Archive for the Yuri Doujinshi Category


Yuri Doujinshi: Yuricon Tabemono to Joshiben (ユリコン　食べ物と女子編)

February 4th, 2020

What do you get when a bunch of the best adult-life Yuri artists get together and explore random themes, then collect them together into anthology doujinshi? You get the Yuricon series! (No relation to my Yuricon.) We’ve explored a few of the earlier volumes here on Okazu, Yuricon Travel (ユリコン Travel) and Yuricon Jimoto Hougenhen (ユリコン 地元方言編) (which is available in Japanese on US Kindle, as is Yuricon Otaku Joshiben (オタク女子編), which I cannot remember why I did not review.)

I was beyond myself to be able to get Yuricon Tabemono to Joshiben (ユリコン　食べ物と女子編). My very sincere thanks to Xan who picked it up at Comiket for me. You are my hero!

Why was I looking forward to this issue so much? Because it focused on the three things in the world I enjoy most: Food, Women and Yuri. There’s little else that I want – although I’m still hoping for a sports Yuri series that takes place at the Special Olympics in Tokyo. (Two competitors from rivalry and love at the Special Olympics. Please. Thank you.)

The first story, by Seta Seta is less about food than it is about dieting. A woman finds that her jealousy hides other feelings when her friend loses weight.

Riru contributes a story about a woman who runs a lunch truck, who takes great pains to woo a food critic. The smiles on their faces at the end are a lovely payoff. Also, an expected side effect of reading this at night before bed, while hungry –  I want to try a noriben. 

Baked goods bring two women together in Takemiya Jin’s story…stollen and chocolate bread and a bonus chinese cabbage (also called napa cabbage) millefeuille nabe recipe and comic.

Kitao Taki takes a deep dive into a years-long relationship between two women and souffle cheesecake. Yeah, now I want a Japanese cheesecake. Yes. I am easily influenced. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 9

 

Four strong adult-life Yuri contributors focused on love and food and love of food. You can’t go wrong, really. ^_^

If this issue becomes available digitally on Amazon.com, I’ll let you know. In the mean time Melonbooks has it and you can use Tenso or White Rabbit or some other buying service to get it if you need. Or ask a friend who is going to an event where it’s being sold! That seems to work for me. ^_^ I’ve used Tenso, buying some t-shirts from Hayashiya Shizuru-sensei’s shop (I am currently coveting this bag. It makes me weep with joy) and it was a bit repetitive to fill out, but it worked like a charm and the costs were – for me, anyway – perfectly acceptable.

 





Yuri Manga: Galette meets, Issue 6 (ガレット meets)

November 6th, 2019

One of my purchases at Girls Love Fest in September (along with piles of doujinshi) was Galette meets, Issue 6 (ガレット meets). Galette meets functions as the doujinshi arm of the quarterly Galette magazine. It’s subtitle reads “All one-shot, slightly SEXY and more SWEET, galette meets.” I receive meets as a backer of Galette, but when I can get a copy in hardcover, I do, because my growing section of Galette publications makes me happy. ^_^I encourage you to become a backer and get a PDF download of magazine and meets as a perq!

This issue contains 6 stories for a hefty 84 pages. There are a number of cute and fun stories, but the one that I enjoyed the most was “Watashi no Roommate” by Morino, An ero-manga artist is not comfortable with her roommate at all. She’s relieved when her roommate leaves. As she works on her comic, she finds herself stimulated and moves to the bed to take care of the issue. Her roommate walks in on her, comments drily, “I forgot my phone” and leaves again. ^_^ The roommate’s complete lack of concern was pretty funny.

nui’s “Hibi no Katachi” also scratched my Yuri android itch. I really like Yuri android stories for some reason. ^_^

Overall – 8

Issue 7 of Galette meets was released at the end of September in print. You can also get Issue 1 through 3.5 on Bookwalker Global in digital format. Issue 4 and Issue 5 are available as Kindle only on Amazon JP. You can find other links to purchase them (Melonbooks, Comiz Zin) on the Galette meets website.





Yuri Doujinshi: Siren to Rosebud (サイレンとローズバッド) and Yuricon Travel (ユリコン Travel)

October 23rd, 2019

Back in the early 2000s, when Yuri was more of a feature of various manga than a genre of its own, Yuri doujinshi and anthologies were the main ways fans could access Yuri created by the people we now think of as “Yuri artists.” As more of those artists have gone professional, more magazines have given Yuri artists a chance to publish work (and have run contests to attract new artists,) and as more manga has been released in English, it is not that hard to ignore doujinshi as an important area of Yuri creativity. But, we shouldn’t.

Doujinshi are still a terrific medium through which both aspiring and established writers and artists, can play with their own and other people’s styles and ideas to create amazing works. Comic shows foster collaboration and creativity. For instance, I picked up some Riddle Story of a Devil collaborations that paired series artist Sunao Minakata with Yuri Bear Storm artist Akiko Morishima. ^_^

While in Tokyo for the 100 Years of Yuri Tour, I took some time to visit Akihabara and dig through the shelves at Comic Zin and Melonbooks, specifically to get the books I am reviewing today. Both are Yuri doujinshi by artists we know and love here at Okazu.

Siren to Rosebud (サイレンとローズバッド) is the first new original work in a while by Jesus Drug, aka Hayashiya Shizuru. (Her more recent doujinshi have been wrapping up the Strawberry Shake series.)

