When I first came across the term Yuri, I had an idea of what it could mean. It was one of the terms I had stumbled upon while looking at genre tags on a reading site and pretty much assumed it was the opposite of yaoi. So I took a look and my assumption was correct. My curiosity about terms like this led me to create the anime dictionary images and expand on their definitions. With time, I aim to build a comprehensive anime dictionary. In this entry, I’ll explain what Yuri means.

Definition of Yuri

Yuri is a subgenre within the girls’ love (GL) genre that depicts romantic relationships between women. The term originated in Japan and has been used in various media formats, such as anime, manga, novels, games, and more.

What specifically makes it Yuri? The story and art focus on romantic and/or sexual relationships between women. It can range from innocent love stories to explicit content.

Yuri, as a genre, doesn’t inherently target a single gender demographic. While it originated as a genre targeted towards a female audience, works have been produced that cater to different demographics, including:

• Female Audience: Many yuri works are still primarily targeted towards women, particularly those within the shoujo (girls) and josei (women) demographics. These stories often focus on romantic relationships, emotional connections, and self-discovery.
• Male Audience: Some yuri works, particularly those published in magazines like Comic Yuri Hime S, are specifically targeted towards a male audience. These stories might contain more fan service or focus on different aspects of the relationships between female characters.
• LGBTQ+ Audience: Yuri also holds significant appeal for LGBTQ+ audiences, particularly lesbians and bisexual women, as it provides representation and explores themes relevant to their experiences.

It’s important to note that there is significant overlap between these audiences, and many works can be enjoyed by people of different genders and sexual orientations. The appeal lies in its diverse range of stories, characters, and themes, which can resonate with a wide range of readers and viewers. This subgenre is part of the larger GL umbrella, which encompasses a variety of subgenres with different focuses and levels of intensity in depicting relationships.

While GL has many subgenres, Yuri and Shoujo-Ai are the two most commonly referenced. Yuri can include both emotional and sexual aspects. These subgenres fall under the GL umbrella because they intertwine, and the distinctions between them can be subtle.

Examples of Yuri:

For other anime and boy love, girl love terminology, check out the anime dictionary. Otherwise, here are some examples of yuri anime, manga and webtoons.

Anime

The below are a mix of Girl Love anime as I could not decide if these were stirctly Yuri or more Shoujo-AI.

Bloom Into You

Yuu has always loved shoujo manga and awaits the day she gets a love confession that sends her heart aflutter with bubbles and hearts, and yet when a junior high classmate confesses his feelings to her… she feels nothing. Disappointed and confused, Yuu enters high school still unsure how to respond. That’s when Yuu sees the beautiful student council president Nanami turn down a suitor with such maturity that she’s inspired to ask her for help. But when the next person to confess to Yuu is Nanami herself, has her shoujo romance finally begun?

Available on Netflix, HIDIVE and Animation Digital Network

Whisper Me a Love Song

Bubbly, energetic first-year high school student Himari falls head over heels for her senpai Yori after hearing her band perform on the first day of school. Himari tells Yori she just loves her, and, to Himari’s surprise, Yori says she loves Himari back! But when Himari realizes that she and her senpai are feeling two different kinds of love, she begins to ask herself what “love” really means…

Available to stream on HIDIVE, Prime Video and Animation Digital Network

Manga

If We Leave on the Dot

Yukawa comes into the office and always hangs up her coat on the rack; most others just sling it over their chairs. That may be because Yukawa is proper, but maybe because she loves receiving handwritten notes from her coworker Mizuki. Until recently, Yukawa only knew Mizuki and her sweet vanilla scent from afar, but one day she was able to befriend her after a mix-up with their coats. Since then, Mizuki communicates with Yukawa and asks her to go out after work via pen, paper, and coat. They never make plans ahead of time, nor do they even know each other’s phone numbers. As Yukawa navigates her feelings and learns more about Mizuki, will their relationship blossom into more than whatever it is right now?

If We Leave on the Dot is available on Manga Planet

I’m in Love with the Villainess

When corporate worker Rei Ohashi finds herself reborn as the protagonist of her favourite dating sim, it’s the perfect opportunity to do what she’s always wanted—seduce the villainess! In her previous life, Rei had no interest in the princes the game had to offer. She only had eyes for Claire François, her nemesis. Now, armed with her extensive knowledge of the game and her undying love for Claire, will Rei finally be able to win over the woman of her dreams?

I’m in Love with the Villainess is available on Seven Seas Entertainment

Webtoon

Pulse

Mel, a renowned heart surgeon, lives a carefree life with sex being a tool for joy rather than a show of affection. Then she meets someone that turns her view of love and life upside down. This story is about two people that meet with minimal expectations but soon become enthralled in a relationship that changes everything about themselves.

Source: Lezhin

Opium

1946 Choseon (Korea). Beautiful and brilliant Dr. Maria Arden returns to the country of her birth as the medical advisor to the U.S. Army—a stranger in an unfamiliar land ravaged by wars and corruption. There, she meets Dr. Kyeongju Lee, an alluring, mysterious woman shunned by society. Their innocent flirtations turn into a heated, forbidden love affair, as an illegal trade in opium threatens Choseon’s fragile stability. Two outsiders drawn helplessly to each other, but… everything was a lie.

Source: Tapas

Do you have any Yuri you would recommend?