Yuri Manga: Tsuki to Sekai to Etoile (月と世界とエトワール)

October 23rd, 2013

Takagami Yuriko’s Tsuki to Sekai to Etoile (月と世界とエトワール) follows Maisaka Yozora as she enters an elite girls’ school that specializes in musical achievement. Following the steps of her idol Umiyuri-sama and the advice of her grandmother, she decides to attend Gekkoukan Gakuin and become a singer.

What Yozora learns, when she enters, is that the elitest of the elite pair off into Chevalier – Etoile pairs in a relationship that is called an “engagement.” Umiyuri-sama’s chevalier is the appropriately knightly Towa-sama. Umiyuri seems to have favorited Yozora’s rival, Kagami, while Towa favors Yozora.

Almost immediately, Yozora is dragged into Towa and Umiyuri’s affairs, of course, and she finds herself engaged to the straight-talking, somewhat brusque Kishinabe Sekai. Sekai and Yozora decide to compete for the Etoile position, despite their newness at the school, only to have suspicious circumstances keep them apart on the competition night. Undaunted, Yozora competes alone, singing Sekai’s music unaccompanied.

Towa and Umiyuri are forced to acknowledge Yozora and Sekai will be formidable rivals in days to come. And, if I’m not mistaken, the series is on-going, so more shenanigans and secrets and ancient history will come to light.

For all that it was a lot of the same thing over again, I have a hell of a time following this story in Comic Yuri Hime. Probably because I wasn’t really motivated to do so. Important rings, “engagements,” singing battles instead of swords, a beautiful couple, Etoile, lot of high-falutin’ names: Eternity, the World, Night Sky, Stars, etc. It all seems so derivative. But I sat down and really read the story this time…it’s not going to be a go-to story for me, but it’s not all that bad.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Yuri – 5 (by implication, and one kiss so far)
Service – 1

Overall – 7

The elements are second-hand, but the story and art are attractive and would probably play well in a shoujo manga magazine.

3 Responses

  1. Hmm, going to have to check this out, certainly sounds up my alley. I do enjoy the silly elite school with Yuri flavoring stories from time to time (see: Strawberry Panic, Nobara no Mori no Otome-tachi, etc.).

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