Secret Of The Princess (2013 – 2015)

Another short (6 chapters) manga by Morinaga Milk.

It can be found here.

It’s a Morinaga Milk review spree! I read two short Morinaga Milk ones, so I thought I might as well do two reviews since both are fairly short.

Secret of the princess is about two girls in an all girls high school. Fujiwara, a cool, volleyball star, and Miu, a shy girl who’s main focus in life is to marry her prince. One day, she witnesses Fujiwara knocking over the Principle’s expensive vase. Fujiwara begs Miu that in exchange for not telling on her, she will do anything Miu asks. Miu has always wanted to date but never had the chance, and asks Fujiwara to simulate being her boyfriend.

The rest of the story goes through their antics of what a boyfriend is, as well as working through their feelings.

For the art, I had no complaints this time. Despite Miu being cute, she thankfully was drawn to not look that young in this. No points deducted here. Both girls are very cute, even fujiwara the “tomboy” is very pretty.

The setting takes place in an all girls school, so no deductions on Yuri here.

As for story, it was definitely a cute story, but there’s just enough conflict and love to make your heart beat faster which I actually adored. Despite it being very short, it was very enjoyable.I do wish it was longer, and for that A POINT DEDUCTION. Also it is short, so ANOTHER POINT DEDUCTION.

Art: 10/10

Yuri: 10/10

Overall: 8/10

My Joy (2013)

A Korean Manhwa taking place in an all girls high school.

I know I said I probably wouldn’t review anything other than Japanese Manga, but I haven’t written in a year, I’m running out, and this is close enough.

They are available to download as images here:

Link 1: My Joy – Chapters Seperated (100 MB)

Link 2: My Joy – Continuous (100 MB)

Or, the PDF I’ve made so  you can continuously read it:

PDF Link: My Joy – PDF (114 MB)

NOTE: All my links keep getting DMCA’d, but I think it’s spread enough that someone else (who suspiciously enough, has the same structure and vocab I use in THEIR review…..hmmm……) uploaded it on a Google Drive. Let me know if that gets taken down too….

The story is about a girl named “Joy” in a Korean all girl’s high school who suddenly has two girls after her. Namsu, the popular high school track star, and Hyeyeon, her childhood friend who has returned from studying abroad. The story goes through Joy’s relationship with both and the struggles of balancing love and friendship.

In terms of Yuri content, no male/female relationships exist, and any mention of its existence doesn’t last longer than a panel. This is heavily shoujo-ai/yuri.

The overall journey of the story is not bad, but it could be better. Much, much, much MUCH MUCH better.

The art is nice though. Background detail minimal, not that it matters. Story line can be funny, but overall quality I have to dock major points as the plot is not great.

Art: 7/10

Yuri: 10/10

Overall: 4/10

YOU KNOW THE DRILL. MASSIVE SPOILERS BELOW

Twin Cake (2012 – 2013)

Written and Drawn by Aoi Hana

Link

Yes, I know I’ve been doing A LOT of manga reviews lately

 

Twin cake is about a girl named Kaede (shorter haired one) who idolizes a famous model, Susuran so much that she decided to pursue modelling herself. She even joins Susuran’s modelling agency in order to get closer to her, but has never actually met Susuran despite this. However, she has failed to become popular and instead works much more like an assistant and secretary for her agency. After Susuran fires ANOTHER one of her managers, the agency is in a desperate need to replace them in order to look more legit. As a last minute desperation, she decides to hire Kaede as Susuran’s new manager.

Kaede is first very excited to become Susuran’s new manager. However her image of Susuran is immediate shattered upon walking in on Susuran having sex with another female model. (No spoiler, second chapter lol). Kaede, embarrassed begins to see Susuran in a different light and falls even deeper in love. Susuran however, is still in love with someone else.

This was a pretty good manga, although short (7 chapters). It IS pretty angsty (prepare yourself) but still enjoyable.

THERE IS NUDITY. It’s not a main element (so it’s not hentai) but it does exist, as well as sex.

Art: 6.5/10

Yuri Rating: 10/10

Overall Rating: 8/10

EXPLANATION WITH SPOILERS BELOWWWWWW

Dandelion Among Lilies (2013 – 2014)

AKA “Yuri ni Tanpopo” written and drawn by Yamaguchi Serika

The story begins with Fuji Kana, a girl who had just broke up with her boyfriend. Surprisingly, she receives a call from her sister, Mizuho, asking to stay with Kana for a bit, but she brings along her special someone. That special someone turns out to be a girl! The story changes and begins to go through the challenges what Mizuho and her girlfriend have gone through when being a gay couple in Japanese society.

