#webtoon creator rewards

[somesecretpie]

Fans and Creators of Webtoons!

I want to talk about Line Webtoon’s new “Super Like” program and why it sucks for literally everyone.

What is a “Super Like?”

According to their website, super likes are a new way for webtoon creators to monetize their work. Readers can pay real money to buy a super like for their favorite webtoon, and the creator gets a fraction of that money.

Wait, a fraction? Not all of it?

Yep! Webtoon skims quite a chunk off the top.

30% goes to Webtoon, and then another 30% of that amount goes to the payment processor.

So what do creators get? 49 cents for every dollar their fans try to give them. Literally half.

That’s pretty ludicrous, right?

Interestingly enough, they announced that they had a “tipping system” in the works in the same email they ended the CANVAS creator rewards program (and many comic creators livelihoods)

They said tipping system in their social media posts too

Obviously this tipping system is referring to super likes right? They say they’re going to do a tipping system, and then this rolls out.

But “tips” are not something that buisinesses can just take a cut of, at least not in the United States. According to the Department of Labor, it is illegal for any amount of tips from customers to go to an employer.

Webtoon is trying to walk back this language, of course. You won’t find the word “tip” anywhere on their website page explaining how it works. But those old social media posts are still up.

This is all pretty scummy

But wait, it gets worse!

They removed the Patreon button at the end of episodes and replaced it with this:

Yep! That’s right. Webtoon really said “what if we replace the tipping system that already existed with a shittier one where you only get half of it 🥺”

Unsurprisingly, they faced a ton of backlash.

Webtoon was quick to point out that the Patreon button was only removed from the end of episodes and there was still a button on the creator’s homepage. But of course, the end of episodes is where that button matters the most.

Creators know this. Webtoon knows this.

Eventually, after days of continued complaints from creators on social media, Webtoon went on damage control mode and announced that they would be putting the Patreon button back at the end of episodes—

As of right now (May 11th, 2024) the Patreon button is still not back.

***

So…Super likes are “super totally not a tip.”

But if they aren’t tips…what are they?

Well there’s a bit more to the story of what a super like actually is. After announceing the program, the app updated to reveal a new ranking category on the front page

When you click on this ranking tab, you can see that there is now both a daily and weekly ranking

If you’re a CANVAS creator, you know how difficult and seemingly random it can be to get your comic on the front page of the app—so my immediate worry was that comic creators were going to buy superlikes on their own series to get in this ranking and…

Yep, that’s already happening.

But why would webtoon even allow creators to buy superlikes for themselves? How does that make sense?

Surely goading desperate creators into buying superlikes can’t be that lucrative, can it?

No. I think there’s another, possibly even worse reason.

Fandom wars

If you’re into music, you probably are aware of how common it is for super fans to make concerted efforts to get their favorite musician to the top of the billboard charts. They coordinate over social media, stream music on loop as soon as an album drops to inflate the numbers, buy albums in bulk to increase sales, all so that they can say their fav is number one. It’s especially common among K-pop fans and swifties

This phenomena is well documented

Fans of Webtoons can be just as ravenous as K-pop, so I think Webtoon is trying to capitalize on this. They want to encourage fandom war and make money. That’s why they have this ranking. Not only can super fans brag about their favorite series topping the charts but they can wear their super like proudly on their reader profile that webtoon will be rolling out soon.

They’re just testing this super like stuff out on CANVAS right now, but once this starts up with originals? Oh. It will be a very profitable, very terrible mess.

(Oh and I mean profitable for webtoon, not creators, in case that wasn’t clear.)

***

Anyway, if you’re a creator, do yourself a favor and don’t enable super likes.

If you’re a fan of a webcomic, just donate to that creators patreon or Ko-Fi to show your support. Don’t give a red cent to webtoon because they did not do any of the work to make the series you love, alright?

Also check out my webtoon haha.

#webtoon #super likes #webtoon super likes #webtoon super like #super like program #monetization #comics #comic #webcomic #Patreon #webtoon canvas #webtoon creator rewards #webtoon fans #webtoon fan #webtoon creator #artists on tumblr #weird comics

[assignedmale]

As a trans creator whose work went viral an awful lot of times and who was targeted by so many hate campaigns that I lost count of them (I started publishing Assigned Male Comics 9 years ago, to give you an idea), I think it would have been very easy for me to go down a bitter path. Our communities are merciless. Our movement is obsessed with ideological purity. It's a fact. Our siblings will devore us for the smallest misstep. It's very easy to become jaded, when you give your entire being to a cause that will treat you as disposable as soon as it's done draining all your energy. When I started getting invited to different countries to speak about my work, I viewed it as some kind of "reward" - I create work that spoke to people, so it got me speaking engagements. I realized that it was in fact the opposite : it's seeing the impact art can have on communities that became the real catalyst of it. With all the hate I've attracted, from transphobes, far-right extremists and other trans people alike, I often wonder why I keep doing it. What is it that makes it that I'm still there after a whole decade, when it would have been easier to let resent and bitterness become my fuel. I always come to the same conclusion. It's meeting all of you, meeting so many communities from all around the planet, that keeps reminding me of the healing and transformative powers of belonging and empowerment. It's only with that in mind that the incredible amount of responsibilities and pressure that comes with a platform such as mine can make sense. Because why do we do this? Why do we burn ourselves out for a cause that we know will throw us away the minute doubt is cast on our ideological purity? It's so that "thriving" may be something more to trans people everywhere than a distant dream. Your activism should be to work towards that. And that starts at home. As a trans person, when you're given a voice and an audience, feeling attacked suddenly becomes a thing of every instant, from the moment you wake up to when you go to bed. It's not something volunteer social media moderators can help you with. I will always have compassion to anyone who goes through that, willingly or not. We ask a lot from trans public figures, who literally put their lives at risk for doing so. It shouldn't be that dangerous to do the work they do. Let's all recognize that. That being said, bullying, high-school-level drama and feuds should never be tolerated. Resist the urge to dogpile and raid. You might be filled with righteousness right now, but I can assure you that you will not feel better afterward. The world won't be a better place for it. When the world becomes too much, I retreat in a corner and write comics. Sometimes, after a long creative process of multiple hours of drawing, rewriting and rewording, I post one of them on the internet. Most of them, I keep to myself. Thousands of Assigned Male Comics strips none of you will ever get to see. I believe that our minds aren't made for the instantaneity of social media. I want my readers to sit back and get thinking, which is why you will rarely see me post more than 3 or 4 times a week, and only a very curated selection of posts. I basically hit the "post" button and run back offline. One day, I'll retire entirely from social media. When that happens, I'll keep posting on Webtoon. Go read the comics there, it's under the title "Serious Trans Vibes". "She's done it," you can then think. "She's thriving."

[theselfstudyenthusiast]

Wakfu : some words from its creator

Today, Tot posted a tweet about Wakfu on X. He shares his vision for the series and talks about the upcoming webtoon.

