Archive for the Yuri Manga Category


Yuri Manga: I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up (English)

June 17th, 2019

Let’s start this week off with a manga that veered closeish to addressing LGBTQ life. That’s right, we’re talking Kodama Naoko’s I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up.

Machi’s parents are pressuring her to get married – because that is what should be done. And she’s just not interested. Her friend Hana needs a place to live while her apartment is renovated and she thinks she’s got a good idea – she and Machi will pretend to be a married couple. Surely that will get Machi’s parents off her back, one way or the other. Machi agrees, with significant reservations, while Hana gleefully starts playing house with the woman she clearly loves.

As I said in my review of the Japanese edition,(the title of which I read as I Fake Married my (Female) Friend Because of My Annoying Parents,)  “But if the idea of a fake same-sex marriage of convenience isn’t going to bother us, then the idea that the actual relationship between Hana and Machi is horribly unfair, is just fine. (-_-) ”  Hana is happy enough, but Machi, a character uncomfortable with herself her whole life, has no idea how to be a good friend to Hana, much less a good partner.

Machi’s character has a lot of developing to do, and we’re happy for her that she does it. Hana is there not just as a catalyst, although to call Machi’s development an “awakening” might be going a step too far. The end result is that Machi and Hana build a relationship that works for them and the Japanese readership learn (presuming they didn’t already know) about the Shibuya same-sex relationship certificates. As I say, this story veered cloeseish to addressing some real issues as Machi faces down derision and homophobia from her parents.

The last part of the book is a separate short about two girls on track team, their emotions around their own abilities…and each other. I think this story would have benefited from being longer and more nuanced, but “nuanced” is not Kodama-sensei’s strong point.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 7
Characters – 9 for Hana
Service – 2 Some light romance/sexual discomfort
Yuri – 7
LGBTQ – 4 Mention of the real-world same-sex partnership certificates, but no discussion around it

Overall – 7

One could consider this a LGBTQ manga, but I’m still disposed to thinking of it as Yuri. I’m not sure why exactly – perhaps because it doesn’t feel like a sincere attempt to address those issues or that the issues were exposed only as a byproduct of a gag plot complication or maybe my discomfort with the artist’s take on relationships has colored my opinion. I cannot put my finger on it, and I’ve been thinking about it since I read this in Japanese the first time, last year.





Yuri Manga: BariKyari to Shinsou (バリキャリと新卒)

June 13th, 2019

BariKyari to Shinsou (バリキャリと新卒) has an interesting history. YNN reader CW gives us this brief overview:

“The opening originates in a brief comic posted to twitter which went viral. A few months later the mangaka asked twitter followers which of 4 ideas for couples they were interested in, with the clear favorite being Morino and Niiro. The web manga serialization began on Comic Walker not long afterwards. It looks like one of the cases where an editor invited a creator who was getting noticed on social media to do a series. The story progresses organically from the premise, but I think it’s ultimately a bit of a vestigial limb.”

And here we are, reading the collected volume of this web comic. BariKyari to Shinsou (バリキャリと新卒) by esuesu, starts with Niiro, a stressed out manager, being told by Morino, the lesbian sex worker Niiro’s been seeing, that Morino’s getting out of the sex work business and getting an office job. Because we are reading this comic, we’re not all that surprised to see Niiro’s newest kouhai at work being introduced…yeah, it’s Morino.

The two women navigate the boundaries of their workplace relationship, uncomfortably at first. And Niiro seems listless, uninterested or unwilling to get involved much. It’s fairly apparent to us, however, that she’s a ball of conflicting emotions. The tension finally snaps when Morino encounters some overt sexism from a manager and, finally, Niiro is able to verbalize her feelings for Morino. Niiro assists Morino to prove that she was in the right, and openly expresses herself to their manager.

And, Niiro tells Morino that she likes her.

They get together as a couple, as peers, and live what we are going to imagine is happily ever after.

