The September 2014 Issue of Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫) was the most unreadable issue since Comic Yuri Hime S was re-absorbed into the main publication.
Unless you like sisters in love, animal-eared fetuses in frilly dresses, stories of friends in which no feelings of romance exist at all, and all the other not-two-girls-who are-together-and-the-story-happens possible permutations of “Yuri” there is very, very little for you to enjoy.
There was very little for me to enjoy here. Which is not to say there was nothing. Just not much. Continuing stores continue, there are a few bright spots here and there.
Comic Yuri Hime, having driven away almost all my favorite artists, and having boxed the remainder into “infantile moe schoolgirls” has set the clock back to 2000, with an audience who likes Yuri waiting for someone to publish a decent Yuri magazine. Even as Yuri as a genre is getting serious attention,Yuri anthology magazines have hit rock bottom.
Well, time to shake ourselves off and start again! I will be here when they get back. ^_^
Ratings:
Overall – 2
I’ll be honest, the continuation of Yuri Danshi and Yuri Yuri enrages me. Enough already. They are not funny, not entertaining and not Yuri. End them already and give that space to something with actual Yuri. Please.
Yes. I am tired of Yuri Danshi, Yuri Yuri, Citrus, etc., as well as the full page advertisements for those stories appearing in the magazine they are printed in. Meanwhile, as you stated, some of the best and well known Yuri artists are no where to be found in Yuri Hime. I have the next issue as well, at least the cover was not embarrassing, it reminded me of the times of classic Yuri. The cover was the best part of the magazine. I am in no hurry to buy the next issue. My monies are better spent on Yuri artist tankobon. I did notice, unfortunately, that there is an abundance of hentai Yuri anthology magazines for the males. I know this industry, this is business, but I do not see how Yuri Hime would cater to male readers and take a chance in alienating female readers, whom the figures have shown have been the majority readership. Perhaps it is simply par for the course as they say.
It’s a bit simpler – a male editor-in-chief means what he wants to read gets preference. And new artists are much cheaper and more malleable than established ones.
It is par for the course, but I hope that some of the better artists band together to make a better magazine.
I don’t see how that afterword is polite, respectful or adds value :/
I don’t enjoy YuruYuri as a Yuri series, but it’s a pretty great moe SoL series. Not on the level of, say, Azumanga Daioh or Non Non Biyori, but it’s superior to stuff like A-Channel or K-On! (well, K-On! the manga; I wasn’t a fan of the anime either but it was a solid work, at least in the direction and artistry). I can see why you’d prefer it not tarnish the pages of the magazine you don’t like, though.
Citrus is pretty crappy, though. Never read Yuri Danshi, though I don’t see that it’s recommended.
“…tarnish the pages of a magazine.” I am allowed to find it not entertaining and nothing at all is tarnished here. The magazine is a pop culture mag put out by a publishing company, it’s not hurt by my not liking an issue, even if you are.
Sorry if you found the remark spiteful. I was meaning that I found your remark a little unintentionally ironic. I guess you mean more that they’re the embodiment of what you dislike, rather than standing in your way of liking it.
That is correct.
While I have always appreciated your commentary for reviews, for once I feel like you really were too aggressive and disrespectful to what’s being published. It may not be in good taste for your preference of Yuri, but it’s what’s selling. I too am extremely disappointed with the recent closure of Hirari and other magazines promoting Yuri, but crapping on what’s left won’t get you anywhere and makes the genre look bad. I can’t even imagine how some of those mangaka feel knowing this genre is falling into the background again after making such great strides recently. I don’t even see it as the big Yuri contributors not getting their shine due to funding though, I see it as they’re getting these gigantic projects that are grabbing their attention elsewhere to support what they want their audience to see. And for the record, Amano Shuninta and Takemiya Jin are in this issue…I don’t know how much better you can get than them.
If it is your true desire to have Yuri become a majorly supported genre, why not get publishing rights to have glorified series’ become English-translated yourself? I’m not talking about ALC Publishing which I only seem to notice American manga, but the actual good stuff that Seven Seas will probably never touch. Numbers matter to Japan obviously, might as well show them what actually is desired then.
Oh…and before I forget. They’re step-sisters, not blood-related (since I know you took a jab at Citrus). Let’s not create incest when it’s not actually incest. I look forward to more reviews in the future!
Hi Alexandra – I appreciate your position, but I don’t think “respect” comes into it at all. What we have here is a straight-up difference of opinion. You’re absolutely allowed to like the content and I am allowed to not like it. Step-sister vs sister may mean something to you, but to me, it’s the same plotline.
