It’s been a few years since Okazu posted a Gift Guide. There’s *so* much Yuri and so much more widely available than ever before – and publishers re shouting about it, which makes Yuri even easier to find. But Okazu staffers have taken a few moments and thought about what they think you and/or the Yuri fan in your life might really want to get as a gift. I know I’d love to get some of these! ^_^

Here is the Okazu 2025 Gift Guide. ^_^

Ashley

If you need a fun activity over Christmas how about putting together one of the most solid Gundam model kits in recent history. The new Witch from Mercury sets are all fantastic but both in the experience of building it and the final model the Gundam Aerial Rebuild is the best of both worlds.

The final model feels like an action figure when it has been put together and the whole design is both modular and simple allowing each part to be built by different people who can then put together a model with incredible posing options. It might not have the colours of the original Aerial or the rainbow permet lines of the Calibarn but it is easily the best to ‘play around with’. Which is what you want on a Boxing day evening.

Christian LeBlanc

I highly recommend reading The Moon on a Rainy Night. One of the main characters has hearing loss, and the book spends a lot of time examining different ways in which people will reach out to try and help each other – and how that can sometimes be welcome, and how it can sometimes be not. I find it both educational and emotional.

Bonus points for how grounded in the real world this book feels. Our main characters have several adults in their lives they can go to with their issues: one teacher takes the time to discuss equality vs fairness, while a hairdresser makes herself available as a role model and person to open up to when she notices how one of the girls is struggling with her own queer identity.

Eleanor Walker

You might have heard or seen the phrase “Green Yuri” uttered this year. This is of course referring to The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t A Guy At All by Sumiko Arai. Possibly the year’s most stylish manga, with a distinct green accent, this series was incredibly popular online. Combining classic rock music and young love all in a fashionable package, this series will appeal to music fans as well as Yuri fans. Yen Press cleverly swooped in to begin releasing it in print earlier this year, with the first printing of volume 1 selling out almost immediately.

The first two volumes are available in paperback, but if you want something a little more fancy, volume 1 has also been released as a special hardcover edition.

If you’re very lucky, you may even be able to snag a copy of volume 3 to put under the Christmas tree as it is scheduled to release on the 23rd December. An anime is also in the works, date to be announced.

Frank Hecker

My taste in yuri inclines to stories featuring adults, and one of the best of those recently concluded its run in satisfying fashion. Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord puts a fresh and fun spin on stock yuri characters: a manga artist, her editor, and the idols that come in their lives bringing love and friendship. At five volumes it’s relatively affordable if you want to be generous and gift someone the entire series.

As for other gift ideas, if you know someone looking for yuri beyond manga and anime, consider buying them a gift card and pointing them to one of the places to find new and interesting live-action yuri series, such as the Taiwanese LGBTQ+ streaming service GagaOoLala (home to Fragrance of the First Flower, Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko, and The Secret of Girls), the Thai service OneD (currently airing the excellent prison drama ClaireBell), or the Chinese WeTV (featuring Thai workplace series Love Design).

Luce

For me, Rainbows After Storms! This series starts where most series end – when the couple gets together. Rather than being full of melodrama, this series is a charming look at two people settling into a new relationship, and the little changes, victories and trials that come with that. The series is complete in Japan, so we’re getting a fairly swift release schedule in English. I look forward to every volume of this series (the spine numbers are becoming a rainbow, btw) for a quiet little peek into Chidori and Nanoha’s relationship. In these tumultuous days, it’s nice having a series where the drama is quiet and it leaves you smiling. I fully think it would be suitable for teenagers as well as adults!

(For a non-yuri rec which is also soothing cuteness, I recommend Fairy Cat; complete in two volumes, it focuses on a kid who finds his room visited by a fairy, taking the shape and attitude of a tiny little cat. As you can tell, I value manga that make me smile.)

I’ll also throw in Maiden Railways by Asumiko Nakamura here, a fun little anthology that focuses on relationships on and around the Odakyu line. My favourite story is Night After Night, but they’re all good, and there is a Yuri story in here, so it’s totally a Yuri rec! I love a good anthology, and I think they make great gifts.

Matt Marcus

For the Yuri fan whose taste leans vintage, there is the soon-to-be-released 4k cut of Project A-ko from Discotek, which comes bundled with regular HD versions of the sequel movies. As you may have read in my reviews of the films, there are some dated elements and the Yuri, such as it is, drops off precipitously in the sequels, but the selling points remain the lavish animation, the absurd escalations of action, and the deep cut otaku references. It’s also a nice value for folks who hadn’t yet collected the previous Blu-ray releases.

As a runner up, I’d also recommend Pink Candy Kiss for those looking for a sweet, wholesome Yuri story with adult leads. Somehow, despite a set-up that isn’t too dissimilar to more dramatic series like Even Though We’re Adults and Run Away With Me, Girl, the “angst” is very gentle and nearly every character is likeable. It’s one to cozy up by the fire with a warm mug of mulled wine.

Erica Friedman

I’ve thought about this for a while and wanted something that would be impactful as well as fun and I think I have found the perfect gift to suggest!

