Girl Friends
by Morinaga Milk
Release date: Oct 21, 2006 to Aug 21, 2010 (5 volumes, 35 chapters)
Genres/demographic: shoujo ai, yuri, romance, seinen
More info: MU, MAL
It’s not my first time reading a GL manga, even though I don’t read them often, and since I’d read a lot of favourable comments on this title, I went in with a ton of expectations. That, and this manga had been on my Plan to Read list forever, because I was waiting for the right mood.
I wish I didn’t, because I ended up in bitter disappointment.
This manga starts off as your usual “two girls who attend an all-girls school gradually fall for each other”, except it’s too shoujo for a seinen manga, and there’s product placement everywhere. No kidding.
I didn’t manage to muster any feelings for the main couple, and the supporting characters were mostly damn riajuus, so no affection for them either (except that one otaku girl; her outfits were hilarious).
If you wonder how explicit it is, I’ll tell you: there’re occasional panty shots, boobs flashing here and there, and only one ecchi scene to speak of. In other words, if you’re hoping for some steamy girl-on-girl action (like I did), look elsewhere.
I didn’t like how the story progressed, because it didn’t feel like it progressed at all. It was so sweet that I don’t even know why it has a drama tag on it. Predictable ending.
The artwork was okay; nothing to die over, but very cute (totally suitable for a shoujo manga).
Overall, I wouldn’t say I hated it, but I didn’t like it either.
6/10
Filed under: Manga Tagged: girl friends, morinaga milk
