Tied by your Red

August 15th, 2025

Black and white illustration of a young woman and a beast, a red ribbon floats lightly in the air in front of them.by Ashley P, Guest Reviewer

If there is one fabulous uniting factor for all fans of romance it is the fantasy of being swept away by a cold steely noble who eventually warms to your plucky sensible charms. We’re looking at a yuri visual novel Tied by your Red; but you can find this sort of setting everywhere.

Tied by your Red follows Erica (although sometimes it is Erika) who has been betrothed to the stoic Duke Louise. While Louise was thought by Erica to be a scary, cruel Duke who kills her brides without a second thought it turns out that in fact that Louise is just a slightly awkward romantic lead who is a perfect dashing partner to the more skittish Erica.

Other than our two romantic leads in Louise’s mansion there is only one other person staying with them, Maiden, who is the only member of domestic staff. Not only that but there are unusual rules about leaving the residence, and everyone must be in their own room before midnight. At midnight Erica is occasionally awakened by sounds of something outside her chamber door.

Putting all this together makes it very clear what kind of story we are getting and it is refreshing to see this genre in a visual novel. A visual novel with fantastic sprite direction. Characters pace around the screen and move and appear in ways that add to their character. The only downside is Erica’s actual sprites, she is never shown to be anything less than marginally terrified. Which makes sense for a majority of the game but once her and Louise’s relationship gets going and everything is revealed Erica still looks seconds from bolting from the room.

This becomes even more noticeable when you complete Erica’s story and have the ability to re-read the story from first Louise’s and then Maiden’s point of view. It is weird to see Louise’s internal narration talk so kindly about Erica but then her sprite looks close to tears. It makes Louise seem unusually detached from the women we are told she has fallen for.

The only downside is that there are some unusual word choices, line breaks and even untranslated lines in the English version. This is not really a deal-breaker for me but this is something anyone looking to buy this game should know. Examples below.

Tied by your Red is the fun pulpy romance that I can always have more of so I hope those few missing lines can be patched out because otherwise it is a quick fun time.

Ratings: 

Art – 8
Story – 7
Characters – 6
Service – 2
Yuri – 8

Overall – 7

 

 

Posted in Ashley P, Yuri Game, Yuri Visual Novel | 1 Comment »


Comic Yuri Hime, September 2025 (コミック百合姫2025年9月号) 20th Anniversary Issue

August 14th, 2025

Two young women in festive kimono, smile and laugh as they walk along hand in hand, gold confetti sparkles around them and gold in their kimono flashes in the light.Slightly more than 20 years ago, Rica Takashima and I hosted Yuricon 2005 in Tokyo. Ichijinsha had just bought Yuri Shimai magazine and was relaunching it as a new Yuri manga magazine. The editor-in-chief at the time came to Yuricon 2005 and asked about the name “Yuri Shimai.” The event attendees and guests were pretty ambivalent about that name and recommended they change it and few months later, Yuri Hime magazine launched. It was quarterly at first. Then in the late 00s, it split into two separate magazines  – Yuri Hime, and Yuri Hime S, nominally “for women” and “for men”. These were quarterly on different schedules, so fans of Yuri could get up to 8 issues a year. 

In 2011, Comic Yuri Hime was relaunched once again as a bimonthly manga magazine. And, in 2017, Comic Yuri Hime relaunched as the first and only monthly Yuri manga magazine.

Today we celebrate 20 year of Comic Yuri Hime from Ichijinsha. Congratulations! It’s been an incredible two decades and I’m glad I’ve been able to be along for the whole ride so far. ^_^

Comic Yuri Hime, September 2025 (コミック百合姫2025年9月号) is an extra thick 772 page extravaganza of Yuri. Beginning with a beautiful celebratory cover, featuring our protagonists in festive kimono at 20 years old, naturally. Kimono patterns and confetti are given a gold gloss for a very luxurious feel. Today, they and we are together, celebrating the love of women. 

I’m not going to give a rundown of all the individual series this time, but I do want to mention that I am very much enjoying the series that focus on strong-willed women and girls finding ways to get what they want done – there are many of these right now and it feels so good to read these, along with more conventional high school stories. There is plenty of “adult” content for those that like that, and still a nice pile of fantasy and isekai and a bit of science fiction. I’m still waiting for sports queer comic is iespecially but we have some great action, and smart women making positive change.

