Forum › Posts by cranscape
While I was listening to the drama CD, I realized that the biggest barrier to making a good anime (or live-action drama) out of this is probably music licensing. The background music on the drama CD includes all your hit favorites from gunge bands like Nibana and alternate rock bands like the UFO Fighters, which is to say it's bland name stuff that sounds vaguely like songs from some of bands namechecked in the manga. A huge part of the charm of the manga is the specificity of the girls being super into bands that were at their peak decade(s) before they were born (believe me, writing that out hurt me more than you), and without that, it's less compelling.
OK MAYBE I WAS WRONG https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UIJY-75274?rm=t&vg=3bac952f-e3a3-4030-7623-3b63e4f5868c
Trying to decide how badly I want this… I have a little while to decide, but getting vinyl sent overseas seems like a super dicey proposition.
Different retailers have different benefits too, but I believe those are just for the CD version. In any case it might be good to shop around if you haven't yet.
https://x.com/UNIVERSAL_INTER/status/1788131729158647887
I'm getting mine from Tower Records via Buyee because I have some other stuff I'm shipping too.
TIL via the tags on this that some people shorthand this as "green manga" and man, I love that. Ive never figured out a good abridged version of this monster of a title; it's green manga now (wonderful lil animation too lol~).
Officially they have gone with kinioto it looks like, but green manga is easiest to use online as a tag. I did try that out when I was in a bookstore and a guy asked what I was currently reading. "Eh, I don't know them by their color. Anything I'd know?" "Spy x Family." Fail. I couldn't bring myself to say the full name out loud in public. Silly long webcomic names...
I don't think there is anything to be worried about for song rights. The green manga seems very beloved by the music industry in Japan. In case some of this didn't get mentioned here before...she got an official spotify playlist early on, she got to keep a lot more music references in the print version than people expected, a merch collaboration with the Nirvana anniversary album, Mitsuki singing Creep on the Drama CD, they arranged for her to meet Beck, and soon the manga will have an officially released soundtrack with a lot of well known bands.
Currently the manga has a storyline that doubles as a product placement for a real music festival in Japan. They are basically lockstep together at this point. Domestically I could see an anime or live action getting enough music licensed for it to feel right because everything is leaning towards the industry wanting it too. If there are issues down the road for a US release for example... that wouldn't be stopping them from making an anime or live action if they really want it. They'll be making it for their domestic audience.
I think an anime or live action wouldn't be difficult to adapt. They might need to add some connective tissue, but this is a coming of age slice of life series. It's not like it's trying to add content to a difficult to understand avant-garde scifi manga. There's not much they can mess up if they just hit the major beats. Needing to add some school, cd shop, and home scenes that help flesh out their inner thoughts more in a visual way vs manga shorthand seems a reasonable use for extra time without changing the story significantly and there's enough there for one season with three volumes if that's as far as it goes.
Funny enough, a fan who is an animation student made this cute animation short this week and it has me really wanting an anime some day even more than before. I love it when a series I like attracts talented fans for fanart.
No new chapter this week, but we're blessed with this hilarious "introduction" instead:
https://twitter.com/agu_knzm/status/1784438628183404822reposted on Instagram in video form! (and is literally tagged #wlw lol)
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6SqHWRSa2j/?igsh=bDJjNjhuZXUwbmI0Is there anywhere you can see the video version that's not Instagram?
It's been reposted as a video by a fan update account on tw/x.
It's mimicking a tiktok trend going around. In case it's confusing. She's done that before on IG like the one where they swap clothes.
last edited at Apr 29, 2024 12:07AM
Yen Press picked up the rights. Nice.
It is established in the story that Miyako negotiated her exit from the group, which means that the management had plenty of time to promote someone from their trainee program or come up with a good story on day 1 of how the group would go forward with just the four members. They could have done some press availability with Miyako where she give a happy story about how she wanted to focus on her new career in real estate management, and then give her a proper graduation concert. This would have avoided all the problems they're trying to deal with now.
