Archive for the Yuri Network News Category


Yuri News This Week – August 23, 2008

August 23rd, 2008

I will be going on vacation next weekend. I will be bringing a computer, but I have no idea how much time, connection and/or dedication I will have at any point in time, since I’ll literally be on the road for most of the trip. I have already scheduled reviews to post all week long while I am gone, but I can safely say that there is a high likelihood that I will not post a Yuri News report for a few weeks. While I *might* be motivated to login to approve comments, I can pretty much swear that I won’t be motivated to surf the Intertubes to find Yuri News. Just so you can’t say I didn’t warn you. :-)

Yuri Manga

Okay, how ironic is it that I *just* reviewed Battle Club and the very same day, it became the center of yet another battle in the war against the freedom of libraries to make information free. An Oregon man objected to his 12-year old son bringing Battle Vixens and Battle Club home from the “adult section” of the the library. A spokeswoman from the library told him to watch his own damn kid, but said it nicer than that. Yay Multnomah County Library! The father’s wrath completely ignores the fact that his kid is the *perfect* audience for that trash, since he hasn’t ever seen a woman’s crotch and this would all be very exciting and new to him.

The long-awaited Yuri Works File, originally titled the Yuri Michelin Guide, has been published by Ichijinsha. This book purports to list the best Girls Love evar, but my faith in it is somewhat limited on the basis that the cover is the cover art from one of the Girls Love novels that was *just* released by Ichijinsha, Period. My faith in this book is further eroded by the fact that the preview of Period was pretty boring. So…”best”? You’ll have to decide for yourself.

Hayate x Blade made its debut this month in Ultra Jump magazine. The first two volumes of the manga have been re-released, with special deluxe editions that include Shigeru cat family mascot straps and much cooler covers than previously. You can order the new Volume 1 and Volume 2 from Amazon JP. I’ve commented before that practically every single manga that ran in Dengeki Daioh had been made into an anime except HxB. I wonder if that was part of the reason for the publisher/magazine jump…. Ultra Jump put together this nifty Hayate x Blade website. The opening flash is fun. Check it out. The site includes previews of the first two volumes, as well.

Can’t remember if I mentioned this previously and am too lazy to look. The Yuri Hime version of the Aoi Shiro manga is available.

Have I mentioned that the manga Last Friends, based on the live-action drama is being serialized in Malika magazine? Well it is. :-) I’ll be reviewing it shortly. Also a new Yamaji Ebine story is slated to start in the next issue of the same magazine, but I’m betting on there not being Yuri or lesbian content in that.

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Snatches of Yuri

Something that floated up from Amazon JP, Kick!, is a manga that has two girls on the cover and everyone who bought it has bought and/or reviewed other notoriously Yuri titles. so I’m bettin’ this one has some Yuri, too. ;-)

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Other Yuri News

Manga scholar Matt Thorn has a very amusingly titled, interesting and informative article on his blog, concerning early Yuri roots, and some lovely early 20th century prints of “Yuri” couples. I recommend it highly – and suggest you bookmark his blog. He’s an interesting guy, with a unique perspective.

I had to tell you about the awesome (and surprisingly appealing) Cutey Honey whiskey bottles that are now on sale in Japan. I know that most fans are men, and see Honey as just another bimbo with big boobs, but to Yuri fans she’s much more. She’s the oldest and best of the magical transforming heroines. In her long history she has always had a close companion Na-chan, and has never, ever needed the help of a man. Honey for the win.

Not Yuri, but voice actress Kawakami Tomoko, who played Tenjou Utena in Revolutionary Girl Utena, has been hospitalized. Oddly, the news seems to have been picked up by readers of Ikuhara Kunihiko’s website.

And also not Yuri, but very interesting…I recieved a ballot from the “comic book industry’s premier award show,” the Harvey Awards. First time ever. I felt suitably chuffed. Of course I voted. :-)

And to end on an actual Yuri note, among the many other things that happened at Otakon, I spoke with comic artist and game designer Mike Hayes and we have decided to work on a short Yuri game together. Before you get all bouncy and happy, let me tell you that we’re calling it Story A. Consider yourself warned. lol And no, I don’t know when it will be ready or where or anything, so please don’t ask. It’s just in planning right now.

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That wraps it up for this week and probably the next two weeks going forward. By all means send me news items and clips and thoughts, and when I get back, we’ll see about bundling them all together. Until then!





