Manga Minis: To Aru Kagaku no Railgun Manga and Saki Manga

November 24th, 2010

Today’s review is two quick mini-reviews on things that I’ve already reviewed and just want to follow up. Today’s review was the reason I lugged a pile of books back to my hotel from Nakano Sun Arcade without even stopping for sushi, so you’d better appreciate it.

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun Manga – has been licensed by Seven Seas (to be put out here as A Certain Scientific Railgun) and in preparation I thought I’d read whatever is already out in Japanese. As a few commenters mentioned when I reviewed the first volume of this manga, the first four volumes follow the same Level Upper Arc covered by the anime. In Volume 5, the story takes an even darker turn and we spend time following primarily Misaka, as she confronts a problem of her own making…in a sense. I won’t be more specific so as to not give it all away. 5 seconds of research will net you the spoilers, I have no doubt.

Yuri in this series remains exactly the same as it does in the anime, toned down in the second arc mostly because Misaka is off on her own through most of it, with little to not interaction with Kuroko. From my perspective, Kuroko’s feelings are quite real, just a little immature. Maybe a tad maturer after the interim story when she feels that Misaka is nice to everyone but her (also in the anime.)

Ratings:

Yuri – 3
Overall – 8

I like it and am looking forward to the English release.

Saki was, as an anime, unintentionally funny to me. The overblown fighting drama associated with the game of mah jong was just…silly. The relationship between Saki and Nodoka was that they like one another, but with all those shots of Nodoka’s breasts, it *had* to be Yuri, right? No, but try and convince a Yuri Fanboy of that.

The real Yuri, in my opinion, was Yumi and Momo. In Volume 5, Momo even got to embrace Yumi and say “Daisuki” but that’s about it. The rest of Volume 5 was taken up with Saki’s battle against Koromo – which interested me pretty much not at all. Of all the things in Saki I like, the actual details of mah jong are not among them.

Ratings:

Yuri – 2
Overall – 6

No one is licensing the Saki manga, and I don’t blame them. What Hikaru no Go had was BL potential and a female audience and women buy what they want to fantasize over. Guys…just…don’t. License Saki, and you’ll find it’ll just sit on the shelves while “fans” download fanart of Nodoka’s breasts and Saki’s thighs to keep them warm at night.

Both manga worth a look if you’re a fan of the anime, not if you’re not.

Posted in Miscellaneous | 4 Comments »


Ikkitousen: Dragon Destiny Anime, Volume 3 (English)

November 23rd, 2010

As you know, I’ve been determined to figure out what the heck the Romance of the Three Kingdoms is about by using the least accurate, most ridiculous forms of media possible. And by god, I think it worked!

I was watching the third volume of Ikkitousen: Dragon Destiny and it dawned on me that once I set all the semi-mystical dragon stuff aside I could actually follow what was going on.

You can be sure that I did not actually think this would work. But I guess if you see/read enough – and presuming even the worst aberrations have some minor connection to the actual story – I guess learning by osmosis does work after all. How unexpected. ^_^

In any case, Volume 3 ends with the legendary battle of Red Cliffs, sort of, and Ryuubi and Sonsaku defeat Sousou, sort of, and all the cool characters are very cool, as we both expect and desire.

This is followed by a shockingly sweet epilogue and then followed up with hideous extra shorts that basically go like this: Butt, Breasts, Butt, Breasts, Butt, Breasts. And everyone’s butts and breasts look exactly the same. Totally snoozariffic.

This was followed by a live event at Tokyo International Anime Fair, starring the Voice actresses for Kanu, Ekitoku and Koumei, which might have been interesting, but the audience was an Ikkitousen audience so…it wasn’t. “Which character breathes heavily alot?” Puh-leaze. They could have asked what it was like to pretend to break people in half, instead we watch them act like they give a shit talking about underwear. My fetishes are just not other people’s fetishes, I guess.

I also enjoyed the performance of the opening theme from the TIAF piece, as it was basically the singer, Kariyuki Mai,  karaoke-ing her own song. ^_^ She did a damn good job under the circumstances.

