Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu! Volume 8 ( 私の百合はお仕事です!)

August 12th, 2021

Phew. For a manga that started as a light-hearted romp through Yuri tropes, this series sure has got intense. Hey, wait, I’m sure I’ve said that about other stories that started as light-hearted romps through Yuri tropes, before. Hrm. It’s almost like comedy is a good way to draw readers in, but for a story to be sustainable it needs more. This seems like a good topic for a video…and I just happened to have planned the next video after this upcoming one to be this very topic! How about that.

In Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu! Volume 8 ( 私の百合はお仕事です!) it is the belated celebration of Mitsuki and Kanako’s birthday at the cafe. Hime is in attendance, but will she stay? Mitsuki puts her own issues aside and convinces Hime to stick around.

Mai, always looking for marketing idea, decides to take the crew on a trip to a hotel that could totally pass for Liebe Academy. An overnight! Everyone is excited. But Mai has made some choices that, if I were Sumika, I’d be like, “Dude. No. This is a bad idea.”

So in between photoshoots of loving schwestern, Mitsuki is dealing with, gosh, the fact that she’s rooming with the girl she loves, who has rejected her and her extremely voluptuous body in a public bath. I’m so vexxed for Mitsuki, stop beating on this girl already!

But things are about to get more complicated as Sumika’s own lily is blooming. And she already knows Kanako’s feelings, so…yikes?

Good heavens, do I want to reshuffle this whole mishegas. BUT, I wouldn’t and I couldn’t and I won’t. Miman-sensei is perfectly capable of writing their own story and keeping it compelling and dramatic without me.

A great volume from a series that has pretty consistently had great volumes.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Service – 4
Yuri – 8

Overall – 8

Volume 7 of Yuri is My Job! is out now from Kodansha, and I guess I should have reviewed that before this one, oh well. ^_^ In any case, this is a great series and you should be reading it.

Posted in Miman, Yuri Manga | No Comments »


Me (A Guy)… Lesbian?!, Volume 1, Guest Review by Luce

August 11th, 2021

I had no idea this manga even existed, so how happy am I that Guest Reviewer Luce offered to take a look at it for us! ^_^ So kick back and Luce tell you a story about a story. Welcome back Luce, the floor is yours…

I’m Luce, reviewer of Dear Noman. That series didn’t quite work out, but today I’m here with a review of a series I thought would be terrible, and surprisingly wasn’t! Hope you enjoy the review, I can be reached on the Okazu discord (open to all) and on tumblr at silverliningslurk. Onwards!

In Me (a Guy)…Lesbian, Volume 1, available digitally on Bookwalker, Yuuki, a male high school student, is cycling home one day and accidentally knocks an inari statue over at a shrine. Panicked, he puts it back… and typical of a high school boy, adds a face to it when he sees it has none. The fox spirit within the statue is none too pleased about this face, done in permanent marker unknowingly over her own face, and as revenge for not being able to sympathise with a ‘women’s heart’, turns him into a girl. And magically enrols him into an all-girls boarding school. Now, she (I’ll refer to Yuuki as she for the remainder of the review) has to create ‘love relationships’ with girls to get the fox spirit, Yori to regain her power so she can turn Yuuki back.

I will admit, with that title, I was very sceptical of this being anything much at all, but I was bored, there was a Yuri manga sale, and I bought it. It’s 8 chapters, so I would guess slightly longer than one regular collected manga volume. It’s full colour, and it’s done nicely, although there is a bit more service than I’d necessarily go for. I still have trouble thinking that girls so casually undress around each other, but aside from that, it’s surprisingly heart-felt. It’s no grand epic, and there are all the ‘magically switched genders’ tropes that you’d expect – randomly turning back at inopportune times, the fear of getting found out, sitting and acting more like a guy than a girl normally would… But it is genuinely sweet. Yuuki gets things wrong, and apologises for them, she starts to get on with the various girls of the school and gets used to life in her female body. For such a short series, it actually gets quite a bit done, so it feels longer than it is, but in a good way – for me at least!

