Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


A White Rose in Bloom, Volume 2

March 4th, 2022

In Volume 1, we met Ruby, a student at a prestigious girls’ school who, because of family problems, stays at school over the holidays with only one other student – the alluring and standoffish Steph. As the volume closed, Ruby’s parents tell her that they are divorcing and her mother explains that she’ll need to leave the school, but Ruby believes she has found a way to stay.

She’ll take the scholarship exam. Only…her Latin is grades are really bad. Once again, she turns to Steph. Steph agrees to tutor Ruby. Which causes friction with another student, Liz. Liz is obsessively close to Steph, in fact Ruby saw them kissing.

A White Rose in Bloom, Volume 2,begins as the tension between Liz and Ruby has exploded in public. Each of them bearing the red mark of the other’s anger on their cheeks, they are called in to the Headmistress’s office..and they come precariously close to losing everything.

The fight with Liz uncovers another complication – Liz and Steph are half-sisters and both children of the Headmistress. Ruby’s no dummy, she keeps her mouth closed.  As the exam draws closer, it looks like she might make it after all. Until her father shows up at the school and throws a wrench into the whole works.

Nakamura Asumiko-sensei’s ability to create a narrative that exceeds it’s initial setup. What tension there is between Steph and Ruby is shown, but mentioned only briefly. We can all see it, so can Ruby and Steph…and Liz. Steph is old enough to realize what damage her behavior may cause and smart enough to regret it. Ultimately, it is the fact that Steph and Ruby are both sharp-witted that carries this story through to an end of an arc that was vastly better than I imagined it would be, as I read the chapters in Rakuen Le Paradis magazine.

Whether you enjoy Nakamura-sensei’s art is purely personal, but I have grown fond of her unique style. She’s among a handful of artists whose art I can recognize in any context. I genuinely love the variety of faces showing discombobulation and shock that fill her work.

A White Rose in Bloom has the most conventional set-up, but the unconventional ending and the change that it brings to the heaviness of the opening, makes this series totally worth reading.

Great work by Jocelyne Allen on translation, Kat Adler on adaptation and special high marks to Alia Nagamine on lettering and retouch. It’s always so much more time intensive, but it just looks so good. Fantastic work from the team at Seven Seas.

Ratings:

Art – As I say, YMMV, but 8 for me
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Service – 4 Mildly provocative staging from time to time
Yuri – 7

Overall – 9

I’m honestly so glad you all have a chance to read this quirky schoolgirl Yuri series!





Oshi ga Budokan Ittekuretara Shinu, Volume 8 (ζŽ¨γ—γŒζ­¦ι“ι€¨γ„γ£γ¦γγ‚ŒγŸγ‚‰ζ­»γ¬)

March 3rd, 2022

Yippee! A whole volume of this manga in which I never once wanted to shake the daylights out of the creator!

Ahem.

But seriously, Oshi ga Budokan Ittekuretara Shinu, Volume 8 (ζŽ¨γ—γŒζ­¦ι“ι€¨γ„γ£γ¦γγ‚ŒγŸγ‚‰ζ­»γ¬) was… nice. No obnoxious jokes about Maina and Eripyo not being able to communicate in an excruciating way.

The volume begins with a nice juxtaposition of the Cham-Jam members delving into Youtube videos and dreaming about more opportunities (as well as Aya eating her weight in doughnuts.) This smoothly dovetails into several collaborations between Cham Jam and singers from other groups (notably, Reo’s old group Maple Doll.) Once again, the personal lives and relationships of the other girls in Cham Jam is the best part of the story.

And then the volume winds down and I steeled myself for the dumb joke du jour. And it came, as I expected it would.

There is a running gag in the series that Okayama, where Cham Jam performs, is best known for being the setting of the story of Momotarou. Cham Jam always brings kibi dango with them as a gift, because that’s the local souvenir. More specifically, because they can never think of another notable thing about Okayama. So, Cham Jam is invited on another group’s show and they are struggling to come up with something unique about Okayama, beyond kibi dango.  Maina is wearing a cute shirt and is asked if it’s a local exclusive brand. Embarrassed, she admits it’s a 480 yen shirt – at which point her adorableness is discovered by the world at large. Suddenly, Maina becomes “480-chan.” Obsessed with 480-chan, Eripyo buys things for 480 yen, talks about 480 yen, to the point of mania. (So, no change for her, really.)  At their next appearance, “480-chan” has a line of fans waiting to get a handshake! Eripyo is blown away that she’s actually got to stand on line to speak to Maina  – she is in heaven! Ecstatic that Maina has been discovered at last, Eripyo cannot wait to see her favorite.

When she finally sees Maina for the first time in a while, Eripyo starts to call her “480-chan…” but stops. Maina, for once(!) figures out what’s going on in time and asks Eripyo to call her to please call her “Maina.” Eripyo turns to the line behind her and calls out “Her name isn’t 480-chan, it’s Icchii Maina!”…then she turns back to Maina. I actually cheered, as she said, “Right, Maina-chan?” And Maina smiles and says “Right!”

I practically cried with relief. Thank goodness. A whole volume without once wanting to commit an act of violence.  I ought to give it a 10 just for that…..

