Yuri Manga: Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl, Volume 5 (English)

May 25th, 2008

This is likely to be the last time I write about this series. Anime is over, been licensed, been reviewed. Manga has been reviewed – twice. Once in English, once in Japanese. This is the final volume. To my surprise, I’m a little saddened by that.

When I first began to read this series, I witheld my affection, sure that it would be a common harem drama with no resolution and that Hazumu would surely revert to being a boy. The “end,” I predicted, would be the beginning all over again for an unresolvable triangle.

How nice that I was so wrong about that, huh? :-)

So, we arrive at last at Kashimashi~ Girl Meets Girl, Volume 5, and find ourselves watching Hazumu struggle with the same exact conundrum she’s struggled with for the last two volumes. And getting nowhere with it. Thankfully, Fate got as tired of her lack of resolve as we did, and a *crisis* occurs which forces her hand. And there we are, reading the final chapters thinking, “Did I just read a Japanese manga with an actual *resolution?* Is it a sign of the end times? What’s going on here?” lol

Inexplicably, Kashimashi, this bland harem drama with a gender twist, actually has a resolution. Go figure. Not a bad one, either. Of course whether you liked Tomari or Yasuna more will depend on whether you actually *like* the ending, but I found it to be perfectly satisfactory.

As always, Seven Seas’ reproduction is top-notch. Adrienne Beck’s translation and Janet Houck’s adaptation deserve your attention. (As several translators have told me, no one ever notices the translation unless there’s a mistake. So take a moment to notice this translation and adaptation – there are no mistakes. Nod in appreciation for the seamless job done here.) Physically, the book looks and feels good, and of every series I have ever read, *still* is the closest thing I have seen in English to reading the Japanese original.

I truly appreciate that this book was adapted for us – the manga-reading American otaku audience, who does have a clue and doesn’t need to be condescended to. I was particularly pleased that the final line of the main story was left as intact as possible, in a way that (obnoxious arrogance ahoy) I would have translated it myself. LOL

In my review of the Japanese edition of this volume, I finished with “I think the end justified the memes.” It’s a bad pun, but a good summation of the story. This time I’ll just add that I also think that the English edition of Kashimashi is proof that a good translation/adaptation can make a middling story better. lol

Ratings:

Art – 8
Character – 8
Story – 7
Yuri – 10
Service – 5

Overall – 8

My sincerest thanks to Daniel P. for sponsoring today’s review!

Posted in English Manga, Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl, Yuri Manga | 1 Comment »


This Week in Yuri – May 24, 2008

May 24th, 2008

Yuri Anime

I spoke to Right Stuff this week, about Maria-sama ga Miteru and the second subtitle track. They basically said that they know that the audience for Marimite is pre-existing, with high expectations, and not off-the-street 12-year olds in Best Buy. They told me that they actually got emails that said that if they left out the honorifics, that the writer would not be buying it, which didn’t surprise me in the least. It was refreshing to speak to a company that gets fandom, really. The media rep assured me that they really want to do the best possible job for the fans, and I believe her. After our conversation, I’m completely convinced that they *get* it.

The other thing I asked, which I was fairly certain I would not get an answer for was – how are sales going? I knew they wouldn’t tell me numbers, but was it 100 units or 1000? This is what I got in reply – “We were very, very, *very* pleased with sales.” Like myself, many folks ran out and bought all three season sets. :-) But that third “very” was encouraging.

If you haven’t ordered yet, here is the link for Season 1 pre-order on Amazon. :-) (Available, like so much great Yuri anime, through the Yuricon Shop!)

