Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime, Volume 18 (Part 1)

November 15th, 2009

Volume 18 of Comic Yuri Hime once again has cover art from Eiki Eiki and Zaou Taishi’s “Love DNA Double X,” series and wow, have they laid the lilies on thick. Literally. The lily flowers practically crowd Sakura and Aoi off the page. In case you love the picture a lot, the extra for this volume is a postcard of the cover image.

The first story begins with a girl recounting her many, all female, loves.

We then break for some advertising and a chat with the Sasamekikoto voice actresses, in which they say the typical things about a Girl’s Love story.

Back to Shiroishi explaining to her friend that, yet again, she has fallen for a female classmate – this time the stylish, popular and apparently cold-hearted Midori. Tsubaki is incensed – she confronts Midori only to have the obvious pointed out to her – Tsubaki likes Shiroishi. I’m thinking of calling this plot complication “Crisis in Infinite Schools.” What do you think?

Mistue Aoki’s “Bankara Otome Gakuen” details the relationship between Yanki girl Shio and her ditzy friend Makiko. Smart, rich Yuka wants Makiko in the worst way – and is willing to kidnap and tie her up to get her. But Shiho saves the day and Makiko gets the girl. I so so so wish this would continue. It’s a perfect setup for Shiho to be cool and keep re-winning Makiko over and over. But it was so goofy and condensed, I’m thinking one-shot.

“Love DNA Double XX” does three things. It establishes Aoi and Sakura as friends, introduces Sakura’s posse, and gives us a glimpse of the backstory that sets Sakura up as Aoi’s enemy and reason she’s here at the school – to gain revenge.

Takase-sempai is the object of Mashiro’s interest and desire, but is having a hard time wrapping her brain around it in “Sayonara Folklore.”

“Delicious Time” was a great “Story A.” A girl stops by the bakery every day to get a single mini-croissant. The baker’s daughter, finds “mini-cro” fascinating. It’s obvious that the girl attends the same school she recently graduated from so, when an opportunity to attend the school festival presents itself, she takes it. Of course they meet up and share their darkest secrets – as the daughter of a baker, the protagonist prefers rice and, Sakura, who is the daughter of a rice dealer, prefers that morning mini-croissant…and, the woman who sells it to her. As a way of expressing her own feelings, the baker creates a rice-bread to celebrate their meeting. Brava! Encore!

The essay and “Para Yuri Hime” remains unread. I have had several weeks of hard labor and simply haven’t had time.

The next story is kind of odd and interesting. “Roku Tatami-han Shukai Osore” follows the relationship between a very outgoing, extroverted high school girl and the older shut-in she’s seeing. Ito-chan, the shut in, finds herself inevitably pulled outside by Hatoko.

Arare and Kiri have a fight in “Tokimeki Mononoke Gakuen” and as Arare runs after the creature she loves, she finds herself – and Pero – unexpectedly back in our world.

In “Chinchin Puipui” bar Mama Michiko appears to magically transform into a cute, young woman and whisk miserable Kana away on a series of dates. Only, it wasn’t that kind of magic at all.

Morishima Akiko continues her new series about adults with “Renai Joshika.” It initially appears to be one of “those” series, where everyone in the series is going to be paired up. But, the first story belies that. Hirano falls for Shirohane, but finds out that she’s already got a lover. Hirano realizes that her choices are not limited to one gender and that Shirohane is really a good person that she would, potentially, like to be with. She decides that her love battle has just begun.

This is a good place to stop for the day, I think.

I’ll do my best to finish this up tomorrow!

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


Yuri Network News – November 14, 2009

November 14th, 2009

With the remnants of Ida beating at my house, it’s a curl up and read a book kinda day….

Yuri Manga

Let’s see…we already mentioned Comic Lily (which mostly has artists that specialize in infantile Yuri, so my expectations are low to non-existent) and Yuri Shoujo. Have I mentioned yet *another* Yuri anthology, called Shoujo Yuri? Not sure. Well, now I have. As I mention in the comments, I saw a cover, but forgot to save the reference and now can’t find it. Oh well. More info when I find it again.

Also not sure if I pointed out that Tsubomi 4 is out. I’ve been a little disappointed with Tsubomi so far. It’s been pretty lackluster, but Yuri Hime took a while to really get going and it’s only now shifting into territory I really like, so I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt for a few more volumes. It’s just kind of…okay. I finish each volume *really* tired of school girls kind of liking each other a bit.

