Kase-san and Morning Glories (Kase-san and... Book 1)

by Hiromi Takashima

[nannah]

Okay. Let me start off by saying I don't read/watch many manga/anime at all. This manga came to me highly recommended because I'm a wlw and fell in love with the anime Yuri on Ice for its respectful representation of gay men. So, yeah, my knowledge of the Japanese genres of yaoi and yuri is fairly limited, but I know they're basically LGBT porn genres for the enjoyment of straight people. Basically fetishization.

Anyway, my friend recommended this (yuri) manga to me because they insisted it didn't feel like the "usual" yuri-type manga and because it would soon be adapted to an anime, so sure, I'd give it a try.

I wish I liked it better! :S

Unfortunately, I was extremely uncomfortable reading this. From the first chapter (this goodreads edition might BE just the first chapter? But I read to 5), there was the love interest drenching herself in water to show her bra through a wet shirt, then close-up thigh shots, close-up mouth shots drinking from water bottles, etc. These are high school students, mind you. Apparently most yuri manga are about underage girls (and are extremely sexual about their relationships, and this manga might be the LEAST sexual/sexualized when it comes to them). I don't know. It made ME extremely uncomfortable reading about it, and I'M attracted to women/girls.

The plot also lagged, I think? It's pretty much a "slice of life"-type story between these two girls from different high school classes. If they weren't so sexualized and if the plot explored more than just "in this chapter Kase-San buys Yamada shoes!!" with 100% less "I can't like Kase-San because she's a GIRL" I would be more interested.

Anyway, long story short: it made me uncomfortable and I probably won't be reading on.