Yuri Manga: Sweet Guilty Love Bites

July 30th, 2010

Sweet Guilty Love Bites, by Amano Shuninta, is currently a candidate for my top ten manga of the year list. It is so very, very close to the kind of thing I want out of Yuri. All it would need is *one* little thing to make it perfect.

The book follows the trials and tribulations of 4 hostesses at Club Lilac. In “Sweet Guilty,” Kirie has had a bad night and in a fit of pique kicks a pile of garbage only to learn that it was wrapped around a person. Myata settles into Kirie’s life so quickly she barely has time to get used to the feelings she’s having for her, when Myata suddenly leaves. But Myata isn’t really homeless, she’s actually the bassist for a popular band who was hiding from her manager. She and Kirie live…shall we all say it together? Happily Ever After.

“Guilty Love” starts with a one-night stand. Niina is a single mother and she leaves before the dawn. because she has a child who needs her at home. When she takes Runa to school the next day, Niina is mortified to learn that her erstwhile lover is her daughter’s kindergarten teacher. Mayu-sensei has to jump a number of hurdles to prove that she’s serious about Niina, and in the end, the three of them live together as a happy two-parent family.

Kokoro, another hostess at Club Liliac, is in love with the club headliner and cover model, Kurea. But as Kurea’s career takes off, Kokoro feels as if she’ll be left behind. She won’t, of course. “Love Bites” ends as happily ever after as the rest of the collection. ^_^

The afterword is disturbingly populated by a number of animals who were apparently instrumental in the making of this manga. Amano-sensei is an exceptionally well-trained seal, who knew?

So, what was the one teeny thing missing that would have made this book perfect? The word “lesbian.” Not one of the characters was a lesbian, none were women who loved women. In fact, when Niina asks Mayu-sensei if she’s in the habit of picking up women, Mayu says that a friend owns the bar and she just happened to be there. If there was one moment in which I would have liked to see a single character own up to being gay, that was it. “Yes,” Mayu could have said. “I’m a lesbian.” And the rest of the story would have been identical and this book would have gotten a 10, instead of a 9.

Ratings:

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

Overall – 9

A book about women over the legal drinking age, all of whom find someone shiny and perfect and successful…if only one of them had been a lesbian. Still, this is good Yuri.

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


Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime Selection, Volume 3

July 29th, 2010

Yuri Hime Selection, Volume 3, like it’s predecessors Volume 1 and Volume 2, is a collection of one-shot stories. A number of them are by participants in Ichijinsha’s manga contests which haven’t made it into the quarterly magazines and the others appear to have run in Yuri Hime S.

Of these, my favorite was “Hasunetsu” by Shin Yui, which had both plot and art that reminded me very much of Mist magazine. In this story, “Bon” (so nicknamed for her bouncy, curly hair) finds herself falling in love and lust with model and upperclassman Kyouko. This story is pure female fantasy and it works. The happily-ever-after ending helps. ^_^

Immediately after this was a not-quite-Yuricest story that wasn’t bad, and that was followed by a lovely little morality play in which a girl who is a prostitute because she can be, lets go of her attachment to money and finds true happiness in the love of another woman.

These three were my favorites, but there were certainly other stories of interest. Unlike Volume 2, I mostly had not read or did not remember the other stories in this collection, so for that reason alone it was fun. There’s a number of one-shots by more popular writers such as Akihito Yoshitomi, Uso Kurata, Mizuno Tokho and others.

I’ve been generally pleased at the Selection collections. I was a little concerned that I’d feel used, buying the same stories I already had purchased in the magazines, but other than the first (which wrapped up the old Yuri Shimai one-shots) I haven’t felt that way at all about Volume 2 or 3.

This collection has enough new material to make it worth buying, and enough interesting material that you won’t feel ripped off.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

Once more, my sincere thanks to Okazu Superhero Dan P. – and my sincere apology that the items he’s sponsored off my Amazon JP Yuri Wishlist haven’t been crappier. I may have to thank him for something else, just to ensure that he maintains his inner Fanboy. ;-)

Posted in Comic Yuri Hime, Yuri Manga | 2 Comments »


How (Not) to Read Reviews

July 28th, 2010

Recently, there’s been some significant changes in the manga and anime industries. In a time of flux some people look to new models, some cling to old and lots of people choose to shoot the messenger. In the manga and anime world, blogger-reviewers are frequently the messengers. :-)

Fans are pretty bad at social cues that “normal” people have no trouble picking up on. For instance, when someone says to you, “Gee look at the time,”  it isn’t a hint for you to look at your watch – it’s time to let the conversation drop and let them leave. :-) Likewise, if you’re talking someone’s ear off and they say, “Excuse me, I have to handle this,” and turn away from you, it’s time to wave and move on, *not* to say, “I’ll wait” and pick up where you left off when they are done.

And then there are reviews. I’ve already covered the fallacy of the objective review in a previous essay. Today I’d like to provide some basic lessons in how to read a review. These rules apply here of course, but they will also probably apply to any review written by anyone anywhere.

