Archive for the Top Yuri Lists Category


Top Ten Yuri Countdown of 2006

December 28th, 2006

As promised. And just under the gun, too, because I’m flying out tomorrow, and probably won’t be able to post again for the rest of the year.

Every year, when I post my Top Ten lists, I get comments like, “Why didn’t you include ‘xyz’? The answer is always the same – either 1) I simply haven’t read or watched it or, 2) I didn’t like it as much as you did. Pick the answer that seems the most likely to you.

This list is, as is everything here, *my opinion.* Other than the fact that I pretty much single-handedly spearheaded the genre “Yuri” as you know it here in America, I make no claim to being more expert than anyone else. :-) Not everything on the list is something I like – not everything I like is on the list. That having been said, here is my list for the year’s Top Ten Yuri-related things:

10. FanBoys/Girls – So awful, so wonderful. These, the large majority of the yuri fanbase, R us. From the bottom of the barrel, where they seriously *don’t* know why we think they are creepy, to the pick of the litter, those folks who turn their interest into great original art, videos and literature, Fanboys and Fangirls are the folks who, for better or worse (usually worse) support Yuri. I revile them/us, make fun of their/our propensity to eschew quality for service, to not be able to tell the difference between a good story and a bad one, but they/we are the folks who buy the videos, the manga, the t-shirts and postcards and other goods that keep Yuri (and Yuricon and ALC) going. For being our backbone (and our potbelly) and for inspiring me to write reviews, do lectures, publish books, run events and for giving me many a good laugh at our collective insanity, Yuri Fandom everywhere makes number 10 on this year’s list.

9. Mai HiME/Mai Otome – For the sheer volume of conversation, fanart, fanfic and the like, this franchise has to make this year’s list. The manga is foul, the anime is laughable and full of service, but you know, we had a good time picking it to pieces. And we’re still watching the OAVs, aren’t we? It’s shiny, it’s full of women who are easily slashed, if not obviously coupled, and it has lots of pretty colors. 9 out of 10.

8. Maria-sama ga Miteru – I’ll be sure to let you know when I get tired of this series. :-) In the meantime, I continue to read the novels (falling behind faster and faster as Konno Oyuki continues to pump them out), watch the OAVs, listen to the Drama CDs, and read the manga, because when it’s all said and done, these are some of the greatest, most three-dimensional characters I’ve ever encountered. Never dull, always human and frequently hysterical, I have every intention of raving about this series for years to come.

7. Ichijinsha – I’m sorry that I’m not going to be the one to bring the great, great manga put out by Ichijinsha to the US. I really am. (And I want you to know that I did try.) But despite that, I have nothing but admiration and desire (Can one akogare a publishing company? lol) for the fantastic manga being created by Ichijinsha and Comic Yuri Hime. Many of my favorite titles this year were Ichinjisha publications – Strawberry Shake Sweet, Voiceful, Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo, Simoun – and I look forward to everything they do in the future. I hope more of it becomes anime, too. Strawberry Shake Sweet would be an awesome anime, wouldn’t it? So, consider all but one of the above books all tied for number 7….

6. While we’re congratulating publishers, let me mention Seven Seas. They are the “new kid” on the yuri block, but with a PR machine, staff and money that ALC Publishing does not have, they’re instantly bigger and better known than we are after 3 years of paving the way. I’d like to resent them, but I can’t. LOL I just finished reading their translation of Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl and it may well be the best translation/transition to English I’ve ever seen for the American mass market. (A glowing review will be forthcoming.) I just wish they were picking up decent yuri titles, instead of the crap stories they’re promoting as “Yuri.” Stories aside, if their “Strawberry” imprint is as well executed as Kashimashi was, they’ll be on Okazu alot next year.

5. R.O.D and Read or Dream – This multiverse has alot going for it. Great characters, good action and, in one or two of the versions, some excellent writing. The anime for both were enjoyable and this year we got to see both manga come to the western market in English. And it was good. It’s not Yomiko or Nenene’s fault that the R.O.D. manga wasn’t that great – and it does help fill in some of the holes inthe TV series for those as didn’t know. Read or Dream is just fluffy yuri-filling fun. Yay Viz for giving us more Paper Masters.

