Archive for the Series Category


Sailor Moon Crystal Season 3 CD/DVD

June 14th, 2016

61kDtm02hIL._SX425_It’s not business as usual around here on Okazu for me to review a soundtrack CD, so you have to know something’s special if I do. ^_^

The Sailor Moon Crystal Season 3 CD/DVD is special. ^_^

In USA terms, this CD would be an enhanced single, with 4 tracks: “New Moon ni Koi Shite,” the Sailor Moon Crystal opening, with vocals and karaoke version (without vocals) and the Sailor Moon Crystal ending, “eternal eternity” with vocals and without.

The DVD includes TV sized version of both tracks with the opening and closing visuals, without credits.

And, then, comes the thing that makes the CD/DVD worth getting. Included are “digest movies” for the full opening and ending songs. These end up being extremely satisfying music videos of the series. And ,as “eternal eternity” is a duet sung by Minagawa Junko as Sailor Uranus/Tenoh Haruka and Ohara Sayaka as Sailor Neptune/Kaioh Michiru, the video ends up being an extended Haruka x Michiru lovefest.

This CD/DVD is just the kind of thing that makes a perfect stocking stuffer come holiday time and a welcome break from all those Haruka and Michiru-less days we have to put up with.

Snapshot-2016-06-14 at 06_36_17 PM-8661

 

Ratings:

So Glad I Bought It – 10





Yuri Manga: Yagate Kimi ni Naru, Volume 2 (やがて君になる)

June 13th, 2016

YKnN2When I stepped into the new flagship Animate store in Ikebukuro in Tokyo last month, I did not expect to find much Yuri. Positioned near “Otome Road,” this particular store tends to cater more to the fujoshi than the otaku. However, the very first thing I passed on the shelves was a special display for the second volume of Nakatani Nio’s Yuri series. When I bought it, it came with a sweet little postcard and a special book cover. If only the romance inside was a clear and simple as the cover made it seem. ^_^;

I summed Volume 1 of  Yagate Kimi ni Naru as a “sweet little Yuri romance that I both enjoyed a lot and also have several real problems with.”

And now that I’ve read Yagate Kimi ni Naru, Volume 2, I feel exactly the same way…with perhaps even more reservations than previously.

In Volume 1, Yuu found herself in the precarious and uncomfortable position of being the object of a crush by a person she admires, but just does not have romantic feelings for. In order to support Touko, she agrees to become a member of the student council.

But now Touko has begun to press harder. Having decided that she loves Yuu, she crosses the line into coercing kisses from Yuu, who is naturally distressed by this. She still admires Touko and really wants to be with her, but just does not feel that way.

Compounding the issue are the other members of the Council. Touko’s childhood friend and Vice President, Sayaka,  is both protective and possessive of Touko. The other first-year appear to think of their personal drama as a form of entertainment.

When Touko and Yuu study at Yuu’s home, Touko gets very embarrassed from overstimulation and Yuu is forced, again, to wonder if there is something wrong with her.

But when it turns out that Touko has been competing with a deceased older sister, it is Yuu that steps up and demands she be herself, rather than someone else. Yuu and Touko (again) agree that the way it is between them right now is good enough and they’ll keep it this way.

Loving someone very hard is not enough in the real world. But in this awkward presumed-romance, we’re supposed to be rooting for Touko, assured that Yuu will see her lack of feelings as just doubting herself. That is all the same as it as in Volume 1, but in Volume 2, we’re supposed to be happy that Touko coerces a kiss from Yuu.  I’m not happy about it all. It makes me view Touko with suspicion.

On the other hand, Yuu is really digging into her lack of response to Touko in an interesting way. At this point she wishes she did feel something. Yuu still has not put a name to her lack of feelings – and her situation is positioned awkwardly. She does have some emotion around Touko – admiration and just a hint of something else, but Yuu doesn’t think it’s romantic love or desire and we have to take her word for that.

I’m still not sure if Yuu is supposed to be confused because she just hasn’t had an “a-ha!” moment or because she’s genuinely asexual. I don’t think the mangaka knows, either and I’m positive Yuu herself has no idea.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Yuri – 6
Service – 1

Overall – 8, still with reservations

I’m going to keep hanging on to this series because I want both Yuu and Touko to grow past this thing they have laying between them, but I’m not sure I want them to be together at the end of this series, despite the cover art. It might be better for them both if they aren’t.





