Yuri Manga

Yen Press has announced the cover reveal for Strawberry Fields Once Again Volume 2.

Kodansha  is hyping Chasing After Aoi Koshiba. Volume 1 is slated for a March release and Volume 2 will follow in May. The series is ongoing in Japanese, I’ve reviewed Volume 1 and 2 of Kyou, Koshiba Aoi ni Aetara, here on Okazu.

Seven Seas announced The Conditions of Paradise; Azure Dreams, which is a series of shorts by  Akiko Morishima, Pikachi Ohi’s Our Teachers Are Dating!, Volume 2 and from Takako Shimura, Even Though We’re Adults, Volume 1, which I have reviewed in Japanese and will be reviewing in English this coming week. It’s a great series for those of you who like “messy” relationships.

From Viz, we’re getting How Do We Relationship, Volume 3 in summer, which is also great if you like your relationships messy. ^_^

DMP has Can I Pretend to Buy You With Money, by Tachi on their emanga.com site. It was listed for a while on Amazon, but seems to have been pulled for what, in the larger world beyond manga, makes perfect sense.

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Gangan Joker has listed Volume 1 of Shoujo Manga Shujinko x Rival-san (少女漫画主人公×ライバルさん) about a girl who is love with the popular guy, and blocked by the popular girl…who confesses her love to our protagonist! You can read a sample chapter in Japanese on Square Enix’s Joker site.

Mochi au Lait and Majjocoid’s mistaken gender comedy Ikemen Onna to Hakoiri Musume, Volume 2 (イケメン女と箱入り娘) is available for people who find that amusing.

I have absolutely no idea if this is good, but I might take a look. Via Comic Natalie,  Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei (転生王女と天才令嬢の魔法革命) is an isekai about a “reborn” princess and her rival genius villainess, which seems derivative times two and possibly amusing.

Yuri Light Novel

ROLL OVER AND DIE: I Will Fight With My Love and My Cursed Sword, Volume 2 has hit shelves and it’s bigger and more pointlessly violent than ever before!  I started reading it yesterday; it presents a real problem for me, I can’t read it  during meals or before bed. Which means I have to make special time to absorb this grotesquely and lazily conceived violence for *entertainment*. ^_^;

Yuri Visual Novels & Games

Noodeltub Games is proud to announce the release of their 18+ Yuri VN, LOVE BAKUDAN, available on Itchi.io

And Kikai Digital is likewise pleased to announce their new Yuri VN, Melancholy Love, available on Steam.

YuriMother wants you to know about successfully crowdfunded game OVA Magica, where “you can live out your gay, blob-taming, farming dreams.” Additionally, she’s got the scoop on Story of Seasons game, Pioneers of Oliver Town in which same-sex “best friend ceremonies” are available.

Other News

Kim Morrisey at ANN has the not-all-that-surprising, but still shocking news that Toei, an animation company that makes a lot of money off of same-sex couples and gender bending in anime, not only refused to negotiate with a LGBTQ employee union, but engaged in a pattern of harmful harassment against queer employees.There are some legal employee protections in place for gender or sexual minorities in Japan, and some companies have adopted more inclusive policies. We’ll be watching this story closely.

Singer Saito Miki has released the official music video for the Otherside Picnic ED, which itself is a nice little Yuri story. ^_^ Komatsu-san on Crunchyroll has the details and the video!

In case you missed it, check out the video for the Japan Foundation’s video panel, Sailor Moon: How These Magical Girls Transformed Our World, featuring translator Mari Morimoto as moderator and some fantastic presentations and conversation. I learned some new stuff, which was great!

Molly Sprayregen on Forbes has written A New Documentary Tells The Story Of The Woman Behind The World’s Bestselling Lesbian Magazine, about Frances Stevens, the founder of Curve magazine. True story, I was an outside ad salesperson for Deneuve, then Curve, for a little while.

Absolutely pointless, but we are on Instagram at last! I’ll be posting what I’m currently reading when I have a chance and inclination. I’ll also give a short reaction. Visit the worst Instagram account at OkazuYuri. (^_^)

If you or someone you know is attending Michigan State University, there is still time to sign up for my J-Pop Translation & Adaptation Workshop (I didn’t pick the name…) featuring translators Mari Morimoto and Zack Davission as guest lecturers and me as the main instructor. We’ll be talking about roles in the translation process and challenges, and ways of interpreting meaning and feel.  People who complete the workshop will receive a certificate. I hope to see you there!

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Yuri Manga

Just as I was working on last week’s report, Yen Press announced two new Yuri titles: The Whole of Humanity Has Gone Yuri Except for Me, and the Nakatani Nio Short story collection, Farewell to my Alter, (which I reviewed here in Japanese last summer) Thanks to Senior YNN Correspondent Sean G for the heads up!

