We’re the beginning of of Q2, and Comic Yuri Hime May 2024 (コミック百合姫2024年5月号) has settled in for a lovely variety of Yuri manga – from the openly queer, to fantasy, to toxic relationships and a fair amount of goofy stuff in between.

This issue begins with a new story, featuring a well-worn trope that…I don’t hate for some reason.  “Saborinara Houkenshitsu de Douzo? Despite the fact that I don’t utterly hate the “hot, young school doctor and student” trope, I am always reminded of my own school nurse who was a horrible person, incompetent, hated kids and thought we were all lying all the time, as a wrinkled prune of a person. I wonder if our nurse was young and cool, what I might think about this trope. ^_^

On to “Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Uta”! This time Yori-sempai is staying over Himari’s house, and yet again, they face the issue of consent and what Himari wants. I expect this will be resolved this time.

I’m pretty happy with the way “Gakeppuchi Reijou ha Kuro Kishi-sama o Horesasetai!” is shaping up, even though the premise is a bit violent in both emotional and physical ways. Clearly, we’re going for a Bakarina internal monologue stule here.

“Salvia no Bouquet” has shifted towards a more typical school story but, again, I’m quite enjoying it. It’s really hard to dislike Ellen or Stella and magic, school, Yuri romance…okay. Extra points, though for the denouement here, when the spell was a failure, but also very much a success.

“Kiraware Majoureijou to Dansou Ouji no Kon’yaku” s taking itself a little seriously before it has a right to, but we are assured that there *is* a plot on the way!

And “Gan no Hime” is likelwise developing a plot, and one that radically changes everything we knew about this world. I do not love the art, but the story is very good. It’s the only scifi we have in the magazine now and I have high hopes for it.

Shikabane Shoujo to Ai ga Omoi Sei-kishi no Toubatsu Gakuen Life is waffling between being a VERY SERIOUS STORY and a light magical school adventure and I’m not sure which I want it to be, honestly.

In the final comic essay, by Kobara Yuuko, which is a review of a “Yuri” film, this month the topic of discussion was Liz And The Blue Bird, which, I will remind, I thought fantastic. Highly recommended.

Overall a solid volume with a lot for people who have tastes vastly different than mine, as well as those who like the kinds of things I like. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 8

The June issue is in JP bookstores and waiting for me at Kinokuniya. ^_^