We left Yuri Hime S, Volume 6 midway yesterday. We pick it up at at a recap of the winning entries in Ichijinsha’s most recent manga contest. Each magazine has a few winners, and we get to see all of the recent crop.

Speaking of new artists, the next story is a violent and vaguely disturbing piece by newcomer Marimo Naoe called “The Nightmare After School,” (which is not related to The Afterschool Nightmare, a different manga series that has some Yuri characters.) Akira is having some seriously violent nightmares. Like – beheading someone and having their decapitated body come after her. She relies on her sister for emotional support and for protection at school. When she sees Suzuki-sempai macking on her sister, it doesn’t make her at all happy. But Suzuki gets all the girls, as we see her receive yet another love letter. Akira’s jealousy doesn’t make her nightmares any less horrible – if anything they are getting worse. Akira and her sister are caught up in a waking nightmare when their friend Rika is possessed, but it’s Suzuki-sempai who rescues them – and talls Akira that she’ll be Suzuki’s apprentice for now, since her powers are obeious, but need to be trained. I’m interested to see where this story goes, defintely.

“Yuru Yuri” follows, with three chapters that I feel no compunction about skipping.

The summer event for dollmakers has arrived and the staff of “Cassiopeia Dolce” are gearing up for the half-networking, half-cosplay event. Most of the story is taken up with cosplay bishoujo-style non-situations (gotta love Takagi, he’s very consistent) and random kissing. Olga names Anna her apprentice in public (shock and jealousy follows) and Anna finally gets a really good kiss with Olga in at the afterparty. In the way of all things, Olga was so drunk the entire night is a blank and Anna (ah ha ha ha) has to start from scratch next chapter. hah.

Kuromasa Shisei turns our eye to yet another Shinigami and human pairing in “Kanojou to Shinigami.”

In “Honey Crush” Madoka rethinks her position on liking girls, and Kyouko and the ghost are all fired up all over again. Kyouko intervenes for the ghost and let’s Madoka know she cares so much she stalked her and died for her efforts. Ghostgirl confesses. Madoka admits to finding the idea of loving someone she really can’t see problematic. (My wife says, “Wimp.” ^_^)

“Nanami to Misuzu” is followed by “Kanojou ha Imouto” in which two girls who had decided that they would go out, are now catapulted through marriage into being sisters. The younger sister has no trouble with it…the older does. Despite this being a lot of things I don’t care much for, it wasn’t heinous.

The end.

The advertisement for the upcoming issue of Yuri Hime looks interesting. Since “Strawberry Shake Sweet” will be ending, I’m betting we’ll see some contenders for strong story leaders this month. Looks like it’s gonna be good!

So, okay. Sisters, and the peeing fetish do not appeal to me. I like the attempt at a non-kiddie story and don’t mind the horror stuff, as long as it’s not just fake-Yuri. So two fetishes I don’t like, two I do and I can tolerate the moe if it’s not tedious.

Overall – 7

As a kid brother, Yuri Hime S is kind of cute and kind of annoying, with one friend I kinda like. ^_^

Like its big sister publication, Yuri Hime, Yuri Hime S has gradually been growing in size and taking on a personality of its own. As I review it, think of me as a friend of S‘s big sister, and gradually finding the little brother to be more annoying than cute these days. ^_^

Once again characters from “Honey Crush” grace the cover and once again, I really wish they didn’t.

This is followed by color pages selling Yuri service in a variety of games and publications after which we are launched into a violent little tale of murder, moe and love, “Shinigami Alice.” Masaki comes across Hinageshi as she knifes someone to death. As she is drawn to Hina, Masaki finds that she wants to rescue the girl from her life as a assassin. By the end of this one-shot tale, they’ve kissed and walked off hand in hand into the sunset and are last seen having a nice cup of tea together.

It’s really, really hot out, but Shouko and Maho are walking in the sun at the beginning of “Yudachi Kibun.” Shouko’s pretty pissed because they *had been* in a nice, air-conditioned room kissing and now they are walking out in the sweltering sun to get to a filthy old abandoned house. It begins to rain, and Shouko loses it, jumping Maho, unable to summon up another second’s patience. Maho starts to cry. They walk home, and Maho admits to just cracking under pressure from Shouko to go further. They’ll go slower, they agree, as a bright rainbow forms above them.

“Flower Flower” takes a turn for the idiotic, as Shu tortures herself over having been seen naked by Nina, only to have Nina act as if she doesn’t recognize Shu at all. Shu gets up the gumption to ask Nina to marry her, but Nina laughs it off.