4. Aoi Hana – This was not the world’s most popular yuri manga this year, but it should definitely be in the top ten. The art is simple, realistic, and the story is both simple and realistic, as well. The emotions are genuine, sweet, raw, and the characters – for once – act and look the ages they are supposed to be. I’m looking forward with bated breath to Volume 2, and praying that Yasuko-sempai doesn’t turn out to be a jerk. :-)

Deep breath, everyone. Here’s the top three Yuri of 2006…and not one surprise, I’m sure. lol

3. Hayashiya Shizuru – This woman is seemingly tireless. For years and years, she cranked out funny Yuri doujinshi, and last year “suddenly” exploded onto the scene as a popular yuri artist. Her doujinshi work in Jesus Drug has had to slow down, since she’s now responsible for one monthly series and another quarterly series, both of which are in my top ten. For both Hayate x Blade and Strawberry Shake Sweet Hayashiya Shizuru-sensei and her two fabulous manga series make my number 3 for the year. Either series would be a great anime (hint, hint, freakin’ Dengeki/Mediaworks who have made anime of much weaker series!!!!) and both are popular with the yuri crowd and beyond. I know how hard it is to do anything under a deadline – to have the constant strain of two deadlines is beyond my wildest nightmare. Kudos to Hayashiya-sensei. May she draw us yuri love comedies forever.

2. Strawberry Panic – And a panic it was. I, and others like me, panicked that we would, yet again, be forced to educate and inform shrieking hordes of near-illiterate fandumb, and the hordes panicked that they wouldn’t get more great stuff just like StoPani. Well, educate and inform I do, but still the hordes shriek for more. We talked about it a lot on the Yuricon Mailing List, parsing many of the multitudinous stolen concepts and characters, but in the end, it wasn’t so bad. It just wasn’t good. It was, therefore, insanely popular. This year’s “zOMG HAWT!!!111” series, I give you Strawberry Panic at number 2.

1. You have to have seen this coming. :-) At number 1, for the scope and breadth of the story, is Simoun.

It wasn’t perfect. But it *was* fascinating. Characters, plot complications, subcreation – all worked together to create an endlessly fascinating and meaningful world in which we watched a group of fine individuals lose a battle that was untenable from the beginning. This was not Gundam – they could not save their universe, but they did manage to find a way to save themselves. I admit to being a snob – any anime that confuses the majority of fandumb as Simoun did, is something I’ll consider worth watching. The fantastic art, the cinematic music (another OST I listen to all the time) the ship design, the religion, the politics and the people made it worth watching. Call it elitism, call me a stone cold bitch, but I call Simoun the absolute best Yuri of the year.

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There you have it. I hope you enjoyed this, and the other 193 posts on Okazu this year. That makes slightly more than a post every two days. Where *do* I find the time…?

It’s absolutely not too late to buy presents for me to thank me for my hard work or presents from me, to enjoy my hard work, although the latter will be a tad delayed while I have a vacation.

And with that, I will wish you all a wonderful New Year – I’ll see you in 2007!





Top Ten Yuri Manga of 2006

December 22nd, 2006

Okay, I admit it, I didn’t think anyone ever really read these lists. ^_^ So, thanks to everyone who commented on yesterday’s Top Ten Yuri Anime of 2006 list! I’ll try not to let it go to my head. ;-)

Because this year we finally have a body of translated manga that falls under my loosest interpretation of Yuri, I’m going to split the manga list into two Top Five lists, one for translations into English and one for untranslated Japanese manga. It’s sort of restrictive, only having five and five, but I don’t want to add things that are merely okay, just because they happen to be translated. That having been said, let’s go!

