Slightly more than 20 years ago, Rica Takashima and I hosted Yuricon 2005 in Tokyo. Ichijinsha had just bought Yuri Shimai magazine and was relaunching it as a new Yuri manga magazine. The editor-in-chief at the time came to Yuricon 2005 and asked about the name “Yuri Shimai.” The event attendees and guests were pretty ambivalent about that name and recommended they change it and few months later, Yuri Hime magazine launched. It was quarterly at first. Then in the late 00s, it split into two separate magazines  – Yuri Hime, and Yuri Hime S, nominally “for women” and “for men”. These were quarterly on different schedules, so fans of Yuri could get up to 8 issues a year. 

In 2011, Comic Yuri Hime was relaunched once again as a bimonthly manga magazine. And, in 2017, Comic Yuri Hime relaunched as the first and only monthly Yuri manga magazine.

Today we celebrate 20 year of Comic Yuri Hime from Ichijinsha. Congratulations! It’s been an incredible two decades and I’m glad I’ve been able to be along for the whole ride so far. ^_^

Comic Yuri Hime, September 2025 (コミック百合姫2025年9月号) is an extra thick 772 page extravaganza of Yuri. Beginning with a beautiful celebratory cover, featuring our protagonists in festive kimono at 20 years old, naturally. Kimono patterns and confetti are given a gold gloss for a very luxurious feel. Today, they and we are together, celebrating the love of women. 

I’m not going to give a rundown of all the individual series this time, but I do want to mention that I am very much enjoying the series that focus on strong-willed women and girls finding ways to get what they want done – there are many of these right now and it feels so good to read these, along with more conventional high school stories. There is plenty of “adult” content for those that like that, and still a nice pile of fantasy and isekai and a bit of science fiction. I’m still waiting for sports queer comic is iespecially but we have some great action, and smart women making positive change.

We’ve come a very long way in 20 years and there is still a long way to go. Queer media is once again under attack globally, queer comic especially so. So while we celebrate where we have been and what we have done, I ask you all to please continue supporting Yuri and queer manga. We need unity and strength now to protect what we have gained against the forces that seek to – again- shove us back in closets and silence us. Sing your queer songs, write your queer stories, draw your queer comics!

And on behalf of Comic Yuri Hime and Yuricon – thank you for your support of Yuri!

Comic Yuri Hime, August 2025 (コミック百合姫2025年8月号) begins with a truly lovely cover, “Saturday August 19th, 2024, 19 years old,” our cover couple play with fireworks at the water. Hechima does great work with reflection, light and color here. 

It’s a strong opening to what is a momentous magazine issue…the last one before Comic Yuri Hime‘s 20th anniversary. August has strong Yuri energy, apparently. Both Yuricon and Okazu were born in August, as was what is now Comic Yuri Hime. We’re celebrating 23 years here next month ourselves! 

“Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.,”  follows Lily as she has a heart to heart talk with Thane, who is now unveiled as her half-brother, as he recovers from the poison with which she tried to kill him. Lily struggles with complicated emotions, as one might imagine.

In “Yume to Koi de wa Tsuriaiwanai” Hikari and Kairi on an amusement park date admit that they both want the same thing, which is to be with one another. I don’t know how much further this story can progress at this point, but I hope Hikari can triumph in her dream as well as love.

Ten is forced to look back on recent painiful years in school that ultimately lead to her being the ostracized loner she is is “Chouuchyuu Yori Ai wo Komete,” by Ashidaka Woz. This was an incredibly painful chapter, as the betrayal and subsequent mocking by people one trusts is something many of us are familiar with. But Lulu reminds Ten than she came across the galaxy to be with her, now.

Nana and PrincessLuliam return back from clearing miasma, only to find themselves thrown into a plot to force their marriage in Tama Tamasaki’s “Muryoku Seijo to Munou Oujo ~ Maryoku Zero de Shoukansareta Seijo no Isekai Kyuukokuki.”