I translated the tweet in English below but here's the link to Tot's post: https://twitter.com/Totankama/status/1768938315409994040

TRANSLATION FROM FRENCH below

Hello everyone,

First of all, thank you very much for your support. The last episodes of Wakfu Season 4 are now available on Okoo, and I thank you for watching them in such large numbers. Our partner is very pleased with the results, which allows us to consider the future with peace of mind. Your feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are delighted about it. For us, it's the most beautiful reward.

However, some of you have expressed disappointment, particularly regarding the narrative arc of Flopin and his grandfather, Madagaskane. You also want to know more about what happened to the gods.

Allow me to explain the follow-up about that and our narrative intentions.

Firstly, as you know, the Krosmoz universe is constantly evolving. Nothing is ever completely over. Each of our creations always offers you an adventure that concludes but leaves other questions unanswered.

This is somewhat our trademark and is closely linked to the number of media we are dealing with simultaneously. Let's take, for example, the Dofus movie. Joris' story ends, and the entire adventure unfolds from our hero's point of view. Who trapped Julith? This information isn't provided, as we've kept it for potential follow-ups and connections with other projects. It was a "key" piece of information, but it didn't prevent you from focusing on the journey of our little hero.

For Wakfu, we operate in the same way. During writing, I choose one hero's perspective, and it's their storyline that I will favour. I don't want to neglect the others (because I love them just as much), and some narrative arcs may be started and then picked up in other media. I understand this may be frustrating when you prefer one character over another and feel they're not sufficiently highlighted. During this season, I clearly favoured the Eliatropes and their family dynamic.

We can never know if what we offer in animation will have a sequel. I've already explained the reasons why. Consequently, narrative choices have to be made. Some might say, "In that case, don't start anything new". Honestly, that would be really sad, and the whole thing would have less scope.

You have to imagine the Krosmoz as a living, gestating organism. Just because you don't have all your answers now doesn't mean they won't arrive soon or very soon.

In concrete terms, the webtoon/manga "The Great Wave" will allow you to reunite with Yugo and Amalia a few months after the end of Season 4.

Flopin and Madagaskane have a story in development. We've opened a door for these two characters with the idea of ​​creating a beautiful series focusing on the relationship between a grandfather and his grandson. We didn't "forget" them; on the contrary, we'll give them a lot of space.

The story of the Goddess, Rasha, and the gods is at the heart of Waven [t/n talking about the MMORG]. You'll learn more about them through the game. It's a topic we'll also address in a potential animated sequel. In fact, it's a storyline we've been working on for years and is one of the most important ones to come.

Regarding the Mechasms, however, there are no plans for them, for reasons I may explain in detail one day. This doesn't mean we won't see them again, but I'd like them to remain completely mysterious, with their intentions unfathomable.

I understand this may be frustrating for some because these projects take time to develop. But if you take a step back, you'll understand that it also allows us to position ourselves in the long term.

We work on the Krosmoz universe over time, with the means at our disposal, and depending on opportunities, we may be more or less ambitious.

Thanks to you and your presence, we're breaking viewship records, and the future looks bright. I hope we can move forward with amazing animation projects faster than we have done so far and quickly provide answers to your enthusiastic questions.

Thank you and see you soon, Tot.

[T/N: This is my translation of Tot's tweet. I'm not a native English speaker but, I hope you can understand what's going on.]

#wakfu #wakfu tot #ankama #wakfu season 4 #wakfu saison 4 #wakfu news #wakfu Yugo #Waven #wakfu manga #wakfu amalia #amalia sheran sharm #Flopin #Wakfu gods #translation FR -> EN

[genericpuff]

Hi! I'm a rookie comic artist and I've been having trouble finding platforms to hold my comics, and I don't want to resort to Tapas and Webtoons. Do you have any recommendations?

There are loads you can try for sure!

ComicFury - great for that old school 2000's webcomic host vibe, allows you to design your own sites via CSS/HTML but comes with easy to learn site-builders as well. You can also host your site through them (and it'll only cost you the domain name). Allows NSFW content, strictly anti-AI.

GlobalComix - just recently released their app, the site itself has been around for the last few years, they have a very sleek and up-to-date backend that offers loads of analytics information, paywall features, and even different reading layout options to suit any creator's needs. Allows NSFW content, isn't anti AI but does require creators to follow their rules and be transparent in their series' labelling so that readers can make informed decisions.

NamiComi - so far a promising alternative to Webtoons that apparently has its own rewards program, though I haven't tried this platform yet so take my word on it with grains of salt.

Dillyhub - Owned by the same parent company as Tapas (Kakao) it's a cozy enough site, let's you share both comic series AND illustrations so it makes for a great hybrid if you want a place that allows you to share both.

All of these, by the way, don't have the 'potential' for massive traffic numbers like Webtoons and Tapas do, but what they offer in the way of backend tools, creator resources, and monetization options absolutely makes up for it. After all, for 99% of creators on WT/Tapas it's impossible to get seen anyways, so if you're gonna be doing your own networking, it may as well be on a site that gives you far more control and options in how you share your work.

Hope that helps! Good luck!! <3

#ama #ask me anything #anon ama #anon ask me anything #webcomic tips #webcomic advice

[phantomarine]

Hoi there - I'm Claire, and I make the Hiveworks comic PHANTOMARINE!

When a seafaring, swordfighting princess falls victim to a successful assassination, she comes face-to-face with the devious, many-faced death god who supposedly cursed her archipelagic world. After proving her mettle, Phaedra is sent on a quest to resurrect herself - but unbeknownst to her, she may be resurrecting far more than that.

Good to read if you like:

Flamboyant Disney Villains

Spooky Scary Skeletons

Technicolor Bisexual Lighting

Toxic Yuri

Cipher Puzzles

Mysterious Ancient Conspiracies

Necromancy and/or Liches

Water and Boats

Dogs, Dinosaurs, and/or Dragons

Eyeliner

Flawed heroes and Villains That Have A Point

The Name Jeff

Not-Annoying Child Characters

Updates Mondays every week!

www.phantomarine.com We also have a Discord HERE! (it is a silly place)

And I have a Patreon HERE!

And you can read a scrolling version on Webtoon HERE!

Phantomarine is also part of the Tapas Creator Rewards Program - read it on Tapas HERE and I get some extra cash!

