Yuri, also known by the wasei-eigo construction girls' love, is a genre of Japanese media focusing on intimate relationships between female characters. While lesbianism is a commonly associated theme, the genre is also inclusive of works depicting emotional and spiritual relationships between women that are not necessarily romantic or sexual in nature. Yuri is most commonly associated with anime and manga, though the term has also been used to describe video games, light novels, and literature.
Love Hina is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Ken Akamatsu. It was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine from October 1998 to October 2001, with the chapters collected into 14 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. The series tells the story of Keitarō Urashima and his attempts to find the girl with whom he made a childhood promise to enter the University of Tokyo. The manga was licensed for an English-language release in North America and the United Kingdom by Tokyopop, in Australia by Madman Entertainment, and in Singapore by Chuang Yi. Two novelizations of Love Hina, written by two anime series screenwriters, were also released in Japan by Kodansha. Both novels were later released in North America and the United Kingdom by Tokyopop.
Strawberry Marshmallow is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Barasui about the adventures of four elementary school girls and their older sister-figure. It began serialization in ASCII Media Works' manga magazine Dengeki Daioh in 2002. In 2005, the manga was adapted into an anime television series and a PlayStation 2 video game. Three original video animation (OVA) episodes were later released from February to April 2007. Another two-episode OVA project titled Ichigo Mashimaro Encore was released in 2009. The manga's tagline is "Cute is justice."
Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl is a Japanese yuri manga series written by Satoru Akahori and illustrated by Yukimaru Katsura. The manga was originally serialized in Dengeki Daioh between the July 2004 and May 2007 issues, and later published in five bound volumes by MediaWorks from January 2005 to May 2007. The story focuses on Hazumu Osaragi, a normal, albeit effeminate high school boy who is killed when an alien spaceship crash lands on him, only to be restored to health as a girl. This results in a same-sex love triangle that Hazumu finds herself in with two of her best female friends.
Ballad of a Shinigami, subtitled Momo: The Girl God of Death, is a Japanese light novel series written by K-Ske Hasegawa, with illustrations by Nanakusa. The series includes twelve novels released between June 10, 2003 and April 10, 2009, published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. The novels were licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment for release in English with the first novel released in March 2008. The series revolves around Momo, a shinigami, and her familiar Daniel, a talking black cat, as they interfere with the world of the living.
Strawberry Panic! is a series of Japanese illustrated short stories written by Sakurako Kimino, which focus on a group of teenage girls attending three affiliated all-girl schools on Astraea Hill. A common theme throughout the stories is the intimate lesbian relationships between the characters. The original artist was Chitose Maki, who was succeeded by Namuchi Takumi when production of the manga and light novels began.
Binbō Shimai Monogatari, also known as Flat Broke Sisters, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Izumi Kazuto. It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Monthly Sunday Gene-X from April 2004 to October 2006, with its chapters collected in four tankōbon volumes. A ten-episode anime television series adaptation by Toei Animation was broadcast from June to September 2006.
Kisses, Sighs, and Cherry Blossom Pink is a Japanese yuri manga anthology collection of one-shots by Milk Morinaga. The chapters are unrelated except for taking place at two affiliated all-girl schools, though characters reappear in several of the stories.
First Love Sisters is a Japanese manga written by Mako Komao and illustrated by Mizuo Shinonome (characters) and Reine Hibiki (scenario) which was first serialized in the now-defunct yuri josei manga magazine Yuri Shimai on June 28, 2003 under the title Koi Shimai (恋姉妹). The manga was transferred to Comic Yuri Hime, Yuri Shimai's successor, published by Ichijinsha. The final chapter was published in the eleventh issue of Comic Yuri Hime, and three bound volumes have been released, with the final one on April 18, 2008. The manga has been licensed by Los Angeles-based company Seven Seas Entertainment and the first volume went on sale in January 2008, but the series is now on hold due to rights issues. Three drama CDs based on this series have been released, the first two under the title Koi Shimai and the third under the title Hatsukoi Shimai.
