We’re still banging on about beginnings here on Okazu. ^_^ And every January issue of Comic Yuri Hime is a new beginning!

For Comic Yuri Hime January 2023 (コミック百合姫2023年1月号)  we’re getting single-panel comic by Mebachi for the cover, with a small text paragraph in the upper-right-hand corner. It is a melancholy story, of loss and longing and concern that the speaker hadn’t been a good listener. The larger letters spell “Sazanami ga, jama wo shita.” My Japanese grammar is a bit not great, so I’m not sure if the ripples were disturbed, or they were disturbing. Hopefully one of you will weigh in that.  I don’t want to get ahead of myself on feel, because next month seems awfully like it’s going somewhere else, but it feels melancholy.

This issue begins with a fantasy tale by SikuSiku, “Sekai De Ichiban Sutekina Owarikata,” a title that offers some hope.  This is followed by a number of new stories, which I will wait on to see if anything develops.

“Sasayakuyouni Koi Wo Utau” has finally gotten to the punchline of Shiho’s drama…and she’s shocked at learning the obvious truth. Now we’ll get the battle of the bands. Phew!

In “Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata” the inevitable end is approaching, but Kaori get a chance to talk about her dreams with her friend Ruri-chan. Yuama’s work has really gotten stronger, but I feel that it is time for this to wrap up…as we know it will.

“Utsotsuki Hime” is a short prose story that takes place in Europe in World War Two, about connections that can’t be.

I don’t want to be unkind, but “Natsu to Lemon To Overlay” has ended and it was, very sadly, forgettable. I loved the premise, but there was no conviction in it, and it became a story that, had it started there, I would have liked, but it had to throw away it’s whole premise to do what it did. Writing that sentence without spoiling anything was not easy, let me tell you. ^_^;

Taguchi Shouichi’s “Futari Escape,” too…what the…you don’t begin a chapter that way and expect us to laugh it off. FFS.

And now we come to the story I really want to talk about. “Watashi no Yuri ha Ohigoto Desu!” goes …I don’t even know. Dark? Like I totally trust Miman at this point and I don’t think anything bad is likely to happen, but the dark, foreboding music in the background and the two-page center color of a boudoir image of Youko has left me with shivers. You hurt Kanako (who, yes, is not okay and needs help) and I’ll murderize ya! I don’t even know how to describe this chapter beyond “ominous.”

“Usui Shio’s “Onna Tomodachi to Kekko Shitemita.” gives us a lovely, relaxing chapter in which everyone, for one moment, is quite happy. I needed that. ^_^

Last of the things I want to note, Muromaki does a comic essay in the back about German Yuri & BL and the German Yuri fandom, that I found interesting.

Again, there were a lot of other stories that I either read or didn’t, and enjoyed or didn’t. As 2023 opens, I think anyone picking this magazine up will find a reasonable balance of adult and school stories,  and relationships that run the spectrum from hand-holding to fully realized adult relationships. We’re poised to lose several stories next issue and welcome some new ones.

Ratings:

Overall – 7

The February 2023 issue is already out and has a center-color spread from “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” by Aonoshimo!

And so we come to the end of another year. Comic Yuri Hime, December 2022 is, like so many of the Decembers before it, not a finale at all, but a transition to the the new year. Our cover trip around Japan comes to an end, however. We’ll be getting a completely different look and feel for 2023.

For me, this volume was all about the climax of the Scales of Love arc in “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou Desu.” It was exactly as epic as I could have hoped. Now the story is going to become a bit more serious, then deadly serious. I can’t wait!

In “Odoriba Skirt ni Naru,” Michiru and Kiki are trying to find the balance they need to be a good dancing pair. Neither really understands what being “like lovers” means, and they both end up unpacking a bit of Michiru’s feelings about being called “kawaii,” until Kiki realizes that she just thinks Michiru is really kawaii and Michiru learns to accept it. They find the place they can be together and head back from dance camp ready to be a pair.

“Lonely Girl ni Sakarenai” comes to end on the right note. Ayaka is finally able to pass the exam, and she and Sora embaak upon a life together. A particularly fantastic note is when they talk to their friends and decide, that even though they may not be together every day, they can still at least stay in touch. We all know that our friendships change with circumstances, but at least they don’t opt for “we’ll never see each other again!” refrain.

Shiho is given an entire chapter to reconcile herself to the (obvious to us) idea that she likes Aki, in “Sasayakoyouni Koi wo Utau,” and now I can safely say, I am done with Shiho. Her love of drama has worn out my interest in her. I’m hoping this month’s issue is back to the battle of the bands.

“Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru” took a surprisingly realistic turn and I’m a bit on eggshells as to what might happen. Has Hi-chan given up in deciding to go back to school?

A number of series are winding down, “Natsu to Lemon to Overlay” has hit an impasse. If Yunimaru-san won’t ask what is going on, well, then, we’ll never know. In “Futari Escape,” we go to a fossil museum, which was fun.

In “Onna Tomodachi to Kekkonshitemita” Rio has now decided that Kurumi and Ruriko are a more fun family than her parents.

“Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata” is running out of somewhere to go, as well, but finally has pushed Shizuku out of her self-imposed paralysis, even if it took a shock to do it.

As always there a lot of other stories, some of which I read and others I did not. This was a sold year. I’ll be sad to see some some series go and curious to see if some of the new ones fill their space.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

January 2023 is already out and the new year already has a different tone. We’ll have to see whether it will hit the right notes for me.  ^_^

Comic Yuri Hime is not as predictable as the turning of the seasons, but it’s also got some rhythms of it’s own these days. The November issue tends to be rather strong, to keep folks engaged as some series come to an end and others begin. Comic Yuri Hime, November 2022 is a volume in which most of the crises, cliffhangers and pain points resolve before the new arcs begin. With one good exception.

