Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


Galette No. 21 (ガレット)

June 19th, 2022

You can tell that this has been an unusually busy season when I fall behind on a quarterly magazine. ^_^; But hey, I think releasing a new book on the history of Yuri counts as a really great reason for falling behind! If you haven’t picked up By Your Side: The First 100 Years of Yuri Anime and Manga, now is a great time to call your local bookstore! ^_^

Galette No. 21 (ガレット) is the 5th anniversary issue of this crowd-funded, creator-owned quarterly Yuri manga magazine. That is an incredible achievement, especially in light of the multiple upheavals it has been through. So congratulations to everyone at Galette Works! The cover is appropriately sparkly for a celebration.

The volume starts off with a number of color pages on the 5th anniversary, including a short interview about Galette.

The magazine is actually split. The first half includes the ongoing chapters of manga like Morinaga Milk’s  “Watashi no Kawaii Neko-chan,” which has been licensed by Seven Seas as My Cute Little Kitten, “Houkenshitsu no Ano Onna “by Morita Miyuki and stories by Hamasaki Ringo, Yatosaki Haru, Neko Hariko, Kuchiko, and Haruno. This is followed up by a “Collaboration,” a short text story paired with a manga.

The second half of the book continues Hakamada Mera’s manga “Aikata System.” I reviewed  both volumes of that manga in 2020 here on Okazu. It seems to go a bit darker, so I’m going to have to re-read this carefully. ^_^ This manga was released by Dougenzaka Shobo, which was putting out a few decent Yuri titles…then just stopped and refocused on BL only. Shame, I really liked their stuff.

The endnotes include a crossword puzzle! How fun is that? I’ve never tried to do one in Japanese before.

Ratings:

Overall – 10 for making it to 5 years!

Galette, No. 22 is actually already out, but I’ve been much too busy to read, so have fallen behind on ordering books, as well. Woops. I’m going to have to pull myself together asap and grab that pretty soon.  Time for a shopping spree. ^_^





Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru, Volume 1 (君としらない夏になる)

June 15th, 2022

Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru, Volume 1 (君としらない夏になる), subtitled in English “Throw away the suit together,” is one of my favorite reads currently in Comic Yuri Hime magazineright now. So a chance to step back and see what drew me in was something I embraced eagerly.

Haru and Hinoto are two young women who are deeply in love with one another, looking for jobs in various companies in Tokyo. The interviews and rejections are grueling, and Haru just…snaps. She tosses all the paperwork out the window. Without hesitation, Hi-chan joins her and the two of them run away from the grind of job hunting to a small island where Hi-chan’s aunt had a house.

This opening had all the weak spots in the narrative. When they come out of an impromptu ocean swim, their scooter is missing, which sets them in a panic, as it had their wallets, phones, etc.

The walk around town, trying to find the bike, to no avail, so they head over to Hi-chan’ss aunt’s house. Having reached the house, they find the phone ringing. It is, predictably, her aunt. Hi-chan asks if she and a friend can stay. The aunt answers with “no.”

Shocked at the “no,” Hinoto takes time to notice that Haru was, actually hurt by being called a friend. They discuss it and Hi-chan calls her aunt back to clarify that actually, its her and her lover – at which Haru shouts “fiancee!” The aunt lets them stay. ^_^

And then the story takes off. Which is to say, it slows down to a relaxed, gentle pace as Haru and Hinoto create a new life for themselves away from the path they were expected to take. They get the scooter back…and make a new friend in the process. And they start planning their wedding. The opening scenes of job hunting were supposed to create a sense of stress, so we’d be relieved by them walking away, but the scooter being removed actually created additional stress. It’s only when they have gotten the scooter (and their phones and wallets…) back that the story can actually begin.

Keyyang’s art is good, and bad. The anatomy is a bit “hrm” (their chests kind of shift size with need, and there’s some odd hip – leg anatomy from time to time.) and a constant strain of service may affect your opinion. It was generally tolerable to me, until individual moments where it became a bit tiresome. But, as the characters are adults and it never crosses the line of being plain gross, (the way The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady did), I allow it. Your mileage may vary. This volume has an omake with more adult content between them, so while I would not call this explicit, per se, I caution readers that it is for and about adults.

