Tsukiatte Agetemo Iikana, Volume 12 (付き合ってあげてもいいかな)

June 14th, 2024

A young woman with collar length black hair stands on a street of food stands, wearing a long red coat and white boots, holding a plastic bag. The frame is at an angle, as she looks back over her shoulder at us.Yesterday I said that I was reviewing two series this week that focused on complicated relationships. The first was Volume 9 of  Otona ni Nattemo, by Shimura Takako (available in English as Even Though We’re Adults from Seven Seas.) Today we are looking at the second of these, Tsukiatte Agetemo Iikana, by Tamifull, available as How Do We Relationship from Viz Media.

These two series have nothing in common on the surface, but they both have one similar feature – there are no “bad guys” here. None of the relationships we’re seeing are harmful or toxic. In both series, we’re simply seeing people learning that sometimes even love isn’t enough to make things work.

In slight contrast to Ayano and Akari’s story, the folks we’ve met in this series are college age, not expected to be settled or be “adult” quite yet. Both Miwa and Saeko are just facing down an upcoming graduation and entry into adult society. Interviews with prospective employers and a third of their lifetime wearing a black suit in an office is a daunting barrier for anyone, but they are persevering.

In Tsukiatte Agetemo Iikana, Volume 12 (付き合ってあげてもいいかな), both Saeko and Miwa are also facing the ends of their current relationships. They have great affection – even love – for their partners, but it’s just not working out. To break the tension, they go on a overnight together and face the question of whether their relationship is something that can be renewed or not – a subject of constant conversation on the Okazu Discord. ^_^ I have always been ambivalent about them getting back together, but while I think I might not be as opposed as I previously was, I’d still rather them move on.

Also, several years into any of this, these queer girls have somehow kind of avoided talking about being queer, or becoming queer adults and while I want to think it’s because they feel the world they are entering will accept them as they are, it’s more likely that these conversations are just not being made part of an otherwise honest and realistic story.

I am glad that current chapters of How Do We Relationship are available on Viz.com and the Viz app, so I can stay current with the translated volumes, but I find myself letting go of these characters. In fact, I am kind of hoping the series ends at graduation.  What will Volume 13 bring us? I…don’t know and am honestly not sure I care, which is a devastating thing to say about a series I have been following for 5 years and 12 volumes. We’ve seen the characters change and grow a lot over the years., but I’m no longer invested in their personal growth – the story has become the manga equivalent of coworker who only ever talks about their love life.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 6
Characters – 7 They are trying so hard
Yuri – 8
Service – 7 CW on the end of the book for sexual assault survivors, again, but it does get addressed.

Overall – 6

There are no bad guys here, just complicated and sometimes messy relationships. That’s not enough to keep me coming back much longer.

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Otona ni Nattemo, Volume 9 (おとなになっても)

June 13th, 2024

On an orange background, a woman with long blue hair, leaning on her arms, wearing an orange knit or patterned blouse, looks at us with a slight smile.I am currently reading two Japanese series about adults in complicated relationships. Both series are, in equal part, compelling and interesting and annoying as heck. Today we’re looking at Otona ni Nattemo, Volume 9 (おとなになっても) by Shimura Takako.

This story follows a (now-formerly) marries woman, Ayako, and a lesbian, Akari, as they meet, fall in love and come together again, as all the cracks in Ayako’s life come apart. In my review of Volume 8 is commented, “This continues to be such a low-key adult life Yuri that one can hardly think of it as barrelling down on the conclusion of the series…and yet, that is where we are. ” As Otona ni Nattemo, Volume 9 (おとなになっても) progresses, I’m constantly reminded of the other series, which is equally as complicated, but so much less “adult” somehow. I’ll talk about that one tomorrow.

Akari and Ayako are living together, at last. Things are good, or might be, as soon as they negotiate what any of this means to them. They haven’t really dated, and they know that. Did they do this too soon? Maybe, and they know that too, but are really going to try and make it work.

In the mean time, Ayako’s former students have gone from being children to tweens, in the way that children do. Two of them come to visit their former teacher, and marvel at her relationship with another woman. Ayako’s still uncomfortable answering questions, but Akari much less so.

Slowly, steadily, life goes on here. Things change, people change. Wataru has, maybe a new girlfriend, his mother visits the salon to see all these bit players who have completely shaken up her life. And Akari and Ayako find some quiet joy in the idea that they now can actually get to know one another. At last. Until next volume. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Service – 0
LGBTQ+ – 8, as Akari tries to be a good role-model for young women who may well need one.

