ALC Publishing announces Tokyo Love ~ Rica ‘tte Kanji!?

October 4th, 2012

Fifteen years ago, Rica Takashima walked into a lesbian bar and set off a chain of events that changed the world. From that fateful meeting came ALC Publishing and the Yuri Manga collection known as Rica ‘tte Kanji!?.

Now, years later, Rica and ALC  Publishing are teaming up again for the definitive Rica collection, Tokyo Love ~ Rica ‘tte Kanji!? Tokyo Love is available in a choice of DRM-free digital formats and is being made available as a free online flipbook (Please tell people you know – especially young people who are looking for positive LGBTQ role models! The online version is rated Older Teen.) In addition, Tokyo Love is available to be shared for personal use or class curriculum. It’s your book – go ahead and share it. ^_^

And from the bottom of our hearts, Rica and everyone at ALC Publishing say thank you for reading Tokyo Love!

Posted in ALC Publishing, Rica 'tte Kanji | 21 Comments »


Puella Magi Madoka Magica Manga, Volume 2 (English)

October 3rd, 2012

The other day, I found myself discussing the Puella Magi Madoka Magica anime with Okazu Superhero and good friend Bruce. We agreed that, for us, the sign of excellence in a series could be boiled down to one quality – the ability to withstand continuing critical review. No matter what angle you take, Revolutionary Girl Utena can withstand critical review – it has a lot of material to discuss, to analyze, to critique and criticize. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon, as much as I adore it…really doesn’t hold up well under critical review. The repeated footage is not meant symbolically or ironically – it was just a money saver. The Monsters of the Day are not clever social commentary. Yes, the Senshi themselves are archetypes, but that’s about as far as one can take a discussion of Sailor Moon, before one has to invoke its effect on increasing the market for shoujo manga, or rely on discussion of shoujo tropes. By this standard then, both Bruce and I felt that the Madoka anime was excellent. It holds up under critical review of plot, character or visuals.

One of the key visual elements of the anime was Kyuubey’s unchanging face. It was that – and solely that – that was the first screaming red siren for me. He’s cute, carefully crafted to have an honest, open, trustworthy face. Everything about Kyuubey screamed “RUN!” at me. Which is why I wrote this helpful guide What You Need to Know To Become a Magical Girl, which so many people completely failed to understand.

Which of course, is the very basic premise of Madoka. We need to learn to think critically. Not cynically, not paranoically…critically.  We need to learn to ask good questions to get good answers – and we need to learn to understand the answers we receive.

In Volume 2 of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Sayaka becomes the second sacrifice to lack of critical thinking skills. What questions might she have asked if she was older, more experienced or wiser? What might she have heard – both said and unsaid –  in the answers she received? But we cannot blame Sayaka, really, or Madoka. They are children, being manipulated by a creature with the balance of power and information on his side. And this brings me to the only comment I have about this book. The art ruined it. The whole point of Kyuubey is that we never know what he is thinking, that we only ever see that trustworthy face. By giving him an “evil” face at the end of the volume, the manga artist has crushed one of the key visual elements of the story, rendering it a comic for children, not for adults. Volume 3 will play out as we already know it must, but I no longer trust the manga to tell the tale well enough to hold up under critical review.

Ratings:

Art – 5
Story – 6, but only because the art has positioned itself as an enemy to the plot
Characters – 6
Yuri – 1
Service – 2

Overall – 5

Many, many thanks to Okazu Superhero Andreas L for giving me the chance to look at this manga critically. ^_^

Posted in English Manga, Puella Magi Magica Madoka | 2 Comments »


Light Novel: R.O.D., Volume 9

October 2nd, 2012

As Volume 9 of R.O.D begins, Yomiko Readman and the head of Dokusensha, the woman known as China, are flying through the air on one of Yomiko’s paper airplanes, when the mountain that held the Dokusensha headquarters explodes.

Joker, having heard no word from Yomiko or Nancy for days, learns of the explosion and tunes in by satellite. When he sees that the “explosion” is an eruption of paper flowers, he gets the message from Yomiko loud and clear.

Yomiko and China enter the woods around Dokusensha HQ, only to encounter Ou-En and the 4 sisters and learn, belatedly, that Gentleman was seen at Dokusensha HQ. The news is received with solemnity, as it is accompanied by the news that Gentleman has slaughtered many of the Dokusensha members and destroyed HQ.

