Yuri Anime: Simoun, Volume 5 (English)

September 19th, 2008

Sometimes, the worst part of a choice is the time before the decision is made. The doubts, the waffling, the feeling of “what if?”

In Simoun Volume 5, all the choices are made, the cards are dealt and the fate of not only the Sibylla of Chor Tempest, but all the people whose lives touched theirs, is decided.

I don’t think I breathed once while watching this volume.

There are many people who did not enjoy Simoun. It was non-linear. There were giant holes in the construct of the world in which the Sibylla lived (although if you like your worlds tidy, I can’t *imagine* that there’s too much anime that suits you. Maddening inconsistency is about the only constant.) We never really learn the answers to a lot of our questions.

Honestly, I can’t imagine caring a damn about any of that. This series has beautiful art (with the exception of Nevril’s sex-doll mouth,) amazing characters, fantastic music, a terrific plot. And…above all…it made me realize exactly what I think makes a good story.

To me, a *good* story travels a considerable distance in character development from the moment we meet the character to the moment we last see him or her. If the characters grow, change, respond to circumstances and learn from their experiences and choices – that is a good story. If the character starts the story and ends it roughly the same, I might enjoy it, but I won’t consider it *good.*

So, Strawberry Panic (anime), for instance, isn’t *good* by my standard; Nagisa and Shizuma do change a little bit from the beginning of the series to the end, but not a lot. Neviril and Aeru travel astronomical units by comparison. They pretty much reverse roles completely from the beginning of the anime to the end.

Yun, who comes to Chor Tempest seeking absolution for not dying with her previous Chor finds her absolution in saving one woman. And the rest of the Sibylla face what they thought they wanted, and found out what was really important to them after all.

If Simoun was too hard to follow or just annoying to you, I won’t try and convince you to watch it. But there is *no* doubt in my mind, that this will be the best Yuri Anime once again this year for me. (With at least two Yuri couples and as many as four if you have no pride. ^_^)

The Director comments were particularly interesting this time. The director says that, at the beginning of the volume, when Aeru confronts Neviril about her feelings, he (the director) had ceased to think of them as two girls. Also the Animation Director commented that she felt that Yun was in love with Onashia, which I completely agree with. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 8
Yuri – 7
Service – 2

Overall – 9

Technical – 9

Couldn’t ask for better.

Posted in English Anime, Simoun, Yuri Anime | 12 Comments »


Battle Club Manga, Volume 6 (English)

September 18th, 2008

While Battle Club is in no way a “Yuri” manga, Volume 6, the last of the translated volumes, has a pretty big chunk of Yuri.

Ostensibly, the story is still about Tamako’s quest to gain strength and skill through wrestling, but since the book starts with their teacher Tondemon disappearing, we pretty much abandon that quest to wallow in cosplay, lesbianism, tragic tales of the past, trap-infested obstacle courses into mansions of the rich, ghosts and other completely real things.

For those of you who read Battle Club for the plot, you’ll be pleased to note that for all that these stories are pretty much unrelated to the wrestling club, in their own way they have *more* plot than the entire story up to this point.

The rest of you, which is to say, all of you, will be pleased to learn that there’s plenty of service in both quantity and variety. For the purposes of this blog post we’ll stick to the Yuri.

After Mukoda is defeated by Tondemon-sensei and Tondemon disappears, we turn our attention to Shiba, ex of the Karate club and supposed lesbian. She starts the chapter off by an extended fantasy about sex with Tamako, followed by a string of circumstantial circumstances that, lo and behold! are exactly like her dream. Only she doesn’t get to have sex with Tamako.

Later, as Wrestling Club Captain Taiki reflects on his past and how he became a cross-dresser (although not as to the origin of his large rack of lamb) we get a glimpse of the (of course) lesbian feelings heaped upon the (of course) receptive captain of the Black Cat High wrestling club.

I’m fascinated at the eroticization of wrestling. Although I don’t find it half as appealing for myself as someone just seriously putting the beatdown on someone, I can kind of see where people are going with it. And this manga takes it to such utter bizarre extremes that it ultimately would have to be read as a comedy, even if it weren’t also full of ridiculous gags, puns and purely comedic scenes. I wonder if that makes Battle Club the first erotic wrestling comedy in manga? Probably not, what was I thinking?

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 2
Characters – 3
Yuri – 6
Service – a zillion

Overall – 4

I don’t have anything left to say about this manga except my thanks to Everett L. for his sponsorship of today’s review!

…oh wait, yes I do. When Shiba joins the wrestling club, they spell her name wrong on the name plaque in the dojo. D’oh!

