In Volume 4 of Rakuen Le Paradis (楽園Le Paradis) we, the readers, are treated like the adults we are and…man, it feels good.
This chapter of “Collectors, “by Nishi UKO was absolutely breathtaking. Not because it was dramatic, or because it dealt with serious issues. It took my breath away because it was about women who are a couple, and their friends, and their lives. It was about nothing *at all.* It was just about the most perfect lesbian comic I’ve ever seen. Imagine – a story about women who are lesbian and then the story happens. Sigh….. And I’m a huge fangirl for Nishi UKO-sensei’s art, so as far as I’m concerned, this was a 10 out 10.
Takemiya Jin’s story that began in Volume 3, “Omoi no Kakera” continues here as Harada’s little sister is forced to deal with her brother’s relationship with Takaoka, her own feelings of disgust at his being gay and her shock when she learns that Takaoka is as well. It doesn’t help so much that Takaoka correctly identifies her feelings as the jealousy they are. This chapter went a long way to moving the sister as antagonist out of the way, so I wonder if we’ll get a third chapter. Gosh, I hope so. I really like the level-headed reality of this story.
Nishi UKO has a second short, “PV” that looks back at Takako’s first experience with another woman. It’s a sweet, little quicky.
“Ending,” by Shigisawa Kaya takes a very emotional look at the ending of a relationship, and provides a nod back to the old days of Yuri, when one person always ended up married or dead and the other bereft. It was so interesting to see that again I had to read the story twice to make sure it actually went there. ^_^;
Once again, Rakuen Le Paradis weighs in as one of my favorite magazines. I just never know what it’s going to do with my brain or my heart. Whether the stories are straight, gay, lesbian, other, they are by creators that I personally consider some of the best in the business. While I’ved only touched upon the stories that have lesbian themes this issue, I don’t want you to assume that the rest of the magazine isn’t worth your time and money, because it absolutely is. In fact if you told me that I’d have to give up every magazine but one, the one I’d keep is not, as you might expect, Yuri Hime. No question, the one magazine I’d keep when all others were taken away from me is Rakuen Le Paradis.
Ratings:
Overall – 8
– I have been writing about this series obsessively since 2004. If you have not yet taken the plunge, holiday wishlists are made for exactly this kind of thing. If you already are a true believer, now’s a great time to convert a friend! There are two Omnibus volumes (V1 is on the left, here’s a link to the 
, which is due out in 2011). Each omnibus contains three volumes of manga, so it’s like $4/volume value.
– All that stuff above (since 2004, obsessively, get it already…) I wrote about Hayate holds true for this omnibus too. This is silly in a totally different way and has some sort of romantic bits. It’s got all the bells and whistles one comes to expect from “schoolgirl” Yuri. This omnibus edition is the entire story as it was published in Japan, two volumes of manga and extra chapters that never got collected when the series was stopped.
– Hard-edged action and screwball dark humor. A perfect combination. If they made this manga into a live-action movie, Jean Reno would be in it. The stories don’t make sense, but anyone reading this series for the story has badly missed the point. It’s about people killing people with guns. And having a good time doing it.
– Old school sci-fi, for the win. Tough ladies with extraordinary powers, living in extraordinary times, doing extraordinary things…and blowing the bad guys away with a collective competence that’s sexy in its own right. This is old school manga in every way – art, story, setting – which means you get adult women, hardcore scifi and fantasy, adult relationships and an actual story.
Azumanga Daioh
– This is pretty much the one that set the standard for 4-koma here in the west. It’s a school life comedy with a teeny little bit of drama allowed to seep into the cracks for stability. The idiot group has been the benchmark for many a slice-of-life story on these shores, but Osaka trumps them all with her non-sequitors of genius, Saki with her really cool coolness, Tomo with her out of control annoyingness, Chiyo with her adorable adorableness, etc. Look, it’s just the best one. Get it. There. The entire story complete in one volume.
Gunsmith Cats Burst
– Guns, cars and women are the trifecta that make up all of the Gunsmith Cats properties. The stories are full of action and firearms, pretty women doing ugly things, good guys, bad guys and screaming car chases in and around Chicago. Drugs, bad woman, bad men, money laundering wrapped in the story of the life of a bad-ass bounty hunter, the youthful Rally Vincent. This 5-volume set won’t set you back a lot, but it packs a solid punch.
Yotsuba
– This series is ongoing, but any volume can be read pretty much as a stand alone. These are the daily life/adventures of a four-year old, her laid back Dad, her neighbors, her Dad’s coworkers, random strangers, animals and bugs. Every day brings something new, because Yotsuba’s just that kind of girl. Yuri is realllllllllly thin – just a lot of us think Asagi and Torako are a couple. So no worries giving this to a kid.
– Another slice-of-life, this time about girls who live at a dorm and attend a school for art. The Yuri’s a little thin here too – mostly by implication and a very little bit of one-sided crushiness.