I was also told that they’ve got some cool things planned for the series and to keep my ears to the ground. Previously, I had suggested to Pizza Hut that they run a campaign here (I’m sure you can imagine the confusion and bewilderment with which that suggestion was met…) but seriously, how much fun – and how bizarre! – would that be here in the US? lol I wrote a fanfic about the Pizza Hut campaign, a while back, after a comment I made on the last “Now This is Only My Opinion.” I put it up on “Worldshaking” Fanfic for you to enjoy. (Oh, oh – but here’s the funny thing! I saw a picture of Yumi, Yoshino and Shimako eating pizza in an official ad, and you know, I was *very* close in my fic. lol)

***

Yuri Manga

Yuri fan flojistik informs us that Maka-Maka is now available in French through Amazon.Fr! I know a lot of people would like to see it in English – I also know that there’s a company working on it, so just be patient, ‘kay? :-) In the mean time, French readers can enjoy ther own edition of this adult Yuri manga. If someone gets it, please write in and let us know how it is!

***

Okazu News

Thanks to my loyal readers for wondering about that Yuri Wishlist being unpopulated for so long. The balance finally shifted in my piles on the table here and I’ve repopulated it, if you care to sponsor reviews once again. I’m going to do my utmost to review every day this coming week, and get that “to-review” pile halved.

Also, since Amazon is *still* not carrying Mai Otome 4, if someone wants to volunteer to get me that from another source, I’m going to accept graciously. Just email me first, because I don’t want to get 4 copies.

***

Other Yuri Interest

It’s not a very active group, but I’ve created an IRC channel to talk in detail about all things Marimite – #[email protected]. This is a spoiler chan for the novels, anime and manga, and we do talk about fine points of what’s going on with MASSIVE spoilers. So if you don’t want to know what happens, don’t join. lol If you want to talk about inexplicable Shimako things, and fine points of Yoshino references, this is the place for you!

And for something completely different, through Mangablog, whch got the link through When Fangirls Attack, here is an essay by Kristin McCauliff about gender roles in Revolutionary Girl Utena. It’s feminist, but not lesbian, but still totally relevant to our interests. :-)

***

That’s it for this week. As always, if you have Yuri news you want to share, or any new or obscure series in which you feel there’s a little Yuri you’d like people to know about, feel free to email me with the Subject line “Yuri News” (so my idiotic spam filter doen’t lose it) and I’ll tell the world!! :-)

Posted in Maria-sama ga Miteru, Okazu News, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Yuri Network News | 10 Comments »


Yuri Anime: Simoun, Volume 3 (English)

May 23rd, 2008

You know those moments?

When you’re watching a really good anime and all of a sudden you think, “Crichey, this anime is stellar.”

Volume 3 of Simoun is when an excellent series becomes stellar.

I took 4 pages of notes about things I wanted to mention, but I realized that if I mention any of them, I will simply be spoiling things. So I really can’t talk about what happens in Volume 3, except to say that *everything* changes in this volume. Episode 13 is particularly key, there are so many details; so many little, extremely subtle touches that it would be impossible to notice them all, but when taken together make a piece of anime that is absolutely stunning.

Now I remember why I said this was the best series of the year – because it was! What fantastic writing, what brilliant characters, what a delicately crafted and well-handled plot.

Let me digress – plot, in anime is often treated as a nag. If it gets any attention at all, it’s whipped and beaten until the poor thing is lifeless. Not here – the plot in Simoun is treated like the thoroughbred it is. Handled by skilled trainers and given the finest feed, what we get in Volume 3 is nothing less than anime its best. (And just in case you think I’m overthinking this, wait until you listen to the staff commentary on the extras – it will prove to you that I am not at all exagerrating in the slightest. So there, nyah.)

But, here’s the thing that I really want to say about this volume. Media Blasters did a fabulous job on this volume. Not a typo, not even an awkward moment of translation. This was the best work I’ve ever seen from MB – it was up to the standards of the anime itself. What a genuine pleasure to be able to simply enjoy the excellent translation without worrying about technical details. Thank you, thank you Media Blasters! Great work.

And, while I’m thanking them – thanks to them too, for adding me into the credits under “Special Thanks To”. I have to admit, it made me go a little blushy, but considering that all I do is rag on you guys, I can’t imagine what you’re thanking *me* for. LOL

The extras were interesting once again. I already mentioned the fascinating Staff Interview, but also included was an interview with Yukana (Dominura) and Noto Mamiko (Rimone) – and unlike the other cast interviews, they were totally relaxed and comfortable talking to each other. ^_^ But – why are we still getting snotty asides from the lollipop and not being allowed to just hear them talk? Beats me.

