I’m kind of liking the mix that fills the March 2016 Issue of Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫2016年3月号). I actively don’t like a few stories, don’t care about a few, like a few and like a few very much. It seems as if Ichijinsha has managed a fair balance.

Of the stories that I like, I’m both amazed and pleased that “Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san” by Kuzushiro continues to be interesting, even as we occasionally glance away from the menagerie towards Aki’s relationships, which are surprisingly fraught.

Shinobu in Katakura Ako’s “Last Waltz” must put off some pheromone that makes her super attractive to the other characters in a way that the art can’t *quite* convey. ^_^

I have to admit I have completely lost the thread of “Shoujo Shikaku” by Kawai Roh and can’t make the romance/drama work at all with the horror story that surrounds it. Also the lead is a total drip. (-_-);

I like Nakahara Tsubaki’s “12-bun no Etude” even if it really isn’t a Yuri story, and really only because of the story in my head, not so much on the page.  But at least the two leads have managed to make it to the friend stage, rather than nice kid being rebuffed by talented asshole stage.

“Kanaete! Yuri Yosei” by Minamoto Hisanari continues to be a delightful little romp in silliness.

Takemiya Jin has a new story “Kimi ga Iru Bassho” about a girl who falls for another girl she sees all the time. They become friends and it turns out that the second girl isn’t the clueless doofus we kind of pegged her for.

“2DK, GPen, Mezamashitokei” by Ohsawa Yayoi takes a side trip into Koyuki’s sad and slightly unrealistic backstory, to give us an inkling of why she is so driven to succeed in manga.

And Aoto Hibiki’s “Prince, Prince” returns from the edge of unreadably awful to just sort of silly and unhealthily obsessed with gender roles, clothes and a messy plot, where it belongs.

As with every other issue, there are many other stories not mentioned in today’s review for reasons ranging from disinterest to revulsion. There’s nothing wrong with that, really. I am interested in approximately 1/3 of the magazine right now, which is way better than some years, when there were two stories I could read.

Ratings:

Overall – 7