Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


Yuri Manga: Shoujo Sect 2

May 15th, 2006

I wasn’t planning on reviewing Shoujo Sect 2 yet, but when I came home today there it was on the table, and I thought, “Eh, why not.” ^_^;

In the first volume of Shoujo Sect, which I reviewed on February 27, 2006, we are introduced to the residents of one particular dorm at one particular girls’ high school. Most of the residents are having sexual relations with at least one other resident of the dorm – in some cases, several others.

At the end of volume one, Honda Shinobu confesses that, despite the fact that she is surrounded by a harem of girls with whom she is having sex, she actually likes Naitou Momoko. (Once again, btw, I refuse to use the official spellings. I’m not sure they were done strangely on purpose, but they are decidedly strange to the eye that is used to “correct” Japanese transliteration. I’m sticking with the furigana.)

Naitou has to navigate the labyrinth of Honda’s affairs – and the fact that she (Naitou) is currently seeing her teacher – before she can begin to decide how she feels about Honda.

In the meantime, Naitou continues her habit of being catalyst, or at least present, as one of her bandmates is tag-teamed by two of her kouhai, who happen to be twins. (Gosh, that’s original, isn’t it? )

Honda comforts Enjyoji Maya with some private time, even as she and Naitou step up their contentious courtship – Shinobu gives Momoko chocolate…Momoko responds with a ring.

Kirin, who usually functions as Honda’s maid, decides to let Honda know that, regardless of her feelings for Naitou, she feels that Honda belongs to her. She won’t stand in Shinobu and Momoko’s way, but…

…evil sempai Sayuri overhears Kirin and Honda. After Kirin leaves, she has her way with Honda, despite Honda’s protests. Since this is the first time we’ve seen Shinobu protest, it’s especially creepy. Naitou is walking by the room, and overhears voices. Honda prays that she will move on, but Naitou decides to call Honda’s phone. When it rings, she comes into the room and sees Sayuri and Honda in dishabille. Honda begs Naitou to understand, and Sayuri stalks off, full of herself. Momoko follows Sayuri and, in a completely out of the blue, “whoah!” moment, knocks Sayuri cold with a fire extinguisher.

Naitou transfers out of school and isn’t heard from again for months. Honda moves out of the dorm and Maya moves out with her. One day, Maya and Honda are out walking when Honda’s phone rings with a message from Naitou. Honda goes running to find Naitou. Maya excuses herself, and leaves the two of them alone. They go back to Naitou’s nearly-empty, electricity-less apartment and finally(!) make love.

The next chapter takes place the “Day After Shoujo Sect” at Naitou’s new school. A classmate rushes to hide a note from someone that was pasted to her shoe locker. Sonoko confronts her friend Kaori on the roof later that day, telling her to not leave things like her email in the locker. Kaori and she end up fighting and confessing their love for one another…and as this is Shoujo Sect, they make love on the roof. The next day there is a note in Sonoko’s shoe locker and she cheerfully tells Naitou that it’s from her lover.

The Extra Chapter actually makes the whole thing worth getting, in my opinion. Up to this point, it’s been a series of PWP sex encounters – some good, some bad, depending on what you like. If you’re just interested in the sex, then it’s not a bad series just for that. But the epilogue actually kind of ties everything up in a amusing package that nonetheless remains completely consistent to the rest of the story.

Time has passed, Honda Shinobu and Naitou Momoko are living together. Honda is rushing off to work, and Naitou is lazing around as a college student. Honda runs off to be teased and sexually harrassed in a not at all mean-spirited way by her seniors at the office. They obviously find her cute – her sexual charisma hasn’t tarnished at all since high school. Naitou and Enjyoji Maya, now in medical school, and still living with Honda, have some pleasant morning sex to pass the time. Honda ends up calling home to get something to the office. Instead of sending it, Naitou and Maya both comes to visit. So Honda’s little secret is quite out. Now all her office sempai know about her and Naitou and Maya…and erm, just about everyone else.

The sempai decided that they want a little of the Honda charm and rewrite the office rules to require not only a morning greeting, but a morning kiss – and a coffee break kiss and a lunchtime kiss… insert “bwa bwa bwaaaa” silly noise here.

It’s a goofy, but also kind of sweet ending for what is otherwise pretty much pure Yuri porn.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 6
Character – 7
Yuri – 10
Service – 10

Overall – 8

Sexy? Yes. Good? Not really – but not bad either.





