Let's Get this Party Started! Ane Lala Oneshot: "Petite Peche" Story 1 by Bisco Hatori

Let's get our 5th-year anniversary started with the mangaka that begin it all, Bisco Hatori! Yes, before we limited ourselves to unlicensed content, I started scanlating "Ouran High School Host Club". That seems so long ago!

Thanks to everyone for being patience while we completed projects and while I dealt with some tough real-life issues. Hopefully real life will stay stable for me so we can keep moving and introducing you all to some new artists and exposing you all to the cutting edge of shoujo and josei.

As with any anniversary post, I would like to thank all past and present Omari's Sister and Crimson Flower volunteers.  You all are more than I ever asked for or deserve. Seriously, the quality of work the volunteers output is amazing! I feel blessed to have such a talented team.

All right, now, let's get to the actual release. This oneshot is from Ane Lala, a magazine that is advertised as "shoujo for women". Like it promises, the works in this magazine straddle the line between shoujo and josei. Most of the works involve working young ladies making their way in the world, but there are also a few historical and high school girl stories.

Petite Peche is nothing like "Ouran High School Host Club", but it's still very Bisco Hatori. It follows the recent trend of food in shoujo and josei manga. I would LOVE for this oneshot to expand into a series, and given that there is a second story, which we will release tomorrow, I think there is a strong possibility. I welcome any new series that explores healthy friendships between women.

And now onto the release!

Ane Lala Update: We're Holding Off

We're gonna hold off on Ane Lala for more evaluation. Looking it over more closely, it seems like a competitor to magazines like Kiss and Kiss Plus. These magazines mainly feature stories about young ladies fresh out of college and at their first jobs. Quite honestly, there's a sameness to all these stories to me, and the main characters usually do a lot of self-indulgent whining (or the series are trying to be "Nana" clones).  So I want to take more time to evaluate the offerings in Ane Lala instead of blindly jumping in.  If there's something truly unique, then we'll go for it.  But as of now, I don't see anything truly compelling. Honestly, I would like some stories with more fantastic elements and passion. It's getting kinda hard now as most of the mainstream shoujo mags are now hardcore and singularly devoted to high school love trains. BORING.

Taking Piggy Back Orders for Ane Lala and The Hana to Yume Relaunch Issue

If you would like to order a copy of Ane Lala and/or The Hana to Yume Relaunch (with artwork freebie), please send me an e-mail (omarissister@gmail.com) and I'll add you to my order so we can all split the flat rate shipping from Amazon JP.  Each will be $15 from me + $3.50 shipping to forward it you via media mail once it arrives in the US.  I cannot get a good International shipping rate.  Sorry...  If you want the Hana to Yume Relaunch issue, please let me know immediately, as it may sell out (Currently, I only have one extra ordered.)