Yuricon Store Update

Thanks to our Okazu patrons, the Yuricon Store reboot is about to get into full swing. We’ve re-enabled the multiple retailer option, so you’ll have more choices of zaibatsu you want to give your money to. ^_^; These will all be contingent upon any given system having the item available, obviously.

English Manga, English Anime and Light Novels will be available through Amazon, RightStuf and Bookwalker Global (GL). Japanese Manga and Drama CDs (which have sort of faded out, but aren’t dead, yet) will have Amazon JP, CD Japan and Bookwalker JP options. Digital Manga will be available on Bookwalker GL and Kindle, or directly when they are not on a large system. Yuri Literature will be getting links on Amazon and Bookshop.org. Other items, like Visual Novels and Games and Yuri Goods will be sold through Amazon or directly through their own sites and Yuricon and Okazu apparel and branded goods are still through Redbubble. When this update is over, I’ll consider adding a doujinshi category, but that might end up being more complicated than it’s worth. ^_^;

I really appreciate Okazu Patrons’ candor and assistance with these choices  and with their help, we have two assistants who will be continuing the cleanup of old entries and adding in new vendors! Hopefully, they’ll be able to fix the older entries, while I am able to add things going forward. Here’s to getting this done by end of summer!

We’ve added a number of items onto the Store – where we were able to add the multiple links, we have. Please bear with us, while we are in the awkward phases of getting it all done. ^_^

Yuri Manga

The Rose of Versailles, Volume 5 is headed our way in May!

Takeshima Eku’s delightful school band love story, Whisper Me a Love Song, Volume 3 is headed our way in English in June, and Japanese readers are up to Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau, Volume 4.

I’m in Love With the Villainess manga, Volume 1 is a great visual for the this series we love so much.

I’m absolutely digging the manga version of Flum Apricot on the cover of ROLL OVER AND DIE: I Will Fight for an Ordinary Life with My Love and Cursed Sword!, Volume 1.

Tsukiko’s Yuri-adjacent Futaribeya, Volume 2 went up his week.

The conclusion of Ohsawa Yayoi’s delightful school band love story, Hello, Melancholic! Volume 3 (ハロー、メランコリック!) is now on my to-read pile. Yay!

As I mentioned in yesterday’s review, Tsukiatte Agetemo Iikana, Volume 6  (付き合ってあげてもいいかな) is out in Japanese and I have no idea what to expect.

The Special Edition of the manga version of  Kudan no Folklore (クダンノフォークロア 特装版), Sukerasparo’s paranormal VN includes an original soundtrack,  art postcards and more.

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Seven Seas announced on Twitter that Iwami Kyouko’s Transparent Light Blue is now available on multiple digital formats.

Yen Press reminds us that Strawberry Fields Once Again, Volume 2 is now available and that they still really do have the Yuri manga Breasts Are my Favorite Thing in the World! which is a real thing, not an April Fools joke, but also never going to be listed on the Yuricon Store. ^_^

ANN’s Alex Mateo has the news that  Otona ni Nattemo is resuming serialization after creator Shimura Takako suffered a sudden illness. This series is released in English as Even Though We’re Adults.

Also at ANN, Adriana Hazra has the note that Hagino Makoto, creator of A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow, is slated to begin a new series for Dengeki Mao. Hopefully we’ll enjoy that one as much as we did this.

Via Megan and  Comic Natalie we have Uso to Kisu ha Houkago ni (嘘とキスは放課後に), about a girl who has a “man habit’ after her mother, but who becomes lovers with a female family friend. It is running in GanGan Joker, so we can guess it will be a mean-spirited Yuri story. ^_^;

Also via Comic Natalie we have Kyuugetsuki-chan to Maido-san (吸血鬼ちゃんとメイドさん), which is a short story collection by Zanka, full of master/slave, vampire/loli and other popular fetistry combos.

One last Comic Natalie link, a book I’m actually really looking forward to as I’ve been reading it online. Kita no Onna ni Tamesaritai (北の女に試されたい) is an absolute mess of story and art, but this women’s road trip by Minoda Kaido centered around food and women is my jam.

 
Yuri Doujinshi

Magnum Lily, Volume 3 is up on Lilyka! Still hoping for Yuri in this Yuri boxing doujinshi. ^_^ Lilyka also has a anthology that interested me, TNT – Short Cut Anthology, for fans of women with short hair, one presumes. ^_^

Yuri Light Novels

Thanks to YNN Correspondent NaraMoore for the news that J-Novel Club has announced Volumes 5 and 6 of Otherside Picnic on their Twitch announcements this week. No specific dates, just confirmation that they are on the way.

