Yuri Manga: Octave, Volume 3

December 13th, 2009

At the end of Volume 2 of Octave (オクターヴ), I expressed the sentiment that I did not want Setsuko to be hurt, even as I knew that there was no way to avoid it.

And indeed, as the pages of Volume 3 open, there is Setsuko, crying. It didn’t help that I expected Yukino to come home and lie about her evening. It did help that the characters of Octave are hyper real and they manage to deal with some very seriously drama-inducing situations in a way that few, if any, people would actually deal with them.

And so, as Yukino’s esteem issues come to a head, Setsuko and Mari’s calm sensibility and reasonable natures forced Yukino to grow the fuck up and take responsibility for her choices.

Phew.

On the bad side, Setsuko cried.

On the good side, Yukino comes out to her friend, the newly re-debuted idol and admits her jealousy of Mika. A pretty excellent scene – without “Afterschool Special” overtones, just one adult female having to verbalize something that is not real until it is actually verbalized – I am in a relationship with another woman.

On the best side, Yukino finally putting her past behind her and, with a little push from Mari and Setsuko as they close the laundromat, moving forward into a relationship of equals and life of her very own.

If this had been the final volume, I would have been satisfied. But it isn’t. The story continues. I’m…speechless.

What am I always saying here? That I’d like to see a story that goes past the happily-ever-after to the bits that aren’t so good and then are good again. Well…there it is.

Yukino meets Setsuko and they like each other. Not the end of the story. Not the end at all. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 9
Service- 3

Overall – 9

I cannot *wait* until Volume 4. Please, those of you reading scanlations, do not helpfully educate me as to what is going to happen in later chapters. I’d much prefer to read it myself. Thanks. ;-)

Posted in Yuri Manga | 17 Comments »


Yuri Network News – December 12, 2009

December 12th, 2009

The holiday season is in full force and buying is reaching frenzied heights – which I’m totally for. Let me see if I can help with some good suggestions for holiday gifts, shall I? ^_^

Yuricon News

The Yuricon 2009 AMV contest is heading into final hours. Please get those entries in soon! We have a fabulous art contest coming up so keep your eyes peeled!

The up-to-40% off sale on 100% Yuri from ALC is also coming to a close. Please get any orders in by Monday, Dec. 15 for Xmas shopping.

***

Yuri Anime

RightStuf & Nozomi Entertainment announce the ARIA The Origination Collection for March 2, 2010. The set will include the series’ third (and final) TV season, plus the OVA. For more info, downloads, extras and lots of pretty pictures, visit RightStuf’s Aria website.

Sasamekikoto is heading to the end of a successful first season and to celebrate there will be some contest-like thing you might want to know about. I didn’t mention this, you just *might* want to check back on Wednesday. Just sayin’.

No clue what the anime will be about, but Candy Boy‘s Hoshikawa Takafumi is working on a new, unnamed project, along with Seed Project.

I do not know if there is any intention of bringing this to the west, but in Japan, April will see R.O.D. The COMPLETE BluRay Box set. For this, I might *actually* be tempted to buy a BluRay player and a sound system, but it would probably all be wasted on my craptastic TV. :-) (The wife suggests I put all the components on my Yuri Wish List. lol)

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Movie The 1st two-minute trailer is streaming live and online for your pleasure. The movie is due out on January 23rd. I think it looks overall good, with some (sadly inevitable) creepiness.

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Yuri Manga

While we’re on the topic, Digital Manga Publishing has licensed the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS manga and I should probably warn you that Yuri content in that is low to non-existent. If you like Nanoha for itself, it’s good. Don’t go reading it looking for Yuri, you’ll be disappointed.

It’s time for the next issue of Yuri Hime S, featuring “Konohana Link” on the cover and filled with a ton of stuff and even the occasional story about women who like one another. ;-) YHS will hit the streets on December 18.

Kono Koi ha XXX is an anthology of short, PWP stories with Yuri content and sex by an artist who formerly contributed to Yuri Shimai. So you know what you’re in for.

