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Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games #1
Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games Vol. 1
An over-the-top comedy manga about delicate young ladies indulging in hardcore gaming--inspired a live-action series and an anime!
Kuromi Girls’ Academy is a refined, elegant school that expects the very best in deportment from its young ladies. Aya got into this peerless rich-girls’ institution on a scholarship, and hopes to grow as lovely as her fellow student and idol, the so-called “Shirayuri-sama.” But Shirayuri hides a terrible she’s a trash-talking, combo-chaining, newbie-stomping, ruthless hardcore gamer! Could a mutual indulgence in no-holds-barred video game combat grow into a deeper rapport between these two girls?
Kuromi Girls’ Academy is a refined, elegant school that expects the very best in deportment from its young ladies. Aya got into this peerless rich-girls’ institution on a scholarship, and hopes to grow as lovely as her fellow student and idol, the so-called “Shirayuri-sama.” But Shirayuri hides a terrible she’s a trash-talking, combo-chaining, newbie-stomping, ruthless hardcore gamer! Could a mutual indulgence in no-holds-barred video game combat grow into a deeper rapport between these two girls?
180 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
September 30, 2021
Aya has worked hard to get into a prodigious girl’s school to pursue her alleged dream of becoming a proper young lady. She soon encounters the stunning beauty of Shirayuri, who shines with a cool, aloof energy. Then they start wailing the stuffing out of one another.
This book is absolutely crazy. It is so odd and weird that I thought I hated it for the first 80 pages, walked away, then came back to it and started from the beginning again to make sure I wasn’t going slightly mad myself. Even though it’s right in the title (and description), when the shoe drops here it drops hard.
And I guess I was going a bit wacky, because the re-read is where this mostly clicked for me and I really started to get into it. This is definitely a comedy, but less gag-based and more a complete theatre of the absurd that, once it starts going, is never less than interesting just because of how unique it is.
At its core, this is a book about being true to yourself, which is always a welcome theme in a story for me. Aya came to the school trying to find something else to believe in after she burnt out on her one true passion - fighting games. Or did she?
As she tries to make herself into a lady, she constantly butts up against Shirayuri, who is the icy, mysterious girl, yet one whose eyes sparkle with life. Especially when she is indulging in fighting games, banned by the school. The way she really gets into the games truly animates her like nothing else.
The image of Shirayuri when she drops her facade for the first time is a double page full on Manga Moment. Other than an odd fixation on people spitting blood now and then, the art in this one is good to great, nailing the moments that really matter. There is an amazing shot of Aya literally looking like a girl possessed that astounded me with how much it conveyed.
I don’t know that this is certainly for everyone - there are some ridiculously in-depth breakdowns of fighting game terms and specific fake rules for the game the girls play which is a LOT of text (although the accompanying action shots of the game being played are spectacularly easy to follow).
The important part of these info dumps is that it all comes from Aya, showing how strong her love for the genre is and how much more it truly means to her than just being prim and proper. It contrasts really well with the inscrutable Shirayuri who is, so far, simply obsessed with having fun.
There is also plenty of what I would less call yuri baiting but active yuri trolling. The situations these two end up in (you best believe there’s a wall slam) tend to go hot and heavy, but (for now) they only have fighting games in their hearts. This actually gets really funny as the situations end up undercut every single time.
Between our leads and Aya’s adorably normal (and easily scandalized) roomie I could see the doujinshi tail being long for this one. However, right now it is the story of two girls forging a very strong bond together and it’s perfectly fine like that. While they appear to be different personalities they are SO alike while gaming that it’s easy to see them growing together.
And though the story may be to an excess, it smartly layers on some very real danger - the girls are at legitimate risk of expulsion if they get caught - and doesn’t shy from the consequences of their actions. When they have to make a swift escape, which is grounded in reality but very nuts, there are serious repercussions. I like that.
3.5 stars and I honestly wasn’t planning to round this up but, as you can see, I can’t stop thinking about it. That, to me, is the sign of a good book, even if I took some serious time to warm to it. Really interesting characterization, plus a crazy premise and an absurdist streak. Whatever it is, it isn’t boring.
This book is absolutely crazy. It is so odd and weird that I thought I hated it for the first 80 pages, walked away, then came back to it and started from the beginning again to make sure I wasn’t going slightly mad myself. Even though it’s right in the title (and description), when the shoe drops here it drops hard.
And I guess I was going a bit wacky, because the re-read is where this mostly clicked for me and I really started to get into it. This is definitely a comedy, but less gag-based and more a complete theatre of the absurd that, once it starts going, is never less than interesting just because of how unique it is.
