The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, Volume 2

October 31st, 2022

In Volume 1, of the manga we met Princess Anisphia, a princess with no magic, but the memory of a scientific world who studies magic as if it were a science. We also met Euphyllia, blessed by the spirits with great magic, born and raised to be a Queen, but cast off and spurned by her fiance’…and no one truly understands why.

In The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, Volume 2  Anisphia is thrilled to have a powerful assistant, but volume 2 is really about repairing Euphyllia’s sense of self-worth. This is not an easy job, as everything she has trained for is in ruins and she is wholly reliant on the kindness of strangers. Thankfully for her, they don’t come any stranger or kinder than Anisphia.

And, so, as the news of a monster stampede arrives at the royal palace, Anisphia sees her chance to prove her theories, use her magic tools, gain materiel and money for experiments and sort out Euphyllia’s reputation all at once.

This is a very good volume of this series, covering the middle part of the first volume of the light novel. The fanservice which marred the first volume of the manga has been jettisoned. (I have long wondered if there is any real value in that kind of thing. Do the few people whose attention were captured, rather than repulsed by, an extremely close up-skirt panel make up enough of a paying audience to keep doing that, when it doesn’t serve the story well and is dropped almost immediately? I wish someone would do real market research on this.)

What is left is Anisphia’s sincerity, Euphyllia’s new commitment, and a rollicking fantasy adventure worth your time.  The story picks up speed as the Reincarnated Princess and The Magical Genius rush off to fight a dragon and save the kingdom.

I look forward to this arc finishing up in Volume 3 (which came out in February of this year in Japan), because it was a very strong ending for the arc. I’m not sure Volume 2 of the Light Novel (which I have read, but apparently, not reviewed) would make a good manga, as it consists mostly of people talking to one another. I enjoyed it, but does it have the hysteria needed to carry a manga? I guess we’ll see, as Volume 4 of the manga clearly jumps right into the new arc.

Ratings:

Art – 7 The sword just gets better and better
Story – 7 Solid
Characters – 8 Euphyllia comes in to her own here
Service – Thankfully, none
Yuri – 1 The door is open

Overall – 8

I’m a little surprised at myself not being done with Isekai yet, but I was reading fantasy from the early 70s, so perhaps this has just forced me to go back to my roots. ^_^ In any case, this story is less about Isekai and more about kindness and consideration being tremendously powerful – a magical tool we can all use.

Posted in English Manga, Yuri Manga | 3 Comments »


Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – October 29, 2022

October 29th, 2022

Yuri Visual Novels & Games

Via Audrey on Twitter, who subbed the game, Square Enix is releasing Towatsugai, a Yuri VN about a couple finding each other over and over after death. This will be released on iOS and Android. Check out the trailer on YouTube!

Via YNN Correspondent Cryssoberyl, here’s a video featuring the seiyuu’s reactions to Yuri scenes in D4DJ’s first canon lesbian couple is so cute, subbed by ruolan.

Via Yuri Navi, Watashi-tachi no Marriage 2 (私たちマリアージュ) is being worked on.

On Twitter, Niina Shinjou announced some new Yuri voice work, including Prussian Blue and Meruya no Shujin.These are available at DLSite.

Again via Yuri Navi, we have the OP for the upcoming game Samurai Maiden, in which kisses will occur.

 

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Yuri Manga

I know I’m hopelessly behind on getting items on the Yuricon Store, life has been unremittingly complicated recently. I’m hoping to make some time this month to play catch up.

Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!, Volume 11 (私の百合はお仕事です！) will be hitting shelves in Japan next month.

Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou, Volume 5 (私の推しは悪役令嬢。) of the manga, will be out in Japan in December.

 

Yuri Webtoon & Doujinshi

I’m very late on this piece of news, but Ari North, creator of Always Human, has a new webtoon, Seven Days in Silverglen.  Ari’s work is always lovely, so definitely give this a read!

Lilyka is running a 20% off all items Halloween sale.

 

Yuri Anime

The second season of Birdie Wing has been delayed until April according to the official Twitter account.

This Week in Anime on ANN takes on Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury and ask, Could Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Be The Best Alternative Universe Gundam Yet?

