When I read last month’s issue, I had the feeling that the cover story this month would shift away from smiles and color and…bingo!, so it has. This is the teenager-est cover writing I have ever read, nice work mebachi-sensei.  The tears here are from the unbearble heaviness of being, rather than any specific circumstance; the awareness of the passing of time, the feelings of joy and loss.

And so we arrive at Comic Yuri Hime, September 2023 (コミック百合姫2023年9月号) and I am, for the briefest of moments, caught up. ^_^

The long-awaited climax to the Battle of the Bands in Takeshima Eku’s “Sasayakuyouni Koi Wo Utau” was pretty much the satisfying, wholesome and sweet ending we were all hoping for.

And it looks like Sumika has come to the same conclusion I have about Kanako in Miman’s “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!”. She can care for her, and be affectionate, but there will have to be limits. The two schwestern continue their honest discussion and I think (I hope) this is the best possible outcome for them.

“Shikabane Shoujo to Ai ga Omoi Seikishi” brings our zombie protagonist and her holy knight onee-sama back to the school where they embark on their first task…to save a bunch of chickens. Which they do. And the chickens are very grateful.

“Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” has stepped back into Rae’s past life…the painful first time Oohashi Rei fell in love. We will one day feel sympathy for Misaki, but she is not a likable character. This is followed by Lene and Rae solving the problem of how to get Claire to eat and enjoy carrots in “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou. Maid Kitchen”

“Kiraware Majoreijo to Dansou Ouji no Konyaku”  by Chimmi Chiruha has a fine set up and some strong characters, but will this story of a young woman affianced to the princess who dresses like a prince go anywhere? Based on this chapter…no. They’ve already defanged the antagonist.

I am angrier about “Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru” than I have been about just about anything in ages. What the actual fuck was that? Oh hey, everyone, just give up your dreams, suck it up and go back and be part of the rat race? What a waste of fantastic premise and art. I hope this was not what Keyyang wanted because it sure wasn’t what I needed.

If you have ever wanted to read a story about a high schooler and a really big alien woman, “Choujin Uchyuu Yori Ai Wo Komete” has you covered. Overtones of Rose from Steven Universe all over it.

We pick up a third party member (who is inherently untrustworthy) in “Garan no Hime.” Future betrayal is imminent!

And it seems that most of the 18+ content has fallen to the end section of the magazine.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

Other than the fact that “Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru”‘s ending was so awful and angry-making, this was a solid issue. But that was a really awful and angry-making ending and I cannot let it go. Why? Who was that for? UGH.

The October issue hit shelves this month already in Japan!

The cover of Comic Yuri Hime August 2023 (コミック百合姫2023年8月号) is exactly what I myself did this week – got my feet wet in the ocean. So, I really feel the seasonality of this cover by mebachi. And I am convinced* that the next turn of events will not go as well. Although we are merely getting snapshots, this cover story has been full of tears and longing in between the bright moments.

We begin at the beginning of the magazine with “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!,” with Kanako’s story about meeting Hime -a story that we have already heard due to the rearranged timing of the anime. It serves, IMHO, to reinforce how naïve Kanako is, in the largest sense of the word. She is unable, rather than unwilling, to see Hime outside the frame she has created for her. Nonetheless, I see hope – ironically perhaps – in the sisterly relationship between Sumika and Kanako…if they can manage to keep it there.

Kaori and Shizuku come to the point that they have always inevitably had to come to, in “Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata.” Kaori does not want to go gently into that good night and who could blame her. I wonder if Yuama will give in to a last minute save.

“Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou. Maid Kitchen” illustrated by tsuke, has begun and it is as silly as one might have expected! Claire has a problem, Lene and Rae fix it with food, tada! ^_^ This is followed by the next chapter of “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” proper, with a lead-in to the story of Oohashi Rei’s first love, a section which is painful for both Rae and reader. We will eventually understand, but right now it’s just picking scabs.

“Koharu & Minato” has migrated from the back of the book to the front for this chapter of the long distance relationship of two women who now live together, by Daruma and Hiarron.

“Watashi no Shitteru no Oneesan” is a sweet little story about a mysterious cool woman at the bookstore and the girl who becomes infatuated with her, by Otokawa Akari.

