#inori (author)

[oratokyosaigunda]

Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijou, volume 9

[heatsu]

I blame them for how I've turned out

[yurimother]

'I'm in Love with the Villainess' Author Inori Announces New Yuri Fantasy Light Novel

On September 5, Inori, creator of the hit Yuri isekai series I'm in Love with the Villainess (Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijou), announced that she was working on a new Yuri light novel. The book, entitled Yuusha ni Naritai Shoujo <Boku> to, Yuusha ni Narubeki Kanojo <Kimi> (The Girl Who Wants to Be a Hero <me> and The Girl Who Should Be a Hero <You>), will be published in Japanese by Dengeki Bunko this November.

In her Tweet, Inori described Yuusha ni Naritai Shoujo to Yuusha ni Narubeki Kanojo as "a girls' love fantasy work with with the theme of 'I want to' and 'I should." It is illustrated by Akamoku.

Inori is known for creating I'm in Love with the Villainess. Originally posted on the webnovel site Shousetsuka ni Narou, the series was picked up by GL Bunko, which published five volumes between 2019 and 2021. The Yuri series is known for its heavy inclusion of LGBTQ+ themes and identity.

I'm in Love with the Villainess inspired a manga adaptation illustrated by Aonoshimo, which is currently serialized in Ichijinsha's Comic Yuri Hime, a spin-off series, She's So Cheeky for a Commoner, and a television anime adaptation which is set to premiere on Tokyo MX on October 2 and stream internationally on Crunchyroll.

[zareleonis]

"I must play the role that they want me to play": Trans coding and Furina de Fontaine

There are several facts that, when combined, make the character of Focalors/Furina is distinctly transgender in nature. Firstly, Focalors/Furina was born an Oceanid, a species of pure water spirits that is genderless and sexless.

In legends shared by humans regarding their origins, the first Oceanid is called “it/its.” The human author recounting this story says humans have used “she” to Oceanids ever since, more as a matter of course than an expression of gender.

Oceanids are also sexless, as they do not reproduce through any sort of coupling and instead proliferate through abstract means that are little understood by humans. Focalors/Furina, after seeing the lives humans led on land, eventually longed to be human herself. The desire to transform from Oceanid to human is already a solid metaphor for transness in and of itself, but is even more so given that Focalors/Furina as an Oceanid starts as a creature that is genderless and sexless.

The trans coding of Focalors/Furina’s dream to be human only becomes more profound once they become a god and are forced to split themself into two i halves in a bid to save Fontaine. The divine half has to give up her humanity forever, yet continues to long for the humanity she once had down to her very last breath.

The human half, Furina, meanwhile has to hide her humanity and true self for centuries. Forced back in the metaphorical closet in a way that is acutely familiar to any queer person who’s been closeted.

Going beyond the lore that Focalors/Furina was born genderless and sexless and the storyline which serves as a broader metaphor for transness, Furina’s design is distinctly androgynous, so much so that her Japanese voice actor, Minase Inori, shared that when she first saw Furina, she couldn’t tell if the character was meant to be a boy or a girl and found the ambiguity captivating.

Notably the Japanese dub leans into the androgyny angle, both through Minase’s performance and Furina’s use of the personal pronoun “boku.” As a pronoun typically used by young men and boys, when used by a female character can emphasize their eccentricity and gender non-conformity, both key traits of Furina.

Returning to Furina’s design, one of the key design philosophies for her character is contradicting elements to emphasize the contradictory facets of her personality, as explained by Vivi, one of Genshin Impact's Character Concept Artists, in the La Vaguelette behind the scenes video.

One such contradicting element is the mixture of both men’s and women’s clothing that she wears. The lower half/back of her garment features a morning dress with a modified western women’s petticoat-style tail, whereas the upper half is a men’s waistcoat and vest.

Furina’s vest has its buttons on the right, as traditionally found on men’s clothing. This is in contrast with other Fontainian characters such as Wriothesley and Clorinde, whose buttons are placed in accordance with the traditional style for clothing made for their gender.

We see the same sense of contrast in her combat animations, where she does both a masculine style and feminine style bows when performing separate abilities.

Other elements such as Furina’s noticeably flat chest and a haircut which could belong to someone of any gender further evoke a sense of androgyny.

While I'm not trying to prove anything with this or convince anyone Furina is canonically trans beyond that their original species does not have gender in the human sense, I hope that more people can open their hearts to a trans reading of the character. What delights me most about Furina is that no matter the specific interpretation you take—the Oceanid who dreamed she could be a human girl, the human who pretended to be a goddess when really he was nothing of the sort, or someone who's neither or even both—her story and character design resonates deeply. :)

[hellsite-hall-of-ex-girlfriend]

yuri recs 1,2,3 GO!

