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Apr 20, 2025
Day 30/30 of the Yurithon:
This is the story of someone whose past traumas constantly haunt them, until a girl named Kaori shows up in their life with a common interest. With this common interest as a driving factor, Kaori breaks them out of their shell and, through thick and thin, love blossoms where a gaping hole once remained. But every story can't have a happy ending, as an illness that has sprouted in Kaori threatens their newly-formed bond, and eventually severs it. You might think I'm talking about "The Summer You Were There", but this is actually the plot to "Your Lie in April". Unfortunately,
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I could never really get this comparison out of my head while reading; I just finished "Your Lie in April" three weeks ago. But "Your Lie in April" with lesbians: I can get behind that. I definitely got behind "The Summer You Were There". I loved this manga.
Like almost every ten-out-of-ten yuri I've reviewed, I just can't fully articulate how amazing this yuri is. Even though Shizuku and Kaori's relationship was largely not romantic, I thought the chemistry between the two was fantastic. Shit, I just realised that there isn't even a single kiss in this manga. Regardless, I loved their dynamic. It was great seeing Kaori and Shizuku try to help each other the best they could against Kaori's inevitable fate. Seeing Shizuku climb out of the depths of despair felt like a goliath task, but this manga managed to convey her character development so well through dialogue and thoughts. Every thought of hers is laid bare in front of the reader for us to truly comprehend the helplessness she feels. I felt Shizuku's anxiety as she finally met with Ruri again. I felt her sheer powerlessness when facing Kaori's final days. The general outline of the narrative may have been somewhat predictable, but the finale and its build-up still hit me like a truck. For old time's sake, I'll just say it: the art was really fucking good. The dialogue is written so well. The panel composition is clean and pristine. In terms of quality, it'll be difficult to find a yuri as spectacular as this one.
When it comes to appreciation of storytelling, there's no other work I've ever consumed that has demonstrated this level of understanding and respect for the art. Stories are a reflection of reality, stories are dreams of what could be; stories save lives. This manga perfectly conveyed how important stories are to people. The way Shizuku and Kaori write to reveal parts of themselves, to inspire others, and to show love was just beautiful; there's no other way of describing it. Watching Shizuku struggle to write an ending to her romance novel with Kaori, while Kaori's end was being written before her eyes was tragic, heartbreaking, but also extraordinary. "The Summer You Were There" is a breathtaking love letter to storytelling. Taking a tangent, but I believe that there's always something deeper going on with the ways of the world. Whether that be miracles, or even that the Yurithon ended with this manga. Ending this ridiculous challenge on a story about stories, the Yurithon meeting an end all about endings, something about that just feels poetic to me. Call it a fate, call it a fairy tale, call it whatever bullshit you want to. As for me, I call it a masterpiece. I'd like to finish off this review and the Yurithon as a whole with a quote from this manga; or at least a quote from the fan-translated version of this manga. "Your words have power, and they can save people. I'm proof of that." Thank you for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 17, 2025
Day 29/30 of the Yurithon:
"Wait. That's it?" Those were the exact words running through my head after getting laid, and also after finishing this yuri. Normally, this is due to one of two reasons. One: it was just so good, that I wanted more. Or two: I was just left unsatisfied, and thought more could've been done. For getting laid, it was definitely the latter. But after reading "Run Away with Me, Girl", I can safely say this manga is a case of both. I really enjoyed the relationship between Midori and Maki. The steps taken to rebuild their relationship were logical and flowed pretty
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well, while still being wholesome and sorta' poetic. Being able to see the perspectives of the side characters just made me root even harder for Midori and Maki to get together, and I think their ending strikes a damn-near perfect balance of cold, hard reality and whimsical and beautiful love. But speaking of endings, this yuri sticks the landing about as well as one of Elon Musk's rockets. If the events from the final three or four chapters were just spread over like eight chapters, I think the manga would've concluded more smoothly. That's not even mentioning the thirteen-year time-skip which was only addressed in one chapter and had no build-up. I liked where the author was going, but it felt like some of the story was just King Crimson'ed away. Resultantly, the final chapter just feels jarring, even if it was somewhat cathartic and beautiful. Either way, I take the good with the bad, and there wasn't so much bad with "Run Away with Me, Girl"; not at all. It was paced pretty perfectly (sans the ending), the characters were compelling, and the art was great. While the first words that popped into my head still remain true for me, there was one thought which just resonated so much louder in my mind: "This is a damn good yuri."
