Girl Friends

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*=After completion

Anyone who can appreciate a good romance story will enjoy Girl Friends, even if they do not specifically love shoujo-ai/yuri.

*This is the pinnacle of the genre, in yuri romance for slice of life manga. This is the masterpiece of its era and is likely not going to be dethroned from most highly rated and best critically received yuri for a long time.
Most of my thoughts are unchanged. I am mostly just following up with the review to assure people that this is well worth it all the way to the end.

Story:

When it comes to school & slice of life manga, it often feels as ... if there is not much of a story, just a setting that you let characters loose in. What I can say is that unlike many shoujo-ai, Girl Friends takes a much more “true to life” approach, on the girl/ girl romance. The approach is fresh, interesting and helps the audience relate. The only complaint here is the amount of small talk involved can sometimes be too much.

*Story is solid, my only nitpick is petty… I wished that there was more. It’s usually the hallmark of a good story. (Unless there is a case of a rushed ending or unresolved plot lines) Might be a little spoiler-ish under, skip to art if you want nothing to do with it:
In this case I would love to see Morinaga pick these characters back up some time for a sequel exploring their college life and coming out story.

Art:

The art is as good as what you would expect out of a, decent manga series. Morinaga Milk’s art style and character designs are top notch.

*I have to say that the art really remained very consistent all the way through to the end, and a few panels where the quality was buffed up for a dramatic moment. Over all I have to again compliment the artist very pretty character design, nice backdrops and everything inbetween.

Characters:

The main character Mari, is one of the most emotionally complicated (different from other means of making a complex character) and troubled character I have ever seen. Emotional complexity comes from trying to understand why you feel the way you do, it’s feeling having a contradiction between the way you feel and the way you rationally think would be the best way to feel, it’s questioning your own motivations and intentions in the interactions you have with others. To some it might seem melodramatic but, that is the essence of creating great internal struggle, which is relatable in multitude of different ways.

The other characters are more, for the everyday interactions, kind of like a lucky star sort of thing but they are fun, unique, and amusing. At some point during the manga the main character changes to Akiko, the person of Mari’s feelings. Akiko stood out quite a bit as an eccentric, but when the main focus becomes centered on her perspective she starts to come to life, as a well fleshed out character. Her time in the spotlight is just beginning but there is much hope for good things in the future.

*I was right about Akko, she was awesome, as she was a much more confident character. That had to “catch up” to Mari in terms of figuring out her feelings for the sake of continuity, but once she did, Akko was much more sure of herself compared to Mari. She would made decisions on how she felt and stuck to them, as well didn’t mind putting herself out to get to the truth. The character dynamic, by the end is the most satisfying romantic interaction that I have read.

Enjoyment:

Emotional drama and self-torment in a realistic setting is a very gripping read. This isn’t something everyone enjoys but for the target audience, this series will be pure bliss. The small talk sections may be boring for some however, but it is forgivable. This manga will hook you in and have you honestly caring about its characters, which is a good measure to its enjoyment.

Overall:

If you are the type to enjoy the things mentioned above, you will love this, especially if you also have a love for shoujo-ai
Fan for life. I will read everything Morinaga, Milk makes for a long time just to hope that she can do something like this again.

Check in:

It's been Over 10 years since I wrote this review, I have remained a fan of the romance and yuri genres. I felt it needed saying that even with all the new content in the space GirlFriends remains completely undefeated in my mind. In 10 years I have not seen/read any yuri I felt was as good. If you are new to the genre and you are concerned that this one is old and may not compare to its contemporaries I’d like to offer confidence that it is still well worth it. It isn’t like modern yuri so I wouldn’t expect that, as well I’m becoming an old fan so this may just be my bias. Still it's my review and I don’t think there is anything better you can read in the genre.

Girl Friends is a Shoujo, Yuri, Romance manga about the friendship between girls slowly developing into something more. Manga readers who enjoy reading, or just feel like trying some Yuri manga, will probably be satisfied with this one.

Set in a typical Japanese all-girls Highschool, the story is about your shy, attentive girl (Mariko Kumakura) who’s lived a fairly dull and uneventful life but things change once she becomes acquainted with her brash, popular classmate (Akko Oohashi). That basically sets the foundation for this story, revolving around Mariko, who changes in many ways, after being exposed to a variety fun experiences that her new friend has ... exposed her to. The story itself develops at a steady pace, with each chapter dealing with something specific but that helps the story to progress without dragging things out for to long. Even though this manga feels like a mundane ‘slice of life’, you can expect some minor surprises along the way.

