Yuri Network News – January 9, 2010

January 9th, 2010

The even-year effect is in place and Yuri is pretty thin for the new anime season, but don’t fear, there’s plenty of stuff for us to read!

Yuri Manga

Number one most “Yahoo!” news of the day has to be that the first volume of Gunjo is slated to be out in February! I don’t have a link to order it yet, but when I do get one, you can be sure I will be flogging you all to do so. If you have never before ordered a Japanese comic and are not sure why you would ever order one, I implore you to buy this manga. Nakamura-sensei has taken so many risks to make it, and it is so extraordinary in every way. please, please save up your pennies and buy Gunjo!

My copy of Rakuen Le Paradis arrived and, at first glance, it appears to be competing with F Erotics, the magazine that runs Aoi Hana. I say this because there’s an odd variety of stories that don’t quite seem to target men or women, but simply “adults who like reading romantic manga.” Rakuen doesn’t have the off-beat feel of F, but it looks and feels nice – and adult. While Kowo Kazuma’s (Junsui Adolescence) first story is boy/girl, both Takemiya Jin and Nishi UKO have Yuri entries. Can I just say how excited I am to see two of my absolutely favorite doujinshi artists doing work in a magazine for adult readers? I’m so happy for them.

YNN Correspondent Katherine H. is excited to let us know that not only is the first volume of the Canaan manga out at the end of this month, a Light Novel is already out. Her reaction is, “Hmm, most light novels are pretty embarrassing to read,” and “Hehe, Canaan and Alphard are on the cover. Together.” Mine is that Canaan will make a better LN series than a comic and I’d look forward to an extension past the anime storyline if they get there.

Second license request for 2010 – Canaan anime, please. Funimation, this time I’m looking at you.

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Yuri Drama CD

Katherine also points out that a To Aru no Kagaku no Railgun Original recording is up for preorder, as is a new Canaan DJCD.

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Snatches of Yuri

Samurai Age – Koiseyo tatakau otome-tachi! looks like another light novel that will eventually cross my desk here. High school girl samurai fighting and some Yuri-ishness. Gosh who could possibly want to miss that? (This would make a great off-year Yuri anime if anyone cared to bother.)

Yuri H-game fans can throw their money at R18 and R18!, Volume 2!

I admit that the title, Hyakku Ryouran Sengoku Otome appeals to me. Something about girls fighting and Yuri. Sheesh, I’m predictable. :-)

On the other hand, Hyakuen! does not hold any appeal for me, so those of you who mostly disagree with me, probably should take a look at it. lol What does interest me is that this book is a collection of a GanGan Comics series that ran online.

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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 Gunjo, Yuri Network News | No Comments »


Yawara, a Fashionable Judo Girl Anime, Volumes 3 & 4

January 9th, 2010

Okay, so, we’ve established that the *number one* most important thing for a sports hero is a rival who pushes them to their limits and beyond. In Volume 1 and Volume 2, we established that Sayaka is meant to be that rival for Yawara.

However, in Volumes 3 and 4, we learn that Sayaka is nowhere near Yawara’s level and the comparison isn’t even a fair one. But! (There’s always a “But!”) a new rival arrives – and this one is definitely exactly what Yawara needs to light the fire of competition in her heart. Jody Rockwell, a large, friendly, energetic Judoka from Canada arrives, plants herself in Yawara’s yard and challenges her to a fight. Yawara resists, but Jody’s good nature and genuine enthusiasm – and a little subterfuge, courtesy of Yawara’s grandfather – finally break through Yawara’s resistance. For the first time, she has fun doing Judo.

When Jody leaves, Yawara decides to compete in Judo to be able to once again have a match with her but, oh no! Jody’s career is derailed by the evil Russian who stands in Yawara’s way. Stay tuned for revenge.

There is no Yuri, really, but Yawara opens her heart to Jody in a very touching way. Sayaka’s rivalry with Yawara moves to the field of love, as they battle for Kazamatsuri but, while Sayaka is always watching Yawara, to be honest, Yawara still barely notices she’s there.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Characters – 6, now that Yawara’s into Judo, she’s more interesting
Story – 8
Yuri – 1
Service – 5

Overall – 8

Once more (and not for the last time,) my sincere thanks to Ana M.! Thanks for sponsoring today’s review and several hours of fun anime viewing!

