Yuri Manga: Strawberry Marshmallow Volume 5 (English)

June 13th, 2008

I have a new personal rating system for “funny” books. Because really, and I know it’s me, most “comedy” leaves me staring blankly wondering what was so funny about that. My new rating is based on the number of times – preferably in public – that the funny thing makes me snort.

Strawberry Marshmallow, Volume 5 is a three-snort book.

I was reading the English edition on the train yesterday and I have no doubt that the guy next to me was not made happy by the snorting and occasional fits of giggling. Too bad dude. Next time sit next to the lady with too much perfume.

Volume 5 is a “Best of Miu” book. If you are a member of the Cult of Miu (anyone want to make a graphic for us? I’ve got no time, and am in any case totally not a creative designer when it comes to fannish web graphics) you will need to get this volume.

In fact, it is my opinion that Volume 5 of Strawberry Marshmallow was single-handedly responsible for making this week not suck for me. Therefore it is with extra special appreciation that I thank Ted the Awesome for his sponsorship of today’s review.

So, in my original review of the Japanese edition of this volume, I focused primarily on the chapter that everyone is all zOMG! about, because Miu uses the word lesbian – but that is not why I focused on it. I focused on it because the emails between Chika and Miu made me snort with laughter. In English it is still the best chapter and the most snort-making. (It also has a weird translation thing that’s happened in every other volume. In this case it’s *Chika* who suddenly becomes British.)

What works best in this volume is those moments when the dynamic is between Miu and Chika. Matsuri is supposed to be cute, I guess, but comes off as nothing more than pathetic. Ana has somehow become Matsuri’s lady-in-waiting. And Miu points it out, too. Nobue is there for a few gags, but is not the focus of Miu’s obsession nearly as much as previously (although the one chapter where she is, is the first chapter I ever read of this series and, as a result, I am rather fond of it.)

But where previous volumes were all about Miu, this one has subtlely shifted to be about Miu and Chika. I approve. So much so that I wrote a fanfic about them. It will one day go up on “Worldshaking” Fanfic, where I keep all those little expressions of my otaku disease.

In the meantime, read Volume 5 right away and join the Cult of Miu – you know you want to…join us, join us~~!

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Yuri – 2
Service – 4 (Bunny ears, cat ears, playing dress up…in a magazine for adult men. So, yesh.)

Overall – 8

I originally scored it an overall 7, but I’m adding on the extra point for the third snort. I cannot wait until Ichigo Mashimaro 6 comes out – it has the greatest arc EVAR.

Posted in Ichigo Mashimaro, Yuri Manga | 1 Comment »


Event: "Ghost in the Shell: Innocence" Lecture at the Brooklyn Museum of Art

June 13th, 2008

Just a heads up for all the New York City-area readers we have here.

Tomorrow, Saturday June 14, at 1:PM, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, as part of a New York citywide exploration of Japanese culture and art, is showing the Ghost In The Shell: Innocence movie.

I will be introducing the movie, and doing a short Q&A afterward.

The movie begins at 1PM, I’ll be doing my intro at about 12:45. It all takes place in the Elizabeth A. Sackler Forum on the 4th floor. Admission to the movie is free with admission to the museum. If you pay for a Muakami exhibit ticket, you get to see that exhibit, the rest of the museum AND the movie, so I hope you’ll come early and take in the great art, then join for Ghost In The Shell: Innocence!

Posted in Events, Ghost In The Shell | 4 Comments »


Yuri Manga: Hatsukoi Shimai, Volume 3

June 12th, 2008

Hatsukoi Shimai is your basic “Yuri Manga.” Almost all the stereotypes are covered; Chika is energetic and emotional, Haruna is initially cool and distant but warms up, ultimately becoming warm and affectionate. Touko is cool (different cool) and boyish and has a motorcycle, Akiho is classic passive-aggressive. And Kirika is our resident non-verbal chick with weapon princely type, while her Princess, Miyu, would be happy to be with her forever if only she’d say something.

In Volume 3, we follow each couple in a not-terribly dramatic crisis. Chika is invited over to Haruna’s house, where she asks to see a photo album. Haruna is freakish about it, and in a moment of totally confusing DRAMA, Akiho begs Haruna not to tell Chika about their past. The moment passes and we see Chika and Haruna later in their secret spot, sharing their likes and dislikes, and getting in a good snog.

The mystery of Akiho’s reluctance to have Chika know about her childhood is revealed to Touko-sensei when she admits to not being a blood sister to Haruna. Which explains her sis-con, but not really why she doesn’t want Chika knowing (unless she doesn’t want her best friend thinking that she’s a rival.) Akiho’s crisis comes in the form of a rumor that Touko-sensei’s time at their school is coming to an end. Touko quashes the rumor – but not before she finally gets that kiss she’s been angling for from Akiho.

Haruna faces her mean old sempai from her flashback in Volume 2, and it turns out that sempai probably did have feelings for her after all, but was cruel to be kind.