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 17, 2025
Day 28/30 of the Yurithon:
"Go down swinging" indeed, Yurithon. And swinging hard as well. "How Do We Relationship?" was a pretty great read, with a twist in the basic yuri formula, but fantastic execution. This yuri had the relationship pretty much begin by the end of chapter one, and it didn't feel rushed or convoluted. As the author themselves stated, it was a good change of pace to see how a couple navigates their relationship, rather than just try to find their way to it. This is probably the most realistic relationship depicted in any of the yuri I've read. There's always a new issue
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to fix up every chapter, but it doesn't feel like the author's just padding the runtime and throwing shit at the audience to see what sticks. Miwa and Saeko were established to not really know what they're doing, so all the problems their relationship faces make sense. While what they're dealing with seems minuscule in retrospect, the manga really makes it feel like their problems could be the end of their world. Dialogue and thoughts are used really well to properly sell Saeko and Miwa's romance, while articulating and magnifying their problems tenfold. It also helps that I found the dialogue really funny, just increasing my affinity for these characters. I was heavily invested in seeing how the couple would grow past their trials. But while I did very much enjoy reading more about Saeko and Miwa, I thought that the side-characters were sort of iffy. The only side-characters I really enjoyed were Rika and Usshi; they provided an interesting perspective of romance and of Saeko and Miwa's relationship. But the other characters felt like they were just stealing panels from the main couple. I really couldn't give a shit about the guys in the band; they were pretty annoying all things considered (especially Tsuruta). But this didn't truly hamper my reading experience; I still loved this manga. And with the Yurithon ending soon, I'm already itching at the neck for more.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Apr 16, 2025
Day 27/30 of the Yurithon:
This is the first yuri I've read from the famous Milk Morinaga. And when I say read, I mean I only had enough time today to check out five chapters. Yep, unfortunately it's just one of those days for me. It also doesn't help that I just read 89 chapters of peak yesterday in "Her Tale of Shim Chong". The cards largely seem to be stacked against "Girl Friends". Regardless, I'll try my best to review this manga properly. Maybe "Shim Chong" was just so good, but I didn't really think that this yuri was particularly special. That's not to say
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it was bad; I had a decent reading experience of "Girl Friends", but there was nothing especially exceptional about this yuri. I didn't have any major gripes with the manga, and I could buy the growing relationship between Mari and Aikko. I think I can attribute this lack of excellence to the yuri genre finding its footing at the time this was released. Given my Yurithon experience and little research I've done on the genre itself, it definitely seemed like yuri pre-2013-ish struggled to achieve high-quality standards. I might just be bullshitting, but I still stand by my opinion. I thought the chemistry between the main couple was decent, the art was solid, and the plot and relationship were progressing at a good pace. That's all I can really say. This was far from a disappointment or failure, but it's definitely a yuri I'll struggle to come back to after the Yurithon.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Apr 15, 2025
Day 26/30 of the Yurithon:
There are only four yuri left for me to read. The final days of anything will usually show signs of slowing down. But if the Yurithon was going down, it would go down swinging. "Her Tale of Shim Chong" is undoubtedly a ten-out-of-ten in my book. It might be a dusty, cobweb-laced book, but it's my book, and I absolutely loved this yuri. Every other yuri I've read doesn't even come close to the number of chapters I've consumed for "Shim Chong"; I was hooked to this manhwa from beginning to end, and I even read all the epilogue chapters. I
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adored the relationship between Shim Chong and Madam Jang; it was great to see tangible changes in their attitudes and behaviour due to rubbing off on each other. It was great to see how the playing fields shifted as Shim Chong and Madam Jang changed, revealing more about the cultural surroundings and stacking more cards against the couple. Their love begins and ends like poetry, and not just for-a-literature-grade poetry; this shit was like it was from Shakespeare, Vince Gilligan, and Eminem. I genuinely can't describe how much I loved this manhwa; I am not doing it justice with this slipshod review. If I could pick at the most minute of nits, I do wish the art style and quality looked more like the volume covers. But I really couldn't give less of a shit about the art, because the narrative was just so damn good. I never expected this yuri (or any of the yuri for that matter) to use such good set-up-and-pay-off; every call-back had me perking up and leaning towards my screen. This yuri had exemplary pacing; the narrative was always moving forward at a consistent rate, with solid build-ups and substance being shown off with each passing chapter. And dear Heavenly Father, the monk was just despicable and great to read. He perfectly gave off the vibe of someone who thinks their shit smells like roses, and wholeheartedly believes that their vile behaviour is justified. But I think it'd be a disservice to just cite the monk as a great antagonist, when it truly feels like almost every other character was an antagonist. This manhwa perfectly conveyed how restricted women were in this culture, and not just by men too. It truly felt like Shim Chong and Madam Jang especially were trapped by tradition and even their own families, making their minuscule reprieves from society's standards feel like freedom from jail. I don't think my words can properly articulate how I felt about this yuri or its quality, so I'll leave you with a recommendation, or a few. Read "The Moon on a Rainy Night", read "Love Bullet", and read "Her Tale of Shim Chong". If you're still reading this, thank you, and here are a couple more words for you: you're not alone and someone out there loves you. Good night.