#UEO

[alphamecha-mkii]

SeaQuest by AlxFX

[bagnabraghe]

Auxunits, il prototipo di quelle cellule stay-behind che, alla fine della guerra, cominceranno a essere organizzate in tutta Europa

Nei primi mesi del 1940, il colonnello inglese Colin Gubbins era di stanza in Norvegia, dove era stato inviato per tentare di rallentare l’avanzata tedesca con azioni di sabotaggio e disturbo nelle retrovie, operazioni in cui si dimostrò particolarmente abile. Nell’estate dello stesso anno, con l’inizio della battaglia d’Inghilterra, i capi di stato maggiore britannici iniziarono a temere la…

[collasgarba]

Auxunits, il prototipo di quelle cellule stay-behind che, alla fine della guerra, cominceranno a essere organizzate in tutta Europa

Nei primi mesi del 1940, il colonnello inglese Colin Gubbins era di stanza in Norvegia, dove era stato inviato per tentare di rallentare l’avanzata tedesca con azioni di sabotaggio e disturbo nelle retrovie, operazioni in cui si dimostrò particolarmente abile. Nell’estate dello stesso anno, con l’inizio della battaglia d’Inghilterra, i capi di stato maggiore britannici iniziarono a temere la…

[viragfold]

Ulysses European Odyssey

ULYSSES European Odyssey (UEO) is an epic project from 2022-2024 across 18 cities in 16 countries, producing artistic responses in public spaces to social and cultural themes identified in the 18 episodes of James Joyce’s Ulysses. At the same time, a cycle of 18 public symposia will be held in each city to produce 309 questions (Ulysses, Episode 17) towards creating a new arts and society charter for Europe. The project also has 30 artist residencies which will contribute to a new book, Europe-Ulysses (working title), alongside 18 new writing commissions, one writer from each city.

UEO consists of a new European network of 18 partners co-producing a single public project comprising 3 Acts of 18 scenes from 2022-24 across public spaces in 18 European cities of 16 different countries – Athens, Trieste, Vilnius, Gyanógeregye, Marseille, Paris, Berlin, Lugo, Copenhagen, Istanbul, Cluj, Zurich, Leeuwarden, Eleusis, Oulu, Lisbon, Dublin & Derry/Donegal.

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Madame Vera Verity a Női Szépség Rovat vezetője volt a Princess Novelette folyóiratban, s ilyen minőségében joggal hivatkozik rá Joyce az Ulysses-ben. Egyébként neki volt egy kései és elég távoli, magyarországi - Vas megyei - rokona, özv. Dr. Verity Béláné. Kevésbé ismert, hogy ő találta ki az 1989-es gyanógeregyei Bloomsday-t, mely Pannóniában minden továbbinak az ötletadója volt. Ennek tükrében igen nagy öröm, hogy az EU Ulysses European Odyssey 2022-2024 /UEO/ elnevezésű projektjében Magyarországot ez a pici, de a 'bloomság' szempontjából különösen nagy jelentőségű, nyugat-dunántúli kisközség képviseli. Az UEO egy 2022 és 2024 között megvalósuló nagy, európai közös munka, amely egyidejűleg 16 ország 18 településén zajlik, és publikus tereken művészi válaszokat ad az Ulysses 18 fejezetében meghatározott társadalmi és kulturális témákra. Ezzel párhuzamosan a 18 helyszínen nyilvános szimpóziumot tartanak, amelynek keretében /az Ulysses 17. fejezetére utalva/ összesen 309 kérdést tesznek fel egy új európai művészeti és társadalmi charta megalkotása érdekében. A projektben részt velő művészek aktivitásukkal hozzájárulnak egy új könyv elkészítéséhez /munkacím: Európa-Ulysses/. Az UEO projektet 18 partnerből álló, új, európai hálózat alkotja. A résztvevők egyetlen, nyilvános és közös, 3 felvonásból és 18 jelenetből álló alkotást készítenek, amely 2022-24 között 16 különböző ország 18 európai településén – Athénban, Triesztben, Vilniusban, Gyanógeregyén, Marseille-ben, Párizsban, Berlinben, Lugo-ban, Koppenhágában, Isztambulban, Kolozsvárott, Zürich-ben, Leeuwarden-ben, Eléfszinában, Oulu-ban, Lisszabonban, Dublinban és Derry/Donegal-ban – valósul meg. Joyce az Ulysses 18 fejezetéhez egy-egy színt javasolt. Mivel a projektben részt vevő európai települések művészi eszközökkel az Ulysses adott, konkrét fejezetére reflektálnak, így a partnerek saját, megkülönböztető színe összességében adja ki a joyce-i alapon is értelmezhető sokszínűséget. Gyanógeregyéé a negyedik, Kalüpszó című fejezet, a színe pedig a zöld.