I reread chapter 9 recently since it's in print and it seems like the exit she chose was more of an "escape plan" vs the typical graduation from a group like you mapped out and there's reasons for that. I don't think she had it in her to fake it anymore. Not a moment more even if it'd have served herself.
She had it drilled into her that her real self couldn't be seen. Down to policing emotions and mannerisms. Once she reached her breaking point on that her ability to assume the fake persona again for media would have felt impossible. It was the key conflict.
If I remember right her first/last/only public word on the subject was said on stage and then she was gone. She didn't let herself be further scripted more than the absolute minimum to get out even if the consequence was the non-contact rule and contributed to the rumors. She's aware of what's being gossiped about and feels guilty about some of it unfairly reflecting bad on the other group members, but if she was in a good mental state a whole lot of things would have been done differently or not necessary at all. She didn't hate her coworkers, the fans, or even the work. It was what the director did to her.
In a way it feels more like getting out of a cult. She was under the thumb of a controlling adult as a teenager, under the eye of the public and living in a restrained way beyond what the others dealt with, and eventually she got herself out. But she still is living by many of the rules of a confined world. She's come a long way, but the director just has to appear and she starts to slip back into the old mindset. By the time she got back home she was like a kid again and the world was ending over something that shouldn't feel that big.
Of course it seems silly to people who didn't grow up like that, but to her this is what she knows. At least she has someone from the outside with her now who will have a different perspective. Someone who has been with her long enough to understand her lived in anxieties too. And while we haven't seen them talk in detail about it yet her already thinking about the car purchase and the importance of making big decisions together makes me think whatever they do will be based on what they decide together. Both sides of the story are coming together which feels nice to me.
I think a big part of it is she was the leader of the group and she left suddenly under mysterious circumstances though the group tried to frame it as friendly. We know they are friendly...but she did leave suddenly, she is hiding things related to her real image, and didn't leave in good terms with the director.
They are at this moment in a transition period trying to rebrand the group with a new leader and new album. And just as they were doing that (tho in reality the new leader is stressed out and has unfinished feelings about the old one and iirc contributed to her being sucked back in a bit) she's spotted with the group again. Drama.
In their kind of media sensitive universe they'd see that as spoiling their transition plans as she's able to suck the oxygen out of their crafted media space just by fans getting a glimpse of her with them and the rumors from that.
If she "rejoins" the firm they could just spend a few months scripting her fake life again, make a story out of it, have some scripted appearances, and smooth it out on both sides. If she doesn't she'll just get hounded more since there is red meat out there about her potential return or invented member drama...only without their help with scripting and potential damage to her real life with her gf.
And keep in mind her entire public persona is fake and she's hidden her real self this whole time and she's a big softy who is just trying to restart her life as herself. It seems ridiculous, but if you follow headlines from Japan and Korea real life is way weirder than fiction when it comes to idol stuff.
They handle all the Ana Sanchez girl's love releases (Sirius, Alter Ego, Alter Ego 2) and a few other good ones, so I've never really thought about their content strategy much. I don't assume customers will care who the publisher is though, but I don't know anything about that anyway.
Glancing at my collection and the only Tokyopop I own is Still Sick, a random Yuri Espoir, and my childhood KareKano collection. Maybe they just don't get titles I notice. Or are bad at promoting.
Huh. Tokyopop picked it up. Two volumes out this fall.
It's definitely popular so makes sense.
Don't get me wrong. I like it so I'm glad it's picked up. It's the Tokyopop part... It's got to be 1 to 50 BL over GL there. Probably more. I can't even think of more than a couple GL of note and they're either done or about to be and neither are of this tone. It seems like an odd match.
Huh. Tokyopop picked it up. Two volumes out this fall.
Tokyo Character Street is popular. Green manga recently had a pop-up in there for a month. Not the place to find yuri normally, but would be a cool stop if you're down there anyways and they they have limited edition merch for both mainstream bigger (non-yuri) series you'd be familiar with along with special rare pop-ups that might be more of an interest if you're lucky.
https://www.japan.travel/en/sg/jbyj-blog/tokyo-character-street/
last edited at Mar 13, 2024 11:18PM
There is a yuri cafe in Shinjuku. You can find info for them on tw/x @ anchor_staff or this site: https://lit.link/en/yuricafeanchor
I've no personal experience, but I've seen Japanese yuri fans post about going there when they are in the area for fan events.
