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!

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) 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.

Comic Yuri Hime, April 2026 (コミック百合姫2026年4月号) begins with a deep, chocolately brown cover of a girl  cheerfuly buried under a pile of hats. The gloved woman behind her looks as if she is trying to ward the inevitable collapse off. 

So, now that we have 4 issues in hand, we see that this is not a story on the cover, per se, but a series of clothing, make-up, hair-related scenarios, in which one girl is in the front, being managed by another (obscured) woman behind. Chiriko’s covers are striking and colorful, but not necessarily meaningful.

The book begins with a newcomer, Usami Miki’s tale of finding joy in dystopia, “Zangai Shoujo, Kirakirana Sekai no Soko” whics has the English translation, “wreckage, maiden, sparkle at the bottom of the world.”  

Lorelei gets their big break in Takeshima Eku’s “Sasaybig-time Sasakuyouni Koi wo Utau”! A big record label (Queen Records, hint hint) has discovered their videos…do they want to go pro? Shiho knows what she wants, but are the others on board? Hajime agrees, but questions what her goals are.

In ” Tayutau Koi no Chirisai ni,” our protagonists go on their first date, but have no idea how money or tickets work? Kind of threw me out of the story there.

Ikuta Hana’s “Hone ni Negai o, Hoshi ni Horoi o” Aoi and Mashiro begin to go through Akane’s things, lancing the wound that binds them both.

“Kimi no Seinandakara, Sekinin o Totte you ne” Reina and Suichan continue their progression from paid escort and client to girlfriends.

Tsumugi Meme’s “Hina-chan ga Iketeru nara” continues to be creepy as fuck, as Hina-chanan, apparently returned from the dead after years, and who has not aged, is angry that Ku-chan has gotten her period, first, leaving Hina behind.

“Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto desu!” takes a long look at Mitsuki who, IMHO, is neurodivergent, and the struggles she has at school reading other people’s intent. As she has to decide what she wants to do with her future, the quesion looms havily for her. Hime offers her a safe haven. 

inori. and Aonoshimo offer up an emotional chapter of “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijo.” Rei, demoralized and defeated, finds unexpected allies in her quest to free Claire.

Koharu and Minato get deep into “oshi-katsu” and idol fandom in “Koharu to Minato”, which will be out in English in April as Koharu and Minato: Happy Life with My Girlfriend, Volume 1!

Ayster and Oto-toi bring us another weirdly compelling editor motivates low-energy manga artist in “Haru no Uzumibi.”

And interestingly, Kubara Yuuko’s “Film ni Saku Yurinohana o Atsumete Kimi ni Okuritai”, comic essay takes a look at the explicitly lesbian movie Carol, based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt. This movie  was brilliantly acted and directed and is, IMHO, a must-watch.

I am reading and enjoying close to half the work in this magazine right now, which is an outstanding amount for me and any magazine. And many of the most popular series aren’t in my wheelhouse, so there is really something for just about everyone. ^_^

Ratings: 

Overall – 8

The May issue is out now in Japan!

Comic Yuri Hime, March 2026 (コミック百合姫2026年3月号) cover is another colorful piece by Chiriko. This time a girl is being playfully buried in different clothes by a woman behind her. I still don’t know if these  cover hair, lips and fits will also include blades, but we can hope . ^_^

A new series about a earnest, naive young lady being hunted by the school “wolf”,  “Dareka Ookami-san no Shitsuke-kata Shirimasenka!!?” by Anmi Tsuki has begun. I am not entirely sure how I feel about it and will give it time.

Touma’s “Kimi no Sei dakara, Sekinin totte yo ne” is heating up as both rental girlfriend and her client are thinking it could be more. If the series is going to wrap up swiftly, they’ll be fine. If this is supposed to continue…expect drama. ^_^

In “Hareta Hi no Dress Code” our protagonist is thinking about how the scars on her legs have shaped her life and shes really not okay with that anymore, while Natsuki wishes she could just wear pants and doesn’t really know why she won’t.

Inori. and Aonoshimo are absolutely killing it in “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” as Rei has to face the complete failure of her plan to save Claire. Misha is there to slap her out of it (and send her to her death, but…)