Yuri Manga: Dekisokonai no Hime-tachi, Volume 1 (できそこないの姫君たち)

May 17th, 2019

One of the byproducts of so many Yuri anthologies and manga outlets recently is the pleasure of encountering new names among the familiar ones. Ajiichi has been around a little while, but hasn’t had a collected volume of their own in Yuri. So I was pretty stoked to see Dekisokonai no Hime-tachi, Volume 1 (できそこないの姫君たち) from Ajiichi, collected from Takeshobo’s web comic Storia Dash. 

This story is very much in the style of Morinaga Milk’s GIRL FRIENDS, in that it begins with two classmates. Like Mari and Akiko, Kurokawa Kaede, an unpopular girl and popular Fujishiro Nanaki are opposites – but they are not friends. Kurokawa doesn’t particularly like Fujishiro and their spheres are completely separate. In fact, it’s almost complete coincidence that brings them together and chance that they find they kind of like one another.

In the way of such things, Nanaki is finding she likes being with Kaede, and the two spend more and more time together, until Nanaki’s crowd reacts with resentment. But Nanaki’s not going to bend, much less break under that kind of pressure and she chooses Kaede.

Nanaki takes Kaede on a Shibuya makeover date and, as the volume comes to a close, realizes that her reaction to Kaede’s cuteness is more than just friendship. Volume 2,which will be released in June, will resolve this, but I kind of think there’s no doubt of the conclusion.

If you’re looking for something GIRL FRIENDS-like, this series is a good bet. Ajiichi’s art is reminiscent of Morinaga’s, the set up is similar and undoubtedly, the end will be too.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Service – 2 A teen little bit
Yuri – 6

Overall – 7

The Yuricon Store is back up and running! Yay!

It’s good to see Takeshobo’s Bamboo Comics back in the Yuri game.

Posted in Yuri Manga | 1 Comment »


Yuri Manga: Comic Yuri Hime May 2019 (コミック百合姫2019年5月号)

May 16th, 2019

Due to a conflict with a recent update, the Yuricon Store is not currently functional. We’ll get it back up as quickly as we can, but in the meantime, links on Okazu will go straight to Amazon or Amazon JP. We apologize for the inconvenience.

It seems a lifetime since I read Comic Yuri Hime, May 2019 (コミック百合姫2019年5月号).

The first story, by Usui Shio, “Kaketa Tsuki to Donuts” tells a bittersweet story of the sacrifices a woman makes in her life to be correct and popular; the breakdown she has over her inability to be what society expects of her and the coworker who comes to her rescue. Will it be love? We’ll have to tune in to find out. (No, obviously not, it runs in Comic Yuri Hime for pity’s sake. It will be love, duh. ^_^)

Although it appears to be yet another high school love story, I am really liking Takashima Eku’s “Sasayaku You ni koi o Utau” about a girl and the lead singer she’s fallen for – and who is shocked that she’s falling back.

Iwami Kiyoko’s “Luminous Blue” is heading for a confrontation between various pieces of this love triangle and I don’t see any way around it.

Okay, it’s time to talk honestly about Kodama Naoko’s “Uminekosou Days.” I do not dislike it. I actually kind of like it. But can I just admit that I hate the main fetish here? Mayumi has run from a relationship with a guy with whom she didn’t (couldn’t? wouldn’t?) have a child. And that relationship and the idea of having a child (or not…it’s not really clear whether she wants to and can’t or doesn’t want to,) is haunting Mayumi here in this tiny village in nowhere. This is why I have never loved anything Kodama-sensei writes, even when I like it…it always centers around a compulsion or fetish and won’t move past it. I hope to heavens that this series moves past this, because I actually *want* to root for Mayumi and Rin.

Flowerchild offers two different teacher x student things. “Idola the Coward” is another cute workplace story, by Kayoko, whose art reminds me of something.