1) Don’t assume the reviewer has an agenda…unless they say they do

Reviews are…well, reviews. Usually a review is a synopsis of a story, some highlights of key positives and negatives, opinions as to why those matter and a conclusion. A conclusion, or a point made within the context of the review is not the same thing as an agenda. A reviewer’s agenda is to review the item. Unless they state something like, “I will prove that the Emperor is really a bicycle,” they probably have no other agenda but to review. Way few manga reviewers are corporate tools, shills or stoolies. Their only agenda is to review things of interest to fans. Accusing them of having an agenda is typically an indication that the reader was the one with an agenda – one that was not met.

2) Don’t assume the reviewer watches things the same way or looks for the same things in their entertainment as you do.

A reviewer may not notice something that is critical to you, or may focus on something you don’t find important at all.  The reviewer’s criteria are theirs, yours are yours.  Just because you love something doesn’t mean the reviewer will – even if you explain to them how important it is. Language is super important to me, but maybe not to you. A reviewer is going to focus on what they like – not necessarily what you like.

3) Don’t assume the reviewer plays by your rules

Maybe you would never call something boring. Maybe you would never give anything a 10. The review you are reading- unless it’s one of your own – may not follow *your* rules. You have the right to not read it, of course, but demanding the reviewer conform to your standards misses the point of reading someone else’s review/opinion. Which brings me to…

4) The reviewer does not owe you external validation

Some reviews will be negative about something you like. That happens and, when it does, you have three choices – you can consider the alternative point of view and find it valid or not; you can stop reading; you can throw a hissy fit in the comments or elsewhere. Whichever you choose, it’s important to remember that the reviewer is not your therapist – they do not owe you external validation of your opinion.

5) Disagreeing with your opinion is not a personal attack

This one is critical in fandom. We get so engaged about what we like, we forget that people have the right to not like it – or worse, not care about it at all. Unless a reviewer says, “people who like this are doodyheads” they are not implying this. They might disagree with your opinion, but not your right to your opinion. Take a deep breath – both opinions can be right. At the same time. Feel free to share yours in the comments, in a sane and lucid manner. It’s likely that there are other people who will agree with you, too.

6) A negative review about something you like should *never* affect your opinion of it

Recently I received a polite letter asking me to retract a review, because it deeply upset the person who was writing. He asked me how I would feel if someone attacked a series I liked? I wrote back to say that I would not care, because 1) my opinion is mine and why would someone else’s opinion change that and; 2) oh, there are PLENTY of things I like that other people don’t – and, you know what? That’s okay. It doesn’t bother me in the least when people disagree with me. That’s what makes life interesting.

I should have also added – 3) it’s a freaking cartoon, get a grip, man. I really hope that if you’re about to launch a screaming frothy-mouthed attack on any reviewer that you sit back, take a deep breath and consider why them liking this thing is SO critical for you? Will it actually affect you? How? Why? Unless you are the creator – then you’ve got a good reason to be upset, maybe. But, you still have to deal with the fact that some people just aren’t going to like the same things you like.

And the last and most important rule is:

7) You will never change anyone’s opinion by being angry at them

My opinion changes all the time. I’m pretty open to new ideas and perspectives. My opinion changes over time, with new circumstances and information. I’ve definitely changed my opinion when confronted with an alternative reading of something. But throwing a hissy fit in the comments will just about never change my opinion of whatever I reviewed. It might change my opinion of you.

In a column on his journal, film critic Roger Ebert said that video games are not art. Thousands of angry fans wrote him to explain why he was wrong. He apologized but, as I read his apology it was very clear to me that his opinion has not changed. Sure, he gets that lots of people see games as art. He clearly does not – and thousands of lunatics yelling at him (many threatening him) about it, did not shift that at all.

If you’ve ever written a reviewer and told them that they don’t get it, or that they are stupid; if you’ve ever said, “Have you read it/the second volume/seen the anime, because if you had then you’d know…”; if you’ve ever told a reviewer that they are wrong (as if an opinion can be wrong/right,)…then you have already failed in understanding what a review is and how you can usefully read and respond to it. You probably failed in making a good argument for your case, as well. We all do this, by the way – I’ve done it myself and been called out for it. It’s not a crisis, it’s just human interaction. But you’re way more likely to get a shift in opinion without the histrionics.

In conclusion, if I have ever reviewed something you liked negatively, then I am not at all sorry. Because I am not you. :-) It’s not an attack. It’s just a review. I don’t owe you external validation, but I do owe you as honest a review as I can write. And that’s what you’re gonna get here at Okazu – an honest review.

Posted in Now This Is Only My Opinion | 22 Comments »


Silent Mobius Manga, Volume 2 (English)

July 27th, 2010

Silent Mobius: Complete Edition Volume 2There will be no Yuri here today. I’m sorry…I wish there was. (Hoo boy do I wish there was…) but there isn’t.

What there is today is a group of women known as the AMP – women who kick ass, each in their own way; women who have been gathered together for the express purpose of kicking the ass out of otherworldly creatures known as the Lucifer Hawk.