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 13, 2025
Day 25/30 of the Yurithon:
It'd be really embarrassing if I didn't have enough time for this yuri. At just four chapters (technically three because the last chapter is basically just an unnecessary epilogue, and technically four because the added one-shot), "I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up" served as a very short, but especially sweet story. This is by far the shortest yuri I've read so far, but it managed to perfectly demonstrate how restrictive overbearing parents can be. On top of that, the manga effectively discusses other societal stigmas, such as the roles of Japanese women in the workplace and the
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treatment of homosexual people. While not as in-depth as "She Loves to Cook" in regards to social commentary, this yuri provided brief glimpses into the worlds of these people without feeling forced or misrepresenting them, and I was impressed with what was accomplished in the short runtime this manga had. There's really not much else I can say. I think the relationship between Machi and Hana needed more chapters and time to develop, but their chemistry was adequate enough to push the envelope.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 11, 2025
Day 24/30 of the Yurithon:
I desperately didn't want my streak of bad yuri to continue; thank God that this yuri broke that streak. This yuri is basically an extended series of comic strips about a couple re-adjusting to normal life after one of them suffered from severe amnesia. There isn't necessarily connective tissue between these chapters, but I didn't really need there to be. I was really enjoying the cute interactions between Arisa and Mari, and all the stupid shit Arisa got up to while trying to rediscover her past. I do wish there was a more noticeable direction the manga took or a bit
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more progression, but the enjoyment I derived from watching an amnesiac rediscover herself in the world and in romance was more than enough for me. There's not really much more I can say about what I read: "Cheerful Amnesiac" was just a fun read with little depth or substance, and that was enough for me. It was definitely much better than "Sweet Blue Flowers" and "NTR", and I take that as a decent-enough consolation prize. Art decent, pacing pretty much non-existent, and all-in-all, a solid read.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 10, 2025
Day 23/30 of the Yurithon:
Okay, the way I reviewed this one was a bit different. So I initially read the first five chapters, and I had preconceived notions regarding the direction of the plot. I actually enjoyed the direction, but whether I would truly enjoy this manga would be determined if they ended in the same direction. This is all a very convoluted way of saying that the ending ruined my reading experience. Resultantly, this review will be kind of inconsistent. My first statements will be in regards to my first impressions, followed by how I felt after spoiling the ending for myself. With all
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that being said, let's commence forth.
Before reading the ending:
In terms of proportionality, I think this is the yuri with the lowest rating compared to popularity on MAL. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to read this. I was enjoying the Yurithon far too much (disregarding "Sweet Blue Flowers" yesterday); if my streak of great yuri was a three-course meal of Waygu beef, caviar and foie gras, then I definitely needed a side of shit to cleanse the palate. And "NTR: Netsuzou Trap" was absolutely the side of shit I needed. This was kind of everything I wanted "Citrus" to be: it showed a truly toxic relationship that didn't minimise or attempt to validate the truly terrible things done. The manga makes it clear that Hotaru is absolutely manipulating Yuma, and I'm so glad that they lean into that concept. Seeing the lengths that Hotaru would go to assert herself would make my skin crawl, but it's just going to make her eventual downfall all the more sweet. I can't wait to see how this relationship blows up, and how Hotaru gets her comeuppance. Besides that, I felt really bad for Takeda. In another story, he'd just be some asshole who would make Hotaru's actions "more justifiable" (they aren't, but I think you get the idea). Instead, he's pretty reasonable and sensitive to how Yuma feels, which really contrasts against Hotaru. This really sells how despicable she is, and makes Yuma's predicament all the more worse. On the other side of things, Hotaru's boyfriend (I forgot his name) provides an interesting dynamic. His abusive nature is reflected in Hotaru, and just further demonstrates how cunning and depraved she is, with her trying to justify her behaviour by circumstances.
