Writing “Top 10” lists is *always* hard for me. This year’s list was especially difficult – while there are more Yuri characters and stories in general, there’s less this year that can be identified specifically as Yuri. But I did want to get this done before I left for Japan, so here we go. :-)
Let me remind you that these choices are my opinion, and based on the series that I watched over the past year. Chances are there a zillion series you think are Yuri-er, but here are *my* choices for the year. It’s almost guaranteed that most people will disagree with me. lol
I have split the list into 5 Japanese and 5 American releases, to allow me to cheat a bit. :-) Without further ado, the Okazu Top 10 Yuri Anime of 2007! Yaaaayy!
English Language
4) Tied for 4th (no, that’s not wrong – ties eliminate the lower position) are Burst Angel and Strawberry Marshmallow:
It’s true that neither series is particularly overt in their Yuri, but it’s “obvious” to us that Meg and Jo are an item, and I and many others remain convinced that Miu is a Evil Psycho Lesbian-in-training. Burst Angel has fights, Strawberry Marshmallow has funnies, and both have characters that this lesbian thinks are “friends of Yuri.”
3) Coming in 3rd for their English-language releases are My HiME and My Otome.
The Yuri is, perhaps, laid on a bit *thicker* through the translation choices and in any case, Shizuru still has the hots for Natsuki, Aoi and Chie are still a couple, Erst wants Nina and Tomoe has her eyes on Shizuru. Among a bazillion other slashable HiMEs and Meisters.
2) In 2nd place, after long consideration, I choose you Simoun:
For still having a terrific Yuri-esque setting, complex world and for keeping me glued to my seat for the entirety of every episode. This anime series remains a must-see, not only for Yuri fans, but anyone, anywhere, who enjoys animation as an art form.
And in first place…
1) Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl:
The setup was ridiculous, the ending even more so, with forays into the utter trite, tedious and absurd. But. The story is about three girls and their love triangle and it remains about three girls and their love triangle right to the very last, very Yuri, kiss.
It’s a one-two punch for Media Blasters, with their initial Yuri anime offerings this year, so congrats to them! (Unintentional, I assure you. It didn’t even occur to me until just this second.)
Japanese Language
5) In fifth place, we have the laughably awful Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora:
This story was a complete recycling of many of the most popular fetishes from previous Kaishaku stories. Kaon and Himiko were the token Yuri couple, trapped in a dysfunctional Yuri triangle with Mika. And yet where, at the end of Kannazuki no Miko, we have no reason to believe that Himeko and Chikane will live happily every after this time, we *see* that Kaon and Himiko do. Yes, yes, it’s crap. I still say fifth place.
4) No “Top Ten” list of mine is going to go by without at least one of the Maria-sama ga Miteru OVAs on it:
Yumi waking Sachiko up in her summer house, Yumi enjoying Sachiko in her Gakuran, Touko dancing in the boy’s role to dance with Yumi, Kanako engaging in a little light stalking, Rei and Yoshino running side by side in the hakama race and Sei. You don’t see Yuri? Fine. I do. Fourth place for every second we spent grinning as Panda Yumi and Sachiko embraced for ever.
3) Moving quickly into the final three comes Blue Drop:
Partially because there was damn little to choose from this year and partially because it’s excellent, I have to include this wonderful and all-too-short series. The girls are charming, Hagino had the greatest pickup line ever in the history of the universe and the love-love was about as overt and out as we can ask for and still get it on TV.
2) Let’s give some Yuri loving to El Cazador de la Bruja:
In this final entry in the “girls with guns on the run” trilogy, Bee Train and director Mashimo set intensity and angst aside, enjoyed a few tacos and had some fun. Because Ellis loves Nadie best when her eyes are shining, El Cazador de la Bruja comes in second.
No surprise here I’m sure, when I say that my choice for the best Yuri anime of the year is:
1) Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS:
Fate, Vivio and Nanoha make a wonderful family and I simply don’t care what anyone in the entire universe argues – I know a big, pluffy bed of lesbian love when I see one.
So Kashimashi and StrikerS, best Yuri anime of the year here on Okazu!
Come back tomorrow for the best Yuri manga of 2007!
Note to those of you who are writing in about Candy Boy. It was vile. It was never even vaguely considered for the top anything. fyi)
Your number #1 begins with the words “Magical Girl…”
Are you enjoying this smirk as much as I am?
I’m glad we had in 2007 Yuri enough to do a top10 anime.