We’ve come a very long way in 20 years and there is still a long way to go. Queer media is once again under attack globally, queer comic especially so. So while we celebrate where we have been and what we have done, I ask you all to please continue supporting Yuri and queer manga. We need unity and strength now to protect what we have gained against the forces that seek to – again- shove us back in closets and silence us. Sing your queer songs, write your queer stories, draw your queer comics!

And on behalf of Comic Yuri Hime and Yuricon – thank you for your support of Yuri!

Posted in Comic Yuri Hime, Magazines, Yuri Manga | 1 Comment »


Gakeppuchi Reijou ha Kuro Kishi-sama o Horesasetai!, Volume 2 (崖っぷち令嬢は黒騎士様を惚れさせたい)

August 11th, 2025

A woman with red hair, wearing a pink dress grabs the collar of a tall woman with long silver hair in a black uniform and leans in as for a kiss. Clarice is settling in to her new role as wife of Frost-sama the fearsome Lord of the March, slayer of monsters….and, Clarice learns from the maids, slayer of her own father. 

In Volume 2 of Gakeppuchi Reijou ha Kuro Kishi-sama o Horesasetai!, Volume 2 (崖っぷち令嬢は黒騎士様を惚れさせたい), still sure that Frost is misunderstood, Clarice goes shopping with a “disguised” Frost – which is to say she is not wearing her mask or armor. The people of the city have never seen her, so they speak freely about their worries as Clarice shops. 

Clarice maneuvers her bodyguard, “Schwarz,” into picking something nice for her. Although irritable about it Frost picks a pretty pair of earrings for her wife, that turn out to be magic stones for protection. 

They are approached by a girl who turns out to be the representative of the Goulart trading company, the de facto monopoly on all goods coming in to the city. Violet tries her best to maneuver Clarice into a gaffe, or a bad deal, but Clarice once again turns out to be sharp enough to avoid traps. Meanwhile Frost and Victoria’s bodyguard, the equally huge monster-woman, Shion, battle with swords outside. Clarice and Frost win their respective battles and are gracious in victory. A shady relationship between Violet and one of the castle maids is revealed.

Frost once again has a meltdown and demands to know what Clarice is playing at. Our hapless, but in no way helpless, protagonist insists her feelings for Frost are real and steps up to kiss her. Forcefully stating that she likes Frost, Clarice slams out of the room and immediately wonders what the heck she was thinking! 

I really like this story and, if it seems a little slow going in  making inroads into Frost’s paranoia and isolation, it really has to be. Volume 3 will begin to reveal just what kind of trauma Frost is living with and how Clarice will find her way to the real Frost. In the mean time, we get to see another side of Clarice – she’s brave when she needs to be, smart in a crisis, and now, good at negotiation and political maneuvering…even if the entire time, she is propping up what she knows is a sham marriage. She’s a fantastic protagonist. I very much hope she gets the room to get into Frost’s heart.

Ratings: 

Art – 8
Story – 9
Characters – 8, Clarice is a 10
Service – Frost and Shion have absurdly large chests
Yuri – Good question! Nothing and everything

Overall – 8

Posted in Yuri Manga | No Comments »


Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko, 2nd Stage

August 10th, 2025

The promotional poster for season 2 of Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko. On the left the actresses embrace, wearing Hawaiian patterns and a lei on the right Hiroko holds a blowdryer over Ayaka's hair. by Frank Hecker, Okazu Staff Writer 

The live-action adaptation of Sal Jiang’s manga Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko! ended with Hiroko agreeing to accept Ayaka as her girlfriend. Although the live-action series covered all three volumes of the manga, its producers decided to create a sequel going beyond the original story. Thus we have Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko, 2nd Stage, now streaming on GagaOOLala (along with season 1).

Any sequel faces the problem of matching the appeal of the original while creating a new story that doesn’t retread old ground. Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko, 2nd Stage attempts this by moving almost completely away from the office setting of season 1 and focusing on Ayaka’s relationship with Hiroko and (to a lesser degree) Hiroko’s relationship with her family.

