Archive for the Series Category


My-HiME Manga, Volume 5 (English)

June 10th, 2009

My absolute favorite panel of My-HiME Volume 5 is the first page. We see TWO gaudily dressed women, arrogantly posed, smiling condescendingly and clearly labeled “Three Cosmic Beauties.”

Eventually we learn why the third of the three Cosmic Beauties is not present in this panel, and I agree that a label stating “Two of the Three Cosmic Beauties” would not have been as dramatic, but…still. Totally typical of the whole My-HiME experience. ^_^

In case there hasn’t been enough screaming in the previous four volumes, the decibels are upped a few extra notches for this one. Pretty much everything is said in REALLY BIG LETTERS!!! so we know they really mean it. Nagi returns from the dead only to be killed again, which is pretty darn satisfying and, since there’s only one person in the whole world Mai loves more than anything, of course she has to fight that person. Tate gets both girls, sort of, and they beat the bad guy and save the world. Yay us.

Haruka and Yukino have a shiny hero moment which ends with Haruka’s apparent death, but that is of course reversed in a totally Haruka moment at the end of the volume. Second best line of this volume – Shizuru, at Haruka’s reappearance, “Waste of a good funeral.” Youko and Midori get a snuggly moment which pleased me, since they always seemed a more likely pairing to me than Midori and some random old guy.

In conclusion, ShizNat fans should avoid this series like the plague, as should anyone with a shred of dignity. Haruka x Yukino fans will find some sparkly bits hidden among the muck.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 5
Characters – 5
Yuri – 1
Service – 5

Overall – 5

I shout out, well mumble anyway, thanks to Okazu Superhero Bruce McF for sponsoring today’s review!

Oh, best line of the volume? In the author’s note at the very end, Kimura-sensei recalls, “Ken-etsu-sensei kept saying disheartening things like ‘Let’s try not to get cancelled!’ when we rode on the train together.” Says everything you need to know about this series, IMHO. ^_^;





Yuri Manga: Hayate x Blade, Volume 3 (English)

June 2nd, 2009

I told you, didn’t I? I’ve been telling you for years now and you *finally* realize that I haven’t been lying. Hayate x Blade, Volume 3 is…awesome.

In this volume, two major things happen – we start to learn that the characters we thought were all idiots are in, fact, amazingly, stupendously cool. And we also learn that as amazingly, stupendously cool as they are…they are still all idiots. ^_^

You are not alone when you decide that Jun is the most amazingly, stupendously cool character, by the way. As you will see in the next volume. You may also be amused, but not at all surprised, to learn that Jun is voiced on the Drama CDs by Toyoguchi Megumi. Yes, she *is* the Sei of this series – it wasn’t just your imagination.

So, in Volume 3, we realize that Ayana is deeper than just being a grumpy old grump and Hayate has a lot to learn and Jun has a very important person in her life and that person, Yuho, is quite amusingly broken. We also learn that Hitsugi and Shizuku are awesome. We actually learn that *every* volume, so just get used to me saying that, if you aren’t already. ^_^

I can’t speak for anyone other than myself when I say this but, I thought the fight between Jun and Ayana was genius the first time and I love it no less this time. Just wait ’til we get to Volume 4! (Which I just finished editing a few weeks ago. So, it’s a-coming.)

As with the last few volumes, I did in fact copy edit this one, and for the first time I’m actually credited. I have to say that I think Adrienne and Ed are a top-notch team at the translation and adaptation and it’s a genuine pleasure to work on this book – not just because I love the series, but because they do a fabulous job. I feel like the characters all retain their specific voices, no matter what accent or speech patterns they have in the original, without it ever sounding forced. As a person for whom “voice” is critical in writing, this may be the best ever example that a good translator and a good adaptor can really make a tremendous difference.

So, seriously, if you haven’t been sure if you want to get Hayate x Blade, do. Not because I love it, or because I worked on it, but because Volume 3 is pure awesome.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 4
Service – 2

Overall – 9

Tor still does not send me copies of books I work on (can you believe it? When I ask, I’m told they have no extras to send…seriously.) So my heartfelt, sincere gratitude to a new Okazu hero, Jason H for stepping in and sponsoring today’s review! Jason, thank you for being my hero! Drop me an email at anilesbocon at hotmail dot com and I’ll send you a copy of your Okazu Hero badge to proudly display on website or blog!





Yuri News This Week – May 30, 2009

May 30th, 2009

Once again, we are off in a blaze of Yuri!

