Sunshine Creation 59: Digital Lover / Yuka Nakajima

Kuroneko reclaims center stage in circle's April offerings

The expectations of fans of doujinshi circle Digital Lover should be sky-high at present, with the recent ending of Haganai NEXT and the current seasons of OreImo and A Certain Scientific Railgun S underway.  21 of the prolific circle's last 30 parody doujinshi have featured heroines from these three series, dating back over more than four years of work, so it's certainly reasonable to expect more work from those series in the near future, and we've learned just recently that OreImo tsundere majeur Ruri Gokou will have the first crack at heading the playbill with new items at this month's doujinshi events.  First, at April 14th's Sunshine Creation 59, Kuroneko graces the cover of Rough Sketch 74, Digital Lover's long-running series of genga books, which occasionally serve as a preview of coming attractions.  The circle also looks to offer what looks to be a microfiber sports towel featuring an adorable illustration of Kuroneko and her alter ego, Kamineko.

Of perhaps greater interest to the circle's and the character's fans, Digital Lover will offer a dakimakura of Kuroneko at late April's Comic1☆7.  She'll be sporting her winter school uniform and, of more prurient interest, the same cat tail that she flaunted in Comiket 83's D.L. Action 73.  Fans of Digital Lover's work will no doubt be devastated that Nakajima has decided to have both sides of the dakimakura be a face-up view of the character, knowing what they know about that extra appendage from 73. 

Men 120 Percent's new SAO Book--Menyoujan a Late Adopter

One cour late, or one week early?  

As it is wont to do, the doujinshi world seems to have moved on from its fascination with undisputed belle of the 2012 ball, Asuna Yuuki of Sword Art Online, to pursue its next flavor-of-the-cour starlet.  Menyoujan of A4 Ace circle Men 120 Percent seems not quite ready to retire the Nerve Gear to the closet next to the Rock Band drum kit quite yet, however, with this release of this 16-pager on Toranoana, which debuted for sale last Sunday, April 7.  I'm not sure why this circle continues to choose to debut new works in retail outlets, rather than at doujinshi events like the vast majority of creators, but so long as they continue producing charming-looking art they can keep on keepin' on.

Thanks to Toranoana for the cover and preview images:

Sunshine Creation 58: Digital Lover / Yuka Nakajima / D.L. Action 74

D.L. Action 74 released into the wilds...of Finland, if Asuna's collar is to be believed. 

It seems Digital Lover helmsman Yuka Nakajima has a crisis on his hands, with his attention divided between his vanguard muse Kuroneko and that past-cour Cleopatra, Asuna Yuuki of Sword Art Online.  While we anticipate OreImo's upcoming second season and wonder if the current second season of Haganai might translate to a return to Sena Kashiwazaki's boudoir (or perhaps Kobato Hasegawa's?), Nakajima is not yet ready to relegate Asuna to the VRMMORPG badlands, with this weekend's release of D.L. Action 74 at Sankuri 58.

Sunshine Creation 58: Clesta / Cle Masahiro / CL-orz 27

More podiatric punishment in store for Clesta fans?

After making a preview appearance at last month's Comic Treasure 21, Cle Masahiro's take on Magi's Morgiana gets the full CL-orz 27 treatment with this book, released today at Sunshine Creation 58.

Sunshine Creation 58: Popochichi / ぽぽちち / Yahiro Pochi

Even People with Adolescent Delusions of Grandeur Want To Experience 3000 rpm directly applied!

It looks like otakudom's favorite delusion-diseased debutante Rikka Takanashi has fended off the challenges of Shinka Nibutani in Popochichi's latest Chuu-2 parody book, released this weekend at Sunshine Creation 58.  This marks the third consecutive Chuu-2 parody by the circle.

Sunshine Creation 58: Ties / Takei Ooki

Golden Darkness Extinguishes Ooki's Fire Sisters Fixation?

After releasing nothing but Bakemonogatari parody books with Karen and Tsukihi Araragi at center stage in 2012, it looks like TIES is preparing a new girl to take the spotlight.  Konjiki no Yami / Golden Darkness from the irrepressibly saucy-but-heretofore-uncensored To Love-Ru is on the cover of what Ooki describes as a preview of coming attractions in preparation for late April's Comic 1★7, as well as a microfiber cloth featuring the bibliophile in her natural state.  This won't be the first time Ooki's Fire Sister Fixation has been breached, with two Kobato Hasegawa-centric Haganai books and a Madoka Magica book in the middle of the circle's seven Bakemonogatari parody releases--will the circle finally move on to new ground?