Posted in English Manga, Ikkitousen | No Comments »


Okazu Reader Survey Results

September 17th, 2008

I promised this a while back. Here’s the data from the Okazu Reader Survey. I’ve left out the specifiv qualitative responses, because I want to collate them a bit before giving you a list of your own top sources. In the meantime, enjoy!
Survey Statistics
 
Viewed 428
Started 300
Completed 299
Completion Rate 99.67%
Drop Outs (After Starting) 1
  • Average time taken to complete survey : 4 minute(s)

What gender do you identify as?
Frequency Analysis
Answer Count Percent
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1. Female 217 73.06%
2. Male 77 25.93%
3. Transitioning/Other 3 1.01%
Total 297 100%
Key Analytics
Mean 1.279
Key Facts
  • 98.99% chose the following options :

    • Female
    • Male
  • Least chosen option 1.01% :
    • Transitioning/Other
Confidence Interval @ 95% [1.226 – 1.333]

n = 297
Standard Deviation 0.472
Standard Error 0.027

What is your age?
Frequency Analysis
Answer Count Percent
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1. 13-18 39 13.13%
2. 18-25 139 46.80%
3. 25-35 75 25.25%
4. 36-45 25 8.42%
5. 46 and over 19 6.40%
Total 297 100%
Key Analytics
Mean 2.481
Key Facts
  • 72.05% chose the following options :

    • 18-25
    • 25-35
  • Least chosen option 6.4% :
    • 46 and over
Confidence Interval @ 95% [2.364 – 2.599]

n = 297
Standard Deviation 1.033
Standard Error 0.060

Where do you live?
Frequency Analysis
Answer Count Percent
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1. Africa 1 0.34%
2. Asia 22 7.41%
3. Australia 14 4.71%
4. Canada 22 7.41%
5. Europe 30 10.10%
6. Japan 2 0.67%
7. Latin America 8 2.69%
8. Mexico 3 1.01%
9. Pacific Rim 0 0.00%
10. United Kingdom 11 3.70%
11. United States 174 58.59%
12. Other 10 3.37%
Total 297 100%
Key Analytics
Mean 8.623
Key Facts
  • 68.69% chose the following options :

    • United States
    • Europe
Confidence Interval @ 95% [8.233 – 9.013]

n = 297
Standard Deviation 3.431
Standard Error 0.199

What, if any, sexual orientation do you identify yourself as?
Frequency Analysis
Answer Count Percent
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1. Lesbian 87 29.39%
2. Gay 3 1.01%
3. Bisexual 77 26.01%
4. Straight 94 31.76%
5. Queer 12 4.05%
6. Other 23 7.77%
Total 296 100%
Key Analytics
Mean 3.034
Key Facts
  • 61.15% chose the following options :

    • Straight
    • Lesbian
  • Least chosen option 1.01% :
    • Gay
Confidence Interval @ 95% [2.858 – 3.209]

n = 296
Standard Deviation 1.540
Standard Error 0.090

How often do you read Okazu?
Frequency Analysis
Answer Count Percent
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1. Once a week 74 24.92%
2. 2-4 times a week 92 30.98%
3. 5 days a week or whenever you update 131 44.11%
Total 297 100%
Key Analytics
Mean 2.192
Key Facts
  • 75.08% chose the following options :

    • 5 days a week or whenever you update
    • 2-4 times a week
  • Least chosen option 24.92% :
    • Once a week
Confidence Interval @ 95% [2.100 – 2.284]

n = 297
Standard Deviation 0.810
Standard Error 0.047

When was the last time you bought a Yuri anime or manga?
Frequency Analysis
Answer Count Percent
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1. Within the last week 72 24.24%
2. Within the last month 101 34.01%
3. Within the last 3 months 56 18.86%
4. Within the last year 47 15.82%
5. I dont buy anime or manga 21 7.07%
Total 297 100%
Key Analytics
Mean 2.475
Key Facts
  • 58.25% chose the following options :

    • Within the last month
    • Within the last week
  • Least chosen option 7.07% :
    • I dont buy anime or manga
Confidence Interval @ 95% [2.336 – 2.613]

n = 297
Standard Deviation 1.217
Standard Error 0.071

What do you like about reading Okazu?
Frequency Analysis
Answer Count Percent
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1. Reviews of English Anime and Manga 217 16.16%
2. Reviews of Japanese Anime and Manga 248 18.47%
3. Yuri News Report 207 15.41%
4. Insights and Opinions 209 15.56%
5. Snarky Humor 200 14.89%
6. Lesbian Perspective on Yuri 185 13.78%
7. Links to Anime and Manga on Amazon and Amazon.co.jp 54 4.02%
8. I really wish I didnt have to, but youre the only game in town. 10 0.74%
9. Other 13 0.97%
Total 1343 100%
Key Analytics
Mean 3.615
Key Facts
  • 34.62% chose the following options :

    • Reviews of Japanese Anime and Manga
    • Reviews of English Anime and Manga
  • Least chosen option 0.74% :
    • I really wish I didnt have to, but youre the only game in town.
Confidence Interval @ 95% [3.513 – 3.717]

n = 1343
Standard Deviation 1.904
Standard Error 0.052

Is Okazu your only source of anime/manga news?
Frequency Analysis
Answer Count Percent
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1. Yes 77 25.93%
2. No 220 74.07%
Total 297 100%
Key Analytics
Mean 1.741
Confidence Interval @ 95% [1.691 – 1.791]

n = 297
Standard Deviation 0.439
Standard Error 0.025

Do you attend anime/manga events:
Frequency Analysis
Answer Count Percent
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1. Once a year 88 29.73%
2. Twice a year 24 8.11%
3. 3-5 times a year 18 6.08%
4. Im an insane otaku and attend every event I can get to 6 2.03%
5. I dont attend anime/manga events 160 54.05%
Total 296 100%
Key Analytics
Mean 3.426
Key Facts
  • 83.78% chose the following options :

