Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – July 11, 2026

July 11th, 2026

In blue silhouette, two women face each other. One wears a fedora and male-styled attire, one is in a dress and heels. Their body language is obscure - they may be dancing, or laughing or fighting. Art by Mari Kurisato for Okazu

Yuri/Baihe Live Action

It is official! Tsukiatte Agetemo Ii Kana / How Do We Relationship is getting a live-action drama! The official X account kicked off this week with the announcement and a piece of art by Tamifull and a Key visual.

Via Reddit folks on r/Baihe reports that My Darling Is the Cutest! live action will air on Tencent video. The manga, as poster laine4466 notes, is out from Tokyopop as She Is Still Cute Today, Volume 1.

YNN Sr. Correspondent Matt Marcus points to casting calls for extras for a live-action adaptation of Otherside Picnic is being reported (this via Yanaken on X.)  

 

Yuri Anime

The Animate Times reports that we’ll be getting a MURCIELAGO anime for 2027.Yay!  Here is the teaser on Youtube.

I notice that The Moon on  Rainy Night anime we were supposed to get this past spring has been silent. No casting or staff news. Boo.

r/anime on Reddit is still working on that Simoun 20th anniversary rewatch. It’s a great series full of giant world-building holes. I loved it. Simoun has the honor of being the very first anime to be marketed as “Yuri” in the US. (Not at all coincidentally, I have the very first DVD that came off the press. The folks at Media Blasters all signed it for me. ^_^)

Takanori Uno announced on LinkedIn a Brazilian Portugese edition of Sal Jiang’s Black and White, from Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha, Ltd.

Sylvia Jones reviewed A Hundred Scenes of Awajima on ANN and like everything else she writes, it’s worth reading.

For several days this week, Kamiina Botan Fully Blossoms When Drunk disappeared from Crunchyroll (which is heavily into shittifying itself right now, so I will not be adding links to their store any more to the Yuricon Shop) and people were *pissed*. But it is back, so watch it already. (This last is a note to myself. ^_^)

The first episode of I Want To Love You Until Your Dying Day is up on Crunchyroll. Feedback has generally been positive. ^_^

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Yuri Manga

This came in too late last week to make the Anime Expo round up. Seven Seas has licensed I See You, Aizawa-san!, a story about a girl who can see ghosts and he ghost of a former classmate who makes her heart pound.

Via Sr. YNN Correspondent Sean Gaffney, the fantastic Renee Scott has reviewed The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t A Guy At All for School Library Journal’s Good Comics For Kids. Renee aka The Library Lady is great: “if you’re not a fan of The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy At All, allow me to help you get out from the rock you’ve been living under.” 

 

Baihe Novels

Seven Seas also announced three(!) Baihe novels at Anime Expo, Matrilocal Marriage: Ruzhui about “a time-traveling woman who lost everything and the mysterious heiress she comes to marry out of convenience.  Also by creator of A Clear and Muddy Loss, Qing Jun Mo Xiao, they have My Wandering Spirit Lady, about  a woman and ghost! Feels like a theme. ^_^

Lastly, I am very pleased about Miss Forensics: Wo Qinai De Fayi Xiaojie by Jiu Nuan Chun Shen. I loved the live-action of this. Great for the Sherlock Holme fan in your life, this is about “a forensic doctor and the cold detective she works with.” 

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Yuri Visual Novels

Two days left to get your submissions into the Toxic Yuri Game Jam 2! 

Via YNN Correspondent Roxie, Lyyycaena on X pointed to their new Horror Yuri game Kickstarter for Mermaids are Food, with the intruiging tagline “A horror sim and visual novel with yuri and 10+ endings. Are mermaids more like fish, people or monsters?”

Studio Élan announced that Twofold:First Snow “will be coming to Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation 4 & 5 soon—in fact, you can play the Twofold demo on consoles right now!” They also have a Kickstarter running for My VTuber Rival Is Actually Cute?

Max Schwartz on X note that 1000x Resist and Heaven Will Be Mine are being bundled on Steam for 20% off right now.

 

LGBTQ+ Comics

Via  Matt Marcus, we have news of  BEAST’S LIBATION – A Dark Butch/Femme Werewolf Romance a new comic Kickstarter from Miki Brewster. This is a “296-page dark f/f romance between a cursed servant and her divine queen. For 18+ readers.”

 

Other News

Via Sr. YNN Correspondent Ashley, here is a fascinating article about Nüwu, a genre in Chinese novels centering women, without focusing on romance. Read Fan Yiying and Mao Rui’s No Woo: At China’s Top Anime Convention, Love Takes a Back Seat.