Taiwan Travelogue

I reviewed this 2024 National Book Award winner at the end of 2024, and everything I can say about it is said in that review.But there is so much more that could be said about it.

This historical Baihe by contemporary novelist Yáng Shuāngzǐ, was a breathtaking tale of two women separated by society, politics, country and class and about how they do and don’t connect past those differences. Linguistically, it’s presented as a multi-layered translation of a translation, which it is not, and is, as my wife says, “Yoshiya Nobuko flavored.” I beg you, if you are a Yuri fan, please get this book and read it. It is outstanding in every way and would make a fantastic compelling gift for the Yuri fan in your life!

Happy gift-giving from the Okazu family!

2020 has been a decade of a year and, frankly, we all deserve a treat. I’ve picked a handful of series that I think will appeal to different kinds of Yuri fans. All of these items and moreYuri Manga, Light Novels, VNs and Anime and other stuff are on the Yuricon Store, so if you’re looking for something, drop by there. The Yuricon Store has most comprehensive selection of Yuri online.

Here are my suggestions for great Yuri gifts for the Yuri fan in your life!

The Rose of Versailles

This classic, historical manga has been a holy grail for ages and now that it is out in English, I am absolutely blown away by the work that went into it. I am proud to have been the editor, but that is not why I am recommending it. I’m recommending it because Udon did everything right in this edition. I could not have asked for better.

If you or your Yuri-loving friends want to enjoy one of the most iconic cross-dressing Girl Prince characters, and the melodrama of the French Revolution, you’ll want this series.

Kase-san Series

When this sweet Yuri school romance story began running in Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari almost a decade ago, I would have been surprised to think that it would persevere though multiple changes in publishing and the radical growth of the Yuri market – and stay one of my favorite series throughout!

Readers have had the rare chance to grow along with Yamada and Kase-san and watch them become young women, making their lives in the big wide world…together.

Bloom Into You / Regading Saeki Sayaka

The school series Bloom Into You surprised me over and over. What it was, what it wasn’t, what it became, all seemed so obvious, but in the end, everyone became something more than they were. As an added bonus, we have the Regarding Saeki Sayaka novels, which give us an intimate first-person look at a women learning to understand and accept herself.

This series will appeal to folks who like coming-of-age stories with characters who are relatable and fun, separately and together.

Kabi Nagata’s Comic Essays

Maybe you’ve had it with sweet, sappy romance. Maybe you or your giftee prefer non-fiction.

Kabi Nagata’s highly personal comic essays don’t shy away from in-depth looks at her life, her choices, her attempts to connect with others and her failures, while also documenting struggles with physical and mental health in a way that is very readable and easy to engage with.

Devilman Lady

This classic horror anime by Go Nagai is intense, dark, violent, and very, very gay. If you’re looking for something less cheerful, and want tortured sexual tension and a closeted, but sympathetic, protagonist and some grade-A music, and Go Nagai’s particular brand of art, this is right up there with Devilman Crybaby.

With a star voice cast and evocative writing and art, Devilman Lady will be sure to send chills down your back and make you think twice about humanity.

Eclair Series

What if the Yuri lover in your family has no idea where to begin? The Éclair anthology series is a terrific place to start! Get short stories by new artists and established ones, that cover a wide array of Yuri situations and characters. School, office, fantasy, life, and love all get touched upon and in this anthology format, it’ll give readers a chance to decide who and what they want to look for more of!

For folks looking for more of their favorite artists or folks who have no idea where to begin, this anthology provides a wide range of art and story so the get a feel for what “Yuri” in 2020 is like.

Otherside Picnic

Yuri science-fiction in Japans is still a new-ish sub-genre. This series combines netlore, a frisson of horror, a dash of science fiction and a light sprinkling of Yuri for a fun, fraught and deeply weird story!

Great for folks who are feeling jaded from Yuri romance and want some adventure and mystery in with their opposites meet and maybe fall for one another stories.

Sexiled: My Sexist Party Leader Kicked Me Out, So I Teamed Up With a Mythical Sorceress

Another light novel series, this one is purely fantasy. In a world of mages and knights, Sexiled contains relevant social commentary, and some of the best feminist revenge scenarios I’ve ever seen.

These novels are eminently quotable, very satisfying and have just enough Yuri to keep it sweet. But where these books excel are in creating spaces by and for women that are about women supporting each other and creating community that is both heart-warming and empowering as heck.

I’m in Love With the Villainess

A fantasy isekai light novel with lesbian identity? It seems impossible, but there is is. This book was outstanding. Isekai writing is so rife with already over-used tropes, but this book is highly self-aware, openly queer and surprisingly excellent.

The series is ongoing and looks like it will be very fun and possibly quite emotional!

Curse of Kudan

Kendoka Kudan finds herself drawn into a local occult mystery and the mystery of an older woman who seems to need a lot of saving!

This brand new Visual Novel by SukearSparo looks good, has a confident and fully-developed protagonist and an interesting bit of mystery/occult plot. I’m pretty impressed with what I’ve seen, both in the VN and in the manga.