Just as the title implies, the characters of Girl Friends are formed around a bunch of schoolgirls who become friends. Guys don’t play much of a part in all this; however when a guy does appear it usually causes a stir. The lack of guys isn’t a problem as the girls have well-defined personalities and are generally enjoyable to read. Yet it comes to no surprise that the bulk of the story focuses on Mariko and Akko.

The artwork is that of a typical shoujo manga that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sure there’s little detail in the environments but the generic-looking character designs have plenty of detail put in them. The girl’s features are brought out well, in the close ups but it can be difficult to tell some of them apart.

Overall this is a great yuri manga in showing the dilemmas faced by your average girl dealing with her feelings for another girl. Things do become quite tiresome when a lot of the time is spent on mundane girl talk (boyfriends, mixers, make-up, etc) but at least it does a good job in realistically depicting what it chooses to depict, like love & infatuation. Shame that after 3 years it came to an end, even though Girl Friends could have broken free of the mold and taken things further; like going into college lifestyle and showing some very fundamental issues of being in such a relationship. Alas, I guess it was never meant to be.

Pillow fight! (Not really)

Yuri is a really misunderstood genre. Usually it is paired up with hentai because of its occasional sexual nature (Lesbianism). However that is not usually the case when reading actual good yuri that is not a one shot. Girlfriends is a prime example of that.

At first this series doesn't feel that much like Yuri. Even with some elements of ecchi being thrown into the mix. It takes a while for Mari, and Ako to go from point A, to point B. And that is why this manga series is a delectable buffet. The writing is just superb. It's as if the ... author poured her very soul into this, and it really shows. Yes, there is some girl on girl action going on after a few chapters (Errrrrmagerd! Boobies!). However that is not the absolute reason for Girlfriends being good. There is also some humor, and a pretty big tangled web of misunderstanding between the characters that becomes untangled piece by piece very delicately.

The problem with Girlfriends (Depending on which volume was bought first) there are some typos in the grammar (Which were resolved in later re-prints of the manga). Sometimes the facial expressions are stretched pretty thin (Especially during the beginning). Later on that gets fixed, and the art gets even better. Plus reading "EH!?!" all the time becomes funny at first, but later on it feels pretty dumb. Background characters get their own voice through this story as well. Plus one of Mari, and Ako's friends gets a chapter devoted to them. Those who don't still find their own niche, and stick by it. The ending is abrupt. However at least it didn't end with a cliffhanger. It is still satisfying none the less. A lot of loose ends get tied for sure.

On A Personal Note: I got to admit this. When I found this series online, I was expecting wall to wall porn (I was looking for that in the first place, Im sorry). During the first time when I read the first chapters, I kept thinking "Alright...... they're talking, this is funny...... but get on with the lesbian stuff already!!!". I wanted to stop a few times because I wasn't getting the *ahem* hentai that I was looking for. However..... then I ended being sucked into the story soon enough. And......I felt pretty stupid waiting for porn. Then I enjoyed reading this......I found myself rooting for Mari, and Ako to be together a lot. The last few sentences of the ending made me cry really hard too. Later on I bought this series at a Barnes And Noble. I re-read this series three more times afterwords throughout a course of a year. And I plan to re-read it yet again in a few months. The last time I read this, my heart felt pretty good going during every sentence. Im not the type that reads romance novels, and I gag every time I see make out scenes in movies (Unbelievably that's coming from someone who was looking for lesbian porn). Yet every word, and scene felt like magic to me. It changed my mind on a lot of things. At times it felt rather painfully slow when reading this, but it was worth it. Now when I see a lesbian couple from now on. I don't think "AWW! YEAHHH! That's hawt! WOOOOO! Strap on!!!!", but now Im like "AW YEAHHH! I hope that they get married, and adopt because they look like two wonderful human beings who love each other very much!". Girlfriends evolves into something more than what the genre dishes out. A romantic manga that will touch the heart, and change the minds of those who read it. Thankfully, I am glad that I was wrong the first time when I stumbled upon Girlfriends. The writing actually changed my life (At least a little......still looking for lesbo action online).

Girlfriends is indeed, an adventure for the soul.

Girl Friends was one of the first manga I read when I started getting into yuri. Strangely, rereading it made me realize I lost my passion for a romance with no guys. I don’t dislike yuri, but I can’t be bothered to read something anymore just because it’s a girl-on-girl romance. I say this because my mistake reading it the first time was expecting yuri right away, leaving me disappointed. Don’t do that.