On a desert island, a teacher and her student wash up after a shipwreck. They survive and, ultimately fall in love. Although Shiho promises Suzu-chan that they’ll be together forever, when they are rescued, she disappears. 8 years later, Suzu-chan, now 22, finds Shiho hiding from the world in a small seaside home in Okinawa, having become an author and shut-in.

Suzuka tries to rekindle their relationship, but Shiho rejects her, claiming to be lolicon. Suzu leaves the next morning, but as she walks the beach, Shiho runs up, saying that she lied, she was just scared of how she felt then and how she feels now. Its happy ending for the two, as Suzu teases Shiho.

This doujinshi does a couple of fun things, including the use of QR codes for random objects, specifically mangoes, jackfruit and paracord bracelets which were popular a few years ago. And there’s a MP3 link that I have not been able to get to work. All in good fun.  The art is better than ever, and her comedic beats are just as solid as always. Despite the gags, this may well be one of the sweetest, most romantic doujinshi I have by Hayashiya-sensei.

Melonbooks is always an education in how badly anatomy lessons are needed for artists, but it has a fairly interesting Yuri section and  it was worth it to get Siren to Rosebud. ^_^;

 

While at Girls Love Fes,while browsing the Comic Zin bins, I was able to pick up the next book in the Yuricon series, Yuricon Tabi-joshiben (ユリコン旅女子編 ), which is available in Japan from Booth. I reviewed the Jimoto Hougenhen volume in 2018, which you can read digitally on Bookwalker.

There are two additional volumes out this year, Yuricon Otakuben (ユリコン オタク女子編), also available on Bookwalker, and Otona Yuricon 2019 (大人のユリコン2019 which I have thus far only found on JP Kindle, and therefore not obtainable by me. ^_^; But here are some sample pages.

The Yuricon Tabi-joshiben collection includes stories by Ajiichi, Kitao Taki, Takemiya JIn and Riru all of which center on travel.

Ajiichi’s follow two women who are deeply in love. And also sisters.

Takemiya Jin’s “Sentimental Journey” was an entertaining story about a rather mopey woman looking for the worst in people and finding someone good.

“Onsen ha Ikou e” by Kitao Taki follows women on a company trip to an onsen who have to actually share their true feelings or hurt one another.

And Riru’s “Torikago Ryoukan” follows a model and her manager on a hunt through the woods for a natural hot spring. This story was very silly, but I loved the art.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story 9
Characters – 9
Service – Occasional nudity
Yuri – 10

Buying original Yuri doujinshi is still one of my favorite things to do in Japan. And because I liked Siren to Rosebud so much, I bought an extra for the next Premium Lucky Box, so you too can look at the QR codes. ^_^ Lucky Boxes will be happening soon, so keep an eye out!

It is extra fun to me to realize that I picked up two doujinshi that focus on travel (and unintended adventure,) on my wildly adventurous 100 Years of Yuri Tour!) How…fitting.





Yuri Manga: Galette Meets, Issue 2 (ガレットMeets)

March 1st, 2019

One of the ways artists in Japan build up their professional chops is through doujinshi. Because these self-published or small press books must be completed to deadline and have print runs and sales that can be measured, the comic markets at which they are sold make a very useful proving ground for amateur creators – and a healthy space for self-expression for professionals whose creations must conform to editorial guidance, house style and magazine popularity.

It makes a lot of sense, then that Galette magazine encourages submission of Yuri doujinshi artists for both the quarterly magazine and it’s own doujinshi publication Galette Meets. Galette Meets, Issue 2 (ガレットMeets) is, like Issue 1, all one-shot stories that the editors think are “Just a tad sexy and a little more sweet.”

In my opinion, Issue 2 is much stronger on both art and story than Issue 1. My personal favorite is by Miura Kozumi, a story about a work romance in which the cool, cosmpolitan and apparently worldly sempai who likes women has….no experience with women and is a complete uke in bed, in “Takamine-sempai and Nonchan.” Workplace romance is a popular theme, and so is casual acquaintance, which feels comfortable for this short.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

I like the idea of a Galette having a small proving ground, so to speak, providing other artists a venue for a publication credit.

Galette Meets, Issue 2 is no longer available in print outside Japan, but you can still get it digitally on JP Kindle, US Kindle (in Japanese) and Bookwalker (also in Japanese.)





Yuri Doujinshi: Kotonoha 1 (English)

November 13th, 2018

When Emi and Aoi were in school, they were best friends…until one day they kissed. But Aoi never confessed, Emi and she stayed just friends until they graduated. 

Years have gone by and Aoi now works in an office, When conversation turns to relationships, Aoi gets that look on her face as she remembers “that guy” she was in love with. Sakura knows that look and jokes that Aoi’s description of that lost love sounds awfully like a male version of the new designer that the department just hired. Aoi is shocked to see Emi walk through the door. 

Issue 1 of Kisu Gae’s Kotonoha is a solid setup for a doujinshi story and, more importantly, its available in English on Kindle for less than it would have cost to buy the actual doujinshi at a comic market (significantly less when you remember that you don’t have to take yourself to Japan to get it.)

Issue 2 completes the set. Buy the both of them for under $5 and it’s still probably cheaper than it would have been if you bought one volume in print. ^_^ 

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8 Decent set-up anyway
Characters  – Same
Service – Not much in this issue, no idea yet what Issue 2 will bring us. ^_^
Yuri – 9

Overall – 8

It’s a whole new world opening up in digital, now that Yuri doujinshi are starting to appear on Kindle.