Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


Yuri Manga: Sasamekikoto, Volume 2 (ささめきこと)

June 23rd, 2008

Yuri, as I have mentioned, is not the same thing as lesbian. There’s some overlap, of course, but Yuri as a genre has an awful lot of not-really-lesbian-at-all tropes, with which we’re all familiar.

Sasamekikoto, Volume 2 (ささめきこと)  does something quite interesting with some of our more familiar rehashed conventions – in a sort of meta-Yuri manga, we get several layers of Yuri convention running on top of one another, each at a different angle to the others.

Sumika, a girl in love with her best friend Ushio – who loves cute girls, but not Sumi – has been blackmailed to join a club that consists of women who love women (and their friend Kyori who is just a member to make the requisite number.)

But first! A “funny” chapter about Sumi on a date with the guy, Masaki, who likes her, who has a side career cross-dressing as internet idol and model Akemi-chan, and whose little sister is extremely creepy.

After that, the story settles down a bit into something that looks like this:
Classmates ask Sumi whether Tomoe and Miyako are lesbian, but Sumi avoids answering. The two come back and tell the classmates that they shouldn’t be asking other people about their identity. The classmates get all riled, calling them “rezu” and “hentai” when quiet Aoi-san stands up and tells them all to be quiet – that one, the classroom is for studying, not this, and two, real love between women looks like these novels that she obsesses about. lol The novel covers look *awfully* familiar. (And, btw, the novels are penned by Ushio’s brother, something that both Ushio and Sumi don’t want Aoi-san learning. lol)

When Aoi-san runs out after having been emotionally brutalized, Sumi goes after her to see of she’s okay. Aoi-san instantly forms a crush on Sumi and assumes that she too is a fan of the novels. Ushio walks in on them at a touchy moment, which sends her into tears, not so much because Sumi might like the other girl – she’s more worried that Sumi isn’t a fan of those damn novels!

Tomoe, as club president of the jyoshibu, decides that the club should go on a club overnight. However, a misunderstanding forces Sumi into helping Aoi-san with her doujinshi for “Yuri Fest,” a summer doujinshi event. So instead of going with Ushio to the beach, Sumika finds herself helping her new friend making a doujinshi and selling it at this Yuri otaku event. Sumi’s day is made when Ushio ditches her summer vacation, and comes to the event to visit her.

Then, everyone goes to the pool, tickets courtesy of Aoi-san’s thankful parents. Kyori, in a moment of epic genius, separates Aoi-san, Miyako and herself into the “kids” team – basing this on relative size – and leaves Tomoe, Ushio and Sumika to be together. Tomoe gets the drift immediately and goes off on her own, so Sumi and Ushio finally get some alone time. Aoi-san spends the entire time trying to escape to be together with Sumi, but finally sees what we have seen since the beginning, that Sumika and Ushio are in love with one another. And sad as she is, she backs off. On the train, Tomoe talks about how beautiful their love is – especially because they can’t see each other’s feelings. She calls it “delicious.”

The final chapter follows Sumi and Ushio just missing one another at a local festival but, when they finally do connect, the relief and joy on their respective faces speak volumes.

So the trick here is that were have a 1) girl who loves another girl 2) who loves her, 3) but they don’t recognize it yet, and who is the 4) object of a crush of a girl 5) who likes Yuri light novels, and they are in a 5) club for girls who love girls, and hang with a 6) lesbian couple. You see what they did there – the creator layered several “Yuri” tropes on top of one another for a reasonably effective comedy.

And it is quite funny. My favorite moments are when Sumi and Ushio fall into a visually wacky private language that’s basically not describable, but is lol funny.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Yuri – 7
Service – 4

Overall – 8

I wasn’t sure if the whole “best friend who loves her best friend from a distance thing” was going to work for me, but in Sasamekikoto, it absolutely does work.





Yuri Manga: Strawberry Marshmallow Volume 5 (English)

June 13th, 2008

I have a new personal rating system for “funny” books. Because really, and I know it’s me, most “comedy” leaves me staring blankly wondering what was so funny about that. My new rating is based on the number of times – preferably in public – that the funny thing makes me snort.

