Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


Yuri Manga: 2DK, G Pen, Mezamashidokei, Volume 2 (2DK、Gペン、目覚まし時計。)

February 22nd, 2016

2dk2-275x390As you may recall, I started my review of Volume 1 of this series with “Ohsawa Yayoi’s 2DK, G Pen, Mezamashidokei  is a sweetly cheerful version of the worst story ever written.”

Thankfully, Volume 2 of 2DK, G Pen, Mezamashidokei (2DK、Gペン、目覚まし時計。) is a far cry from that first volume. A far cry from the cutely neglectful relationship between Nanami the career woman and Kaede the manga artist, but only slightly closer to Yuri. And not between the principals, as one might expect. Not yet, at any rate.

In Volume 2, we spend the bulk of the book with cool, competent Nanami, whose life is nothing like she expected it to be. By now, she had thought she would be married, with a career she enjoyed. Well, she has the career. but no husband and it doesn’t bother her all that much, to her surprise. When she becomes the mentor to a junior team member’s new project, she finds that not only does she really like what’s she’s doing, she’s genuinely enthusiastic about the changes their making. And she becomes fond of the new kid on the block, Yuuko. Yuuko’s youth and enthusiasm is infectious and Nanami responds by becomes more determined, more energetic and more competent as the situation demands. A far cry from the rung-out woman of Volume 1. It is in fact a delight to see her be more of a character than just a straight man.  There is a very real spark between her and Yuuko, although whether that goes anywhere, we don’t yet know. Nanami herself seems to not have noticed, as she tells Yuuko that there’s someone at home waiting for her. But is Kaede actually waiting for her? I’m not so sure.

In the meantime, Kaede, working in tandem with fellow manga artist, Koyuki, has been pulling long hours and is accomplishing more than we could have presumed, given her slackabout ways in Volume 1.

The end of the book takes a look at the circumstances around which Nanami and Kaede met and decided to room together.

The final pages arrive with a small crisis as Koyuki, of all people, suddenly finds herself attracted to Kaede.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Yuri – 2 Barely there at the moment, which means we’re getting a build into a relationship, rather than the normal “they must be together” thing we get.
Service – No fanservice, but the women have different outfits and care about their skin and what they eat and other actual human things. I consider that a kind of service to the adult female audience. ^_^

Overall – 8

All the characters are way less trope-y and way more interesting than in the first volume. With the current setup, there’s no guarantee that Kaede and Nanami will end up together and frankly, I think this is a far better series for that. At the very least it’s going into a third volume and I’m looking forward to future chapters much more than I was. ^_^

And getting more than two volumes for one of the few josei series running in Comic Yuri Hime is high priority for me. It’s refreshing and positive to see an artist I like being able to create a longer series about and for adult women in the middle of all those schoolgirls.





Seven Seas Licenses “Yagate Kimi ni Naru” for Valentine’s Day

February 15th, 2016

YKNN-275x390As a Valentine’s Day present, Seven Seas announced that they have licensed Nakatani Nio’s Yagate Kimi ni Naru, Bloom Into You.

Seven Seas is planning to release the ongoing series as single volumes (as opposed to omnibus volumes), the first of which will be available in January 2017.

Here is the Okazu review of Volume 1, which I both enjoyed quite a bit and had one mild concern about the story itself. ^_^

The Japanese edition is available on the Yuricon Store.

I’m far more positive about this license than recent previous additions to their catalog. I know that a few of you already really like this series – now you can look forward to getting it in English!

 





Yuri Manga: Rakuen Le Paradis 19 ( 楽園 Le Paradis 第19号)

February 11th, 2016

51l6xA59LDL._SX344_BO1204203200_-275x397 Rakuen Le Paradis is an unsung hero of amazing manga by amazing manga artists that lean towards a female audience, sort of a Morning for women. I wish more people read it, if only so I’d have a chance to gush over it with someone. ^_^

Volume 19 of Rakuen Le Paradis continues to be a veritable gem store of josei manga. Among these are the glittering ruby red “Collectors” by Nishi Uko,  and a new emerald short from Takemiya Jin.

Ume Aoki’s school story took a turn into a short, sweet Yuri scenario, and Sengoku Hiroko’s series about Hashimoto and the teacher she’s convinced herself she’s in love with slowly treads water.  Kurosaki Rendo makes sex look gross, as usual and Harumi Chihiro’s story “Girl Friend” about two otokoyaku-type girls figuring out liking each other was cute and not nearly as awkward as expected.

