General Questions
Q: How are you defining yuri?
A: "Yuri" is really more of a vibe than a defined genre, but I’m choosing to define yuri as “a Japanese or Japanese-inspired book or series that is primarily about the romantic or queer-platonic relationship(s) between two or more women or girls”. Phew! It’s a bit of a mouthful, but that’s my definition. This means that series which have lesbian/wlw characters, or a sapphic couple, aren’t necessarily included. For example, Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler features at least one canonical wlw couple; however, neither are the main character, and the focus of the series isn’t on them.
Q: Queer-platonic? WLW? Sapphic? Book???
A: You can look those things up! But a book is a bound set of sheets of paper with stuff printed on them. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, the stuff printed on them is gay.
Q: Does this site include digital releases?
A: It does not, I’m sorry to say! That would add a lot more work for me. That’s not to say I’ll never do it, because some series are only released digitally! But it’s not really a priority for this little thing I do on the side primarily for my own benefit.
Q: What does the “Also known as” column mean?
A: Sometimes, it’s the romanized Japanese title of the work. Other times, it’s the name that’s been used by scanlation groups in the past. For example, what’s released here as If I Could Reach You is referred to as My Unrequited Love by scanlators. I wanted to make it easier to find series that you might have enjoyed in scanlated form.
Q: What about “Format” and “Status”?
A: “Format” is whether the work is a series, an anthology, an omnibus collection of a series, or a one-shot book. “Status” is, if it’s part of a series, whether that series has concluded and been fully released in English.
Q: What kinds of things are in the “Notes” column?
A: That’s just where I put miscellaneous information. Sometimes series are out of print, or they can’t be continued due to licensing problems, or they’re a light novel and not a manga, etc etc. I also indicate if a series has a sequel series or not.
Q: What’s the deal with the “Recommended” column?
A: Green means I recommend it whole-heartedly. Blue means I recommend it with caveats. Red means I do not recommend it.
Q: Why don’t you recommend [insert whatever series here]????? Your taste is garbage!
A: The “Recommended” column is entirely my own, subjective opinion. Maybe it matches up with yours, maybe it doesn’t. I don’t care at all if you were really into Citrus or recommend NTR: Netsuzou Trap to everyone you know! I did not like them much at all and as such I do not, personally, recommend them.
Q: You’re missing X series/Y information is wrong/They just announced Z!
A: Please tell me, politely, by email, and I will fix it.
Q: Did a release date suddenly change/I went to order a book but it says it’s not out yet!!
A: Publishers just kind of move around release dates whenever they feel like it. Until it’s on the Available list, assume that the release could change without notice. And if it’s Tokyopop, their release dates and deliveries are notoriously unreliable, so even when they’re “Available” they might not actually be. C’est la vie!
Specific Questions
Q: Why are you missing My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness?
A: I’m not missing it, it’s just not a yuri. It and its sequels are autobiographical comics about the author’s struggle with mental illness. Something isn’t yuri just because the point-of-view character is a lesbian! While the book and subsequent volumes do involve and discuss the writer’s queerness, and this is a major part of the work, yuri primarily focuses on relationships, putting this work outside the purview of this site.
Q: What about stuff like Laid-Back Camp?
A: I was so tempted to put Laid-Back Camp on this site, you have no idea. Unfortunately it’s not actually a yuri, as much as I think Nadeshiko and Rin should kiss.
Q: Didn’t the author of A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow say that the main characters weren’t romantically involved?
A: Have you heard of the phrase “death of the author”? Seriously, though… it’s extremely difficult for me to see their relationship as strictly platonic. The idea that it isn’t is honestly somewhat laughable. Sorry, Makoto Hagino! You’re overruled. It's also worth noting that it is consistently considered a yuri by... basically everyone. Japanese bookstores aimed at otaku with GL sections like Animate or Gamers will put it there, it's been referenced as a yuri in other works....
Q: Wait Tokyopop is still around???
A: I’m as surprised as you are!
Q: Did they ever give their Original English Manga (OEL) creators the rights to their works back?
A: Nope!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do not trust Tokyopop.