While sitting around the fire that night, trying to convince the sisters that she doesn’t have any intention of harming China, Yomiko learns that Ou-En feels affection for her – she remind him of his sister and of a previous lover. As they share their stories, they are joined by a tall, strapping and very naked man…Gentleman has arrived.

Nancy spends an important interlude with Drake’s team undressing and dressing in her normal bondage-gear outfit.

Meanwhile, in India, Nenene and Wendy are doing something. I’m not sure what, because they were on their way to China, but hey, whatever. While Wendy is out, Nenene reads more of Donny’s diary.

Donny recounts the time just before the British Library moved to its current location, when he’s begun meeting up with Yomiko at random times at the BL. Her 16th birthday is approaching and he promises that he’ll celebrate it with her. But Joker sends him out of town that day – and Donny doesn’t have Yomiko’s address or phone number. He runs into her later, and as he’s apologizing, a voice over loudspeaker invites them into the new BL. They take a private tour of the new location, shepherded by Joker’s voice, eventually finding themselves in the King’s library, surrounded by the original manuscripts of some of the world’s greatest literature. Yomiko says that this is like a dream, at which Donny asks her to dance. Alone in the King’s Library, they dance, while paper flowers rain down upon them.

When Yomiko asks for a kiss to make her night complete, Donny blows it completely and kisses her on the cheek.

So, with two novels to go, we really still don’t know much about the Gutenberk paper, Donny or Gentleman or Joker or Dokusensha or Nancy or, really, Yomiko.

Ratings:

Art – 4 Almost every picture was carefully crafted to skeeve me, except the one of Donny kissing Yomiko, which was just awkward.
Story – 7 Had some good bits and some less good
Characters – 8
Yuri – 0
Service – 8

Overall – 7

More Yomiko and Nenene dammit!

Posted in Light Novel, R.O.D. | 3 Comments »


Interview with Yuri Manga Artist Hayashiya Shizuru

September 30th, 2012

Last December I suddenly had to opportunity to go to Japan for Winter Comiket. The *first* thing I did was find the table with the circle known as Jesus Drug, and was, at last, able to meet one of my favorite manga artists, Hayashiya Shizuru-sensei. I proceeded to be a blithering fangirl at her. (It was painful to watch, no doubt. ^_^;)

In any case, I was absolutely 100% sure that the next interview I wanted was with this woman who has inspired me in a hundred different ways and who makes me laugh until I hurt. I am, therefore very pleased to present to you an interview with creator of Hayate x Blade, Hayashiya Shizuru-sensei. Yay! \(^_^)/

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Q1: Please tell us about yourself
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Hello, my name is Hayashiya Shizuru. Before I grew up [and became a manga artist,] I was a character designer and original art planner for an adult game company.

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Q2: How did you get started in manga?
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When I was a child, I sort of vaguely thought I’d have something to do with working in comics. While working for a company drawing pictures, I was already getting more orders for personal work I was doing outside the company, so I was able to slowly but surely shift to supporting myself with manga.

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Q3: Which artists have inspired you?
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As far as manga goes, Fujiko (FA) Fujio-sensei and Takahashi Rumiko-sensei; as for illustrators, Nishimura Kinu-sensei and Yuki Nobuteru-sensei.

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Q4: If you were not a mangaka, what kind of work would you be doing?
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I’d be a bike racer or a nurse. Definitely! ….Maybe!

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Q5: What were your motivations for creating Yuri Manga?
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The truth is, I really don’t think about Yuri or drawing Yuri comics. For myself, I think of this the same as a heterosexual love comedy, or love story. From my teens on, Yuri and gay existed within me, like air. There wasn’t any special throb of excitement, it was just there.

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Q6.1: Please tell us a little bit about your process.
How long does a chapter take to draw?
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If we’re talking about a chapter for a serialized story, as opposed to a book to be read all at once, from storyboard to finished product the process takes roughly 2 weeks.

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Q6.2: How many assistants work with you? What is the first step in your process? What is the last step?
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I have one assistant. The first thing we do is the “Name” (the storyboard). The last task is when I kneel on the ground in front of the publishing company’s editorial staff and humbly hand over the manuscript. Just kidding. The last thing is when we apply screentone.

