Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


Yuri Manga: Galette, No. 12 (ガレット )

February 5th, 2020

Reading Galette is one of my very sincerest joys these days. When Galette, No. 12  (ガレット ) arrived, I just kind of sat on it, deferring that joy, just to make it last. ^_^

There is so much wonderful work here that I hardly know where to begin! Instead of listing everything, I just want to touch on two stories for which I have a lot of interest – and hope.

Hakamada Mera is a creator that has been the target of a lot of criticism from me in the past decade. Not because she’s not good…because she is good and I have felt for more than ten years that she could be better. I feel like something in her work has shifted recently and she is – at last – doing the work I expected of her or more probably she’s doing the work that she wants to do. I liked her previous series a lot. Even though it was set in a high school, t never felt threadbare. And her new story, “Sekai ga Owareru Sono Mae ni” is the best I have ever seen from her. I cannot quite put my finger on what is different, but it contains a feeling of honesty and real-ness that I felt had been lacking in her early work. (I liken it to the sensation I always has reading Melissa Scott’s novels in the 1990s – there was just something that she wasn’t putting into her wok and its absence was notable. I am delighted to be reading Hakamada-sensei’s work right now.

The second story I want to talk about is “Liberty” by Kitto Izumi and Momono Moto. This, too, has been skirting something important and, while I have liked it anyway I am absolutely here for this story now, as we learn a little bit about Liz. More importantly, we can see the abuse and manipulation Liz was subjected to by her former manager. This issue’s chapter was terrifying and hard to read..while being completely “normal” on the surface. So much was revealed in this chapter, it sets us up for a completely different story now. I cannot wait to see where it goes. This is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping we’d get in Galette.

Ratings:

Overall – 9

Both these are are just two stories among several along with some primary Yuri research and columns. The time it takes me to read Galette is always time well-spent and I look forward very much to Galette No. 13 which is available on Amazon JP – which marks the start of Year 4 – in a few days. 

Galette No. 12 is digitally available on Amazon.com.  Up to Volume 11 is available on Global Bookwalker as well.

 





Yuri Manga: Sore ha, Haru no Arashi no You ni, Volume 1 (それは、春の嵐のように)

January 31st, 2020

Aoi is an office lady who dreams of a “normal life.” She tells her her friend that she wants to get married. Chi-chan appears to accept it. Aoi, on the other hand is massively conflicted, and as she walks down the aisle is fairly certain that she has made the wrong decision.

Luckily for Aoi, Chiho has no intention of standing aside, and arrives at the church in time to speak now. Standing in front of the dearly beloved who had been gathered today, resplendent in a white tux, Chi-chan offers Aoi her hand. Aoi takes it and they run away together….

Sore ha, Haru no Arashi no You ni, Volume 1 (それは、春の嵐のように) by kurukuruhime is about learning to love what you  have and being grateful for what you love.The rest of the book is primarily watching Aoi doing this very thing. From making love with Chiho, to enjoying shopping together, Aoi learns to appreciate what she has…all those little moments that make up a life together, that my wife and I call “playing house.”

When Aoi returns to work, she finds the strength to apologize to her former fiance who is very decent about it. But, Aoi, says to Chiho, as the volume comes to a close, she still wants to get married…to Chi-chan.

kurukurhime, creator of Yuri Life, does adult Yuri stories that one can slide into like a pair of comfortable slippers. They aren’t high drama, but they are filled with emotions that are wholly relatable. And, in this case, a real-life Princess who sweeps up to save the Princess from her own terrible decision. I’m okay with that. ^_^

The book ends with “to be continued” and I hope that that is true. I see no serialization for it, but that could be anything. Fingers crossed.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – Starts off a little annoying, gets better as it goes. Average 7, ends at 8
Characters – 8, despite difficulties
Service – 4 nudity, sex, nothing explicit
Yuri – 10

Overall – 8

My copy was picked up at Animate (it says so, that helps,) so it came with a lovely color illustration card of Chiho in her glasses. Thumbs up from me! I think girls who wear glasses look great. ^_^





Yuri Manga: Comic Yuri Hime, February 2020 (コミック百合姫2020年2月号)

January 30th, 2020

Welp, I kind of knew this was coming. Statistically speaking, we were long overdue for a not-good issue of this magazine. Comic Yuri Hime, February 2020 (コミック百合姫2020年2月号) is not great.

Several new series that wallow in grotesque fetishtry and are clearly meant to appeal to people who do not like women, or want to see them happy, are combined with the end of a series by an artist who does like women and wants to see them happy, made this volume a very difficult read.  As the number of the stories that are lolicon, exploitative, and manipulative are increasing, while the number of stories about women enjoying – or learning to enjoy – being together, now number less than previously.  I find myself clinging to the few I genuinely enjoy and making my eyes glaze over as I pass by so much of the magazine. I have, in past years, continued reading what was at the time Yuri Hime, when it was down to two series I liked, but I really don’t want to return to those days.

In the middle of so much that is not good, let us rejoice in what is. It felt a tad rushed, but the ending of “Itoshi Koishi” by Takemiya Jin, gave us a couple who we can absolutely believe will have a happily-ever-after. Yayoi and Hina are cute together and we can rely on Hina to be grounded. Sure it’s a fake wedding now, but one day I hope they will get the “real” wedding they deserve.  ^_^

“Terano-sensei to Hayama-sensei ha Tsukiatteiru” did something that amazed me, in a good way. In a great way. Hayama-sensei is off to do what teachers around here call a “service day.” That is, she’s attending a class or workshop of some kind off-campus. While there, she meets a woman and they speak of their girlfriends. Together. Like adults. Hayama-sensei has been given a person to speak with who is another adult woman, in a relationship with another woman. Their meeting was part of their daily life. It was all perfectly normal, everyday life stuff. The way lives actually are. I read this chapter over three times, just to make sure I hadn’t hallucinated it.

