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

I am absolutely overwhelmed with work this week (a week I desperately hoped not to be overwhelmed during) so reviews will be thin. My apologies in advance.

To start thinner-than-average review week off right, here is a not particularly chunky review of the March 2012 issue of Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫). ^_^;

The new “cover story” is being told in pantomime, with few words. As it is a schoolgirl story with moe designs by Namori, I have already checked out of it and simply do not care what happens.

The first story of some note is an absolutely bizarre pastiche by Ohsawa Yayoi, that involves a computer website, two girls and a goat head. I will say no more.

Morishama-sensei’s “Koibana Valentine” remains adorable. The balance of older couple (Haha. Older. Like 26) and younger is delightful and never fails to make me smile. Plus, candy and sex. Win.”Love Preparation” by Takemiya Jin has left my household with a new phrase “Oppai-o gozaimasu.” I wish she hadn’t done that. ^_^

In “Fu~Fu,” we learn the reason for a random woman suddenly confessing her love to Kinana on the street…she had mistaken her for Kanana! Bwah~ bwah~ bwahhhh~~ Especially as Kana has a girlfriend now and one who is rather possessive. Oh, but don’t worry, Arata has no intention of backing off. Of course.

Sai Nica’s “Cirque Arachne” is clearly the story we really wanted from Kaleido Star and is making no bones about it.

There were, as always, a lot of other stories and your mileage will vary on all of them. I’m feeling the wind swinging back towards stuff I don’t like much at Comic Yuri Hime and it is not making me all that happy. OTOH, we usually get one meh volume and then one great one, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed that the next one is better. At this rate Yuru Yuri and Yuri Danshi will take over the whole magazine, though.

Ratings:

What I liked, I liked 8, but the magazine as a whole was 6

Having concluded Fukami Makoto’s story about girls and guns in the November issue, the January issue begins inauspiciously with looking in a window at girls getting dressed. This will be the new novel carried in Comic Yuri Hime (コミック百合姫) and in a mere blink of an eye, I was already uninterested in it. The author will be Namori, creator of Yuri Yuri, so that seals that deal. It’s pretty much not for me.

The magazine begins with loads of colors pages, this time, asking us to determine which of the 4 Yuri Danshi type we are and suggesting manga based on that. As I am a Yuri Joshi, this pretty much missed the mark entirely for me, but between that, the cover novel and the many pages about Yuru Yuri, it clearly communicated that I am, once again, not their audience. It was with some genuine relief, then, that I found a number of excellent stories within.

Kazuma Kowo’s “Recalculation” is that moment when you realize that what you thought that the other person thought is not true, and they do like you after all. ^_^

I still have no idea where “Rock It Girl” is going, but this chapter was pretty silly, as all the musicians get together and find they haven’t a single artist/song/style in common.

I’m finally getting the feel of “Kimono Nadesico,” and still pretty much think it’s a Noriko x Shimako fanfic in disguise. ^_^

I haven’t had a moment to read either of the short stories. So far none of them have been to my taste, so I haven’t really made the time, to be honest.

“Cirque Arachne” by Saida Nica has begun and I’m already feeling it’s a cross between one of those women-only 70s scifi books, Kaleido Star and something French and/or Dada. Then again, circuses always make me feel that way.

“Fu~Fu” strays back into real territory, for a moment. Kina, terrified at the confession by some strange woman that she’s in love with her, runs back to Su-chan’s arms, only to find that her normally together lover pretty much falls apart at the idea of losing Kina. “For an entire year, I’ve been worried,” Su-chan admits. Any of us who look at our lovers/wives and think they are obviously wonderful and desirable may have felt this, so it was kind of charming to see it verbalized.

Amano Syuninta’s series about college women, (with a name I have yet to transliterate, because I am lazy and think of it as “Amano Syuninta’s series about college women”) is not comfortable.  If find that I cannot empathize with anyone, and keep hoping one of the characters will say something that makes me like her. In any case, Remia is starting to find Fueko’s relationship makes her jealous, and Sachi’s boyfriend is really starting to piss her off.

Morishima Akiko wins the world. I give her the Stargazer Lily Award, for telling the realest tale ever about lesbian relationships. Two women, who have been together for ten years, provide comfort and a positive example to a young woman, but more importantly, are the snuggliest couple I have ever seen in manga, which makes them closest to my life and therefore totally true and real. ^_^

The story of Kuro-sempai and Mayu and their online/real life different relationships continues in Takemiya Jin’s “Ki ni Nachatte Gomen Nasai.” Mayu comes to a conclusion that she’s sure will ruin a friendship, but Kuro seems to be more together than that.

Hime Cafe this time is narrated by editor Nakamura-san and Minamoto Hisanori-sensei (Fu~Fu).

A section on “Yuri anime” is really a section on moe anime with some Yuri in it.

“Love Gene Double XX” uses one of the oldest gambits in the world, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, in order to make both Sakura and Aoi even more aware of their feelings for one another. (Oh, shock, oh horror. Two Adams in love.) Erika-sama is obviously going to try and ruin Aoi’s life now.

And I am done with “Yuri Danshi.” It’s, well, not terribly interesting. At least this chapter it actually had some Yuri in it that wasn’t in Hanadera’s imagination. Perhaps if the Yuri plot deepens and the deranged screaming of the Yuri Fanboys is toned down….

As always, there were other stories, but these felt worth mentioning for one reason or another and the rest didn’t. They may, of course, appeal to you, so please remember to support the artists you like by buying Comic Yuri Hime!


Ratings:

Overall – For Morishima-sensei’s story alone, this volume is a 9.