“Odoriba ni Shirt ga Naru” by Utatane Yuu brings the girls to the moment we’ve all been waiting for -the naming of the couple who will represent the school in the quadrille. Michiru admits that she been carrying around a picture of Kiki as her precious charm.

“Garan no Hime”  is heating up as Hime and Isana are attacked by the military and more revelations are made. The truth of the world is looking uglier and uglier.

“Gakeppuchi Reijou ha Kuro Kishi-sama o Horesasetai!” is currently my favorite series, because Clarice is consistently smart, strong emotionally and compassionate. She’s in a tough situation, but she always finds a path towards the kindness. In this issue, Dahlia’s obvious split loyalties are uncovered.

Koharu and Minato get a puppy!

As always there are other stories I read and some I did not and there are columns and features that are not described here, but this is an excellent volume of a consistently excellent Yuri manga magazine, with something for everyone.

Ratings: 

Overall – 8

I have the 20th anniversary issue on my to-read pile, but I expect to take a long while to get through that as it is especially chunky at 770+ pages!

Comic Yuri Hime, July 2025 (コミック百合姫2025年6月号) is an honestly excellent volume of the only monthly Yuri manga magazine! Some great stories, including a number of fantastic continuing serializations.

Our first story is a new serialization by Nishina about a girl who has transferred into an old crumbling provincial school, but who finds something to care about when she is partnered with another girl to work on the school yearbook and starts photographing the people and the places around her.

Claire is appalled at her father’s actions and Lily takes some steps to remedy her own sins in this chapter of “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” written by inori. and illustrated wonderfully by Aonoshimo.

Another game character wanders into our world looking for Machino, but Aurora has her own agenda, to revisit another old friend, in “Genjitsu Sekai (Real) Demo Shiawase ni Shite Kudasai ne?” by Shiborikasuko.

Tama Tamasaki’s “Muryoku Seijo to Munou Oujo ~ Maryoku Zero de Shoukansareta Seijo no Isekai Kyuukokuki” takes a HUGE step in this chapter, as Nana and the Princess not only have purged the miasma from the town, but develop a pathway for cultural and economic recovery for it, showing themselves to be the leaders this world needs.

“Chouuchyuu Yori Ai wo Komete,” by Ashidaka Woz also takes a few steps forward as Lulu’s personality is opening up Ten’s life and attracting new friends.

Kashiaze’s “Kimi Ga Hoeru Tame No Uta Wo” puts Haru to the test, as she has to sing online during a contest. Struck silent by stress, Haru finds strenghth in Yuu’s fail and wows host and audience.

AHAH! The boot has dropped exactly where we expected it in “Kanaria wa Kiraboshi no Yume wo Miru” by sheepD. As Ayano and her fiance are presented at a party, Ayano is only truly concerned about Tsubaki. She manages to convey her true feelings to the other girl. Takahiko, howver does turn out to be conspiring with his older sister to get into Ayano’s family.

“Gakeppuchi Reijou ha Kuro Kishi-sama o Horesasetai!” which was *just* licensed this weekend as Marrying the Dark Knight (For Her Money),  a title I do not love, but I do love the story. In this chapter we get the first of many pieces of Frost’s tragic back story, in which her father rejected her and her mother because of a misunderstanding about genetics, and she took her father’s life in revenge for her mother’s.

Korose’s “Gan no Hime” was amazing, if a bit talky, as we learn the final parts of the true nature of the world and who Isana is. Where this will go, I have no idea, but it’s solid plotting for sure.

And finally, we are treated to a lesbian classic + vampire story, with a young woman who meets a vampire who has been stabbed by an ex, as she lays bleeding. The vampire is looking to find someone to become a vampire with her, so she won’t be lonely anymore. Chise isn’t making any promises, but she’s willing to help the vampire to life life to her fullest right *now* at any rate. It was a pretty good story given the tropiness throughout.

And, as usually, there are other stories I read and others I didn’t and some were good and some were not. ^_^

Ratings: 

Overall  – 9 

The August issue is already on my to-read pile. ^_^

Hechama begins our cover story for Comic Yuri Hime, June 2025 (コミック百合姫2025年6月号) June 19th, 2020, GMT +0900, 15 years old. I just finally noticed (duh) that the months are matching the issue’s month. Wow, I smart.

