Archive for the Series Category


Aria Anime, Volume 2 (English)

December 12th, 2008

You know *that* moment? That one second when you’re watching an anime and something makes you grin lopsidedly and nod to no one in particular, saying sagely to yourself, “I knew it.”

Volume 2 of Aria has one of those moments. ^_^

The days pass gently in Neo-Venezia, full of stories of challenges and friendship and of course, backed by beautiful scenery.

In Volume 2, we’ve been introduced to all of the journeyman Undine, and we’re getting to know their mentors a little better. Five seconds of Akira’s no-nonsense, in-your-face competence and your gaydar is through the roof. You know it. She’s “one of us.” ^_^

And then there’s *that* moment. Akira, having been described as being popular with female customers, blatantly turns her overwhelming otokoyaku charm on a client, subtlely making her husband appear a clod, and yet, being nothing but attentive. Akira, according to the book that accompanies this box set, “is one of the few Undines that can always provide a superior level of service to her clients.” Especially, we think, wearing a lopsided grin, her female clients. The story is about tough love and living in the now. And about how gosh-darn sexy Akira is when she’s angry.

Aside from that, this volume provides an unusual opportunity to wallow in the company of the Three Faries of the Water and even hear Athena sing – all very, very good reasons to watch this anime. But the number one reason is to watch any of Aria is the beautiful scenery, both architectural and human. This, more than just about any other series I have ever seen, is all about bishoujo appeal.

And, at least for this one female client, the best of the Three Fairies is the Crimson Rose. I would totally agree that she provides superior service. lol

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 7
Yuri – 3
Service – 1

Overall – 8

Once again, thanks to Okazu superhero Dan P for sponsoring today’s review! (And, btw, if you are considering sponsoring a review, by buying something off the Yuri Wishlist, consider getting a “used” copy – especially of the older, and more obscure items. And thanks!)





This Week in Yuri – December 6, 2008

December 6th, 2008

Yuri Live-Action

Let’s start off with something a little different today. Takarazuka has announced that they will be doing a Phoenix Wright show in February through March. The Takarazuka website has a peek at the poster for the show. This performance is Cosmos troupe, for those of you who follow TK. :-)

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Yuri Anime

Right Stuf has announced that they have updated the Maria Watches Over Us website, with new trailers and spiffy downloads for fans of the series. There’s also official character profiles now for Touko and Noriko.

Meanwhile, on the Japanese-language Marimite website, Gokigenyou.com, you can see the character design for Shouko – a character I cannot *wait* for you all to meet.

Also, because this ought to be a challenge….The Rose Mansion is coming to life again in Second Life, on 12/12 and 12/19 at 11PM Japan time. News about the events can be found here – in Japanese, of course. I’m going to try and make one of the events. I don’t know if it will work, and I’ll probably be hopelessly lost, but…

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Yuri Drama CD

I’d completely forgotten to mention that there are BLUE DROP drama CDs – Volume 1 and Volume 2 – that were put out this year. They both seem to deal with the story from the first volume of manga (not the anime) and are further delineated into “Lover’s Side” and “Traitor’s Side.” Intruiging, huh? I’ll add these to the “to-get” lists and report back when I’ve had a chance to give them a listen. :-)

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Yuri Manga

The newest 100% Yuri anthology from ALC Publishing, Yuri Monogatari 6 is up for a limited time/limited audience pre-preorder special. Members of the Yuricon Mailing List and J.D. Glass’s newsletter were treated to a special discount and extra gift order. Expect a more open pre-order period after the holidays. And I’ll do a sneek peak then, too. It’s going to be a fabulous anthology!

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No “Snatches” today. It’s been a long week. I’ll try and play catch up next week with a list of obscure stuff you don’t care about. lol





This Week in Yuri – November 29, 2008

November 29th, 2008

This week is a veritable cornucopia of Yuri news!

Yuri Live-Action

There’s little more than a promotional image and a bundle of hope, but AIC has announced that a live-action Bugglegum Crisis is not entirely fantasy. Will we finally get the totally dyke-y Priss we want and deserve? Probably not. lol But we can hope, can’t we?

Fans of Yuricest will want to keep an eye out for Brulee, a movie that stars twin sisters, playing twin sisters that are separated and, upon reunion, fall in love with one another. Expect dry, unromantic Japanese kiss scenes. :-)

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Yuri Anime

With the US release of the second season of Maria Watches Over Us just around the corner, and the fourth season of Maria-sama ga Miteru coming this January, we’re all aquiver for Marimite news around here. And boy do we have it! To celebrate the fourth season, a New Year’s Eve event has been announced in Japan. Not only will it feature sneak peeks at the fourth season – it will also feature a 3-dimensional “story so far.” LOL How’s that for an exciting use of CG, huh? Long lingering shots of the 3-D Rose Mansion, the table in the council room, Catholic schoolgirls standing around talking…. (I’m guessing that it’s based on designs created for the Bara no Yakata in Second Life and expanded from there.) I’m sure it will be cool, if a little weird.