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9 I didn’t hate a single page. It’s a Cham Jam miracle!
Character – 8
Service – 0
Yuri – They had a conversation and it wasn’t incoherent. 10

Overall – 10 There.  Good job, Hirao-sensei. See? You can do it.

You can find this manga on Amazon JP, Bookwalker JP (where I read it) or CD Japan, if you’d like one <bleep>ing volume of this series that isn’t utterly enraging. ^_^





How Do We Relationship, Volume 5, Guest Review by Matt Marcus

March 2nd, 2022

It’s another Guest Review Wednesday and we have another great review! Matt Marcus is a cohost of various projects on the Pitch Drop Podcast Network, such as the JRPG games club podcast Lightning Strikes Thrice. Please welcome Matt back to Okazu!

How Do We Relationship is a story about two college students Miwa and Saeko who learn together how used to date. In How Do We Relationship, Volume 4, the couple broke up over a myriad of problems around communication and personal hang-ups, but despite lingering feelings they try to go back to being friends.

Just by looking at the cover of How Do We Relationship, Volume 5, you know you’re in for some shit. Gone are the big smiles, playful antics, and instruments of the past; they have been replaced by a disheveled Miwa, her hair grown out haphazardly, looking forlornly into the middle distance.

This volume has a theme: self-centeredness, selfishness, and greed. Almost every principle character displays these traits in varying degrees of severity and the effects of their actions ripple out until they become ship-wrecking waves.

Saeko, in what feels like a passive-aggressive move, casually pushes Miwa to reach out to her high school crush, Shiho, and confess her feelings. When the two former classmates reconnect, they make plans for Miwa to spend two months visiting Shiho in Okinawa. 

There is a lot I can say about Shiho because she is fascinating. When she first appears in How Do We Relationship, Volume 3, you wouldn’t be blamed for expecting her to merely be the love rival that forces Miwa to make a firm, definitive decision on to whom she will give her heart. As it turns out, she is a much more complex character. Yes, she managed to escape from the traumatic environment that was her family home, however she continues to bear scars from her upbringing. Tamifull does a wonderful job portraying her inner struggle and how it leaks out into the rest of her life: she lives in a barren apartment and wonders why it freaks out her friends; her previous romantic relationship ended due to her lack of interest; she doesn’t feel a need to fall in love, yet she is still working out her feelings towards Miwa while sending very mixed signals. What is crushingly sad is that she not only doesn’t know what she wants for herself, she doesn’t even know how to want. You will think that her ultimate decision about Miwa is cowardly–and it is–but she needs more time to heal and grow. I am hoping we get to see it. Regardless, the trip sends Miwa into a tailspin.

This puts her on a collision course with Saeko when school resumes. I mentioned in my previous review that Saeko’s behavior could be a barrier for some readers, and I think this volume offers the ultimate test of that. There is a moment towards the end of the volume that truly stunned me. I won’t spoil it, but it will send shivers down your spine. It may even disgust you. It’s a high risk move and we do not see it payoff before the volume ends, but I simply have to credit Tamifull for constructing a scene that packs such a wallop.

I haven’t mentioned her yet, but Saeko’s coworker Yuria takes on a larger supporting role and she’s still a delight. Not a lot of depth to her, but she’s a breath of fresh air given everything else that’s going on.

Out of the previous volumes so far, this one is the most consistent in tone. The focus has tightened and it benefits the storytelling because it gives more space to explore the internality of the characters. I will say though that I am still confused about what Tamifull is trying to say with Rika, beyond the fact that she is self-aware about her selfishness.

One major demerit I would give the story is how Miwa expresses a desire for self-harm through neglect that is not taken very seriously by Saeko–it’s melodramatic at best and disrespectful to the severity of the topic at worst. If the story’s direction continued down such a path I could see myself dropping the series, but I have it on good authority that this is the β€œlowest” point and that things get better from here. It really is about time that Miwa starts showing some serious development because the poor girl deserves it.

On the positive side, I want to give a shout-out to the localization team because I am continuously impressed with the fresh and naturalistic phrasing choices that provide a distinct voice to the characters while sounding realistically like college students.

If you have ventured this far into the series, be prepared for the choppiest waters yet. Despite finding myself emotionally wrung out by the twists and turns on my first read-through, I have found engaging with the characters in repeated readings endlessly rewarding. I’ll be waiting (im)patiently for the next volume which comes out in English this July.

Ratings:

Art – 8 Some great paneling and nonverbal expression.
Story – 7 Heavy, less funny, but still engaging. Docking it one point for overplaying its hand with Miwa’s meltdown.
Characters – 9 I love what they did with Shiho and Saeko continues to be compelling.
Service – 1 Sex is still present but it is not played for service.
Yuri – 9 / LGBTQ – 7 One door opens while another seemingly closes, so on balance it’s a wash.

Overall – 8 This continues to be a unique and engrossing yuri series.

Erica here: Thank you Matt for covering this volume so thoroughly. I can guarantee that everything will be different (for the better) now. and I’m so glad I can talk about this series again!
 




