Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – September 9, 2023

September 9th, 2023

In black block letters, YNN Yuri Network News. On the left, in black silhouette, a woman with a broad brim hat and dress stands, a woman in a tight outfit sits against the Y. Yuri Anime

Via YNN Correspondent Patricia B, you should take a moment to watch the Hoshikuzu Telepath trailer. This anime about friendship and going to space has an October premiere date!

The special [Watashi no oshi wa akuyaku reijō. ] Rei to Kurea ni ichimon’ittō 〜 i sekai de kiite mita 〜 (【私の推しは悪役令嬢。】レイとクレアに一問一答 〜異世界で聞いてみた〜) Rae & Claire Q&A sessions for the upcoming I’m In Love With The Villainess anime  continue – they are up to 6 on Youtube now. ^_^ Check out Sephalia’s Twitter feed for links to translations.

Retrocrush announced that, as of September 15, The Rose of Versailles anime will be streaming  – free, legally – on their service.

ANN’s Alex Mateo notes that Retrocrush will also be streaming Magic Knight Rayearth, among other series.

HIDIVE announced that it will stream The Vexations of a Shut-In Vampire Princess this autumn. If you’d like to review it for Okazu, contact us!

 

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Not really Yuri, but HIDIVE also notes that RE:cycle of the PENGUINDRUM, Part 1 and Part 2 are streaming on their site. I’m torn about watching this, as I really thought the TV series was perfect. If you’d like to review it for Okazu, drop me a line!

 

Yuri Light Novels

Big news in the Yuri light novel world this week – inori.-sensei, creator of I’m In Love With The Villainess, announced a new book,  Yuusha ni Naritai Shoujo <Boku> to, Yuusha ni narubeku Kanojo <Kimi> ( 勇者になりたい少女＜ボク＞と、勇者になるべき彼女＜キミ＞」) which I would translate as something like “Me, the girl who wants to be a hero and you, she who ought to be a hero.” If I were titling it in English maybe something like “Boku to Kimi: The girl who wants to be a hero, and the woman who should be a hero.”  It’s an intriguing title. Sensei is publishing it with Dengeki Bunko, so a new publisher, as well.

Luckily the Seven Seas September Survey is live, so you can ask them to get that right away. ^_^

 

Yuri Articles

We have a ton of great reading this month, beginning with Friend of Yuri Frank Hecker’s, Notes toward a unified theory of yuri, in which he attempts to find threads of commonality and thematics in Yuri.

Via YNN Correspondent Matt Marcus, recent participant in the Trans Percpectives on Yuri panel for Yuricon 2023, Alexis Sara expands her thoughts in Lilies In Transition: The state of trans representation in yuri on Anime Feminist.

And, again for Anime Feminist, Gab Hernandez take a look at My Fave Is Problematic: Stop!! Hibari-Kun!, in which this series  – which is full of stereotypes and also amazingly ahead of it’s time – is addressed with fairness and honesty.

 

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Yuri Manga

Via YNN Correspondent Matt Marcus, Arai Sumiko’s Ki ni Natteru Hito ga Otoko ga Janakatta, (気になっている人が男じゃなかった) has a pop-up shop at the Ikebukuro Parco in Tokyo on September 15-24. Also via Matt, the goods are supposed to be going online when the event is over.

The Two of Them Are Pretty Much Like This, Volume 4 will be hitting shelves in November. It’s a great end to this series.

Kono Koi Wo Hoshi Ni Wa Negawanai, Volume 1 (この恋を星には願わない) tells the tale of three school friends and a relationship that could not have happened….

Over at ANN, Nicholas Dupree takes a look at I Don’t Know Which Is Love, Volume 1, which makes a nice companion to Luce’s review here on Okazu.

 

Yuri Doujinshi

Yuri/GL Phillipines is very proud to announce “their first-ever Pinoy-made doujin anthology: YURILISTIC – Yuri Doujin Circle Vol 1 presents Vows: Among the Lilies!” This will be available at Cosplay Mania ’23 in Manila. They have some samples on their Twitter thread.

 

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Posted in Yuri Network News | 1 Comment »


Kohaku no Kijo (琥珀の貴女)

September 7th, 2023

A woman with short dark hair leans over a woman with long reddish-brown hair in bed. Today, I am conflicted. ^_^

Kohaku no Kijo (琥珀の貴女) is a short story collection by Higashikawa Mizo and, like most short story collections, it has some tropes of short story writing that places it directly in the middle of my aversion to short story collections. ^_^; On the other hand, the art and some of the writing was pretty solid.

