Imagine if there was a place for women to go, where there were beautiful women to cater to their needs, to help them relax, cast off their world-weariness and find themselves in an aura of refined luxury and sensuality.

Welcome to the Miracle Palace. ^_^

Kiseki Goten by Wako was, like Reijin na Hito, a collection made of stories by a Mist magazine artist, the lesbian-themed Ladies Comic magazine of the late 1990s.

Our first miracle involves Wakana, who is unable to face her unfulfilling relationship with her boyfriend. She meets Mari at the station and together they arrive by taxi at the Kiseki Goten. Once there, Mari throws herself into the pleasures that the Palace has waiting for them, but Wakana is uneasy with the open sexuality of the women there. It’s not until the Palace’s owner, Ryouko, assigns her top Servant Girl (SG for short), Shizuya, that Wakana will even talk to anyone. Shizuya takes Wakana to bed, shows her ecstasy for the night and gives her advice about her relationship. When Mari meets Wakana again on the way back to the town, she comments that Wakana seems like a new person. Wakana realizes that the world is a beautiful place as long as you can face it head on and, she heads home, looking forward to a bright future.

Miracle two begins with the appearance of an old man at the entrance to the Kiseki Goten. When he’s told that men are not allowed there, he takes off his hat, wig and whiskers to reveal that he’s really famous model Saikawa Mizuki, returning after a year to visit her old girlfriend Reika, an employee at the Kiseki Goten. Although Mizuki has been paired in the press with a popular male singer, she longs to be reuinted with Reika, who is now the Goten’s most popular performer. They reunite, but in the middle of making love, Reika starts to cry – she’s seen the news reports of Mizuki’s entanglement with the singer…and a year is a long time to be apart. Reika runs back to her room. Sitting by herself, Mizuki is visited by the owner, who explains that Reika’s heart is breaking at the reports of Mizuki’s success, even though she, Ryouko, knows that the male singer is gay. Mizuki apologizes to Reika and promises to never leave her again. They are seen off with flowers by the staff, as they head off to a life together, forever. The note in the flowers promises dire retribution from Ryouko, if Mizuki ever makes Reika sad again.

In Miracle three, we meet Haruka and Mutsumi, both single mothers, who take a night off together and end up at the club at Kiseki Goten, dancing. Mutsumi is outed by the recognition of owner Ryouko. Haruka can’t help but notice Mutsumi’s interest in her, and eventually admits that she’s interested too and has been since they first met. The two spend the night together and find love and caring for years to come in each other’s arms.

In the final Miracle, Kobato meets the owner of the Goten at an art exhibit. With no particular plans for the future, she joins the staff as an SG, but finds it hard on her emotions, when she comes to care for her clients more than they do for her. Ryouko takes Kobato to bed, and explains that love, and sex, come in many forms, and that she can find happiness in her own life. Kobato regains her balance and continues her career at the Kiseki Goten with enthusiasm.

The last page of the manga finds us being welcomed with open arms by the staff of Kiseki Goten.

This is followed by an art gallery of some of Wako’s splash art for her Mist stories, and finally by paper dolls of the Kiseki Goten staff.

All in all, a wonderful woman-loving-woman interlude, and sweet stories of lesbian sex saving the day. And really, isn’t that we all are looking for in Yuri manga? Well, I know *I* am, anyway. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 9
Stories – 8
Characters – 7
Yuri – 10
Service – 5 (yes, lots of naked women, but all adult, all consenting and no peeping or other creeper qualities.)

Overall – 9

Why *isn’t* there a Kiseki Goten? It sounds like a great vacation to me. ^_^

Thanks to everyone for your congratulations, your support and your enthusiasm – this 1000th post is dedicated to everyone who makes Okazu a success; readers, reviewers and Yuri fans everywhere!

(And no, I haven’t forgotten the contests. I’ll be announcing winners this week!)