Archive for the Series Category


A Second Look at Maria-sama ga Miteru

April 12th, 2004

Well, Anime Boston was incredible. Not only did I get to spend time with some very good friends, but met many new ones and got to greet tons of Yuri fans at the Yuri Panel. (I know no one was listening to me much, because everyone was distracted by my Yuri Screensaver o’Death, but I had a good time anyway – and watching the run on the Yuricon table afterwards was amusing and satisfying…almost makes me want to work a little harder getting out more Yuri manga!

I am bleary-eyed and voiceless today and need to sleep, so instead of thinking and doing a review of something, I thought I’d make random comments without context about Maria-sama ga Miteru, which completed its first season of 13 episodes a few weeks ago.

When I wrote about Marimite for the first time in December, I wasn’t sure if I would actually find it as lovey-dovey as everyone seemed to think it was going to be. We all know how reliable fan pairings are as an indicator of canon Yuri. Which is to say, I had little faith that we’d actually see any Yuri at all in the series. Well…I was wrong again, which makes me awfully happy. ^_^

Because there is no plot*, per se, in Marimite, I focused on my initial perceptions of the characters, as I perceived them from the websites and writeups I had managed to see and read. Now, 13 episodes, and several chapters of manga later, I have significantly different perceptions and thoughts, and wanted to share them with you.

Plot is, of course, in the eye of the beholder, but as I see it, Marimite‘s plot is the primary shoujo non-plot, that is, “Normal Girl of average (below average, above average) ability finds herself in not-at-all normal situation, surrounded by people of exceptional ability.” The story follows the personal development of Normal Girl, as she adapts, changes and grows in this situation. In fact, IMHO, this is the primary force behind almost all anime and manga, shoujo or not, and any other plot that happens to occur in a story is just a bonus. ;-)

In any case, here are my character overviews of the Yamayurikai from December, and my current thoughts, starting with the White Rose hierarchy:

The Rosa Gigantea is Satou Sei – another uber-cool character, with a great personality. The En Bouton for Gigantea is a first-year, a very perceptive and forthright (despite her delicate appearance) girl named Toudo Shimako. We learn later that Shimako actually *asked* to be En Bouton. There is no Petite Soeur in this hierarchy, because Shimako is a first-year student.

When I first saw Sei, and her casual touchiness with Yumi (mostly to tease stuffy Sachiko) I would have sworn, and did make public statements to the effect, that I thought that Sei, of all of the girls, HAD to be straight. In my experience in the real world, only straight girls are touchy and huggy and grabby like that…gay or possibly gay girls are too terrified of being found out, usually. Yeah, well, so I was as absolutely wrong as possible. So sue me. ^_^ Sei is probably the only really gay girl on the damn council, and pretty much almost everyone’s favorite. I like her devil-may-care attitude, and the fact that she’s genuinely mature and solid in herself (we can see this, I think, when she tells Yoshino and Yumi about her story, not out of obligation, or to quell rumors, but because she wants the people who she cares about – and who care about her – to know. Since that goes back to the what her onee-sama was trying to teach her, it shows that she’s come a long way. By the end of the series, I felt like she was probably the most seriously mature of all of the Rosas. Tragedy has a way of doing that to a person.

Shimako. After 13 episodes, it’s still hard to put a finger on Shimako. I think she and Sei were and are very alike – easy to be with, but not easy to touch. At the end, we can see that her feelings for Sei definitely run very deep, despite their lack of public…display. But when they are alone together, the masks come off. Shimako seemed very solid and strong, but we could also see that inside she was full of doubt…a very human character and one I look forward to learning more about in the second season, when she chooses her own petite souer. (Look for a continuation of the Rosa Gigantea trend here, hint, hint.)

Next up, the Red Roses:

The Rosa Chinensis is Mizuno Youko – she seems like a really solid person, with a teeny bit of a mischievous nature. Her En Bouton is Ogasawara Sachiko, a moody and mysterious girl. Sachiko does not like many things – including men, ginkgoes and sakura. She is reticent about herself, and in many ways distant, but determined in her desire to have Fukuzawa Yumi as her Petite Soeur.