After checking out the ending (spoilers):
It's been less than ten minutes from writing my previous statements, and they've already aged like Simon Cowell. The manga ending with Hotaru and Yuma starting a relationship spits in the face of everything I just said, and does the total opposite of what I praised "NTR" for. Hotaru's actions were completely unjustifiable; this is not up for debate. She literally SA'd and manipulated Yuma, and had practically no remorse. This is even acknowledged by the characters, and it just makes some dialogue and events so ass-backwards with the context of the ending. Hotaru saying that Yuma could've resisted her unsolicited advances just because she's physically stronger made me wince so hard when I read it. Somehow, this becomes even worse, considering that her vile behaviour is not only not punished, but also rewarded. If the author continued with the idea that Yuma was being manipulated, then this would've made sense. At least "Citrus" sort of tried to explain why Mei did the things she did, and she definitely got punished for her behaviour. At best, "NTR's" message is "you can do anything to your friends as long as it's in the name of love, and you'll be rewarded as well". If I didn't make it clear enough, I do not co-sign this message. No further comments: four-out-of-ten. It could've been six or seven, but I can't in good faith support this shit.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Apr 9, 2025
Day 22/30 of the Yurithon:
I think I jinxed it. "Sweet Blue Flowers" honestly felt like a nothing-burger to me, at least based off the ten chapters I stuck around for. The audience is just thrown into the deep end right off the bat, and I had no choice but to get out of the pool. This manga was going absolutely no-where, and far too fast for its own good. A sprawling web of connections is already established from the beginning of the manga, rather than built up to overtime. There pretty much wasn't any chemistry between the main couple of Akira and Fumi, because their
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relationship isn't really the main focus of the early chapters: Yasuko and Fumi's relationship is. Hell, Akira doesn't really even feel like a character; she isn't really a proactive figure in the story. The most interesting stuff happened with Yasuko, but there's too much information regarding her to take in all at once. She starts dating Fumi, but she's crushed on by Kyoko, but also likes her teacher or something; as I said before, it's just too much to handle so soon. It feels like we missed so much information and story to get to this point. The story is made more complicated by Akira and Fumi going to different schools. This only served to create an artificial and arbitrary barrier between interconnected characters (not just Akira and Fumi), and the story could've been much more streamlined and concise if they just went to the same school. It's taken 22 days, but this might be the first yuri that I actually disliked.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Apr 8, 2025
Day 21/30 of the Yurithon:
Oh, we are so, so back. The Yurithon is finally back in full-swing after what seemed like an eternity of lulls. "Lonely Girl", "Whispered Words", "Murciélago", and now "Handsome Girl and Sheltered Girl". If you liked the premise of the green yuri but was less-than-satisfied like me, then I implore you to check this manga out. It's got damn-near the same synopsis, but executes it much more effectively. Being able to see Okuma and Kanda interact together on a close basis from early on really helped with developing the chemistry between the two. Little wholesome moments and interactions really helped sell
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this relationship to me, and I was almost as anxious as Kanda when reading her reveal her secret to Okuma. In a mere fourteen chapters, the author fantastically conveys this very loving relationship with a secret which could totally derail it. I don't have much to complain about, so I'll just talk about a couple issues I had with it.
The side characters lacked any considerable presence; the conclusions reached by our main couple could have been formed by themselves. Also, Okuma's friend, who was initially freaked out at Okuma dating a girl, suddenly switching up as soon as just touching Kanda felt really out-of-place and kind of felt demeaning. There's a conversation with Kanda and a friend which discusses same-sex relationships pretty concisely and earnestly, so having Okuma's friend's switch-up was just weird. On top of that, the ending of this yuri didn't really feel satisfying; the plot sort of stumbled to a conclusion after Kanda and Okuma officially-officially began their relationship. I would've been decently satisfied by Kanda professing her absolute love to Okuma after being drunkenly pressured, but I really didn't need to see Okuma become worried with Kanda potentially cheating on her. I guess the true final chapter with Kanda proposing to Okuma was decent enough, but there were far too many speedbumps and not really enough time to build up to the proposal properly.
But regardless of the side characters and less-than-stellar ending, this yuri was pretty great. Even though I appreciated the conciseness of "Handsome Girl", it somehow left me wanting more. For better and for worse, but mostly better.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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