Ah…ha! “Itoshi Koishi” by Takemiya Jin has cracked the “coming out” wall. I have been waiting to see this story from her for years. Hanano and Yayoi are making their New Year’s hatsumode when they run into a bunch of Hana’s classmates. Hana, under pressure, lies and says Yayoi is a relative. The older woman is totally understanding, but Hana is devastated by her own internalized homophobia. Yayoi asks Hana if she’s afraid her friends will reject her. Hana says they *know* she’s seeing someone older…and she thinks at least one has figured it out, but…she finds herself, yes, scared. She decides she’s going to tell them. Soon.

This is the narrative we almost never see in Yuri manga. Watch this space as it develops.

“Scarlet” wraps up the current arc and we learn of the promise between Fine and Iris.

In “Goodbye Dystopia” nothing important is said, but as we walk away from Asami’s story, we are clearly about to head into Mizuki’s.

Ratings:

Overall – 9

As always there are many more stories I didn’t mention and some I didn’t read, (and some I did, but this review had gotten so long I wanted to wrap up!) and overall this was a really strong issue of Comic Yuri Hime, that ought to appeal to just about everyone, from moe Yuri fans, to folks looking for fetishy stuff or those looking for adult life Yuri and it’s even edging towards having a lesbian character.

Posted in Comic Yuri Hime, Magazines | 4 Comments »


Yuri Manga: Anoko ni Kiss to Shirayuri wo, Volume 10 (あの娘にキスと白百合を)

May 15th, 2019

Whenever a popular and long-running manga series ends, I’m always tempted to start the review with the lyrics of My Way. I may even have given in to that temptation once or twice. In any case, here we are at the end of the 5 year run of Anoko ni Kiss to Shirayuri wo by Canno. For 5 years we’ve enjoyed tales of love and rivalry and admiration and desire at a girl’s school in which a larger than usual number of girls would like to be, or are, lovers. Among these stories is that of the two top students of the class, the genius slacker Kurosawa Yurine and Shiramine Ayaka.

In Anoko ni Kiss to Shirayuri wo, Volume 10 (あの娘にキスと白百合を), Ayaka is having trouble facing, indeed, even understanding, her feelings for her rival. To provide herself some context, she walks around the school meeting and speaking with all of the characters we’ve met in previous volumes. And, because this is the final volume of the series, shes uses these conversations to sum up their stories and to explore all the ways her own has developed, by asking people to describe their relationships with their lovers/rivals/friend/etc to her. I found this to be a bit “Are you my mommy?”-ish, but it worked well enough, and gave us closure and assurance to some of the more-tenuous relationships.

In my opinion, Ayaka’s cousin and sempai, Mizuki, dropped the ball on this. Having been closest to Ayaka, I kind of feel her softballing her relationship to Moe was a failed opportunity to be a good role model. But YMMV. ^_^ Nonetheless, revisiting each of the storylines from the series gives Ayaka a chance to work through all her feelings for Yurine and admit what we’ve all known for a while – that she likes her.

The epilogue wraps their storyline up sweetly and, finally, ties up the story in a neat bow made of the series title.

As a tale that was always set in Yuri wonderland of a school, in the middle of which there there was a bit of realistic story-telling and some reasonable emotional growth, the outcome was never in doubt, really, but it’s still nice to see it unfold and end the way it did. The cover says it all – the same protagonists as the first volume, but their body language and expressions have changed significantly.

Ratings

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8 
Yuri – 8
Service – 2 Still nice kisses

Canno-sensei’s art has improved so much since her first volume, and she still can turn out an emotionally intense scene or three. After her breakout series was a pretty big hit, I hope she is able to do something she’s really happy with for her next series and not just have to pump out something to please her editors. Sophomore slump is a real thing, but I’m confident she’s got room to grow.