Posted in English Anime | No Comments »


Yuri Manga: Aoi Hana, Volume 4

January 7th, 2010

Aoi Hana (青い花) is, IMHO, a story about strength. Fumi may be gentle and quiet and a crybaby, but she is doing her best to be herself. It takes a lot of strength to do that at any age, but especially, especially in high school.

In Volume 4, the second year has begun for Fumi and Ah-chan and already the question of the school play is in the topic of conversation at both schools. When the play title was unveiled I have to admit, I did a double-take because, sure, Mishima Yukio is a classic Japanese writer, but I didn’t really think anything he wrote would be suitable for a high school play. Rokumeikan is a story of a clash of cultures, genders and expectations, so it’s actually a pretty great choice.

The Fujigaya Drama Club gains a new member, a loud, slightly scatterbrained first-year, Haruka, whose older sister is the friend of a teacher who is rumored to have a female lover. Ah-chan dies a few deaths as the gossip-mongers in her class go on about how it all grosses them out. Ah-chan’s seatmate, a tall girl who reminds her a lot of Fumi, saves her from having to swallow more bile. Ryouko and Ah-chan become friendly – Ryouko is even drawn into the Drama Club when her recitation of Rokumeikan for the Library Club is overheard.

Fumi too, is drawn back to into the Drama Club’s play, but her voice is too soft and her shyness too great, so she backs out – but not before she meets Ryouko, or Haruka.

Haruka lets slip to Fumi that she thinks her sister likes women. Fumi ponders the meaning of this and later that night confesses to Ah-chan that she had a physical relationship with Chizu – and that she wishes she had that same relationship with Ah-chan.

You see what I mean? Where Sasamekikoto is a series about Sumika’s inability to say anything, her weakness in the face of her feelings, Aoi Hana has Fumi facing up to her feelings and admitting them out loud. At any age, that takes a lot of strength.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Characters – 9
Story – 8
Yuri – 5
Service – 1

Overall – 8

This series is definitely on my license wish list for 2010. I’m looking at you, Vertical.

Posted in Aoi Hana/ Sweet Blue Flowers, LGBTQ, Shimura Takako, Yuri Manga | 4 Comments »


Light Novel: Maria-sama ga Miteru ~ Little Horrors

January 6th, 2010

High school, among other things, is a series of mortifying moments. Between hormones, life roles and adults being adults, there’s just about no day that goes by when a high school student doesn’t wish that the earth would open up and swallow them at least for a little while.

For Arima Nana, the day described in Maria-sama ga Miteru – Little Horrors (マリア様がみてる―リトルホラーズ) is one of those days.

Nana has entered Lillian Girls’ School in a slightly unusual position. Before she even enters high school, she is Rosa Foetida en Bouton. Not only does she start her high school career as a member of the Student Council but, because of her family and her famed kendo skills, she’s slated to be one of the highlights of the kendo team in time.

So, when the team calls a meeting and her onee-sama, Rose Foetida herself, younger sister of the former captain and third-year member of the team doesn’t show – the earth could not open up fast enough.

Little Horrors appears to be the story of Nana, as she runs around the school, looking for Yoshino. She starts in Yoshino’s classroom, and then tries the Rose Mansion. Noriko joins her as they broaden the search and finally Touko adds her help. When they finally find Yoshino, Nana and she get into a bit of an argument, as Nana explains that she was subject to mortification as a result of Yoshino’s absence. Yoshino, by way of explanation, tries to explain that she didn’t want to stand in Nana’s way in the club.

But all this takes a quick back seat to the real issue – because they find Yumi and Yoshino in the bottom floor of the Rose Mansion, barely containing a leaking pipe. The three en bouton jump in to relieve their onee-sama.

Time passes. Noriko goes off to find a teacher, Yoshino leaves to make her appearance at the club meeting, Touko leaves to go to the toilet. One little, two little, three little Lillian, four little, five little Lillian girls, Nana sings to herself.

Nana and Yumi, alone in the first-floor room, have a conversation in which Yumi was…my god, she was Rosa Chinensis! Youko could not have been more sensible, encouraging and supportive.