Seven Seas Announces Kindred Spirits Manga Omnibus

June 2nd, 2016

Okujoumou1-212x300I’m in transit, so here’s the full press release of the newest Yuri manga license from Seven Seas! I reviewed both Side A and Side B in Japanese and found them to be relatively entertaining ^_^

Seven Seas Entertainment is excited to announce their license of Kindred Spirits on the Roof, the manga companion to the popular yuri visual novel.

Kindred Spirits on the Roof is a yuri manga omnibus based on the visual novel game of the same title. The story follows multiple schoolgirl romances—with some ghostly interference! Two friendly spirits inhabit the rooftop of an all-girls’ school and, inspired by their own feelings of unrequited love for each other, try to make more yuri couples among the living students. TheKindred Spirits on the Roof game has been localized into English byMangaGamer and is available for download on the popular digital game platform, Steam.

Mako and Shiori have been best friends since they were children, but when Mako suddenly confesses her love to Shiori, all Shiori can do is run away! One year later, Shiori sees Mako and decides she wants to rekindle their friendship. Can the two girls go back to their relationship the way it was before or are they ready for it to evolve into something else?

Meanwhile, fellow student Hase Chiharu loves seeing yuri romance play out. For that reason, she becomes enamored by two senior classmates, Natsuki and Rika, a power couple in the school’s Quiz Show Club. When Chiharu joins the club so she can be closer to them, she meets the adorable Tokino. Tokino can’t take her eyes off their beautiful upper classmates either, and as Chiharu and Tokino observe the couple together, their own sweet relationship begins!

“We’re always on the look out for fun new yuri series and Kindred Spirits on the Roof‘s companion manga caught our eye pretty quickly,” said Seven Seas production manager Lissa Pattillo. “MangaGamer did a great job localizing the game for English audiences, and we’re eager to provide fans of the game, and yuri readers in general, a sweet revisit to this yuritopia!”

Seven Seas will present Kindred Spirits on the Roof for the first time in print in North America as a single collected omnibus complete with color pages. Kindred Spirits on the Roof will be released on January 31, 2017 for $18.99 US / $21.99 CAN.





Yuri Drama CD: Kindred Spirits Friendship Plans (English)

May 30th, 2016

KindredSpirit_DramaCD_vol2It’s only been a few months since I read and reviewed the popular Yuri Visual Novel, Kindred Spirits. It had started to fade a bit in memory (you try to remember the details of the almost 3000 things that have been reviewed here…!) but there was one thing I remembered – I liked Youka and Aki as a couple best. So when I saw that MangaGamer had put out the second Kindred Spirits Drama CD, and that it was on sale for %15 off, and it starred Youka and Aki, I threw money at them right away.

MangaGamer also has the first Kindred Spirits Drama CD, Playing Girlfriend. I am not yet sure if I care enough about Ano to listen to it.

In the mean time, while most of America was out barbecuing animals parts or sitting in traffic, I spent a ridiculously pleasant afternoon listening to fictitious characters going on dates. ^_^

Kindred Spirits Friendship Plans (屋上の百合霊さんドラマCD「友情プラン」) follows Math Club President Tsurigamine Kiri and rocker Koba Youka as they read a magazine article about how, if dates get repetitive, couples become distant. Youka panics instantly as she has no ideas for a date beyond live shows and music stores. Kiri admits that she and Tsukuyo-sensei are going to the same places a lot, as well. So they decide to plan dates for each other.

Kiri and Tsukuyo end up at an amusement park for “cosplay day,” while Youka and Aki end up at a…wasabi paddy.

Not only are the dates cute, with a touch of pleasant romantic tension, but the characters actually get more development. It’s not wasted time at all, like some Drama CDs, in which you learn nothing new about any of the characters or their relationships. And, removed from school as they are, we get to actually see a bit more of their whole personality. In a short time, we get a glimpse of their various concerns about their relationships and their belief in those same relationships. Aki and Youka’s ending is particularly satisfying in this regard.