There are a number of things to like about this story. Sex work itself is neither trivialized nor smeared and, with one or two exceptions, the situations in the office feel like things people deal with. The male manager taking the male employee’s side is a wholly real-world actual kind of rage, not outrage at an annoying plot point. I appreciated this level of realism later on in the story, especially because an early “gag” moment is merely eye-rollingly unfunny.

The final impression was that the story kind of took off from the original concept and told itself. ^_^ I was pleasantly surprised throughout. 

Ratings:

Art – 8 Very simple, but good expressions and body language
Story – 8 It had a few bumps
Character – 9
Service – 2 Very little visual service, honestly. Some verbal service.
Yuri – 10

Overall – 9

There was a time when I would have suggested that there was no way we’d see this in print, but things are a little different now. On the one hand Yen Press is Kadokawa’s partner in the west, (as opposed to Seven Seas – I am more confident that they’d be comfortable publishing this) however, if this sounds like something you’d like to see in print, definitely let Yen know.

I want to mention a little crisis I had as I began writing today’s review. I asked myself if this was Yuri or not, since these adult women are obviously lesbian (and one of Niiro’s exes appears and identifies herself as an ex), but as usual do not use the word itself. Ultimately, I decided that since the obi describes this as 社会人百合 story, (what I’m translating as “adult life,” since we don’t have an analogous term to shakaijin…”productive member of society,” maybe?) so “Yuri” manga it is. This manga is a great example of Is Yuri Queer? These women love and have sex with other women overtly enough that the word “lesbian”  is perhaps irrelevant.

It would make a fantastic conversation, in fact. What do you think? In your opinion is this comic LGBTQ or Yuri or both?





Yuri Manga: Douseiseikatsu 2 Watashi dake ga Tokubetsunara ii no ni (同棲生活2 わたしだけが特別ならいいのに)

June 12th, 2019

In 2018, we had a chance to look at Dousei Seikatsu ~ Watashi o Sukittekoto Desho (同棲生活 ~ わたしを好きってことでしょ, a full color slice-of life Pixiv manga by Satsumaage.

Today we have a sequel, Dousei Seikatsu 2 Watashi dake ga Tokubetsunara ii no ni (同棲生活2 わたしだけが特別ならいいのに). Like the original volume, this manga does not have a plot. It is instead filled with the minutiae that make up a life.

Yuuko and Miyuki share good days and bad days, food and drink, sleeping on the sofa and make fun of each other, as couples do.

As an accurate and affectionate look at two women living together as a couple, this is utterly delightful. Yuuchan is much more touchy-feely, and Miyuki is a but more needy emotionally, but any conflicts between them are small. Like “You drank my beer,” small. We don’t have to worry about them, They are a fine and we’re just watching them live.

Ratings:

Art – 8 Perspective is sometimes wonky, but otherwise solid
Story – 8 Life
Characters – 9 I’d have them over for lunch
Service  – 2 Surprisingly little
LGBTQ – 9 No discussion of them as lesbian, but it’s really aside the point here. They are a couple.

Overall – 9

It makes a good “just a couple of pages” at night before bed kind of story.





Yuri Magazine: Comic Yuri Hime June 2019 (コミック百合姫2019年6月号)

June 11th, 2019

It’s my great pleasure to be able to discuss with you another solid issue of monthly magazine Comic Yuri Hime for June 2019 (コミック百合姫2019年6月号).

A news series has begun, and based on the opening color pages, I will be wholly ignoring “Yurimeguri yuimeguri.” Aside from childish faces on too-adult bodies and bathing scenes it appears to have little going for it. This is a series who knows it’s own audience and doesn’t care about me. I am convinced that it was commissioned to be turned into an anime, which I will also ignore.