Yuri Manga

From a conversation on the #lililicious channel on IRC, Erin S is pleased to report two new Yamaji Ebine books, Aoaza Shimi and Ai no Jikan. Be warned however that the second is not Yuri in any way – it’s about a possibly gay girl who falls in love with a definitely gay man after he saves her from being stabbed by a rapist. (It was a really depressing story, I read it for many chapters in Feel Comic.) The first title looks more promising.

Anonymous says that Gunsmith Cats Burst Volume 4 in English is tentatively due out in Autumn 2009 , while Volume 5 is planned for Spring 2010. (Yay!!!!!)

Coming next month from Ichijinsha is Butterfly 69, the collection from Natsuneko. Woot.

And double woot for Hayate x Blade 10 also hitting the shelves next month. The current arc is amazing, btw. :-D

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Yuri Anime

Sean reports back from the Funimation panel at Anime North, where he dutifully asked them about things that I care about. Sadly, they have said that sales for Lyrical Nanoha and Nanoha As have not been very good and so at this time there is no plan for a release of StrikerS. Which makes me wonder, yet again, why the lolicon of Japan are so willing to shell out money and the lolicon of the west so very not. I am not the only person in the industry who is of the opinion that most of the people who screamed bloody murder at the pulling of the Kodomo no Jikan license had no intention of ever buying it. I was discussing why this is with another industry professional at lunch yesterday. I joked that the lolicon here are too busy with their hands down their pants, they didn’t have time to put them in their pockets, but that was only to watch him snort milk. The truth is more complex. The audience in Japan for lolicon is older than it is here, it is less entitled, having not grown up with free downloadable illegal media, but that still isn’t the crux of the issue. In Japan, fans buy to show their love and support for a series and to gain status. They buy official goods and media to be part of the “real fan” club – to show that they are part of the team. In America, fans are mostly just consumers and don’t have any connection with showing loyalty by buying. A hand-made artist’s alley item that clearly is violating IP is *better* than the official item, because it leaves them with more money to buy more and it “supports” fan work – which to western fans is more crucial than supporting companies that make the original.

I can’t answer this, but I wonder if fans here would feel differently if the work was native. If they knew the artists who did the animation, the voices, the production and it was a western company that *made* the work, would they feel more likely to buy official, more expensive goods to support the company? I don’t know. I do know that lolicon here are exactly the demographic least likely to buy anything, media, goods, games, etc – college-ages males.

On to other marginally disappointing news, Funi also says that their agreement with Toei only covers online distribution, so there are no plans for a DVD release of Air Master. However, they said that if online views were really good, it might be considered. So, watch Air Master online. There’s, that’s easy.

Right Stuf announces a Gakuen Alice website launch.

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Yuri Drama CDs

sarcastic weasel wants you to know that the next Maria-sama ga Miteru Drama CD is slated to come out this July. Tears of the Rosary/ Yellow Rose Storm Warning has been added to the Yuricon Shop Drama CD Page along with all the Special CDs and many other great Yuri-themed DCDs.

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Snatches of Yuri

Dan wants to report a blink ‘I think that was Yuri’ moment in Zero no Tsukaima. He says: ‘Main character is Louise, a teenage student witch. A minor character is Agnes who is the captain of the all female guard for the princess. Well, the two are following a possible spy for another country when the spy hears a noise and back tracks. With no where to run, Agnes pulls Louise into a lip to lip kiss. The spy sees them and grins but leaves. Agnes remains all business tracking the spy but Louise blushes. Later, another character mentions that Agnes is scary and likes girls. Louise blushes more. That’s it. Nothing more. During the entire season, Louise is clearly in love with the other main character, Saito. If it had only been the kiss without the later comment, I would not have mentioned it. However, the random, not needed for the plot and not expanded comment about Agnes sounds to me (a huge Fanboy) like an attempt to keep GL fans interested. There is a third season but I would be surprised if the Agnes likes girls idea is explored. The plot would be greatly improved if the Agnes line was explored.”

Back closer to my world, Kanojo ha Megane-HOLIC brings together an agent, a high school, two girls and eyeglasses. It’s Light Novel that I’m tempted to read, just because it sounds absolutely idiotic. lol

Ame no Tou is a classic girl’s shousetsu about four girls and the love, hate and jealousy between them.

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Other Yuri News

In other Yuri News, there still no second season of Strawberry Panic planned and the live-action movie you thought you heard about is still actually Yoshida Akimi’s The Cherry Orchard.

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Which brings me to the end of another Yuri News Report.

I want to thank George for his lovely comment yesterday, about this being a real life version of Manako’s “Yuri Network.” That was quite touching. In reality, you wonderful people are the network – I’m just reporting the pieces. So, please write in with any tidbits of Yuri you would like people to know! It’s my pleasure to tell the world.

Have a great week next week – and here’s to even more fabulous Yuri news!

