For a magazine with a big ending, Comic Yuri Hime July 2022 (コミック百合姫2022年7月号) left me feeling very hopeful.

The cover sets the mood. Instead of nightscapes and urban decay, our two travelers find themselves in a flat plain, accompanied by a horse who is calmly grazing. Colorful prairie flowers and a colorful sunrise greet them, as they search for love and themselves. As an issue that came out after the Summer Solstice in this hemisphere, it’s pretty spot on for mood.

We get a three-page spread on the upcoming anime, followed by a powerful and potentially heartbreaking chapter of “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto desu!” by Miman. Having been given character designs for the anime, Sumika is now blonde…and hopelessly in love with Kanako. We know it’s hopeless – or, at least, we know it ought to be hopeless. There’s some rough times ahead for these two. I’m more invested in them than I was in Hime and Mitsuki, too, which means this is a little torturous. ^_^; Sumika’s a dumbass, but I like her. I’m still holding out for a concerted revenge plot against Youko.

Tsuama’s “Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata” is moving in an unexpected direction, as Shizuku is taking her new understanding of Kaori’s situation and actually trying to be a better person.

I’m really enjoying “Natsu to Lemon to Overlay” by Ru, purely for it’s unusual setup, but I’m hoping the story goes somewhere interesting, as well.

And then we come to the final chapter of “Kaketa Tsuki to Donuts” by Usui Shio. On the one hand, I would have been content to just pass time with Hinako and Asahi for longer, but the story had come to a natural conclusion. Hinako had worked out the nature of the weight she was carrying and, in doing so, has shed it. Asahi has determined to try living for herself for a change.  Usui-sensei nails the ending. That’s all I’m going to say for now. When the final volume comes out in English, we’ll talk more. ^_^

In “Onna Tomodachi to Kekkonshitemita” also by Usui-sensei, Kurumi gets to see the stresses inside someone else’s marriage, as her sister-in-law calls for some tea and sympathy.

Keiyang’s “Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru” settles down for a quiet chapter with Haru and Hi-chan settling into their new beachside town life.

Inui Ayu takes a look at her and Kon-san’s different comfort levels with public displays of affection in “Kyou mo Hitotsu Yane no Shita.”

As always there are many other manga in the magazine, some of which I read and some of which I did not.  There are two 18+ manga, Citrus+ is still running (and characters are still smiling) and many other new and continuing series.

Ratings:

Overall – 9, for Usui-sensei sticking the landing.

The August issue is already on Japanese shelves, and hopefully will be on mine shortly, because “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” is moving into my favorite arc – “Love Scales.” ^_^

Comic Yuri Hime May 2022 (コミック百合姫2022年5月号) had a few great zOMG moments, so let’s dig right in!

“Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau” by Takeshima Eku relaxes into festival mode, with yukata, and fireworks and kisses.  This series is just so darn sweet, it hurts my teeth, but I’m hooked. ^_^

“Watashi no Oshi h Akuyaku Reijou.” is hard this (and next) month, as we face Lene’s banishment. The next chapter is gonna be really rough. At last, we meet Salas Lilium….and, okay, he’s pretty. We’re going to see a lot more of him as the story progresses. da-da-dummmmmm~~~

OMFG, Miman’s “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto desu!” has done something I could never have expected. Holy shizzballs. The whole cafe is currently dancing to Youko’s tune and has no idea. I can’t see the climax here, but I’m on the edge of my seat for it. Poor Sumika. Poor Nene. Poor Kanako. I hope they gang up and defeat the evil that threatens to tear them apart.

Both of Usui Shio’s stories take leaps forward…

As “Kaketa Tsuki to Donuts” heads towards it’s climax, Hinako has the first real conversation with her mother that she’s probably ever had. It’s a key moment, and they both come through it just fine. It’s the “look Mom, I like someone and that someone is a woman…” talk, which isn’t quite coming out, but is darn close. Now all we need is Asahi to be honest with herself…and the two of them to share some realtalk.

In “Onna Tomodachi to Kekkonshitemita” Kurumi and Ruriko spend the day together deepening their bonds and you know what? It was really nice. I could use more of this…a lot more of this.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

As always there are stories I don’t read and stories I read that I haven’t mentioned, but all of the ones mentioned are doing some pretty interesting things and had a couple of yowza moments!

The June issue is already available and I am so looking forward to it. ^_^

Comic Yuri Hime, April 2022 (コミック百合姫2022年4月号) starts off with an evocative cover image. I very much continue to enjoy this year’s cover design, with it’s patchwork of color and texture. Great design work there! It’s always nice when Comic Yuri Hime chooses creative design for their annual theme.

The first story of interest to me this issue is inori-sensei’s “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” We’ve come to the climax of the commoner movement arc, which means we’re almost at the end of the first novel. I hope you’re all filling out the monthly questionnaire and letting them know you want more of this series! I can say that, for this series, an international audience is recognized. Let Ichijinsha know that we want Drama CDs and anime and all the things. ^_^

In “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto desu!” Kanako is in crisis. So much of her identity has been wrapped up in Hime that now that Hime and Yano are reconciled, Kanako is floundering. What direction will this desire for Hime head in? It could get ugly, but by now I completely trust Miman-sensei to take care of these characters. (Although I’ve got my eye on Nene…she’d better be okay, is all I’m saying. (-_-)

Kashikaze’s “Lonely Girl ni Sakeraenai” was absolutely adorbs this month. Ayaka finds her path in life, she and Sora eat cookies. I’m going to jump here and also mention, Inui Ayu’s and Ohi Pikachi’s comic essays on life with their girlfriends. After decades of high and low dramas, I like having an iyashikei manga or three to read and just be happy. More wholesome Yuri please!

