Yuri Manga: Plica-chan
Time for a review of a 100% yuri manga that is almost unknown here in the West.
Plica-chan, written and drawn by Amamiya Sae, is the bittersweet, realistic story of Plica, a young lesbian looking for love in modern Japan. Emphasis on the bitter, rather than the sweet - not because Plica doesn't find love, don't get me wrong! Bitter 'cause she's just a bitter kind of gal.
The manga, which is written in 4-panel strip style, originally ran in
Anise magazine, and now runs in the
LOUD News, the newsletter for the LOUD organization. It can also be found
online. Plica's comments are often on the nature of sexuality, the relationships between men and women, and between women and women. Erin, the lovely and gracious Rosa Chinensis of
Lililicious, has a section of her
Yurizuki site dedicated to synopsizing some of the Plica strips, so you can get an idea of what's going on.
The whole strip starts on a low note, as Plica returns from an ex-lover's wedding. But not too long into it, Plica meets Mari, for whom she starts to have feelings pretty soon. But, like most butches, Plica is too unsure to try anything. (I have a theory about most butch women actually being really neko/uke...which begs for an essay on the perception and reality of butch/femme, neko/tachi and uke/seme. But I digress.) Thank goodness femme Mari is, like so many femmes, perfectly willing to go after what she wants. She and Plica have been together since. As I said, it's a bittersweet comic - rather more real than fanciful, so don't expect roses and lillies. :-)
There was one collected volume of
Plica-chan, with a section translated into English by none other than internationally known yaoi scholar Mizoguchi Akiko (a lesbian herself, and one of our guests at Yuricon in Tokyo.) I don't know if it is still available, but if it is, I'll be sure to let you know. A quick search online doesn't turn it up anywhere, sorry.
The art takes some getting used to if you're used to the more traditional manga style but it's good to take a break from the usual now and then. :-)
I particularly liked a recent comic, posted on
Feb. 21, 2006, where Plica comments that she finds Mari very sexy in a suit, but doesn't want to tell her, yet, because it sounds so dirty old man that she's afraid Mari will stop wearing them. lol
Ratings:
Art - 6 (minimalist, but not unpleasant)
Story - 7 (more bitter than sweet)
Characters - 7 (like real people, they are sometimes very annoying)
Yuri - 10
Loser FanBoy - 1
Overall - 7
Plica-chan is the almost exact opposite of yesterday's
Shoujo Sect - substance over style. If you're looking for a more realistic look at lesbian life, take a look at
Plica-chan.
Tags: Yuri, Yuri Manga, Plica-chan
Yuri Manga: Shoujo Sect
I don't have a lot of time today, so I thought I'd review something superficial.
Shoujo Sect is about as superficial as they come.
The basic premise is...well, there really isn't a premise. It's a series of near-plotless sexual encounters between young women who attend a private school and in most cases, room together in a dorm. The common denominator is Naitou, a blond who moves through the other girls' stories as a kind of ghost - and so is clearly the real protagonist.
In the first chapter Naitou bets Benio an Ipod over which one can get the better kiss from Ayame. Benio gets full-blown sex but forgets to get a picture as proof. When, the next morning, Ayame gives her a big ole good morning kiss in front of Naitou, Benio wins.
Enjyoji Maya steals a kiss from Honda Shinobu - unbeknowst to Maya, Shinobu has a cult of personality at this school, a veritable Hugh Hefner. In not too much time, Shinobu has Maya naked and in thrall. Naitou interrupts.
Chizuru convinced her sempai Shigure that she really REALLY likes her. Naitou plays the voyeur
Tomoe runs into Suu-sempai one day as the older girl lays outside with another girl asleep in her lap. The next time they run into each other, Suu take Tomoe into the art supply room for a little personal attention. Naitou and Shinobu have a little unrelated conversation about the school uniform and hamburgers.
Asafuki is crushing badly on housemate Naitou, who hasn't noticed. Setsuka has, but she really has it bad for Asafuki. Setsuka take things into her own hands and has her way with Asafuki, who screams Naitou's name at the key moment. At dinner that night, Setsuka asks Naitou what her type is...a conversation which opens Asafuki's eyes to the fact that Setsuka is a better option all around.
In what has to be the oddest chapter, we start with color pages of lovers Chikae and Utano. Utano does not speak, apparently. At school two of their classmates call them lesbians, and insult them. They defend each other - but don't deny they are lovers. One girl who was slapped runs off to get a teacher. Utano makes love to Chikae right there in the classroom, not stopping when students arrive. The girls leave, and after they finish, Utano thanks Chikae...and disappears because of a magic spell. When Naitou arrives, Chikae is on the floor huddled up, crying. Utano is gone. I pretty much liked these two the best, so it was a little depressing...
Naitou arrives at the clubroom, aka Shinobu's personal playroom, with some copies. She finds a wide assortment of Shinobu's girls, all dressed up in a variety of fetish outfits. (Naitou, on seeing Maya in low-cut leotard, stockings, heels and dog ears: "That's some outfit, Enjyoji-san.") In a small room on the side Kirin and Matsuri have sex, quietly, so Shinobu doesn't hear them. Shinobu and Naitou go outside for a chat, and Shinobu confesses that she likes Naitou.
Omake chapter - a bunch of the girls have sex for spurious reasons.
Drawn by by Kurogane Kenn, the art is cute, but a little too loli for me to really like. The sex is most definitely sex-like. Like
Maka-Maka, this is pretty much yuri porn by a guy. Decent porn. Not ugly, not gross, just "Plot, what plot?" porn.
Ratings:
Art - 7
Character - 4 (we don't really get to know any of them)
Story - 2 (there isn't any)
Yuri - 9
Loser FanBoy - 7
Overall - 6
Depending on your mood and tastes, this could be just the ticket. It's definitely good, filthy yuri fun.
Tags: Yuri, Yuri Manga, Shoujo Sect
Drama CD: Hayate x Blade Mini CD
Would you like to hear a story about how utterly LFG I am? LOL
In the February issue of
Dengeki Daioh, the
Hayate x Blade chapter was a gag about the upcoming Drama CD.
In that issue, Amachi Hitsugi, the chairman of the school, president of the student council and all-around perfect rich girl, decided to write the script for a Drama CD. Hitusgi forces her shinyuu/partner to comandeer various characters to record the CD. Mayhem breaks out, as is typical for a HCB chapter. :-)
The March issue of Dengeki Daioh includes a mini Drama CD for HCB, which is meant to be the "mayhem breaks out" part of the previous comic that's taking place inside the recording studio.
I picked up this month's issue with what I am sure was an otaku creepy "ohmigodohmigod!" face on, even if the woman at Sanseido smiled at me and pretended not to notice. lol
As *soon* as we got in the car I slammed that baby into the CD player! The mini CD is 13 minutes or so long and it's brilliant! Of course.
I won't go on and on about how perfect the seiyuu are, or how funny the script was - except for this moment. When Hayate forces Ayana to read the title of the drama: "Hayate and Ayana's sexy weekend" in English, I almost died laughing.
Oh, and this moment - when Momoka calls to Isuzu to say that they should leave (Momoka calls Isuzu "Wanko") - "Come on Wanko." Isuzu responds, "Wherever, forever."
And I won't go on about the BGM, which was hysterical in the extreme - and gets all romantic violins when Hitsugi is telling Shizuku that she wants to take her to a nice, romantic restaurant, just the two of them...
No. I won't talk about any of those things. Or about the scene when Jun and Hayate are crawling on top of each other to try and find out which one of them Ayana wants more as a lover.
And I absolutely won't rant about how the music changes and before she even spoke I KNEW Yukari had come "on screen". Or how Ayana became a blushy, stuttering freak. LOL
All I'm gonna say is - there's no doubt at ALL, that any real or implied yuri in Hayate Cross Blade is amplified here to its fullest.
Ratings:
Story - 8
Characters - 9
Music - 8
Yuri - 7
Loser FanGirl - 9
Overall - 8
I cannot WAIT for the Drama CD next month! Ohmigod ohmigod! LOL
Tags: Drama CD, Chicks with Swords, Hayate Cross Blade, Hayate x Blade
Events: Yuri Manga Lecture at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
I'm just using the press release on this, because I don't have the energy to rewrite it. But the point is, it'll be fun - you should join us!
