Yuri-Ota ni Yuri ha Gohattodesu!, Volume 1 (百合オタに百合はご法度です!)

November 2nd, 2021

In U-temo’s Yuri fantasy, Yuri-Ota ni Yuri ha Gohattodesu!, Volume 1 (百合オタに百合はご法度です!), Yuri is the law by which Yuri otaku Watanabe Fuyu lives. When she transfers to a private girl’s school, she is primed for a school life saturated with Yuri. So, why, Watanabe wants to know, is she sitting behind the only gal in this dang school? Yoshioka Ririka, is a rusty nail of a gal in this garden of beautiful lilies…according to Watanabe, who resents everything about Yoshioka, from her curled hair to her selfies to her offers to get tapioca drinks. Instead, Watanabe follows the stars of the school to see them enact Yuri tropes in real life.

In case you haven’t grasped the idea, this is a comedy. Watanabe gets her otaku on by watching rosaries being presented, love umbrellas being shared and has “humorous” reactions to Yoshioka’s simple overtures of friendship.

Despite this goofy-yet-annoying premise, this volume was kind of fun. Yoshioka being a fish out of water, who doesn’t know she’s in a pond at all is not played for laughs. Watanabe’s reactions are, as one might expect, completely off the page, but even she starts to see how decent Yoshioka is.

The climax of the book comes as the best sœur couple is thrown – and throws the school into – chaos over the school play. Yoshioka is there to step into cool upperclassman Akira’s role, as a kindness. She asks Watanabe to practice dancing with her and whose heart could remain unmelted after that? Watanabe manages to patch up the rift between Akira and her little sister, Nagomi and in doing so violates her own rule of being in the shadows, as just another Yuri otaku. Now, she’s famous.

This kind of book is always amusing to fans of the genre who recognize the tropes of ‘S’ aesthetic Yuri, but even if you don’t, Watanabe gives you the rundown on them enough to know “this” is a trope. In every case, the narrative shies away from making the characters or situations too annoying or cringe-y. Watanabe comes the closest to being unlikable, but by the end of the volume, is just one of us. ^_^

U-temo’s art is goofy, which fits the tone of the story.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Service – 100% pure school girl Yuri tropes is a kind of service
Yuri – Kinda? It’s tropey as heck, but there aren’t any actual couples….yet.

Overall – 8

If this one gets licensed, I’ll be glad to recommend it as a primer on Yuri tropes and as a goofy comedy. ^_^ You can read sample chapters right now in Japanese on Web Action.

Posted in Yuri Manga | No Comments »


Castlevania on Netflix

October 31st, 2021

Happy Halloween! For tricks this year, I found myself watching Castlevania, streaming on Netflix, because we all know how much I love vampire stories. ^_^

The descendants of vampire hunters, the descendants of vampires, humans (almost all of whom deserved an ugly death) and magic users all become involved in two grand plans that will essentially destroy humanity. It…wasn’t bad.

Castlevania has decent enough animation, lots of blood, sex, some creative magical nonsensery and enough cursing to satisfy even this Jersey Girl. In fact, I have added Carmilla’s frustrated and exhausted “What the FUCK is going on?” to my store of mottos. ^_^

Okazu readers are smart enough to know that I am not reviewing this animation because I think vampires are a nifty Halloween tie-in. Clearly there must be some reason I felt it’s appropriate for Okazu? Indeed there is.

In the later half of the story, as our attention turns from Dracula’s decrepit legacy toward Carmilla’s scheme for a new age of vampire supremacy, we are introduced to Carmilla’s vampire sisters, Lenore, Striga and Morana. When we meet them, Striga and Morana are and have been, a couple. Striga is also highly amusing, voiced with brutal sarcasm by Ivana Miličević, which balances beautifully with Yasmine Al Massri’s highly ironic, and only slightly idealistic, Morana.  The two of them are delightful and their fate is a high point of the what is objectively a very, messy, if slightly dewily romantic plot. (I mean romantic in both senses here. The plot tends toward romanticism and Romanticism, if you take my meaning.)

