Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


Comic Yuri Hime, April 2026 (コミック百合姫2026年4月号)

March 20th, 2026

A deep, chocolately brown cover of a girl cheerfully buried under a pile of hats, which threaten to fall on the mostly-obscured person behind her.Comic Yuri Hime, April 2026 (コミック百合姫2026年4月号) begins with a deep, chocolately brown cover of a girl  cheerfuly buried under a pile of hats. The gloved woman behind her looks as if she is trying to ward the inevitable collapse off. 

So, now that we have 4 issues in hand, we see that this is not a story on the cover, per se, but a series of clothing, make-up, hair-related scenarios, in which one girl is in the front, being managed by another (obscured) woman behind. Chiriko’s covers are striking and colorful, but not necessarily meaningful.

The book begins with a newcomer, Usami Miki’s tale of finding joy in dystopia, “Zangai Shoujo, Kirakirana Sekai no Soko” whics has the English translation, “wreckage, maiden, sparkle at the bottom of the world.”  

Lorelei gets their big break in Takeshima Eku’s “Sasaybig-time Sasakuyouni Koi wo Utau”! A big record label (Queen Records, hint hint) has discovered their videos…do they want to go pro? Shiho knows what she wants, but are the others on board? Hajime agrees, but questions what her goals are.

In ” Tayutau Koi no Chirisai ni,” our protagonists go on their first date, but have no idea how money or tickets work? Kind of threw me out of the story there.

Ikuta Hana’s “Hone ni Negai o, Hoshi ni Horoi o” Aoi and Mashiro begin to go through Akane’s things, lancing the wound that binds them both.

“Kimi no Seinandakara, Sekinin o Totte you ne” Reina and Suichan continue their progression from paid escort and client to girlfriends.

Tsumugi Meme’s “Hina-chan ga Iketeru nara” continues to be creepy as fuck, as Hina-chanan, apparently returned from the dead after years, and who has not aged, is angry that Ku-chan has gotten her period, first, leaving Hina behind.

“Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto desu!” takes a long look at Mitsuki who, IMHO, is neurodivergent, and the struggles she has at school reading other people’s intent. As she has to decide what she wants to do with her future, the quesion looms havily for her. Hime offers her a safe haven. 

inori. and Aonoshimo offer up an emotional chapter of “Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijo.” Rei, demoralized and defeated, finds unexpected allies in her quest to free Claire.

Koharu and Minato get deep into “oshi-katsu” and idol fandom in “Koharu to Minato”, which will be out in English in April as Koharu and Minato: Happy Life with My Girlfriend, Volume 1!

Ayster and Oto-toi bring us another weirdly compelling editor motivates low-energy manga artist in “Haru no Uzumibi.”

And interestingly, Kubara Yuuko’s “Film ni Saku Yurinohana o Atsumete Kimi ni Okuritai”, comic essay takes a look at the explicitly lesbian movie Carol, based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt. This movie  was brilliantly acted and directed and is, IMHO, a must-watch.

I am reading and enjoying close to half the work in this magazine right now, which is an outstanding amount for me and any magazine. And many of the most popular series aren’t in my wheelhouse, so there is really something for just about everyone. ^_^

Ratings: 

Overall – 8

The May issue is out now in Japan!





Threads of Me and You

March 18th, 2026

Two women wearing kimonos and holding flowers that complement the other's outer coat look at each other.One with short black hair wears a blue and white kimono an golden outer jacket, holds a purple flower. The other women with longer light brown hair pulled u into a bun at the neck wears a sunflower pattern kimono, and purple outer coat while holding sunflowers.by Patricia Baxter,  Guest Reviewer

Threads of Me and You is the newest yuri manga series from Ayu Inui, the author of If We Leave on the Dot. Like her previous series, this is a manga focused on the lives of two women who are already well established in their respective careers, meeting, growing closer, learning more about themselves, and falling in love along the way. One of the major differences between the two series is that Threads of Me and You focuses on women meeting and connecting through fashion and self-expression, centered around wearing kimonos.

Yui Nanjou is a twenty-eight year old office worker who dislikes being seen as “cute” by others, and wishes that she could look more mature. At a local restaurant she meets Mizuho Shiiba, a woman her own age who is typically seen wearing a kimono while working, with a mature and refined air about her that Yui can’t help but admire. After an impromptu conversation, Mizuho agrees to teach Yui how to wear a kimono, which marks the beginning of their friendship.