Hakamada Mera’s “Kaichou to Fukukaichou” finally moves into zOMG territory. Orienteering day has arrived and Pres and her VP are paired up. VP finds herself first, fantasizing about jumping the President and then, when the opportunity presents itself, distressingly close to actually doing it. On the one hand because this is a comic I want her to just do it already but, on the other hand, I remember clearly how insanely difficult it was to bridge that gap the first time.

Happy day! A story NOT about children! Thank you Yuri manga gods. Thank you Uso Kurata. “Kusari ha Mou Iranai” follows a suit- and glasses-wearing company sempai, Yoshino, and her kouhai, Aoi. They obviously have a relationship, but it’s not perfect. They’ve been trying to get together for a date to go shopping, but time is slipping away from them and the cracks are starting to appear in their relationship. When Aoi can’t find time for days and days on end to see Yoshino, Yoshino knows what’s coming. The coin drops when Aoi asks her to go to the roof for a private word. To avoid the pain of an ugly breakup, Yoshino offers a cheerful parting as an option, but Aoi’s reaction is to crumple into hysterics. She doesn’t want to break up – she wanted to give Yoshino a present. They cry in each other’s arms, kiss and make up and at the end of the story find themselves both free to love each other fully.

(This story was like me finding out that the annoying little brother had a friend who was my age who was pretty cool that I could become friends with…if you will allow me to drag out the metaphor a bit.)

“Love Cubic” contines to be a story I will not read. I know it’s the once-again poular new fetish, but not for me.

Kurogane Kenn’s “Konohana Link” begins to link up a bit, as the characters we met in the first chapter are finally encountering each other now. Chieri is officially introduced to her class, so we immediately switch off from her to two entirely new characters for whom we have no context. I expect eventually that this story will develop a story. ^_^

Matsudaira, having lost her faithful maid Miharu, is planning on getting married, she tells the Iinchou, in “Minus Literacy.” She’s got to do something about the money situation after all. But Iinchou convinces her that Miharu wouldn’t want that. Matsudaira runs off to see Miharu smile once more.

That’s about halfway, so I think we’ll pick this up again tomorrow, shall we? ^_^

There’s not too many series that make me shriek with outraged sensibilities and hysterical laughter at the same time, and even less that are also very good. Tokimeki Mononoke Gakuen is tops on that list. This collection of Yuri Hime chapters about a “normal” rain fairy, and her soujourn at an all-girl, all-youkai high school, is absolutely a must read for anyone who doesn’t mind having their brain hurt slightly.

Arare knows she’s a rain fairy – her mother is clearly not entirely human but on her first day of high school she definitely does not expect to enter the Otherworld. Nor does she expect her teacher to have a ridiculously long neck, or her classmates to be a variety of ogres, snow demons, cyclops, ghosts, mist, or the twin-tailed cat, Kiri, and long-tongued girl, Pero, who befriend her. Nor does she expect the veil between the worlds to close behind her, leaving her stranded in this school for girl monsters.

Arare decides to make the best of it. Her adventures range from meeting the cow-girl whose magic breast milk makes other girls’ breast large, to trying to beat the heat by sucking up to the snow demon, all while hiding her identity as a *human*. You see – she’s got a navel and a true youkai don’t.

More importantly, Arare has to deal with the decidedly inhuman way the other girls deal with sexuality. Not being human, they really don’t see the big deal with a little onna-doushi. It becomes even more of a crisis when Arare realizes that not only does she enjoy kissing Kiri, she’s fallen for her and gets jealous at the very thought of Kiri kissing – or worse, doing something more – with another girl.

Arare finally comes around to Kiri’s way of thinking and decides that she’s ready to go further, but Kiri reminds her of the warning she had given Arare when they met – if Arare makes love to a youkai….she’ll become a youkai! Oh Noes!

Tokimeki Mononoke Gakuen is played for laughs, so even if you’re a scaredy cat, the ghosties and ghouls should not be a problem. However. If you like your vegetables to not have faces and are squicked at the idea of milking cow-girl demons…stay away. Things like Rokurokubi-sensei’s neck cramping are funny enough, but the double-mouthed girl and her kappa girl lover might flip you out. If that doesn’t faze you – hurry, go read it! This is a really funny book. And it’s Yuri.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Yuri – 7
Service – 7

Overall – 8

Tokimeki Mononoke Gakuen one of the stories from Yuri Hime I look forward to most every quarter. I’m very happy to have it as a collected volume. Can’t wait to see how Arare resolves her love for Kiri. ^_^

Part two starts with some color introduction pages to the new line of Yuri novels that Ichijinsha has published, Wild Bouquet and Period. (Yuri Hime S came with a sample of each that I haven’t yet read. I’ll get there eventually.)

