Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


Yuri Manga: Rakuen Le Paradis Manga, Volume 9 (楽園 Le Paradis)

October 18th, 2012

Rakuen Le Paradis (楽園 Le Paradis) continues to be the magazine that scratches my “manga” itch best. Volume 9 continues the trend. From totally typical middle school drama, to adult relationships, and a whole lot in between, this magazine comes closest to hitting all my needs for entertainment.

“14-sai Koi” starts off this volume with an unusual look at a middle-school row between the girls and boys in class and the appallingly adorabale way in which the principal characters make up. If ever there was a story that could make me feel warm and fuzzy about young love…this is it. ^_^

“Collectors” continues to look at the wholly functional relationship of two women who are opposites in almost every way. This story makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about adult love. ^_^

In “Omoi no Kakera” Mayu is struggling with her feelings for Mika, but it’s Saki who wants to know who will hold her when she’s hurting?

“Seijukuki Jinmei Vega” hits what has to be an inevitable crisis, as Vega and Washimine-sempai both deal with what their relationship is, and how it affects Vega’s powers, upon which the whole town relies.

Nishi UKO’s second story, still around the subject of post-coitus smoking, lays a precarious platform for an adult relationship between two women who don’t seem to know what to think about the other…

From middle-school to middle age, Rakuen Le Paradis is the one magazine I can turn to to get “life.”
 ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 9





Yuru Yuri Manga, Volume 1 (English)

September 25th, 2012

Yuru Yuri remains on the JManga best seller list, as it has since it premiered on the digital platform. Not surprisingly, I’m pleased to see it there, because we at ALC were able to be part of the team that brought it to you.  I was even allowed to contribute a short essay on the Yuri landscape in Japan to the feature story for the series. (And, I erm, just noticed that they called me the Yuri Master on the feature page. /snort/) As a result, I think I should disclaimer this review – I think we did a bang-up job on the thing and I have no intention of combing the book for mistakes. ^_^

That having been said, something popped up on Twitter yesterday that inspired me to do a quick review. I’ll get to that in a second.

The number one criticism of Yuru Yuri is, well, the lack of Yuri.

Basically, Kyouko sort of desires Chinatsu, who can’t stand her, Chinatsu loves, akogares and probably desires Yui, who probably knows but isn’t doing anything about it. Ayano has a made-up-in-her-head rivalry with Kyouko, because she hasn’t really figured out that she likes her, Sakurako and Himawari are a completely fictitious couple made up by the author to jerk the readers around. No one even notices Akari.

The only “real” Yuri in the series is in Chitose’s fantasies. Chitose is, of course, the stand-in for the readership. All the “Yuri” in the series is in our heads, because if you step back for a second, we are pairing up 13-year olds and how creepy does that make us? Massively creepy.

So for no reason at all, except because I find it amusing to do so, I’m going to ‘splain the real relationships in this series.

Here’s the picture that started this whole train of thought (Here’s a link to the original artist’s page on Pixiv. You’ll need to be logged in to see their page. Painting and links via Scott Green on Twitter)

This picture, “Yuri Meninas” is a mashup/parody of Velazsquez’s famous painting Las Meninas.

And I thought to myself, well, if this artist can see something in Yuru Yuri worth mashing up with Velasquez’s work, (often considered the best painting in the world), then clearly, I need to look at it again.

And so I have.

Yuru Yuri is, like Sasamekikoto, a discussion of Yuri tropes. Best friends, rivals in love, opposites attract, akogare out of control, etc. But where Sasamekikoto focused on tropes of plot common to Yuri stories, Yuru Yuri is focusing on character tropes common to moe stories…and making fun of the characters and the people who read so much into so little. In effect, Yuru Yuri can be seen as a commentary by the artist on the audience who works so hard to develop the characters which are, in reality, kept simple by design.

The main character of Yuru Yuri is not, as the story might imply Akari, nor is it Kyouko… the main character is Chitose. That is to say, the main character of the series is *you.* You are the one developing the series from 2-dimensional in every way, to anything at all that has some third dimension. Like Velasquez in Las Meninas, the reader must be involved with the narrative for it to make any sense at all.

So, because I as a reader (even though as I edit, I try hard to not engage with the story) am forced to form some opinion of it as I read, here is what *I* saw.

There is, in truth, only one couple here. Chitose and Ayano. To turn Ayano into the masochist she truly is, Chitose will, therefore, have to learn how to be a better sadist. She’s got a lot of work ahead of her. Sakurako and Himawari are a McGuffin. Himawari genuinely can’t stand Sakurako, and Sakurako is merely using Himawari. Chinatsu (who has been inexplicably described as “dark”) is a bore. Yui will come to realize this and then realize that she actually does like Kyouko…but only after Kyouko and Chinatsu become a couple.

