Yuri is, without a doubt, a genre that is rising in popularity by the day. However, if you are just starting to get into it, you might not know where to begin. This list is here to help you out! You’ll find the best yuri manga titles that can help you explore the genre!
10. Beauty and the Beast Girl (Neji, 2017)
Heath is a monster girl that lives in solitude deep in the forest but desperately wishes she could live among humans and be accepted despite her appearance. However, this is seemingly impossible until she meets a blind young woman named Lily. And upon meeting her, even though she feels guilty about it, Heath decides to lie and tell Lily that she is a traveler. Moreover, through this tentative lie, the two women form a friendship that soon becomes something more.
This rendition of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast is a self-contained, easy read that does not take itself too seriously. Despite being quite sad at certain parts, like when it comes to Heath’s backstory, this is a generally sweet take on the famous tale. So if you are looking for an uncomplicated and wholesome story, Neji’s Beauty and the Beast Girl might just be the manga for you.
You can find this manga here on Amazon: Beauty and the Beast Girl
9. Our Teachers are Dating! (Pikachi Ohi, 2018 – 2021)
After years of obvious attraction, Azuka Hayama, a health and PE teacher, and Saki Terano, a biology teacher at the same school, finally decided to start dating. Though, surprisingly between the two of them, they encompass all of the shyness, nerves, and uncertainty of the universe as they officially begin their love story. Luckily for them, everyone is rooting for them and their happiness!
Our Teachers are Dating! is a wholesome story that does not waste any time and starts with the beginning of Hayama and Terano’s relationship. And while you might think that that meant skipping all of the hesitation and nervous stages before getting together, you will be dead wrong.
One of the highlights of this story is the serious and nosy dedication that the other teachers have for the two lovebirds. Especially since they are the first to cheer on the cuteness overload that is Hayama and Terano. This story is filled to the brim with a cute and clumsy fresh love between our protagonists that simply never gets old.
Check out volume 1 of this manga on Amazon here: Our Teachers Are Dating! Vol. 1
You can find other volumes in this series here: Our Teachers Are Dating! manga series
8. The Girl I Want is So Handsome! (Yuama, 2018 – 2019)
After Hina Ayukawa, a first-year student in high school runs into Shiki Hiiragi, a cool and athletic upperclassman, she instantly falls in love. She decides to try out for the basketball team to get close to her crush. However, her lack of athletic aptitudes lands her a position as the team manager instead. This is great because this allows Hina to get to know Shiki better, and the two girls soon begin to grow closer as the story develops.
This is a story that is undeniably a fluffy and cozy read. The Girl I Want is So Handsome! is a self-contained and wholesome story that takes the miscommunication between the two main girls and makes the best out of it in a heartwarming way. And although straightforward, this story manages to craft characters that feel tremendously real and will easily pull at your heartstrings!
You can find the complete manga collection edition on Amazon here: The Girl I Want is So Handsome! The Complete Manga Collection
7. A White Rose in Bloom (Asumiko Nakamura, 2017 – Present)
Ruby Canossa/Kisling is a junior attending an elite all-girls boarding school in Europe. Everything seems to be going smoothly for Ruby until her parents tell her that she will have to spend Christmas break at school while they attempt to save their marriage. This infuriates Ruby.
Moreover, the only other student spending Christmas at school is Steph Nagy, the cool and aloof upperclassman who seems to be the talk of the town. Nevertheless, after a lot of grumbling, the girls seem to have formed a connection that Ruby is ready to fight for.
A White Rose in Bloom is a story that is sure to enchant you with its comfy storytelling style and lead characters. Specifically, Ruby, since she is the one to take charge when it comes to the development of her relationship with Steph. The characters’ dynamic gives this story its soft and touching personality. Moreover, the art in this manga is unrivaled as a “tone-setter,” as it provides an air of quiet elegance to the story you will not want to miss.
Check out the first volume of this unique manga here on Amazon: A White Rose in Bloom Vol. 1
The second volume in this series can be found here: A White Rose in Bloom Vol. 2
6. Chasing After Aoi Koshiba (Hazuki Takeoka and Fly, 2019 – Present)
Sahoko Narita is one of the popular girls at school; this is no accident because Sahoko has worked hard to get to where she’s at. She has worked to fit in and stand out as much as possible, so when she notices how effortlessly everyone likes Aoi Koshiba, she decides to become friends with her. However, even though she started chasing Aoi out of pure convenience, Sahoko finds that she wants to be herself when it comes to Aoi. And more importantly, she cannot help her feelings when they begin to grow into something deeper than friendship.
Chasing After Aoi Koshiba is a great coming-of-age story that uses its main character, Sahoko, to explore the complexities of figuring out oneself in high school. This story effectively portrays the different struggles its characters go through and how this affects each individual’s worldview. However, this certainly does not take away from the overall sweet and melancholy narrative of a girl slowly discovering her feelings for the only girl she cannot hide her true self from.
The first volume can be purchased from Amazon here: Chasing After Aoi Koshiba volume 1
Check out other volumes in this series here: Chasing After Aoi Koshiba manga series
5. I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up (Kodama Naoko, 2018)
Machi Morimoto is a working woman in Japan who, seemingly stable and content, cannot get her parents to stop trying to get her to marry a man they can show off. And while Machi is used to doing everything to please her mother, this is something she just will not do. Thus, to make them stop, her best friend, Hana Agaya, suggests that they get married to solve the issue. However, this fake marriage slowly begins to unravel feelings that Machi did not know she could have.