#phantomarine #webcomic #hiveworks #introductory post #what a week it's been

[beesmygod]

one webcomics trend I've noticed for a bit is comics where the creator casts a wide net and publishes to as many sites as possible, so like there's a tumblr mirror, a webtoons mirror, a tapas mirror, a twitter mirror, I've even seen one that has a tiktok mirror (god). Some of these even have the decency to actually have their own website

the idea was to cast the widest possible net in order to get the maximum audience possible, as this was the excuse for people using webtoons despite it sucking raw hot dogs but i dont understand how on earth this strategy could ever work lol

full lol i love to hear myself talk damn. fucking. subnormality webcomic behavior

anyway to highlight the uselessness of google analytics, these are my analytics arranged on "looker studio", a google product i guess they forgot about, in order to make sense of the useless shit they're showing me. you can see this enormous traffic spike from a traffic bot farm advertising their services by ruining your metrics. you can no longer filter these urls from your data.

full image

here's my google adsense conspiracy theory from me shedding light on why i think (STRONG EMPHASIS ON "THINK". IM HYPOTHESIZING) with commentary from someone who knows way more about the subject than my armchair observations.

my marketing strategy is to talk bullshit with people with similar interests while letting people know when my comic updates twice a week. if they want to read it, they can. they're not stupid, they don't need to be forced into reading it if they want to. i assume most of my readers are as broke as i am so i don't hound them to give me money they don't have. i'll never run ads again unless its like. for a friend's thing. hand-cultivated by me. im not looking for a wide audience, i'm looking for an audience of people who "get it" and can see an inherent value in what i create. if they have some spare cash, i make my barrier to entry on my patreon extremely low; 1 dollar a month and you can see things early and go through a backlog of author commentary and design stuff and rewards im sooo behind on im so sorry. im so sick i promise, im coming back!!! anyway i just want real human people to have a chance to see things and enjoy things without making it a fucking hassle, you know.

the most organic, actual traffic i got from my site is from a friend's webcomic that links to mine. 11 people read a lot of pages! that's genuinely making my head spin! that's great! i hope they liked it and will check in again. i love the comic they came from so they are clearly ppl of taste lol.

oh uh. and heres my comic lol. for any cantankerous gay old losers out there.

#doodles #bearart #a ghost story #web comics #webcomics #webcomic

[lackadaisycats]

Hello!

First of all I wanted to say that your art is super gorgeous and I am super into your setting because ahm DUH cats + crimes are meant together

So I have several questions for you if you don't mind!

Out of all the platforms, how come you are still on tumblr? I am new here and as far as I can see usually major creators don't really use it anymore (and good gosh you are major for me <3)

Have you ever felt jealous of other creators? Do you think your work does not get attention it deserves? BECAUSE I CERTAINLY DO. I bet my friends are sick of me trying to promote your work :D

Have you ever had any fears regarding your art? Or in general?

Hey, thanks! 1. Hmm…good question. It's been, what? At least ten years since Tumblr was really in its zany, tumultuous, hormonal heyday. Then came the Great Annihilation and the Female-Presenting-Nipple Fallout. The ashes have settled and what remains is a, uh, mildly eccentric, post-apocalyptic ghost town? Like Mad Max, except everyone is wearing pastels, sipping tea and chuckling cryptically to themselves about something amusing while fussing with their herb garden. Or thereabouts. Maybe the chaos agents lost interest and everyone else who dwelled here grew up into rather chill adults. I don't know. Either way, I'm kind of liking its vibe lately? I use other social media too. As someone trying to earn a living as a freelance artist, I sort of have to. I'm on Twitter. I'm on Instagram. I'm on YouTube. I have the comic up on Webtoon. I've even got a TikTok for animated stuff. I feel way more at ease here, though. There's less pressure to perform, and to do it aggressively and relentlessly so as to appease a nebulous, uncaring demigod of an algorithm. And when you're doing that amidst a morass of other people, when everything you labor over is reduced to "content", it gets to feeling like you're just flailing futilely around in a stormy ocean. Tumblr doesn't feel like that. No one is vying for massive success on tumblr. From a functionality standpoint, for me, this is still the best place to post a bunch of large images all at once without having to fully reformat everything. And I can answer questions in whatever exceedingly verbose way my heart desires without hitting a character limit…

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2. Ah, well, thanks very much. I really appreciate the of word-of-mouth championship! Promotion coming from an authentic place is absolutely the most gratifying kind (as long as your friends aren't too annoyed with it). It's difficult to objectively measure something like deservedness, though. Sometimes I feel guilty for the amazing good fortune I've had to be able to pursue some of my dreams. Sometimes it's an emotional, physical and financial struggle that has me questioning my life choices and frustrated that the universe doesn't spend any effort trying to balance sweat and tears against reward. Simultaneously, I know many artists who haven't had any of the opportunities I have in spite of - in my estimation - deserving it as much or more than I do. In a more perfect world, things would just be better for creators on the whole. And, well, for most people in general. And yes, I have experienced envy with a bitter edge, mostly when I was a younger, immature artist. I think envy is a pretty natural human reaction - it can be an overall positive motivator to see what other artists have been able to achieve and to desire some of the same level of skill or success. It can also easily turn into resentment that unleashes a whole array of destructive thought patterns and behavior. As I've grown older, I've found fewer and fewer reasons to really feel envious of anyone, though. You come to realize success is a matter of perception, a fleeting feeling, a pyrrhic victory, a largely illusory thing, and that other artists are your allies more than they are your competition. You come to value the things that are the actual substance of your life - like treasured time doing your thing (and maybe even doing it with other artists you enjoy) - more than you value the phantom triumphs and validations you imagine others possess.

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3. Oh yes. Fear is all around. Where to even begin? Fear of disappointing people, fear of ultimately wasting the time of the other artists I'm working with, fear of doing some harm, fear of accidentally offending someone, fear of disproportionate reprisals for accidentally offending someone, fear of losing everything in some contract arrangement gone bad, fear of injury that stops me from being able to continue working, fear of falling short of what I wanted to do, fear of income sources going under, fear of present political situations escalating and upending everyone's lives so profoundly that art isn't even an option any longer….and many more! They're always stacked and looming. All I know is that, while it's good to let rational fears make you careful and aware and prepared, you can't let them stop you.

[usamamoweek2024]

Meet the Creators - Daikon

What username(s) and platform(s) can folx find you on? (Please include links!)

I write under the penname "Daikon", which was unfortunately already taken on Ao3 and Tumblr, so there I use @daikon1

I do also still technically have a FFN account, but it is no longer being maintained or updated.

(Fun Fact) What is your favorite kind of potato?

Oh gosh, I've spent like a week thinking about this and still don't have a good answer. It's probably either twice baked or french fries with some kind of condiment (ranch, BBQ, BBQ ranch, honey mustard, I could go on)

How long have you been creating works in fandom spaces? How long have you been active in the SM fandom?

I technically submitted my first fanfiction to a Buffy archive back in 2004 but MERCIFULLY they didn't end up sharing it on their site. I discovered FFN around 2007 but didn't start actually posting content (and then only sporadically) until 2009.

Regarding fandom spaces, I've come to and from the Sailor Moon fandom over the years; in 2005 I was OBSESSED with Alicia Blade and was dying every time she updated Love Potion #19. Over time, I wandered away and found other fandoms to invest in (shoutout to Kingdom Hearts) though I was much more of a lurker than anything. I didn't really find my way back to Sailor Moon until 2019 when I stumbled on @floraone (and started dying every time she updated The Unintentional Seduction of Chiba Mamoru). Ignoring one fluke-y and OOC piece from 2014, I've been writing for the SM fandom since mid-2020 and am hoping to stay here for a while :)

What type(s) of creative works do you usually make? (fanfics, digital art, cosplay)

I'm a strictly fanfic kind of girl.

