Every year we get to this point and I’m furiously writing lists, trying to give you all the best possible choices for the year. This year I realized that so much of what we’ve read and watched has been reviewed by our guest reviewers, staff writers  and YNN Correspondents that I invited some of the folks whose names you’ve seen here many times (and will continue to see,) to give us their top Yuri picks as well!

The criteria I provided was pretty loose – it had to have come out this year, was all I asked, so some folks picked individual volumes, other whole series. Some ordered them, others didn’t, so don’t think it’s just lazy editing (which, yes, it is, it’s been a long year and I am exhausted) it was also just because this all amazing stuff and who cares about lists, really! We all win today. ^_^

Although these are all incredible works, there are a good dozen that could have been included here that we didn’t get to, because 2023 was just like that for Yuri.  If you don’t see your favorite series on these lists, or just want to join in, feel free to add your Top Yuri of the year in the comments. I look forward to reading those. ^_^  Author and publisher will be listed with the first appearance of any given title. Wherever they can, title links will lead to the Yuricon Store, so you can run out and purchase yourself some great Yuri!

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Here are the Okazu Staff Picks for Top Yuri of 2023!

Laurent Lignon

1.Even Though We’re Adults by Takako Shimura, published by Viz
Relatable characters and a well-crafted story rooted in real life makes this tale of two adult women slowly finding their way as a couple a must read for anyone into Josei Yuri.

2. I’m In Love With The Villianess by inori., art by Hanagata, manga art by Aonoshimo, published by Seven Seas
Finally translated in French this year, which allowed me to read this brilliant isekai Yuri (despite me being NOT an isekai fan ^^), which immediately got a spot in my Top 2023 series. Yes, it is THAT good and probably a future classic in the genre.

3. Run Away With Me Girl by Battan, published by Kodansha
A journey from the dark to the light, dealing with the weight of toxic relationships and the way same-sex couples can get acceptance from society, makes this Yuri an interesting read for those who aren’t put-off by some of the negative themes dealt within the story.

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Patricia Baxter

3. Silhouette of the Sea Breeze by Nekobungi Sumire, published by Amaitorte
2023 was an excellent year for yuri manga, from mainstream releases to independent titles, and Nekobungi Sumire’s Silhouette of the Sea Breeze was one of the best manga in the latter category.  The one-shot focuses on the lives of a catwoman and a mysterious woman who regularly patronizes her restaurant and an incident that brings these strangers closer together.  With delightfully cute character designs, well-paneled scenes and an impressive amount of characterization in under fifty pages, Silhouette of the Sea Breeze left me wishing I had more time to spend with these characters and their world.  For those who enjoy quiet and atmospheric manga inhabited by adorable characters. Available digitally on multiple platforms in print on Alice Books and Pico-Tsuhan.

2. The Moon on a Rainy Night by Kuzushiro, published by Kodansha
Between its stellar leads and well-written story, Kuzushiro’s The Moon on a Rainy Night quickly became one of my favourite new licenses of the year.  Kanon is an excellent example of a disabled character written as a person, rather than a stereotype.  She is given free rein to express her emotions, negative and positive, which is still rare to see in a media landscape that typically focuses on writing disabled characters solely on one extreme.  Saki is also a greatly intriguing character, who may stumble at times, but thankfully is willing to listen and learn from her mistakes.  Whether she is going to take the first step to being open and honest about her feelings for Kanon remains to be seen.  I am intrigued and excited to see how the pair’s relationship will develop and grow from here on out, and highly recommend this series to those who love well-written character-driven manga.

1. She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat by Sakaomi Yuzaki, published by Yen Press
The term “favourite” is difficult to throw around for me, since I can find so many things enjoyable within such broad and definitive labels, such as “best manga”, that it’s difficult for me to pick only one.  That being said, choosing the best Yuri of 2023 was a no-brainer for me, as it could only be Sakaomi Yuzaki’s delightful manga series She Loves to Cook, She Loves to Eat.  Between the characters who are as charming as they are relatable, the diverse range of body types amongst its central cast, and frank discussions of queer identity, She Loves to Cook, She Loves to Eat is truly a unique treat in the landscape of modern manga.  There are so many things I love about this series, but what is most striking to me is that it is a series focused on queer women being unapologetic about who they are and what they love.  If you’re looking for an empathetic and queer-positive manga, with great food as a focal point, this is a series you don’t want to miss.

