Archive for the Revolutionary Girl Utena Category


Yuri Network News – March 19, 2011

March 19th, 2011

Yuri Drama CD

Because one Hayate x Blade Drama CD was not enough and two drama CDs only barely scratched the itch, the Hayate x Blade Ultra Jump Drama CD Sanban Hoshi! Hyuuryuu Tsumeawase (はやて×ブレード ウルトラドラマCD さんばん星！ 漂流つめあわせ) is now on sale!

Also available is the GIRL FRIENDS Drama CD. Morinaga Milk seemed very happy with the results in her posts on her blog and on Twitter, so I think we’re in for a treat.

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Yuri Anime

This week Nozomi/RightStuf announced the street date for the first Revolutionary Girl Utena (少女革命ウテナ) box set. This set will include all the extras that were in the Japanese remastered set – and TRSI says that for fans who pre-order all three sets, there will be an extra extra. There’s no hint yet as to what that might be, but they promise it will be very cool. If any other company said that, I’d shrug. TRSI gets my kind of “cool” better than most. As another type of extra, there is a feature on the Utena website in which you can ask the Director Ikuhara Kunihiko questions about the series. Have at it – I’m looking forward to seeing those questions!

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Yuri Manga

My reaction upon hearing the news that Kodansha USA was going to be releasing the Sailor Moon Anniversary edition and Sailor V manga in English was, and I quote “OMG, did Kodansha USA *listen* to us? I don’t know where to look, or what do do with my hands!!!”

Under no circumstances is, “So when is the anime coming out?” the appropriate reaction, btw. Saying “yay!” and saving your money to buy the volumes, which will start being released in September, is an appropriate reaction. If you really do not have the money (and believe me, I sympathize with that,) the most appropriate reaction is to head over to your local public library and become friends with the person who is in charge of the Graphic Novels section or, if there is no GN section, the “acquisitions” person and start getting them primed to pick this series up. Don’t rant. Just let them know that one of the two series that truly launched anime/manga here in the US (Dragonball being the other) is about to be released and it’d probably be cool to get it for the collection.

One last thing while I’m asking you to mind you manners. ^_^ Tokyopop did not actually do a TERRIBLE, GODAWFUL translation. They changed the names, because that was what we did back then. It was not actually a crime against nature – for the most part, the Japanese companies wanted it that way. In fact, convincing the Japanese publishers that we *didn’t* want names changed was a pretty big battle back in the day.

Quick History Lesson: Sailor Moon was being serialized in Tokyopop’s Smile, then Mixxzine magazine when the first rebellion occurred. The anime had been running on Cartoon Network, Usagi had become Serena, Makoto was Lita already. Tokyopop kept Lita but tried to mollify fans with Bunny for Usagi. BUT. When the Outer Senshi arrived and their names were changed, it was intolerable – the straw that broke the camel’s back was, apparently, using Olivia for Hotaru. Fans rebelled and wrote ridiculously angry letters. Tokopop bowed to pressure and when Sailor Moon ‘S,’ ‘Super S’ and ‘Stars’ volumes came out, the Outers and Starlights retained their names. I still have those Smile and Mixx magazines issues, by the way. ^_^

This series, and later Azumanga Daioh, with Yukari being the Spanish teacher in the first volume of the manga, were the two big proving grounds for the kind of localization we expect right now.

Some back channel chatter convinces me that we *are* getting a new translation of the manga, and from a very talented and reliable source. I hope we get some good editing too! Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

I’m still not entirely sure what this is about, but Dengeki 4-Koma Collection, Fu-Fu, (電撃4コマ コレクション ふーふ ) appears to be just what it sounds like – a comic strip of two women “playing house” as we call it around these parts. There’s apparently going to be – or is – a net game release associated with this, if I read that correctly.

And let’s finish up with something that I think will make a lot of people happy (hopefully happy enough to buy it, rather than just download scans.) The first Ichijinsha collection by Nanzaki Iku Sweet Little Devil, is due out in April.

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Yuri Novel

Miyamoto Ayako is currently contributing short stories to the new Comic Yuri Hime. She also has a new book out, Ame no Tou (雨の塔) which, like the short stories, is Yuri.

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That’s a wrap for this week.

Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There’s a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage – stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent’s badge.

Thanks to all of you – you make this a great Yuri Network!





Press Release: Nozomi/RightStuf Announces the 1st Revolutionary Girl Utena Box Set

March 14th, 2011


Got a press release that should be of interest in my email box this AM:

Nozomi/Right Stuf Announces the REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA: The Student Council Saga DVD Set Limited Edition. First remastered, premium set available on June 7, 2011.

This first of three, limited-edition DVD box sets will feature remastered video and a newly created Dolby Digital 5.1 Japanese audio track from the recent Japanese DVD release, as well as Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo for English and Japanese audio, plus English-language subtitles and on-screen translations. On-disc extras will include the clean opening and closing, both a live-action video and TV spot for the opening single, and TV commercials for the Japanese release. Additionally, the set will be housed in a collectors’ art box and also include a book with content from the limited-edition Japanese release with episode commentary, discussions about the series’ updated audio, video, and opening and closing sequences, and the first installment of production notes from the Japanese laser disc release. Only a limited quantity of this premium set will be produced.

