Featured Yuri One-shot #1 The Secret Stream

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Please discuss the featured one-shot here.

Did you enjoy it? Was it too short for your taste? What did you think of the characters or story line? Hope that it becomes more than a one-shot? Anything like this happen to you? Etc. Have fun with it :)

-KyoJun 8, 2009 1:16 PM

May 31, 2009 4:32 PM

EveningRain

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Dec 2008

It was very cute! ^^ Thanks for the links.

May 31, 2009 4:43 PM

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Finally I got a comment, come on people, it's easy and enjoyable to talk about such a cute series like this. I thought for sure this was going to turn into a sex scene in the stream haha.Im glad it didn't though, it would have ruined the sweet atmosphere. Of course, we don't know what happened after words. I do hope for another chapter just to see how their relationship goes, it's very sweet. Almost bitter sweet due to the length. I was really worried at first because she said she wanted to wash away the filth. I hate when people referring to lesbianism as filth. Makes me sad :(

May 31, 2009 5:17 PM

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Drocr said:
I thought for sure this was going to turn into a sex scene in the stream haha.

This mangaka is pretty famous for having not-quite sex scenes in his work. I liked it, since there was a tinge of sexuality in the air. I mean, sweet romance aside, it's nice to see a manga explore the sexual nature of a girl's relationship with another one.

Drocr said:
Of course, we don't know what happened after words.

Perhaps a potential happy ending? :P It seems that at least they managed to be open with one another.

Drocr said:
I was really worried at first because she said she wanted to wash away the filth. I hate when people referring to lesbianism as filth. Makes me sad :(

It's nice that they dealt with the issue though. But I think it extends further than that. Other than lesbianism, I think the "filth" she wanted to wash away was the guilt.

Other than that, I totally dug the atmosphere and the use the setting for the one shot. I mean, take the stream itself. It's rarely you ever see the setting contribute thematically to a one-shot. The stream served as various things:

1. A cleanser. As they said, they needed to "wash away the filth".

2. A metaphor for their feelings. Water usually signifies not only tranquillity but it could also mean turmoil or unsettledness. What I liked about what it did in this instance was that it juxtaposed the notion of a quiet, private interaction between two friends and the emotions stirring uncomfortably between them both as well.

3. A way to literally and figuratively cool off for the girls (what with their heated passion scenario taking place). As a prop in the scene, it managed be fully utilised.

I also like that there was the whole misunderstanding from the both of them. Each of them thought they had sullied the other person, and it turned out that they both liked/loved one another.

Lastly, I dunno about anyone else, but I thought it was pretty sexy as well, so...

May 31, 2009 5:21 PM

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Sexy, of course! Haha it was extremely sexy xD but that is true the filth being more than just lesbianism. Which as you said and the way you put it, made this so much more deeper than I even thought. It was really sweet that they were confused and yet still had the same feelings, and I could actually see something like this happening so very easy, another plus.

May 31, 2009 5:28 PM

Skadi

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I thought it was a very sweet story. I felt it was a realistic and thoughtful portrayal. While I did score it very high and like it quite a bit. It seems I have seen this story way to many times in One Shots. Someday I would like to read something that does not revolve around the characters just realizing or discovering their love or their sexuality but more of an actual relationship.

May 31, 2009 5:50 PM

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Skadi said:
Someday I would like to read something that does not revolve around the characters just realizing or discovering their love or their sexuality but more of an actual relationship.

Skadi, this is what all yuri fans wish for. Unfortunately, it rarely works out that way. What I could direct you to are the Nana and Hitomi one shots. Those actually go somewhere with the relationships portrayed.

May 31, 2009 8:03 PM

SeventhTerrace

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May 2009

I also felt a little pang in my heart when she said she wanted to wash away the filth. It had many interpretations, none of which were good. Homosexuality is the obvious "filth" we think of, but tehnominator also pointed out guilt, which I also saw and felt sad. No one should feel guilty about expressing their love, although we don't usually go around kissing people while they're sleeping ^_^

But it really was a cute one-shot and I'm hope that there will be more to come. Even though that type of story line is very common, and it was so short, I still felt a chemistry between the characters, they worked well together. I also liked to slight "role-reversal" meaning, the girl with the shorter hair was the shy one and the girl with the longer hair was more forward.

May 31, 2009 9:58 PM

The_Yuri_Canon

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May 2009

That was a very sweet story. Thank you for sharing. I agree with a lot of you that the filthy comment made me shudder, but I also felt it was guilt and not about lesbianism. Then again I've had moments where I felt dirty for having sexual thoughts, even if it is just a kiss, so I know how they felt.

