Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


Galette, No. 25 (ガレット)

February 4th, 2024

Yes, this review is almost a year late. While my excuse that I fell ill the very week this came out might work for this issue, it doesn’t explain the rest of them, so let’s just say that the year got away from me ^_^;

Galette, No. 25 was a really interesting volume of this crowd-funded, creator-owned magazine. I finally had time this weekend and really *read* all the way through it in a way I have not done in many issues.

Firstly, there is a short by Inui Ayu that takes a look at conformity in the workplace. This story warmed my heart and kind of made me laugh a bit at my much younger self, who wore a top hat into the office for a year or so. My first job was with a VERY conservative ad agency. I wore pants (gasp!) and got facial piercings and tattoos over the years I worked there. I took pagan holidays off. I was a constant thorn in their policies, because I did things before they thought to forbade doing them, then they couldn’t forbid them. ^_^ Rock on weirdos and noncomformists! But this story speaks to how conservative Japanese companies are. It’s only very recently a very, few Japanese companies have allowed employees – even employees with naturally lighter hair – to wear any color other than black or dark brown.

Also of note is a story by Kase-san creator Takashima Hiromi, a sweet little school life story.

Hakamada Mera’s “Aikata System” continues with Abiko-sempai being just so annoying and manipulative that you can’t like her but Cairo finds that, the idea of not being her partner if the Aikata system is revised, is devastating, after all.

My favorite story was “Yoru ni Tsutsumaru,” by Uno Junior, a brief little tale about how dangerous it is for women to hike in the mountains at night, because you might meet the god of the mountain, she might eat you, become a human and the two of you may live whole lives together. ^_^

Te magazine ends with a long interview with Inui Ayu-sensei about how she going into manga, and Yuri. Here’s an amazing fact – Comic Yuri Hime magazine has existed since she was in elementary school. … I don’t feel old at all…..

Overall – 9

As these issues have been piling up on my desktop – I am getting the digital copies of the magazines as a backer – it has felt a little intimidating to get back into reading it. Now that I have finally read this volume, I’m jazzed about hitting the next one! Galette No. 26 (ガレット) is available in print and digital.





Yukidoke to Agapanthus, Volume 1 (雪解けとアガパンサス)

February 2nd, 2024

A girl with long, straight, dark hair wearing a white school uniform with blue skirt leans over a girl with medium-length pink hair, kissing a lock of pink hair, while holding the other girl's hand.This is one of the few books I had picked up at Gamers while in Japan, because 1) I had not seen it before and 2) it came with an acrylic standee and I am a such a sucker for extras. ^_^

Natsuki is the school Prince. Excelling in grades and sports, Natsuki literally takes direction from the Student Council President every day on which club needs her help. In part, this is because Natsuki likes to be of help, and in part, because the Student Council President is the only person in school who will just talk with Natsuki. Being a Prince is a lonely job. Everyone admires her, but no one is her friend. Natsuki is very bored…and lonely. When transfer student Jun comes in to the school and just is…friendly and chatty to Natsuki, she can hardly credit it. How? Why? What does Jun want from her?

Just the other day, I had the chance to revisit the ideal of the girl prince of the school. It’s a pretty old trope and has been addressed in many ways. I started to wonder, as I read Yukidoke to Agapanthus, Volume 1 (雪解けとアガパンサス) by Nauchi, if we had finally gotten to the end of the line with this idea of the school prince. The answer is no – we haven’t.  Natsuki is just going through the motions, until Jun changes her life completely. Jun hates her name, so Natsuki calls her Haru-chan (the words share the same character) and Natsuki doesn’t love her name, so Haru calls her by her family name, Hinata-chan..as will I, since using names that make people uncomfortable is yuck.

Until two things get in the way of this new friendship. One, Hinata-chan’s feelings rapidly become more than just friends and, swept up in a moment, she kisses her new friend. Haru-chan seems to become distant after that and Hinata-chan is stressed that she may have broken what they had. Unbeknowst to her, Haru is being harassed by an unknown stalker and tries to protect the Prince by pulling away from her.

When Haru is almost injured by the stalker, the stalker’s identity is uncovered. As the book ends, Haru returns to her usual ebullient self, and Hinata is still left wondering if what she feels is…okay. Tune into Volume 2 to watch Hinata-chan struggle with her feelings in a vacuum caused by her isolated status.