The voice cast was quite good, with the exception of the heavy mumbling by Richard Armitage as Trevor Belmont, and James Callis as Alucard. I kept shouting “What? Speak up!” at the TV, despite the fact that I watch everything with captions now. It’s not that I’m losing my hearing, I just read faster than people talk and I have no patience. ^_^ Nonetheless, mumbling is not a personality.

I particular loved Alejandra Reynoso’s voice work for magic using Speaker Sypha.  She was a delight. Jaime Murray’s Carmilla was also brilliant – angry, imperious, violent. Kind of my perfect woman, except for her being a vampire, which I would find just so tiresome. And last, but not least, everything about Lenore, from her cute blushy cheeks to Jessica Brown Findlay’s masterful voice work, was fantastic.

For the rest of the story, expect lots of body parts, blood, and copious amounts of heavy cursing written in a way that kind of almost sounds like I wouldn’t mind being around these people, except for the stench and the threat of death and undeath. Other than that, they seem kind of fun.

Ratings:

Animation – As good as 8, as bad as 5
Story – It was three or four messes worth of mess, but does it matter? 7
Characters – 9 The main reason I kept watching, honestly
Service – 10 I did mention, the blood and violence and sex, yes?
Yuri – 9  It’s only one little piece of the story, but a nice one

Overall – 8

Alucard was all out of luck
Human lives were all in the muck
Magic and mayhem
Meant monsters and brain stems
And all anyone really wanted was a good…roast duck.

And maybe a beer. And a shower. And fewer undead monsters trying to kill them.

Posted in Western Cartoons | 1 Comment »


Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – October 30, 2021

October 30th, 2021

Yuri Video

In case you missed it, we have a new video up on Yuri Studio – this time a paean to Shakaijin Yuri!

 

Yuri Manga

If You Could See Love, by Teren Mikami and Yuuki Nanaji, is now out digitally from Yen Press. It’s available on Amazon and Comixology, as you can see if you click this affiliate link. Mei has always had the ability to see who is in love with whom, but upon entering a girl’s school, she finds two arrows pointing at her. Hijinks undoubtedly ensue. ^_

Kuzushiro’s Uyanotsuki,Volume 1(雨夜の月) is a story of two girls, a musician and a deaf girl, who change each other’s lives. You can check out sample chapters on Comic Days.

Chisako has a story, now running on Takeshobo’s Storia Dash, Minna Watashi no Hara no Naka (みんな私のはらのなか), about a woman who likes to eat! I’m really happy with this food + Yuri trend.^_^

Via Comic Natalie, the November issue of Square Enix’s Big GanGan is starting a new Yuri series, “Shimekiri mae ni wa Yuri ga Hakadoru (〆切前には百合が捗る) by Haganai creator Hirasaka Yomi. That follows a woman who, after coming out to her parents ends up falling for her difficult cousin. It is described as a story about “people who find it difficult to live normally.”

 

Become an Okazu Patron today and help us to support Yuri creators! $5/mo makes a huge impact.

Yuri Games & VNs

Via YNN Correspondent Aurakin, Steam is runnng a Halloween Sale through Nov. 1, and many of their Yuri titles are currently heavily discounted. Linghua and Hanako are offering Yuri bundles that end up being a few bucks a title.

From YNN Correspondent Michaelangelo H. and also on Steam, Winterwolves has released a new Yuri dating sim, Summer In Trigue. This is a dating sim set on a Caribbean island, presumably for multiple bikini scenes. ^_^ But it looks kinda cute and has no fetuses in frilly dresses. If someone wants to review this, let me know!

