Comic Yuri Hime November 2019 (コミック百合姫2019年11月号) surprised the heck out of me – in a good way.

As you may notice, every issue I note the progress of some of the stories I follow, and and I usually note that there are many stories I don’t read. Over all the years here on Okazu I have had a belief that as long as a magazine had two stories I loved and at least a story or two I like then it’s worth the price.

The surprise comes from the fact that I am now reading more than half the stories in each volume of Comic Yuri Hime, and the number of stories I’m genuinely enjoying is about a half dozen and I’m only avoiding about a half dozen. Which makes this an unreasonably good value for my money. ^_^

Iwami Kyoko’s “Luminous=Blue” wraps up this issue, and IMHO, wraps up well with an ending that feels less like a cop out and more like a reasonable choice than I expected.

I always enjoy “Itoshi Koishi” by Takemiya Jin, but found this particular issue especially charming as I’m trying to cook this week for a woman who cooks brilliantly. I sympathize with Yayoi here.

“Umineko Bessou days” takes a slightly darker turn…one that presages an even darker one in days to come. It’s obvious that Kodama Naoko-sensei likes her tales with an edge. I’m not sure I do, so I’m always nervous reading her work. ^_^;

“Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Uta” remains delightful as Yori-sempai takes a leap into a whole new life by joining a band, just to make her cute girlfriend happy. ^_^

I really like the path “Tsurezure Biyori” is taking with some quality time on Iori and Nanami. Equally, I’m happy that “Ikemen-sugi Sugi-sempai” is addressing something slightly more realistically…although that series definitely sounds like it’s winding up. Yes they are dealing with a thing, but probably not any other things. I want to be wrong.  And “Scarlet” heads into its final, inevitable confrontation.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

Overall, an excellent volume setting up an even better one for December’s issue. This was a very good year for fans of Comic Yuri Hime. The December issue is available and it’s looking like one of the strongest year-end issues ever!

The October issue of Comic Yuri Hime is what I’m starting think of as “steady on.” There are series I like a lot, that sort of sandwich series I don’t much care about, that sandwich stories I don’t like at all, which means I’m reading the beginning and the end of the magazine and just sort of skipping the middle. It’s not 100% every issue, but relatively consistent.

The magazine opens up with a short text story for Yume Utsustu Re:Master, the game that is being promoted in the early pages of recent issues.  This Yuri Visual novel by Konami is about sisters, so is dead to me. Do let me know if you’ve read it and would like to do a review!

“Pochacrime,” Mintarou’s new manga series about indoor climbing, known as bouldering, was not bad. It’ll have to develop a little more before I really decide if I like it or not. My reticence is most because of the art and the viewpoint of the art. If the characters develop to become more than a vehicle for “cute girl eats” and “staring at cute girls’ asses” I’m totally willing to get on board.

A serious crisis comes to a head in Miman’s “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!” as Hime finally confronts Mitsuki about what the actual heck is happening here. What she finds is probably not what she expected, but once again, her reaction is better than I expected from her. It’s a sign of good writing that I find myself totally comfortable with changing my opinion of both lead characters.

I’m pretty sure this is not going to break any new ground, but I still like Takshima Eku’s “Sasayaku ni Koi wo Uta.”

I’m pretty sure it is going to break new ground, so I’m always eager to read a new chapter of Takemiya Jin’s “Itoshi Koishi.” Yayoi’s confronting some of her own concerns once again and Hina’s right there to let he know when she’s overstepped.

Ohsawa Yayoi’s “Hello Melancholic” is already pushing Minato very hard. She’s barely had time to realize that she’s got friends before she’s realized that she’s falling in love with one of them. A late night caper of illicit musical practice isn’t helping her feel any more grounded….but it’s kind of obvious that this sort of total disruption of her status quo is what she needs.

Ichijinsha is reprinting Kindaichi Renjurou’s Mermaid Line, (which I reviewed back in 2008) with a new complete edition. This month’s issue reprints the classic-Yuri style story “Yukari to Mayumi,” in which two OLs pretend to be dating, but one of them finds that it makes her question her own feelings.

“Ikemen-sugi Shiki-sempai” takes a shocking turn towards drama as Hana learns something about Shiki-sempai that’s she not supposed to know. (It’s not really shocking, but it’ll be good for a couple of chapters of drama.)

Werewolf / vampire /drug / dark fairy tale “SCARLET” is still chugging along, as Misery (Mizallie, but let’s face it, her name and her fate are “misery”) throws herself into the middle of the story once again.

And “Umineko Bessou,” by Kodama Naoko, is getting a little darker as Ashima’s horrible family life crowds out Mayumi’s personal drama. When Ashima points out the obvious, it break Mayumi’s carefully constructed emotional cocoon.  Yes, Mayumi, it is obvious you like Rin. I’m kind of with Ashima on this, it is a bit of a “duh” moment.

Ratings:

Overall – 9

The stories I don’t like, I don’t like more than ever, but the ones I do, I like more, so it all works out.

The November 2019 issue is available and waiting for me at the store – I’m looking forward to it very much!

Comic Yuri Hime July 2019 (コミック百合姫2019年7月号) was a little bittersweet for me. It marked the end of a series I hoped would never end, hisona’s “Goodbye Dystopia.” But aside from that there was so much that was else going on, that I didn’t have all that much time to be sad. ^_^

Kodama Naoko’s “Umineko Besso” took a different direction as we get to understand the story of Ayashima, and why she’s taking Mayumi’s intrusion on their happy household so personally.

“Tonari no Rakuen” by Kiriyama Haruka is a cute little adult life story about a working woman who needs a break and the partner who makes sure she gets it.

At last, we’re starting to get the backstory on Yano in “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!” by Miman. She is not sure that she can trust Hime…and not sure its worth it, but she’s sympathetic to Sumika’s request to fake it beautifully for the sake of the cafe.

It’s school festival time in “Hayama-sensei to Terano-sensei ha Tsukiatte iru” and Terano and Hayama could not be cuter if they tried. Until next month, when they will be even cuter. ^_^ Speaking of cute, Takashima Eku’s “Sasayakuyouni Koi no Utau” remains an adorable young love scenario. I’d add Yuama’s “Ikemensugi Sugi-sempai” to this list, as well. And “Itoshi Koishi” by Takemiya Jin.  All of these series have something that Yuri occasionally lacks – characters who really enjoy each other’s company. And now that I have said that out loud, as it were, I realize that that one thing is totally my boom in a romance. I really like it when characters like each other’s company. ^_^

“Kaketa Tsuki to Donuts” is turning out to be a surprisingly touching, as an office worker begins to question the assumptions she’s made about adult life.

“Scarlet” and “Kimi ga Shine Made Koi Shitai” scratch the horror itch, in completely different ways.

The end of the magazine includes a new JP publisher’s initiative to avoid piracy and the advert for Ohsawa Yayoi’s upcoming new series, about which I will have thoughts shortly. ^_^

Once again, this was a solid issue full of things I read and did not read and liked and did not like. The Yuri gods are in their heaven and all is right with the world.

Ratings:

Overall – 9 if I remember to not read – or even look at – several of the creepy moe series, 6 if I don’t

The August issue is already available and I’m already halfway through it. I love that there’s so much Yuri, but ahhh! I can’t keep up!