Monologue Woven For You, Volume 1

February 25th, 2022

Haruka is a young woman who has set aside her dream – she’ll never act again. But fate has something in store for her when meets Nao, a first-year at her university who is working hard to become the actress Haruka will never be. As they spend time together, they realize they have feelings for one another. Almost before they know it, they are thinking in terms of happily-ever-after. Nao’s dream allows Haruka to love theater once again.

But there is something they are not talking about. Haruka is not confessing that she once was in theater. As a result, Nao cannot tell Haruka that she knows. What stress will this put on their relationship? We’ll have to wait for Volume 2 to find out.

If you love live theater as much as Haruka and Nao, you will probably love this manga. ^_^

I reviewed the Japanese edition of volume back in autumn of 2021 when I said, “Because there is so little conflict, I’d recommend this series for a nice girl-meets-girl story, but for one thing. The art is much too moe for my taste…. I’d vastly prefer this story if it were graced with an art style that captured the actual ages of the characters as we are told them. If you like the uncomplicated facial features (and accompanying lack of facial gesture and expression of the oeuvre,) then you will probably enjoy this.”

Other than the fact that the art simply puts me out of the story, it’s a nice enough little volume. The energy of it is sincere, and I appreciate that the narrative eschewed additional complication. When Haruka’s friend comes across them kissing, Haruka doesn’t prevaricate. If she had, I might have stopped reading. I don’t have time to read that kind of story any more. ^_^

The English edition is full color, just as the Japanese was, which is quite nice. The colors are relaxing to the eye  and the conflict, such as it is, will assuredly be resolved with no more than a little bit of tension.

Ratings:

Art – 6 Adequate, but not a style I feel suits the story
Story – 7 Pleasant girl meets girl
Characters – 7 Earnest
Service – 1? Bathing, some mild, partial nudity
Yuri – 8

Overall – 7

Because we are again working on the Yuricon Store plug-in issue, I will note that Volume 1 is available on Amazon, Bookwalker and RightStuf or a manga store near you. Thanks to the team at Seven Seas for thisgentle, full-color Yuri manga!

Volume 2 will be out in June. You can pre-order it on Amazon or Right Stuf now. ^_^

Thanks very much to Seven Seas for the review copy!

 




Comic Yuri Hime March 2022 (γ‚³γƒŸγƒƒγ‚―η™Ύεˆε§«2022εΉ΄3月号)

February 24th, 2022

Comic Yuri Hime March 2022 (γ‚³γƒŸγƒƒγ‚―η™Ύεˆε§«2022εΉ΄3月号) is another solid issue.

To begin with “Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata” finally comes to the climax we had been expecting – Shizuku learns that Kaori is terminally ill. Her feelings may never have time to reach the other girl.

Following this, in “Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau” the SS Girls decide to up their game, while Yori and Hima try to make time for each other, even though they are on opposing teams for the big battle of the bands. Gosh, this manga is just so forgivably innocent, it makes me use the word “gosh,” unironically. ^_^ And, oh, they kiss.

“Watashi no Oshi ha Akuyaku Reijou.” dives deep into social justice issues this chapter, as a noble gets away with almost killing a commoner. The commoner movement takes this as a cue to get protesting, in exactly the same way we saw in the real world. This chapter cuts a little deep. As it should.

Speaking of deep cuts, “Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto desu!” was rough. Nene finally meets up with Youko who plays our poor chef like a keyboard. Nene is looking to find sincerity in a completely insincere person, and makes mistakes she hates herself for. Personally, I hate Youko for them. Sumika takes the wrongest position possible and I realllllly have to hope Nene comes out of all this with her life intact. I’m pretty angry for (not at) her right now. I trust ya, Miman-sensei, but this better be worth her tears.

“Kaketa Tsuki to Donuts” takes the jousei route, as Hinako’s mother comes to visit. Hinako tells her flat out that she likes Asahi, but then runs off and calls the other woman. Now that she has admitted to herself that she likes Asahi, will she admit it to Asahi?

In a Usui Shio two-fer, in “Onna Tomodachi wo Kekkon Shitemita,” Ruriko and Kurumi spend a day together to patch up some holes they have and Ruriko gives Kurumi a hug, which sets her thinking about their “friendship.”

“Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru,” by Keyyang is rapidly rising into my top several stories. Haru and Hi-chan wake up to find themselves engaged and happier than they have ever been. They decide to get rings and talk about wedding dresses. But first, breakfast!

Inui Ayu and Kon-san talk about their exes and how they approach dating so differently and Kon-san takes a point a step too far in “Kyou mo Yane no Shita.” And Ohi Pikachi shares the story of her first kiss with Fuuka in “Pillow Talk ha Fuku wo Kite.”

As always there are other stories I’m not mentioning and some I’m not reading. Basically, the middle third of the magazine is “meh,” to me, which gives me a 2/3 good or great percentage…more than satisfactory IMHO.

Ratings:

Overall – 9

I’m also always interested in the editor’s recommendation pages, in part because they often suggest things I don’t know and in part because I’m interested to see what they think is good (subtext: even if I disagree. ^_^)

The April issue of Comic Yuri Hime is out now in Japanese bookstores!