Long ago, I labeled the stereotypical Yuri story of girl-likes-girl, other-girl-likes-her-back, the end, as “Story A.” I was trying to riff on generic credits, like “Girl A,” but I’ve never been sure the reference carried over. “Story A” remains the definitive Yuri story, although as the genre has developed, it has flowered into any number of Yuri-specific tropes. (We’ll come back to that later this week, so tune in later for a discussion of that.)
“Story A” isn’t a story, per se. It’s a set-up, a plot bunny, a prompt. There is a girl, she likes another girl who likes her back. For most of the last 15 years, I have been reviewing a vast array of “Story As.” Unsurprisingly, I’ve often longed for something different, something…more.
As I read this month’s issue of Comic Yuri Hime magazine, I realized that I was reading a number of stories in which nothing at all was happening – and I loved it. These aren’t “Story A” replicas, but they are stories in which the romance is not the plot, either. Slice of life stories and travel stories and fantasy and even adventure without any focus on “Look, these two get together, the end. OKAY?! Jeez.” It’s really nice. It’s actually super nice.
Tsurezure Biyori, Volume 1 (徒然日和 ) by Hamuro Kei, is one of these new nothing-happens-but-its-nice stories. There is almost no tension of any kind, nor do these tranquil days need it. Koharu is starting her second year in high school and is surprised by the return of a friend from elementary school to the area. Mafuyu and Koharu pick up where they left off, and, along with Koharu’s room-sharing friends Minori and Nanaya, the four live their peaceful days doing rather typical things. Minori and Nanaya seem awfully like a married couple (although they are not in a relationship) and Koharu and Mafuyu just naturally grow closer together. When Koharu finds that Mafuyu is holding her hand as they both slept while waiting for the bus, it’s perfectly natural, as well.
Nothing is going to “happen” in this series. Month after month we get stories about the young ladies in question going out for cake or over each other’s homes for dinner. Summer will bring them together to have intense conversations about hugging. (2018 is the year hugging reaches manga. This series is one of several manga series I have read recent where hugging without any sexual or romantic overtones is sold as a feel-good/feel-happy thing to do.)
Feel-good/feel-happy seems like a perfect description of this series. ^_^
Ratings:
Art – 7 A lot of talking heads, so the simplicity of the art doesn’t affect the story
Story- 7 Same as above
Characters – 8 All likeable (although Nanaya really ought to so more of the chores)
Yuri – 6 Simple and sweet and given a lot of time to develop
Service – 0
Overall – 8 A pleasant read about nothing in particular.
The book came with a short 4-page color comic printed on card stock as an extra. Seems to be all the rage right now.
In 2013, the Palme d’Or, the highest award at Cannes, went to a movie adaptation of Julie Maroh’s comic, Le Bleu est une couleur chaude. That year I was able to review the English-language edition of the graphic novel, 
It’s Okazu’s birthday month and we have a set of Lucky Boxes with Yuriten goods and other items I picked up in Japan special for you. So these boxes have Japanese goods and DVDs/Drama CDs and manga and doujinshi (and the good candy!) and items from the Yuriten, the Sailor Moon Store and other Tokyo shopping. You’re also getting some cool stuff from our friend Bruce’s collection, because he had a lot of stuff. ^_^;
