If in recent years, yaoi (romances between men) has the wind in its sails in France, its feminine counterpart is slowly making its place. New publishing houses are embarking on the adventure of feminine love. Beyond specialized circuits like Taifu Comics, high quality works reach us. Focus on some yuri manga that are worth seeing!
Small historical point
The term yuri, whose ideogram means "lily," refers to Yurizoku, the pages devoted to letters and encounters between women in Japanese gay magazines such as Barazoku and Aran, popular in the 1970s. Indeed, yuri is in line with esu, a literary genre for women and depicting intimate relationships between teenagers, with a focus on the emotional and spiritual link between the protagonists. Thus these notions, as well as those of beauty and belonging, found the foundations of yuri as we know it. Indeed, it is quite rare to find explicit sexual relations between the pages of a manga labeled yuri, unlike most yaoi, more "full-bodied". If erotic scenes can pepper the story, it rather highlights the construction of relationships between the protagonists and the emotional whirlwinds that cross them. This adds to the touching beauty of these stories, even if some can be tingled with tragedy. In summary, yuri evokes intimate relationships between women, in a broad and all-encompassing sense. With such a fuzzy definition, it can sometimes be difficult to include a manga only in this category. Yuri transcends the boundaries of well-established genres and is found in many works, from Sailor Moon (Naoko Takeuchi) to Maria-Sama ga miteru (Oyuki Konno), YuriYuri (Namori) and Alter Ego (Ana Sanchez)! Since the 2000s, the public has had access to a certain number of works that can be integrated into this category of manga, and the offer continues to increase, with titles that stand out for their originality and their delicate treatment of the links between women. If the term evokes for some the variously appreciated Citrus (and its sequel Citrus +, by SaburĂŽta) and NetsuzĂŽ Trap (Naoko Kodama), today we offer you an overview of contemporary manga perhaps less known but of a high quality!
All we need is love, Amano Shuninta
Ruki Shishido has just joined a college that she did not choose. Alongside her friend Fueko, she mopes every day about her situation. Around them, couples are formed, girls discuss about boys… and she can't stand it! All this superficiality gives him hives! Ruki denies any interest in the matter; Love is not for her, neither today nor tomorrow. But during a working group, his world will be turned upside down… With an atypical trait, both delicate and powerful, Amano Shuninta brings us to meet seven strong and well-constructed female characters, as touching in their moments of weakness as in their fierce struggles to constitute themselves as adults. Thus, the links between Ruki, Fue, Sachi, Asuna, Maasa, Meru and Remia are made and unmade. The reader can build them according to his feelings when he is offered to represent them during interludes between chapters! The violence of the feelings is not hidden, and the faults of the characters are both their strength and their Achilles heel. How free are we and do we let the person we love be? Can love be a game? Do you have to compromise to make a relationship last? Should we renounce ourselves to find happiness? And besides, what does it consist of? The characters created by Amano Shuninta try to answer these questions. Far from being Manichean, these women are crossed by doubts, fears and hopes. Each of them has its own personality whose psychology is researched and delicately restored through the three volumes that make up this series. All we need is love turns out to be a very successful and realistic manga, and we have only one desire: to dive back into the heart of its pages and find, again and again, all these women so endearing! The bonus point: the return by the author on the creation of her characters, at the end of the last volume! This sheds new light on the work and the relationships between the seven girls. Not to be missed! Series in three volumes, published by Taifu Comics. Another work by Amano Shuninta is Sweet Guilty Love Bites, one-shot, Taifu Comics (2013).
Bloom into you, Nio Nakatani
YĂ» Koito returns to Tohmi Higashi High School. Of a rather reserved nature, one could say that she looks like any high school girl of her age. However, YĂ» is peculiar in that she has never known love. In reality, these feelings, if they manage to move her through means of fiction, have never crossed her. Without really suffering from it, YĂ» nevertheless questions herself by seeing her friends experience it. A huge gulf seems to be widening between them. So when she catches TĆko Nanami, an emblematic figure of the student council, reject a boy who had declared his love for her, YĂ» thinks she has finally found someone like her. The girl then joined the student council, hoping to find an ally who could get her out of her melancholy loneliness. Alas, Nanami soon confesses his feelings for her… How will YĂ» handle this disappointment? Will she accept TĆko's confession? Will she open herself to love or will he always remain a stranger to her? You'll find out by reading this bittersweet saga! If the theme of this manga seems to be used, Nio Nakatani manages to instill a dose of novelty through the character of YĂ». His contradictory feelings are very well conveyed, with hard-hitting stagings. The relationship that is built between her and TĂŽko leads us to question the reality of love, and the helplessness we sometimes feel to understand the other who stands in front of us. Characters will be added and give substance and thickness to the story. It is well conducted and remains consistent until the end. In conclusion, Bloom into you is a very good discovery that deserves attention! In addition, Troyka studios offer a well-made animated adaptation, available in France at Kana Home Video and ADN. Series in eight volumes, published by Kana.