Overall – 8

Volume 8 of Even Though We’re Adults is out in English and Otona ni Nattemo, Volume 10 is out in Japanese!

 

Posted in Artists, LGBTQ, Shimura Takako, Yuri Manga | 1 Comment »


Himegami no Miko (姫神の巫女)

June 12th, 2024

A girl with long dark hair, wearing a black and purple Japanese school uniform, and a blonde long-haired girl in a uniform with knit vest and blue skirt partially embrace as they look at us out of the sides of their eyes.by Rachel Gruber, Guest Reviewer

As a teen growing up in the 2000s, my introduction to yuri anime naturally came in the form of the “big three:” Strawberry Panic!, Simoun, and of course, Kannazuki No Miko. The latter is as iconic as it is infamous, so it’s no wonder that its creators, Kaishaku, chose to bring back poor Chikane and Himeko in series after series over the years. After their truly atrocious 2009 outing in Zettai Shoujo Seiiki Amnesian (Volume 1 and Volume 2 were reviewed here in 2010,) a series rightfully given a 1/10 here on Okazu, Kaishaku made the wise decision to let Chikane and Himeko sit out the 2010s. But by the time 2020 rolled around, they were apparently ready to get back to business. Enter: Himegami No Miko.

This fourth(!) incarnation of Chikane and Himeko have returned with a distinctly modern art style that’s reasonably cute, if admittedly lacking any unique distinguishing features, and a story with a decent mix of new and old concepts from previous series. Instead of a story that ends with the two fated lovers having to kill each other, this one begins with assassination as its core goal. Each of our heroines come from two noble houses on an island ruled over by the evil snake demon Orochi (who is unfortunately not a robot this time) and, upon reaching the proper age, are meant to have the usual duel to the death in order to determine who gets to be this generation’s sacrifice to said evil snake demon. But unlike every previous iteration of these characters, Himeko manages to show some actual agency for the first time by running away from her fate. When Chikane inevitably follows her and ends up on the mainland, she also finds herself making a promise to serve as Himeko’s friend until the date of their duel–at which point Himeko will allow Chikane to kill her. Not exactly breaking the mold when it comes to murder promises in yuri, but it’s a solid enough foundation to build a romance on. Everything is in place for Kaishaku to hit us with another terrible cash-grab. There’s just one problem:

Himegami No Miko is…actually pretty good?

The story is nonsense, of course, and you’ve got your standard sexual predator/fanservice elements that you can expect from Kaishaku, but there’s also enough heartfelt emotion in there to get the reader at least a little invested. What really makes the series stand out, however, is its characters. The usual cast have been given more than a fresh coat of paint this time around; Chikane is less full of self-hatred and guilt than usual (and not a rapist! Yay!), Souma has become both a girl and a villain, and Himeko…Himeko actually gets to do stuff this time! She even gets the best moment of the series, a shocking villainous turn that made me gasp in real life. Throw in a final third full of appropriately dramatic and daring rescues, climactic showdowns, and other unoriginal yet enjoyable moments before providing an actual happy ending, and you’ve got a series that left me smiling far more than I’d like to admit.

Is it still a mess? Absolutely. Supporting characters drop in and out without warning, logic gets tossed out the window on more than one occasion, and there is a hilarious amount of blatantly incorrect medical information. On its own, it’s a dime a dozen action yuri series. But as a sequel to Kannazuki No Miko? I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think it might be better. Hell, it might even be better than Shattered Angels. It shouldn’t be possible, but here we are. Himegami No Miko is good. Not great, but good. And after Zettai Shoujo Seiiki Amnesian, that might as well be a miracle.

Ratings:

Story – 6
Art – 7
Yuri – 9
Service – 5

Overall – 7

Erica here – You can read the first chapter of Himegami no Miko as a free sample in Japanese on Comic Walker. I admit to having forgotten to finish it. ^_^; Perhaps I’ll get back to it if this is a decent-er ending than the last…3 times. ^_^

Posted in Guest Review, Kannazuki no Miko | 9 Comments »


The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, Vol. 6

June 10th, 2024

Two girls stand back to back. One with long white hair wields a thing saber, the other with medium-length blond hair holds a large energy blade in rainbow colorsAmong the many remarkable things in Piero Karasu’s light novel series, the most remarkable to me continues to be the  author’s willingness to address issues after the happily-ever-after of the romance plot. In The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, Vol. 6, having faced and reconciled with her brother who caused Euphyllia so much grief, and the college of magic whose members previously opposed her, Anis is now taking on a crisis that has been brewing on the outer reaches of their country.

