Manga Mini Reviews: Yuri Edition!

So many new manga series have been coming out lately that I’ve been falling seriously behind on reviewing them all.

So, it seemed like a good time to do another batch of mini reviews. And this time, I have a entire post of just yuri mini reviews!

Adachi and Shimamura (Manga) Vol 1 Review

Shimamura and Adachi just happened to run into each other while they were both skipping classes, but they wind up ditching and hanging out together on a regular basis after that. Despite all of the time they spend together, Adachi and Shimamura have an ill-defined relationship. Are they friends? Or does one, or both, of them have a crush on the other. Even when they start meeting up outside of school and getting to know each other better, things remain somewhat nebulous between them. And that’s when a strange girl in a spacesuit shows up claiming to be an intergalactic traveler from the future!

I had heard a lot of buzz surrounding the Adachi and Shimamura anime back when it was airing, and I’d seen generally favorable reviews of the light novels that both the anime and manga are based on. So, I had high expectations for this manga going in. Did it live up to them?

Eh…

Don’t get me wrong, this manga is pretty cute, it’s just a little basic. Adachi and Shimura are both nice girls and seem like they’d make a sweet couple, but I didn’t find that either of them were super memorable characters.

Things do start to get more interesting once the alien/time-traveler girl shows up, though. This weird little wrench that’s been thrown into what was otherwise a conventional school-girl romance series really intrigues me. So, I’m looking forward to volume 2, mostly to find out what exactly her deal is.

Final Score: 7 out of 10

You can find more information on this manga at Yen Press’ website.

Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon Vol 1 Review

Uno has always been worried that something is wrong with her. She does everything she can to act like a “normal” young woman, studying up on makeup and fashion so she can look desirable and doing her best to try and find a nice young man to date. But, every time she tries going out with someone, it always feels wrong and she can’t seem to develop romantic feelings for anyone. Wracked with anxiety that she’ll end up alone and only cause trouble for those around her, Uno is only becoming more and more miserable. That’s when she starts to spend time with Satou, her level-headed and reliable co-worker. Satou is so put together and doesn’t seem to be worried about what other people think of her, and her support inspires Uno to try and change.

Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon is one of my favourite new yuri series that I’ve read recently. It’s always great to see a romance with adult protagonists, and this manga gives its lead characters a lot of depth. Uno’s inner turmoil over not being “normal” is heartbreaking, but it was so satisfying to see her start to change her ways of thinking about herself after she and Satou become friends. Change isn’t instantaneous, however, and I appreciated that we see Uno’s resolve waver occasionally and that she backslides into old habits sometimes. It’s more realistic than an overnight transformation and makes it all the more rewarding when Uno does manage to make progress. Her relationship with Satou is also quite adorable and I’m looking forward to seeing them get closer as the series continues.

Final Score: 9 out of 10

You can find more information on this manga at Seven Seas Entertainment’s website.

Chasing After Aoi Koshiba Vol 1 Review

While attending her high school reunion, Sahoko reflects back on her high school self and the one girl she can’t seem to forget. Sahoko had constructed a cute and girly persona for herself when she started high school, all so she could be popular and make friends with the cool girls. But there was one girl in particular who she felt drawn to and wanted to be friends with more then anyone: Aoi Koshiba. Aoi was a sporty and confident girl who didn’t seem to care what anyone thought of her. Sahoko tried to talk with Aoi and ask her to hang out, but she wound up getting so flustered and worried that the straightforward Aoi would hate her for being fake, that she freaked out and spontaneously kissed her! And that was how her relationship with the unforgettable, Aoi Koshiba, began!

The flashing back and forth between their high school days and the present time period added an interesting element to this story. Clearly Aoi and Sahoko didn’t end up getting together in the past, as they’re not together in the present and Sahoko isn’t acting like Aoi is an ex. Even still, Sahoko seems anxious to see her and like she’s looking for some kind of closure. So, what exactly happened between them in the past? And it looks like Sahoko isn’t the only person with unresolved feelings, if the way Sahoko’s other friend has been looking at her is anything to go off of. This is a great setup for plenty of drama, and I’m curious to find out more about the history between Aoi and Sahoko and see if they’ll be able to work things out in the present.

Final Score: 7.5 out of 10

For more information on this manga, visit Kodansha Comics’ website.

School Zone Girls Vol 1 Review

Rei and Kei are a pair of regular high school girls who’ve been friends for years. They spend their days goofing off, teasing each other and maybe, just maybe, nursing secret crushes on each other. Will these girls ever get their acts together and confess their feelings? Or will they be too busy getting up to mischief and youthful hijinks to worry about love?

School Zone Girls is a comedy manga with just some tinges of yuri content, as Rei and Kei don’t seem like they’ll be confessing their feelings for each other anytime soon. So, don’t go into this expecting much romance.

As a high-school comedy, School Zone Girls delivers some laughs, but I’ve read funnier series and I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more development of the relationship between Rei and Kei. All and all, it’s not a bad series, but not one I’d say that people desperately need to read, either.  Maybe worth checking out if you want a light-hearted series with just some hints of yuri.

Final Score: 6.5 out of 10

You can find more information on this manga at Seven Seas Entertainment’s website.

Well, that’s what I thought of these new yuri series. What are your thoughts on these manga? Let me know in the comments.

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