Archive for the Yuri Doujinshi Category


Yuri doujinshi: Kisu ha Owari de Hajimari de (キスはおわりではじまりで)

December 23rd, 2012

Do you remember Comic Lily? Neither did I. As a prompt, here are my reviews of Volume 1, Volume 2 and Volume 3 of this short-lived Yuri anthology.

But at one of the events I attended last month in Japan, I picked up a self-published collection called Kisu ha Owaride Hajimari de (キスはおわりではじまりで) which included stories that had originally been published by Matsushita Mai and Rakutoki Tarahi in that anthology.

On the bad side, most of these stories fall right into that dysfunctional “She annoys me, unless she’s not here” plot that we just discussed. On the good side, each story includes an epilogue that shows a somewhat more composed and functional relationship.

The first story, “Akogare Macaron” is the strongest of the bunch, Although Matsuri wants to be friends, Sayo works hard at rebuffing her…until Matsuri announces that she’ll be moving to France. Sayo finally finds it in herself to admit her feelings to herself and to Matsuri. This is followed up by an epilogue in which Sayo visits Matsuri in France and they vow to be together forever, someday.

The stories here are sweet and typical, much like the macaroon of the above story’s title…they all taste nice but they also taste pretty much the same.

The art is very decent, I think Hirari or Comic Yuri Hime would be well-served to look at this circle’s work.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8 for the first one, but they are the same story over and over and the impact lessens as one reads
Characters – 7
Yuri – 8
Service – 3

Overall – 7

On their site, the circle offers a few lovely Yuri wallpapers for download. Check ’em out!





Yuri Doujinshi: Liquorice

June 2nd, 2010

Last year, I had the pleasure to read Crême Brûlee, a doujinshi by a Dutch BL/GL circle, Open-Minded. It was an even greater pleasure to receive a copy of this year’s book, the all-Yuri Liquorice.

The folks at Open-Minded are true to their name. There are few limitations in this book. There is no attempt to draw “manga” but instead one finds a collection of stories that range so broadly that they are quite impossible to summarize in a word or two. This, I think, is a wonderful thing.

As with all anthologies, both art and stories vary widely. What I like best you may not and vice versa. (I am still amazed that there were people who did not adore “Grass” from Yuri Monogatari 6, as I consider it to be one of the best stories I’ve ever published in every way….) So far – I am not completely done with the volume, preferring to read it a little bit at a time, just as one might eat the sweet it’s named for – my favorite story is a completely context-less short in which two robots make love so fiercely they destroy each other. Who? Why? We’ll never know.

The true strength of Liquorice is not in the execution but in what it aspires to be. Not a copy, not “like” anything, it’s a genuinely original work. I can’t tolerate the flavor licorice, but I’ll gladly savor Liquorice over and over again.

Overall – 8

My heartfelt thanks go to the fine folks at Open-Minded for the copy of the book, and my genuine wish for their continued success.





Yuri Network News – September 5, 2009

September 5th, 2009


So much great Yuri news this week!

Yuri Anime

November is going to be a bang-up month for Yuri fans, with Sasamekikoto in Japan and El Cazador here, and now we have yet another thing to look forward to: Arca Jeth (and many other people!) want you to know that Sentai Filmworks announces that they’ll be releasing Blue Drop in November as well. It’ll be coming out as a season box set, for a reasonable price. Can’t ask for better. :-)

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Yuri Manga

YNN correspondent Sean G. is pleased to note that the new Udon Press editions of the Silent Mobius manga has begun. Volume 1 is out, and full of Rally Cheyenne goodness.

And in case you hadn’t heard the news, Dark Horse will be putting out a Cardcaptor Sakura and Magic Knight Rayearth in omnibus editions.

Also in November, Sylwia says that the Comix Grrrlz website is publishing their first Polish lesbian comic book anthology. Their project is not concentrated on manga style arts. “We want to publish a book contains different art styles and different views at sappho themas (also from male perspective).” Release date will be in November. As soon as they can, they’ll put a page up on the website for sales. Keep an eye open for this, as it joins the Dutch Open-Minded collection as the second European Yuri doujinshi.

YNN Correspondent Katherine H. reports that Volume 1 of Naomura Tooru’s Shitsurakuen is coming out on September 18. Fans of Utena should take note, because it has some similarities.

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Yuri Drama CD

Katherine also joyously proclaimed to the Yuricon Mailing List that a Aoi Hana Drama CD is on the way.

