It’s almost been a year since I made my first Top 10 list of this kind. If you wanna read it, click here. During that time, some manga came to an end, others started out, and still others surprised me by turning out really well. In short, a lot of things changed, and instead of just changing my previous list, I think it’s more convenient to just make a new one.
Many of the already listed manga will appear in this list again, but a whole bunch of new titles will finally appear too. 2013 has fortunately been a year full of great yuri manga, and while I think this will continue in 2014, we can probably already say that 2014 is also the year of great yuri anime, but that’s another story.
For now, let’s start the list.
10.
Title: The Flower and the Star
Author: Suzukin Kario
Genre: Comedy, Drama, School Setting, Yuri
Description: Hanai is a junior higher and the best at table tennis. She’s never lost, and she’s won many tournaments, but after some freshman she’s never heard of beats her like it was nothing, she starts losing every game after that and she can’t get rid of that feeling of defeat. Now it’s her first day of high school and she’s decided to quit table tennis and live an ordinary high school life, but on the first day, she runs into the very girl that first defeated her. It turns out that she’s also quit table tennis, but this girl always has a cold expression on her face and Hanai can’t help but feel that this girl is always looking down on her and trying to mess up her perfect high school life. One day the girl falls asleep in class, and Hanai reaches over to wake her up. As she does so, the girl, still half asleep, looks up at her with a smile and almost kisses her. The girl later tells Hanai that she was having a dream about her, but Hanai coldly brushes it off thinking she’s just messing with her and walks away – as the girl behind her looks down while blushing…. — Source
Chapters: 11 Chapters + Special
Year: 2010
Scanlation Group: Yuri Project
I never thought a manga about table tennis could be this good, but then again, table tennis is not the main them of the story, the relationship between Hanai und Haru is. To be honest, I’d rather see Haru with her childhood friend Chika, and that’s probably the main reason why this one didn’t score higher.
9.
Title: Notes From The Garden of Lilies
Author: Suga Atsushi
Genre: Comedy, School Setting, Yuri
Description: Misono Fujiwara, or how people call her “The Saint” is like the idol of the whole school and the daughter of an esteemed household. Thanks to her status she’s usually the centre of attention and respected by all the other students. However even though she always helps out wherever she can and is always surrounded by people, she’s quite lonely. The people around her are not the ones who she considers to be her friends, since all they seem to see in her is just her social status. Still there is one person that treats her differently, like an equal, even like a nuisance, and that is Yuri Kurashiki.
Chapters: 7 Chapters + Specials
Year: 2012
Scanlation Group: Yuri Project
This one is surely one of the greatest yuri manga of 2013. It was both fun, entertaining, and also heartwarming, especially that extra chapter at the end~
8.
Title: Morning Glory and Kase-san
Author: Takashima Hiromi
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life, School, Sports, Bullying
Description: The story revolves around Yamada, a clumsy girl with not much self-esteem and only a few real friends and Kase-san, a student from the class next door, who is an excellent athlete, the star track team member and on top of that, popular all around school. Those two could not be more different from one another, yet once they meet, it is exactly the cool and a boyish aura of Kase-san, that attracts Yamada interest. — Source
Chapters: 2 Volumes, 8 Chapters (so far)
Year: 2010
Scanlation Group: Yuri Project
As I said in my review of this manga, Morning Glory and Kase-san is simple and light, and that’s exactly what makes it so enjoyable. If you wanna read a cute short story about two girls falling in love, then this is the perfect choice.
7.
Title: Kisses, Sighs, and Cherry Blossom Pink
Author: Milk Morinaga
Genre: Slice of Life, School, Unrequited Love, Romance, Drama
Description: Nana and Hitomi have been together for several months now. They kissed, they had sex, but their relationship is still a secret for everybody else. However, things may be starting to change…. — Source
Chapters: Collection of 7 interlinked short stories
Year: 2005
Scanlation Group: Lililicious
If you liked Girl Friends, you’ll definitely like these as well. They are cute, light, and funny, just what you would expect from Milk Morinaga.
6.