On a positive note, a series that has a character who actually says out loud that she’s a lesbian, and that I *never* expected to see a second volume of, Poor Poor Lips, Volume 2 is a-comin’. I thoroughly enjoyed Volume 1. While I don’t expect “progress” to be made in the relationship and the one-joke character of the lead was a tad wearing, overall, it had more depth and was a better series than most 4-koma comics.

***

Snatches of Yuri

Juji wrote in to let you all know that in addition to the Light Novel Dorobo no Meijin, there are a number of other novels by the same author, all with high likelihood of Yuri.

Dorobo no Meijin ~ Side Story: Itaikena Goshujin

Kimi ga Boku wo ~ Doushite Sora ha Aoi nano? and a second volume slated for a release this coming week.

Another novel with likelihood of something that passes for Yuri is Murasaki-iro Qualia, a story about a humanoid robot with pretty purple eyes and a charmingly doofusy personality that makes her the mascot and object of skinship in her middle school class.

Rousoku-hime has been *all* over the Yuri lists these days. I guess the inside must be better than the cover…. In any case, it’s about the beautiful daughter of a nobleman, Squa, who is sent to a nunnery with her handmaid, “swarthy” Fleure.

Action Comics, which has brought us both Hakamada Mera’s and Morinaga Milk’s work, also offers up Pheromone No.5, which looks like it hits a number of popular tropes – private girls school (check), transfer student (check), glasses (check), pervy female Student Council President (check), “funny” sexual harassment (check.) The Amazon reviews were 5 stars and 1 stars. :-)

And Kate Dacey of Mangacritic informed me that translated manga Dragon Sister has a “predatory lesbian.” It’s on my to-read pile now, thanks to Okazu Hero Martin S. I’ll let you know if she is sufficiently predatory for our tastes. ^_^

***
And, 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 | 5 Comments »


Gunsmith Cats Burst, Volume 4 (English)

November 14th, 2009

GSCB4What were you doing in 1996?

I was working in an ad agency, studying Martial Arts, and was just about a year away from diving head first over a cliff into the chasm of anime and manga that would ultimately take over my life.

Rally Vincent was already neck-deep in crazy cases as a bounty hunter with her partner May and their researcher Becky. And, in 1996 or so, she met the Evil, Psycho Lesbian mafia donna, Goldie Musso.

13 years later, in Gunsmith Cats Burst Volume 4, Rally is not older, although she is much wiser. And she is doing the same thing she was then – bounty hunting.

In the course of a case, even though she is certain that Goldie is dead, Rally sees her. And in a sense, Goldie’s henchman later assures her, Goldie is dead. She has no memory. Dennis begs Rally to help Goldie regain her memory and, after much shooting and many deaths, she does just that. In a close one-on-one fight, Rally breaks through the barriers Goldie’s own mind had erected, to awaken her memories.

In the chaos, Rally loses contact with Misty. Although Becky is really concerned about that, for some reason, Rally is less so, sure of the thief’s ability to land on her own two feet.

This will all set up the final, fabulous end to Gunsmith Cats Burst.

It was not quite two years ago that I first got my hands on this volume in Japanese. I’m even more thrilled to read it in English, if only because I long for excruciating details of guns and cars. (No, not really. It’s just easier than reading kanji, duh.)

And once again I’m thrilled to the point of squealing that you get to watch heads blown off all so Rally can be the most important person in Goldie’s life – again. Poor Misty. Hell, poor Dennis.

In any case, this penultimate volume is *exactly* what one looks for from Gunsmith Cats. And the end, when it comes, will be just right this time around. See you once more, in Volume 5. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Characters – 8
Story – 8
Yuri – 3
Service – 5

Overall – 8

These good times brought to you by Okazu Superhero Bruce McF! Thanks for sponsoring today’s review and letting us relive the madness all over again.

Posted in English Manga, Gunsmith Cats | 2 Comments »


New Season Anime Fall 2009: To Aru Kagaku no Railgun

November 13th, 2009

Every week, I save To Aru Kagaku no Railgun for last. Yes, I am definitely the kind of person who saves the best for last. (Sasamekikoto isn’t on the same queue as Railgun, in case you wondered that doesn’t have the position of honor. It does, on an alternate viewing day.)

I know that Railgun is a side story from To Aru Majutsu no Index, a series about which I know nothing and care not at all. (This does not mean I don’t like it, or I am implying in *any* way that liking it is bad. Please don’t read meaning into this statement in a tiresome way. Thank you in advance.)