AH FINALLY MY TIME HAS COME

first and foremost, i have to recommend the best yuri ever written (in my opinion):

I’m in Love with the Villainess! this is an absolutely incredible story about an office worker, Rei Ohashi, who gets reborn into the world of her favorite otome game Revolution! now, as the protagonist Rae Taylor, she courts the villainess of the game Claire François! while this seems like a typical isekai story, it is anything but. there’s plenty of twists and turns along the way, and it’s filled with honest conversations about being gay, trans, and so much more! i highly recommend you start with the light novels because they are beautiful!! additionally, the author, Inori-sensei, is a trans lesbian. so you know these conversations are coming from a genuine place!!

next i’d recommend Whisper Me a Love Song!! this is a cute adorable slice-of-life yuri about a school girl, Himari Kino, falling in love with her senpai (and lead singer of the local band SSGirls), Yori Asanagi! Yori and Himari are absolutely adorable together and they are truly wonderful!!

i would also recommend Citrus/Citrus+! those of you who know enough yuri manga probably know this one, for one specific detail. however, for those not in the know, i’ll give a rundown! Yuzu Aihara is a high school gyaru who is excited to get a boyfriend this semester (even tho she’s goes to an all girls school), but she quickly falls in love with the student council president, Mei! on top of figuring out her feelings for another girl, there’s one more complication… Mei is Yuzu’s new step sister! this story follows Yuzu and Mei as they overcome their communication issues and find love in each other (and get married)! it’s a very sweet story and i really highly recommend it!

also, if you’re looking for something a bit more… adult, i’d highly recommend Asumi-chan is Interested in Lesbian Brothels! Asumi is a college girl who wants to find her long lost childhood crush, Mai. her friend told her that she’s seen her around! trouble is, Mai works at a lesbian brothel. so now Asumi must make repeated visits to the brothel in order to track her down (and have a bit of fun on the side~)! while this may seem like it’ll just be “porn without plot” so to speak, this story is genuinely very endearing and funny, plus the art is super cute and good! so not only are you getting expertly drawn adult scenes, but also adorable scenes on top of that!

there’s plenty more i could recommend, but those are some of my personal favorites! i’d also recommend checking out The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady if you want a fun fantasy isekai and Otherside Picnic if you want spooky yuri with terrifying monsters! enjoy reading!!

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Characters, book, and author names under the cut

Rae Taylor/Claire Francois - I'm in Love with the Villainess by Inori

Oliver Marks/James Farrow - If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

Max Owen/Sean Moore - Magical Boy by The Kao

Dorian/Zachary Ezra Rawlins - The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern 

[joy-crimes]

I guess it's all public now so I can finally post this!

I was invited to collaborate in an art project to celebrate Inori (the author of ILTV)'s birthday!!!

I had the month of October so I made this festive lil Halloween selfie <3

I'm glad I got to participate & making this was a lot of fun!

[muffinpills]

My favorite girls love manga & light novels!! ❤️👭❤️👭❤️👭

I’ve been reading GL manga & light novels for a long time now and just thought I’d share my favorites. Take these as a recommendation list, if you will. ❤️

(Note: I have not finished all of the mangas & light novels on this list, but I have read enough of them to get an opinion on them.)

(Note #2: this list will change over time, so come back every so often to see if things have changed!)

“Strawberry Panic” light novel by Sakurako Kimino

“Adachi and Shimamura” light novel by Hitoma Iruma

“Sweet Blue Flowers” manga by Takako Shimura

“Our Teachers Are Dating!” manga by Pikachi Ohi

“Bloom Into You: Regarding Saeki Sayaka” light novel by Hitoma Iruma

“Yuri Is My Job!” manga by Miman

“I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up” manga by Kodama Naoko

“A Lily Blooms in Another World” light novel by Ameko Kaeruda

“Kisses, Sighs, and Cherry Blossom Pink” manga by Milk Morinaga

“Secret of the Princess” manga by Milk Morinaga

“éclair orange: A Girls' Love Anthology That Resonates in Your Heart” manga by multiple authors

“A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow” manga by Makoto Hagino

