Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


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!





Assorted Entanglements, Volume 6

November 20th, 2024

A woman in a business suit with short dark hair, holding a beer, hugs her younger sister in a white blouse and dark blue skirt her black hair in pigtails.

by Matt Marcus, Staff Writer

Last we left our ragtag crew of sapphics, dates were “enjoyed”, feelings were revealed, emotional wounds were bonded over. We were left just short of a handful of plot payoffs: will Kujou give in to Sugimoto’s trial date idea? Will Heke-sensei be able to game hard enough to earn the right to date her boss? Will Shizuku and Saori just hook up already?

In Assorted Entanglements Volume 6, three of our four pairings arrive at significant inflection points. One couple is embarking on a new adventure as a couple, one is pretending to do the same, and the third…well that one is about to get complicated.

For Saori and Shizuku, the twin-tailed “normie” decides to sneak out of the house at night for doughnuts and deadpans her way into Shizuku’s apartment (this time choosing to be let in through the door instead of smashing the window. Character growth!!). She continues to find herself drawn to the delinquent, and has begun to see through some of Shizuku’s self-loathing. While escorting Saori back to her house, Shizuku recognizes a woman from her past. This is setting up a Shizuku character arc, and I’m surprisingly here for it. Never would’ve thought I’d say that about Shizuku of all characters, but here we are.

As for our mangaka/editor duo, Heke-sensei finally achieves her level goal in the online FPS game, putting her on “even footing” with her gaming oshi. This means she can finally ask Shinohara out! However, she nearly chickens out after spending the day together on a date. Heke-san clutches out the “win” and the two finally come together as a couple. I’m satisfied that this didn’t get dragged out for another who-knows-how-many volume. Now, the real question left is will Heke-sensei be more capable of hitting deadlines now that her editor is her girlfriend?

And for our third major turning point, Kujou and Sugimoto go on the long-threatened trial date. Naturally, it’s at the most sapphic of date destinations: the aquarium! Sugimoto continuously props up Kujou in the face of her gym teacher’s unrelenting defeatism and emotional self-sabotage, which is, honestly, kind of sweet. Sugimoto isn’t actively putting the moves on her teacher (in fact, she doesn’t seem to recognize her long-growing feelings), but by the end of the date, Kujou has the realization that the two of them have gotten too close for their own good. I was starting to worry that Kujou would remain oblivious for a good while longer.

…Also Iori and Minami are there. There’s a silly miscommunication that gets blown out of proportion, complete with the obligatory punch (on panel this time!), but it ends with a sweet moment together. At this point for me, these two are mostly here as supporting cast for the Saori x Shizuku storyline.

Again, I have to say I’m impressed with the improvement of the storytelling from the early volumes. It’s a direct result of the shift to longer chapters allowing the characters more space to interact and to make something resembling plot progress. Hell, it’s making me invested in Shizuku’s backstory, and how the past’s resurfacing will affect her relationship with Saori in the present. A deep character drama this ain’t, but it has become much more than the series of gag strips it began as.

Ratings:

Art – 7 Continues to be solid
Story – 8 We’re actually starting to cook here, with each of the three “active” plot arcs developing
Characters – 8 There is the right amount of angst injected with the humor, allowing for good chemistry
Service – 4 For a real payoff for our Best Couple
Yuri – 8 / LGBTQ – 8 Aquarium date!

Overall – 8 Would invite this volume to go on a shopping date to Yodob*shi 

Volume 7 of this ensemble story of sapphic misfits is coming our way in February.

Matt Marcus is a cohost of various projects on the Pitch Drop Podcast Network, as well as the writer for the blog Oh My God, They Were Bandmates analyzing How Do We Relationship in greater depth.





Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!, Volume 13 (私の百合はお仕事です!)

November 18th, 2024

A blonde in an dark green, old fashioned Japanese smock-style school uniform that is cut below her breasts with a white blouse with a purple ribbon, leans back into a background of flowers, as if to hide.Many lifetimes ago, I was writing a fanfic and I found that after about 4 hours straight of slamming words onto a screen, I had written myself into a corner. It just so happened that the next night was the regular broadcast of the series I was writing about -and let me tell you, the plot that week was not the strongest. I found myself thinking, well, if they could write themselves out of that mess, then so can I. I wrote all night long and as the morning alarm rang, I finished up the fic, It was a perfectly adequate story, I just remember it as a moment when I had really written myself into a corner and had to write myself out again.

It is my opinion that, in Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!, Volume 13 (私の百合はお仕事です!), Miman-sensei has written themselves into a bit of a corner.  Not completely, because the current arc actually concluded in subsequent chapters of the manga that ran in Comic Yuri Hime, but which have not yet been collected, as the story went on indefinite hiatus after that conclusion.