Hayate x Blade Volume 5 is out. I will review it as soon as I can. Trust me – it’s fabulous.

And Nijiburi has been on all the Japanese Yuri lists recently. I’m sure it is relevant to our interests, but I’ve hit the wall on large eyes for the morning. :-)

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Yuri Light Novel

Light Novel Kimi ga Boku wo Doushite Sora ha Aoi no? sounds, gasp! interesting. In a shopping center that was formerly prosperous, a girl finds herself involved in working with (for? as?) a butler to an official, i.e., another girl. The story sounds half typical and half not so much. I might give it a try, just because it has to be better than the LN I’m trying to read right now.

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Other News

From time to time I get requests for suggestions and recommendations for LGBT books. I don’t actually do recommendations of any kind, but I can provide links. I’ll try and do my best to add some good LGBT book links here from time to time. Since it is the holiday season and you may be looking for some LGBT lit other than manga to buy, here are a few sites that may be of interest to you:

GLBT Bookshelf

Bella Books

Bold Strokes Books

Alyson Books

Brisk Press

I hope you find something fun for the LGBTQ-friendly folks in your life. ^_^

***

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 Nanoha, R.O.D., Read or Dream, Yuri Network News | 9 Comments »


New Round of "Utter Nonense!"

December 10th, 2009

It’s that time again! Yes! Time for you to send in your questions about whatever and put up with my answers of “whatever.” :-)

For this next round of Utter Nonsense we’re going to have a few simple rules:

1) I will not answer questions about “what is your favorite….” anymore. They distress me, because I don’t *have* favorites, usually.

2) No “ham or cheese” or “Coke or Pepsi” questions. Please. They provide no entertainment to either you or me.

3) If you want to ask me what I see as the future of Yuri or why I like Yuri, I beg you to read all the previous iterations of my answers to these questions. If you have a real question about Yuri that I have not previously addressed, bring it on!

4) Please, please, no questions that can be answered by 30 seconds of actually READING one of my reviews here. (Sorry first question person – I’ve answered that three volumes worth. Search for the title here, or click the “Morinaga Milk” category on the righthand sidebar.)

5) And no “define the term” questions. Go here: http://okazu.blogspot.com/2008/03/okazu-glossary-of-terms.html. I did that already.

As always, I’ll do my best to answer most or all of the questions. I may combine similar questions, or decline altogether if it’s just something mean-spirited or weird.

Above all, funny questions tend to allow for funny answers, so be creative!

You can email me questions or put them in the comments here. I look forward to seeing what you have for me this time!

Posted in Now This Is Only My Opinion | 35 Comments »


Lucky Star Manga, Volume 2 (English)

December 8th, 2009

Okay, I think I got it. (I’d say “correct me if I’m wrong,” but when have you ever hesitated to do that?!)

Everything that comes out of a tsundere character’s mouth in tsun mode is treated as if it’s “Opposite Day.” If he whines that he doesn’t wanna do it, it really means he’s going to save the world in a second or two and if she says he’s annoying, it means she likes him. Am I close?

So, in Lucky Star, Volume 2, we’re specifically told that Kagami is tsundere so, when she protests that the chocolates she’s giving Konata are just out of obligation, you’re all “wink-wink-nudge-nudge,” right?

Of course, we are also told that Yu is a cop on a rampage, free and easy, but kind of hyper and in her own world, which in my book is four completely different personalities, but hey, whatever works for you.

The single outstanding quality of this manga is the translation – but not in a good way. This volume has an editor credited – some part of me expected to see “Alan Smithee” on that page, but no, someone actually took credit for the job he didn’t do at all, even a little.

I’m not tsundere, btw. When I say mean things, I mean them. If I tell you, “You bore me, go away” it does not mean I think you’re really cute and I want you to stick around. It is never “Opposite Day” in my house. But with tortured and abused sentences more common than simple, clear ones I don’t think I’m overstating the problem. The translation here is *bad*. Bad as in, “we don’t really have anyone here who is even a good enough writer/editor to see how bad it is.”

