As always, Asagi Ryuu remains a great weakness of mine. I like how this is developing. Comparatively speaking, it's been a pretty tame, relationship-focused beginning, and I look forward to more.

I love this work so much. Amazing art and wonderfully refreshing to have the relationship move forward so quickly and cleanly. But what's really incredible is that the author is here posting among us. As an old-school yuri fan, the concept of having direct creator contact is mindblowing to me. Is this the future? If so, it's brighter than I realized.

Thank you so much for all of your work, Ratana Satis, and for your great generosity in allowing it to be posted here. I will be buying the English version for certain. Best of luck in all your future projects. :) Of course, thank you to the Three Musqueerteers for their efforts as well!

last edited at Jul 15, 2015 12:36AM

So is this becoming dynasty scans versions of naruto? with people reading out of habit and some still insisting "no wait its totally good guys" even when its very clear its going on a filler ride to nowheresville with every chapter?

I think you may soon find yourself looking back on those words with irony.

last edited at May 26, 2015 8:38AM

Shouldn't this have the Sora x Maria tag?

Yes, and also an all-too-brief bit of Kaede x Yurika on page 53. Added both.

After their movie together, I prefer Ran/Sora, but that's neither here nor there...

last edited at May 6, 2015 2:23PM

Wow, the number of plot contrivances it took to cook up this situation...even for a manga, it's impressive.

Thanks for another chapter :) How many are left?

Glad you enjoyed it. As I said in the release post, this is the end of volume 2, and there are 4 volumes, so this is pretty much exactly the middle.

last edited at Apr 2, 2015 2:34AM

I really enjoyed it. I love age gap, and this could be the biggest age gap yet. I can't think of any other story offhand where there's a woman in her "mid-40s", let alone one who ends up with a schoolgirl. Although of course, she looks like she's still in her 20s, but nevermind...

As usual, Mira delivers excellent porn-with-more-plot-than-you-might-expect. Keiko's reminiscences and reflections on her life really helped add substance to the story. It still feels a little abrupt on Saori's part, of course; age gap tends to go best when there are multiple chapters to help develop the relationship, e.g. Pure Water Adolescence and Hoshikawa Ginza, among others. Still, I thought it was really enjoyable for what it was.

Thanks for your work, Yuri-ism.

So, I think it's best we don't talk about "moral responsibility"...because truthfully, I would say that given Kashiwa's situation, and the expectations and obligations it involves, the "moral" thing to be doing is quite different from the direction of the resolution the story gave to us. That too is understandable, though. In both cases, the "moral" thing is not what's being looked toward to give them happiness as human beings. It very often isn't, I think.

Wait...so what should be the so-called "moral" thing for Kashiwa to do? You're not clear on this point at all.

The "moral" thing would be to not transition, to put the huge amounts of money and effort that endeavor would take into assuring her younger sisters' future. As a transgendered person myself, one who had far less constraints and obligations in my youth than Kashiwa has, it was still impossible for me for numerous reasons: financial and family instability, lack of support, psychiatric gatekeepers who were completely untrained and unsympathetic to the nuances of the situation. It would've been irresponsible of me to have attempted it, and so although I had been on the path for several years in my early 20's, I gave up just before the point of no return (hormones).

Of course, this is the kind of morality argument that can spiral endlessly based on just how stringent you want to be, e.g. "why didn't you donate the money you spent on the computer you're using now to charity? Why don't you donate everything you have to charity and live as an ascetic?" and so on. These kinds of debates are totally divorced from realistic human circumstances and nature. Whether that makes them any less valid is something everyone must wrestle with for themselves.

So as I say, I think it's fine that Kashiwa is not pursuing the "moral" choice, but the one that may lead to happiness - for Kashiwa at least. One of the greatest truisms that struck me with this manga is when Kasumi said, in effect, "Nobody significant to your life is ever really going to be pleased by what you're choosing to do."

Kasumi was, throughout the manga, a very honest person, and I love her for that. She never pretended that she felt prepared to continue to love Kashiwa in the same way as she would a man, and always answered Kashiwa's uncertainties realistically and truthfully. Frankly, I don't see a long-term future for them, but the fact that she is still trying to see a way makes her a wonderful person. She at least is certainly a person who is trying to put someone else's happiness above her own. How long that can continue without negative repercussions, who can say.

Personal meditations on the sexual/genital questions raised earlier in the thread follow, for those interested. I have spoilered in the interest of those who are not.

Actually there are really no graphic details to be revealed here, because it's frankly impossible. Even attempting a relationship in this body would be selfish and deceitful, and sexuality utterly revolting. I've always felt so since I came to realize what I was. There is no less erotic thought possible than the thought of this body being involved in...anything. Not only for me, but the idea that it would have to be pushed on someone else, to ask them to endure this husk...I'd rather die, frankly. Kashiwa's feelings of self-loathing with regard to this were again realistic, but only a much diluted form of my own. However, this does not mean I don't feel sexual desire, or that I don't gratify that desire. It's bearable as long as no one else has to be involved and I don't have to see myself doing it, which - mercy of mercies - I don't.

last edited at Feb 19, 2015 7:07PM

What a manga. Strange and ironic that I only took notice of it just now, at the end. So many things I've thought and feelings I've felt, but it's merely the flicker of embers beneath the ashes to me now. As Schala wrote in her reflections at the end of a different story, "All that is left is me and my memories."

