Yuri News This Week – August 2, 2008

August 2nd, 2008

Otakon’s coming up, so there won’t be a report next week, while I spend the weekend doing Otakon things. :-)

Yuri Anime

Eric reports that a movie has been announced for Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha that will be an “parallel history” of Fate and Nanoha’s first meeting. This should appease all the lolicon who felt that the most recent Naonha series, StrikerS, had too many people over the age of ten.

And for Polish and German Yuri fans, Winterbraid sends this piece of good news – El Cazador de la Bruja is out on DVD with dual audio (Japanese or German) and dual subtitle tracks (Polish and German). Winterbraid also reports that the first DVD contains episode 1-5 and two beautiful postcards. So excellent news all around! But, now I’m whining, because I want El Cazador~ waaah~…

And in case you missed it, the Maria-sama ga Miteru Season 1 box sets have shipped. My phone charm is already attached to my phone. :-) I’ll do a review as soon as I have a chance to watch any of the disks.

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Yuri Manga

Eagle-eyed Eric also caught the news that Venus Versus Virus is ending this coming issue of Dengeki Daioh As it happens, I read the penultimate chapter – fans will be happy to note that Lucia and Sumire touched and Sumire said that Lucia is “important” to her. That ought to be enough for scores of fanfic. lol

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Yuri Events

Did I ever mention that Maiden’s Garden will be held this autumn for the third time? This Yuri doujinshi event was organized by (among others) the main artist for the Pen-Pen Gusa Club doujinshi circle, Katase Minami. It’s in the Kyoto, so if you plan on being around this October 13th, check out the Yuricon Events page for more details. (And don’t forget to email me, so I can have you shop for me! LOL)

Otakon is coming up, as I said. Not only will there be a Yuri Panel on Friday, from 1-2PM, I’m told that Media Blasters is holding a separate panel for discussion of their Yuri and Yaoi lines. Don’t miss it!

And just to remind you – we’ll be having a raffle at the Yuricon table in the Dealer’s Room – Table 611. Spend $25 or more and you’ll be entered for a cool manga-style Catwoman figurine!

The New York Anime Festival is around the corner, and this year I’ll be running a Yuri Panel on Saturday, Sept. 27th, from 8-9PM. Check the NYAF website for details.

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Again, a short report. Expect some news from Otakon – I don’t know anything specific, not even a hint, so this isn’t foreshadowing. I just expect that *something* will have to be at least vaguely Yuri-flavored. :-)

Posted in Events, Nanoha, Yuri Network News | 12 Comments »


Yuri Anime: Shoujo Sect OAV 1

August 2nd, 2008

The original Shoujo Sect manga was a series of very loosely connected “Plot, What Plot”-type Yuri porn chapters set in an ubiquitous girls school. While the couples depicted in each chapter may or may not have had any relationship to each other, the larger story – what there was of it – revolved around the promiscuous playgirl Honda Shinobu and schoolmate Naitou Momoko. Momoko moved through many of the early chapters as a catalyst or voyuer, while many of the stories directly involved Shinobu or members of her harem.

The stories were, in most ways, completely meritless porn, (which of course means that many people think they are awesome) but at the end of the second novel, several surprising things happened. A plot complication arises that separates Momoko and Shinobu and ultimately, they meet each other once again and finally become lovers. The end of the book ties up their story in a wildly amusing epilogue that was so charming in it’s own cracked way that it quite made the whole work for me. (For slightly more detail, feel free to read my reviews of Volume 1 and Volume 2.)

The anime is…odd. I expected it to follow the same PWP format of the books, basically following one primary couple per OAV, with an extended sex scene. Instead, it rewrites, cuts and pastes pieces of the stories into a slightly new whole and, even more bizarrely – adds details where there were none previously. Like, they were *trying* to make a real story out of it. Sadly, it doesn’t really work.