Yuri Manga: Sakura no Kiwa, Volume 1

May 8th, 2006

From Takemoto Izumi, the same artist who created Transistor ni Venus, comes an entirely different, yet no less quirky, series – Sakura no Kiwa/Sakura’s Boundaries – as in personal boundaries. Because this is a story about how one girl, Sakura, has her personal boundaries gently pushed and kneaded and shaped until she finds herself living with and taking care of two other girls and fourteen cats.

Sakura’s parents spring the sudden news that they are transferring to Brazil for work, so Sakura will be going to live with an aunt. The aunt, a lazy, kind of lovable dope, lives with fourteen cats. Sakura moves in and quickly finds herself cleaning and cooking not only for her aunts, but for the cats.

In school she meets tall, attractive Uesakura Futako, a neighbor of her aunt Tamako’s. Sakura mistakenly assumes Futako’s sister to be younger, but in fact, Ichiko is the older. They have several unnamed younger brothers, as well. Ichiko tells Sakura to call her Ii-chan, and Nii-chan for Futako (another number joke like the one in Nanami to Misuzu in Yuri Hime 4.)

When Tamako quite suddenly announces that she’ll be gone for a few months, Futako and Ichiko offer to stay with Sakura and help her take care of the cats and the house – and keep her company. It’s a good deal all around – they get out of their crowded house and Sakura has some human company.

The rest of the manga is gags about the cats, and the continual, quiet, and kind of dopey, sweet descruction of Sakura’s personal boundaries by Futako. First she shares a room with Sakura, then a bed, then manages to get hugs, and finally, kisses. Sakura keeps giving in, until she and Futako look and act awfully like a couple – only it has happened so gradually that Sakura doesn’t realize it, even when other people comment that “friends” do not give each other good morning and good night kisses. When Aunt Tamako comes back she’s a bit surprised, naturally, but as Sakura seems to find it all normal and strangely justifiable, she doesn’t take any action. For instance, Tamako asks if Sakura and Futako always take a bath togther. Yes…does it seem strange? Sakura wonders, then remembers that she thought it was kind of strange at first. Then Futako asks for a goodnight kiss in front of Tamako. Sakura blushes, but gives her the kiss.

The final chapter is a mix of Sakura being concerned that there is a cat missing and her slowly growing concern that Futako is awfully popular at school…in the end it turns out that two of the cats have the same coloring and she’s the one going to bed with Futako so, all’s well that ends Volume 1.

The whole multiple cats things makes me gag a bit, but this manga is otherwise so adorable that it’s not only Sakura’s boundaries that got pushed, but this reader’s, as well. One just has to hope that Futako isn’t as feckless as she appears and that this has been a clever, subtle war on Sakura’s resistance. Probably not. lol

This isn’t Transistor ni Venus. There’s no action, no shapely spies, no spaceships, no aliens. But for fun, sweet and slightly dopey yuri, and for way too many cats, Sakura no Kiwa fills the bill.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Yuri – 7
Service – 0

Overall – 7

A fun read, a silly, original story and lots of cute kisses. And cats.





Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime 4, Part 3

April 27th, 2006

Okay, okay, I have finally read “Nanami to Misuzu”. So, Misuzu is having weird dreams. In the first, she imagines herself in a field of flowers, making a cute little flower garland. But when she puts it on what is originally Nanami, it all of a sudden turns into Ichijou-sempai! Misuzu awakes in a sweat, and is asked by her maid if there is anything wrong. But…OMG! The maid is Ichijou-sempai! But, no, it’s not Ichijou Rina, Misuzu’s sempai, but her nearly identical younger sister Runa. To further confound and confuse Misuzu, at school Ichijou-sempai (the real one) gives Misuzu back her flower garland from the dream. Misuzu gives it to Nanami. The cat girl cheerfully relates that she has six sisters: Hitomi, Futami, Minami, Yoshimi, Itsumi, Mutsumi and, of course, she is the seventh sister – Nanami. (If you didn’t follow that, it’s a counting thing – 1-7.) When Runa arrives, Misuzu calls her Ichijou-san, which brings Rina out to join them. Utter nonsense occurs for the entirety of the last page.

