Archive for the Series Category


Himegami no Miko (姫神の巫女)

June 12th, 2024

A girl with long dark hair, wearing a black and purple Japanese school uniform, and a blonde long-haired girl in a uniform with knit vest and blue skirt partially embrace as they look at us out of the sides of their eyes.by Rachel Gruber, Guest Reviewer

As a teen growing up in the 2000s, my introduction to yuri anime naturally came in the form of the “big three:” Strawberry Panic!, Simoun, and of course, Kannazuki No Miko. The latter is as iconic as it is infamous, so it’s no wonder that its creators, Kaishaku, chose to bring back poor Chikane and Himeko in series after series over the years. After their truly atrocious 2009 outing in Zettai Shoujo Seiiki Amnesian (Volume 1 and Volume 2 were reviewed here in 2010,) a series rightfully given a 1/10 here on Okazu, Kaishaku made the wise decision to let Chikane and Himeko sit out the 2010s. But by the time 2020 rolled around, they were apparently ready to get back to business. Enter: Himegami No Miko.

This fourth(!) incarnation of Chikane and Himeko have returned with a distinctly modern art style that’s reasonably cute, if admittedly lacking any unique distinguishing features, and a story with a decent mix of new and old concepts from previous series. Instead of a story that ends with the two fated lovers having to kill each other, this one begins with assassination as its core goal. Each of our heroines come from two noble houses on an island ruled over by the evil snake demon Orochi (who is unfortunately not a robot this time) and, upon reaching the proper age, are meant to have the usual duel to the death in order to determine who gets to be this generation’s sacrifice to said evil snake demon. But unlike every previous iteration of these characters, Himeko manages to show some actual agency for the first time by running away from her fate. When Chikane inevitably follows her and ends up on the mainland, she also finds herself making a promise to serve as Himeko’s friend until the date of their duel–at which point Himeko will allow Chikane to kill her. Not exactly breaking the mold when it comes to murder promises in yuri, but it’s a solid enough foundation to build a romance on. Everything is in place for Kaishaku to hit us with another terrible cash-grab. There’s just one problem:

Himegami No Miko is…actually pretty good?

The story is nonsense, of course, and you’ve got your standard sexual predator/fanservice elements that you can expect from Kaishaku, but there’s also enough heartfelt emotion in there to get the reader at least a little invested. What really makes the series stand out, however, is its characters. The usual cast have been given more than a fresh coat of paint this time around; Chikane is less full of self-hatred and guilt than usual (and not a rapist! Yay!), Souma has become both a girl and a villain, and Himeko…Himeko actually gets to do stuff this time! She even gets the best moment of the series, a shocking villainous turn that made me gasp in real life. Throw in a final third full of appropriately dramatic and daring rescues, climactic showdowns, and other unoriginal yet enjoyable moments before providing an actual happy ending, and you’ve got a series that left me smiling far more than I’d like to admit.

Is it still a mess? Absolutely. Supporting characters drop in and out without warning, logic gets tossed out the window on more than one occasion, and there is a hilarious amount of blatantly incorrect medical information. On its own, it’s a dime a dozen action yuri series. But as a sequel to Kannazuki No Miko? I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think it might be better. Hell, it might even be better than Shattered Angels. It shouldn’t be possible, but here we are. Himegami No Miko is good. Not great, but good. And after Zettai Shoujo Seiiki Amnesian, that might as well be a miracle.

Ratings:

Story – 6
Art – 7
Yuri – 9
Service – 5

Overall – 7

Erica here – You can read the first chapter of Himegami no Miko as a free sample in Japanese on Comic Walker. I admit to having forgotten to finish it. ^_^; Perhaps I’ll get back to it if this is a decent-er ending than the last…3 times. ^_^





Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, Deluxe Edition Volume 4

May 20th, 2024

An android with blue hair, wearing a long coat and a young woman with green spiky hair, wearing a jacket look stand in front of a a huge white sky, looking out at something.In a series in which most of the “people” are androids, there are still humans on the planet. Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, Deluxe Edition Volume 4 spends some time with the other people in Alpha’s life.