Syrup Yuri Anthology, Volume 2 is out from Seven Seas.

Travel-ish, Yuri-ish Futari Escape, Volume 1 (ふたりエスケープ ) from Comic Yuri Hime is available.

YNN Senior Correspondent Shannon L. wrote in to let our French-speaking friends know that Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is getting a French release as Escale à Yokohama from Meian! They are describing it as a “feel-good” story. Which is true, if you ignore that it is also a science-fiction story about the twilight of humanity. I envy our French readers, this is a magnificent series.

Seven Seas is promoting a Yuri pack of manga on Twitter, featuring 5 Yuri titles!

On Twitter, Kaishaku announced the publication of Volume 1 of their new sequel(ish) to Kannazuki no Miko, Himegami no Miko (姫神の巫女).

 Anime News

YNN Correspondent Evie wants you to know about the upcoming anime for Tai Ari Deshita. ~Ojou-sama wa Kakutou Game Nante Shinai~ (対ありでした。 ～お嬢さまは格闘ゲームなんてしない～). Komatsu-san has the details on CR News about this game competition anime set at a girl’s school!

The new anime EX-ARM has already been the target of much critical analysis of the production team and the animation. Now it’s added a new chapter of conversation (or controversy, if you prefer that kind of clickbait headline ) with a possibly(?) censored same-sex kiss. Yuri Mother has the details. Personally, I think the whole anime is a decent example of The Peter Principle, with everyone involved just completely out of their depth and leadership promoted to their level of incompetence.

My Next Life as a Villainess All Routes Lead to Doom! anime is getting a second season. Fans of Maria and Katarina will be so happy. ^_^ ANN’s Rafael Antonio Pineda has the report. 

PA WORKS has debuted a promotional video for upcoming anime Shiroi Suna no Aquatope (白い砂のアクアトープ). It’ll hit a lot of buttons – pretty location scenery, nice animation, “girl zoo” Yuri anime.

Blue Period, which has a gender nonbinary character (I haven’t actually read the volume, which is on my to-read pile) is getting an anime. I’m not sure how sensitive the character portrayal is, yet, but I’m told that it is not negative or malicious.) Alex Mateo has the details on ANN.

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Yuri Light Novel News

The second volume of Girl’s Kingdom is available for pre-order on Kindle and up on the Yuricon Store. An exchange student is going to throw Misaki’s life into turmoil, oh no! ^_^

Other News

Fans of Comic Yuri Hime series Wataten, Watashi ni Tenshi ga Maiorita! (私に天使が舞い降りた!,) might be excited to learn that Wataten 5’s first Solo Concert Delicious Smile! is set to stream overseas on February 6, 2021.  Visit E+ for ticket information.

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Yuri Anime

YNN Correspondent Evie wants you to know that upcoming anime Aquatope of White Sand states it is “Girl-Meets-Girl”. The plots seems quite similar to Hagino Makoto’s Nettaigyo ha Yuki ni Kogareru / A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow. Daryl Harding has details, trailer and links on Crunchyroll News!

Senior YNN Correspondent Verso S. wants you to know that Liz and the Blue Bird is getting a Blu-Ray release in Japan! There’s some minimal changes to the packaging and a few extras, so if you’re interested in getting the JP release of this film, now is a good opportunity.

Yuri Doujinshi

I went on a bit of a spending spree this weekend and *finally* managed to get myself a copy of mkBooks’ dual-language doujinshi The Life of a Yuri Couple in Love (おさななじみの百合夫婦生活). This is legitimately available on booth.pm as an electronic download in both Japanese and English for a mere $2.50. 

Lilyka has a new doujinshi available by TWA, about a police officer and criminal, in Baby, Wanted. Now, there’s a plot that I hadn’t yet added to Yuri Manga Bot… . (Speaking of Yuri Manga Bot, someone wrote a short story based on one of the plots! Thanks Musesana!)

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Yuri Manga

Nagata Kabi has a new book coming out in Japan and one on the way in English! This spring, Seven Seas will be releasing her fourth comic essay volume, My Alcoholic Escape From Reality. Following on her previous three volumes, Nagata-sensei has been through a lot and now, she’s dealing with the physical consequences. I reviewed the Japanese volume of this book in February 2020.