Still I loved how it turned out in the ending. I'm happy to have found this at the start of my day. It is great to have something like this on my mind before going to work on my own art.

Well jaa ne

Kat

May 31, 2009 10:21 PM

#10

Juri21

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I think the whole "filth" thing made everyone grit their teeth, But I can see it as the signs of guilt and regret. I liked the twist though, where it was the kiss that made one of them realize that they liked the other, where the other one thought that had ended their friendship. It was literally one of the girls' dream come true ^^.
I really liked how they incorporated the stream into the plot and I agree with tehnominator:

tehnominator said:

2. A metaphor for their feelings. Water usually signifies not only tranquillity but it could also mean turmoil or unsettledness. What I liked about what it did in this instance was that it juxtaposed the notion of a quiet, private interaction between two friends and the emotions stirring uncomfortably between them both as well.

Overall it was a nice and sweet confession one-shot. I've read a lot of this mangka's work and I've liked all of the one-shots that I've read by him.

"Wish as hard as you can, and they will know your feelings" - Juri Arisugawa

Jun 1, 2009 12:19 AM

#11

Mink

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The filth thing was a little: o.o but other than that it was cute, sweet and short ^^
And the art was decent.

Jun 1, 2009 12:53 AM

#12

yuna_ashe89

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i think that manga is ok,it ending is ok too...i look forward to watch manga like this again...

Jun 1, 2009 5:34 AM

#13

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Juri21 said:
I think the whole "filth" thing made everyone grit their teeth, But I can see it as the signs of guilt and regret.

I think as well, it was all their insecurities that needed to be washed away. I believe there was mention of this in the narration. But it's nice to see their uneasiness going away.

Juri21 said:
I liked the twist though, where it was the kiss that made one of them realize that they liked the other, where the other one thought that had ended their friendship.

I always like it when something like a one-shot manages to have a twist in the end. I mean, they have very little pages to work with and yet they still manage to make you do a double-take. It takes a lot of skill to do something like that, and I think one-shot mangaka aren't given as much praise as the multi-chapter ones.

I just also noticed something minor. Even the title of the manga contributed. The idea of secrets and keeping things from one another and society. Yes, it was a secret stream (himitsu in the Japanese title), but notice how it just wasn't titled something like, "The Stream" or anything like that. It gave you a history between the two characters with just the title alone.

For it to have been a secret place for both girls personalised the setting. It means that it was essentially their place, somewhere that they know, that is secluded, and they have made a refuge. And in this setting, we learn about secrets they've both been keeping from one another and a secret they'll eventually might have to keep from the wider world, depending on how you'd like to interpret an ending for this non-ending type one-shot. Anyway, it was just a thing I noticed. Some people don't care about how the title of a piece contributes to it, but it's really great when it actually does.

Jun 1, 2009 5:38 AM

#14

Skadi

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The fifth thing kinda bothered me as well, maybe it was more of a translation thing? Like I said before I am a little tired of these plots. It seems like almost all of them are about whether or not the other person is going to accept me because I'm gay or there is something wrong with me because Im gay. Though I think society has moved positively towards being more open and respectful to gay and lesbian relationships I still think there is a long way to go. I suppose some of these stories could have a powerful effect on some people but I dont necessarily relate to them since I am not a lesbian. Though I can certainly relate on an emotional level with angst over love and relationships, I cant with some of their specific feelings. I just want to read good love stories.

Jun 1, 2009 5:47 AM

#15

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Skadi said:
Like I said before I am a little tired of these plots. It seems like almost all of them are about whether or not the other person is going to accept me because I'm gay or there is something wrong with me because Im gay.

That's like the basis of most yuri manga. The tradition started in the very, very melodramatic Shiroi Heya no Futari. Basically every yuri convention for manga came out of that manga.

And it looked to me like they were country girls, if you ask me, so I guess it seemed like they live in a village society and as far as I know, folks from the country aren't as open-minded as yet as the people in the city where you get a wider variety of people in the mix so acceptance wouldn't be too hard there since you're seeing diversity on a regular basis.

Skadi said:
Though I think society has moved positively towards being more open and respectful to gay and lesbian relationships I still think there is a long way to go.

That is true, but there are still places where they think homosexuality is like a fever or something :\ You just need the right "medicine" to make it go away.

Skadi said:
I just want to read good love stories.

Hopefully I'll find some happy one-shots for us to discuss in the club! :D

Jun 1, 2009 6:00 AM

#16

miscs

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Short, sweet and cute! I loved the twist in the end and the way it was played out. I give it 8/10 a very good one-shot.

