Archive for the English Manga Category


The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate, Volume 1

March 6th, 2026

Cover of The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate by Kodama Naoko. On a pale-blue background with pale white letters spelling out the title, a tall short-haired woman wears a tuxedo, back to back with shorter woman with light brown wavy shoulder-length hair in a wedding dress.In The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate, Volume 1, Naoko Kodama offers up a lesbian that is a little more than just a plot complication. 

I’ve noted in the past, that some of Kodama’s work gets very close to discussions of trauma and the way people react to it.  In some cases, she sets up a reaction that is so extreme, the originating event appears to be serious, only to back off into a troubling, but not damaging, situation. There are two exceptions (mostly) to this trend -notably, I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up and the topic of today’s review. I say “notably,” because these two books, of all of her work, directly address queer life in Japan. 

Shigisawa is not out at her workplace, but she is very aware of and unhappy with the inequality she faces as a woman who will(can)not get married and a woman without children. She is grumpy about this. When a popular former colleague shows up needing her help, Shigisawa is not happy about that at all, either. On the one had, she had a mild crush on Goto and is grumpy about that too, as Goto left to get socially-approved married to a man. On the other hand, Shigisawa Rei is actually a softy and doesn’t turn Goto Saya away. 

The main conflict for Rei is being in close proximity to a woman she finds attractive and who appears to be all but throwing herself at Rei in what she believe is a clueless straight-girl way. For Saya, the conflict is very different, as her marriage is…she doesn’t know what it is, but it’s not working. This is not a funny at all, though. By not understanding her own self, Saya spends the volume unintentionally putting Rei’s emotions at risk.  

Because Kodama’s work typically comes with a guarantee of a happy ending, there isn’t that much tension in these two conflicts. We have to assume Saya will – at the last possible moment – deal with her failed marriage, and Rei will get the girl. And whether you like them as a couple or not is up to you. But at least, here in Volume 1 we get some pointed griping about Japanese society and their government’s abject failure to legitimize same-sex marriages, something that more than 70% of Japanese people think ought to exist (and despite multiple court rulings that lack of SSM is unconstitutional.)

Ratings: 

Art – 8
Story – 6
Characters – 7
Service – 4
Yuri – 8
LGBTQ – 10

Overall – 7

Kodama-sensei’s work often strikes me the same way Melissa Scott’s science fiction in the 1990s did. It comes so close to making a point, dealing with an issue, managing an emotion, but shies away from follow through. That said, Kodama has been edging closer and closer and I hope that one, day, she’ll write the thing that has to be written.





Scenes From Awajima, Volume 1

February 12th, 2026

A young woman with collar-length brown hair wearing a blue-grey smock dress style old-fashioned Japanese school uniform, stares down at the ground pensively, hands in her dress pockets.Takako Shimura is a polarizing name around these parts. Shimura’s work spends a lot of time delving into the lives of queer people, addressing real and fictional issues, without the author even identifying as queer. Does that Matter (TM)? Yes…and no, of course. It matters that Shimura-sensei takes nuanced and thoughtful looks at queer life. For some years and in some series, the use of stereotypes was more common and some portrayals rankled among the queer community, both in Japan and elsewhere. I have expressed some of these concerns myself.

Then there is Shimura’s narrative style. In early works it was often difficult to follow a story, as characters looped in and out of experiences in ways that felt repetitive, or even traumatic. This was particularly true in Wandering Son. But what has taken shape, through years of tying vignettes and ensemble stories together, is a unique style that takes some getting used to, but is rewarding in the end. Even Though We’re Adults is Shimura’s best and most fully realized narrative and characters, so if you are not familiar with the earlier, more haphazard style, it might be a bit confusing to get into an older work.

I say that, because it did take me a few volumes of Awajima Hyakkei to realize what, exactly I was reading. I reviewed Volume 1 and Volume 2 here on Okazu and read, though did not review, through Volume 4. Now we have Scenes From Awajima, Volume 1 in English, from Yen Press, and all my previous feelings about Shimura’s work come rushing back in a flood.