Via Yuri Navi, Stromatosoft is releasing a Yuri board game in November called Yuri Ranbo, a “high-speed battle Yuri Harem formation card game that aims to become one girl and acquire more girls.” For 3 players, each round takes ten minutes and it can be played by ages 9 and up. I am completely speechless at the idea and am sorely tempted to get it, despite my general disinterest in games. ^_^

After the completion of a short intro manga in Comic Yuri Hime magazine the “adventure game” Kochira, Haha naru Hoshi yori has been released. This post-apocalyptic story follow the last 6 people in Ikebukuro after a virus has decimated the planet. These six women discover new life and sometimes eat it, all while enjoying being alive. It’s a hopeful look at survival in a post-pandemic world.

 

Yuri Doujinshi

Lilyka is running a Haloweeen [sic] Sale through Tuesday. Use the Code HAL21 for 22% off Yuri tricks and treats. Some exclusions apply, they say.

 

Other News

Yurimother reports on a Yuri novelist, Saturnalia Blackrose, who has found her work plagiarized and up for sale on Amazon.  Amazon does not make it possible anymore for people other than the author to ask for the content to be removed, but please be aware that the listing is not legit. Check out Yurimother’s report for more details.

 

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. ^_^

Posted in Yuri Network News | 2 Comments »


I’m in Love With the Villainess, Volume 1…again!

October 29th, 2021

It’s not unheard of that we sometimes review the same book more than once here on Okazu. Books that were published by one company, then again by another are the most common culprits – like Azumanga Daioh by ADV Manga and again by Yen Press or Aria by ADV, then again by Tokyopop. We’ve definitely had more than one reviewer taking a look at the same material such as various perspectives on the Citrus anime. Today marks  – as far as I can remember – the very first time I am reviewing the same book that I have previously reviewed. And let me tell you, I’m really happy to be doing it!

In March, I took a look at the first volume of the manga for I’m in Love With The Villainess, which I had previously read in Japanese, but not reviewed because of delayed shipping.  This was followed by a review of Volume 2 in Japanese.

In the end, there were some problems with the first volume in English that I felt were impossible to ignore. I wrote a polite, detailed email to Seven Seas. I, like you, love this series, and wanted – needed – it to be perfect.  Imagine my surprise and delight to hear back from them recently, with an offer of a new edition!

So, today, for the first time ever on Okazu, I am reviewing the exact same book for the second time. Today I am looking at I’m in Love With the Villainess, Volume 1, written by inori, art by Aonishimo, character design by hanagata.

The story follows a Japanese office worker, Oohashi Rei, as she finds herself transported to the world of her favorite otome game, Revolution. Freed(?) from her previous life as a wage slave and given the chance to be the game’s protagonist, Rae Taylor as she is now known, pursues her favorite character – the game’s villain, Claire François.

The beginning of the story is goofy, as Rae plays the fool to Claire’s stereotypical high school rich girl villainess. But, as the story goes along, Rae’s behavior seems to have a different meaning and Claire begins to wonder what makes this odd and annoying commoner tick. We are also introduced to the rest of the players from the first novel of the series.

My sincere concerns about the word choices have been wholly alleviated. Claire remains high-handed and imperious, but now lacks any signs of vulgarity or uncouthness. She is the high-born noble daughter that Rae, and we, fell for. ^_^  I thank everyone on the Seven Seas team for going back over this translation and smoothing the rough patches out of the book. My especial thanks to translator Joshua Hardy, and editors Dawn Davis and Peter Adrian Behravesh, Also, some recognition to Courtney Williams who was given time to letter and retouch, which gives the story a smoother feel than just jotting in translated sound effects. (I know how hard that is and why it’s not possible for the artiest of s/fx, but I always appreciate the effort.) And once again, Nicky Lim’s cover design is lovely, with the embossed title.

As an added bonus, I genuinely think the illustrations by Aonoshimo-sensei actually enhance the story. This volume is of course, early days on this collaboration, but I know from later chapters, the art is good and will become fantastic.

This is the edition we wanted. Now I can recommend the manga as highly as I do the light novels. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Characters – 9
Story – 8 It will improve over time. ^_^
Service – 5 Nudity and bathing
Yuri – 9

Overall – 8

Volume 2 is heading our way in English in winter 2022 and I look forward to it with as much enthusiasm as I do Volume 3 in Japanese. Thank you Seven Seas for this review copy, and for taking our concerns and desires so seriously. It is very much appreciated.