Jun 1, 2009 6:59 AM

#17

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Yes it was

@All comments-

I do love how it had the twist and confusion between one girl thinking it was he fault she ended their friendship and the other girl thinking she was inlove and couldnt bare to be around her. I know its really unlikely that anyone would actually kiss them in their sleep, expecially when they are sick (like wtf O____o;;) but its a sweet story, I wouldnt mind getting kissed in my sleep, given, it's someone I like as well, or could see myself liking. On a side note I also noticed the title was referring to a place only those two knew which brought another connection to them, and you could push to think it referrs to all the secrets they had as well but that could have just been a coincidence. Either way its sweet :D

Im erady for another great one-shot haha.

Jun 1, 2009 7:33 AM

#18

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Drocr said:
I know its really unlikely that anyone would actually kiss them in their sleep, expecially when they are sick (like wtf O____o;;)

You'd be surprised at how much this trope is used in most media. I think it goes with this:

1. Vulnerable and open when you're bed-ridden.

2. You need someone to take care of you. Cue whoever is in love with you to show up and do that.

3. Delirious because of illness. It's like being drunk. You can blame it all on the fever.

Kissing in sleep? It's some sort of fantasy, I guess. But sick-kissing is just unhealthy :P

Jun 1, 2009 9:05 AM

#19

miscs

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tehnominator said:

Drocr said:
I know its really unlikely that anyone would actually kiss them in their sleep, expecially when they are sick (like wtf O____o;;)

Lol I suppose getting sick after kissing someone who is a sleep and sick is just your punishment for being opportunistic.

.....But yet I think most of us would do it anyway.

Jun 1, 2009 1:14 PM

#20

MeiaRan

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well i read all 17 pages (including intro and editors waned page) what can i say ... to start it was a cute story it felt like it was going somewhere and than ..it ends so im a bit disapointed ..yes yes im aware it's a one shot and one shots are short... but still the author had a good beging to a story that could have been fleshed out to a volume or two or even just a few more chapters or atleast pages XD

its a nice story, i dont get the 18+ rateing thu ..thats kinda laughable ive seen smuttyer things on the family channel XD
anyway id give this manga a 6 out of 10 PS. luving the link from club to manga XD

Jun 1, 2009 2:37 PM

#21

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meia_ran said:

its a nice story, i dont get the 18+ rateing thu ..thats kinda laughable ive seen smuttyer things on the family channel XD

Yeah, MangaFox has a weird rating system. Anything with implied sexuality gets a "Mature content" or "over 18" warning. I've seen other manga on there with those warnings and I'm like, "Are they serious??"

But it was sort of a little more mature for some readers. I mean, think about it. Two girls, isolated area, soaking wet, kissing... if one thing leads to another, well! I particularly like this mangaka's works since he manages to make things sexual without showing sex, which is a commendable feat.

Jun 1, 2009 4:09 PM

#22

NaruUzimaki

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i like it it was so romantic!!

Jun 1, 2009 6:18 PM

#23

TranHere

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I seen this quite some time ago. :]
I really like it. I usually don't like manga from Yoshitomi Akihito but this one I really enjoyed it.

Twitter

Jun 1, 2009 8:46 PM

#24

The_Yuri_Canon

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tehnominator said:

Yeah, MangaFox has a weird rating system. Anything with implied sexuality gets a "Mature content" or "over 18" warning. I've seen other manga on there with those warnings and I'm like, "Are they serious??"

But it was sort of a little more mature for some readers. I mean, think about it. Two girls, isolated area, soaking wet, kissing... if one thing leads to another, well! I particularly like this mangaka's works since he manages to make things sexual without showing sex, which is a commendable feat.

I'll never understand rating systems anywhere. On one site anything that lesbian content is considered 18+ which is just annoying. I mean I've seen a lot worse then this in PG-13 movies. *grumbles*

Sorry this is one thing that drives me nutty.

Kat

Jun 2, 2009 4:34 AM

#25

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me too I dont understand the point of it being 18+ its rather retarded.

