I received a notification that my copy of the December issue of Comic Yuri Hime has arrived and I still had not finished up the two previous issues (my last bout of illness came with a protracted fever, which made it hard to read for long.) So I kicked into high gear this weekend and valiantly finished reading both. Today, I’m doing a two-issue review of the world’s only monthly Yuri mangamagazine, in order to be current. ^_^

Comic Yuri Hime, October 2024  (コミック百合姫2024年10月号) was an excellent issue!

A number of the new fantasy series really appeal to me. This issue kicks off with the energetic and empowering “Gakeppuchi Reijou ha Kuro Kishi-sama o Horesasetai!” As Black Knight Frost struggles to remain horrible and unpleasant, her new wife endeavors to make herself useful and beloved.

Tamasaki Tama’s “Muryoku Seijo to Munou Oujo ~ Maryoku Zero de Shoukansareta Seijo no Isekai Kyuukoku-ki ~” also provides us some empowerment as the powerless Saint and the Princess who cannot use her power begin to learn that together they are very powerful. Now they just need to get it under control.

In “Salvia no Bouquet” having worked through Ellen’s feelings for Liza, now is focusing on her school life and her friends…a far cry from the lonely orphan this story began with.

A confrontation is being set up in “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou,” written by inori. and illustrated by Aonoshimo, which will become a climax, which will lead to a Revolution. Volume 9 sidetracked a lot into a Rei and Lily arc which was needed to make several things clear. Overall, while I still don’t care for Lily, I think the time was an interesting way to address an expository part of the story.

In “Odoriba ni Skirt ga Naru” Utatane Yuu is taking a moment to explore Kiki’s older sister’s story and repair their relationship a bit.

Fumino presses ahead with her exotic model and her mother dead-set against her interest in fashion in “Kanaria ha Kiraboshi no Yume wo Miru.”

As usual, Kodama Naoko handwaves the ending of a comic, giving us a happily-ever-after for our couple in “Usotsuki Hanayome to Dousei Kekkon-ron.”

And in “Kiraware Majyo Reijō to Dansou Ouji no Kon’yaku” Eve is kidnapped and Ciel discovers that her true enemy is her older brother

Ratings:

Overall – 9

A very, very strong volume.Which brings us to….

Comic Yuri Hime, November 2024 (コミック百合姫2024年11月号) which was – for me, as I am the reviewer here ^_^ – a pretty weak issue. Every month I note that there are series I am not reading in the magazine…and series I am not specifically mentioning, but do read. Overall, as several of the series I do like had a new volume out now, or are on hiatus, it felt very much like this issue was mostly filled with serials I am skipping. A number of these are the 18+ stories…none of them have held my attention,  focusing on manipulation and just people being super unhappy or whatever that face that Japanese editors seem to prefer women have during sex scenes that are not explicitly them having a good time. So hard pass from me on those.

Although I felt like there were fewer series I specifically enjoyed, this volume is still hovering around 550 pages of Yuri manga, columns and comic essays which…wow.

“Sasayakoyouni Koi wo Uta” has shifted focus to Himari’s best friend and confidant, Aki’s little sister and her band sempai who has asked her out. The thing I like best about this section is that, kind of for no reason, Yori is there and is being treated like a “sempai in Yuri affairs of the heart,” which is embarrassing the daylights out of her.

Kashykaze’s “Kimi ga Hoeru Tame no Uta o” is being very sincere and intense as Ogami struggles to write a song that suits her classmate idol’s Vocaloid voice and tells a sory she wants to express.

Minato and Koharu decide to redecorate in “Koharu to Minato: Watashi No Partner Ha Onna No Ko.” I’d say nothing happens, but that’s the point and the joy of this series, that these two “play house” together and have fun doing so. 10/10 from me.

“Kanaria ha Kiraboshi no Yume wo Miru.” is both great and not-so as the fashion contest finally happens. The other participants complain that Tsubaki does not belong there as a model, since she is a foreigner and this is a contest for Japanese women’s fashion. The great moment is when Fumino, terrified, but firm, insists that since Tsubaki was born in Japan and speaks Japanese, wears Japanese clothing and eats Japanese food, she’s as Japanese as they are, who cares what color her hair and eyes are? This is followed by a conflict I kind of saw coming as  Tsubaki is accused of being a prostitute by a member of the audience. Sigh. So good and bleah.

“Osoto Gohan wo Goissho ni” comes to a gentle conclusion as Fuuka and Yomogi admit that they really like hanging out together and can’t they just stay neighbors forever? This was a series that never really needed a conflict, IMHO.

Conflict has been the norm in “Kiraware Majyo Reijō to Dansou Ouji no Kon’yaku” and this chapter ups the ante. Eve has been kidnapped by Ciel’s brother, but as they begin to fight, Ciel is not up to the task, and her brother knows it, as he shatters her sword…

The final story is by a new creator, Tomofuji Miru, about a girl who can’t remember her girlfriend’s given name. ^_^;

I called it a “weak” issue, but looking back at this write-up it is really quite okay. Just compared to October, November came off a little less strong.  It was still pretty good. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 8

December will bring back a number of series I’m enjoying and it is waiting for me at Kinokuniya, so I had better get a move on and get over there, so I don’t fall so far behind again!