Awajima, in this instance, is the name of a very famous all-female musical revue troupe school. This story is ten years old now, and follows Shimura’s more meandering pathways, with vignettes about girls in the school now and in the past. These vignettes intertwine, as the current classes deal with the weight of expectations from mothers, aunts and grandmothers, even teachers, who once walked the hallways they do now.  The story is heavy at times, and does include the kinds of institutionalized bullying a real all-female musical revue troupe is infamous for, as well as personal slights of many kinds. The series will address many uncomfortable topics, from eating disorders to abuse. It also is about the hopes and dreams of young women…and adult women when they live in, or leave, that world.

I was just commenting today on the Okazu Discord, that I have come to dislike the neologism “shoujosei.” It elides the perspective of adult women, lumping them in with the needs, desires and perspectives of children. Scenes From Awajima is about students, but it is not a Shoujo manga. I cannot imagine a child reading this (or Journal With Witch, or Even Though We’re Adults or any other Jousei work) with any understanding – or interest – in what is going on.  Shoujo and Jousei are different and lumping them together infantilizes adult women. At Okazu, at the very least, we’ll remain aware that adult women deserve their own place in the world. A genre of our own was important for Yuri. It is equally important for adult women for many of the same reasons.

Scenes From Awajima does include some Yuri, as one might expect. In that environment, with girls literally training to perform gender and romance, it cannot be surprising that intimacy and romance develops between students sometimes. And sometimes it has lasting repercussions. 

For the best reading experience, go into Scenes From Awajima gently, letting the stories play out around you, moving through time and space, while you just watch and listen. As characters become more developed names and situations will stick in your mind and you’ll find that things tie together in some ways and and in other ways have horrible messy loose ends. Much like life. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – Variable
Characters – 7
Yuri – 3
Service – 1 on principle

Overall – 7, but will improve with time

An anime adaptation is on the way in April, trailers are already available. I think the story will be tidied up a bit for the anime.

Thanks to Yen Press for the review copy, via ANN, where I reviewed this for the Winter Manga Guide, as well. ^_^

 





Out of The Cocoon

February 11th, 2026

by Patricia Baxter, Guest Reviewer

Content warning: Several of the stories in this anthology feature intense subject matter as their primary focus, which will be discussed in this review. This includes queerphobia, ostracism, body horror, impending apocalypse, ero guro, and cannibalism. Reader discretion is strongly advised

Two years ago, when I reviewed the final volume of Yuriko Hara’s Cocoon Entwined, I expressed a wish for her manga anthologies to be licensed in English next. I had no idea that my wish would be fulfilled just a year later. Released last December, Out of the Cocoon is an anthology featuring four of Hara’s most recent one-shots, along with a new epilogue chapter for Cocoon Entwined. Half of the stories are girls’ love and half of them are boys’ love, and several of them address queer themes in overt and unambiguous ways. Much like Cocoon Entwined, this book has some of the most captivating imagery I’ve seen in a manga, and the characters are written with an impressive amount of depth for such a short number of pages. I would call this a near-perfect manga, if not for one of the stories sadly missing the mark.

The first story, “Sweet-Dreams Zombie”, is the story that is alluded to on the anthology’s cover. Taking place during an ongoing zombie outbreak throughout Japan, Nishikawa encounters two of his classmates, Noumi and Momoe, kissing in an abandoned shed. However, one of the two girls, Momoe, is now a zombie. One of the most overt stories in the book addressing queerphobia, “Sweet-Dreams Zombie” is one of the angriest one-shots I have read, and its rage is completely justified. On top of its, sadly, evergreen message about misinformation and how it negatively impacts marginalized groups, the book is extremely impressive in terms of its foreshadowing and layouts, with seemingly inconsequential panels becoming clever calls forward upon a second reading. A wonderful, if melancholic, manga.

The second story, “If the World Was Ending Tomorrow”, is a boys’ love story about two men reuniting on the eve before the end of the world. Back when they were in high school, Takada asked Katou what he would do if the world was ending tomorrow. Now, reunited a decade later and the end actually looming above them, the two try to make the most of their final moments. On top of its excellent storytelling, “If the World Was Ending Tomorrow” really shines in terms of its panel work, which is some of the best that I’ve seen, particularly during the final pitch scene. One of my favourite one-shots, both in this anthology and in general.

The third story, “Dog-Eat-Dog”, is hands down the most polarizing story in the whole anthology. A boys’ love ero guro story about a cannibal, where sex and violence coincide, this is a one-shot that requires a strong stomach before diving in. This, in my opinion, is the worst one-shot in the anthology collection, as the characters are flat, the subject matter feels like it exists just for the shock value, and the attempts at giving the protagonist depth near the end feel too little too late. The church scene is genuinely good, but it can’t save this story.