Once again via Matt Marcus, Manga and women’s service agencies team up to tell untold stories looks at the specific sex work service Kabi Nagata’s My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness and Amano Shuninta’s Aisarete mo Iindayo.

 AnimeNYC is now on the horizon. Crossed Hearts has already announced their first-ever Industry panel. They are goin all-out with goodie bags, prizes and a new imprint! The schedule is not out for the public, but I know Manga Mavericks will also have a panel, and I am likely to be on it. ^_^

 

Your support for Yuri journalism and research has never been more important than right now. Patreon and Ko-Fi are where we currently accept subscriptions and tips.  Our goal is to raise our guest writers’ wages to above industry standard, which are too low!

Your support goes straight to paying for Guest Reviews, folks helping with videos, site maintenance, managing the Yuricon Store and directly supporting other Yuri creators. Just $5/month makes a huge impact! Become part of the Okazu family!

Become a part of the Yuri Network, by being a YNN Correspondent: Contact Us with any Yuri-related news you want to share with us.

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Rica Takashima × Akiko Morishima Talk Event Report

July 9th, 2026

Last month, folks in Japan had the chance to attend a historical discussion of Yuri in the 1990s and the birth of Yuri in America, with creators Akiko Morishima and Rica Takashima. Our Japan Correspondent Sasori is here with a report on the proceedings!

Signboard for lonliness books in Higashinakano, with a poster that read "Yuri Story" and features Rica and Miho from the cover of "Rica 'tte Kanji!> by Rica Takashima.

 

I’m headed to loneliness books in Higashi-Nakano, to meet two Yuri icons, Rica Takashima and Akiko Morishima.

Rica Takashima is best known for her series Rica ‘tte Kanji!?, one of the first English translated yuri manga. Her later sequel in 2025 being New York Love: Rica ‘tte Kanji!? I remember when I first read her works in the US anthology Yuri Monogatari!

Akiko Morishima is the creator of Hanjuku Joshi, Rakuen no Jouken (The Conditions of Paradise), Yurikuma Arashi, as well as many other yuri manga. She also did cover illustrations for Hajimete no Yuri Studies: Queer/Feminist no Shiten kara (Introduction to Yuri Studies: From Queer and Feminist Perspectives). She is now serializing Hitorimi Desu (Living Single) (KADOKAWA/CandleA), about the life of a single lesbian in her sixties.

(Sources from the description of the event)

Walking into the bookstore was like walking into a manga gallery, the entire wall was lined with Takashima-san’s works! Under her original manga pages, were magazine publications as well as By My Side and all the Yuri Monogatari anthologies. I’ve never seen all of them lined up before, it felt like a yuri time capsule. 

A wall with original art pages by Rica Takashima displayed in plastic sleeves.

Seeing close up manuscripts of the manga is always a treat because you can see all the typography glues in the speech bubbles and hand done screen tones. I also liked seeing the English translated manga surrounded by their respected JP publications.

Table with Japanese and English language Yuri art and books, and pins with art by Rica Takashima.

My only wish was that I had infinite money to buy more books! There was so much on sale.

A shelf with multiple editions of Rica 'tte Kanji!?, and Yuri Monogatari, By Your Side

Original art by Ric Takashima displyed on the wall.. Color images of Rica and Miho, as well as original pages of Rica 'tte Kanji!?

Lined next to the manuscripts were small shikishi and original prints, sifting through the prints in the binder was so satisfying.

Original pages of Rica 'tte Kanji!?

 

Close up on art and books for sale, original work by Rica Takashima and By Your Side.

A print image of Rica and Miho in the snow with a grocery bag.

 

The talk started at 20:00 ( 8:00) in the middle of the bookstore. There were a total of about 15-20 people, so a really comfortable turnout. Takashima sensei began by passing around a bowl of American candy, and she knew her stuff, there were Twizzlers and airheads in there! Both Takashima and Morishima sensei were very upbeat and could back and fourth really well about honestly any topic as well as their respected works .

Takashima sensei talked about what it was like living in New York and brought up the history of Yuri, often referencing By Your Side and even Fun Home. I also liked Morishima sensei’s response to some questions about gender equality, and she also talked about being a fan of Sailor Moon and Cutie Honey.

Other topics covered were the current lesbian fashion of the past and present (Butch military styles, overalls, and more feminine attire), the lesbian bar scene, and a shared love of mini skirts.

It was kind of like listening to two friends reminiscing about the past, which was very comforting.