Top Five English-language Yuri Manga of 2006

5. Strawberry Marshmallow/Ichigo Mashimaro – Okay, even I’m beginning to get sick of this series now. LOL But the manga, like the anime, makes me laugh, Miu is whack-tastic and clearly an EPL (Evil Psycho Lesbian) in training, and it’s just freaking cute. Okay? Let’s never mention it again. LOL

4. Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl – I haven’t had a chance to review the Seven Seas translation yet, but on first glance it seems a solid transition to English. The story still has that not-quite-Yuri feel about it for the first volume but, like the anime, by the end the gender issue isn’t, and the story remains about three girls in a love triangle. My opinion might change when the manga ends (something that really ought to be soon…) but for the moment, this remains one of the top five.

3. WORKS – Imagine this. A lesbian artist, drawing beautiful art, with stories about lesbians, for a lesbian audience. No almost yuri here – in fact, this is the only title on this year’s list that can claim that. That’s why we call it “100%” yuri. Tadeno Eriko has a classic manga style, her stories have humor, and pathos and angst and love and sex – between adult women who look and act adult. Exactly the kind of thing *I’m* looking for in yuri. While this was originally published in 2004, this year’s revised edition had mainstream book and comic store distribution, so here it is at number 3.

2. Blue – The story is not earth shaking, but for sheer excellence in transition to an English edition, Nananan Kiriko’s Blue has got to make this list. By far and away, the *best* reproduction of a manga I’ve ever seen. The English-language edition is exact to the original in every way…except that I can read it alot faster. :-)

And this year’s winner:

1. Read or Dream, Volume 1 – Not the most yuri story, not the best reproduction, but overall, one of the most *fun* things to come out this year. This alternate ROD-verse has a little something for everyone, and double that for fans of the ROD The TV anime. This will definitely be one of my “go to” books for a quick hit of chuckles time and time again. I’m thrilled to have it in English and I can’t recommend it enough. A total win for anyone who doesn’t require angst for a story to be “good.”

Top Five Japanese-language Yuri Manga of 2006

5. Kotonoha no Miko to Kotodama no Majyo to – In the beginning, I did not like Fujieda Miyabi’s art. Seriously. As my regular readers know, I am not a fan of “cute.” But over time, both story and characters really began to grow on me. By the time the story ended, I was hooked. Of course, the fact that Letty and Tsumugi’s story has continued in Drama CD form only serves to keep me hooked. :-) In the mean time, like Fujieda’s Iono-sama series, I’ve re-read MikoMajyo multiple time already and enjoyed it more every time.

4. Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou – This series is in serious contention for my “Best manga series ever ever ever” award. And, although it ended this year, it will remain in my heart forever. Sounds goopy, I know, but it’s true. Art, story, characters, were all well-crafted with subtle, delicate strokes…a veritable masterwork of manga. It ended as beautifully as ever, with exactly the right touch of Yuri. I, and other fans of Alpha and Kokone, couldn’t ask for more.

3. Kuchibiru no Tameiki Sakurairo – I’m not the only Yuri manga fan to be sad that Morinaga Milk has decided to stop drawing for Yuri Hime magazine. Like most of the stories that began in Yuri Shimai and were continued in Yuri Hime, this began as a series of semi-related one-shots that developed into an actual story somewhere along the line. I’m sorry that we’ll never get to see Nana and Hitomi grow up, move in together and live happily ever after, but we do get to see them go from friends to lovers, with beautiful art. A pleasure to read – and again, a volume I’ve already re-read several times.

2. Hayate x Blade – Hayashiya Shizuru is surely angling for “Yuri mangaka of the year” this year. Her Hayate x Blade gets a little gayer with each chapter, a little crazier, a little cooler and a little win-er. The HxB Drama CD kept the Yuri and upped the wacky. And when, every month I pick up my copy of Dengeki Daioh, its Hayate x Blade that I save for last so I can savor every moment. Hitsugi x Shizuku, Momoko x Isuzu, Hayate x Ayana x Jun, and every other pair of shinyuu at Tenchi Gakuen make this series pure gold. If only an anime…

And this year’s new champion….