Not-Yuri, but totally in my wheelhouse, J-Novel Club also announced a new imprint, J-Novel Pulp (and I rejoiced. I love pulp fiction.) One of their first books planned is Jessica Bannister and the Midnight Séance. Yess……

Other News

The Yuriten is over for this year, but I had a great time visiting it over the entire month. I dropped them a quick tweet to thank them and hope for the same next year. ^_^And thanks to all the folks who joined us on the virtual walkthrough this year on the Okazu Discord!

Egan Loo at ANN has the news about a new Sailor Moon Musical. This autumn we’ll get Kaguya-hime no Koibito, and some cute Luna as a human action.

The Penguindrum countdown clock hit zero and we found out we’re getting a compilation film for the Mawaru Peguindrum series. Once again we turn to Egan Loo for the news at ANN.

The Blue Reflection franchise kicks into high gear with the announcement that it is getting 2 new games and the upcoming anime will run for two cours. ANN’s Rafel Antonio Pineda has the details.

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Yuri Manga

The cleanup of the the Yuricon Store continues! The English Manga section is about half finished, a few items are linkless as we’re trying to determine if they are in stock, but most are up to date, with current info. Of course we are still adding new items!  Here’s this week’s crop:

Nigiyau’s Yuri school comedy School Zone Girls, Volume 1, which is headed our way in May is now on the Store.

Also coming to your shelves in May is The Rose of Versailles, Volume 5, the climax of this extraordinary story! And what a climax it is.

Kaijuu-iro no Shima, Volume 1 (かいじゅう色の島) is out now, and folks overseas ought to be getting those copies in shortly.

I’m in Love With the Villainess, Volume 1, is headed our way in English this July. You may remember that a few weeks ago, this title was among hundred nominate for an annual “Which Manga I Want to See as an Anime!” contest run by AnimeJapan. Both inori-sensei and Ichijinsha reported yesterday that “WataOshi” made #5 on the rankings! Will that mean we’ll get an anime? I don’t know, but as the top-ranking series for Ichijinsha, I am hopeful. Take a look at the Top 10 rankings on the AnimeJapan site.

Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau, Volume 4 (ささやくように恋を唄う) – as Yori and Himari begin to date, Himari’s going to have to put words to how she really feels. I just adore this story, which is out in English as Whisper Me a Love Song. Volumes 1 and 2 are up on the store, Volume 3 is slated for a June release. (As soon as we get the office English language cover from Kodansha, we’ll add it.)

We’ve added Futaribeya: Room For Two, Volume 2, by Tsukiko, out from Tokyopop.

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Via Comic Natalie, to celebrate WebAction’s first anniversary, they are putting a bunch of manga online for free, included U-TEMO’s Yuri-Ota ni Yuri ha Gohattodesu!, (百合オタに百合はご法度です!) in Japanese. If you prefer the collected volume, we have Volume 1 up on the Yuricon Store.

Also via Comic Natalie, there’s a new Revue Starlight anthology, called Shoujo Engeki☆ Revue Starlight Comic Anthology Nine Stories (少女☆歌劇 レヴュースタァライト コミックアンソロジー ナイン・ストーリーズ) that includes a story by, among others, Cocoon, Entwined creator Hara Yuriko.

Event News

Yuriten is still ongoing – thanks to the folks who hung out with us last week and did a walk through on Discord, That was fun.

Prism Comics is sponsoring a virtual WonderCon@Home 2021 panel today, LGBTQ+ COMICS AND SOCIAL ACTIVISM, online Saturday, March 27, 11:00 am Pacific Time (2PM EST), with Moderator Justin Hall and panelists Jennifer Camper, Tara Madison Avery, Trinidad Escobar, Lawrence Lindell, and Anand Vedawala.

Anime News

Otherside Picnic has wrapped up on Funimation. If you’ve watched it, let us know what you think in the comments!

The second half of VLAD LOVE is up on Crunchyroll, Megan’s working on a review for us now. ^_^

Rafael Antonio Pineda has the details about a new mini-anime from the Assault Lily team.

Check out this short promotional video of Athena and Alice singing Athena’s barcarolle. Komatsu-san has the details for ARIA The BENEDIZIONE on Crunchyroll News.

CR’s Daryl Harding has the news that the Penguindrum TV anime Twitter account has started a countdown. What for? We don’t know yet!