What do you enjoy about creating for the SM fandom?

I love the characters and am low-key obsessed with the dynamic between Usagi and Mamoru. I started watching Sailor Moon when it was first airing in the US in 1995 and when I say that shit was formative for me, I am not exaggerating. My favorite relationship dynamic is definitely snarky, stupidly-in-love A seeks sunshine-y-but-perpetually-annoyed-with-them B.

Are you strictly UsaMamo or do you create for other pairings as well?

I don't mind having various sideships in my works, but I don't think I have the emotional investment in any other SM ships to actually write a piece centering them.

What inspires you to create works for Usagi and Mamoru?

TBH, I have been struggling a bit with inspiration of late (I had a bad bout of burnout early in the year that I'm still recovering from) so, you know, once I figure that out... XD

In general, I've noticed that music tends to be something I find very inspiring. The right lyric can shake up my thought processes and sometimes give me a whole piece of writing (see: then you showed up...) In the event that music isn't working, brainstorming with my beta, @floraone, can nearly always unstick me when I can't find any momentum.

If the question is supposed to be more of like, why UsaMamo, see above re: what I enjoy about creating for SM.

Do you tend to work on multiple projects (WIPs) simultaneously or try to finish one at a time?

I don't like to have multiple multichapters going at the same time if I can avoid it. I do tend to have a multichapter in the works, and will pause my active multichapter for a fandom event (such as a gift exchange or UsaMamo week) or if I have a plotbunny I can't shake. However, I tend to try to keep any side works short (ideally a one shot or a novella-length multichapter).

I also have a handful of ideas/story fragments that are basically paused in my drafts folder because I don't have the interest/bandwidth to tackle them at this time, but I might eventually come around to. In an ideal world, I would finish them one at a time

Do you prefer large projects (chaptered fics, webtoons/zines, highly detailed art) or small projects (one-shots or simple art)?

They both have their own challenges and rewards. I find it's much easier to hit a wall in a multichapter, whereas a oneshot you get to finish and push out and "check off", as it were. However, a multichapter tends to grow an audience and have folks invested in where it's going, which is both lovely and validating (and sometimes a lot of pressure!) Multichapters are a lot more of a commitment - I can get an idea for a oneshot and churn it out in a week when I'm feeling inspired, whereas a multichapter invariably takes more time and (at least for me) I don't feel like I can take on several at once in the same way I can tackle a oneshot plotbunny and keep moving. A oneshot is also more of a self-contained "complete thought" while a multichapter can be a bit more sprawling, which gives you more space to explore and innovate.

All that is to say, I'm not sure if I really have a strong preference one way or the other. I like both, for different reasons.

Are there any common themes, situations, tropes, or mediums in your work?

LOL so basically whatever I'm currently tackling in therapy tends to pop up in my writing. Grief and self-worth are big ones lately, which I think is part of the reason I'm feeling less inspired of late. While they are important things to process, I don't necessarily always want to be grappling with those heavy feelings during my fun creative times.

Also, you know. Idiots in love. Healthy and accurate portrayals of sexuality. Minako being a disaster queen. And when I can work it in, I love self-referencing my own works in a kind of multiversal invocation

Is there anything you haven’t explored artistically and would like to try?

Nothing's coming to mind! As mentioned, I'm a writer through-and-through, so I'm not interested in trying a new medium at this time. I think if I did come up with some form of experimental writing I wanted to play with, my beta would be delighted to support me, but right now I'm happy to stick to mostly traditional romantic comedies with a side of emotional processing.

#usamamoweek2023 #meet the creators #sailor moon #usagi x mamoru #usamamo

[chiire]

EMERGENCY COMMISSION Hey guys, this is a sudden announcement but I'm opening up some emergency commissions to help save some funds. If you didn't know, Webtoon Creator Rewards is ending this February and I'm trying to save up for my ongoing projects. It's really regretful that Webtoon rewards is ending, as it's not only my main source of income, but also for many other artists. Just a heads up, my commission slots are only confirmed once payment is received upfront. That way we're both on the same page and everything runs smoothly. Thanks for understanding! If you're interested in my style and want to support me, you can email me at [email protected]. Any help is greatly appreciated   You can also help me by spreading the word and sharing this post to reach a wider audience. --- If you want to help by buying me fries, here's my kofi account https://ko-fi.com/dyumint You can also support me on patreon.com/dyumint 

#commission #genshin impact #genshin xiao #art #bungou stray dogs #ranpo edogawa #OSAMU DAZAI

[kaileighblue]

Webtoon and how to fake it.

As you may be aware I have a webtoon. A relatively popular one I guess? Multiple times a week on different webtoon communities people ask how to get views. I, as an expert, am here to learn you a thing.

Obviously you need to have a comic, but I'm potentially talking to people that already do. The best advice I have for the actual comic is post consistently. You can post once a month. bi monthly. Every week. Whatever just make sure you keep a schedule and a buffer.

This spread sheet of my subs, views and notes about that month. The first few months I didn't keep notes so they're guesses.

There's barrier to entry that is skill and effort put into it but I mean I don't have much of those and I still get by.

While I was furiously making my first few updates I watched every youtube "how to webtoon" out there and followed a few. I joined some discords and am now up to 4.

I started interacting with the webtoon canvas twitter in April. Shortly after first posting.

Including participating in their art challenges or answering their questions. It is of my opinion that got me their eye and thus promotion. I still respond at least once a month. The promotions definitely help, but as you can see it doesn't mean they will stay.

June was a summer coins event like the one currently running but it had even more comics to pick from. I never actually saw my comic there and for a few weeks had no idea why I suddenly got a boost but someone finally told me.

I participate in some romance book communities including those that specialize in monster romance. So I got some promotions from there.

Sub4sub doesn't get you readers. Make art for creators you like and make friends. Creators who genuinely like your work and do work like you are more likely to help you find your audience. Besides on webtoon you can't seen see who subs to what do what good does that idea even do?

I comment on webtoon youtubers. I comment on webtoon reddit. I post thirst traps on tumblr. I started posting more on tumblr in general(and forgot everything I ever cared about.). I started posting these chars on tiktok and and ended up making a comic because literally one person asked. I could probably do more and do better but I do a lot of art and sometimes time is limited.

No matter what you make there's some community out there you can participate in. Make fanart for things like your comic and post it everywhere related. Tag it on general social media sites. etc. Post it on other sites like Tapas, Global Comix, etc. You can do them all but I only really do global comics because formatting is boring.

Also just got on bluesky and making myself their problem.

The Halloween promotion was the biggest push and that's not necessarily luck but demon guy=Halloweeny.

