Pinky’s Perspective – YURI

This is Pinky’s Perspective, an extremely biased post where I rant all about anime-related stuff.

This week, I’ve decided to blog about yuri. For those of you who don’t know what yuri is, here’s a short definition:

Yuri  Term for lesbian content or girl love. In Japan, the term denotes a broad spectrum of attraction between women. It is also used for sexually explicit content outside Japan. It is used like the term “yaoi” for men

It’s basically girl-on-girl action. Now, before I start ranting, let me further explain the topic at hand.

What is Yuri?

I’ve already given you guys a definition. Now, I’m going to go much deeper.

Types of Yuri

From what I’ve learned, there are four main sub-genres of yuri. I’ve tried to name them as accurately as possible.

Yuri for Dudes

“seinen yuri”, emphasizes sweetness, femininity, girlishness, innocence, purity, and moe generally. This is the ecchi or fanservice-filled kind of yuri. It’s directed towards males.

Yuri for Chicks

This is called “shoujo yuri” and is usually of the pure type that is directed towards younger audiences. You know those crossdressing or genderbending yuri anime/manga where one of the girls involved is slightly manlier than her significant other? This would be it.

Kaiou Michiru and Tenou Haruka from Sailor Moon are perfect examples of this yuri trope. When they’re not busy being “cousins” that is.

Yuri for Slightly-Older Chicks and/or Lesbians

Also known as “josei yuri”. This type of yuri is usually less stereotyped and fairly realistic, like most fiction aimed at adults. Because this trope usually made by/for lesbians, it deals more with the realistic struggles of being  a part of the LGBTQ community.

Sweet Guilty Love Bites is an example of a manga that includes this trope.

Low-Key Yuri

This kind of yuri is mostly popular in Japan only. Another term for it is “background yuri”. These manga portray female protagonists is long-term lesbian relationships, while not actually making the relationships an important part of the plot.

Mari and Moe are side characters from the anime Samurai Flamenco. Although it is barely shown in the anime, these two are in a relationship.

 

And the Rant Begins…

I don’t mind watching yuri, but whenever I do watch it, there is usually a serious lacking in the plot department.

I guess this is because most of today’s mainstream yuri is directed towards males. Because guys are apparently only interested in cutesy, ecchi, and fanservice-filled anime, those standards are now leaking into the yuri genre of anime.

Yuri is supposed to be about the romantic issues, relationships, and lives of female couples.

Now, whenever I watch yuri, it’s full of this:

And this.

Also, this.

I mean, come on. That’s what studios come up with?! What happened to yuri anime with actual plot? What happened to shows like Revolutionary Girl Utena?

I’m all for fanservice, but this is just ridiculous. You know, some of us actually like having plot in an anime. But no, I guess today’s ingredients for a good yuri anime is moe added in with a whole bunch of lewd schoolgirls. You know I’m right.

Honestly, the only way I can have quality yuri is by reading manga.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not bashing ALL yuri. I haven’t seen all the yuri anime ever created, and I know that there are quality yuri anime out there. Some examples include Akuma no Riddle, Sasameki Koto, Aoi Hana, and Simoun.

Not all yuri is plotless, I’m just ranting about the ones that are. I’m also not saying that all yuri that are full of fanservice are terrible.

After all,