The drama CD's release date has been postponed to April 24. I wonder, will there be a digital release?
I just saw that. I was hoping I could double up on the new pop-up and my preorder for the audio drama in the same shipment, but looks like I'll just be perpetually donating to the proxy service fund. I've not heard anything about a digital version in any of the advertising I've read. Japan is pretty big on physical music releases more than most places still. Amazon.jp and Animate don't even have placeholders for it so I'm leaning either no, or not until after the physical release.
A digital 4p comic would be the best for scanlation. cough
It's a little vague, but I think this implies Chizuru hasn't picked up that Aya was talking about Mitsuki.
Unless I'm completely forgetting a scene, Aya only told some of her friends about '' Onii-san'' to begin with and she didn't tell anyone about finding out that it was Mitsuki all along. Narita might be the only other character who's been privy to the whole thing.
I was thinking there were some scenes that might imply she knows, but I reread through it and I think it's just the end of ch 52 that does. "The watching over MitsuAya Squad..." implies it's more than just Narita, which in this case should be Chizuru and Mao, but idk.
She knows Mitsuki is someone Aya has a special connection with and was starting to included her in their friend group. And she saw how intense Aya was about her first hand. She already sees them joined at the hip. That's enough to join in the protection squad without further context.
I'm trying to remember but the last time Aya mentioned "Onii-san" to Chizuru it was when she was on the outs with Mitsuki. Chapter 23 where Aya said she was too busy to have time with "him". I don't think there's been any love updates since then. Aya avoided that talk at the overnight trip. As close as Chizuru got to seeing Mitsuki's "Onii-san-lite" look was when she said she looked cool or something in her casual clothes during their Denny's study session.
Is... is that some weird law Japan actually has? The "compensation" thing?
I'm more familiar with hearing about it for accidental or negligent death like car accidents. On top of any criminal consequences you pay their family a large sum of money. It's a cultural thing, but also expected of westerners who might be involved too.
Compensation for infidelity, especially if it contributes to divorce, is a thing in Japan. A 2021 case was in international news because the courts ruled a woman pay compensation for a same-sex infidelity even as the courts were still largely confused on if f/f cheating on a husband legally counts. It counted enough in that case as it caused stress to the marriage and the changing view of f/f relationships at least in that particular ruling. So a win for equality.
I was reading the latest chapter on bilibili and at the end Tracy announced that vol 9 will be the last and that the story is shifting to wrap up mode.
While that's a few volumes ahead of where they are on bilibili and even further away for the scanlation, she was also asking for support and even doing some signed illustration give aways for incentive so if anyone has been thinking about throwing some support her way now would be the time. The app isn't too difficult to navigate imo. Hopefully that's not necessary to get to vol 9, but you never know.
I'm really enjoying how things are tying together nicely with some of the elements that seemed like atmospheric stuff easily handwaved early on due to the lighter tone back then. Now that the tone is getting darker its feeling like some earned payoff looking back. Love when that happens.
I've got mine sorted out early. It was easier for me just to get a few lots/box sets quickly before they got rare and sell off the extras. Because it's just one Popup location everyone is in competition with locals trying to order on mercari too. And while remaining stock is supposed to go into their online store later, they use a non-Buyee proxy service and didn't want to gamble with things out of stock. Currently they've been selling out several things every day so... hey, at least it's popular.
I'll be putting a few things up on Mercari US sometime after it all comes in. Tho I don't believe you're in the US so that doesn't help. :( The preorder books are coming in the same box so it is still a ways off. Crossing my fingers the shipping isn't horrible. That's where I always get hosed.
I still can't see the items in Melonbooks has in their page, the link gives me an error; so maybe I will wait for that; if not, Im between gamers or animate, since I can't buy the ones from Tora with Buyee.