Part of the reason Girl Friends can disappoint impatient readers who expect yuri right away is its story. It’s the classic tale of a popular fashionista—Akko—bringing an unassuming bookworm—Mari—out of her shell. But ... the more this bookworm steps out of her shell, the more she steps into feelings she’s never experienced. Much of the story focuses on Mari’s growing feelings for the oblivious Akko, so actual yuri events—whatever it might be—won’t be there to instantly satisfy readers.

Instead, readers will confront an emotional gauntlet. It’s easy to feel frustrated when Mari rationalizes wanting to kiss Akko by thinking of her as a cute pet, and there’s a certain hilarity in their friend Sugi who has a habit of stripping. Basically, Girl Friends teases out every emotion from jealousy to bliss. And that’s how it should go. People experience a variety of feelings, especially when dealing with teenagers, and moreso with a teenager who loves someone of the same sex.

The story itself smoothly flows from one emotion to the next. Partly because the story never hangs on the inner musings of a character for too long, and partly because the characters themselves show considerable maturation to resolve conflicts a little easier. Early in the story, Mari worries about something she did, and Akko casually breaks the ice saying it’s a natural thing for friends to do. Later on, a conflict between Mari and Akko involving college is resolved by the former’s own, indirect way.

And it’s moments like these that emphasize how far a character has come. Mari starts out introverted, tongue-tied, and not too worried about her looks. But by the end, she’s outgoing, speaks smoothly, and becomes a fashionista in her own right when she helps an old friend. The development itself is fantastic, not once going too fast. The blush crossing Mari’s face resulting from Akko’s honesty slowly becomes a flush of love, hidden behind a series of questions wondering about her own anxiety over Akko’s friends and lovelife.

There’s not much else going on with Mari, but it makes sense since Akko essentially gives her a social life. As for Akko, she’s got it going on being the center of attention, a fashionista, and generally outgoing, determined to bring Mari out of her shell. Later on, Akko’s backstory gives a sense of WHY she wanted to bring Mari out of her shell. But it isn’t until after a certain event a little under halfway through that Akko starts to change. She becomes noticeably more tongue-tied as she questions her feelings for Mari, and this change makes sense considering the suddenness of this certain event.

That said, the story doesn’t give a definite reason for why either character ends up feeling the way she does, nor does it draw a line—at least not until the end—for when friendship ends and love begins. But why does it have to be that way? One of the central conflicts on Mari’s side of the story is how she can’t tell if what she’s doing, what she’s feeling, is normal for friends. And it’d diminish their feelings if there was a definite reason. Love doesn’t happen because of one reason, but from a multitude of things unique to each person. In other words, Akko and Mari are believably compelling characters.

Rolling the third wheel from the side characters is Sugi. She doesn’t change much throughout the story, but she doesn’t need to. Beneath her extensive line-up of boyfriends is a maturity to match the body that unveils itself every time she strips. She’s very much learned a lot of harsh lessons in love, shown when she’s giving up-front and blunt advice for Akko on more than one occasion, or when reminiscing about how she used to act. Jaded but well-meaning, she’s Girl Friends’ most developed (ahem) side character.

The other side characters aren’t explored much, but it does show how the world still moves regardless of what Akko and Mari are feeling. They have their own aspirations (tennis), their own hobbies (cosplay), their own delusions (‘I’m going to see my Prince!’), basically their own things going on from ghost stories to boyfriend talk. When Akko, Mari, or Sugi can’t do it, anyone of the other characters will basically break the ice to stop the story from staying serious for too long. The story isn’t afraid to be heavy, but it knows when to lighten up.

Oops, I mentioned guys in a yuri story. In a breath of fresh air, Girl Friends isn’t afraid to fully explore sexuality by bringing guys into the mix. From Akko and Mari’s side, it explores the complicated feelings of loving someone of the same sex, while the male part of the equation poses a problem for Mari especially. That isn’t to say the story uses guys as antagonists but, for the two major guys it brings in, they are simply two, genuinely well-meaning people. Signs of deviancy still show from them, especially with one of their backstories, but the same can be said for Akko, Mari, and Sugi.

See, when I say Girl Friends explores sexuality, I mean that in every sense of the word. It very much addresses what lovers do, and doesn’t play cloyingly with its subject. It knows infatuation can create fantasy, as Mari can attest. It knows the cluelessly curious will look things up to not be clueless, as Akko will admit. And it also knows being drunk can cause strange behavior, as Sugi unwittingly demonstrates with Tama. Because of this, Girl Friends is a case where fanservice makes sense (save for that one moment in chapter two...); love is a sweet thing carried out by saucy actions.

