Yuri Manga: Tsukiatte Agetemo Iikana, Volume 3 (δ»˜γεˆγ£γ¦γ‚γ’γ¦γ‚‚γ„γ„γ‹γͺ)

March 2nd, 2020

2020 marks an interesting new phase for me in regards to Yuri manga. Because there are so many more comics about adult women, written for adults, my specific vocabulary of school-related words is more irrelevant than ever before. ^_^ As a result, I find myself reading manga through two or even three times, to make sure I’m following the complications of more adult language and situations. I’m not complaining! Tsukiatte Agetemo Iikana, Volume 3 by Tamifull was a frustrating read, every single time I read it, but wholly worth it.

The volume starts off by wrapping up what might have become a problem. Unbeknownst to Miwa, band drummer Tsuruta has developed a pretty intense crush on her. Miwa never learns about it, but we watch Tsuruta try to figure out his feelings without causing too much collateral damage. Although he does muse about leaving the circle, in the end he doesn’t. But he’s legit hurting and the fact that he never had a chance doesn’t make it better.

Miwa and Saeko stay with Saeko’s family and once again, family dynamics complicate their relationship. Miwa discovers Saeko’s “secret past” and meets some of her old friends, while Saeko want nothing more to distance her current self from that past self.

And they are still having a hard time having sex. I really feel for these two, it’s like their bodies and minds are just conspiring against them. Miwa’s worked past her bad experiences, but Saeko’s really struggling with her body which just won’t respond the way she wants. From our perspective, we can conjecture several things this might be, but without good communication between them, we’ll never know what it is.

I’ve talked about “after the happily-ever-after” many times here on Okazu. This is the big honking problem with first love and school love stories. Once the princess and the princess get together the story just ends, We know that that is hardly the end of the story…for most people it’s just the beginning. Relationships are hard. Communication is complicated. People are complex systems that are constantly changing and are affected by internal and external stimuli….that any couple manages to work at all is almost a miracle. There’s no miracle here – yet – for Miwa and Saeko, but I’m sure I’m not alone in hoping that they figure it out.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8 Getting harder, not easier to read, but getting more relevant as it does
Characters –  7 I’m rooting for everyone, but not sure I actually like anyone
Yuri – 8 / LGBTQ – 6 still room for more
Service – 3

Overall – 8

Complexity is complex. This is much less a Yuri romance at this point than a referendum on relationship communication issues, featuring a same-sex couple.

How Do We Relationship, Volume 1 from Viz Media will be another June baby, so you’ll have a chance then to weigh in with your opinions on this.

Posted in Yuri Manga | 2 Comments »


Manga Drawing Deluxe: Empower Your Drawing and Storytelling Skills

March 1st, 2020

Today we’re doing something completely different! We’re going to be looking at an upcoming how-to-draw-manga book that is really worth your time, whether you want to be be able to draw manga or just really want to understand the visual language manga uses. We’re looking at Manga Drawing Deluxe: Empower Your Drawing and Storytelling Skills by Nao Yazawa, creator of Wedding Peach and Moon and Blood. Yazawa-sensei has been teaching folks to draw at her Manga School Nakano for a number of years and these lessons and her own knowledge are boiled down in an understandable and fun book which will be hitting shelves in June 2020.

In the beginning of Manga Drawing Deluxe, Ann decides to draw her own manga, but her brother Dan tells her it’s crappy. Two manga fairies appear to guide the siblings through the steps of ideation and creation of a manga story – with tips and thoughts from Yazawa herself, through the course of the story – in order to help them, in the words of the fairies, make manga that isn’t crappy! ^_^

You’ve probably run in to the same kinds of how-to-draw manga guides I have, common in craft and book stores. Many of these are not drawn by manga artists, but by manga-influenced artists…many of whom are talented in their own right. (Camilla d’Errico’s Pop Manga series comes to mind.)  But it’s pretty rare to find an English-language book by a Japanese manga artist who has been specifically teaching how to draw manga to English-speakers for years. Which makes this book an extraordinary tool for a person trying to understand what makes manga different and what makes it work.

In this book, Yazawa dissects manga composition, story boarding, character design and give useful advice on timing, emotional impact, visual and sound effects, all from the perspective of, specifically, creating manga…although practically all of the book can be used for understanding many different kinds of visual media. I mean, vanishing point is universal and my wife and I ended up discussing de Chirico’s work when I was relating Yazawa’s discussion of how diagonal panels create an “unstable” emotional mood.

If you’re watching Keep Your Hands off Eizouken and enjoying how the series breaks down anime art and techniques, so you understand it more and become a better viewer (and you should be…it’s a magnificent anime series,) you will absolutely appreciate Manga Drawing Deluxe for doing the same with manga. I’ve been reading, and editing and publishing manga for decades, but I learned quite a bit from this book.

Ratings:

Art – 10
Story – 8 Starting with “crappy manga” was perfect. ^_^
Characters – 8 Actually quite fun
Informative – 10

Overall – 10

If you are or know a budding manga artist, or just want to be able to understand what you’re seeing as you read manga, this is an exceptionally good place to begin.  Raise your MQ (Manga Quotient) and become a better artist – and a better manga reader – with this relatable, entertaining and informative how-to-guide.

My very sincere thanks to Yazawa-sensei for an ARC of this book, I will look forward to getting it in print and giving it out as gifts!

 

Posted in Miscellaneous | 1 Comment »


Yuri Network News – (η™Ύεˆγƒγƒƒγƒˆγƒ―γƒΌγ‚―γƒ‹γƒ₯γƒΌγ‚Ή) – February 29, 2020

February 29th, 2020

Yuri Visual Novels

Breaking News! The visual novel creative team at Studio Γ‰lan, announces a new publishing initiative, Bellhouse, by Studio Γ‰lan. Bellhouse will be publishing games not developed by Studio Γ‰lan, but that they believe deserves attention. Like Studio Γ‰lan projects, Bellhouse will focus on positive representations for LGBTQ women. Their first project is First Snow by Salty Salty Studios.

Yuri Manga

Kadokawa has a new “mistress and servant” anthology, Shujuu Yuri Anthology Rhodanthe (δΈ»εΎ“η™Ύεˆγ‚’γƒ³γ‚½γƒ­γ‚ΈγƒΌ Rhodanthe).

May will bring us Makoto Hagino’s A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow, Volume 3!

Tamifull’s How Do We Relationship, Volume 1 the English edition of Tsukiatte Agetemo Iikana? has an June release date from Viz Media. I’m telling you now…save up all your money for a very, very, very queer June this year.

Jennifer Sherman on AANN reports that Saki Achiga-hen, episode of Side-A manga is restarting after 7 years.

 

Here’s a bunch of books that aren’t going onto the Yuricon Store, but if they sound interesting to you, here you go!

Comic Natalie reports on Pochi Climb, Volume 1 (ぽけゃクラむム！), the collected chapters of the bouldering comic that runs in Comic Yuri Hime and thus sort of awkwardly mashes up awkward torso shots, bouldering details and a vaguely Yuri plotline.

Byougestu, (η—…ζœˆ) by Mochi au Lait, is a “villain’s pure love story” about a girl who stalks another girl. The creator of Happy Sugar Life recommends it, if that gives you a better idea of the audience. (-_-)

Ichido dake demo, Koukaishiteimasu (δΈ€εΊ¦γ γ‘γ§γ‚‚γ€εΎŒζ‚”γ—γ¦γΎγ™γ€‚) is Miyahara Miyako’s story of a lolicon-looking female landlord who is willing to take sex from an older female tenant as payment for overdue rent.

Unicorn to Sabishigariya Shoujo (γƒ¦γƒ‹γ‚³γƒΌγƒ³γ¨ε―‚γ—γŒγ‚Šγ‚„ε°‘ε₯³) follows a lonely girl who conjures up a unicorn(-girl) in her attempt to transport her dog magically to her dorm. Attracted by her virginity, the unicorn won’t leave her alone. This looked cute, but if the word “virgin” is in the editorial copy, I know it’s unlikely to be for me. ^_^

girls x garden has two new Yuri anthologies plumbing the depths of unpleasant emotion. Qualia – Envy and Qualia – Jealousy.

 

The Yuri Network News report is made possible by Okazu Patrons. Your support funds reviews, interviews, news and helps pay writers.

Just $5/month makes a huge impact!

Yuri Anime

The first Princess Principal sequel film has some announcements according to ANN‘s Rafael Antonio Pineda.

 

Yuri Light Novel

We’re getting Otherside Picnic, Volume 3, in April. This is available on Kindle and multiple formats directly from J-Novel Club.

 

Other News

Highly recommended reading, is Caitlin Moore’s Power, Oppression, and Victimhood in The Twelve Kingdoms versus The Rising of the Shield Hero on AnimeFeminist. An excellent bit of compare and contrast.

Anne Reid, a Narrative Director for Ubisoft has written an excellent article on Ethical World Building in Games that is also very worth your time.

Nintendo Switch in Japan is promoting Animal Crossing with a video that seems pretty gay to me. ^_^ H/t to Rachel Thorn for that.

Let’s wrap on this book which has immediately gone onto my to-read pile, Sarah Galley’s Upright Women Wanted, the queer Librarian Wild West adventure we have been longing for! If you’re not already getting the Tor newsletter, I’m going to tell you to do that for yourself. I’ve been getting amazing reading recs from them. Also, yes, there were librarians on horseback in the American Wild West and yes, I will put money down than some of them were queer. Fight me. ^_^

Become a YNN Correspondent by reporting any Yuri-related news with your name and an email I can reply to – thanks to all of you – you make this a great Yuri Network! Special thanks to Okazu Patrons for being an essential part of the team!

Posted in Yuri Network News | 4 Comments »


Yuri Manga: Conditions of Paradise (English)

February 28th, 2020

It was 2008 when I had the delicious pleasure of reviewing Rakuen no Jouken in Japanese. Imagine my delight now, 12 years later, to be able to speak about an English language volume of it with you! I am beside myself with joy for English-reading fans of Yuri that you are finally able to enjoy Conditions of Paradise by Akiko Morishima. This volume contains short-arc and one-shot stories previously published in Comic Yuri Hime, (which was Yuri Hime magazine at the time) with an unpublished additional story, by one of the foundational creators of the modern Yuri genre.

The first arc follows two adult women who are completely opposite, but who find commonality in their love. The second arc is about a younger adult woman and the older woman she falls for…and how an age gap doesn’t have to make a difference at all. An unlikely couple finds strength in one another, a high school girl finds her first love. A historical drama tells the adventurous tale of a beautiful tragic, love. In this variety of shorts, we get to explore all kinds of love women have for one another.

Reading this book is like taking a deep breath and finally, after a long day, being able to relax. Morishima-sensei explores the  inner lives of women, taking time even in the one-shots to learn what experiences, dreams and fears make up their lives. There’s more in-depth character development in any one of these short stories than there is in chapters of other people’s work (semelparous, I’m looking at you…). It’s a treasure.

This book also marks the first work wholly by Morishima-sensei in English! If you have been reading Yuri Bear Storm, you’re familiar with her art. Here, you can enjoy a tall, cool sip of excellent Yuri storytelling alongside her distinctive artistic style. Fans of cute and/or moe art will find that here they are served here without any loss to the individuality or identity of the character. Cute and pink-cheeked they may be, but there are no fetuses in frilly dresses here, nor are the characters interchangeable stereotypes.