There was a noticeable drop at the time they got rid of the reward program. March 2023 being the end of it. I don't know if/how that was related but it seems true for other people too.

And uh that's the end I guess. Basically here's every reply to every time someone asks how to popular.

#webtoon canvas #webtoon #“professional”

[the-werewolf-prince]

The Werewolf Prince Crypt of Terror Cover Art

You might recognize this as the cover of the limited 1st edition issue cover for TWP Chapter 1, now available in my Etsy. While supplies last.

So I love pulp comics, kinda got into it when I got done with Goosebumps as a kid. And kinda went into a Golden Age comic fascination rabbit hole, as Denver has a lot of great comic book shops, and when you only have $2 to spend on entertainment, It has become a bit of a (now hiatus) hobbie. Tales from the Crypt is def one of my faves. I loved the show as a kid, I enjoyed the comics as a college student, and I'm now very nostalgic for it.

All new VIP tier patrons can receive a copy of TWP issue 1 (Autographed or unautographed) while supplies last!!! Receive other awesome rewards including Behind the Scenes, early access to merch, a production credit & exclusive art, starting at $1.00 a month! Thank you for reading & your support!

Or purchase a copy of the Werewolf Prince issue one on my etsy!

The Werewolf Prince is a passion project 10 years in the making. It is a silly, derivative, and sincere story born from my love of monster of the week TV shows, survival horror video games, gothic literature, campy films, seinen manga, 90's animation, shonen anime, and homoerotic art throughout history. I truly hope you enjoy it. And please, let me know your opinions in the comments. Stay Classy

Art, Characters & Story © Sorbet Mystery

Read the comic! A free way to support the comic is to enjoy it and subscribe! leave a comment, share with someone you enjoy reading comics with!

Webtoon: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/the-werewolf-prince/list?title_no=393305

Tapas: https://tapas.io/series/The-Werewolf-Prince

The Duck: https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/The_Werewolf_Prince/

#lgbtq comic #the werewolf prince #werewolf #werewolf prince #gay art #sorbet mystery #werewolves #wolficorn studios #gay artist #werewolf art #pulp comics #pulp cover #crypt of terror

[morrow-dim]

I came across “Remember, I Am the One Who Took Off Your Cape” the other day and can’t stop thinking about it 😭 Thank you so much for writing it!! 🖤💛 Have you been enjoying Triple Crown so far (and are there any other BL webtoons you’re enjoying)?

Hello, Anon! I haven’t posted on Tumblr in nearly a year (11 months!). I had to reset my password. 😅 But it’s great that Tumblr’s notif system still works because I’m so keen to talk about BL webtoons! 😍

But before that . . . wow. “Remember, I Am the One Who Took Off Your Cape” will (probably) be my sole contribution to the fandom, but it’s close to my heart. I’m touched that you’re touched by it! 😭 I’m also embarrassed to say that I’m only 4 episodes in to Triple Crown. (Yikes!) I had a lot of hesitation because I have issues with Tappy Toon (I’m only on Lezhin or Tapas these days). Then I got distracted by Solo Leveling (yes, I’m about to rec the webtoon), which I devoured in roughly three weeks. Am now waiting for the side stories. Whatever hype you’ve heard about Solo Leveling is true (and I’m currently trying to finish a fic). Although it’s not BL, you don’t have to squint very hard to find those ships. 😉 But getting back to Triple Crown . . . I’ll get there eventually! Though I have to say that the ‘Prologue’ is the perfect webtoon. ❤️

So, aside from Solo Leveling, I have two BL webtoon recs for you and both can be found on Lezhin. They’re character-based stories with art styles that I enjoy. Neither are as gorgeously drawn and colored as Kingmaker, but really, how many webtoons are? What these two webtoons have going for them is brilliant storytelling.

1. “Do You Still Like Me?” Technically, this is an ABO webtoon but it features two alphas, which is the most interesting dynamic to me. The relationship between the two leads is fantastically developed and very rich. The webtoon is a slow burn that begins with a ‘fuck buddies’ trope. (It’s a contract relationship. Literally.) I’m also attracted to the inter-racial aspect of it since one of the characters is Korean and the other British. Most of the story takes place in London. I’d go so far as to say that the way this creator treats the alpha-alpha relationship has fundamentally changed how I view alpha-alpha dynamics moving forward. The structure of the webtoon is also complex, moving between multiple (contemporary) time periods and places. If some parts don’t 100% make sense the first time you read them, have a little patience. The creator always rewards you. When the pieces fall into place, I’ll go over certain episodes and think, ‘Wow. That has even more layers than I originally thought.’ Highly recommended. (This is an ongoing webtoon in its second season.)

2. “The Beast Must Die” This webtoon is my favorite webtoon of all time, BL or otherwise. It’s also one of the darker webtoon I’ve read because the central character – Kang Moo – is a true psychopath. The creator clearly researched psychopathy so that his/her depiction of it is fairly accurate and the situations created very plausible given the conditions of the webtoon. When I decided to jump into fanfic, I read the two books that are referenced in the webtoon just so I could have a basic understanding of the condition. I won’t spoil the plot for you, but I love this webtoon to pieces. It begins when the two main characters are university students and spans over a decade. Like the rec above, the dynamic between the two leads is truly unique. I have never read anything like it in the webtoon world. However, I’d warn you that the weakest part of this webtoon is the second side story (it was infuriating, tbh), but the main fic, the first side story, and the side tracks/collections are exceptional. (This is a completed webtoon.) Kang Moo is an utterly compelling character. (And gorgeous. Really gorgeous.)

That’s it from me, Anon! I bet you’re a little sorry now that you asked for webtoons I’m enjoying after reading all my rambling. 😂 There’s more! (There’s always more. 😉) But these two are a cut above the rest, as is Kingmaker. ❤️

#ask

[yaoi-life2021]

Title: In My Closet Korean: 인 마이 클로젯 Chinese: 别离我太近 Creator: Lisa Risa Category: #Manhwa Status: Ongoing English; #Completed Korean & Chinese Chapters: S01 Ch1-32; S02 Ch33-64; S03 Ch65-100; 10 Side Story (Mature) Genre: #Comedy; #Drama; #Romance; #PureLove to #Smut Tags: #AgeGap; Character Growth; Coming Out; Dormitory; #Showbiz; First Love; First Time Dating Description: When Sua met Jung for the first time, that’s when he knew he liked boys. As the founder of the famous band Attack, Jung was Sua’s idol and more. Years later Sua follows in his idol’s footsteps to become a star but, little did he expect his new manager to be Jung?! Terrified to reveal his true feelings, Sua spirals deeper into depression and refuses to work until Jung begins working closer with him. He promises to keep training so long as Jung rewards him… Where to Read: All-Age English (S01-02) - https://tapas.io/series/inmycloset/info Chinese - https://www.kuaikanmanhua.com/web/topic/4150/ Korean Mr.Blue - http://www.mrblue.com/webtoon/wt_closet_wz Bomtoon - https://bomtoon.com/comic/ep_list/xiumin_212 Lezhin - https://www.lezhin.com/ko/comic/in_my_closet Mature English (S03~) https://tapas.io/series/in-my-closet-mature (Expire on 30 June 2022) Korean Mr.Blue - https://www.mrblue.com/webtoon/wt_closet19_wz Bomtoon - https://bomtoon.com/comic/ep_list/xiumin_213 Lezhin - https://www.lezhin.com/ko/comic/in_my_closet_19 https://www.instagram.com/p/CfHzvvOPQXc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#manhwa #completed #comedy #drama #romance #purelove #smut #agegap #showbiz

[johnko]

Webtoon Mod APK 2.10.16

Lovers of stories and also comics have discovered a safe house for them to take pleasure in an endless supply of stories. With Webtoon, material creators can develop share their stories with the whole globe. On the other side, any person can locate tales rewarding to experience.