The fourth story, “52-Hertz Whale”, is a girls’ love story that was originally published in the Éclair Orange yuri anthology. The story is about a woman who compares herself to the 52-Hertz whale, a solitary animal who calls out in an unusual frequency, unable to find a response. This one-shot has some exceptional panel work and visual metaphors on display, particularly in its use of water. Reading this one-shot in Éclair Orange years ago convinced me that we needed to see more of Yuriko Hara’s manga, alongside Cocoon Entwined, in English and this feeling still resonates with me upon reading it again.

Speaking of Cocoon Entwined, the fifth story, the titular “Out of the Cocoon”, is the second epilogue chapter focusing on the lives of Youko and Hana after the events of the series. (Oddly enough, the first epilogue chapter, which was included in the final volume of the series, was also named “Out of the Cocoon”). This chapter is pure fanservice, both in terms of seeing these beloved characters live their lives freely, and in terms of them moving forward, emotionally and physically, in their relationship. While readers can theoretically enjoy the story without reading Cocoon Entwined, it is still best enjoyed if you have read the series beforehand.

At the end of the anthology, Yuriko Hara alludes that this is a book about change, and being changed. I agree with this statement, and would add that this is also a book about connection, and how those connections allow us to change. 

Ratings:

Art: 10
Story: 9 for the majority of the book. 3 for “Dog-Eat-Dog”
Characters: 9 for the majority of the book. 1.5 for “Dog-Eat-Dog”
Service: 3 for “Out of the Cocoon” due to the multiple levels of fanservice for Cocoon Entwined readers. YMMV for “Dog-Eat-Dog” depending on if you like ero guro.
Yuri: 8 (when the story is girls’ love
LGBTQ+: Yes (queerness, in both senses of the word, is one of the underlying themes throughout this anthology)

Overall: 9

While this is, admittedly, a heavy book to read through, it is not one that wallows in despair, but instead offers a message of hope, resilience, and love throughout. It is one of the best, if not the best, manga anthologies I have had the pleasure of reading, even with its one sour spot. I highly recommend giving this anthology a read if you love comics, especially those that are unabashedly queer.





#Gal x Gal Yuri, Chapters 1-11.2 on VIZ Manga

February 4th, 2026

Five gal/gyaru-style high school girls pose together in front of a blackboard. From the left is a blonde-haired girl with red highlights wearing a pony tail, a blonde girl in a bob cut with purple highlights, a long-haired brunette with tan skin winking while showing a peace sign, a blonde long-haired girl, and a the tallest, a silly-looking girl with a very long black hime-cutby Matt Marcus, Staff Writer

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Why search for a new lover when I could be dating my bestie instead?” Well, do I have a yuri for you!

#Gal x Gal Yuri is exactly what it says on the tin. Blonde bubbly Yua and the cool tan beauty Reina are high school comrades in cosmetics who decide to spend a year dating each other, and I quote verbatim, “for the vibes.” We see them go on dates, celebrate birthdays and holidays, become the spring festival mascots of their class (and run a maid café, natch), and finish their year-long experiment very much still in love.

And that’s chapter 1.

My instinct is that the first chapter was a one-shot doujinshi that was repurposed for the serialization, but it’s funny how much gets jammed in there before things slow way down for the remaining ten chapters of the volume.

The dynamic between the leads is simple but fun. Yua is so enthusiastic to the point where she is constantly gushing or gloating about her affection for Reina, in a way that disarms anyone who might have looked sideways at an openly queer relationship (notably, they encounter no trouble with anyone on that front). Reina, on the other hand, plays the “straight man” role mostly by rolling with or occasionally reining in Yua’s flights of fancy. But really, this is a comedy series and the jokes do mostly land. Occasionally Yua’s talk about sex makes me want to take a spray bottle to her, but I can’t say it seems out of character for a teenager.

There are other supporting cast members—a pair of twins Akane and Shion, and Yua’s childhood friend Yazawa (a “rocker” chick who is somehow the most head-empty of the cast)—to help round things out. Yazawa takes up most of the air when she is present, but for the most part this is the Yua and Reina show.