In “Hello Melancholic” by Ohsawa Yayoi, Minato is let into the private world of the upperclassmen in her band. Chika jerks Minato’s chain about seeing Chika and Sakiko kissing, but it’s mostly because Minato’s reactions are so OTT. ^_^

“Watashi no Yuri ha Oshigoto Desu!” by Miman finally reaches the climax its been heading towards, as Hime has to reckon on what future to choose.

Kuwabara Tamostsu’s “Anta ga Senaka o Misetara” is a one-shot of a the sort of sports drama I’d love to see a full series of. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 7

As always, there were stories I read and haven’t called out that were perfectly okay. But I worry when the fourth series starts that is very clearly designed to appeal to much lower than lowest-common denominator. Writing this review has made me feel better about what is running that is good and I hope that that will continue.

I’m picking up the March Issue today and will keep fingers crossed.





Yuri Manga: Teiji ni Ageretara, Volume 2 (定時にあがれたら)

January 24th, 2020

In Volume 1, we met Yukawa, who became friendly, then friends, then lovers with her coworker, Mizuki. Now, in Volume 2 of Teiji ni Ageretara (定時にあがれたら), they are navigating new territory as lovers.

Getting together with coworkers or old school friends now presents new challenges, as they struggle with how much attention they can pay to one another. So does working together – especially when Yukawa is assigned a newbie to shepherd….an attractive, friendly newbie, who uses Yukawa’s given name like it’s nothing! Mizuki is trying to not be annoyed or jealous and is failing horribly. It’s not that she doesn’t trust Yukawa, it’s just…she so cute and charming, who wouldn’t want her?!?

They shop together, they cook together, they spend their day off together and stay over and are blissfully happy about it. ^_^

The crises and their resolutions are quiet, small and utterly everyday. It’s lovely.  Inui Ayui’s art is loose and often unstructured, the focus is on emotional content, rather that life-like representation. But it’s so clearly a kind of story that any human who has ever been in love will understand and who will find that, almost despite themselves, there is a smile on their face as they read.

Just as a reminder (since I myself had to be reminded, thanks again, CW) Inui Ayu is currently doing an autobiographical comic about life with her girlfriend for Comic Yuri Hime right now, so clearly she’s writing this from personal experience. And it really shows, especially when Mizuki or Yukawa are squeeing over how adorable their lover is. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 7 Characters have a tendency to look a little soppy
Story – 7 It’s nice, not amazing
Characters – 7 Same
Service – 0 in this volume
Yuri – 7 We end this volume at the beginning….

Overall – 7

For folks like me, who are always looking for after the “happily ever after,” this story absolutely hits the nail on the crumpet. (Points to anyone who gets that reference!)





Yuri Manga: Kyou, Koshiba Aoi ni Aetara (今日、小柴葵に会えたら)

January 23rd, 2020

Never let it be said that I am immune to cheap marketing ploys. Well…I am *mostly* immune to them, having worked in advertising and possessing a health dose of cynicism. But, when Gamers hands me a big ole shiny clearfile by the artist Fly, I’m in. ^_^ I’ve liked Fly’s art for some time since before they became the cover artist for Comic Yuri Hime. I had picked up their artbook, Marguerite on a previous trip and since I hadn’t yet been motivated to get this book, this was the tipping point for me. Because clear file. Which I never used to use, but use all the time now, on account of having a hundred of them somehow lying around, for some reason.  Weird. ^_^ So here we are looking at Kyou, Koshiba Aoi ni Aetara, Volume 1 (今日、小柴葵に会えたら) by Takeoka Hazuki, with art by Fly.

Sahoko shows up for a high school reunion, and immediately is greeted by her dearest friends from her school days. All the while she is looking out for someone who does not appear to be there. Eventually, speaking with another old friend, she asks about Koshiba Aoi, one of the most popular students in their year. She knows she being selfish, but…

Flashback to their school years when Sahoko is – and wants to be – popular. She works at it, but Koshiba Aoi doesn’t seem to care, or even notice how popular she is. Hoping to make herself more popular, Sahoko tries to cultivate a relationship with Koshiba…who is supremely uninterested. She was the star of the basketball team, but has recently quit.  One afternoon, while trying to get to know Koshiba, Sahoko finds herself kissing the other girl. She spends the book torn between mortification and desire to understand Koshiba better. When she accompanies Koshiba home, Sahoko learns that Koshiba is tasked with raising her several siblings. She really would love to still play basketball, but…Koshiba tears up and it’s on Sahoko to comfort her.

The final chapter flashes forward again as an old friend tells Sahoko that Aoi will not be attending today.

Oddly, this was a similar set up to the end of Amano Shuninta’s Toma-kun in Galette and, even more oddly, I ended up reading them both the same week.  But aside from the premise being oddly similar, they weren’t much alike. We never really learn about Toma-kun’s life, but here, we see the person behind the facade and Sahoko learns to trust her instincts.

It’s not a groundbreaking story, but I’m very much hoping for a solid character profile of the girl who captivated so many in her school.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Service – 2 some random underwear for no reason
Yuri – 6

Overall – 8

The manga appears to be ongoing in Comic Rex (コミックREX), so if something develops in either the past (likely) or present (less likely), we’ll see when volume 2 comes out. (If you are following this, feel free to post spoiler-free comments.)