#on the other hand she is more a fan of realism and groundedness

[redheadedbrunette]

Should I try and convince my grandma to watch Matilda with me tonight

[yurimother]

LGBTQ Light Novel Review - Otherside Picnic Vol. 2

I put off reviewing the second light novel in Iori Miyazawa’s horror science-fiction series, Otherside Picnic, on the sneaking suspicion that an anime adaptation would be announced. After seeing the short animated PV which released alongside Volume 4 in Japan and some suggestive Tweets by Shonen Gangan (the magazine where the manga adaptation is serialized), I was almost certain it was inevitable. Lo and behold, my suspicions were correct, and now we have an upcoming TV adaptation to look forward to directed by none other than Satou Takuya, perhaps the most qualified director for this series with his experience in sci-fi (Steins;Gate) AND Yuri (Kase-san and Morning Glories). But the real reason I am so excited for the anime is that if it is at least half as weird, exciting, and enjoyable as the light novels, it will be very, very good.

Otherside Picnic Volume 2 is split into four chapters, or “files,” each of which presents a new adventure for surly and callous protagonist Sorawo and her friend Toriko. As I mentioned in my review of Volume 1, these files make for excellent and exciting self-contained adventures, with each one featuring a new creature from internet lore. However, Miyazawa’s well-constructed world and gradually paced story are incredible. The characters and the readers learn more about the world in a steady and gradual progression that builds on previous experiences. It is a welcome feature of this series, especially when compared with so many other light novels which too often treat time, character growth (both ability and personality-wise), and the world like a taught rubber band launched forward with inaccurate speed only to miss its target and strike the reader in the face. This progression features in a variety of ways, from the small, an artifact, or encounter from a previous story being referenced, to the practical, like Toriko and Sorawo adding a new assault rifle and vehicle to their arsenal, to the plot defining, like the soldiers from Volume 1.

The four files in this second volume vary dramatically in tone and, unfortunately, quality. The first, “The Operation to Rescue the U.S. Forces at Kisaragi Station,” and the fourth, “Little Bird in a Box,” are the best of the volume. The former of these two sees Sorawo and Toriko join the military forces they found stranded in the other world in Volume 1. Together, they wage an epic battle against the mysterious and dangerous forces of the parallel world to get the soldiers out alive. Not only was this scene incredibly intense and well written, but it also helped readers learn more about Sorawo, and helped layer her as more than just a cold and curt girl as she first presented. These developments are also furthered in the volume’s final chapter, which expands Otherside Picnic’s world greatly, as DS, the mysterious organization which funds research on the other world, is revealed.

The light novel’s middle chapters are by no means terrible, but they are not as exciting or interesting as the ones mentioned above. One of them sees Sorawo and Toriko go on a bender across Japan and the other side, which sounds hilarious, but the effect is quickly lost as it drags on a bit longer than needed. It feels more like a missed opportunity to deepen the relationship between the two. However, the third chapter, “Attack of the Ninja Cats,” succeeds significantly on this front. While the name and monsters for this chapter are ridiculous, and honestly create too much of a contrasting tone from the rest of the book, it does introduce a new side-character, whose presence subtly reveals the dependency and even lust Sorawo has for Toriko. The story accomplished this feat without feeling like an unhealthy and annoying jealousy story either, which is a tremendous feat.

There were also a few inconsistencies that bugged me, primarily in Sorawo’s financial situation. She is simultaneously presented as a broke college student and someone with the cash to go on a bender at a resort and buy a tobacco farming vehicle, which is repurposed for expeditions into the other world. However, such details only stand out because the rest of the world is so consistent and detailed. Miyazawa has created such a beautiful and vibrant world filled with so much mystery. Yet, the story still always focuses on Sorawo and Toriko’s relationship and adventures.