DVD Features:
Scene access, remastered video from the recent Japanese DVD re-release, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo audio for English and Japanese dialogue, new Dolby 5.1 audio for Japanese dialogue, English subtitles and English on-screen translations. PLUS: Clean opening, clean closing, live-action video for opening single, TV spot for opening single, and TV spots for the Japanese remastered DVD release. AND: A book featuring content from the recent, limited-edition Japanese DVD box set, including episode commentary, a discussion of the updated audio and video, discussions about the series’ opening and closing sequences, and production notes from the Japanese laser disc release (part 1).

To pre-order, visit http://utena.rightstuf.com/.

Furthermore, Cryssoberyl says: Let me add that the audio has also been remastered and sounds fantastic….The quality of the later sets was somewhat improved, but nothing that can compare with the new remastered version. …the difference in quality is every bit as dramatic as they make it look. However, it’s not simply a matter of improved color, clarity and encoding. In conclusion, the amount of loving effort that has been gone to, both by the Japanese creators to polish the show and by Nozomi in their protracted efforts to bring it to us, is unprecedented. I’m not sure there is any other show that has ever received such a luxurious re-release. At $49, this set is a steal. At $29, it is plain thievery. (This is extracted from the comments field, so check there for some links and the full comment!)





Yuri Network News – July 3, 2010

July 3rd, 2010

Yuri Anime

The top news this week just came in last night, with the Nozomi/RightStuf panel at AnimeExpo. RightStuf is going to be releasing the digitally remastered Shoujo Kakumei Utena (Revolutionary Girl Utena) in 2011. According to prelim press releases on Twitter from their panel, the release will be in three box sets. No news whether a remastered movie (with a soundtrack that isn’t squashed) is in the works, so don’t ask. Or, don’t ask me, anyway. Feel free to drive RightStuf crazy with your questions. In the meantime, if you know a young Yuri fan, an anime fan who has never had the pleasure of enjoying the surrealistic exercise that is Utena, or just want to fuck with someone’s brains, this will make a great opportunity to get ’em, but good.

Nozomi/RightStuf also announced the licensed for Sora no Woto, which seems to draw interest from Yuri quarters, regardless of whether it actually has any. :-)

Not to be outdone in “moe with very little, if any Yuri, but fans like to see it there, anyway” Bandai Entertainment also announced that it has licensed the K-On! anime. (Also from Twitter, but here’s the ANN report.

Funimation weighed in with a few licenses of their own. Intersecting our interests here are the resurrection of Haibane Renmei and Serial Experiments Lain and a new license of To Aru Kagaku No Railgun.

And, although this is really no more than rumor and there is nothing, no proof at all, except wishful thinking and an ambiguously worded ad in Nyantype, there are persistent rumors of a Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Force anime. I usually don’t report rumors, but I’m kinda hoping this one is true. ^_^

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Yuri Manga

My sincere apologies, I complete forgot to mention this last week – Candy Boy is now out as a manga from MF Comics. So if you loved your time with these two sisters that love each other more than anything, please consider supporting the creators and purchasing the manga.

I am once more going to mention that Rakuen Le Paradis, Volume 3 is out now. Why am I mentioning it again? Because I only recently learned that among the many artists contributing that I like, Hayashiya Shizuru-sensei is among them. Exhibit A:

That puts this magazine in strong contention for my favorite manga magazine I read right now, as it has three of my top artists in it.

I typically read about 5 manga magazines regularly, with supplemental others as the mood or opportunity strikes. In fact, just for fun, here’s what I’m reading right now: Ultra Jump, Ikki, Yuri Hime, Yuri Hime S, Ribon, Rakuen Le Paradis, with Comic Blade and Dengeki Daioh as my whimsy takes me, Comic Ryuu and CompAce when I can find them.

I reviewed (and enjoyed) Volume 1, and now Volume 2 of Morita-san no Mukuchi is coming out. I bet Morita still doesn’t talk much.
:-)

While I’m pimping 4- koma manga with a little Yuri, Hinagiku Junshin Jogakuen, Volume 3 is also on the way.

Also soon to be hitting the shelves are Yuri Hime comics Shinigami Alice and Sakura Buntsu and Yuri Hime S Comic, HONEY CRUSH, Volume 2.

And if I’m reading this right, a number of the artists from Yuri Hime have gotten together some of their original Yuri doujinshi for a new Yuri Hime doujinshi, Yuri Hime Collection, Volume 1. Which is freaking genius on the part of Ichijinsha if that’s true and I didn’t just totally misunderstand the press release, which is also possible.

YNN correspondent Katherine H. wants to let you know that the second volume of CANAAN manga is up for pre-order, “bad art and all.”

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Drama CD News

The news has been sounded – Hayate x Blade Volume 13, which will be out in October, will be available in a deluxe format, with a Drama CD. I am so there.