The big draw for me is Haru and Hinoto’s very deep love for one another. They are just so gosh darn cute.

Ratings:

Art – 6 Runs the gamut, but the energy is good.
Story – 8 I think anyone who has gone job hunting is going to feel those first bits in their bones
Characters – 8 Utterly likable
Service – 5 Quite a bit of underwear, some odd anatomy, but tolerable.
Yuri – 10, with a foot in LGBTQ+ identity

Overall – Charming, just a tad exhausting and overall one of my faves in the magazine right now.

Let’s all throw away our suits and go live on an island somewhere. Now all I need is a rich aunt. ^_^





The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, Volume 1

June 10th, 2022

Last autumn I took a look at Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei (転生王女と天才令嬢の魔法革命) manga. I found it to be fine, but much too shouty for my taste. Then I followed that up with the Light Novel, The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, Volume 1 in April of this year. That was altogether better as the screaming took up much less space on the page, forewent the utterly pointless service and gave Euphyllia some personality. That said, what it added to the story, it took away from the art.

Now I am revisiting the manga in English. Out from Yen Press as The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, Volume 1, I find I appreciate the art even more and both the service and the shouting even less. 

Princess Anisphia has memories of a life before her current one – memories of scientific wonders. But in this world, where magic is the defining power, Anisphia has none. Nonetheless, her obsession with using magic has lead her to be seen as an eccentric inventor. Euphyllia’s world has come crashing down upon her, when she is unjustly accused of bullying another girl, causing the Prince to end his engagement with her. Bereft of a purpose, now that she cannot be Queen, Euphyllia acquiesces when Anisphia asks for her to become her assistant.  She insists it’s professional, but Anis is pretty open about being into women, and thinking Euphie is cute, so the groundwork is laid out for a decent Yuri story.

Knowing the remainder of the story in the first LN, I am much more motivated to read the next volume of the manga. I honestly *want* to like Anisphia and Euphyllia and for them to be happy together. But boy is there a lot of shouting in this manga. And, Alcard’s break-up was so…vulgar, I can’t imagine that it’s not really addressed at all, except in asides. BUT, the art. Harutsugu Nadaka’s art is up to the task the story gives – this time I have no complaints about the sword Anisphia gives to Euphyllia…in fact, I’m looking forward to seeing her use it.

So, while, the story in the light novel made the LN worth reading, it’s the art here that makes this a perfectly fine read, if people shouting a lot doesn’t bother you and gobsmackingly gross service. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 7 The art is better than the LN by a lot, the sword was an 8
Story – 6 A rocky start
Characters – 8 Annisphia carries the lot of them in this volume
Service – 7 Absolutely grotesque. What the fuck is wrong with people?
Yuri – 1 Clearly we are going to head there

Overall – It was hard to like initially, with all the screaming, but the end pulled it up to a 6.

Knowing what I know, I’m probably in for the long haul on this series, but the manga has a super creepy service problem. We’ll see if it or the good stuff wins.

Thanks to Yen Press for the review copy and to the entire Yen Press team for their fine work on this volume.

 





Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau, Volume 6 (ささやくように恋を唄う)

June 3rd, 2022

It’s summer! It’s time for one last gasp of wholesome fun, hanging with your friends, eating ice cream, going on dates. Both Yori and Himari are very interested in going out on dates together. But, sadly, Shiho’s deal has pulled them apart. Himari is acting as manager for the SS Girl’s #1 rival band, Lorelei and it’s eating at Yori.

Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau, Volume 6 is filled to the brim with emotional conflict and tension, but done so cutely and with such sincerity, it doesn’t feel like…well, it doesn’t feel like conflict. It feels like a bunch of young people living their best lives and heading towards what they will one day think of the best battle of the bands of their lives. ^_^

Yori is torn. She’s thrilled to see Himari learning about band stuff and being a great manager, but the fact that she’s doing it for someone else’s band hurts. Himari is torn. She’s thrilled to be learning so much and hanging with talented musicians, but it’s killed her time to be with Yori and summer isn’t that long…

The week of the local summer festival arrives. Himari and Yori are determined to eke out time together and just enjoy each other’s company. A date to a karaoke booth ends up making things awkward between them, but as the fireworks at the festival go up, they finally have their first serious kiss. Were happy for them. This series is so completely lacking in anything prurient that we can just be the old ladies on the bench who are happy for them, while we hold hands and kiss, out of sight and not feel anything other than how lucky they are to be young and together. ^_^

My summer has yet to begin. I’m pounding the boards all month flogging my book. (Hey! Did you know I have a book about Yuri? I do! You should buy it!) Next month I am rewarding myself with fireworks and ice cream and all the kisses I can get. In the meantime, I’ll watch with elder joy at the young people kissing, parading and throwing bricks at cops this Pride Month. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Service – 0 Still so adorable
Yuri – 8

Overall – 8

Volume 5 of Whisper Me a Love Song is out now in English from Kodansha!





ULTIMATE-MAMA

May 26th, 2022

A bunch of content warnings on today’s review, for blood, and violence, and “comedic” BDSM and nudity and some other stuff.

Fujimori Manatasu is a very cute high school student. At 18, she already has a modeling career and is well-liked by her friends. Walking home from school one day she sees what looks like a giant black crescent in the sky. She is rescued from some slavering creature by a woman with abs of steel, Ultimate Fang, and her apparently small child, Meteora. The next day at school, Manatsu finds the child to be 18, and a transfer student into her class…and both Juou Ruriru, the child and Juouo Hagane, the buff mother, are now her next-door neighbors. Hagane is there, because Manatsu has blood that will also give her super powers as well, if only Hagane can awaken them. Preferably by having sex, but whatever. When another equally buff woman arrives, Savage, (real name Jade Anderson) Manatsu’s mom falls, hard. Now it’s up to Hagane to awaken Manatsu’s powers and gain a partner. Eventually, she does, of course.

In the meantime, the monsters, the blood and the gags keep coming in ULTIMATE-MAMA by Hayashiya Shizuru-sensei.

If you have ever read Hayashiya-sensei’s Ultra Sword (or my review of it) the plot may sound vaguely familiar. A girl with blood that attracts monsters is guarded by people with powers. In this case, the blood would also give the girl powers. Unlike Ultra Sword, this series is not rapey at all, really. The superwomen are super cut and have washboard abs and sexy scars and are totally into having sex with women. Manatsu is, by Chapter 7, reasonably okay with it too. Mom and Savage were love at first sight, which was kind of cute.

There is also a clearly evil couple who have sex to call up the crescents which act as a door for the monsters. Who are they and what are the meaning of these attacks? Their acts creates both the crescent doors in the sky and items that fall from those which turn regular humans into the monsters…a bit like Sailor Moon.

Now here comes the real CW part. ULTIMATE-MAMA is currently available on Fanza Books, which is a pretty skanky adult manga and eronovel site.The first things you will see on the site are a whole lot of primary and secondary genitalia, realistic and decidedly not. It’s that kind of site. The manga is being released a chapter at a time for about 220￥/chapter. I sure hope it’ll be collected.

In the meantime, I’m very much enjoying this manga for exactly what it is. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8 24 volumes of Hayate x Blade really leveled up her skills in action scenes, for sure.
Story – 7 Lots of elements held together by humor at the moment.
Characters – 9 Charming and goofy and chaotic, exactly what she does best
Yuri – 9
Service – 8 Nudity, sex, underwear, silly BDSM, yes, there is service

Overall – 8

If, like me, you’ll basically read anything and everything Hayashiya-sensei does, the funny violence and funny blood and funny BDSM all are par for the course. Fang and Savage are very nice to look at, if you like that type, which I do. (Not to put a fine point on it, Hayashiya-sensei’s tastes are *clearly* my tastes, as well. ^_^)