Archive for the Magazines Category


Galette Special English Edition 05

July 15th, 2026

Among a forest of pastel colors and white and green words, a woman with pale pink hair embraces a woman with purple hair, who looks out at us.I write to you today from my local library, as my Internet has been non-functional since I returned home. So please be patient with me, as I will shortly have to be on the road again. My fantastic Okazu Staff will be stepping in for the next few days

Galette Special English Edition 05 is pleasant mix of the magazine’s past hits.

It begins, as it always does, with pen’s art on the paper sleeve and on the inner cover, which is framed by color illustrations by the creators on the beginning and end of the magazine.

Most of the serialized stories are multi-chapter, which is great. This gives us more body to the characters and plots than a single quarterly entry. This is especially true for Yorita Miyuki’s “That Woman In The Infirmary” and Kitta Izumi and Moto Momomo’s “Liberty.”

Also much richer an experience for the multi chapter format is “Sky Blue Melancholic” by  Ringo Hamano. I like this series a lot. There’s a lot of layers in this apparently simple school life story. And some amusingly intentional bad art this time around. ^_^

Milk Morinaga’s story is a reprieve of an older one-shot work, “Vanilla,” while Mera Hakamada’s “Fluffy, fuzzy, dreamy” has hit a climactic moment, as has NekoHariko’s 22’s “I Want You To Show It Only To Me.” While Haru Yatosaki’s “Girl’s Arcadia” gets a side story.

For Kickstarter rewards I got the special issue, fabulous art postcards and an acrylic standee. I very much liked the real-life fee of “Practical Miyabe-san” by Miho, about two women who work in a bookstore.

The quality of the work in this English edition is great, and ZorritoIV’s translations are solid. It’s once again such a pleasure to get a copy of this special book. ^_^

Galette Official on X announced that their English language books are being carried by Crow’s Nest Comics in Seattle, so if you have an a local indie store, give them a call and see if you can get them to carry Galette WORKS’ works!

Ratings:

Overall – 8

If you missed this or the previous Kickstarters, Issue 06 Kickstarter should start up this summer and will very probably have back issues as add-ons. So keep your eyes on our socials and we’ll let you know when it goes live!





Comic Yuri Hime, July 2026 (コミック百合姫2026年7月号)

July 5th, 2026

On a black background, surrounded by purple staging, a girl in black and purple, get her toenails painted, held in a woman's hands. The cover for Comic Yuri Hime, July 2026 (コミック百合姫2026年7月号) by Chiriko is a deep contemplative black and purple. The words on the cover are in Latin “Nihil Valet, Ioc Ludus Est Sol Nobis Duobus” which roughly becomes “Nothing matters, the sun is just a joke for the two of us.”  Again, there’s a backstage vibe. I don’t know what any of it means, and the random mannequin heads and bodies make me uncomfortable. It’s giving Yuri version of Something Wicked This Way Comes.(No link, I bet your local library has it.)

As usual, there are any number of series I am not reading, and this issue begins with one of them, FLOWERCHILD’s “Utsushicha Damena Kao” with color opening pages.

This time around there are a number of horror, pyschological horror and toxic Yuri series, most of which I’m not reading. I find unentertaining to watch the emotional suffering of high school (or younger) girls, but you might find those more interesting than I do. 

One of the horror stories I am reading is “Hina-chan Ikiterunara” by Tsumugi Meme. In this story, a girl who has been missing for several years returns..unaged, with no memory of those years. In this chapter, Sora had befriended Minori who is an occult enthusiast. As Minori starts to look into Hinako’s disappearance, things get weird.

In “Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Uta,” faced with imminent stardom, Hajime looks back on her life, on how she put hr feelings for Momo aside, about her desire (or lack of?) to be famous and maybe for the first time to admit what she wants to herself.

Kashikaze’s “Kimi ga Hoeru Tame no Uta o” is picking up tension as LUPINUS work towards a goal…and they reach out for advice.

“Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” by inori. and Aonoshimo is giving some useful depth to Lily’s character and the way Salas was able to embed Alter so deeply within her subconscious. By using Lily’s frustration, and feelings of rejection by Rei, Alter is able to use Lily more easily. I really liked in this chapter how Lily and Alter are starting to phase together and are less separate personalities than two sides of a fractured soul.

Touma’s “Kimi no Seinandakara, Sekinin o Totte you ne” is not going where I expected, as Mitsuki, juggling feeling for Sui-chan decides to try some paid dating as the vendor, not the client.