Oh my god, did I want more Youko, more Youko, more Youko!!!! Calm, controlled, quiet…with Shinohara Emi’s sweet voice, I wanted thirty episodes about Youko, when all we had were snatches. Boo hoo. I felt that her relationship with Sachiko was ignored and I would very much have liked to see a little bit more of that. Also, we got brief glimpses of the fact that Youko, despite her hard-working nature, was not a natural at schoolwork, so it might have been nice to delve a little deeper into Youko’s life – to watch her in her struggles. I want a Youko backstory, dammit!!

Sachiko. She was, for me, very hard to like. In fact, until the very last episode when she admitted to having such a hard time adapting to outside expectations, I wasn’t ever really sure I l really did like her, except for brief flashes (including, I’m sorry to say, as a kindergartner. She was so utterly adorable….) But then I thought about the scene when Yumi asks her to go out on a date and the look on her face is so eager, so excited…so happy, that I realized that Sachiko is a terribly lonely person and that Yumi is the best thing that ever happened to her. I’m sure Youko could feel happy when she graduates, knowing that Sachiko has Yumi taking care of her, and teaching her how to relax and just be happy.

And then there’s Yumi, our protagonist. She is Normal Girl, drawn into not-normal situation. Because she really *is* a normal girl, she spreads her charm and goofiness equally throughout the Mansion, and everyone, very quickly, begins to be comfortable with her. It takes her a little while to be comfortable back, but by the time she’s planning on making nasty chocolates for Sei as revenge, you know she’s cool with it all. ^_^ I love the fact that she makes goofy faces and funny noises and that she genuinely adores Sachiko with every fiber of her being. Their date together was delightful. I’m glad we’ll get more of them in the next year – I want to see them together more.

And finally, the Yellow Roses:

The Rosa Foetida is Torii Eriiko, her En Bouton is Hasekura Rei. Rei is ultra-cool and unflappable and she finds Yumi (the heroine) adorable. Her Petite Soeur is Shimatsu Yoshino, a very sweet and shy-type girl.

Oddly, Rei and Yoshino were the only characters I knew, prior to the anime and manga. I have a doujinshi of the two of them from a few years ago. I like it alot, and in some ways the characters were pretty solid, but I think the art was off a little – especially for Yoshino. But I digress. ^_^

Eriko suffered badly in this series. Because her love interest is a guy, and older, it never comes into the anime at all (which most definitely focused on the girl love aspects.) So she was pretty much shafted. We learn peripherally that she’s naturally good at everything she does, but lazy and laconic by nature. We barely see her at all through the second half of the anime. I hope the manga gives us more of a chance to get to know her, because my image of her is fuzzy and kind of…lame. Like, why did she pick Rei as soeur? They barely seem to talk.

Rei is as advertised – a big, sweet galumph who, despite her boyish appearance is really quite girly. I think they struck a perfect balance between these – Rei in the anime looks like a tall, somewhat boyish girl, but definitely a girl. And her natural girliness felt natural…it never felt forced.

Yoshino was a little harder to understand, but I loved her. Weak from illness, she was forced to be gentle, even though her heart was not at ALL gentle. In alot of ways, I completely sympathized with that…I was a very weak, sickly kid and couldn’t do alot of the things other kids did. But stuck at home, I was reading cowboy and sports books, much like Yoshino’s samurai stories. So, you know, I COMPLETELY understand why, after the surgery, she’s a lunatic. ^_^ She’s just trying out being able to yell at last! I also liked the way that, by the end, she and Yumi were actual friends, not just acquaintances.

The one thing I didn’t like at first was the fast pace of the story, but then a Japanese friend told me that it was done on purpose, to remove it from the usual, long, slow, lingering death of most other shoujo series. Every storyline was short, snappy, touching, funny. It kept the audience interested and alert. Thinking about it that way, I do understand…nonetheless, I’m looking forward to the manga, which has more detail!

