Yuri Manga: Tsubomi, Volume 18 (つぼみ)

July 9th, 2012

Tsubomi, Volume 18 begins with a phenomenon I’ve heard of but never actually seen…a chapter that hasn’t quite been completed.

Despite the fact that it lacks tones and final inking, “Hoshikawa Ginza Yon-choume” returns from a pointless digression to a very powerful chapter in which Otome learns that her mother (who never bothered to get in touch with her to let her know that she and her father had divorced,) belatedly sends a letter informing her that she’s remarried…and wants Otome to come live with her again. Suddenly, both Otome and Minato have to face the fact that they have no legally viable claim on one another. Now, at last, this story will deal with the reality that has been buried behind the deepening relationship between them.

Suzuki Yufuko’s “Candy” comes to an end, with exactly the kind of epilogue I enjoy most. This series is a real dark horse entry for my Top Ten this year, with an unexpectedly sweet and satisfying love story.

“Joouhachi no Jirenma” is a nice twist on a relationship between rivals.

Hoshino and her sempai have it out and put the past behind them, while we get a little glimpse into Hanaii’s past, as well, in “Hana to Hoshi.”

And, of course there a ton of other stories with things like panty shots (gods…how tired I am of those…) and other exciting moe Yuri tropes. All very fascinating if you’re not me. ^_^;;

Ratings:

Overall: Let’s see, 4 stories out of 16 that I liked, 2 more I didn’t mind… okay, let’s call it a 6.

Posted in Tsubomi, Yuri Manga | No Comments »


Yuri Network News – July 7, 2012

July 7th, 2012


It’s *all* top stories this week!

Yuri Anime


Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of Sailor Moon and, in an anniversary event, a New Sailor Moon anime was announced. Squee!  No major details as of yet, we don’t know if the original voice actresses will be returning, but everyone is still in the business, except of course, Seiya’s voice actress, Shiho Niiyama, who passed away in 2000. There are plans for the series to have simultaneous world-wide release, something that made me sigh in relief. Right now they are angling for a summer 2013 release date. Personally, if it were me, I’d just start with the whole team, say two years later, and start in on a new series, new bad guys, etc.

***
Other News

From YNN Correspondent Yaritza H., we learn that the “to commemorate the release of Aoi Hana Vol. 7, they are going to hold an exhibit with the Enoshima Electric Railway. The information comes straight from the Manga Erotics F website.”

About.com’s Manga doyenne, DebAoki interviews JuYoun Lee on Yen Press’ Talent Search, plus loads of tips for would-be manga creators  This is a must-read for aspiring artists.

JManga will be doing a Panel with Publisher’s Weekly’s Calvin Reid and Deb Aoki and JManga’s own Robert Newman at San Diego Comic-Con on the ‘Future of Digital Manga’. They are giving away prizes and making announcements about this summer’s Yuri projects and, I am totally guessing, but, probably about their iOS app. The Panel is on Friday, July 13 at 11:00-12:00 in Room 25ABC. Prizes will be goods from Akihabara, JManga points and a new iPad! I think this panel is definitely a do-not-miss if you can make it, do. Report back.

And, if you missed me on the Huffington Post’s discussion “Is Coming Out Passe’?”, here’s the link to the recording. I come on at about 12:30.

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That’s all the excitement I can take in one 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 | 6 Comments »


Coming Out, Gang Girls and Other Things

July 6th, 2012

This week has been a very me week. That’s pretty unusual, because I’m not a very me me me person (well, not anymore than most people.)

Early this week, I had my Huffington Post debut on their Gay Voices page, with an answer I write for the Q&A site Quora, about the importance of coming out, in the wake of the news about CNN journalist Anderson Cooper coming out.

Then I wrote an article about Sukeban Deka for Hooded Utilitarian.

And tomorrow, I’ll be part of the panel on the “Is Coming Out Passe’?” live spreecast on the Huffington Post at 1PM EST. A bunch of Hollywood insiders…and me. I’ll be honest…I’m panicking.

Anyway, read the stuff I wrote and if you can, be there for the panel.