Realistically not Yuri, but Aim for the Ace was license by Diskotek and it does have some solid intense relationships on the court between female rivals.

 

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Yuri Light Novel

Sean Gaffney has reviewed J-Novel’s Yuri Tama: From Third Wheel to Trifecta on his A Case Suitable For Treatment blog, so you can decide for yourself whether it’s your style. It sounds like it is not mine, so thank you Sean!

 

Other News

Autostraddle’s Lily Alvarado offers up this seasonal thriller of 40 Female Horror Protagonists, Ranked by Lesbianism

Galette magazine is revamping their crowdfunding benefits. You can check out their page on Fantia to see what the new levels are!

Seven Seas has opened their own public-facing manga store. There’s some limited time deals available!

 

 

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Posted in Yuri Network News | No Comments »


The Executioner and Her Way of Life, Volume 5: The Promised Land

October 26th, 2022

In Volume 4, we left everyone in this series rushing towards “The Holy Land,” about which we have been told very little. In The Executioner and Her Way of Life, Volume 5: The Promised Land, we are convinced that this is because there is very little to say about it.  It is small, white, has no hotels or restaurants, just some churches that may house pilgrims and is, in every sense of the word…a complete flim flam. The Holy Land is a distraction to hide the two secrets of this world.

Nonetheless, everyone in this story has arrived at the Holy Land. And, dull as it is, it is playing host to the prelude to the climax of this series. A climax that has not so much as been hinted as as, well, basically the narrative has giant pointing fingers, in case you didn’t pick up on things.

Menou has a first round against her master, Flare. More than one Human Error is involved in this volume and by the end, and in the middle of the hurley and burley, Momo’s scenes were the most interesting. Because this volume was mostly focused on reveals of things that were fairly obvious, the only thing I demanded of the story was that one of the priestesses, Hooseyard, be alive by the end. Killing her off would have been been like killing a dog – unacceptable collateral damage. The only spoiler I will give you is that Hooseyard lives. At least this time.

There are no more secrets now. The next volume will have to wrap this arc up, or it will be annoying. ^_^

As with previous volumes, Mato Sato spends a lot of time re-describing things already described and, as previously mentioned, the Holy Land is very dull, so details tend to sort of fade into the word count. I did very much like the extended scene in which Flare lit and smoked a cigarette merely to irritate herself. That’s some dedication to purgatorial description.

nilitsu’s art is much less mannerist in this volume, which is kind of nice. Jenny McKeon does her absolute best with the translation, props to her wading through a lot of simplistic declarative phrases.

Ratings:

Art – 5
Story – 5
Characters – 7
Service – Implied more than actual, but lingering on the edges
Yuri – Akari loves Menou, Momo loves Menou…

Overall – 7

All the pieces are on the board, all of us know who is where, and what they can do. It remains to be seen what the author envisions as the grand finale. I know what *I* envision it as, we’ll see if there is any overlap. ^_^ And whether, in the end, this is indeed, Yuri.

 

Posted in Light Novel | 1 Comment »


Erica’s Schedule for November and December 2022

October 25th, 2022

This week will be accompanied by a slow-down of reviews as I rev up my end-of year speaking schedule.  I was honored to address students at Hunter College, in NYC yesterday. Thank you all for your great questions! If I can post that lecture on Yuri Studio, I will do that at the end of the year!

Now to get ready for AnimeNYC, November 18-20 in NYC. The first 20 people to buy a copy of By Your Side: The First 100  Years of Yuri Anime and Manga at the event will get a mini-button of one of the cover couples! I also have a few postcards to give away to folks after that. Supplies are very limited, because I am literally dragging my boxes in myself by train and I have a severely limited supply of arms. ^_^

Also available will be some of our ALC Publishing manga books: WORKS, by Eriko Tadeno, Shoujoai ni Bouken, Volume 1 (the only volume of this goofily-named series that was printed, but its on my 2023 schedule to finish the third part and collect the whole set as one volume,) and remaining volumes of Yuri Mongatari. These will all be going for reduced prices, as I need the space. ^_^

While at AnimeNYC, I’ll be on two panels. Catch me on Sunday at Defending Manga, with the Manga in Libraries (11:00 am–11:45 on Community Stage (River Pavilion)) folks and  Writing About Japan, (1:30 PM )with Abby Denson and Zack Davisson! (1:30 – 2:15 in Panel Room 3)

For those of you who won’t be able to make it, I’ll also be speaking with the folks at Kinokuniya NYC, for an interview that should go up on their social media next month.