And again, “Hareta Hi no Dress Code”  is also not headed where I expected, which is great. The sports Festival is upon us and a hair scrunchy seems to represent the something building between Natsuki and Miwa, but the more immediate crisis is a creepy dude visiting the school taking pictures of first-years that Miwa passes off to Okita to handle…and he picks up what she is laying down right away.

“Zangai Shoujo, Kirakirana Sekai no Soko” continues to world build the futur-ish city around a bunny girl android and the people who repair her…and become her friends, of course.

In “Muryoku Seijo to Munou Oujo ~ Maryoku Zero de Shoukansareta Seijo no Isekai Kyuukokuki ” by Tamasaki Tama, it appears we have tracked down the story of the source of the miasma, at last!

“Rounin Nante Roku Demonai!” was a very sweet one-shot by Tsuchiya Usagi about a girl falling into despair and a cram school buddy who drags her (kicking and screaming) into hope. 

Koharu and Minato sign up for a workshop to make their own  wedding rings! in the autobiographical comic by Daruma and Hiarron.

Ten and Lulu are back in “Chouuchyuu Yori Ai wo Komete,” by Ashidaka Woz. A marriage for Lulu and Ten’s past both come rushing into their lives at the same time.

And this month’s “Film ni Saku Yurinohana wo Atsumete Kimi ni Okuritai” column by Kobara Yuuko our protags watch  Asagao to Kase-san.

This was a particularly good volume. I’m reading and enjoying more than half the current series/one-shots, which is an amazing stat for a manga magazine.

Ratings: 

Overall – 9

The Back cover repeats the Latin from the front cover, but also say, “Tu Tantum Spectare Debes Unde Es” which tranalator tooltells me means “You Just Have to Look Where You Ar From.” 

Okay, then.

The August issue is out now!





Comic Yuri Hime, June 2026 (コミック百合姫2026年6月号)

June 5th, 2026

On a green background, inside a red frame, a scene in yellow. A young woman with pink hair leans through a picture frame, holding a magic wand, while  an older woman kneels before her taking a picture. Props of frames and teddy bears are strewn around, cables are visible in the background of this photo shoot.Chiriko’s cover this month is a jaunty yellow inside a red frame, on a green background. Once again a younger-looking girl is joined by an older one, this time, they play with picture frames, teddy bears and photography in a photo shoot.

The opening pages discuss Prism Garden and a few pop-ups happening, including the Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau x Sanrio collab. The Comic Yuri Hime 20th Anniversary art exhibit, happening right now in Osaka at the Nanba Marui.

Finally, “Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau” has turned towards Hajime and her extremely conflicted feeling towards Momoka. I trust Takeshima-sensei to bring this arc to a positive conclusion, but its going to be a rough road that will definitely affect Lorelei’s future as pros.

Ikuta Hana’s “Hone ni onegai wo Hoshi ni Noroi wo” is so moody and tense. I’m still on the fence whether I like it or not, but I am definitely still reading.

“Muryoku Seijo to Munou Oujo ~ Maryoku Zero de Shoukansareta Seijo no Isekai Kyuukokuki” by Tamasaki Tama has taking a break from the wedding drama to go visit a in/famous elf teacher to see if they can get help with /waves hands/ everything.

Big shock! In “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!” We are once again paying attention to Mitsuki. This week, her father comes to Liebe and Hime flails at the instruction to just treat him like another customer. Other than being very very tall, he doesn’t seem to have any other defining characteristics. I did appreciate that this wasn’t a “gotcha” episode. Mitsuki has told her parents what she’s doing and they approve. I love that.

Now that Haru has been challenged by Yuu’s famous older sister, LUPINUS works hard to come up with an original piece for the contest in “Kimi ga Hoeru Tame no Uta o”.

Rae fights her way in to see an imprisoned Claire and is soundly rejected. In original content for the comic, Lily, now almost completely integrated with Alter, attack Rae and Manaria and fights them to a standstill. Lily’s rage and hurt at being rejected by Rae comes to the surface.

Itoh Hachi’s “Yokouso, Kochi no Sekhai,” is a (to me,) shockingly good short by Itoh Hachi, who has returned to the magazine for the 20th anniversary. A burnt out animator meets and encourages a young girl with dreams of working in animation. They manage to inspire each other, and meet again when the now young woman begins her new life as an animator with her inspiration. 

And as always, there were other stories I read and enjoyed, or read and did not, and others I did not read. ^_^

Columns and features round out this volume. There are a number of horror manga running right now, all are so different. I’m still holding out for more action and one day, maybe, sports. ^_^;

Ratings:

Overall – 8

The July issue is out and I’m reading it already; one brief moment of being ahead of the curve!