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Q7: Do you read any Yuri manga? If so, what series do you read?
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I like Oku Hiroya-sensei’s “Hen”.

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Q8:  Your work contains a great deal of physical comedy. What are you thinking when you’re creating it? What feelings do you want to convey?
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If, for instance, someone is feeling tired or is in a slump, when they read it, I want them to cheer up, raise up their spirit, so I want to draw characters that convey the feeling of “Come on, let’s play together!”

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Q9: Do you have anything you want to ask overseas fans?
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My manga, it’s probably full of a lot of gags that are only comprehensible to Japanese people, and there’s a lot of words but, I worry about to what extent overseas people can understand the humor and find it funny.

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Q10: Do you have any message for your overseas fans?
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By changing publishers, I caused the English edition of Hayate x Blade to be suspended. However, I would like to read the translated version. Therefore, please demand a continuation of the translation from Shueisha. These are comics for you to accept and read. And, one day I hope to come and visit an overseas comic event. Thanks for your support!

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Thank you, Sensei, for taking time to answer our questions and for drawing manga that raises up our spirits and makes us laugh!

You can write Shueisha to demand more Hayate x Blade in English at this address:2-5-10 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8050 JAPAN. (Don’t be shy – they may or may not be able to read the whole letter…but they will definitely be able to read “We want Hayate x Blade in English!” ^_^)

Posted in Hayashiya Shizuru, Interview | 13 Comments »


Yuri Network News – September 29, 2012

September 29th, 2012

Random LGBTQ News

Vietnam’s Justice Minister suggested that the country consider legalizing same-sex relationships. The International Business Times article has a mostly irrelevant title, but the summation nails the issue – a leading minister has mentioned it at all. That’s a step forward.

Vietnam is a hotbed of LGBT activity recently, as Anonymous let us know with this article about 1200 people mobilized in Ho Chih Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang City in flashmobs dancing for LGBT awareness. Watch the videos, they are totally smil- making! The group that organized it, YÊU LÀ YÊU (which means “Love is Love”) is on Facebook.

The Japanese media network NHK has a LGBTQ site, called Heart-Net. It’s all in Japanese, but there is LGBTQ info, profiles and a pile of other info for Japanese LGBTQ folks.

Through Tokyo Wrestling, I ran into Sara Nakano’s Butch Asian Girl Manifesto. I think at least some of you will nod at it. With Sarah’s gracious permission, I’d like to share it here:

And wrapping up this topic, I leave you with my find of the week – NSM48 (Nagoya Sexual Minority 48) is a girl-group that plays clubs and LGBTQ events in the Nagoya area. For some low-res fun videos check out this search on Youtube. ^_^

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Yuri Anime

I appear to have missed reporting this previously, thank you Eric P. for  the reminder. Sentai Filmworks has licensed Mawaru Penguindrum.

In what has got to be the weirdest news I have ever read…Ikkitousen is getting a stage play?

Sentai Filworks has slated Bodacious Space Pirates for a January release.

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Yuri Manga

Thanks YNN Correspodent Kathrine H for pointing out that Seven Seas announced that they have licensed Morinaga Milk’s Kisses, Sigh and Cherry Blossoms Pink manga this week. Exciting news for Morinaga milk fans. ^_^

Kishi Kintarou’s Otome Teikoku (オトメの帝国) has been graced with a volume 3.

Speaking of inexplicably continuing series, Manga no Tsukurikata Volume 6 (まんがの作り方) exists at all.

Tsubomi, Volume 20 (つぼみ) is available for pre-order.

Also up for pre-order is Wagamama Millfeuille, (わがままミルフィーユ) a collection of Chisako’s stories from Comic Yuri Hime.

I have no idea what this is about, but Yuri Tantei Yurianz ( 百合探偵ユリアンズ) sounds diverting. ^_^

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Random Stuff

If my Yuru Yuri review this week gave you a bug to visit a museum, this weekend is Free Museum Weekend in the US! Visit the link, check the map and see what museums near you are free…bring paper and pen to sketch or jot down ideas..and enjoy!

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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 | 5 Comments »