Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


Maitsuki Niwatsuki Ooyatsuki – Monthly With Ooya, Volume 5 (毎月庭つき大家つき)

December 12th, 2024

Two woman laugh as they dance. A woman in jeans and button down shirt dips a woman in a casual outfit wrapped in a cloth in front of a basket of laundry.In Volume 4, Asako and Miyako move ever closer. Asako takes Miyako to visit her parents and it’s charming and heart-warming. The pair address Asako’s issues around her birthday and other “learning to be a partner to you” kind of things.

So, when we reach Maitsuki Niwatsuki Ooyatsuki – Monthly With Ooya, Volume 5 (毎月庭つき大家つき) the final volume of Yodokawa’s slice-of-adult-life story, what is there left to cover? Well, the initial premise provides us a chunky plot complication.

You will recall that landlord Miyako was, not too long ago, a lead singer with a popular idol group, Elm. Over the New Year holiday, Miyako and the members of Elm spend some time together…and are seen by paparazzi. Immediately, a rumor pops up that Miyako will return to Elm and take over once again. Miyako, having walked away from that life forever, is in distress and Asako isn’t really able to help.

Once again, this manga pulls out a resolution so elegant, so adult and so thoughtful that it is a tremendous pleasure to read what happens, and the consequences of the decisions made. Honestly fantastic. Fandom is shown as not being as fickle as tabloid press, which rushes to judgement, but there is a undercurrent of “this could go very dark.” Luckily, Yodokawa is not drawing that kind of series. Instead we get more instances of women supporting one another and a new relationship in which the partners are there for one another. Just what I needed to read this week.

My favorite panel is one that made me laugh out loud, very loudly, as Asako and her manga artist friend (and ride-or-die Elm fangirl,) Hatomori both react to the “breaking news” that Elm’s leader Miyako is now – gasp! –  a landlord! Fabulous art, and you can just *hear* them both saying “Oh, wow, who knew” in as flat and sarcastic a tone as one can get.

I have enjoyed every volume of this series, and while some part of me wises it did not have to end, I’m thrilled that it ended so well. I am also thrilled that you are able to read Monthly In The Garden With My Landlord, Volumes 1-3 in English from Yen Press now and Volume 4 will be on the way next spring.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 10
Character – 10
Service – 0
Yuri – 10

Overall – 10

This story was never about the destination, but about the journey. And the journey has always been filled with friendship and emotional support.





Oshigoto x Buddy Yuri Anthology Comic (お仕事×バディ 百合アンソロジーコミック)

December 5th, 2024

Two adult women sit in chairs back to back in an office setting, as we look down at them from an angle. A woman with shoulder-length medium brown hair, her hands on a keyboard smiles, as she looks back at a woman with short, dark hair talking as holds a chart printout.Last year I had the pleasure of reviewing a Yuri anthology by a new-to-me imprint, LatteComi. TheJoshi-kou no Ouji-sama ha Watashi Shika Ganchuninairashi Yuri Anthology Comic (女子校の王子様は私しか眼中にないらしい 百合アンソロジーコミック) was pretty good.

At the same time I picked up that girl prince of the school anthology volume, I picked a second LatteComi anthology, Oshigoto x Buddy Yuri Anthology Comic (お仕事×バディ 百合アンソロジーコミック). I have finally made time to finish reading this and have found it to be good…but not as good as I hoped. That is, in part, my own fault. I’ll get there in a sec.

The anthology has 3 stories – the first is the closest to what I thought I might get. By Nomiya Rion, the story follows a “star” employee and the junior she is assigned…and the political complexities of that choice. But really…it’s about smoking.

The second story, by Pua, follows a young nail salon artist and the store manager she’s openly in love with. But really…it’s about nail art.

The final story, by Inui Ayu, is about a young pop idol and the clothing designer she adores. That one is…mostly about the relationship, but is also about clothes. ^_^

So why was I ever-so-slightly disappointed? I had hoped “work buddy” was more equivalent of the English phrase “work wife.” It’s not that we didn’t see people who were intimately connected because of work, but somewhat typically of Japanese workplace stories, the relationship was unequal in all three cases. I was hoping for more of two co-workers whose relationship was intimate and platonic and then, maybe, romantic. I borked my own enjoyment, woops. ^_^;  The stories themselves are perfectly fine, if a teeny little heavy on the admiration for a senior employee.

More interesting to me is that, while I was looking to see if LatteComi had anything else on Bookwalker JP, I found that both Inui Ayu and  Nomiya Rion contribute to a new imprint call YURI HUB – which seems to be connected to Yuri cafe Anchor Rainbow Port Tokyo and includes Anchor’s Yuri Senryu collection. Definitely take a look!