This Week in Yuri – August 16, 2008

August 16th, 2008

Yuri Manga

At Otakon, no one was announcing any exciting licenses, but Media Blasters took some time at their Yuri and Yaoi panel to talk about their upcoming release of Maka-Maka. I spoke with Frank Pannone about it earlier, and he commented that they are reproducing it exactly, with the fold-out poster, the double cover…right down to the metallic inks used. He was very excited about how good it’s going to look and so am I. :-)

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Yuri Anime

mara reports some bad news for UK fans of Kurau Phantom Memory, as ADV has said that they are not going to be releasing the last two DVDs, volumes 5 and 6, to the UK. They suggest picking up the R1 versions instead. It’s another sign of how the anime market is crontracting pretty tightly. Personally, I wonder if they would have done better with Kurau had there not been such a huge time lag between its appearance on Japanese TV (and therefore bittorrents worldwide) and the time it finally came out on DVD about some years later.

I don’t remember ever mentioning this before, but my friend Komatsu-san reminded me recently that Futari ha PreCure (aka Pretty Cure) is being released by Toei as a directly downloadable anime. With much of the same staff as Sailor Moon, there’s a very similar Monster of the Day construction and a similar sense of Yuri subtext in pretty much every season so far. PreCure episodes are available for download at $1.99/ep, so no excuses about not having any money for that. lol

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Snatches of Yuri

I haven’t had a lot of time to scan my Japanese sources for the up and coming, but Jennifer D. wants me to tell you about an older comic called Stray Crayons about two women who hit rock bottom in their lives and find each other. Jennifer warns us that Volume 1 ends in a bad place and no Volume 2 has been printed. I’m just passing that warning on, so you don’t come running back to me screaming. lol

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Other News

Not Yuri, but relavant to our interests. Mari sent me this today and I wanted to pass it along to you, from Time Out magazine this week:

Time Out New York / Issue 672 : Aug 13-19, 2008
Tokyo redux
A new expo brings all things Japan to New York.

By Alyssa Pinsker

A new expo brings all things Japan to New York. By Alyssa Pinsker

Hot on the heels of the Brooklyn Museum’s enormously popular “© MURAKAMI” show and Haruki Murakami’s latest page-turner, Felissimo Design House [10 West 56th] is hosting an 11-week exhibition to celebrate Japan’s rich culture. The event will feature work by more than 70 of the country’s edgiest designers, but don’t show up in full cosplay attire-in other words, leave the Sailor Moon outfit at home.

“The cosplay, Lolita stuff makes me sick to my stomach,” says the normally reserved Haruko Smith, director of the Kobe-based lifestyle-products company, about the kawaii, Harajuku Girls image Westerners have of the Land of the Rising Sun. “Kawaii actually just means ‘nice’ or ‘cool.’” The exposition is named “Japan C,” as in “cool, cute, clever and creative,” and beginning Saturday 16, more than 1,000 everyday items will be on display and for purchase.

Each week will feature a new aspect, beginning with jiba (“tradition”) and then touching on home, fashion, food, stationery, beauty and pop culture in the following weeks. The featured products include skin creams made from fermented rice, collectible cell-phone straps, robots and the doughnut-shaped perfumed humidifiers of Naoto Fukasawa (whose work has inspired Apple’s design team). Other highlights include bubble packaging that emits both “sexy” and “fart” noises when popped; key-chain designers who make little robots from recycled computers; and a $200,000 Swarovski-crystal dress. “Now that Japan’s come more into its own, it can fuse with the West toward more of a synergy,” says Smith.

Other events include a breakfast hosted by Naomi Moriyama, the author of Japanese Women Don’t Get Old or Fat (October 8); a “Sake 101” lecture (October 23); and a scholarly discussion on the concept of kawaii in pop culture (September 29). In addition, there will be family-day events, tours, receptions and screenings, and an auction to benefit the New York Restoration Project. With her penchant for alliteration, Smith adds, “You can touch, try and taste. We should have called it Japan T.”

http://www.felissimo.com/designhouse/

Japan ©

From Murakami to Hello Kitty, sushi to sake bars, and anime to video games, Japan’s influence has become more and more visible in arts, design, food, style, and popular culture. But there is so much more to discover-as Japan C, a groundbreaking showcase of all things Japanese, will prove. Beginning August 16 until November 1, this unprecedented 11-week festival of contemporary Japanese culture will take over the historic Felissimo Design House in midtown Manhattan. Spanning home and fashion accessories to gadgets, food, beauty and pop-culture products, Japan C will be part design exhibition, part bazaar, part trade fair, highlighting over 70 diverse Japanese firms who will be presenting and demonstrating their wares.