“Beauty and the Beast Girl” manga by Neji

“Cocoon Entwined” manga by Yuriko Hara

“Syrup: A Yuri Anthology Vol. 1” manga by multiple authors

“Even Though We're Adults” manga by Takako Shimura

“Run Away With Me, Girl” manga by Battan

“Tadokoro-san” manga by Tatsubon

“Handsome Girl and Sheltered Girl” manga by Majoccoid

“She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat” manga by Sakaomi Yuzaki

“I'm in Love with the Villainess” light novel by Inori

“I'm in Love with the Villainess: She's so Cheeky for a Commoner” light novel by Inori

“The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady” light novel by Piero Karasu

[problematic-yuri-poll]

Problematic Yuri Tournament - Round One Losers' Bracket

I'm in Love with the Villainess vs. Moonlight Garden

I'm in Love with the Villainess (manga by Aono Shimo and Inori.) [safe]

Submitted problematic elements: The main character doesn't take no for awnser when pursuing her love interest. There is an incest plot point between side characters, and mention of rape. Oh, and due to isekai non-sense it could also be considered an underage ship.

Submitted content warnings: Rape, Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, Classicism, Bullying, Incest

Submitted propaganda: They're cute when they tease eachother and I like it when Claire bullies Rae, okay???

But genuinely, this is a series that has a deep understanding of what it means to be queer and is not afraid to have frank discussions thereof. While I might not agree agree with the inclusion of all the problematic elements, I cannot deny that they serve to elevate the story beyond what it would've been otherwise.

Moonlight Garden (manhwa by Kang Unnie and Miss PM) [explicit]

Submitted problematic elements: Its basically omegaverse heatfic yuri lol. Theres some contrived worldbuilding reasons about how certain women born with flower tattoos and scent have to be cloistered in a lesbian brothel to satisfy their constant heats (if a man touches them they die and release a poison cloud that kills everyone lmao). Its prettt silly and transparently the authors fetish but its endearing in a kind of telenovela way and i remember being attached to the characters by the end (its been a while admittedly i may be forgetting stuff). The mc is one such flower girl who has an affair with two twins, with a somewhat significant age difference (the manhwa makes a whole thing about not being of age yet but shes 19 and not actually a minor). There may be more stuff such as dubiously consensual encounters (because of the heat stuff) but idr exactly sorry

Submitted propaganda: If you want a telenovela-style three kingdoms omegaverse yuri with raunchy lesbian heat sex then look no further (what a sentence)

[fishingfordreams]

manga recommendations pt. 3

memory, melancholy, and maturity

Totsukuni no Shoujo (The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún) by Nagabe

A harrowing and beautiful grim dark fairy tale set in a world populated with monstrous creatures that can curse people with a single touch. The story follows a young girl named Shiva and her otherworldly Teacher who live in a vacant village on the "outside." The story explores the dichotomy of light and darkness, good and evil, body and soul, and those who linger in the quiet spaces in between. Nagabe’s dreamy story book illustrations capture the fantastical and eerie world vividly, crafted together in fine lines and careful contrasts.

Dungeon Meshi (Dungeon in Delicious) by Ryoko Kui

A charming medieval fantasy story about, well, dungeons, dragons, and delicious food! The premise is simple: kill the magician of the dungeon and the golden kingdom shall be yours, or so the former king declared before fading to dust. And so, we follow a group of adventurers as they traverse the dungeon and, after losing their supplies and friend to a red-scaled dragon, meet a dwarf who teaches them how to prepare and cook monster ingredients. The story delights in monster designs and their anatomies and ecosystems, and boasts a diverse cast of characters that are as equally complex and well-developed.

MagMell Shinkai Suizokukan (Deep Sea Aquarium MagMell) by Kiyomi Sugishita

A gorgeously illustrated story following Koutarou Tenjou, a janitor and assistant keeper at a deep sea aquarium in Tokyo. The story quietly opens up a hidden, dreamlike world filled with strange and wonderful creatures that dwell in the dark depths of the sea. Sugishita beautifully captures the fleeting, tender moment of fondness and rumination that people experience while watching the majesty of the ocean and her inhabitants.

BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad by Harold Sakuishi

An absolute classic! A soul-stirring, coming of age story about music, brotherhood, and the angst of adolescence. It features a group of colorful teenagers who come together to form a rock band and the story focuses on their love, trials, and tribulations as they struggle to fame. The protagonist, Yukio “Koyuki” Tanaka, embodies the raw, honest, confronting, and liberating feeling of self-discovery and self-expression that young people often go through. His growth is slow and subtle, but so genuine and measured, and he becomes the force that eventually pulls the groups’ sound together.