Strawberry Marshmallow, Volume 5 is a three-snort book.

I was reading the English edition on the train yesterday and I have no doubt that the guy next to me was not made happy by the snorting and occasional fits of giggling. Too bad dude. Next time sit next to the lady with too much perfume.

Volume 5 is a “Best of Miu” book. If you are a member of the Cult of Miu (anyone want to make a graphic for us? I’ve got no time, and am in any case totally not a creative designer when it comes to fannish web graphics) you will need to get this volume.

In fact, it is my opinion that Volume 5 of Strawberry Marshmallow was single-handedly responsible for making this week not suck for me. Therefore it is with extra special appreciation that I thank Ted the Awesome for his sponsorship of today’s review.

So, in my original review of the Japanese edition of this volume, I focused primarily on the chapter that everyone is all zOMG! about, because Miu uses the word lesbian – but that is not why I focused on it. I focused on it because the emails between Chika and Miu made me snort with laughter. In English it is still the best chapter and the most snort-making. (It also has a weird translation thing that’s happened in every other volume. In this case it’s *Chika* who suddenly becomes British.)

What works best in this volume is those moments when the dynamic is between Miu and Chika. Matsuri is supposed to be cute, I guess, but comes off as nothing more than pathetic. Ana has somehow become Matsuri’s lady-in-waiting. And Miu points it out, too. Nobue is there for a few gags, but is not the focus of Miu’s obsession nearly as much as previously (although the one chapter where she is, is the first chapter I ever read of this series and, as a result, I am rather fond of it.)

But where previous volumes were all about Miu, this one has subtlely shifted to be about Miu and Chika. I approve. So much so that I wrote a fanfic about them. It will one day go up on “Worldshaking” Fanfic, where I keep all those little expressions of my otaku disease.

In the meantime, read Volume 5 right away and join the Cult of Miu – you know you want to…join us, join us~~!

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Yuri – 2
Service – 4 (Bunny ears, cat ears, playing dress up…in a magazine for adult men. So, yesh.)

Overall – 8

I originally scored it an overall 7, but I’m adding on the extra point for the third snort. I cannot wait until Ichigo Mashimaro 6 comes out – it has the greatest arc EVAR.





Yuri Manga: Hatsukoi Shimai, Volume 3

June 12th, 2008

Hatsukoi Shimai is your basic “Yuri Manga.” Almost all the stereotypes are covered; Chika is energetic and emotional, Haruna is initially cool and distant but warms up, ultimately becoming warm and affectionate. Touko is cool (different cool) and boyish and has a motorcycle, Akiho is classic passive-aggressive. And Kirika is our resident non-verbal chick with weapon princely type, while her Princess, Miyu, would be happy to be with her forever if only she’d say something.

In Volume 3, we follow each couple in a not-terribly dramatic crisis. Chika is invited over to Haruna’s house, where she asks to see a photo album. Haruna is freakish about it, and in a moment of totally confusing DRAMA, Akiho begs Haruna not to tell Chika about their past. The moment passes and we see Chika and Haruna later in their secret spot, sharing their likes and dislikes, and getting in a good snog.

The mystery of Akiho’s reluctance to have Chika know about her childhood is revealed to Touko-sensei when she admits to not being a blood sister to Haruna. Which explains her sis-con, but not really why she doesn’t want Chika knowing (unless she doesn’t want her best friend thinking that she’s a rival.) Akiho’s crisis comes in the form of a rumor that Touko-sensei’s time at their school is coming to an end. Touko quashes the rumor – but not before she finally gets that kiss she’s been angling for from Akiho.

Haruna faces her mean old sempai from her flashback in Volume 2, and it turns out that sempai probably did have feelings for her after all, but was cruel to be kind.

And finally, Kirika and Miyu face a teeny weeny little crisis because Miyu is skipping drama club. And because Kirika falls off the platform at Kyuudo club running after Miyu. Miyu’s concern was that she was pegged to play the lead role of Princess and was given no choice in the matter because she looks like a Princess. I’m sorry that this story wasn’t given some time to develop, because in the original short story in which these two appeared (on the inside cover of Yuri Shimai 3,) Kirika was having issues about being the Prince to Miyu’s Princess. It would have been nice for an extended storyline for them to deal with it. Ah well, fanfic fodder, I guess.