[bugslaststraw]

Whwhdhsjssssksn????? I'm getting so many positive comments on this one I'm almost a bit overwhel????? Tysm?? Fuck???? Thank you literally my brain is small and doesn't know what to do with a compliment but seriously I'm. Thank you. Sm.

One morning 2-D, lead singer of Gorillaz, wakes up without a headache. This is so surprising to him that it instantly shakes him conscious, and leaves him staring wide eyed and fully alert at the ceiling. In gentle but overwhelming disbelief, he tries sitting up, thinking that something will change.

It doesn't. Nothing starts to throb behind his eyes. He blinks experimentally. Nothing happens. It's gone. The migraine, which usually requires reaching over to the bedside table for the pill bottle and another half hour of sleep to fix, is just gone.

In the gloom, he looks over to the bedside table, where the bottle usually stands.

It's not there either.

In short, 2-D has the best worst three days of his life.

[yuripoll]

SEASON 4 LOSERS ROUND 3

NOTE: Qualia the Purple contains frequent bloody but non-graphic violence and depictions of body horror, human experimentation, abuse, bullying, suicide and an inappropriate age gap between two underage characters. Subtraction Tautology contains fairly infrequent sexual reference and depictions of misogyny, abuse, suicide, and grooming.

[haveyoureadthismanga-poll]

[starsonmarsy]

im behvaing so normally rn

[kivrin]

me: for a little lunchtime fun I'll watch this clip from the show I loved in the 90s, it'll look ridiculous I'm sure

me: aw there's the snarky British scientist, she really is beautiful

me: extremely beautiful

me: extremely snarky

me: wow, the actor really is selling the technobabble, that's a whole additional level of competence porn

me: shit the chief engineer is also even more gorgeous than I remembered

me: DID THE DOCTOR JUST HAVE HER ARM AROUND THE ENGINEER

me: COULD MY SELF-INSERT FROM 1995 HAVE TWO MOMMIES

[ladyloveandjustice]

My Favorite Books I Read in 2023

I read a ton of good novels last year- 36 in all (and uh, 78 manga/graphic novels, but we'll examine that in another post). Here's a link to my Goodreads year in books (the manga is at the beginning, the novels start with Siren Queen) and my storygraph wrap up.  

I reread a ton of Discworld this year, and it's as spectacular as ever. But what about new reads?

Well, here are my favorite books I read in 2023!

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

This is an autobiographical memoir about the abusive relationship the author went through with her ex-girlfriend. It's absolutely gut-wrenching, and at times, achingly beautiful. Machado uses the house she shared with her girlfriend, which she calls the "dream house", as a back drop. It's a place she always wanted and also a place she became trapped in, Machado's language is beautiful as she explores the relationship from different lenses-- The Dream House as Lesbian Cult Classic, the Dream House as Noir, the Dream House as Creature Feature, the Dream House as Stoner Comedy....All facets of the relationship are explored in a way that grips you by the throat and makes you remember everyone who ever tried to suffocate you-- but it also explores the hard work of moving on, of picking up the pieces, of living and embracing tenderness along with hardship.

I especially related to Machado's struggle to talk about abuse between queer lovers because of her fears of giving homophobes more ammunition...and when she says "we deserve to have our wrongdoing represented as much as our heroism, because when we refuse wrongdoing as a possibility for a group of people, we refuse their humanity", I felt that deeply.