Medalist by Tsurumaikada

A heartfelt story that explores the familial, social, and economical pressures of competitive sports, specifically figure skating. We follow Inori Yuitsuka, a fifth grader who is desperate to become a skater but has been constantly criticized by those around her and told that she’s too old to begin training competitively. All except for down-on-his-luck former figure skater Tsukasa Akeuraji who sees her potential and decides to coach her with the promise of winning a medal. Despite the somber premise, this is an incredibly uplifting story about building confidence, realizing your self-worth, and pursuing your dreams regardless of when you decide to start. The athleticism and elegance of figure skating is also portrayed beautifully through dynamic and expressive artwork and paneling.

Holyland by Kouji Mori

An intense, character-driven story following high school student Yuu Kamishiro who, after being driven to isolation by the abuse of his peers and with no place in society, ventures out into the night in search of his "holyland." He finds acceptance through violence and solace in the lawless brutality of the streets. The author meditates on human nature and explores the nature of one's emotions, particularly grief and hatred, and how they define us. Make no mistakes though, this is also very much a martial arts story and Mori balances both the technical and impassionate aspects of combat seamlessly.

(Includes depictions of self-harm, depression, bullying, violence).

[the-art-of-sanshoku]

Manga Recommendations from Things I Read in 2023

I wanted to make an end of the year post highlighting things I read last year and want others to know about! I tried focusing on manga that don't have anime adaptions (although a few of these are getting ones soon) and covering a variety of genres. Anyway, let's get right into it with:

Ikoku Nikki (Tomoko Yamashita)

Status: Complete, 54 Chapters, unlicensed - complete fan translation (Note: When I say something is licensed or not this only refers to having an English release.)

Genre: Josei, SOL, Drama

Synopsis: After the loss of her parents, 15 year old Asa finds herself in the custody of her aunt Makio Koudai. Makio, the introverted novelist, has no experience with children but will do what she can for Asa.

While this isn’t an ordered list I will start with what is probably my favorite manga I read this year. Ikoku Nikki is a very cathartic read for me as there are a lot of adult characters who are just trying to figure things out (although this also applies to the teen characters, but it’s just more relatable with the characters closer to my age). Figuring out how to like yourself even when you don’t fit to society's “norms”, figuring out how to process traumas from growing up that still affect you well into your 20s and 30s and beyond, figuring out how to love others, figuring out who “you” even are.  And it’s written and worded so lovely and deliberately that sometimes it says something and just puts into words a feeling you’ve had for forever but were never able to express and all of a sudden it just makes sense.

The cast is diverse and I think everyone can find someone to relate to. There are neurodiverse characters, and characters that widely spread the LGBTQIA + spectrum. But they don’t feel trope-y or anything, they’re just well fleshed out and well realized people. Ikoku Nikki just has a very “understanding” vibe that is just comforting to read and be seen by media. In a way it was a little of a life changing (life affirming?) read for me and I highly recommend it to anyone, and I pray it gets an official English release in the future so I can add it to my collection and support the author properly.

Tenkaichi: Nihon Saikyou Bugeisha Ketteisen (Yousuke Nakamaru & Kyoutarou Azuma)

Status: Releasing, 32 Chapters, unlicensed - ongoing fan translation

Genre: Action, Battle Royale, Seinen

Synopsis: 16 historical figures participate in a grandiose tournament of 1v1 battles to determine Nobunaga’s successor

On the opposite end of the manga spectrum we have Tenkaichi, which is just a very fun read. And sometimes I feel kind of crazy how little I’ve seen this talked about online by anyone, as it’s a super quality battle manga. It feels like a manga written by battle manga lovers for battle manga lovers, and in the author’s notes you can see this to be true. They love unpredictable battles with over the top powers and larger than life characters and they deliver. Tenkaichi lacks a “main character” so every fight feels like either side could win and I have even been surprised by a few outcomes of the battles. And even without a main character, the characters that exist are just super cool and easy to pick one to root for. They also usually become a bit more fleshed out via backstories so they’re not super shallow either. The art, paneling, and character designs are also really good, if you like fighting manga at all check this out.

Medalist (Ikada Tsuruma)

Status: Releasing, 36 Chapters, licensed 

Genre: Sports, Drama, Seinen

Synopsis: A cinnamon roll coach and his cinnamon roll student aim to make her a gold medalist level skater

Medalist is a classic underdog story that is really elevated by its superb main characters and art. Inori and Tsukasa are a very silly and endearing duo, but are also incredibly dedicated and hardworking that make them impossible not to root for. Their relationship and belief in each other really forms the core of the manga. The art can be really funny with silly faces, but also really intense and beautiful to capture the figure skating and emotions of the skaters pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into their work. Each competition feels really thrilling and has you on the edge of your seat, and it does a good job of getting into the specifics of the scoring so you can follow along. It’s inspirational in the way that great sports manga are, it just makes you want to work hard to become someone you can be proud of.