The opening color pages herald a new series this issue….one that I confess I did not finish. “Aishitabun dake Aishite Hoshi~!” has made it plain to me that escort/arranged dating/brothel stories have worn out their welcome on my shelves. There’s nothing new to be done here except have women worry that their bodies aren;t good enough and I will never find that appealing. Dear readers…your body is fantastic and sexy. Imperfections are like accents in speaking, they give us character.

Manaria confronts Rei about her real desires in “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.,” as the finale to the Scales of Love Arc approaches. inori’s characters are just so vibrant when rendered by Aonoshimo’s art. I’m actually a little surprised we haven’t had anything visual for this yet…not so much as a promo video. After claiming that most Jousei and Yuri are written and drawn in a way that makes them better as live-action, this series would, actually, make a terrific anime. ^_^

Shiho is finally having to face down some of her many piled up issues in “Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau.” Kind of unsurprisingly, it all comes down to love and jealousy. I mean, they are in high school, after all. ^_^ Not to be uncharitable, but I will not mind when we move past Shiho to the battle of the bands.

Shizuku seems to finally have movde past her trauma and is reaching into herself to make Kaori happy in “Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata.” It looks like Kaori’s plan is working. Then what?

Here’s the one exception to “handwave the crisis over” motif that fills his volume.  The boot is poised. Kanako feels lost and searches for help with the wrongest person. Youko convinces Kanako to the do the wrongest thing and as the chapter ends, we see the boot, slipping from fingers, headed towards the ground. I have a very clear idea about what I need from “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!” now, but I wonder if I’m going to get it. I’m just gonna have to trust Miman-sensei. ^_^

We already know that “Natsu to Lemon to Overlay” will be ending shortly. This issue I had to agree with that choice. The premise is so interesting! A voice actor hired by a woman to read her final statement after her death. We’re chapters into this and we know nothing about anything. Konno is just throwing money at Yunimaru and they have fun doing typical manga versions of happy daily life stuff. Where did the plot go?  Yunimaru won’t ask, Konno isn’t saying. I love fireworks, but what is this manga about?

“Onna Tomodachi to Kekkonshitemita” resolves the latest crisis rather neatly. Rio is back and Kurumi’s friendly nature makes her an ally.

Another crisis averted in “Lonely Girl ni Sakaeranai” and then precipitating crisis averted! Oh phew. This series has legitimately been over for a couple of volumes, but I really am okay with this. ^_^ Oh but, finally, the whole gang admits what has been obvious to us (but not to all of them) that the 6 of them is really three couples.

The volume ends with a number of new series, columns and comic essays as always. I’m reading and enjoying about half of the content, which make this year a pretty solid showing for Comic Yuri Hime.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

The December issue is out in Japan. Don’t forget to let Comic Yuri Hime know which series you like best and least!

Comic Yuri Hime, October 2022 (コミック百合姫2022年10月号) was a pretty darn good issue!

The cover continues the colorful travel theme with photos, (one blurry one clear, which was a lovely touch) of a beach scene. The water is genuinely outstanding. I love that this looks like it was painted using brush strokes that are visible, even as it is obviously done digitally. Isshiki’s work has been a lot of fun, visually.

“Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata” starts to move forward. Kaori’s illness has paralyzed Shizuru once again, but finally she’s shaken out of her own PTSD, when confronted by Kaori’s little sister who resents Shizuru and the upcoming loss of Kaori deeply. Even as this series comes towards a close in Japanese, you will be able to read it in English, next month as The Summer You Were There, from Seven Seas.

The Scales of Love Arc has begun and Manaria seems dead set on taking Claire away from Rei. As a commoner and Claire’s maid, Rei has no way to fight back and is, apparently throwing herself recklessly into the monster hunt before the festival. Things are tense in “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.,” written by Inori and illustrated by Aonoshimo. So, so good.

Keyyang’s “Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru” has gotten a bit more serious. Faced with the near impossibility of getting a job without a degree, Hi-chan is thinking of taking a major step and going back to school. What will this do to their idyllic life?

“Onna Tomodachi to Kekkon Shitemita,” by Usui Shio is also taking a turn for the serious. Now that Kurumi and Ruriko are settled in, an old acquaintance has turned up and is causing chaos for the pair when she goes missing!

The last pieces are put into place in Shiho’s back story, in “Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau” as Himari learns that Shiho has been competing with – and singing for – a dead girl, for years. This was a very moving chapter. Shiho’s still a jerk, but I’m now inclined to be a little bit forgiving, because she’s 15, ffs.

Boots drop all over the place in Miman’s “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!” Sumika and Nene have a long, long, long overdue talk about important stuff that needed to get said. As the chapter ends, we can see the dark cloud of confrontation around the corner approaching. Story aside…as the adult in the room, how does Mai not see any of this going on?

I’m starting to wonder if “Natsu to Lemon to Overlay” has a plot. Like Yunimaru, I cannot see the end game at all, for Konno’s playing around and having fun before, presumably, dying, maybe, but we can’t tell?

“Odoriba Skirt ni Naru” hit me really hard for randomreasons this chapter. We’ve dealt with Kiki’s body image issues, and this time we deal with Michiru’s strong objections to being seen as cute. CW for an attempted assault on a child. 

“Lonely girl ni Sakarenai” starts with a happy, cheerful school trip and everyone ganging up to figure out how to support the other couple in the group, but ends in crisis.

A few new one-shots and features, comic essays and the usual columns made for a really chunky 500 pages of Yuri manga and a very good issue. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 8

The November issue has hit shelves in Japan and I’m waiting impatiently for it to arrive at my Kinokuniya.^_^