Would have liked a little drama recording though- with Kanu, Chouhi and Koumei there, they easily could have a 5 minute thing about Ryuubi or something. Oh, forget that, I really just wished Nabatame-san used her Kanu voice for something. Anything. The ads for stuff would have been fine. Oh well.

What made this volume work overall was Koumei taking the lead on the strategies used, so it seemed for a bit like it all made sense…and watching Kanu and Ryomou kick the shit out of just about anyone is fun.

And of course, there’s  a teeny bit of Yuri. Kanu has a shockingly frank scene where she admits to  Koukin that she loves Ryuubi – and she’s really open about it, too. We knew this, of course, but it was nice to see her just getting it off her chest, so to speak. ^_^

Ratings:
 
Art – 8
Characters – 8, for real this time, not only in our heads
Story – 7
Yuri – 4
Service – 100
 
Overall – 8

If you’ve been able to put up with (or, god help you, enjoy,) the kind of lameass perviness that Ikkitousen serves up in shovel loads, then Ikkitousen:DD, Volume 3 is worth waiting for.

Nov. 27th correction: Aaack! I incorrectly thanked Media Blasters when I wrote this review. In reality, the credit belongs to Okazu Superhero Amanda M! My sincere apology Amanda and my thanks for your kindness and generosity. This is my favorite volume out in English so far and will remain so until we get Ikkitousen: Xtreme Xecutor, if we ever do.

Posted in English Anime, Ikkitousen | 6 Comments »


Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime S (コミック百合姫) Volume 14

November 22nd, 2010

Yuri Hime S, Volume 14 is the final volume of Yuri Hime S (百合姫 S). Around for almost 4 full years, it has now been merged into Comic Yuri Hime. A listing of the stories that will be carried over from both magazines can be found on the Comic Yuri Hime website, along with the new works debuting.

This final volume doesn’t particularly feel final, though. Most of the stories continue on just as they always have. It starts off with “Shinagami Alice,” a story that has always felt to me as if it’s limping along waiting to develop a plot or be killed. Having survived a first collected volume, it appears to be trying to develop a plot. The introduction of a new character, Masaki’s relative, brings a teeny little thread of normality into what has been a free-floating “where? when? what?” kind of story. Then the Goth-Loli bad Shinigami comes back and that’s all completely blown.

Color news pages cover mobile visual novels and games that are pure Fanboy material, a “Girls Festival” hosted by Animate and Tamayura which I have been watching and still don’t see anything even remotely, slightly, sort of  Girls’ Love-ish about. It’s sweet. I like it. But Girls’ Love? Not so far.

Naoe Marimo’s “Hime to Mahou-tsukai” is a cute little confection about a Princess and a Witch, obviously.

“My Steady” by Yamura Marika follows a young woman and the older woman she loves.

Then comes “Fu~Fu” by Minamoto Hisanari. I was thinking about the spelling of “Fu-Fu” the other day. Although the first chapter discusses the etymology of the  kanji for the phrase “fu~fu,” (which is to say, the character for “wife” twice) the title itself is spelled using Hiragana. ふ~ふ. And I wondered about that, because the blowing of wind is rendered that way. You may recall my review of the first Strawberry Panic Light Novel in Japanese, in which I commented on the excessive winds at Miator. (fuu~ fuu~) So, it occurred to me that, perhaps, we were meant to be reminded of the sound of wind blowing with the name rendered in Hiragana as it is. It certainly has become a breath of fresh air blowing through Yuri Hime S for many of us.

This chapter follows Kina and Su-chan on a trip (designed by Kana, Kina’s older sister) that is their de facto honeymoon. Meanwhile, we see a new couple moving in next door and learn that they too are a “Yuri couple!” I predict “noises heard through the walls” jokes in future chapters.

