We left Nana and Hitomi in Volume 1 of Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo, (くちびるためいきさくらいろ) as a couple and, at least a little aware of the fact that their road will not necessarily be an easy one.

Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo, Volume 2 begins with a step back to them attempting to reset their internal compasses. No man is an island, Donne said – and no couple is, either. In the first few heady months of a new relationship, we tend to cling to our lovers obsessively, because they and only they can understand us. This is typical, but it is dysfunctional. For straight couples, this particular dysfunction is allowable. People smile to see young men and women joined at the hip.

For young women who have not yet broken out of the limited confines of school and family, it can be rather more nerve-wracking. My mother confided in me recently, that she was worried, 30 years ago, that my wife and I were *too* close. Well, of course we were, I replied, all couples are at first. She laughed and agreed and the conversation ended. But I didn’t tell her how terrified I was 30 years ago. Every moment with the woman I loved was torture – we might be discovered, outed, separated, isolated at any second. Nana and Hitomi would understand this feeling.

So Hitomi’s secret is “discovered” by her friend on the basketball team and, in a surprising turn of events, she starts off sympathetic, only to end up being dismissive. And here, at last is what *I* wanted to see. Six years have passed since this story original debuted and many things have changed in the world. Many things – but not the legal and social status of same-sex couples in Japan. How would Morinaga-sensei present this situation?

IMHO, Morinaga-sensei did a great job. Her area of strength is not darkness. Her characters may brood for a while, but in the end they find happiness. Hitomi is required to stand up for her relationship and make a point that is subtle, yet critical. She makes her point and find she now has an ally. Hitomi tells Nana what a relief having someone to talk to is and Nana guesses, correctly, that Abe is a fellow traveler on this particular road. But Abe is not in the same boat at all, and Nana is left without a lifeline. (How I wish there had been some mention of the Internet at this point.)

Then comes the final crisis. I was fascinated to see how this played out. As I say, Morinaga-sensei specializes in handwaves of happiness. Hitomi and Nana manage to have three crises, one between them, which initiates a conversation about gender roles, and two with the outside world, and all of them are sufficiently resolved so that we can just smile and be happy for them.

Here’s the thing, Morinaga-sensei does not do deep social commentary. For her to have addressed things like emotional support, gender roles and family support at all is kind of extraordinary. And I, for one, am pleased that she has. Sure, it’s all a big handwave at the end. But by taking the position of showing how it *ought to be* Morinaga-sensei sets the stage for how it *can* be.

The ending of Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo is how it should – and can – be, if we all make the world work right. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 10
Service – 5

Overall – 9

This collection includes two more of the one-shot stories drawn for Yuri Hime magazine.

I know Morinaga-sensei has moved on to deal with her long-awaited police story, but if she ever wants to revisit Nana and Hitomi, I wouldn’t say no. ^_^

Back in 2006, Ichijinsha put out a collection of stories drawn by Morinaga Milk-sensei for their new Yuri Hime magazine. Time has moved on, she has changed publishers, and thankfully, she has retained the ownership of her work. The end result is that a brand new-two volume collection of her popular Yuri manga series Kuchibiru Tameiki Sakurairo (くちびるためいきさくらいろ) is now available from Futabasha. This is a very good thing.

The first volume introduces us to Nana and Hitomi, close friends who have been together in school since childhood, but who now – for no reason Nana can understand – are going to separate high schools. Hitomi has a reason, of course, but she couldn’t tell Nana outright for fear of…well, everything. You see, Hitomi is in love with Nana – that way – and Nana has already rejected her advances. Fearing getting hurt more, or hurting Nana, Hitomi has gone to another school. In the first chapter, they hash out their issues and Nana decides that she doesn’t want to be “just” friends, either.

The rest of the book interperses other one-shot stories that take place in the same school, with Nana and Hitomi’s deepening relationship. It ends with them thinking about their future together.

This was one of the first stories we – that is, the Yuri-reading audience – encountered that had more depth to it than just a kiss, or holding hands, or even sex. This was one of the first Yuri Hime stories that approached the concept of a same-sex relationship as a relationship, as opposed to a crush, or an immature love, “playing at” love, etc. As a result it was wildly popular with fans.

Re-reading this volume, I’m reminded how unique it was. Not even a decade ago, and the final chapter of this book was ground-breaking for a Yuri story (as opposed to a story drawn by lesbians for a lesbian audience in a lesbian magazine.) Hitomi thinks of the sacrifices she’ll have to make for her and Nana to stay together…and decides that, whatever it takes, it’ll be worth it. It edges very close to the issues that were predominant at the time, that to be “together” two women must eschew family and friends. This is just the assumption that was made then (and probably is still made by many.)

For this glimpse back to where we really started when Yuri was taking its first hesitant steps as a genre, this book is an absolute must-read. I think of how far we’ve come, with stories like Fu~Fu, Renai Joshikka, and Watashi no Sekhai o Kousei Suru Gomi no Youna Nanika,  and the as-yet uncollected “Collectors,” and am a little amazed at the progress. If Nana and Hitomi were to fall in love today, things would be vastly different than they were a mere 6 years ago. There would be media for them to see themselves represented in a positive light, stories of people like them living happily, even after the “happily ever after.”

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 10
Service – 5

Overall – 9

More than anything, I’m glad Morinaga-sensei has found somewhere that she’s happy and where she can continue making Yuri manga for us to enjoy. ^_^