A photo of a small, cute bookstore crammed with books, and a talk event space in the middle.

The talk went a little past it’s allotted time, but I was able to buy some cute stickers and a copy of Tokyo Love, that Takashima sensei signed with an adorable sketch of me, complete with heart eyes. I was hoping I could stay a bit longer to see if Morishima sensei had any books, as I am also a huge fan of hers, but sadly I had to catch the late train home.

A close-up up Toyo Love - Rica 'tte Kanji!? cover and two Rica/x Miho pins.

I’ll be sure to revisit the loneliness bookstore, not only for the awesome LGBTQ+ rep, but also because it’s rare to see so many English publications outside of Kinokuniya.

If you ever find yourself in Higashi-Nakano, be sure to take a peak, maybe you can buy some issues of Yuri Monogatari! 

 

Posted in Events, History of Yuri, Morishima Akiko, Rica 'tte Kanji, Rica Takashima, Sasori, Staff Writer, Yuri Manga, Yuri Monogatari | No Comments »


Comic Yuri Hime, July 2026 (コミック百合姫2026年7月号)

July 5th, 2026

On a black background, surrounded by purple staging, a girl in black and purple, get her toenails painted, held in a woman's hands. The cover for Comic Yuri Hime, July 2026 (コミック百合姫2026年7月号) by Chiriko is a deep contemplative black and purple. The words on the cover are in Latin “Nihil Valet, Ioc Ludus Est Sol Nobis Duobus” which roughly becomes “Nothing matters, the sun is just a joke for the two of us.”  Again, there’s a backstage vibe. I don’t know what any of it means, and the random mannequin heads and bodies make me uncomfortable. It’s giving Yuri version of Something Wicked This Way Comes.(No link, I bet your local library has it.)

As usual, there are any number of series I am not reading, and this issue begins with one of them, FLOWERCHILD’s “Utsushicha Damena Kao” with color opening pages.

This time around there are a number of horror, pyschological horror and toxic Yuri series, most of which I’m not reading. I find unentertaining to watch the emotional suffering of high school (or younger) girls, but you might find those more interesting than I do. 

One of the horror stories I am reading is “Hina-chan Ikiterunara” by Tsumugi Meme. In this story, a girl who has been missing for several years returns..unaged, with no memory of those years. In this chapter, Sora had befriended Minori who is an occult enthusiast. As Minori starts to look into Hinako’s disappearance, things get weird.

In “Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Uta,” faced with imminent stardom, Hajime looks back on her life, on how she put hr feelings for Momo aside, about her desire (or lack of?) to be famous and maybe for the first time to admit what she wants to herself.

Kashikaze’s “Kimi ga Hoeru Tame no Uta o” is picking up tension as LUPINUS work towards a goal…and they reach out for advice.

“Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” by inori. and Aonoshimo is giving some useful depth to Lily’s character and the way Salas was able to embed Alter so deeply within her subconscious. By using Lily’s frustration, and feelings of rejection by Rei, Alter is able to use Lily more easily. I really liked in this chapter how Lily and Alter are starting to phase together and are less separate personalities than two sides of a fractured soul.

Touma’s “Kimi no Seinandakara, Sekinin o Totte you ne” is not going where I expected, as Mitsuki, juggling feeling for Sui-chan decides to try some paid dating as the vendor, not the client.

And again, “Hareta Hi no Dress Code”  is also not headed where I expected, which is great. The sports Festival is upon us and a hair scrunchy seems to represent the something building between Natsuki and Miwa, but the more immediate crisis is a creepy dude visiting the school taking pictures of first-years that Miwa passes off to Okita to handle…and he picks up what she is laying down right away.

“Zangai Shoujo, Kirakirana Sekai no Soko” continues to world build the futur-ish city around a bunny girl android and the people who repair her…and become her friends, of course.

In “Muryoku Seijo to Munou Oujo ~ Maryoku Zero de Shoukansareta Seijo no Isekai Kyuukokuki ” by Tamasaki Tama, it appears we have tracked down the story of the source of the miasma, at last!

“Rounin Nante Roku Demonai!” was a very sweet one-shot by Tsuchiya Usagi about a girl falling into despair and a cram school buddy who drags her (kicking and screaming) into hope. 

Koharu and Minato sign up for a workshop to make their own  wedding rings! in the autobiographical comic by Daruma and Hiarron.

Ten and Lulu are back in “Chouuchyuu Yori Ai wo Komete,” by Ashidaka Woz. A marriage for Lulu and Ten’s past both come rushing into their lives at the same time.