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Other Yuri News

Simon B says that Animate says the Aoi Hana fanbook has been delayed to the 8th.

Prism Comics is proud to announce that it’s accepting submissions for the 2009 Queer Press Grant, with a deadline of October 1, 2009. The annual grant was established by Prism Comics to assist in the publication and promotion of LGBT comics. Deadline October 1, 2009 See their website for details.

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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.)

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

 





Yuri Manga Anthology: Maria’s Wink

March 4th, 2008

Long day today – short review. One of the more charming gray areas of Japanese copyright law is the existence of parody doujinshi anthologies. These are found in the same stores where manga and anime are sold. They usually have an anthology section, sometimes two, one for gag comics and the other for “adult.”

When I was in Japan last year, I picked up a pile of Maria-sama ga Miteru anthologies, some of which I have already reviewed. Feel free to read my reviews of Soeur Sengen and Gokigenyou anytime. At the time, I also picked up the second book in a series called Maria’s Wink. This past trip I found Maria’s Wink, Volume 1.

Maria’s Wink is primarily a gag anthology, but there’s plenty of Yuri love-love for readers, mostly of the major pairings. Lots of Sei-ism, of course. Two circles included in this collection are Bebe, who did the Creole series, and Raku-Gun, one of my current favorite circles.

I enjoy doujinshi anthologies. They are a fun, easy way to get a bead on the kind of stories that you, as a fan of a series, like. You get such a wide variety of circles, art, story, feel and tone, that you’re likely to find *something* that appeals to you. I always recommend these books as a great way to dip a toe into the vast and intimidating world of doujinshi. Once you have a few circles you know you like, you can start looking for their work, and slowly, slowly find yourself drowning in thousands of doujinshi which threaten to overrun your house.

…Maybe that’s just me.

In any case, if you like Maria-sama ga Miteru, and you want to read doujinshi that is *not* full of gouting bodily fluids, Maria’s Wink is a good place to start.

Ratings:

Art – Averaging at about 6
Characters – 8
Story – 7
Yuri – 6
Service – 2

Overall – 7





Yuri Anthology: Souer Sengen, Yellow

May 3rd, 2007

Souer Sengen is yet another collection of yuri doujinshi for Maria-sama ga Miteru. Like my earlier reviews of Gokigenyou and Maria’s Wink, this book is one of a series. In this case the stories are loosely collected around the three Rose Families: Red, Yellow and White, one volume focused on Yumi and one on the supporting characters called, “SP”.

Todays review will be on the Yellow Rose Family Volume. Why this one of all of them? Because this one is, IMHO, the best of the bunch. If you asked me why, I’m not sure I’d be able to put my finger on it, exactly. I think it’s a combination of several things – I like the focus on Rei x Yoshino, I like many of the circles that contributed and I like several of the stories already, a priori. I own some of the doujinshi from which the stories are taken and they are some of my favorites.

The back to back stories by Bonny Bonnie, one of which ends happily and one sadly, both of which deal with Yoshino’s desire to kiss Rei, are quite enjoyable. In the first, they kiss, and Rei says that it tastes warm and nice. This is followed by a second, deeper kiss, and Yoshino complains that Rei tastes like takoyaki. ^_^ The second story ends with them kissing, but Rei saying that she really doesn’t want to open that door any further…. Both are quite sweet in their own way. You’ll pardon me if I prefer the first. ^_^

There’s a cute tale as Eriko passes a book from Rei to Yoshino, and in doing so ponders how close they are. It’s nice insight from Rosa Foetida into her “little sisters.” And, among the many other stories that look at the relationship between Yoshino and Rei, this collection includes the story from my very first Maria-sama ga Miteru doujinshi purchase, from long before I had the vaguest clue about the series. The circle is Bebe, and the series is called “Creole.” The first Creole story is about the “Day it Began,” which is to say, they day Yoshino and Rei become lovers. Despite it’s intense lolification of Yoshino, I like this story a lot. In fact, I like the whole Creole series alot – even the one where Sachiko presides over a sex club. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8 variable, pretty decent, with the exception of one story, which was “shriek!” bad
Characters – 10 Yoshino…!
Story – also variable, averages to about a 6
Yuri – 9, except where it’s 10
Service – 10

Overall – 8

The entire Souer Sengen series is worth taking a look at. Some very fun and well-known Marimite parody circles contribute, like Pen-Pen Gusa Club, and the aforementioned Bebe and Bonny Bonnie. So there’s something of interest in each volume. But in my entirely personal opinion – this volume is the best one.