Anyway, did I mention that this volume was stellar? It was. Every second of watching the first two volumes is made completely worthwhile when you watch Volume 3.

Ratings:

Art – 7 (I’m being a little kind here, it’s so variable)
Story – 10
Characters – 9
Yuri – 7
Service – 6, but they make them pay for it, by reminding the viewers that Wapourif is really male. Hah.

Overall – 9

Stellar. Stupendous. Spectacular. Splendid. Superb. Superior. Stunning. “S” is for Simoun.

Posted in English Anime, Simoun, Yuri Anime | 4 Comments »


Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime 12, Part 2

May 22nd, 2008

Onward into the dark depths of Yuri Hime Volume 12!

“Tokimeki Mononoke Gakuen” continues from the moment after Kiri and Arare have kissed. Arare is flipping out – not because she didn’t like it, but because she did! Immediately, she wonders just how Kiri got to be that good a kisser and freaks as she imagines her practicing with just about everyone. Arare wakes up in bed, assuming it was just a weird dream, but in a series of fabulous visuals, finds herself becoming insanely, irrationally jealous of Kiri and Pero. Arare and Kiri make up, Arare wondering if they should become lovers, when Kiri drops the bomb – if they do, Arare will become a real Youkai. Finally! A reasonable reason for the inevitable not getting together! What will happen? Tune in in July.

In “Sweet Peach” Touka flashes back and forth between what appears to be a “normal” world and the world she’s actually stuck in, with a floating perverted hamster-girl as a companion. Airei and Chun, the warrior-elf and the maid-doctor, show up to save her, and a fight looks to be forming when priestess-y Uzume-sama breaks it all up. Airei and Momoka are together when something very important, and yet heavily servicey happens and they find themselves in each other’s arms. We can look forward to even more fantasy elements to be crammed in to this story next time.

A new chapter of the next game in the Aoi Shiro canon, begins. A girl is trained to be another girl’s bodyguerd and servant. I won’t be buying this game any more than I bought the other game, so unless something happens in the story (and I’m betting that this chapter was really just an advert in manga form) I won’t care.

FINALLY! The one thing you all really cared about – the next chapter of “Strawberry Shake Sweet.” Having admitted their feelings, Ran and Julia spend a few pages being pretty sure they must have been mistaken. Ran falls asleep while Julia is in the bath. When Julia returns, waking her, Ran asks for a kiss, which Julia gives. Ran admits that she feared she had made it all up in her head and was just testing. While Saeki is held back from trying to reach them in the dead of night, Julia and Ran end up sleeping together, holding hands.

That’s the good news. Here’s the bad news – this story will be finished in two chapters. Now, that doesn’t *definitely* mean we won’t get more from Hayashiya-sensei. We don’t know yet. So don’t ask me what’s next. I do not know, any more than you do. OTOH, I think we can guarantee that Ran and Julia will live happily ever after. :-)

A girl is always watching Hasekawa, and when she notices, she inexplicably attacks her, trying to force a kiss and possibly more. When Hasekawa is injured, the girl visits her and receives an apology, but frankly, I didn’t like Hasekawa anyway. Thus concludes “A Beautiful Thing” by Hakamada Mera.

Yahoo! “Hatachi Otome Virgin Season” by Morishima Akiko, picks up the story of 20-year old art student Eimi and her lover 30-year old art teacher Keiko. Still wrestling with the age difference, they plan a trip to an onsen. They get sidetracked by a fight about an old boyfriend of Keiko’s, but they get back together in a fit of adorable love-love.

A new series by the artist of Hatsukoi Shimai, which has a name that I simply don’t feel like translating. LOL Anyway, it was exceedingly average. Girl comes to a mysterious store Nekomedou, as she struggles with feelings for her friend who adores her writing. She writes Yuri filth which upsets her friend, but makes up when she realizes that she’s never getting the girl, and her gallant stories of romantic Yuri love are all she can give her.