That the crisis is merely okay as a plot line does not change my opinion that it is a remarkable thing that this series is both continuing and also addressing the consequences of Anis’ and Euphie’s partnership, as well as the remaining problems in the country as we know it. Problems that are, conveniently, not poverty or social injustice. It’s true that Anis’ ideas for use of magic stones seems to be more on the side of capitalism than socialism and the proliferation of flying vehicles, for instance, strikes me as less useful for the commons than trade and military, but she’s trying.

Was I deeply irritated when the 1) greatest and most powerful of all the Vampires was basically 2) a lonely child 3) with an extremely limited vision of what “togetherness” is? Yup. Very. On all three counts, so the climactic battle was not engaging except as an exercise in tactics – but that, too, does not detract from the fact that this author cleans up their messes, which is both unique and interesting.

In the end, Anis and Euphie as a couple are cute and Anisphia and Euphylia as a ruling couple are interesting and I’d like to read more because I am a fan and don’t want to let go….

Ratings:

Art – Inconsequential and moe
Story – 8 for intent, 7 for execution
Characters – 9, except for the Most Powerful Vampire In The World who was a 5
Service – More in intent than practice, but I am becoming inured to the series’ coyness about sex
Yuri – 9

Overall – 7

….but I am very, very done, with powerful immortal, supernatural beings that look and think like children. LN authors, please get a new idea already.

Posted in Light Novel | No Comments »


Koudou Ryou no Seizana Hibi, Volume 1 (黄道寮の星座な日々)

June 9th, 2024

A blonde with short hair in a white school uniform and beige cardigan, embraces a brunette with pigtails, who reaches out towards us. Both smile as they look at us, surrounded by small cute girls representing the Zodiac signs at the Zodiac Dorm.One again, this review comes with a story. I was standing in Animate in Shibuya and saw a book I had been meaning to read for a while, so I nabbed it because it was one of the featured titles. Well, I got home and found that I had purchased Volume 2 of this series, so it was going to require me to get and read Volume 1 first.  As it turns out, I was incorrect – I absolutely could have started with Volume 2 and just jumped right in, but I didn’t know that yet. ^_^

So Bookwalker to the rescue, which is where I purchased Koudou Ryou no Seizana Hibi, Volume 1 (黄道寮の星座な日々) by Canno, creator of Kiss and White Lily For My Dearest Girl.

A young woman comes to the “Zodiac Dorm” where every resident is referred to solely by the Zodiac sign they represent. Our protagonist arrives to explain the she intends to be the next Virgo. She seems passionate, and competent and all she needs to do is get the approval of all the other 11 (no Ophiuchus here) residents, which necessitated Virgo meeting all the other signs, being dragged into their drama and solving several conflicts before breakfast.  The rooms in the dorm accommodate two people, so there are some love affairs and personality conflicts. As far as I can remember Scorpio and Taurus are dating and, I think, Aries and Sagittarius.

And then, there’s Gemini. Gemini is…well Gemini. I’m not hugely into astrology, but if you know a Gemini, you know this Gemini.  She’s a human boundary violation. ^_^ And at the end of the tour, she rejects Virgo. Why? It’s a Mystery!

Only, it isn’t really and about then I realized I could have just read Volume 2 and have known exactly what was happening. No worries though, there’s nothing wrong with a little predictability. I’m watching Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix, I feel like it’s the equivalent of watching a Shaw Brothers movie (including the masterwork 36th Chamber of Shaolin, which is a must-watch for fans of the genre) – every line is pretty much predictable, every “reveal,” every scene. It’s okay to relax into that kind of thing and just let it wash over you.

What is Gemini’s deal? Who is the “Alice” that Virgo was told to protect by her older sister? Yeah…it’s the same story.

Ratings:

Art – 7 Not Canno’s best
Story – 7 Same as above, but that’s okay
Characters – Exactly as you’d expect
Service – 0 Unless you have an astrology kink
Yuri – 9

Overall – 7

So Volume 2 is awaiting me, but I’ll be shocked if I am shocked. ^_^ In the meantime, as the worst Virgo ever, I absolutely approve this Virgo as the new resident of the Zodiac dorm.

Posted in Artists, Canno, Yuri Manga | 3 Comments »