Join Deborah Shamoon, Mia Lewis, Kazumi Nagaike and me, tonight for Shojo Manga: The Power and Influence of Girls’ Comics by The Japan Foundation from 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM EST.
Registration is free and yes, the video will be posted on Youtube for folks who miss the discussion.
It’s going to be a great discussion and I hope to see you there!
Today’s review is a video!
Revolutionary Girl Utena was a major gateway anime for a generation of Yuri fans. 20 years later, it is inspiring literature. Check out these three titles for their Utena references and roots!
Books mentioned:
Silk & Steel: A Queer Speculative Adventure Anthology on Kindle
Featuring stories by:
Ellen Kushner * Aliette de Bodard * Yoon Ha Lee * Neon Yang * Jennifer Mace * Django Wexler * Freya Marske * Claire Bartlett * K.A. Doore * Alison Tam * Ann LeBlanc * Cara Patterson * Chris Wolfgang * Elaine McIonyn * Elizabeth Davis * S.K. Terentiev * Kaitlyn Zivanovich
A/CINet Case Files: An Inside Job by Erica Friedman on Kindle
The Terra Ignota Series, by Ada Palmer
Too Like the Lightning
Seven Surrender
The Will to Battle
Perhaps the Stars
(links to Amazon, but these are available at any bookstore or site)
Today’s t-shirt: Hana & Hina Afterschool, by Milk Morinaga, from the 2018 Yuriten event:
Hana & Hina Afterschool is available in English form Seven Seas.
When I reviewed Volume 6 I said of that volume that it was like a fever finally breaking. “You don’t feel “good,” per se, but you feel better, somehow.” Well, the fever is gone and Tsukiatte Agettemo Iikana, Volume 7 is the volume I have been waiting for.
We have watched Miwa and Saeko go through some serious identity and life stuff since Volume 1. They are not the same people we met, nor should they be. In fact, this is the most “college life” story I have ever read; where the people, their choices and behaviors are all totally appropriate for their age.
Saeko and Miwa have moved on from their relationship – and are doing pretty well at being friends. Saeko’s relationship with Yuria is facing some bumpy parts of the road, but Yuria is a stronger person than Saeko and these two will have new, exciting problems to deal with.
Miwa has a whole different issue. Her new kouhai, Tamaki, really, really wants to be her girlfriend and Miwa thinks she’s super cute, but is still hesitant to ruin a budding friendship. That’s going to be a developing situation.
The characters and the art have grown, Tamifull’s narrative skills are excellent here. We’ve been with them through a lot…and we’re still here as they enter the next phase of their lives. And I’m here for it.
What a great volume.
Ratings:
Art – 8
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 8
Service – 5
Overall – 9
Comic Yuri Hime, December 2021 (コミック百合姫2021年12月号) was a terrific end to a year of pretty darn good Yuri manga!
To begin with “One Hundred Years Distance,” Hanna Ren’s science-fiction time-travel plague-focused cover novel wraps up with a message for all of us to get vaccinated, wear masks, wash our hands and care for one another. Japan gains a new Youtuber, as Shizuka send her message across time from 1921. Kesshin’s art was wonderful,I really enjoyed this story, but oh my goodness did I dislike the teeny-weeny font size. Still, it was the best of the shousetsu this time around.
Takeshima Eku’s “Sasayakuyouni Koi o Utua” has moved into a new arc that I will not spoil, but the stakes are completely different than “does Himari love Yori?” now and it’s way more interesting. We’re seeing more of Yori’s real self and watching her learn to ask for help.
“Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru” by Keyyang had a pretty weak start, in my opinion, but seems to have found itself and is now ready to fly! Having been stranded, our two protagonists head to a relative’s home. In a call to her aunt, Hi-chan and Haru take the leap from lovers to engaged and their lives instantly become brighter. NOW I’m ready to see what happens.
I…loved…”Suszume-chan to Mahou no kiss,” a zombie story by Nimu. Just a fantastic short story.