Abgrund's Sibling Sensation Tops Charts

February Most Kind to (Former) Otokonoko Ace

Trap fans mourned the loss of the talents Yusa Saikawa brought to the genre, brought on primarily by threats and hate mail from abroad, but the artist's transition to heterosexual content has not translated to failure by any means.  Saikawa debuted not one but two new doujinshi at COMITIA103 last weekend, both continuing the salacious sibling story started back in November 2012 at COMITIA102 and continued at Comiket 83.  In addition to the previously revealed Imouto Complete, shown at right, the circle also sold Oyacodon, named after the ubiquitous "parent-and-child" Japanese chicken-and-egg rice dish:

The books have both been very successful, with Oyacodon taking the number 1 slot and Imouto Complete the number 2 slot on Melonbooks' doujinshi sales banzuke for the week of 1/31-2/6.  The re-release of the book that started this original series, Onii-chan Controller from COMITIA102, also made the banzuke at the number 7 slot. 

No indication yet from Saikawa's site regarding continuation of this story--the circle's next convention appearance will be at COMIC1☆7 on April 28

Access Granted: Alpha (Finally) Reaches Consignment Deal

Doujin hipsters:  "I knew them before they went corporate."

As I've mentioned before on this blog, I broke my cardinal rule of collecting for Alpha to Yukaina Nakamatachi's Sora Takanashi-centric Papakiki! ero parody doujin Mama ni Nariatino released at COMIC 1☆6 in April 2012, and after acquiring that book desired to reach into the circle's previous works, and was surprised to learn that all their recent works have been original works, rather than parodies.  So too has been the circle's work since.

Not only was Mama ni Nariatino the circle's last parody doujin, but it was also the last of their books to be made available for purchase at retail outlets like Toranoana.  For reasons unknown to this writer, Alpha's next four books were made available only at doujinshi conventions, and sold only as part of a larger set of goods, making them a rare and expensive bird to find on the secondary markets.  Thankfully, according to Alpha's blog, this is no longer an issue--the circle announced a consignment arrangement with both Toranoana and Melonbooks to sell copies of the circle's last four books directly to the retail marketplace:

Along with the announcement, we finally get an enlarged and uncensored view of the circle's C83 offering, a direct follow-up to their C82 release, and it looks to be no slouch:

Comitia103: Abgrund / Yusa Saikawa

Saikawa Stays On the Straight and Narrow Path

A reveal from the former Otokonoko Ace Yusa Saikawa's Abgrund earlier this week shows what looks to be a continuation of the circle's Comiket 83 original straight doujin, to be debuted at early February's COMITIA103.  It would certainly seem to me that Abgrund's girls in skirts are at least as appealing as their boys in skirts have been these past few years.

Comic Treasure 21 Reveals, or Life After Comiket

Clesta, Digital Lover not content to rest on their laurels

Beyond the biannual Comic Markets at Tokyo Big Sight, many doujinshi events occur across Japan throughout the year, not just to service those not able to attend those most venerated events, but also to debut new works.  The first non-Comiket doujin event of the season, Comic Treasure 21, takes place this weekend at INTEX Osaka, and at least a couple of top-flight circles will have new pieces for sale alongside their Comiket 83 releases.

Clesta will rest the CL-orz title with this Morgiana-centered Magi parody book:

Allowing himself to be out done this one time, the Doujinshi James Brown, Digital Lover has a new Rough Sketch omake book featuring a tipsy, kimono-clad Asuna Yuuki gracing the cover:

Comic Market 83: MEKONGDELTA

It’s a well-kept secret, not listed on Toranoana, not listed on their own website even, but MEKONGDELTA did indeed have a Comic Market 83 release, and it’s OreImo's Kuroneko once again on center stage.  This is the third straight Winter Comic Market release of this particular Kuroneko-centered series.  Between these and the Glass Cat’s books of Spring and Summer 2012, I would venture to say MEKONGDELTA may have found their muse, though they may need to ask Digital Lover for some elbow room at the altar...

Moeyo's Best of V-Zone 2012

The Oscars have Best Picture, the Nobel Foundation has its Peace Prize, and anime figure otaku have Moeyo's Best of V-Zone 2012, published earlier today.  Without further ado, the list:

1)  Magical Princess Nanako sculpted by oba at Hobby Round 7

2)  Sakuya: Crimson Mode from Shining Blade 1/6 scale by Kotobukiya

3)  Manaka Komaki Physical Education (Pool) Version from To Heart 2 1/6 scale by Beat

 

4)  Tamaki Kousaka Physical Education (Pool) Version from To Heart 2 1/6 scale by Beat

5)  Toko Kurosawa original by Brilliant Cut 1/4 scale by Daiki Kougyo

6)  Konimo Yuzuhara Girigiri Bikini on the Penguin version from To Heart 2 DX Plus 1/8 scale by Chara-Ani

7)  Mai Ichijo from Mai Favorite 1/7 scale by Orchid Seed

 

8)  Kanu from Queen's Gate 1/8 scale by Hobby Japan

9)  Sakuya from Shining Blade by Yamato

 

10)  Super Sonico Nurse version 1/7 scale by Orchid Seed

There was certainly no shortage of worthy candidates this year, but I can't say I agree with some of the pieces on this list--the Toko Kurosawa one strikes me as kind of a mess, frankly--and I would have placed the Konomi Yuzuhara piece much higher on the ol' banzuke, but here's to a new year of cheap thrills and PVC fumes!