Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


The Whole of Humanity Has Gone Yuri Except for Me

September 7th, 2021

Marika idolizes a “normal” life. Meet a guy, get married, have children…the usual. So when she wakes up to find that she is suddenly in a world in which there are no men, and all the people around her normalize relationships between women, she..freaks out. One classmate, Lily, says she believes her, and offers to pretend to be Marika’s beard as she figures out what happens. The Whole of Humanity Has Gone Yuri Except for Me by Hiroki Haruse is half science fiction and half shoujo-ish romance.

The main thing about this series is that it has actually got some great moments, but almost every one of them is sandwiched between thick layers of “D…d…d…date!?” and surprise kiss and rain fevers and, and, and. As I read, I remembered why I had read the Japanese chapters online and just never managed to pick up the series, Watashi Igai Jinrui Zennin Yuri (私以外人類全員百合) in Japanese. It wasn’t bad, but it just never quite managed to be great.

The science fiction just happens to be exactly the same plot as something else I’m reading, which is not surprising as humanity is pretty obviously an extinction event on this planet; but, the flight of fancy for this protecting earth somehow is lost in the physical gags. The romance here is inevitable and the story takes no chances with the ending. I mean, obviously I probably would have enjoyed a more explorative approach to an all-female planet, but this story is not that. It’s a rom-com wearing a lab coat.

Before you think I hated this, (I did not) let me talk about the thing it did get right. Marika’s perspective of “normal” is put into stark light at the beginning of the book, as she is thrust into a world where “normal” is just not within her operating parameters. But that is not what makes her question her own interpretation, nor is it really her relationship with Lily that changes her perspective. Simply by seeing, and living in, a society that has different norms opens her to the idea that her own idea of “normal” is a construct. And that, in a nutshell, is a message I can get behind. Seeing how other people live changes you. Our “normal” is not universal.

I would say that I enjoyed and eyerolled this self-contained 2-in-1 volume in equal measure. I’m ready for “being shocked at the concept of going out on a date” to drop out of manga for anyone over 12 or so, and, as this manga ran on Kadokawa’s Shounen Ace plus service, I’m willing to let it go here, (that also explains the “wow what big boobs!” that happens every other chapter,) but still done with it, as a whole. It’s a date, not a commitment; you’re getting a bubble tea, not a wedding ring. 

Both art and writing were loose and flexible, with occasional flashes of something great. Eleanor Summers had to make sense of a lot of vaguely-formulated theoretical concepts, so props for the translator. Lettering by Erin Hickman was quite good, with a lot of translucent word balloons which allow us to see the background, but also be able to read the text clearly.  Fine job from the team at Yen Press.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Service – 4 Mostly comments about Marika’s chest. But a fair amount of that.
Yuri – 8

Overall – 7

For a no-stress science fiction about love and the end of the world as we know it, check out The Whole of Humanity Has Gone Yuri Except for Me by Hiroki Haruse. Out now as a 2-in-1 omnibus from Yen Press. 

Thanks very much to Yen Press for the review copy!





Aisarete mo Iindayo, Volume 1 ( 愛されてもいいんだよ)

September 2nd, 2021

In Amano Shuninta’s Aisarete mo Iindayo, Volume 1 ( 愛されてもいいんだよ) we meet Kimura Rin, an office worker who is being sexually harassed by a superior at work. She has no allies among the women in the office, and the harassment is exactly on the line that some men think is being friendly, but is not that, at all.  As she cries alone in the bathroom of the restaurant where her group is having their after-work drinks, Rin encounter Ryou, who thinks she needs to fight back. Ryou tells Rin that she is a lesbian sex worker for ‘Yuritopia’ and tells her how much it costs. Rin takes her up on it, and that experience changes everything.

Rin quits her job and decides to become a sex worker. There’s a lot to learn and of course that learning curve is the story. She sleeps with a Yuritopia sempai and it just serves to highlight how out of her depth she is. Even Ryou turns out to be not what she seems, as the cast at Yuritopia seem kind of cliqueish and not at all kind. Which, I will admit, bothered me quite a bit (and  didn’t make the Yuritopia manager look good. She was nice, but if her employees are jerks, then, uh…something’s not okay.)