As with most anime, I had no expectations for Railgun. In this case it all worked out and I think that it is really good goofball fun.

In Academia City, where the major industry is education, students are ranked from 1-5 according to their “abilities.” These abilities are of the extranormal kind and, in keeping with Arthur C. Clarke’s third law, we’ll just call it magic and get it over with. ^_^

Railgun follows the unlikely friendship of the least powerful and the most powerful in the city. The least powerful is represented by Uiharu Kazari (who is rated at a 1) and her friend Saten Ruiko (rated 0). Uiharu is with Judgement, the city’s self-police force with Shirai Kuroko, (who is rated at a 4) and her in/famous, incredibly powerful roommate and object of desire, Misaka Mikoto, one of the city’s few Level 5s.

When Uiharu and Saten are introduced to Mikoto, they – and we – are surprised to find that she’s a really nice, down-to-earth person. And this simple fact, and the fact that being Level 1 and 0
in abilities does not mean that Uiharu or Saten is in any other way ineffective, makes this series totally watchable.

Uiharu’s special abilities might be low, but her computer skills are aces. Saten is a Level 0, but she has guts and sense. Misaka’s only real flaw is her desire to test her incredibly dangerous electrical power against someone in power-to-power combat. Which brings us to Shirai Kuroko, who is indubitably the real star of this series.

Kuroko is an annoying-voiced ojou-sama with a heart of gold and a sincere, if hyperactive, desire for Mikoto. She’s a scream. Again, what makes it all work is that for all that she’s powerful and rich and all that, she’s a nice person. She’s friends with Uiharu and there’s no “buts” at the end of that sentence. Levels of power, money, status, none of that matters to Kuroko. She’s a nutball, but in a good way.

So far the anime has been fun. There’s a plot developing, with a crazy, amoral, over-stressed, no one understands me-they all have to die bad guy, and I’m content to let it take me wherever it goes. I’m cool with watching Uiharu and her companions keep Academia city safe for students of all levels.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Yuri – A lopsided 9
Service – 2 One of the bits I love best – the self-satisfied smirk the anime wears when viewers *don’t* get panty shots.

Overall – Sold at 8. Don’t bother wrapping it up, I’ll watch it on the way out.

Posted in Miscellaneous | 7 Comments »


Drama CD: Maria-sama ga Miteru Rainy Blue

November 11th, 2009

In case you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, drop by Anime News Network’s “Chicks on Anime” for a segment with me on Yuri, and the following comments from people about how I don’t know anything about it. ^_^ Thanks to those of you who have weighed in with positive feedback! I’m kind of sad that no one thought my line describing the typical Yuri fan as being bipedal, with two front-facing eyes, was funny. ^_^

In any case, my thanks to Bamboo and Casey and ANN for hosting that chat!

Now, from fun to misery, as we turn our sights, hopefully for the very last time, to Maria-sama ga Miteru: Rainy Blue. Like the Drama CD before it, there was a little rewriting going on, but ultimately it remains the same uber-depressing story, as Yumi sees her love for Sachiko cast aside in favor of Touko’s.

This is not true, of course. Sachiko is dealing with issues of her own and is only barely aware of how badly Yumi is suffering. Not realizing just how bad Yumi is feeling, Minako and Yoshino fan the flames of her unhappiness. In the end, the only one Yumi feels she can turn to is Sei.

As with the every version of this story, for me the lowest point is when Yumi collpases in hysteria in the foyer of her house, railing at the symbolic loss of her umbrella and what feels like the loss of her beloved onee-sama. I was very careful to listen to this part of the Drama CD on the way home in the car, so I didn’t ruin my day.

Ueda Kana carries the bulk of this story, but the rest of the cast subtlely adds to the story. In fact, when the cast credits were listed, I was surprised that so many of the cast had had lines. In my mind, it had been Yumi and maybe a few others. In fact, almost everyone had a line or two.

The bonus track was a discussion about “rain.” There were a few interesting anecdotes, but nothing that withstood the test of a few really busy weeks. I remember that I wanted to remember them, but, uh, forgot. ^_^

The absolute best part of this Drama CD is, we’re done. That was it. We’ve gotten over the hump once more and can finally move into what are, IMHO, some of the best story arcs in the series.

Ratings:

Story – 8
Characters – 8
Yuri – 3
Service – 1

Overall – 8

Parasol wo Sashite is one of my favorite novels of the series. Can’t *wait* to hear it!

Posted in Drama CD, Drama CDs & Audiobooks, Maria-sama ga Miteru | 15 Comments »