    • I dont attend anime/manga events
    • Once a year
  • Least chosen option 2.03% :
    • Im an insane otaku and attend every event I can get to
Confidence Interval @ 95% [3.219 – 3.632]

n = 296
Standard Deviation 1.812
Standard Error 0.105

Posted in Okazu News | 6 Comments »


Maria Watches Us, Volume 3 (English)

September 15th, 2008

How ironic that the Valentine’s Day episodes of Maria Watches Us Season 1, are some of the *least* romantic in the series. Not that they lack romance mind you, it’s just that in comparison to the rest of this season, Yumi and Sachiko’s crisis and Sachiko being stalked, sort of pale.

Once again, I am looking back on this arc from the perspective of having read the many novels afterward. In fact, I’m currently reading the novel that follows the Valentine’s Day dates a year later. (And they are totally cracktastic, let me tell you…) So it fascinates me even more that in Volume 3 we get to see the beginning of what will obviously become a long tradition at Lillian. I can see it now, fifty years later, when the tradition is so long-established that everyone just assumes it’s always been done….

And yet…here we are, when crazy yellow journalist Newspaper club President Tsukiyama Minako sits down and sets the scene for the first ever Valentine’s Day treasure hunt. Kinda cool, huh? Kinda ironic too, that a woman without an ounce of romance in her is the source of this heart-pounding event. One of the best scenes in the arc is watching the Rosas defeat their soeurs and “encourage” them to participate. ^_^

In the middle of all this, Yumi and Sachiko have to deal with a significant crisis spawned by their differing styles of communication. This will continue to plague them for some time, ultimately complicating issues through “Rainy Blue” but, for now it’s no more than a few days of unhappiness for them to get through.

My biggest complaint with this arc is that the story of Yumi’s trick chocolates for Sei kind of suffer from neglect and confusion. Let me summarize – Yumi made two sets of chocolates, one with yummy centers and one with weird centers like tuna and wasabi. When she and Sachiko struggle with the box, the chocolates all get mixed up and its possible that the chocolate Sachiko ate and said was tasty is one of the weird ones. We’ll never know. ^_^

Sachiko’s stalker episode is notable for two things – when Mafuyu comes back into the story briefly a year later, Sachiko still has no clue who she is, and the fact that kindergarten Sachiko is hideously adorable.

In the end, Yumi proves that she is indeed suited to be Rosa Chinensis en bouton.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Yuri – 4
Service – 0

Marimite Fan – 100

Overall – 8

Now I must run and finish the next year’s date stories, because really, *so* freakishly weird, I must know what happens!!!

Posted in English Anime, Maria-sama ga Miteru | 3 Comments »


Stray Little Devil Manga, Volume 3 (English)

September 14th, 2008

This is a true story:

Once upon a time there was a girl. She met another girl and *instantly* found her to be the most irritating creature in the whole of the universe.

For many reasons, they kept running into each other and for different reasons they had to work together on some things. But never once did the girl ever dislike the other girl less. In fact, proximity created complete contempt.

In this real story, the girl never ever could stand the sight of the other girl. Even though she still runs into her from time to time, the girl can barely tolerate her for even a moment.

In the manga version of this story, you’d all be reading this and thinking, “Yuri.” Take a moment to consider how freakish a conclusion that is. ^_^

Stray Little Devil, Volume 3 starts with Pam and her friends all looking for rare ingredients to bring back her familiar’s voice, during which Pam is knocked unconscious. She is (of course) revived, and proceeds to “save” a lost soul, which is to say that she makes him face up to his crimes and take responsibility, ruining his life. The idea of a devil taking the high moral road amuses me.

The end of the book finds Lin-Fa confronted with a direct request to investigate Pam, and the gem she wears. Lin-Fa waffles back and forth about her feelings about this, and decides to brazen it out, her heart beating the whole time, and find Pam at her job. The idea that devils need part-time jobs befuddles me.

The crisis comes when Pam says that she considers Lin-Fa a *friend!* Oh no! A high-handed Angel can’t tolerate niceness like this from a lowly devil intern. So of course the only appropriate reaction is to slap her silly and reject her utterly. An act that will be the “sad” part of the next volume, until Pam has to save her ass or they have to work together to escape or something.

Thus we come to the end of Stray Little Devil Volume 3. I fear for all of you that Love, love, love! this series, that I will simply not feel the love. It’s okay. If you’ve got a tendency toward moe it’s probably very good. For me, not so much.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 6
Characters – 6
Yuri – 1
Service – 4

Overall – 6

In the true version of this story, there is no Yuri, and if the girl could have slapped the other girl, possibly repeatedly, it would have been a kindness.

Posted in English Manga | 1 Comment »