Title: Flag Time
Author: Sato
Genre: Supernatural, Romance, School Setting, Yuri
Description: What would you do if you could stop time? Moritani for one is using her unusual ability to stop time for three minutes a day to observe the people around her. One day, she chooses to “observe” class idol Murakami’s panties – only to find herself in a very compromising situation when her classmate turns out to be immune to her power. — Source
Chapters: 9 Chapters (so far)
Year: 2013
Scanlation Group: Yuri Project
This one was a big surprise for me. Not only does Flag Time come with the most promising and unique story I’ve read in a while, it also comes with two very interesting main characters that I still can’t completely figure out, which is a good thing. Right now, this is probably the only manga that can really rival my love for Citrus and that is a big achievement!
5.
Title: Shitsurakuen
Author: Naomura Tooru
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Drama, Harem, School Setting, Duels
Description: Himoto Sora is a transfer student with a sense of justice and dreams of becoming a knight. Upon arriving at Utopia Gakuen, she learns of a virtual reality-like game played by the male students in which they use girls as weapons in battles for status and treat them as commodities. Seeing one of these girls being abused she steps in and though some sort of error unwittingly becomes the first female participant of the game. — Source
Chapters: 6 Volumes, 24 Chapters
Year: 2009-2011
Scanlation Group: Mako-Scans
Shitsurakuen is the only action manga in this list, but that’s actually not that surprising, since most action manga only have some yuri subtext to attract more readers. In this case, we don’t only get yuri as one of the main themes, no, we also get a female harem for our main heroine Sora. Something like that is kind of rare and very awesome!
4.
Title: Pure Water Adolescence
Author: Kazuma Kowo
Genre: Drama, School Setting, Age Gap, Student-Teacher Romance
Description: Nanao is an average high school girl who happens to be in love with the school nurse. Matsumoto is an average school nurse who happens to be in love with her medical assistant Nanao. Hilarity and drama ensues as the two go about their romance surprisingly unbothered by the legal system. They are not the only two to be romantically involved this story. There’s another set of school girls and a gym teacher named Hanada who had a fling with her music teacher back when she went to school. Hilarity and drama follow them as well. — Source
Chapters: 1 Volume, 8 interlinked short stories
Year: 2006
Scanlation Group: Lililicious
It’s been a while since I read these short stories, and I have to be honest, I don’t remember why I love them so much anymore. It’s probably the combination of nice art and an interesting plot that they still remain in this list. If you haven’t heard about Pure Water Adolescence, please check it out. I’m sure these short stories will enchant you just like they enchanted me.
3.
Title: Citrus
Author: Saburouta
Genre: Drama, Pseudo-Incest, School, Romance, Yuri
Description: Fashionable Yuzu imagined the first day at her new school she transferred to after her mother’s remarriage a bit differently; she didn’t know it’d be an ultra-strict and conservative girls’ school. So instead of a sweet high-school romance, she butts heads with the stern student council president Mei – who turns out to be her new stepsister. And she has to learn that hate and attraction are often not that far apart. — Source
Chapters: 8 Chapters (so far) + 1 Extra
Year: 2012
Scanlation Group: Yuri Project
I’m so sorry for always talking about Citrus, but I just can’t help it. I fell in love with it at first sight. Yuzu is so lovely, the art style is stunning, and even though Mei is a grumpy bitch 90% of the time, I still love her as well. Yes, I can see past the imperfections of this manga and enjoy it for what it is; a visually high-quality yuri story with sometimes random, but always beautiful looking, kissing scenes between stepsisters. I feel like this is the most honest description ever.
2.
Title: Prism
Author: Higashiyama Shou
Genre: School, Comedy, Drama, Romance, First Love
Description: Megu, a regular high school girl struggles to get over her first love Hikaru, a boy she met years ago and spent only one single day with, yet the memory of this boy stays captured in her heart for years. Now that some time has passed, Megu is finally beginning to forget about Hikaru, freeing her heart from the feelings for a boy she thinks, she’ll probably never meet again in the first place. But life doesn’t work as easy as that, because just when she decides to not chase after this memory any longer, she encounters Hikaru, a pretty girl that seems to be very familiar.