Life as a married couple is going well for Kurumi and Ruriko in “Onna Tomodachi to Kekkonshitemita.”

“Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru” continues to be one of my faves, as Haru and Hinoto craft a homemade marriage certificate and decide to get jobs to keep up this beach house lifestyle. With this, they have fully thrown away the business suit lifestyle and they are positively glowing.

I have to tell you that “Odoriba Skirt ga Naru” just NAILS the landing here. 10/10 Michiru and Kiki are always so tenuous and now they might be on the edge of a breakup, but they talk…and then they dance. The three page set where their counting slowly comes together and eventually shows them in perfect synch was an outstanding use of word balloons. You could practically hear the music swell behind Uttane-sensei’s art.

Taguchi Shouichi’s “Futari Escape” is so goofy that I can’t possibly dislike it. In this chapter, they create a fictitious cat for themselves and really lean into the fiction hard.

In honor of the re-release of Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu and Love Gene Double XX by Taishi Zaou and Eiki Eiki, the first chapter of each is included this month. These manga originally ran back in the late 2000s, early 2010’s in Yuri Hime. I’ve reviewed them all here on Okazu (Love Gene Double XX Volume 1 | Volume 2  and Haru, Natsu, Aki, Fuyu)…they were both problematic. I still don’t know if the problems stemmed from primarily BL creators creating Yuri, but it sure seemed that way at the time. I’m not sure they’ve worn well, but YMMV.

Inui Ayu and Kon-san discuss negative things about each other, to temper all the lovey-dovey in her essay comic so far and Ohi Pikachi let’s us in on when she and Fuuka spent the night together for the first time.

As always, there are stories I read and have not mentioned and stories I do not read. (Like, there was a manga that ended this issue with both characters dead and my thought was, “that’s okay.” It’s not worth it to me to mention some of these.) But for the things I am reading, there’s more to like than ever before, overall, a fantastic issue of Comic Yuri Hime!

Ratings:

Overall – 9 (“Odoriba” put it over the line. ^_^)

The May issue is already in my greedy little hands, and it’s so good. ^_^

Comic Yuri Hime March 2022 (コミック百合姫2022年3月号) is another solid issue.

To begin with “Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata” finally comes to the climax we had been expecting – Shizuku learns that Kaori is terminally ill. Her feelings may never have time to reach the other girl.

Following this, in “Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau” the SS Girls decide to up their game, while Yori and Hima try to make time for each other, even though they are on opposing teams for the big battle of the bands. Gosh, this manga is just so forgivably innocent, it makes me use the word “gosh,” unironically. ^_^ And, oh, they kiss.

“Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” dives deep into social justice issues this chapter, as a noble gets away with almost killing a commoner. The commoner movement takes this as a cue to get protesting, in exactly the same way we saw in the real world. This chapter cuts a little deep. As it should.

Speaking of deep cuts, “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto desu!” was rough. Nene finally meets up with Youko who plays our poor chef like a keyboard. Nene is looking to find sincerity in a completely insincere person, and makes mistakes she hates herself for. Personally, I hate Youko for them. Sumika takes the wrongest position possible and I realllllly have to hope Nene comes out of all this with her life intact. I’m pretty angry for (not at) her right now. I trust ya, Miman-sensei, but this better be worth her tears.

“Kaketa Tsuki to Donuts” takes the jousei route, as Hinako’s mother comes to visit. Hinako tells her flat out that she likes Asahi, but then runs off and calls the other woman. Now that she has admitted to herself that she likes Asahi, will she admit it to Asahi?

In a Usui Shio two-fer, in “Onna Tomodachi wo Kekkon Shitemita,” Ruriko and Kurumi spend a day together to patch up some holes they have and Ruriko gives Kurumi a hug, which sets her thinking about their “friendship.”

“Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru,” by Keyyang is rapidly rising into my top several stories. Haru and Hi-chan wake up to find themselves engaged and happier than they have ever been. They decide to get rings and talk about wedding dresses. But first, breakfast!

Inui Ayu and Kon-san talk about their exes and how they approach dating so differently and Kon-san takes a point a step too far in “Kyou mo Yane no Shita.” And Ohi Pikachi shares the story of her first kiss with Fuuka in “Pillow Talk ha Fuku wo Kite.”

As always there are other stories I’m not mentioning and some I’m not reading. Basically, the middle third of the magazine is “meh,” to me, which gives me a 2/3 good or great percentage…more than satisfactory IMHO.

Ratings:

Overall – 9

I’m also always interested in the editor’s recommendation pages, in part because they often suggest things I don’t know and in part because I’m interested to see what they think is good (subtext: even if I disagree. ^_^)

The April issue of Comic Yuri Hime is out now in Japanese bookstores!