The story wraps up with Teshigawara and the strange girl who appears at the school for basically no reason except to befriend Teshigawara, in which the strange girl who has now befriended poor Teshigawara, has to move away. They promise to write to each other.

The epilogue assures us that Teshigawara Chiyori and Rie are indeed writing one another; Miyu likes playing with Kirika’s hair – and Kirika likes when she plays with her hair; Touko and Akiho go to the beach and Touko gets a really good kiss in; and Chika and Haruna share a bed -pointing out those rings they exchanged, so we really, really, truly, positively know they are together. (But not lesbian.)

The End.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Yuri – 9
Service – 2

Overall – 8

Please don’t ask me if this volume will be translated. I don’t know. If sales of Volume 1 and Volume 2 are good, and the stars are aligned and Seven Seas stays in business that long – maybe.





Yuri Manga: Shiroi Bara no Otome

June 9th, 2008

Everything about this manga, the cover, the title, the unadulteratedly derivative setup, told me that I would not like it. It practically screams “another crappy Maria-sama ga Miteru rip-off!” Well, you know what? It wasn’t *nearly* as bad as I thought. ^_^

Shiroi Bara no Otome is the first Josei Marimite rip-off that I’ve read. That alone sets it apart from the rest of the massive pack full of second-string derivative works that are mostly targeted towards guys.

Hanaguchi Yoshiko is a transfer student into a high-end private school for girls. Like most of these in manga, it is an elevator school, so students that have been in the system from a younger age are given preference over outside students – and it is harder to transfer in at high school than middle school. Yoshiko is a writer – she even won a literature award a a young girl…a memory that haunts her to this day.

When she transfers into this garden of privilege, she basically ignores the crap the other girls pull on her, because she thinks they are a bunch of losers. She wears earphones and writes and doesn’t care if anyone likes her or not. When someone tries to bully her, she’s right back in their faces, because she doesn’t care. So of course, by her third year, she’s the school hero. All the underclassman admire her brazen strength of will.

Yoshiko finds herself befriended by the star of the school, the impossibly rich, beautiful, perfect, popular, etc, etc, Takamiya Tsukiko. And then she finds herself being manipulated by two-faced Tsukiko. Yoshiko is not an idiot – she recognizes what’s going on *instantly*. And then she does something I have never ever seen in a manga – she decides to let Tsukiko fuck with her, because she thinks it will make a great story.

It was an amazing moment. Yoshiko’s like, yeah, this is *drama* – let’s see what crap she’ll dump in my lap. And Tsukiko pulls out the stops, seducing Yoshiko at one moment, abandoning her to the wolves the next. When an off-hand accidental observation draws both the school bully and Tsukiko in for questioning about being at an American GI bar in the harbor, Yoshiko lies to save Tsukiko. The bully, Fujiwara, says she’ll regret it, but Yoshiko won’t – it’s become another chapter in her book.

Tsukiko is always seen with rich boy Yuu three paces behind her. Yoshiko and he become close and end up sleeping together. Yoshiko leaves him a note chiding him for sleeping with someone else when he loves another woman. This is followed by a very funny scene, as Yoshiko accidentally meets Fujiwara in a store, and worries that the other girl might notice something different about her, because, you know…. Fujiwara says no, but once she’s off-scene, you can hear that she’s whispering gossipingly to her friends. ^_^

Because Yoshiko sees right through Tsukiko, she can see that there’s some real issues there with trust and friendship. She learns that Tsukiko had a childhood friend for years and years, all through school. Because she felt that her friend had betrayed her by falling for another student in middle school, Tsukiko manipulated them both into an attempted love suicide by taking pills. They survived, but moved away. Tsukiko has never apologized. Yoshiko makes her face her beloved friend and deal with the consequences. I particularly liked that the friend was visibly unattractive and gloomy in every picture and flashback, and when we see her now she looks like a not-particularly-attractive girl who has grown into herself just fine. The other girl in the attempted suicide has a boyfriend now, but in my imagination Sonoda goes home to a loving girlfriend.