Posted in Miscellaneous | 1 Comment »


Yuri Manga: Tsubomi, Volume 17 (つぼみ)

July 4th, 2012

Tsubomi, Volume 17 (つぼみ) was slightly less fun than a barrel of monkeys for me, due to a number of random concerns. Several of the series I have been following kind of grind to a halt or just jump the shark, and for one, external factors have brought it to a (hopefully temporary) hiatus. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t some stories of note or value, just that as a whole, the magazine left me unsatisfied. The cover art was a perfect symbol of the feelings of “meh” this volume induced in me.

Miyauchi Yuka’s “Familia Famila” is a slightly overwrought look at a young woman’s past and present feelings for a neighbor, and the future in being a “family” with her and her son.

In “Eden no Higashitostsuka” Kiku-chan realizes that she’s grown accustomed to Hiyoshi’s presence in her life – but as a result, she becomes jealous when she learns that Hiyoshi has a former “best friend” in her life.

“Candy” by Suzuki Yufuku starts to come to a close, and in this volume sort of treads water a bit, while we wait for the climax to show up. A thoroughly unnecessary plot complication arrives, pandering to…I don’t know whom, and is dismissed almost as soon as it shows up. I can’t imagine what the author was thinking there, unless they really just were page stuffing so there’d be enough content for a second volume.

 And “Hana to Hoshi” continues in the side plot it’s working on, with the Hanaii being forced into competition for Hoshino with the sempai from pingpong club. While Hanaii doesn’t think she wants Hoshino as a prize, she does regain something from the match – it rekindles her love of the game…and she starts to notice that maybe she does actually care about Hoshino, after all.

As always, there are many other stories and as you are not me, you might like them better than I did. ^_^.
I hope you’ll purchase this anthology and take a look for yourself!

 Ratings: Overall – 6

Posted in Yuri Manga | 1 Comment »


LGBTQ: Tokyo Bois!

July 3rd, 2012

Tokyo Wrestling is a LGBTQ bilingual web magazine run by Yuki Keiser, with a strong focus on Japanese lesbian life, events, fashion, etc and genderqueer identity. Tokyo Wrestling’s been a strong media voice for lesbian women in Japan, involving themselves in events, and giving voice and vision to artists, writers, and other women whose stories should be heard. You can find Tokyo Wrestling on Facebook and Twitter, as well. (No worries about language, Yuki speaks English.)

Last year Yuki published a book of photography by Tosaki Miwa called Tokyo Bois, pictures of androgynous, boi-ish and genderqueer lesbian woman in and around Tokyo. It took me a long time to finally order the book, and for that I’m very sorry, it’s really a delightful book.

There is some English translation in the book, excerpts from interviews have been translated, and the full text is also available in Japanese. But the real draw of this book is in the photos themselves. Here are the bois of the Japanese lesbian scene hanging out, dancing, partying and – most importantly for me – enjoying the company of their girlfriends. Of all the pictures, those in which two women are seen having fun being together are my favorites. ^_^

In fact, my very favorite picture of the book is Yuki herself with Syd Blakovich, defying every “known” about Japanese couples – they are touching, they are smiling, there is no doubt we are seeing a public display of affection here. (For the record, anime and manga is largely WAY behind the times on this, Only otaku have so much emotion invested in the simple holding of a hand, non-otaku folk do it all the time. I’ve seen many young couples on the streets of Tokyo…gasp!…touching.  Remember, anime/manga fans = largely conservative, often socially backward. Don’t think anime/manga is an accurate representation of life. It’s always life as seen through a distorted lens.)

If you’re sitting around thinking that every Japanese lesbian is a lipstick lesbian, or that Japanese lesbians are always hiding from the world behind other relationships, let Tokyo Bois remove that old-fashioned idea from your mind. This book is about youth, about freedom, and about the desire to live with honesty. This book is a sign that the future will look different than the past – and thank heaven for that.

It’s a fantastic book and has made me very, very happy.

Ratings:

Overall – 10

Posted in LGBTQ | 6 Comments »