1. It’s a one-two punch for Hayashiya Shizuru-sensei, with her winning combination of Julia and Ran in Strawberry Shake Sweet! (You can’t be too surprised to find three of the Yuri Hime manga volumes on this list, right?) A Yuri mangaka, who has been doing comedy Yuri manga and doujinshi for just about *ever*, all of Hayishiya’s physical humor and goofiness come together in this strangely touching and strangely hysterical and plain old strange girls’ love series. There’s about two straight female characters in the whole series. And one of them is doomed. ^_^

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And that’s it for 2006’s Top Ten Yuri Manga. Sometime before I leave next week, I will sum the whole year up in a giant Top Ten of Yuri, but until then, don’t forget two things: scanlations do not pay artist’s bills, and comments don’t pay mine. Rent, borrow, buy – don’t download. If you love Yuri, support it in a way that pays the bills. On behalf of Yuri publishers everywhere, thanks to everyone who *has* supported Yuri by buying it from ALC and/or through the Yuricon Shop!





Top Ten Yuri Anime of 2006

December 21st, 2006

It seems to be that time of year again, when “Top Ten” Lists of everything from manga to Bollywood Babes pop up and, as I am leaving next week right after Xmas for Tokyo and Comiket, I thought I’d better start working on this now. ^_^

As always, this list is going to be a mix of old and new, licensed series and as-yet unreleased in the west, because otherwise the list would be darn short. ;-) It’s also all in *my* opinion, so go ahead and comment that I’m wrong, but it’s not like you’re gonna change my mind.  In any case – here we go!

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10. Aria the Natural – This anime is making this year’s top 10 list, not because of its brilliant overt yuriness, but because part of the fun of watching it was looking for every teeny weeny little thing that could be vaguely run through the Yuri goggles and pointed at with a successful “Aha!” I and many others, remain convinced that Akira and Alicia are an item.

9. My HiME – What might have been a HUGE release for this anime in the US seems to have fizzled, largely in part to the DVDs for Volume 1 having issues. But the love of ShizNat, and other smexy Yuri couples, with or without any basis for existence, made this series a Yuri fandom fave in 2006. I personally think a strong push as a “Yuri” series would have bumped sales considerably.

8. Ichigo Mashimaro/Strawberry Marshmallow – I know, we’ve been beating this series to death this week, but when I bought the first volume of the anime I remembered all over again just how snortingly funny it is. And how much Miu is all about getting a little sugar from Nobue. Because, despite myself – every freakin’ time – I watch this, I laugh, and because there’s more than enough Yuri in it to make a case for just about anyone and anyone, this series makes number eight this year.

7. Coyote Ragtime Show – Sometimes a show just gets it right. The women are cool and sexy without making you feel yucky for thinking that, they look voluptuous, but not absurd, and they make you laugh, even as they are capping some redshirt. When neither the men nor the women are weak or incompetent and there’s a sense of something, you know, between the women. Throw in some space opera and friendly ruffian-type action, and you got yourself a winner. To paraphrase a very bad movie, give me a bottle of redeye, a crazy straw and Coyote Ragtime Show, and I’ll be one happy Erica. ^_^

6. Tied for sixth place are Kannazuki no Miko and Ninja Nonsense – Kannazuki no Miko was undoubtedly one of the most popular yuri releases of 2006. I’ve talked alot about KnM and why it’s popular but not good and, every time, people prove my point by writing incoherent comments filled with righteous indignation at me. But re-watching it, I was able to divorce the anime from the fandumb and remember why I thought it fun in the first place. The same is true for what is being released here as Ninja Nonsense. It’s openly tacky and ridiculous and, unlike KnM, is not going to have armies of insane fans, but *like* KnM it has a really cute Yuri couple, and some fun moments. Fun train-wreck Yuri anime. Number 6.