Carrying every moment from the sweet to the saucy is Morinaga Milk’s artwork. Apart from being the most aesthetically pleasing thing you’ll ever see, character designs are distinct. Akko and Sugi are both fashionistas, but the curves greatly favor the latter. Tama and Mari are petite, but there’s a sense of energy only the former has. And when the lovely art isn’t sensually and sensitively expressing any of their feelings, it becomes a veritable fashion show for all the stylish outfits the characters wear. If nothing else, the story can’t be knocked for having school uniforms all the time.

Not that there wasn’t much to knock down the story over anyway. Even in its final volume worth of chapters, Girl Friends manages to stay fresh. It brings in new angles, commitment, and addresses the real amount of effort any relationship needs to last. That said, if the pacing was a little tighter, or if the story did something crucial that Akko and Mari need to eventually face, I’d have no qualms about calling Girl Friends a masterpiece.

But as it stands, it’s still an excellent, heartfelt story with a dash of honest naughtiness, not to mention easy on the eyes. Readers who don’t mind a slow but deliberate pace will find a lot to like, while people new to yuri expecting yuri right away might want to look elsewhere. It might not be a story everyone loves, but for these girlfriends, loving each other would be enough.

The yuri is strong in this one.

Story: 10
Holy crap this story was entertaining and interesting. The story follows Mari, an unpopular girl, and Akko, a pretty popular girl, and begins with Akko helping Mari become more cuter. Throughout the story, the relationship between the girls change and this is when it becomes a yuri manga. I absolutely enjoyed how they went post-confession with this story. Another thing I found absolutely wonderful were the activities the characters on the manga did. They went on group dates, drinking and such, a realistic version of high school.

The pacing was great, it didn't go ... too fast or slow, the story went with the first third focusing on Mari, the second third focusing on Akko and then the final third focusing on both of them as a couple (Not really equal thirds, Mari's section was the biggest and then Akko and then the last part, but it is easier to explain it that way). This led to interesting transitions that helped the flow of the story.

This story also hit a bit of home for me as well, but I will explain this when I discuss enjoyment.

Art: 10
Milk Morinaga is a talented artist and did an amazing job with the designs of the characters of this manga. All the characters were well drawn and the chibis looked extremely cute.

Character: 9
Really enjoyed the characters, as they are unique enough to be memorable, but not too unique in where the author was going overboard. The only character I had a problem with was Haruda, as his entrance into the anime felt forced along with his exit from the story.

Enjoyment: 10
I enjoyed the hell out of this anime. Any time the main characters kissed, I cheered! It's not because I am a guy who enjoys two girls kissing (who am I kidding, that is partly the reason) but because seeing their relationship grow was just making me happy and seeing the two main characters conquer milestones was quite cheerful!

A big reason why I enjoyed this anime, was that i have gone through a similar experience. This is has spoilers of the story and is about my personal life, you can skip it if you want.
I was really shy and not very confident in middle school, but a girl helped me come out of my shell. This girl did exactly what Akko did for me, showed me how to be more confident and more outgoing. Eventually, I started having feelings for this girl, but I wasn't sure if it was because she was one of my first friends or if I truly liked her. Reading this manga brought me back to those days of self-doubt and emotions Mari had were emotions I also went through when I was going through that.

Overall: 10
Another 10? True, I rate my manga's high, but all the mangas I have been reading have been really good! Girl Friends is my first yuri manga, and won't be my last.

This was the first manga I've ever read, therefor this is my first time reviewing a manga. With nothing else to compare it to (besides anime) i can say that this manga was amazing. Anyone with the maturity level to read a yuri love story and take it seriously should really consider reading this no matter what your gender or sexuality. Being one who only has experience with anime I can tell you if you this manga was better than anything i've watched, the story seemed so real, the characters were great, and the end was satisfying. Now to break this manga down to find ... the sum of it's parts.

Story: When I first started reading this it was because of a nice review someone else had written that convinced me to try it. Going into the first chapter I didn't expect things to get as serioius as they did, I was expecting a standard love story but what I got was an epic tsunami of a story starting out with Mari, a quiet girl who spent all her time by herself suddenly being dragged into a social life by a popular and straightforward girl named Akko who was curious about Mari and wanted to be friends with her. Over time they become the best of friends until Mari starts developing special feelings for Akko. The rest of the story i don't want to spoil for you but i will tell you the reader goes through agony along with the girls in the story watching them discover their feeling for each other, not being able to tell each other, and not being able to have a normal relationship. Don't get the impression that this is some depressing story though, their is a lot of humor along with happy moments. From a guys perspective I will say it was interesting to see what goes on in the girls minds throughout the story and really shows that everybody has more to them than what you see. The only thing I didn't like about the story was sometimes getting to the conclusion felt dragged out by other characters and miscommunication which just made it seem too unreal.

