Part 2

More first love, more yuri drama and even a little more than that.

I left you hanging last week halfway through the latest and greatest issue of Yuri Shimai. Well, your wait is ovah!

We left off, just after the most recent installment of Morinaga Milk’s saga. Which brings us to a color insert story, “Uka: Aufbl�hen”, by Chi-Ran. This color insert ran for about 6 pages or so, 4 of which were sealed off as a special “present.” Of course, when you open the sealed section, this undeveloped and trite story of a kohai and her beloved sempai becomes an undeveloped romp in the hay. Unfortunately, all of Chi-Ran’s stories read exactly the same – two girls, no development, kiss. Because of the short page count, it ends up reading like a typical “Plot, what Plot?” sex-fic. I thought it fascinating that they chose to include sex in this issue…but desperately wished it had been part of a better story.

The rest of the sealed insert contains reviews of things that made me laugh. First and foremost was a review of the Marimite parody JAV (something made more amusing by the fact that Carmilla just reviewed it, too.) Following this, were a few popular computer games that have explicit yuri. Some of these games had been reviewed before in previous issues of Yuri Shimai, but this time more explicit pictures were included.

After this amusing interlude comes a really lovely story called “The Whisper Under the Rose,” (but I think if I were translating it for real, I’d call it “Sub Rosa,” since that’s what the story implies.) “Sub Rosa” is the story of Suzu, a student of a traditional girls’ school (and based on the clothes, I’m thinking that this is meant to be set in the early part of the 20th century, Meiji period. Everyone looks like Sakura from Sakura Taisen….) Suzu has returned to the school (after holidays? Graduation? I’m not sure) in part to make sure she sees a particular teacher whom she calls Inori-sama. There’s a plot based around Inori buying a bow for Suzu’s hair. Suzu confesses that she’s always admired Inori, and Inori tells Suzu that she once had a lover, someone Suzu reminds her of…alot…hint hint. The story ends with them having a moment…and the implication that they’ll have a lifetime. It was really quite sweet.

“Strange Umbrella, White Umbrella” was this issue’s story by Takahashi Mako, which I have universally found distasteful. For one thing, her characters look six – something that makes my eyes glaze over with disinterest. Also, her characters appear to be terminally insane, another turn-off for me. And her plots revolve around unbelievably boring non-conflicts – in this case a girl who doesn’t have an umbrella. I’m sorry, but…blecch. This story was this issue’s only real stinker.

The next 4 pages are color reviews of anime. I have to laugh again, because it looks like they’ve been eaves-dropping on the Yuricon Mailing List again, and have reviewed the exact same series we’ve been talking about, all of which I’ve reviewed here, too. :-)

Another yurified re-telling of a fairy tale (all of which I’ve really not liked terribly) text story with silly art is followed by a two-page review of Akaiito a popular new vampires-with-yuri-implication game.

32 whole pages have been given to the second installment of “Koi Shimai” which tells the story of the two characters on the cover of the first Yuri Shimai, Chika and Haruna. This is essentially a re-telling of the story as it was on the Drama CD, with a little embellishment. Haruna is even *more* uptight than she is on the CD, and there’s a new, inconsequential, side character, Chika’s and Akiho’s class president. The art for this story is quite decent – the story itself is okay…but I await with anticipation the manga for the second Drama CD and the arrival of Hiiragi Touko! Yum. :-) In any case, Koi Shimai is really pretty decent, even if Haruna’s got a major stick up her butt.

Koi Shimai manga is followed by a short text story, which simply seems to fill in some of the characters throughts, but doesn’t move the plot along at all.

“Voice” is, by far and away, the BEST manga so far by Nawoko, who has contributed to every issue. Music and singing seem to be a strong theme in her work, but as stories go, this one is really much better than the prevoius examples. Kana-chan is a classic otaku. She tends to stay at home and live vicariously through her computer. Unusually, she decides to go outside and take a walk. With her earphones on, she listens to her favorite artist, Hina (whom she calls her “goddess,”) as she gets a new haircut and buys some sweets, all the time musing on how sad and lonely Hina sounds as she sings. Thinking about Hina, Kana looks up, only to see Hina herself walk by. Kana freaks, and ends up handing her box of sweets over to Hina, saying only, “Please, be happy!”

Hina goes home and has a crisis of conscience. Moved to tears over Kana’s simple words, she eats the girls’ sweets and runs off to place an entry on her online diary (something she’s typically uncomfortable with.) Hina thanks the “daifuku girl” for the sweets, and hopes to see her again. The story ends with Hina and Kana meeting up, and the line, “It’s like a dream, isn’t it? To become friends with a goddess.” Really – not yuri, per se, (although we can certainly project potential if we want,) but I thought it was a truly excellent story and the best so far from this artist.

The last manga, “Testify” is a short, tiresome and IMHO, trite vampire story. I guess its a kind of love to let your best friend suck your blood, but, whatever, its been done about a gazillion times. I’m over it.