Crunchyroll seems to be putting some energy into PreCure these days, with the new series Tropical Rouge! PreCure, a higher-definition release and new regional licensing for the first series, Futari ha PreCure! Komatsu-san notes that the first two minutes of the Healin’ Good PreCure movie are online as a teaser.

The writer of Serial Experiments LAIN and Digimon Tamers, has announced that their project Desupera, delayed for years, has now been 80% funded. Honestly, this excites me, as both LAIN and Tamers have some of the best writing in anime that I can think of off the top of my head.

Other News

Kara Dennison at Crunchyroll News has the report of a collaboration between Rose of Versailles and the Japanese Racing Association, and I’m not sure what it means, but we’re probably all hoping for a cosplay horse race! ^_^

YNN Correspondent Evie reports in that Square Enix has announced that their character Alex Chen from the upcoming Life is Strange 3, “Life is Strange: True Colors” will be bisexual along with lesbian Steph. Yvie suggests we all sing a little Cyndi Lauper to celebrate. ^_^

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Yuri Live Action

The trailer for Netflix’ live-action movie of Nakamura Ching’s GUNJO, (羣青) Ride or Die, now has a subtitled trailer. Rafael Antonio Pineda has the details on ANN. I have only one complaint and only folks who have read GUNJO might be able to guess it. Even in that teeny trailer I can see some of what scenes have been chosen – and changed.  This clearly is not going to be the same story as the manga, but I hope it will be a good story!

Events

Today, at 1PM EST US, I will be on the Let’s Play channel on the Okazu Discord, Join us for a walkthrough of the Yuriten Yuri art exhibition and store!

YNN Correspondent Mariko S. wants you to know that the  Tokyo House Party team has an event series with Japanese performing artists to discuss gender roles in Japanese theater and Takarazuka Revue on Saturday, March 27th at 6:00pm

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Yuri Manga

Some new stuff added to the Yuricon Store:

Ana C. Sánchez’s manga-inspired Alter Ego, which I reviewed this past week.

A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow, Volume 7, will be reaching us this May.

This summer will see Denpa’s Volume 1 of Vampeerz: My Peer Vampires, a schoolgirl vampire romance by Akili I have been reading, but have not reviewed. Not sure why Denpa didn’t think we’d get the pun. It’s, uh, pretty obvious? ^_^;

I’m looking forward to reading Ikeda Takashi’s Futari ha Daitai Konna Kanji, Volume 2 (ふたりはだいたいこんなかんじ). Volume 1 was pleasant.

Non-linear love tale about two women whose love was never going to be allowed to flourish, in Yume no Hashibashi, Volume 1 and Volume 2 (夢の端々). This series starts in the present and looks back at a love that began in the Showa period.

Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei, Volume 1 (転生王女と天才令嬢の魔法革命) looks like it could be a fun Isekai story about revolution and magic.

Crowd-funded Yuri manga magazine Galette, No. 17 (ガレット No.17) has hit shelves in Japan.

Speaking of the Yuricon Store, we’re still doing a deep clean – beginning with the English Manga section, kind of sensibly. ^_^We’re fixing broken links and some front and back end problems. To do this, we’ve lost the ability to search by alphabet, but the search function is working better again. Let us know if there’s a feature you’d like to see! We’re planning a move to a new theme sometime this year and have plenty of room to look into new features. Right now the default is alphabetical, but you can change the default to recent and see what we’ve new products have been added.

Because we’re looking at a new theme, it might be time to run a new Yuriko and Midori art contest. ^_^

For fans of idol Yuri, you might want to take a look at Oshi ga Tonari de Jugyou ni Shuuchuu Dekinai! (推しが隣で授業に集中できない！) by Tsutsui Tetsu and  Sugawara Koyubi, about a girl whose favorite idol is in her class at school. Sample chapters in Japanese are available online at Comic Days.

The first volume of the manga version of SukeraSparo’s Yuri VN, Kudan no Folklore, (クダンノフォークロア 特装版) is being released with a special edition, that includes a remastered HD version of the main story, an original soundtrack, and the ability to download some extras!

Yuri Anime

Alex Mateo on ANN reports that Funimation will be streaming the Blue Reflection Ray anime.

Alex also has the news that Crunchyroll will be streaming Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S. I know a bunch of folks who will be pleased about this. ^_^

Also on ANN, Rafael Antonio Pineda has details about the second season for Yuri-adjacent anime My Next Life as a Villainess. ^_^ I’m caught up on the LNs in English. It still remains goofy fun and basically stays Yuri-adjacent.