When we join the anime, Shinobu has a reputation as the school “bad girl” and she flashes her underwear to prove it. Momoko remains the catalyst/voyeur for the first couple, whom many Yuri fans will be pleased to know are sisters. There were two things that made it hard for me to find their sex scene appealing – 1) the noises they were making sounded rather like they were chewing their own arms off, as opposed to having what was supposed to have been enjoyable sex and; 2) in at least one moment I couldn’t help but notice that their hair and nipples were color coordinated. ^_^; This was so distracting that I was simply unable to stop laughing throughout.

In fact, I laughed through a great deal of this anime. I guess that’s pretty normal for porn, since it’s quite often laughably bad, but since I don’t watch it, I’ll have to take other people’s word for it. (No, I actually don’t. Live-action porn bores me to tears. I’d rather spend an hour at the dentist’s. Really. Anime porn usually makes me laugh, so there you go, I guess.)

The upshot of all this is – the Shoujo Sect anime had a lot of talking, some really choppy story-telling and howlingly funny sex. If you actually liked the manga, then you may really want to avoid this as being vastly inferior to what is hardly a work of literature. If, “zOMG Yuri hentai – all girls, no penor!” then by all means, please enjoy.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 6 as a comedy, 4 as a drama
Characters – 7
Yuri – 10
Service – 8

I was marginally irked that my favorite couple was turned into a school legend and their roles were switched, but it’s not like I’m going to lose sleep over it. ^_^

Posted in Hentai, Shoujo Sect, Yuri Anime | 4 Comments »


Vampire Princess Miyu TV Anime, Volumes 3 and 4 (English)

July 30th, 2008

Fandom is so clever that when there isn’t a word for a thing, we make it up. In the case of anime fandom, we often borrow or adapt words from Japanese, just as Japanese fans borrow and adapt from English – and for the same reason, too, because it sounds cooler and creates more of an us/them dynamic, which is crucial for community.

However, I find myself lacking a word for what I want to talk about. Perhaps we can come up with one by the end of this post. lol

Here’s the sitch. In Volume 3 and Volume 4 of Vampire Princess Miyu, nothing remotely “Yuri” occurs but, we can’t help but notice, that for a snow spirit that professes to not care about anything or anyone, Reiha sure seems to have an idée fixe about Miyu. In fact, her gaze never wavers from Miyu. Reiha *says* that she’s concerned that Miyu performs her duty as Guardian properly (and why she cares, we don’t know yet…well, I do, but if you are only just watching this anime for the first time, then you don’t, yet,) but her interest in Miyu has long ago crossed the border of obsession.

Which made me think of how many stories – especially Asian stories – in which two warring generals, or lifelong enemies think about nothing other than each other. Ah! I have the term I need – devoted enemies. See? That was easy. I just needed to talk it out and I knew I’d come up with it. Thanks for listening. LOL

In any case, after a tiff over how much Miyu has the right to decide the fate of Shinma, Reiha once again declares herself Miyu’s enemy, hops on her broom and flys off with an oujou-sama cackle as she goes, after making her doll utter vague threats. And back with the humans, Chisato continues to circle on the periphery of Miyu’s orbit, soon to be drawn in for a collision.

Miyu continues to wade through semi-miserable and often dementedly ironic stories and we get a glimpse of Larva’s entirely Yaoi-licious backstory. Which I had competely forgotten. lol For which I thank the sponsors of today’s review – Ana M. and whoever bought me Volume 3. (Again, I apologize…I *swear* I keep all these papers together, but sometimes I’m overzealous and throw one out before everything on it has been accounted for. Stand up and make yourself known!) Anyway – thank you my fabulous sponsors!

Ratings for Volume 3 and 4:

Art – 8
Story – 6
Characters – 7
Irony – 7
Yuri – 2
Service – 2

Overall – 7

I can’t *wait* to get to the creepy lesbian doll episode…!

Posted in English Anime | 3 Comments »


Ask Konno Oyuki Questions on Right Stuf’s Maria-sama Website

July 29th, 2008

RIGHT STUF’S NOZOMI ENTERTAINMENT Launches the MARIA WATCHES OVER US Official Site – mariasama.rightstuf.com

Asks fans to submit their questions for the series’ creator; celebrates release of Season 1 DVD Collection

GRIMES, IA, July 29, 2008 – Anime producer and distributor Right Stuf, Inc. and Nozomi Entertainment are pleased to celebrate the July 29 release of the MARIA WATCHES OVER US – Season 1 DVD Collection with the launch of the series’ official site, at mariasama.rightstuf.com (http://mariasama.rightstuf.com). Also, as part of the site’s grand opening, fans will have a special opportunity to submit their questions for the series’ creator, Ms. Oyuki Konno.