The remainder of volume 5 is doujinshi reviews and the usual mail bag and assorted fan art, which I always like to look at.

All in all, 260 pages of exceptional work, with few nose-holders. Yuri Shimai 5 gives me hope for future issues and yuri in general. Definitely a end-of-year thumbs up from me.

One last plug for this – if you’re thinking of buying any Yuri Shimai, let me recommend you go through the Yuricon Shop, and support Yuricon and ALC by doing so.

Next time on Okazu – the stereotypical end-of-the-year-countdown! :-)

Part 1

One of the best yuri-related gets of the year, Yuri Shimai 5 was awfully close to being perfect.

I’ve reviewed Yuri Shimai volumes 1 and 2,3 and 4 and it is pretty clear that they have been getting better. It’s not a monthly magazine, yet, and there’s no way to tell whether it’s even doing well financially, but based solely on the quality of the stories, and the increasing size of the book (260 pages for Vol. 5) Yuri Shimai is looking good from this reader’s perspective.

My biggest complaints about Yuri Shimai have always been the schoolgirl obsession and the trend towards a confession and *maybe* a kiss as the climax of the story. Well, Yuri Shimai 5 seems to have taken a few steps past those limitations and, as a result is a much more interesting read.

The first story of this volume, First Kiss? is drawn and written by a team that are better known for their yaoi work, Zaoh Taishi and Eiki Eiki. A surprising continuation (well, surprising to me, anyway) of Volume 4’s Onna Ookami (Female Wolf), this story starts with Fuyuka speaking to the school counselor as she tries to determine her changing feelings for Natsuki (the female wolf of the last volume.) Fuyuka leaves before the counselor can answer, but the conversation sets the doctor off on reminiscences of her own about her first love, her best friend…who happens to be a teacher at the same school. The story is uncomfortable and awkward and for once, about the grown-ups. I am SO hoping we get more of this story – I really liked it. As an added bonus, we get some very nice color pages of Reiko, the counselor, and Ayano, the teacher 10 years earlier. This was a great story and my teeny synopsis does not do it justice, trust me!

Next comes the 5th installment of Strawberry Shake, and once again, Julia and Ran’s antics are adorable. It’s pretty clear that Saeki-san, their manager, has little hope anymore of keeping them apart. Of course there’s yet another complication, this time, a male actor that asks Julia out, but in the end, Julia and Ran are one step closer to becoming an item. At this point, I am simply hoping that we get enough page count on this one to make it work Sun taking it to a tankubon format, and maybe even get a happily-ever-after ending, too. I want everything. :-)

The third story is also surprising – a continuation of the witch and miko story with the long title I never bothered to translate, from Vol. 4. Now out in the real world, Letty the witch is guiding Sai, the naive ex-priestess, around her native country. To keep them connected Letty creates a magic red thread that binds them – but is mortified to learn what that means to Sai. (You all know about the red thread of love, right?) Sai asks Letty about the kiss from the last chapter, but Letty quickly passes that off as magic-related, nothing to do with love. Sai’s a little bummed, but she is having fun being with Letty so, she confesses her feelings for Letty. Long, fun, story short, it looks like Letty’s lying, because she’s obviously falling in love. The end the story hand in hand. To Be Continued – cool.

Fourth comes a really amusing one-shot called Kaikan Spiral – billed as a “hentai love comedy” it’s a farcical story of a foul-mouthed transfer student, Midori, and Ayaka, a girl who falls for her crude nastiness. Since I also think nasty women are sexy, I was kind of with Ayaka on this one. LOL It was goofy and made me laugh.

Lastly for today’s review/synopses is the latest from Morinaga Milk, which takes alot of the conventions of love confessions and screws with ’em a bit. On the first page of Honto no Kimochi, (Real Feelings,) Michiru confesses her love to her sempai and asks her out. For her part, Nojo is flattered, but squicked by the usual – what will people think, is she interested in loving another girl, etc, etc. Michiru has no doubts, however, and takes Nojo out on a date and generally makes herself incredibly desirable, to melt Nojo’s concerns. One night, while studying, Michiru tries to kiss Nojo who, startled and scared, slaps her. For the next few days, she hears nothing from Michiru, but while walking with a classmate, runs into her on the street. Nojo is shocked to see Michiru’s shorn locks and is filled with guilt, but Michiru laughs and tells her not to blame herself – she had this haircut appointment from a long time ago. In front of Nojo’s classmate, she reaffirms her love for her sempai. Classmate is surprised, but accepting and the story ends with Michiru having devoted herself publicly to Nojo’s well-being and happiness, and sitting with her at lunch (with Nojo’s friends) planning Nojo’s future love affairs. Another fun entry from Morinaga Milk.

And that takes us to about 1/2 way through this monster magazine! Next time I post, we’ll finish it up – and trust me, there’s some really good stuff coming up. :-)

In the meantime, if you’re thinking of getting Yuri Shimai 5, think to get it through the Yuricon Shop. Using this link will support Yuricon, ALC Publishing and Okazu, and earn our undying appreciation and gratitude!