5. Mai Otome – It ended in spring 2006 without the enormous thud that tarnished Mai Hime. It was not nearly as good a story, and the plot holes were, well large and plentiful. But it had about 1/100th the angst and the whole setup read like an alternate-universe fanfic for the original anyway, so anyone who expected “good” clearly lacked critical thinking skills in the first place. What it was, was a fun, stupid take on the characters of the HiME-verse and it remained, from beginning to end a coherent, consistent, fun stupid take on the HiME-verse. And once again in the minority, I liked the ending. ^_^

4. Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl -I haven’t reviewed the thirteenth episode yet, but it hasn’t changed my opinion overall of the anime. This is another series I was prepared to dislike, but never really needed to. Sure, it was light, fluffy, full of incredibly convenient plot complications….but hello, anime? This is not Ghibli. So, for the anime, at least, once Hazumu became a girl, she stayed that way and it became a Yuri story by sheer force of the fact that it was girls in love with a girl. When the end came, which I saw as “the right choice for the wrong reason” I wasn’t surprised. When the *real* end came, which I saw as “the wrong choice for the right reason” I still wasn’t surprised. I was surprised at the outrage among viewers at the fluffiness of the end. Did they not notice that the plot was about a boy who was turned into a girl because he was killed by an alien spaceship? In any case, although it will never be something I recommend as a representative “Yuri” anime, it was still fun to watch.

Now for the big three. ^_^

3. I am SO glad the Maria-sama ga Miteru OAV 1: Kyuuka no Hitsuji/Vacation of the Lambs made it in for this year’s list! I think the OAV did a great job of capturing Yumi’s feelings of akogare/admiration/desire for Sachiko, while significantly cutting down on the self-loathing. It’s romantic and sweet and win. Once again, my akogare for Konno Oyuki grows by leaps and bounds. ^_^

2. Strawberry Panic was undoubtedly, the hottest Yuri anime this year. What began as cheesy, blatant rip-offs of every other Yuri anime and manga ended as a cheesy blatant rip-offs with a decent story, characters that didn’t blow and a fun, if predictable, ending. The Yuri was as blatant as the rip-offs, and all the plots and characters were recognizable and therefore easy to comprehend. Fandumb rooted for all the wrong characters, for the wrong reasons, and delighted in the gouts of fanservice and pandering. This series will be a benchmark series for me going forward. If a person likes Strawberry Panic more than Marimite, they won’t be coming over my house for lunch, ever. And they probably won’t ever understand why. ^_^ But in the end, the characters proved us wrong and they all went ahead and became three-dimensional anyway, and it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been.

1. Simoun and Strawberry Panic were opposites in nearly every way, but they both undoubtedly shaped this year’s Yuri anime scene. Simoun was an eclectic mix of Yuri fanservice, war story, character story, gender issues, politics and religion. Not everyone who saw it liked it, but those who liked it, loved it. And rightfully so. This was not an anime for the lowest common denominator – it presupposed some genuine intelligence in the viewing audience. For that alone, it stands on top of the pile. No blatant rip-offs here – this series took actual work, because the world it was set in was original and unique…and they never filled in all the details. And yet, because the characters were strong, and the reactions real, the holes in the world weren’t a problem. After all- who knows everything about why people do what they do in this world, either? I wouldn’t recommend Simoun to a beginner, but if I were doing an academic course and wanted to use an anime to engender discussion, Simoun would be the one I would choose.

By far and away, the most outstanding Yuri anime of 2006, Simoun.

 





Top Ten Yuri of 2005

December 30th, 2005

Well here we are – on the cusp of a new year. Thank the heavens is all I have to say. ^_^

There were a lot of good thing Yuri-wise in 2005, and many mediocre things. Here are some of the series, things, events and people that I think made 2005 Yuri-riffic.