Okay, bear with me because, “Shikabane Shoujo to Ai ga Omoi Sei Kishi no Toubatsu Gakuen Life” is not bad. A young woman who i , apparently a zombie, has come to a school for magic users…which she is not, but as she undergoes an extremely extreme first day she meets her new “onee-sama,” a powerful holy knight.

“Odoriba ni Skirt ga Naru”  by Utatane Yu, turns towards the current leading pair in the Quadrille trials; Kiki’s former partner, Shion, and her new partner. They may be leading, but who is following?

A new sci-fi fantasy story, “Garan no Hime” has a lot of setup, but gets lost in what, without question, the worst body/clothes design since semelparous. In the meantime, monsters, dead princesses, gormless villagers, check.

“Osoto Gohan,” re-imagines s’mores in a way that I approve more than the “Tsukuritai Onna, to Tabetai Onna” iteration. (Ritz crackers? Meh, too salty. Chocolate biscuits, yes,)

And, in “Onna Tomodachi to Kekkon Shitemita,” Kurumi’s feels for Ruriko are shifting but she doesn’t check with Ruriko to see if they are on the same page…and she may have broken something important.

As the year is about to shift into autumn, this whole volume feels autumnal.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

As always, there were other stories I read (or didn’t). It was a solid issue, with some new stuff, some old stuff and eating yummy food.

*The September issue is already here and …yep.

Comic Yuri Hime June 2023 (コミック百合姫2023年6月号) begins with a vastly shifted cover story. What was near-monochrome and pensive looks, now has shifted to color and happy expressions of every day joy. I think Mebachi-sensei’s work here has been quite good. I expect that summer will see more bright smiles, but will autumn and winter chill them? I guess we’ll see.

The first chapter is rather emotional fallout of Shiho’s confession in Takeshima Eku’s “Sasayakuyouni Koi Wo Utau.” Now Aki has to deal with her own feelings for Yori, urgh. But the festival progresses and SS Girls have a great day. And then they get some shocking news….

This is followed by a critically important chapter of Miman’s  “Watashi no Yuri Ha Oshigoto Desu!” For the first time in this series, I feel like Sumika and Kanako may be all right. Phew. Kanako even smiles! She’s ready to tell Sumika her story about the time she told Hime-chan how she felt. Yikes.

I am 100% all in on slice-of-life series right now. In fact, I have an article idea floating loose in my head about them. So “Osoto Gohan,” by Haduki is right in my wheelhouse now as our protagonists head out to a campground to spend a relaxing day making a whole roast chicken on a camp stove. ^_^

It’s Shion’s turn to have a crisis of identity in Utatane Yu’s “Odoriba ni Skirt ga Naru.” I would love for this series to be licensed, because the art is just lovely, but I wonder how this story of ballroom dancing and teen angst would sell?

The Euclid arc comes to a dramatic climax in “Watashi no Oshi na Akuyaku Reijou.” Claire comes closer to understanding what poverty really means to families. Next up we have the Church arc. Lily will be officially introduced.

This is followed by a short by Yudepan, in which a woman meets a high school girl when they sit near each other most days in the library. This is a rare manga that uses people wearing masks as a normal thing.

On her date with Kaori, Shizuku is set up to face the source of her own trauma, when she and Ichinose-san are sent off together to do an errand. Will they be able to heal their shared wound? Yuama’s “Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata” has got to be heading towards a climax now, surely.

“Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru” by Keyyang, has gone to a rather dismal place, but I am still hoping it will turn around.

And “Onna Tomodachi to Kekkon Shitemeta” by Usui Shi,o gets Rio all sorted in her new job.  While Kurumi is thinking more and more about how she feels about Ruriko.

As I said, last issue, I knew a stronger issue would be on the way.  ^_^ Most of the shorts this time were readable… I’m really just skipping the 18+ series as they aren’t interesting to me at all. I’m not opposed to sex in my Yuri, but when the story is “they have (the same) sex this chapter, too” I get kinda bored.

Ratings:

Overall – 9

The July issue hit shelves in Japan this week, so for one brief second, I am again caught up! Yay me. ^_^