“Lonely Girl ni Sakarenai” is now, finally, addressing Ayaka’s problem, the source of the entire story – that she is terrible at taking tests.
“Onna Tomodachi to Kekkon Shitemita,” by Usui Shio was kind of frustrating, in part because it was realistic. Kurumi and Ruriko are starting to see the cracks in what is an unbalanced relationship.
Low-key one of my fave stories this year has been “Odoriba ni Skirt ga Naru” by Watane Yuu. Kiki has an honest and loving talk with her former partner – and forever best friend, Shion. Now, Kiki and Michiru can move forward together as dance partners.
As always, there were many more stories in this issue I read and either enjoyed or didn’t. This was a strong and varied volume that topped of a year full of a lot of stuff I loved and a lot I would be happy if you scoured out of my brain. In other words, something for everyone. ^_^
Ratings:
Overall – 9
One of the most solid years I can remember since 2011 or so.The January 2022 issue is already out, I have already read it and cannot *wait* to review it!
Yuri Manga
We have (finally!) a bunch of titles on the Yuricon Store!
Chasing After Aoi Koshiba, Volume 3 will be out in January 2022.
Eri Ejima’s popular Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games, Volume 2 is out this month. Check out Luce’s review of Volume 1 last month on Okazu.
You can pre-order the print volume of Our Teachers Are Dating, Volume 4. This book has been delayed from a February release to an April one.
The pre-orders for the print edition of Tamifull’s How Do We Relationship, Volume 5 are up as well. This is still slated for a February release.
I’m in Love With the Villaness, Volume 2 of the manga is available on all three of our affiliates (at last!)
Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou., manga Volume 3 (私の推しは悪役令嬢。) is up on Amazon JP for pre-order to be released net week.
Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu! Volume 9 (私の百合はお仕事です!) by Miman is on shelves now in Japan.
Seven Seas has licensed SHWD, by sono.N. Alex Mateo has the details on ANN, I reviewed volume 1 in September (after having also picked it up as doujinshi at Comitia AND bought it as translated doujinshi on Lilyka, so that out to give you a hint of how I feel about it.) I’m really thrilled that Seven Seas has clearly developed a relationship with Comic Ruelle & Comic Jardin, as well. They’ve so far had some great Yuri series.
Via Yuri Mother, Adachi and Shimamura has been named one of the Top 10 Manga of 2021 by School Library Journal.
Yuri Events
This week is smoking hot with two amazing events, I’d love to see you at! Shojo Manga: The Power and Influence of Girls’ Comics by The Japan Foundation will be held this week, on Thursday, December 16, 2021 from 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM EST. Registration is free and yes, barring disaster, the video will be posted on Youtube for folks who miss the discussion.
Following immediately after this, on Friday, Dec. 17, from 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM EST, please join myself and James Welker for a discussion of how BL and Yuri have grown over the last few decades, at CasaCon, on Discord! Registration is free. Last year we had a blast, so drop by for our casual conversation about massive changes in culture and media. ^_^
In case you missed it last week, the entire discussion from the Yuricon 20th Anniversary discussion event is up on Youtube.Thanks again to James Welker and Verena Maser for joining us.
Light Novels
Via Inori-sensei’s Twitter feed, I’m in Love With the Villainess has been released in French by LaNovel Edition.
Again, I know no one cares, but the 4th volume of Kunoichi Bettegumi Igarashi Satsuki (くノ一別手組ー五十嵐五月) china’s batshit samurai x probably-a-vampire period drama (some people write Madama Butterfly, other people write this) is on the Store, now. ^_^
Yuri Anime
Via Lesley Aeschliman, Pluto TV has added The Rose of Versailles TV anime!
Sentai Filmworks has re-released Canaan, the Complete Series for a fraction of the price I bought it for, yowza. That’s on the Yuricon Store now.
Anime-adjacent, Charagumin is going to be releasing a resin kit of Anthy and Utena, hat tip to Gangablu on Twitter.
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 Yuri creators!
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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