Coins

In Webtoon, you will certainly require coins in order to access the Quick Pass. This allows you to view unlimited tales and also finished collection readily available on the application.

Categories

Discover the styles of each story. With this information, you’ll know exactly what to search for even before you download and install Webtoon for Android.

[webcomic-rambles]

 I’ll open by talking about the apps I read on. It’ll maybe give a better idea of what my general tastes are, or it could help people pick an app to use if anyone’s interested.

The ones I’m gonna go over are Webtoon, Tapas, Manta, and Bilibili. I’ll talk about their payment model, favored genres, and general thoughts.

Also! Please note, I’m not really gonna touch on webtoon canvas or tapas community as I don’t have much of a grasp on them.

1. Webtoon

The big one. Webtoon certainly has the most diverse pickings I think, and the most non-asian authored titles. Plus, it’s free and (mostly) without any ‘wait for each episode’ mechanic so it’s easy to browse and binge at your leisure.

HOWEVER, I think webtoon doesn’t do a very good job of promoting new series and even when new webtoons get their covers on the front page when they’re recently released, I find it difficult to be drawn to them. For whatever reason, the covers just aren’t that eye catching to me. Additionally, this is one of those parts where the extreme diversity of content bites webtoon creators in the ass I think. Because I have no clue what to expect out of any story I see, I can’t infer much from the cover or title and it basically flies right over my head. This is pretty directly contrasted by...

2. Tapas

The second biggest I think...? I can basically tell the gist of what I’m going to get from any Tapas title. They’ve got the shiny isekai fantasy romances, the power fantasy ‘game system’ isekais, some modern office romances, martial arts stuff?, some BL, returner isekais...a lot of isekais really.....

Tapas is a lot more tight on their quality control as well imo. Many of their titles are worked on by teams assembled by Tapas, often based on previously proven webnovels that were also published on tapas. All in all, it’s pretty easy to vibe check. If you like the genres I’ve described, you’ll get some very polished pickings of them. If you don’t...well...not all hope is lost. I’ve noticed that in recent times, Tapas has been expanding their selection a bit. I’ve seen some new, distinct art styles popping up in the new releases.

Tapas is freemium but I don’t think it’s that bad. You get (usually) 3 episodes free then it’s wait one day per episode (called WUF.) WUF episodes exclude a certain number of *latest* episodes. I pick up a LOT of webcomics so I tend to only actively read a couple at a time and leave the others on the backburner to keep the stories straight in my head so this model works pretty well for me but it’s definitely something to think about. Note: Tapas gives a small amount of free ink every monday, there are free episode pass pickups for select titles weekly, occasional events, and ways to earn ink for free. For me, every so often I download one of their games on their 2x ink reward event (comes about monthly or so), bulldoze the requirements to get ink, delete the game immediately, then I get to sit on like...30k ink to use. Might be too much hassle for some people though but I wanted to put the option out there.

3. Manta

A smaller app, but very worthwhile imo. Manta’s model is a monthly subscription. Their FAQ says that it varies country to country but I pay $4 so think around that ballpark. For $4 you get everything.

Manta is fairly new to the game but from the time that I’ve been reading on it, it’s only gotten better and better with time and the $4 subscription has become very worthwhile to me. They focus mostly on Asian-authored titles and I think Manta genuinely has the most diversity of stories, differently than Webtoon. I’m not sure if I can fully articulate why it’s different but I think...their tropes, settings, and set-ups are just...very unique from the others I’ve read. Like Tapas, I can basically get the gist of what genre I’m heading into from the cover and title alone but unlike Tapas, there are almost always story elements that hit me out of left field. Hopefully I’ll be able to show some of that in my reviews of Manta titles.

Fair warning: some of their older selections are kinda...eeghh. There are some that look kinda good on the surface but their storytelling is just very meandering, amateur or boring. Then there are the ‘wow some of these romances are kinda bad and maybe very super uncomfortable!!’ ones. You can kinda clock the latter by art style alone though. If you google harelquin manga and/or if you know the old-timey yaoi hands BL art style then you’ve got a good idea of what to look out for.

To note: Manta is the only platform that doesn’t have comments allowed. In fact, afaik you can’t see ratings, # of views, etc at all. Basically, there is no way for the readers to communicate or to community curate. Their selection is...mostly pretty strong and tight already but this could be important for some.

4. Bilibili Comics

Similar payment model to Tapas except they give you a lot more free episodes (usually) and the ‘wait until free’ system is tiered. So basically, the first ep you have to wait for takes 1 minute, then 5, etc, up to 24 hours on the 5th ep before it restarts. Technically, they say that each author dictates how many free episodes they offer and how long the wait periods are but it generally goes from 1 minute on the first to 24 hrs on the 5th. Plus, it doesn’t exclude latest episodes so it’s more generous than Tapas.

My main complaint with Bilibili, and it’s a big one, is the content. Bilibili releases a new title *daily* and there’s very little quality assurance. Both in terms of translation and in the actual series. The genres are pretty all over the place as well though I think some notable ones are: chinese historical isekai, chinese historicals in general, AR/game isekais, office romances. Take this with a grain of salt. Because of how massive Bilibili’s library is, I tend to vibe check most  covers on sight and I likely have some bias on which ones I remember at all.

Unlike Tapas, Manta, and somewhat Webtoon, Bilibili is a pretty distinctly Chinese platform. This affects the content *a lot*. And I mean in more than just the settings (thought it very much affects the settings of many of the comics as well.) Many of the series I’ve dipped into have uhh...a lot of common gags and tropes, as well as a pretty distinct way of delivering comedy that I’ve seen in other Chinese media before. Unfortunately, this involves a lot of casually harassing women and uncomfy feeling romances. This permeates many titles. But! Not all! I’ve def found some good stuff on here. I can’t really say that they’re few, it’s just that because of Bilibili’s release schedule, they are all very far in between. It also means that they tend to be pretty hard to find...