“Simoun” – at last, we’ll have two whole chapters to work with. Before the new chapter we get a color page with pictures, captions, etc of the anime – pretty shiny ad basically. This is followed by the standard color pages of anime we are already talking about at the Yuricon Mailing List. You can find reviews of all of them here on Okazu, as well: Strawberry Panic, Loveless, and Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl. The last color page has random Yuri-flavored goods, CDs and manga that have largely also been covered here on Okazu. ^_^

The new issue of “Simoun” begins with Neviru dreaming of her former partner, Amuria. When she wakes, she wonders if she’ll ever be able to fly again with anyone. Looking over, she sees Aeru curled up n the floor uncovered, covers her gently with a blanket and sits with her for a while.

The next day Lodoreamon, one of the pilots of Call Tempest, is having a crisis of identity. She’s afraid to continue as a pilot, but hasn’t decided what to do about going to the sacred spring. When Aeru approaches, she finds Lodoreamon with another pilot whose name we don’t yet know. Both Aeru and the other pilot are firm in their desire to be pilots. Mamina, Lodoreamon’s partner, arrives and snidely suggets that eru doesn’t want to fight and fly so much as simply be Neviru, the Golden Pristess’ partner. Mamina snarks about Aeru’s sharing a room with Neviru, when there are perfectly good empty rooms available. Neviru shows up and says it’s not big thing to share the room, but mamina insists that as Neviru is a special person, it *is* a big thing. The unnamed pilot takes her leave, since “this conversation has nothing to do with me.” Aeru comments that she doesn’t know the girl’s name, and is told by mamina that she its not neccessary to have that information.

When challenged about her non-decision to go to the spring, Aeru says that she’s accepted her path in life and feels good about it. She’ll know when it’s time – right now, she has something else she wants to do. Her tranquility revives Neviru for a moment, but she subsides back into melancholy quickly. Lodoreamon worries that Mamina resents her staying with her in the same room. Mamina says that if she wants a partner to protect her, she should go find herself one that plans on becoming a man. Lodoreamon is devastated, and Mamina is obviously using tough love, which is hurting her a little as well.

Neviru and Aeru has a private little conversation about how much Aeru loves the sky and wants to fly. Neviru lightens up, going so far as to take Aeru’s hand, but once agin, her eyes drop and she pulls back as she thinks about Amuria. Aeru continues, though, commenting how in the sky, there are no borders or boundaries.

Mamina interrupts, harshly mentioning that that kind of thinking could get them killed, how they are focusing on a dream, rather than reality. Mamina challenges Aeru – if Aeru doesn’t fly with enough skill then Mamina would become Neviru’s partner. Aeru refuses – she says she wants to fly with Neviru, but has no interest in flying with Mamina. Neviru commands Aeru to fly with the other woman. Aeru agrees, since Neviru wishes it. Over to the side, Parieta and another pilot watch Lodoreamon during all this. They ask if she’s worried – she says she is.

Aeru and Mamina almost immediately run into a crisis, forcing Mamina to admit her own confusions and concerns. They recover and land, whereupon Lodoreamon runs up and calls Mamina an idiot for risking herself that way. Lodoreamon says that she wants to be with mamina, to be at her side – not to be protected by her, but to share life with her and fly with her. Mamina lightens up enough to tell her to do what she wants, which is about as good as Lodoreamon was every gonna get, so she’s happy. Pleased that they made up, Aeru turns to Neviru, only to be told that Neviru cannoy be her partner. End of long chapter – to be continued next volume.

“Voiceful” begins the final chapter with Hina about to do a live radio show. She hits a wall and can’t speak, much less sing, until Kaede comes to the rescue. They, after a mutual confession, presumably live happily ever after. ^_^

Mucchiri Muuni continues her story from last issue with “Song Song Roman”. Tsubaki and Umi are at school where Sa-chan, a younger student has developed a raging crush on Tsubaki. Umi finds herself obsessed and jealous – and freaked out by her own emotions. When Sa-chan confesses to Tsubaki, she is rejected bluntly – and to make matters worse – Tsubaki kisses Umi in front of her. Sa-chan cries uncle, and school life goes on happily.

And that, as they say, is that. ^_^





Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime 4, Part 2

April 26th, 2006

The second half of Yuri Hime 4 begins with the first issue of the new Hatsukoi Shimai arc. This was the arc I was waiting for – the one based on the Koi Shimai 2 Drama CD.

