Archive for the Series Category


Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Manga, Perfect Edition, Volume 8 (美少女戦士セーラームーン完全版)

March 5th, 2015

smpe8 41-xaVC2gGLI know, it’s been about 8 months since I last reviewed a volume of the Sailor Moon Perfect Edition, but this seemed as good a time as any to pick it up once more. We started up the Sailor Moon ‘Super S’ arc in back in July. And I talked honestly about my complicated feelings for this arc.

In Volume 8 of the Sailor Moon Perfect Edition (美少女戦士セーラームーン), the fourth arc of the series comes to a climax. For the first time ever, all the Senshi of the Solar System fight together against a common enemy…or not, really, but we’ll get there in a moment.

The structure of the story is pretty much identical to the last two arcs – a crystal hidden inside, this the time Mamoru, and the bad guy has another bad guy behind her and in that bad guy is another bad guy who is similar to the other top bosses. Power-ups happen, love and Sailor Moon save the day, the Earth and the kingdom inside the earth that is supposed to protect the earth, but ended up needing protection instead.

There is a word in Japanese, mangekyou (万華鏡) – kaleidoscope. If you know the words to the opening for the original anime, Moonlight Densetsu, you’ll know the line “Heart ha mangekyou” – “my heart is a kaleidoscope.” And in this volume, the Senshi themselves are trapped in a vision that is similar to a kaleidoscope, Michiru even comments on it.  I think a kaledioscope is an excellent analogy for this series as a whole. The arcs are reflections, similar, but not quite the same, of each other, with elements that have much in common but look slightly different every time you look at them.

The one big reveal (remember, we called a “20 year old series can’t really have spoilers rule”) is that the Senshi of the planets are not, in fact, the only Senshi…something we’ll want to keep in mind for the next volume. Chibi-Usa really comes into her own here and it should not be much of a surprise then to find that, when she matures a bit more, the Asteroid Senshi will be her protectors, as the Inners are her mother’s..

The final chapters are more shorts focused on Chibi-Usa who, suddenly, is somewhat less irritating, apparently she’s not the only one who has grown up), Makoto and a “popular for all the wrong reasons” Minako/Rei story. It should be popular for the Yuri, instead it’s popular because Minako says the word “fart.” Tee. Hee.

The other truly notable thing in this arc is that the friendship between Chibi-Usa and Hotaru, which was one of the catalysts for the third arc, has survived Saturn’s rebirth, revival and aging and is stronger than ever. It is not unreasonable to see that Asteroid Senshi aside, Chibi-Usa, that is Princess Lady Serenity, will always have the protection of the most powerful Senshi of all.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Yuri – 1
Service – 1 on principle

Overall – 8

So, despite my feelings of “ugh” going in to this arc, I actually enjoyed this volume quite a bit. It had a real Avengers Assemble moment, when we had all the planetary Senshi (do not give me guff about Pluto, I am not listening) lined up, ready to fight. ^_^

planetary





Yuri Manga: Anoko ni Kiss to Shirayuri wo, Volume 2 (あの娘にキスと白百合を)

March 3rd, 2015

AKnSw2Last June I read and reviewed a somewhat typical, but surprisingly enjoyable, little school life Yuri manga, Anoko ni Kiss to Shirayuri wo. I was frankly amazed to learn there was a second volume. This first ended tidily and I’m always kind of loathe to believe that there are that many female couples…even a girl’s private school.

In Volume 1, we met typical hper-competent Shiramine Ayaka and annoyingly talented slacker  Kurozawa Yurine. Despite their rivalry, well, probably because of it, they fall in like.

In  Volume 2, we turn to other students; this time, Chiharu, Ai and their crush, Hoshino-sempai. They are friends first, so love feels almost like a distraction and yet, there it is. Chiharu has it bad for Hoshino, who is graduating at the end of the term.

Chiharu and Hoshino are locked in a storage room. Feelings are acknowledged, even if they can’t go anywhere. The second half of the book introduces Izumi, who makes it possible, for Chiharu to say good bye to Hoshino with her whole heart.

We get a brief cameo of Ayaka and Yurine in the main story, but the end chapters introduce Yurine’s younger sister who is jealous of their relationship and is taking it out on Ayaka, but fails to win Yurine back.

Generally speaking I liked the character of Chiharu more than either of the protagonists in the first volume. Where their feelings seemed sort of rote, Chiharu struck me as a fairly well-developed character. You can imagine her outside the school. And her feelings for Hoshino are not fully developed, nor is there a presumption of them ever potentially being a couple. The second volume felt more like a real story than the first.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8 Definitely more realistic than the first volume
Yuri – 5
Service – 1 on principle only

Overall – 8

If you like Canno-sensei’s art, check out this Pixiv page where you can gawk at art, including some for this series, doujinshi and other illustrations. If you’re a fan of the schoolgirl Yuri it’s worth a visit.





Yuri Manga: Whispered Words, Volume 2 (English)

February 8th, 2015

ww21Whispered Words, Volume 2  (Amazon / RightStuf) is the English-language edition of Sasamekikoto, Volume 4, Volume 5 and Volume 6.

And, as I said in my reviews to those volumes, when this much pressure has been built up…something’s gotta give.

The series started as a mostly-comedic “best friend with a crush” plot, expanding out to almost all the possible Yuri tropes that we were familiar with. For that alone, this was a pretty terrific series. But then the veil of comedy became thinner and thinner and we started to see a serious drama beginning to unfold…and more importantly, the abyss of possible tragedy. In a fascinating sort of reverse meta, the characters are painfully aware of the impending calamity.

Sumika and Ushio are speaking to one another, but nothing is being said. Everyone around them can see what lays between them. Even when they know what it is, they can’t just say it. The logjam becomes untenable. Thankfully, the tragedy that breaks it up is laughably mundane. Phew.