This wasn't just one of my favorite books this year, it goes on the list of all-time favorite books. I wish I had this kind of writing style. I'll be returning to this again and again.

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

A middle-grade novel about a Chinese-American teen who feels a bit alienated from his heritage, which becomes a bit of an issue once he finds out the First Emperor of China has possessed his A.R. Gaming Headset. Now he needs to close a portal to the underworld with the help of other kids possessed by emporers.

This was a whole lot of fun, and often quite poignant. I was unsure if I could really enjoy middle-grade books as an adult, and this absolutely proves I can. There's a lot of really interesting Chinese history blended with action-packed fantasy, and exploration of the complicated feelings a kid can have about their own heritage . The dynamic between Zachary and Qin Shi Huang was so entertaining with the Emperor being villainous, heroic, charismatic, detestable-- and Zachary realizing how his complicated feelings about him mirror his relationship with his culture at large. There was also a lot of fun with other historical figures, and Xiran's take on Wu Zetian is a joy. (Also, if you like Yu-Gi-Oh!, you'll probably like this, since Xiran says it was one of their influences).

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

Rose is young woman who's raised in a fundamentalist Christian household, and she's a devout, obedient daughter. But some weird things are happening. She's seeing a terrifying demon everywhere, insects are coming out of her mouth....and she's possibly having feelings about other girls. What's going on?

Yes, this is by the Chuck Tingle who makes all those Tinglers. But THIS one... will make you tingle with fear! It's a great horror novel! It's skin-crawlingly creepy at times, but also does a great job digging into how fundamentalist dogma harms queer people, and the hypocrisy of such beliefs. The conversion camp aspect is handled tastefully, and overall it was a great spooky read that's also ultimately very affirming, cathartic, and hopeful.

Qualia the Purple by Hisamitsu Ueo

You might go into this thinking it's just a quirky yuri light novel about a schoolgirl and her crush who sees everyone around her as robots (like literally, when she looks at someone she sees a robot instead of a human). But it quickly becomes surreal queer psychological horror steeped in absolutely wild applications of quantum mechanics and thought-provoking time travel.  Some of the quantum mechanics  exposition dumps were a bit much but I deeply enjoyed having my mind cracked open by this book. 

It's one of the most interesting takes of time loop stories I've seen. But it definitely covers a lot of rough subject matter, including a relationship with a serious age gap and extremely messed up relationships, so be cautious if you have triggers.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

This book follows Miri, whose wife goes missing on a deep-sea submarine mission for six months. Miri thought her wife dead, but she miraculously returns one day...but her wife has changed. She's like a stranger. She may have bought the horrors of the sea home with her.

This is a gripping exploration of grief and loss combined with a delicious, slow horror that creeps under your skin. There's excellent Lovecraftian and body horror elements to the novel, but it works very effectively as a metaphor for a loved one going through trauma, and a relationship starting to crumble because everything seems different. A moment that really stuck out to me is when Miri copes with her wife's disappearance by frequenting an online community where women roleplay as wives with husbands missing in space. The way the online drama of the community interacted with her grief was  both funny and heartbreaking. 

This is another example of a book that makes me deeply jealous with its lyrical writing, and another one for the ever-lengthening all time favorites list.

Otherside Picnic Volume 8: Accomplices No More by Iori Miyazawa

The latest entry in a series about two girls exploring an alternate dimension full of creepypasta monsters, while also falling in love with each other. See my other reviews here and here.

This volume has the payoff to a lot of careful character work and relationship building, and it was completely satisfying. In fact, it was...show-stopping. Spectacular.  Incredible. I loved the exploration of how love, sex, and romance are so different for different people and it's impossible to put it in neat boxes. The frank and messy conversation our leads have about their relationship was perfect and so was that absolutely  bonkers, wonderful finale. This is another one for the all times favorite list, and I loved it so much I wrote a extremely long review/recap here. 

Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality by Eliot Schrefer

This was a well-researched, well-crafted, easy to read book that explores queerness (mainly homosexuality, bisexuality, trans and genderfluid expressions in animals, and even the question of if and how animals can related to gender) in the animal kingdom. Though it's definitely aimed at teens, I learned a lot from it (who knew female bonobos were such life goals) and it presented its information in a fun way. It included some interesting examinations of how proof of homosexuality and bisexuality in animals was historically suppressed and filtered through homophobic assumptions. If you want to learn a little animal science in an accessible format, definitely check this out.

Night’s Edge by Liz Kerin

The story follows Mia, a woman in her 20's living with her vampire mother. Her whole life revolves around not drawing suspicion towards her Mom. She also has to make sure to feed her Mom some of her blood every night--lest her mother fall back in with her abusive boyfriend and start hunting humans.  But when Mia meets a cute girl, she starts to dream of living her own life...

It was a really interesting use of vampirism as a metaphor for both living with a parent struggling with addiction and having an abusive parent. It's just a well-told, heartwrenching tale that got deep into the character's mindsets. I thought the ending was bit abrupt and rushed, but it did make more sense once I realized this was the first in a duology. It's a fascinating take on vampires, and I'm interested in seeing more.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

This novel follows a middle-aged Muslim female pirate living around the Arabian Peninsula. She's supposed to be in retirement, but wouldn't you know it, she's lured in for one last job! I she rescues a kidnapped girl,  she'll have all the riches she needs to set her family up for life. So Amina begins her adventure of fighting demons and monsters and ex-husbands. But the job might not be all it seems.

This novel is full of all the entertaining swashbuckling action and shenanigans that any pirate story should have. It's a rollicking good time, and feeds my craving for middle aged women going on quests and kicking ass. Amina's journey is a fun, wild ride full of dynamic characters and interesting mythology!

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Juniper is friends with a successful Chinese-American author, Athena Liu, and has always been deeply jealous of her. When Athena dies in front of her, Juniper decides to steal her manuscript rooted in Chinese history and claim it as her own. But plagiarism might catch up with her...

This is a strong example of a book I thought was really well-done, but one I'm probably never going to read again. The way it depicted Twitter drama is just too accurate and I got anxiety. It did such a good job putting you in Juniper's awful shoes so you can feel the pressure close in along with her. The book's commentary on the insidious racism of the publishing industry was effective, and it made a horrible character's journey fascinating to follow. I was so intrigued yet anxious I had to force myself to finish the last few pages.

Bonus read:

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldtree

A very cute novel about an orc named Viv who decides to retire from the violent life of a bounty hunter and run a coffee shop instead. She ends up getting a lot of assistance from a succubus named Tandri...and my, is that a slow-burn coffee shop romance brewing? This book reminds me a lot of various cozy slice-of-life anime, and it's nice to be getting more of that feeling in book form. I wish there was a little more specific to the fantasy world rather than making it a coffee shop that line up 1 to 1 to a modern day shop, but it was definitely a sweet read.

[draganwhorror]

O'Neill, Timothy, Lieutenant JG

Working for the UEO, in the Navy

As a comms officer, he speaks for the crew

Twelve different languages, and he's psychic too

Bridger is his captain, Miguel is his friend

He's loyal to the SeaQuest, doesn't need to pretend

He goes to the future, ten years have passed

Hudson is the captain now, the crew adapts fast

An online relationship, it's not what it seems

Tim's heart is crushed, because of her schemes

A good and true man, his name's Tim O'Neill

You can't help but love him, he is the real deal

⤷ Ted Raimi Alphabet - O is for O'Neill (Tim)

[yurimother]

Yuri Sci-Fi Manga 'Qualia the Purple' Released in English a Decade After Its Original Release

On Tuesday, June 13, Seven Seas Entertainment released Qualia the Purple: The Complete Manga Collection in English digitally and in paperback. The manga is illustrated by Sirou Tsunasami, who also illustrated the original light novel by Hisamitsu Ueo.