This yuri is a cozy and fun friends-to-lovers story dripping with charm. This manga explores the complicated relationship between Machi and her parents, which lends room for a narrative of self-discovery as Hana inspires Machi to take control of her life.
Moreover, as the story progresses, we can see this blooming side of Machi flourish as her relationship with Hana deepens. This charming story portrays the beginning of a romance between two friends who could not be more different but clearly belong together.
This manga can be found here on Amazon: I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up
4. Whisper Me a Love Song (Eku Takeshima, 2019 – 2022)
On her first day of high school, Himari Kino was spellbound as she watched an upperclassman, Yori Asanagi, perform in a band at the opening ceremony. So when Himari runs into Yori at the end of the day, she cannot help but tell her how she feels. A confession that, in turn, prompts Yori to confess her feelings to Himari the next day. However, to Yori’s dismay, Himari’s confession wasn’t romantic; it was out of admiration for Yori’s talents. Nevertheless, the talented girl is ready to make Himari fall in love with her.
Whisper Me a Love Song is a funny and cute story born out of the biggest, yet most hilarious, misunderstanding in the lives of Yori and Himari. Because while the two girls are on completely different pages, this allows the story to take a unique angle on the development of the girls’ relationship. Furthermore, opening up room for the story’s side characters to be incorporated in a way that enhances the story and allows for a more dynamic narrative. Something that ultimately serves the story considerably, as it ends up being a well-paced and fun manga to follow!
Check out volume 1 of Whisper Me a Love Song here on Amazon: Whisper Me a Love Song volume 1
Find other volumes on this series here: Whisper Me a Love Song manga series
3. Strawberry Fields Once Again (Kazura Kinosaki, 2017 – 2019)
Akira Kouno has declared that she will never have a real-life romance and has decided to indulge in 2D dating games instead. So, it is certainly shocking when she meets a transfer girl, Pure Sakurasaka, that claims to have traveled in time and is her fiancée six years in the future. Of course, Akira thinks that Pure is a stalker. However, despite these mysterious circumstances, Akira and Pure begin to form a relationship that, no matter what, neither of them wants to lose.
Strawberry Fields Once Again is a dynamic story that takes a typical yuri scenario and enhances it by adding time travel and two very unique leads. Akira and Pure are tremendously well-rounded and driven by personal reasons that make sense within the story and their particular backgrounds. Additionally, the mangaka did an extraordinary job with the story’s world-building, especially since the whole concept of time travel in the manga is highly coherent. Overall this is a charming and dynamic story that is fun and sweet but can be just as serious where it needs to be.
You can find volume 1 of this series on Amazon here: Strawberry Fields Once Again, Vol. 1
Other volumes in this series can be found here: Strawberry Fields Once Again manga series
2. Still Sick (Akashi, 2018 – 2020)
Makoto Shimizu is a regular office worker who, on her own time, loves to draw yuri doujinshi of her favorite characters. This is fine and good until her coworker, Akane Maekawa, discovers this nerdy hobby, which sends Shimizu into a panic since she thinks Maekawa is going to spread this news to everyone in the office. But, to Shimizu’s relief, her coworker doesn’t. Instead, she seems eager to learn more about Shimizu’s hobby and, surprisingly, seems to be hiding a secret of her own.
Primarily speaking, one of the biggest charms of this story is its semi-meta commentary of yuri as Shimizu bursts into her nerdy ramblings from time to time. This is an amusing and self-aware bit used in just the right amounts and gives Shimizu space to explore her own feelings about her sexuality in a light-hearted manner. Moreover, as Maekawa begins to be herself with Shimizu more, we see their relationship slowly grow, as it has no shortage of issues. Still, the characters manage to work through them in a mature (most of the time) and realistic way. Overall, Still Sick is a fun story with relatable characters that will surely capture your heart.
Check out volume 1 of Still Sick on Amazon here: Still Sick, Volume 1
Find other volumes in this series here: Still Sick manga series
1. Goodbye, My Rose Garden (Dr. Pepperco, 2019 – 2020)
Taking place in the twentieth century, this story follows Hanako Kujou, a young Japanese woman who travels to England in hopes of becoming a writer. However, upon arrival, she has a rude awakening at a publisher. And, as a witness to all of this, Alice Douglas, a noblewoman, is quick to offer Hanako a place as her maid, which she gratefully accepts. The two women immediately become friends, but shortly after, Alice requests that Hanako kill her. This obviously shocks Hanako, who ultimately decides to try and somehow save her lady as their relationship grows deeper.
Undoubtedly, the best part of this manga rests with its lead characters, as they are both protagonists with big personalities that play tremendously well off each other. In addition, the story’s setting allows for a deeper examination of prejudice and discrimination that the manga executes flawlessly. Something that, ultimately, gives Goodbye, My Rose Garden an unshakeable feel of realism as it develops a sincere and tender love story. Trust me when I say you will not want to skip this one!
Volume 1 of this wonderful series can be found here on Amazon: Goodbye, My Rose Garden Vol. 1
Volume 2 can be found here: Goodbye, My Rose Garden Vol. 2
Volume 3 can be found here: Goodbye, My Rose Garden Vol. 3