This is followed by “Adachi no Yukue” drawn by the artist who did the “Aoi Shiro” manga for Yuri Hime S. This is a period piece about two students at a girls’ finishing school. Asahi and Komachi are in love, but Asahi knows that it has to come to an end and, indeed, she receives a letter from her family which tells her to leave the school and come home to be married. To her deep distress Komachi doesn’t protest, but wishes her happiness. They leave the school together and stand on the train tracks as the train comes, speaking of their love and the future they won’t have – but at the last minute, they push themselves off the track and survive, deciding to leave together and find a place where they can stay together forever.

Akiko Morishima once again touches a little on what it actually means to be a woman in love with another woman in “Ruri-iro no Yume,” in which we meet Rokujou-san the morning after she wakes up in bed naked with a female coworker, after a drunken romp in the hay. In her mind, Rokujou has always assumed that she wants the usual – marriage, a house, a kid whose name she has already picked out, but instead finds herself irresistibly drawn to the company of Mikuni, her unabashedly not interested in guys coworker. Night after night they go out, drink, come back to share a bed, but still, Rokujou holds this totally average dream for herself. One night, while out with her coworkers, she lets her dream slip – Mikuni reacts by suddenly having plans and leaving. At work, Rokujou meets Mikuni for lunch up on the roof as usual and everything seems normal, but when they finally get to the point, Rokujou surprises herself by admiting that, yes, she is utterly average and normal – and loves Mikuni.

Takahashi Mako’s “Untitled” was quite possibly the least bad thing I’ve seen from her. The characters appear to like one another, not be violently insane and no blood appears.

On the other hand, “Sesshoku” was a dreadful little drag through the failed first love pile, with hideously drawn characters. And even though it technically had a happy ending, I can’t say it made me feel happy.

“Sweet Peach” continues, with a look into the protagonists tragic past and a bunch of stuff happening in her current wacky future, but I can’t get past the perverted hamster and the elf ears. My limitations, I know.

Hanatsu Yaya wins the award for the most distubing manga of the book, with “Futari no Mirai” about, you guessed it, twins. Only this time, one of them has only one eye and no arms and thinks the other one would be better without her. The other twin agrees and tries to kill her, but don’t worry, they end up living happily ever after together.

In “Apple Day Dream” Kaoru continues to think about Mayu’s breasts.

I can’t believe I’m about to say this but – I actually *liked* Hakamada Mera’s “Kono Onegai Kanaugara.” Three friends are inseparable, until one day one of them sees the other two kissing. There’s some angst and misunderstanding as it’s assumed that she will begin to hate them, but her real concern was that they never *told* her. Of course she likes one of them, as well, so we can expect a love triangle thing in the next chapter. How awkward.

Once again, I was surprised to find that “Usotsuki Engage” was a continuation of the teacher-student story that I continually find myself surprised by. You’d think I’d remember one day that this story is a series. lol Nanao wants to go away wth Matsumoto-sensei for summer vacation, but the teacher uses Nanao’s studies as an excuse to not go. Nanao is considering not going to college at all, and wants to move in with Matsumoto, who says no, flat out, but gives the girl her key. Yes, they are lovers after school, but what are they really? Nanao wonders. She confronts the teacher, who gets upset and asks her to consider her feelings. Nanao runs out of the room in tears. Another series I really want to know what will happen in the next issue!

And this volumes draws to a close with “Nanami to Misuzu” which I will continue to skip.

So, overall, a really strong volume. Not nearly as many sisters as in Yuri Hime S, but the one story was way creepier than anything in S, so this volume both wins and loses in that respect over its brother publication.

I can’t face the next volume knowing that “Strawberry Shake Sweet” will draw to a close, but I will fervently pray that Hayashiya-sensei will create another, equally as wonderful series for us. In the meantime, I really liked 8 of the 19 stories and only really didn’t like 4, so I think the average has gone up.

Overall – 8

I look forward to many of the upcoming collections, especially “Clover” and Kazuma Kowo’s series that I can never remember is a series. ^_^