Thanks to You and You and You and You…

November 25th, 2010

Here in the US, today is a holiday called Thanksgiving. A few years ago my grandmother asked us to start saying out loud what we were thankful for at the dinner table. It’s not as easy a thing as you think. It’s often hard to do without crying.

But I believe that it is very good for us to stop doing and getting and talking and thinking and just take a moment to be thankful. Most importantly, it’s really important to say it *out loud,* where the other person can hear you.

Of course I want to thank you all, the readers of Okazu. You are all interesting people, who make me laugh and often, think. You give me hours of conversation here on the blog and behind the scenes. I love your comments – even when I need to tell you to “stop now,” and I especially love when you talk amongst yourselves in the comments. Without you, the fans, this would be just another manga and anime blog – you make it great. I would love to name you by name, but there are honestly too many of you to do so. If you have ever commented here – I mean you.

I would particularly like to thank Komatsu-san and A-san, for making a dream trip possible for me this year. It was nothing I expected, nothing I wished for, nothing I could have possibly have thought would happen. But you both made it happen and for that, I am eternally thankful. You are both special people who I am immensely thankful to have met.

I would also like to say thanks to my favorite alien Rica, because without her the world would be a much, much less interesting place!

I would like to thank Twitter. Because of Twitter I have become closer not only to so many of you, but so many amazing thinkers, writers, artists, editors…it’s definitely pulled the anime and manga world closer. So close that last night I was discussing Wilhelm Reich’s orgone box with a manga artist I know in Japan. Now *that’s* a small world. ^_^

I want to thank my staff and friends at Yuricon, particularly Sean, Bruce and Serge for being the best lackeys in the world. You can’t buy that kind of dedication, but I will try, with small, meaningless plastic items from Japan. ^_^

Last, I want to thank my wife for…everything.

Thank you all.

I wish you all a happy day, and if you’d like to add in any thanks in the comments, I’d love to hear them!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Posted in Miscellaneous | 13 Comments »


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 »