At mariasama.rightstuf.com, visitors can:

– Read the latest news about and reviews of the first season;

– Check out in-depth character profiles (first-season spoilers are noted);

– Watch the first-season trailer; and

– Download Maria Watches Over Us wallpapers and avatars.

** PLUS: Right Stuf and Nozomi Entertainment have been granted an interview with the creator of Maria-sama ga Miteru, novelist Oyuki Konno, and want to know what questions fans have for her. Please submit questions, via the form located at mariasama.rightstuf.com, by 11:59 p.m. CDT on August 15, 2008.

The Maria Watches Over Us DVD Collection – which includes the entire 13-episode first television season of Maria-sama ga Miteru, plus the Season 1 “specials” – is now available. It features Japanese audio, along with English on-screen translations, and two English-language subtitle tracks: one with regular dialogue subtitles and a second, special subtitle track that retains the Japanese honorifics.

The box set for the series’ second television season is currently scheduled for a Fall 2008 release.

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AnimeOnDVD.com Pick of the Week

“leaves you eagerly wanting more” – AnimeOnDVD.com

“a truly beautiful anime” – Future Anime (July 2008)

The Maria Watches Over Us anime is based upon an ongoing series of novels – written by Oyuki Konno and illustrated by Reine Hibiki – that began in 1998 and currently spans 32 volumes. Short stories related to the series have been published in the shoujo (girls’) magazine Cobalt, and a manga adaptation is serialized in the anthology magazine Margaret. The series’ publisher, Shueisha, also produced 14 drama CDs (with radio-style plays).

The anime adaptation of Maria-sama ga Miteru – also referred to by fans as “MariMite” – encompasses two, 13-episode TV seasons, a 5-episode OVA (original video animation) as its third season, and a fourth season, currently in production in Japan.

The first three seasons of Maria Watches Over Us feature animation by Studio DEEN (Fruits Basket, Gravitation, Rurouni Kenshin), direction by Yukihiro Matsushita (Blue Dragon, Sugar Sugar Rune), and scripting by Reiko Yoshida (Aria, Boys Over Flowers, Story of Saiunkoku).

About MARIA WATCHES OVER US (Maria-sama ga Miteru) – Season 1

When Yumi Fukuzawa entered the Lillian Girls’ Academy, a prestigious all-girls Catholic school in Tokyo, she never imagined she would catch the eye of beautiful and demure Sachiko Ogasawara, one of the school’s most popular students. Now Sachiko has offered to be Yumi’s sœur – her “sister” and guide for all her years at the academy. The whole idea has Yumi completely flustered: After all, they hardly know each other! The entire campus is abuzz with rumors about the two of them, but Yumi is conflicted over accepting Sachiko’s offer. While she admires Sachiko, being her sœur would also mean constantly being at the center of the entire school’s attention! Contains the complete 13-episode first season, plus the Season 1 “specials.”

MARIA WATCHES OVER US (Maria-sama ga Miteru) – Season 1 DVD Collection

Pre-Book: 6/24/2008

Street Date: 7/29/2008

Runtime: Approximately 325 minutes, Dolby Digital Stereo, Color

Genre: Drama

Suggested Rating: 13+

Format: DVD (2.0 Japanese, 2 English Subtitle Tracks, English On-Screen Translations)

Catalog #: RSDVD0815

ISBN: 1-57032-790-4

UPC: 7-42617-0815-2-1

SRP: $49.99

Discs/Set: 4

Item Measurements: 5 3/8” x 1 7/32” x 7 5/8” (LxWxH)

Case Qty: 9 sets / case

DVD Features:

Scene access; Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo audio for Japanese dialogue; two English subtitle tracks (regular dialogue subtitles, plus a special subtitle track that includes Japanese honorifics); and English on-screen translations. PLUS: Season 1 “Specials” 1-7, character bios, liner notes and Nozomi Entertainment trailers.