Souboutei Kowasubeshi (Kazuhiro Fujita)

Status: Complete, 250 Chapters, unlicensed - complete fan translation

Genre: Supernatural, Horror, Action, Shounen

Synopsis: A lovecraftian mansion poses a threat to Japan. To handle this, a team of supernatural/paranormal/spiritual experts are sent in along with - a scrungly artist?

Kazuhiro Fujita is a mangaka that I feel is super underrated in the west. Despite getting anime adaptations of 2 of his works in Ushio to Tora and Karakuri Circus (although the Karakuri adaption was not the best unfortunately), I feel that these were overlooked and he doesn’t really get talked about. Which is a shame because I think he’s a really great mangaka. He’s been around since the 90’s, and you can tell through his artstyle and storytelling style. Despite Souboutei coming out in 2016 it still feels very old school shounen, but this isn’t a bad thing at all. Fujita’s manga are full of heart and his artwork really exaggerates faces and body language to communicate the character’s feelings. I like his manga a lot because from the start it will often tell you “the big bad” and the whole manga will build up this antagonist until a satisfying end and climax. It doesn’t introduce new threats, or powerscale indefinitely, or pad its runtime with unnecessary filler, it starts - brings you through an emotional rollercoaster of twists and turns - and then ends.

Souboutei is no different in this regard. It builds and builds on the primary antagonist (in this case the mansion of Souboutei) and its mysteries to make a journey full of intrigue where you want to keep turning the page to find out more. The mansion is also a great setting that becomes a character in its own right, a twisting labyrinth full of malice and various horrors. Fujita also always makes a unique cast of characters with varied motivations, ages, character designs, and abilities that make each memorable and likeable. Fujita also likes to make every little detail count and sometimes add to the main plot where you least expect. Being a shounen there’s also plenty of action, and his battles feel creative and the abilities are inventive to make for some exciting fights. Souboutei has a bonus for the main character being an artist and having large themes on passion and creation and “what is art” that gave me an extra layer of enjoyment. Also it must be said that Sakamaki Deido would totally be a hit as a tumblr sexyman if this manga had any fanbase at all. But whether you read Souboutei or one of his other works, I hope you give Fujita a try.

Rojica to Rakkasei (Kinome)

Status: Complete, 25 Chapters, unlicensed - has complete fan translation

Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, SOL, Seinen

Synopsis: The titular characters Rojica and Rakka spend wacky days in their wacky world.

Rojica to Rakkasei is a breath of fresh air with a fantasy world that’s just plain weird and unique. A lot of manga fantasy lately feel like derivative goblins and dragons and slimes type worlds in medieval european-esque settings. Not Rojica though, it kind of feels almost like surreal and absurdist manga, but doesn’t go quite that far so it’s easier to follow as a series of episodic adventures. It’s a short, creative read that I enjoyed from start to finish. 

Witch Hat Atelier (Kamome Shirahama)

Status: Releasing, 74 Chapters, licensed

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Drama, SOL, Seinen

Synopsis: In this world there are people born as witches who can wield magic to help others. Or at least that’s what the world is made to think. After one fateful day, ordinary girl Coco, will learn the truth behind magic and become a witch apprentice.

Speaking of refreshing fantasy worlds, Witch Hat Atelier is a wonderful manga with great worldbuilding and setting. The “magic system” used in the manga is unique and feels very naturally woven into the world and society. This magic is harshly regulated and has many rules of its use, but Witch Hat Atelier lives by the creed “restrictions breed creativity” to create interesting solutions to difficult scenarios. The characters are delightful, focusing more on a younger cast of aspiring and bright girls who aim to become witches proper. Their struggles to make a magic unique to them and find their own voice in society make them a relatable bunch. Kamome Shirahama’s artsyle and paneling is also to die for, I love just looking at this manga. This manga isn’t all just school life and rainbows though, there’s a dark undercurrent to the story in the form of the antagonists the “Brim Hats” that bring some extra excitement and thrill to the story as well.  Just a brilliant manga. Also the only manga with my little meow meow Qifrey

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Uoto)

Status: Complete, 62 Chapters, recently licensed

Genre: Historical, Drama, Seinen

Synopsis: We’re studying heliocentrism! But it’s the 1400s…

A manga that really touched me on its themes of legacy, and passing knowledge down to new generations. This manga focuses on the secret studies of those who look at the stars and dare to challenge the current knowledge of the world. It takes place in Poland, which is a rather unique setting, in the 1400s. The constant threat of the inquisitors is felt at all times and our characters are left to question if this pursuit of knowledge is worth the weight of risk. What is the worth of my life? What is my purpose? What does it mean to be fulfilled? Philosophical, romantic (in a literary sense), and profound, this manga stands out among the crowd.

