https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2017/01/04/manga-editors-roundtable-the-growth-of-yuri/

Today megax brings us another translation dealing with an “anime industry” aspect beyond what is usually highlighted.

This is an roundtable covered for Akiba Blog (NSFW link) by KarzuSP. I felt it’s an interesting discussion about a topic that seems to be growing both domestically in Japan and internationally with many fans devouring the yuri genre. It may lead to more anime adaptations, so this could be a good ground point for a growth in yuri fandom. Enjoy.

So Shinmai Shimai no Futari Gohan being displayed in the Yuri section of the bookstore wasn't a mistake...

Also, sadly they name some works that are must reads that haven't been translated yet, can't wait.

last edited at Jan 5, 2017 12:55AM

That was super interesting.
Idk how to explain it, but it was fun, it made me happy to read about these editors dicussing the genre today, its potential and readers in general becoming more open to it
Does anyone know what was written on Bloom Into You's second and third volume obi?
Tho Happy Sugar Life's editor didnt discuss his series with as much depth as the conversation about Bloom Into You was, it was enjoyable to know the editors' thoughts on the works and bringing up the artists that they're working with

Well I'm glad the genre is expanding

So Shinmai Shimai no Futari Gohan being displayed in the Yuri section of the bookstore wasn't a mistake...

Also, sadly they name some works that are must reads that haven't been translated yet, can't wait.

I think it's the opposite, how depressing would it be if we had already read all their recommended new titles?

Btw here's the link to the manga "Cooking with th shimai sisters" that was mentioned a few times in the interview for anyone that's interested:
http://dynasty-scans.com/series/shinmai_shimai_no_futari_gohan

last edited at Jan 5, 2017 8:38PM

Btw here's the link to the manga "Cooking with th shimai sisters" that was mentioned a few times in the interview for anyone that's interested:
http://dynasty-scans.com/series/shinmai_shimai_no_futari_gohan

I recognised the title right away, but it took me a sec to realise that they translated it wrong. Calling them the Shinmai Sisters is like, as if Shinmai is their last name. But the point of shinmai shimai is just a pun, really, cus shinmai is like, new, and shimai is sisters. The new sisters.

So Shinmai Shimai no Futari Gohan being displayed in the Yuri section of the bookstore wasn't a mistake...

Also, sadly they name some works that are must reads that haven't been translated yet, can't wait.

I think it's the opposite, how depressing would it be if we had already read all their recommended new titles?

My fear is that they will never be translated. One of the mangas they mentioned, Asahinagu, they said yuri fans should check out for some good pay off in volume 16 but the only translations so far only go up to chapter 3. If I start now I can probably teach myself Japanese before any scanlation group picks up the series.

So Shinmai Shimai no Futari Gohan being displayed in the Yuri section of the bookstore wasn't a mistake...

Also, sadly they name some works that are must reads that haven't been translated yet, can't wait.

Even more interesting, the yuri component in Shinmai Shimai was recognised through the sisters' relationship, rather than the obviously gay friend

Also, Happy Sugar Life was firstly not recognised as yuri work by the editor. But Satou intense love kinda beat the editor definition of yuri with a crowbar (and then gouge its eyes out with a spoon, Go Satou!!). Apparently nothing can stand between our yandere and her loli

last edited at Jan 6, 2017 1:32AM

Tatsuya Kusunoki is also in charge of the very delicious Eclair anthology. More props to the man.

I think it's really interesting to get to see how people on the production side of manga view things. That being said, this discussion passed over what I think is probably the most important part of the growing popularity of yuri: society is more accepting.

Now, don't get me wrong. A large part of the appeal still comes from the (male) audience perspective that glorifies pure, innocent schoolgirl flirting; or, obversely, just appreciates lesbian porn. But at the same time, the diversity of the kinds of yuri stories being told has been increasing dramatically. Authors are telling cute, fluffy romance stories, serious adult dramas, and supernatural or sci-fi stories with yuri as a focus.

Moreover, I feel that, in yuri works generally, the fact that the romance is between girls is becoming less and less of a creative conceit or marketing bait, but simply a fact of the stories themselves. I think that, as opposed to previous years, people are able to create characters that feel like they are in genuine relationships. For instance, Bloom Into You could just as easily be a het romance about how Yu has difficulty understanding that she's in love with a guy. But it isn't - and at the same time, the characters' genders inform how they act and feel in a realistic way.

I'm not saying that all yuri stories should be interchangeable with het stories. I'm just saying that I'm glad that yuri stories are becoming more humanized, if that makes sense. That's not due to any particular fandom interests, that's a shift that I think has resulted from society's evolving views on homosexuality.