10. Mai Hime and Mai Otome. It’s not that often than an anime series gives the Yuri world a poster-child couple. Sailor Moon gave us Haruka and Michiru, Utena gave us Utena and Anthy, Maria-sama ga Miteru brought us Sei and Shiori (as well as Yoshino and Rei, Sachiko and Yumi, Shimako and Noriko and a host of alternate variations. ShizNat, as Shizuru and Natsuki have come to be known, have joined the popular consciousness as a couple…even when really, there’s no evidence that they are one. LOL For this and all the reasons stated in this year’s top ten anime list, and the fact that they both spawn much conversation, discussion and conjecture on the Yuricon mailing List, both Mai series make this year’s top ten.

9. What would my top ten list be without a monstrously unsubtle self-congratulatory plug for Yuricon and ALC Publishing?. ^_^ Let’s see – in 2005 Yuricon sponsored not one, but *two* events – including one in Tokyo. How amazing is that? ALC Publishing remains the only English-language publisher of Yuri in the world and continues to gather the finest Yuri artists and writers together for the Yuri Monogatari anthology. This year’s included Japanese veteran Yuri artists Akiko Morishima and Rica Takashima. This year also saw the distribution of Yuri manga for the first time to comic book stores – and now to chain bookstores in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK. I don’t feel one whit bad about saying that the staff, artists, writers and supporters of Yuricon and ALC have had an amazing year and deserve, 100%, to be on this list of top ten Yuri everything for 2005.

8. Kannazuki no Miko, ugh. Despite my feeling of hoplesseness every time I read a post by someone who uses the word “HAWT” in conjunction with this series, I have to get off my high horse for a second and admit that this god-awful farce of an anime and manga is what passes for Yuri to an awful lot of people. Not people I’d invite over for lunch or anything, you understand, but…. KnM put “Yuri” on the map for scads of fanboys who wouldn’t understand why “Strawberry Shake Sweet” is actually *good*, with a plot and characters etc., etc. For shoving the word “Yuri” up the noses and into the collective consciousness of the lowest common denominator, Kannazuki no Miko comes in at number 8.

7. Let’s talk dedication here for a second. Let’s talk shinyuu, friendship that goes above and beyond the bounds of sense and propriety. Let’s talk about two people you don’t know well enough, but you should – two people whose unending efforts in the cause of Yuri has made a real difference to us.

Rica Takashima has been a driving force behind a Yuricon presence in Japan. She was the organizer and host of Yuricon 2005 in Tokyo – and turned it into a history-making event quite single-handedly. She mans the Yuricon table at Comiket, creats cards and comics and art that make people happy – worldwide – and is an amazing person. And all this year, in *between* doing all this, she’s been handling a weekly cartooning job for a newspaper, and spending time, effort and energy on her own life. To say that all of Yuri-dom, owes Rica a debt of gratitude is not an understatement. Without her, Yuricon in Tokyo would not have been the success it was, and all the artists and writers who were there, who are now sitting in East Hall 5, Row Po at Winter Comiket, would not be talking about themselves as “Yuri” artists. Rica should probably come in at number one, really. But to her, I say, from the bottom of my heart, “Thank you.”

The other person I want to mention here has gone essentially unnoticed in the world of Yuri. She tends to hide behind me, but without her, there would be no, well…Yuri. Kelli Nicely has been the Yuricon staff illustrator for several years. She does the covers of our Yuri Monogatari anthologies and incidental art for them. She is the talent that brought Yuriko and her friends to life in the illustrated Shoujoai ni Bouken, and she’ll be illustrating a short for the next YM anthology. She created the wonderful “I Love Yuri” logo you see above. Posters, logos, whatever Yuricon needs, and whatever *I* need, Kelli has cranked it all out. And for all that work, she receives an unending stream of abuse and agita from yours truly. She also gets alot of lunches and snacky foods, but in the big picture she gives more than she gets. So for all her hard work as my whipping girl and right hand, Kelli Nicely makes the top ten this year.