The publisher describes the manga:

Through Yukari’s uncanny purple eyes, all people look just like robots. Her talent is both a blessing and a curse–she’s an asset to the police, with her “skill” allowing her to evaluate humans at a glance, but her strange sight has cost her the friendship of her peers. Luckily, she does have one friend in her corner: Hatou “Gaku” Manabu, a girl at school who cares deeply for Yukari. But when Yukari is recruited to join a secret organization, the real trouble begins. Gaku is thrust into a realm of mystery, quantum experimentation, and alternate universes, with only her wits–and her love for Yukari–to guide her along the way.

The original breakthrough Yuri science fiction series was originally serialized in Dengeki Daioh from 2011 to 2013. It is an adaptation of Hisamitsu Ueo's light novel of the same name, also published in English by Seven Seas. Kadokawa publishes the manga in three volumes in Japanese.

Qualia the Purple is translated into English by Daniel Komen, with adaptation by Carly Smith and letting by Arbash Mughal.

The series is notable for being one of the first Yuri stories to include hard science fiction concepts and elements. It is a precursor to modern sci-fi Yuri like Otherside Picnic and Last and First Idol. The series is highly reviewed and well-regarded for its characters and plot.

You can check out Qualia the Purple: The Complete Manga Collection in English digitally and in paperback today: https://amzn.to/3NaC3Us

Reading official releases helps support creators and publishers. YuriMother makes a small affiliate commission from sales to help fund future coverage.

[yuribookclub]

[the-yuri-librarian]

Review: Qualia the Purple by Hisamitsu Ueo and Shirou Tsunashima

Summary: Hatou "Gaku" Manabu is just an ordinary high school student when her life is changed forever by meeting Yukari. Originally strangers, they become fast friends after Yukari crashes into Gaku in the hallway of their high school, leading to an unexpected kiss. Gaku quickly learns that Yukari is far from ordinary; her bright purple eyes are extremely special, as they cause her to see all humans as nothing more than robots. This ability allows grants her many talents, including the ability to fix anything, but it also makes her valuable to all kinds of people. When Yukari goes away to join a secret organization, Gaku goes on a deadly mission to bring her back, and she will do anything to achieve that goal.

Review beneath the cut

The Good: Qualia the Purple is undeniably original and steeped in philosophy and allegory. The narrative takes its audience to places they would never expect, and with each turn, this manga gets weirder and weirder in the best possible ways. This makes it enjoyable from the get go and very difficult to put down. However, the value of Qualia goes much deeper than being a wholly original work. As the story develops, this manga subtly transforms from a quirky work about a girl with strange powers, to quite possibly the most poignant and powerful allegory for grief that I have ever experienced. The heartache the characters feel is visceral, and as you watch the characters struggle, you can't help but see the natural conclusion of their actions: a hopeless and futile struggle that only leads to more loss.

The Bad: This story relies on very complicated concepts from both quantum physics and philosophy, which leads to the characters lecturing -- internally and externally -- for pages at a time in order to provide exposition and definitions that the audience needs to understand the events of the story. Unfortunately, due to the contents of these speeches, the lectures themselves are difficult to follow, sometimes bordering on nonsensical, and interferes with the pacing of the story.

Overview: Qualia the Purple is a must read manga. it is weird, and gut-wrenching, and dense, making it not only entertaining, but also uniquely memorable and long-lasting. Gaku is an excellent protagonist; it is through her eyes and thoughts that allows the reader to lose themselves in this story and experience this wonderful tragedy that will keep you guessing to the final page.

Rating: A

[viragfold]

Budapest Nagyremény

[lgbtqmanga]

New Releases June 13, 2023

At 30, I Realized I Had No Gender: Life Lessons From a 50-Year-Old After Two Decades of Self Discovery by Shou Arai

At age 30, Shou Arai came to a realization; they had no gender. Now they were faced with a question they'd never really considered: how to age in a society where everything is so strongly segregated between two genders? This autobiographical manga explores Japanese culture surrounding gender, transgender issues, and the day to day obstacles faced by gender minorities and members of the LGBTQIA+ community with a lighthearted, comedic attitude.