At its core, this is a book about being true to yourself, which is always a welcome theme in a story for me. Aya came to the school trying to find something else to believe in after she burnt out on her one true passion - fighting games. Or did she?
As she tries to make herself into a lady, she constantly butts up against Shirayuri, who is the icy, mysterious girl, yet one whose eyes sparkle with life. Especially when she is indulging in fighting games, banned by the school. The way she really gets into the games truly animates her like nothing else.
The image of Shirayuri when she drops her facade for the first time is a double page full on Manga Moment. Other than an odd fixation on people spitting blood now and then, the art in this one is good to great, nailing the moments that really matter. There is an amazing shot of Aya literally looking like a girl possessed that astounded me with how much it conveyed.
I don’t know that this is certainly for everyone - there are some ridiculously in-depth breakdowns of fighting game terms and specific fake rules for the game the girls play which is a LOT of text (although the accompanying action shots of the game being played are spectacularly easy to follow).
The important part of these info dumps is that it all comes from Aya, showing how strong her love for the genre is and how much more it truly means to her than just being prim and proper. It contrasts really well with the inscrutable Shirayuri who is, so far, simply obsessed with having fun.
There is also plenty of what I would less call yuri baiting but active yuri trolling. The situations these two end up in (you best believe there’s a wall slam) tend to go hot and heavy, but (for now) they only have fighting games in their hearts. This actually gets really funny as the situations end up undercut every single time.
Between our leads and Aya’s adorably normal (and easily scandalized) roomie I could see the doujinshi tail being long for this one. However, right now it is the story of two girls forging a very strong bond together and it’s perfectly fine like that. While they appear to be different personalities they are SO alike while gaming that it’s easy to see them growing together.
And though the story may be to an excess, it smartly layers on some very real danger - the girls are at legitimate risk of expulsion if they get caught - and doesn’t shy from the consequences of their actions. When they have to make a swift escape, which is grounded in reality but very nuts, there are serious repercussions. I like that.
3.5 stars and I honestly wasn’t planning to round this up but, as you can see, I can’t stop thinking about it. That, to me, is the sign of a good book, even if I took some serious time to warm to it. Really interesting characterization, plus a crazy premise and an absurdist streak. Whatever it is, it isn’t boring.
July 2, 2022
This was actually pretty fun.
Aya joins a all girls school that perfects girls. Makes them perfect citizens. A prep school basically. And one day she's passing by a classroom and sees Shirayui in there...the prettiest most girl-figure in the school. The most proper girl. Screaming at the top of her lungs that she just beat a noob in a video game and telling him to kiss her ass.
This begins the fun days of Aya and Shirayui as they challenge each other to a fighting game. The problem with this is that it's against the rules to have any video games in the school grounds. So they must hide their secret while getting close!
It's cute, it has Yuri moments, and the girls faces when they get their game on is pretty funny. Especially when they get pissed or riled up, some real good times. Overall, worth checking out if want something over the top and fun, with some cool fight scenes in the video games.
Aya joins a all girls school that perfects girls. Makes them perfect citizens. A prep school basically. And one day she's passing by a classroom and sees Shirayui in there...the prettiest most girl-figure in the school. The most proper girl. Screaming at the top of her lungs that she just beat a noob in a video game and telling him to kiss her ass.
This begins the fun days of Aya and Shirayui as they challenge each other to a fighting game. The problem with this is that it's against the rules to have any video games in the school grounds. So they must hide their secret while getting close!
It's cute, it has Yuri moments, and the girls faces when they get their game on is pretty funny. Especially when they get pissed or riled up, some real good times. Overall, worth checking out if want something over the top and fun, with some cool fight scenes in the video games.
May 6, 2025
nice setting....with the relationship between the two girls the most intriguing prospect
November 15, 2021
This was fucking hilarious, over the top, and I fucking loved it.
What makes this volume (and I presume the whole series) work is how much it thrives off of absurdity. Rather than making this a "cute girls doing hobbies" series where everyone's moe cute and they just sit around playing videogames, Ejima decided to make this like a shounen action series but with cute girls playing videogames. There's heavy use of shadow and intense lining to add intensity to the matches, the paneling is keeps the flow and momentum of the fights going, and fight choreography in the games is fluid and well-defined. This series embraces the obsessive love, devotion, and expertise Shirayuri and Aya have for fighting games and the wacky personalities that come with said obsession.
This is definitely not for everyone and is certainly not a traditional yuri manga, but I had an absolute blast with it and highly recommend it for anyone looking for a different kind of yuri story. I wouldn't say this is necessarily an "original" piece of work, but its presentation alone makes it stand out among the rest.