6. While I’m talking about people who have influenced Yuri, I have to mention Hayashiya Shizuru. I’ve only mentioned her or her work about 10 times this year, but as the year moved on the frequency of her name popping up in my conversation has increased significantly. Her works, from the early ero-manga Ultra Sword to fanboy fave Onegai Teacher, from her doujinshi work as Jesus Drug to her Yuri serial Strawberry Shake Sweet, and of course, Hayate x Blade, Hayashiya Shizuru is making waves, setting trends and establishing a whole new wave of Yuri with humor – can you imagine? No more overwrought angst…no, the angst is now accompanied by ridiculous sight gags and egregious puns. And silly, silly situations. Yuri fans everywhere should say an Ave that she’s out there cranking out funny, happy, goofy Yuri.

5. I talk about them constantly, I can’t get enough of them. My drug of choice this and every year is Drama CDs. And at number 5 is the slowly but steadily growing collection of Maria-sama ga Miteru Drama CDs. One more moment in Rosa Chinensis’ Greatest Day, one more time for Yumi and Sei to interact, one more chance to hear Sachiko have a hysterical fit over something, one more chance to hear Shizuka sing. These CDs are the perfect way to get another infusion of the voices that make the characters come alive. Next year expect to hear about Hatsukoi Shimai and Hayate Cross Blade CDs, as well as more Marimite. But for now, the lovely ladies of Lillian make my best of without question.

4. Did I mention how utterly delightful Iono the Fanatics is? Yes? Oh well, let’s go over it again. Great storyline, charming characters, adorable art and sexy without cheesy fanservice. Can we get more of this please? :-)

3. I’m totally biased, I know. And I’m not above sucking up, either, so once again Japan’s quarterly Yuri manga magazine, Yuri Hime makes my list. Last year it made this list in its Yuri Shimai incarnation and now, reborn as Yuri Hime it’s even better than before. They’ve upped the grown-up-ness of the stories, added some significant artists and generally started putting out the Yuri manga magazine I’d like to see. If we can get their collected works over here through ALC, that would be icing on the cake.

2. I’m not *quite* sick of talking about Hayate Cross Blade yet, but I’m betting you’re all getting sick of hearing about it. :-) It’s funny, it’s deep. It’s got great, original characters and situations, and it has chicks with swords. In my personal opinion – a winning formula. The only reason I’d like to see an anime of it, is because then more people will see how wonderful it is. :-) Otherwise, I’d be happy with the monthly manga chapters that I read over and over in anticipation of the next collected volume. My most re-read manga of the year and greatly anticipated Drama CD…Hayate, Ayana, Jun, Momoka and Isuzu all make number two for the year.

Drum roll please……

1. In September 2004 I began reading these. I have read just about one a month since, and am steadily falling behind as Konno Oyuki cranks out more. LOL I’ve typed up notes, I’ve talked about them ad nauseum, and I’ve lived, eaten and breathed them for the last year. My number one diversion, and best Yuri anything of 2005 is, hands down, the Maria-sama ga Miteru novels by the magnificent Konno Oyuki-sensei. I am a notoriously picky reader – being a writer and editor has just about ruined reading as a pasttime for me. I constantly note inadequacies in the text, characters and situations. I just finished the thirteenth novel and all I have to say is – Konno is brilliant. The characters are delightful, the situations are fun and funny, and dramatic and worth every second it takes for me to translate, take notes and type the same up, so you all can spend another second with the Yamayurikai, too.

And so, please excuse me as I wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year, Akemashite Omodetou, etc, etc, and end this, so I can begin the next novel. ^_^

See you in 2006!





Top Ten Yuri Manga of 2005

December 29th, 2005

This list was way easier to put together, let me tell you! Yuri Manga in 2005 had more variety and more energy than anime by far. Looking over the titles I’ve chosen, there ought to be at least *something* for everyone on this year’s top ten…

10. With a surprising amount of yuri considering the original manga series, we’ll start this list off with the ROD – Read or Dream manga. Yes, it had a severe lack of Nenene, but it’s jam packed with Anita x Hisami and not really in a yucky way, either. Ah, young love…. Anyway, as I went on and on during the year, this was an interesting fun and Yuri-filled spin on the ROD-verse.