Futari Ashita mo Sorenari ni (Suzuyuki)

Status: Complete, 87 Chapters, recently licensed

Genre: Romance, Comedy, SOL, Seinen

Synopsis: Long term couple moves in together - fluff ensues

This is likely my favorite romance manga as it is one of the few to depict fluffy domestic life with your partner. Finding manga that deal with established relationships can be hard, but to find one about a healthy romance where the characters just live together and love each other and feel like adults and not the blushy “oooh she h-hh-holding my hand??” teenager mentality is a super fresh and nice thing to read (although I like those kinds of romances too, it’s just a bit oversaturated of a market comparatively). It’s a feel good romcom SOL with pretty much zero drama which some people may not like, but it had me grinning from ear to ear like a madman the whole time. If you like cute domestic fluff it’s a must read. Doesn’t overstay its welcome and has a great ending.

I have some more manga I want to talk about, but this post is pretty long so there will maybe be a part 2 ^.^

[oratokyosaigunda]

Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijou, volume 8

[nighttide-yuri]

Yuri mangaka/author/artist on Youtube that I've found so far

Yuama - Author & Artist of "The Summer You Were There"

Nekotarou Shinonome - Author & Artist for "The Fed Up OL wants to serve the great Villainess"

Kashikaze - Author & Artist for "Can't Defy the Lonely Girl"

Neji - Author & Artist for "Beauty and the Beast Girl"

Tida Kietsungden - Artist for "A Summer's End - Hong Kong 1986"

Mieri Hiranishi - Author & Artist for "The Girl That Can't Get a Girlfriend"

Shilin Huang - Author & Artist for "Amongst Us"

Inori - Author & writer of "I'm in Love with the Villainess"

[historyhermann]

I'm in Love with the Villainess Spoiler-Filled Review [Part 2]

Continued from Part 1 (which was published yesterday)

Typically, Claire tries to deny her feelings, after making this declaration. Rae and everyone one refuse to believe it. This surprises Rae. She doesn't want to let Claire go. In a post-credits scene, Manaria departs for Sousse. Rae believes that Manaria wanted Rae and Claire to begin a romantic relationship from the start. Many of Claire's friends (like Misha, Loretta, and Pipi) and the Princes, wish Claire the best. They root for her and Rae to marry. Claire likes this idea, saying that Rae would be her bride, before attempting to take it back. Later in the manga, both characters marry. Hopefully, that would be animated if this series is renewed. NOTE: This includes spoilers for the anime AND the manga, so if you don't want to see those, then please turn away and don't read past this paragraph.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the sixty-first article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on December 30, 2023.

In another powerful scene in Watashi, Rae refuses to reveal who she is to Manaria. She says, in an inner monologue, that she is doing all of this to prevent a future tragedy. She shakes Manaria's hand and agrees to take care of Claire. They are some other nice moments. Rae teases Claire. She blushes like nobody's business, since she is having fun with Rae teasing her. The series ends happily for them and was crafted to give them a "happy ever after." However, as Steven Universe told Spinel in the 2019 film (which has conflicting messages on happy endings), "there's no such thing as happily ever after. I'll always have more work to do." The RWBY Volume 8 theme declared, "Happy Ever Never After Again." Both are applicable here.

A possible second season could involve new twists, like Rae's plan, which echoes Mia Tearmoon's efforts in Tearmoon Empire, to avoid Claire's execution (her "downfall ending" as one Q&A puts it). Characters like Lilly Lilium may appear. Storylines which accurately portray sexuality would continue. The latter isn't surprising. The manga's author, Inori, is a lesbian (is possibly trans) and is influenced by various yuri works. She has another recently published yuri novel. It's entitled The Girl Who Wants to Become a Hero <me> and the Girlfriend Who Should Become a Hero <you>. It's not known when an English translation will be available.

