(L) Girl Friends (yuri manga from Milk Morinaga)

[darkchibi07]

Well, yeah thus my lament in my previous post of "WHY THE HELL THIS IS NOT LICENSED HERE".

[synaesthetic]

Wow, the mangaka took only thirty-three chapters to actually put yuri in her yuri...

As much as I like the art of Girl Friends, the pace is so glacially slow that I've almost totally lost interest in it.

This whole story could have easily been told in half the current number of chapters with a loooot less teeth-gnashing and general frustration.

[Revenger1589]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

Wow, the mangaka took only thirty-three chapters to actually put yuri in her yuri...

You say it as if it were a lot, 30 chapters is practically nothing for a romance manga, especially not one with 20 pages per chapter. I get that most yuri fans are used to one-shots and very short manga, but I'm personally tired of them and stuff like Aqua Blue Cinema and Ebisu-san & Hotei-san that end before they even start.

I guess it's a matter of taste, but if anything, I would consider Girlfriends to be pretty fast paced. But then again, Manga no Tsukurikata is my favorite yuri manga at the moment.

[Daniel E.]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

As much as I like the art of Girl Friends, the pace is so glacially slow that I've almost totally lost interest in it.

This whole story could have easily been told in half the current number of chapters with a loooot less teeth-gnashing and general frustration.

Would you feel any different if the chapters were released weekly?

For whatever reason, I think that some people are actually more annoyed by the pace of the releases than by the pace of the story itself.

[Revenger1589]

"Speed subs" are out.

Fuck yeah, Morinaga delivers, this chapter was so HNNGGGGGG inducing I almost died. Such a shame there's only one chapter left ;_;

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by Revenger1589

You say it as if it were a lot, 30 chapters is practically nothing for a romance manga, especially not one with 20 pages per chapter. I get that most yuri fans are used to one-shots and very short manga, but I'm personally tired of them and stuff like Aqua Blue Cinema and Ebisu-san & Hotei-san that end before they even start.

I guess it's a matter of taste, but if anything, I would consider Girlfriends to be pretty fast paced. But then again, Manga no Tsukurikata is my favorite yuri manga at the moment.

Are you my unknown long-lost identical twin by any chance?

I was kind of frustrated at recent releases of "Aqua Blue Cinema" and "Ebisu-san & Hotei-san" that abruptly ended... (especially, especially the later one. Did i say "Ebisu-san & Hotei-san" is awesome in my book?)
Also got Manga no Tsukurikata in my favourite list at this moment as well

PS: Speed subs...? Damn... internal conflict again...

[Revenger1589]

@risingstar

Lol, can't say I'm surprised, Liverpool fans have good taste

The speed subs are good enough, go for it.

Edit: Aqua Blue Cinema was very frustrating for me because of Otsu Hiyori, I was expecting a lot from her since Maple Love.

[Used Can]

Originally Posted by Revenger1589

"Speed subs" are out.

Fuck yeah, Morinaga delivers, this chapter was so HNNGGGGGG inducing I almost died. Such a shame there's only one chapter left ;_;

My kingdom for the source!

[Revenger1589]

http://www.makimakimanga.com/

Maki Maki released the chapter, for anyone who was waiting for it.

[Shiroth]

Well those opening pages were a nice surprise, i must say. So much HNNNNGGGG in this chapter though, and i just know there's going to be so much more in the final chapter.

[SidVicious]

Loved chapter 34.

[Used Can]

Man, I'm really hoping for a good end. I really want a flash-forward with them being married and having kids through ips cells.

[Bonta Kun]

Well how do I put it, guess I'll quote myself from the Umi no Misaki thread

Nipples, nipples and well even more nipples!

That was hawt, loved that one panel where Akko kisses Mari on the nose just lovely and hawt at the same time.
Then the scene with Mari kissing a sleeping Akko is beautiful.
This manga is something else when it comes to these things.

Mari has thought it out quite abit, she knows her cute factor is there but gonna need insurance to keep Akko and what better to keep your other half around than through one's stomach!

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Used Can

Man, I'm really hoping for a good end. I really want a flash-forward with them being married and having kids through ips cells.

Personally i'll be plenty pleased with an ending that just shows the two going onto college, together with more DAWWWW scenes that would wrap up how much they love each other. An epilogue would be nice, though with there only being one chapter left, i just don't want one to feel forced if it appears with the last few pages. Could work out nicely though.

Oh how i'm going to miss this series. It's been such a special treat waiting for each chapter, and having no idea how the next chapter would melt my heart.

[Revenger1589]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

Oh how i'm going to miss this series. It's been such a special treat waiting for each chapter, and having no idea how the next chapter would melt my heart.

So true, I was looking forward to a new chapter of Girlfriends every month. Say what you want about it, but it was addictive.

[synaesthetic]

Originally Posted by Daniel E.

Would you feel any different if the chapters were released weekly?

For whatever reason, I think that some people are actually more annoyed by the pace of the releases than by the pace of the story itself.

Yes and no.

I think if chapters were released more often than once every two months, it would feel a lot less slow. However, I don't think it's the actual pace but just how the mangaka handles things.

I read Red String pretty regularly, and it's an ensemble cast romance webcomic. It's been going on for a few years now at about as fast as Girl Friends... Gina gets a chapter's worth out every month and a half to two months, usually. But I don't lose interest in it. The pacing of the story itself feels "just right."

I think my biggest problem with Girl Friends is what goes on when there's no romantic focus. It's just "cute girls doing cute things," but without the usual humor/zany schemes/Hilarity Ensues of moe-focused stories like K-ON! In Red String there's the ensemble cast element; there are multiple couples and the story focuses on all of them, never leaving the reader with what feels like pointless filler--and in Girl Friends case, product placement.

(short version: Girl Friends feels like a commercial for HBA items far too often.)

The whole Will They or Won't They thing also really frustrates me and reminds me too much of high school, but... they are in high school... so... maybe I should look for yuri with adult characters. But I don't think they really exist, since Japan seems to think lesbianism is strictly an affliction of teenage girls.

[russ026]

Do we know what chapter the story is to end on?

[TalonK]

According to the last page of chapter 34, chapter 35 will be the final chapter.

[Last Sinner]

@syn: Ah, I love your perspective. But personally, since that side of life (high school love) is something I never knew and never will, this cynical and weary soul finds it somewhat heartening to see an innocent, honest love that has to overcome social stigmas, insecurities, life itself, peer pressure. Life is usually very tense/draining for me - I rarely feel relaxed. Girl Friends allows me to relax, to allow a smile to form on my face and just swim in light for a while. Something to ease the pain of lifeache. I know where you're coming from, syn, as well as why. I've got my reasons for coming where I'm coming from.

Chapter 34 - delicately handled but still steamy in a good way. ^^ It wasn't gratuitous - it matched the style of those two characters and was believable. Just has me wondering what on earth would happen in the last chapter since the teaser was implying that either their entire last year of school is covered in 1 chapter.

[GrimJack]

for your viewing pleasure the cover of the latest issue of Comic High out today in Japan

http://comichigh.jp/img/201009/65.jpg

just a thought but that could be the cover of Volume 5