Well hahaha on me. I picked up Comic Yuri Hime July 2023 (コミック百合姫2023年7月号) from the bookstore and plowed through it, with every intention of reviewing it right away, so I’d be caught up. Yeah, well. But let me assure you this was another good volume. I say that, even when there are a number of stories I myself will not read, because I am fully aware that my tastes are not everyone’s tastes.

Once again, I am loving the cover story. Color fills the screen now; the text speaks of admiration and joy at the smiling girl’s smile. Nice work, Mebachi-sensei.

This issue gets off to a strong start as we meet Lily in “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” Lily will, of course, become an important character, but also importantly, Rae stands up for gay people openly in the Church, chastizing some nuns about their intolerance. You go, Rae!

The SS Girls get their day on stage at last! Of course they slay their set, but they have a surprise left up their sleeves… “Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau” is always fun to read.

In “Kiraware Majoureijo to Dansou no Ouji-yaku,” once again, a well-bred young lady is treated like crap by her royal fiance, but the actual heir to the kingdom takes a fancy to her. She may wear a uniform, but she’s all girl underneath!

Kurumi is practicing hugs in “Onna Tomodachi to Kekkonshitemita” but when it comes time to lay one on Ruriko, has she really considered the consequences?

Ohsawa Yayoi’s contribution to the Yuri is My Job! Official Comic Anthology ( 私の百合はお仕事です！公式コミックアンソロジー), “Uragaeshimai” is an amusing look at the change in dynamic when Hime suddenly grows up. Gosh I love her art.

There are other stores with manipulative high school students, aliens, android maids and lesbian brothels as usual. A wide variety of work for, hopefully, a wide variety of readers!

Ratings:

Overall – 8

The August issue hits shelves today in Japan! (So maybe I’m not so far behind after all.)

Well, it had to happen. The May volume of Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫2023年5月号) was mostly not of interest to me. There’s a lot of stories that have sex portrayed in a way that is super unappealing to me. Coerced, manipulated, not an expression of love, but of power or desperation. It’ll never be my thing, but if you love shocked/unhappy faces in your sex scenes…enjoy.

There were a small handful of go-to series that I read.

We finally got Lorelei’s performance at the Battle of the Bands and of course it was super intense after Shiho dumped her whole heart on Aki in Takeshima Eku’s “Sasayakuyou ni Koi wo Utau.” I’m kind of sorry the anime will never get this far in the manga.

This chapter of “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou,” written by inori and illustrated by Aonishimo, is the very-intense Undead Hunt, which will lead up to a shock next month. Speaking of anime, we have a date for the ILTV anime! Clear your calendar in Oct 2023.

Miman’s “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!” goes somewhere I feared it might, but manages to work it’s way through a deeply awkward and painful moment for Kanako and Sumika. I finally have hope that we’ll see them both come out of this okay, now. Phew.

For some reason a number of the stories I genuinely like are all headed off various cliffs, some of which are plot, but a few feel a bit like “who needs a plot when we have drama?” So overall, this was not my favorite issue ever. But that happens and then the next issue comes out and we’ll be good again. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 5

I would like a few more new stories about non-moe characters doing interesting things and falling in love, and much less about unpleasant high school girls being manipulative and creepy, but YMMV.

I know I’m running way behind on Comic Yuri Hime magazine. I have been unable to go to the Japanese bookstore since March, and reading Japanese was too much effort for me until recently. So, I’ll do my best to get the May and June issues asap and get caught up.

In the meantime, let’s look at what is now ancient history in manga years, the April issue of Comic Yuri Hime. ^_^

To begin with, our cover story seems to have hit a major turning point, as our two protagonists dance together in a gymnasium. I love how Mebachi’s story has slowly moved from almost-monochrome, to adding a little color with every passing month.

“Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou” written by inori and drawn by Aonishimo, heads into the Euclid arc. There are a number of things that the manga can do that the LN could not, so I’m finding this iteration very interesting.

In “Sasayakouyouni Koi wo Utau,” by Takeshima Eku, Shiho takes time before the battle of the bands to tell Aki how she feels. Finally. Phew. Now can we have the battle of the bands? ^_^

Usui Shio’s “Onna Tomodachi to Kekkon Shitemita” turns a page, as Rio packs up and goes home. All of them have been changed for the better, but Kurumi and Ruriko have their place to themselves once again…then the phone rings.

Deep breath, because “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!” has consequences to deal with. Youko may be gone at last, but her actions have fundamentally screwed with Kanako and Sumika. I do want to spoil this chapter a bit because one of the two things I wanted to see in this arc was Sumika punch Youko (the other thing would have been Nene punching Youko.) Well, we get a beautiful punch here as an opener. It was very gratifying.

Keyyang’s “Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru,” has taken a realistic and somewhat depressing turn. Can Haru and Hi-chan turn this around and find their ideal life? I’ll have to wait to find out!

And last for me, “Oodoriba Skirt ni Naru,” by Utatane Yuu, also shifts a bit as Michiru gets ill from an oncoming typhoon and Kiki takes care of her. When she wakes up, Michiru finally comes to the conclusion that she’s falling for Kiki-sempai. I still love this manga and hope it just keeps dancing along.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

As always there are other stories I read and some I did not. Each issue is a good balance between things that keep my attention and things that are for people who are not me. Honestly, I’m just really glad to be reading manga again. ^_^