Erica Friedman, president of Yuricon and ALC Publishing, will be speaking about Yuri Manga and Lesbian Japan on March 3 at 3PM as part of the Asia Pacific Queer Lecture Series sponsored by the East Asian and Pacific Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The lecture will take place at Lucy Ellis, 1st Floor, FLB Building and is open to the public.
Friedman founded Yuricon, a celebration of yuri in anime and manga in 2000, and ALC
Publishing, North America's only of 100% yuri publisher in 2003. In 2005, she co-chaired Yuricon in Tokyo, and Onna! which took place in October in Newark, NJ. In 2004, ALC Publishing printed the fi st volume of "Shoujoai ni Bouken: The Adventures of Yuriko", an illustrated novel, penned by Friedman and illustrated by Kelli Nicely. Friedman will be discussing geek culture with the UIUC Introduction to Japanese Culture class, and her novel with the CQS reading group, on March 2.
To learn more about Yuricon or ALC Publishing, please visit http://www.yuricon.org or
email yuricon@hotmail.com
For more information on East Asia Pacific Studies at UIUC, please visit http://eaps.uiuc.edu or contact EAPS at eaps@uiuc.edu or 217-333-7273
Maria-sama ga Miteru Eleventh Novel - Parasol o Sashite Part 2
Notes on the 11th Maria-sama ga Miteru Novel –
Parasol o Sashite (
Holding A Parasol)Part 2
Yumi returns to the Rose Mansion. You have to figure that for the past week or so, Noriko and Shimako have pretty much been doing all the Yamayurikai work by themselves.
Noriko serves Yumi tea and Yumi thinks that Shimako and Noriko make fine masters of the Rose Mansion.
When Yumi says that she doesn't know what Sachiko has been doing, Noriko opines that she thinks Touko does – but she isn't saying. Yumi's heart thunks at the mention of Touko's name, but she reflects that Touko probably *hasn't* been chosen over her, or she'd certainly be telling everyone.
Noriko apologizes for Touko's behavior the other day. (She calls Touko "Touko" with no honorific, btw) Yumi thinks that Noriko really has no involvement in that, but that they do appear to be friends, so...
***
The crucial Yumi/Touko scene was not in the courtyard observed by any other students.
Yumi can't tell whether Touko is annoyed because she was called out by an upperclassman, or because she doesn't want to see Yumi.
Yumi starts to tell Touko what she wanted with her, but she forgets what she wants to say. Touko rubs her temples like she's got a headache and asks Yumi to think first, then speak clearly once she has a handle on what she wants to say.
When Touko protests that she can't help the Yamayurikai because she's a member of the theater club, Yumi replies that Touko's club hasn't approved any specific script yet for the play, so she don't have daily practice yet. (D'oh – as Rosa Chinensis en Bouton of *course* Yumi sees all the club's schedules)
Yumi takes Touko's *elbow*, not hand. And she does not think that she's using Sei-like skinship (a line which the subbers totally flubbed anyway, so their translation makes no sense at all.) Touko shakes Yumi off, but as she walks away Yumi can see that the tips of her ears are red.
***
Sachiko has been away from school for about a week. Since Yumi had become her soeur, Sachiko had never been away so long. If her Homeroom teacher knew the reason, s/he wasn't saying – and Sachiko's not the type to play hooky.
***
This scene was massively altered and cut for the anime. The original works better and is a lot snarkier, so bear with me.
After school, in the Rose Mansion. Yumi sighs, and whines, tugging on Touko's sleeve. "Where is Sachiko? Tell meeeeee, Toukoooooooo." Touko pulls her arm away, complaining that Yumi is depressing and telling her to let go.
Touko is moody, but she's been coming to the Rose Mansion to help and has been a good assistant. But she and Yumi bicker constantly.
Touko says that Yumi's acting like a drunk today.
Rei comes in, mentions that Yoshino will still be at club for a while. She asks Noriko to make her coffee - apparently she and Noriko are the only coffee drinkers in the group .
Touko asks Rei to switch seats with her because "sitting next to Yumi-sama is bad for my mental well-being." Rei declines, since Touko agreed to assist Yumi - it's a Rosa Chinensis family matter and she won't get involved.
Yumi stands up and with a grand gesture, invites Touko to sit next to her, and Touko completely loses it. She goes rushing out of the Mansion. Her footsteps are loud and fast, indicating how perturbed she is. Rei looks at Yumi and smiles, then asks Yumi to please go to the manga club room and get their schedule...right now. Yumi chirps "Roger!" and hops to it.
When Touko tells Yumi to stay away, she says that when Yumi's around, she can't help but get upset. They reach the sakura tree among the gingkos, and Yumi warns Touko not to get too close, it's a little dangerous at this season. Touko screams – there's a wooly caterpillar on her.
They keep walking along the path. Touko says that she doesn't get Yumi. A week ago you were timid and irritable – now you're cheery. "Sachiko isn't around and you're cheerful?"
Yumi asks if Touko doesn't like her cheerful.
Touko says she doesn't care. And she asks if being chosen as an assistant was some kind of trick.
Yumi doesn't even understand the question (which is everything you really need to know about the two of them...)
There were many other people who were easier to chose – and then Yumi wouldn't have to look at such an unpleasant sight, Touko very calmly analyzes.
Yumi says that Touko was just the first name that popped into her brain. Touko, Yumi points out, wanted to help Sachiko, I wanted to help Sachiko, so here you are helping me to help Sachiko.
They end up wandering onto the college grounds. In the front of the college, there is a fountain, surrounded by flowerbeds. Yumi runs up to them and Touko is forced to run after her calling her name, like a mother after a mischievous child. Yumi stops so suddenly that Touko slams into her. Yumi has recognized Yumiko.
Yumiko asks if Touko is a friend. Touko says no, Yumi is a "gentle advisor." Yumiko remonstrates Yumi – you said you weren't popular with the underclassmen. Touko says not to listen to Yumi about that – that she's a much admired onee-sama. This sets Yumi's teeth on edge and makes her really uncomfortable.
Yumiko is talking about how she never said that she was sorry to the person from her past. She wonders what her friend would say if she did. From behind her, Sei says, "she'd forgive you."
Sei had seen them from her classroom window and wondered at how friendly things seemed. The class was boring anyway. She holds out cans of oolong, milk tea, apple juice and coffee to Yumiko, Touko, then Yumi.
Touko "regards Sei expressionlessly for three seconds" then thanks her for the drink.
Sei asks if she should call Kei – she was in the same class. (It appears that they are in every class together...) Yumiko says that it would be fine if Sei just tells Kei that she'll be gone for a few days and gives her the key.
Sei asks if she's going far – Yumiko says a little. Yumi wonders, because it looks like her handbag isn't really enough for a long journey – even if it's a large handbag.
Using her "honor student voice" Sei offers to accompany Yumiko the whole way. Yumiko demurs, so Sei says she'll at least accompany Yumiko to the station. (Yumiko had said that she had to get going because she was taking a "steam train" which made Yumi think that she really was an old lady...) Sei takes Yumiko's bag and offers the older woman her arm. Yumi asks if its okay for her to leave class, and Sei insists that it was really boring. Yumiko calls Sei a delinquent, smiling, and Sei protests that she's an honest, upright person. Yumiko takes Sei's arm and they walk off.
Yumi thinks that as an escort, Sei's "doesn't lose to a top Takarazuka star."
"From high school students to seniors, Satou Sei is always kind to women." Yumi thinks it would make a nice catchphrase. (It flows a bit better in Japanese, really.)
Yumi says "be careful" to their backs as they walk away.
Unexpectedly Touko comments that Yumiko seemed to be in a good mood today. Yumi si surprised and asks if Touko knows her. Touko says no – it was partially the way you treated her, it just came to mind.
Yumi says that she was told that Yumiko is a misanthropist. Touko says she seems more like someone who is just hard to please. Yumi asks how she knows this. Touko gestures to her own face and comments that Yumiko had deep creases in her forehead and none in the corners of her eyes – like a woman who has furrowed her brow a lot, but rarely smiled.
