Archive for 2025


Galette No. 34 (ガレットNo.34)

July 11th, 2025

On a festive city background in lavenders and pale blues, a woman with long, pink hair holds her hands to her cheeks in embarrassment as a woman with collar length pale hair not-very-surreptitiously takes her photo with a phone. Art by pen.With today’s review, I am caught up with Galette magazine! Galette No. 34 (ガレット) was a wonderful issue, which made me just that much happier. 

In no particular order, I really enjoyed,Nehohariko22’s “Torokeru Heya no Naka”which is a ridiculous story and a ridiculous premise, but I like it anyway, as a girl let’s classmate crash at her place because she doesn’t want to lose contact with her, and the guest finds that her classmate is actually a popular and successful writer or erotica. This story is also featured on the mini-clearfile that came with this volume and Mimi’s Owari Sazanami,” about two friends suddenly really realize how they feel about one another.

Kitta Izumi and Momono Moto’s “Liberty” is back! With a time skip. It works, honestly. The story had gotten caught in a corner with itself and skipping forward a couple of years frees it up to end with joy. I wholly approve.

Morinago Milk came in with “Himitsu no Recipe” bring us just about to or to the end of the second volume (I’m too lazy to check) and “Watashi no Kawaii Neko-chan” in which chronic anxiety is still the major plot point, but still Reina is now addressing her hypersomnia, so it’s time for Yuna to, hopefully, build her business. 

Yorita Miyuki’s “Houkenshitsu no Ano Onna” has done a 180, as we learn that Tsukino-sensei has been watching Yukino-sensei all this time.

Sakuraya Yukino offers her continuing maid story, and Nakato Nui’s not-creepy doll, but still creepy doll story continues, as well. Inui Ayu gets a center color page for her story about a girl who contracts with a cool, masculine woman for a “date,” in order to try and get used to the idea of dating a boy, but she falls hard. The pages of this volume are filled with the 140 character stories, and another novelette chapter and Yuri’kko Research column, celebrations of Galette‘s 8th anniversary and the English-language volumes, for a very satisfying 34th issue. 

I never less than thrilled that this magazine has survived this long and I look forward to another year of creator-owned, crowd-funded Yuri fun with the folks at Galette WORKS. 

Ratings: 

Overall – 9





My First Love’s Kiss, Volumes 2 & 3

July 10th, 2025

Two girls in summer Japanese school uniform, white blouses with robin's egg blue ties, blue skirts, sit on a floor under windows. In the foreground the girl with medium-length brown hair smiles as she looks at her phone, the blonde watches her with a dissatisfied expressionCW: Heavy spoiler and content warning. As with Book 1; Underage sex work is a prominent theme of this series, although nothing is explicitly described. But now with more incest!

To quote myself from my review of volume 1 “I’m not really sure what’s going on here.” 2 volumes later and I still have no idea what’s going on other than surprise incest. At the end of volume 2, “Chiki”, the older woman Umi has been working for, reveals she’s actually Umi’s long lost big half-sister. Was this necessary? No? Did anyone want or ask for it? Probably some creepy men (maybe including the author) and that’s why we’re here.

Book 2 of My First Love’s Kiss opens with Takasora secretly watching Umi and Chiki kiss in a park after she follows Umi to see what she’s up to, and because we’re trying to make this as cliched as we absolutely possibly can, Chiki takes not just Umi, but both girls to a hotel room for the night. Where of course Chiki suggests they all bathe together, and it all goes downhill from there.

The big reveal comes at the end of volume 2, and it just doesn’t seem to bother anyone other than Takasora, who we know doesn’t like Chiki anyway and almost seems to see this as an inevitable next step considering how terrible she thinks the relationship between them is already.

Two girls, one with blonde hair, the other with brown, wearing white Japanese sailor-style school uniforms with bright blue ties, lay next to one another, as they smile into the camera. The blonde looks at us, the brunette looks at the blonde

Volume 3 is just Umi (and all the adults around them) not even caring that it turns out she’s shagging her half sister, and of course they then run away together. It’s already been established that Chiki is wealthy so that’s not an issue. Takasora goes to visit them and Umi might as well just be a sex doll at this point, her hair is cut how her sister likes it, and what little of her personality there was is just gone. I still don’t understand why Takasora even had a crush on her to begin with other than her boobs, which are mentioned several times over the course of both books. Hino and Nagafuji from Adachi and Shimamura pop up at some point but their role is so minor that I can’t remember it and they might as well not be there so I can’t even recommend this to fans of that series on that basis.