Other

Via YNN correspondent Farfetched, “Global BookWalker is doing a 70% (!!!) coinback on any light novel released before Feb 24th!” This includes many Yuri manga and LNs, Farfetched point out, like Sayaka, Otherside Picnic, Adachi and Shimamura and Girls Kingdom.

YNN Correspondent Evie is excited that the folks who brought you Yaoi Crate are looking into creating a Yuri Crate service that they are planning on launching relatively soon. I’m iffy about these services, because they provide a few bucks worth of content for a lot of money.  Our Lucky Boxes are the opposite, where I overfill boxes with stuff. Admittedly, I don’t send them out every month, either. ^_^

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We have an absolute avalanche of news today, so let’s get right into it!

Yuri Webnovel

I am absolutely delighted to announce that Manga Planet has licensed Girls Love of the Dead, the zombie the micro-light novel by Hoshii Nanao with art by Morishima Akiko. I reviewed Volume 1 last Halloween. It’s a hoot.

Yuri Anime

HUGE news from Diskotek this week on a couple of key licenses.

Dear Brother, the deeply melodramatic masterwork of shoujo anime based on the manga by Riyoko Ikeda, directed by Dezaki Osamu, on Blu-Ray is a major announcement. This will be a limited offer – don’t wait on this if you missed it the last time it became available. The link to Diskotek’s twitter announcement include the trailer, so you can give it a watch!

Diskotek also announced the resurrection of the Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl anime. This is an enjoyable and problematic anime and our conversations about it 20 years on are worth revisiting. ^_^

Diskotek’s third announcement was so big, I could hear the roar across the planet. ^_^ They had been slated to do an upscale remastering for a classic old anime, but the project was canceled, because they found the original masters! So we’ll be getting a new Project A-ko from the originals. That’s awesome. Yes, it absolutely can be considered Yuri if only for Shinohara Emi’s B-ko, and it is also super annoying. ^_^ Check out the remastered clip on Youtube and remember – every shadow, every highlight, every everything was drawn by hand. Like Dear Brother, it is a benchmark of animation.

Funimation has picked up seasons 1 and 2 of Yuru Yuri for streaming, according to ANN’s Alex Mateo.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica has announced a 10th anniversary event! Alex Mateo again has the news on ANN.

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Yuri Manga

Via YNN  Correspondent Evie, and making a big splash this weekend was this animated promotion video for the first manga volume of Kaijuu-iro-no Shima, (かいじゅう色の島). Rafael Antonio Pineda  has the details on ANN.

Yuri-dol Dakedo Yuri Janai (百合どるだけど百合じゃない) is a comedy about a woman who part of a “Yuri Concept” Idol group, but who is not…you get the point. ^_^; You can read it (in Japanese) on Comic Meteor. You know…”hah.”

Yuri Events

The Yuriten is still on and last week I indulged in buying myself some stuff and a few things to go into Lucky Boxes! I took some time to wander the exhibits by series and enjoy the panels and the original art that had been contributed.

We’re doing a “tour group” through the Yuriten on the Okazu Discord. How about next Saturday afternoon my time (US EST)? Join us as we walk through the exhibit together! Details as we figure them out.

Queer Comics

DC has announced a DC Pride Anthology, featuring their queer characters. Even a year ago I might have rolled my eyes at this, but looking at the artists and writers, I’m going to absolutely get this. Mariko Tamaki and Amy Reeder working on a story together is  1-2 punch for me and Vita Ayala and anyone. So, yeah, I’m in.

Mere days later Marvel also announced Marvel’s Voices: Pride #1.  It’s going to be an interesting Pride month this year. I’m less familiar with some of these writers and artists, but of course I’ll get this.

It’s a pretty decent feeling to have top queer talent on these things. ^_^

Mira Ong Chua’s newest series is a Kickstarter success. GOODBYE, BATTLE PRINCESS PEONY will be a book. ^_^ I wonder if Seven Seas will license this one, too?

Yuri Doujinshi

Lilyka has announced the release of  translated Magnum Lily, a two-part Yuri boxing doujinshi (of which I swear I have at least one part floating around this house from some doujinshi event or other). In any case, I picked it up for myself last night, because of course I did. ^_^

Yuri Visual Novels and Games

Mangagamer is doing a White Day Sale through March 19th on selected Yuri titles and others.

Other News

Raya and the Last Dragon’s Kelly Marie Tran Thinks Her Disney Princess Is Gay is an interesting look at how Disney is lagging behind in queer representation in animation, by Joanna Robinson for Vanity Fair.