Jun 2, 2009 5:29 AM

#26

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Secret Stream is the one shot I like the most from this mangaka fallowed by Inner Revolution or how ever that title is supposed to go. I didn't think that there misunderstanding would resolve so well, after coming off of amine shoujo-ai I just assume the worst for many pairings (*squirms over the latest chapters of Girl friends and octave. >.<) but I have been pleasantly surprised t see that in manga format it doesn't have to end tragically.

tehnominator said:

meia_ran said:

its a nice story, i dont get the 18+ rateing thu ..thats kinda laughable ive seen smuttyer things on the family channel XD

I have started to see that trend as well, though its gotten better form the times long past when I first stated to watch anime, at that point I could walk into a video warehouse and not be able to rent ANY anmie because it was all considered to be 18 and older, yes the store carried hentai but Ninja Cadets was hardly a threat to my feeble little mind >.>; and when you think about it you can see that happen on other media as well if you look at the rating for a video game sometime it will have on there "homosexual themes" (I think Mass Affect got tagged for that)

I am long winded as usual, thank you for your time; (>^.)>

-"Just an ordinary woman who won't ever regret, being with the person she loves."
(Rokujou Ruri, Azure Dream, manga)

-"Shinobu, even if this body should turn to ash, I will never leave you."
(Naitou Momoko, shoujo-sect, manga)

Jun 3, 2009 12:23 AM

#27

The_Yuri_Canon

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kaigen said:
Secret Stream is the one shot I like the most from this mangaka fallowed by Inner Revolution or how ever that title is supposed to go. I didn't think that there misunderstanding would resolve so well, after coming off of amine shoujo-ai I just assume the worst for many pairings (*squirms over the latest chapters of Girl friends and octave. >.<) but I have been pleasantly surprised t see that in manga format it doesn't have to end tragically.

I tend to expect the worst in a shoujo-ai story as well. It is as if we are trained to not let our hopes up after so many let downs.... *sighs*

I remember those days. When even things like Magical Project S had a "R" sticker on the front because they did not want to bother with checking to see if the anime was for kids or not. LOL

One day, hopefully, homosexuality will not have to be tagged as a warning. I just hope to live to see that day.

Kat

Jun 3, 2009 11:19 AM

#28

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At the rate things are going I would expect it to be okay in 10 years. Nearly everyone I know is bi or at least thought about it once or twice.

Jun 3, 2009 1:04 PM

#29

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Drocr said:
At the rate things are going I would expect it to be okay in 10 years. Nearly everyone I know is bi or at least thought about it once or twice.

Everyone I know IS bi. Except for the guys. They're all gay. Hmmm! Catholic schools do live up to their reputations!

Jun 3, 2009 1:13 PM

#30

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DAMN, I want to go to a catholic school!!

Jun 3, 2009 3:10 PM

#31

miscs

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tehnominator said:

Drocr said:
At the rate things are going I would expect it to be okay in 10 years. Nearly everyone I know is bi or at least thought about it once or twice.

Everyone I know IS bi. Except for the guys. They're all gay. Hmmm! Catholic schools do live up to their reputations!

You must have quite the interesting time at school. I go to a catholic school shame it's not like yours.

Jun 3, 2009 7:04 PM

#32

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Okay well... I want to go to tehnominator's school. Lol. Really bad XD
I thought you graduated so is it a college catholic school?

Jun 4, 2009 8:07 AM

#33

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Everyone I know IS bi. Except for the guys. They're all gay. Hmmm! Catholic schools do live up to their reputations!

I had always questioned the convenience of others of the same orientation in school life anime, I will question no more ^_^;

Jun 4, 2009 8:45 PM

#34

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Rofl. Well it makes sense all they see are girls... so they only develop emotion ties to girls thus fall in love with girls /shrug

Though its not always like that of course.

Jun 5, 2009 5:08 AM

#35

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that is the reason I like to see what happens after school ends, when guys are truly introduced to their world. I love the shorts in Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu about Reiko, and Ayano starting with "first kiss" good stuff there, because the representation of the story give you more faith that once the story is over they will still be together. because I'm a sap, I like to have that peace of mind. I feel the same way about Girl Friends because guys aren't suspiciously missing >.>; like in many other things.

as a half assed attempt to make this relevant to the over all topic.
I don't remember if the characters in secret stream went to an all girls or not, if they did, and then spent all there extra time together, what might happen is an emotional attachment that was so strong that it turned into psychical desire. if that makes any seance (It might be hard to read it because of poor sentence structure on my part ^_^; ) anyway what that means to me is that the romance just wont last in the "after story"

oops I went rambling again, ^_^; sorry about that, bowing out<(=_=)>

Jun 5, 2009 6:02 AM

#36

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kaigen said:

I don't remember if the characters in secret stream went to an all girls or not, if they did, and then spent all there extra time together, what might happen is an emotional attachment that was so strong that it turned into psychical desire. if that makes any seance (It might be hard to read it because of poor sentence structure on my part ^_^; ) anyway what that means to me is that the romance just wont last in the "after story"

It's apparent that they went to the same school, but it's never said if it was co-ed or not. The story opens with them coming from school, it seems, since they were in uniform.