This volume has some of the best storytelling I’ve seen in schoolgirl Yuri manga. No complicated school rituals, no gender switched plays…no tortured metaphors. Just two people you can imagine knowing, in a situation you can imagine happening, and the manga is still funny and ridiculous and painful in places…just like life.

Technically, Volume 2 is a notable improvement over the first printing of Volume 1. I know just how difficult it is to publish a 100% error-free book, and it amazes me how jarring even a single typo is. Generally speaking, I think 1 error per 100 pages is acceptable. This book has fewer than that. Nice work by One Peace.

Volume 2 includes a sweet little short about a schoolmate of  Ushio and Sumi’s with powers of divination who can’t see her own future. It has a very “awww” ending.

The best part of this review? Volume 3 is already shipping. If you gave up on this series, for whatever reason, I ask you right now, as a personal favor – give Volume 3 a chance. It’s worth it. I promise.  ^_^

***

All Yuri All the Time! –  Subscribe to Okazu withSubcribe with Patreon

***

Ratings:

Art – 8
Characters – 8
Story – 8
Yuri – 4
Service – 1

Overall – 8

Many, many thanks to One Peace for the review copy.  Volume 2 was as emotionally wrecking as I suspected, and I’m very glad it’s in English for us all to be brutalized. ^_^ Volume 3 ahoy!





Yuri Manga: MURCIÉLAGO, Volume 1 (ムルシエラゴ)

December 23rd, 2014

murcielago1There are many words that can be used to describe MURCIÉLAGO (ムルシエラゴ) by Yoshimura Kana but, “Good” is not one of them. ^_^

You may (or may not) remember back in November 2014, when I pointed out a video commercial for “Violence Yuri” manga, MURCIÉLAGO, Volume 1 (ムルシエラゴ). I picked it up with low expectations and not only did it manage to be even viler than expected, I enjoyed the living heck out of it more than expected.^_^

Koumori Kuroko is a psychotic killer, who has been chosen to kill people on command for The Powers That Be. Kuroko is also a predatory lesbian who has some responsible standards. Tozakura Hinako is her partner, getaway car driver and despite her cute and innocent appearance, is completely unfazed by the sex and violence her partnership with Kuroko presents. As the video states, there are no champions of justice in this manga. ^_^

We first encounter Kuroko having unrealistic lesbian sex, as Hinako barges in telling her to get dressed, they have a job. There is a doped-up pro wrestler ripping people in half on the streets and they have to stop him. Much blood and guts later, they do. This is followed by them foiling a robbery at a family restaurant, with much blood and guts spilled. The guro fetistry is understated, surprisingly, but the manga is oysgeputst with blood.

The final arc begins with Kuroko invited to a party at a mansion. With visions of bunny girls dancing in her head, she arrives to find she’s been invited to a slaughter of criminals. Kuroko and 5 others survive the initial bloodbath and will now have to brave the deadly labyrinth game set up by the mansion’s master. I’m not worried, but I’m looking forward to the silly murder methods to come.

The next to last chapter is the series “Pilot” in which Kuroko and Hinako have to take down a man who has killed everyone on a subway by decapitation (with much blood and guts) and the final chapter is, if you squint and tilt your head just right, a sweet little interlude when a bored Kuroko gets a date on an online platform and introduces a nice young lady to unrealistic lesbian sex.

***

Subcribe with Patreon Hungry for more Yuri? Subscribe to Okazu with Patreon!

***

This is the ugliest manga I’ve enjoyed since Air Master. “Violence Yuri” is a perfect description of this series. It has both aplenty, and some deeply detailed viscera, blood spurting and other violence fetishtry. The girls have cute punim, breasts are large, nudity is all but full and the art is otherwise ugly as all get out. I think I love this manga. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 6 Competently drawn, but damned ugly
Story – 7 Also ugly, but not coy in the least. Violence and sex, but kept separate, thank you.
Characters – 8 Joyfully, energetically, psychotic
Service – 10 Nothing but
Yuri – 9 Unrealistic, but they are definitely having fun.

Overall – 9

This kind of thing is not for everyone, but I’ll take this any day over the creepy, pretend-innocence, thigh-staring perviness of Sakura Trick.





Mangatime Kirara Magica (まんがタイムきらら☆マギカ) Magazine

December 18th, 2014

kstarm16Once again, we begin today’s review with me standing in an Animate in Japan. There I was, staring at the piles of manga and magazines. (“Piles” is not a metaphor. This week’s releases are stacked in piles in the front of the store.)

And I see a, well, probably a clearfile, but it’s shrinkwrapped to a magazine, of Devil Homura and I think “Okay, I’ll get that when I come back down.”  I don’t have a single use for a clearfile, but I like the picture. QED.

The clearfile was attached to a  magazine that kind of made my head spin. I’ve seen Gundam magazine and a few issues of an Evangelion magazine, but had no idea there was an entire magazine devoted to Puella Magi  Madoka Magica, called Mangatime Kirara Magica. As it happens, I purchased Volume 16, which is still available. Volume 17 is the current issue.

The magazine is surprisingly enjoyable, for a derivative of a work created by committee for the sole purpose of taking as much of my money out of my pocket as possible in the form of every consumer good in the world.

I actually laughed at some of the 4-panel gag comics, enjoyed a few of the longer form stories  – and it made an awesome prop at a high school talk I did yesterday on panel structure, genre and storytelling because of the sheer variety of the of genre types in the magazine.

Just when you think that every single drop that can be wrung out on Madoka has been, you find you are so very, very wrong.

Ratings:

Variable, but actually worth my money beyond even that clearfile. ^_^ Let’s say a strong 8