The Dragon's Betrothed vol. 2 by Meguru Hinohara

Troubled writer Chiharu Izunome is betrothed to Rin, the local water dragon god. Despite Rin’s gentle demeanor, when a supernatural intruder threatens his husband-to-be, the angry deity unleashes the full might of his beastly fury, injuring Chiharu in the process! With Rin’s destructive power so clearly laid out, fear displaces the fragile affection growing in Chiharu’s heart. Can he truly learn to love someone monstrous?

Even Though We're Adults vol. 6 by Takako Shimura

It’s finally time: Ayano tells her parents that she has left Wataru and has fallen for someone else. And that someone is a woman. When the news breaks, Wataru finally gives up on trying to make things work, which means the wall between Ayano and Akari’s love has now been knocked down. Meanwhile, Eri struggles with her feelings for a married man. Is there a way out of this labyrinth for anyone?

If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die vol. 1 by Auri Hirao

When it comes to idol group Cham Jam, Eripiyo is the oldest — and perhaps only — fan of Maina Ichii. Despite Eripiyo's enthusiastic support, Maina is the least popular member of the group, but that doesn't deter Eripiyo, even though she spends so much of her money that she only has a single outfit of her own. But her love for Maina doesn't waver, even if she knows she might never be noticed for it!

Last Gender vol. 3 by Rei Taki

Welcome to "BAR California", a place where people with different genders, propensities, and sexual orientations gather to find a certain "something".

A transgender bisexual who has been hurt by the voices of others, a pansexual looking for true love, and a person who identities as both male and female. There are as many sexualities as there are people.

FINAL VOLUME

Old-Fashioned Cupcake by Sagan Sagan

A visit to a pancake shop leads to an unexpected May-December romance that breathes life into the monotonous routine of an older salaryman.

At 39 years old, Nozue lives a routine, if not melancholic, life of sleep and work. Togawa, his younger subordinate, finds it troubling and takes it upon himself to shake up Nozue’s routine. During a lunch outing, the two go to a pancake shop full of exuberant young ladies to “do what girls do,” and it’s just the thing to breathe life into Nozue. The two men start an unlikely friendship - and perhaps something a little sweeter!

Qualia the Purple: The Complete Manga Collection Omnibus collects volumes 1-3 by Hisamitsu Ueo and Sirou Tsunasima

Through Yukari’s uncanny purple eyes, all people look just like robots. Her talent is both a blessing and a curse–she’s an asset to the police, with her “skill” allowing her to evaluate humans at a glance, but her strange sight has cost her the friendship of her peers. Luckily, she does have one friend in her corner: Hatou “Gaku” Manabu, a girl at school who cares deeply for Yukari. But when Yukari is recruited to join a secret organization, the real trouble begins. Gaku is thrust into a realm of mystery, quantum experimentation, and alternate universes, with only her wits–and her love for Yukari–to guide her along the way.

The Summer You Were There vol. 3 by Yuama

At Kaori’s gentle urging, Shizuku reaches out to Ruri, the girl she bullied back in elementary school. All Shizuku wants is to apologize, but it soon becomes clear that even that won’t be so easy. Things take a dramatic turn when Kaori faints, and Shizuku learns that Kaori’s been keeping a big secret. Now, with everything out in the open, will things between the two girls ever be the same again?

Why I Adopted My Husband: The True Story of a gay couple seeking legal recognition in Japan by Yuta Yagi

As a gay couple living in Japan (where gay marriage is not yet legal), Yuta and Kyota have found a unique loophole in order for the government to recognize their union: Kyota adopted Yuta.

This nonfiction manga depicts how the two men met and fell in love, their life together for the last twenty years, their struggle to communicate their relationship to their families, their anxieties about the future, and their determination to live happily and carefree as any other married couple, while they strive for independence and equal rights in a changing cultural landscape.

X-Gender vol. 2 by Asuka Miyazaki

Covid-19 has hit Japan, and Asuka is struggling. Not only has the serialization of X-Gender been delayed due to the virus, the closure of Poker Face and other bars means they’ve lost access to their community. Can they find a way to stave off the loneliness, while also dealing with their fear of getting sick?