The goal is simple: to inspire visitors, including buyers, manufacturers, distributors and the general public, with the latest developments from Japan, while introducing the best of Japan to the American market. Discover the benefits of skin creams made from fermented rice by leading sake makers, or join the Japanese fad for collectible ‘keitai’ cell phone straps. Featuring robots of every shape, size and color, alongside all manner of zakka knickknacks, everything from kawaii anime characters, fine stationery and contemporary furniture to high-tech rice cookers promising the perfect bowl of rice, Japan C will represent all that Japan is today: Cool, Cute, Clever and Creative.

For more information visit www.japan-c.com

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I just loved how cosplay and Goth-Loli makes him “sick to his stomach.” lol

The bottom line is that the huge influx of Japanese art and culture that is filling the corners of New York City continues…..

Oh, and for those of you who like cosplay – today is cosplay day at the mid-town Kinokuniya in NYC. lol

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I’ll see if I can scan some of my Japanese sources and let you know what’s coming up for the next report!





Yuri News This Week – August 2, 2008

August 2nd, 2008

Otakon’s coming up, so there won’t be a report next week, while I spend the weekend doing Otakon things. :-)

Yuri Anime

Eric reports that a movie has been announced for Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha that will be an “parallel history” of Fate and Nanoha’s first meeting. This should appease all the lolicon who felt that the most recent Naonha series, StrikerS, had too many people over the age of ten.

And for Polish and German Yuri fans, Winterbraid sends this piece of good news – El Cazador de la Bruja is out on DVD with dual audio (Japanese or German) and dual subtitle tracks (Polish and German). Winterbraid also reports that the first DVD contains episode 1-5 and two beautiful postcards. So excellent news all around! But, now I’m whining, because I want El Cazador~ waaah~…

And in case you missed it, the Maria-sama ga Miteru Season 1 box sets have shipped. My phone charm is already attached to my phone. :-) I’ll do a review as soon as I have a chance to watch any of the disks.

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Yuri Manga

Eagle-eyed Eric also caught the news that Venus Versus Virus is ending this coming issue of Dengeki Daioh As it happens, I read the penultimate chapter – fans will be happy to note that Lucia and Sumire touched and Sumire said that Lucia is “important” to her. That ought to be enough for scores of fanfic. lol

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Yuri Events

Did I ever mention that Maiden’s Garden will be held this autumn for the third time? This Yuri doujinshi event was organized by (among others) the main artist for the Pen-Pen Gusa Club doujinshi circle, Katase Minami. It’s in the Kyoto, so if you plan on being around this October 13th, check out the Yuricon Events page for more details. (And don’t forget to email me, so I can have you shop for me! LOL)

Otakon is coming up, as I said. Not only will there be a Yuri Panel on Friday, from 1-2PM, I’m told that Media Blasters is holding a separate panel for discussion of their Yuri and Yaoi lines. Don’t miss it!

And just to remind you – we’ll be having a raffle at the Yuricon table in the Dealer’s Room – Table 611. Spend $25 or more and you’ll be entered for a cool manga-style Catwoman figurine!

The New York Anime Festival is around the corner, and this year I’ll be running a Yuri Panel on Saturday, Sept. 27th, from 8-9PM. Check the NYAF website for details.

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Again, a short report. Expect some news from Otakon – I don’t know anything specific, not even a hint, so this isn’t foreshadowing. I just expect that *something* will have to be at least vaguely Yuri-flavored. :-)





Yuri News This Week – July 26, 2008

July 26th, 2008

Short post today – I’m incredibly pressed for time.

Yuri Novels

Ichijinsha has released the first two Yuri Light Novels in their new Girls Love Line. Wild Bouquet looks to be a maid/mistress story and Period is a girls with guns thing that is notably illustrated by Shoujo Sect‘s Kurogane Kenn. Thanks to Kazu-kun for also sending me info on these. There’s previews of these novels in Yuri Hime S (plus an “Otomeiro Stay Tuned” clearfile by Fujieda) and some Yuri Hime Wildrose side stories in Yuri Hime as extras, so if you want to take a look before haring off and buying them, you can.