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Christian LeBlanc

Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games by Eri Ejima, published by Seven Seas

While book 5 was the only volume to be published in 2023, it was also the only book all year to give me the type of back shivers that I normally only get from listening to intense music. The first half of the book is a move-by-move breakdown of 3 separate rounds happening at the same time during a fighting game tournament, but Eri Ejima expertly conveys the feelings and reactions of the players, then combos that with technical commentary and emotional reactions by onlookers to give insight into the matches, all of which draw the reader in and make them hang on every last move. I almost felt like it was me experiencing the type of ego death Alison Bechdel describes top-level athletes having in her book The Secret to Superhuman Strength. We also get a little melodrama and a reminder that one of these girls is crushing on another, but this volume is mostly about Young Ladies pushing their limits and competing on a high level.
 
She Loves to Cook, She Loves to Eat
A slice-of-life story about women eating delicious food on the surface, this series is really about found family accepting and embracing one another, as well as the characters’ relationships with food, upbringings, society, and each other. This book gets real in a lot of places, and it’s refreshing to see our leads talk about how stifling conformance can be, and how liberating it can be to break out of the molds they’ve been given. 
 
The Girl That Can’t Get a Girlfriend  by Mieri Hiranishi, published by Viz
Erica brilliantly thought to compare this book to The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe, which I’m still impressed by (spoiler: this manga ends on a much happier note!). In this one-and-done autobio comic, Mieri portrays a short but intense relationship she had with her girlfriend, along with her struggles to accept the breakup and, ultimately, herself. The artwork is charming, the humor is incredibly fresh (the funniest thing I’ve read all year), and if you’ve ever had trouble letting something go, a nice reminder that you weren’t alone in that.
 
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Luce

Doughnuts under a Crescent Moon, Volume 4 by Shio Usui, published by Seven Seas
This ended the series, and I loved it. For me, it was lovely on page asexual representation – it’s not labelled in the manga, but I see Asahi and Hinako as being in a queer-platonic relationship. With so many romance manga ending in a kiss or a wedding, to see the mangaka go with this option was really heartening for me, and felt in line with the characters. 
 
 
She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat, Volume 3
I will admit, I wasn’t super on board with this series to start with. I’m not really into watching people eat food, in any medium. Volume 3 is where it turned around for me, with the group of four forming with Nagumo and Yako, and the respect that the characters give each other is heartwarming. It’s truly become a found family comic to me, in addition to the romance, and that earns it a spot on my list. 
 
 
Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games, Volume 5
This series is honestly so over the top, it’s glorious. The facial expressions are amazing, and it’s exactly the right pitch for people who are this into fighting games – the passion for them is clear. I’m not sure that many people have fighting game related trauma, but I’ll take it. It’s ridiculous, but it’s so glorious. 
 
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Matt Marcus

How Do We Relationship, Volume 9 by Tamifull, published by Viz
It’s hard to find more words on this volume apart from what I said in my review, but the writing here is exceptionally sharp. The chapter from Saeko’s mom’s perspective and the snowball fight were standout moments for me in a series that is chock full of potent and nuanced emotional beats. If Miwa and Saeko’s story ended with them as truly loving friends as we see here, I would be fully satisfied. If you are looking for relationship developments that feel earned, this continues to be the best place to find it.
 
Otherside Picnic, Volume 8 light novel, by Iori Miyazawa, illus. by shirakaba, published by J-Novel Club
The only yuri work this year that is literally transcendent. An incredibly cathartic entry that ends with a massive payoff to seven-and-a-half volumes of build-up that does not disappoint in the slightest. If you have taken to this pair of misfits and their otherworldly misadventures in any capacity, you will be babbling like a fourth kind nonstop after finishing this volume–and I mean that in a good way. The only question is: how is Miyazawa going to top this?
 
Birdie Wing anime, 2nd cour
There were many other yuri anime that were vying for this spot this year between Yuri Is My Job, MagiRevo, and, of course, GWitch, but I have to say that no anime this year had me more hyped for the next episode than Birdie Wing. Sure, I missed the underground golf escapades from season 1, but the intentionally over-the-top melodrama kept things sizzling until the (admittedly rushed) end. Anyone looking for a wild ride that breaks the mold owes it to themselves to check this one out. Get yourself a girl who will kill you in golf.
 

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Sandy Ferguson

Otherside Picnic light novel ,Volume 8
I have been waiting for this volume and I wasn’t disappointed. Sorawo’s engaged in an odyssey where she reaches out to an eclectic group of people to try and figure what it means to fully share in someone’s life.  And then there is the conversation and beyond between Sorawo and Toriko where they explore what a relationship looks like for them when the Otherside is involved. For me the word ‘vivid’ comes to mind when describing Iori Miyazawa’s vision of this stage of their relationship.
 
Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon Volume 4
A charming and engaging conclusion to Asahi and Hinako’s journey, that I often enjoy reading again.  It was a delight to follow them as they discover what it means to be in love with one another on their own terms, while dealing with the presence and opinions of family, friends and rivals.
 
>The Moon on a Rainy Night, Volume 1
Through a chance encounter Saki meets Kanon and so begins a story of connections that I really enjoyed.  Saki is drawn into Kanon’s world, a world shaped by Kanon’s very limited hearing and how this has shaped her relationships with others.  After some missteps Saki and Kanon begin to understand, appreciate and respect one another.  Kuzuhiro does a wonderful job of exploring these growing feelings and describing Kanon’s perspective of someone who all too often is separated from the world around her through her lack of hearing. 
 

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Eleanor Walker

1. She Loves to Cook, She Loves to Eat manga and drama series.
This series is pretty close to perfection in my book. Adult characters doing grown up things and bonding over food. This is one of the few things I read immediately when I get a new volume, I can’t give it much higher praise than that. The drama series is also delightful too and a great adaption of the manga. The two leads do a wonderful job of portraying their characters and I’m very excited for the next season. Definitely one to pick up if you enjoy slice of life. 

2. I’m in Love with the Villainess anime
What a delightful explosion of queer joy. This series was highly anticipated and for me at least, did not disappoint. The staff did an excellent job of staying true to the source material whilst also adapting it to suit their medium. Please write to Ichijinsha if you would like to see more! The manga adaptation is also ongoing and very enjoyable, and we have the second volume of She’s So Cheeky for a Commoner to look forward to in the spring. Maybe it’s a little early to call, but this is one of my series of the decade so far. 

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Erica Friedman

I’m cheating, like I always do, and going with a tied top three, plus runner ups, because there are so many series I want you to know about. Also, as my wife points out…it is my blog and I can do what I want. ^_^  We’ll start with Runners-up:

Watashi o Tabetai Hitodenashi ( 私を喰べたい、ひとでなし) by Naekawa Sai, published by Kadokawa
This is one of two series I really hope we’ll see licensed in 2024, but right now it’s Japanese-only. (2024 Update: This has been licensed by Yen Press as This Monster Wants To Eat Me!)

This creepy-shivers up your spine story about a girl who didn’t die and all the supernatural creatures who either want her dead or want her alive is just soooo good, it’s worth learning to read Japanese for.

If you like youkai, or ghosty-, goblin-y horror and deep existential angst with your Yuri, this is the story for you.

Hana Monogatari (はなものがたり) by schwinn, published by Kadokawa
This is the second series I really hope to see licensed in 2024. It is a story of an older woman and how her life begins after her husband passes. She finds that he had held her back in many ways…and she finds an unexpected love. I can only hope someone picks this up, because we need more senior Yuri.

The story explicitly connect this modern Yuri love story with Yoshiya Nobuko’s generation-defining tale of the lives and loves of girls and women and brings home just how much has not changed – and just how much has. It reminds us all that while we are alive, there is always opportunity for growth. I love that.

Moving on to three anime that are really their own Top Three in a year full of Yuri anime:

The Magical Revolution Of The Reincarnated Princess And The Genius Young Lady anime

I wanted to get this on the list because while the light novels and manga are good, the anime was fantastic. The anime remixed some of the story, cut out a few things and really made the story better.

The LNs are addressing some important issues, but it’s really the fantasy element that…no pun intended…make it soar. This might not be a modern look at sexuality, but it is a terrific story about understanding one’s place in one’s world….and then the LNs take the story and *deal with all the collateral damage,* then move forward. That’s unique enough to make them worth reading.

I highly recommend watching the anime, then picking up where it leaves off to read the light novels.

Birdie Wing anime

I have banged on for years about how much I want an amazing Yuri sports anime and in 2023, I got it. It was nearly everything I could have hoped.

Birdie Wing second cour set the mafia golf story to rest, finished up a shoujo school sports storyline with dispatch…and turned around and became a seinen sports anime. With guts and blood and collapsing on the green and life- and golf-threatening ailments and homages to other series that are laid out like laundry for everyone to comment on. 

It is impossible for me to not put this masterwork by Yousuke Kuroda on this year’s top list, since it was so nearly everything I ever wanted.

