Rather than run down each story with a quick synopsis today, I really want to just say this about  the November 2012 issue of Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫):

This was quite possibly the most amazing volume of Comic Yuri Hime ever published.

Story after story, I found myself saying, “Wow, what a weird/unusual/unique story.” From the cover, which was a story of its own, a departure from the normal cover art, to a high school Yuri version of Well of Loneliness to a relationship in a war-torn country, to black magic-advice-offering goat-headed net idols, almost no story did what I expected it to do. My eyebrows spent a great deal of time pushed way up toward my hairline.

If you haven’t been reading Comic Yuri Hime, get this volume. It’s half insane, half carefully calulated to sell stuff, and surprisingly out of the normal.

Hot damn.

Ratings:

Overall – 10

Comic Yuri Hime,(コミック百合姫) July 2012 starts off with a new story by Kazuma Kowo (yaaaayyy!!!) “Namae ha Mada Nai”, about a transfer student who, I hope, will turn another student’s life upside down. ^_^ 

Shin Yui bridges the gap between two languages in “Niñas”.

 “Mashoujo” takes a manipulative and evil-eyebrowed look at a teacher/student relationship.” Sakamoto Mano’s ending is a handwave, but I can’t trust eyebrows like that…ever.

Ohsawa Yayoi’s “Chemical Romance” is the second Yuri story I’ve read this year that deals with allergies. I love the fact that everyday things like this are creeping into our Yuri fantasies. ^_^;;

Takemiya Jin’s “Step Forward” brings Ryouko’s relationship with Ah-chan to a bit of a climax, as Ryouko waits for the older woman to say “I love you” back…to complicate matters their relationship is discovered by one of Ryouko’s classmates – who has no intention of blabbing, she says, she’s got a girlfriend too.

“Renai Joshiko Tantei File” by Mizoguchi Akiko, digs a little into the backstory behind Saki’s ex, Kimiko, how she finds Saki again and how her assistant helps her (well, forces her, yelling the whole while…!) to move on.

“Inugami-san and Nekoyama-san” adds a mouse, Nezu Mikine, (nezumi means mouse) and a cow, Ushiwaka Yukiji, (ushi means cow) to the menagerie.

Amano Syuninta’s “Watashi no Sekhai o Kousei Suru Gomi no You na Nanika” as expected, brings the issue of Sa-chan’s emotionally abusive boyfriend to a head and amazingly, sets it aside with way less damage than I expected. Phew. 

“Fu~Fu” proves that the author really does understand lesbians, when Kina and Su-chan foster a cat. But in the end, they decide to stick with their two-human relationship.

“Ame-iro Kochakan Kandan ~ Golden tips and Silver tips~” proves to us once and for all that people who refer to themselves in the third person are odd. Oh, and we follow Hinoka and her girlfriend. ^_^ 

Erika-sama is up to no good in “Love Gene Double X” but we knew that. Aoi is starting to clue in to her feelings, and Momoji gets a lesson in lovemaking. (So much for that no Adam couples, no Eve couples thing, huh?)

“Kimono Nadesico” are 4-koma, so you know, the same kind of bwa~wah~waahh.

And in “Cirque Arachne,” Layla starts to notice Sora, I erm, mean Charlotte starts to notice Tetei.

As always there are many more stories, these are just the one I wanted to call your attention to. ^_^ 

Ratings:

Overall – 8

The May 2012 issue of Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫), has a decent amount of good. For once it doesn’t begin with Yuru Yuri, it drops directly in to some one-shots.

“Sotsugyou Kinshi” by Ohsawa Yayoi reminded me of the good old days of doujinshi Yuri where the threat of graduation is tempered by handing over an apartment key, so separation need not be experienced.

“Inukami-san and Nekoyama-san” continue with that same kind of goofy 4-panel nothing really we’ve become used to from Kuzushiro-sensei.

“Fu~Fu” was sweet and really hard to swallow. Komugi is supposed to be seen as tsundere, but as usually with that type, she’s rarely, if ever dere and is mostly just physically abusive. It’s really not that cute. But Hayase loves her anyway and manages to get the point across.

“Rock it Girl” brings the band right up to their debut night. Despite Kaname’s self-esteem issues, they do indeed rock it.

Morishima Akiko-sensei’s “Futari no Milky Way” was an exposition of de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince and why life with people doesn’t suck all that much, really. ^_^

The story with the incredibly long title that I can never be bothered actually reading by Amano Syuninta actually seems to be settling into a plot. Lost, Sa-chan and Ruki get very close to talking about Sa-chan’s awful boyfriend, and I’m betting next chapter brings a climax to that bit.

“Step Up” by Takemiya Jin has introduced the phrase “Oppai-o gozaimasu” to my house and I may never forgive her. ^_^;

“Kimono Nadesico” is more fun to read than to write about.

And…we’re gearing up for something big in “Love DNA XX” as Erika gets confirmation that Sakura and Aoi like each other…a lot. Too much. I really, really hope this story gets brave and confronts the horrible glaring problem with itself before it wraps up. If this goes all tidy wrap-up on me, I’ll scream.

As always, there are other stories, some of which I read. For a full variety of the styles and stories, get a copy of the magazine and enjoy it for yourself!

Ratings:

Overall – 8