And then…the noise starts. Stomp stomp, clap. Stomp stomp clap. the noise comes from the second-floor council room. Yumi and Nana stare at the ceiling and finally Yumi tells Nana to go check, she’s really okay by herself.

Ambivalent about what she might find there, Nana ascends the stairs.

Before I tell you what she found, I ought to point out that this was all in the “ribbon” story – the bits that ties the actual stories together. The actual short stories were all about non-Yamayurikai characters including, as I predicted, the vile twins who seduced then threatened a teacher, and a marginally interesting story about a girl who wasn’t sure if she really was a girl or was an old guy dreaming he was a girl. There was also a completely forgettable story about a girl who becomes friends with the girl who sits beside her in class – while the girl isn’t actually there. -_-; And even more forgettable, a story about a girl who makes up a ridiculous sets of lies that all turn out, through painful contortion of the plot, to end up being true.

But, back to Nana. Slowy, slowly, she reaches out to open the door and slowly, slowly, she enters and suddenly…Pop! The sound of party crackers sound and lo and behold! the whole thing was a setup for a surprise party to welcome Nana. The plan was created by Yoshino – fake a leak to keep Nana out of the second floor room and give everyone a chance to gather there before her. :-)

As a bonus, Yoshino comments that she did indeed make the kendo club meeting where her rival, Tanuma Chisato was voted in as the new club president and she, busy with Yamayurikai duties as she is, was asked by Chisato to be the club vice president. Yoshino was mortified, of course, but that’s high school for you.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 4-7
Yuri – .5
Fan Service – 12? (Noriko-sama! Touko-sama! Squee!)

Overall – 7

In the Afterword, Konno-sensei mentions that her editor referred to this book as Variety Gift IV. Heh.

Posted in Light Novel, Light Novels, Maria-sama ga Miteru | 3 Comments »


Rakka Ryuusui Manga, Volume 4

January 4th, 2010

Last month, the criminally intelligent and funny Kate Dacey added a few new items to her Manga Hall of Shame. Among them was 4-koma series Lucky Star. Among her many – and all completely valid – criticisms was the plaintive request, “Dear Manga Publishers: Please stop licensing 4-koma titles. Most of the translated material in this format is at best dull — wait, was that a joke? — and at worst incomprehensible…”

I wish I could disagree with her but, despite the ridiculously large numbers of 4-koma series I follow, I can’t. Before you get all bent out of shape about it, consider this:

4-koma are the equivalent of “comic strips” here in the west.

My gut tells me that few people would rush to read “Blondie” or “Sally Forth” if they were translated into Japanese for much the same reason 4-koma fail to be hysterical here – sitcom-itis. Each character has one, maybe two qualities, each of which is rendered down into a joke or visual gag. The sum of the plot is three or four situations into which this 2-dimensional (both figuratively and literally) ensemble is thrown, with resulting yucks and heehaws. The only way to change the dynamic is to add characters or props.

This is not to say that *all* American comic strips are bad, nor is it to say that all Japanese 4-koma are impenetrable or unfun. Realistically though, even a lot of the ones I like are not that great. :-)

Which brings me to the subject of today’s review, Rakka Ryuusui (落花流水), Volume 4.

It’s not bad…but it ain’t great. Here are my reviews for Volume 1 and Volume 2. I never did get Volume 3, in which I apparently missed nothing because the main topic of conversation in Volume 4 is…allergies. Yes, still.

It’s both funny and really, really boring all at once. Animal allergies, pollen allergies…I sympathize but seriously, how many comic strips about high school girls’ post-nasal drip can one read before the glamor wears off?

What passes as Yuri in this series is taken up by Akatsuki who idolizes and follows around Yu, who suffers allergies. And Akiho still has a crush on her sempai.

The only real downside to this particular series of comic strips is that while I tuned in to read about the allergy-suffering of the Kyuudo club while wearing cool hakama and carrying cool weapons, I’m subjected to them suffering allergies while wearing bathing suits and… horror! cheerleading outfits. It was unforgivable. They can be as sniffly as they like – while doing archery. Once they stop that, I’m outta here.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 6
Characters – 6
Yuri – 2
Service – 4

Overall – 6

Posted in Miscellaneous | 4 Comments »