Eventually, she gets her first date, a repeat customer of the company who likes to go out with the new girls. The situation is confusing, until she figures out what that customer is looking for and she gets her first high rating. She’s on her way in her new life!

My absolute favorite scene was probably the most ridiculous one, where Rin chooses her working name. She’s stressed out and unsure. The manager gives her a cup of hot chocolate to soothe her nerves (hey, here’s some caffeine and sugar, that’ll relax you!). Rin takes a sip and as the sweet, warm flavor fills her, she decides her name will be Cocoa. It was very her. ^_^

Amano-sensei’s art is really interesting in this series. It’s well-drawn, but she’s focused on partial views, shadows and  skewed perspectives which really works well to communicate Rin’s feelings. As the story ends, the panels become straighter, the backgrounds a little more detailed, giving us a much more grounded feeling.

This volume ends with an interview with Obou, a straight male representative of a lesbian sex work organization, Club Tiara. the same organization made “famous” by Nagata Kabi-sensei in My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness.  I knew it was a guy who ran that, but it still makes me feel icky that it’s not a woman in charge, so I declined to read the interview, but the questions seemed to focus on the technical details. What are the various courses, how are cast chosen, that kind of thing.  I checked out Club Tiara’s site and found that they offer options for women, men and couples, which makes perfect sense. They have specific info for lesbian customers, a phone service, naturally, and a guide to using their service. I didn’t  check to see if they do streams or sexts. As websites go, it’s got a welcoming, not an exploitative “Hot girls live! XXX!!” feel, which is reassuring. If anything, their site felt a bit like a josei manga magazine. I don’t know if this is something I want for myself, but am glad that it exists in the world.

They also are promoting a number of manga on the Club Tiara site, including Nagata-sensei’s and Lesbian Fuuzoku Anthology from Ichijinsha that I reviewed here on Okazu, along with the sequel.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8 Rin really grew on me
Service – Not really? It’s about sex, and isn’t coy or creepy; the art is artsy, rather than explicit. So sex, but no fanservice.
Yuri – 9

Overall – 8

Volume 2 is out now in Japan and I imagine I’ll read it, (probably on Bookwalker, since I’m out of space..again. ^_^





Koisuru Meiga (恋する名画), Volume 2

August 26th, 2021

In 2020, I reviewed Volume 1 of a series that overtly connects Yuri with fine art. Today I want to take a look at the sequel, Koisuru Meiga, Volume 2 (恋する名画).

The first few chapters feel as if the entire book may have pivoted towards horror scenarios…and, okay, that’s legit. Art can be super creepy, especially when we’re meant to be looking it in the eye. The book begins with Rosseau’s The Sleeping Gypsy, and manages to skirt at least some bloodshed. But this is followed by a few stories which instantly step into “eugh” territory, with Willam-Adolphe Bourgereau’s Little Girl. Fujita Tsuguharu (Leonard Fujita)’s Neko wo Daku Shoujo is turned into a really creepy lesbian doll story….

At this point, the book takes a strong turn away from creepy, with a modern spin on a piece I like and have seen many times, Suzuki Harunobu’s Setchuu Aiaigasa.

From here, the book steps back into a few key Yuri tropes. First love is illustrated by Egon Schiele’s Two Women Embracing. The book finishes with the old marriage part of ‘marriage or death,’ with a lovely iteration of Johannes Vermeer’s Girl With the Pearl Earring.

But it is the penultimate story I want to end with because it was a short, bitter, creepy ensemble of social media stalking, modern art and a hefty helping of “this is bad, but it could have been REALLY bad.” The story follows the lover of a popular idol as she manipulates her lover with cyberbullying and social media.  The painting? One of Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe silkscreens all named Untitled. The mashup here of topic was brilliant in layers and as a whole.  Honestly…kind of a fucked up little masterwork.

A few of the artworks are not reproduced in the book (presumably due to copyright,) but it would not be hard to envision them…one only need take a short glance at this page to know what is being referenced.