Of course being the object of admiration must be a very exhausting role to play! I’ve thought about it on behalf of idols and performers…and even online personalities…but how miserable must it be for everyone in school to love you, but have almost no one who likes you? It would be very isolating. And so, in this series, we have a school prince who is simultaneously the most and least popular person in the school.

I found it a bit off-putting at first, the aloof character sad about their own aloofness, but as the story developed it wasn’t as artificial as I had feared. As a result of her popularity, Hinata’s going to have a lot of emotional growth to catch up on if anything will become of her and Haru. I hope she gets there, but I don’t know if I’ll be reading it. Yes, this gave me a fresh perspective on the Girl Prince, but I’m not sure it’s one I want to continue with. We’ll see. 
Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Service – 1 (Hinata-chan being princely is service)
Yuri – 6

Overall – 7

Agapanthus, also known as Lily of the Nile, or African Lily, was understood as the “flower of love” in Victorian language of flowers. It  came to mean “love letter,” which is why this series is subtitled in English “Snow Melt and Love Letter.”
 





“Ouji-sama Joshi” Yuri Anthology STAYGOLD (「王子様女子」百合アンソロジー STAYGOLD)

January 30th, 2024

A girl with short, boyish haircut, wearing an ermine-trimmed red cape and crown along with her school uniform of red plaid skirt and tie, black sweater and white shirt, bows and holds her hand out to us.Who doesn’t love good “Girl Prince” story? Even when confined to school grounds, the archetype of the coolest girl gives everyone a chance to fall in love from a distance. In the doujinhsi collection “Ouji-sama Joshi” Yuri Anthology STAYGOLD (「王子様女子」百合アンソロジー STAYGOLD) a number of popular Yuri artists take that opportunity and put together a fun, occasionally thoughtful, look at what it means to be a Girl Prince, or to be in love with one.

Spearheaded by Canno, creator of Kiss & White Lily For My Dearest Girl, this anthology includes two stories by her, as bookends for the collection, in school…and out. The collection includes contributions from Ohsawa Yayoi, Jackie, Ajiichi, Pikachi, Mimoto, Yukiko and others, so you get a lot of cute shorts for your money. 
Both Jackie and Pikachi look at schools with 2 princes and how they get along…or not. I think Pikachi wins that battle with typical wholesome cuteness.

My favorite short was by Yuino Chiri, in which the school princess has had quite enough of being protected and has worked out until she’s jacked, so she can save the prince for once. Bonus points that for the threat being a random runaway lion. ^_^

It’s exactly what one wants from a doujinshi anthology – a strong theme, great contributors, fun stories and some light Yuri romance. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 8

I got this anthology from Melonbooks, which appears to be the only online source for it. Check out the STAYGOLD Twitter account for some sample pages!





Otherside Picnic Manga, Volume 8

January 26th, 2024

Two women hold their hands over an ornate box, out of which fly red bird shadows. Sorawo and Toriko take steps to explore the Otherside on a more permanent basis in Otherside Picnic, Volume 8. At the same time, they learn about the consequences of contact with the Otherside….will this deter them?

No, obviously not.

The gate opening in Kozakura’s front yard is a boon for Sorawo and Toriko, even if it is a burden for Kozakura. She’s living in fear most of the time now, and is starting to get used to it, something that does not thrill her.  She’s worried about the other two, too. Their reckless behavior (from her perspective) is going to get them in trouble and she’s half annoyed she’ll have to pick up the pieces and half upset that they will get themselves hurt. This would all feel more adult, if she wasn’t portrayed like a child, honestly. It’s nice to have an adult in the room, but it is hard to take Kozakura seriously as an adult.

Now that Sorawo and Toriko have determined to investigate deeper into the Otherside, they are taken to the halls of DS Research, the obscure organization that is buying the artifacts they bring back. While this book has always had a horror element to is, relying on netlore and urban legend for the weirdnesses of the Otherside, for the first time, our intrepid adventurers come face to face with the results of digging too deeply into the “Ultrablue Light,” or UBL.