So, that’s what this series looks like in *my* imagination. ^_^

No, not really.

In my imagination, this series doesn’t exist at all. ^_^

I am not, like Velazquez, reflected in the art. I am not represented by Chitose. I stand outside the story, outside the narrative and, instead of watching the subjects of the narrative, I watch the audience. I watch you as you paint the picture.

So, what I want to know is – what do you see when you look at Yuru Yuri? Where are you in the picture? Tell me in the comments!





Yuri Manga: Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo, Volume 2 (くちびるためいきさくらいろ)

September 5th, 2012

We left Nana and Hitomi in Volume 1 of Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo, (くちびるためいきさくらいろ) as a couple and, at least a little aware of the fact that their road will not necessarily be an easy one.

Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo, Volume 2 begins with a step back to them attempting to reset their internal compasses. No man is an island, Donne said – and no couple is, either. In the first few heady months of a new relationship, we tend to cling to our lovers obsessively, because they and only they can understand us. This is typical, but it is dysfunctional. For straight couples, this particular dysfunction is allowable. People smile to see young men and women joined at the hip.

For young women who have not yet broken out of the limited confines of school and family, it can be rather more nerve-wracking. My mother confided in me recently, that she was worried, 30 years ago, that my wife and I were *too* close. Well, of course we were, I replied, all couples are at first. She laughed and agreed and the conversation ended. But I didn’t tell her how terrified I was 30 years ago. Every moment with the woman I loved was torture – we might be discovered, outed, separated, isolated at any second. Nana and Hitomi would understand this feeling.

So Hitomi’s secret is “discovered” by her friend on the basketball team and, in a surprising turn of events, she starts off sympathetic, only to end up being dismissive. And here, at last is what *I* wanted to see. Six years have passed since this story original debuted and many things have changed in the world. Many things – but not the legal and social status of same-sex couples in Japan. How would Morinaga-sensei present this situation?

IMHO, Morinaga-sensei did a great job. Her area of strength is not darkness. Her characters may brood for a while, but in the end they find happiness. Hitomi is required to stand up for her relationship and make a point that is subtle, yet critical. She makes her point and find she now has an ally. Hitomi tells Nana what a relief having someone to talk to is and Nana guesses, correctly, that Abe is a fellow traveler on this particular road. But Abe is not in the same boat at all, and Nana is left without a lifeline. (How I wish there had been some mention of the Internet at this point.)

Then comes the final crisis. I was fascinated to see how this played out. As I say, Morinaga-sensei specializes in handwaves of happiness. Hitomi and Nana manage to have three crises, one between them, which initiates a conversation about gender roles, and two with the outside world, and all of them are sufficiently resolved so that we can just smile and be happy for them.

Here’s the thing, Morinaga-sensei does not do deep social commentary. For her to have addressed things like emotional support, gender roles and family support at all is kind of extraordinary. And I, for one, am pleased that she has. Sure, it’s all a big handwave at the end. But by taking the position of showing how it *ought to be* Morinaga-sensei sets the stage for how it *can* be.

The ending of Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo is how it should – and can – be, if we all make the world work right. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 10
Service – 5

Overall – 9

This collection includes two more of the one-shot stories drawn for Yuri Hime magazine.

I know Morinaga-sensei has moved on to deal with her long-awaited police story, but if she ever wants to revisit Nana and Hitomi, I wouldn’t say no. ^_^

 





Yuri Manga: Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo, Volume 1 (くちびるためいきさくらいろ)

September 3rd, 2012

Back in 2006, Ichijinsha put out a collection of stories drawn by Morinaga Milk-sensei for their new Yuri Hime magazine. Time has moved on, she has changed publishers, and thankfully, she has retained the ownership of her work. The end result is that a brand new-two volume collection of her popular Yuri manga series Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo (くちびるためいきさくらいろ) is now available from Futabasha. This is a very good thing.

The first volume introduces us to Nana and Hitomi, close friends who have been together in school since childhood, but who now – for no reason Nana can understand – are going to separate high schools. Hitomi has a reason, of course, but she couldn’t tell Nana outright for fear of…well, everything. You see, Hitomi is in love with Nana – that way – and Nana has already rejected her advances. Fearing getting hurt more, or hurting Nana, Hitomi has gone to another school. In the first chapter, they hash out their issues and Nana decides that she doesn’t want to be “just” friends, either.