As 2nd Stage begins, Ayaka has been living with Hiroko for half a year. Hiroko caters to Ayaka’s every need, including making her breakfast and cleaning up after her, but (as Ayaka’s friend Risa implies) Hiroko treats her more like a pet than a lover. Ayaka wants them to be a “real couple” (i.e., to have sex), Hiroko is reluctant to do so, and Ayaka doesn’t understand why. And, quite frankly, neither do we: Hiroko offers excuses to Ayaka (she needs more time to sort out her feelings) and to herself (she’s worried about her “selfish desires”), but this part of the plot requires a major suspension of disbelief, especially now that Hiroko knows that Ayaka’s feelings toward her are genuine.

As in season 1, Hiroko’s ongoing misunderstandings and miscommunications provide the springboard for multiple comedic moments. But comedy isn’t as funny when someone’s getting hurt, and it becomes clear through the course of the series that Ayaka is more and more distressed and confused about Hiroko’s behavior. It’s almost a relief when the show turns to the secondary plot concerning Hiroko and her family (she’s still not out to them) and to the goings-on at Bar Kiyoko (where Risa’s new girlfriend Kyoko informs everyone that Risa has gone from a “clueless puppy” in bed to “a wolf who’ll bare her fangs”). But these digressions can’t compensate for the fact that the show drags on for too long. The plot threads finally resolve in episode 6, thanks to Ayaka’s actions and the innocent intervention of Hiroko’s young niece, a sweet ending that I can’t help thinking could have come one or even two episodes earlier.

As Hiroko, Kanna Mori once again excels at wide-eyed reactions, mixed in with more subtle acting in the final episodes. But the real star of 2nd Stage is Shiho Katō, whose performance as Ayaka is the beating emotional heart of this sequel: We feel her pain, echo her confusion, and cheer her on as she forthrightly declares her love for Hiroko to Hiroko’s sister and mother: “This is how I truly feel. There’s not a single bit of pretense.” Riria Kojima joins the cast as Hiroko’s sister Keiko, who offers some cringey (meta)commentary in response to Ayaka’s outing herself (“I’ve been really into Thai dramas, so I know a bit about this kind of thing”), while former otokoyaku Hiroki Nanami brings sultry sex appeal (along with advice for Ayaka) to Bar Kiyoko as lady-killer Jun.

Ratings:

Story — 5
Characters — 8 (+1 for Ayaka, -1 for Hiroko)
Production — 7 (the subtitles are occasionally clunky)
Service — 4
LGBTQ — 10
Overall — 7

Ayaka Is in Love with Hiroko, 2nd Stage provides a satisfying ending to the story of Ayaka and Hiroko, but it takes its sweet time getting there. Fans of season 1 should expect less comedy, more angst, and increased frustration at Hiroko’s cluelessness and self-delusion.

Posted in Frank Hecker, Live Action, Sal Jiang, Staff Writer | 2 Comments »


Yuri Network News – (百合ネットワークニュース) – August 9, 2025

August 9th, 2025

In blue silhouette, two women face each other. One wears a fedora and male-styled attire, one is in a dress and heels. Their body language is obscure - they may be dancing, or laughing or fighting. Art by Mari Kurisato for Okazu

Yuricon News

We are gearing up for the new website launch this month. I will be doing cleanup for about a week and then freezing adding anything, so if you see anything that needs to be updated, contact me and we’ll try to get to it before switchover. 

The new site looks amazing. Can’t wait for you to see it!

Yuri Manga

Yen Press has announced Common-Sense Monster, about a girl who finds her friend is actually a monsterwho blens in with humans, so she asks her to teach her to act “normal.”

Via YNN Staffer Matt Marcus, CandleA, the Kadokawa Imprint that currently carries Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna, Wicked Spot and Hime Miko to Hime Kishi, now is getting Onni ‘tte Yonde mo Iimasuka? (オンニって呼んでもいいですか？) by Hanakage Alt! Watch for this story about an idol and her fan later this month.

Via Comic Natalie, we have a tantalizing sample in Japanese of Watanuki Hiroya’s Scifi Yuri about a terrible alien and useless robot, Aliens (エイリアンズ), with the provocative tagline: “We are not alone in the universe. But we are alone in this world.” Volume 1 is available now, in Japan.

