Artbook: Kazuaki Artworks

September 18th, 2013

Kazuaki Artworks is not really a “Yuri” Artbook. It is an artbook full of attractive female and male figures draped artfully across mostly members of the same sex. Kazuaki is probably best known for work on the reverse harem with BL-ish elements series Starry Sky, but based on the art in this book, Kazuaki’s portfolio is full of work for Light Novels, as well. In addition, when Yuri Hime and Yuri Hime S merged and the magazine moved to bimonthly format as Comic Yuri Hime, the first 4 issues featured Kazuaki’s art. (The cover of this collection is from Comic Yuri Hime, in fact.)

This collection is published by the anime/manga goods chain Mandarake. The largest chunk of the book is the art for the multi-volume Lens and Diabolic (レンズと悪魔) light novel series. Some of the pictures have notes in the appendix, but this is not a major focus.

I have to say, I find Kazuaki’s style very appealing. Girls and boys are drawn as attractive, not-quite-of-this-world-ly, with hints at popular anime and manga character tropes. It’s colorful, approachable and unrealistic all at once.

The collection contains some, but not all, of the Comic Yuri Hime art, and a lot of other works, some of which include fetching young women near one another and occasionally, touching.  This is not an artbook one gets because one is looking for Yuri – it is an artbook one gets because one likes this artist and the Yuri is just icing on the cake. ^_^

Ratings:

Art -YMMV, but for me, it’s 9

Many thanks  to Okazu Superhero Dan P. , who sponsored this item off the Yuri Wishlist on Amazon JP!  I will treasure the book – and I hope you enjoyed the review. ^_^

Posted in Yuri Artbook | 3 Comments »


Princess Knight Anime, Part 1 (English) – First Impressions

September 17th, 2013

rsdvd1378I’m currently reading a book on early 20th century Japanese girl’s literature and culture and the author carefully cautions readers to not interpret relationships through the lens of modern lesbian culture and I simultaneously thought, “Obviously” and “Screw that.” Obviously, because the girls themselves, living lives largely segregated from boys would not necessarily have interpreted their own forays into romantic, platonic love as “desire,” but screw that, because human nature does not change and some of those girls would have. I’ll talk about this more when I review that book, but it brings me to Princess Knight, Part One, from Nozomi/RightStuf.

I will not caution you to not interpret this cartoon in any particular way.

We know this was released in the late 1960s and we can see watching it, that it was heavily informed by Disney , Warner Brothers and Walter Lantz.  “Woop-woop-woop!” is the soundtrack of my youth, in many ways.  My youth, which, btw included Bugs Bunny cross-dressing as Carmen Miranda.

The Princess Knight TV series is new to me. I have seen the 3-episode series, but never the 1967-8 version. So, as I’m watching this release of Princess Knight, I’m honestly surprised at how much of a transgender narrative the beginning is. A Prince who is a girl, reminded at every turn that her life doesn’t match the gender role expectations of her body – and hounded by people who want to expose her. Wow, was I made uncomfortable by Duralamin and Nylon in this cartoon – far more than I was in the manga. Her mother rags on her to remember she is a girl, and not to forget herself, while her father rags on her to be a perfect boy. And *everyone* ignoring the fact that she is really quite fabulous as she is – a brave and strong and independent girl in pants.

As with Riyoko Ikeda’s Claudine, I can’t help but wonder if Sapphire might have been satisfied with her sex if she was given the privilege, position and power she deserved. And this is exactly why I call BS on the “don’t interpret it” cautioners. Why wouldn’t we interpret and discuss this through our own lenses? Isn’t that why we’re here, talking about this stuff in the first place?  There are a lot of ways in which this story would not have conflict – if the Kingdom wasn’t entailed to a male heir; if Duralamin wasn’t evil; if Sapphire was content to be a boy all the time and never deviated from the script. But instead, Sapphire wants the privilege of being a Prince, with the chance to indulge in the role of Princess, and to be left alone to be who she wants to be. It’s pretty obvious that, like Erminia after her, the idea of being Queen to some King  who will protect the country, never enters her mind as a pleasant option.