All the girls at the school are blown away when a hunky young woman arrives on motorcycle and asks for the staff room. They are wowed by her boyish charm and her openly seductive teasing – and even more wowed when it turns out that Hiiragi Touko has arrived to be a substitute teacher! Touko-sensei, for some reason, really rubs Akiho the wrong way and her bad feeling doesn’t get any better when Touko-sensei neatly inserts herself into Chika’s personal space at every possible turn.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this chapter was that it did not follow the Drama CD word for word, but elaborated a bit on some of the interpersonal relationships that have already been established. So we get to see Chika and Haruna have a quiet, romantic, moment together, something we never really had on the CD. We get to see Teshigawara yell at Chika – and hear the rest of the class teasing her about her ongoing issues with Chika. Touko, for her part, is smooth and sexy and pretty plausible, so that was cool. And Akiho’s instant dislike for Touko was a perfect prelude to her later involvement with the teacher. I was really happy with this chapter.

Following closely on the heels of such happiness came Morishima Akiko’s Yuri life illustrated column with 4 pages of eye-bugging “WTF? Is there really such a thing?” Spring has arrived and Akiko’s editor decides to take her out for a Yuri-ful adventure. (Bear in mind kids – this is all real. Akiko is a real person, her editor ditto, and she’s about to go to real places.) They start with “Imoutoke Cafe Nagomi” in which all the waitresses address you as onee-sama and act like your adorable little sister. Cafe Nagomi is in Akihabara – the address and phone is printed on the bottom of the page. Then, off to my beloved Ikebukuro section of town and “Maid Refloxology” at (I SWEAR I am not making this up!) M@IFOOT. It is exactly what it sounds like – a reflexology bar where maid-outfit wearing massage therapists rub your feet. I laughed for a solid ten minutes at the name “M@IFOOT.” Brilliant! Then, off to B:Lily-Rose, also in Ikebukuro. Take a deep breath. Sit down. Relax. At B:Lily-Rose, the hosts are women in suits, roleplaying Boy’s Love couples. The women in suit jackets are seme/tachi/butch/tops and the ones in vests are uke/neko/femme/bottoms. How very wrong is this? I am STILL laughing at the idea. Akiko-sensei, once again, I am insanely jealous. I really ought to write her and tell her so. ^_^

“Tsuki ni Onegai o” is the newest chapter in Morinaga Milk’s continuing saga of Hitomi and Nana. This one is from Hitomi’s point of view. She and Nana, now second-years at school, are desperately squeezing in time together at night after school and clubs and before dinner. Hitomi coments that she’d like them both to be grown up, so they could live together. Nana blushes, but does not protest. They’ve both matured and it’s obvious. Nana goes back to school and randomly asks Abe (her classmate and the protagonist of an earlier chapter herself) how old one had to be to be considered “grown up.” Hitomi finds herself the object of open akogare/admiration/desire from one of the new first-years on the basketball team. Hitomi wrestles with trying to find balance bewteen her desire to be part of a team and her desire to be with Nana. She has a little crisis, worrying that her limited time with Nana will drive her away. In the end, she is a happy young lady and decides that she can have it all.

In this issue’s “Nami to Misuzu” funny things happen. I don’t know what they are, because I find this particular series a tad tooth-grinding. If I ever read it, I’ll rewrite this summary.

I’m going to break this into three parts because I’m pressed for time. I’ll finish this issue up tomorrow, promise! (Yes, yes, Simoun!)





Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime 4, Part 1

April 25th, 2006

This, the newest volume of Comic Yuri Hime once again proves that Yuri manga can be targeted to an audience of women (and judging from the letters section, mostly lesbian!) and be sexy, funny and a darn *good* read.

Really, the very worst problem with Yuri Hime is that it is a quarterly publication. I wait with baited breath for the day that it is a bimonthly – or even better, a monthly magazine. It hurts me a bit to know that it will be summer before I can once again enjoy these stories. Secondarily, not every single comic appeals to *me*, but I am not the world. ^_^ It’s a genuine strength of Yuri Hime that the types of stories and the art is varied enough that there are things I like – and things I don’t. This particular issue was overall excellent, with great things to come.

As always, we start with the cover. Haruna (left) and Chika (right), the leads in Hatsukoi Shimai grace the cover once again, this time in fetching spring ensemble. Gone are the days of one or the other looking surprised or vexed. They are shown here holding hands openly and facing us directly with happy smiles. Think back on covers of yuri manga…how many can you think of that show that? Not that many, trust me.