Posted in English Manga, I'm in Love With the Villainess, inori, LGBTQ, Manga, Yuri Manga | 1 Comment »


Comic Yuri Hime November 2021 (コミック百合姫2021年11月号)

October 28th, 2021

Well wow. Comic Yuri Hime November 2021 (コミック百合姫2021年11月号) was a great read, for a couple of reasons.

The cover story has found a way to resolve itself, so humans don’t die off. I wasn’t worried, but…kinda wondered if the story would take any time to work at it. Nope! Just, “humans are fine, thanks.” That said, look at this gorgeous cover by Kesshin. Really nice. Next volume will go back to a white background and provide a happy ending.

The last few years have given us interesting and aesthetically pleasing stories. I’m pretty much sold on the cover novel model.

inori, hanagata and Aonoshimo’s “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou” arrives on the doorstep of the crossdressing cafe. You my have seen spoilers for this online. The next volume is waiting for me to get it. I am a-quiver with anticipation. ^_^ This story is genuinely made even better with the manga art. What a pleasure it is!

“Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto desu!” went somewhere I did not expect and I found myself on the edge of my seat. What will happen with the reappearance of a former employee who threw the cafe into turmoil once before?

“Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata” comes to a surprising climax in which Kaori creates an opportunity for Shizuku to say what she needs to say in order to forgive herself. A new crisis has arrived – one that has been foreshadowed for chapters, so I wasn’t nearly as surprised as Shizuku.

Kiiyan’s “Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru” started very gonzo last chapter, but this time took a turn in a bizarre direction. Two women running away from life find themselves on an even more unexpected journey.

Usui Shio’s “Kaketa Tsuki to Donuts” is coming up quickly towards its end, and this chapter was worth the price of admission. Fuuka and Hinako have a talk, again, about Asahi. Hinako is still convinced that a physical relationship is not something she can understand. Asahi likewise does not really know what she’s feeling. I hope, honest, that Hinako is allowed to remain asexual, as she is potentially presented here. She and Asahi have a lot to work through, and I’m here for all of it.

In Shio-sensei’s “Onna Tomodachi to Kekkonshitmita,” for once Kurumi spoils Ruriko a little. I’m glad, too, because Ruriko deserves to feel appreciated.

“Makoto to Momoka” by Agu felt like an old-school doujinshi. A bartender is using the bar’s name, Makoto and all her customers think it’s a cool name for her. But her name is not Makoto. The bar owner has appropriated her name, which has caused a bit of identity crisis.

“Mukeikaku Yuukuu Saihate Tour” was a nice scenic one-shot. I kind of like the travel spots in this magazine, as I’m not going anywhere these days, but is this Yuri? Is “Futari Escape”? I don’t really know.

Inui Ayu’s “Kyou mo Hitotsu Yane no Shita” is once again a paean to how much Kon-san understands Inui-sensei. This series is getting it’s first collected volume next month, yay!

Which brings me to the final excellent thing in this volume. Inui-sensei is the featured artist in the Hime Cafe section and for the first time since I’ve been reading this magazine, a contributing artist discusses issues like coming out,  being a lesbian and living with a girlfriend. I don’t think we’ve had an out artist in the magazine proper before and I am absolutely thrilled that Inui-sensei is the one to break that barrier.  I was so happy, in fact, I made *sure* I filled out the survey in the back to let them know how happy I was.

Note: Reader CW comments that Takemiya Jin has previously discussed coming out in an early issue of Hime Cafe and I thought I recalled that, as well, but I was unable to confirm it from my archives.

A great penultimate issue for the year. One more to go and then everything is in the wind again.

Ratings:

Overall  8

The December issue is already out in Japan, and I hope will be in my hands this week. ^_^

Posted in Comic Yuri Hime, Magazines, Yuri Manga | 2 Comments »