Her upcoming volume in Japan is titled Meisou Senshi – Nagata Kabi (迷走戦士・永田カビ) and I think, for a lot of us here, it will be an “ah” moment. Nagata-sensei has started to think about love, and finds herself and thinking about sexuality, and gender and weddings and who she is. YNN correspondent CW wants you to know that you can read chapters from this book right now in Japanese on Comic Action‘s online platform Web Action, where it is the #1 title right now. Also interesting, this book marks a third publisher Nagata-sensei has worked with. I think she’ll find Futabasha a better fit than Shogagukan. East Press seems to be pretty open to whatever creators want to do, but Futabasha has the magazines and the promotion power that East Press doesn’t.

Via YNN Correspondent Megan and Comic Natalie, we have news of Hon no Mushi (本のムシ) a manga about a girl who works at a publishing company who falls in love with her coworker…who keeps paper-eating bugs for some purpose…. It’s certainly an original idea.

I have no idea what this is about, because I just grabbed due to the title. ^_^ Kawai Roh has a new Yuri collection called  Girls in the Hell, (ガールズインザヘル).

LINE in Japan is offering a set of 2DK, GPen Mezamashitokei (2DK、Gペン、目覚まし時計。) stamps by Ohsawa Yayoi. Comic Natalie has the details. I just bought it (50 coins, so 99 cents US) and it’s a massive stamp set. Yes, I scrolled through it to make sure we got Tanihara Yuuko and her coffee. ^_^

Kita no Onna no Tamesaretai (北の女に試されたい), by Kaido Minoda, appears to be about two women on a road trip through Hokkaido picking up women. You can read it for free in Japanese on Comic Walker. I think I will definitely give it a try. ^_^

ANN’s Rafael Antonia Pineda reports that Yuni’s Shakaijin Yuri comedy Hitogoto Desukara!, licensed by Manga Planet in English as It’s Personnel! will come to an end this week, wrapping up with Volume 3.

Sailor Moon News

Reader Super noticed last week that I had added the Sailor Moon Eternal trailer to the regular Yuri Anime category. I honestly hadn’t noticed. ^_^  I am sorry for any confusion. Sailor Moon Eternal isn’t Yuri, in any way, really, except in the sense that Haruka and Michiru are themselves the reigning Queens of Yuri. But I am pleased to see that the Outers will get their rightful place in the story.

On Crunchyroll news, Kara Denison covers the new music video from Momoiro Clover Z,  Tsukiiro Chainon. Definitely watch the video for some nicely animated transformations.

The movie launched this week in Japan with a whole lot of tie-ins and collaborations. I’ve been enjoying look at the Wendy’s display and other goods.

Bunshun.jp has an interview with Mitsuishi Kotono, the voice of Sailor Moon, in Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon ‘Tsukino Usagi wa Jinsei no Doushi” Mitsuishi Kotono ga Miseru. (美少女戦士セーラームーン「月野うさぎは人生の同志」　三石琴乃が魅せる“セーラーパワー” の輝き). The interview is in Japanese, but you should be able to understand well enough with a translation tool.

The Japan Foundation of New York is holding an online talk Sailor Moon: How These Magical Girls Transformed Our World, on January 28th. Registration is free. The talk features two of my favorite people, Kathrynn Hemmann as moderator and translator Mari Morimoto as a panelist.

In case you need a calendar to keep track of all your Sailor Moon fan events, here is the official Sailor Moon Eternal 2021 calendar, with character pop-ups. ^_^ Sadly, they are not ordered by birthday month…which I know wouldn’t work, but still.

Queer Media

Via YNN Correspondent Verena Maser, we can share the German-language Comics aus den Queeren Welt Project, Ach, so ist das?!.

We’re going to close out this week with some great news, from Senior YNN Correspondent Eric P! Queer Japan, the documentary about LGBTQ+ life in Japan will be released on Blu-Ray in March! I’m a backer for this project…and was there when some of the interviews took place, so I’m really looking forward to seeing it.

Become a YNN Correspondent: Contact Us with any Yuri-related news you want to share and be part of the Yuri Network. ^_^

Thanks to our Okazu Patrons who make the YNN weekly report possible! Support us on Patreon to help us give Guest Reviewers a raise and to help us support more queer creators!

Yuri Anime

Yuri scifi/horror anime Otherside Picnic is streaming now on the local legal streaming platform you use. For the US it is Funimation.com. The first episode is up for subscribers and it is getting very positive response! Feel free to drop by the Okazu Discord with your thoughts on this popular series!

We got our first look at the Outer Senshi with the Sailor Moon Eternal, Part 2 trailer that was released this week. Thumbs up from me. ^_^

Puella Magi Madoka Magica has announced an upcoming tenth-anniversary project and a new website with art by original character designer Aoki Ume. Alex Mateo has the details at ANN.

Via Senior YNN Correspondent Eric P, the first three seasons of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power out on DVD!