But first Alpha and Kokone take a trip which both she and I read as a date. Alpha plays in the snow. Meruko scouts the competition. We meet a new human and can see that Maki is no longer a child, and Takahiro is planning on leaving, ready to be a man.

The days themselves pass, with joy, wonder melancholy and sometimes, whether it be a mysterious record, the flight of a bird-like ship passing over in the sky, or mysterious black sugar, Alpha touches something deep and moving in the world, feeling it intensely.

Time marches on, people, come and go, but Alpha is running her cafe, for now, and welcoming guests as they pass through. Very likely, we will never know the answers to the questions this series poses but it doesn’t matter. Have a cup of coffee, contemplate life and watch the grass blow.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Service – 1 pinups of Alpha are drawn with love, not service
Yuri – 6

Overall – 9

The final volume is headed our way in August. I’m as ready for the end of the world as I can be.





Otherside Picnic Manga, Volume 9, Guest Review by Sandy F

May 8th, 2024

Two women sit on a bench outside a dilapidated building, eating. The blonde holds a rise ball in both hands one of which is transparent, the brunette with one blue eye and one brown eye holds a sandwich, as she speaks animatedly, smiling.Recently, to much excitement, the cover for the ninth novel of Otherside Picnic was revealed. What I noticed was how it was a neat reminder of the importance of food and drink in this series.

And food is certainly a theme in Otherside Picnic manga, Volume 9.

We have already witnessed the importance of food and drink as a way for Toriko and Sorawo as a way to recover from the trauma of the Otherside. In the conclusion to ‘The Little Birds in the Box’ Toriko and Sorawo are joined by Kozakura for a meal. A meal that leads to a conversation where Kozakura struggles to understand the hold that the Otherside has over Toriko and Sorawo despite their best efforts to explain it.

And then, with Yamanoke Presence, we have the main event! In volume 3 of the novel series, we finally had the picnic that the title promised us, and now we have it in the manga series.

It is a fun moment, with just a dash of weirdness. But in Yamanoke Presence we are reminded of what I find to be one of the compelling strengths of Otherside Picnic; its ability to shift from a cozy slice of life moment to encounters with horrors that will haunt your dreams with a dash of ‘what the heck is going on?’ conversations. For example, one of my favourite moments is watching an absolutely clueless Sorawo trying to understand Toriko’s family solution.

In this volume we also witness moments of Sorawo and Toriko’s vulnerability, particularly in the aftermath of The Little Birds in the Box. I was struck by the sight of Sorawo without her glasses, lying in a hospital bed hand in hand with Toriko. For me this moment was a reminder that Sorawo and Toriko are young women who may be strong enough to face the terrors of the Otherside, yet at the same time are struggling to connect with themselves and one another.

One of the many things I appreciate about Otherside Picnic is how Iori Miyazawa uses dialogue to make observations about larger issues. For example, Toriko’s response to Sorawo’s description of the Yamanoke critter possessing women and Toriko responds with a compelling question, “why do so many of these things go after women?” One aspect of the artwork I found very compelling is how successfully conveys Sorawo’s struggles with the Yamanoke as it possesses her. We definitely get the sense of the Otherside seeping into Sorawo’s consciousness.

Remembering that the entities of the Otherside take forms shaped by folklore and urban legends created by people, creating stories where women are all too often the victims.

We also have the first chapter of Sannuki and the Karate Kid, and A Daytime Guest which gives us Kozakura’s perspective on ‘Karate Kid’.

I confess that I enjoy watching Sorawo in full panic mode as she tries to figure out how Akari Seto found out about Kozakura’s place, and then more panic as she faces being dragged into someone else’s problem. The mention of Satsuki Uruma doesn’t help the situation, especially as her baleful presence has been noticed by Sorawo throughout the volume. Sorawo wonders what does Satsuki want, and how much of a threat is she to this unfamiliar sense, for Sorawo, of being happy? Through conversations and reflection we gain more insights into Sorawo and Toriko that reveal their unique path towards being in relationship with one another as they learn more about themselves.

Another great volume in this series.

Ratings:

Story – 9|
Artwork – 9
Character – 8|
Service – 6
Yuri – 8

The mutual nature of their relationship is growing as Sorawo muses on how much she enjoys sharing the Otherside with Toriko. But for a brief moment I do have to give a 0 rating with Sorawo’s complete befuddlement over Toriko’s parents!