And this month’s “Film ni Saku Yurinohana wo Atsumete Kimi ni Okuritai” column by Kobara Yuuko our protags watch  Asagao to Kase-san.

This was a particularly good volume. I’m reading and enjoying more than half the current series/one-shots, which is an amazing stat for a manga magazine.

Ratings: 

Overall – 9

The Back cover repeats the Latin from the front cover, but also say, “Tu Tantum Spectare Debes Unde Es” which tranalator tooltells me means “You Just Have to Look Where You Ar From.” 

Okay, then.

The August issue is out now!

Posted in Comic Yuri Hime, Magazines, Yuri Manga | No Comments »


Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – July 4, 2026

July 4th, 2026

A blue silhouette of a girl with a white flower in her hair, embracing the earth. Blue block letters read YNN Yuri Network News. Art by Lissa P. For Okazu.It’s Anime Expo weekend, let’s celebrate all the amaziiiiiing licenses thus far!

Yuri Anime

Our top story this week is the The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t A Guy At All promotional video is real and up on Youtube.  In a stunning indication of a Yuri anime getting real money invested, Nirvana’s “Breed” is the OP animation by Cloverworks

The announcement came paired with a video of Arai-sensei handing over the anime playlist to Dave Grohl and getting his feedback.  This will be streaming on Crunchyroll in January 2027. 

As Sr. YNN Corespondent Sean Gaffney so cogently put it:  

2001: “Those two girls sometimes stand next to each other. Yuri? I should write a fic.” 
2026: “Yeah, the new yuri anime based on a bestselling manga has Breed by Nirvana as its OP and it was introduced at the con by Dave Grohl.”

We are entering a whole new era. Let us pray that no Yuri anime is ever poorly funded again. Amen.

MediaOCD is releasing a Lady Oscar: The Rose of Versailles Complete Collection Blu-ray set. This is the entire 40-episode television series for under $50. Unbelievable.

Via YNN Correspondent Patricia Baxter, here is a link to Mitwa, a short sapphic animation that was shown at the Annecy Festival. Set in In Southern India in the 60s, two lovers find time with each other among the hubub of festival preparations.

ANN’s Joanna Cayanan has news that the Maebashi Witches Emoemories: Blooming Witches Compilation Film Opens in Japan on October 23.

Sr. YNN Correspondent Sean Gaffney  AnimeAnime reports the results of their Favorite Yuri poll. Giant Robots for the win. ^_^


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Yuri Manga In English 

Huge news out of Anime Expo for manga!

Manga Mavericks is working on a beautiful deluxe print edition of The Sword of Paros!  This queer fantasy is epic and personal and gorgeous. I am editing the book and could not be happier. Pre-order direct from Manga Mavericks for North America and UK.

Inklore has entered the ring with Ikoku Nikki by Yamashita Tomoko! Yay! I started reading that ages ago but never finished. I love Yamashita’s work and thought the anime adaptation, Journal With Witch was fantastic.

Kodansha announced the license for Battan’s Fatale Game. I reviewed Volume 1 of that recently here on Okazu.

Meian announced a French edition of The Fed-Up Office Lady Wants to Work for the Villainess to be released in September

BluPetal announced The Black World is Dyed in White Chalk. This story brings two girls who have suffered trauma together to find healing.

And Yen Press announced Takane-san and Arashi-chan, a school life Yuri.

The Death-Dying Princess Creates a Yuri Harem to Survive is up for pre-order. This Yuri spin on the Villainess subgenre looks fun.

Anita Tai on ANN notes that Stardust Telepath manga will be ending with 7 volumes.

A little late on my part, sorry, but Glam Beat sent Pride Month off with a post that all their Yuri manga is now available on MangaPlaza (which is subscription-only,) and Bookwalker!

 

Yuri Manga In Japanese

Yuni’s Anata Mitai ni, Volume 1 (あなたみたいに) adult life romance is up on Bookwalker!

And Boyishna Kanojo ni Numatteku! ? Yuri Anthology  (ボーイッシュな彼女に沼ってく!? 百合アンソロジー) is  as advertised on the tin. ^_^ This is out from Comic Growl, which is a new name to me.  ^_^

Aoto Hibiki’s office romance Kono Koi, Ittan Mochikaerasete Itadakimasu! Volume 1 (この恋、一旦持ち帰らせていただきます!) is out!  Link to Bookwalker JP.