I'd love to see some trans characters and perhaps even have some Claire-centered episodes. After all, there are light novel series entitled I'm in Love with the Villainess: She's so Cheeky for a Commoner, from Claire's perspective, and "Claire's Diary" which some fans happily translated. Other fans have even translated all the opening and ending sequences, TV spots, promotional content, Q&A, and more. Even though I highly doubt there would be any criticism of marriage as an institution. Nothing in a future season would echo Young Love. On the other hand, this series is more positive on lesbian romance than others. This is no shock. Rae, throughout the manga, has four women interested in her: Claire, Manaria, Lilly, and Lana Lahna! At one point, Claire even calls Rae a "womanizer" as a result, which surprises her.

I'd love to see some trans characters and have some Claire-centered episodes. After all, there are light novel series entitled I'm in Love with the Villainess: She's so Cheeky for a Commoner, from Claire's perspective, and "Claire's Diary" which some fans happily translated. Other fans have even translated all the opening and ending sequences, TV spots, promotional content, Q&A, and more. I highly doubt there would be any criticism of marriage as an institution. Nothing in a future season would, probably, echo Young Love. On the other hand, this series is more positive on lesbian romance than others. This is no shock. Rae, throughout the manga, has four women interested in her: Claire, Manaria, Lilly, and Lana Lahna! At one point, Claire even calls Rae a "womanizer" as a result, which surprises her.

Unlike some other anime, the subbed and dubbed versions aired simultaneously. Surely, the Japanese voice actors, including Yu Serizawa and Karin Nanami for Rae and Claire, and Nana Mizuki for Manaria, did an excellent job. Serizawa voiced Mutsu in Love Live! Sunshine!!. Mizuki voiced Airi Amano in D4DJ First Mix and Riko's mother in Love Live! Sunshine!! The same can be said for Princes Rod, Thane, and Yue. They are voiced by Ken'ichirō Ōhashi (also known as Kenn), Daisuke Namikawa, and Yoko Hikasa. All three are talented voice actors. The same is the case for Aimi Terakawa, Ikumi Hasegawa, Sara Matsumoto, Minami Kurisaka. They voice Misha, Lene, Loretta and Pipi respectfully.

Aimi is known as Kasumi Toyama in the BanG Dream franchise and Kyoko Yamate in D4DJ. Hasegawa voiced Sorane Matsuyama in If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die, Desumi Magahara in Love After World Domination, Koito in My Master Has No Tail, Ikuyo Kita in Bocchi the Rock!, Kotoko Nogisaka in Ippon Again!, and Shizuka in World Dai Star. Matsumoto voiced golf mafia boss Charlotte in Birdie Wing: Golf Girls' Story as well.

English dub voice actors, like Hannah Alyea, Lindsey Sheppard, Corey Wilder, Oscar Seung, Ciarán Strange, Marisa Duran, Kara Edwards, Erin Nicole Lundquist, Abigail Blythe, and Katelyn Barr, are talented too. Alyea, a non-binary actor, who voices Rae, did the dubbed voice for Aoi Inuyama in Laid-Back Camp and for Lumi and the Great Big Galaxy, an indie animation. Sheppard, who voices Claire, is known, in part, for voicing Saphron Cotta-Arc in RWBY, Amy Sibble in Wild Card: The Show, and Kaede in Sasaki and Miyano. Like Alyea, Duran, who voices Misha, is also non-binary, and of Spanish descent. She's voiced a variety of roles. Wilder, who voices Rod, is a non-binary Black man, voiced a wide array of characters.

This also the case for Seung and Edwards. They voice Thane and Lene. Strange is a talented trans non-binary man. Lundquist is Latina, queer, and "military veteran voice actor." Blythe describes herself as a "demi lesbian." She said that voicing Pipi is a "dream come true," noting she'd been a fan of the manga, and was overjoyed to voice "a sapphic character in a sapphic anime." Barr is a seasoned voice actress known for roles such as Hina Hikawa in BanG Dream! and Chiaki in Laid-Back Camp.

While I have criticisms of Watashi, it remains the stand-out series of 2023, with amazing music, and is fun, goofy, serious, deep, and very queer at the same time. Avid viewers and fans may encourage Ichijinsha (the publisher of the light novel and manga) for a second season, per Erica Friedman's suggestion on her site. This series comes when there are many yuri series in 2024. This includes possibly yurish Pon no Michi and Metallic Rouge in January. By April, others with yuri themes will include Nijiyon Animation season 2, Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night, Laid-Back Camp season 3, and Whisper Me a Love Song.