Inoue’s art helps carry this series. It’s cute without being too cutesy; the fashion is, of course, well represented; and I find the reoccurring off-brand Instagram posts charming. The one thing I would say I don’t have a firm perspective on is Reina’s skin tone and what it could or could not signify; my bet is that it’s simply an aesthetic choice.

If you like gals being more than pals, this one is worth smashing that follow button for.

Ratings: 

Art – 8 Appealing, reasonably detailed, used well to emphasize gags
Story – 7 Not a lot of plot but enjoyable nonetheless
Characters – 7 Characters are shallow but very charming
Service – 4 One panel of a bath scene, plenty of sexual jokes, lots of gyaru fanservice
Yuri – 9 Plenty of yuri “for the vibes”

Overall – 8 highly decorated nails out of 10

While the first tankobon is available in Japan, the current 11 chapters (plus two bonus stories) are currently only available in English on the VIZ app and website.

Matt Marcus is a cohost of various projects on the Pitch Drop Podcast Network. You can find him mostly reskeeting Yuri posts and sports takes on Bluesky @hyperartmarcussan.bsky.social





I Don’t Know Which Is Love, Volumes 3 & 4

January 28th, 2026

I Don't Know Which Is Love Volume 3 cover. It shows Maria, a pretty lady with long brown hair wearing lipstick, holding up a phone that shows a surprised looking Mei. I’m Luce, and it’s been a while! I’m back today with a double issue of the Yuri rollercoaster, which contains no actual rollercoaster content. I can be found on the Okazu discord as farfetched. Onwards!

In Volume 1 & Volume 2 we saw Soraike Mei get closer, in various different ways, to her five love interests, and generally be something of a lesbian disaster. In Volume 3 of I Don’t Know Which Is Love, she’s practicing for the play, which involves kissing – having kissed both Karin and Kaoru, she’s confused as to why it felt good both times! Good that there’s a certain psychology professor to help her sort it out… Or just make it more complicated? In Volume 4, the play having gone well, Mei ends up in a situation with a drunk Maria, and meets up with her high school crush who broke her heart. Resolving herself to date Karin, she finds her kissing another girl! Riri wants to see her, so invites her to a photoshoot… but it’s in a swimsuit – will Mei, disaster lesbian extraordinaire, even be able to take photos?

This sold as a romcom – and in many ways it is – but it also feels more like watching a race – who can kiss Mei first? Who can date her first? Karin and Maria are pretty ahead, with Kaoru closer behind. I called it the Yuri rollercoaster in previous reviews, and that’s the feel – not much room to breathe. That said, it’s kind of refreshing for a series not to be ecchi per se but to admit that part of romance for a lot of people is sex. These are college students, it’s not weird for them to feel attracted to each other physically, and no one is shaming them for it, although sometimes they’ll tell themselves off – not in a puritanical way, but in a ‘she’s my professor’ or ‘we’re not even dating’ kind of way.Cover for I Don't Know Which Is Love volume 4. It has Karin, a young woman with short blond hair, looking flirtatious, about to lick Mei's finger.

If you really don’t like Professor Maria being one of Mei’s love interests, probably best to sit this out, since she’s not going away. At least Mei is a college student rather than a high school one, but I understand it might irritate people. Of all the love interests, Riri gets the least to do here, only appearing a few times, although she is cute when she does. She does pop up in Volume 4 in a photo shoot, wherein Mei realises she has a thing for boobs.

At the end of Volume 4, Mei asks Maria for a quiet beach spot so Riri won’t get harassed while they’re at the beach. Maria uses this as an opportunity to get all of Mei’s love interests together, so Mei can choose one. Which sounds like a set up for a final volume, but apparently a sixth volume recently came out in Japan, although there is no date for the fifth one in English. It doesn’t really seem to be gunning for any kind of polyamory ending, but neither is any girl really ‘winning’ right now. Mei certainly can’t make her mind up!

Perhaps an issue with this kind of series is that it either needs to be long or short. How Do We Relationship had the time and (I suspect) the planning to carry out that tangled mess of relationships. Although that was more of a serious tone and the intents are different, I’m not sure the author here has a particular plan in mind. As such, I worry it might end up being a bit more meandering. We will have to see; I still enjoy it, but I’m honestly not sure where it’s heading.

Ratings:

Yuri – 10
Service – 6
Art- 7
Characters – 7
Story – 6

Overall – 7

You know, for a series about lesbians, they sure don’t say the word lesbian much. If at all.