Overall, a better collection, I think, than Volume 1, by virtue of not attempting to reproduce as much as re-interpret. Using the art as a prompt, if you will.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 7 A tad dark, but not intolerable
Characters – Widely variable from creepy dolls to lovers in the snow
Service – 5 Some nudity, other service, creepiness
Yuri – 6

Overall – 8 Darker, but I liked it more.

This volume had a nice variety of art in period and style. I hope you’ll take a look at the originals and think about how you might write a Yuri story around them. ^_^





Comic Yuri Hime September 2021 (コミック百合姫2021年9月号)

August 25th, 2021

What a wonderful issue Comic Yuri Hime September 2021 (コミック百合姫2021年9月号) was!

In no particular order, Claire and Rae finally have their one-on-on battle for the Academy Knights. Woo-hoo! It’s as exciting as one might imagine. Of course we know the outcome, but that doesn’t stop it from being super fun to watch. Also highly amusing is Relaire, the little water slime picking on Thane. I think I’m really coming around to Relaire. ^_^

Also wonderful and heartfelt is Usui Shio’s “Kaketa Tsuki to Donuts” (which, yes, I spell differently than the English title, because I feel like it.) I will not tell you what happens. Be patient and you’ll get to read it next winter in Doughnuts Under the Crescent Moon, Volume 3, I think.)

Also, also wonderful was Inui Ayu’s expanded chapter of “Kyou mo Hitstu Yaneura no Shita.” Usui-sense’s “Onna Tomodachi to Kekkon Shtiemita” took a surprising turn as sempai brought her parents in to explain the situation…but I’m not sure Ruriko is okay with  how she explained it.

The cover story took an interesting turn this month as Showa-period influenza meets modern-day Tamiflu. I wonder what will happen in our time-skip romance.

Takeshima Eku’s “Sasayakuyouni Ko wo Utau” finally drops Shiho’s story and it’s about what you would expect.  ^_^;

Icing on the cake this time, was a slightly more realistic than usual delivery woman x waitress romance by Ohsawa Yayoi. By “slightly more realistic than usual,” I meant than the server gave flirting a try, but when the delivery woman kept being a beat or seven too slow, she finally lost it and just said what she was thinking. If you know me, you know I appreciate that in a story. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 8

 

There’s some new, some ongoing, some sweet and some other in this volume, but overall, an excellent read and again, I’m really pretty pleased with the percentages of what I like, to what I don’t. It’s good for just about anyone.

The October issue is out now in Japan, hopefully it’ll get to me soon. ^_^

 





Yuri is My Job, Volume 7

August 19th, 2021

In Volume 6, Mituski poured her hear out to Hime and instead of bringing them closer, as she hoped, it may have separated them forever.

In Yuri is My Job, Volume 7, everyone at Liebe Café is trying to patch up the rift between Hime and Mitsuki. Except one. Kanako has absolutely had it with what she sees as Mitsuki’s self-indulgent attitude to Hime. She’s not wrong…but she’s not right, either.

Hime has come up against a wall that she has long wanted to avoid. There are only two people in the world she has trusted with her truth and they each need something from her she can’t give them. Hime’s decided to take herself out of the story, in order to keep anyone from being hurt…and thereby hurting them both.

Sumika wants things to stay the same, Kanako’s ready to be there for Hime, Mitsuki wants someone to understand her for once, and Mai, attempting to smooth over the rough areas, causes cracks to appear elsewhere.

This is an extraordinary volume in what initially appeared to be merely a Marimite parody. We are full on in deep emotional drama and although I read this with every issue of Comic Yuri Hime, I have absolutely no idea where it might take us or how we will get there! That’s always very exciting.

Extra chapters here take us a little into Miman-sensei’s life last year and character and café trivia. Everything about this book kept me on my seat. Lots of emotional moments and I’m just so interested to find out what happens!

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Service – 1
Yuri – 7

Overall – 8

Wrapped in old-fashioned school uniforms and Yuri tropes, Yuri is My Job is a compelling Yuri drama, wholly grounded in the present.