The first story relies on what has become a standard Yuri trope – a woman falls for the sex worker she hires.  This is complicated by the fact that the woman really knows nothing of the sex worker’s life, and is missing a great deal of information. An unlikely twist occurs, but they find a way to help one another. The next story is wrapped around a manipulative relationship and for this one, the handwave is that it has lasted for a unreasonably long time.

The next story was the one where I put the book down and thought – do I want to keep reading this? Which has lead to today’s conflict. The answer to “do I want to keep reading this” turned out to be “yes,” but then it shifted to – is there something here worth writing about? In this third story the twist is again rather tragic and the narrative equivalent of a truck slamming into you – blunt and designed to damage. Not to put too fine a point on it – not every short story needs a twist.

So why am I reviewing this book? Because despite the fact that all the stories, including the heavily emotional final story, are rooted in tragedy and conflict being avoided/denied until it is too late, there is a complexity to the characters. They aren’t just victims of their imaginations, or lack of initiative, or self-preservation. They are actively looking to see the good in other people….even when other people are the problem.

Ratings:

Art – A solid 7, with moments of 8
Story – 5
Characters   –  6 Very cloudy skies clearing up
Service – 1 a little bit for effect
Yuri – 8

Overall – 7

The theme, while not enough to make me “like” this collection, made me want, in the end, to review it. It’s been a tough year for me, I’m not really in the mood for tragic twists and unpleasant partnerships that linger….but I am reminded that even in dark places, some people are decent. It was a good reminder.

Posted in Yuri Manga | No Comments »


Otherside Picnic, Volume 6, Guest Review by Sandy Ferguson

September 6th, 2023

The cover of Otherside Picnic, Volume 6, manga, makes it clear we are about to enjoy the common trope of the “beach episode.” At least from the cover it looks like Toriko is enjoying herself, whereas Sorawo has her usual look of, ‘how can I possibly be happy with the fact that this gorgeous blonde wants to hang out with me?’

In Volume 6 we have the conclusion of The Kisaragi Station Marines Rescue Operation, then the fun part of the ‘Resort Night at the Beach of the End’. Then another story from Kozakura’s perspective, ‘Ms. Yozakura’s Food Spam Livestream.’ 

First, there is thrilling climax to the rescue operation where the Sorawo and Toriko tag team bring this story to a satisfying conclusion, with some classic Otherside Picnic dialogue from the Marines in response to their success.

What struck me was how successful the manga is in conveying a moment of quiet after the Marines have gone, that provides an effective backdrop for a touching moment of intimacy between the accomplices Toriko and Sorawo as they deal with the emotional consequences of their actions, and what it reveals about their evolving relationship.

And then off to the beach, because girls just want to have fun, well at least Toriko does.

There are obligatory moments of accomplice panic from Sorawo as she wonders what is more terrifying:
a) discovering that they have somehow ended up on a beach in the Otherside, or
b) dressing for the beach in the presence of Toriko.

In this volume we are given some fleeting glimpses of the happier days of Sorawo and Toriko’s lives, a rarity in the usual narrative of loss that are their backstories. Indeed, these glimpses may be seen as a backdrop to the unusual aspect of this volume, we see the Otherside as a place where Sorawo and Toriko can chill and have fun, free from their fears of the social pressures of this world, in this case the fun consisting of drinking beer and shooting guns.

In this volume the Otherside becomes, for a moment, more nuanced. It is not just a place that provokes terror or triggers insanity, but a place that can bring for Sorawo and Toriko moments of connection based on simply enjoying being with one another. But this being the Otherside, things change, and Team Sorawo and Toriko once more must face the terrors of the Otherside, and the artwork rises to the challenge.

In the bonus story we discover more about Kozakura’s gig as a virtual YouTuber and the nature of her avatar, in what I found to be an interesting reflection of her past relationship with Satsuki Uruma. This YouTube session centres on food, with unexpected contributions from Sorawo and Toriko’s bender in Okinawa. There are also moments when Kozakura shares her pungent thoughts on her dealings with Sorawo and Toriko, as well as her thoughts on the nature of Sorawo and Toriko’s relationship.

