Almost despite itself, Pure Yuri Anthology, Hirari, Volume 7 (ピュア百合アンソロジー ひらり), actually includes some Yuri.

Yes, most of the stories still skate on the thin edge of thinking/feeling and acting, but a few stories make the jump to actually expressing the emotions and desire out loud.

Yostsuhara Furiko’s “Ai o Kakujin” is not one of these, but it was sweet in its own way. A girl can’t stop herself from writing her object of desire into a novel as a romantic lead, despite the friend’s discombobulation.

“Suhin Behin” was a strangely taught little story about the importance of makeup and clothes to a woman, but also about how makeup and clothes are a form of lying about how one “really” looks.

In Hakamada Mera’s “Salomelic” Salome’s flaky mother is not helping her settle in at all, but at least she’s decided to make up with her boyfriend, and stay in town. To celebrate the fact that she won’t be moving again, Salome officially switches into the school uniform. Oh, and she confesses to Hikari that she likes her. But Hikari has a secret she isn’t sharing…^_^

The cover story wins this time. “Harukaze to Kase-san” went in a completely unpredictable direction. Yamada has been training with Kase-san to run the school marathon and for the first time ever, should be able to complete the course. Due to a freak accident however, Yamada is injured right at the start, and while Kase-san wins (not just for the girls, but overall, beating all the guys, as well) she immediately runs to the infirmary. Once she’s made sure Yamada is okay, she takes her prize for winning 1st place – a kiss.

This issue of Hirari actually had a few kisses. Like I said, despite itself it’s actually leaking out of the characters’ heads into action. Let’s not tell anyone, or they may put a stop to it. ^_^

As always there are loads of other stories, but these were the most notable IMHO. Your mileage will surely vary.

Ratings:

Overall – 7

Yes, yes, I know. I promised I was done with Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari (ピュア百合アンソロジー ひらり)…if there wasn’t any Yuri, because for a “Yuri” anthology there’s been very little sign of it.

So, of course, I’m reading Volume 6 (I said I wouldn’t review it, not that I wouldn’t read it…) and it laughs quietly to itself as there’s actual Yuri to be seen. I guess I should threaten anthologies more often – it worked with Tsubomi, too. ^_^

As always I am skipping any story I didn’t like, don’t feel was notable or just have some resentment towards and want to see suffer. (That is a joke. Don’t get all “See, see? She’s a bundle of barely contained anger at the world!” on us.)

So the second story, “Hiragana-sen, Aiu Eki Yori” is a ridiculous meeting on the train between a cute girl and a “tough” girl that turns out to actually quite like the cute girl and everything that first appeared one way is something much more sensible. Even the title makes sense, eventually.

In “Shiroi koto ga Toi Dress” a girl comes out to her mother and she and her lover discuss their future plans.

“Anata no Tamenara” tells a very overblown story about a girl and her bodyguard. It was actually kind of funny, in a strange way.

Scarlet Beriko’s “Corolla 2” looks fantastic. I mean, visially it appeals to me in every way. Unfortunately, the story, which seems to wrap up with this chapter was kind of more of the same. But, hey, the girl got the girl.

In “Hajimari no Kotoba” Girl A confesses to Girl B, and is rejected but…it was sort of by accident. Paper snowflakes help them mend the rift poetically.

Despite myself, I really like “Under One Roof” the story of a college student and the lesbian whose house she rents a room in. I honestly wish we got a few more pages a month, but it’s not that there’s a story, just moments where Miho is starting to think about Fuuka in a new light.

“Sneaker no Kase-san” follows the title character as she takes her friend shopping for sneakers and a few fraught moments as they become very aware of one another and of the fact that they are on the same page.

The winner of the volume – and I’m just as surprised as you, believe me, is “Tsuki no Shita no Miyabi-chan” by Auri Hirao. The same Auri Hirao that writes Manga no Tsurikata. When Miyabi-chan confesses that she comes from the Moon, it’s not surprising that Neko isn’t convinced. Until, that is, the moon maidens come in through her window, demanding their Princess back. This story was funny, a little touching and just so out there it was hard to not like.

In Hakamada Mera’s “Saromelic,” Salome is painfully aware that she likes Hikari, but may not have the chance to do anything about it.

There were other stories, of course. Please feel free to discover them for yourself. I have no doubt that you will like them more than I did. ^_^ Still, I think this magazine is actually improving. It could still be a fluke. Volume 7 will be out next month and we shall see.

Ratings:

Overall – 7

I will be at MangaNEXT in Secaucus, NJ this weekend. Yuri Panel is 7:00 PM on Saturday night – there will be goodies to give away. “State of the Industry” Panel is at 11AM Sunday and otherwise I will be at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund table. Stop by and say hi!

I have a problem with Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari (ピュア百合アンソロジー ひらり) Volume 5. It’s pretty much the same problem I’ve had since the beginning. It’s a pretty problematic problem for a series called “Pure Yuri Anthology.” The problem is –  there’s pretty much no Yuri in it.

My standards for Yuri are relatively relaxed. But you know…I do actually expect some expression of emotional or physical connection between two female characters. Stories in Hirari do have “emotional” connection, but it almost always tends to be “OMG, she noticed me! We can be friends? Really? She won’t hate me because I’m….?”

Sometimes a story actually strays into “I’m jealous when she spends time with anyone else,” (as in “Salomelic,” Hakamada Mera’s story) territory, but almost any story in the anthology is easier to read as “friendship” than love, romance or desire.

This is probably the last volume of Hirari, I’ll review, because clearly “pure Yuri” is what I see as friendship. Unless something really stands out, I won’t bother mentioning this anthology again.

Overall – 6

I prefer more Yuri in my “Yuri” than this anthology is willing to give. Forget moving past schoolgirls, this magazine hardly gets as far as “I like you.”