Art: The art here was great, I loved both character designs for Akko and Mari, it had a really good flow throughout the chapters and really helped show the characters emotions like using tears at the right time and different types of blushing to show embarrassment or love. Within a few seconds of starting to read moving from picture to picture you actually see the scenes playing out in your mind. The art also shows changes in the characters appearance over time (like Mari growing her hair back out in the end). This was the only thing I didn't rate a 10 (I gave it a 9) because when they drew Akko on the colored covers and scenes it seemed like they would switch between blonde-ish and light brown, which I know is trivial but it caused a lot of confusion in how I pictured her which ate at me the whole time.

Characters: The characters in this story go so well together, when I was reading they seemed so close to being real that the only thing keeping them from hopping out of the story was that thin page. The emotions they convey the whole time just felt so real, the pain, the joy, the love was just so easy for the reader to feel, that is if you let it. All the supporting characters were good too since they all had their differences to set them apart but when talking about Mari and Akko they just seem to break the mold on what standard characters are since they actually seem like there could be people out there like them.

Enjoyment: I guess I don't have to tell you how much I enjoyed reading this at this point but I will say it was so interesting I came straight home and read this until I had to go to sleep, I completed it in 3 days. During class I usually am good at keeping focused but I couldn't stop wondering what would happen next all day and couldn't wait to rush home and read.

Overall: This manga is really more than the sum of it's parts, it takes all areas and uses them in a way that works so well together. The problems of their relationship not being conventional and their worries about that are real difficulties people face, although it will get better for them based on what I've seen from my generation. All in all if you consider yourself mature enough to handle realistic emotions from two girls who are attracted to each other than I urge you to check this out because you won't regret it (be aware it does get a little "mature" in the end *nosebleed*...you've been warned)

I really enjoyed this manga. I just started reading GF only this summer, because I'm not really into yuri. But then after reading it, I fell in love with the characters and how realistic the plot is--from friendship to lovers. It may sound such an overrated plot, but, I assure you that this manga offers more!Simple things like Mari and Akko's simple conversations, lipstick/fashion talks, mixers, and boyfriend hunting are perfectly illustrated in a way that readers (mostly females) will feel that the whole situation really exist at some point somewhere in their lives.

What I like about the most in the story is the yuriness ... of its plot. I like how Milk Morinaga realistically reminds us that female-to-female relationship is such an unusual love. She have shown that this kind of is dramatic and problematic but then because of that the characters become more exciting. Also, I guess for most readers, they can surely see themselves in one of the characters.

I highly recommend this manga if you're open minded and seeking for realistic plot. Also, this is easy to read because the drama and seriousness are perfectly mixed with humor. For sure, you will end up smiling and hoping this series will never come to an end (you might also look for other Morinaga's works).

If there is ever a manga that knows how to play with your heart, it would be Girl Friends.

This manga is a beautifully illustrated, enjoyable and emotionally involving chronicling of the lives of Mari, a young girl with a girl friend who she starts to wish was more like a girlfriend instead. And yes, the space does make all the difference.

For that is Mari's dilemma. She falls for a friend. A girl friend. This manga covers all the drama, feelings and confusion that one feels while falling in love. What is worse for Mari is that she is in love with not only someone who ... doesn't know it, but with her best friend. And to top it off, that friend is a girl.

Issues of sexuality are perhaps hard to deal with. It's scary enough to fall in love, and sorrowful enough to be in love who doesn't return it - but then there is being in love with someone who you cannot afford to lose.

The writer of this manga is brilliant. The scenes are never dull and every scene packs a punch.

Mari and Akko are excellent characters. Mari is our voice, and she feels all that insecurity and fear we would feel. Akko is just a fun, awesome, cool girl with a loving side and a silly side to her. She really makes you fall in love with her, and it's easy to see why Mari'd fall for her too.

This is an absolutely brilliant yuri manga. It is cute, the characters are lovable, and the situations are all too relatable, even if you're not gay or lesbian.

This manga is not easy to read, but it's worth it. If you like shoujo-ai, gather your courage and dive in. You will not regret it.

The author does a masterful job of including the subtleties of romance and love; so much so that you feel it.

