For the fourth time since 2005, we gather here to discuss the end of Comic Yuri Hime as we currently know it. ^_^
The first time was back in 2007, when we saw Yuri Hime and Yuri Hime S establish separate editions “for men” and “for women.” And again in 2011 when they once again joined to become Comic Yuri Hime, no longer a quarterly, but now as a bimonthy. In 2012, the magazine took a sharply moe turn, away from the more adult-oriented content.
Now, here we are in 2016, with the final edition of this iteration ofthe magazine, Comic Yuri Hime, November 2016 (コミック百合姫2016年11月号 ).
Nothing much has changed for us in the past 6 issues. There is a just slightly-unequal mix of stories that appeal to me and those that don’t. The stories I care most about are those I have been following for some time and will suprrise no one. Works by Takemiya Jin, Ohsawa Yayaoi, Kuzushiro, Minamoto Hisanari and Katakura Ako make the magazine worth buying for me, and there’s usually a few stories I have no opinion of either way that I’ll read, plus a handful of nope. ^_^
***
Enjoy today’s post? Subscribe to Okazu with Patreon!
***
I do want to just touch base for a moment of Ohsawa Yayoi’s “2DK, G Pen, Alarm Clock / 2DK、Gペン、目覚まし時計。” It’s one of two series that features adults in the magazine right now and, as a result, I cling to it a bit. If there is a single criticism I have of it, per se, it is that it’s not really all that Yuri. I mean, sort of-kind of, if you squint, but not really. We’ve seen Nanami’s interactions with a coworker warm up, but nothing more than something we can imagine.
In this issue, something shifts, when Kaede’s old roommate arrives…and tuns out to be an old friend of Naami’s, as well. How friendly we don’t know, but she is very flirtatious with Nanami. Does our resident career-woman have a history? We’re about to find out. I approve. This series is *finally* being allowed to develop. I hope they give it a few more volumes.
So, overall, as usual, some good, some bad and some okay. Which is fine for a magazine.
Onwards to the ground-breaking monthly version starting January 2017! Congratulations to the creators and staff of Comic Yuri Hime for becoming the first monthly Yuri manga magazine ever.
Ratings:
Overall – 7
We have exciting news from YNN Correspondent Emily – You can now get Comic Yuri Hime (monthly) digitally on Global Bookwalker! It’s still in Japanese, but now you can get all the content for a very low 700 yen/per issue (about $6.31 right now). That’s less than the print edition, without shipping and actually supports the artists and writers! What an exciting opportunity. You can even subscribe to the magazine, without the messiness of picking up your copy, or having to decide to subscribe for a year or not at all. You can cancel this subscription with a click.
Global Bookwalker is a great resource for Yuri manga, both current and out of print. If you’ve got a tablet, it’s a terrific way to catch up on tons of Yuri and, unlike all other online services, they have a Yuri category you can browse. It’s a perfect, low-cost way to practice your Japanese. ^_^
Last spring I was amazingly lucky and while in Tokyo for Rainbow Pride, I was also able to catch the Sailor Moon 20th Anniversary exhibit in Roppongi. Of course many of the coolest items, you couldn’t take pictures of – especially the original art from some of the series’ art books. That was my favorite part of the exhibit.
“Yuri” Anime