Posted in Anoko ni Kiss to Shirayuri wo, Canno, Yuri Manga | No Comments »


LGBTQ Manga: Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare, Volume 1 (English)

May 14th, 2019

I have been waiting to review this book for about a year. And finally, here it, is, Our Dreams at Dusk, Shimanamai Tasogare, Volume 1 by Yuhki Kamatani is out in English and I cannot express how happy I am for you to be able to read it!

Practically everything I want to say about the book, I said in 2017 when I reviewed the first Japanese volume. I hope you don’t mind if I quote myself.

Tasogare Shimanami begins with Tasuku, a stressed out high school student being bullied by his classmates who call him “Homo,” contemplating suicide. When he sees a woman apparently leap off an even higher ledge, he finds himself dragged into the lives surrounding the “consultation room,” a kind of cafe for outcasts. Compelled by “Dareka-san,” the woman no one really knows, Tasuku finds himself helping with a local non-profit group for the summer.

Tasuku isn’t gay, he insists at school, but when he meets Haruko who casually mentions she’s a lesbian and refers to her “wife,” Tasuku’s chest literally  bursts with pent-up emotions and the pressure of the closet he’s created for himself. And, as he helps Haruko break up a decrepit shack in order to build a shelter, he tears into his own fears and desires and finally admits to himself and others that, he is, after all, gay.

Dareka-san is here translated as “Someone-san” and the consultation room becomes a Drop-In Center, which seems the right choice. Translator Jocelyne Allen and adaptor Ysabet MacFarlane did a bang-up job on both the language and the tone of the story. No only are there some not-quite-the-same terminology when it comes to LGBTQ terms in Japanese, but there are inevitable cultural differences as well. Volume 1 is a good set up for this story which is unusual in Japanese manga merely for being a coming-out narrative. While that is very common in western LGBTQ literature, its still pretty rare to see it as a plot in manga.

There are a lot of elements to like in this volume. The art is brilliant; both evocative and expressive. When Tasuku encounters Haruko, who cheefully describes herself as a lesbian and speaks of her “wife”, Tasuku’s internal closet walls shatter in a magnificent page. The idea that Tasuku has older role models – something that is so critical to young queer folks – makes this manga an important resource for both younger and older gay folks who sometimes don’t really think through their own internal homophobia. It’s terrifying, as Tasuku discovers, to admit to yourself that you are gay, but it doesn’t have to be traumatic, if there is anywhere you can turn. And, let me remind you that no matter where you live, there are people you can turn to. The Internet is your friend. Here are some US-based LGBTQ youth resources, but a search engine can help you find resources near you. Hopefully the generation growing up now sees plenty of folks around them who are queer and happy, which will make great inroads into the feeling of being alone that so many of us dealt with.

Emotions are raw in this manga, and relationships are confusing, which, if my memory serves me, was pretty much exactly the way it was in high school. Tasuku’s journey through this landscape is compelling. It is also fantastic, in all the meanings of the word. There’s a lot to get through here and it is my – and I hope your – pleasure to be here for all of it.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9
Characters- 8
LGBTQ – 10
Service – 0

Overall – 9

Volume 2 will be available in July,  Volume 3 in September and Volume 4 in December this year, so you won’t have to wait too long for the whole story to play out. This terrific series is currently on the top of the LGBTQ Manga category and I expect it to be there for most of 2019. ^_^ Thanks to Seven Seas for licensing this series – you did good.

 

Posted in English Manga, LGBTQ | 8 Comments »


Toronto Comics Arts Festival 2019, Day 2

May 13th, 2019

Sunday started with breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day. Well, it is for me, I need that coffee. 

I finally had a chance to actually go around the festival, so I did. ^_^ I picked up a bunch of stuff, like Laura Dean Keeps Breaking up With Me by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell and Mariko Tamaki, Megan Rose Gedris’ Spectacle, and Emily Carroll’s When I Arrived at the Castle (which I forgot to bring to our panel and therefore did not get signed, d’oh.) I also managed a moment to check out the Zine space at Cumberland Terrace, which I missed completely last year.