The story is simple as are the supporting characters, as though they were a painting canvas for this wonderful story of two friends. I like that. Why bother with other complexities when love is so complex already.

When I found this manga, I had no idea what I was getting into. I finished all 35.5 chapters ... in less than a week with the last 10 chapters in one night.

I started reading this manga at about 12:00 and could only stop when my head started to hurt at about 3:00. I got hooked right from the beginning.

Story (9): It is about 2 high school girls who become friends and then fall in love with each other. It also shows the difficulties they go through to realise, accept their feelings and finally become a couple. The reason story didn't get a 10/10 is because it could show us more about their life after school.

Art (9): The main characters are very well detailed. The supporting ones are also well developed but you could confuse one for ... another sometimes when they are called by their names but that isn't much of a problem.

Characters (10): First and foremost Mari (the first protagonist) is a shy girl who was alone until she met Akkiko (the second protagonist) and became friends with her. She is the type of girl who has very good grades, doesn't go out much and is inexperienced with love. Akkiko is a cheerful and very beautiful girl who is more ''girly'' than Mari (uses makeup is interested in clothing etc.) popular with her classmates (who are all girls) and boys, but also inexperienced with love. She changed Mari dramatically and made her even better than she already was in person and in the way she looks.
The other girls are typical high school girls who are interested in guys, mixers but are good in person and help throughout the story.There are almost no guys in the story but they play an important role in the plot (not all of them).

Enjoyment (10): Even though I hadn't ever read a manga or saw an anime like that before I loved this one and got hooked to it right from the start. In the end it made me cry ;D.

Overall (10): This is a manga full of emotion and if you are into romance you will almost surely love it just like I did. It also made me change my opinion about homosexuality.

**Notice that this is my first review and English is not my mother language so excuse me if I have missed something.

Let me first get this out of the way, Girl Friends is my fovorite manga. On to the review.

Story- 10+
This is the part that I love the most about GF. It is what (at leas in my opinion) sets it above all the others. Basicly it goes: two girls meet, girls become the best of friends, girls start to feel feelings that surpass friendship, and then goes to the two of them trying to understand each others feelings and move their relationship along.

Art- 10+
This is the manga that got me into Milk and I have loved style ever since I first layed ... eyes on it. This is the second biggest reason why this scored as high as it did.

Characters- 6
Basicly the only thing that I didn't like about this was that the story really only focused on a few people and the rest were just kind of there.

Enjoyment- 10+
I was hanging on every word from begging to end. When I first sat down to read it I expected to only read a few chapters at a time, but I ended up reading the entire thing beggining to end in a few hours, I just could not get myself to put it down.

Overall- 10 (wish could go higher)
If you are a fan of yuri, or even not a fan, I highly reccomend this to everyone espically if you like yuri.

Favorite Main Character: Akiko Oohashi
Favorite Minor Character: Satoko Sugiyama

I recently bought these books while browsing the manga section at Barnes & Noble. The reason I picked it up, to be quite frank, is that I'm interested in yuri genre as of late. I found both volumes as an omnibus, so I could get the series as a whole.

-- Story --
The overall story was pretty good, but it often got lost in the day-to-day antics of school days.
The romance is very raw and new to both characters who are struggling with their identity, so it is easy to relate to even if you ... haven't personally been in a same sex relationship or ever had those feelings. It was interesting how the evolution of their relationship blossomed: From friend to lovers.

--Art--
I love this type of anime style!
I honestly think the art inside is better than the colored covers, which isn't necessarily a bad thing when you see more of the inside anyway. I would give it a higher rating if there were more scenes that required intense details and showcased complex backgrounds... But then again, there wasn't necessary a need for either.

--Character--
The main characters and interactions were a tad predictable, though this should not downgrade their complex internal struggle to understand the other girl. I liked when the point of view shifted to Akiko the best. It's fascinating to read the thoughts of a girl who can easily make friends and ended up choosing a quiet girl for her best friend and eventual lover.

To be honest, the minor characters weren't that memorable, with the exception of Satoko Sugiyama. I think it's fun to see a girl player.

--Enjoyment--
I had a fun time journeying with the characters and turning the pages to find out what is to come next. I honestly wanted to get to the heated moments, but took my time to cool down with the comic relief as well. The big intimate scene near the end was not overly done and tasteful.

--Overall--
I found it an enjoyable read and I didn't regret buying it.
There were no real mind-benders or plot twists, but it's a heart warming story for anyone interested in a romance manga. It is a good, light read.