Octave, Haru Akiyama
Yukino Miyashita is a former idol whose career failed to take off. She took away a deep malaise and a certain disgust towards men. This discreet young girl tries to resume a normal life, dividing her time between a poorly paid job in her former agency, and the solitude into which she slowly plunges. But when she meets Setsuko Iwai, something begins to change in her… Octave is the story of an encounter between two skinned women. Yukino and Setsuko each have trouble trusting each other, and often fall behind defenses that can seem insurmountable. The turmoil in which their feelings plunge them is felt even in the covers of the volumes. Indeed, the figures of Yukino and Setsuko seem to seek each other, behind a melancholic mask. Their connection is suggested by details of Yukino's outfit, sometimes as tenuous as a thread, or as strong as a long piece of cloth or a flowery vine. Haru Akiyama offers us here a mature romance that we follow with pleasure and sometimes pinch in the heart in front of the trials that the couple must go through. Therefore, Octave is easily positioned as an essential manga in the yuri catalog of Taifu comics editions. In addition, the story remains affordable for neophytes, who will be seduced by its sensitivity and by the very current questions of its characters. Series in six volumes, Taifu comics.
Luminous Blue, Kiyoko Iwami
Passionate about photography, KĂŽ Tarumizu arrives in the high school of her dreams, the one that hosted her idol, winner twice of the national high school photography competition. This is an opportunity for her to exercise her talent! But alas, the photo club is now very inactive… KĂŽ will do everything to restore its dynamism and participate in turn in the contest. For this, she decides to take as models Nene Aono and Amane Akimoto, two classmates. A deep sense of intimacy surrounds the two teenagers… And for good reason: our heroine discovers that they were still in a relationship a few months ago! Are their feelings really extinguished? How will KĂŽ fit into this tumultuous relationship? The lens of his faithful camera could well be the privileged witness of a sweet waltz of emotions! With this touching diptych, Kiyoko Iwami places us as spectators of adolescent torments, in a soft choreography and superbly transmitted by her loose line. The triangular relationship that develops between KĂŽ, Nene and Amane gains strength over the course of the story and gives rise to scenes that have the power to make the heart beat! The mangaka skillfully plays with our nerves, chaining moments of camaraderie and those where emotional tension soars, until the successful finale. Luminous Blue can be suitable for anyone who is looking for a manga that is mature, comforting and innovative! Series in two volumes, Taifu comics.
Candy, Yufuko Suzuki
Kanan Miyamoto is a high school star. A member of the archery club, she attracts the attention of many girls and often receives declarations of love. But she still refuses them, not taking them seriously, and devaluing herself in the process thinking that she is nothing extraordinary. However, when Chiaki Beshiyo, a high school student, confesses her feelings, Kanan finds herself distraught… Troubled, the girl will then experience feelings hitherto unknown! Candy is a short but complete work, in which we follow the evolution of the relationship between Kanan and Chiaki, who gradually reveal themselves to each other with great modesty and tenderness. The two high school girls will slowly grow up together, and face the rumors and the attacks of a friendly entourage not necessarily listening. The whole is bathed in a rather melancholic atmosphere, which makes you want to stop to think about the meanders of human feelings. Yufuko Suzuki builds her characters to the end and transmits their inner struggles with great talent. It even offers us a glimpse of what became of them after this pivotal period of high school, which is very appreciated. We then have the pleasant feeling of a completed history, of an evolution that has been brought to an end. Finally, the drawings, without being exceptional, are very pretty and soft. We particularly appreciate the covers of the volumes, which respond and light up with sweet colors! Series in two volumes, Taifu comics.