The content is subtitled, over a video of the CD pamphlet cover, so no Japanese comprehension is needed. The CD is available by download only, in two downloads – one of the video and the other with images and extra voice clips. Credits and dialogue are translated into English.

The voice actresses all do a good job and I was reminded immediately why I like Aki best. Togashi Kei and Rita just make a really convincing couple. And Aki says stuff that people might actually say, it’s so refreshing. ^_^

Ratings:

Characters – 9 One point off because both Kiri and Youka just scream too much. I’m getting old and screaming isn’t so cute.
Story – 9 It was much, much better than I gave it credit for being on reading the summary
Yuri – 8 Aki and Youka are darling

Overall – 9

I liked the premise – it wasn’t squicky at all.  But then, the dates were absurdly cute and I learned something about wasabi, so there’s that. ^_^

I liked it so much, I’m going to go right now and buy the first one. Turns out Togashi Kei plays Ano, too. ^_^





Sailor Moon Musical – Un Noveau Voyage (ミュージカル「美少女戦士セーラームーン」-Un Nouveau Voyage-)

May 15th, 2016

Un_Nouveau_Voyage_Senshi_PosterIt is with great pleasure that I thank Tachibana Remi-san for sponsoring today’s review! Remi-san was kind enough to give me the DVD of Sailor Moon Musical – Un Noveau Voyage (ミュージカル「美少女戦士セーラームーン」-Un Nouveau Voyage-) so I can tell you all about it! Thank you Remi-san!

Right off the bat, this is pretty much the best cast I’ve ever seen in a Sailor Moon Musical.  While I really enjoyed the one I saw live in 2002, (before they changed it around that summer and put it on DVD as practically a different story), this one really stands out as one of the best I’ve ever watched. Generally speaking, I’ve enjoyed the three new musicals and the alternative versions of the first three seasons they’ve put together.

In Un Noveau Voyage, we begin with Haruka, a pop idol, and and Michiru as a very obvious couple. I say “obvious” because while Haruka is physically intimate with Michiru in “public”, if they weren’t a couple, there’d be no need for that in private and here, at the beginning, they start in private. I particularly like the opening number, as Haruka on “stage” sings her song, while we watch Michiru responding to her. Really, really nice opening.

The rest of the story slips back into recognizably third season key scenes and therefore I don’t feel obliged to summarize the plot at all. ^_^ Instead, I’ll talk about all the things I liked.^_^

First of all, the wigs were amazing. I know that’s a silly thing to think of as “first”, but really the hair looked so good. Particularly Makoto, Rei and Ami.

The cast now contains a number of former Takarisiennes, notably Yamato Yuga who plays Mamoru, Shiotsuki Shuu, who plays Haruka (and whose autograph adorns the booklet inside the DVD, thank you Remi-san!) Yuki Kaon, who plays Professor Tomoe, Fujioka Sayaka, who plays Michiru and Oogi Kei who plays Kaolinite.

The shift to all-female casting makes a lot of sense, even if it’s really pandery. But, as I said elsewhere recently, “when pandering is for us, it doesn’t suck after all.” ^_^

Kaolinite’s voice….swoon. You never get an alto in these things. She wasn’t a mezzo-soprano or a contralto, either, an actual alto. Oogi-san was a terrific Kaolinite.

Michiru’s voice is eerie. Even my wife noted that Fujioka-san sounded like…Michiru.

I’m sorry to see the cast for the Inners have to leave their roles. “Graduate” is the euphemism the idol world uses for this. The fans believe they were made to leave at this point, which is annoying. They were perfect in their roles. Best I’d ever seen.  But there’s an obvious fetish going on in the “graduation” process. Clearly nostalgic tears and sniffling has become a thing that is now part of the process of being in a musical role or idol group. Blecch.

The other thing of note was in a couple of the stage pieces. There were two scenes in which a triptych-set up allowed for duets and trios to be sung that I really liked. This culminated with a fantastic piece n which Hotaru in the center is sung about by Kaolinite, Chibi-Usa and the Professor, then the Outers and the Inners in a really intense and creepy song about this one girl’s fate, Light of Ruin, Hametsu no Hikari.

And my final thought is that I’ve really come to like the new final number, Ai no Starshine, although I kind of miss Ai no Senshi. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 9

I really enjoyed this musical. Thank you so much Remi-san!