Story – 9
Artwork -9
Character – 8, I enjoyed watching Sorawo and Toriko learning to have fun together.
Service – 9, it is a beach episode, though tastefully done. And Sorawo discovers how comfortable Toriko is in her presence…
Yuri – 7, this volume explores the various levels of initimacy growing between Sorawo and Toriko

Overall – 9

All in all, another great read.

Posted in English Anime, Guest Review, Otherside Picnic, Yuri Manga | No Comments »


The Moon on a Rainy Night, Volume 1

September 4th, 2023

I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am that you get to read The Moon on a Rainy Night, Volume 1! This masterwork by Kuzushiro hits English language shelves tomorrow and I implore you to get it if you haven’t already.

Amayo no Tsuki (雨夜の月) has been one of my favorite series since it launched last year – Volume 5 was reviewed here just last week, in fact. I’ve been a fan of Kuzushiro-sensei’s work for ages and was able to bring Kimi no Tame Nara Shineru (姫のためなら死ねる) out in English in partnership with JManga.  So this is technically not the first time Kuzushiro-sensei’s work had been published in English, but it is the first time in print and so well-positioned for success.

The Moon on a Rainy Night follows the lives of Saki, a typical student in high school, and her classmate Kanon, who is hard-of-hearing. Kanon has isolated herself from her classmates after a painful misunderstanding in middle school so, when Saki is asked to be her friend, Kanon asks her to just not.

Saki and Kanon are thrown together by random circumstances, but their friendship radically changes both their lives in ways that they could not have possibly predicted.

Disability manga is not entirely uncommon. For instance, we’ve been talking about Kabi Nagata‘s mental and physical health since 2016. But there is a reasonable pushback from disability advocates on “inspirational” portrayals of disabled and chronically ill folks gaining unreasonable success “despite” their limitations. No one needs that shit. What we get in Moon on a Rainy Night is the coming together of two people who help one another to become their best selves. Saki reaches out to understand Kanon – she begins to learns sign language to make it easier to communicate and brings Kanon into situations in which she can thrive, instead of hiding from stress. Kanon learns to become part of the larger community – without compromising her own needs. It is a fantastic tale of what “accommodation” ought to look like in a perfect world. Saki and one of the teachers  makes space for Kanon to participate in student life in ways that allow her to feel included on her own terms.

This doesn’t mean life is perfect for Saki or Kanon, which means that there is room for them both to grow – together and separately. As I said in my review of this volume in Japanese, “I’m glad it neither fetishizes nor romanticizes deafness. Instead, it is a bit of an explainer manga, which gives Kanon a chance to speak for herself and to correct Saki’s mistakes and misunderstandings.”

Kuzushiro’s art has really matured over the last few years. There’s amazing reaction shots and this will continue to develop as the story goes on. The storytelling is a little rough in the very beginning, but soon finds it’s own pacing. It’ll pick up speed as the story progresses.

Kodansha has done a fine job of bringing this volume over to us. Kevin Steinbach’s translation feels as natural as it can be, given that in this volume, the characters are still being developed by the creator. Above everything, it feels like young people talking, which I very much appreciate. Jamil Stewart’s lettering is solid, with the Kodansha house style of doing matching captions to the Japanese. The English reads smoothly, great job on editor Andres Oliver.  And the cover design by Phil Balsman captures the feel and colors of the Japanese edition.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 7 This will go up as the narrative matures
Characters – 9
Service – Let’s say 1 on principle but not really
Yuri – Also mostly on principle right now, but that, too, will change

Overall – 8

I am so, so glad this manga is here! It is at the top of my list for possible best of the year.  The Moon on a Rainy Night is a Yuri series that can and should be read by everyone.

Posted in English Manga, Kuzushiro, Yuri Manga | 3 Comments »


Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – September 2, 2023

September 2nd, 2023

A blue silhouette of a girl with a white flower in her hair, embracing the earth. Blue block letters read YNN Yuri Network News. Art by Lissa P. For Okazu. Yuri Manga

New on the Yuricon Store!

Whisper Me A Love Song, Volume 7 will be gracing our shelves this winter, in time to make a great holiday gift. ^_^

Also hitting shelves in winter is Shio Usui’s I Married My Female Friend, Volume 1. This could have been a really superficial series, but hasn’t been at all. Some great stuff has happened in the so-far 3 volumes that are out in Japan.

Running in Margaret magazine, a woman meets her oldest, dearest friend…but something has changed between them in Tsumetakute Yawaraka, Volume 1 ( 冷たくて 柔らか).

Vampeerz, Volume  7 , ( ヴァンピアーズ)  has also joined the  Yuricon store.