All in all, I have to say, I thought the anime adaptation of Maria-sama ga Miteru was really exceptional. I didn’t expect to care as much as I did about the characters – or want to know more. And I find myself wondering about and anticipating with much pleasure, the second season, which will be Yumi’s second year at Lillian. (As an interesting aside, she hasn’t *yet* chosen a petite soeur in the novels…so we can wonder if that news will break during the anime series. ^_^)

And there you have it. The new poster child anime for Yuri was a huge success and we can look forward to more. Yay.

Next entry will be, at last, a discussion of publishing a doujinshi, because I’ve been asked about it a lot. Then back to anime and manga. ^_^





Yuri Manga/Yuri Anime: Sukeban Deka

March 3rd, 2004

Does it really matter whether Yuri is shounen or shoujo? Depends on what you like. If you like something with action, implausible fanservice and gratuitous Yuri scenarios, you might want to stick with the shounen stuff. You want angsty emotion, and perhaps a fleeting kiss, then shoujo’s got your number.

But what, you ask, if I like shoujo manga, but I also like sex and guns and violence, and sex? Well, obviously, I wouldn’t have brought this up without an answer, would I? ^_^

Sometimes mangaka just write whatever they feel like – and frequently, that *whatever* makes for shoujo manga that’ll appeal to the shounen fan. Here’s one classic example:

Sukeban Deka – Wada Shinji, 1973-1983, Hana to Yume Comics

This series screams *1970s* in a way few things can. Between the art, the clothes, and the casual hedonism of the characters on their off time, Sukeban Deka really is an icon of the “me” generation.

In short, a high school delinquent by the name of Asamiya Saki is offered an unrefusable deal – escape from prison and we’ll make you a high school detective, with police powers. She declines, so the police blackmail her by threatening to execute her mother, who is on Death Row for killing her father. Reluctantly, Saki agrees, but only because she actually cares about her mother (something which will bite her in the ass over and over again…) To escape her prison, she enlists the help of all the girls in her cellblock – including poor Kaoru, who has the unsavory job of seducing the lesbian warden. (Great scene – we see Kaoru making up to the warden, who leads her into the office, hand on ass…the next scene has Kaoru gargling in the bathroom.)

The Sukeban Deka OVA is a great, short intro to the series, with a very strong Yuri subtext between Saki and Junko – it’s only two episodes and well worth the money. Saki’s adventures in the anime closely shadow those of the first arc of the manga, as she frees her old high school from the threat of three insane sisters. In the longer, 22-volume manga, the arcs take us to various schools filled with corruption and vice, several juvie prisons – each weirder than the last, right up to the last one where the warden raises giant snakes – and even to the shores of America, twice. East and West Coasts.

This is not a series for the faint of heart – there is a *ton* of violence, with blood and everything, and many of the main characters die. Sukeban Deka is no girly, wimpy series where everyone is always all right in the end – I mean they DIE. In fact, it’s safe to say that *all* the main characters die by the end of the series. (It’s also safe to say that by the end of the story, the mangaka was stone sick of this story and killed everyone off, so no one would *ever* ask for a sequel. ^_^)

One of the more delightful relics of the 70s is the less restrictive atmosphere of the story – Saki smokes and drinks with abandon, despite her extremely underage-ness (she’s 16.) in fact one of my absolute favorite pictures of Saki is her smoking, with a lowball in hand. I love that picture. :-) At least twice, she drinks herself insensate – you won’t be seeing *that* anytime soon in a shoujo manga these days.

Does it, “got Yuri?” Well, yes and no. There is, as I said, a TON of subtext between Junko (the first victm, erm, friend) and Saki, especially in the anime, and during the course of the story Saki gets and gives many a same-sex kiss. Some of them are real, too, not just goofy pecks. Late in the manga, as yet another character dies in Saki’s arms, she confesses that she’s loved Saki all along and plants one on her, but good. Of course, because Saki is so goddamn cool, she’s got more than her share of adoring fangirls everywhere she goes. And, lastly, practically every evil nemesis, of which there are many, obsesses about Saki in a way that is just this side of sexual.