In time honored tradition, in Volume 2 of Silent Mobius, we’re resolving backstory issues we didn’t know the characters had, because otherwise we might not care about them enough going forward. In Volume 1 we established Nami’s onmyoudo cred, which allows us to accept her place among the AMP. In the second back/current story, we get the exact opposite. Kiddy Phenil is the most visibly strong character. In her backstory resolution, we learn about her softer, more human side – even as we learn the truth behind her strength.

Then, finally, we turn our attention towards the protagonist of the series – Katsumi Liquer. The breadcrumbs of story that are dropped here in Volume 2 will lead us further and further along the trail in search of the story behind the story. We are introduced to Katsumi’s heirloom, the sword Grospeliner – a sapient weapon with a pretty silly sense of humor. Reading Grospeliner snarking at Katsumi I realized that I am inordinately fond of sapient/sentient weaponry. ^_^

But it’s a quick swipe at Katsumi’s story and we’re on to Yuki. Yuki, our youngest character (and who would be drawn today to look 4 years old, no doubt) is quite possible the most problematic character for the reading audience. She seems so weak, so sweet, so entirely out of place. And right away, her arc deals with her feelings about that very thing. Her story won’t be resolved until next volume, but do we really have any doubt that hyper-competent Rally Cheyenne would choose a weakling for her team?

Which bring us to the always fascinating Rally. For a second time we see that her power is greater than a mid-level Lucifer Hawk. I can’t speak for anyone else, but the panel of Rally standing in front of her team, not even a hair out of place after that Lucifer Hawk attack is still one of my favorite images of the series.

Udon has provided a nicely reproduced edition, with color art in the beginning (but not that undercover art I longed for.) The translation is once again excellent until those rare moments when it jars. In this case, the jarring was caused entirely by personal preference, so I don’t hold it against them.

As I said, there is no Yuri. Katsumi has Roy and Kiddy gets Ralph and they are exceedingly cute at one another. But the AMP is indubitably a team of strong, competent women fighting at the peak of their unique skills against a grotesque, yet oddly elegant, enemy.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 8
Service – 2
Yuri – 0

It’s definitely worth revisiting this series. It still holds together as a great action-occult-scifi masterpiece – with adult women who talk to each other about something other than romance.

Posted in English Manga | 3 Comments »


HER Manga

July 25th, 2010

HER, by Yamashita Tomoko, is a series of character portraits, loosely strung together by everyday circumstances.

The story begins with a woman who wants to be loveable – and loved – and who has a fixation on shoes. Her hairdresser’s fear of the future is the subject of the second chapter. A schoolgirl whose hair she cuts sees her older female neighbor kissing her female lover goodbye. In the past, the neighbor had a difficult relationship with her mother. The neighbor’s lover was rejected by her first love. The couple sitting next to them at the cafe have their own issues.

As an omake, each chapter is summed up by a one-line subtitle with an accompanying 4-panel comic: i’ve not known HER; i’m detested by HER; i’m nothing like HER, i gonna get at HER; i still love HER; i always lost to HER. [sic, in all cases]

The lesbian chapters are quite excellent. They realistically portray an older woman, Yoshiko, who has already reconciled herself to the choices she’s made and can discuss them honestly with a young woman who doesn’t know what to do about her own life. Even as Kozue realizes that everyone she goes to school with can, in one way or, another be considered “strange,” she comes to realize that her neighbor Yoshiko isn’t that “strange” at all.

For one thing, Yoshiko is older – as in late 50’s-60’s. Not only is it not typical so see women that old in manga at all (even mothers seem eternally 30 unless they are 70) but almost unheard of to find a lesbian that old outside a “lesbian bar” scene. For another, Yoshiko is not bitter, regretful, or…well…anything. She’s just a person, as Kozue begins to understand. Yoshiko has thought about kids, for instance and, for several reasons, has not pursued having them. She’s a photographer, she grows flowers. She’s not moralizing, or warning Kozue away from the life – she’s just living her life as honestly as she can. Ultimately, that’s what allows Kozue to accept her.

The chapter about Yoshiko’s youth is not about her sexuality. It’s not about coming out. It’s about her discomfort with her mother’s behavior and the many reasons why she rejects an offer of sex from a guy she otherwise trusts and likes.

Yoshiko’s lover, Honmi, in her younger days had fallen in love with a straight co-worker. Despite her attempts to be a good friend, she’s suffering when the woman she loves suffers, more so because she can’t really do anything to comfort her. Although she’s long moved past this, that first love lingers on in her heart.

HER is a great example of skilled story telling. It’s a book that begs for a re-read or two, so one can pick up things missed on the first or second read. It’s the kind of book that – were it in English – I would give to an adult, female friend who doesn’t read manga. Readers of Octave who enjoy the story for the adult interactions of the characters would also enjoy this manga.

There’s nothing here to appeal to children or children in adult bodies. This is a story for adults, about adult choices, becoming an adult and most of all…what it’s like to be HER.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Lesbian – 9
Service – 0

Overall – 9

Like a whipped cream, sprinkles and cherry on top of the yummy ice cream of this series, this book was sponsored by Okazu Superhero Dan P – the first of several from my Amazon Japan wishlist. Thanks Dan, this was way awesomer than I anticipated!

Posted in LGBTQ, Yuri Manga | 3 Comments »