A number of folks have written in to note that “The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t A Guy At All,” Kininatteru Hito Ga Otoko Janakatta (気になってる人が男じゃなかった) by Arai Sumiko, took 1st place in the Next Manga Awards in the Web manga category. The message from the author specifically thanks support from international fans. I reviewed that manga last month here on Okazu. 

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ANN’s Rafael Antonio Pinedaa has news that Mikanuji’s Yuri and food manga Sempai, Oishii Desuka?  ((先輩、美味しいですか?) is ending soon. I was rather disappointed with the latest volume in my review last May.

 

Yuri Doujinshi

Via YNN Correspondent Marcus, two doujinshi by creator of Catch These Hands!, murata, featuring Soramori and Takebe from that series, are available for free digital download at Melonbooks. You will need to have a Melonbooks account and download the Melonbooks free e-reader to get them, but they are very fun.

 

Webtoon News

Via Yuri Daily on Facebook, webcomic platform TappyToon has made What Does The Fox Say? unavailable for purchase as of August 30. They note that “According to official information, the original publisher demanded the title to be removed from [being available to be unlocked.]” This is confirmed on the comic page on Tappytoons.

 

Yuri Anime

Via YNN Correspondent Patricia B., we have a trailer for the upcoming anime Hoshikuzu Telepath. I’m very interested to see where this story goes, as I have only read and reviewed the first volume. It looks, like it’s going to be a standard “school club” story.

Kibou no Chikara, the adult Precure story has a trailer and a hint of Precure relationships that survived into adulthood. Joana Cayanan has details on ANN.

Burkeley Hermann takes a long look at the anime for the Alice Gear Aegis Expansion Japanese mobile game and finds it quite Yuri indeed.

 
Yuri Events

The Yuriten Webstore is open! You can purchase goods that are featured at the Yuri art exhibition, in Tokyo and Osaka. A credit card and a buying or shipping service like Buyee/Tenso or White Rabbit will allow you to get goods delivered to you wherever you are. We don’t have specific dates yet, but it looks like the exhibitions will be happening in October and November for Tokyo and respecively.

 

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Yuri Visual Novel & Games

The folks at Noodletub Games have launched the kickstarter for their new 18+ Yuri Visual Novel, Renai Bakudan, which they describe as “Run a love hotel and find your soulmate in this erotic adventure!”

Via YNN Correspondent Paul E., who reviewed Lovestruck just as it was closing down. It appears that some enthusiastic fans are recreating it from archive material Check out Love’s Truck: The Final Stop for some fandom love.

 

 

Yuri Voice Drama

Via May Barrameda, an independent translator working with doujinshi circles, Yuri Situation Voice Drama Kodoku na Majo to Hirowareko no Anata (孤独な魔女と拾われ子のあなた) by Japanese doujinshi circle Ichika no Yurien (いちかの百合園) is now available with English language subtitles! And right now it’s available for 30% off at DL site!

I was a huge consumer of CD Dramas back in the day and I should probably get back into Voice Dramas now that they are being distributed. ^_^ Check out DLSite for other Yuri Voice Dramas, as well.

 

Other News

Over at Anime Feminist, Sarah Guinevere Smit has written a great article on Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou and Transgender Cyborgs’ Experience of the Apocalypse.

Also for Anime Feminist, Mehitabel Glenhaber takes a look at “An Inner Revolution Of The Japanese Women”: The Rose of Versailles As feminist historical fiction.

YNN Correspondent David Mankins would like you to know about the film Witches of the Orient, about a factory-sponsored  women’s volleyball team, who became the Japanese national team and competed in the 1964 Olympics! The film seems to have been released in the UK and Ireland, but we do have a trailer on Youtube. Those of you in or near Cambridge, MA, can access the film through your library card!

Wrapping up for the week – I can’t remember where I found this, but this music video for 虎狼来 (Kororon), is lovely!

 

If you’d like to support Yuri journalism and research, Patreon and Ko-Fi are where we currently accept subscriptions and tips. Your support goes straight to paying for Guest Reviews, folks helping with videos, site maintenance, managing the Yuricon Store and directly supporting other Yuri creators. Just $5/month makes a huge impact! Become part of the Okazu family!

Become a part of the Yuri Network, by being a YNN Correspondent: Contact Us with any Yuri-related news you want to share with our readers.

Posted in Yuri Network News | 3 Comments »