I recommend looking through their top ranking tab. The editor picks, recommended, other curated lists have been...mostly a wash for me lol. Interestingly, their top ranking tab can be sorted into ‘female-orientated’, ‘male-orientated’, and ‘lgbtq+’ which like...ngl kinda works better for me than their actual genre tab. Interestingly, I think bilibili has more GL titles proportionately than any other platform I’ve talked about. A lot of them look really cute and nice too.

#webcomics #webtoon #tapas #manta #bilibili comics

[yurimother]

The Best Yuri of 2020

2020 was hell in every way, and many of us are looking forward to new possibilities and advances in 2021. However, the year brought us many small moments and gifts worth celebrating. Among these, the explosive growth and change within the Yuri genre are among the most precious and most outstanding achievements. This second century of Yuri opened with a bang, as phenomenal new works, creators, and moments made their mark and helped change the future genre.

This annual list is a celebration of just a handful of the fantastic titles, people, and events in Yuri. There are likely some even greater ones that did not make the list because there is so much content in both English and Japanese that even I cannot keep up. However, among the troves of treasure, these titles stood out as shining examples of Yuri excellence. Some were released this year, others were recently adapted into English, and still, others are established titles that rose to prominence to dominate the conversation and my mind this year, but every one of them is worthy of being on this list and in your heart.

Here is the Best Yuri of 2020!

15: The Curse of Kudan Remastered

Japanese Yuri visual novel developers show no sign of slowing down as they continue to push to new heights and try new ideas. These are the same amazing people who brought us the delightful educational Yuri game The Expression Amrilato and the hilarious and surprisingly queer OshiRabu: Waifus Over Husbando’s. However, this most recent release, The Curse of Kudan Remastered, is their best work yet. Released near Halloween, this game brings a new edge of dark mystery and the occult to Yuri audiences worldwide.

The Curse of Kudan is available on MangaGamer, JAST USA, Denpasoft, and Sekai Project.

14: Adachi and Shimamura

English audiences were finally treated this year to Hitoma Iruma’s long-running and wildly successful Yuri light novel series, Adachi and Shimamura. Although the story struggles to gain traction, dedicated readers’ have their patience rewarded with a sweet tale full of gay pining. Alternatively, you can jump into its stellar anime adaptation, with gorgeous visuals and realized characters you will actually be willing to put up with the annoying Yashiro just to see where the title characters go. The series shows no sign of slowing down either, as the manga adaptation is coming to Western audiences next year.

Adachi and Shimamura is available to stream on Funimation. The light novel series is published by Seven Seas - https://amzn.to/3rTSZTK

Honorable Mention: Happy Go Lucky Days

The OVA adaptation of Fragtime got most of the attention this year. Still, director Takuya Satou and Pony Canyon also gave us this much-overlooked “love is love” anthology movie based on Takako Shimura’s manga (Sweet Blue Flowers, Wandering Son). The first short in the film, “Happy,” is easily the best Yuri anime of the year. It follows the beautiful yet realistic queer love story of two women hooking up at a mutual ex-girlfriend’s wedding, only for the relationship to blossom and warm viewers’ hearts. Sadly, while stylized, the budget demanded the animation cut a few too many corners. Additionally, the subsequent stories are at best tedious and at worst alarmingly problematic, which is why Happy Go Lucky Days only gets an honorable mention.

The OVA is streaming on HIDIVE

13: Mieri Hiranishi

The Yuri scene has many colorful creators with a breadth of different ideas and stories in the genre, yet few have provided as much humor and joy as Mieri. This talented creator spectacularly tumbled into the scene with her manga essay The Moment I Realized I Wasn’t Straight, which embodies the brutal honesty and realism of Nagata Kabi and matches it with exaggerated hilarity. She continues to chronicle her painful struggles of being a butch girl in love with butch girls in the monthly series The Girl that Can’t Get a Girlfriend. Alternatively, you can follow her on Twitter for just as much heart and laughter.

Read The Girl that Can’t get a Girlfriend on Tapas and Webtoon.

12: My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!

My Next Life as a Villainess has what can only be described as volcanic bisexual energy. Every character protagonist Catarina Claes encounters is entirely enthralled by her. Of course, she is far too preoccupied with her quest to avoid doom flags and change her ultimate fate to notice any romantic interest. The series is rewarding and well structured, as views are just as focused on how Catarina plans to avoid certain doom as they are with the various romantic misses her band of companions cooks up. While the “friendship ending” did not capitalize on its Yuri potential, it was perhaps the most satisfying possibility for this crazy harem, at least until season two comes out, which looks, unfortunately, to be significantly less queer.

My Next Life as a Villainess is streaming on Crunchyroll

11: Love Me for Who I Am

Kata Konayama’s manga series is less Yuri than a general LGBT work, but it has a lesbian character and explores her identity and struggles in great detail. Few titles before have captured the exciting and nervous waves of emotions that young people feel as they explore gender and sexual identities and try to find themselves. This heartfelt and extremely queer series rubberbands between cute moe dress up to tragic and gripping backstory, keeping readers on their toes the whole time.

Love me for Who I Am is published by Seven Seas - https://amzn.to/3rTSZTK

10: A Summer’s End – Hong Kong 1986

Oracle and Bone’s debut visual novel, A Summer’s End, is set in a vibrant and electric 1980’s Hong Kong. Drawing inspiration from classic Asian cinema, music, and fashion. The worlds of Michelle, a young office worker, and a free-spirited woman named Same collide. The two struggle to comprehend and accept each other’s feelings just as they struggle against society’s expectations and prejudices. An incredibly thoughtful and touching adventure, the creators incorporated vital contemporary elements include Asian LGBTQ rights and growing political unrest in Hong Kong, into this illustrious game.

The visual novel is available on Steam.

Honorable Mention: Goodbye, My Rose Garden

In the same vein as A Summer’s End, Goodbye, My Rose Garden is a beautiful period piece that incorporates LGBT views into its shattering narrative. The story follows a bright-eyed immigrant, Hanako, wanting to make a new life in England as an author at the dawn of the twentieth century. She takes a job as a maid to noblewoman Alice, but their relationship takes a turn when Alice asks Hanako to kill her. This poignant tale is beautiful and an honest depiction of love and its conflict with responsibility and society.

Goodbye, My Rose Garden is published by Seven Seas Entertainment - https://amzn.to/3hFSyaG

9: Shio Usui

Usui’s hit Shaikaijin Yuri manga Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon could easily take this spot even though it is not even out in English until February 2021. The manga is already making waves and receiving constant praise. The characters and their journey to discover love and self-acceptance are as charming as they are relatable and grounded. However, it is the creator, Usui, who really deserves acclaim. Not just for their work on Doughnuts, but having a second serialized story, Onna Tomodachi to Kekkon Shitemita, in monthly Yuri magazine Comic Yuri Hime simultaneously. It is even more remarkable when you consider these two iconic stories are Usui’s first long-running works, as they only contributed one-shots before.

