Archive for the Yuri Anime Category


New Anime Season Winter 2008: Mai Otome 0 ~ s.ifr OVA 1

February 29th, 2008

How many of the Mai series have you followed? I slogged through some of the HiME and Otome manga before calling it quits and I avoided Arashi completely. (For some reason, the manga is so much more vile than the anime and light novels, it’s genuinely intolerable to me.) I’ve watched all the anime, read the light novel and listened to two of the Drama CDs. Much of which I have reviewed here at Okazu. :-)

Which brings us to today’s topic, the newest of the anime releases, Mai Otome 0~S.ifr, OVA 1. (Available in English from Funimation.) This series clearly looks like a step back in time, an origin myth if you will. And like all epic beginnings, it starts off with good epic CGI, epic action and epic background music.

Sifr Fran, our heroine, starts the episode off having been kidnapped by our old friends, the Schwarz. She is saved by a Windbloom combo of Bruce Windbloom and his Meister Rena, with an assist from Sister Shion and her Meister Raquel and one of the Five Pillars of Garderobe, Elliot Chandler.

Once Sifr is safe and sound, we introduce everyone, including Arika’s eventual mother Rena Yumemiya, who pretty much doesn’t look at all like what we would expect. And if you have been keeping up on all of the different iterations, you may recognize Shion and Raquel as Shion and Mayo from the Mai HiME: Destiny light novel. For sanity’s sake, I refuse to even think of that at the moment – it’s just easier to take S.ifr as a whole new ball of wax and learn everyone the way they are presented to us.

Rena is greeted with much Yuri loving by Elliot. Apparently Elliot and Rena were in school together and Elliot misses Rena *a lot*. This is followed by some teasing of Shion, that in a lot of ways was very annoying, because even as they were implying that Yuri relationships exist in both Garderobe and Church, they explicitly state that its forbidden in the Church, and it’s a dirty little Otome secret. UGH.

We’re also treated to some bath service and nudity, because apparently we like that kind of thing.

Sifr is still the target of Schwarz, and while Elliot appears to be on our side, she receives an order from the Garderobe headmistress to kill Sifr if Schwarz gets a hold of her. Schwarz helpfully attacks, there’s some good action that Sunrise animates quite well, much better than the “peacetime” scenes, all of which precipitates two things. Peace-loving, violence-hating Rena is forced to materialize fully and fight off a Miyu unit, M-9, and Elliot is forced to show her hand. Rena wins the first battle, and ties on the second and the world explodes as Schwarz flies off with Sifr.

Personally, I’m betting no one died.

Lots of stuff to come in the second OVA, including Rena getting her sapphire robe, and erm… stuff.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 7
Music – 8
Characters – 7
Yuri – 5
Service – 5

Overall – 7.5

For a first episode, I think S.ifr had pretty much every bang we can expect for our buck. I particularly liked the fact that there were less panty shots than usual, (replaced with the slightly less scuzzy obsession with adult breasts) and there were definitely more adult characters per square inch than in all the other Mai series. I’m looking forward to getting to know Garderobe’s new Headmistress, especially. She has EPL written all over her. ^_^





Yuri Anime: Battle Athletes Victory, Volume 8

February 21st, 2008

In keeping with my tradition of being out of step with the large majority of Yuri fandom, I would like to take some time today and review the final volume of this mostly-unknown-to- today’s-generation-of-Yuri-fans anime.

Battle Athletes Victory Volume 8 is arguably the worst final volume of an anime I have ever watched. ^_^ It resurrects every irritating characteristic of the earlier volumes, manages to insert some entirely new, even *more* irritating concepts and then play it all for laughs, so if we get irritated, it’s obviously our lack of a sense of humor that’s the problem, not the fact that the story is a truckload of horseshit.

At the end of Volume 7, you may remember, Akari has won the title of Cosmos Beauty AND beaten her mother’s record, as unlikely as that seems. And, you may also remember, that the aliens chose that very moment to attack.

In Volume 8, we learn that the whole Cosmos Beauty thing was a cunning plan by schoolmaster Grant Oldman, in order to train a cadre of unbeatable female athletes to do one thing – take on the aliens! Oh my god, how clever he is! Not to mention nearly immortal, but they sort of gloss over that.

In any case, Kris is recalled (with her cow), Anna shows up to cook for the team, Ichino is added to the roster along with Akari, Jessie, Tanya, Mylandah and Lahrri, and we face off with the aliens, with “Mister Miracle” as our coach.

Of course, the aliens cheat.

And of course, we manage to somehow hang on despite the obvious bias. And, of course, it comes down to the final race, which is, of course, a dash and, of course, we’re relying on Akari and Kris. And, of course, the aliens pull out the ace up their sleeve. Because they are clever too, they have brought Tomoe Midori BACK FROM THE DEAD to race against her only daughter. Even better, they bring her back at the age she won the Cosmos Beauty title, so she’s actually a year younger than Akari. Bet you saw that coming, huh?

Akari has the usual crisis of identity, and Kris gets her to gambare again and in a complete shocker, she saves the Earth and wins.