And exciting news for the three or so of you who enjoyed it, Project ICE is being made into a movie for the theaters. Two streaming trailers are available online now.

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Snatches of Yuri

It’s almost December, and therefore the publishers of Yuri Hime, Ichijinsha, are gearing up for their winter releases. The 18th of the month will see the next Yuri Hime S magazine, and several collections from same.

Keep your eyes open for links to order the first collected volumes of Flower Flower, Honey Crush and Cassiopeia Dolce. Also Otome Kikan Gretel which will be the only one I’m planning on getting for myself.

Also coming out this month (pun intended, yes) is the second and final volume of Strawberry Shake Sweet. And a second volume of the light novel Wild Bouquet, this one subtitled “The Flower Whose Name Means Desire.” Sounds spicy, but I’m not holding my breath. (Review of the first volume of Wild Bouquet to come soon, btw.)

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Yuri Games

No specifically Yuri, but the game Fable II for the Xbox is being given same-sex options on partnering, with dialogue that is supposed to be more representative of those relationships. Since one of the creators is gay, the dialogue will at least be more representative of a gay male relationship. The only lesbian option mentioned in the article I read was a cross-dressing pregnant lesbian, which didn’t really make me sit up and go “yay” or anything. lol (The wife says “God, you’re never satisfied, are you?” lol)

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One last thing – this a personal request. If you are considering purchasing *anything* from Amazon or Amazon Japan this holiday season, please consider doing so through the Yuricon Shop. Just click through any item at all and then go ahead and shop as usual. It won’t cost you anything extra and it will give me referrer fees that are, at the moment, much needed. Many thanks in advance.

And that wraps it up for now – happy Yuri hunting until next week!





Yuri Anime: Shoujo Sect OAV 3

November 27th, 2008

Here we are, at the final OAV of the Shoujo sect anime. And compared with the last two volumes, it was way closer to the manga. But….

Okay, so, Ma-ya and Shinobu have their little moment, and Shinobu is molested by the evil sempai. That situation was changed around a bit, but the rewrite didn’t kill the scene particularly. Momoko’s reaction was modified, for the worse, I think. The fire extinguisher wasn’t just an expression of violence – it was an absolute expression of just how deeply Momoko felt about Sempai’s attack on Shinobu.

The end too was rewritten slightly. Instead of Momoko moving away, and Shinobu and she having a reunion after four months, we harken back to the their first meeting on the playground and their first kiss (which had also been changed from the manga.) This leads into the final sex scene for the series.

And that, I’m sorry to say is where this series is a complete turkey. Porn, unless I’m mistaken, is meant to be sexually titillating. Listening to the voice actresses suck and slurp and lick so absurdly in this volume was absolutely laughable, and a little nauseating. I get it, I do. Sounds have to be exaggerated for effect, but uh…no. A thousand times, no. When I turned the sound off, the sex scenes weren’t that bad, but when I offered an earphone to the wife for a moment she said, “Eww?!” and made the same scrunchy face I myself wore. Each to their own, and all, but for me, the best part of the sex in this anime was that each scene was short, due to time constraints.

What did you think of this series?

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 4
Characters – 6
Yuri – 9
Service – 8

When the sex in a piece of porn is the least good thing, you know you’re watching a real turkey.

And speaking of turkey – in the spirit of the Thanksgiving, I would like to express my thanks to all of you, my readers, fans, Okazu heroes and superheroes! I couldn’t do it without you!





Flamboyant Artbook (English)

November 23rd, 2008

Thanks to Okazu Superhero Eric for sponsoring today’s review of the Flamboyant art book by Hakua Ugetsu, translated by DMP!

This artbook contains a number of full-color artworks by Hakua for the Bakuretsu Tenshi, aka Burst Angel series. The art is colorful, servicey and full of action, scanty clothes and Jo. Sometimes a picture might also have Meg, Amy and Sei-who-is-not-named-Beth.

There are a number of pictures in which Jo and Meg are touching and/or are in close proximity to one another. There is even one where Jo’s scarf becomes a red string of fate that binds Meg to her. Sadly, the one picture I like best, of them sitting in each other’s laps in bed, was included only as a sketch.

The remainder of the book includes art from other series (including the intriguiging-looking Everybody’s Bounty Hunters, in which girls with guns stand near each other and sometimes touch) and some original sci-fi and fantasy art. the book also includes sketches and commentary by the artist, which I found to be both amusing and alarming. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 9
Yuri – 2
Service – 8

Overall – 9

I’m quite pleased to be able to add this artbook to my collection, where it will live with some of my crazy out-of-print artbooks that one day I will get around to reviewing.  ^_^