8: Bloom Into You: Regarding Saeki Sayaka

Bloom Into You is possibly the most iconic Yuri series in the past decade, and while the manga deserves its own place on this list, the best thing to come out of the series as a whole is easily the light novels. This trilogy by Adachi and Shimamura creator Hitoma Iruma dives deep into supporting cast member Sayaka. Readers are treated to a delightful journey as she discovers her sexuality, experiences heartbreak, and finally finds herself breaking free and falling in love. With the help of gorgeous illustrations by Nakatani Nio herself, Iruma masterfully captures Sayaka’s unique voice and emotions in this wonderful series. Whether a fan of the originals or not, every Yurijin must check out Regarding Saeki Sayaka.

The light novel series is published by Seven Seas - https://amzn.to/3hFSyaG

7: Our Teachers are Dating

The best a Yuri can get. This workplace romance follows two teachers at the start of a new relationship taking nervous yet enthusiastic first steps, including saying I love you, going on their first date, and even sleeping together. It is so heartfelt and salacious that readers will squeal the whole time. Additionally, our heroines are supported in their relationship by everyone they know, their students, colleagues, and even the principal. It is a perfect world for these two lovebirds! Our Teachers are Dating would easily be number one or two in any other year, but the competition is fierce in 2020. So even though this is only number seven, it is still a master class Yuri manga.

The manga is published by Seven Seas Entertainment - https://amzn.to/38XY3O9

6: Amongst Us

Who would have thought that a comedy alternative universe story spinoff of a fantasy action series would be the single best Yuri webcomic this year? Shilin’s astounding artwork illustrations the hilarious and irresistible journey of girlfriends Blackbird and Veloce. These two eccentric young women get into all kinds of everyday mischief that bounces between tender and touching romance, completely outrageous comedy, and downright thirst-inducing sorcery. Seriously, you should buy the first volume for Veloce’s back muscles alone. The storyline skips between time, but both their established relationship and their meeting as teenagers are adorkable and captivating.

Amongst Us is available online free on Webtoon and the comic’s website. The first volume is in paperback on Shilin’s site.

Honorable Mention: Éclair

There are a lot of Yuri anthologies out there, and they have done some beautiful things. Many focus on themes like Syrup. Others collect a series of stories by an author into one bound work. However, out of all of them, Éclair is the most successful. ASCII Media Works took some of the genre’s most extraordinary creators and let them do whatever they wanted, and the results are spectacular. The incredible talent behind Éclair somehow packs a full volume’s worth of story and character into just a few pages with every chapter. While the first volume came overseas a few years ago, Yen Press gave Yurijin a gift this year by releasing the entire rest of the series in which readers can get lost.

The anthology series is published by Yen Press - https://amzn.to/38XY3O9

5: I’m in Love with the Villainess

A small trend of isekai Yuri with villainesses emerged recently, and I honestly had few hopes of I’m in Love with the Villainess. The series is pretty popular, but I often find that this does not denote quality, and with isekai having some institutional issues, I suspected this would fall flat. Then the volume three cover showcased an incredible accomplishment, allowing for a lesbian relationship to blossom into a family with children, and it blew me away. Finally, I read volume one and realized that the series has incredible character, some of the best world-building I have ever seen in a light novel, thoughtful discussions of inequality and societal issues, and most impressively, open and frank discussion of queer identity and life Yuri has ever seen! This one is something special.

The series is published by Seven Seas Entertainment - https://amzn.to/3nedvdZ

4: The Last of Us Part II

Yes, I know this one is not Yuri and that a portion of the population despises this game and will likely be exceptionally angry at me for including it. However, I maintain that it was an incredibly challenging masterpiece. Naughty Dog did not take the easy route out and delivered one of the most devastating media experiences I have ever seen. As I said in my article about the game, playing it changed me, and it sticks with me to this day. The Last of Us Part II earns its spot on this list because it pushed boundaries more with LGBTQ inclusion than any other AAA game. From brave inclusion of LGBTQ themes to queer characters and storylines at its center, the game changes gaming and it will never go back.

The Last of Us Part II is available on PlayStation 4

3: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

She-Ra feels like the culmination of all the LGBTQ progress western cartoons have made over the past few years. From The Legend of Korra to Steven Universe, young people are finally seeing more LGBTQ people represented on the small screen. This epic fantasy concluded with an amazing and powerful lesbian romance, delivering on its queer promise and revolutionized representation in a trope-defying crescendo.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is streaming on Netflix

2:  The Conditions of Paradise

The greatest single Yuri work of all in 2020 was the English release of Akiko Morishima’s breakthrough manga, The Conditions of Paradise. Initially released in 2007, this anthology detailed the love between adult women. It was in every way a manga ahead of its time, and seeing it finally get a small piece of the recognition it deserves overseas is a true gift. The fact that we can own this legendary piece of Yuri history and Morishima’s other anthologies is nothing short of a blessing from the Yuri goddess.

The Conditions of Paradise is published by Seven Seas Entertainment - https://amzn.to/38bh4xq

Honorable Mention: Otherside Picnic

This eerie sci-fi horror series combines the best of pulse-pounding thrillers, complex and intelligent hard science fiction, and exciting Yuri romance. Author Iori Miyazawa spends as much time crafting a well-paced and intriguing narrative about a mysterious world where occult creatures roam as he does establishing two believable and grounded heroes in Sorawo and Toriko. The romance between the two may be slow to start, but their chemistry is undeniable and as the stakes and story build, so too does their relationship. Not only are the light novels incredible, but the series’ manga adaptation is coming soon to the West as well as an upcoming TV anime in early 2021.

Otherside Picnic is streaming on Funimation. The light novels are published by J-Novel Club - https://amzn.to/3niiv1g

1. Yuri subgenres

For a long time, Yuri was not a genre of its own, but elements of romances or bonds between women found in other works. Now, thanks to an increasing library of works, the advent of social media, and a wider audience, Yuri is a genre on its own, with many creators telling different stories in different styles. However, 2020 saw the continued emergence of something extraordinary, subgenres. Yuri is now so vast, we can actually categorize the works within. Depending on their characters, like classic schoolgirl romances or spicy shakaijin office affairs, their world, such as fantasy or isekai series and thrilling science fiction adventures, and even other elements within. One of my personal favorites is the feminist Yuri that emerges from titles like Sexiled, where women celebrate the accomplishments of other women and dismantle power structures stacked against them. Now, no matter what kind of Yurijin you are, there is something for you to love.

I am happy to leave 2020 behind, but I bring with me a renewed love and admiration for Yuri. 2021 looks to be a somehow even better year for the genre, and I am thrilled to experience every minute of it that I can. Yuri has transformed into something far greater than I ever thought it would be, and let us all enjoy its evolution and expansion together in 2021.

#yuri #manga #anime #top 10 #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtq+ #queer #gay #girls love #gl #adachi and shimamura #otherside picnic #lists #2020 #happy new year #2021 #new year