Otherside Picnic Manga, Volume 3

February 6th, 2023

Three women stand in a green grassy field, with a building in the background. One woman with long, blonde hair looks faces the side, looking down. One woman with shortish dark hair and one blue, one brown eye, faces us, holding a cell phone, An apparently small child with long light-colored hair faces us, wearing a long shirt and holding a rifle. "Other" in black letter, "Side" in green letters, below them "Picnic" in white letters on graduate green to black banner. On black banners in white lettering, "story by Iori Miyazawa, art by Mizuno Eita, character design shirakaba." The number 03 in green letter in the top right corner.Jealousy is a really weird emotion – it’s being hurt and being hurtful at the same time. And jealousy can sneak up on us, especially as an adult. We’re going along, doing what we do and suddenly, we find ourselves resentful about something that isn’t under our control. Someone else’s attention is not only not under our control but it’s not ours to give or take and why the heck are we so sulky about it?

In Otherside Picnic Manga, Volume 3, Sorawo is becoming jealous of the mysterious Satsuki and doesn’t have the vaguest clue why. Of course, we are outside her mind and know perfectly well why, but even if someone told her right now, she’s not a person who could hear it. Sorawo, a young woman from a horrifically traumatic background and who has been unable to develop connections with other humans until now because of it, is going to take a long journey into herself before she’s ready to hear it. Glimpses of how she thinks about Toriko and Satsuki occasionally flash by her…they don’t help much. When she encounters strange photos sent to her by herself, with disturbing images of herself, they are another thing she needs to push aside in order to function.

But first, Sorawo and Toriko take on the increasingly unstable situation at Station February. That is so action-packed that the slow creep of the Space-Time Man story feels like nothing much is happened. Until you come to the end of the volume, breathless and with renewed purpose, as Kozakura and Sorawo head back the Otherside to find a missing Toriko.

Once again, I recommend the manga for the art. I feel like Mizuno Eita understands the story and the elements that make it hard to hold in our minds, which led themselves to feeling scary. I’m also pleased that the truly grotesque moments are left to our imagination, which in many ways is far more powerful than showing us.

Ratings:

Story – 8
Artwork  – 8
Character – 8
Service – 1 on principle
Yuri – 4

Overall – 8

Obviously, I would not recommend this manga to someone who dislikes horror, but I count myself among those and I honestly enjoy this story. The fear is primarily psychological, and threats to the characters are impersonal, alien and not prioritized in the narrative. As a paranormal, horror-action series, I find Otherside Picnic to be an excellent read as a novel and the manga is an excellent adaptation.

Luckily, we don’t have long to wait for Volume 4, which is coming out on our side of the ocean in April!

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Today on Yuri Studio – Erica Reacts To Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire

February 5th, 2023

In the next installation of the “Erica Reacts (not really) series, I share some thoughts on Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire, found family and Yuri. ^_^

All kind comments and “like”s made on YouTube are greatly appreciated, they help get the video seen by more people. Thank you in advance!

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Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – February 4, 2023

February 4th, 2023

Pictured: In black silhouette, a woman in a dress and wide-brim hat stands and a woman in a body-hugging bodysuit sits next to black block letters that read "YNN" and below that "Yuri Network News."

Yuri Anime

The dub of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury is in the news. First Crunchyroll announced the dub cast, then there has been an ongoing discussion of the lost (ignored) opportunity to make space for MENA actors in anime. Lynzee Loveridge has a good summation of the situation on ANN that is well worth reading for focusing on the important side of the issue. The forums (OMG, I read some of the forum, what am I doing?!?) point out that there has been some neurodivergent roles that might have been given to ND VAs. Those people who argue that this is a non-topic that is looking for relevance quite obviously have no skin in this game.  ANN user ChibiGoku hit the hammer on the nail with this comment:

"Unless you're a minority, you don't understand how important this stuff is. Like, seeing people, characters, and yes, voice actors, represent you, is extremely important to us. People who aren't minorities, don't get it, because you're represented every day. We're not."

 

Discotek has announced the license for Re: Cutey Honey! I’m really excited about that. This three-episode OVA gave us a grown-up Na-chan and Honey dynamic that worked really well. In the same announcement Discotek said they’ve licensed Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Reflection. If one of you gets that, I’d love a review. (I’m only interested in reviewing that series if the franchise moves forward, not backward.)  Rafael Antonio Pineda has the news at ANN.

