Yuri Manga: Voiceful (English)
Books like Voiceful are exactly the reason the Yuricon definition of Yuri includes "intense emotional connections" between women. Because sometimes it's not "love" yet, and hasn't gotten anywhere near "desire" but it's still some seriously intense bond that could easily become something more. (Another good example of that is Haibane Renmei, in which the circumstances preclude a love affair, but don't stop Reki and Rakka from being intensely attracted to one another.)
Before I forget, thanks to Eric for sponsoring today's review!
The creator, nawoko, says in her endnote that Voiceful is pretty far from Yuri. In one sense she is correct, but I think anyone who reads Kanae and Hina's story will be able to see the Yuri, without the need for Yuri goggles.
For a summation of the content of the book, and my first impressions, please read my review of the Japanese edition. As I have been, today's review will cover the adaptation by Seven Seas.
I think this is one of the best in Seven Seas' Strawberry Line so far. The color page, the cover and the tones are clearer than usual. Towards the end of the volume, the stories get a little darker. The stories at the end of the volume are the earlier Yuri Shimai stories - I have no idea if that is related or not.
The translation is quite good. I know I wasn't the only one who had some trouble with "Opening," the final story (how ironic, huh?) and the translator did a very good job of making it make sense. The emotion between Kanae and Hina comes across beautifully, as well.
As always the editing and adaptation are smooth as silk and the honorifics remain in place. Nice job, everyone. :-)
The book also contains some preview pages for First Love Sisters, as an "extra." Since FSL is the other Ichijinsha book in the Strawberry Line so far, that seems like a natural fit. I'm interested to see if Seven Seas is able to (or wants to) pick up any further Yuri Hime comics - and which ones they might get.
Ratings:
Art - 7
Characters - 7
Story - 7
Yuri - 4
Loser FanBoy - 1, some slight undressedness
Overall - 7
While not the absolute best Yuri Hime collection Ichinjinsha has put out, Voiceful is a nice way to ease into the genre. If you have a friend who isn't really a big fan, or you know a young babydyke whose parents would object to Strawberry Panic (and what sane person wouldn't? lol) Voiceful makes a gentle point of entry into the Yuri world.
Tags: Yuri, Yuri Manga, nawoko, Voiceful
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5 comments:
Though stories by nawoko that ran in Yuri Hime / Yuri Shimai are rather 'vaguely yuriesh', I've seen some ero yuri manga drawn by her.
btw It seems that all the authors in YH/YS were chosen at the beginning because they had drawn yuri manga/doujinshi before (uhh there are real veterans from the times of Sailor Moon and Utena like Hayasiya Siduru-sensei or Morinaga Miluku-sensei ^^). And most of these works were erotic. Women-oriented though.
With the caveat that "erotic" differs from person to person, I agree that they are all very women-oriented.
Shame on you, Ms. Friedman! It's not Raki and Rekka, it's Reki and Rakka! I thought you at least liked the characters enough to remember their names! (since my fingers are too lazy to type emoticons, I am writing this half-jokingly, but you probably already guessed)
Haha, sorry Eric! I'll fix that right away.
Still reading the copy I purchased three days ago. Well written, well drawn. This will also be worth rereading, I suspect - unlike many of the single volumes in my collection.
I do not think that I have not run across the lone panty-shot yet. I am tempted to now obsessively search for it.
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