us who believe in the true meaning of the winter holidays – rampant consumerism and rapacious consumption – next week marks the apex of being a member of the society in which we live. Next week we must buy things. Many things. For many people.

And here I am, ready to help you with this, by steering you towards a nice compact list of Yuri-flavored goodies in time for Black Friday and it’s creepy kid brother Cyber Monday.

A Manga Gift Guide is forthcoming. But first – Anime for all you good Yuri girls and boys. If these are not yet on your list for Santa, add them posthaste, or he might not have time to get them on the next reindeer express truck.

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Canaan – For the action fan or the Type-Moon fan in your life, a Hong-Kong action flick-style anime set in Shanghai with great visuals, a plot that mostly hangs together, some great girl-on-girl fight action and some Yuri. There’s a Blu-Ray version, too, which actually would be worth it for something as visually rich as this.

Taisho Baseball Girls – Sports fans rejoice! One of the few sports anime to make it over and not be utterly stupid. This series is just about the most feminist series I’ve ever seen, and it has all the guts and glory, the blood, sweat and tears of any other sports story. I would love nothing better than to have this anime do ridiculously well in sales.

Blue Drop – If you somehow managed to miss this last holiday season, don’t miss it this time. This is schoolgirl romance with a sci-fi twist. Based on a manga of the same name, this anime is infinitely more interesting in about 70 ways. And it has lesbian aliens. How can you not want that?

Maria-sama ga Miteru/Maria Watches Over Us, Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, Season 4 – Even as I typed the name of this series out I commented to the wife, “I *still* can’t believe that all of this was licensed.” It’s an amazing quirk of fate and smart marketing. I will forever love RightStuf just because of this series (but will love them all over again when they re-release Utena.)

If for some reason you haven’t gotten these, please consider adding them to your holiday wishlist. Not because they are romantic (which they are) or Yuri (which they are not.) Not because anything happens (it doesn’t.) But because Yumi, Sachiko and the members of the Yamayurkai are perhaps the best-written characters I have encountered in my adult life. They are my friends, won’t you be friends with them too? ;-)

Strawberry Panic – How about less than $2/episode. How about so chock-full of Yuri memes and tropes you’re guaranteed to miss a bunch. How about a happy ending where the girl gets the girl? And how about the other girl gets the other girl too? Just get yourself this litebox and get all the girls at Miator, Spica and Lu Lim for yourself.

Ikkitousen DD – Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 – Yeah, I know, a season boxset woulda been good for the holidays but I think it’s not coming out ’til 2011. In the meantime, you can still have this series’ closest attempt to sticking with the actual Romance of the Three Kingdoms and still get all the breast- and panty-shots you need. And Kanu and Ryuubi sittin’ in a tree…

El Cazador – Volume 1, Volume 2 – Girls with Guns On the Run. Need I say more? I do? Well then, Girls With Guns On the Run from Witches and Psychotic Killers and Transvestites and Faceless Mooks and Evil Scientists. This is another one that, if somehow it isn’t in your collection yet it *really* ought to be and it makes a great gift for friends who aren’t really Yuri fans but want to see a whimsical action series.

Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne – Not for the faint of heart, but if you have a friend or family member who likes it a little hardcore and slightly psychotic, then you and they can have a party watching this together. There’s a Blu-Ray for this, too.

Bonus Suggestions: Japanese DVDs

Kakera: Piece of Our Lives – I know I mentioned this, but have you bought it yet? No? Well why not? This is a live-action movie based on the manga Love Vibes by Erica Sakurazawa.  It won’t be out for Cyber Monday, but you could still get it for Christmas!

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Movie the 1st BD – Right, I know, Japanese DVDs cost a fricking fortune and then they are raw and you can’t understand them, so why bother? Well HAH! I say, because this year the fine folks who created Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Movie the 1st thought it out and decided that if you buy the Blu-Ray then they’ll go ahead and add in English subtitles for you. You know you’d get this in Blu-Ray anyway, go ahead and admit it. If you get the deluxe edition you get an extra pamphlet and stuff. Go ahead and get it – you’re worth it.

So there’s my gift ideas on the Anime side of the aisle. Next week I’ll put together a Manga version of same, and these, like last year, will be part of the Great Manga Gift Guide being posted across the blogosphere. This link will lead you to the home post for that (this year hosted by the lovely and gracious Daniella Orihuela-Gruber of All About Manga) and you can check out all the gift suggestions by manga bloggers of multiple interests and foci.) If you have any other must-gets Yuri anime for the list, feel free to plop them in the comments and I’ll add links up here at the head of the class for the A-listers.