Drama CD: Twinkle Saber Nova, Crossing Star

March 17th, 2008

Once again, lured by the siren call of a Drama CD extra, I found myself picking up the third volume of Twinkle Saber Nova. (For a brief review of the story, please read my comments on Volume 1.) Volume 3 is more of the same, with two notable exceptions: Hayana, the leader of the “Ally of Justice” Club, gains a new, personal rival from the “World School Uniform Club,” Shouko. And the Ally of Justice Club gains a new member, Ryou.

Shouko’s rivalry with Hayana is intense – so intense, you can easily see it as that love/hate thing that happens in nearly every manga series. And, in fact, Fujieda has paired Shouko and Hayana in his 2008 Yuri calendar. It came as a bit of a shock to me, since I always mentally paired Hayana with her admiring protege, Satsuki. But no. I’m wrong. And here’s why:

In the Drama CD, Crossing Star, a new restaurant is opening, so of course Hayana needs to run off and see what’s up. But there’s something special and different going on at this openiing. The shop is selling accessories guaranteed to win the love and friendship of the person whose name you write down.

Hayana goes over to the new shop, where she encounters practically every single member of the World School Uniform Club, including her shiny new arch-rival, Shouko. ^_^ Meanwhile, back in the Ally of Justice Club HQ, Satsuki asks club manager Aoi for advice on how to become closer to Ryou.

Hayana returns bearing gifts. For Satsuki, matching rings for her and Ryou, to foster, you know, kouhai-doushi, a bonding between her cute club juniors. Satsuki runs off breathlessly excited. Hayana turns to Aoi, her long-time best friend, and someone with whom she would like to become even closer, and shows her the rings she had made for them. Blue for Aoi, pink for herself. Aoi is embarrassed, but accepts.

Satsuki offers the ring to Ryou, who says she’s not ready to get married or engaged yet. lol Satsuki explains that it’s a way for them to become more friendly, but Ryou responds that they are already close in her mind. She also bought something for Satsuki, a nice selection of pudding. Satsuki and Ryou share pudding, rings and close friendship.

The whole thing is hideously adorable. ^_^

As I mentioned in my earlier review of this series, Fujieda himself has said that there is implicit Yuri in this series. I think that this Drama CD went a couple steps into making that implicit a tad more explicit, although I would have liked to see Hayana and Shouko get a little closer too. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – N/A, but Yuri Cover art.
Story – 6 Very fluffy
Characters – 7
Yuri – 4
Service – 3

Overall – 6

This Drama CD has motivated me to re-read the whole series over again and pay attention this time.

Posted in Drama CDs & Audiobooks, Fujieda Miyabi | 5 Comments »


Yuri Light Novel: Strawberry Panic!, Volume 1 (English)

March 16th, 2008

…A pure world within the walls that was reserved only for young ladies. A world of classes, sports, friendship and love, as well as mental and emotional bonds and passionate physical aches.

All of it existing only between girls.

Or, as that last line might be reinterpreted by the fandom:

“All of it existing only between ******girls*******!!!!!!!!111111111111one”

LOL

First, many, many thanks to the fabulous folks at Seven Seas for the opportunity to review the first volume of the Strawberry Panic! Light Novel series in advance. I previously reviewed the Japanese edition of this novel, and Volumes 2 and 3, as well and, by the time I was done with them, I was *dying* to get my hands on a copy of the translation. And now that I have, I can say that Seven Seas has not let me down one single bit. This translation was just about perfect. Not a single moment of eye-popping absurdity has been altered.

It was the uniform of the venerable St. Miator Girls’ Academy, which every single girl desperately wanted to attend.

(Was that every single girl in the world – or every *single* girl? I think the interpretation’s up for grabs. lol)

The overall tone of voice – that pretentious, overformal, precious tone, favored by moe fans everywhere, was captured perfectly. My kudos to the translator and adaptor.

Hikari came off as fragile, Amane as admirable, Miyuki as snarky, Shion as raging against the machine, Shizuma as a playgirl, and Nagisa as…Nagisa. Tamao isn’t as pervy as she is in the anime, Chikaru seems to be written by two different people – the one who acts like she’s pulling the strings and the one who thinks she’s barely interested, and Kaname…is nuts.