Skipping “Mugen no Minamo” as I always do, which leads to “Marriage Black” which continues to be fraught, violent and full of unresolved tension of about twenty kinds. Lu-Chie becomes Lilicia’s guardian angel by swearing that she, and none other, shall be the one to take Lilicia’s life.

In “Flower Flower” Shuu *finally* makes it plain that when she says she likes Nina, she means in a “want to kiss you” way.

I skip a second chapter of “Mugen no Minamo” and move on to the next chapter of “Cassiopeia Dolce” in which Ana goes through crisis number 870 in between getting dressed and undressed. I did very much like the handful of eyeballs, though.

“Zettai Shoujo Astoria” comes to an end with one of the very lamest endings I’ve ever read. It really made all the screaming and running around seem pretty silly and pointless. But that’s over, so we can move on to…

“Okkake Girls” has developed a sort of plot, as Marin has decided to devote herself to becoming an Otokoyaku.

And finally, *100* pages of Namori’s “Yuru Yuri,” which I have felt is utterly without interest since the very beginning. It’s obvious that the editors at Ichijinsha love this series, since the page count has been steadily growing every volume, but 100 pages????? That’s a whole 25% of the book! Can you say the word “excessive?” And worse, it’s going to be in the new magazine. I can’t wait until the day all the other stories are just jettisoned for 400 pages of this totally nothing story with barely any Yuri. BLEAH. Two thumbs down for this waste of ink.

And so, Yuri Hime S comes to a close with a really big yawn. Which it totally did not have to do.

Ratings:

Overall – 7, with two points off for 100 pages of zzzz, I mean “Yuru Yuri.”

Posted in Comic Yuri Hime, Yuri Manga, Yuri Network News | 1 Comment »


Yuri Manga: Tokimeki Mononoke Gakuen, Volume 2

November 21st, 2010

Ah, young love. It’s all drama all the time. Especially when you’re a human who has accidentally found their way to the youkai world and fallen in love with a two-tailed cat-girl spirit.

Tokimeki Mononoke Gakuen, Volume 2 picks up just at the end of Volume 1. Arare and Kiri are in love, that much is obvious, but they’ve got something important standing between them and consummation of that love – the fact that if they have sex Arare will cease to be human and will become a youkai herself! Her situation isn’t made easier when she meets Akina, a youkai who tells her that she herself made that choice.

As much as they desire one another, this simple fact keeps them apart. And, it is this simple fact that causes them to fight and causes Arare to run off, unaware that Pero has followed her. When Arare ends up back in the human world Pero is somehow dragged along. Awkward, but not unbearable…until the human world starts to make Pero sick. Now Arare has a more pressing problem – if she doesn’t get back to the world of the youkai, Pero may die!

I have had a strong belief that I knew what the end of this series was going to be from waayyyyy back in the story. As soon as we heard, in fact, that Arare would become a youkai if she made love to a youkai, I pretty much assumed I knew what the ending was going to be. It seemed so *obvious!* I’m not going to spoil the ending, but I will say this – I could not have been wronger. ^_^;

The ending was cute, the ending was happy…it just didn’t do anything like I expected it to. So kudos to creator Nangoku Banana for finding a unique, creative way out of that well. (That phrase has a story behind it. My Dad was telling me a story of a serial he read when he was a kid – one of those adventure things, you know. The hero was bound, at the bottom of a well, no one around for miles, no tools to rescue himself with, etc, etc. End of chapter. Next chapter began, “Once out of the well…” We use that phrase around my house to signify cheating your way out of corners you’ve written yourself into.)

No doubt Kiri and Arare will live happily ever after.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Yuri – 9
Service – 7

Overall – 8

This series is still not for the prudish. It’s more serious than Volume 1, and slightly less outrageous, but still pretty over-the-top.

On another note, if you are interested in the youkai portrayed in this story and don’t want to wade through a lot of tedious academic research or historical stuff, I recommend Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt’s Yokai Attack!, a fun “field guide” to youkai you might encounter and how to deal with them if you do.

