Do NOT Read This Yuri Manga in Public | Manga Monday

Welcome to Manga Monday! This week we're diving into The Summer You Were There by Yuama, a yuri manga that ran in Comic Yuri Hime and will absolutely destroy you in the most beautiful way possible. Shizuku Hoshikawa is a shy, isolated high schooler carrying deep guilt from her past as a bully. She writes stories as an escape but never plans to show anyone. Then Kaori Asaka, the bright, popular girl in her class, gets her hands on Shizuku's manuscript, praises it like it's the greatest thing she's ever read, and makes a wild request: she wants Shizuku to write a romance novel about the two of them. To get material, Kaori convinces Shizuku to pretend-date her over summer break. It sounds like a lighthearted setup until the layers start peeling back. Shizuku's guilt over who she used to be, Kaori's suspiciously urgent need to make every moment count, and the secret she's hiding behind that relentless smile. This is a story about two girls finding each other at exactly the right time and exactly the wrong time, about writing as a way to hold onto someone, and about what it means to turn a life into a story before it's too late. Nominated twice for the Next Manga Award and ranked eighth on AnimeJapan's most wanted anime adaptations. Bring tissues. Bring the whole box.If you enjoy the show, please rate, review, like, and subscribe to Sakura Society | An Anime Appreciation Podcast — and any other podcasts you love. It takes seconds, costs nothing, and means everything to us creators. (The algorithm only accepts 5 stars, just so you know.)Stay up to date with Brendan on Bluesky | Instagram | TikTok | TwitterJoin our Discord — a community full of anime and culture fans just like youFollow our Spotify playlistOur amazing sponsors:Audio-Technica — the best in audio equipmentIced Tea Aesthetics — anime streetwear done right (use code SAKURASOCIETY5 at checkout to save $5)Japan Crate — Japanese snacks and treats delivered to your door (use code ATEBIT15 at checkout to save 15% + get free shipping)