It’s very rare that a book series actively makes me angry, but this one did. If you want to write “a love comedy involving an evil woman” (from the afterword of volume 3), then try actually giving your characters a personality rather than just resorting to the worst cliches and stereotypes. This isn’t even “so bad it’s good” car crash reading, this is just plain bad, and there’s nothing funny about any of it. The incestuous predator wins and nobody lives happily ever after.

Please, for the sake of your own sanity, read literally anything else and if you must read something of Iruma’s, read the Regarding Saeki Sayaka novels.

Ratings: 

Art – 5. I enjoy Fly’s art style but these series is nothing special. The covers are totally misleading as well, volume 3 especially gives the impression that Umi and Takasora are happy together but oh no, couldn’t be further from the truth.
Story – 2. If you can call it a story.
Characters – 2. Again, to quote myself from the volume 1 review:
I have come to the conclusion that his (Iruma-sensei) works are much more enjoyable when he’s writing about someone else’s characters instead of his own.
Service – I don’t feel comfortable rating underage sex work and incest as service.
Yuri – 0. Incest is not yuri.

Overall – 2 . I deeply resent having spent money on this. At least I was gifted the first 2 volumes of Netsuzou Trap so I didn’t have to spend money on that.





Without A Voice

July 9th, 2025

On a diamond shaped background with a tree, blooming with dark red flowers, two young women stand back to back, one a pale skinned dark-haired girl in black, her hand to her chest, the other a dark skinned blonde in red and white. Behind and above them is a brow skinned person with short pale hair with a drawn bow, pointing directly at us.by Pawel Cybula, Guest Writer

Without a Voice is a short visual novel that was originally written in 2016 for Yuri Game Jam. The creators, L³ – Laiska, Lorelei and Laniessa (now known as Adirosa) – missed the deadline but continued developing the project, first making a complete game, then running a successful Kickstarter for physical copies and the enhanced Blooming Edition, and finally bringing it to consoles now. So it was quite a journey, one I was happy to follow as WaV is maybe my most beloved VN, and its recent console release gave me a much-appreciated excuse to commit myself to writing this piece.

The story, loosely based on “The Little Mermaid,” introduces Cassidy – an apparently clueless princess in exile living alone in a small hut in the middle of a forest, her only link with the outside world through correspondence with her twin brother, Alexander (now the king), whom she loves and trusts wholeheartedly. Elowen, a mysterious beauty encountered during daily chores, is the other protagonist and in fact a wisteria tree (which in the language of flowers represents timeless, devoted, even obsessive love) given a human form. Her tragic past hinted at, she does not excel at conveying her emotions (being the title character, the one “without a voice”), but she feels irresistibly drawn to Cassidy… and vice versa.

As their relationship grows, you shape Cassidy’s thoughts and responses, thus affecting three hidden variables – Knowledge, Delusion and Understanding – which determine the final outcome. It is worth mentioning that the VN is very linear and your choices change just a few lines of text until the final chapter, which takes a different form depending on what decisions you have made. And it is not an easy task to ensure Cassidy and Elowen’s happiness as there are six bad endings and only two happy ones.

One interesting thing is the fact that making choices is not about gaining affection points with Elowen but molding Cassidy’s world outlook and consequently her feelings towards the melancholic tree spirit and the absent brother. However, it does not mean that Elowen plays any less important role – she is a powerful and charismatic presence and sometimes truly steals the show. By the way, there is a fantastic boon for those who participated in the Kickstarter campaign and obtained a physical copy: a printed prequel short story that fleshes Elowen out even more.

When it comes to the endings, each of them is very moving and has its own CG. The two good endings and two of the six bad ones also get epilogues with extra art added in the Blooming Edition. On a more personal note, I’ve read many VNs that conclude in a way I love, but “Together, We Are Eternal” is my favorite happy ending ever, period.

Without a Voice looks pretty. It is quite common for sprites and CGs to be of high quality these days, even in smaller games, but WaV can also be praised for its background art, which consists of very cleverly painted over and edited stock photos and shows how to achieve impressive results on a tiny budget. The music adds to the atmosphere and makes for enjoyable listening even separate from the game. However, it is the voice acting that makes the protagonists shine, the contrast between Cassidy’s chirpiness and the languid quality to Elowen’s aura, as well as moments of emotional intensity, skillfully underlined without falling into caricature. To top it all off, the visually appealing UI is well-integrated, reducing the amount of visuals hidden.