Let’s fully engage in interpreting Princess Knight through a modern lens. Is Sapphire transgender? Is she a cross-dresser? Is it merely because she is robbed of the ability to live and rule as herself that she indulges/delughts in dressing as a boy? Is she someone who now might consider herself genderqueer? My feelings are that she’s perfectly happy with the body of a girl and the privilege and independent life she gains as a boy. A happy tomboy who would be just that much happier if everyone got off her case. Your thoughts in the comments, please. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – Infamously low quality, but I was alive in ’67…what wasn’t low quality?
Characters – Pastiches of tropes of archetypes
Story – Rather more uncomfortable-making than I expected

Overall – 7

Thank to the generosity of TRSI for this review copy, And thanks to them,  I have 2 copies of this DVD to give away, so if you want to ponder the “do not ponder”ables of watching a 50 year old story with modern eyes, put your name and country next to you comment to win the set!

Posted in English Anime, Ribon no Kishi / Princess Knight | 9 Comments »


Yuri Network News (百合ネットワークニュース) – September 14, 2013

September 14th, 2013

YNN_LissaYummy Random News

Watch this absolutely lovely animated short, Contre Temps,  because it is absolutely lovely.

More Sailor Moon goods. Some new bag designs that I’m actually considering trying to find and the S.H. Figuarts Sailor Mars is now up for pre-order.

One of the things that fascinated me about Madoka and One Piece is their existence as what I call a “saturation series.” There is an almost infinite amount of goods for these series – from designer accessories to common items. The fact that Sailor Moon is coming this season and there are goods out the wazoo makes me happy beyond belief. The only thing that would make me happier, would be news that we were getting the Outers as well as the Inners. ^_^

Dying for chestnut Rose of Versailles pudding? Thought so.

How about some amazing, over-the-top RoV latte art? Here’s some Sailor Moon designs by the same artist. I bet the coffee is cold by the time you get it, though.

Tokusatsu all-girl series set in a ridiculous private girl’s school with just enough Yuri service and CGI transformations? I’m in! Check out Komatsu-san’s write-up on Shiromajo Gakuen/ Innocent Lillies (seriously) on Crunchyroll. According to the official website, it will be streaming world-wide on Youtube. I can’t wait. ^_^

Oh and speaking of “yes, please,” check out these Disney Princesses dressed like their princes.

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That’s a wrap for this week! Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There’s a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage – stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent’s badge. Thanks to all of you – you make this a great Yuri Network!

Posted in Miscellaneous | 5 Comments »


Yuri Manga: Omoi no Kakera, Volume 2 (想いの欠片)

September 13th, 2013

One of the three titles I chose for 2011’s Top Yuri Manga was Omoi no Kakera, Volume 1 by Takemiya Jin.  Specifically, I very much enjoyed our introduction to Mika, a confident, self-aware young lesbian.

In Omoi no Kakera, Volume 2, Mika’s relationship with underclassman Mayu develops significantly. Where in Volume 1, Mayu begins with distaste that develops into a crush, in Volume 2, Mayu starts to genuinely care about Mika…and Mika learns that she’s developed some affection for the younger girl. After the coffee house owner lays it out to Mika, that her insistence that she prefers older women is merely a way of clinging to her past, Mika tells Mayu the whole story of her first love. Mayu’s reaction is very sweet. And for the first time, I have some confidence that they could, possibly, become a healthy couple, maybe. Just as they reach this place, it appears that Mika’s past has indeed caught up with her.

The main story has a few Intermissions. Under “not really a couple and, so, not unhealthy, but wtf?” comes the coffee shop owner and her roommate. I have no idea what the deal is with them. ^_^;

The Intermissions include a short, really cute story about Mayu’s brother (who we know from the early chapters of Volume 1, is gay) and his crush, a male classmate.

