Review: Yuri Monogatari 4

Yuri Monogatari 4
Rated MC, Mature Content, 18+
ALC Publishing, $15.99

The fourth in ALC Publishing’s series of anthologies, Yuri Monogatari 4 shows just how wide-ranging the yuri genre can be. The only thing that knits these nine stories together is that they are all about women who love women. Aside from that, there’s tremendous variety in style, format, subject matter, and, yes, quality.

It’s hard not to like a book that is put together with such obvious enthusiasm. Like any anthology, this book has its strong and its weak points, but story and art generally balance each other. Akiko Morishima’s “Ichigo Hime,” for instance, has a story so brief as to be almost nonexistent, but the art is absolutely lovely. “Bitter-Sweet Melody”, by Polish artist Agatha “Kriss” Laguniak, had a good enough story to keep me reading despite some weak art. When they both work it’s even better: “Happiness,” by Kristina K. is a meetup story with nice, clean art and a twist at the end. The one story I really didn’t like was Althea Keaton’s “Cog,” a cliched dystopian tale rendered in a primitive style.

Many of the artists in this book are in their 20s, and they have some developing to do. The problem isn’t so much a lack of polish, in most cases, as too much polish masking a weak sense of form. The opening story, for instance, “Model,” is a fine story in which the artist, Lilyshield, has captured the characters’ emotions nicely but is a bit uncertain about foreshortening and anatomy. Her work has enough promise, though, that I’ll be keeping an eye out for it in future. “Cog” would have worked better if Keaton could make the figures feel more solid, which is the sort of thing that comes with experience.

The book ends well with two strong pieces, both from Japanese creators. “Kissing the Petals” is a slice-of-life story by Tomomi Nakasora, translated by manga scholar Matt Thorn, about two women trying to find a lover for their friend—and questioning their own relationship in the process. The art is professional quality and the characters are well defined; I’d like to read more about them. The same is true of the final story, “More Rica ‘tte Kanji?” by Rica Takashima. Although I had heard good things about Takashima’s book Rica ‘tte Kanji, this was the first I had seen of her work. In a series of four-panel strips, drawn with cheery simplicity, she natters on about her life, her lover, and her parents, including her more-than-understanding mother. It’s grounded and down-to-earth and very engaging.

As befits a labor of love, this book is well produced, with good quality paper (although the print quality is a bit uneven). With its larger trim size and subtle monochromatic cover, it could pass for a literary magazine.

For the true yuri enthusiast, Yuri Monogatari 4 has a lot to offer, and the last two pieces alone may be worth the price of admission. For those who are curious or just beginning to sample the genre, it still provides some solid storytelling in a variety of different voices, with some artists who have reached their full potential and others who will bear watching.

This review is based on a complimentary copy supplied by the publisher.

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Comments

  1. I’ll pass your very nice comments on to Tomomi!

  2. Althea K. says

    Primitive is a little harsh, but I do agree that my characters weren’t as solid as they could be. I feel like the art is much better in the story I’m working on now. Things are starting to come together. As for the story being cliched, well, I can only say in my defense that it was my first attempt at anything with a sci-fi flavor. That stuff, I’m still figuring out. We’ll see how it all works out. I’m sure I’ll go on to make many mistakes, but here’s hoping that I learn from them and get a little better every time.

  3. Althea, I referred to the style as primitive because I thought that was an effect you were striving for. Anyway, even if the story isn’t perfect, you have the right attitude. Keep practicing and experimenting. I’m looking forward to seeing your next story—please let me know when it comes out!

    And for what it’s worth, someone else named “Cog” as their favorite story in the book. Some things do come down to individual taste.

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