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Can't get enough of Arina-sama? You can enjoy more of her brilliant work, and support a very talented artist, by getting hold of her professional manga. They're gorgeous, they're sizzling, and they're much easier to find than her djs! Plus, with M.J.Johnson's synopses, they're easy to follow. Check it all out in the guide to:  |
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ARINA
Toshimi Arina-sensei
is the mistress of spice and angst, but she can also do some
amazingly sweet and subtle character pieces. Her art is beyond
belief, and some of her covers are heart-stopping, more than
worth the price of the dj. Even the scribbles she does around
her editorials are classic. How to get Arina-sama's djs? Well, this is a problem that has plagued many of us in the West. We've written to the address in the back of her latest djs (Hisoka and San 2) with no luck. At present, it seems the only way to get them is to buy them from secondhand stores like Mandarake and K-Books...or go to Japan for Comikete, where you might have more luck. ^_^
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| Djs by ARINA Toshimi (Yougekishu): | |
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Higeki This is a big dj. Not only is it A4 size (about 9 inches by 12 inches, bigger than a letter-size sheet of paper), but it's quite thick. The production values are amazing: foil lettering on the front; thick, richly-textured paper throughout; a translucent page with color printing; even a full-color short story. To top it all off, the back cover is one of the most gorgeous we've ever seen (click on the thumbnail to see a larger version with the letters removed.) What can we say? The whole thing is a work of art. And the content is just as exciting as the package. There are two text stories by guest authors and four stories by Arina. Here's a list and brief synopsis; you can read the Arina stories in the Arina Toshimi story section on the member's side of YYH Djs in English. If you're not a member, YYH Djs Highlights is now in Aestheticism's Virtual City, and you can read them there. Paradise Purification Costume Play Date We'd highly recommend this dj to anyone over 18 who likes spice and beautiful art-- if you can find it, buy it! But do be aware of the content: it's extremely adult and sometimes violent.
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Hiruiseki Another absolutely fabulous cover. Click on the thumbnail to see a full-sized version without the letters. Actually the letters don't show up very well even on the thumbnail because they're blue foil and don't scan. ^_^ If not quite as glorious as Higeki, this is still a very nice dj. It's printed on thick white paper, with tissue overlying a full color frontispiece. And it's a little easier to handle than Higeki, being B5 size (about 7 by 10.5 inches; "Executive" size, or a bit smaller than a regular sheet of typing paper). It has two long stories, both of which you can read in the Arina Toshimi story section (member's side). A Space Closed in Secrecy A Space Closed in Secrecy
II The 'Space' stories are prequels
to the Hiyaku trilogy, but they can easily stand alone.
Highly recommended, but be aware of the spice, angst, and violence. |
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Yuki no Hime Oto The Yukina dj. There's a beautiful picture of her on the back cover, looking delicate and wistful. Once again, the production values are tops: it's printed on thick white paper, with tissue overlying a full-color frontispiece of Hiei and Yukina together. The stories are about Hiei, and three out of the four focus on different aspects of the Hiei/Yukina relationship. The last is about Hiei and Mukuro. Kurama fans don't have to despair, though; he appears in each of the Yukina stories and in the Mukuro story they're talking about him. ^_^ You can read these stories in their entirety in the Arina Toshimi story section. Snowdrop Virgin Shock Romantic White Memories We can't recommend this dj too
highly. It's suitable for most ages, although there is some blood
and gore in 'White Memories.' |
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Hime Volume 1 A lovely compilation dj. If you can find this and Hime 2, you'll have a good chunk of Arina's early stories. One thing you'll miss are the gorgeous covers and frontispieces you get with the individual djs, but as always Hime has great production values. It's printed on thick white paper and includes title pages on colored paper. Most valuable, though are little sections which tell when and where the stories first appeared, and include Arina's handwritten comments on them. Most of these stories are just being translated, so we can only give brief summaries. We'll bring them to the Arina section as soon as possible, though. Granite Kiss The Cunning Which Will Be
Forgiven For Love Apathy Grooming In the Fishbowl Suikyou (Mean Drunk) Dream Sin Highly recommended to anybody
who likes Arina. This is a nice way to get a number of excellent
stories bundled together. Be aware, though, of the spice and
violence inside. |
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Hime Volume 2 A compilation of the 'Space Enclosed in Secrecy' stories, their prequel, 'Dream Sin,' and a short. Once again, very nice production values: thick white paper, colored pages at the beginning and end. Oddly, 'Dream Sin,' the prequel to 'Space 1' is in both this and Hime 1. Dream
Sin Rough
Seas A Space Closed in Secrecy A Space Closed in Secrecy
II The 'Space' stories are prequels
to the Hiyaku trilogy, but they can easily stand alone.