Then Touko says that it's obvious something has recently changed – then says that it was probably Yumi's fault. That Yumi "provokes optimism." LOL
The rest of the scene is pretty much as you saw in the anime.
***
Bits cut out …
When Yumi is called to the staff room, she doesn't recognize her name. She's like, "gee that sounds similar to my name..." After she realizes that it *is* her, she thinks that this isn't the first time she's gone to the staff room – there was the time when Sei got called in, and the time Eriko was called in.... She wonders if this has something to do with the rumours about Touko hitting her.
Katsura finds Yumi, tells her about the prince at the school gate. Yumi gets distracted and goes over to the gate to see Kashiwagi standing in front of his red sports car. When Kashiwagi calls her Cinderella, Yumi says that Cinderella isn't here. Kashiwagi says, "Well, weren't you Miss Cinderella last year?"
Yumi gets to the staff office, as you saw in the anime. Youko steps out of the crowd like "the birth of Venus>" We're told that with light makeup, and in her suit, she looks very adult.
Youko is a bit short with Yumi – especially when Yumi says that she had to go to the staff office and couldn't talk with Youko... and Youko explains that she *was* the reason Yumi was called. As they walk, Yumi can see that Youko is a little irritable. Eventually, when they reach Mary, Youko admits that she's a little jealous of Yumi and her importance to Sachiko.
***
More bits cut...
During the scene where Kashiwagi is driving like a jerk, Youko is more forceful...and a little threatening.
Yumi learns about Sachiko's grandmother – but Youko says that Sachiko's grandmother said to not say anything to anyone. Kashiwagi remarks that she didn't say that to me. He comments that the women of the Yamayurikai are tough.
Yumi asks if he dislikes women. He says that they're fine. Yumi counters – so you just like guys better? And btw, leave my brother alone. When Kashiwagi is silent, she panics – what have you done to him!? He admits to light skinship, which makes her imgine a love scene between Yuuki and Kashiwagi. Kashiwagi says, don't worry – he's
normal. Youko snidely asks isn't it abnormal's habit to try and draw normal in? Kashiwagi says that it's all complicated – he'd like Yuuki to like him. Yumi thinks he's a "fine" pervert.
Yumi asks him why, on all the earth, Yuuki? Kashiwagi doesn't answer, but when they arrive at the house, he says that he's got a weakness for the potential of Fukuzawa siblings type.
***
More cuts:
Sayako-obasama comments that Sachiko hasn't eaten in several days - nor has she cried at all. Sachiko's hanging on by a thin thread. Even preoccupied with the dead as she is, Sayako thinks that the living take precedence. She had asked Youko to speak to Sachiko, but all Sachiko would says is "You're not Yumi!" then "Yumi hates me."
Yumi admits that she thought that Sachiko hated her...
When Yumi sees Sachiko, she's shocked. Sachiko looks appreciably thinner. Hugging her, Yumi can feel how emaciated she is. Yumi is suddenly afraid to hold her too hard or she might break Sachiko.
Sachiko strokes Yumi's cheek likes she's made of glass, and asks if this is a dream. Yumi says that she's here to lead Sachiko out of the dream. She's overcome with the need to support this emaciated, grief-stricken person.
When Yumi tells Sachiko that she's still calling her onee-sama, Sachiko finally begins to cry.
Sachiko tells her that her grandmother told her to tell Yumi that she loved her. Yumi says, but we never met. Sachiko agrees that it's strange – when she was in the hospital, she said it. Yumi gets a weird feeling about it.
Sachiko explains that she kept hoping her grandmother would recover, so she kept pushing the day of their date to the amusement park ahead. By the time it became obvious that her grandmother was not going to get better, Yumi had already ceased to trust Sachiko. Yumi thinks that it was in part a measure of denial on Sachiko's part – an unwillingness to jinx her grandmother by admitting the truth.
When Sachiko tells Yumi about her grandmother's friend coming and visiting her, Yumi gets the "aha" light bulb and immediately connects it with Yumiko. An old friend did come to visit her grandmother, took one look at Sachiko and said, "Saiko-sama!"
Yumi thinks that it was a miracle.
Sachiko goes on to say that her grandmother's friend's visit made her realize how much she needs Yumi - Sachiko starts crying, her tears flowing past her hands down her cheeks...and tells Yumi she loves her.
From this point on, everything was cut from the anime.
Sachiko stops crying (or at least gets to the snuffling stage) and says that she's hungry. Yumi says that Sayako will be thrilled to hear it. Yumi grins at Sachiko and Sachiko asks her to stop, it's weird to be smiling like that.
Outside rain falls, but in her mind, Yumi is carrying a parasol as she walks in the sun.
Sayoko is, as Yumi predicted, thrilled to hear that Sachiko is hungry. She says that Yumi is a medicine for promoting appetite.
Kashiwagi appears at the door, and they ask where Youko is – he says he doesn't know, they weren't together. Yumi realizes that Youko *really* doesn't like Kashiwagi. Sachiko comments that it'll be all right – undoubtedly Youko has an umbrella.
Sayoko is about to order some food from a caterer, or she suggests going to Sachiko's favorite restaurant in the Ginza. Sachiko, with a sour expression, says she's not in the mood for French food.
Yumi understands her predicament – after a week of not eating, her stomach doesn't want rich food. She probably wants a good homemade soup. But there's no food at this house.
Kashiwagi offers to go to the convenience store they passed, but as he goes to leave he runs into Youko who is returning carrying a bag filled with food. She did not, as it turns out, have an umbrella... :-) The food is all typical Japanese home cooking.
Yumi asks her how she knew, and Youko replies proudly that she's Sachiko's onee-sama, after all.
***
After an impromptu meal, Sayoko comments that the convenience store is a very "convenient" restaurant. Although she expected it to some degree, Yumi thinks that Sayoko is even more of an alien than Sachiko. :-)
***
Yumi tells Yoshino that Sachiko's grandmother's friend was Yumiko. Yumi is filled with a desire to visit the old woman and hear rambling stories and let her know that she and Sachiko are back together. The rosary is around her neck again.
When Sachiko passes them standing in the entrance talking, she yells at them to get over to the Rose Mansion – Yumi thinks she's glorious. They spend yet another lunchtime working on the upcoming school festival.
***
On the way to school, Yumi sees Yumiko from the window of the bus. The older woman looks glowing.
***
Sachiko comments that she wants to go home (they are still staying at her grandmother's house) - she's tired of nabeyaki from the convenience store. Yumi thinks that that might not solve the problem – surely there's a combi near even where Sachiko lives.
***
Touko went back to her club, but every once in a while stops by the Rose Mansion to visit. Yumi never feels dislike for her again.
Shimako and Noriko have grown from being a young couple to a mature couple. Yoshino and Rei continue to be a husband-and-wife comedy team...
Secretly. Yumi wants to buy a white parasol with a lace trim. Soon the rainy season will end and then she would walk under the dazzling sun with her onee-sama, holding a parasol.
The End
Tags: Maria-sama ga Miteru, Marimite, Parasol o Sashite, Holding a Parasol, Sachiko and Yumi
Maria-sama ga Miteru Eleventh Novel - Parasol o Sashite
Notes on the 11th Maria-sama ga Miteru Novel –
Parasol o Sashite (
Holding A Parasol)
The anime wasn't terrible, but I think if I had read the book first, then watched the anime, I'd have been pretty furious. They shortened most scenes, and cut out a few – including my favorite scene in the book - and several scenes after Yumi and Sachiko reconcile. In general, the anime changes a few things here and there, some not so important and others quite important – and dialogue was added that didn't exist in the book in several key scenes, to take the place of the longer scene that had to be cut. This would have been fine if they kept to what actually happened, but some things were just changed. I hope that the manga stays truer to the novel, because it's a better story than the anime was.
There were several places where the fansub translators really just misunderstood completely what was being said, so if you only knew the fansub, you might have been confused.
I found myself just translating whole conversations that were cut, because it was easier than taking notes. I took about 26 pages of notes, then watched the anime afterwards, so I could see what was shown and not. Some of the things I'll mention were in the anime, but were either different, more, or just interesting, in the novel. I definitely assume you've seen the anime, so anything that was done in the anime reasonably accurately, I simply left out of my notes.
