A few years ago, in reaction to the Governor of Tokyo’s restrictive bill on manga, most of the companies that participated in the Tokyo International Anime Festival pulled out and created a new event, The Anime Contents Fair. Well, this year the TIAF and ACF have re-merged, and with the big (and yet, controversial) “Cool Japan” push from the Japanese government, a new event is born – Anime Japan. Anime Japan is happening this weekend at Big Sight in Tokyo. Their website is down for the moment, but you can follow Anime Japan on Twitter.

Both Anime News Network and Crunchyroll both have people on the ground there, so check out both sites for photos and news. I’ll update as it strikes me to do so, but please feel free to mail me links to news you think we really ought to not miss!

Yuri Anime

Animesols crowdfunding for the 3rd and final set of Riyoko Ikeda’s Dear Brother got off to a strong start, hitting 50% funding pretty easily. They’ve added new functionality – if you were unable to get the first two sets, you can now simply buy them as an add-on to backing on the third set. You have to make the pledge first, before you can get the option, but now you can just buy the first two sets, and help the third set get made at the same time.

YNN Correspondent Grisnak wants you to know that a new Yuru Yuri anime will get a release as an OVA this fall.

He also notes that upcoming Yuri assassin anime Akuma no Riddle has a commercial for you to enjoy.

Australian company Siren Visual has announced licenses for Mawaru Penguindrum and some other great series.

Pony Canyon at Anime Japan ran a Tamako Market event for the upcoming film Tamako Market Love Story.

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Yuri Manga

The most recent issue of English-language female-focused manga and Light Novel magazine, Sparkler Monthly, contains a preview of Yuri manga “Before You Go”. Check it out!

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Lesbian Novels

One of the very first contemporary lesbian authors I ever read was Katherine V. Forrest’s Kate Delafield mysteries.

At the time, (early 90s maybe?) Lesbian mysteries were quite the rage, as they gave characters a chance to be independent investigators, just outside the law or, really, nowhere near it. Of the many, many many authors that were churning out books, only two are people I still want to read. One is Ellen Hart, whose contemporary American cozy mysteries are a delight and Katherine V. Forrest, who is back with a brand new Kate Delafield novel. A LOT has changed since Murder at the Nightwood Bar.

Ellen Hart’s new book is Taken by the Wind, but you may wish to start with some of her earlier books to get to know her characters. I particularly suggest The Lost Women of Lost Lake.

And Kate returns in High Desert (which I imagine has to have been named as an homage to Desert of the Heart, another key book in lesbian novels past.)

I know what I’ll be reading for my summer reading series this year!

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Sailor Moon News

If you know your Myer-Briggs Personality type, and like Sailor Moon, try this chart to find out which Senshi you are. ^_^ Since you are reading this blog, most of you will be INTJ and therefore Sailor Uranus. ^_^

The Sailor Moon Official Channel has released the English language version of the new Sailor Moon Crystal art. We’re keeping fingers crossed for some key visuals to be released this weekend at Anime Japan.

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Other News

It’s almost hard to imagine, but Fushima Kousuke’s Aa! Megami-sama/Oh! My Goddess manga is coming to an end after 26 years.

My super random find of the week: Famed Josei mangaka Erica Sakurazawa (Between the Sheets, Angel) has done a online comic for Ricoh Imaging called “Koi Suru  Yama ga Aru.”

Book of Bantorra is being streamed on Hulu. It’s not Yuri, but is in every other way one the best anime I’ve ever watched. It’s effed up, has librarians with super powers, and stars Paku Romi as the sexy, sociopathic head librarian, Hamuts Meseta. (She is the reason I will occasionally say “Must kill Hamuts Meseta” and laugh creepily to myself.) I love the show. ^_^ And I so want a t-shirt that says “Must kill Hamuts Meseta.”

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That’s a wrap for this week! Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There’s a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage – stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent’s badge. Thanks to all of you – you make this a great Yuri Network!

Sailor Moon News

This week gave us a lovely leak of important information about the new Sailor Moon anime. Toei had carefully tucked away an image leading to a countdown for the release of anime-related art, but fans have no other hobbies and found both countdown…and art. Once the cat was out of the bag, Toei gave up on the countdown and just released the image. And so, we now know that the new series will be called Sailor Moon Crystal and will be a re-creation of the first arc in which Sailor Moon fights the Dark Kingdom and Queen Beryl alongside of her friends Sailors Mercury, Mars, Venus and Jupiter. I really, really like the new design, tell me what you think in the comments!