Normalizing yuri relationships is good for the whole market.

Maybe the growth will prompt more variety and general audience acceptance to said variety. Yuri needs too step out of the 98% high school setting. What I'm saying is, more manga like Murcielago please.

"out of the 98% high school setting" +1

Madam_Firenze said,
"I'm not saying that all yuri stories should be interchangeable with het stories. I'm just saying that I'm glad that yuri stories are becoming more humanized, if that makes sense. That's not due to any particular fandom interests, that's a shift that I think has resulted from society's evolving views on homosexuality."

I can easily relate to this, and I'm glad it was said. I really enjoyed yaoi and het romances when I was younger, but as I grew older I started to enjoy yuri more and more, and began to change my own views on my own sexuality and that of my friends. I can only hope that this discussion means that society is moving beyond stereotypes.
I only hope that wonderful tranlations will be available one day soon.

That's not due to any particular fandom interests, that's a shift that I think has resulted from society's evolving views on homosexuality.

Yes please.

So Shinmai Shimai no Futari Gohan being displayed in the Yuri section of the bookstore wasn't a mistake...

Also, sadly they name some works that are must reads that haven't been translated yet, can't wait.

I think it's the opposite, how depressing would it be if we had already read all their recommended new titles?

While it could be depressing, when I read my own copy of "An Introduction to the World of Yuri" there are so many works that probably hasn't gain much popularity that got listed there and many of them haven't been translated yet. Thus I think it would be more to "when they would be translated" rather than "all those series and I've read them".

Maybe the growth will prompt more variety and general audience acceptance to said variety. Yuri needs too step out of the 98% high school setting. What I'm saying is, more manga like Murcielago please.

Well, I was actually thinking of more manga like Yamaji Ebine's work :P A lot of my favorite yuri takes place in high school settings, but overall I'd like to see more adult-oriented yuri about realistic relationships.

Thank you so much for sharing this article! It makes me super excited and happy to read about the yuri genre growth! I've also seen a lot more pure Yuri Anime series popping up every year. For 2017 I'm looking forward to the anime series for "Citrus" and "Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon"
Here's a list of some other Yuri related anime for 2017.
https://yurireviews.com/2016/12/18/yuri-anime-2017/

Especially the making of Japan's first lesbian Drama, "Transit Girls".
This is where I watched it, but I think it was RAW
http://maplestage.com/show/TransitGirls

Yaaaay~~~ one of the best day of my life sobs finally our little lesbians babies will shine ! That's the power of yuri~~ YURI SHALL CONQUER THE EARTH ! ^ , well 2017 is gonna be THE "Yuri year" (i hope so~~~) with both Citrus and Netsuzou Trap getting an anime adaptation to begin with. And for the mangas like Bloom into you or Happy sugar life and even Yuzomori-san (and of course much more ,like Nanashi no asterism that is kind of popular these days), it's just like a dream comes true~~~ i've been a yuri fan since 2013 and i don't regret choosing that path at all~~~ anyway, all hail yuri ! And, yuri is love yuri is life~~~

An interesting read! Although I got a little confused at the part when the editor said that the mc for Musume no Iede was a lesbian? Pretty sure she was dating her male co-worker.

Now straight(hehe) to the point! I think Western and Japanese have different opinions regarding "yuri" content in anime and manga. While western or non-japanese yuri fans in general do not welcome yuri-bait with open arms,Japanese seem to view it as a way for revolutionising anime fans to be more comfortable for two girls to be together sexually or not? This could be arguable with an example with Hibike where the buildup between Reina and Kumiko ended quite abruptly. Then there was Shuumatsu no Izetta which subtly presented its yuri without typically fetishizing it or being made light of. It seems both potrayals brought its own fair share of dissatisfaction by noth parties.

Even so, after hearing that even japanese high school girls buy yuri magazines too, I feel that yuri subtext (not the lewd and pointless ones) is not all a bad way to slowly ease up a "traditional" country like japan to start accepting flaunted lgbt media albeit in quite a slow and frustrating manner.
Honestly I don't see much difference in the amount of yuri in shows back in the days like sailor moon and shows now. Maybe it's just the general perception of the audience. But if a day where "serious" yuri ( and lgbt related) romance anime are being regualrly aired, I'd be elated.

Japanese seem to view it as a way for revolutionising anime fans to be more comfortable for two girls to be together sexually or not?