What makes this volume (and I presume the whole series) work is how much it thrives off of absurdity. Rather than making this a "cute girls doing hobbies" series where everyone's moe cute and they just sit around playing videogames, Ejima decided to make this like a shounen action series but with cute girls playing videogames. There's heavy use of shadow and intense lining to add intensity to the matches, the paneling is keeps the flow and momentum of the fights going, and fight choreography in the games is fluid and well-defined. This series embraces the obsessive love, devotion, and expertise Shirayuri and Aya have for fighting games and the wacky personalities that come with said obsession.
This is definitely not for everyone and is certainly not a traditional yuri manga, but I had an absolute blast with it and highly recommend it for anyone looking for a different kind of yuri story. I wouldn't say this is necessarily an "original" piece of work, but its presentation alone makes it stand out among the rest.
August 18, 2022
My wife has been trying to get me to read this for a bit, but I had to get over my yuri burnout first so I could give it a fair shake.
Now that I have sat down and read it, I genuinely enjoyed it! I mostly play anime fighters, and I think the author was more inspired by Street Fighter/Tekken (I saw someone say Ultra Street Fighter 4 which I don't have experience with!), but the atmosphere of the laptop matches in various out of the way locations reminded me a lot of the jokes people make about Melty Blood tournaments.
I think some of the term/tech explanations get a little tedious, but I also think the author either a) did a lot of research and wanted to be accurate or b) really cares about fighting games and wants to give people full context. It felt genuine either way and didn't bother me too much, and honestly reminded me of when I would push through biking explanations when I was enjoying Yowapeda. You can tell the author just wants to give a full picture to people who may not be familiar with that world.
Shirayuri is... highly relatable lol. From her big outbursts to frantically clinging onto someone when you discover they also play, I had to briefly set down the book a few times while having an "oh no, that's me" moment. That said I really enjoyed both of the main girls and the frantic energy that runs through most of their encounters. I love that both of them are sore losers, but still good sports, and that there are a lot of "ugly" (using this term loosely) moments when they celebrate or are in the midst of their matches.
I think they have an incredibly fun rivalry and I'm looking forward to reading more! I do also think that this might not be everyone's cup of tea, just because it is so focused on the game and mechanics. But I do think it is worth it for the art and character dynamics.
Now that I have sat down and read it, I genuinely enjoyed it! I mostly play anime fighters, and I think the author was more inspired by Street Fighter/Tekken (I saw someone say Ultra Street Fighter 4 which I don't have experience with!), but the atmosphere of the laptop matches in various out of the way locations reminded me a lot of the jokes people make about Melty Blood tournaments.
I think some of the term/tech explanations get a little tedious, but I also think the author either a) did a lot of research and wanted to be accurate or b) really cares about fighting games and wants to give people full context. It felt genuine either way and didn't bother me too much, and honestly reminded me of when I would push through biking explanations when I was enjoying Yowapeda. You can tell the author just wants to give a full picture to people who may not be familiar with that world.
Shirayuri is... highly relatable lol. From her big outbursts to frantically clinging onto someone when you discover they also play, I had to briefly set down the book a few times while having an "oh no, that's me" moment. That said I really enjoyed both of the main girls and the frantic energy that runs through most of their encounters. I love that both of them are sore losers, but still good sports, and that there are a lot of "ugly" (using this term loosely) moments when they celebrate or are in the midst of their matches.
I think they have an incredibly fun rivalry and I'm looking forward to reading more! I do also think that this might not be everyone's cup of tea, just because it is so focused on the game and mechanics. But I do think it is worth it for the art and character dynamics.
July 30, 2024
A former co-worker of mine recommended this manga to me, and seeing it at one of my undergrad libraries had me really excited to see how it would start. So far, I'm happy to say I'm excited to see where this series goes. Aya is an engaging lead whose re-entry into fighting games compels her to assess why she put them aside in the first place. Her jealousy towards Shirayuri's engagement with them is something I've felt when it comes to interests of mine I've felt I need to suppress or ignore in order to be seen as "normal." In this case, the setting here amplifies video games as distracting from Kuromi's goal. I also was happy with the queer coded moments not feeling like they were fanservice. There's a sense a sapphic relationship could be seen without scrutiny, which has me curious about where Aya and Shirayuri's development will go. Ejima's art style is also unique in the best way. It perfectly emulates fighting games and has fun with incorporating the narrator's commentary. The quick pace will also be a plus when the anime adaptation rolls around. We've got our first two to three episodes right here.
I'll be curious to see where the side characters will go as they don't feel as fleshed out yet. I think they will be with time; the one I'll be keeping my eyes out for is Morino. She definitely had her Neighbors 2 Selena Gomez moment.
I'll be curious to see where the side characters will go as they don't feel as fleshed out yet. I think they will be with time; the one I'll be keeping my eyes out for is Morino. She definitely had her Neighbors 2 Selena Gomez moment.
November 6, 2022
Okay, this was kind of hilarious as it leaned into absurdity.
May 7, 2024
Artwork is kind of ugly, and the relationship seems forced and very much male gazey
February 27, 2023
It's a very cute and easy read to series so far. I'm not entirely sure I'm totally on board with this series, but the characters are cute, so let's see how it gets on!
June 16, 2022
I'm waffling on this rating and may lower it to 3.5ish but this is a unique enough spin on a typical yuri story that I feel okay rounding up. My main gripe was the translator choices of slang (and the MC's way of speaking in general) + the seemingly random choices of definitions that are added as footnotes throughout. Not every reference or phrase needs to be explained... it makes the read a little tiring. Also, despite my wife being very much into fighting games and knowing the lingo, fighting games just don't interest me. I don't hate them, they mostly just bore me. So even with the sports-anime-style xTreme action scenes I could feel my eyes glazing over. However, if you fit the niche of yuri-lover AND fighting game fanatic I think this could be a homerun (or Ultimate/Final Smash/Overdrive/Super, take your pick) for you.
The art, however, is stunning (except for the actual fighting game screens. I guess they wanted that to be realistic or something :/) and it's nice to look at even if some of the pages bored me.
The art, however, is stunning (except for the actual fighting game screens. I guess they wanted that to be realistic or something :/) and it's nice to look at even if some of the pages bored me.
July 30, 2023
I always like to break up books by reading a short story/manga inbetween. With that said, this was an enjoyable short read that brought a lot of nostalgia with it. This manga was giving me flashbacks to playing fighting games with my brother growing up. Nowadays, on occasion I’ll hit up a arcade, & battle it out with my significant other. There’s just something different, & intense with fighting games- this manga captured that feeling perfectly (with a great sense of humor added to it)! I’m not sure honestly if I’ll stick with the series, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Would 10/10 recommend to anybody that grew up playing retro/ old fighting games!
April 28, 2023
This is the romantic shoujo/sports arc/FGC manga that I didn't know I needed in my life.
January 29, 2022
Aya monologues like a movie villain, stresses inordinately about chiming in with her perfectly imperfect wit, and is doing her utmost to put her childhood of skinned knees and compulsive gaming behind her. Still, Aya Mitsuki is on the path to becoming a refined young woman. Almost. She's a brilliant student and a hard worker. Her enrollment at the prestigious Kuromi Girls' Academy as a scholarship student attests to that. But deep down, this socially conscious girl with calluses on her hands is struggling. Question: Does she curse out her new classmate for whining like a baby during their arcade-style fighting game, or does she just whoop her butt one more time to put everything to bed? Decisions, decisions.
YOUNG LADIES DON'T PLAY FIGHTING GAMES #1 is a comic whose brand of humor pumps along at even beats, not unlike an electrocardiogram, and every so often, at semiregular intervals, the manga spikes. Aya conveniently hides her layperson ignorance from her high-brow peers until, spike, she flubs a comment about how much she misses corner-shop ramen. Aya peeps a fellow classmate, the regal Miss Shirayuri, focus intensely on a videogame with an arcade-style joystick and button pad, then, spike, Shirayuri slaughters her opponent, climbs up on her desk, and verbally assaults her computer screen with delightfully un-ladylike ridicule ("How's it feel to get your ass handed to you two rounds in a row?" or "Go on! Tell me why you stood there teabagging like you're hot stuff even though you're a meme player at best! I'm just dying to know!").
Aya's affection for gaming and her burgeoning tolerance of her whiny classmate are likely to converge. The only real question concerns which character's ego will take the biggest hit in the process. On its face, the pulse of this manga isn't particularly original. A commoner girl attends an upper-crust high school with the hopes of completing an arbitrarily personal commitment to goodness. The manga world is rife with stories like these. The only worthy point of differentiation here includes the comic's focus on combat games. Aya's barely restrained brooding is hysterical (e.g., she wants to help but detests indecision), and Shirayuri's babyish aggressiveness is the fruit of much twitchiness (e.g., she's adored by all the other students, but harbors a dark fangirl within), but in the context of two game-obsessed girls struggling to feed their addiction, the manga makes the grade.
YOUNG LADIES DON'T PLAY FIGHTING GAMES #1 limits its scope to the awkward, cute-hostility between Aya and Shirayuri. Readers don't get to know hardly any secondary characters, earn little knowledge of Kuromi Girls' Academy beyond the obvious, and are frequently at risk of succumbing to the author's exhaustive attempt to build familiarity with the characters through their gaming experiences. YOUNG LADIES DON'T PLAY FIGHTING GAMES #1 is fun and clever, but it's also a bit of a grind.
For example, the manga's intense focus on fighting games means readers encounter two to four pages of run-up dialogue, followed by six to eight pages of in-game action (narrated blow-by-blow), followed by another two to four pages of interior monologue, capped with another two to four pages of in-game action. This plotting arrangement manifests roughly a half-dozen times, and while it's entertaining at the start, it quickly becomes a serious chore.
YOUNG LADIES DON'T PLAY FIGHTING GAMES #1 is a one-dimensional story with one-dimensional characters, but for now, readers can glimpse the most awkward and unfiltered version of a refined young lady in development.
YOUNG LADIES DON'T PLAY FIGHTING GAMES #1 is a comic whose brand of humor pumps along at even beats, not unlike an electrocardiogram, and every so often, at semiregular intervals, the manga spikes. Aya conveniently hides her layperson ignorance from her high-brow peers until, spike, she flubs a comment about how much she misses corner-shop ramen. Aya peeps a fellow classmate, the regal Miss Shirayuri, focus intensely on a videogame with an arcade-style joystick and button pad, then, spike, Shirayuri slaughters her opponent, climbs up on her desk, and verbally assaults her computer screen with delightfully un-ladylike ridicule ("How's it feel to get your ass handed to you two rounds in a row?" or "Go on! Tell me why you stood there teabagging like you're hot stuff even though you're a meme player at best! I'm just dying to know!").
Aya's affection for gaming and her burgeoning tolerance of her whiny classmate are likely to converge. The only real question concerns which character's ego will take the biggest hit in the process. On its face, the pulse of this manga isn't particularly original. A commoner girl attends an upper-crust high school with the hopes of completing an arbitrarily personal commitment to goodness. The manga world is rife with stories like these. The only worthy point of differentiation here includes the comic's focus on combat games. Aya's barely restrained brooding is hysterical (e.g., she wants to help but detests indecision), and Shirayuri's babyish aggressiveness is the fruit of much twitchiness (e.g., she's adored by all the other students, but harbors a dark fangirl within), but in the context of two game-obsessed girls struggling to feed their addiction, the manga makes the grade.
YOUNG LADIES DON'T PLAY FIGHTING GAMES #1 limits its scope to the awkward, cute-hostility between Aya and Shirayuri. Readers don't get to know hardly any secondary characters, earn little knowledge of Kuromi Girls' Academy beyond the obvious, and are frequently at risk of succumbing to the author's exhaustive attempt to build familiarity with the characters through their gaming experiences. YOUNG LADIES DON'T PLAY FIGHTING GAMES #1 is fun and clever, but it's also a bit of a grind.
For example, the manga's intense focus on fighting games means readers encounter two to four pages of run-up dialogue, followed by six to eight pages of in-game action (narrated blow-by-blow), followed by another two to four pages of interior monologue, capped with another two to four pages of in-game action. This plotting arrangement manifests roughly a half-dozen times, and while it's entertaining at the start, it quickly becomes a serious chore.
YOUNG LADIES DON'T PLAY FIGHTING GAMES #1 is a one-dimensional story with one-dimensional characters, but for now, readers can glimpse the most awkward and unfiltered version of a refined young lady in development.
August 25, 2023
Really funny and enjoyable comedy romance? manga. I think if you’re a big fighting game person you’d get more enjoyment than someone like me did though. However they do explain some of the lingo and such, but it can be a bit hard to understand if you’re not into that stuff.
Art: Great art! Very expressive and well drawn.
Characters: Our two leads are good, you already get so much of their backstory and such in the first volume, which sets up for a promising series. Aya the lead has an interesting character as she wants to be a proper young lady while Shirayuri is her foil to that. They play well off each other because of this. Their rivalry is pretty funny and if this is a yuri I wanna see where this goes. Shirayuri herself is also a fun character, at first she’s the typical elegant beauty sort. I thought they were going to do something completely different with her character but was pleasantly surprised with the direction they took it. It’s like a parody of yuri tropes which I like.
Story: For a first volume I think it was very fast paced but still enjoyable. I liked the setting of a fancy boarding school with two students playing fighting games in secret. Which made me more invested cuz at any moment they could get caught and thrown out. It makes you care for the characters and their passions.
I think the fighting game stuff itself didn’t really interest me, the scenes dragged on and weren’t too engaging. I liked the scenes with the characters themselves more and wish there was more of that rather than the long gaming scenes. I know it is a fighting game themed manga though so I’m just nitpicking.
The volumes also really funny, like the characters are so intense. I actually laughed out loud at one scene which is rare for me to do when reading.
Lastly the romance. I swear this was marketed as a yuri, I assume it is? There’s a few hints to it yes, but it s doesn’t seem like they’re going to get together at least in this volume. Honestly disappointing since I do like the leads dynamics.
If you’re looking for a girls comic with an unhinged flair please check this out
Art: Great art! Very expressive and well drawn.
Characters: Our two leads are good, you already get so much of their backstory and such in the first volume, which sets up for a promising series. Aya the lead has an interesting character as she wants to be a proper young lady while Shirayuri is her foil to that. They play well off each other because of this. Their rivalry is pretty funny and if this is a yuri I wanna see where this goes. Shirayuri herself is also a fun character, at first she’s the typical elegant beauty sort. I thought they were going to do something completely different with her character but was pleasantly surprised with the direction they took it. It’s like a parody of yuri tropes which I like.
Story: For a first volume I think it was very fast paced but still enjoyable. I liked the setting of a fancy boarding school with two students playing fighting games in secret. Which made me more invested cuz at any moment they could get caught and thrown out. It makes you care for the characters and their passions.
I think the fighting game stuff itself didn’t really interest me, the scenes dragged on and weren’t too engaging. I liked the scenes with the characters themselves more and wish there was more of that rather than the long gaming scenes. I know it is a fighting game themed manga though so I’m just nitpicking.
The volumes also really funny, like the characters are so intense. I actually laughed out loud at one scene which is rare for me to do when reading.
Lastly the romance. I swear this was marketed as a yuri, I assume it is? There’s a few hints to it yes, but it s doesn’t seem like they’re going to get together at least in this volume. Honestly disappointing since I do like the leads dynamics.
If you’re looking for a girls comic with an unhinged flair please check this out
June 13, 2022
If the phrase "the sapphic urge to destroy your rival in battle" appeals to you, check this out.
This series is a ton of fun. I love enemies to lovers, but I also love the low-stakes rivals-to-lovers, especially when it's something really superficial. In this case we have two girls skirting prim-and-proper school rules to play a violent fighting game. The romance elements are extremely light and normally would be annoying, but they add to the comedy here - a lot of the scenes that would be romantic tension (pushing your rival up against a wall, huddling under covers) are completely undercut by the characters' desire to just beat the other one in battle, and I think that's really special. There's also some parodied elements of a sports manga that add to the comedy - we've got the up-and-coming new star and the former prodigy who swore to leave that life behind forever...except instead of baseball or volleyball it's an fighting game.
Also probably helps my interest that I too spent most of high school playing fighting games (never did tournaments though, cause I suck, but Soulcalibur II for the curious) and still have an affinity for them (mostly play Injustice 1 & 2). I don't think you have to be into fighting games to enjoy this though - for those who don't care you can just skip past all the detailed lore on how the game works and focus on the in-game action scenes and the comedy of two girls wanting to destroy each other (and maybe make out, but we're not quite there yet).
Only negative thing of note - and I always hate saying this cause I know translators are often underapperciated - but the English translation was a little awkward in parts. Not deal-breaking and I've read way, way worse, but if this is your very first manga you might not be used to some of the awkwardly-phrased translations.
This series is a ton of fun. I love enemies to lovers, but I also love the low-stakes rivals-to-lovers, especially when it's something really superficial. In this case we have two girls skirting prim-and-proper school rules to play a violent fighting game. The romance elements are extremely light and normally would be annoying, but they add to the comedy here - a lot of the scenes that would be romantic tension (pushing your rival up against a wall, huddling under covers) are completely undercut by the characters' desire to just beat the other one in battle, and I think that's really special. There's also some parodied elements of a sports manga that add to the comedy - we've got the up-and-coming new star and the former prodigy who swore to leave that life behind forever...except instead of baseball or volleyball it's an fighting game.
Also probably helps my interest that I too spent most of high school playing fighting games (never did tournaments though, cause I suck, but Soulcalibur II for the curious) and still have an affinity for them (mostly play Injustice 1 & 2). I don't think you have to be into fighting games to enjoy this though - for those who don't care you can just skip past all the detailed lore on how the game works and focus on the in-game action scenes and the comedy of two girls wanting to destroy each other (and maybe make out, but we're not quite there yet).
Only negative thing of note - and I always hate saying this cause I know translators are often underapperciated - but the English translation was a little awkward in parts. Not deal-breaking and I've read way, way worse, but if this is your very first manga you might not be used to some of the awkwardly-phrased translations.
May 16, 2023
I picked this one up on a whim. It looked quite cute and it’s marketed as yuri (which I’m currently into). But in terms of yuri, it isn’t very present. I feel as though if it were a yuri, it would be quite the slow burn. But that’s fine— the hook for me is how this mangaka portrays fighting games and how they emulate the entire experience and atmosphere. It feels like I’m really living what the characters are living, and I just have so much fun with it. It also makes me want to get back into fighting games all the more. If romance were never to blossom in this manga, I think it could possibly be all the better for it. Romance is complementary to the real charm of this manga.
Also— the way Mitsuki reads Shirayuri as a person predominately from her play style is so fun. It’s true that you can discern a lot from a person in this way; I like that we see it between these two. Furthermore, I like how battles are depicted. There’s so much intensity. Everything feels like a real fight.
All in all, this manga is pretty fun and pretty cool— but I don’t think it’s meant to be taken too seriously. It’s certainly something a person can read casually and intermittently and still enjoy it to perhaps its fullest.
Also— the way Mitsuki reads Shirayuri as a person predominately from her play style is so fun. It’s true that you can discern a lot from a person in this way; I like that we see it between these two. Furthermore, I like how battles are depicted. There’s so much intensity. Everything feels like a real fight.
All in all, this manga is pretty fun and pretty cool— but I don’t think it’s meant to be taken too seriously. It’s certainly something a person can read casually and intermittently and still enjoy it to perhaps its fullest.
June 2, 2023
Getting into Kuromi Girls’ Academy is no small feat.
Being a scholarship student, Aya is desperate to prove herself worthy of this prestigious school. She’s left behind many of her “unladylike” pursuits to become a refined young woman.
She hopes, like many girls at the academy, to become even half as lovely as Shirayuri.
A beautiful and lovely girl, Shirayuri stands out amongst a sea of refined young ladies in training. She is poised and so effortlessly demure.
She also has a big secret—she’s a hardcore gamer.
Something Aya discovers on accident.
When Shirayuri challenges Aya to a match, Aya can’t refuse—even though it goes against this new image she is trying to manifest. Aya meant to leave her gaming days behind.
But, Aya quickly realizes how fun it is to play against Shirayuri.
As the two begin to play against each other more often, will something more than a rapport grow between them?
So, this is an unexpectedly and delightfully adorable little story!
I find the premise to be unique and quite interesting. I appreciate stories that take new approaches to coming of age tales. I’m excited to see where this story goes and how the central relationship develops.
Definitely recommend for readers who want a fun read with some (hopefully) queer romance~
Being a scholarship student, Aya is desperate to prove herself worthy of this prestigious school. She’s left behind many of her “unladylike” pursuits to become a refined young woman.
She hopes, like many girls at the academy, to become even half as lovely as Shirayuri.
A beautiful and lovely girl, Shirayuri stands out amongst a sea of refined young ladies in training. She is poised and so effortlessly demure.
She also has a big secret—she’s a hardcore gamer.
Something Aya discovers on accident.
When Shirayuri challenges Aya to a match, Aya can’t refuse—even though it goes against this new image she is trying to manifest. Aya meant to leave her gaming days behind.
But, Aya quickly realizes how fun it is to play against Shirayuri.
As the two begin to play against each other more often, will something more than a rapport grow between them?
So, this is an unexpectedly and delightfully adorable little story!
I find the premise to be unique and quite interesting. I appreciate stories that take new approaches to coming of age tales. I’m excited to see where this story goes and how the central relationship develops.
Definitely recommend for readers who want a fun read with some (hopefully) queer romance~
February 20, 2022
This was fantastic!! I love sapphics and video-games so I fully expected to love this and I wasn't disappointed!!
GGWP follows two young girls at a prestigious academy where video-games are banned. They both get competitive and they start to play against each other in secret, while getting into goofy situations to avoid being caught. It's really charming and I do love the romcom elements, and especially how queer it is from the get-go.
I did find that it got pretty repetitive in this volume but I enjoyed myself the whole way through no issue. I do wonder how the next volume will go and if it will build more on these characters, their relationship and the general school life outside of the games because there is so much potential and this is very much just the beginning.
Definitely looking forward to the next couple of volumes, and the anime that's coming!
GGWP follows two young girls at a prestigious academy where video-games are banned. They both get competitive and they start to play against each other in secret, while getting into goofy situations to avoid being caught. It's really charming and I do love the romcom elements, and especially how queer it is from the get-go.
I did find that it got pretty repetitive in this volume but I enjoyed myself the whole way through no issue. I do wonder how the next volume will go and if it will build more on these characters, their relationship and the general school life outside of the games because there is so much potential and this is very much just the beginning.
Definitely looking forward to the next couple of volumes, and the anime that's coming!
October 21, 2022
Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games is one of the most beautifully drawn manga's I've read. There is fantastically stunning ugly moments for the girls and captivating panels aplenty.
The manga's story follows assimilation, desire, growing up, and more all in fun fighting game action, sparks of romance between the two lead girls and more. There is nothing explicitly, openly gay, yet in this volume but there is many many moments that do read as next and not subtext.
The setting gives them a reason to hide their shared passion for each other, well fighting each other at fighting games. Aya's deep dive into conforming hoping she'll feel the joy she felt as a kid again by becoming a proper young lady is sad, heart breaking and exciting to watch break as she falls for Shirayuri.
I need to read the other volumes stat.
The manga's story follows assimilation, desire, growing up, and more all in fun fighting game action, sparks of romance between the two lead girls and more. There is nothing explicitly, openly gay, yet in this volume but there is many many moments that do read as next and not subtext.
The setting gives them a reason to hide their shared passion for each other, well fighting each other at fighting games. Aya's deep dive into conforming hoping she'll feel the joy she felt as a kid again by becoming a proper young lady is sad, heart breaking and exciting to watch break as she falls for Shirayuri.
I need to read the other volumes stat.
January 4, 2023
The premise itself seemed interesting enough, but I think it was the fact that I’ve never owned or had a game system like this that wasn’t in an arcade, and because of that I didn’t really see the point of this so much, but it was cute for what it was. I probably won’t continue the series, and I was really hoping to enjoy it cuz I did like the art, it’s cute and wholesome and I don’t really read yuri manga enough, cuz sometimes the plot just never hits for me. I can read wlw books fine but manga is different, it might be because I started with BL, and enjoy that a lot more then anything else but yeah that’s it.
November 28, 2021
Hilarious, cute, over-the-top manga about two girls who find kindred fighting spirits in each other at a school where video games are prohibited. Art style is beautiful and this is definitely not a traditional yuri storyline, but I loved how outrageous some of the scenes are, especially the one where they literally jumped through and broke a window to escape. Not for everyone, but I’m intrigued and will definitely be reading the next volume.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2024
This is so solid. Lots of fighting game speak that I didn’t necessarily understand since I am a fighting game button smasher, but I get the passion that Aya and Shirayuri play with. Video games really can obsess you and these two girls are obsessed. I mean the fact that they jump through a window to keep from getting caught is so ridiculously over the top!
Great art, funny topic that is taken so seriously by the girls, plus potentially gay. I love it. Looking forward to volume 2.
Great art, funny topic that is taken so seriously by the girls, plus potentially gay. I love it. Looking forward to volume 2.
November 21, 2025
Light interesting series, it's a mix of comedy, friendship, and the main stay is the fighting games. I liked the way the series got into the details of fighting games, various moves, etiquette, history and so on. It really brings the scene alive. I myself don't play fighting games but do admire those that do.
The school setting is a bit 'weak' in the sense that it barely features except to serve as a place for the various people to meet and play together. Overall still a short fun read.
The school setting is a bit 'weak' in the sense that it barely features except to serve as a place for the various people to meet and play together. Overall still a short fun read.
December 11, 2021
Hilarious! I love this series so far. It reminds me of that same chaotic energy of Asobi Asobase which made me laugh so much. I can’t wait to see the anime next year and read the next volume. I love the respect and rivalry they have among the two leads so far. Can’t wait to see where that competitive fire of theirs takes them next in volume 2!!
November 23, 2022
I loved this! Great art and very cute premise. Happy to have a colorful, high school, class s series in my backlog again. I love fighting games too, so the flavor is just brilliant. Would love to deep dive into Iron Senpai and see more of the game itself. Seems like a great opportunity since weire using an analogue instead of a real fighting game.
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December 26, 2023Artwork is cute; story isn’t my style. It’s a little too heavy on the mechanics of the game. The over the top absurdity of their actions (jumping through a glass window to avoid getting caught, casually pulling a shard of glass out of her head and tossing it away, like you do 🤣) is funny but not enough to keep me reading further.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2022
While I bought this on the premise of geeky girls indulging their interests in secret, the romance surprised me a little; then again this comes from someone who likes the slice of life genre a little too much.
April 15, 2022
Ahhh this was so cute! The main leads are interesting and their chemistry is top tier! The art style is such eye candy, especially for the fight sequences.
A charming manga about two girls playing fighting games, and finding love along the way!
A charming manga about two girls playing fighting games, and finding love along the way!
November 17, 2022
This was soo fun and pretty. If you're a gamer you'll really enjoy this because it has a tonne of gamer references which I loved! Also, it seems a cute romance could be blossoming between the two girls <3
May 2, 2023
Heightened emotions, imaginary blood pouring from these ladies' mouths, and an unapologetic passion for fighting games makes this series an instant Y-E-S from me. Also, it's a surprise yuri? I can't wait to continue reading this!
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