I've already finished the next two novels - I'wanted to get a head start before the OVA starts, so I can join Japanese fans in righteous indignation at the changes. LOL
**
The usual cheerful beginning about the girls and the school sounds weirdly ironic at the beginning of this book.
From the day Yumi had accepted the rosary, with them being such an unbalanced pair, she knew this would happen. Confused, weary, she wonders if they ever were really soeur. But it had been Sachiko who had closed her mouth and walked away – simply handed her off to another person. It was time to walk away, not to run after her. She
loves onee-sama, totally, truly. But her voice doesn't reach her. Her wet body wraps a cold heart, like an abandoned cat crying in the rain.
The lights of the car, and the traffic signals glittering through the rain and her tears are somehow very beautiful. Like a spectacle of lights. Yumi wishes that herself and all her hopeless thoughts would disappear in the rain.
6 months ago, Yumi was filled with Sachiko – her eyes followed her, her ears sought her voice, the words that came from her lips made Yumi tremble with pleasure. She anticipated Sachiko's fingers fixing her tie. Her entire school life centered around Sachiko. She treasured her more than flowers, jewels, hand-made lace. No one would ever be able to make her feel that way again.
When such a magnificent onee-sama puts her aside, how much could she be worth? She's not talking living or dying – she just wants to disappear. If Sachiko isn't there, then there's no need for this body to be before her.
When Sei leans over her with the umbrella, Yumi thinks that Sei is the only one in the world who cares about her. If Yumi were to disappear, then Sei's life couldn't go on happily.
***
As they walk to Sei's friend's house, Yumi feels very annoyed by some 3rd party she doesn't know getting involved. She is watching Sei walk from behind, and with the big black umbrella and dark pants, Sei looks, she thinks, like a shiitake mushroom. The though makes Yumi smile, which surprises her.
She then thinks that the tea-colored umbrella was not among the group at the gate, and wonders where this woman came from.
When they reach Kei's place, Sei threatens to forcibly undress Yumi if she's too slow.
Cut scene:
After undressing, Yumi thinks that she has nothing, like the way she was born – no possessions, no clothing, fully naked. She stresses at length about what to do about her wet clothes, and in passing, she thinks about Sachiko's beautiful lingerie. When she comes out of the shower – and she is deeply touched to find that shorts and a tank top, and a grey sweat suit have been left there for her to change into. When she's dressed, Yumi remembers the feel of Sachiko's hand fixing her tie.
The clothes Kei left Yumi were left by a friend who had stayed over – the shorts and tank top were bought at a 100-yen store. She tells Yumi to keep them, it's more trouble than it's worth to return them.
Yumi thinks that the kindness she's received equals 200 yen. Plus tax. Not that this can be measured in money – or repayed.
Kei says that she let Sei and Yumi come with her because she saw a young girl crying and thought that she needed help. And Sei is too devil-may-care to be responsible. Yumi thinks Kei's impression of Sei is spot on.
Sei asks Kei why she says that, Kei says because college is a place to study – not to hang out. Then Sei remembers where they first met. She also remembers that Kei scowled at her.
(Just as a reminder - they "met" when Sei absentmindedly responded to Kei's name during class. Satou Sei/Katou Kei.)
Kei – I didn't scowl. I was shocked. You're paranoid.
Kei laughs at Sei – you're the type who doesn't remember people you haven't directly talked to, right?
Sei asks is Kei became interested in her then, and Kei admits, a little.
As Kei dries her hair, Yumi dozes off and dreams about Sachiko:
Sachiko is sitting, crying, in the corner of a huge room, all hunched over. The surroundings are gloomy. Although her tears are not visible, she is definitely crying.
Yumi thinks that Sachiko was the one who chose Touko over her, so why is she crying – then reminds herself it's just a dream.
She thinks that Sachiko may be lonely from splitting with Yumi...and maybe she should be happy about that, but it's not her wish to see Sachiko unhappy.
Sei's voice drives the image of Sachiko away.
Between them Kei and Sei had cared for the outside part of her. They'd warmed her up, given her dry clothes, returned her to physical fitness. But that isn't enough. She had something left to do that was the most necessary thing.
Sei calls Yumi's home, using her "honor student mode" to explain why Yumi is late. Yumi notes that Sei spoke as if she had written the lines down. But since Yumi's mother is a fan of Sei's (and a Lillian old girl – OG) her mother is very cool about it all, telling Yumi to thank them and come home.
Yumi is amazed that it's only been 2 hours. It feels like no time has passed, and that it's been much longer at the same time.
It still hurts to think about Sachiko, but she no longer wants to disappear.
As they leave, Kei says that she's an only child, so this was like having a younger sister to care for – she's welcome anytime. Sei says okay, and Kei shoots back that the invitation was meant for Yumi only.
Sei asks if Yumi remembers their conversation about Goronta. Yumi does. Sei says that Yumi is like a wounded cat. Yumi just agrees.
Sei points out that no one can understand you if you don't say anything. For a second Yumi thinks she wants Yumi to talk about Sachiko, but without a pause, Sei goes on to say that the relation with Kei was unexpected. Yumi agrees, then smiles, pondering the fact that a bothersome person like Sei seemed to like reliable people like Youko...and Kei.
***
By running, Sei and Yumi catch the bus they need. They driver, an old guy, smiles at them and says, "how energetic". Yumi wonders about that, then thinks that if she can run, she hasn't left her body behind and so, agrees. She and Sei smile at him and each other.
There are a few students from Lillian on the bus – they regard her curiously and greet her. Yumi smiles and nods at them. As the bus turns the corner, Sei grabs Yumi's sleeve and says, "Don't get lost, okay?"
Yumi spends the trip home gathering her composure, forcing herself to walk...one step at a time. If she keeps going, tomorrow will come eventually.
***
Her mother asks her a question or two, but is satisfied with her answers. In the Fukuzawa house, the kids were trusted and there was no suspicion.
When she finds that her textbook is waterlogged, she thinks that she also can never be returned to her original condition. As she lays in bed, she bids farewell to many things.
***
The next day, her eyes are puffy. Oh well.
When Yoshino comes into the classroom, she takes Yumi's hand, pulls her down the stairs, outside behind a big tree. Yumi thinks that Yoshino is about to yell at her for not coming to the Rose Mansion. Then Yoshino throws her arms around Yumi's neck in a hug.
Yumi thinks that this feels different than being hugged by Sei – obviously there's a height difference, but that's not it. But this makes her heart pound in a different way.
Yoshino tells Yumi that it's not Rosa Chinensis en bouton, but Yumi, that she likes.
(You may remember the scene in the Valentine's Day arc where Yoshino and Yumi agree to be better friends. That was at least partially because they are going to be working together.) Yumi thinks that this expression of friendship is entirely different. This is the first time that she's ever thought of Yoshino as a friend friend, not just because of the Yamayurikai. Yumi berates herself – her heart was so full of Sachiko that she had inadvertently hurt Yoshino.
Yoshino asks if Yumi's meeting with Sachiko went well. Yumi smiles bitterly and says "No, I ran away."
Yoshino wonders where Yumi will eat lunch – Yumi thinks about the spot where Shimako took her when she was hiding from the newspaper club (in the first novel.) Yoshino lifts a hand, looks up and says, In the rainy season?" then mentions that'll it'll be challenging to balance the umbrella, lunch and chopsticks. Yumi agrees.
***
When Yumi tells Yoshino that she can't go to the Rose Mansion for lunch, in addition to saying that she doesn't want to look like she's sneaking around behind Sachiko's back, she thinks that if she can't be full of pride when she goes there, she won't go at all.
Three girls come up to Yumi and ask her join them for lunch. The one thing these girls have in common, Yumi thinks, is that she has never been in a class with them before. They've been in class together now for two months, and Yumi and they have hardly spoken. When one of them mentions that Misa went ahead to save them all seats, Yumi can't place who Misa is.