Kaname drew a red rose seemingly out of nowhere and offered it to Amane.

“Please give up; this is our fate. It’s all right. It only hurts in the beginning….”

And the Etoile competition is, to quote Tamao, a “festering pile of trickery.” She’s right, too. ^_^

I enjoyed every second of this novel, for the amusingly over-the-top tone, the heavy beating with the Yuri stick, and the fact that while I thought it hysterical, I am sure to get many emails and comments on how “beautiful” a story it is. My answer in advance, is to once again quote from the book:

Of course, most of the young ladies used their judgment when they heard those legends. But there were some who really believed them. …And yet those same young ladies grew into fine women.

Ratings:

Art – 6 (I’ve revised this down, because it’s too cute for some of the characters, who are supposed to be seen as sexy, or sensual, or masculine.)
Story – 6 (I’ve revised this up, because I’m no longer weighing this series against anything I take seriously)
Characters – 7 (Ditto)
Yuri – 9
Service – 8

Overall – 7

Translation – 9
Adaptation – 9

Strawberry Panic! is stellar as a comedy. Fans who don’t see that will find it to be stellar as a Yuri novel, because it is indubitably Yuri and therefore must be excellent. ^_^

Posted in Light Novel, Strawberry Panic | 8 Comments »


Hakodate Youjin Buraijou Himegami Manga, Volume 1

March 16th, 2008

Hakodate, 1878. Perry’s Black Ships have forced Japan to enter the world stage. European and American powers struggle for pieces of the pie, while Japanese law enforcement fights a battle against foreigners who have created a lawless “Wild West” space in this small port.

And one young girl is burdened with a fate that forces her to fight the other “foreign” inhabitants of the town – the Youjin. (Think dark elves or bogeymen-type humanoid nasties.)

Hyou, the heroine of Hakodate Youjin Buraijou Himegami has mean fightin’ skills in this lawless town, which she uses to fight off a couple of low-lifes from beating on a scruffy kid in a ragged cloak. When she gets home – the Butterfly Cabaret – she finds, to her not at all pleasant surprise, that the scruffy kid is really a buxom new dancer, Himeka. For a girl who lives at a cabaret/whorehouse, Hyou’s got some serious issues with nudity, so of course Himeka throws herself at Hyou at practically every possible opportunity, naked if at all possible. Himeka has no issues at all with nudity.

We see the foreign forces gathering: gunmen from America, banditos from Mexico, mafioso from Italy, Orthodox priests from Russia, gray suited guys from England and nattily dressed women from France (led by a nattily dressed-in-a-suit woman passing for a guy) who all align themselves with the dark forces to call the Youjin, in order to take over that town, (and, presumably, then Japan and the world, bwahahahahah!)

Hyou finds herself overwhelmed by a gathering of Youjin, but at the critical moment is saved by woman dressed in a sort of fox-ninja getup, Himegami. She takes care of Hyou when the girl collapses in her arms. Turns out Hyou bears a spell from her infamous father – when Youjin are born, a tattoo of a leaf appears on Hyou’s back – when they die, the leaf disappears. Both processes are very painful to the girl.

Himegami (who is *obviously* Himeka,) brings Hyou back to the cabaret, where she sleeps with the girl (naked of course) until she recovers.

Service here is mostly large breasts and big butts. Not just big – well-developed, muscular haunches. It’s kind of amusingly impressive. ^_^

Yuri in this volume is slight; Himeka’s affection for Hyou – and her tender loving care – are very suggestive. If Hyou wasn’t so passive-aggressive, I think Himeka would be glad to do more than share a bed with Hyou. On the other hand, Hyou is fascinated, full of admiration and more than half crushing on Himegami. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that Himeka presses the issue, because as Himegami she has a chance.

Ratings:

Art – Interesting
Story – Amusing
Characters – Intriguing
Yuri – Engaging
Service – Impressive

Overall – 7

Guillion, the French leader, is definitely gunning for suit-wearing EPL status. Woot.