The manga is all about me. Nahh, just kidding. The story is about 2 girls best friends who fell inlove with each other. I'm not really into drama, but this one is different. If you're a yuri or shoujo ai lover you'll totally love this one! It's about mixed emotions. I bet many of readers kept reading it coz they can relate to it or it's just too damn good. For me it's kind of a slice of life or realistic. The scenes may actually happen in REAL LIFE. like my life(nevermind).

How good is this manga? I got the so many feels. I fell in ... love, I got jealous, I broke my heart, I got irritated, i fell in love again. I felt so sensitive whenever i read it. And of course excited about what's gonna happen to them next.

YOU MUST GIVE THIS MANGA A TRY. I swear to you. It's so rare for me to give a review bout manga. But because this manga is so beautiful, i wrote one.

A tear-jerker that leaves you feeling good.

Everything about Girl Friends was perfect. First off, the story flows smooth as butter and it's an easy read from start to finish in one sitting. Character development is well done so that the reader is able to feel empathy for the characters which is crucial to this next point.

Even though we can all predict where the story is going and how the twists and turns will play out(lets be honest, its obvious even from looking at the covers), because everything is so well established the reader is able to commit emotionally to the characters and story and that ... is what makes this so enjoyable despite the lack of surprises or twists.

The art style fits the mood that the story is creating and allows for the story and characters to come together and create a fluffy paradise that we can immerse ourselves in for a brief yet satisfying 35 chapters.

If you haven't read this yet I would highly recommend it and I hope you will enjoy too.

Warning: spoilers ahead

So I am a huge fan of yuri. If asked, I couldn’t explain it to you. There’s just this magnetic attraction in me to the two-girl relationship. And so, when I discovered Girl Friends, I ate this up like an obese kid with a pack of Skittles. This is, in my opinion, the best yuri manga ever written (and by that I mean it’s the best yuri manga I’ve heard of). Sono Hanabira doesn’t count because that’s a VN. The drama, the romance, the characters, everything feels so very real and human. And, from looking at the other reviews on this page, I ... don’t think I’m alone in thinking this.

Plot: 10/10
The plot starts out slow, maybe a little bit too slow for some people, but for me, the gradual buildup works great. Over the course of the story we learn more and more about these characters, their likes and dislikes. The world is interesting and the events that happen are entertaining, even if they aren’t all immediately important. The example that comes to mind is in volume one when the group of girls go shopping for clothes or talk about nail polish. But even that kind of comes into play later on in the story. It’s not until volume two that the gayngst really starts to come into play. There’s several plot twists that happen in volumes 2-3 which do a nice job at throwing a wrench into the story without feeling forced. And the ending. Dear god, the ending. I thought 5 centimeters per second had a feelsy ending, but this one takes the cake. And it isn’t even sad. It’s heartwarming as hell, but still so full of feels. I cannot express how wonderful it is. And it doesn’t come apart when you start thinking about it like a lot of the stories I’ve been reviewing recently. This one holds itself up soundly throughout all 5 volumes, without, in my opinion, wavering even once.

Characters: 11/10
Every single character in this manga is memorable and interesting. Even the side characters all have distinct personalities and, while I can’t remember their names (I’m bad at remembering names), I remember all of them and their personalities. It’s a huge accomplishment to write all these characters and make all of them different and memorable on their own. Sometimes they do act irrationally, but there’s always a justification for it. Characters never act irrationally just for the sake of the plot. The author manages to make you root for every single one of the characters, but especially Akko and Mari. You really, really want them to get together, which just makes it all the more satisfying when it happens.

Art: 10/10
Every single one of the characters are cute as fuck. The artist really knows when to use super deformed characters (chibis) and when to use realistic and detailed characters. The backgrounds are well done. Did I mention how goddamn cute the girls are? Because they are. The art in this is almost as good as the art in Sono Hanabira. The artist pays attention to the little details you wouldn’t notice unless you were observant. She details everything and you can tell she really loves drawing clothes.

Girl Friends is easily one of the best yuris I’ve read, if not one of the best romances period. The pacing is perfect, the characters are likable and memorable, even the side characters. The dialogue sounds like what real girls would say to each other. The art really brings the characters to life and makes them look adorable as hell. I’m still waiting for Mari Plushies. I recommend this manga to anybody who likes yuri and has some time to kill.

This review is based on what is out as of August 8th, 2010 (basically, 34/35 chapters).