December 16-18 will see the return of Casa Con to a Discord near you. ^_^ This year James Welker and I will be interviewing each other about our respective work in BL and Yuri!

Folks looking at 2023 will be able to catch me on a podcast near you and at the Michigan State University Translation Workshop once again.

If you’d like me to speak at your organization, podcast, university or event, do drop me a line via our Yuricon Contact form. I’d love to chat with you.

Posted in Events | No Comments »


Comic Yuri Hime November 2022 (コミック百合姫2022年11月号)

October 23rd, 2022

Comic Yuri Hime is not as predictable as the turning of the seasons, but it’s also got some rhythms of it’s own these days. The November issue tends to be rather strong, to keep folks engaged as some series come to an end and others begin. Comic Yuri Hime, November 2022 is a volume in which most of the crises, cliffhangers and pain points resolve before the new arcs begin. With one good exception.

The opening color pages herald a new series this issue….one that I confess I did not finish. “Aishitabun dake Aishite Hoshi~!” has made it plain to me that escort/arranged dating/brothel stories have worn out their welcome on my shelves. There’s nothing new to be done here except have women worry that their bodies aren;t good enough and I will never find that appealing. Dear readers…your body is fantastic and sexy. Imperfections are like accents in speaking, they give us character.

Manaria confronts Rei about her real desires in “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.,” as the finale to the Scales of Love Arc approaches. inori’s characters are just so vibrant when rendered by Aonoshimo’s art. I’m actually a little surprised we haven’t had anything visual for this yet…not so much as a promo video. After claiming that most Jousei and Yuri are written and drawn in a way that makes them better as live-action, this series would, actually, make a terrific anime. ^_^

Shiho is finally having to face down some of her many piled up issues in “Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau.” Kind of unsurprisingly, it all comes down to love and jealousy. I mean, they are in high school, after all. ^_^ Not to be uncharitable, but I will not mind when we move past Shiho to the battle of the bands.

Shizuku seems to finally have movde past her trauma and is reaching into herself to make Kaori happy in “Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata.” It looks like Kaori’s plan is working. Then what?

Here’s the one exception to “handwave the crisis over” motif that fills his volume.  The boot is poised. Kanako feels lost and searches for help with the wrongest person. Youko convinces Kanako to the do the wrongest thing and as the chapter ends, we see the boot, slipping from fingers, headed towards the ground. I have a very clear idea about what I need from “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!” now, but I wonder if I’m going to get it. I’m just gonna have to trust Miman-sensei. ^_^

We already know that “Natsu to Lemon to Overlay” will be ending shortly. This issue I had to agree with that choice. The premise is so interesting! A voice actor hired by a woman to read her final statement after her death. We’re chapters into this and we know nothing about anything. Konno is just throwing money at Yunimaru and they have fun doing typical manga versions of happy daily life stuff. Where did the plot go?  Yunimaru won’t ask, Konno isn’t saying. I love fireworks, but what is this manga about?

“Onna Tomodachi to Kekkonshitemita” resolves the latest crisis rather neatly. Rio is back and Kurumi’s friendly nature makes her an ally.

Another crisis averted in “Lonely Girl ni Sakaeranai” and then precipitating crisis averted! Oh phew. This series has legitimately been over for a couple of volumes, but I really am okay with this. ^_^ Oh but, finally, the whole gang admits what has been obvious to us (but not to all of them) that the 6 of them is really three couples.

The volume ends with a number of new series, columns and comic essays as always. I’m reading and enjoying about half of the content, which make this year a pretty solid showing for Comic Yuri Hime.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

The December issue is out in Japan. Don’t forget to let Comic Yuri Hime know which series you like best and least!

 

Posted in Comic Yuri Hime, Magazines, Yuri Manga | No Comments »