* Cover Art: http://outgoing.rightstuf.com/sleeves/rsdvd0815.jpg

MARIA WATCHES OVER US (Maria-sama ga Miteru) Season 1 © OYUKI KONNO / SHUEISHA o YAMAYURIKAI Licensed by d-rights Inc.

* To view this image, cut and paste the URL into your Web browser.

** Product specifications and content may be subject to change.

ABOUT RIGHT STUF, INC.

Currently celebrating its 21st year in business, Right Stuf, Inc. was one of the first players in the U.S. Japanese Animation (“anime”) industry, as both an anime producer/distributor and a retailer. Right Stuf works to promote knowledge of its own products, as well as the anime and manga industry, in general, through its online storefront at RightStuf.com and a variety of media including podcasts and special publications.

Nozomi Entertainment, Right Stuf’s production division, is dedicated to the highest quality releases. True to the Japanese word that inspired its name, Nozomi’s focus is on “what fans want.” By focusing on a limited number of anime properties each year, the Nozomi production team ensures each release receives the care and attention to detail it deserves.

From anime classics like Astro Boy, Kimba and Gigantor to modern comedies, dramas and favorites such as The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, His and Her Circumstances, Gravitation, Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars, Ninja Nonsense, To Heart, The Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye, Emma: A Victorian Romance, Maria Watches Over Us and ARIA, Right Stuf and Nozomi Entertainment produce quality programming for fans of all ages and interests. For more information, visit www.rightstuf.com and www.nozomient.com.

Erica here: Already put my questions is. None of them were even vaguely related to Yuri or the character’s relationships. ^_^

Posted in Anime, Maria-sama ga Miteru | 5 Comments »


Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime Wildrose, Volume 2 (百合姫 Wildrose)

July 29th, 2008

Yuri Hime Wildrose, Volume 2, (百合姫 Wildrose) is the second collection of slightly more explicit short stories by authors from Yuri Hime and Yuri Hime S. Most of the stories are one-shots, but there is at least one continuation from the previous volume.

In most cases, the stories are set at schools or involve schoolgirls, although there is an ocassional adult to break up the monotony and add a little illegality to the proceedings. lol Mostly the stories are sex as affirmation of yes, we really love each other, which is a nice step forward from sex as experiment into what do girls do together? (I am always honestly boggled at this question. I’ve gotten it – quite earnestly – from both men and woman from a number of nations, and I still don’t have a good answer, because it seems so obvious to me. I guess not though, if one’s idea of sex is limited to one action only. But I digress.)

Since incest, or something close to it, is all the rage right now, there are a number of sisters/onee-sama-imouto/cousins-who-are-close-like-sisters to chose from. (This trend continues into both Yuri Hime and Yuri Hime S, btw. So once again, the LCD wins and I wait through yet another cycle of fetishes that aren’t my thing, until the tide turns and possibly my thing will become more popular. Although…probably not. lol) Chi-Ran’s story refreshingly remains about sex between two people who know nothing whatsoever about one another. Not even each other’s names. ^_^

And Natsuki x Shizuru fans will appreciate that the blatant parody this time is not Marimite, but a faux Shiznat thing that was actually quite nice. If you can imagine Natsuki as the older student, closing in on graduation and Shizuru as her lover/kouhai and add sex, you’ll have a close enough idea about the goings on.

Of course I did not like each story equally, but overall I think I liked this volume more than the previous one. I can’t think of any story that was standout wow, but nothing that made me cry, either. ^_^

Ratings (variable, so everything is averaged):

Art – 6
Stories – 7
Characters – 7
Yuri – 9
Service – 7

Overall – 7

This book is sort of the middle step between soft Yuri and porn, so if you’ve bemoaned the fact that there’s little in that middle space before it becomes full-blown fluid-spewing hentai, then you’ll probably like this book a lot.

Posted in Comic Yuri Hime, Yuri Anthology, Yuri Manga | 4 Comments »