A few weeks ago, I reviewed Daisuki: Hikaru and Sakura, by Tsukiishi, one of the two books I discovered in the Yuri section at Mandarake in Shibuya. Today, we’re looking at the second of these, Koigokoro (こいごころ), also by Tsukiishi.

Initially I remembered this book as a less-good Yuri romp than the other, and upon re-reading I see why. The first story, told in glossy color pages is practically Erica repellent. ^_^ However, the subsequent stories – which are all tales of love/lust between two girls with the ever-so-sexy addition of bodily fluids – were not quite as bad than I remembered.

I did strongly object to the one story where non-conconsensual sex leads to a realization of love…that was too BL trope-y for me, and the story that hinged on the color and length of a long-lost love’s hair was very ugh. (I can’t love you! Your hair is not the same color as I remember from 7 years ago! Um..what? Whatever.) On the good side, there’s the story about the star runner and her girlfriend…and had a nice little side story about the power of names; one quick manipulative piece about a semi-stable relationship and; a sweet tale of an otaku and her maid robot. (That last bit is meant to be read with only a hint of sarcasm.)

Surprisingly, I have one of the stories included in this collection in the form of a doujinshi. I presume it was given to me by Horai-san, as it was a very sweet confrontation between two girls and admission that their feelings are, in fact the same.

This “plot, what plot?” collection is rife with sex, but always (with the one exception) accompanied by love and an emphasis on sweet/cute rather than skanky. Unless you find sweet/cute feels skanky, as I do.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story -In every case the story is girl has sex with girl – 4
Characters – 4
Yuri – 9
Service – 10

Overall – 5

The art is far too moe for my taste, and I have a small pile here of things I keep meaning to give away, so this weekend, we’re doing a give-away. Let me think about what hoops I have to make you jump through to win some manga. ^_^