I was initially turned off by Girl Friends. Not the premise, but the name. It's like buying generic cereal at the store. The generic brands don't taste nearly as good as the more expensive ones, that set them selves apart in some way, shape, or form. Bad analogy? Meh, you get my point. Girl Friends could have a more appealing title, but as it turns out that really isn't necessary. It was well received by MAL members, and I've been viciously hungry for some shoujo-ai. Here are my thoughts.

Having said ... that, I can't find a single bad thing to say about Girl Friends. So I'm sorry if the rest of my review comes off as a pitch to anyone and everyone who loves shoujo/romance to locate it online, and read through it, in what would (surely) be, a single sitting.

The thing that stands out the most, and what is the most important aspect of any good piece of entertainment, is the fantastic pacing that remains throughout. Just as you have had enough of the characters indecision and agony over their relationship, the author gives you sweet, sweet relief. I would go so far as to compare it to the author, completely in control, making love with her readers' emotions and only letting them orgasm at the very last possible moment, when the climax will be at its peak.

The other elements, for me, took a back seat to the amazing pacing and the relationship between Mari and Akko. The artwork improved throughout, which could be a negative for some people. However, I found the character designs, and the artwork in general, to be really appealing overall. By no means will the artwork blow anyone away, but the art is really quite good for a romance manga.

There is only one chapter left before Girl Friends wraps up, and (because of this) I'm left with a melancholy sort of feeling toward it. It's the same feeling I get when I finish reading a Haruki Murakami novel, or when I finished Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru, or even when I saw The Vision of Escaflowne for the first time. Long time anime and manga fans know this feeling well, it's what drives our fandom. My sadness doesn't stem solely from the end of Girl Friends, but the fact that I know I'll never experience it the same way again.

I give very few tens, but this is probably a 9.5... or perhaps I need to wipe my eyes to make sure I'm clicking the right spots :) I don't know if this is a "masterpiece" as the rating system would qualify it but I do think it's a master-work; if I didn't love Morinaga Milk already and want to find everything she's ever written, I certainly do now.

I won't claim this has ground-shaking originality but the emotional beats are, in general, perfect. And I absolutely could not put it down--read the whole thing in one sitting. It's just beautiful, and I loved the experience ... of getting to spend so long with these characters and watch the story really develop through a considerable amount of time. I actually found both of them--all of them--quite plausible, and the story is by turns funny, sincerely emotionally impactful and melodramatic, innocent and mature, sweet and beautiful. These characters are very clear and surprisingly well-rounded, going beyond obvious cliches and showing real development over the course of the series.

I'd like to say something more profound about the genre and this work's place in it, but it's 4 AM and I just finished it--which probably says more about this book than anything intellectual I could write.

I think it was beautiful, throughout, and now I feel wonderful.

=====EDIT:=====
I've decided to revise this rating upward. Purely subjectively. I simply realized as I was going about my life that I was comparing whatever I was reading or watching to whether I'd rather be rereading Girl Friends. And I'd almost always rather be re-reading Girl Friends. If that isn't a 10 I don't know what is.

At first, I wasn't sure of myself if i'm going to read Girl Friends or not but as I follow the storyboard, I find it interesting to read. The story revolves around the quiet Mari Kumakura whose only noticeable quality is her top of the class grades, enter the cute and friendly Akko Oohashi whose goal is to get to know Mari and become best friends with her. With Akko's help she quickly transforms into one of the prettiest girls in school and becomes good friends with Akko, Sugi and Tamami. The group get into all kinds of situations; boys, diets, fashion, friends and studies.

However ... as the plot develops Mari realizes she has deeper feelings than she thought for Akko. Akko got jealous at Mari's boyfriend and realizes that she had feeling for her, too.

it's not exactly what i expected... it's even better.
this might not be very manly but i thought the story/characters/art was very cute,
it's that type of romantic story that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside, which is actually surprisingly rare!

girl becomes friends with girl, girl falls in love with girl, girl doesn't take girl seriously, girl falls in love with girl that loves her, the girls live happely ever after.

i recommend this to anyone who's love sick or something like that, it can also teach you a bit about your crush! ;)

If you've never read yuri, this the perfect story to start. At first you think that is going to be about a popular precocious girl seducing a shy, innocent girl... but it is not, in fact we get no yuri until almost halfway through the story and the way it happens is so natural but also a bit sad and surprising.
As expected from a Morinaga Milk Sensei story, character development is done extremely well and the pacing is excellent. There are some clichéd misunderstandings at some point, but they don't drag the story down.
If you want to read a romance story where you ... will be heavily invested emotionally in the main characters, and don't mind that both of them are girls, then I highly recommend Girl Friends to you.
~WiruSempai