Yoshiko leaves the school at graduation with no regrets, and Tsukiko looks like she’ll be able to move on, too.

Yuri is typical girls-school akogare, some handholding, the attempted love suicide and one or two sexual-tension filled embraces and scenes. That was enough, really. Any more would have been overkill.

I was expecting all the same-old same-olds, but the fact that Yoshiko entered into them with eyes and brain wide open changed *everything* about this story. No, the girl did not get the girl – and thank heavens for that, it would be an awful match. But the reader did get a good story and that’s all I care about.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 8
Characters – 7
Yuri – 4
Service – 2 (Private school + girls = zOMG Yuri!)

Overall – 7

This is good, precisely because it is a Marimite rip-off that is not full of service.





Yuri News this Week – May 31, 2008

May 31st, 2008

Top Story this week – I am once again gainfully employed. Yay. (And I’ve got a part-time gig whch I’m keeping secret for the moment, but I’ll tell you all about it alter. Promise.)

Yuri Manga

R.O.D.‘s Hideyuki Kurata is doing a new series that will run in Dengeki Daioh magazine. There’s no word yet on whether it will contain Yuri, but we are talking Kurata and Dengeki, so there’s likely to be *something* we can make up in our heads. :-)

Suzunari! an uber-moe series said to have Yuri by the Japanese Yuri blog Yuri na Hibi, is now available in English. Whether that is a *good* thing or a bad is entirely personal. lol

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Marimite News

A couple of people have forwarded this cover of Cobalt Shueisha starring Yuuki. This is indeed a special story about “Buddha Watches You,” starring the fine young lads of Hanadera Academy. A few folks have jumped to the conclusion that this marks a whole new series, which is kind of a leap. I’m sorry to disappoint – it’s only a special issue. (I consider it another delaying tactic, myself.)

The folks from Anime on DVD ferreted out this super-secret not final art for the packaging of Season 1. Looks like Marimite, doesn’t it? :-)

Those of you on the Yuricon Mailing List will know that with the assistance of Sukoshi, I was able to complete the translation of In Library. After which, I’ve decided to retire from translation for a while. But thankfully Sukoshi and Rei have stepped into the gap, while I move back to a “coordinating” position. So look forward to Novel 19 being posted here eventually, and Novel 20, Souer Audition to the YCML and then to Okazu. Yay Sukoshi and Rei!

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Snatches of Yuri

Watching Kaiba last night and episode six, while being much like stabbing yourself in the eye with a fork, including an interesting gender-bent love affair of a sort between Warp, currently inhabiting a girl’s body and Gel, who lives in a man’s body. The vibe (from my perspective) was that Gel was as much attracted to Warp’s body as personality. YMMV.

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Other Yuri News

Speaking of Yuri blogs, I’m please to introduce you to Heavenly Blue, the first Yuri blog I know of written by a Japanese woman. How cool, huh?

If you, or a friend read Yuri or Yaoi – especially if you are GLBT – and you have a moment or two, please help Robin Brenner with her research, by filling out this survey. She’s trying to get a bead on what the GLBT community actually thinks about Yaoi and Yuri.

Also, let me once again mention the Manga/Anime exhbit at the GLBT lending library in St. Paul Minnesota, Quatrefoil. Thanks to “Friend of Yuri” Ellen K for helping set up the exhibit. If you or a friend can, do please drop by – spread the word and visit Quatrefoil!

Lastly, we have a bunch of updates at Yuricon, including a redesigned Shop. We’ve split the Japanese and English manga into separate pages and added a new Light Novels in Japanese page. (The only Yuri LN series translated into English so far is Strawberry Panic, which you can find on the English manga page.) So far there’s only a few LNs up on the LN page, but I’ll be adding more as time goes on. Plus, new events, the 2008 Yuriko Poster Contest Winner and more!

Which brings us to the end of this week’s new report. Can’t wait to see what next week will bring!