It's not a Japan x West thing. When Nakatani said she liked Hibike as yuri, a lot os japanese people sent messages to her saying Hibike wasn't yuri. On the other side, a lot os western fans still see it as yuri even though Reina clearly loves Taki.
It's yuri with Asuka to me...
Regardless, I do think that things like Precure help to normalize relationship between girls with romantic undertones. Some more than others. Look at MahoTsukai, for example. Riko and Mirai are shown as husband and wife on official art. Sure, people will just dismiss it as a cute joke, but I do think it might make that image more normal in their minds. Their relationship in the show itself it's pretty romantic, too.
Even more than that, I think they can be a good representation for homosexual girls who are saturated by just straight couples elsewhere. I mean, there's a reason why Precure is so popular between female yuri fans in Japan, after all.

Then there was Shuumatsu no Izetta which subtly presented its yuri without typically fetishizing it or being made light of. It seems both potrayals brought its own fair share of dissatisfaction by noth parties.

I think both Izetta and Flip Flappers were really well received by yuri fans in west. Most place I followed discussions about it, people were satisfied. There were some people who wanted more intimacy, but that's a rare thing in anime in general. FliFla's director already said the work is supposed to be yuri and thinking anything other than that for Izetta just makes no sense, too.

Honestly I don't see much difference in the amount of yuri in shows back in the days like sailor moon and shows now.

Now that's just wrong. Be it subtext or full yuri, there's way more of it now. At that time it was hard enough already to find yuri manga. Now, Yuri manga that didn't end with them dying or marrying a man was almost impossible. Give a tour for older yuri mangas in dynasty. You'll realize that the most you go back, the least yuri they become.
The first yuri related magazine came after 2000. Most yuri authors are really new and they were inspired by things like Sailor Moon and Utena in their infancy.
Sailor Moon and Utena were pretty much the only yuri you could find then (and Sailor Moon was only one couple), everything else was just fanservice. Sometimes maybe something like Yamibou, that would end in tragedy and het.
Even subtext was nearly zero, since shows without male lead were rare. And the ones that did exist would show the main girl going after some guy or lots of them.

Sailor Moon and Utena were pretty much the only yuri you could find then (and Sailor Moon was only one couple), everything else was just fanservice. Sometimes maybe something like Yamibou, that would end in tragedy and het.
Even subtext was nearly zero, since shows without male lead were rare. And the ones that did exist would show the main girl going after some guy or lots of them.

There's also Rose of Versailles which kinda have implied yuri undertones between Oscar and Antoinette or Oscar and Rosalie but we know exactly how it ends.
Maybe the closest (implied) yuri works is Nanoha since it came out in 2004?

There's also Rose of Versailles which kinda have implied yuri undertones between Oscar and Antoinette or Oscar and Rosalie but we know exactly how it ends.

Well, that one goes to the "end in het" that I mentioned.

Maybe the closest (implied) yuri works is Nanoha since it came out in 2004?

One of the first and it's a curious case. Its story shows how yuri subtext wasn't much of a deal then, since they clearly wanted Yuuno to be Nanoha's romantic interest. It was the fanbase and the seiyuus who formed NanoFate. Hell, they try to push Yuuno with Nanoha even in the end of Strikers, after baiting NanoFate so much. They even kill NanoFate in one drama cd, but the seiyuu retconned it later, saying the cd wasn't canon and Vivid finally ignored the cd entirely.
That makes me think that it was the fans who made the mahou shoujo genre to become so gay.

But a better example in 2004 would be MariMite ,that is the inspiration for a lot of yuri authors even today. And we have Mai Hime in 2005. Although it was more bait that fans again pushed to be canon.

Considering we have a lot of yuri author that came from non-yuri/bait-yuri influences, I wonder how yuri authors will be ten years from now, since we have a lot more influence nowadays.

Now that's just wrong. Be it subtext or full yuri, there's way more of it now. At that time it was hard enough already to find yuri manga. Now, Yuri manga that didn't end with them dying or marrying a man was almost impossible. Give a tour for older yuri mangas in dynasty. You'll realize that the most you go back, the least yuri they become.
The first yuri related magazine came after 2000. Most yuri authors are really new and they were inspired by things like Sailor Moon and Utena in their infancy.
Sailor Moon and Utena were pretty much the only yuri you could find then (and Sailor Moon was only one couple), everything else was just fanservice.

Forgive me for using an example like Sailor Moon that takes us way too back into the past. I wanted to mean shows and manga during the boom of the anime and manga period "2000-2009" that had yuri implications or subtext even before the "Girls Club" or "Class S yuri" anime trope became a fad played for jokes or staple fanservice.

Then there was Shuumatsu no Izetta which subtly presented its yuri without typically fetishizing it or being made light of. It seems both potrayals brought its own fair share of dissatisfaction by noth parties.

And my goodness what was I typing, I wanted to say "brought its own fair share of differing views by both parties". Pardon the typo, @Wtv.