Highly recommended, but be aware of the violence and spice inside. |
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San 2 A slim and delectable dj, the latest of Arina's work that we have. The title is dull bronze foil printed on creamy, textured paper. There's only one story and a short inside, but they're both very nice. The
Shuuichi Minamino Fan Club ??? Definitely recommended, although the only spice is in the short, so if you're looking for that you might try another of Arina's djs. |
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Himitsu Dream
Sin Granite Recommended, although if you
don't care about the cover you might want to go for Hime 1,
which has these stories and lots of others to boot. Also, be
aware of the high spice content. |
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Hiyaku Volume 1 The continuation of 'A Space Closed in Secrecy' from Himitsu, and the beginning of the Hiyaku trilogy. Both the front and back covers of this dj are utterly gorgeous -- in fact, all the Hiyaku covers are so nice that we're putting up thumbnails of both the front and back. The story is also beautifully drawn...and very, very angsty. This trilogy is about an evil Youko Kurama who keeps appearing and raping Hiei. Human Kurama seems to have no control over what his youko form does, appearing to be as much a victim as Hiei of the youko's violence. We've had a translation of this for a while, but it's going to be so emotionally draining to produce the story (not to mention such a big project) that it's on the back burner at present. Still, we'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes Arina's work. These are covers suitable for framing, the kind you just want to sit and stare at for a long time, and the stories are intense and often upsetting, but all done with Arina's style. Those who love angst and mental torment will be in heaven. ^_- Recommended, but be aware of
the angst, violence, and high spice content in all of Hiyaku. |
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Hiyaku Volume 2 More glorious covers; more gorgeous artwork inside, including a title page with a scary and beautiful Youko Kurama (the one we've used for the entrance to the Arina story section on the main index page). As always, top production values: the best quality paper, foil printing, dust covers...everything. The youko runs rampant in this volume, assaulting Hiei with the help of a convenient tree, disabling Hiei's attacks (and Hiei's got a lot of them) one by one. Meanwhile human Kurama is hampered by his own problems, Rose Whip wilting in his hand as he battles a minor youkai. It culminates in a fight between human Kurama and the youko, a fight the human seems to win. But things aren't always what they seem... Recommended, but be aware of
the angst, violence, and high spice content in all of Hiyaku. |
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Hiyaku Volume 3 Beautiful cover, dust jacket, top-quality paper, Arina's art. The third volume of Hiyaku lives up to its predecessors in production values and its story is equally intense. The youko is gone, and Kurama and Hiei have a loving reunion...of sorts. (Remember, this was Psycho Kurama to start with, the guy who threatened Yukina's life to get Hiei into his bed). But what finally becomes clear is that the youko is still a part of Kurama, and always was. Everything that's happened to Hiei has been with Kurama's subconscious consent. A part of him wanted to do it, and that part is coming up on top now. So this time it's Kurama himself ravishing Hiei, which he does just as well as the youko. Afterwards, though, Hiei still has the strength to jump out the window and leave Kurama -- and we've never cheered that before. Still, the end of the trilogy isn't the end of the story. It's continued in Hisoka, where Hiei starts to get his own back. Recommended, but be aware of
the angst, violence, and high spice content in all of Hiyaku. |
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Hiyaku Collected One way to get your Hiyaku fix: all three volumes in one compilation. We actually wouldn't recommend it as a substitute, though -- it's a very thick and heavy dj, a bit unwieldy, and you'll miss out on half the glorious covers. Although the front covers are reproduced on translucent paper inside, the backs aren't, and we actually like the back covers of Hiyaku 1 and 2 best. Still, you can't deny that this is a gorgeous dj, with all the now-familiar Yougekishu production values. Any serious Arina collector will want it, and it's nice to be able to flip through the story in one volume. A must for completists and anybody who wants to make sure they get all of Hiyaku in one go. Recommended, but be aware of
the angst, violence, and high spice content in all of Hiyaku. |
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Hisoka Volume 1 The Hiyaku story continues
in Hisoka Volumes 1 and 2. We're looking for Volume 2,
so if you have it, please, please let us know! It may well be
the end of the epic. This is a slim volume, and arguably Arina's most beautiful and touching cover. Kurama bows his head in prayer (and despair?), his clasped hands wounded and bound with a thorny lash of Rose Whip. On the back, Hiei perches in a tree, alone and unapproachable. There's no spice at all in this story; it's about the reactions of Kurama, Yuusuke, and their friends to all that's happened in Hiyaku. It ends with Hiei provoking Kurama into a fight and stabbing him with his sword. And that's where it ends; it leaves us with a cliffhanger, which is why we're so eager to find Hisoka 2. ^_^ Recommended, but be aware of the angst and violence. Also, it's best to get Hiyaku first, or this story won't make much sense. |
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Guide to YYH Djka / Stories Listed by Author
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don't steal them! We worked hard on them, and we've done our best to make sure that only people of the appropriate age see them. Enjoy them all you want, but don't take them and post them publicly without permission. Because if you did we'd have to come after you with a Very Large Stick and list your name in our Hall of Shame and do other terrible things you don't even want to know about. |
(Yougekishu) 
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Spicy/ classic/ poetic/ angsty/
sweet/ funny
