Hina is a high school student who loves cooking and baking. She is dating Yayoi, an older woman. Yayoi is very aware of the difference in their ages, and steadfastly holds herself to high moral standards of behavior because she loves Hina so much. In Volume 1 we learn that Yayoi wants nothing more than to marry Hina, and thinks her girlfriend is an absolute angel.

Hina deeply admires Yayoi, and when she’s good-naturedly poked and prodded by Yayoi’s friends, she takes it all in stride. Her concern is not with the way the older crowd treats her…but with how honest she can be with her own friends. Itoshi Koishi, Volume 2 (いとしこいし) starts with Hina and Yayoi meeting Hina’s schoolfriends at their New Year’s shrine visit…a meeting that sets off a year’s worth of Hina trying to figure out how much to tell her friends, and how to do it.

Almost immediately, one of her friends indicates to Hina that she’s figured out that Hina is standing with the mysterious older lover they all know she has. Hina lies about her relationship with Yayoi and then spends the year stressing over it. Yayoi understands the stress of coming out and offers a balanced perspective. When, later in the year, Hina’s friend takes her aside and confirms that, yes, she has figured it out, she reaffirms how much she- and their friends – love Hina, which brings tears to the girl’s eye.

Itoshi Koishi gets my vote for the “Most likely to have an actual coming out to friends scene” for several reasons. The story is leaning hard in that direction. Takemiya-sensei is an out lesbian artist and I have often commented that her work meshes Yuri and LGBTQ life more than most other creators I follow.  It seems to me that this series is the perfect venue for a scene we so rarely see in Yuri – coming out and talking about what that means. Bear in mind that Kase-san,  which is notable for following its characters out of high school into college, has not yet done more than touch a toe to this particular sea of plot complications. Could it? Maybe. Will it? I don’t have any more of an idea than you. This plot which is so common in LGBTQ stories in western media is rarely seen in Yuri or BL. I don’t wish to see Yuri inundated, but this is such a lovely story, where it would really suit the tone and situation. 

In fact, this series is so grounded in friendship and like and love and is wholesome as can be, I have a wish for this series.

The top Japanese bar association has asked the Diet to support marriage equality.  Ishikawa Taiga, an out gay politician who represents Toshima was elected to to Japan’s Upper House (along with two severely disabled representatives, which is a huge win for Japanese disability activists. Do feel free to write Reuters and let them know to change the phrase “wheelchair-bound” to “wheelchair users.” I’ve done so, but I’d like to see the pressure stay steady.)

And it kind of flitted into my mind in the middle of all this that it would be really nice and very much in keeping with the tone set here if Japan were to get marriage equality before the series ended. ^_^ Vain hope, wishful thinking, whatever. This way when Yayoi finally asks Hina to marry her, we get more than just a ceremony, we get to see them accepted by society.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9 I love time spent with this series
Characters – 9
Yuri  – 10
Service – 3 Hina and Yayoi edge up the intimacy just a notch.

Overall – 9

If there is a single Yuri series and a creator I expect would care that this marriage portrayed as more than just a chance to wear a pretty dress, it’s this series and this creator.