Chapters: 2 Volumes, 6.5 Chapters (hiatus)
Year: 2010
Scanlation Group: Futari wa Pretty Anon
Even though the story is not completed yet (and will probably never be completed), you should still give this one a try. I especially recommend this to anyone that is looking for a more realistic lesbian love story with just the right amount of drama.
1.
Title: Girl Friends
Author: Milk Morinaga
Genre: Slice of Life, School, Romance, Drama, Cute Girls, Fashion
Description: Mari is a shy, studious girl who has neither a boyfriend nor any friends. One day, Akiko – one of the most fashion-conscious and sociable girls in the class – strikes up a conversation with her out of the blue! As the days go by the two become inseparable, with Akiko often cheerily remarking on how they became best friends so easily. Mari has a lot of fun with Akiko and her group, slowly becoming more outgoing despite still being timid and awkward. But she knows, deep down inside, that she doesn’t want them to stay just friends forever…. — Source
Chapters: 5 Volumes, 35 Chapters
Year: 2006-2010
Scanlation Group: MakiMaki Scanlations
You are a yuri fan and haven’t read Girl Friends yet? Shame on you! Now go read it!
YuriReviews and More 
ohh, I don't know about #4+5, and Yuri harem?? That sounds even more nice 🙂 I'll check them out as soon as possible, thanks again for the list :3
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I have a feeling that Shitsurakuen is not the right choice for you, but you should definitely read Pure Water Adolescence 😉
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I'm glad they went with the yuri ending in Shitsurakeun.
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Well, the author came up with another ending first, so I guess we should rather say that we're glad they also did a yuri one 😛
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i love the list lena k nothing really changed from your old one 🙂 also i havent read the flower and the star, notes from the garden of lilies, flag time, shitsurakuen and pure water adolescent yet but ill get to them. i also really wish prism didnt get that whole lawsuit thing back when it first came out because i really want to see what happens between megu and hikaru but sadly prism might never continue 😦 anyways keep up the good work lena k
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Oh lucky you, there are seemingly quite a few very nice ones that you have yet to enjoy~
I'm actually happy Prism ended at that time and not earlier, because the last chapter we got, felt like a good enough ending to me.
Of course I'd also like to see more chapters, but that's unfortunately not gonna happen…
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hm…now that you told me that it's not really something for me, I'm even more curious :3 (counterproductive, nice^^)
yeah, I'll give them both a try when I have more free time (and when I'm bored~) ;D
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Spoiler
I will admit, my heart stopped and I squeled when sora asked her childhood friend to marry her and they kissed under the tree
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I'll tell you why exactly I believe this is not the right one for you later, but for now let's just say that the role of the male characters was not that pleasant 😛
Spoiler!
Well, even though I didn't like the ending, I just love how the two of them look together and the kissing scene… I really melted away~
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This post reminds me to update my own list with a few modifications. I've read all of these and am up to date with the ongoing ones…but you already know that.
Still need to give The Flower and the Star a pounding.
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Girl Friends is my #1 and always will be lol.
It was my first yuri manga I ever read and will always be my favorite!
Pure Water Adolescent, I haven't read…I start but never finish passed 3 pages, I'm going to give it a try right now. Hopefully I enjoy it!
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Hello there.
I\ve enjoyed Prism a lot, till now I still rewatch it quite often.
There's one author i want to recomend you. It's Kishi Torajirou. Maka maka's author, if you know this series. And a pecific manga I want to recomend you is Kissing mars (you can find this one in Dynasty reader )
The reasons I want you to read this manga/ authour's is the adult atmosphere, very realistic, there's pain…and there's some ecchi in it.I dont really know how to put this clear but I'll appreciate if you give this one a try and tell me what do you think about it. Thanks anyway.
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Great manga keep popping up, so I guess it's about time to update your list as well.
I'll be looking forward to see your updates~
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Pure Water Adolescence is probably not the best manga to read for everyone. It's rather short and the order of the chapters is a little hard to follow, so it rather feels like short stories.