So, yes, there’s plenty o’Yuri, except….

The best couple in the story is straight. The love of Saki’s life (and vice versa) is her mentor, Jin Kyouichiro. And let me tell you – I was rooting pretty hard for them to get together by the end. They are absolutely perfect for each other. In fact, right now, they hold the number one place in my heart as “fave straight couple”. Jin is tall and cool and Eurasian and packs a gun. He’s the perfect foil for Saki and they look really good together. So, despite my love of Yuri, the real love here is straight. But it doesn’t take away from the fun-service for a second. :-)

The Live Action Sukeban Deka, TV series and movies seem to go off on a tangent, rewriting most of the story, but keeping the basic idea. Seasons two and three create whole new characters and lose Saki altogether. Nonetheless, this show can be seen as the origin of the whole girl-gang madness that filled the 1980s (in manga and in real-life) that later gave rise to such wonderful series as Hana no Asuka-gumi and YajiKita Gakuen Dochuuki, both of which I’ve mentioned in this blog before, but am too lazy to find – look through the archives. Both Asuka and YajiKita have new versions out right now, too, so maybe we’ll see Saki ressurected, after all. LOL

Because it ran in Hana to Yume, we know that Sukeban Deka is technically shoujo, but the actual story has so much violence and…more violence, some of a sexual nature – and is written by a man – that we’d be hard pressed to see it as a typical shoujo. Is it worth watching/reading? Hell, yes – if you don’t mind seeing major characters die extremely violent and bloody deaths. And giant snakes.

Ratings:
Art – 7
Story – 8
Characters – 10
Yuri – 5

Overall – 8





Yuri Anime: Yokohama Shopping Log

February 27th, 2004

yokohama-kaidashi-kikouYokohama Kaidashi Kikou (Yokohama Shopping Log)

Ahhhh….That’s all I have to say about this absolutely delightful series. Depending on what you like, this series could drive you nuts or be the most wonderful experience you’ve ever had. Let me be up front – *nothing* happens in this story. It’s not *about* anything. It’s what your sophomore year English teacher referred to as “slice-of-life” only you weren’t paying attention, ’cause you had a crush on the girl in science class and were too busy passing notes to a friend about the math teacher’s poor taste in ties to notice. ^_^

Amazingly, despite everything I am about to write about it, this really is a seinen series.

YYK is a very sweet and, oh, simple, look at a post-apocalyptic Japan. Changing weather patterns have altered the map and Yokohama has been mostly submerged. Life is simpler, more rural. In this twilight world, there is a kind of relaxed attitude towards the passage of time. We follow Alpha, an advanced (and fairly rare) type of robot, as she runs a coffee shop, swims with friends, takes pictures, meets people and generally explores the world. The art of the anime is breathtakingly lovely, the art in the manga is simple and sweet, and the color pictures are just heart-wrenchingly beautiful in their simplicity.

Like I said, nothing happens, but it doesn’t happen so….sweetly, that’s it a joy to watch.

The Yuri comes in early on in the story with the introduction of another robot, Kokone, who is delivering a message from Alpha’s absent owner. In what has to be the cutest, sweetest fanservice Yuri scene ever, the robots must touch tongues to transfer the message (I don’t even want to think about the bad science involved with this concept!). Alpha’s taken aback, but from this point on Kokone begins to really develop feelings for Alpha which rapidly become a serious crush. Even after Kokone meets (and delivers a message to, nudge, nudge) another robot, who takes a liking to her, Kokone’as thoughts are always on Alpha.

At one point in the story, Kokone rides out to see Alpha, who has gone on an extended walkabout. Kokone ends up staying overnight at Alpha’s house. Laying in Alpha’s bed, Kokone is seen to stroke Alpha’s pillow and sniff it deeply, trying to capture Alpha’s scent, while saying Alpha’s name. If that ain’t infatuation – I don’t know what is.