As they walk to the Milk Hall the girls chat (this is the scene that is shown at the cafeteria, but in the novel it all takes place in the hallway.) Yumi reflects that the everyday chitchat about magazines and bands and clothes are nothing like the conversations among the members of the Yamayurikai. And that if things had been different – this would have been her life too. Yumi also notes that none of the girls asked her *why* she didn't go to the Rose Mansion for lunch.
As the girls discuss this and that, Yumi is happy that they explain things so she can follow the conversation – but she'd also like it if the chatter stopped for a moment. When she makes the faux pas about the cat's name, she smiles, and wonders at herself that she can smile at all. She knows its on the surface only.
She also wonders, this is fun – so why am I not enjoying it?
She sees Touko coming out of the cafeteria, and her stomach flips. But she figures that they'll pass each other and that'll be that. Of course, we know Touko stops and speaks harshly to Yumi. Touko has a friend with her, who keeps tugging on her arm. Touko shakes her off, until at last the friend drags her away.
To Yumi's classmates, Touko's comments seem malicious.
***
When Mami corners Yumi to get the scoop, Yumi politely doesn't comment. Mami puts her notebook away, tells Yumi that everyone's scared. Yumi still thinks she's trying to get a scoop. Mami asks about the rosary – she noticed that it wasn't around Yumi's neck when they changed.
***
When Yumi meets Yumiko (Kei's landlady) Yumi thinks she's cute – even if it is a little rude to think such a thing about an older woman.
***
Turns out that Kei is a "double" – she's retaking first year of college, which makes her a year older than Sei. Her father became critically ill (the description sounds like it was stroke), so she took a leave of absence from school. Dad's on the mend, but still suffers from partial paralysis and is in rehab. His lover for 10 years came to take care of her father. She became Kei's new stepmother and Kei thinks, as she says in the anime, that it's a good thing.
Cut stuff:
Kei tells Yumi that although it was bad for Yumi, she, Kei, is a little glad that it was raining so hard, so everything that happened happened.
Yumi asks if she means that she was able to become friends with Sei – to which Kei laughs, and asks what its like going through life being called "Rosa Gigantea."
Yumi tells Kei that her friend is now Rosa Gigantea and Kei picks up on it and asks Yumi her title... "Rosa Chinensis en Bouton – for the moment." she answers.
As they sit there, someone says "You two look suspicious." They look at each other, but neither spoke. Kei repeats the word. "Suspicious?"
"Suspicious, suspicious. Katou–san, don't take my stuffed animal away," Sei says and steps into the room.
"She's your stuffed animal?"
"Yes, when I hug her she's soft and fluffy. To matters worse, she's warm. It feels so good it makes me want to sleep." Sei sits behind Yumi and hugs her "like she's going to eat her head."
Sei asks Yumi to be her pet. Yumi rejects the offer. Sei says she's glad to hear it, because hanging around Yumi takes a lot of energy.
***
When Yumi gets the message that Aota-sensei from the middle school wants to see her, she thinks its something like delivering a Xerox or something. Aota-sensei was her first-year middle school homeroom teacher – the class called him "Mifi-chan."
The umbrella is returned to her, but there is a tear in it that has been stitched up with pink thread. Aota-sensei says that it's a mystery. His daughter found it like that.
Yumi thinks that the umbrella was *not* "returned" – that it came home. She realizes that her field of vision was limited – just because she can't see something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Sachiko has a life outside her, just like the umbrella did. As of yet, she hadn't said anything to Sachiko, because she didn't know what to say. Now she feels as if her path has been made plain.
End Part 1
Tags: Maria-sama ga Miteru, Marimite, Parasol o Sashite, Holding a Parasol, Sachiko and Yumi
Live Action: Densha Otoko
There is no yuri in
Densha Otoko. Let me just get that out of the way. However, it is so very worth of watching that I wanted to review it anyway.
For the three of you who have not run into in
Densha Otoko, (Train Man in English), let me summarize the plot:
A dorky otaku sees a beautiful woman on a train. A druken man accosts said woman and the otaku has the balls to tell the old dude to stop. (In Japan, where it is common for people to ignore untoward things - heck in ANY city, really - this is a fairly significant thing). The woman sends the otaku a thank you note, and he asks a BBS channel for advice. With the help of all his "friends" on the chan, he ends up with the girl.
This story is supposed to be "based on" a real story. I found a really fun and
bitter blog that thinks its a big ole fake. The channel,
2-chan, is familiar to most otaku, from America as well as Japan. (There is a yuri picture board on 2-chan, so I'll check that a few times a week, myself.) The board does, indeed exist, and the messages as well...but the above blog thinks they were planted. But I think he missed the point. He's convinced its a massive conspiracy - I'm convinced its a *well-written story.*
And that's why I'm reviewing it. This, if it indeed is based upon a real story, probably has as much connection to it as the movie version of
Last of the Mhicans did to the book. Which is to say, damned little. But as a drama? Oh my GOD was this an AMAZING story.
It is, at it's heart, a love story. It's a story about beauties and beasts and how sometimes the beauties are beasts inside and vice versa. It's a story about how online communities and friendships are as important, as solid and as real as any other. And it's a story about otaku life. From idol photo sessions, to bulletin boards, to figurines, maid cafes, seiyuu obsession, Comiket and everything, it's about the life that I, and many other otaku have. And above all - it's about being okay with who you are.
So much of anime is about average people in non-average situations. This story is about a horribly dysfunctionally non-average person in an average situation, which leaves him just about crippled. I mean, really, how many average guys would have a hard time calling a woman and asking her out.
On second thought don't answer that.
Anwyay, for THIS man, it's almost inconceivable, but he does it. And even after he "comes out" as an otaku - his words, "come out" - she accepts him.
In one of the many omake to this drama, two of his otaku friends, who are exceptionally horrible, lol, enact his confession scene and end up kissing as a result. It was the most awful, funny train-wreck-but-I-can't-stop-watching yaoi service scene I'd ever, ever seen. I loved it.
One other thing that has to be worth noting: the opening sequence is an homage to a very early Gainax animation sequence which is often referred to as "legendary". The
Wikipedia entry on
Densha Otoko gives a nice summary of why, so I won't bother plagiarizing. lol But the music cracks me up, I have to admit. We have both the Styx and ELO albums used in the series sitting on the shelf below my, yes, turntable.
To sum up - this series is BRILLIANT. If you are an otaku...not just a fan, but a rabid fan with more figurines, manga, DVDs, games, plushies, artbooks, etc than you know what to do with...watch this. Seriously.
Ratings:
Cinematography - 8
Story - 9
Characters - 9 (especially the Hanshin Tigers fanatic. He was my fave.)
Yuri - 0
Loser FanBoy - 1, even though it is about the stereotypical LFBs.
I don't think I've cried as much, as happily, for anything else I've ever watched. Ever.
Tags: Densha Otoko, Train Man, Excruciating 80s Bands
Yuri Manga: Transistor ni Venus, Volume 7
This last volume of
Transistor ni Venus is certainly full of kisses for our intrepid heroine Enus, but dammit!, I wanted to have a big yuri bang for an ending. No go - and Takemoto Izumi knows it, so there's a luv luv omake to make up for it. LOL But I get ahead of myself.
Enus is contracted to accompany Princess Asatsuyu and her companion Pera - and their guardian Sena, across a snowy country to somewhere. Asatsuyu and Pera are maybe 12 and Sena is most definitely all grown up. All three greet Enus with, "Your reputation precedes you." Enus is like, "what?" LOL
The girls want very much to experience some of Enus' goddess power, but Sena menaces Enus anytime she catches them in any even remotely suggestive position. Of course Enus has no interest in the girls, but they are definitely interested in her, and are constantly working out ways to be close to her in intimate situations.
Everytime the girls steal a kiss, Sena pops up and reminds Enus that she knows about the rumors (what rumors are those?, Enus always replies,) and Sena kisses her, as if she's throwing herself as a sacrifice instead of the the princess.
After baths, and sharing beds, and falling into a snowy crevasse forcing us to huddle together semi-clothed, and after foiling an attempt by the enemy to something by Enus dressing up as a barmaid, she finally gets the girls to their destination, where she learns that they are not who they aid they are. The real Asayuki was masquerading as Pera and vice versa. Ahahahah.
Enus discovers, at last!, the markings on Asayuki's back that she's been undressing girls to find since the beginning of the series. I have no idea why, sorry. These are not easy books to translate. But I'm sure its important. :-D
In the end, Enus manages to get Sena back for all the kisses by REALLY kissing her, but good.
Enus' last mission involves adorable little Miss Yabumusu, who has to go to a desert-type area to find some guy. Enus gets her kisses from Miss Y, but Miss Y ends up wandering off with Winslow, the cat. Enus goes to find the guy and find him she does, surrounded by two attractive women. Ririn finds herself unable to control herself and gives in to Enus' charms, but Rinirinia finds it all a bit distasteful.
Meanwhile Miss Y finds the capsule we're all looking for, still with Winslow. She returns, is kissed by Enus (much to her annoyance, because she's hot and exhausted) and throws Ririn into a tizzy, because now she's kinda embarrassed by it all. Miss Y leads them all to the capsule where tey are attacked by enemy lizards and Enus gets to be cool and spy-y. They all get to the capsule, find the aliens inside and help them get back to space. Yay us.
Enus and Ririn go to a dinner party - where "Miss Contro" (who had been mentioned by Ririn earlier in the story) approaches them, induces Enus to kiss her. You know - she stands in front of her. Miss C bites Enus on the lip in response. In the meantime, Miss Y snags Ririn and leads her off, leaving our poor overworked Enus alone. Boo hoo. End of story? Enus goes home and snags herself some Mariaana time.
This was not a bang-up ending, as I said, so to soothe us frazzled readers, the artists adds a "Omake Love Love Mariaana" picture, so our last image of Enus is of her and her honey kissing. Yay. :-)
I still would have preferred a big bad bed scene, and pages and pages of yuri love, but without fail,
Transistor ni Venus always makes me smile.
Ratings:
Art - 8
Story - 6
Characters - 7
Yuri - 8
Loser FanBoy - 5
Overall - 7
Not the strongest volume in the series, but good, clean, yuri fun.
Tags: Yuri, Yuri Manga, Transistor ni Venus
Yuricon News:: "Rica 'tte Kanji!?" to be used in Brandeis University Anthropology curriculum.
Professor Kerridwen Luis has chosen
Rica 'tte Kanji!? by Rica Takashima as a textbook for Anthropology 166B at Brandeis University, for the Spring 2006 semester.
Professor Luis describes the class: "This class will cover some (not all!) of the current ethnography dealing with non-heteronormative sexualities cross-culturally. Why "non-heteronormative" instead of "non-heterosexual?" Well, the divide between hetero- and homo- that Western culture tends to insist on may not exist in other cultures. Since sexuality is complex, it is difficult to apply our own assumptions and labels (such as "gay, lesbian, bisexual") to the desires, loves, and sexual activity of other people-- boundaries may be more fluid (or more rigid) and identities differently constructed. Sexuality may even impact gender and the body; the formation of identities in different cultural contexts may be a two-way street. This class will examine how those identities are created, some of the vast array of diverse human activity in this area, how the social sciences have handled this topic, and how different perspectives, race, class, culture, and ethnicity all influence how these matters are viewed."
Keridwen N. Luis is a Ph.D. student in Anthropology at Brandeis University. Her study interests include folk conceptions of culture and culture theory, women's studies, gender studies, nonheternormative sexualities, intentional communities, consciously created culture, ghost story narratives and belief, personhood, agency and identity.
For more information on ALC Publishing's yuri manga or on Yuricon, please visit our
website or
email us.
Tags: Yuri, Yuri Manga, Rica 'tte Kanji?, ALC Publishing
Yuri Anime: Stellvia, Volume 6
Let's jump right into
Stellvia, Volume 6, shall we? In this volume, we get one of the best bit of character interaction I've ever seen in any anime. All the girls argue. At once. And with a level of snarky bitchiness that I'd actually expect from a group of four women arguing.
For that, and that alone, this volume is worth watching. As I do go on endlessly, the strength of this series is the humanity. The plot is really pretty meh. The aliens are bugs, literally, and they are horrible and violent and we can feel righteous about destroying them in the classic space opera fashion. The time spent with clueless Kouta (and his inability to ASK what is bothering Shima when she spends six hours crying in his presence....I mean really, could he be anymore of an annoying clod?) is just marking time in between the great moments as all the four main female characters crash and burn in their own ways.
Ayaka seems to have gotten herself together, but Yayoi starts to lose it. Akira, who is suffering a completely normal crisis of identity and confidence - and a bout of plain old jealousy - turns out to be quite perceptive. She not only pins Arisu to the wall on running away from being a pilot, but implies that Arisu's crush on Shima isn't as secret as she might think. AND she gets the snarky award for telling Yayoi that her subtlety is no beard for her real interest.
Arisu tries to be the good guy and gets stabbed in the back by an entirely self-absorbed and petty Shima, who is so entirely caught up in herself that she can't even see that she's being a jerk. I bet none of us have ever been there, huh? :-)
The girls all make up in the time-honored anime fashion of having a good cry, which I object to, but the fight *was* stellar.
The art wasn't as bad as usual for some reason. I can't imagine why. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention.
For the rest of this series, the plot is fairly inconsequential, even tiresome, but the characters reign supreme. This anime, like
Patlabor, is about the people. The rest is just window dressing.
Ratings:
Art - 6
Story - 4
Characters - 8
Music - 8
Yuri - 5 (mostly from Akira's bitchy implications, but still there's shades of Ayaka and Yayoi on their own)
Loser FanBoy - 6 (any spacesuits that have separate colors for the secondary sexual characteristics are *entirely* LFB, seriously)
Overall - 7
If you don't like it, you don't like. I like it. :-)
Tags: Anime, Yuri Anime, Stellvia, Yayoi and Ayaka
Yuri Anime: Kaleido Star Legend of Phoenix
I mentioned
Kaleido Star: Legend of Phoenix (aka
Layla Hamilton Monogatari) on my
Top Ten Yuri Anime of 2005. And despite the fact that it's just an OVA for the longer series, it definitely deserved a spot in the top ten.
One of my problems with the TV series for
Kaleido Star was that the growth and challenge plot was mostly confined to Sora. And I saw Carlos' nonverbal tactics as being enraging and abusive. But really, when I stood back from the series, and thought about it again, I was really very wrong. Yes, the male characters are still fairly loathsome for most of the series (of course Sora wins them all over to her ideas, but...).
...I can't explain it exactly, but it felt like I was watching a show that might be aired on the "Violence Against Women Network", aka
Lifetime. You know - one hour and forty-five minutes of outrageous physical and emotional violence against women, follwed by fifteen minutes of inadequate legal retribution.) But I digress.
But, because of a post on
Gin Sweater, I realize that I have been horribly misinterpreting the entire series. I felt enlightened after reading that post. And now I know why
Kaleido Star: Legend of Phoenix was the episode I was waiting for. This series is a classic challenge myth; Hercules' Labors translated to a fanciful acrobatic circus venue.
Yes, Sora has to endure pain and suffering on both emotional and physical levels, but no pain, no gain, as the masochistic say. The thing is - it's not just Sora who has to change and grow and what I was seeing, but not noticing, is how *much* we see the surrounding characters change and grow into themselves, as well. In fact, this show shares many of the qualities that I enjoy about
Stellvia, but I was unable to see it. Now I do.
Legend of Phoenix is an OVA filled entirely with Layla Hamilton having the same revelation. How nice is that? ;-)
Layla and Sora are about to launch different interpretations of the same show "Legend of Phoenix" on opposite coasts. Layla wants to find her Phoenix in a way unique to her, but also to the audience. In a desperate attempt to be reborn, she runs off on a solo bicycle trip to upstate New York. Meanwhile, Sora is also attempting to find her own Phoenix, but when she learns of Layla's disappearance she, Ken and May run off to New York to find Layla.
Layla's trip hooked me on a few points. For one thing, as I mentioned in my end-of-year review, her trip takes her to Rt. 17 in New York - a road upon which I had many surreal experiences myself. So it hit the "nostalgia" button solidly for me there. And Layla, for all that she's trying to find herself, spends her entire time alone obsessing about Sora. Until she, and we, come to realize just how MUCH Sora has been a muse to her, Sora fills her thoughts. And once she accepts that, she is reborn.
Could I have asked for a better OVA than one filled with Layla thinking about Sora and her importance in her life? Nope.
During the end credits, we get to see the two different Phoenixes - really lovely, as all the Kaleido staging consistently is throughout series and OVAs.
Ratings:
Art - 8
Music - 7
Story - 9
Characters - 8
Yuri - 6
Lose FanBoy - 4, some obligatory Fool perviness and, for this series, subtle fanservice
Overall - 8
This was, as I said, the
Kaleido Star I'd been waiting for all along. I'll take a dozen of the same, please! If this goes to licensed DVD, I am buying many copies and giving it to every babydyke I know. :-)
Tags: Anime, Yuri Anime, Kaleido Star Layla Hamilton Monogatari, Kaleido Star Legend of Phoenix
Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime, Volume 3 (Part 2)
Thanks to everyone who wished me well. I'm still sick, but the fever's gone down and I can concentrate enough to type. Lucky you. :-) I'm also breaking in a new pair of glasses - bifocals. Feel free to snort. But damn, this feels weird. What you lose with bofocals is that middle distance - you know, the distance at which you stare at a computer, or, say, watch TV. Whee.
Anyway, we left off with the climax of
Hatsukoi Shimai. From now on, I am just referring to it as
Hatsukoi Shimai, unless I am specifically referring to the first two Drama CDs, so as to avoid insanity. Yours or mine.
Starting the second half of
Yuri Hime 3 off strongly, we have the newest chapter of "Strawberry Shake Sweet." This, as I mentioned in my review of the
first collected volume of this series, is a New Year's gag, so we still don't know what happened to Ran on the eve of her debut. In this chapter, an exhausted Saeki comes home on New Year's eve to find a drunken Kaoru on her doorstep. Saeki offers Kaoru a cup of something hot, but wants her to go home quickly. Kaoru gets maudlin, and tells Saeki that's she's lonely. Saeki wonders why she's not with Haruna. Kaoru tells her that Haruna is on an extended job. Saeki immediatley berates herself for discussing a lesbian relationship as if it's normal, at which a still pretty drunken Kaoru decides that it's her job to "turn" Saeki. By the time Ran and Julia show up to toast the New Year with Saeki, they find their manager standing over a bound, half-undressed Kaoru and immediately misunderstand the situation in time-honored fashio. My description doesn't do the gag justice - this chapter was damn funny.
Oh my god - I totally forgot. After the color pages of
Hatuskoi Shimai there's is an interview with the seiyuu for Haruna and Chika for the upcoming
Drama CD. Haruna's voice will be done by Chiba Saeko, the voice of Natsuki in
Mai Hime and
Mai Otome, and Chika will be voiced by Nakahara Mai, who did Mai in
Mai Hime (and, assumably, in
Mai Otome when she appears.) The point of all this is that during the interview, the seiyuu are asked, naturally, what they feel about playing girls in love for the Drama CD. And, quite naturally, they say, love is love and who cares if its a woman or a man? Well...it's not like they are going to say. "It was gross. I was totally squicked the entire time." I personally interpreted their comments to mean, "It was a paycheck." LOL
The next essay, by Miura Shion, was about her early love for the characters of
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon - especially Sailor Saturn. And her ultimately futile search for a Silence Glaive (and a Princess to worship) of her own.
This is followed by Morishima Akiko's "Yuri Life" comic. Unmotivated to draw over the cold winter, Akiko-san's editor decides to stimulate her yuri skills by forcefeeding her yuri anime and games. It's pretty funny. Her fanboy nosebleed at
Kannazuki no Miko is pretty much everyone's reaction. lol Her evil editor stops her from going out to enjoy the day, instead compelling her to draw. (As ALC may be the benefactor of that evil editor, I thank her from the botttom of my heart!)
Okay, now here's the WTF bizarro coincidence of the season. When I have time and energy (a rare combo these days) I have been reading
Maria-sama ga Miteru: Manatsu no Ichipeeji, the thirteenth novel of the
Marimite series. During one scene, Yuuki is talking to his friend Kobayashi and he brings up a Japanese fairy tale called "Naita Akaoni" (The Red Demon Cried.) And not two weeks later, here is that exact same story in
Yuri Hime. Two weeks earlier and I would have had no idea what this story was about. How weird is *that*? Anyway, the basic plot is that there was a nice red demon who wants to befriend the local humans, who are naturally wary of demons. So the red demon's best friend, a blue demon, offers to terrorize the humans, so the red demon could drive the blue demon off, and be a hero to the humans. This all happens as planned, and the humans come by to eat the red demon's sweets, but the blue demon tells the red one that he has to leave forever, because the humans won't understand that they are friends. So the blue demon tells the red one that they'll be friends forever, and leaves. And that is why the red demon cries. Okay - now, make the demons girls, add in a cute human girl and the "terrorize" part becomes sexuall harrassment, and you've got the yuri-fied version. The pictures are rather amusing. Of all the yuri fairy tales so far, I've liked this one best.
I admit to waiting with bated breath for the next installment of "Kotonoha no Miko to Kotodama no Majo to". So much so that I have FINALLY translated the title. Let's call it "The Literary Miko and the Soulful Witch" - the point being a contrast between the witch as going by feeling, and the miko working on learning from the book...sort of opposite of the way most people think of witches and shrine maidens. Anyway, it's not a title that translated easily. SO anyway, Letty and Suzu argue over Tsumugi's fate. Tsumugi wakes and tells the heart-rending story of how her mother left her at the shrine to save her life when she was a little girl. Now that she's left the shrine, the disease she was suffering from is back - let's call it tuberculosis, since it comes with a hacking cough. Letty decides to go back to the shrine to make the shrine spirit give Tsumugi up, to be Tsumugi's prince. Letty conjures up her armor and horse (witch's costume and broom) and rides off to confront the evil ogre of the shrine. She forces the spirit to become visible and finds herself face to face with...Tsumugi!?! End of chapter. Damn this magazine for being quarterly, is all I can say. I'll look forward to any collection of this story the future might bring.
(I'm giving up on the bifocals for the moment. My eyes are, not surprisingly, fubared.)
For those of you who can read Japanese - or are trying to learn, I strongly suggest reading Mori Natsuko's advice column, "Yuri Doujou." This paerticular issue has a letter which made me gape and go, "Whoah!" as I was reading it. And Mori-san's comment? "Whoah!" It's the last letter - the really long one. This is high lesbian drama at its silliest.
"Nanami and Misuzu" remains impenetrable to me, but funny. In this set of gags, we learn that there is a series of tunnels under the school that leads to, apparently, Nanami's kotatsu table. Inexplicable and bizarre, but funny.
Chi-Ran has reinvented the wheel once again with "Beginner's Luck." In this rehashing of the same old story, Saki is in love with Misono but doesn't have the guts to tell her. Eventually Misono kisses Saki and they fall into bed. We live happily ever after.
Last up is the continuation of "Voiceful". We learn Hina's backstory - and why her songs feel so sad all the time. Kanae isn't sure she has the right to be part of Hina's life, until she returns to the computer and finds that Hina has emailed her a zillion times. The last lets her know that Hina is about to do a "live." What will happen? Will Kanae gain enough confidence to face Hina again? Will Hina reach her with her voice? I look forward to the climax next issue.
And there you have it - the most recent
Yuri Hime from beginning to end. A great read all the way around. Good art, for the most part and a nice mixture of the horribly trite and the amusing and the original I've come to expect.
You can get your copy of
Yuri Hime 3 from Amazon Japan through the
Yuricon Shop - and your support is greatly appreciated, believe me! Feel free to come over to the
Yuricon Mailing List to chat about the series in
Yuri Hime or other fun yuri anime and manga!
Tags: Yuri, Yuri Manga, Yuri Hime
Home sick
I thought I'd get the second half of the
Yuri Hime post done today, but I'm way too sick. Sorry. See you in a day or two.
Yuri Manga: Yuri Hime, Volume 3 (Part 1)
It's that time again! Time for me to sing the praises of the newest issue of
Yuri Hime. And in this case there's not only alot to praise, but some things to smirk and choke at, as well.
Starting, as I am wont to do, with the cover - for the first time in a really, really long time, it depicts Chika and Haruna from the serial
Hatsukoi Shimai together. With the Drama CD for that series coming out later this month, and the end of the first part of their story later in the magazine, it was a fitting choice. Maybe we'll get lucky and get Akiho and Touko for the next cover. I pray that it is so.
The first comic in this issue is the new serial, "Simoun", which is slated for an
anime later this year. The story of Simoun is a "speculative fiction" (what I've always called sci-fantasy, but I am, I have been informed, well behind the times in my labeling.) In the world where "Simoun" takes place, everyone is born female, and at their fifteenth birthday chose whether to remain female or become male. We begin the manga with a moody, pouty "Princess" Neviriru confronted by newcomer Aeru. Aeru asks Neviriru why she doesn't fly, at which a cool, older butchy type scolds Aeru and walks her Princess away. We get some overview of the world, and the reasons that these girls must fight in fantasy mecha aircraft thingies, etc, etc. Ultimately Aeru finds Neviriru, and they fly. Happy, happy.
I was not overwhelmed by this story so far, but at least in part, it's me. I've gone waaaaaayyyy off fantasy and I am never 100% in love with yuri stories where the protagonist may or may not be a woman. In this case, as the manga is running in
Yuri Hime, I think we can be at least mostly certain that Aeru will (she hasn't chosen yet, but she wants to fight and to do so must remain female.) I also found everyone's clothes distressing, but the color page art is pleasant and watercolor-y. But I will withhold any real judgement until I've seen a few chapters, to know where its going and how it gets there.
The second story was a three-page preview for a new series starting in the next issue, "Tokimeki Mononoke Jogakuen". From these three pages, I really am looking forward to it. It adds an extra measure of silly to the usual girls school story...all the students are non-human. Our heroine, who looks perfectly human, is actually a rain fairy. That's all we can see from these three pages, but it looks like fun.
Morinaga Milk's newest entry is once again following Hitomi and Nana. "Chocolate Kiss Kiss" brings us to Valentine's Day at this particular all-girl school. Nana is surprised to find that all her classmates are unashamedly giving chocolates to female sempai (and girlfriends, unbeknownst to her...). She considers making chocolate for Hitomi, but fails at the hand-made part. In a discusion with Hitomi, Nana learns that , unintentionally, she hurt Hitomi last year by not realizing that the chocolates Hitomi was making were really for her. Nana feels terrible, and makes it up to Hitomi by, Hitomi suggests, giving her something sweeter than chocolate.
I like these two in general - and I'd like to see "next steps" manga for some of the other couples we've been shown as well. Nana's unintentionally causing Hitomi emotional wounds reads as fairly accurate to me (even if Hitomi has to be a bit too patient and understanding.) And of course, the art is both cute and sexy in turn.
"One Room" by Mucchiri Muunii is very much the kind of story I don't care for. In a nutshell, it's a story in which one girl's desire for the other must be forced out of her by a confrontation/forced kiss. This is exactly the same mentality that gives us the kind of yaoi stories in which the uke has to be raped to "understand" his feelings. But don't let my rant fool you - this story is not nearly that extreme. Seme girl, Tsubaki, invites herself over to uke Umi's room to stay over because she knows that Umi lives alone. Tsubaki forces a confrontation, but when Umi runs away, prepares to leave - at which Umi asks her to stay and admits she's right, she does like Tsubaki. Gosh I just love passive-agressive manga.... Anyway, the art is not to my taste, but I've seen worse.
At last, we get to seen the final chapter of "First Kiss" by Zaou Taishi and Eiki Eiki. Ryouko gets an email message from Ayano on the evening that she is to meet her fiancee's parents. She kisses him goodbye and runs back home, to find Ayano on her doorstep. Ayano screams at Ryouko that she's loved her all along, and Ryokou screams back, her too. It was actually kind of a funny scene. Anyway, they fall into bed, and assumably live happily ever after. Cut back to school, where Takashima, the student from the first scene (and from the story "Female Wolf" before that)is about to leave the Doctor's office. Ryouko tells her, in short, that what's she's feeling is love - and to go for it. Look for *that* story to continue next volume.
More color pages - this time for the climax of "Hatsukoi Shimai." Haruna suddenly develops a personality and defends Chika publically against the charge of cheating. Unlike the
Koi Shimai Drama CD, in which it was the teacher who accused her, and Chika had to take a make-up exam, in this case its just a jealous Teshigawara whose made the accusation. Teshigawara gets dissed by the other students, and of all people Akiho has to tell her that she understands how she feels. Trust me - Akiho isn't any happier about it than we are. To celebrate, Chika and Haruna go out to a cafe for souffle'. In a scene also not in the original Drama CD Haruna admits to Chika that in the past, she also had a much admired sempai, but was basically told that, as cute as she was, she could hope for nothing more. It broke her poor little heart, which is why she was so cold to Chika. Whatever. But the completely out-of-character end of the story is the same, as Haruna, in public, leans over and licks souffle' from Chika's face, causing the younger woman to explode. This will also continue next issue - and keep your fingers crossed that it's the much better arc where Touko-sensei arrives.
This takes us roughly half-way, and I'm home sick today with fever, etc., so I think I'll stop here.
As always, you can get
Yuri Hime 3 from Amazon Japan through the
Yuricon Shop - and your support is greatly appreciated, believe me! Feel free to come over to the
Yuricon Mailing List to chat about the series in
Yuri Hime or other fun yuri anime and manga!
Tags: Yuri, Yuri Manga, Yuri Hime
Yuricon News: New Anime and Manga Titles on the Yuricon Shop!
Excuse the blatant advertisement first thing on Monday morning, but this is a banner month for yuri anime and manga!
We've added a bunch of new releases to the
Yuri Anime section:
Kannazuki ni Miko Volume 1
Doki Doki School Hours Volumes 3 and 4
Madlax Volume 7
And on the
Manga side we've added
From Amazon:
Broken Angels Volume 1
High School Girls Volumes 4, 5 and 6
From Amazon JP:
Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 5
Hayate Cross Blade Volume 4
Drop by the
Yuricon Shop, pick up great yuri manga and anime (and shirts, and mousepads, and messenger bags, and mugs and hats...) then drop by the
Yuricon Mailing List to tell us all bout it!
Yuri Manga: Broken Angels, Volume 1
Today's review is once again by Sean Gaffney, because I am utterly exhausted and seem to be coming down with a cold. Sean is my hero.
Just got a new manga from Tokyopop, Broken Angels, by Setsuri Tsuzuki. The basic premise is that a girl at the local high school has incredible power to control water, and uses it when solving the problem of those around her, or defending herself against threats. She's intriguing, and insists on dressing in the male uniform, but has all the sexuality of a throw rug.
However, then there's the Class President. She has the best grades in class, is gorgeous... and is completely insane. After dedicating herself to the heroine after the first chapter, she proceeds to try to lure her to bathhouses, and dresses in the school nurse's French Maid outfit (?!) to feed her lunch. I will admit she's not 100% lesbian; when a guy accidentally gropes her breast, she responds by groping his crotch. She also declares herself a fan of group sex. She is a huge freakey freak, and I haven't immediately loved someone as much as I do her in quite a while.
There's a little more yuri in the book later, as an underclassman gets a crush on the heroine and demands they exchange class pins.
This isn't the focus of the book, of course. The focus is our heroine, her amazing powers, her mysterious past, and hiding this from the rest of the world. The yuri is used as a comedy spice. That being said, it achieves an excellent balance by doing so, and I found the first volume read very fast. There are apparently five volumes of this series (Kowarehajimeta Tenshi Tachi in Japan), so I definitely look forward to more.
Recommended. And yes, there's nudity, so throw in a LFB rating or two as well. :)
--SGOnce again, thank you Sean! This sounds like a lot of fun and I'll be sure to look for it.
Tags: Yuri, Yuri Manga, Broken Angels, Kowarehajimeta Tenshi Tachi