Takumi Furusato did an amazing write-up for ANN on the history and current state of derivative works (i.e, doujinshi, fanfic, cosplay, etc) in Japan. It’s absolutely worth reading, because this is a quickly evolving area of law and finance. Derivative Content and Property Rights: How Does Fanfiction Work in the Anime and Manga Industry?

Totally relevant to this same topic, Revolutionary Girl Utena fangroup Empty Movement is reaching out to folks to help an acquaintance do some research into fandom perceptions of fan translations.

Ogata Megumi-san has posted her first music video in 25 years, says Komatsu-san over at Crunchyroll News. She calls the video chuuni-ish and I’m not gonna disagree. ^_^  Very art school.

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Yuri Events

The Yuriten is on! Take a look at the Yuriten Store for exhibitions by your favorite creators. Exhibits and goods are organized across the top toolbar by creator, series or kinds of goods, which makes it fun to look around. If you are using a buying service, you won’t be able to right click to copy, you’ll have to go to the page source. If you’re buying directly and sending it to a shipping service, it won’t be a problem.

Yuri Studio

We have a new video and a new answer to a very common question this week on Yuri Studio! Please enjoy Why Is There More Boy’s Love Than Yuri?. Give it a like on Youtube, and share it with folks you think might be interested. Also note my spiffy visual allegories on the section headers, my funny jokes, and my cool office! ^_^

If you want to be thanked by name on a Yuri Studio video become an Okazu Patron at the Producer Level. Thanks to all my Okazu patrons for their support. With your help we have a couple of great videos planned. I’m really excited to get working on the next one. ^_^

Yuri Manga

We’ll start of with a bunch of items on the Yuricon Store:

Still Sick, Volume 3 marks the end of this fun office romance series and is available now!

A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow, Volume 6 continues the saga of Konatsu and Koyuki trying to figure out who they are and what they mean to one another. Crystalyn Hodgkins on ANN has the news that this series is coming to an end in Dengeki Mao, at what will be Volume 8.

Our Teachers Are Dating!, Volume 3 is headed our way in a couple of weeks. This series just wrapped up in Comic Yuri Hime, so you’ve got one more volume to enjoy of this adorable couple.

Yuni’s Hitogoto Desukara Volume 3 ( ヒトゴトですから!)  ends this office life Yuri manga. It’s been a fun ride!

Tokuwotsumu’s Tsuki to Koi wa Michireba Kakeru, Volume 2 (月と恋は満ちれば欠ける) finishes up this story about good friends who are trying to figure out who they are to one another.

Seven Seas wants you to remember that the entire Kindred Spirits on the Roof manga collection is available on Kindle and Comixology!

Shoujo Manga Shuujinkou x Rival-san, Volume 1 (少女漫画主人公×ライバルさん) is pretty fun.  A serious-minded young woman is thwarted in her love for the cool boy by the cool girl…who confesses to her.

Ohzora Publishing has a pretty specific new Yuri Anthology Shuuden Nogashita OL-san-tachi no Chotto Abunai Yoruna (終電逃したOLさんたちのちょっとアブナイ夜な百合アンソロジー) about Office Ladies who have missed the last train and spend a “dangerous night” together. ^_^ Could be fun, could be trash, could be both. I’m not familiar with any of the names contributing to the collection.

Yuri Light Novels

The Executioner and Her Way of Life, Vol. 1: Thus, She Is Reborn from Yen Press hit shelves this week. Read my review of this volume here on Okazu.

Also headed your way this week is ROLL OVER AND DIE: I Will Fight for an Ordinary Life with My Love and Cursed Sword! Volume 2. Again you can read my review here on Okazu.

 
Anime News

Crunchyroll’s Paul Chapman has the news on cast announcements for the upcoming Blue Reflection Ray anime.

Also on CR News, Komatsu-san has the video for Alicia’s look back at the Aria franchise for a promotion of the newest of the series, ARIA The CREPUSCOLO . ^_^ And, following this new anime, another is already in planning, Aria the Benedizione. Crystalynn Hodgkins has that news on ANN.

Funimation announced that they will be streaming Battle Athletes Victory ReSTART!. ANN’s Alex Mateo has the details.

Crunchyroll will be streaming the second half of Vlad LOVE on March 14. Egan Loo at ANN has the details.

 
Other News

Prism Comics is taking submissions for the 2021 Prism Comics Awards until March 12th. If there’s a queer comic you think deserves an award, definitely submit the name!

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

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