Hajimete, Kanojo to. (初めて、彼女と。), by Morishima Akiko-sensei, takes a look back at the origins of some of our favorite couples from her previous works.

First we look back at Rakuen no Joken. For Sarina and Sumi  we learn how they got together and why they’ve never really been a steady item. The series ends as Sarina realizes that Sumi moving in isn’t the life she wants, but travelling the world together with her is.

Shinobu and Lalaa have been living together for a while and Lalaa is inexpressibly happy. But, as she reminisces about how they got together, she misses, just a little, the crybaby Shinobu of her youth.

We then move on to Sayaka and Ruri from Ruri-iro Yume. Sayaka’s dream has changed since we first met her, but she thinks it’s okay – and so do we.

And last, we meet up once again with Mitsuki and Kaoru from Renai Joshika (Volume 1 and Volume 2). With them, we travel back into their school years,  how they met, became friends, became lovers and what went on between them during their first time dating. We can kind of see how they ended up the way they were when we met them originally – and I’m pleased that we know they end up together in a more mature version of the same relationship.

As always, Morishima-sensei’s art is cute, rather than cool. Her stories this time mean to – and do – evoke a sense of nostalgia. How did we get where we are? What paths did we take to get here?  For all of us, it is a long road, and one day we look back and think, really? My hair looked like that?

 Me and my wife, in 1981 or so at band camp.

For once, I was in Japan when Yuri Hime Comics were hitting manga store shelves! Woot! To make my small victory even better, the first half of Renai Joshi File (レンアイ・女子ファイル) is quite possibly the best thing Morishima Akiko-sensei has done to date.

In that title story, two women who have been together for 10 years find themselves befriending a high school girl and providing her advice and sympathetic ears as she works through her own first relationship.

The second story follows Saki’s ex from Renai Joshikka (Volume 1 and Volume 2 reviewed here.) Kimi, having lost Saki through neglect, is now second-guessing herself. She hires a private detective who turns out to be very good for her. ^_^

This final section, covers the meeting, subsequent friendship and possibly more between two girls who both want to quit school.

The last two stories fit together well if you approach them as object lessons on not letting life stop you from living. But it’s the first that just made me smile throughout. Young women in love meeting role models with an established relationship? Yes, please!

As usual with Morishima’s work, she peppers her moe art with really sensible advice and perspective about life.  Really great stuff.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9
Character – 8 overall, but Hiiro and Miyako are 10 and Kimi is a mope.
Yuri – 10
Service – 7

Overall – 9

Great stuff, by a great creator and for once, I got it when it came out. That’s darn near a perfect score for an otaku. ^_^

In Volume 1 of Renai Joshika (レンアイ 女子課) we were introduced to Arisu and Saki, two women who work at a bridal services company. Arisu and Saki fall in love, as one of the two major plots in the first volume.

In Volume 2, they are still going out, and things are looking very rosy for them both. Until Saki’s former girlfriend comes back into her life. Kimiko is a manga artist and, so overwhelmed was she by deadlines, she simply stopped communicating. Now that her project is done, she’s ready to pick up where she and Saki left off. Only Saki, after hearing nothing from Kimiko for so long, has moved on.

In the middle of the book, we turn to a side story about two other staff members – Ai and Sae. I really liked Ai, because she was the most genuinely grumpy, ill-tempered character I’d ever read in a manga. But then she falls in love with Hato-chan and got less grumpy and less interesting.

We then turn back to Saki and Arisu. Arisu offers Saki the option of seeing both of them, but Saki decides that the girl who is kind to her is better than the girl who forgets to call her for months at a time and decides that she wants Arisu after all.

The love stories were sweet, but the most interesting thing about the volume in my opinion, is the discussion about same-sex marriages, from the perspective of “How cool, we’d be able to design and sell two wedding dresses!” I thought that a pleasantly commercial perspective, rather than focusing on non-existent rights, let’s just talk money!

As with all of Morishima Akiko-sensei’s work, everyone is utterly adorable, even in their darkest moments. She captures the rosy-cheeked innocence beloved by so many of the Yuri audience right now, but, her characters are definitely adult. As a result, I’m kinda hoping that her work is on the table for an anime next. Yes, not schoolgirls, but look, so cute!

Anyway.

I love the discussion of same-sex marriage, sans political or social ramifications. I like the characters. I’m not personally moved to flights of fancy about weddings or wedding dresses, but I love that the story is out there for people who are.

Ratings:

Art – Cute! 8
Stories- Fun and Cute! 9
Characters – Adult and Cute! 9
Yuri – Sexy and Cute! 10
Service – Cute fanservice only! 2

This is how Yuri advances the cause of same-sex relationships, one hideously adorable chapter after another. Good job, Morishima-sensei!

In her Afterword, Morishima Akiko-sensei tells us how Renai Joshika was born. “I want to read a Yuri story about Office Ladies!” she told her editor. Her editor replied, “That’s okay, but, don’t you mean you want to draw that story?” To which Morishima-sensei says, “I want to read it, but it doesn’t exist so I will have to draw it.”

I akogare her with all the crushy admiration I can muster. (*_*)

So, here we have Volume 1 of Renai Joshika, a series of Yuri pairings at a bridal planning company. It’s a perfect setup, because the women can all be utterly girly and we can obsess about things like hair and makeup and dresses all while being very, very lesbian. ^_^

Himeno Arisu starts off the story by being aggressive in the love-seeking department. She finds it, rather unexpectedly, when new employee Shireha Saki arrives. Saki’s already got a girlfriend, but Arisu is awakened to the idea of finding love with another woman.

Love is the best makeup for a woman, we learn, in a short about falling in love at first touch.

Our old friends Kaori and Mutsuki return, only to find that a..ahem, drunken kiss… rekindles old feelings between them.

Arisu and Saki are thrown together through silly circumstances, but when Saki finds herself ready to admit that her relationship with her former lover is dead, Arisu is ready and willing to pick up the pieces.

Everyone lives happily ever after in this Yuri soap opera of cute.

Ahhhh. It’s like a bubble bath for the harried Yuri soul. Relaxing, fun, girly, a little sexy.

Bartender, I’d like three more of these and a refill on the pretzels, thanks.

Ratings:

Art – Cute! 8
Stories- Fun and Cute! 9
Characters – Adult and Cute! 9
Yuri – Sexy and Cute! 8
Service – Cute Fanboys only! 2

Overall – So goddamn cute my cheeks hurt from smiling. 9

As you may have learned from the comments for yesterday’s post, Morishima-sensei got her start as Aoki-sensei’s assistant. I thought this would make a great match to yesterday’s review.