The first story is new, “Tokimeki Mononoke Jogakuen.” This is the story of a young girl on her first day at a new girl’s school. Her mother is sad that it’s raining on her first day, but Arera tells her that it’s okay – she is a rain fairy, after all. On the way to school, she take a short cut through a cemetery…which seems to go on and on and on and on…. Arera sees a beautiful woman, approaches to ask her directions and finds herself entwined by the woman’s long, stretchable neck. Arera is, of course, freaked, but more so when the woman starts to scream in pain and ask her to push the button on the back of her neck. Arera does, and the neck snaps back like a vacuum cleaner cord. Turns out, this is Arera’s teacher. ^_^ Her classmates are a cat girl, several oni, a bodiless head of smoke, and other non-humans. There’s a moment of anxiety when they mistake her for a real (tasty smelling) human, but she assures them she’s a rain fairy. She’s accompanied to her dorm (which she didn’t now she was assigned to and tries to escape only to find that she is inexplicably trapped on top of a cliff) to find that her roommate is a licking demon – a long-tongued female demon that enjoys, erm, licking. Yeah – more next issue as Arera deals with weirdness. The color page for this is exceedingly suggestive – remember, kids, all female demons have heightened sexual needs – that’s part of what makes ’em demons. ;-)

The climax of “Kotonoha No Miko To Kotodama No Majyou To” finds Letty facing down the god of Tsumugi’s shrine, in order to release the miko from her bondage to the place. The god appears as Tsumugi since, as she points out, the miko is the most important thing in Letty’s mind right now. The witch demands Tsumugi be released, and the god offers a deal – if Letty can handle her power, she’ll let Tsumugi go. The god blasts Letty with everything she has. Back in the room with Tsumugi and Suzushiro, the red thread that attaches Tsumugi to Letty snaps. Tsumugi wants to run off to the shrine to save the witch, but Letty reappears, weak as can be, but alive. The god takes Suszushiro as her next miko (which works perfectly, as Suzu was in love with Tsumugi from afar and can now worship her up close and personal as the god.) Letty and Tsumugi kiss, Letty makes a new red thread to bind them (and in the shape of a heart, I might add – Letty’s such a romantic) and the two go off after throwing us the boquet at their wedding.

Mako’s most recent contribution, “Michikusa” wasn’t as awful as her other stories, although her art will never really be appealing to me. We follow a couple who all the other students are making fun of, because they are always together and hold hands. One confesses that her feelings for the other are exactly what the other kids are implying. No crisis occurs and they continue to walk along the grassy path, doing flower ID, holding hands. Much happier than her usual fare.

“Goshuujin-sama to Issho” hits a whole LOAD of fetishes that aren’t mine. ^_^ In this story a rich young brat wants a puppy and gets a puppy girl who she instantly loathes for being a mutt. Muttgirl is clumsy and dorky and emotionally fragile and it kills her to see her mistress so unhappy (which brats almost always are.) Eventually they learn to love one another and live happily…but one will always have dog ears and a tail and a collar and somehow that’s just…yeah. If it’s your fetish, it’s adorable. Enjoy.

Hayashiya Shizuru continues the pre-New Year’s arc in “Strawberry Shake Sweet,” in which Ran has just made her modeling debut. It’s Julia’s worst nightmare – Ran looks gorgeous. She keeps herself going with the promise of seeing Ran someday soon, while Ran is doing the same thing, interspersed with work. Her new photographer and she are walking together when another woman accosts them. This was a former idol and someone the photographer “cultivated closely.” Now, spurned by the photographer, the former idol is bitter and obsessed. She warns Ran, who is clueless as always. Ran and Julia end the issue with separate, but mutual self-cheerleading and promises to be together – eventually, soon.

Chi-Ran’s story “Kanoujo ni naritai!” I think takes us back to an earlier couple. Either that, or all her stories are so similar that I’m having trouble keeping them apart…. Matsuri is a famous model. She and erm, the other one (sorry, I’m really, really tired today) are sharing a place to live for some reason or other. Girl is obsessively attracted to Matsuri and wants to be just like her, but really, what she wants is Matsuri, you know, naked and close. Matsuri seems to have either no inhibitions or is coming on so strong that only an idiot wouldn’t recognize it. Our resident idiot fights back her feelings just as long as she can until, while sharing a bath, she kisses Matsuri. They end up in bed (in a Chi-Ran story? shock!) and live happily ever after. This series is also upcoming as a collected volume, so keep your Yuri-dar on that for one too. ^_^

And that’s going to be where I cut for today. I’ll try very hard to finish part 2 (Touko-sensei! New Simoun!) before I leave for vacation at the end of the week.