The rest of the book interperses other one-shot stories that take place in the same school, with Nana and Hitomi’s deepening relationship. It ends with them thinking about their future together.

This was one of the first stories we – that is, the Yuri-reading audience – encountered that had more depth to it than just a kiss, or holding hands, or even sex. This was one of the first Yuri Hime stories that approached the concept of a same-sex relationship as a relationship, as opposed to a crush, or an immature love, “playing at” love, etc. As a result it was wildly popular with fans.

Re-reading this volume, I’m reminded how unique it was. Not even a decade ago, and the final chapter of this book was ground-breaking for a Yuri story (as opposed to a story drawn by lesbians for a lesbian audience in a lesbian magazine.) Hitomi thinks of the sacrifices she’ll have to make for her and Nana to stay together…and decides that, whatever it takes, it’ll be worth it. It edges very close to the issues that were predominant at the time, that to be “together” two women must eschew family and friends. This is just the assumption that was made then (and probably is still made by many.)

For this glimpse back to where we really started when Yuri was taking its first hesitant steps as a genre, this book is an absolute must-read. I think of how far we’ve come, with stories like Fu~Fu, Renai Joshikka, and Watashi no Sekhai o Kousei Suru Gomi no Youna Nanika,  and the as-yet uncollected “Collectors,” and am a little amazed at the progress. If Nana and Hitomi were to fall in love today, things would be vastly different than they were a mere 6 years ago. There would be media for them to see themselves represented in a positive light, stories of people like them living happily, even after the “happily ever after.”

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 10
Service – 5

Overall – 9

More than anything, I’m glad Morinaga-sensei has found somewhere that she’s happy and where she can continue making Yuri manga for us to enjoy. ^_^





Yuri Manga: Aoi Hana, Volume 7 (青い花)

August 29th, 2012

There is a girl, she is in love with another girl. The other girl loves her back. They love each other. The end.

It’s that simple, right? The story ends with “Happily Ever After” and we move on to the next story, and never think about the characters after that moment.

This is the essence of “Story A” – the girl and the girl ride off into the sunset and nothing bad ever happens to them.

However.

Humans are not like that, Love is not like that. Friendship is not like that. Life is not like that.

If you have ever fallen in love with someone you know what I’m saying. ^_^; “Love hurts” isn’t a joke, it’s a reality.

In Aoi Hana, Volume 7, love hurts. Even as these girls we’ve come to care about move into their final year of high school, right on the edge of being adults, they are facing some issues they have to deal with. These issues are things that, one way or the other, will bring them that much closer to maturity. Sex is part of this, but it’s just part. Communication is a larger, much more intangible and difficult to grasp, part.

Kyouko needs to find her way with her fiance’, Kou. Their relationship is complicated by their betrothal, their actual feelings for one another and, most impenetrably, Kyouko’s mother.

Mogi’s relationship with Shinobu takes a shocking turn. Will they be split apart by their own lack of confidence or will they find their way?

At the very beginning of the volume, Haru mentions that her sister and teacher have “gotten married” – although it was not a legally binding ceremony, it was meaningful for them…and she lets us know how her parents coped (or didn’t.) Same-sex marriage in manga. I want to hug Shimura-sensei and Morishima-sensei and any other mangaka who surfaces this issue in a manga.

Most important for us, there’s Akira and Fumi. Fumi is in love with Akira, but she is convinced that Akira does not feel the same way about her. Akira can see Fumi is in love with her – and she does not want to stand in the way of Fumi’s happiness, but she has no idea at all what would make *herself* happy.

Fumi thought she got what she wanted, but Akira’s lack of honesty is subtle poison. Fumi’s not as happy as Akira thought she should be after having given herself entirely to her dearest friend. Although physically they’ve been as close as possible, emotionally, they are more distant than ever before.

Many fans have wanted this relationship since the beginning. This volume is very likely to make those fans profoundly unhappy. I have never numbered myself among those who wanted Fumi and Akira as a couple. This relationship is a perfect example of what happens when you get what you want, but not what you need. IMHO, the best of all possible results is that they end the relationship quickly, with no regrets and as few tears as possible, then patch together what remains of their friendship before that too dissolves. This was not the path that leads to a happy ending, they need to return to the fork in the road and choose another.

Against a backdrop of writing, creating and performing the Three Musketeers for the drama competition, this series eschews conventions of manga for realism. Thank heavens.

Ratings:

Story – 10
Characters – 10
Art – 10
Lesbian Life – 10
Service – 3

Overall – 10

There is a girl, she loves another girl. That girl is not sure she loves her back. The end?