Qualia the Purple Review
A Sci-fi Drama with Yuri Thrown in for Fun.
Hello Yuri Enjoyers!
My name is Samantha, and this is my first Yuri review/recommendation that I’ve written! Now, you might be wondering why I chose Qualia the Purple to talk about, even though it is quite an outlier in the Yuri genre, and the simple answer is… it’s the most recent thing I’ve read in its entirety that I feel able to discuss confidently. Most the manga I’ve been reading have been incomplete series, like My Girlfriend’s Not Here Today, Even Though We’re Adults, Sheep Princess in Wolf’s Clothing, and many more. Since this site will mostly focus on series in their entirety, I can’t really discuss all of those (as much as I have tons to say already!) and will need to wait until they are complete. I also really wanted to get this page started, and if I worried over what to start with, I would never be able to start!
With that in mind, I really hope this entry on the site is interesting and the format is compelling or helpful. Please provide any feedback in the comments if you feel compelled, and I hope to keep writing and sharing my passion for Yuri with others!
Qualia The Purple
From the simple high school beginnings of two girls accidentally kissing in the hall, all the way to the realization of quantum mechanics and infinity, Qualia the Purple tackles a lot of topics for a three volume manga series. In some regards, it can be incredibly hard to approach, but if you can get on board with the premise, do a little contemplation on theoretical concepts, and handle a protagonist who goes through quite the intense (arguably edgy) arc, I think there is a lot to like about Qualia the Purple.
Background
The story was first released in Japan as a light novel of the same name in 2009, written by Hisamitsu Ueo and illustrated by Shirou Tsunashima. The three volume manga adaptation was then released between 2012 and 2013 with the same writer and artist. Flash forward about a decade, and an official English translation of the light novel was released in 2022, with the manga getting its translation shortly after in 2023. While the manga may sport a “Girl’s Love” tag on the back, I’ll just say upfront: this manga is primarily a Sci-fi drama full of dark events. If you’re hoping for the gentle vibes of a girl’s romance, or really a focus on romance at all, this is not the place to look.
Plot
The basic plot of Qualia the Purple follows two main characters: Marii Yukari and Hatou “Gaku” Manabu. Yukari has a strange talent of sorts, seeing all other people as robots through her purple eyes. She tends to hide her thoughts from others, but after Hatou befriends her, she starts to share her perceptions with Hatou. Yukari comments on other’s robotic parts and even Hatou’s rare “switching system” that allows her, with the right equipment, to do anything. Of course, Hatou is a bit perplexed by this, seeing as she is just a normal girl and has all the normal limitations of one, but she accepts Yukari for who she is and doesn’t shy away from Yukari’s differences. From here, we get to know the characters in preparation for the disturbing reveals and intense developments that are fated to come.
Themes
Thematically, Qualia the Purple leans heavily into the idea that people perceive the world differently and that nothing good comes from trying to control others. Throughout the story, we watch as Hatou experiences great losses, leading her to obsess over fate, the infinite possibilities of the universe, and ultimately Yukari. Qualia the Purple is a dive into the darkness of infinity, only to come back to reality with a simple realization on the nature of humanity (that the reader may find obvious and frustrating). The overarching themes of the story resonate with Hatou as a character, but in a more broad sense of the plot as a whole, can lead to some discomfort with the way the narrative wraps up. The darkness that the story dabbles in can also feel a bit absurd and exploitative at times, and I’ll mention some specifics in the content warning section.
Characters
The characters are decently set up and explored, with some nuance and insight getting thrown in here and there, but some characters are done with a bit less tact. I personally found Hatou to be incredibly compelling, though partially because she makes lots of naive mistakes and her efforts are generally flawed from her inability to grieve the major loss in her life. She reminds me of central characters to Shakespearean Tragedies. Though that comparison isn’t exactly parallel, the vibes of her story are quite similar. Yukari, on the other hand, is a mixed bag. Her character is set up quite well with a lot of mystery and curiosity, but when the plot starts to shift away from average school girl things and into dark and edgy territory, her character’s purpose shifts dramatically, and unfortunately, a lot of the questions that readers have about her go unanswered.
We tend to see everything through Hatou’s perspective, and this sets the events up with a moderately unreliable narrator that heightens the drama and Hatou’s internal conflict. While I feel that the characters are done well with that in mind, those who are looking for more fleshed out characters and backstories, or a more grounded story, may be left wanting.
Illustration
From an artistic perspective, Qualia the Purple’s manga adaptation does a fine job, not standing out most of the time, but throwing in some memorable visuals at key moments in the story. The character designs are easy to distinguish and help with readability, and some of them definitely stand out, at least for my tastes. The backgrounds are nothing to write home about most of the time, but don’t detract from the experience either.
How to Approach
Given the age of Qualia the Purple, I recommend coming into this story with your thinking cap on, a willingness to go for a ride through some dark events, and some previous experience of manga from the early 2010’s. The age of this work definitely shows, and not because of the art or the characters using flip phones. Being able to tolerate some poorly aged tropes and possibly cringy edginess is definitely required for this read, but if you can come out on the other side of this story, it has a solid message and some unique themes that I can’t say I’ve seen in the Yuri I’ve read, though considering this work strays very far from Yuri, that’s no real surprise.
Content Warnings (Minor Spoilers)
This section will have some minor spoilers, but I will keep it to the necessary details some readers will need to know.
Early in the story, we are introduced to Alice, an 11 year old high schooler. Some relationships develop around her that can be hard to look past.
This series uses a “queer” coded person’s death as a major driver of the plot.
Murder, assault, kidnapping, manipulation and abuse of all kinds are all prominent.
Some blood and gore.
An ending with some notable loose ends and some ambiguity as to if it’s good or bad.
Conclusion and Overall Ratings
Overall, I’d say the manga for Qualia the Purple is a very intriguing Sci-fi story that has aged a bit since its Japanese release in 2012 and 2013. It’s dark, goes really hard into theoretical quantum mechanics, and has a positive core message around perception and humanity. The execution of the story can be a bit rough, and some tropes it falls into are frustrating, but with the right mindset and expectations, this story is definitely worth a read. But if you’re looking for a Yuri story centered around romance, fluff, or grounded characters, I wouldn’t recommend Qualia the Purple.
My overall ratings (Check Notes for category clarity)
Recommended Age: 16+ if you’re really into Theoretical Quantum Physics. Otherwise 18+.
Absurdity: Pretty wild in an edgy way.
Depth: Gives a lot to chew on, but has some holes in the themes.
Drama: Fairly high but missing major risks.
Romance: The main pair are friends. There are glimpses of other relationships, but in a kind of bad way.
Political: Nothing political to see here.