The arc in question is the incredibly fraught Kanako x Sumika arc and frankly, as I survey the bodies on this battlefield, I cannot see a way out of it that allows for something even far short of happily-ever-after. Kanako might find closure, but to do that, she will have to hurt Sumika. Sumika might have found find closure, but expressing that to Kanako hurts the younger girl. The folks around them have remained largely clueless, with the most minimal apology from – again – the only adult in the cafe. Kanako needs therapy, not a part-time older-sister figure. Her single-minded obsession with the one person who has been 100% truthful to her – and honest about wanting to be close friends, but no more – is exhausting.

And so, for the moment, after one of the most shocking arcs I have read in a manga not openly centered on violence, this series comes to an unsatisfactory stopping point. Kanako did finally have her say in the final chapters of the magazine, and I hope we will eventually get those…but will we ever get a fully formed resolution to this series? Only time will tell.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Service – 0
Yuri – 0

Overall – 8

I sincerely hope that Miman-sensei can find a way out of this corner and this series gets the ending it deserves.

Hime absolutely shines in this volume. Despite her pretense to other people, her platonic affection for Kanako is absolutely brilliant.





Throw Away The Suit Together, Volume 2

November 13th, 2024

A woman with pinkish collar length hair wearing denim shorts and a green tee shirt, holds up a can of beer, while next to her a woman with long black hair, wearing running shorts and a white tank top sucks on an ice pop, as she takes their selfie in front of a deeply blue ocean.

by Matt Marcus, Staff Writer

In the first volume of Throw Away The Suit Together, college students and partners Haru and Hinoto decide to ditch the city and the pressures of job hunting and escape to Hinoto’s aunt’s island summer home. Sure, it was an impulsive decision, but they can certainly make a new life here with no degree, no employment, and no money. Right?

Throw Away The Suit Together, Volume 2 opens as the girls finish writing up a marriage contract. It would be a feel-good moment if either of them had any plan on how they will make a marriage work. Haru immediately says they need to make a lot of money to afford a wedding, but even before that, they are nearly flat broke and need to make some money now.

Luckily, they had met local dive instructor Naruko via lost scooter. She offers them part-time work, and the girls feel like they’ve been thrown a little bit of a lifeline. Sure, they are literally living paycheck-to-paycheck each day, but it’s a start.

We spend a lot of time with Haru and Hinoto as they anxiously kill time between shifts. They do laundry at the local laundromat. They sleep in late on a day off. They go to a diner. They have plenty of conversations, except for the one they really need to have: what is their backup plan. Each of them is harboring doubts.

However, even before they can think long-term, Naruko mentions that they only have about three weeks of work left in the busy season. What that leads to is…going back on the job hunt. Given their remote location and high expectations of what kind of job they think they qualify for, options seem nil. In a hail Mary shot, Hinoto again uses her aunt, who has a connection to someone high up in a medium-sized company. This does not pan out, since the job requirements include a college degree. The volume ends with Hinoto calling her college about reenrollment, with Haru eavesdropping.

Like with the first volume, the book ends with a bonus story with a bit of spice, but it’s honestly pretty off-putting. I could do without ever seeing a bit where a partner gets jealous and so decides to cover their lover’s body with hickies so that they are forced to cover up. It’s never been a good trope.

I had some concerns with this story in volume one. Most of it focused on the nagging feeling that this whole plan is a house of cards, ready to fall with the slightest gust of wind. It made for very anxious reading, and it seems now that the feeling was the intended experience. But worse, I’m not sure what the story is really driving at. Sometimes love is not enough? There’s no escape from capitalism? That college degrees are important? I feel like I’m watching slow-motion Yuri Uncut Gems, with the girls gambling with their future.

The other thing that is bothering me is that we don’t get any view into Haru and Hinoto’s life before the story begins. Had they fought through adversity before? Are there any shared memories that they hold dear? Do they, uh, like things in common?? They clearly know each other well enough to give (loving) critiques on their personal quirks, but Keyyang-sensei’s got to give me something more to hold on to here.

The art also somehow seems worse this volume. The characters just look sloppily drawn to begin with, and then there are wild swings in style used for humor that causes even further whiplash. The one drawing I would say really hit for me was a full page spread of the girls job searching on their phones while sitting in the dark living room (which raises the question: how are they paying for their phone service?).

By the end of this volume, I am bracing for disaster. The girls are one missed paycheck away from ruin, and yet they seem to leave those envelopes of money lying around without much concern. The island dream may be over soon, but will a new dream follow it?

Ratings:

Art – 5 It’s getting more distracting as it goes
Story – 6 Things don’t appear to be getting better, but to what end?
Characters – 6 Haru and Hinoto continue to make bad choices
Service – 3 Only for the bonus story
Yuri – 9 / LGBTQ – 5 Gonna leave this here

Overall – 6 Would possibly be put on a PIP, if they even had a job

The third and final volume of this island “escape” story hits shelves in February.

Matt Marcus is a cohost of various projects on the Pitch Drop Podcast Network, as well as the writer for the blog Oh My God, They Were Bandmates analyzing How Do We Relationship in greater depth.