As for Yuri, well. There are definitely two girls who have romantic feelings for other girls, something that is displayed front and centre, although in the English, the word ‘lesbian’ only features in the title. Yuuki herself comes to have crushes, there is the girl prince that Erica has mentioned in several panels recently as a common Yuri trope, the childhood friends where one falls in love. I would imagine this series is meant to appeal to men with the fanservice (it never gets ridiculous or anatomically incorrect, but it is there), but equally, it has all sorts of women and the cast, Yuuki aside, is entirely female. But Yuuki doesn’t make any opportunities to perv on the other girls, getting embarrassed and/or respecting them enough to not look… even though ‘she’ wouldn’t necessarily be found out. I will say that the author does put her in these situations, but there are no drooling perverts here, thankfully.

If you’re looking for a deep dive into the intricacies of having a gender switched, this isn’t it. It doesn’t even mention Yuuki’s parents or friends, although I suspect Yori’s power may have been involved. However, by the end (I will spoil a little as I feel like it makes this stand out) Yuuki doesn’t elect to turn back into a boy. She seems to remain at the school, intending to live – at least for now – as a woman. Yori, the fox spirit, even says that she’ll have to work to be perceived as a girl by the one who knows Yuuki’s secret. That surprised me, as usually when presented with a way to go back, they do. I would say that if you enjoyed Kashimashi, you’ll probably enjoy this one, too. It even doesn’t have the creepy father!

Ratings:

Art – 6 – not the best art in the world, but pretty, readable, and all in colour!
Story – 6
Characters – 7
Service – 8 – you will definitely see some cleavage
Yuri – 7

Overall – 8

For some light reading and a hopeful ending, I’d say it’s worth it. ‘Surprisingly wholesome’ would be my short review, honestly.

Erica here: Thank you very much for the review. I’m glad to know this is out here and that we have eagle-eyed reviewers like you. ^_^

Posted in English Manga, Guest Review, Luce | 3 Comments »


Oshi ga Budokan Ittekuretara Shinu, Volume 7 (推しが武道館いってくれたら死ぬ )

August 9th, 2021

Until late last night, this review was going to be completely different. I had a whole review planned out and was all ready to joke about Path #4 on my Choose Your Own Adventure and then mere pages from the end of the volume, it went to hell in the form of a “joke” so excruciating, so forced, so stupid, I just stared, aghast.

So instead of the review I was going to write about how, Oshi ga Budokan Ittekuretara Shinu, Volume 7 (推しが武道館いってくれたら死ぬ ) was maybe not so bad, maybe it had gotten past it’s awful, terrible, unfunny plot complication that Maina and Eri can’t communicate well, or at all, it fucking SLAMMED down a joke, so bad that I hate the creator twice – once for making me think they can write a story, maybe, and once for not being able to write a goddamned story.

I know, I know. I KNOW. I do this every time with Hirao Auri. At this point we all just have to admit it’s a form of flagellation. Leave me to my hair shirt and flail.

You want to know the worst part? For 6 chapters this volume was GOOD. It really was! Maina and Eri could get whole sentences out and the absurd thing that happened actually made things better and the back stories of all the other ChamJam members had depth and the struggle with using their real names was interesting and it was a solid volume! And then in the fucking omake chapter….it goes to hell. For a stuuuuuupid, unfunny joke.

Yes, we get it. Eri is not screwed together tightly we get it. But no, that..no. My fucking god, how does the editor not jump over the table, screaming. This is why I am not a editor for a living, kids. I would be behind bars, ranting about excruciating characters and terribly, awful unfunny jokes that ruined acceptably interesting volumes.

Ratings:

Seriously? This manga is fucking enraging.

ARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH

To express my feelings properly, I would like to share this image that was created by my friend Erin Finnegan as part of a comic she drew to fully illustrate her feelings on the end of the KareKano manga.

This panel lives rent free in my head. Especially when I am reading something by Hirao Auri.


One last note….Aya’s kimono, was genuinely, perfect. That joke worked.