One of this series’ greatest strengths is how it showcases Yui’s character arc, as she slowly but surely begins to undergo a journey of self-reflection, which helps her learn about herself and how she wants to be perceived. This also includes unlearning heteronormative assumptions about romance and relationships that she had internalized. Her journey of learning to love herself, Mizuho, and kimonos, are all entwined together and feel natural, and seeing everything come together in the end was a joy to read.

Unfortunately, Mizuho does not get the same amount of depth and character development as Yui, which is a shame because she was clearly shown throughout the series as having her own struggles and insecurities. Unlike Yui, who is undermined because she looks cute, Mizuho finds people have high expectations of her since she appears “mature”, when in reality she has trouble with directions, even to familiar places, and gets easily distracted by her interests. This could have been an interesting setup for a sapphic romance with an implied neurodivergent love interest, but the series, and Mizuho’s struggles, are wrapped up very quickly for the sake of a satisfying conclusion.

Despite these snags, the positives of the series, such as Yui’s character growth and seeing various women pursuing their passions, make it a worthwhile read.

Ratings: 

Art – 7.5
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Service – 0
Yuri – 4

Overall – 8 

Threads of Me and You is available to buy or rent as twelve individual chapters exclusively on Renta! and each chapter costs $1 USD each.

 




Not So Shoujo Love Story, Volume 3

March 13th, 2026

In front of a page made from panels, showing valentine chocolates piled high on a desk, with an extremely pointy-chinned boy holding a rose, with a hold in his head where the background is ripped and an SD character of a blonde, making a silly face breaking through, a girl with short hair wearing a red knit scarf falls through the air, dropping boxes of chocolates and flowers, as that same background rips while she tries to grab it for support. Once again we are given a brilliantly fourth-wall breaking cover for Not So Shoujo Love Story, Volume 3 by Curryuku. Hanna literally rips through an image of alien, but inexplicably charismatic, Hansum, while Rei trips as the stereotypical background of a shoujo manga Valentine’s Day rips beneath her hands. The fact that such a gag-filled manga takes time to layer in symbolism in the cover is 10 out of 10

In Volume 2, Rei and Hanna both began to understand a very little bit about each other’s lives. Here in Volume 3 the powder keg of Valentine’s Day in high school sets them both on an inexorable path towards one another. 

As with previous volumes, there are endless riff on the tropes of shoujo manga, and homages to other media. Hansum’s Tuxedo Kamen moment is on point. Within this, there is a touching story about two lonely girls and all the absolute weirdos around them.  I’d say for every eye-rolling gag, there is at least one that made me chuckle.

By the end of this volume Rei has softened up a bit and is trying to not only understand Hanna more, but has begun to make other friends, something she is still unused to. The fact that she and Susan now speak of something other than Hanna is a huge step forward. Hanna, still trying hard to communicate her feelings to Rei, is starting to get through Rei’s walls. 

Again, Viz Media Originals is doing a fantastic, full-color, job with this manga. Cutuku’s art and writing is great and of course, we’re all rooting for Rei and Hanna.

Ratings: 

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Service – Nope
Yuri – 8

Overall – 8

As a paean to the stupidity of high school, the tropes of shoujo manga and the joy of Yuri romance, Not So Shoujo Love Story continues to be a very fun read.

 
 

 

 





One Night Yuri Love Yuri Anthology (ワンナイトラブ百合アンソロジー)

March 12th, 2026

A woman in business wear leans over and into another woman at a bar, as they clasp hands.This is the third similarly “one night stand” themed anthology I have read. Ichijinsha has done one which I found depressing, rather than entertaining, and I believe Kadokawa has done one as well. The fact that I have not reviewed these and can barely remember them indicates to me that I did not, particularly, enjoy them.

Now, Takeshobo’s Bamboo Comics has published One Night Yuri Love Yuri Anthology (ワンナイトラブ百合アンソロジー) and, generally, it was entertaining.

For the most part, the stories favored people who liked each other, did not have massive, uncomfortable power differentials and, except in one notable story, they end up happily, forming a deeper relationship.