I'm in Love with the Villainess is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[mapoeggplant]

medalist review // spoilers

we're not just made of the things other people want from us: medalist glides through a writing filled with hope and love for the beauty of a sport so cruel for those who started too late.

it's difficult to write about a manga that won me over so quickly. i was hoping to have some compassion for the story, but the way the characters opened up to me was much more intense than i imagined. and i believe that this is one of the ways in which medalist involves you in its story: it enchants you with its lovable and charming characters who dream of a promising future, but what grabs your attention is the dark secrets that hide themselves inside dreams.

in terms of writing, the story follows a well-established basis of sports manga. inori's plot begins with a typical line of an underdog beginning to blossom, who ends up surprising with a natural talent that ended up being crushed by insecurity or lack of opportunity. but what differs is that the person who will help her dig this search for gold is nothing more or less than a coach who doesn't believe in himself.

tsukasa finds his passion in inori's dreams, but doesn't let himself be carried away by the same insecurities that chained him. he sees himself completely surrounded by the light that she emanates, seeing no other way out than to help her grow more and more. the way in which their relationship grows and solidifies is so beautiful that it involves you to the point that you feel like you are in the shoes of that coach who saw a star born. the story not only gives you a vision of a dreamer, it transforms you into one — the image of the skating rink becomes so real that you feel cold.

but, what about him? what about his dreams and his own passion? is he really the failure he believe he is or he's just not exploring his talents to the maximum?

and it is not just the main characters that the story is sustained by: medalist manages to create a network of dreams that intertwine. the foundation of all the other skaters and coaches is so strong and solidified that it makes you want to know the story of one of them. and this becomes even clearer when we talk about rioh, the son of a skating star who overcomes the pressure of following in the same footsteps as his father; hikaru, who bewitches everyone with her magnificent jumps on the ice and immense solitude; or even jun yodaka, who gave his entire life to ice and can't quite let go of it.

there is still a lot to be developed and discovered, since, in my opinion, the story has just begun. there is still much to be discovered with tsukasa and his hidden talent, and much to be celebrated when inori finally wears olympic gold. can't wait to fall in love even more with the story and celebrate the falls and victories with them.

thank you for reading! don't forget to support the author if you can!!! 💛

[lunarsniperwifle]

I havent posted in a while so here's a lil life recap!

I started HRT in august!! Woohoo!! Its been going really well, Im so happy.

I had a lil vacay with my parents after my Tia's wedding in October, read cover to cover a book (Legends & Lattes, very fun very cute, and gay) and its the first book Ive fully read in a few years and cover to cover in about 24 hours in many years. It really sparked a lot of joy and got me back into the reading mood. Plus the story hit like all my boxes (fantasy, coffeeshop au style, sapphic, retired adventurer, past coming to haunt and help).

Next thing I read was She Loves to Cook She Loves to Eat. SO. GOOD. i adore them, i cant wait for more (i think i saw the author is on break atm which of course is fine take care of yourself!!). Im loving where its going, that theyre older women, that theyre falling/have fallen for eachother but dont know how to bring it up and are hesitant BUT working towards taking the next step together. I cant wait for them to communicate, and kiss.

I also got into Im In Love With The Villainess and omg. I adore it so much. I watched when it had like 4 eps out, watched em all. And then immediately bought all the light novels, manga, and claires POV LN that were out. And then proceeded to read all core/main LNs in less than a week. Then Claires then the manga. I adore it, I fell in love with this story so fast and stayed up nightly reading almost one LN a day for a week. I think the 2nd one is my fave, and it makes me so excited for the anime and for the manga to get translated and released. I am dying for the 2nd one from Claires POV as well (im sure i could maybe find it online same with the manga since thats up to the looks like Lily/Yu arc now in japan) but i kinda wanna wait for the print to come out so i can physically have and read it like the others. Rae and Claire's story means so much to me, and especially Inori-san's writing in general and being serious about certain topics and actually diving into them. I hopw with all my heart it continues to be animated, i have a feeling we'll wind with the scales of love arc for season 1 and tease vacation arc for start of 2 (and probably go through to the end of LN 2 for season 2 mayhap?) It deserves to have the entire story told through animation honestly.

I also got the bloom into you manga (got the 1st one to read and see if id like it and shocker i do so i have the rest of the manga, LNs, and manga anthology on the way and might get the bluray of the anime eventually to watch). Ive really liked the 1st volume so far, it has me excited to find out how the story and relationship develops! Also wow! It was very fast at getting into the love feelings i was kinda surprised (pleasantly)

And then when im done with that have the Whisper Me a Love Song in my sights for the next yuri story to dive into and adore.

Its been a wonderful time. Im real happy :3