#hisamitsu

[haveyoureadthismanga-poll]

[iwamotos]

undefined

☆ snow man’s iwamoto hikaru and johnny’s west’s shigeoka daiki - hisamitsu feitas cm (15s) (1, 2, 3)

[dreamsbee4]

[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.

[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.

[saga-jihen]

Brand new artwork of Franchouchou revealed for the upcoming collaboration between Zombieland Saga Revenge & Hisamitsu Springs Saga Tournament being held on January 14th & 15th, 2023. A cast appearance will also be held on the day of the tournament and original goods of the new illustration will be on sale. Hisamitsu Springs is the professional women's volleyball team in Japan’s highest professional league, V.League 1. The team is based out Tosu City, Saga Prefecture. The team is also owned by Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical, the same pharmaceutical company featured in the 4th episode of Zombieland Saga’s first season — “Warming Dead Saga”.

[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

[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?

[necrytalkie1]

haruchan, mascot of the hisamitsu springs women's volleyball team

[anamon-book]

OFF COURSE　CONCERT TOUR 1988 – 89 STILL a long way to go HISAMITSU SEIYAKU SOUND COMMUNICATION

[sunkern-plus]

tagged by @grillmasterzavala

Last song: the hunger by the distillers

Last thing I read: qualia the purple by hisamitsu ueo. it’s really good, it’s got the most insane science fiction plot i’ve ever enjoyed AND possible lesbians/bi people/maybe pan people (i say that because i feel like yukari if described in more modern terms would be pan oriented and somewhere on the asexual spectrum due to uh...her seeing everyone as robots instead of human beings. there’s another girl who sees people as meat blobs who’s a serial killer it’s complicated)

Last movie: a man called otto, it was really sad and really good

current obsession(s): ...street fighter. i’m sorry. i will never get over that. also literary, queer, and disability theory. making fanmixes as well

thank you gwimmie for tagging me, your soft sweet bi handmaiden <3

i tag @hydrostorm and @wygolvillage but anyone else who wants to do this can do this as well

[iwamotos]

undefined

☆ snow man’s iwamoto hikaru and johnny’s west’s shigeoka daiki - hisamitsu feitas cm (ver. #2) (15s) // (1, 2, 3)

[dataexplosure]

Medical Grade Hydrogel Market Market Segmentation, Regional Insights, and Top Players 2024-2032

Medical Grade Hydrogel Market Insights

Reed Intelligence has recently added a new report to its vast depository titled Global Medical Grade Hydrogel Market. The report studies vital factors about the Global Medical Grade Hydrogel Market that are essential to be understood by existing as well as new market players. The report highlights the essential elements such as market share, profitability, production, sales, manufacturing, advertising, technological advancements, key market players, regional segmentation, and many more crucial aspects related to the Medical Grade Hydrogel Market.

Get Free Sample Report PDF @ https://reedintelligence.com/market-analysis/global-medical-grade-hydrogel-market/request-sample

Medical Grade Hydrogel Market Share by Key Players

Teikoku Pharma

Hisamitsu

Johnson & Johnson

Novartis

ConvaTec

Smith&Nephew United

Hollister

Paul Hartmann

Coloplast

3M

Molnlycke Health Care

Axelgaard

Jiyuan

Guojia

Huayang

Important factors like strategic developments, government regulations, market analysis, end users, target audience, distribution network, branding, product portfolio, market share, threats and barriers, growth drivers, latest trends in the industry are also mentioned.

Medical Grade Hydrogel Market Segmentation

The report on Global Medical Grade Hydrogel Market provides detailed segmentation by type, applications, and regions. Each segment provides information about the production and manufacturing during the forecast period of 2024-2032. The application segment highlights the applications and operational processes of the industry. Understanding these segments will help identify the importance of the various factors aiding to the market growth.

The report is segmented as follows:

Segment by Type

Physical Crosslinked Hydrogels

Crosslinking Agent Crosslinked Hydrogels

Segment by Application

Hydrogel Dressing

Drug Delivery Systems (DDS)

Implants

Medical Grade Hydrogel Market Segmentation by Region

North America

U.S.

Canada

Europe

Germany

UK

France

Asia Pacific

China

India

Japan

Australia

South Korea

Latin America

Brazil

Middle East & Africa

UAE

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

South Africa

Get Detailed Segmentation @ https://reedintelligence.com/market-analysis/global-medical-grade-hydrogel-market/segmentation

The market research report on the Global Medical Grade Hydrogel Market has been carefully curated after studying and observing various factors that determine the growth, such as environmental, economic, social, technological and political status of the regions mentioned. Thorough analysis of the data regarding revenue, production, and manufacturers gives out a clear picture of the global scenario of the Medical Grade Hydrogel Market. The data will also help key players and new entrants understand the potential of investments in the Global Medical Grade Hydrogel Market.

Key Highlights

It provides valuable insights into the Global Medical Grade Hydrogel Market.

Provides information for the years 2024-2032. Important factors related to the market are mentioned.

Technological advancements, government regulations, and recent developments are highlighted.

This report will study advertising and marketing strategies, market trends, and analysis.

Growth analysis and predictions until the year 2032.

Statistical analysis of the key players in the market is highlighted.

Extensively researched market overview.

Buy Medical Grade Hydrogel Market Research Report @ https://reedintelligence.com/market-analysis/global-medical-grade-hydrogel-market/buy-now

Contact Us:

Email: sales@reedintelligence.com

[idataacumen]

Hot Flashes Market Outlook, Trends And Future Opportunities (2024-2031)

Hot Flashes Market is growing at a CAGR of 8.7% over the next 5 years. Pfizer Inc., Novartis AG, Eli Lilly and Company, Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc., Merck & Co., Inc. are the major companies operating in Hot Flashes Market

[yurimother]

Classic Yuri Sci-Fi Story 'Qualia the Purple' Released in English

On December 13, Seven Seas Entertainment published Hisamitsu Ueo's seminal Yuri science fiction light novel Qualia the Purple (Murasakiiro no Qualia) in English under its airship imprint. The publisher will also release a complete omnibus of Sirou Tsunashima's manga adaptation in June 2023.

Seven Seas describes the light novel:

Junior high schooler Marii Yukari sees all humans, aside from herself, as robots through her vivid, purple eyes. Yet even with such a strange perspective on the world, her classmates treat her like an unassuming, strange girl, including Manabu “Gaku” Hatou, her sole friend. Yet strange things start occurring around Yukari, and when she is recruited into an underground organization due to her unique talents, Manabu finds herself tangled up in a realm of dangerous experiments and quantum physics unlike anything she could have ever imagined! Yet is her friendship with Marii enough to save them both from whatever awaits them in the scientific underbelly of the world?

Qualia the Purple was initially released in 2009 under Kadokawa’s Dengeki Bunko label. 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.

Sirou Tsunasami, who illustrated the original light novel, created a manga adaptation of Qualia the Purple. The manga was serialized in Dengeki Daioh from 2011 until its conclusion in 2013. Kadokawa publishes three volumes of the manga in Japanese. Seven Seas will release the full manga series in a single omnibus volume, Qualia the Purple: The Complete Manga Collection, on June 13, 2023.

You can check out Qualia the Purple in English digitally or in paperback today: https://amzn.to/3YYwjC3

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