The collection includes works by Yodogawa, Ikuta Hana, Ajiichi, Yukiko and other names we recognize.

Yodogawa’s story looks at two office rivals, Tsuzu Ran’s was about a woman who sleeps with the proprietor of the Izakaya she favors. Ikuta Hana offers up a fun and concerning office one night stand between an aggressive junior and her hapless superior (of course, or it would be power harassment.)

Ajiichi does something that I did think was notable, as it changes the end of a story I never like. Two childhood friends, one who is in love with the other, who is straight and constantly complaining about the men she dates. This is a very, tiresomely common plot for these anthologies. The straight girl gets drunk and says something that I would consider a friendship killer. As she kisses her long-suffering friend she says a line that is one of my least favorite lines in any media, “I wish men were like you.” At this point, the lesbian knows this is the wrong choice, but she sleeps with her friend…knowing this is the end of their friendship. Usually in stories like this, the lesbian is left and either ghosted or the straight friend pretends nothing happens.

Here, for the first time I have ever seen, the lesbian blocks her friend on her phone. Screaming at the unfairness, crying, but she yeets the woman who has kept her from moving on in her life, I cheered. It’s not easy to cut off a relationship of any kind, but to see a woman take back her life from someone who has been squandering it, felt like freedom.

Ratings:

Art – variable, but averaging 8
Stories – same
Service – shockingly little for the situation, some nudity and sexual situations
Yuri – 9

Overall – 8

So of the several one night stand anthologies I have read, this was the least unpleasant, and most empowering one. That it was from Takeshobo is really odd, as their Yuri tends to be Yuri-as-a-gag, or could-be-Yuri-could-be-something-else type stories. I hope they take the leap into genuine stories about Yuri (or even, gasp! lesbian!) life and love.





The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate, Volume 1

March 6th, 2026

Cover of The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate by Kodama Naoko. On a pale-blue background with pale white letters spelling out the title, a tall short-haired woman wears a tuxedo, back to back with shorter woman with light brown wavy shoulder-length hair in a wedding dress.In The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate, Volume 1, Naoko Kodama offers up a lesbian that is a little more than just a plot complication. 

I’ve noted in the past, that some of Kodama’s work gets very close to discussions of trauma and the way people react to it.  In some cases, she sets up a reaction that is so extreme, the originating event appears to be serious, only to back off into a troubling, but not damaging, situation. There are two exceptions (mostly) to this trend -notably, I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up and the topic of today’s review. I say “notably,” because these two books, of all of her work, directly address queer life in Japan. 

Shigisawa is not out at her workplace, but she is very aware of and unhappy with the inequality she faces as a woman who will(can)not get married and a woman without children. She is grumpy about this. When a popular former colleague shows up needing her help, Shigisawa is not happy about that at all, either. On the one had, she had a mild crush on Goto and is grumpy about that too, as Goto left to get socially-approved married to a man. On the other hand, Shigisawa Rei is actually a softy and doesn’t turn Goto Saya away. 

The main conflict for Rei is being in close proximity to a woman she finds attractive and who appears to be all but throwing herself at Rei in what she believe is a clueless straight-girl way. For Saya, the conflict is very different, as her marriage is…she doesn’t know what it is, but it’s not working. This is not a funny at all, though. By not understanding her own self, Saya spends the volume unintentionally putting Rei’s emotions at risk.  

Because Kodama’s work typically comes with a guarantee of a happy ending, there isn’t that much tension in these two conflicts. We have to assume Saya will – at the last possible moment – deal with her failed marriage, and Rei will get the girl. And whether you like them as a couple or not is up to you. But at least, here in Volume 1 we get some pointed griping about Japanese society and their government’s abject failure to legitimize same-sex marriages, something that more than 70% of Japanese people think ought to exist (and despite multiple court rulings that lack of SSM is unconstitutional.)

Ratings: 

Art – 8
Story – 6
Characters – 7
Service – 4
Yuri – 8
LGBTQ – 10

Overall – 7

Kodama-sensei’s work often strikes me the same way Melissa Scott’s science fiction in the 1990s did. It comes so close to making a point, dealing with an issue, managing an emotion, but shies away from follow through. That said, Kodama has been edging closer and closer and I hope that one, day, she’ll write the thing that has to be written.