Once you get past the translation, what’s left is a series made from very typical Japanese comic strip humor, in which Konata takes the role of the audience. It’s cute when she says she played games all night – it’s creepy when the creepy guy next to you in class says it.

So, after reading Volume 2, which deals with more calendrical hijinks – New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, College Exams, etc., I’ve developed this theory: Kagami cannot *stand* Konata. She finds her exasperating and hopes she crashes and burns horribly.

You can have your Kagami and I’ll have mine. :-)

Ratings:

Art – 3
Story – 3
Characters – 6 Now that I’ve reinterpreted Kagami to suit myself, I like her more. Why not – you did it.
Yuri – .5
Otaku – 7 Gaming and CompAce/Comptiq in-jokes

Overall – 3

My sincere thanks to Okazu Hero Amanda M for sponsoring today’s review and giving me the chance to apply my very own of Fan Delusion to this series! ^_^

Posted in English Manga | 14 Comments »


Yawara, A Fashionable Judo Girl, Volume 2 (English)

December 7th, 2009

There is a fine line between “She doth protest too much” and “Standing one’s ground.” When it comes to a woman not buckling under the pressure of the wishes of everyone around her, I’m usually right behind her, rooting for her to make her own decisions.

In Volume 2 of Yawara, A Fashionable Judo Girl, Yawara doth protest too much.

Her Mom has already pointed out that girls who do Judo are still feminine. Everyone in her school looks up to her for guidance and leadership and even her friends think she ought to step up and shine a little more.

But no, Yawara has a dream of being a nobody, of embodying the passive ideal of wife and mother and passing through life with nary an influence. Okay, fine, that’s her choice, I got it. I don’t agree with it, but it’s hers, so I respect that.

But, when the judo club implores her to become their coach so they can man up and defend their reputation, and Kazamatsuri begs her to compete, telling Yawara that she shines brightest when she’s playing Judo, Yawara hardens her heart against them and says that *they* are being selfish.

“No,” I found myself lecturing this 2-dimensional, fictitious character on the screen, “you’re the one being selfish.” Even, as Every Sports Writer Matsuda points out, Haute Couture, Rich-Girl Sayaka is running along a beach dragging a *tire,* all because of Yawara.

It takes an unfunny stalker to piss Yawara off enough to bring about the change of heart needed to make this series move forward. Watching the formerly pathetic Judo team kick his ass helped.

I did not ever do Judo, but I was a martial artist for two decades and have a few years of Aikido in there. Let me tell you something about throwing and being thrown. Throwing is easy. Being thrown is hard. Taking ukemi, as they say, is the essence of any martial art that includes throws. Here’s what I want to point out – there’s a lot you can do to change the direction of a throw. And when Yawara throws the punk stalker, she throws him straight down. In a way that I can guarantee hurt. A lot. It was satisfying.

In fact, watching Yawara practicing her rolls really made me want to break out the mat and do a little practice myself. Which is the hallmark of a really good sports story for me. I want to get up and do the thing myself.

In any case, Sayaka has eyes only for Yawara, unfortunately not in any way that can remotely be described as desire, but we’re getting there. Yawara and Sayaka are about to have their first match and will be rivals for the love of Kazamatsuri. It doesn’t sound promising, but remember Ayaka and Ryoko from Tenchi? They pretended to fight over Tenchi all the time, but even Sasami saw through that. ;-)

Ratings:

Art – 7
Characters – 5, because unfunny stalkers are unfunny
Story – 8
Yuri – 1
Service – 5

Overall – 8

Again, my sincere thanks and probably my next set of bruises as I practice my ukemi are dedicated to Ana M.! Thanks for sponsoring this trip down not just one, but two memory lanes for me. ^_^

Posted in English Anime | 2 Comments »