Haganai (はがない), short for Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, is a Japanese light novel series written by Yomi Hirasaka, illustrated by Buriki, and published by Media Factory, with 11 volumes released from August 2009 to August 2015. It has been given several manga adaptations; the first incarnation, its title and basic plot unchanged, began serialization in 2010; it was written and illustrated by Itachi and published in Monthly Comic Alive. A retelling of the series, written by Misaki Harukawa and illustrated by Shuichi Taguchi and called Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai+ was published in Jump SQ.19. A 12-episode anime adaptation by AIC Build aired in Japan between October and December 2011. An original video animation episode was released in September 2012. A second anime season, Haganai NEXT, aired between January and March 2013. A live-action film adaptation was released in February 2014.
Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father! is a Japanese light novel series written by Tomohiro Matsu and illustrated by Yuka Nakajima. It was published by Shueisha's Super Dash Bunko imprint, with 18 volumes released from December 2009 to March 2015. Following Nakajima's death in May 2016, a posthumous volume, subtitled After 1, was released on July of that same year.
Citrus is a Japanese yuri manga series written and illustrated by Saburouta. It was serialized in Ichijinsha's Comic Yuri Hime from November 2012 to August 2018 and is licensed in English by Seven Seas Entertainment. A 12-episode anime television series adaptation by Passione aired from January to March 2018. A sequel manga titled Citrus Plus began serialization in December 2018.
Hana & Hina After School is a yuri manga written and illustrated by Milk Morinaga, and serialized by Futabasha in the magazine Comic High! until June 2015, and then in Monthly Action. In August 2016, Morinaga announced that she is ending the series in November. The manga is translated and published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment.
NTR: Netsuzou Trap is a yuri manga series by Kodama Naoko. The story revolves around two high school girls/childhood friends, named Yuma and Hotaru, who each have a boyfriend but they secretly cheat with each other. Yuma cannot explain the feeling she gets around Hotaru, which eventually leads her to believe that their relationship may be more than just a friendship. The series was serialized in the monthly manga magazine Comic Yuri Hime from November 2014 to December 2017; the chapters were collected in six volumes. An anime television series adaptation by Creators in Pack aired from July to September 2017 and was simulcast with subtitles by Crunchyroll. Outside of Japan, the series is published in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment. The English version of the manga has received mixed reviews from critics.
Bloom Into You is a Japanese yuri manga series written and illustrated by Nio Nakatani. The manga began serialization in the Japanese monthly shōnen manga magazine Dengeki Daioh on April 27, 2015, and ended on September 27, 2019. The story follows two female high school students, Yuu Koito and Touko Nanami, and the relationship that develops between them as they learn more about themselves through their experiences together.
Adachi and Shimamura is a Japanese yuri light novel series written by Hitoma Iruma and illustrated by Non, which began serialization in October 2012 in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Bunko Magazine and is published under the Dengeki Bunko imprint. The light novels are licensed for English release in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment. The series has been adapted into two manga series, and an anime television series adaptation by Tezuka Productions aired from October to December 2020.
High-Rise Invasion is a Japanese manga series written by Tsuina Miura and illustrated by Takahiro Oba. The series was serialized online in DeNA's Manga Box app from December 2013 to April 2019, with Kodansha compiling it into twenty-one tankōbon volumes. The manga is licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment. A sequel manga titled High-Rise Invasion Arrive was serialized in Kodansha's Magazine Pocket website and app from July 2019 to April 2021, with seven tankōbon volumes released. An original net animation (ONA) anime series adaptation by Zero-G streamed worldwide on Netflix in February 2021.
I'm in Love with the Villainess is a Japanese light novel series written by Inori and illustrated by Hanagata. It was serialized online between January 2018 and February 2021 on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. It was acquired by Aichu Publishing, who published the first light novel volume digitally in February 2019 under their GL Bunko imprint.
Our Teachers Are Dating! (羽山先生と寺野先生は付き合っている) is a Japanese yuri manga written and illustrated by Pikachi Oui. Our Teachers Are Dating! was serialized in Ichijinsha's yuri manga magazine Comic Yuri Hime from 2018 to 2021 and was collected into four bound volumes. It was licensed for an English-language release by Seven Seas Entertainment in 2019.
Hello, Melancholic! is a Japanese yuri manga written and illustrated by Yayoi Ohsawa. It was serialized in Ichijinsha's Comic Yuri Hime from June 2019 to November 2020 and was licensed for an English-language release by Seven Seas Entertainment in 2021. The series follows Minato Asano, a talented trombone player, and Hibiki, an upper-classman who wants her to join the band she's forming at school.