The Melonbooks one is my favorite out of the four if I had to pick one. Try just searching direct in their search bar if that links not working because it's still showing up as preorder when I look.
Ah! you really got my attetion on the last part hahaha I didn't know that, maybe with that is more worth the delivery cost
The pop-up is using a different shipping service than buyee from what I can see. But there's always the aftermarket. I just tell myself most things I like never get merch or only rare aftermarket stuff with a yuri tax on it so this is relatively easy compared to that at least.
Ty so much for the info!! Then I will wait for the stores to publish the images of the items to decide. Thanks!!
All the bookstores revealed their items. Also there is a new pop-up store running in Tokyo through February... that has better merch imo. Go figure. That one will go to online sales with remaining merch and it has international shipping.
the scanlator who made that choice was offering commissions priced in euro, so I'd imagine for them the scottish accent WAS a regional accent.
Ah, I'm remembering that now. I still wish they hadn't done that, but not my time or money spent. I'll keep peppering the usual publishers for an official English release so I can get people to read it easier.
last edited at Jan 17, 2024 11:29PM
What dialect do you think they should've used, then? Considering Nanami's dialect in the original, it makes perfect sense to render her dialogue in some similarly divergent dialect.
This is one of my favorite series, but I've had several friends hard bounce off when it I rec it because of the dialect choice being so jarring to them. I apparently put blinders on and got through it and I'm always surprised when they comment on it and I go look and well... I can't tell them they're wrong.
To me personally, a regional dialect would be more appropriate. I think typically they fall back to very light American southern with a note saying the Japanese dialect she was speaking in in case someone wanted to google it. Vs what comes off as a separate national dialect entirely and very heavy. A few y'alls would be enough for me along with the occasions other characters note it, but I'm not the one who worked on it. Dealer's choice. I hope if it ever gets licensed they go my preferred route tho so I can get other people to read it easier.
edit: browsing these bookstores' websites without knowing much Japanese is hard lol. And I noticed toranoana at least seemed to be adjusting prices upwards noticing I was international, listing prices in USD and then converting that back to yen at a premium higher than what was listed at first. The basic no-frills volume jumped from 1210 yen in the link in this thread announcing its versions to 1430 yen when I clicked the specific sale page for it. I sadly don't know enough to be able to make the comparison myself lol. As far as I can tell none of these sites was listing an ebook version, which feels like it would also be a useful comparison (since color in a pdf doesn't cost any extra).
What you're actually seeing is that for that bookseller they make you put the book in the cart AND then put a separate listing for the benefits in the cart. You might be mistaking the benefits listing for a priced up book. You can't complete the order correctly with only the benefits in the cart. So that different price is actually the benefits you need to bundle into the book order yourself. Unlike with the others where they create a single listing for book+benefits. When you put them together they come out to about the same price as the other bookstore's offerings.
(BUT from my current experience Buyee isn't letting me put preorder items from them together in one order to correctly to purchase them. I can put them into one cart on the book site but when Buyee takes over it separates them. And when Buyee tries to order them separately only the book goes through and the benefits are canceled. That seems to be a preorder specific behavior which is annoying as it could be sold out by the time it's in stock.)
If Im right from the previous comments and the post of the author, buying from the four store, the items delivered are the same (keychain, etc. I know no 8p this time), except the individual illustrations like last time right? So if I just wanted extra items but dont care for the illustrations, is okey for me to buy just one?
Each of the four stores have different illustrations. And as there are no booklets that means illustrations on the merch. So it should mean the acrylics etc. But without sample images it is a bit murky still.
last edited at Jan 14, 2024 11:20AM
I'm not too surprised. She's getting train ads, Nirvana merch, and name dropped in Kadokawa's financial reports. Somebody is making the most of it. Maybe not her since since on top of her work she keeps taking illustration jobs on the side too. I'm not sure at what point it all trickles down to the mangaka. Maybe with that illusive English language release someday.
My Kinokuniya has been carrying it on it's front display as well as the back yuri section. They are tag agnostic.