Still, it is the story that won my heart. It takes only about an hour to read through the whole thing, but even in such a short time the budding relationship is portrayed so convincingly that you cannot help but root for the girls. Granted, it’s a fairy tale, but as it is the case with all good fairy tales, there is a relevance to it. The undertones of loneliness and alienation (Elowen) and being controlled and rejected for one’s sexuality (Cassidy) add depth to the seemingly simple story and encourage replaying the game and checking out all the possible paths, epilogues and extra material, like for example the hidden poem you may discover after completing all endings.

I have to admit that I am probably one of the most biased people to review this game as I adore it so much. To my excuse, I dare say the developers must have felt similar about their project. It might be a small game but it has a big heart and I only hope more people will have fun accompanying Cassidy and Elowen on their amazing journey.

Ratings:

Art – 8 Low-budget but it is obvious that really talented people worked on it.
Story – 9 It is a beautiful story, hopeful or tragic, depending on your ending. My only complaint is that I would love it to be longer.
Characters – 9 My favorite yuri couple. Again, the length of the VN does not allow to fully flesh them out, hence I have to deduct one point.
Service – 1 Two CGs show kisses, one the protagonists sharing a bed, yet it is all very chaste.

Yuri – 10 From the get-go, you know they are made for each other.

Overall – 9 objectively, 10 subjectively.




Comic Yuri Hime, July 2025 (コミック百合姫2025年6月号)

July 6th, 2025

Comic Yuri Hime, July 2025Two girls take a selfie on a street decorated for a festival, as balloons rise into the air around them. One wears a red, white and blue stripped fascinator as she smiles and makes the 'v' sign into the camera, the other has her hand resting lightly on the decorative hat. (コミック百合姫2025年6月号) is an honestly excellent volume of the only monthly Yuri manga magazine! Some great stories, including a number of fantastic continuing serializations.

Our first story is a new serialization by Nishina about a girl who has transferred into an old crumbling provincial school, but who finds something to care about when she is partnered with another girl to work on the school yearbook and starts photographing the people and the places around her.

Claire is appalled at her father’s actions and Lily takes some steps to remedy her own sins in this chapter of “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” written by inori. and illustrated wonderfully by Aonoshimo.

Another game character wanders into our world looking for Machino, but Aurora has her own agenda, to revisit another old friend, in “Genjitsu Sekai (Real) Demo Shiawase ni Shite Kudasai ne?” by Shiborikasuko.

Tama Tamasaki’s “Muryoku Seijo to Munou Oujo ~ Maryoku Zero de Shoukansareta Seijo no Isekai Kyuukokuki” takes a HUGE step in this chapter, as Nana and the Princess not only have purged the miasma from the town, but develop a pathway for cultural and economic recovery for it, showing themselves to be the leaders this world needs.

“Chouuchyuu Yori Ai wo Komete,” by Ashidaka Woz also takes a few steps forward as Lulu’s personality is opening up Ten’s life and attracting new friends.

Kashiaze’s “Kimi Ga Hoeru Tame No Uta Wo” puts Haru to the test, as she has to sing online during a contest. Struck silent by stress, Haru finds strenghth in Yuu’s fail and wows host and audience.

AHAH! The boot has dropped exactly where we expected it in “Kanaria wa Kiraboshi no Yume wo Miru” by sheepD. As Ayano and her fiance are presented at a party, Ayano is only truly concerned about Tsubaki. She manages to convey her true feelings to the other girl. Takahiko, howver does turn out to be conspiring with his older sister to get into Ayano’s family.

“Gakeppuchi Reijou ha Kuro Kishi-sama o Horesasetai!” which was *just* licensed this weekend as Marrying the Dark Knight (For Her Money),  a title I do not love, but I do love the story. In this chapter we get the first of many pieces of Frost’s tragic back story, in which her father rejected her and her mother because of a misunderstanding about genetics, and she took her father’s life in revenge for her mother’s.

Korose’s “Gan no Hime” was amazing, if a bit talky, as we learn the final parts of the true nature of the world and who Isana is. Where this will go, I have no idea, but it’s solid plotting for sure.

And finally, we are treated to a lesbian classic + vampire story, with a young woman who meets a vampire who has been stabbed by an ex, as she lays bleeding. The vampire is looking to find someone to become a vampire with her, so she won’t be lonely anymore. Chise isn’t making any promises, but she’s willing to help the vampire to life life to her fullest right *now* at any rate. It was a pretty good story given the tropiness throughout.

And, as usually, there are other stories I read and others I didn’t and some were good and some were not. ^_^

Ratings: 

Overall  – 9 

The August issue is already on my to-read pile. ^_^





Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – July 05, 2025

July 5th, 2025

In black block letters, YNN Yuri Network News. On the left, in black silhouette, a woman with a broad brim hat and dress stands, a woman in a tight outfit sits against the Y. Art by Mari Kurisato for Okazu

Thanks very much to Okazu Staff Writer Eleanor Walker for her assist on today’s YNN!