As always, the book has been handled beautifully by Seven Seas. Elina Ishikawa-Curran’s translation and Asha Baron’s adaptation reads as smooth as silk. Great job on this book. It was worth the wait.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – variable, 8
Characters – an almost universally likeable 9
Yuri – 9
Service – 4

Overall – 9

If you’re looking for a book to take the edge off the harsh realities of the world that doesn’t ask you to set aside sense or sensibility, take a look at Conditions of Paradise.

Thanks very much to Seven Seas for a review copy! It’s magnificent.

Posted in English Manga, Morishima Akiko, Yuri Manga | 7 Comments »


LGBTQ Anime: Sailor Moon Stars Limited Edition, Part 1, Disk 3 (English)

February 26th, 2020

If Sailor Moon Stars did nothing else in the way of being extremely gay, it could easily ride on it’s reputation as an extremely gay anime for the rest of the series. But…it doesn’t. Because in Sailor Moon Stars Limited Edition, Part 1, Disk 3, Haruka and Michiru show up, are extremely gay, and then Aluminum Siren and Lead Crow show up and are also extremely gay.

In regards to this disk I have some good news and some bad news.

Let us begin with the beginning. Sailor Moon learns from Setsuna, Haruka and Michiru that the enemy is definitely from outside the Solar System and that both Chibi-Chibi and the Starlights might, possibly, be bad. We definitely cannot trust them, for sure. This despite the fact that we definitely seem to be able to trust the Starlights to not throw us at the enemy as a distraction. And we finally learn of Sailor Galaxia.

The first and most persistent of the several not-good things in this part of the story is that exactly zero new ideas appear in this series. The Starlights take over for the Outers in Stars with “we are not allies, despite all evidence to the contrary” and “they cannot be trusted”– exceptionally ironic coming from the Outers who, you may remember 2 whole years earlier were in the exact same position. Chibi-chibi is given the exact same cover story as Chibi-Usa. If we were rational beings, about now, we’d doubt the writer’s abilities. But no, we too have been besotted and smile and nod like this isn’t the laziest writing in the known universe.

Worse – and worst, IMHO – is the aggressive ball of toxic masculinity passed off as perfectly normal. Seiya and Haruka are ridiculous at each other. Seriously if they were real people saying this shit, we’d be like, “dudes, you have some issues.” And Michiru has developed a deeply not-real-world okay tic of shooting Haruka down in public. Passive-aggressive much Michiru? I will handwave Michiru’s behavior toward Seiya, pretending that she also sensed something and wanted to be sure, or something…but “or something” was what I said a lot during this bit. Worst, when Usagi went to help a hurt child she made him feel insecure about his pain and told him that boys don’t cry. That…actually really annoyed me. What a hypocritical thing for her, of all people, to say.

On the positive side, Haruka and Michiru, having come completely out of any small closet they were in are gaying around town. You know they are. They say really suggestive stuff right in front of us, so only the most aggressively clueless among us can still pretend they are not gay, by covering their eyes and ears when they are on the screen. This is so classic “we are out of the closet, dammit” behavior, I actually find it a bit cute. ^_^

And then the surprisingly adult pair of Aluminum Siren and Lead Crow show up and again, you’d have to be ignoring every single thing about them to not see how much of a partnership they are. Next disk, they will prove me correct.

The art on this disk is not particularly good, but there is no inconsiderable effort to show Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako as visibly more grown up than they were in previous seasons. I appreciate those touches.

Ratings:

Art – 4
Story – 7 Much less bad than I anticipated
Characters –  7
Queer – 9
Service – 5 The Inners have racks, too. When we seem them shirtless, the Three Lights don’t have a six-pack. They deserve six-packs.

Overall – 7

Overall, this disk isn’t nearly as bad as I remember, and I find myself not-disliking the Starlights as much as expected to. I’ll even grant that Seiya might even be good with Usagi, if it weren’t for Mamoru. It’s hard to not be angry at Mamoru for making Usagi sad, but as he’s dead, I’ll give him a pass.

Posted in English Anime, LGBTQ, Sailor Moon | No Comments »