 





Yuri Drama CD: Ame-iro Kouchakan Kandan ~ Pink Princess

May 29th, 2009

Ame-iro Kouchakan Kandan Drama CD: Pink Princess is the Drama CD that came with the most recent volume of Comic Yuri Hime as a bonus. It’s meant to be a little taste of things to come for the ladies of the Ame-iro Kouchakan and, as a result, I had very reasonable expectations for plot, characters, running time, etc. The CD blew me away on everything but plot. It wasn’t that the plot was bad – it was that there is, in fact, very little plot possible when the entire story is a bunch of people talking about tea. :-)

The Ameiro Kouchakan has been developing a reputation, it seems, and two new customers have wandered in because of mysterious rumors about the place. It turns out that the newcomers are Saotome Manaka-sensei, the author of the St. Lotecia books (first introduced in “Otome-iro Stay Tuned” from Yuri Hime S) and her number one superfan and new editor, Shiko. Mana-chan-sensei wants something to bring excitement and happiness to a girl’s heart, so Sarasa creates a disgusting delicious Strawberry Creme tea that is *exactly* what the author was looking for!

We spend a little time listening to Mana-chan-sensei and Editor Shiko-chan, and it’s not hard to see that Shiko is quite besotted with the youthful author who, in turn, has pegged Sarasa and Seriho as a couple…as soon as they get around to it.

Sarasa asks where Mana-chan-sensei learned of the tea shop and is told in no uncertain terms that Manako’s “Yuri Network” told her it had a great atmosphere. :-)

Everyone parts happily, and the main cast wonders what will happen with Mana and Shiko, which, we are assured will be covered in the full Drama CD that comes with the deluxe version of the first volume of Ame-iro Kouchakan Kandan, “White Engage.”

Oh, hey, did I mention that Mana-chan-sensei is voiced by Tamura Yukari? Oh, yes, she is. Mizuki Nana is Sarasa. Playing 6 degrees of Yuri is always fun with them, because it’s like, 1/10th of a degree. :-) Shiko is voiced by Horie Yui, who voiced Yasuna in Kashimashi ~ Girl Meets Girl.

The nicest thing about this DCD? For a insert in the magazine it had a more than 30 minute run-time. Extra super nice, in my book. … Even if strawberry cream tea sound utterly gagariffic to me. ^_^

Ratings:

Characters – 8
Story – 7
Yuri – 5
Service – 1

Overall – 8

The CD is decorated to look like a lace doily. Too cute. ^_^





Yuri Anime: Maria Watches Over Us, Season 3, Volume 2

May 17th, 2009

I’m taking a risk here in calling Volume 2 of Maria Watches Over Us a “Yuri” anime, I know. Bear with me. (No pun intended.)

Once upon a time, I was at an event. We had a number of imaginary beasts at the event – there was a dragon carried by a half dozen people, and a hobby horse and a rag man. (Not to be confused with the comic hero The Ragman.) Rag men are ambiguous human figures, covered in rags, and, although historically they are some neighbor, the ancient tradition of guising means that once the costume is on, you have no idea who it is. Nor did I, as the costume was passed around to any number of people.

Then I looked across the field and I noticed that the ragman was my wife. I recognized her knees. From a distance. Despite the fact that she, like almost everyone there was wearing jeans, it was an immediate recognition.

And that, in a nutshell, is why I think that Episode 3, “A Cool, Refreshing Breeze” is the *most romantic* episode in the whole of the Maria Watches Over Us series. Because Sachiko did not lie when she said that she would recognize Yumi, even if she were wrapped up in bandages like a mummy.

It also happens to be a very, very funny episode – and extremely well-adapted from the novel. The looks on the girls’ faces as they enter the bizarro boy’s world of Hanadera, the reaction of the guys to the appearance of beautiful rich girls…and the shock as Yumi falls prey to a misguided and misbegotten plan.

Meanwhile, in Episode 4, I am moved not once, but twice, to tears by Yoshino, (who RULES this book, btw) and smile like a loon at Sachiko’s gakuran-wearing self.

Things that happen during the sports festival will be prime movers of later events, but for now, we are in ignorant bliss and able to just enjoy the story as it goes by – another important moment in Yumi’s time with Sachiko.

For my money, these two are probably the best episodes of the series. The funniest, the most touching, the cutest, the most meaningful. The first glimpse of Yumi’s ability to manage Sachiko, the very very first inkling of the Yamayurikai to come.

Rainy Blue happened just so we could see these two episodes. And thank the gods of anime that we did.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 4

Marimite Fan Service – 10000

Overall – 9

Did I mention ***squeee!!!*** Sachiko in a gakuran?