Volume 1 of Kuzushiro’s  30 Made Hhitoridattara Isshonikurasōoutte Itta Yo ne? (30まで独りだったら一緒に暮らそうって言ったよね? ) is out. Two women make a drunken promise that if they don’t have a lover by 30, they’ll move in together. Link goes to Amazon JP, but it is serialized on Bookwalker.

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Via Sr. Correspondent Matt Marcus wing is releasing figurines for Gujo and Chin-lan from Kamiina Botan.

 

Yuri Podcast

This Week In Fandom History celebrated Yuri Day with me! Check out our conversation on June 25: Yuri Day (百合の日) with Erica Friedman. We had a lovely conversation.

 

Yuri Visual Novels

via YNN Correspondent Akatsukinoluna, Carmilla: Crimson Moon now has a demo up on Steam. ” A dark yuri horror visual novel inspired by a classic gothic novella. When the enigmatic Carmilla arrives, Laura is swept into a fever dream of obsession. Is this stranger the cure for her loneliness or a herald of corruption? And what caused the mysterious deaths of two girls in the nearby village?” So, it’s straight up Carmilla. ^_^

Your support for Yuri journalism and research has never been more important than right now. Patreon and Ko-Fi are where we currently accept subscriptions and tips.  Our goal is to raise our guest writers’ wages to above industry standard, which are too low!

 

Yuri/Baihe Reading

Baiheverse offers up this short disussion of Baihe vs Yuri: What Is the Difference? where they make a very solid argument that when readers call Chinese WLW media Baihe, reader keep the cultural context of the work. I absolutely agree, honestly. I’m not for policing you, personally, but knowing and using the words used by a community shows respect and understanding of that community…something we know to be true in the queer community as well. ^_^

Sean Gaffney gives us his thoughts on Kamiina Botan Fully Blossoms When Drunk on his own blog. Sean’s posts are always worth reading.  

We added two articles to the Yuri Resources Page under the Fan Studies section, by Burkeley Hermann and Mayo Chiki. If you have Yuri research or essays, let us know and we’ll get them up on our Resources page.

 

Your support goes straight to paying for Guest Reviews, folks helping with videos, site maintenance, managing the Yuricon Store and directly supporting other Yuri creators. Just $5/month makes a huge impact! Become part of the Okazu family!

Become a part of the Yuri Network, by being a YNN Correspondent: Contact Us with any Yuri-related news you want to share with us.

Posted in Yuri Network News | 2 Comments »


Manga Mavericks Licenses Queer Manga Classic Sword of Paros

July 3rd, 2026

Last night at Anime Expo, Manga Mavericks Book announced the license for Sword of Paros, written by Kaoru Kurimoto with art by Yumiko Igarashi! /flailing hands/

This is being sold as a complete series in a deluxe print hardcover volume, with the most gorgeous design, including sprayed edges featuring the Sword of Paros itself. Dan Luffey is translator, I am editing, Jeanthrix Andres is doing the lettering and Darren Vogt is the designer. When I tell you that this will be *amazing* I am not using hyperbole. 

Here is the official synopsis:

The legends that speak of the Sword of Paros say that it can bestow either prosperity or ruin on its kingdom…depending on the heart of its wielder.

The kingdom’s current princess, the beautiful yet resentful Elminia, laments being treated as a soulless tool simply for being born in a woman’s body.

Accompanied by Count Yulias, Elminia rides as far away from the kingdom’s politics as possible. One day, Elminia meets a beautiful young girl named Fiona, and their lives and the kingdom are changed forever.

My 2004 review of this series missed a key point: Elminia (I favored ‘r’ over ‘l’ in my initial review)  is a trans masc or nonbinary character. Despite being told they have “two hearts” like Sapphire, Elminia is clear about not belonging in a woman’s body. I interpreted this in 2004 as Elminia being a masculine lesbian (as I interpreted Elminia’s desires through a lens of my own.) This book was written in 1986, and so the issue of Elminia’s gender could be the topic of respectful discussion, as Kurimoto was drawing on the “Girl Prince” archetype and playing with the idea of expected gender role vs gender presentation/gender identity. In a world where women are tools and men are free, the options are clear.  In our world, there is more nuance. I look forward to your thoughts.

I’m delighted to introduce this amazing, emotional, action-packed and incredibly beautiful queer manga Sword of Paros to the world!  Pre-order it today on the Manga Mavericks Store!  Direct orders are only for North America and UK. If you live outside US/CA/UK, keep your eyes on your local Amazon or check with your usual bookstore when the book is released.

Posted in Classic Yuri, English Manga, LGBTQ | No Comments »