Posted in Comic Yuri Hime, Yuri Manga | 5 Comments »


Yuri Network News – November 20, 2010

November 20th, 2010

Yuri-ish Anime

Taisho Baseball Girls is now on sale as a season box set. While the Yuri was minimal, it was really just an absolutely wonderful series that should be purchased by everyone to show that we LOVE absolutely wonderful series more than we do dreadful crap.

Speaking of dreadful crap we love, Ikkitousen is streaming on Crunchyroll. I don’t know why I  thought it already was, but now it really is. This is the first season, which you may remember gave us Ryofu and Chinkyuu.

Wasting no time with seeing if the first OVA is even popular, there is *already* noise  about a second OVA of Morita-san ha Muguchi, amazing as that is.

While I was gone, Funimation announced that they have picked up the licenses for Excel Saga, Noir, and Bubblegum Crisis 2040 all of which are worthy of your love and money.

I know there’s a few Hourou Musuko fans out there, because you email me all the time, asking me when I plan on reviewing this series. (The answer is…eventually.) The official anime website has two trailers up for you: Trailer 1 and Trailer 2.

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Yuri-ish Manga

Continuing its pursuit of a reputation as “publisher of crappy manga that only a creep could love” Tokyopop has listed Kampfer on Amazon. Boggles, doesn’t it?

Out from Yuri Hime Comics is Mugen no Minamo, a series I completely ignore in magazine and out. Giant heads, little kids, drippy looking art AND threadbare content! Whee!

KR Comics offers you A Channel, a 4-koma about hyper, yet doofus-y Ron, stylish Yuuko, straight man Nagi. etc. If you like this type of gag comic, you’ll probably like this one too.

Manga no Tsukurikata, Volume 4 will be out in mid-December.

In a masterful bit of re-purposing, Ichinjinsha is releasing Yuri Hime Wildrose: Remix disc A, which is very likely meant to be a “best of” collection of the Yuri Hime Wildrose volumes.

And last, but not at all least for us, the Reborn Comic Yuri Hime website has undergone a goth makeover, which concerns me a little. I was hoping to move away from the dark and spread some light on the subject of Girl’s Love, but we’ll see what they have in mind. :-)

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Yuri-ish Novel

From the admirably twisted mind of Mori Natsuko comes a new novel, Super Otome Taisen, which is absolutely sure to induce howls of laughter. When Angel Lillith appears in the St. Anna dorm of prestigious St. Teresa’s Academy and explains to the girls that God has asked them to use their pleasure power to manipulate a giant robot to fight a giant monster to save the earth…who wouldn’t say yes?  What I like best about Mori-sensei’s stories are that they have both lesbian content and lesbian awareness and are still unimaginably cracktastic. She is my hero.

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Other Yuri-ish News 

YNN correspondent Jenna sends in this report of a French book about shoujo/josei manga that at least touches on Yuri. It interests me greatly that they put Yuri under the rubrick of “manga for women,” because of course, it’s not. It *used* to be manga almost exclusively by and for men, until I started pointing out that there were women who read and create Yuri and now it’s mostly by both men and woman for anyone who reads Yuri. But..because I started pointing out ten years ago that there are women who like it too, somehow that got shifted to “by and for women,” which was never what I said, nor what I meant.

So, let’s just say this again – right now, on November 10, 2010, Yuri is created by both men and women for an audience of whoever buys it.  Which makes it more complex to label, capture, identify and sell than Boy’s Love, which is mostly drawn and bought by women. Personally, I think that’s an excellent thing, as it gives us more of a variety in our stories, styles, points of view and far fewer specific genre tropes to deal with. The tropes in a Yuri story are more likely to be the tropes of that particular genre: action, romance, sci-fi, for guys, for girls, etc,.

Anyway, Jenna goes on to note that “a free sample can be found here, which includes the first two pages of the Yuri chapter: http://www.editions-h.fr/Docs/M10ki-3-site.pdf”

Thanks Jenna for the heads up – this is exactly why I need the Yuri News Network!

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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 | 6 Comments »