Yuri Manga

Yuri local travel/daytrip manga Futari Escape (ふたりエスケープ) has been collected into a first volume. If you ever wanted to know about the dinosaur museum in Fukui Prefecture, this is your manga! ^_^

I am actually, honestly delighted that the fine art Yuri manga, Koisuru Meiga (恋する名画) is getting a second volume. I really enjoyed the first volume.

Yuri Webcomic

Finally, someone has made a manga for me! ^_^ Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna (作りたい女と食べたい女) is about a woman who loves to cook and her partner who loves to eat! You can read chapter 1 in Japanese on Comic Walker.

Become a YNN Correspondent:  Contact Us with any Yuri-related news you want to share and be part of the Yuri Network. ^_^

Thanks to our Okazu Patrons who make the YNN weekly report possible! Support us on Patreon to help us give Guest Reviewers a raise and to help us support more queer creators!

Welcome to the future! Thank you to Mari Kurisato for the lovely new logo, which we will add to the mix of our lovely YNN logos! Mari is a long-time friend and fan and talented artist who is responsible for several of of our logos here. She is running into a brutal reality of American life. She’s on disability, so if she starts to make enough money to live, they cut her disability off (yes, this is a thing we do in the USA) – and the outgoing administration is particularly brutal, clawing back funds they paid to her because she made a little bit more. If you have a few dollars to spare, please visit her GoFundMe to help her out and to thank her for the art we enjoy every week!

Now we’re on to our first news report of 2021!

Yuri Cartoon & Anime News

Via Senior YNN Correspondent Eric P.,The Legend of Korra: The Complete Series Blu-ray Limited Edition Steelbook Collection looks damn fine. The series is also available in a slimmed down Complete Series on Blu-Ray.

We sincerely loved Zombie Land Saga for 10 out of 11 episodes here at Okazu Central, and it was plenty queer enough, so we’re delighted that it will be getting another season, Zombie Land Saga Revenge. Egan Loo at ANN has the details and the trailer is perfect. ^_^

Otherside Picnic anime is imminent! ANN’s Alex Mateo has all the details…except for why the fuck Toriko is in a skirt. Check out the trailer to boggle at the lack of sensible clothing for no reason. /eyeroll/

Vlad Love finally has a date for streaming in Japan. Oshii Mamoru’s vampire girl-meets-girl story will be hitting JP streaming platforms like Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Bandai Channel in February. Komatsu-san has the report over on Crunchyroll News!

And whether or not its Yuri, Kageki Shojo!! looks like it’s going to be as wonderful as an anime as it is a manga. ^_^ Crunchyroll’s Kara Dennison has the scoop on initial impressions from Japan.

I missed this news back in September when it posted and I’ve seen no updates, but it appears that Diskotek has has licensed the Rose of Versailles anime, with a projected 2021 release! That means this year will see the very first time both anime and manga for this classic series will be available in English! That’s pretty fabulous.

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Yuri Science Fiction

The second special Yuri issue of SF Magazine is out in Japan, and it is #2 in the Art, Fiction and Literature category on Amazon JP. Now that’s pretty amazing.  We’ve got SF Magazine February 2021, Special Issue (SFマガジン 2021年 02 月号 特別増大号) on the Yuricon Store for you. I am about 40 pages away from the end of the scifi prose anthology based on the 2019 issue and hope to have that reviewed for you shortly.

Yuri Manga

The very silly Yuri romantic comedy Yuri-Ota ni Yuri ha Gohatto desu!, Volume 1 /(百合オタに百合はご法度です!) about a Yuri Otaku at an all-girls school, ready to live the dream, is up on the Yuricon Store.

The doujinshi anthology “Yurico”n has a new volume out, this one is 18+: Otona Yuricon 2020 (大人のユリコン2020) is now available on Melonbooks.

Other News

Kara Dennison wrote an interesting overview of streaming in 2020 and beyond over at OtakuUSA Magazine in Streaming Anime, Lessons, and Life Post-Lockdown: What Needs to Stay.

Our friends at Autostraddle have rounded up 69 Queer and Feminist Books Coming Your Way in Winter 2020 and 2021, so that’ll keep us busy!

NPR’s Marketplace has a fantastic article about anime featuring ANN’s Exec. Editor Lynzee Loveridge. Well worth a listen to. It turns out 2020 may have been a good year for the anime industry. And it’s so nice to have a piece about about anime that includes people who know something about anime!

Become a YNN Correspondent:  Contact Us with any Yuri-related news you want to share and be part of the Yuri Network. ^_^

Thanks to our Okazu Patrons who make the YNN weekly report possible! Support us on Patreon to help us give Guest Reviewers a raise and to help us support more queer creators!