Meanwhile, the third robot, butchy, artsy Meruko, also female, keeps trying to ask Kokone out (and get messages delivered by her, nudge, nudge) but Kokone spends all her time with Meruko talking about Alpha.  Let’s face it – Kokone is completely gonesville on Alpha, and with good reason, I think. Alpha’s utterly enchanting. ^_^  I guess I’m a little gone on Alpha, too, huh?

The anime consists of two separate two-episode OVAs, a total of four episodes. The second OVA is not as well-executed as the first and looks as if it was actually done *before* the earlier episodes. But it wasn’t – it came several years later, in fact. Nonetheless, both are very worth watching.

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: A Quiet Country Cafe has a wonderful opening scene of Kokone and Alpha out for a day’s ride – Kokone comes very close to kissing Alpha.

There’s also a fantastic artbook of the color pictures from the manga and at least two drama CDs for this series – I just wish there was more out there, because I genuinely hate to leave Alpha’s world. The simplicity and beauty of this series would be worth it, even without the delightful characters and story.

For us Yuri fans, Kokone and Alpha are just *so* adorable together….

I know that YYK is an old series, and long past, now, but it’s just so darn…wonderful. :-)

Ratings:

Art – 10, anime and manga
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Music – 9
Yuri – 8
Overall – 9





Yuri Manga: Air Master

February 26th, 2004

Okay, I’m a little tired of talking about shoujo Yuri titles, so I thought I’d cover a few shounen Yuri series of note.

Air Master

I’ve talked about this one before, I know, but it bears repeating. The basic plot is…well, there isn’t really a plot. It’s about an ex-gymnastics champion turned street fighter. Her gymnastics skill manifest as a distinctly unique fighting style which involves seriously BIG air. Hence the name, “Air Master.”

Aikawa Maki is a great heroine. Competent and cool in her millieu, sort of dorky and insecure outside it, she’s surprisingly human and likable. Her friends are quirky and funny, and her enemies even quirkier and, in many cases, funnier. Of these, the best, by far and away is Sakiyama Kaori, who may possibly be the funniest, most imaginative and most likeable psychotic to ever grace a manga or anime.

The Yuri comes in right at the start, as Maki’s new friend Mina develops a raging crush on Maki, which quickly develops into a raging lust for her. In the anime, this is seriously minimalized, but in the manga, there’s some terrific scenes as we get to see what Mina’s actually thinking (hoping/wishing/fantasizing ) about in regards to Maki.

There’s a few downsides to this series – for one thing, the manga art is *seriously,* distractingly ugly.  There’s some intense fighting violence (which I quite like) and some serious sexual violence, as well (which I don’t.) Episode 24 of the anime is one of the single most violent 20 minutes I’ve ever seen animated that didn’t involve guns or mutating things. The little old lady who sat next to me on the plane while I watched it on my computer, almost had a heart attack, poor thing. And there is unneeded and egregious, yet expected service.

On the good side, you have great characters – I mean REALLY great. With the exception of one or two characters, even Maki’s opponents are engaging and fun. In the tradition of shounen fighting anime, most defeated opponents become allies, so it’s nice to have them stick and around and keep coming back. Rematches with defeated opponents are actually better than the original fights, as Maki’s skills keep improving over the series.

Ratings

(Manga) Art – 2
(Anime) Art – 6
Characters – 9
Story – 7
Yuri – 8

Overall – 8





Events: BFI Lesbian and Gay Film Festival

February 15th, 2004

The Utena Movie at the BFI Lesbian & Gay Film Festival in London, UK, on March 30 & 31, 2004

In one of those utter coincidences that rules my life, I happened to be planning a trip for entirely personal reasons to the UK in March. So, I will be once again presenting the Utena movie to a bewildered audience in London, England, on Tuesday, March 30 as part of the British Film Institute’s 18th Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.

I have no details yet, about time or place, but you can be sure I will let you know as soon as I have any. Tentatively, there is a Q&A session planned for after the movie, for those of you interested in discussion the state of gay, lesbian, yaoi and yuri anime and manga. (One of your questions can be to ask me why I think those are not the same thing. LOL)

My presentation is short, but I really hope I’ll get to meet alot of you British yuri enthusiasts on March 30!