Overall – 9





Whisper Me A Love Song, Volume 7 and Volume 8

May 7th, 2024

Shiho has what we used to call a “difficult” personality. She appears to make decisions that work against her best interests more often than not. Should you happen to point it out to her, you become the problem. In Whisper Me A Love Song,  Volume 7 and Volume 8, Himari finally helps Shiho to see that the problem is that Shiho has piled every one of her issues up to form a barrier between her and Aki…and, really, she likes Aki, it’s just that all that stuff has kept her from admitting it. With the high tension of the school festival filling the air, will Shiho break permanently with her former bandmate, or open a new chapter between them?

When we learn, finally, what Shiho’s issue is – it is a perfect moment. Yes, of course, his would affect her and yes, of course, someone as high-strung and “difficult” as she iswould retreat into herself, finding fault with everyone around her, rather than taking a look at herself. But Shiho also comes off as selfish and willful here. When the penny finally drops and she sees what she is doing, it is very satisfying. We (and Himari) are immediately hopeful that Shiho will figure out how to build a healthier relationship with Aki.

In the mean time, back in mostly-functional relationship land, Himari and Yori enjoy their first school festival together with all the little joys and moritifcations that brings.

And then the Battle of the Bands begin and Lauraley comes out swinging. Who will win is not nearly as important as what will happen after that, but our little angel, Himari has shepherded her sempai into a situation that is much more likely to be win-win. Good on her.

These volumes are perfect high school drama. Just a teeny little bit of real world drama, and a lot of adorable love-love, unencumbered by concerns of growing up in a hostile world, centering on good friends, and having fun playing music. It’s the perfect recipe for fulfilling high school years.

Thanks to the team at Kodansha for doing a top-notch job with the character voices, so that when we hear them speaking in the anime – streaming now on HIDIVE – they really sound exactly the way we imagined they would. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Service – 0
Yuri – 8

Overall – 9

 





I’m in Love with the Villainess Audiobook, Volume 5

May 3rd, 2024

Two women, one with long blonde hair, one with medium length dark brown hair, wearing lab coats, hold hands and smile gently into each other's eyes, while sparks of lightening flash behind them.In I’m in Love with the Villainess Audiobook, Volume 5, Rae, Claire, the main cast and we, the listeners, learn the “Truth of the World,” and it is not anything we could have expected.

But, first, the combined power of Rae and Claire and their children, Aleah and May, will unlock powerful magic, will complete a coup, and remake the world entirely…. and then they will take on the three Archdemons and finally the powerful Demon Queen herself.

And we will marvel as this fantasy isekai turns into something else, entirely.

And, then, they will all go home to live, one presumes, happily every after.

This final volume of inori’s epic fantasy series pulls in a lot of the random loose ends that had been strewn about the narrative. Why, for instance, does Rae keep running into people with her exact face? Why does magic work the way it does? Why does the Demon Queen want to destroy humanity? All these questions will be answered. If you have not yet read the ending, I expect it will surprise you. It certainly made me rethink everything I knew about this story and the characters.

Once again, the whole has been narrated by Courtney Shaw and she has done a fine job. She committed to the choices made in earlier volumes, so anything that rubbed me the wrong way remained, and, once again, a choice was made for pronunciation that was at odds with my choice, but I’ll get over that. ^_^ I hope inori-sensei was happy with the choices made and that really is all that matters.^_^

Ratings (for the adaptation only):

Overall – 10

If you haven’t been moved to read the books (and I am not the person to insist you do) or you have, and really love them,  I highly recommend listening to the audiobooks for a new way to appreciate them, to engage with the story or just to sit back and hear the characters come to life.

And the story is not quite done with! Next moth will see the debut of I’m in Love with the Villainess: She’s so Cheeky for a Commoner Audiobook, Volume 1, the first of three volume telling the story from Claire and others’ points of view. As I said with the LN editions, these contain a lot of original content, so don’t skip them. There is a lot happening from other people’s perspectives. Only the Google Play link is available so far, but I’ll add the rest as they become available.