Sailor Moon Stars

It’s finally out and it’s better than ever. And you know I have to have a Sailor Moon on every list. ^_^

Finally, the long-awaited, almost legendary, fifth season of the original Sailor Moon anime is out and it looks as good as it can possiblly look. Viz Media did a brilliant job with the past. Now I can settle in and wait for Sailor Moon Eternal and see what the future will bring.

ALC Publishing Manga

Get a piece of Yuri manga history with some of the earliest Yuri manga ever published in English. WORKS by Eriko Tadeno and the remaining volumes of Yuri Monogatari are being liquidated. Our friends at cheapmanga.com have a special sale and free shipping on ALC Publishing manga with the code ALC2020.

I hope this gives you a few good ideas for gifts to give and gifts to get in this pandemic holiday season! Enjoy. ^_^

Last year there was so much to suggest that I broke the Yuri Gift Guide into two separate articles, for manga and anime. Many of those series are still available, so do check out last year’s guide as well!

This year, I’m taking a different tack. There’s even more Yuri anime and manga than ever before and, as a result it has become difficult to list them all individually. (Not that I’m complaining, mind you!) So we’ll start with a few ongoing Yuri manga series available in English that I really think are worth the investment for yourself and friends who might be interested, if you or they haven’t already been reading them.

Bloom Into You 

This story about a young woman’s journey to figure out what she really wants for herself has been a blockbuster hit in Japan and America. Nakatani Nio’s writing and art have evolved significantly as the series has matured and I know I look forward to reading what will happen.

Volume 1 | Volume 2 | Volume 3 | Volume 4 | Volume 5 | Volume 6 (in March 2019)

Kase-san Series

The Kase-san series is a charming, realistic look at young love. It feels…real, as it touches on issues of jealousy and self-esteem and body-image and other real-world issues that young women deal with, wrapped in a touching story about two young women building a relationship together.

Volume 1 | Volume 2 | Volume 3 | Volume 4 | Volume 5 (February 2019)

Kiss and White Lily for My Dearest Girl

The Yuri genre has plenty of ropes and plenty of series that spoof those tropes. At Shiroyuri Gakuen, there’s no end to the kinds of relationships we see, but there’s no mockery in any of it. Canno takes each Yuri trope and carefully crafts a unique tale of emotional connection, love or longing in this series.

Volume 1 | Volume 2 | Volume 3 | Volume 4 | Volume 5 | Volume 6 | Volume 7 | Volume 8  (March 2019) 

Murcielago

This violent and bizarre tale of a lesbian psychopath hired by the police to hunt down other psychopaths is not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re done with school girl romances and really want something for grownups, this may just what you need.

Volume 1 | Volume 2 | Volume 3 | Volume 4 | Volume 5 | Volume 6 | Volume 7 | Volume 8 | Volume 9 | Volume 10 (April 2019)

From here on, this year’s Gift Guide is going to head down a slightly different road. I’m going to suggest a few subscription services so you can read and watch a metric ton of Yuri that you choose for yourself. This year, when your folks ask what you want, ask them for gifts that keep on giving. There are a number of subscription services you can choose from for a variety of media.

Comixology Unlimited 

Many Yuri manga are available on the Comixology app (which can be read on Kindle.) The app also includes pamphlet comics and non-manga graphic novels so, if you like to read widely, strangely, queerly, this will get you a bunch of stuff for one price, which is still cheaper than buying new shelves all the time. ^_^

Crunchyroll is still excellent value for your money, especially if you like a wide variety of series, not just Yuri. Their premium membership includes their manga simulpub collection, as well. 

But honestly, I’m going to tell you for Yuri anime, look at HIDIVE. They have all of Sentai Filmworks’ stuff and Sentai has been the company that is most likely to license Yuri – although I have a really complicated relationship with them, because long after every other company acknowledged Yuri, they were still acting like “hurh hurh, girl-on-girl! hurnh.”  It’s left me with less respect for them as a company. Nonethless, Sentai is the company that has licensed series like Bodacious Space Pirates and Bloom Into You. HIDIVE has series like Sakura Trick and Cutie Honey Universe, as well. 

So for Yuri anime as we head into 2019. I recommend HIDIVE streaming service as an option for a cool gift to give to a Yuri anime fan.

You can subscribe to Crunchyroll and HIDIVE on their own, or watch them each as a channel as part of a VRV subscription. Annoyingly online viewing is starting to be bundled into “channels” like cable networks. (-_-);

And, lastly, I am going to make a suggestion for the 2018 Gift Guide that I have never before done. I am recommending a Japanese Blu-Ray set.  

Asagao to Kase-san Flower Edition includes a 62 minute Blu-Ray of the Kase-san and Morning Glories Anime OVA, two disks with voice cast Dramas, the theme song sung by the lead actresses, a postcard set, for $60, including shipping to the US. The Blu-Ray includes English subtitles.

I don’t usually recommend you ship something from Japan but this time…I completely believe this is worth having. The story is beautiful, the love with which it has been made and how it is told is palpable. I absolutely believe that this is the coolest Yuri gift you can get or give in 2018.

Enjoy your Yuri gift-buying and getting and let me know what you’re looking forward to in the comments!