Speaking of the girls and their relationship, Otherside Picnic still has minimal fan service or action between them. However, it is unmistakably Yuri. Sorawo has a deep longing and a strong bond with Toriko, which sometimes expresses itself physically, with Sorawo always noting the beauty of her companion or the two women holding hands while recovering from a nearly lethal encounter. However, the Yuri is primarily present in the realism of their relationship, their conversations, sensibilities, and groundedness, which stands in contrast to the fantastic, and occasionally horrific events, of the science fiction narrative. In sci-fi Yuri such stories are sometimes described as “hard Yuri,” thanks to that convoluted and philosophical bastard Gengen Kusano (Last and First Idol). The core of the idea is making the relationship between the fictional characters a reality, or at least basing it in realism. Whether that “realism” includes lesbian identity is yet to be seen, but Miyazawa does have a good track record in that department with Side-by-Side Dreamers. In short, this is a long-winded way of warning you not to run around shouting “queerbaiting!” just yet.

Otherside Picnic Volume 2 is a fantastic read, thanks in no small part to Sean McCann’s translation. The adventures are fun, thrilling, occasionally terrifying, but most of all, consistently engaging. This series will undoubtedly make a fantastic and bizarre anime, so I cannot wait for the adaptation. I recommend that you do not delay either, and you go pick up this brilliant work of sci-fi Yuri literature today.

Ratings: Story – 7 Characters – 8 LGBTQ – 3 Sexual Content – 0 Final – 7

Review copy provided by J-Novel Club

Purchase Otherside Picnic Vol 2 digitally here: https://amzn.to/2IymlBB

[semper-legens]

81. The Secret, by K A Applegate

Owned: Yes Page count: 158 My summary: The Yeerks think there are Andalite bandits in the woods. Now, a mysterious company has moved in to destroy the woodlands. The Animorphs think these things are related. Now they have to find a way to stop it, to save their friends Ax and Tobias. My rating: 2/5 My commentary:

So this is new. Not every book can be a hit, of course, but this is the first Animorphs book I’ve read that I haven’t liked. Disliked would be a strong word for it - I just think that, in light of all that’s gone down so far, its ending is far too kids’ show and it lacks the groundedness and seriousness of some of the earlier books. It’s all silly, all the time, rather than being a balance of the serious and the ridiculous. Plus, its environmentalist message does cross the line into being too preachy a few times.

An aside before I start complaining though - we see the kids’ grades have started to slip in this one, and Rachel and Cassie in particular struggle to keep up with homework on top of world saving. I like this as a plot point. I know I had enough trouble keeping up with homework without having to save the world as well! It’s realistic that the kids would be facing trouble in this department, and be kinda apathetic to it because of the trauma of their battles. It adds another layer to their balancing of regular life and Animorph life.

Cassie’s environmentalism is at the forefront of this one. The Yeerks are logging, which is a threat to the environment anyway, and she morphs a skunk to look after a family of baby skunks while their mother is recovering from an injury. I’m of two minds on this one. On the one hand, environmentalist messages in 90s kids’ media is touch and go, and it does straddle the line of being far too preachy at times. On the other, it’s at least dealt with with some nuance. Tobias is heavily implied to have eaten at least one of the skunk kits, and while Cassie does resent him for it a bit, she does accept that death is part of nature, particularly when it means the survival of one animal over others. He declares the rest of the kits untouchable, but he’s still eating other animals elsewhere, and Cassie knows this. She doesn’t hold that against him overall, it’s just that she’s emotionally attached to these ones in particular.

One aspect of this book is that we’re bringing back Ant Trauma.........2! Yep, they all morph termites, the termite mind controls them, and Cassie has to kill the queen in order to break the connection. While it does seem like a rehash of the thing with the ants, I do like the lasting impact it has on Cassie - she’s freaking out and inconsolable for a while, and almost compromises the mission because of it. Animorphs seems to have a habit of portraying this kind of trauma with an air of realism, which I appreciate.

My biggest issue is the ending, really. See, Visser Three has them cornered...then Cassie, in skunk form, sprays him, and he lets them go free in return for something to get rid of the smell. But it turns out the kids told him it was grape juice, not tomato juice, that gets rid of skunk smell! Everyone laugh, roll credits. I just...it’s far too Saturday morning kids’ show, you know? The tone is completely off. It defangs Visser Three too much, and leaves him feeling like a comedy villain more than a legitimate threat. I’m not a fan of it.

That’s all here. Next up, some more aliens, and dogs?