Posted in Hirao Auri, Miscellaneous | 4 Comments »


End Blue ( エンドブルー)

August 8th, 2021

Today we continue on our “choose your own adventure” of reading books by creators you know and about whom you were cautiously optimistic.

Path #1 was high hopes lead to success! Path #2 was low expectations lead to success! Today we are on Path #3. So let’s get set the storyline.

Iruma Hitoma has had some significant success with his novels. In 2013 I read Adachi and Shimamura (安達としまむら), Volume 1 in Japanese and was not impressed. Since then I have read several other of his books with varying opinions. Of those, I only found one worth reviewing, Shoujo Mousouchuu (少女妄想中。) Overall, I consider him an inconsistent writer. So when he was picked for the Bloom Into You novel series about Sayaka, I was not well pleased. Trust me, this is relevant.

In the end, the three Sayaka volumes were excellent. I have reviewed all three here in English and Japanese and consider them a fantastic spin-off to a decent series. But this did not stop me from considering Iruma inconsistent. Because Sayaka was not his character and he was working with an already-established storyline and character and with that character’s creator. In the end, the series was fantastic and it had a full measure of everything I felt that Iruma’s writing lacks.

So, when Iruma and Nakatani said they were teaming up again, I was cautiously optimistic. Can Nakatani bring something to the project that will fill that deep void in Iruma’s writing?

So here we are at Path #4. Bad End.


I tried, I really did, but the problem with Iruma’s writing is that as much as in, say Adachi and Shimamura, we’re locked inside the heads of two girls, and have to listen to their thoughts, they never thing about anything, they just think. “What is this, I don’t know,” is not interiority, it’s fluff.

In End Blue, written by Iruma Hitoma and illustrated by Nakatani Nio, each scenario appears to be about someone returning to “that town” again for the first time in a long time. Kana meets up with Miyabi, whom she met that once. Seri runs into her old lover Ao, but ends up with her younger cousin, Mei, in a not-really-okay ending.

Every story I finished wondering what was it about. The writing feels like an RPG – she does this, she does that. No one has any interior life. No motivations, no anything, unless it fits the action. And they don’t think about things, they just think.

What are reviews for, she wondered as she wrote a review.  Then she shrugged and guessed someone else needs reviews or they wouldn’t be written.

I can cope with that kind of writing a little bit, but at some point I give it up as a bad job. It’s a sucking vortex of ennui. The illustrations for the books are pleasant and, if the characters has any personality, might fill in details, but if I told you the book took place at an airport and these people were strangers who met and parted, you’d find them to be as accurate as they are for people coming back to “that town” and seeing people they know.

I was really looking forward to this book and I hope that, if you read it and enjoyed it, you’ll let us know, but for me, it’s a bad end.

Ratings:

Art – 7 Nice, but since the characters have no personality, it’s just nice pictures
Story – 4 A murderer shows up. I still don’t know why. No one is murdered. I’m not joking.
Characters – 4 They could have been one character because they all talked/thought the same way, except for Kana, who I hope ends up okay. Miyabi doesn’t seem that good for her.
Yuri – 9 We are told that people are lovers and they sometime admit to it
Service – 7 Sadly, yes, the entire first story. “Can I touch it?” For fuck’s sake Miyabi.

Overall – 4, maybe 5.

By the point of the book where I gave up, the only character I could sympathize with was the bird.

Path #4, I died of dystentery, or boredom. Either way, I’m dead. This book was disappointing.

Posted in Light Novel | 4 Comments »


Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – August 7, 2021

August 7th, 2021

Yuri Events

There are a double handful of spaces left for the 20th Anniversary Yuricon Community Event. I hope you will join James Welker, Verena Maser and myself for an event celebrating you, the global Yuri fandom – in one week, on August 14, at 8AM Eastern US time on zoom.

 

Yuri Studio

We have a new video up on Yuri Studio. Following S02 E03 Gateway Yuri Anime Part 1: The 1990s, in which we looked at anime that had a powerful impact on developing what we now think of as the Yuri fandom, in Yuri Studio S02 E04 Gateway Yuri Anime, Part 2: The 2000s  we talk about the anime that helped a new Yuri fandom grow and evolve! Please do not forget to like this video on Youtube and subscribe to the channel. It is a huge help.