“I’m in Love with the Villainess” heads into the final arc, we start in despair and we end there as well. Thunks are looking bleak for Bauer. I know this will end when we complete the “Revolution arc” but oh how I wish we got Dorothea. If you have a moment, write Icjinjinsha and ask for a second series in Nur!

Takeshima Eku’s “Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Uta,” continues, as Miki remembers Himari’s quandry about love, and decides to date her sempai while she sorts out her feelings. While sempai works on being the best, most supportive girlfriend ever.

In “Chouuchyuu Yori Ai wo Komete,” by Ashidaka Woz, while shopping Lulu and Ten help a little girl,  and  Ten works out that she’s probably been hiding Lulu out of embarrassment. A lock on her heart’s door is opened.

In Utatane Yuu’s “Oodoriba ni Skirt ga Naru,” Michiru ends up helping another girl to dance and Kiki suddenly realizes, finally how MUCH she wants to dance with her. We are set to head in to our final competition!

“Uraniwa Etoile” by Hoshino Kanata  goes over well-worn, but satsfying ground of an uninspired, ie. traumatized, student who sees a girl dancing in back garden, find her to be the strict student president. With the other girl’s helps, she her find her freedom.

Clarice cannot believe what she did, Frost hasn’t slept, in “Gakeppuchi Reijou ha Kuro Kishi-sama o Horesasetai!”  Frost-sama falling asleep on her plate is a very funny visual.

One-shot “Uchyuu wo oshiete My Baby,” is a romantic tentacle monster story that ends with a happy couple expecting a baby monster.

In “Gan no Hime,” Isana and Hime have found Isana’s sister and what they learned was beyond unexpected – this is not the first time they have all met.

Koharu to Minato decide to adopt a dog in “Koharu to Minato. Lots of cute puppy time. ^_^

The rest of the 500+ pages of Yuri is filled with columns, illustrations and more. As always there are stories I read and did not mention and others I did not read, but I am sure that many of you do. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 9

The July Issue hit shelves this week. I am once again caught up for the briefest of moments! Next up, getting caught up on Galette. ^_^

Comic Yuri Hime, May 2025 (コミック百合姫2025年5月号) cover by hechima shows our unnamed protagonists on March 23rd, 2018 11:40:52 GMT 1900/ 12 years old as they ask each other “So, any plans after this?” in English.

I find myself somehow comforted by the underlying narrative in Ashida Kawozu’s “Chou Fuka Uchuu Yori Ai o Komete” is about finding one’s self – and using that self to help others find themselves.

Likewise, I am enjoying Tamasaki Tama’s “Muryoku Seijo to Munou Oujo ~ Maryoku Zero de Shoukansareta Seijo no Isekai Kyuukokuki” very much and look forward to seeing what  is the source of the country’s miasma. It’s not all that surprising to me that a story of collaborations being stronger than a person alone is appealing to me. ^_^

Asahi Tetra’s “Magic Hour” is a story in which a girl falls in love with another girl’s vibe and finds she is loved in return. Not original, but cute nonetheless.

No clue how sheepD’s “Kanaria ha Kiraboshi no Yume o Miru” can resolve, but for the moment, Ayano’s fiance seems like he might not be a terrible person. Is there hope for her rescue Tsubaki from a life of prostitution?

Isana and Hime are drawing closer to understanding what happened to their world, when they run into the sister Isana is looking for…but she is not who Isana hoped to find, in “Garan no Hime,” by Korose.

Koharu and Minato investigate same-sex partnerships…and find that the paperwork is a bit more complicated than they expected, but it’s still important for them to be recognized as a couple in “Koharu to Minato.”

As always, there are many stories and  columns I read but have not mentioned and others I did not read.  And, as always, I am glad that there are both. ^_^A solid, but not outstanding issue.

Ratings:

Overall – 7

The June issue is on JP shelves now and waiting for me at the bookstore. ^_^