Hana no Breath, Caly
Azami Takahashi, 16, is looking for Prince Charming. Far from the concerns of her friends who seem to be interested only in the imaginary world of manga, and especially yaoi, she has eyes only for Gwen, emblematic member of the basketball club. After much hesitation, she finally decides to declare her love for the young boy… who turns out to be actually a girl! Initially shaken, Azami realizes that her feelings towards Gwen have not disappeared, and that they are shared. The two teenagers will then begin a beautiful love story, against all the obstacles that could stand in front of them! With Hana no Breath, Caly signs a manga all in finesse, with multiple ramifications. Its very recognizable design is soft and catches the eye. The personalities of the different characters, whether main or secondary, is very well worked. The difficulty of accepting oneself, the sometimes deleterious impact of the gaze of others, jealousy and passion, all these themes fit perfectly into the story and intertwine in a backdrop that leads the reader to question his own reactions. The relationship between Gwen and Azami is very touching and makes us want to accompany them for a long time. Despite only two volumes, Hana no Breath leads its story to the end, without frills or haste, leaving us with a very positive reading memory! Series in two volumes, H2T editions. To read an excerpt, click here ! Other works by Caly : Nova (manga in progress, one volume published, editions H2T) ; MaHo Megumi (self-published manga).
Diving in the night, Goumoto
The beautiful and taciturn Tsukiko Yano evolves in the school space as if in an unfathomable and silent dream. Solitary, she observes her contemporaries from afar and seems to refuse any attempt at approach. But one day, she catches Aya Utsumi, a comrade, swimming, and the fortress behind which she hides begins to crumble. Tsukiko tries to find out more about this mysterious mermaid, until the day she is offered the opportunity to get in touch with the one who has caused so much turmoil in her heart… Attention, FAVORITE! Plunged into the Night is a manga so poetic and sublime that it is difficult for us to describe the impact it has had on us. Goumoto is a very talented mangaka, with a powerful and charming line. The aquatic inlays recall the work of the equally brilliant Yuhki Kamatani (Ăclat(s) d'Ăąme, Nos c(h)oeurs Ă©vanescents), and give a good account of the trouble that agitates the two girls. Their relationship is slowly evolving, at the same time as we learn a little more about them. The secondary characters are not left out and add value to the story, making it immersive and alive. It is with undisguised haste that we await the release of the following volumes! Series in progress, two volumes published, Taifu comics.
Blue flowers, Takako Shimura
Akira Okudaira enters Fujigaya High School, a posh school for girls. On the way to her new school, she meets Fumi Manjome, who is none other than her best friend from primary school! The reunion between the two girls is warm. However, Fumi seems to be plunged into a strange sadness. This is due to a deep sentimental wound that will take time to heal, leaving the teenager vulnerable and always on the verge of tears. Will Akira be able to pull Fumi out of this chasm where she languishes? Will his joie de vivre and his inexhaustible energy be significant in the face of the torments that await them during their schooling? A new step is about to be taken between the two friends! Blue Flowers remains one of the must-have manga when it comes to self-acceptance. Takako Shimura offers us here one of the pillars of yuri literature of recent years, with its bittersweet narrative and endearing characters. The volumes are very well made. In particular, the covers immediately catch the eye, with their airs of watercolor painting. Disappointments and hopes rub shoulders, sprinkled with a few touches of lightness and humor that help us catch our breath in this ocean of emotions. Let yourself be tempted by this classic manga, refined and breathtaking richness! Series in eight volumes, Asuka editions. Other works by Takako Shimura: Comme un adieu (volume 1 on April 8, 2021, Akata editions); Happy-Go-Lucky Days (anime available, unpublished manga in France titled DĂŽnika Naru Hibi, two volumes); HĂŽrĂŽ Musuko (anime; unpublished manga in France. Available in English as Wandering son); If we were adults (coming soon, Akata editions). We hope to have made you want to take a look at these few emblematic works of the genre with this small list which is of course not exhaustive! For a touch of lightness, you can also turn to the very cute Kase-san (by Hiromi Takashima, at Taifu) and Inu & Neko (a Yonkama by Kuzushiro, at Ototo, available in anime on Crunchyroll!). Feel free to make your own suggestions in the comments. Yuri still has a bright future ahead of it. We look forward to the upcoming manga that could well transcend it and expand its borders!
