Yuri/girls' love

[jakensama]

Hey just started this thread since there isn't currently a place to discuss this genre of anime/manga.

What are some of your favorites and what are your thoughts on the genre as a whole?

[Teeba]

I think yuri is still a developing genre. At face value you think its the female counterpart to yaoi, but in reality it doesn't have the same marketing pull that yaoi seems to have now-a-day. I read a really good article a while ago that explains what I think are the key differences between the two genres:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/hous...nga/2010-08-26

As for yuri stories I've read, I can only remember two: one of them was really outrageous and I can't even remember the name. Its basically a post-apocolyptic society where the men have died off and women divide themselves to continue to play the part of "men" and "women". Its was incredibly escapist and not very good.

The other was Honey x Honey by Takeuchi Sachiko, an openly lesbian mangaka. Its basically a 4koma slice-of-life autobiographical story about being lesbian and living in Japan. I think its more informative than it is narrative. The drawing style was simple and it was great to learn about some things. But I wouldn't call it a romance because the characters are already in a relationship.

What titles have you read, jaken-sama? And what titles would you recommend for newcomers to the genre?

[jakensama]

Teeba, thanks for the link! That was an interesting read, I had no idea of the histories or the fanbases of either genre. Especially interesting was the projecting oneself into the opposite gender fantasies.

I actually can't recommend anything, since I haven't read anything in this genre. Created the thread since there didn't seem anywhere else to discuss it. While I find girl on girl crushes and yuri themes in anime/manga tantalizing (for basic reasons) romance relationship driven manga/anime is generally not my cup of tea.

[jakensama]

Any thoughts on the strong yuri overtones in Madoka magica? Apparently magical girl animes often have yuri elements, anyone else find that interesting? Considering the intended audience is often young girls.