9. The Maria-sama ga Miteru manga has not been as notable as I could have hoped, but it’s also coming out very slowly. At this point the individual issues are running once every other month in Margaret magazine. The manga adds in internal monolgue that is lost in the anime, and the additional dialogue and rewrites have not been painful. The art is different than that of the novels and, I think, better than the animation. The stories have been handled with care and most importantly, the incidental art strikes exactly the right note of goofy creativity. I only wish it was coming out faster.

8. Coming in at number eight is that old classic that I love so much, YajiKita Gakuen Douchuuki. The Yuri is, if anything, *more* pronounced than in the original 22 volumes. Not only does Kita-san have the usual gaggle of girls running after her, she now has Ruriko obsessively seeking to dress her up in a tux and make her her lover. I really can’t get enough of this series.

7. Ichigo Mashimaro. As I’ve said many times, I tried to loathe this, but just couldn’t. It’s just too funny. There are so many reason why I shouldn’t enjoy it, but Miu is too damn Yuri and funny to hate. That, and this series’ persistent life on all Yuri blogs, lists and sites brings it to number seven in my top ten.

6. It’s true that Transistor ni Venus is older than just this year, but I discovered it in 2005, so on this list it goes. This is more like the kind of thing I look for in yuri, especially when the main players are all adult women. The art is very pinup-y, the plots are bare wrapping around the many kissing scenes and frankly, the stories are stupid. But I really enjoy the heck out of this manga and I really wish there was more!

5. Bakuretsu Tenshi was, IMHO, a really bleah anime. What a surprise then, to find that the manga wasn’t half bad! The Jo x Meg thing that had completely been suppressed to the point of needing yuri goggles on high in the anime, was surfaced nicely in the manga. I only wish they had gone on with the story and rewrote the entire sequence of anime events, but you can’t have everything. ^_^ In any case, for Meg and Jo sharing soba and kisses, this makes number five for the year.

4. Shameless? Why *yes!* It may seem utterly absurd for me to say this, but I really do believe that Yuri Monogatari 3 is one of the best Yuri manga of the year. It’s got adult content, without it being icky, squicky or loli. There’s something for everyone in this year’s Yuri anthology – angst and violence and humor and even a sympathetic tentacle monster, lol. Every year our anthology gets stronger…I gotta tell you, YM4 is *already* on the way to being a really excellent book. Bigger and more chock-filled with excellent Yuri. And that’s what this list is all about, dammit! LOL If you haven’t gotten a copy of YM3, you’re missing, really.

3. Iono the Fanatics *had* to make this list. Original, funny, adorable, sexy, with one of the most charming eponymous protagonists I’ve come across in years, my copy of the first volume has already been re-read several times, and I eye the author’s site constantly waiting for the next volume. This manga makes my short list for “why can’t they make an anime of THIS????”

2. Who says money can’t buy you happiness? In fact, four times a year, it does, when the new issue of Yuri Hime comes out. This quarterly anthology has improved since Ichijinsha took it over. The stories and art are getting stronger with each volume and the number of popular yuri artists joining the collection grows every issue, as well. Soon we’ll be seeing collected volumes of stories from Yuri Hime, and we can buy copies and keep our fingers crossed that we’ll see more!

And finally, coming in at number one, my current raison d’etre and best Yuri manga of 2005…

1. Hayate Cross Blade

You can find my reviews of the collected volumes and Drama CDs of HxB in the category for the series.

No, this manga has no serious kisses, no sex, nothing of that kind. But it does have genuine emotional connection and conflict between women who love, love/hate and hate each other; it has Jun, an openly lesbian character; it has chicks with swords; and shinyuu; and it has partners who are in love, or in physical relationships with each other (yes, really…). Basically it has lots of girls, lots of fights, lots of comedy and a fair dollop of Yuri through all of the above.

Written and drawn by Hayashiya Shizuru, artist of so many other Yuri-riffic series, including the upcoming collected volume of Strawberry Shake Sweet, HxB wins hands down as my favorite Yuri manga of the year.