While it is true that emotional attachment can lead to physical desire, it seemed like an even plate for the characters in this one shot. We never really get a full background story on them, but it was pretty obvious that they had physically wanted one another in the midst of their close friendship.

Somehow I don't think with these characters, with the introduction of guys, that they'd turn over to "the other side" or something. It seems they had been battling their sexuality for a while, the both of them. It's sort of a complicated situation of denial and acceptance.

Convenience? You'd be surprised. From what I know, the lack of guys have only spurred on physical and sexual relationships between girls not romantic ones. I've come across several girls who have had intimate moments with other girls just for the sheer lack of men. I.e. convenience. But they never give themselves emotional distress over it.

"Girl crushes" are all too common, but loving a girl is totally different. I think the characters of the Secret Stream don't have girl crushes on one another. There seems to be legitimate desire and emotions between them.

Jun 5, 2009 12:15 PM

#37

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Feb 2009

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wow cool, maybe Gokujou Drops and It Is Closed Shut, aren't as out outlandish as I thought they were. in the second one listed the characters start out of sexual curiosity then feelings, and in Drops... well I just say no one seems to hold back when they want something plus "no" is an incomprehensible word in that manga. ^_^

I have a love hate relationship with one-shots, I feel like i get the balk, the main event out of a one-shot the part you would be waiting for if it were a full manga. but i also feel a lack of closer and context. secret stream did well for itself in the context department, I was actually sympathetic to the characters in that short amount of time, I was impressed.

weekend is so here; (>^.)>

Jun 5, 2009 10:24 PM

#38

akai_ribbon

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Aug 2008

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It was interesting, you don't generally see lesbianism as "taboo" in anime/manga of that category. (at least i haven't, and i've seen alot)

Jun 6, 2009 12:44 PM

#39

elephantguy

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Apr 2009

I read it and I definitly liked it maybe was a bit short but if it were longer I probably wouldn't have read it so I'm glad it's short. because of this one-shot I think I'm going to read more yuri-manga's (this was my first).

Jun 6, 2009 1:57 PM

#40

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Glad you enjoyed it erm.. frik? or maybe andel... or loli heheh

I hope you continue to read some of the one-shots to be posted :D

Jun 6, 2009 2:51 PM

#41

justemy

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Sep 2008

mwaaa cute ..romatic en aaaahw its cute

Jun 7, 2009 10:24 AM

#42

Roncha

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It was very nice, it's sad that they both suffered because they hadn't talked with each other earlier.

But why it's "yuri"? >< I really hate when MAL just put "yuri" on every shoujo-ai!

Jun 7, 2009 11:17 AM

#43

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Lady_Hydrangea said:
It was very nice, it's sad that they both suffered because they hadn't talked with each other earlier.

But why it's "yuri"? >< I really hate when MAL just put "yuri" on every shoujo-ai!

Because:

Yuri (百合?), also known by the wasei-eigo construction Girls Love (ガールズラブ, gāruzu rabu?), is a Japanese jargon term for content and a genre involving love between women in manga, anime, and related Japanese media. Yuri can focus either on the sexual or the emotional aspects of the relationship, the latter sometimes being called shōjo-ai by western fans.

It's all yuri. Shoujo-ai is a concept developed in the Western world to differentiate between the yuri that was pornographic, sexual or romantic and the yuri that just has girls being blushy around one another.

Jun 8, 2009 5:45 AM

#44

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tehnominator is correct, wisdom has been bestowed upon us all. ^_^

<(=_=)> *humbly bows

Jun 10, 2009 9:36 PM

#45

MightySpirit

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May 2008

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'Twas epic. One of the best one shots I've ever read.

Jun 10, 2009 9:43 PM

#46

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I agree! In fact I think this is my favorite one-shot. xD

Jun 10, 2009 10:06 PM

#47

MightySpirit

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1019

I'm in a tie between this and one another one-shot I read.
They're the only two that I've rated a 10 for being a one-shot.
This one probably wins only by the fact that it's yuri xD

Jun 11, 2009 5:48 AM

#48

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Feb 2009

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if you haven't done- It Is Closed Shut, Isn't It Your heart and
Azure Dream, your missing out, I really loved the secret stream but these two are my favorites. the first one might be a bit to sexual for some but the idea is excellent

then Azure Dream has, well... ok this one is just hard core and awesome I loved it and I hope that at some point it is one of the Featured Yuri One-shots.

thanks for your time; <(=_=)> *bowing out

Jun 11, 2009 9:01 AM

#49