Yuri Invades JManga (Again!) With Yuru Yuri

August 23rd, 2012

In the 1960s the British Invasion was led by the Beatles, in the 2000s, the Manga Invasion was led by Tokyopop and in the 2010s, the Yuri Invasion is led by JManga and ALC Publishing!

Today on JManga, namori-sensei’s hit manga series from the pages of Comic Yuri Hime, Yuru Yuri lands with the kind of splash that only 4 girls sitting around doing absolutely nothing could provide! (Judges’ score: 10 out of 10 for having fun)

For fans of Yuru Yuri, there is a contest quiz – answer questions that show your knowledge of the series and be entered to win prizes and great fame. ^_^

And last, (but not least, because I wrote it,, so don’t forget to tell JManga how awesome it is, ^_^) JManga’s Poi Poi features an essay I wrote about the Yuri publishing landscape in Japan from 2003-2012, called The Yuri Scene in Japan 2003 – 2012. Enjoy!

More Yuri manga will be coming in the days ahead and more promotional fun from JManga, Ichijinsha and ALC Publishing!

Posted in ALC Publishing, Comic Yuri Hime, Yuri Network News | 2 Comments »


Yuri Manga: Metersarete Kya- (メッてされてキャッ)

August 20th, 2012

Tanaka Minoru’s Metesarete Kya- (メッてされてキャッ) a collection from Ichijinsha’s Comic Yuri Hime, is a mixed bag. I can’t even tell you which of the stories are good or not, as that will largely depend on what you like.

Most of the stories involve adult women, as opposed to school girls, but frequently with a…let’s be generous and call it a “quirk” that precludes me from fully engaging with them

There always seems to be a manzai-style split between the pairs, one who is very goofy, flighty or irresponsible and one who is (too) serious, and also the one most affected by feelings of love.

None of the stories are bad – some of them are good. But I had a hard time sympathizing with the characters. Which is more about me than any flaw in the book itself.

Ratings:

Art – Droopy eyes make everyone look sleepy, but there are panels here and there in which the art stands out – 7
Story – 6
Characters – 6
Yuri – 9
Service – 1

Overall – 6

On the whole, I much more like the upcoming Rocket ☆ Girl!. in which Tanaka’s style works far better with an ensemble rather than a series of one-shots.

Posted in Yuri Manga | No Comments »


Yuri Network News – August 18, 2012

August 18th, 2012

Yuri Manga

Tsubomi, Volume 9 (つぼみ) is sitting on Japanese bookstore shelves, waiting to be purchased by you.

Yumeyumeutsutsu (ゆめゆめうつつ) follows suddenly orphaned Mikako, who starts living with Yuiko after her only relative dies. Will they find forbidden love? Yeah, probably.

This month also saw the debut of the first volume of Eden no Higashitsuka (エデンの東戸塚) by Hakamada Mera.

Mizu-iro, Sora -iro, (ミズイロ、ソライロ), a new collection from Yuri Hime goes live today.

Kami-sama bakkari Koi wo Suru (神さまばかり恋をする), from Tsubomi, is also available this month.

And last, but not in any way least for this week, I think I missed this one and I don’t want you to miss it – Rakuen: Le Paradis, Volume 9 (楽園 Le Paradis) is out.

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Random News

Here’s your utterly wonderful link for the day. ^_^

My wife’s friend has just had her first novel published. The Pyramid Waltz is a  fantasy novel about a “skirt-chasing Princess.” But the thing that really makes this standout is the book trailer the author, Barbara Anne Wright, made. It’s freakin’ hilarious. Watch it. It’s definitely made me want to read the book:

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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 Yuri Network News | 2 Comments »


Happy 10th Anniversary, Okazu!

August 15th, 2012

Ten years ago I thought about trying out one of those new-fangled “web log” things to record my thoughts about Yuri manga and anime, Yuricon and random related items. Ten years later,  Okazu gets about 2500 visitors a day and  has had more than 3 million unique visitors.

Let me take a moment to think about that.

Wow.

And…thank you!

Thank you to every one of my Okazu Heros and Superheros for making it possible for me to continue to bring you all reviews of good – and bad – Yuri anime and manga.

Thank you to all my Guest Reviewers – you provide variety and a different perspective, save my sanity and make me smile.

Thank you to everyone who has ever commented on Okazu. Thank you to all of your who comment regularly, for stimulating me in thought and keeping me focused. Thank you, too, to all of you who have disagreed with me over the years – it’s important that you keep doing so. And thank you to my insane, ranting, incoherent and/or delusional commenters. We’ve all enjoyed what you’ve had to say. ^_^

And finally, a special thanks to all of you, my dear readers, I cannot tell you enough how much I appreciate your support and feedback…your very presence in my life. These last ten years have been absolutely extraordinary, something that can largely be attributed to you.

To thank you all and to celebrate Okazu’s 10th anniversary, I’m holding a contest. Ten lucky winners will receive Yuri manga or doujinshi!

To enter, please answer the following question in the comments. In your entry, provide your age and country and name. (If you go by Anonymous, please choose a nickname I can address you by, thanks)

Here is the question:

What would you like to see from Okazu in the next ten years?

As always, feel free to think completely outside the box. The more innovative and creative you are, the better the prizes. Go nuts. ^_^

I’ll be picking winners arbitrarily, but not randomly. If you’ve won a Yuricon or Okazu contest recently you are welcome to enter.

So, go ahead – help me blow out the candles on the Okazu birthday cake and tell me what you think Okazu should do, or look like, or be, for the next decade!

Happy Birthday Okazu – here’s to ten more amazing years!

Posted in Okazu News | 26 Comments »


K-ON Anime, Season 2, Disk 1 (English)

August 15th, 2012

Season 2 of the K-ON! anime is, well, pretty much exactly the same kind of thing as Season 1 was, so if Season 1 didn’t appeal to you, then probably this season isn’t going to either. ^_^

Season 2 has exactly the kind of thing *I* liked about Season 1, so for me, this is total win.

The two things I liked best on this disk have nothing whatsoever to do with Yuri or music. For me, what makes K-On! work is the interplay between the four leads. More than any other series, this one strikes me as one written by someone who actually knew something about real girls. (As say, compared with Yuru Yuri, which reads like a guess as to sort-of what girls are, maybe, like, when they hang out.)

There are two scenes that strongly affected me in this way. The first, when the four are sharing a room for their school trip and making each other giggle by saying stupid things. Yep, we did that. Heck we *still* do that. My Mom once yelled at me when staying over my house for the holidays that my wife and I needed to stop giggling, it was keeping her up.)

The second is a scene so meaningless, so…normal…that it took my breath away. When they are all shopping at the home goods store and Yui comes running over to exclaim “Screws!” then dances in hyperactive delight at all the shapes and sizes of screw…yep, we do that too. ^_^

The palpable lack of Yuri is a plus, as well. When Yui hangs on Mugi there is no fanservice, overt or implied. This is how it should be. This is in fact, how it is.

K-ON! s that most rare of creatures – a moe 4-koma gag story about girls hanging out that gets it exactly right.

Ratings:

Art – 5
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Yuri – 1
Service – 4

Overall – 8

Once again it is my great pleasure to thank Okazu Superhero Eric P. for his sponsorship of today’s review!

Posted in English Anime, K-ON | 11 Comments »