I feel for Botan, and I empathize with everything she did. Both Botan and her lover were fulfilling their obligations. She was supporting her family, the one she never asked to be the surrogate mother of, and her lover was supporting his. Many times, people have to make the best of the situations they find their lives to have settled into. She was doing so, and had been for many years. Her reaction to having that tiny bit of happiness destroyed is perfectly understandable.

So, I think it's best we don't talk about "moral responsibility"...because truthfully, I would say that given Kashiwa's situation, and the expectations and obligations it involves, the "moral" thing to be doing is quite different from the direction of the resolution the story gave to us. That too is understandable, though. In both cases, the "moral" thing is not what's being looked toward to give them happiness as human beings. It very often isn't, I think.

On a different note, Kizuki Akira and Satou Nanki are a married manga team, it seems? One wonders if a love of huge breasts is equally shared between them, haha.

Thank you for an interesting and evocative read, Hachimitsu.

last edited at Feb 19, 2015 9:03AM

Shuninta, what are you even doing...I have no idea what to feel...amusement, frustration, empathy, sorrow, annoyance, commiseration, and hope?

As someone who hates smoking with a corrosive mortal hatred, my reactions to this chapter went like this:

Me: "Ugh, smoking...not sure I can care about this now. The stink of it all over her clothes, on her hands, in her hair...horrendously unhealthy, inconsiderate, waste of money...kissing someone with cigarette-mouth would have to be utterly disgusting..."
TL Note: "Thai women shouldn't smoke."
Me: "They can smoke if they damn well want to!"

...such conflicting feelings.

last edited at Feb 10, 2015 9:03AM

Hm, this was interesting. Generally I greatly dislike late-coming "revisions" to existing work, and so I was pretty biased against the new version of chapter 9, but as I compared the two, I really think it ended up much better for the extra additions.

One thing that I did prefer in the original though, is that Kase looks right at Yamada with a wide open and steady gaze as she reveals herself. It really gave me a sense that she was trying to be bold in advancing the intimacy of their relationship. To me that gaze is saying, "You are looking, right? Good. I want you to look."

In the new version, she does it with eyes averted. We soon learn why, and while self-consciousness may certainly make more sense for a teenager, it's very different from how I originally perceived Kase's mindset, and I think I preferred my own headcanon in that particular case.

Thanks as always for your hard work, Yuri Project.

last edited at Feb 8, 2015 10:19AM

The unexpected return of an OTP!

Tidbits of an interview with Ikuhara and Morishima

http://softkakumei.tumblr.com/post/108899102728/im-skimming-through-the-starting-guide-the

Pretty good read.

I came here to post this, and was sorry to see what I found. I'll only say that certain people should stop flagellating themselves and reread this piece of information carefully.

Ikuhara notes that by working in the yuri genre, there are lots of things that he can only pretend to understand. To a point he considers that unavoidable with this subject matter, but he thought early on that the project needed someone with credentials people could have undying faith in: “Someone that would make people say, ‘With such a godlike person working on this, I have no choice but to follow along with it!’” He thinks some things may inevitably be a “little off” with him handling it, but believes Morishima’s involvement should keep the soul of the work intact.

Ikuhara and Morishima have this project well in hand. She is one of only a handful of people Ikuhara could've selected in whom the core yuri fanbase really could have "undying faith" - and he knew it. For all that people love to cast Ikuhara as an arrogant auteur, he had the wisdom to realize how important it would be to have someone like her, not only as a figurehead but as a woman-loving woman herself, to guide the project. If he's sincere in letting her "keep the soul of the work intact", there is absolutely nothing to worry about here.

Also, much respect and sympathy for Nezchan having to work overtime to keep things civil.

Fantastic lesbian manzai courtesy of Jin-sensei. It ended on such a cute note too. I want so much more. Thanks for your efforts, Divulge.

As someone who only just discovered and read this story now, I also think the original is better. Way better. It develops much more gently and naturally. I loved it, and can't believe I never knew about it until now.

However, the blunt melodramatics of the remake felt very hackneyed and off-putting in comparison. It's sad the artist seems ashamed of her past work. The writing and mood of the original was unquestionably far more effective in my eyes.

last edited at Jan 22, 2015 9:25AM

Fantastic. My OTP, cute, loving and mutually enthusiastic. Who could ask for more. Thanks Lazy Lily.

Glorious.

Mira's sex scenes are always hot, but the relationship-building tends to be hit or miss with me. I'm happy to say this one was definitely a big hit. I really loved it. Thanks Yuri-ism.

As others have said, nice to see a Saki/Nodoka doujin with some substance for a change, although still too short for my liking. Thanks for your efforts, Mai88 and YiW.

Harumin deserves better than Matsuri, and besides, she already has Glasses Girl.

Thanks as always, Yuri Project.

Eagerly awaiting more. Thank you for your efforts, GiB!

Ah Kuzushiro, gone are the days that I waited impatiently for you to do some real yuri. This was glorious. As awesome as it was cute. I'm happy their feelings reached each other. (Probably a fortunate thing for everyone that it happened so quickly.)

I prefer Ran/Sora and Yurika/Kaede, but it would be impossible not to be charmed by the cuteness of this.

"My yuri switch was broken long ago, so now it's always set to on."

Yours and mine, Jin-sensei, yours and mine.