But I really enjoyed it, so I hope you'll enjoy it too 😉
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Hey there,
I've started reading Maka Maka a few years ago, but I honestly didn't enjoy it that much. The characters didn't appeal to me and the art… well let's just say I didn't really like it.
I've just checked Kissing Mars. I haven't read it up until now, but it's seemingly a short one so I'll read it, or at least start reading it.
I always appreciate recommendations, so thanks~
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Completely agree with your top 3. It is also Girl Friends, Prism, and Citrus for me in some order. Girl Friends ran for so long and captivated me for so many years. Prism is very well written and has good art to boot.
Citrus' art is jaw-droppingly good, and I also knew at first sight that I was going to love this manga. I have a feeling that by the time Citrus wraps up it will end up as my favorite of all time. Something about stepsister incest makes it awesome in ways that I don't know how to describe.
Incidentally, Citrus might have the best art I've seen in a yuri manga since Kaishaku's Kannazuki no Miko. I'd also have that somewhere in my top 10, just for the nostalgia factor. Yuri fans are spoiled by so much selection these days, whereas 10 years ago, Kannazuki no Miko was the best thing we got since sliced bread.
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If Citrus really stays as awesome as it is right now, and doesn't happen be dragged out with unnecessary plot twists just because it sells well, then this might really become my number one as well.
But I'm afraid many people would hate me for putting it at number 1. Haha it's so weird just how many haters this manga got just because other people like it so much.
Ah well…
You liked Kaishaku's art? I think back then it really was one of the best looking yuri manga out there, but I really like Kaishaku's recent art more.
The characters hair don't look so huge anymore, but unfortunately the breasts of the characters grew in exchange for that..
Hmm, I guess not everything's better now.
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New manga by the author who did Prism. It's not Yuri, but has a shit tone of subtext in the later half,
http://dynasty-scans.com/series/stretch
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You're like the 5th person who recommended this to me 😛
But I check the Dynasty Reader so many times that I already found this one some days ago.
Still waiting for something interesting to happen.
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Maybe this is an old series,, but i don't see this title in your old list too (don't know if i missing it or no >_<)
I recommend you must read the Candy. Its really awesome in my opinion.. XD
It an beat that Prism because its cancelled for now. Candy is already completed and has very good ending on it,, you must read it.. 😉
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Yup, read that one already. I don't think it's finished though.
Just some days ago a new chapter showed up, or was it an extra chapter?
Anyway, Candy would be in my Top 20, so it just didn't make it into this list.
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you still have that shitsurakuen in your updated list?
i think with the title top 10 Yuri Manga, you can put it in another list (its already in your old list too)…
because of yuri for just side story or just subtext, i don't think it should put it here (but i really like the story, because i like adventure fantasy like DNA XX)..i just don't like its ending…its like shoujo manga after all…
haha…i still will recommend that Candy because of the good ending ( i like when ending is happy ending after they become adult ) =P
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Well, Shitsurakuen was in my Top 3 in my old list and it's still one of my favorite manga, so of course it's listed in here as well.
Also, I have to disagree with you. Shitsurakuen probably really started out with just some subtext, but we got the yuri ending, so it's a yuri manga.
I have no idea how much more we will see of Candy, but I think it won't be that much.
It certainly was a great manga, but I just like some other manga better 😉
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I cant believe you didn't put Sweet Blue Flowers on here…
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It's in my older list.
But to be honest, I didn't really like it that much anymore when I read the last few chapters.
The thing I liked about this manga some years ago was just completely missing in the last few chapters.
It's hard to describe, since I can't even pinpoint what exactly I was missing in the end.
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I loved it. All that matter was that Fumi and Akira ended up back together. LOL that's a strange reaction.
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Hehe I really don't know how to put it another way, but I've already written a full review of this manga, if you wanna check that out.
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I can't believe that someone has almost identical top list as I have XD. (Makes me happy 0w0b ) I haven't seen anyone who put both shitsurakuen and Junsui Adolescence on their top 5 list.