As an addendum, while I adore Amano-sensei, I do not like “Ayame 14” at all. I find it creepy.
Citrus pretty much has no business hiding behind “they’re step-sisters!” since it’s clearly using the sister angle for marketing purposes. It’s like a doujin using a childlike character as a romantic partner leaning on “but she’s really a 400 year old vampire!” – yes, but that doesn’t magically change the rest of the context, and there’s a ton of artistry needed to deal with that context that isn’t being done.
Citrus sort of wobbles towards doing something with the angle by making the socially imposed sister role one of the many false paths and obstacles between Yuzu and the girl she’s fallen in love with. There’s a decent story in there somewhere about the barriers to that connection and the struggle to breach them.
But it’s mostly “they sleep in the same bed because Mom is a troll” and forbidden love marketing.
Exactly so.
I didn’t have as strong a negative reaction to the weaker stories in this issue because as far as I can tell they’re just temporary placeholders until Kuzushiro-sensei can ramp up to drawing the entire magazine.
(and I’m still enjoying Cho Cho Nan Nan, Nao is 格好いい)
Haha, yes, it does seem like that in the November issue! I was really put off by the first 3 stories all being incest, followed by other rather fetish-y stories. The first half of the volume was “nope, nope, nope, nope….”
When I felt relieved to be reading “Tsuki to Sekai to Etoile”, I knew something was wrong. I *do* like Kuzushiro’s new series though. Since it gets a million pages in the November issue, I’ll write about it when I review that.
“Chou, Chou, Nan, Nan” is…okay. Not her best work, but of course I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.
I agree it’s not the brightest star in Takemiya-sensei’s constellation. There’s an argument that it’s due to very consciously emulating the style of weaker manga.
Four schoolgirl friends with carefully differentiated character designs and an off-kilter like polygon doing cute things could be from anyone. This is the surface and bulk of the manga – it relies heavily on contrivance and plays most things for laughs. This might be to fit an editorial direction, it might be artistic choice in service to what follows, there’s no way for me to know.
It’s when that flips – and becomes properly Nao’s manga, not Aoi’s – that it gains strength. Nao is a legit Takemiya Jin character. The emotions are not funny and not necessarly healthy. Chihiro is a villain, not just one of the girls.
It’s just that it keeps resetting to the cute classroom comedy :). Hopefully in service to spiralling further each time it flips again!
The January edition has the sixth chapter (unless I’m mis-counting) and “to be continued” so we may see two tankobons out of this. What I’d like to see is Aoi step up for some real character growth, so she’s strong enough for her relationship with Nao and we can more readily invest in the couple. Aoi is unusually passive for a Takemiya Jin character (even Nana blunders actively towards happiness), and needs to actually put some main character work in.
I’d prefer Takemiya-sensei to be doing a long-running series with adult characters, but in the context of what we’re actually getting there’s an argument to be made for CCNN’s merit and potential. And the art is great :)
Excellent analysis! When this gets collected, would you be willing to write the review for us? I’d love to have your perspective.
Sure, but at my reading level it’s a bit like an archaeologist speculating on ancient economics from some pot shards and an auspiciously shaped rock :)
Hahah, I so, so sympathize. There is no rush and I’m still be interested in your thoughts.
Yea. I quit this site.
I agree on the Yuri Danshi rubbish ending taht shuld have ended its run last year’s springtime imo. YD was good for awhile, as a analytic sorta manga or print rep of how male Yuri fans approach their stance on Yuri, but after that, it was just stalling.
But yeah, your dissing is just getting worse every year. Is this what is called “grumpier with age”? Too bad for you I suppose, aint my problem.
Still gonna hate you for dissing yuru Yuri, since much of what YOU prefer are the older gen’s tastes, and not flexible about it either.
Thus, when you meet your inescapable end, us younger gens will integrate into the world a more accepting Yuri tastes culture just like how homo-sex relations are slowly being accepted here & there and just like how gens before have.
Oh forgot to add how ironic it is that you’re not flexible on what is taken as “Yuri” (xept for Yuridanshi) but ironically you’re flexible (obviously) to accept homo-sex marriage in this world. 2 diff things you might say they are but it is quite ironic, and sad to see of you.
Bye! Come back anytime when you understand what a “review” is. ^_^
You’re angry at me for not liking “Yuru Yuri,” but being supportive of same-sex marriage? I have to admit, I find this a little hilarious. I can only assume you were not reading this blog in 2007-8. I’m much kinder now than I was. This is the first issue of this magazine I have not enjoyed in years.
It’s time to revisit this article: Objectivity in Reviews. Not.