The book also contains a short story called “Love & Piece,” which has a rough start in some hideous stereotypes and a really bad set of choices, but ends in a good place.

I have saved the best/worst story for last.

As Mayu has manages to get closer to Mika, her best friend Saki has taken a lot of hits over the years. When Mayu expressed disgust for gays, Saki was unable to admit that she was a lesbian. But when Mayu needed her, she was always there. Now Mayu is falling for Mika, and Saki’s lonelier than she ever thought possible. Saki’s story is heartbreaking, but very well told. I can only hope that Volume 3 brings her some happiness.

I love this story. It is full of the hormonal, irrational, high/lows of teenage life, and full of gay kids who are still finding themselves. Mika, Harada-kun and Saki are not alone, but we all have to reinvent the wheel for ourselves to some extent.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 10
Characters – 10
Yuri – 9 / Lesbian – 9
Service – 4 for “Love & Piece”

Overall – 10

Takemiya-sensei tells a damn good story.

Posted in Rakuen Le Paradis, Takemiya Jin, Yuri Manga | 3 Comments »


Yuri Manga: Eden no Higashitotsuka, Volume 2 (エデンの東戸塚)

September 11th, 2013

Very occasionally, I come across a creator whose work I should like, but, for whatever reason, I cannot. If you’re a regular reader here, you’re probably wondering if I have some personal beef with Hakamada Mera-sensei or something – maybe she kicked my puppy or was rude to me? No, not at all. I have never met her and I’m sure she’s lovely. She’s certainly very hard working and prolific and I admire that deeply.

So, what the heck is my issue with her work? I don’t know what it is – it just misses the mark. I used to think it was because the feelings were vague and could have been anything, as in  Saigo no Seifuku, but then that finished that up with a bang-up ending.  And then I thought it was that her characters never got past basic confessions, but then she drew Kanojyo no Sekai and I though that was too much.

And then there was Eden no Higashitotsuka Volume 1. And again, it was close, but it put a tedious trope in as the main plot and it tired me all out all over again. Now we’re at Eden no Higashitostuka, Volume 2 and I really, truly tried to like it. I really did. I promise. I feel terrible though, because it just misses the mark again for me. I didn’t hate it, I never hate her work, it just doesn’t resonate.

Kiku, our protagonist, wants a better life for herself, so she’s determined to do well and become an elite. Her next-door neighbor, the chaotic neutral Hiyoshi appears to be getting in her way, but as the pages of Volume 1 end, Kiku has come to grips with Hiyoshi’s place in her life.

In Volume 2, Hiyoshi turns out to have a girlfriend – the student council president of her old school. “Lovers” they tell Kiku, but it is clear that they have little physical relationship – and Hiyoshi really doesn’t know what it means to be “lovers.” Hiyoshi, I’m sorry to say, doesn’t really know a lot of things, and moves through her own life being clueless about the people around her. So when she studies a bit and gets better grades than Kiku and can draw better than Kiku, she cannot even remotely guess why Kiku doesn’t want her around. At this point we are told a heart-wrenching story about how/why Yutenji-sempai and Hiyoshi are dating, but instead of making her seem more sympathetic, I felt that it made Hiyoshi seem more aggressively clueless. Causing pain unintentionally is one thing, but being unable to even see that you’re causing pain is something else – and not something I find sympathy-making.

Yutenji-sempai pretty much tells Kiku all this, and Kiku, who again realizes that her life is less fun without Hiyoshi, makes a decision. She comes home to their dorm to learn that it will be torn down. Kiku makes up with Hiyoshi and they take out their frustration by destroying a wall together.

The epilogue shows Kiku and Hiyoshi living together as adults. Kiku has realized her dream of becoming elite. She has it all.

And I’m left wondering what it was that I wanted out of this story.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 6
Yuri – 2
Service – 2

Overall – 6

Clearly the problem here is me. And I’m sorry for that, Hakamada-sensei.

Posted in Hakamada Mera, Yuri Manga | No Comments »