Currently I'm hook to minase ruruu's works. sadly she only had few (mostly, one shots). My first time here in your blog. 🙂 Really great. keep bloggin' :'>
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You must have a nice taste in manga 😉
Oh and no wonder everyone is addicted to Minase Ruruu's stuff, I mean her works are all beyond great and I wish there were more.
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i just loved Girl Friends<3, i read it in one day, thanks for the list. now im looking for more lovely yuris like this, if you know some i'll be so happy<3.
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If you read these and also the few others from my previous list, how about you check out my other recommendations by clicking on “Recommendations” beneath my header 😉
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Damn, i'm an idiot, didnt see that one D:, thank you so much<3.
btw i'm reading Flag Time right now, and i just can't stop thinking that Murakami is lying to Moritani ):, i feel so bad about that
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I guess that's what many other people think as well, but then again, it's pretty hard to tell what Murakami is thinking.
We need another chapter~
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Great list! Really love citrus, prism and pure water adolescent ♡.♡ read finish everything listed! I recommend you to read Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu, Husky and Medley, Futari to Futari and lastly concerto for great one shots!
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Have already read Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu a long while ago und I at least think that I liked it. Futari to Futari is also pretty great, I really love Otomo Megane~
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If i have to say what's my favorites mangas, it will be 1-citrus 2-flag time 3-kase san 4-akuma no riddle 5-the feelings we all must endure 6- lonely sheep lonely wolf 7-sasameki koto 8-girlfriends 9-game by takemiya jin and 10-strawberry shake XD.
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Some really good picks I must say 😉
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I really love your choices and reviews. I actually think you give great scores on these series. I love Citrus…. I am slightly obsessed I can't help it. I think I am mostly in love with the art of it. The art is what really sets it for me. That and plot lol. Again. Fantastic job!!!!!!
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It's thanks to comments like this, that I enjoy blogging so much, so thanks a lot 🙂
I think many people are totally obsessed with Citrus, and it's really most for the art.
Unfortunately there are a lot of people who can't or don't want to see the value of this manga, so us Citrus fans should stay strong 😛
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I'll put Citrus at number one best yuri manga..then prism. hahaha I love both of them, and how well the author draws it 😀
actually I never read 'girlfriend'. I should try it…
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Read Girl Friends! Like, read it right now!
Trust me, just do it 😛
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I used to watched Utena as a kid and to tell the truth I really don't understand anything that much , but for some reasons I still adore Utena much more than Shitsurakuen
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I still haven't watched Utena and it's been on my to-watch-list for several years now…
I think I'm a lost case 😛
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Nice choices, i had read some in the list before. 😀 Recently just read Asagao to Kase-san and Flag Time, love it some much! Thanks for your reviews! 😀 I cant wait to read the next chapterssss for those incomplete manga! q(>w<)p Aww~~
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Good to hear that you enjoyed it 🙂
Some really good ones are still awaiting you 😉
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i dunno there is so many heartwarming, stomach tingling yuri manga out there.i just spent my time reading complete series of prism, stretching, girl friend, octave and i love it all so far..but amongst that i love prism the most because the story just do simple and yet very quick to make my heart doki2..it just so shame though prism has been cancelled because such a pain in ass issue..
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I know right…
Everyone is either pissed or just really sad about it.
Even after years, this is still an issue for us fans. I guess that just shows how big of a deal this one manga was and still is.
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OMG YES YES YES YES YES ASDFGHJKL The feels from all of those mangas >.< Especially Flagtime! I swear everyone who likes Yuri should read it!!! Unfortunately though the author already ended it (but hey it's not yet translated, so READ AND GIVE IT A GO!). If it was just long like girlfriends or the others, damn it would've been a yuri classic T-T MY HEART IS BREAKING <3
Hopefully there would be more though!!! (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE)
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In case of Flagtime, I was really hyped about it at first, but recently…
it might be because of the lack of recent updates, but I think it kind of lost its touch in general…
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TRUE TRUE, but hey that's a struggle we must endure!!! LOL anyway hopefully there will be more yuri mangas though coz ughh I NEED TO READ MORE!!!
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