Last and utterly least is “Nanami to Misuzu” which I totally skipped.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

Like I said, yesterday, Yuri Hime is a bag of mixed candy. You’re going to like some, not like some and love and hate one or two. That’s the advantage and disadvantage of an anthology. On the whole I really liked about a third of the stories, which is a fine percentage – I’ve bought magazines where I only liked one or two of the stories, so 6 out of 17 “really like” and 5 “okay” is a totally acceptable to me. And of course, you make like some or all of the stories I disliked. ^_^

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


Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime, Volume 12 Part 1

May 21st, 2008

Like a bag of mixed candy, Yuri Hime Volume 12 provides some tasty treats and some flavors that maybe one doesn’t like quite so much. lol

We begin with Goth-Loli story “Epitaph.” When it first began, I was witholding my judgement. Now a whole volume into it, I’m finally comfortable saying that I find it to be flavorless. It reminds me of Venus Versus Virus in the way it wraps an episodic and not particularly engaging plot around a not-particularly engaging not-quite couple. Towa and Ash are, well…boring. This chapter introduces the traditional rival couple, who are, as tradition demands just slightly more of a couple than our primary couple. There is a threat, which is dealt with by the also slightly more competent other couple and all of it makes Ash question her not-quite relationship with Towa.

Set in the Meiji period, and told through a series of letters, a girl’s rival is also her not very secret admirer, in the short “Sakura Buntsu.”

“Clover” follows the uncomfortable triangle of Student Council president Tachibana, and her VP, Hashimoto, as Tachibana discovers that Hashimoto unexpectedly has a girlfriend, Katou. Tachibana pushes Hashimoto to acknowledge and pursue the relationship, even as she realizes that she’s pretty heartbroken over it. Tachibana goes home and cries on her sister’s chest, but complains that it would have been nicer if she was bustier. Words of wisdom, I think. :-)

“Ichigo Ichigo Ichigo” is a school doctor-student love story that has the most unpleasant use of strawberries I’ve seen so far. (Whatever you’re thinking right now – it wasn’t that. It was just that I kept thinking, “who’s gonna clean that up?”

“Hatsukoi Kanon” surprised me. I keep forgetting that this school doctor-student relationship story is a series. lol Matsumoto-sensei and Nanao are interrupted in an embrace by Ruko-sensei, who tells Nanao that a student once fell for her. Matsumoto tells Nanao that their relationship will be over when Nanao graduates, and we learn (as if we couldn’t have guessed!) that Ruko’s admirer was Matsumoto.

Which brings me to my not-really new rule about being gay in manga. For a while, I’ve thought that falling for another girl once is basically nothing. Could be a crush, a phase, a first love, convenient, whatever. Twice is a trend. Three times, gay. lol

Moving on, in “Apple Day Dream” a new character is introduced, we dress her up and marvel at how many different ways the same three jokes can be rehashed.

“Sweet Olive Flowers” is another pretty dsyfunctional non-relationship triangle between a girl who likes another girl and the guy who likes her.

Creo has decided to attend school with Suou in “Creo the Crimson Crises.” Wackiness and DRAMA ensue.

Exam time has come, and graduation is something everyone is thinking about in “Ameiro Kouchakan Kandan.” What she’ll do when she graduates is obviously on Sarasa’s mind, and no less on Seriho’s. Seriho gets a call from someone named Sumire and, as she’s making plans uncovers a school guidebook Sarasa had left lying there. Crisis? Probaby not, but the mild tension is good for us. :-)

Takeuchi Sachiko’s Honey & Honey books (which have been reviewed here, use the search bar, I’m too lazy to link today) are reviewed as we end today’s overview of the first half of Yuri Hime 12.

I know what you want to know. You’ll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out, won’t you? ^_^

Posted in Comic Yuri Hime, Yuri Manga | 1 Comment »