Rafael also has the scoop on the new Sailor Cosmos trailer which gives us a look at Hayashibara Megumi’s Sailor Galaxia and the sounds of ‘Tsuki no Hana’ by Daoko. Honestly, this two-part movie for the final arc looks quite excellent and I once again rage that the first two seasons were cheaped out on and rushed by Toei.

There’s big news in PreCure world with the handoff video from Toei for Soaring Sky! PreCure, Crystalynn Hodgkins and Alex Mateo havecovered this on ANN. A boy PreCure is setting all the insecure fans on edge, but the overall vibe is one of positive anticipation. It is always so weird when fans create arbitrary rules for what a fictitious, corporate franchise designed to sell toys and make money is “supposed” to be. This series has had plenty of Yuri couples and a trans characters….if we can get a puppy fairy who becomes a PreCure, why wouldn’t there be a boy PreCure? I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir here. ^_^ Finishing up Delicious Party PreCure is on my plate of things to do today, in fact!

 

Yuri Events

Yuricon 2023 is about to launch!  The Opening Ceremonies will be hitting Yuri Studio shortly. By the end of this weekend we’ll have three panels in the can!   Don’t miss this opportunity to talk about something that’s important to you – apply to run a panel or do a presentation for Yuricon 2023.

Girls Love Fest is running their next event in the Tokyo area on March 19, 2023. Girls Love Fest 37, will include special “only” sections for Bloom Into You, Assault Lily,  Lycoris Recoil and other popular franchises. Let me know if you’re attending, I’d love a report!

 

Yuri Studio

Speaking of Yuri Studio, in the middle of what is a ridiculously busy month for me, I and my delightful hardworking and patient editor, thank you Ashley) have gotten a new video out:  S04 E02 Erica Reacts (not really) To Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero King to Extraordinary Squire. This is up for Patrons only right now, but will go live soon, keep your eyes out. ^_^

 

Yuri Manga

In other Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury news, ANN’s Joanna Cayanan reports that a G-Witch side story manga will be launching this spring in Gundam Ace magazine.

Crystalynn Hodkins wants us to know that the Adachi and Shimamura manga will resume this month in Dengeki Daioh magazine.

 

 

Yuri Light Novels

Yuri Tama: From Third Wheel To Trifecta, The Second is out now from J-Novel Club. Yurimother calls this a “poly” story but I feel like that’s giving it a lot of unearned credit. Sean Gaffney’s comment that “There is an attempt at discussing the differences between sexual attraction, familial love, and close friendship. It’s an attempt that is somewhat steamrollered by the plot, but the attempt is made.” seems to me more accurate. Your mileage may vary.

 

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Other News

Mangasplaining this week takes a look at Takako Shimura’s Even Though We’re Adults, Volume 2 at Chip Zdarky’s request. I know I have mentioned this podcast before, but if you enjoy manga – or want to learn more about manga – or would like to expand your reading into other genres but aren’t sure what to try – I highly recommend this podcast. It’s gotten me to read any number of titles I would not otherwise have read.

Over at Autostraddle, Heather Hogan offers advice on how to get involved in 8 Queer Nerd Hobbies And How To Get Into Them. ^_^

Global Bookwalker polled editors of various manga magazines to see what titles they recommend and among them was schwinn’s Hana Monogatari, (はなものがたり) the senior Yuri story running on Comic Walker. I love this story so much and really hope one day to see it licensed in English. Feel free to politely request it of Yen Press. ^_^

 

Yuri Survey

In case you missed it, the results of the Global Yuri Fandom Survey was posted on Okazu as my 5000th post here. I’ve been told the results of the Comic Yuri Hime foreign readers poll were less queerfem aligned, so I am interested to see how that data shakes out.

I’m shoehorning this in here, but the February Seven Seas Reader Survey is live. Hit them up with your favorite unlicensed titles and get a coupon for Global Bookwalker.

 

If you’d like to support Yuri journalism and research, Patreon and Ko-Fi are where we currently accept subscriptions and tips. Your support goes straight to paying for Guest Reviews, folks helping with videos, site maintenance, managing the Yuricon Store and directly supporting other Yuri creators. Just $5/month makes a huge impact! Become part of the Okazu family!