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That’s a wrap for this week.

Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There’s a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage – stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent’s badge.

Thanks to all of you – you make this a great Yuri Network!





Yuri Network News – August 8, 2009

August 8th, 2009

It’s a lazy summer day, let’s start off with news for the lazy!

Yuri Anime

The Anime Network has announced that in celebration of National Lazy Day on August 10, they are offering all of its online content, including “premium” content, for free. There a number of Yuri offerings in their catalog – they are an ADV company after all.

YNN Chief correspondent Sean G also wants to add that ADV has added Revolutionary Girl Utena to their Anime Network Cable VOD, Satellite VOD
Also from Sean “per Right Stuf’s site, a My-Otome Complete Collection box is out 10/20 as part of the ‘Anime Legends’ series. Run time seems to suggest this is just the TV series, not including the OAVs.”

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Snatches of Yuri

You probably dont even remember this manga, but almost exactly a year ago, I reviewed a title called Kaprekar, about two girls who are so close that when they kiss they become a magical being and defeat the bad guys. It’s up to Volume 3 now. The girls really love one another. They kiss and defeat magical beings. And they are still in debt. The end.

For those of you who just can’t get enough of that good ole’ not quite ambiguous Yuri in Light Novel form here’s another series for you – Otome Unmei Ayameno, which appears to be about school girls. No, really.

Don’t think the moe crowd is being forgotten yet. Your love of toddler-esque art is still the meme du jour. Enjoy yourself with >Sekai Seifuku Kirara Jogakukan, a series about Yuri among schoolgirls…etc, etc.

Another Ryuu magazine comic series (Ryuu is right up there with Mangatime KR for having loads of Yuri or Yuri-ish stories) Hinagiku Junshin Jogakuen is more of the same but different. It’s also getting a *lot* of play on the Yuri blogs, so I’m guessing it might be closer to having some actual relationship.

If I’m reading this right, Deragui is about a high school girl who falls for a girl who likes to eat a lot.

As an aside, some years ago I stopped reading mysteries when I noticed that all the detectives now needed a “hook.” This one was “ex-cop with a dark past” and that one was a “cookbook writer who just falls into trouble” and I gave it all up as a bad job. Yuri is sort of heading in that direction now. There’s *so* many schoolgirl Yuri stories that it’s in that “vampire schoolgirl Yuri” and “girls with names that are colors Yuri” phase. :-)

Just to change the pace, Fura Furu, while the series seems to be about girls, not women, does not appear to be a typical Yuri schoolgirl story. In fact, it looks kind of intriguing. The first volume appears to be hard to find, so I’m linking to the second volume, which is available. It’s a Mangtime CR 4-koma, so you know basically what it’ll be like.

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That seems like enough for today. The sun is shining, the air is clear, I don’t want to spend all morning writing this report. :-)

Remember, send in a news item to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com and become a YNN correspondent. We couldn’t do it without you!





Yuri News This Week – July 11, 2009

July 11th, 2009

I was in NYC last night at “Passion Fruits,” the Lesbian art show that is running as part of the Fresh Fuits Festival this month. Rica Takashima has some pieces in the show. It was a really, honestly an amazing opening, and tomorrow I’ll be posting some pictures I took of people with her art.

In the meantime, here’s this week’s Yuri news!

Yuri Anime

It’s an anime kinda week this week!

First of all, as I announced yesterday, Afterellen.com will be streaming the Aoi Hana anime series, which is really amazing – and will get Yuri in front of a lot of people who never heard of it, but need to see it! There’s a lot of positive response for the first episode, so hopefully it’ll be a successful venture for all.

Anime Network has announced that Revolutionary Girl Utena will be shown on their online channel. Since ADV rescued some of the CPM properties, this make loads of sense – and it’s nice to know that this classic anime won’t disappear entirely from the world.

Katherine is pleased to shout out that the voice actresses for Sasamekikoto have been announced. Like Aoi Hana they seem to be favoring new voices.

Crunchyroll is really hotting up the Yuri pot with new anime Kanamemo, a series based on a Mangatime Kirara 4-panel comic. There are two characters that are said to be a “Yuri couple.” I will withhold a final decision until I actually see it. ;-)

And another new anime of interest, Canaan has just started in Japan – it has a Yuri-ish air about it, and is about two women with guns. Noir fans take note!

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Snatches of Yuri

Nekomimi Days is getting tons of press on the Japanese blogs. It is about moe school girls with cat ears, so it will appeal to people who are completely unlike me. I should warn you that it is from Gum Comics, which means it isn’t as innocent as you want to pretend it is.

Yuyu Shiki is exactly what it looks like – another “cho-kawai” 4-koma from Mangatime Kirara. The connecting theme this time is that all three have name that begin with “Yu.”

And Arisu no O-chakai takes featureless moe faces one step further into “circles with eyes” territory. It tells the story of 3 girls who are members of the “Chado” club – the tea ceremony club.

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And there you have it, guns, 4-koma, moe, schoolgirls and sword duels. Sounds like Yuri to me. :-)