Archive for the Series Category


Yuri Network News – October 16, 2010

October 16th, 2010

Yuri Manga

From YNN Correspondent Komatsu-san, French Yuri imprint Taifu Comics plans to release Morinaga Milk’s GIRL FRIENDS in 2011 (in French, obviously). France continues to be a very girl-friendly space for manga. The final volume of GIRL FRIENDS hits Japanese store shelves in November…just after I leave the country….

Fans of questions never answered and running around and angsting alot are sure to want to pick up the first volume of Zettai Shoujo Astoria by the artist that did First Love Sisters, Shinonome Mizuo.

FINALLY, the first volume of Nobara no Mori no Otome-tachi will be out in early November – unlike everything else I want, which comes out after I leave Japan. I really think you ought to buy this one and read it. Really. Just do it.

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Maria-sama ga Miteru News

YNN Correspondent Soul Assassin was kind enough to point us towards this Cobalt Shueisha special with photos from the filming of the Maria-sama ga Miteru movie. It made me all kvell-y and happy. ^_^

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Other News

A new Hayate x Blade Drama CD – the first since the shift to Ultra Jump – is listed on Amazon. It’s cleverly titled, Hayate x Blade Ultra Drama CD! Ichiban Hoshi! Zekkyoutsumeawase!.

Not Yuri, but classic sistercest, here’s a a Graphic Novel of Christina Rosetti’s juicy poem Goblin Market.

Also not quite Yuri, but very Yuri-friendly, I took a long, lingering look at women’s manga magazine Feel Young at Mangacast.

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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 News: Strawberry Panic Light Novel Omnibus

October 7th, 2010

Press release from our friends at Seven Seas:

Strawberry Panic: The Complete Novel Collection
Story by Sakurako Kimino
Illustrations by Namuchi Takumi

This omnibus collection contains all three novels from the hit Yuri series Strawberry Panic at one low price. Included in this edition is the third and final Strawberry Panic novel, which has never before been published in North America.

For new transfer student Aoi Nagisa, St. Miator Girls’ Academy offers her the chance at a fresh start and a way to redefine herself. But these noble intentions go out the window when she catches her first glimpse of honor student Hanazono Shizuma, whose porcelain white skin and goddess-like beauty leave Nagisa speechless. It’s puppy love at first sight, but naive Nagisa is unaware that Shizuma is a serial heartbreaker who has set her sights on Nagisa herself. Will Nagisa end up as another notch on Shizuma’s belt, or does fate have other plans in store for the new couple?

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Finally! You too will be able to revel in the not one, but *two* unlikely helicopters in the third Strawberry Panic Light Novel.

The info they sent me didn’t have a release date, but man that would make a great holiday gift idea. “Here’s a book full of lesbian crack. Enjoy.”

Updated: Release is scheduled for June 2011, thanks everyone who wrote in!





K-ON! Manga, Volume 3

October 6th, 2010

In K-ON! Volume 3 we are treated to sweet service filling layered in between crisp slices of life, for a delectable millefeuille that is gentle to the palette and relaxing to the mind. Serve with a cup of tea for a refreshing afternoon treat.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – Same 8 as before
Characters – 10
Yuri – 0
Service – 4

Overall – 8

Believe it or not, this review took me an hour to write.





Zettai Shoujo Seiiki Amnesium Manga, Volume 2

September 20th, 2010

Where does one even begin with the mess that is Zettai Shoujo Seiiki Amnesium (絶対少女聖域アムネシアン) Manga, Volume 2?

In my review of Volume 1, I pointed out all the major issues – the constant battering of sexualized violence that hides a really thin plot of nothing much; there is a hidden power that the “Kuyou” are seeking, and to get it, they must cause chaos and death and rip the clothes off girls, etc, etc…

The second volume includes peeping, fake ‘practice’ sexual intercourse (a scene so ill-conceived that I’m comfortable saying that either Kaishuku collectively has never had sexual relations with a woman, or that they expect their readers not to have had them, so they won’t know any better.)

A subplot includes the total destruction of Akihabara by fans possessed by an idol, something surely meant to be ironic, but instead was just the manga version of “full of loud explosions.” The end of the book had more irony, as we are left with the most obvious cliffhanger in the known universe. (Ironic in the sense of it being presented as a mystery at all, when we all knew from, like, the second page, that this was what was up.)

But, rest assured that skirts and shirts were ripped and breasts and underwear were shown and critical plot points were skipped so we could focus on these. On the other hand, since there is a case for this story being a continuation of the Himeko/Chikane story from the Kannizuki no Miko manga,  and for proving me right about them not having a happy ending, I suppose I’m glad in a “not that I care” kind of way. ^_^

Ratings:

Service –

Overall – 1

I counted while I was reading. Sighs won, followed by “UGH.” In third place was “Good god.” Also common was, “for pity’s sake” and “what a piece of /expletive deleted/.” To be very honest, this book and everything it represents makes me tired. Tired of swimming uphill against a river of effluvia like this. This is not Yuri. It’s sewage. Okazu Superhero Dan P is to “thank” for sponsoring today’s review. Let me know what you think when the books arrive, Dan!





K-ON! Manga, Volume 2

September 15th, 2010

In Volume 2 of the K-ON! manga, the light music club drinks tea, they eat food, they go to a guitar store, they go on a summer “band camp.” They swim. They chat and joke around. They slack and sometimes, on special days, they work really hard.

They get a new member! Asuza is glomped and made to wear cat ears, but only because she’s cute as a button. Now that they have a new member, sometimes they even remember to practice.

You know what the Yuriest thing about 5 girls hanging out and doing stuff is?

Nothing.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – There is none, but I’m still giving it an 8
Characters – 10, this is a completely character driven series
Yuri – 0
Service – 4

Overall – 8

Read this article on the end of K-ON! anime at Japanator. That’s pretty much my definition of the word “otaku.”