Speaking of masterworks, I would be remiss if we did not take a moment to honor the next series:

Mobile Suit Gundam – The Witch From Mercury anime
From the beginning, it was the team’s intention to create a Gundam series with a female lead. They were incredibly successful with a series that was incredibly popular with both Gundam fandom and outside it. Not only did we get a female lead, we got a brown-skinned, immigrant female lead who ends the series in a same-sex marriage. Can we just sit with this and boggle at the wonderfulness of it?

Like most Gundam series, this series touched on the many ways we punish people for being “other.” It made us root for the rage of the marginalized. It made us angry at their horrible successes and cry for their losses.

Bonus points for Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Revolutionary Girl Utena, and a host of other references and homages.  The anime was the usual Gundam ride through humanity’s worst and best instincts, but we all needed that happy ending…and we got it!

Even before I read everyone else’s list, I knew what my top three were. Now, after reading them, I think it’s safe to say we have something close to a consensus on these titles as the….

Okazu Top Three Yuri Series of 2023

The Moon On A Rainy Night 
Kuzushiro-sensei has been one of my favorite artists for, literally, two decades. I have a whole section of my doujinshi collection dedicated to her work. I was part of the localization team for her Kimi no Tamenara, Shineru manga for JManga, back in the 2010’s.

I am so glad that this series is out in English and it’s being treated with such good care by Kodansha. This series has what I consider some of the best disability representation I have ever read and – although it’s not out in English yet – a solid tale of queer identity. Also important to me, both Saki and Kanon’s journey are central to this story.

This story paves the way, I believe, for many more stories of people with disability in manga and I really hope it opens a lot of hearts and minds wherever it is read.

I’m In Love With The Villainess
Queer identity is baked into this series from the get-go. Whether you are reading the light novels, the manga, listening to the audiobook or watching the anime, Rae will always be asked if she is gay and she will always answer with honesty. Characters will discover their gender and sexual identity and that will just be one teeny part of a much larger adventure story. With so many media to experience this story through, there is a format that surely will be the right one for you.

When you love it as we do, there’s always the Villainess’ perspective to keep drawing you back in. (And, now, a sequel, which inori.-sensei is publishing herself on her Pixiv Fanbox!)

High fantasy and magic and a openly queer love story that lasts through the ages. What more could we ask for?

As much as I adore I’m In Love With The Villainess – and I do, as the 12 reviews and countless YNN posts I have done this year alone indicate, rivaling my obsession for Maria-sama ga Miteru – there was one title that hit both my criteria for a top series. It is a series so special that right from the beginning of the year, it was always likely to be the 2023 Okazu Top Yuri Series this year:

She Loves To Cook, She Loves To Eat
When thinking about my top picks for the year, as I said, I had two criteria. Queer identity – explicitly, openly discussing sexuality and gender in ways we did not have to explain to anyone, or have open “to interpretation,” was the main criterium. But I also really was blown away this year by how many series we had that were presented in multiple media: light novels and manga, anime and audiobooks…and live-action.

The thing about a live-action drama airing on Japan’s national television network, is that it is going reach so many more people than a manga. TV is still how millions of people get their news and entertainment and despite the fact that younger folks have cut those cable connections, preferring online sources of streaming and news, there’s no doubt that a popular evening drama TV show will beat the pants off even a very popular anime in terms of ratings.

She Loves to Cook, She Loves To Eat is a joyful exploration of found family and self-acceptance. It had a very successful 10-episode live-action series last year and we’ll be getting a 20-episode series in the new year. Seeing two real humans learning to understand their feelings about themselves and each other and their extended intimate friends, will be the first time a lot of people see people with emotional hangups, phobias, trauma and identity concerns presented as capable of being happy and having fun, enjoying each other’s company and supporting one another.

Creator Yuzaki-sensei is very vocal about her support for the LGBTQ+ community. Proceeds from goods sales has gone to support Marriage For All Japan, a group pushing to change Japanese laws on same-sex marriage. This is not set in a fantasy world. The world presented here is our world and bias is shown for what it looks like when one experiences it. More importantly, this series is heart-warming and charming and makes us all smile.

All of these series have made the world a better place for having existed, which is why they are the Top Three Yuri Series of 2023.

Thanks to all the creators and publishers on this list – and to all the folks who worked on these series. Thank you all for reading such a long list! Thanks to Okazu readers, commenters, YNN correspondents, reviewers and to everyone who hangs out on our Discord. Thank you to all our Okazu Patrons and Supporters.

From the bottom of our hearts, everyone at Okazu wishes you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2024. Happy New Yuri!