 

We have plans for more events, more videos and more direct support of
queer creators and reviewers – and we need your help to do it. 
Become an Okazu Patron today – $5/month can make a huge difference!

Yuri Manga

Out now from Seven Seas, we have the conclusion of Days of Love at Seagull Villa, Volume 3 and Doughnuts Under A Crescent Moon, Volume 2!

Coming next winter from Seven Seas, we are getting Monologue Woven For You, a full-color Yuri manga that has been on my to-read pile for months. I’d better get to it!

Shizuku is directly involved in Kaori’s trauma, but wants sincerely make it up to Kaori in Volume 1 of Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata, (君と綴るうたかた). Complicating matters, Kaori is Shizuku’s favorite author!

In Doukyuusei no Oshi Sakka ni Yuri Mousou ga Bareta Kekka (同級生の推し作家に百合妄想がバレた結果) a classmate finds her classmate is the writer of her favorite Yuri novel! Which is like the same plot as above without trauma.

The Manga Park app has sample pages of a new occult Yuri comedy up for free in Japanese. Occultken ha Sonzashinai!! (オカルト研は存在しない!!) is also coming to Japanese shelves as a collected Volume 1 later this month.

 

Yuri Anime

The historical fantasy Yuri manga Uchi no Shishou ha Shippo ga Nai, about a Tanuki who learns Rakugo from a Kitsune woman is getting an anime adaptation! ANN’s Egan Loo has casting details and Alex Mateo has the rest of the story. I reviewed volume 1 of the manga here last winter.

Adrian Hazra on ANN has the news that Retrocrush has picked up Revolutionary Girl Utena Movie – The Adolescence of Utena for streaming.

 

Yuri Doujinshi

This news item was a whole story in 4 panels: Lilyka has licensed a new doujinshi (Yay!) call Hakuba Run. It’s an action adventure story! (YAY!) I’ll just go over and read that synopsis….(What the ever-loving fuck? What did I just even read?) I won’t spoil…go read that synopsis for yourself. It’s an adventure, for sure.

 

Yuri Light Novels

Seven Seas tweeted that Roll Over and Die: I Will Fight For An Ordinary Life With My Love and My Cursed Sword, Volume 4 is on shelves. It’s been a pretty violent series, even so, let me suggest you read Sean Gaffney’s review before picking this one up. 

 

Other News

Hayate x Blade Fans! Hayashiya-sensei has put together another round of limited shirts on her webstore. Some of the Black Group characters are available and Nagi and her shinyuu.

AkiYanagi on Twitter wants us to know that Yahoo News JP announced that  Takarazuka will be making an appearance at the Olympics closing ceremony, with a Rose of Versailles performance.

Among a number of other anime/manga homages at the Pandemic Games, the Uzbekistan rhythmic gymnastics team performed their routine to Sailor Moon theme Moonlight Densetsu.

Princess Weekes has news on The Mary Sue that Renee O’Connor and Lucy Lawless will be teaming up for some episodes in Lawless’ new series. It’s heart-warming to know that they are still out there, enjoying their fandom enjoying them. ^_^

The Journal of Anime and Manga Studies is a relatively new open-access peer-reviewed academic journal about anime and manga studies. This journal is hungry for your submissions and is a fantastic resource for independent scholars. You can find them on Twitter, where they retweeted this discussion by Billy Tringali on the Importance of LGBTQ+ Representation in Anime.

JAMS also shared ANN CEO and Publisher Christopher MacDonald’s editorial about How Much Does It Cost to License Anime? This was a direct response to the AnimeTube debacle of a Kickstarter that expected to license anime for bout $4 an episode, so was probably only 100000x off projection.

 

Become a YNN Correspondent:  Contact Us with any Yuri-related news you want to share and be part of the Yuri Network. ^_^

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!

Posted in Yuri Network News | 4 Comments »