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Yuri Anime

The first glimpse of visuals and a commercial for the manga of Sabagebu!, the upcoming shoujo survival game club anime exists in the universe.

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Yuri Game/VN

YNN Correspondent C Banana wants to elaborate on the new “non-hentai visual novel…Flowers (link includes trailer) from group Innocent Grey which is going to be released April 18” which we mentioned a few months ago. CBanana continues: “I can point out that this game has a reasonable likelihood of getting a translation/distribution as the translation/distribution company MangaGamer has worked with Innocent Grey before.  MangaGamer may also be looking for all-ages games because they could get those games on Steam.  Mind you, it would have an increased chance of getting localized if people let MangaGamer know that they’re interested in it.”

Guild Wars 2 gets some really great press about the lesbian romance in the game.

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Yuri Webcomics

Via YNN Corresondent Erin S., we have a pile of adorable girls in love webcomics:
Sara Goetter’s Haircut, with which I could totally identify
Melanige Gillman’s Smbitten: A Ladies Romance With Teeth
and this short story of skateboarding and love by Actual Magical Girl, Homura Akemi

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Maria-sama ga Miteru

Welp, it’s been a good run. Just as the series hits a 15th anniversary, it will be coming to an end with one final Oshaka-sama ga Miteru novel, Hotaru no Hikaru (蛍のヒカル) according to illustrator Hibike Reine.

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Other News

This is a tad old, but that’s my fault. Back in December, the Japanese family court made a really important decision, allowing a transman to be listed on his child’s birth certificate as the father. His wife conceived the child through IVF (in vitro fetilization). The court ruled, “The child can be assumed as the husband’s child even though it is obvious that there is no biological link”. This is a huge step forward and we applaud it. Thanks to YNN Correspondent Ana M who sent it along.

Early Japanese lesbian awareness and advocacy group Regumi is alive and well on the internet. This famous grassroots organization is once again running seminars and promoting health, well-being and community for a new generation of Japanese lesbians. I love the Internet. ^_^

Bitch Media presents the next installment of their comic lecture series about comics, Don’t Be A Dick, with Don’t Be a Dick: How Comics Can Alienate Women and Trans Folks.

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That’s a wrap for this week! Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There’s a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage – stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent’s badge. Thanks to all of you – you make this a great Yuri Network!

Yuri Anime

The new Sailor Moon anime has added a few more key staff, with director, music and animator positions filled now. If the director has just been announced, I think we’re in for at least one more delay. July seems a ridiculously tight deadline.

Jormungand, the Complete First  and Second seasons are out on Hybrid Blu-ray/DVD combos.

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Questionably Yuri Manga

According to Comic Natalie, a new Yuri assassin comic series is starting up in Comic Bass magazine, Yuri Kuma Arashi. It looks like the love child of Morishima Akiko and Fukami Makoto. ^_^;

Also questionably Yuri, Oshima Towa-sensei is restarting Jyoshi Kousei, which was brought over here as High School Girls. The restart will alternate with a similar story, Jyoshi Kousei-Girls Live, starring a new cast.

Stretch, by Akili, (ストレッチ), which I first mentioned back in June 2013 , is now out as a collected volume. It’s about adult sempai and kouhai who share an apartment, have possible feelings for one another…and therapeutic stretching.

Yuri or not, I will definitely be getting Golondrina, Volume 4 (ゴロンドリーナ). Est Em’s intense story about lesbian Chika learning to become a matador has me captivated.

Moving into less questionable territory…

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Yuri Manga

GEN Monthly returns this month with a Yuri doujinshi, Plastic Blue. GEN manga contracts directly with doujinshi creators,  as I did for Yuri Monogatari. I hope you’ll take a look! I have it here and a review with be forthcoming shortly.

YNN Correspondent Erin S. pointed out this nice little tale of interest, Milkshakes.

Rakuen Le Paradis, Volume 4 (楽園 Le Paradis) hit shelves this week in Japan.

Kanojo to Camera to Kanojo no Kisetsu, Volume 4  (彼女とカメラと彼女の季節) will be out next month.

And do not miss the Kickstarter for the lesbian action fantasy, Bold Riley: Unspun!

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That’s a wrap for this week! Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There’s a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage – stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent’s badge. Thanks to all of you – you make this a great Yuri Network!