Welcome to a bumper edition of YNN from across the pond, including Anime Expo licensing announcements, toxic yuri and more!

There are lots of new additions to the Yuricon Store, in both English and Japanese!

 

Yuri Manga in English

How Do I Turn My Best Friend Into My Girlfriend?, Volume 4 Yuzu admits to herself that she’s still in love with Minami but neither wants to ruin their friendship

I Don’t Know Which Is Love, Volume 3 the harem rom-com continues as Mei is roped into acting (mostly kiss scenes.)

It’s All Your Fault, Volume 1 is a Cosplay Yuri rom-com(?) by Merryhachi, out from Yen Press.

The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate, Volume 1 Naoko Kodama’s classic “lesbian in love with a straight coworker” find her life turned upside down when the former cowerker lands on her doorstep.

Otherside Picnic Manga, Volume 13 gets into the extremely important and intense “Red Person” arc, as Sorawo will finally confront her past.

Rainbows After Storms, Volume 4. It’s summer and Nanoha and Chidori are making memories, even if they have to hide their relationship from their friends.

SHWD Complete Yuri Collection, by sono N., is on shelves from Seven Seas. This story about big, muscular women fighting monsters that cause insanity is intense and kind of sweet.

 

Yuri Manga in Japanese

Anemone ga Netsu wo Obiru, Volume 3 (アネモネが熱を帯びる) and Volume 4 

“Furetai” ha Koi no Hajimari, Volume 1 (触れたいは恋の始まり) An idol and a school star – rivals and lovers.

Galette No. 34 (ガレット) is out and “Liberty” is back, with, it appears a bit of a time skip.

In Koharu to Minato: Watashi No Partner Ha Onna No Ko, Volume 3  (小春と湊 わたしのパートナーは女の子) Koharu and Minato decide it is time to make their relationship as legal as it can be in Japan.

Koi ni Koi suru Koibito Kankei, Volume 1  (恋に恋するコイビト関係) Usui Shio’s school story pits the school prince against th Student Council President for another rivals/lovers story/

Koi Yori Aoku, Volume 2  (恋より青く) Girls from two different schools grown closer in this school days story.

Muryoku Seijo to Munou Oujo ~ Maryoku Zero de Shoukansareta Seijo no Isekai Kyuukokuki, Volume 2 (~無力聖女と無能王女～魔力ゼロで召喚された聖女の異世界救国記～) Nana and Princess Luriam are called to a village to defeat the miasma poisoning their food and water.

Tsumetakute Yawaraka, Volume 3  (冷たくて 柔らか) Emma and Takara struggle with their feelings some more. ^_^;

Yuriniko, Volume 1  (ユリノコ) is a “creepy doll and lesbians” story.

 

Yuri Audiobooks

Roll Over and Die: I Will Fight for an Ordinary Life with My Love and Cursed Sword!, Vol. 3 Audiobook

Adachi and Shimamura, Vol 2 Audiobook hit shelves this May! Volume 1 is also listed on the Yuricon Store.

 

Thai GL Live Action

Via Sr. YNN Correspondent Frank Hecker, There are two Thai series premiering this month. The first: Only You from Channel 3 Thailand, starring LingLing Sirilak Kwong and Orm Kornnaphat Sethratanapong (LingOrm) as a bodyguard and the celebrity she’s protecting. Beginning July 18 on the 3Plus app. Teaser trailer with English subtitles is up on Youtube.

Harmony Secret from Change2561, starring Lookmhee Punyapat Wangpongsathaporn and Sonya Saranphat Pedersen (LMSY) as business rivals. Beginning July 26 on iQiyi. Teaser trailer also on Youtube.

 

Yuri Light Novels

Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei, Volume 11 ( 転生王女と天才令嬢の魔法革命) has hi JP shelves.

Courtesy of YNN Sr. Correspondent Sean G we have news of a new Yuri light novel from Toshizou in August. No title or plot as of yet, but they are very excited about it!

 

Yuri Visual Novels

Two very different new Yuri visual novels are now available on the Yuricon store:

Three Peach Hill is a cozy, feel-good lesbian romance visual novel about a fox spirit and the human girl who woos her.

A Tithe in Blood is a dark yuri visual novel about a quiet university student who discovers blood magic in the depths of her grief. Stepping into a world she little understands, Honoka finds unexpected love, and inadvertently sets in motion a deadly series of events.