And finally, Kirika and Miyu face a teeny weeny little crisis because Miyu is skipping drama club. And because Kirika falls off the platform at Kyuudo club running after Miyu. Miyu’s concern was that she was pegged to play the lead role of Princess and was given no choice in the matter because she looks like a Princess. I’m sorry that this story wasn’t given some time to develop, because in the original short story in which these two appeared (on the inside cover of Yuri Shimai 3,) Kirika was having issues about being the Prince to Miyu’s Princess. It would have been nice for an extended storyline for them to deal with it. Ah well, fanfic fodder, I guess.

The story wraps up with Teshigawara and the strange girl who appears at the school for basically no reason except to befriend Teshigawara, in which the strange girl who has now befriended poor Teshigawara, has to move away. They promise to write to each other.

The epilogue assures us that Teshigawara Chiyori and Rie are indeed writing one another; Miyu likes playing with Kirika’s hair – and Kirika likes when she plays with her hair; Touko and Akiho go to the beach and Touko gets a really good kiss in; and Chika and Haruna share a bed -pointing out those rings they exchanged, so we really, really, truly, positively know they are together. (But not lesbian.)

The End.

Ratings:

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

Overall – 8

Please don’t ask me if this volume will be translated. I don’t know. If sales of Volume 1 and Volume 2 are good, and the stars are aligned and Seven Seas stays in business that long – maybe.

Posted in Hatsukoi Shimai, Koi Shimai, Yuri Manga | 1 Comment »


Battle Club Manga, Volume 3 (English)

June 11th, 2008

 I want to review something today about which there is little to say. There is very little to say about Battle Club, Volume 4. There is this to say, at least – thanks to Dan again for sponsoring this review!

In this volume Tamako continues to battle enemies both external and internal, with progressively less and less clothing, until she faces her greatest enemy, herself. The coach continues his exceedingly long piss, so we get a chance to do a bunch of flashbacks to Tamako’s mother and learn the secrets, such as they are, of the guilt Tamako carries. But no one cares, which is good, because it’s not really very interesting. Like the men in the series, most of the readership is looking at Tama’s tits and crotch. All very fascinating.

Shiba arrives just in time to get a nosebleed at the sight of Tama’s breasts, which is about all the Yuri you get. Higuchi also shows up, to heal her wounds and fear of fighting, but she continues to be lesbian in name only.

And that’s basically it. The translation still plays fast and loose with the original text – so much so that even though I have not actually read the original text in Japanese , I can guess that they didn’t say the things that are on the page. It’s okay, like the “plot,” the “dialogue” is really not interesting and definitely not why one reads this book.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 1
Characters – 4
Yuri – 2
Service – 10

Overall – 5

Mokichi gets stronger too.

Thanks to Dan P. for providing this piece of “entertainment” and distraction!

Posted in English Manga, Ikkitousen | 1 Comment »


Burst Angel Infinity OAV Anime (English)

June 10th, 2008

Much thanks to Daniel today for providing another Sunday afternoon’s worth of great entertainment and incidentally sponsoring today’s review!

As I wrote, in my initial review of Burst Angel Infinity OAV, screencaps make up for a LOT of nothing. ^_^

The story follows Jo and Meg post them meeting, and pre them hooking up with Amy and Sei-who-is-not-named-Beth. (And really, the ONLY reason I’m reviewing this OAV again, is to be able to type that once more. ^_^ And now that Tokyopop is cutting back, who knows if they’ll ever get the BA manga out, so this may be my last chance.)

The adventure itself is much of a muchness. Jo and Meg come back to visit one of the street urchins that Meg ran with previously – as we know from the episode where we learn how they met. It’s Shirley’s birthday, Meg wants to get her a present, so they need money. Of course the whole thing spirals out of control immediately and Jo is forced to do something she just hates – beat the crap out of people and shoot them.

The final credits run alongside a recap of Jo and Meg’s meeting and initial adventure and at the veeerry end, there’s a supershort clip of Meg full of awesomeness she absorbed from Jo’s scarf. (which was her scarf originally, but obviously it picked up awesome from proximity to Jo, so when she got it back at the end of the series, it confirmed awesome upon her. I’m sorry that they didn’t make a whole story with awesome Meg – the short looks way better than anything with Shirley. But that’s just me.

Of course we’re also watching the miniscule moments of tenderness between Meg and Jo, which completely confirms the obviousness of their relationship. lol Don’t get me wrong, I think they are a couple. I just also think that this anime makes us work harder at it than necessary. ^_^

Extras were kind of dull for me, not being a mecha fiend, but if you like them, there’s a retrospective of all the exciting robot designs in the series.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Yuri – 3
Service- 4

Overall – 7

As I said the first time, if you like the series, this OVA is at least as good as some of the better episodes.

Posted in Bakuretsu Tenshi, English Manga | 2 Comments »