So Merry Christmas! ^_^
Punistation – it’s not really surprising to me, certainly not smirk-worthy. I got into anime – and Yuri – through mahou shoujo anime and several of my personal favorite series are from that subgenre. Nanoha is, of course, *not* a mahou shoujo series at all – it’s a seinen series with a magical girl heroine. That’s last and this year’s new rage – shoujo for guys. It’s not like it hasn’t existed for years, but male shoujo fans just got a magazine of their own in 2007.
No comments on that ONA, Candy Boy? While sadly it’s only 10 min. long, the plot has pretty substantial Yuri content.
salvador – I’ll review it eventually, but even aside from the incest, it’s so far from top ten that it never was in consideration.
Are you honestly saying that you think Kashimashi is a better series than Simoun? Or are you just saying that it has more Yuri?
Oh well, Candy Boy is not here…Personally, I still have a problems saying that Kashimashi is Yuri, but all right.
Good you mentioned Simoun, it was one of the best series in the last years.
Candy Boy is a low-level pandering piece of trash, sorry. There is no way it’s getting near the Top Ten. I know you liked it, but I thought it vile.
anon – I am definitely not saying that Kashimashi is a better story. The adaptation, I felt, was better, and the over Yuriness was higher, primarily.
I agree with your list completely. I haven’t finished Blue Drop, currently one episode left and I am really enjoying it. However, being the die hard MariMite fan that I am, I would have put it as number 1, lol. Excellent list. Have a Happy Holidays!
i can’t say i agree with your list, Erica, but i appreciate a lot the info you provide about these animes… and be sure your recomendation is more than enough to convince anyone to give them another chance!
by the way, get a happy new year and greetings from me and all your reader from Peru!
Erica I have been a long time ‘lurker’ on Okazu and fan of Yuri and I just had to share my joy with the world that Blue Drop made it onto your list! I was doubtful at first of its potential as a show, and until episode 4 I really had no clue what was going on – …I … admit the phrases ‘aliens and lesbians’ kept me mildly intrigued, and I wasn’t dissapointed. Not to mention Blue Drop pleasing everyone and having Canon Yuri to boot! not just innuendo or Yuri goggle speculation. Real sentimental Love, which IMO is the best to savour.
It’s a fantastic series with fluid art and effects. And an even an underwater kiss!
(I had major strawberry Panic flashbacks, …thankfully at least the ending sequence of blue drop is over 9000! times better than the two Spanic churned out)
Although I can predict a whole bucket of angst, possibly a death – This show has some beautiful moments, Heart-warming characters and bluntly – I’m loving it. ^^
im glad ichigo mashimaro and blue drop made it into your list.. and im loving your #1 this year, nanoha stikers is in my opinion the best Yuri anime of the year too..
I’m going to have to agree with Griznak. I was thoroughly disappointed when I watched the first episode of Kashimashi. I heard it had good Yuri content, and even the title says “girls meets girl.” I was pleased, and pleased with the opening sequence. Kiss right off the get go.
Then, I find out that it is NOT, “girl meets girl” as proported. It is “creepy trans-sexual guy meets girl.” That is not Yuri.
Sure, I don’t dictate what is and isn’t Yuri, of course. However, I do not consider that to be Yuri.
Bah, it is so hard to find the type of Yuri that I want to see. I don’t it to be overly, nor underly physically Yuri, and I need it to be equally emotionally Yuri.
In short, I want the emotional Yuri of Blue Drop, with the physical Yuri of Simoun (only without the creepy explicit incest, or implicit peadophilia.)
Hey, if you agree with my tastes and like what I don’t that’s fine (except the peadophilia, if you disagree with me on that point, then please do the world a huge favour, and die a painful and deserving death. You sick, sick bastards.)
Wow, when I saw this topic I wasn’t expecting Magical Gundam Lyrical Nanoha to win. That wasn’t a typo btw :-)
Although I can’t help but think that StrikerS is the weakest of the three series. On the plus side they aren’t loli anymore and lots of Yuri love-love. On the negative side less Nanofate (proportionally), little Wolkenritter and almost no Hayate. From time to time I felt that the series was longer than the other two so that they could build the viewers hatred of Jail Scaglietti up so that we’d cheer louder when he was smacked down (and it worked — Fate is awesome)
That’s not to say that the new girls didn’t bring their own brand of awesome to proceedings… but it might have been nice to see more from Hayate and her ‘children’.
And as for the “big, pluffy bed of lesbian love”. That is (among the) reasons that Nanoha/Yuuno fans baffle me. ;-)
I really liked El Cazador too.
And in regards to the previous Anonymous comment:
Transwomen are women too.
dont hate on the kannazuki no miko Yuri. i loved it and did see that at the end she loves her and my favorite and 1st Yuri was Strawberry Panic! which makes the rest of true love Yuri and their stories look like crap.