Yuri Manga: Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari, (ピュア百合アンソロジー ひらり) Volume 6

February 24th, 2012

Yes, yes, I know. I promised I was done with Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari (ピュア百合アンソロジー ひらり)…if there wasn’t any Yuri, because for a “Yuri” anthology there’s been very little sign of it.

So, of course, I’m reading Volume 6 (I said I wouldn’t review it, not that I wouldn’t read it…) and it laughs quietly to itself as there’s actual Yuri to be seen. I guess I should threaten anthologies more often – it worked with Tsubomi, too. ^_^

As always I am skipping any story I didn’t like, don’t feel was notable or just have some resentment towards and want to see suffer. (That is a joke. Don’t get all “See, see? She’s a bundle of barely contained anger at the world!” on us.)

So the second story, “Hiragana-sen, Aiu Eki Yori” is a ridiculous meeting on the train between a cute girl and a “tough” girl that turns out to actually quite like the cute girl and everything that first appeared one way is something much more sensible. Even the title makes sense, eventually.

In “Shiroi koto ga Toi Dress” a girl comes out to her mother and she and her lover discuss their future plans.

“Anata no Tamenara” tells a very overblown story about a girl and her bodyguard. It was actually kind of funny, in a strange way.

Scarlet Beriko’s “Corolla 2” looks fantastic. I mean, visially it appeals to me in every way. Unfortunately, the story, which seems to wrap up with this chapter was kind of more of the same. But, hey, the girl got the girl.

In “Hajimari no Kotoba” Girl A confesses to Girl B, and is rejected but…it was sort of by accident. Paper snowflakes help them mend the rift poetically.

Despite myself, I really like “Under One Roof” the story of a college student and the lesbian whose house she rents a room in. I honestly wish we got a few more pages a month, but it’s not that there’s a story, just moments where Miho is starting to think about Fuuka in a new light.

“Sneaker no Kase-san” follows the title character as she takes her friend shopping for sneakers and a few fraught moments as they become very aware of one another and of the fact that they are on the same page.

The winner of the volume – and I’m just as surprised as you, believe me, is “Tsuki no Shita no Miyabi-chan” by Auri Hirao. The same Auri Hirao that writes Manga no Tsurikata. When Miyabi-chan confesses that she comes from the Moon, it’s not surprising that Neko isn’t convinced. Until, that is, the moon maidens come in through her window, demanding their Princess back. This story was funny, a little touching and just so out there it was hard to not like.

In Hakamada Mera’s “Saromelic,” Salome is painfully aware that she likes Hikari, but may not have the chance to do anything about it.

There were other stories, of course. Please feel free to discover them for yourself. I have no doubt that you will like them more than I did. ^_^ Still, I think this magazine is actually improving. It could still be a fluke. Volume 7 will be out next month and we shall see.

Ratings:

Overall – 7

I will be at MangaNEXT in Secaucus, NJ this weekend. Yuri Panel is 7:00 PM on Saturday night – there will be goodies to give away. “State of the Industry” Panel is at 11AM Sunday and otherwise I will be at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund table. Stop by and say hi!

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