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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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I’m in Love with the Villainess: She’s so Cheeky for a Commoner, Volume 1

February 3rd, 2023

Two girls in fantasy school uniforms, with red jackets and frilly white blouses are surrounded by pink flowers and flower petals. From below a girl with dark brown hair looks up at and holds a hand out to a haughty blonde with long hair in huge banana curls and a red bow who stands with her arms crossed and a dissatisfied expression. The title "I'm In Love With The Villainess: She's So Cheeky For A Commoner" is set off by a heart shape border on the left side and rendered in gold and silver letters. Black letters on the right hand corner read "Written by inori" "Illustrated By hanagata" and Novel 1. In 2020, I first read and reviewed what we now think of as I’m in Love With the Villainess, Volume 1 of the Light Novel series. In that review I speak of things like world-building and character voice because those two qualities are critical for me to enjoy a series. One of the most enjoyable things about the initial light novel series is Rae’s voice, which is at odds with her apparent goofy personality. As we have learned, there are several very good reasons for that.

Naturally, my top priority for I’m in Love with the Villainess: She’s so Cheeky for a Commoner, Volume 1 (out now as a digital edition and in print at the end of the month) is that Claire’s voice is likewise preserved from the original, which I reviewed last spring. In that review I discussed the character aspect of this novel. Having fully developed the main characters in the five novels of the original series, inori-sensei here gives time to supporting cast including developing Pepi and Loretta, Claire’s henchicks. Both of them – and Claire’s heretofore-unseen roommate – are fleshed out and made whole in ways that I guarantee will be even more remarkable as the series continues.

We’ve all read “opposite perspective” stories. My first was probably Grendel by John Gardener (which sent me down a deep rabbit hole of villain perspectives when I was very young. ^_^) Here, since “the villainess” is our protagonist, everything is already topsy-turvy, and the novel just runs with that, throwing us off constantly from our previous expectations.

I have one small complaint about the entirety of the book which, again, has to do with voice. There is a line I love from Dorothy L. Sayer’s Murder Must Advertise, in which Miss Meteyard says, “Some people can be funny without being vulgar, and some can be both funny and vulgar. I should recommend you to be either the one or the other.” I use this line quite often and also believe it is true for being rude. Some people can be rude without being vulgar. It is my opinion that Claire François, daughter of the Minister of Finance of the Kingdom, would not be vulgar when she is being rude. So, when she used the phrase, “bat for the other team” I object. This is a vulgar phrase even now. Where might Claire have heard it? How would she have understood it? Do they even have a bat and ball game in Bauer? It has been pointed out to me that the phase is a holdover from that first volume translation, with which we had several issues. There were so many ways to indicate that she was being rude without her being vulgar that this was just an unfortunate choice.

As an aside, I am kindly begging all manga translators and their editors to never use or allow this phrase to be used unless the person speaking is an uncouth lout who is expected by the people around them to be gross.

After that little hiccup, I found that Claire’s voice was otherwise well handled. She was haughty, a tad naive, good-hearted and, ultimately, cute. It was much easier for me to understand why Rae fell so hard for Claire after meeting Claire directly. For all of this, I credit translator Kevin Ishikawa. The Claire we meet here is lovable. As are her henchchicks, the aforementioned Pepi and Loretta, even if their enthusiasm is misplaced, and her roommate, Catherine Achard. Believe me when I tell you, that Catherine is going to be someone you care deeply about.

Ratings:

Art – 7 hanagata’s art is  much more confident now
Story – 10 Outstanding writing
Characters – 10 Extraordinary character work
Service – 3? 4? A bit, sometimes
Yuri/LGBTQ+ – Super complicated question! Rae’s feeling are not returned, but the queer content is still totally there.

Overall – 10

Every single moment with this novel added to what we know, why and how it would affect the larger story. There will be more of that as the series continues. This is no mere “opposite perspective” but a whole new view of what is a complex and interesting story right to the very end. 