Comic Yuri Hime, May 2026 (コミック百合姫)

April 19th, 2026

A young woman in lavender-grey outfit seated, another girl in a pale green dress, her face unseen, half hidden by pale green curtains.Comic Yuri Hime, May 2026, (コミック百合姫) begins with a cover showing a young woman in lavender-grey outfit, another girl in a pale green dress, her face unseen, as the rest of these covers have been. As we never see the girl in the background, I’m finding these covers slightly menacing. What’s your impression of Chiriko’s covers?

We start the magazine off with “Genjitsu Sekai (Real) Demo Shiawase ni Shite Kudasai ne?” by Shiborikasuko, a reverse -isekai harem, in which all the characters of a game world have come to our world. A calamity will occur on the night of the meteor show in their game world…will everyone be able to return in time? And will they be able to get back to our world if they do? 

Usamimiki’s “Zangai Shoujo, Kirakirana Sekai no Soko” continues the story of a bunny-eared android and the tinker girl who fixes her in this dystopian world. 

In Touma’s “Kimi no Seinandakara, Sekinin o Totte you ne” both protagonists are feeling their way slowly closer, while navigating the gaps in their knowledge of each other because they met as client and escort.

“Koharu to Minato” gets a center color full spread as they and their dog, visit their friends for an overnight. It’s all fun and games for everyone -even the dog. ^_^

“Muryoku Seijo to Munou Oujo ~ Maryoku Zero de Shoukansareta Seijo no Isekai Kyuukokuki ” by Tamasaki Tama picks up yet again, with Nana stressing out about the upcoming wedding, as she and the Princess have not yet been able to clean up the miasma that besets the villages. 

Now that Haru’s voice is being heard and appreciated, Yuu is feeling like she might lose her, in Kashikaze’s “Kimi ga Hoeru Tame no Uta o” and now that Yuu’s mother has made an appearance, their success is more important than ever.

I absolutely loved “Girls Live In Live House” by Moriguchi Ryou. This one-shot follows two co-workers who get to learn about each other’s truest selves when they mosh at live shows. It was adorable.

Now that we are in a musical mood, Kujou takes the stage in “Inkyo Gal Demo Ikigaritai!” which was really nice to see. ^_^

Comic essays, letters, anime promos and many other series fills another great volume of Comic Yuri Hime!

Ratings: 

Overall – 8

The June issue is out now in Japan.





Yamada to Kase-san, Volume 5 (山田と加瀬さん。)

April 9th, 2026

Two young woman stand before background of colorful cat face silhouettes, cups and toothbrushes. The taller, with dark brown hair wears a brown bear sweat jacket with ears on the hood. The short woman with collar-length blonde hair, wears pink and white stripes sweater and a white cat ear Alice band, as they hold toothbrushes and bathroom cups.There are several extraordinary things about Yamada to Kase-san, Volume 5 (山田と加瀬さん。)  that I want to call out. 

First, this series has been one the most persistent works I have ever read. It “should” have ended several times; when Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari was cancelled after a respectable 4 years and when the initial series ended on Web Hirari. Instead of becoming an interesting relic of Yuri history,  Takashima Hiromi-sensei kept drawing.

The Kase-san series moved to the online edition of Wings and then to the print edition of Shinsokan’s flagship magazine. It’s even been the cover series. Kase-san and Yamada graduated, moved to Tokyo are going to college…and now they are living together! This volume makes Takashima-sensei’s 10th volume of the series.  All of this is just…amazing. Not miraculous, though. I believe that Takashima-sensei just works hard at the series and keeps it thriving.

In Volume 5, we turn to Yamada who is living her best life…a little too hard. In her desire to buy beautiful things for her . and Kase-san, she is pushing herself to her limits. This choice ends up hurting Kase-san unintentionally. Thankfully, Yamada realizes that her failure to prioritize her time in the right ways is her own fault and they make up, agreeing to prioritize their time together. It’s almost nice to be annoyed by Yamada for something other than low self-esteem. ^_^

Kase-san and Yamada are entirely relatable than in this volume and there’s no sign of the jealousy from previous volumes, just the small day-to-day adjustments we make as a couple. 

Ratings: 

Art – 9
Story – 9
Character – 9 
Service – eh, 2?
Yuri – 10

Overall – 9

So congratulations to Takashima-sensei for this 10th volume of the Kase-san series, which still bears the Hirari comics imprint – which is the last notable thing I wanted to point out. ^_^ Still carrying the Hirari torch, 12 years later. How incredible is that?