I was given review copies of Kiss Number 8 by Colleen AF Venable and Ellen T. Crenshaw who, unrelated to this, I had met at barcon this weekend and who were both lovely. The folks from Seven Seas were repped by a well-stocked table at Page and Panel.

 

Some of the Seven Seas ladies who were there gave me a lovely box of chocolates and a copy of Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare (which I’ve already read and will be reviewing tomorrow. Also a copy of Transparent Light Blue, which I reviewed Friday and Blank Canvas, the comic essay by Jellyfish Princess creator Akiko Higashimura.

 

I was given a copy of Spotted by Jenny McKeon, and I had a lovely conversation with Lianne Sentar and letterer CK Russell, whose work on Kase-san is so excellent. I love these ladies. Much missed was our friend and colleague, Lissa, who was there in spirit, if not in body.

On the floor I picked up Curb Angels by Christopher Ducharme and Lisa Mendis, Box of Bones by Yize Jama-Everett and John Jennings and the Afrofuturism prose anthology [Mothership], both from Rosarium Publishing. I cannot wait to get into those. I also picked up Genesis by  Marta Chudolinska, because her comic work includes prints from woodcuts and linotype.  I was instantly hooked and we briefly chatted about keeping old crafts alive.

I also stopped by the Graphic Medicine table. This is a very fast-growing genre in comics, as all of us tell our stories of illness, disability, aging and the like.

But what did I take on the plane to read? you’re probably not asking, but you should be. On the way up, I read The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley and hot damn is it gay good.  ^_^ But the winner of the show for me is Chronin by Alison Wilgus. This story is historical and science fiction and samurai drama and time-travel all at once. It instantly reminded my of Amakusa 1637 (which I never reviewed? I cannot believe that) for many reasons and I can’t wait for the second and final volume. I hope you’ll all take a look at this fun and interesting new comic.

My last panel of the day was a creator spotlight with Emily Carroll who was HILARIOUS. In fact, I was really blessed, both my creator panels were with people who were engaging and funny. Yay!

I had had dinner with my extended Toronto family on Friday, but on Sunday I went out with my boys, Sean Gaffney, Alan Harnum and Merc (who of course has a real name, but I have never once thought of him that way.) We talked Utena as one does and fanfic and other important fandom things. Thanks to them all for taking time to chat with me over Canadian cider and pub food.

My event was capped off with a lovely long conversation with Takashima-sensei, who was so genuinely fun to talk to. We of course talked manga and Yuri and stuff. Many thanks to Mimmy Shen who had to do a lot of work as an interpreter for us and who was both spectacular and fashionable. Takashima-sensei drew an original piece of art for the Yuri exhibit. How lovely is this?

 

I have so many people to thank this year. First, thanks to all the folks who came to our Yuri panels! Your passion and joy was contagious. I love you all. Thanks to the lovely folks at Sparkler Monthly (hi Becca, we hardly had a chance to talk!) and Seven Seas. My admirable and talented roomies, Heidi MacDonald and Deb Aoki, the rest of the Comics Coven, Brigid Alverson and Johanna Draper-Carlson, Sean Kleefeld and Laurieann Davis, Morgana Santilli, Zachary Clemente, all the ALA folks, Gina, Amy and Matt, Erik Ko, and all the TCAF volunteers. My very sincere and special thanks to the many folks at the Japan Foundation, Nobi-san. Ayumi-san, Shimizu-san, thank you so much, you were so welcoming!And my love and devotion to Christopher Butcher and Andrew Woodrow-Butcher for literally everything they did to make the 100 Years of Yuri Exhibit happen.

Thank you Jocelyne Allen and Mimmy Shen for interpreting and being magnificent humans. And thank you Kumagai-san and the Shinsokan folks and thank you so much to Takashima Hiromi-sensei. It was my very sincere pleasure to meet you and speak with you, We will definitely keep in touch.

Thank you all again for reading my TCAF 2019 journal – I hope to see you all there next year.

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