As if on cue, Uruma Satsuki appears and leaves behind an item that is a very direct attack on Sorawao and Toriko. The Toribako, a curse box full of bird-like shadows that fly through one’s body, shredding it from the inside, was illustrated in the manga as horrifyingly as it was described in the novel. Up until now, the Otherside has been vaguely menacing, but now…now it it actively trying to kill our protagonists.

This is one of the two scariest moments of the novels and once again Mizuno Eita does an absolutely outstanding job of illustrating it. I cannot get over how much the art enhances the already subtlely terrifying aspect of the UBL. Much as with Aonoshimo’s art for I’m In Love With The Villainess manga, the compelling narrative of the novel really is enhanced here by the art.

Now we must wait to see if Toriko and Sorawo will survive Uruma Satuski’s attack.

Ratings:
Story – 9
Art – 9
Character – 8,
Service – 0
Yuri – 7

In the meantime, Toriko has pointed out to Sorawao how she is changing  and becoming more caring about other people … and that terrifies her. Intimacy is the great hurdle here and will be for some time.





Shigoto no Nochi Dakishimete (仕事の後は抱きしめて)

January 22nd, 2024

On a cover of scattered flowers, woman with collar-length blue hair and a blonde with long hair lay head to head, not looking at one another.Aota Yui is a young woman with a dream – she wants to be a chef. To get there, she needs to be accepted by the restaurant’s Taisho. She’s working really hard to make food that people love. One day Yui runs into the beautiful businesswoman Houjo Eriko. Eriko wishes someone might cook for her….so Yui volunteers. She’s already half in love when she comes to the door, but after a night spent with the other woman, she’s a goner. Eriko, though, has no dreams left. She thinks life is pretty boring. Men desire her, women want to be her. She thinks Yui is cute and distracting, like a puppy, but is sure that there’s nothing left of life for her. Yui will, of course, change that.

In Shigoto no Nochi Dakishimete (仕事の後は抱きしめて), subtitled in English “Hold Me Tight After Work,” on the cover,  Yui’s earnestness and Eriko’s quiet despair will battle and love will win.

This was one of the books I picked up in Japan because I had never heard of it and there it was, with these words on the obi – “Spun with delicate brushtrokes – Shakaijin Yuri love story.” It was predictable and fun and kind of sweet, bolstered mostly by Yui’s energy and sincerity.

Apparently it wasn’t enough to have Eriko be jaded and full of ennui, though, because midway a plot complication is inserted that, honestly, did not work for the narrative. Yui assists a young woman in kimono from being harassed (a scene that was smile-inducing as every guy in the town shows up to back Yui up, since everyone lieks her) and in her desire to thank Yui, the young woman decides to destroy her life. ?!?!?

Koyoi Mikazuki has a run-down restaurant left to her by her parents. When they died all the employees just left, leaving her without anyone to help her run the place. She decides Yui should be her chef. Yui, who *just* got the approval from the restaurant’s Taisho is not willing to leave. Mikazuki embraces Yui, just in time for Eriko to show up. And Eriko, of course, gets the wrong idea. UGH, come on.

And then it gets weird – Mikazuki tracks Eriko down to taunt her, manipulates Yui into helping her rebuild the restaurant and generally is unpleasant and creepy. Yui and Eriko do not speak about this and they begin to pull further apart. Finally Yui puts her foot down. She helps Mikazuki get new staff…which are the old staff who left her, because when her parents died they all just could not cope. Once Mikazuki is doing okay again, Yui finds Eriko, then refuses to let her just walk away.

They make up in the time honored fashion and, we are led to believe, live happily ever after.

I’m left thinking that the plot complication with Mikazuki could have been handled with more nuance than “tragic backstory,” and Eriko’s issue are deeper than just “life is boring,” and would have liked to see some self-refection from these two, but manga tropes it is. Other than this slight imperfection, this is a fun little adult Yuri from Iwashita Kei and published by our old friends East Press. It’s nice to see them still putting out the occasional Yuri.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 7 This story is carried by Yui, no question
Service – Some adult sex scenes, but drawn for subtlety, not stimulation
Yuri – 9

Overall – 7

You might give it a higher score if “not talking about it” bothers you less than it does me. It bothers me a whole point’s worth here.