Just a reminder that No.9 has a line of Yuri works, many of them available on Bookwalker. Check out their site and click “Other stores” on any book that looks good to get the full listing of where they can be found.

While flitting around No. 9’s Bookwalker listing, I found this anthology – Sousaku Yuri Fesuta Anthology Shiro-gun no Sora ni Kimi o Kaite iru. (創作百合フェスタアンソロジー 白群の空に君を描いている。) This includes a number of names we’re familiar with here, like Kodama Naoko, as contributors.

From Yuri Navi, we have Rakuen No Kisetsu (楽園の季節) a sweaty hot popsicle-eating summer Yuri. This one-shot can be read in Japanese on Comic Days.

Via Sr. YNN Corespondent Sean Gaffney, Joanna Cayanan has the news that Yodogawa, creator of Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord, has a new manga on Kadocomi,  Neko ni Hakuchō, Hotaru ni Koban (猫に白鳥、蛍に小判). The first chapter introduces us to a teacher and a student.

Via Sr. Correspondent Ashley, the Kickstarter for STARWARD LOVERS, a “tokusatsu-inspired f/f action romance comic about longing and space aliens” has already made it’s initial goal and has 27 days to go! They got me at “all-lesbian team of secret agents.” ^_^

 

 

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Anime News

Lauren Orsini reviews the world premiere of This Monster Wants to Eat Me anime on ANN. It’s such a great series and the trailer and this review have me stoked for the series.

Via Animate Times, we have character designs for the upcoming workplace comedy Egao no Taenai Bassho desu., (笑顔のたえない職場です。) known as A Mangaka’s Weirdly Wondeful Workplace in in English, based on the manga by Kuzushiro.

Via YNN Correspondent KatGrrrl, The UK is getting The Executioner and Her Way of Life Collection on Blu-Ray.

ANN’s Ken IIkura-Gross reports on  20th anniversary of the My-Otome series, the sequel to My HiME. Those have both been extensively reviewed here on Okazu, along with the adjacent OVAs, manga and CDs.

 

Yuri Visual Novels & Games

One more from KatGrrrl, Special Forces is a butch x butch Yuri visual novel, From  developer Eclipse‘s description, “MEN WENT EXTINCT. ONLY WOMEN REMAIN. Step into Eclipse—a bold, choice-driven YURI VN where Butch x Butch takes the spotlight. Play as Haesu of the Special Forces and shape not only her fate, but the future of this UTOPIA. Can you face the truth—amid love, desire, and bloodshed? “

Via YNN Sr. Correspondent Patricia Baxter, check out Rebecca Silverman’s review of Yuri VN Iwakura Aria. It is an excellent review of a game that sounds very intriguing.

 

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Live-Action News

Via Disc-connected on Bluesky, Maedchen in Uniform, one of the oldest lesbian movies extant, is getting a release on Blu Ray from KinoLorber, as part of their KinoClassics line. I know I have watched it, but apparently never reviewed it here.

We’ll finish up with the US team for Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Super Live streaming free on Youtube! Even if Sailor Moon is not your Jam, check it out. It’s sparkly fun.

 

Other News 

We have a lot of good reading on tap this week!

Via YNN Corresponent Adam J, we have Rock Is A Lady’s Modesty Perfectly Captures Music As An Act Of Rebellion by Elijah Gonzalez on Endless Mode.

Our frequent guest reviewer and all around fantastic writer Patricia Baxter has a new article on Anime Feminist, Queer Self-Acceptance in Guilty Gear Strive.

This Week in Anime features Chris and Steve, discussing queer anime in TWIA: Rainbow Days.

 

 

If you’d like to support Yuri journalism and research, Patreon and Ko-Fi are where we currently accept subscriptions and tips.  Our goal now, into 2025, is to raise our guest writers’ wages to above industry standard, which are too low!

Your support goes straight to paying for Guest Reviews, folks helping with videos, site maintenance, managing the Yuricon Store and directly supporting other Yuri creators. Just $5/month makes a huge impact! Become part of the Okazu family!

Become a part of the Yuri Network, by being a YNN Correspondent: Contact Us with any Yuri-related news you want to share with us.

 

Posted in Yuri Network News | 2 Comments »