As always, many of the other non-Yuri stories were strong,  with entries from Kazuma Kowo, Mizutani Fuuka,Unita Yumi, Kojo Kumeta, Nakamura Asumiko and many other incredibly skilled storytellers. If this magazine is flying under the radar, it’s not the creators’ fault. In the meantime, it is a must-read magazine I get regularly, because this is what manga should be like – awesome stories, told by amazing artists, about great characters, and a big helping of Yuri. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 9

A terrific issue of a terrific magazine.





Yuri Manga: Watashi no Muchina Watashi no Michi. Volume 2 (私の無知なわたしの未知 2)

February 2nd, 2016

WMWM2Now here’s a thing we don’t see much any more – a review of a Volume 2 of a series for which Volume 1 was never discussed. Remember this kind of thing from back in the day, where we’d get a side plot in a long series? Like Loveless, or Usotsuki Lily? Only this is not like those at all.

Momono Moto is a Yuri artist who specializes in adult life series. Her Kimi Koi Limit exasperated me and her sequel Rainy Song redeemed her in my eyes.

Well last year, she began a short two-volume series titled Watashi no Muchina Watashi no Michi. Volume 1 followed Minato, a typical woman in a typical office who is slowly being strangled to death by boredom. Until she meets Asami, a moody coworker. I did not review it, because the story centered mostly on Minato realizing how she was dying a little each day and Asami was more or less the catalyst. I wasn’t sure if this series was going anywhere.

In Volume 2, Minato and Asami are starting to break down walls between them. They become lovers, but almost immediately it becomes apparent that there is a dark secret that involves them both. Asami used to study music with Minato’s father…until he claimed her music as his. When it becomes apparent that Asami knew Minato’s relationship with the man who stole her music, and was trying to “get revenge” of a sort, it splits them up. However, Asami realizes that she’s been a dolt and has actual feelings for Minato.

Having nothing left to care about, Minato leaves work and takes a job doing something menial that she can give a shit about. Three years pass and she never stops looking for Asami. I won’t give away the ending as it’s basically the the most interesting bit of the story.

Momono’s work has visibly matured. The art is assured and in places, even delicate. A professional’s work.

And the story too, has matured. Where Kimi Koi Limit took broad strokes at human nature, this series has finer lines and more subtlety. Where I loathed Sono, because of her unremitting selfishness, I could not dislike Asami. Although – in real life, I would not root for Asami and Minato to get together, I would want Minato to grow beyond the relationship and find herself someone without baggage, but of course in the manga we are supposed to want them together.

Another strong quality of this manga is the fact that everyone has society. As moody as Asami is, she has friends, nor is Minato isolated in her world. They exist outside the role they are given in their relationship. That is part of what, for me defines, this as an “adult life” manga, versus a “romance”, like Yagate Kimi ni Naru.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 6
Characters – 7
Yuri – 8, there is no discussion of their relationship as such at all.
Service – 1

Overall – 7

Watashi no Muchina Watashi no Michi is a good, if ephemeral, josei Yuri series from Kodansha.





Yuri Manga: Last Waltz, Volume 1 (ラストワルツ 1)

January 26th, 2016

71qFyOoOAULOn the surface, Shinobu seems to be a long-haired glasses-girl stereotype. She’s reticent, quiet and, compared with her outgoing classmates, reserved.

But things in Last Waltz, Volume 1 (ラストワルツ 1) are not at all what they appear to be. When her classmate, who is sleeping with the teacher, is approached by a bunch of punks, Shinobu appears and rescues the girl. But this doesn’t solve the problem, it worsens it. The punks go after the teacher and threaten him until he agrees to turn Tsukasa over to them, Shinobu has to take on punks and teacher.

Shinobu is herself sleeping with a teacher, Yukari, who is hopelessly in love with the girl. When Shinobu saves another classmate, who is a idol, she falls for Shinobu as well.

And so the rest of the volume goes – Shinobu saves woman from mean nasty man and sleeps with woman who falls in love with her. If it weren’t so silly, it might be depressing.

When I bought this volume I stared for a while it, wondering why I just could not remember what the story was, even though I know I read it when I get Comic Yuri Hime. After struggling to make sense of it, I realized that the problem is that there isn’t a story, really. It’s a single chapter on repeat.

Katakura Ako’s art is wildly inconsistent, vacillating from not-great to good panel to panel. There is lesbian sex, and apparently Shinobu is great in bed, but as a story character, she falls flat. 160+ pages later I know exactly nothing about her except that she’s got a wicked axe kick (eyeroll, that’s so likely) and is good in bed.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 5
Characters – 5
Yuri – 8
Service – 8

Overall – 5

Volume 2 is coming out in Summer 2016 and I’m pretty sure it’ll be more of the same. So depending on what you want out of your stories, you may want to get that. I’m going to have to think about it. Maybe.