Posted in Miscellaneous | 5 Comments »


This Week in Yuri

March 15th, 2008

There was no way we were gonna beat last week, was there? :-) It was pretty quiet this week, in fact.

The Yuricon translation project proceeds steadily. We now have a Japanese-language Site Map to add to our Index and Links pages, with more to come!

Yuri Hime S Volume 4 is out this week on March 18, so get those orders in for more Yuri goodness!

And to wrap up this week, Yuricon and ALC will be at Table 419 in the Dealer’s Room at Anime Boston next weekend. We’ve got a Yuri Panel at 3PM on Saturday, March 22 – all ages welcome – and Sean Gaffney and I will be doing a Fanfiction Writing Workshop on Friday, March 21 at 9PM. (Which ought to be fun, since Sean and I write completely differently in nearly every way. Fight to the death? Probably not – I think he breaks too easily. LOL) We’ll have a bunch of Yuri manga and Yuri related goods for sale…and I even have a few giveaways for the Yuri Panel. See you all there!

Posted in Miscellaneous | 2 Comments »


Lesbian Graphic Novel: Skim

March 14th, 2008

There are many things to like about Skim, by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki.

Right from the start, I was intrigued. The book is hardcover, larger than I expected, with a decidedly “classical” Japanese face on the cover, reminiscent of Heian art. A face with heavy cheeks, high, plucked eyebrows and a small, shapely mouth. And, when I opened the covers, this is indeed what our heroine looks like. A classic Japanese face. If she had ever smiled, I’m sure I’d have been surprised if her teeth weren’t blacked out. ^_^

The story is constructed as a series of diary entries, which gave it the feel of a pillow book, and just added to the classical ambiance.

The art is not manga-style. It’s not really American comics either. There’s a distinct style to it, informed by both Japanese and western art, but it’s completely it’s own thing. I liked it quite a bit.

Kim, known as “Skim,” is 16, a Wiccan-in-training, and Gothic, but not at all Goth. She’s a smart girl, perceptive and incredibly down to earth, surrounded by adults who think they understand what it’s like to be 16 (is there *anything* more galling?), friends who haven’t the vaguest clue what she’s really like or what is really important to her and peers who, well they aren’t her peers, anyway.

She’s romantic, realistic, full of hope and hopelessness, and everything else a real person is. She might also be gay, but it’s kind of hard for either her or us to know at this point.

Above all, Kim is someone that not only would I have over for lunch, I’d have her over again and again, until she got past 16 and was allowed to be human.

Then there’s the bitter humor of a person smarter than most of the folks around her. She’s taken to a Wiccan coven that also turns out to be a AA meeting. Both the wife and I thought that was hysterical. (Our Druid grove isn’t an AA group, but it is awfully like attending a meeting for Adult Children of Co-Dependents Anonymous, or something equally as sad.) Her response when her friend Lisa fills her in – after the fact – about it being an AA meeting, “You think you’d tell someone that beforehand.” She’s just sayin’.

When Kim falls for her teacher there’s nothing at all icky about it. The teacher isn’t really abusing her position, Kim isn’t making a bad choice. It’s an honest attraction that, in two more years, wouldn’t be that much of an issue at all. Kim isn’t quite sure what to think, while it’s quite obvious that the teacher’s feelings are serious enough that she ends up having to make hard decisions. I thought the whole love thing was handled beautifully. (I’d like to say more about it but I don’t want to spoil anything. Just – it was nice. And mature, the wife says.)

In fact, I thought the whole book was handled beautifully. I finished reading it and handed it to the wife – which I NEVER do, because she and I like completely different things. She read it and amazingly, she liked it as much as I did. (I know that that will meaning nothing to those of you who haven’t met her, but those of you who have, will understand how significant that is. ^_^)

To sum up, for character, for the story, for the art and for a realistic, but not at all angsty look at teenage angst, I really cannot recommend Skim enough.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 5
Service – 0

Overall – 9

Speaking of “top ten” candidates…..

Posted in LGBTQ, Western Comic/Comix | 5 Comments »