I do have to say, though, that for series supposedly part of their line for girls, these two novels look *awfully* like they are really for the guys. Unless “girls” novels really meant “novels about girls.” No clue and don’t really care one way or another. I’m just sort of thinking out loud. lol

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Yuri Manga

WORKS by Eriko Tadeno is back in print! Place your orders now at the Yuricon Shop for this fabulous 100% Yuri collection.

Bandai has yet again announced that it has licensed the Lucky Star manga, which is probably good news for Konata x Kagami fans.

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Yuri Event

If you are in the Miami, Florida area and you have some time, run over to Yasumicon and join Katherine on August 2 at 3-5PM for a fabulous Yuri Panel!

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That’s it for this week! As always, feel free to send your news items to me and I’ll do my best to let the world know!





This Week in Yuri – July 19, 2008

July 19th, 2008

This week, we once again start off with a retraction of a news item from last week. :-)

Yuri Anime

ADV says that Best Student Council DVDs are *not* on the discontinued list – and in fact, fans should keep their eye out for a thinpack, coming soon. Thanks for this news item goes out to Eric P., who is always vigilantly scanning the wide world of news for us. :-)

Right Stuf announced that the trailer for Aria is up on their Aria website.

Coming any day now are the first episode of the Shoujo Sect anime and the second episode of Mai HiME 0 ~ S.ifr, finally.

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Snatches of Yuri

The new Koihime Musou anime is full of service-y Yuri goodness. I’m told that it reads like a parody to people with a brain cell, so I have no doubt that when I finally get to watch it and say, “gee, it’s a parody” I’ll be called all *sorts* of names. ^_^

And over on the manga side of the equation, if Candy Boy is relevant to your interests, you’ll probably want to keep an eye out for L16 the touching story of two sisters – not twins this time – who love each other very, very, *very* much.

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Yuri Manga

Well, all the Yuri Hime books that were slated to hit the shelves yesterday have, and I’m already being asked about YH Wildrose 2 which I will review when I actually *get* it. ^_^

And speaking of reviews – while my Japanese is nowhere it needs to be for me to mirror Okazu in Japan, I have begun to do short mini-reviews on my mixi page. If you are Japanese, or know someone in Japan who would like to read these reviews, here is my mixi profile. I’m glad to give referrals to anyone, but unless you have a Japanese cell email address, they won’t allow you in now (ostensibly to “protect” mixi members, but it’s a measure that seems awfully xenophobic to many.) In any case, if you know someone in Japan looking for short one or two-line reviews on Yuri manga and novels, pass it along.

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Other Yuri News

In totally other news, Rica Takashima sent me this link to Sparkling Rain: And Other Fiction from Japan of Women Who Love Women. To quote from the advertising copy: “This collection features an historical perspective on lesbian literature and activism in Japan as well as erotic poetry, a movie screenplay, science fiction with a queer twist, classic love stories, humor and more.” I will definitely be getting it and let you know how it is. :-)

Just in case you missed this – we’re did an Okazu Reader’s Survey. It was ten short questions, very painless. So far only two result sets have differed from my expectations. The poll is now closed – I’ll report results whenever I have a chance. :-) Thanks to everyone who took it!

Oh – and not Yuri, but dammit, I don’t care. Seirei no Moribito will be on Cartoon Network, Media Blasters will be releasing the anime, and the novels are being published by Scholastic. (Yay!) I think Balsa is the absolute bomb – practically the definition of gar. So if you haven’t seen what was the *actual* Best Anime of 2007, do. This was an amazing anime. Everything about it – story, acting, characters, art, music, everything, was stellar. I can’t wait to buy it – and if MB screws up the subtitles with typos, I’ll personally see to it that they have permanent scars to remind them why to not do that.

Thanks to Anonymous for reminding me that today is International Femmeslash Day!. In honor of which I offer up to your reading pleasure any of the stories on my fiction and fanfic site, “Worldshaking” Fanfic. I actually have a brand new story to go up there shortly, but it won’t get posted for another day or so. :-)

And once again, I thank Komatsu-san for his insightful comments and thoughts regarding Shoujoai ni Bouken on his blog, Ultimo Spalpeen. (In Japanese.) His kind words make me very happy and his insights were very valuable to me. Thank you Komatsu-san! ^_^

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That seems to be it. I feel like there’s something I’m forgetting. Oh well. There’s always next week. :-) Thanks to everyone for reading – and special thanks to those of you who send me news items – you can email news of interest to anilesbocon at hotmail dot com – just type “Yuri News’ in the subject line. Thanks!