Comic Yuri Hime July 2019 (コミック百合姫2019年7月号) was a little bittersweet for me. It marked the end of a series I hoped would never end, hisona’s “Goodbye Dystopia.” But aside from that there was so much that was else going on, that I didn’t have all that much time to be sad. ^_^
Kodama Naoko’s “Umineko Besso” took a different direction as we get to understand the story of Ayashima, and why she’s taking Mayumi’s intrusion on their happy household so personally.
“Tonari no Rakuen” by Kiriyama Haruka is a cute little adult life story about a working woman who needs a break and the partner who makes sure she gets it.
At last, we’re starting to get the backstory on Yano in “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!” by Miman. She is not sure that she can trust Hime…and not sure its worth it, but she’s sympathetic to Sumika’s request to fake it beautifully for the sake of the cafe.
It’s school festival time in “Hayama-sensei to Terano-sensei ha Tsukiatte iru” and Terano and Hayama could not be cuter if they tried. Until next month, when they will be even cuter. ^_^ Speaking of cute, Takashima Eku’s “Sasayakuyouni Koi no Utau” remains an adorable young love scenario. I’d add Yuama’s “Ikemensugi Sugi-sempai” to this list, as well. And “Itoshi Koishi” by Takemiya Jin. All of these series have something that Yuri occasionally lacks – characters who really enjoy each other’s company. And now that I have said that out loud, as it were, I realize that that one thing is totally my boom in a romance. I really like it when characters like each other’s company. ^_^
“Kaketa Tsuki to Donuts” is turning out to be a surprisingly touching, as an office worker begins to question the assumptions she’s made about adult life.
“Scarlet” and “Kimi ga Shine Made Koi Shitai” scratch the horror itch, in completely different ways.
The end of the magazine includes a new JP publisher’s initiative to avoid piracy and the advert for Ohsawa Yayoi’s upcoming new series, about which I will have thoughts shortly. ^_^
Once again, this was a solid issue full of things I read and did not read and liked and did not like. The Yuri gods are in their heaven and all is right with the world.
Ratings:
Overall – 9 if I remember to not read – or even look at – several of the creepy moe series, 6 if I don’t
The August issue is already available and I’m already halfway through it. I love that there’s so much Yuri, but ahhh! I can’t keep up!
Thanks for the review, Erica! Perhaps this is a strange question, but why do you dislike the moe series? Do not think that this is some kind of claim or accusation, I just interested in your personal opinion.
There are two reasons. I find the simplistic blob-heads of moe art aesthetically unappealing. It is meant to 1) infantilize the character, which does not appeal to me at all and 2) save time and effort, which I understand, but do not like.
More importantly, the moe fandom edges dangerously closely to being lolicon so regularly that I find it emotionally repulsive as well.
A four year-old’s face on an adolescent body is not something I want to see. Worse when the story hinges on the characters being actual children as in Watashi ni Tenshi ga Maiorita!, I feel physically ill. Pederasty is not cute. A whole lot of pedophiles hide behind moe openly.
Thank you for your detailed answer! I am usually quite neutral to similar shows, but I am very frightened by the current tendency of otaku to view these titles as peculiar “bird cages”.