The digital edition of Heimin no Kuse ni Namaikina! Volume 2 (平民のくせに生意気な！) is available on Amazon Kindle in Japanese and JP Kindle. Volume 2 of She’s So Cheeky For A Commoner does not yet have a release date. I’ll be sure to let you know when it does.  In the meantime, I know you’re side-eyeing this spin-off. Just go read it, it’s worth it. ^_^

Posted in I'm in Love With the Villainess, inori, Light Novel, Light Novels | 2 Comments »


My Idol Sits the Next Desk Over 5, Guest Review by Luce

February 1st, 2023

On a white background, two girls stand arm-9in-arm, making "peace sign" gestures near their eyes as if for a photo op. One girl has light brown hair in two pigtails and wears a yellow sweater vest. The other has red-brown hair worn loose, no vest over her white blouse. Both wear red bows and teal skirts. In black letters, the titles reads, "My Idol Sits The Next Desk Over" - they word Idol is highlighted with larger letters and yellow glow. In red, letters "Story By" and "Art by" then, in black letter, "Tetsu Tsitsui" Koyubi Sugawara" respectively. A black number 5 is backed by a white square surrounded by a re flower design Welcome once again to Guest Review Wednesday here on Okazu! I’m very pleased to welcome back Guest Reviewer Luce with another fun review. Please give Luce your kind attention and good will. That said, take it away, Luce!

It’s been a while! I’m Luce, occasional guest reviewer and long-time manga reader, with more books than I know what to do with. In any case, a review of a book I can’t get in physical form (yet, I did ask Kodansha though. They said no), My Idol Sits the Next Desk Over, Volume 5!

 
We’ve gotten to know Sakiko, Maaya and Chihiro, watching them grow into themselves, change to lesser or greater degrees, and get closer as friends. We’ve seen Spring Sunshine become more popular, such that Chihiro landed an acting role, and in practicing acting with Maaya, things get a little bit yuri… maybe?
 
The first part to this is the cliffhanger to the acting practice episode. I genuinely wasn’t sure how they were going to finish this, but while (spoiler!) Maaya and Chihiro don’t kiss, Sakiko is left with the idea that Maaya is in love with Chihiro – honestly, she’s not wrong, really, but she’s more confused about her own feelings. The drama Chihiro was practicing for goes on air, and is quite weird, to the confusion of everyone. But it gains a fan following – meaning Chihiro gets some solo work on various talk shows, including one that a fellow SpringShine member, Asuka, has always wanted to be on. In discussing her concerns with Sakiko, they get closer. Sakiko and Maaya go on a school trip to Kamakura, and end up doing a pilgrimage around some sights included in a Spring Shine video. Finally, the three of them have an overnight trip.
 
This felt like a volume where they really started to think about how they all feel about each other. I’ve no idea what the endgame pairing is, or if there even is one, really – I could actually see it being any combination of the three – but Sakiko thinks about the fact that Maaya is “in love with” Chihiro, and at one point tries to ascertain what her own feelings are in comparison. Maaya, on the other hand, comes up against her original lie – that she wasn’t already a huge fan of Spring Shine and Chihiro before meeting her – and finds herself battling to try and tell her.
 
Maaya does something in this volume that Sakiko gets rightly mad at her for, and I’m all for it. It’s an invasion of Sakiko’s and Chihiro’s privacy, and I’m really glad that she gets angry. She still stands by Maaya in many ways, but it also shows how far she’s come – I’m not sure she would have been able to do this a few volumes ago. I feel like these two definitely got on a more level footing, which is nice. Maaya, for her due, seems less certain about her actions – she’s not as gung ho and self-assured all the time. I’m hoping for more development next volume, although sadly, volume 5 had been out for a while, and Kodansha hasn’t updated the website to state when volume 6 might be coming out. Might be in for a wait. I’m intrigued to see where this leads, whenever we get it!
 
 
Story: 8
Yuri: 6, definitely getting there
Art: 9, props for actually having a difference between a character wearing make-up, minimal make-up, and no make-up
Service: 1? There is a bath scene, but not really any service
Overall: 8

I’m hoping volume 6 isn’t too far away. In the meantime, I’ll be watching MagiRevo!

Erica here: Thank you so much Luce for keeping up with this series for us! I’m glad it’s “getting there”!

Posted in English Manga, Guest Review, Luce, Yuri Manga | 1 Comment »