Welp, I kind of knew this was coming. Statistically speaking, we were long overdue for a not-good issue of this magazine. Comic Yuri Hime, February 2020 (コミック百合姫2020年2月号) is not great.
Several new series that wallow in grotesque fetishtry and are clearly meant to appeal to people who do not like women, or want to see them happy, are combined with the end of a series by an artist who does like women and wants to see them happy, made this volume a very difficult read. As the number of the stories that are lolicon, exploitative, and manipulative are increasing, while the number of stories about women enjoying – or learning to enjoy – being together, now number less than previously. I find myself clinging to the few I genuinely enjoy and making my eyes glaze over as I pass by so much of the magazine. I have, in past years, continued reading what was at the time Yuri Hime, when it was down to two series I liked, but I really don’t want to return to those days.
In the middle of so much that is not good, let us rejoice in what is. It felt a tad rushed, but the ending of “Itoshi Koishi” by Takemiya Jin, gave us a couple who we can absolutely believe will have a happily-ever-after. Yayoi and Hina are cute together and we can rely on Hina to be grounded. Sure it’s a fake wedding now, but one day I hope they will get the “real” wedding they deserve. ^_^
“Terano-sensei to Hayama-sensei ha Tsukiatteiru” did something that amazed me, in a good way. In a great way. Hayama-sensei is off to do what teachers around here call a “service day.” That is, she’s attending a class or workshop of some kind off-campus. While there, she meets a woman and they speak of their girlfriends. Together. Like adults. Hayama-sensei has been given a person to speak with who is another adult woman, in a relationship with another woman. Their meeting was part of their daily life. It was all perfectly normal, everyday life stuff. The way lives actually are. I read this chapter over three times, just to make sure I hadn’t hallucinated it.
In “Hello Melancholic” by Ohsawa Yayoi, Minato is let into the private world of the upperclassmen in her band. Chika jerks Minato’s chain about seeing Chika and Sakiko kissing, but it’s mostly because Minato’s reactions are so OTT. ^_^
“Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!” by Miman finally reaches the climax its been heading towards, as Hime has to reckon on what future to choose.
Kuwabara Tamostsu’s “Anta ga Senaka o Misetara” is a one-shot of a the sort of sports drama I’d love to see a full series of. ^_^
Ratings:
Overall – 7
As always, there were stories I read and haven’t called out that were perfectly okay. But I worry when the fourth series starts that is very clearly designed to appeal to much lower than lowest-common denominator. Writing this review has made me feel better about what is running that is good and I hope that that will continue.
I’m picking up the March Issue today and will keep fingers crossed.