Ratings:

Art – YMMV but I say 7
Stories – 8 Fun, with little depth
Characters – 8 Likeable, if a little earnest on the part of the kouhai
Service – 0 Nothing memorable
Yuri – 7

Overall – 7

For a short 3-story anthology collection centered at “work,” Oshigoto x Buddy was a pleasant enough read.





When the Villainess Seduces the Main Heroine, Volume 1

December 4th, 2024

A busty blonde woman in low-cut red dress is embraced by a smiling black-haired beauty in a low-cut dress and corset as they lay in a plush bed.Guest review by Paul S. Enns

When the Villainess Seduces the Main Heroine, Volume 1 by Kasai Fujii, is a ridiculous bit of fluff, ending with an equally ridiculous story.

It’s about the Villainess, Akuya Krei Jou, seducing the Heroine, Sei Hi Roin, away from the Prince, San Punkan. All of which happens in the prologue, a whole four pages.

After the prologue, the next hundred pages are 90% lovey-dovey day-to-day activities of two women deeply in love with each other and the other 10% what Yaaba (Akuya’s housekeeper and instructor) and Stray (the stray cat that loves watching lesbian love) think of that.

Then it goes dark.

That’s where story happens, and it really changes the mood. It’s where Sei shows that she can get out of trouble and not just depend on her partner to rescue her. It’s where Akuya gets to show off how villainous she can be to protect Sei. It’s where… No. I’m not going to spoil it. But it did induce some squick in me.

While there is plenty of service, there’s no actual genitalia shown. Breasts and discussion of what Akuya will do to Sei and Sei’s reactions cover it.

As a whole, I enjoyed the fluff of the beginning. The story felt like it was from a different writer writing in the first half’s style. The jarring difference was too much. If it made up its mind and was one or the other, it would work better. I say “first half”, but the story part is half as long. Still sticks in my memory better than the fluff.

My favorite short would have to be the one that deals with consent. It’s an important topic to me.

The translation feels solid. Every gesture and sound is given a translation. Nothing jarring in the text to signal problems. Another stellar job by Yen Press.

Looking at the original review of the Japanese version, I must sadly say that none of the punny names come through in English.

Ratings:

Art: 7 Better like long eyelashes.
Story: What story? But I’ll give the story part a 3.
Characters: 7 No denying that Akuya and Sei are lovely together. Stray gets some good humor, too.
Service: 7 I’ll not rate higher without genitalia shown.
Yuri: 9.5 To be 10 there wouldn’t be any sex with men, right?

Overall: 5

It should have been just the shorts, but would this be Volume 1 without the story? It does end with “To be continued…”. I don’t know which would be better: more shorts or more story. It doesn’t leave me optimistic. We’ll find out when Volume 2 arrives in the new year.





Comic Yuri Hime, December 2024 (コミック百合姫)

November 28th, 2024

Framed by an elaborate gold frame on a deep green background, two girls wearing long-sleeved deep-red Japanese school uniform dresses with white collars and dark blue ties stand at an open window looking out. The taller girl with long, dark hair gestures to the outside, the shorter girl with short pale hair smile as she looks out. As the year comes to an end, I am, for a brief moment, caught up! As usual with final volumes of the year, Comic Yuri Hime, December 2024 (コミック百合姫) is not the end of things, but merely a transition from one thing to another.

The volume begins with a turning point for “Muryoku Seijo to Munou Oujo ~ Maryoku Zero de Shoukansareta Seijo no Isekai Kyuukoku-ki ~.” Both Princess and Saint are taken to a small village that need their help. Nana, still struggling with how to be what these people need and want of her, remembers that the most important skill is the ability to get people on one’s side.

I’m not vibing with Usui Shio’s new series “Bokura no Ai ha Kimochi Warui,” not because it’s fetishy, which it absolutely is, but because neither of the characters are particularly likeable. YMMV of course.

Having committed to the reverse isekai bit “Genjitsu Sekai Demo Shiawasenishite Kudasai ne?” had added another character from the game world to ours.

Kashikaze’s name is now spelled as it is on EN volumes, once again. Their “Kimi ga Hoeru Tame no Uta o”  ramps up as Haru and Yuu buckle down and write a song together. For the first time, Haru is really feeling the music.

In “Odoriba ni Skirt ga Naru” Kiki leaves her sister and finds Michiru to finally, truly express her feelings. Now they can dance.

Ciel takes on her older brother’s impeccable skills, but with Eve’s support overcomes her low self-esteem and triumphs…but at what cost, in “Kiraware Majyo Reijō to Dansou Ouji no Kon’yaku.” 

“Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” jumps back into the past to explore Thane’s family issues. Little Rod is so annoying. ^_^ And Rae confronts the leader of the Rebellion!

In “Gakeppuchi Reijou ha Kuro Kishi-sama o Horesasetai!” Frost-sama is “in disquise” as a gigantic bodyguard, as her new wife roots out the troubles in one of Frost’s towns.

Ellen is making herself miserable over Liza in “Salvia no Bouquet”, and Liza isn’t really noticing, but a late-night heart-to-heart helps.

As always there were stories I read, stories I did not and a couple I ward off with a cross and holy water, but overall, another strong volume of fantasy and school stories. I’m really hoping for some good mystery, sports or scifi in the new year!

Ratings:

Overall – 8

The January issue is already on JP shelves! Fingers crossed.





Otherside Picnic, Volume 11

November 27th, 2024

Two women stand holding their ears, as if against some noise. One with long, blonde hair in a green jacket and one with medium-length dark hair in a plaid coat. Looking large behind them is a schoolgirl with silver hair done up in plaits, coquettishly touching her open mouth.by Sandy Ferguson, Guest Reviewer

Having dealt with the mystery of Kanno Sanuki in Volume 10, Otherside Picnic, Volume 11 consists entirely of “The Whisper Is At-Your-Own-Risk”, and it is a delightfully exhausting read.

We start with Sorawo being locked up by Runa Urumi and her fan club. Sorawo assesses her situation and considering that she is being held by a cult led by one of Satsuki’s devotees, it is not looking good. This leads to Sorawo reflecting on her past as someone who managed to escape a cult, and in doing so we are introduced to Sorawo’s ‘coping personality’.  We then follow Sorawo, as she uses her experiences from the past to do what is necessary to escape Runa and her fan club, using a skill set and mental attitudes that combine the Otherside and MacGyver.

As we hear later from Kozakura, this ‘coping personality’ can change how people perceive Sorawo as they indirectly receive an intense glimpse into the trauma that has shaped Sorawo’s life.  But later we witness Sorawo reflecting on the nature of this ‘coping personality’ and how it compares with Sorawo as we now know her, someone who is evolving as a person through letting people into her life, much to her chagrin.

Coping Personality Sorawo escapes from her confinement and picks up Kozakura. They discover that Runa has been collecting Fourth Kind contactees, drawn in such a way that reminds us how lucky Sorawo and Toriko are in how they have been touched by the Otherside.

Their escape is brief as Runa’s fan club recapture them, which gives Runa an opportunity to share with Sorawo and Kozakura her plans. Then Runa leaves Sorawo behind in what becomes a dangerous situation. It is at this point Toriko enters the story kicking arse, ably supported by Migawa from the DS Lab.

More excitement ensues as Sorawo, Toriko and Migawa follow Runa and her fan club to the DS lab.  When they arrive the decision is made, due to concerns over Runa’s use of the voice, that Sorawo and Toriko will confront Runa. And then the volume ends with a ‘wow’ moment that sets us up for an intense climax to this story in the next volume.

From this volume we learn more about Runa, how a young girl hoping for internet attention is changed by the touch of the Otherside, or she prefers to call it, the Blue World. Is she a cult leader? Or an idol with a devoted fan club? Is she just looking for some awesome friends?

And throughout the volume we witness Sorawo’s frustration over the fact that ‘Everyone Loves Satsuki’ with Runa the latest more extreme addition to the Satsuki Fan Club. And although jealousy is a critical part of Sorawo’s response, we the reader can’t ignore the fact that Sorawo is right about Satsuki being an iffy person and we can appreciate Sorawo’s desire to shake Toriko and all the others while yelling ‘am I the only one who sees that Satsuki is up to no good?”

What I appreciated most about ‘A Whisper in the Dead of Night’ is Kozakura giving us some candid insights into her challenges in defining her relationships with Toriko and Sorawo and how she struggles with the aftermath of her relationship with Satsuki.

Ratings:

Story– 9
Artwork– 9 Exciting artwork that draws us into the excitement of this volume, covering action in this world as well as the presence of the Otherside.
Character– 9 An interesting piece of self-analysis by Sorawo as she reflects on the fact that throughout all her escapades with Toriko she never needed her ‘coping personality’. And later Sorawo discovers how her relationship with Toriko has led to her taking her first steps on developing empathy for other people.
Service– 8 Warning, intense hugging action! It looked like Sorawo needed a warning…
Yuri – 8, Yuri Otherside Picnic style as Sorawo gushes over the image of Toriko in full action hero mode, while being jealous that Migawa had witnessed such awesomeness.

Overall – 9

The story continues in Volume 12, which will be here in Spring 2025!