Via High on Lullabies on the Okazu Discord, we have an ongoing Toxic Yuri VN Jam. I’m not here to yuck anyone’s yum but this is definitely not for me.

We also have a full release of Upwards, Rain! from Studio Elan. I personally reviewed this one as part of a group review of Studio Elan’s Dandelion set last year and enjoyed it a lot so I’ll be getting this new version for sure.

Team ANPIM are bringing us an “Adult Life Yuri Bundle“ which also has my interest and is set to release on the 8th July.

 

Anime Expo licensing announcements (so far.)

By Alex Mateo on in Anime News Network: 

“Yen Press have announced a deluxe hardcover version of The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy At All, a short story collection by the creator of Cocoon Entwined, Yuriko Hara, and another series by Takako Shimura, creator of Sweet Blue Flowers, called Scenes from Awajima.

“Experience the vibrant, captivating story of the rock-loving pair-now in an exclusive, limited-edition hardcover only available from the Yen Press webstore! Fashionable and upbeat high schooler Aya falls head over heels for an employee at a local CD shop. He’s stylish with an air of mystery about him, and his taste in music is impeccable. Little does she know—this supposedly male employee is actually her female classmate Mitsuki! Mitsuki generally keeps to herself, but since her seat is right next to Aya’s, she can’t help but be extremely aware of the other’s crush. And although she’s afraid to reveal the truth, Mitsuki finds herself talking with Aya more and more.

Yuriko Hara, author of the atmospheric, eerily beautiful yuri Cocoon Entwined, brings us five haunting stories of love and attachment. Ranging from horrific to wistful, these captivating tales, featuring both yuri and Boys Love, are sure to ensnare readers. Fans of her previous work will be especially delighted by the final piece, which provides an extra chapter of Youko and Hana’s story…

Awajima Opera School—where countless girls from across the country flock in hopes of one day standing on the big stage. As they work toward achieving their dreams of stardom, their time at Awajima is filled with as much friendship and admiration as competition and jealousy. The precious feelings of girls who are at once both classmates and rivals, tenderly captured in the portraits of an ensemble cast!”

From ANN’s Rafel Antonio Pineda:

Kodansha USA are bring us a new series from Sal Jiang, creator of the original manga Ayaka Is In Love With Hiroko, which is now a popular drama, entitled Wicked Spot (Volume 1 reviewed by Erica in Japanese) and from author Sometime Suoh, whose previous work Superwomen in Love has been released in English, comes a dark fantasy yuri romcom called Marrying the Dark Knight (For Her Money). Volume 1 was reviewed by Erica in Japanese.

After spending over a century hiding in the shadows, powerful sorceress Sadako stumbles upon the dazzling world of social media and decides to post her way into her first real contact with humanity. She soon becomes an internet sensation, attracting a huge following of doting fans—and shocks them all by announcing she is a witch. The big reveal turns one follower called Hanako, a lonely young woman with seemingly inhuman strength and a curious resistance to magic, into a dedicated hater, and inadvertently sends them both on a whirlwind adventure beyond their wildest dreams!

Clarice’s younger sister is her whole world. In a world of monsters, born into a noble family that’s gone broke, there’s nothing Clarice wouldn’t do for her. So when she gets sick, and there’s only one way to save her, Clarice doesn’t blink! She agrees to an arranged marriage with the Dark Knight, a ferocious warrior who goes everywhere in magical armor—even their wedding! Afterward, Clarice is ready to consummate the marriage and charm her new spouse into paying to save her sister’s life. There’s just one problem: The Dark Knight won’t let her into the bedroom! And Clarice finally finds out why…she’s secretly a woman! With female knights forbidden, the Knight seriously lacking in social graces, a household full of servants scared out of their wits, and monster fights breaking out constantly, Clarice realizes that this wedding of convenience is going to be more inconvenient than she bargained for!

 

Yuri Webcomic

Again with thanks to High on Lullabies on the Okazu Discord, Yenzu’s webcomic Literary Link has been picked up as a Webtoon Original series. 

 

Yuri Movie

Miyuki Yorita’s Kickstarter to produce English subtitles for her movie Her Kiss, My Libido Twinkles, has been successfully funded.

 

Licensing surveys

Baiheverse is doing a survey on Baihe works and how folks are enjoying them.

New English manga publisher Blupetal also has a yuri specific survey.

 

If you’d like to support Yuri journalism and research, Patreon and Ko-Fi are where we currently accept subscriptions and tips.  Our goal now, into 2025, is to raise our guest writers’ wages to above industry standard, which are too low!

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