I’m quite fascinated by the nothings-going-on of Miman’s “Watashi no Yuri ha Shigoto desu!” because really, nothing much can be going on, since our cast is approximately 7 people, a pair of which are taken up with each other. So we turn back to Yano, who is deeply struggling as is Hime. It’s been established that they each believe they were the victim, and from our perspective they were both also the bad guy. But what they have not yet had is the conversation they need to work through all of this. And really, after holding onto it for so many years, would it even be possible to talk this through? Yano doesn’t think so – she can neither forgive, nor forget.. Hime seems to believe there is nothing to forgive. This is going to have to come to some kind of a head.

“Luminous Blue” by Iwami Kikyoko is edging slowly, but inexorably, towards a crisis that we have been able to see coming for months.

I still really like Takeshima Eku’s “Sasayaku Youni Koi o Utau” for reasons I cannot define. Perhaps that everyone seems so drama-free and just enjoy each other’s company?

FLOWERCHILD’S “Warikitta Kankei desukara” is meant to make me feel uncomfortable…and so it does.

Hisona’s “Goodbye Dystopia” is meant to make me feel nostalgic and fails. But it feels so much like something is about to come to an end in that. I hope it’s not the series.

In “Itoshi Koishi” Hina is going to have to decide what to do with her life. Imma gonna guess and say she’ll study baking or cooking because, we’re headed there. In a weak moment, seduced by chocolate and Hinano’s adorableness, Yayoi breaks down and gives her an adult kiss. I’m waiting patiently for what I believe will eventually be an actual coming out scene in this manga. It’s got the right setup.

“Ikemensugi desu Shiki-senpai” has now entered conventional romance territory, and I kinda like it. By necessity, both Shiki and Hina end up coming out-ish and realize that they really, really, really want to be together. I’m all for it.

Ratings:

Overall – 8

As every other month, these are not the only stories in the magazine, nor even all the ones I read. I am following all but three of the current serializations, and those you could not pay me to read. ^_^ So, something for everyone.

A solid volume and another one on the way. I’ve just gone through the July issue and if anything, I think it was even a little better.

 

 

 





Yuri Manga : Rental Shop Onee-san wo Rental no Suru Hanashi (レンタルショップでお姉さんをレンタルする話)

June 6th, 2019

Never let it be said that I’m not willing to give artists a chance. Mochi Au Lait and I have a checkered history….which is to say their breakout hit, Deaike Site de Imouto to Deau Hanashi (出会い系サイトで妹と出会う話), is something I probably wouldn’t read if you paid me and the first volume of their work I read in whole, YuriNatsu -Minshuku Kagaya– Volume 1 (ゆりなつ-民宿かがや-) disappointed and depressed me.

But here we are. And third time’s the charm. Rental Shop Onee-san wo Rental no Suru Hanashi (レンタルショップでお姉さんをレンタルする話) actually got me to laugh out loud.

The initial story arc follows a woman who has fallen for a female employee at the local rental shop. When she asks if the woman will come out with her for tea, the employee responds, “Same day rental is $30, 2 day rental is $100, one week rental is $350.”

…she’s joking, of course, but was pretty funny. 

From there, she basically just teases the bejebus out of her earnest belle.

This is followed by a couple of shorts and another rental-shop story. Both of the shop stories are tied up in the amusing hissy fits of another store employ railing pointlessly at the affection shown by and to employees on the clock.

But, I want to take a step back and address one of the shorts. I had to read it a few times. It’s really short – just 3 pages. A woman sees two young woman holding hands in public. She’s instantly happy for them and, when a guy intrudes on their idyll and won’t be put off, she imagines…burying his corpse on a dark and rainy night. I think we’ve all been her, so I quite liked this story. ^_^

Mochi Au Lait’s art is very simplistic character drawings over screen tone. The stories rely on dry personality and sarcasm rather than wit. So far, this has been the best of the lot, IMHO.

Ratings:

Art – 6 Face faults primarily
Story – Sarcasm
Characters – Sarcasm
Service – Not unless you consider burying the corpse of an asshole to be service. Which I do. So, 5
Yuri – 7

I was pleasantly surprised and pleased at this collection in exactly the opposite way that YuriNatsu unpleasantly surprised and displeased me.