Oyasumi Sheherezade, Volume 1 (おやすみシェヘラザード) (Subtitled in English “Nighty-Night Sherezade) by Shinofusa Rokuro is a Yawara Spirits webcomic that is surely in the running for the strangest thing I have ever read.

Asato hears rumors of “the 13th witch” who lives in Room 13 in her dorm. Should she ever be taken into that room, she will never come out the same, she is told. But one night when the dorm mother is about to catch her out on a late-night bathroom trip, the door to Room 13 opens and Asato is pulled in. And it turns out that rumor, as far as it goes, is true.

What Asato sees is a voluptuous young woman, dressed in sexy lingerie…who begs Asato to keep her company. Herezado Shie was used to talking with her mother as she fell asleep and being in this huge room by herself makes her lonely. What Shie wants is to tell Asato about the movies she loves. If Asato is able to stay awake all night with her, she will receive a “treat” of undetermined nature.

Initially, Asato is sure that this treat will involve physical intimacy, as Shie is very sensual and free with her body. Asato metaphorically girds herself to have a sexual experience with Shie, but, no, all Shie wants is to talk about (and sometimes act out portions of) movies. Asato, who has no particular interest, ends up falling asleep every night.

Asato shares her story with her friends who are delighted and cheerfully freaked out. When they meet Shie-sempai, one of them turns out to share her love of movies, but her friends are bored to tears. Partially because Shie talks about the movies in great, yet random, detail. Even movies I know sometimes are hard to follow. And Shie’s acting looks more like scenes from a horror movie.

As volume 1 comes to an end, we learn that there is a history between Shie and Asato’s super-strict and apparently uptight class President. I am not sure whether I actually wish to know what it is. I was torn between finding this so bizarre and ridiculous that I couldn’t stop reading…and kind of boring, so that I’m not sure if I’ll keep reading. Like Asato, I don’t much care about movies.

Shie is actually kind of cute in an obsessed way and Asato and her friends are pretty normal. The weirdness is only in the setup, within which everyone seems kind of nice. The art is quite good when it comes to pinups of Shie and purposefully mediocre at other times, which I quite like.  I just don’t know if I like it enough to keep reading.

Ratings:

Art – It can be as high as an 8, but often isn’t
Story – ????? I have no idea how to score this at all
Characters – Same
Yuri – 1
Service – 8 All cheesecake

Overall – I don’t know! 8? 3? I have no idea! Even if you like movies, I think it would still be really strange. Let’s call it a 7

If you wish to experience this series in all its unique strangeness, then catch the newest chapter on the Yawara Spirits series web page.  You’ll at least get to see what I mean about Shie’s lingerie.

Volume 2 is already available and Volume 3 will be released at the end of May.