It’s a good story, no straight plot, and is much more on the serious side of things. It’s pretty short (only 6 chapters) so this won’t be super extensive, and there isn’t too much to judge when it comes to the ratings. I did dock a couple points on the Yuri rating because…well….with out spoiling anything, plot. It’s quite minor, but I couldn’t bring myself to give it full points.

Art: 7/10

Yuri Rating: 8/10

Overall Rating: 9/10

WARNING THERE ARE SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT

Renai Idenshi XX (2009 – 2013)

AKA Love DNA XX, or Love Gene XX. Written by Eiki Eiki, and drawn by Zaou Taishi

Recently completed and done fan translated, it can be found here.

The story revolves around a world where men no longer exist. They have become extinct, and now only females survive. However, the government has decided to implement an “Eden” project, where half the population is split into ADAMS (predominantly the “males” in this society) and the EVES, the females. ADAMS are supposed to take on the role that men used to, such as working and the EVES take the female role, taking care of children and such.

ADAMS are even forced to bind their chest in order to look more male. It is forbidden for EVES to be together, as is the same as ADAMS (almost similar to homosexuality).

As for the amount of lesbian content, well, the whole freakin world is female 🙂 That makes me happy. However,  despite all this, I do forget occasionally that the ADAMS are in fact female. I often get lost, due to the art style, and read it in a male voice in my head. It mind tripped me a bit the first couple of times. It was difficult to get used to. Especially since the translators decided to refer to the ADAMS as males at a certain point because the original Japanese story used the Japanese pronoun of “he”, and so they used that.

The story is incredibly straight forward. This story is more focused on the realization of a very obvious love rather than the struggles it is to be together. I’d have to say there is no actual strong plot, or some strong resistance towards them other than society. The story had so much potential, and even then….

Annnyways, I’ll save that for the spoilers section.

As for art, I thought it was quite good and pretty, even if it was this weird mesh of male-female traits and characteristics, I still thought it was quite beautiful.

Art: 8/10

Yuri Rating: 9/10

Overall Rating: 6/10

MAJOR SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT! DON’T BLAME ME IF YOU CLICKED PAST THIS POINT

Shin Sekai Yori (2012-2013)

Also known as “From the New World”

Originally a novel, it has been adapted into an Anime AND manga. However, this review will be based on the anime.

The story revolves around 5 friends, 3 boys and two girls which takes place 1000 years from now, where humans now have the capability to possess psychic (more like telekinetic)  powers, after war broke out and humanity was close to being destroyed by PK users (telekinetic people). The story mainly revolves around Saki.

We start out with Saki being in the middle of what looks like an earthquake. It turns out though, it’s just the effects of her Psychic powers coming in! Her parents then burst in, proud and relieved that she can now graduate elementary school.

“What do you mean coming in? and what?…elementary school? How old is this girl?” Although humans are technically born with psychic powers, they don’t actually work until at a certain age. One is not allowed to graduate from elementary school until their powers come in.

We then go through these 5 childhood friends adventures, trials, life, (more like Saki’s life) and figuring out the mystery of what this “new world” is.

From left to right: Shun, Satoru, Saki, Mamoru, Maria

To be quite honest, this was one of the best anime’s I have ever seen. Ever.

Although slightly lacking in Yuri content (which is also not permanent =/), this was a really good Anime. I highly recommend it to EVERYONE. Not just shoujo-ai/yuri readers.

The story line is dark, dramatic, mysterious, but compelling. It takes you into another society, yet the Anime itself is somehow a metaphor for our own society (or so I am told). This isn’t really one of those stories with gaping plot holes, or with an overly metaphoric and symbolic anime where the “deep” message goes over your head (unlike -cough SIMOUN cough-). It actually makes sense.

They don’t spell out everything for you, but the subtle hints and subtle things characters do or say, hints to an answer you feared they were hinting to. If you pay attention to everything (or even watch it over again) you can actually put the pieces together yourself, with out having the anime try and spell everything out for you.

But for those that couldn’t or were confused at some point, just like i did with Simoun, I do a bit of an analysis below.

It is compelling, dark, tragic, mysterious, yet incredible.

As for Yuri content, although it’s not actually a main element (nor is it a consistent one), the yaoi/yuri couples is more saying something about this new worlds’ society, rather than as a main romantic element.

So, despite the amazing story, this is a blog focused on shoujo/ai yuri.

The amount of Yuri/Yaoi is great, but unfortunately it doesn’t really last long. In general, relationships don’t really appear often (although hints of love is,) I do have to dock points for that.

Yuri Rating: 6/10

Overall Rating: 10/10

But, this is an anime I HIGHLY recommend, not just for yuri watchers, but for EVERYONE. It’s just THAT good.

MASSIVE MASSIVE SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT