The cute, shoujo art style is a trojan horse - this manga gets HEAVY. But the tone of patriarchal horror is balanced well with slice of life comedy. The serialized story alternates by chapter with an anthology of twists on familiar yuri stories, which give welcome breaks from the drama of the overarching plot. Yuri Espoir showcases the suffocating disempowerment of patriarchy inflicted on young girls and how well intentioned men can still perpetuate this power structure, even through inaction. Without spoiling anything, the primary antagonist, Kokoro's fiancé, is a well written and interesting take on a sexist man thus far. The banality of hisevil haunts the narrative in the horrifically mundane way he ruins Kokoro's life.

While the art may appear simple at first, the creativity is impressive. Some of the pages and panels are incredibly memorable, whether they be hilarious or heartbreaking.

I consider this one a must read for fans of the yuri genre, so long as you can stomach the weight of it.