In Volume 1 of Takagami Yuriko’s Tsuki to Sekai to Etoile (月と世界とエトワール), we were introduced to the Gekkoukan, an exclusive all girls music school, in which skill in singing and music writing translates to rank among the student body  – and pairs of songwriters and singers are known as Etoile and Chevalier. Yozora is an new student, but has already become “engaged” to Sekai, her songwriter. Yozora and Sekai have become a threat to the established top star couple, Umiyuri and Towa.

Volume 2 shows us that behind their beauty, Umiyuri and Towa are not nice people. They’ve been responsible for the destruction of one girl’s musical career already and are clearly, despite their smiles and kind words, gunning for Yozora.  Despite their interference, Yozora persists and, while she loses to them in the big competition, it’s clear that she poses a threat to their rank.

Volume 3 begins as summer vacation looms. Yozora learns that Sekai does not go home, so she invites her Chevalier to join her. We meet Yozora’s grandmother and learn the not-at-all-shocking fact that she and Sekai’s grandmother were once Etoile and Chevalier as well. Sekai decides to return home and deal with her family for the first time in a while.

Missing Sekai deeply, Yozora returns to school, where she is embroiled in some new cockamamie scheme by Umiyuri and Towa to crush her spirit, only to be rescued by Sekai who has come back. Umiyuri asks Yozora to accompany her to a performance, again to make her fail, but Yozora, bolstered by Sekai’s belief in her and her feelings for her Chevalier, rises to the challenge.

As the volume ends, the next performance festival is around the corner and Yozora and Sekai will surely face more outright competition from the school’s star couple.

I had purchased this volume before I left for Tokyo in October. While shopping in Comic Zin, I came across a doujinshi for this series. I scooped it up, with a comment to my wife that if the doujinshi artist was not the actual series creator, it had to be an assistant, the art was that similar.

As it turns out, it was indeed by Takagami-sensei, a fanfic of her own world, which made me quite happy. The story takes place a few years before Sekai and Yozora meet. Sekai manages to help a classmate who keeps cracking under performance pressure. And it sets Sekai up as a bit of a playgirl, as well. ^_^ Yozora isn’t her first girl, after all.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Yuri –7 More kisses and some actual affection
Service – 1, on principle

Overall – 7

This story is growing on me. And it looks like it’ll be one of the first 4-volume series from  Yuri Hime Comics (along with Citrus) that has actual Yuri. This volume is also available on JP Kindle.

You cannot judge Yui Hinako’s Pastel Days (ぱすてるディズ)  by its cover. Like Fujisawa Makoto’s Himitsu no Kakera from last week, I found it to be a surprisingly satisfying read.

The first story is roughly drawn, and is a pretty basic “Story A” set in a typical school setting.

The second story, although the art is still very moe, follows the meeting of two adult friends and how they both come to realize their relationship is more than just friends.

The third story goes back to the rough style and is again a old friends story with some passive-aggressive hijinks for spice.

It’s the fourth story, “Ai no Tane” which elevated this book for me. Set in an office, Oono is really irritated by Sasaki-san. She’s just so damn cheerful all the time and hangs around with suspicious men and…she’s just annoying, right?

Sasaki immediately recognizes this for what it is and asks “Do you like me?” Oono denies it, but it’s only a matter of time before Sasaki pushes away the lame excuses Oono has for not admitting what is obvious to all of us.  What really makes the story work is the third co-worker, who also sees what’s going on but is completely taken aback when, the day after Oono left alone and fuming, she and Sasaki come in the next day, all smiles. The art by now has tightened up considerably, as well, with better production and finishing.

In the fifth story Haru and Hana are roommates, but when Hana mentions that she’s got a marriage offer, everything changes between them.

The final story follows two sisters who go away for an onsen holiday so they can have alone time.

Interestingly, all these stories were originally doujinshi. This is an original collection by Yuri Hime Comics, nothing that has run in the pages of the magazine. Its not going to be a go-to book, but I definitely smiled more than I frowned. While I did not love every story, I found myself enjoying most of them.

Ratings:

Art – Variable, her art improved vastly between 2012 and 2014
Stories – Average 7
Characters – 7
Yuri – 8
Service – 3 1 on principle, +2 for the infantalizing of adults

Overall – Let’s call it an 8

This was a nice before-bed read. Nothing harsh on the sensibilities and “Ai no Tane” had a punchline that actually made me laugh out loud. For that, it was totally worth my time.

The book is also available on Kindle for those with  JP IP address.

Fujisawa Makoto’s Himitsu no Kakera (秘密のカケラ) is the pleasantest thing I have read all week. ^_^

The cover story “Sore wo Omoi no Kakera” features to goat-horned school girls. When one hands over what is clearly a love letter, her love interest eats it. Yuki tries to explain that Yoru’s feelings tasted delicious, but it’s not until Yoru gives her Yuki gives a love letter in return and is immediately driven to eat it that she understands.

This is followed by two very short, average stories. I was getting a bit worried that this would be just another Yuri manga, when we hit “Hontou to Uso to Himitsu.”

The bulk of the book is taken up with this truly delightful story about a witch with a secret identity and the girl she meets one night while out riding her broom. This story was adorable and fun in every way and it made me feel good while reading it.  Even the set up turned out better than I thought it might – at first Sakurako seems like she’s going to be following a step along, but once she and Misors (the witch) meet at school, the story flips the script and she’s  an active participant in their tale. Even Bianca’s apparent tsundere behavior sort of wanders off, so by the end of the story, there isn’t anybody left to not like and one is rooted hard for the protagonists. As I said, a real delight.

Ratings:

Art – 7 Very Comic Yuri Hime house style, not overly infantilized, but still moe.
Story – 9
Characters – 8
Yuri – 7 Like, mostly
Service – 3

Overall – 9

Good, good, good all around. Buy it – read it, look at the pretty pictures, whatever, but do get Himitsu no Kakera!