The story doesn’t end there, however. The epilogue follows mostly everyone as they set out on their post-alien invasion lives. In most cases they stick with athletics, but we’re treated to a funny final scene with bratty Tomoe teasing Akari, and the absolutely shudder-making idea that her parents are together again and now expecting a baby.

And we all live *happily* ever after.

It just occurred to me that you might think, reading this, that I didn’t enjoy this volume. That isn’t true. I did enjoy it. But not for any of the above. ^_^

I spent most of the volume watching the only two reasonably sane characters left, Mylandah and Lahrri. They spend the entire volume in a world of their own. No one is gonna tell me that they aren’t totally together. And they’re damn cute together, too.

For Yuri fans who like their Yuri a little less subtle, Kris immediately pins Ichino to the wall about her total gayness for Akari. Kris insists that Akari is her’s, but Ichino won’t even admit she’s interested, although she’s immediately jealous. So the two of them engage in a bizarro rivalry throughout.

My one real question about this volume is – who named it “Volume 8: The Human Race”? Because I think that person deserves a blow to the head.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – seriously, it’s so over the top with dumb, it’s practically genius – 7
Characters – 6
Yuri – 4
Service – 5

Overall – 7

In the end, the end of the anime was nothing as satisfying as the manga, where Kris and Akari kiss in front of the known universe and Mylandah and Lahrri retire to a tropical love nest. But it was what it was. If Kris’ cow and Grant Oldman’s panty fetish made you laugh in the first seven volumes, you’ll probably think volume 8 was just fine. ^_^





Yuri Anime: Simoun, Volume 2 (English)

January 19th, 2008

It’s “Hold the Presses” weekend here at Okazu! It is with much thanks that I review the second volume of Simoun today. The fantastic folks at Media Blasters got me a pre-press copy this time, so I could get a jump on this review. ^_& (That doesn’t get you out of giving me a real one, guys! )

Because this is a pre-street copy, I don’t have case, cover or the physical extras (or lack thereof) to comment on, but I’m still asking for all the cover art to be collected into a book or something for the final volume.

(February 25, 2008 Note: I received the street copy – thanks John! – and other than the pretty disk, there’s no physical extras.)

I was assured that some of my suggestions were taken into consideration for this volume. In general, I feel like the subtitling was more smooth all around, but still no romaji or kanji for the opening and ending songs. I’d *really* like to see that. It used to be the standard for DVD releases – when did that stop? No typos at all that I found. Well done! And did I mention that they keep the honorifics? They do. Write them and tell them that you prefer it that way, so they expand it to other titles.

The story of Simoun, Vol.2 is…compelling. Not good. Not interesting, or entertaining – compelling. I had to sit through the whole disk, because just watching one episode was just not enough.

The volume begins with Chor Tempest, now officially on milk runs, bearing up under the spiteful potshots from the other Chors, showing that they are still jealous of what was – and may once again be – the finest of all Chors.

Mamina arrives, with a belly full of arrogance born of desperation and Yun comes burdened with multiple layers of duty and guilt.

A peace conference brings hope, then tragedy, then hope again. And Dominura uses the time-honored tradition of shared suffering to bring out the best in her heterogeneous Chor. Traumatic events make Neviril recognize the one thing that she and Aer share.

I have a lot of notes from this volume, but the one thing I wanted to comment on is that Anubituf may well have put his finger on it, when he says that it might be better for Chor Tempest to not return to the Arcus Prima. I thought that was exceptionally insightful – and maybe even prophetic.

The final episode is so heavy with irony it seemed a bit overburdened and maybe not the best place to end the volume, but then…

The extras include a really fabulous commentary from the director and the artistic director/character designer. The director comments that he quite specifically wanted this series to avoid dramatic formula. So, the last episode’s ironies were laid down *purposefully* to be that heavy-handed. He wanted a realistic, yet contrived world, and one that had many things left unexplained. I was so pleased to learn that that had been done with a specific vision, rather than as some haphazard reflection of lack of time and/or resources. And there’s a couple of great revelations in this extra that would be spoilers, so I won’t share. Just do watch this, even if you don’t usually watch the extras.

The other extra, an interview with Parietta’s and Kaim’s VA would have been good, but kept being interrupted and cut short by the irritating “host” lollipop with eyes, a computer modulated voice and a rampant case of condescension.

Overall though, a slick and pleasant edition of *still* one of the best stories in anime. Now give me romaji/kanji lyrics and the remaining cover art and I’ll be happy. ^_^ It’s a great series.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9
Characters – 8
Yuri – 4
Service – 4

Overall – 8

Best scene? When Mamina and Yun arrive and Floe snarks that she’ll probably say something like Chor Tempest doesn’t live up to it’s reputation (translated as “is a letdown”) and the giggling when Mamina says it word for word. Very like a passel of girls, war or no. ^_^





Yuri Anime: Candy Boy

January 11th, 2008

Note: I did not like Candy Boy. Not the short original episode, not the longer version, not the first “full-length” ONA – or any of the episodes that followed. If you liked, loved, zOMG! Candy Boy and will be made upset by someone who found it to be a total bore, please be aware that I found it to be a *total bore.* Stultifyingly dull – and ever more so with each episode. If you want to read further, by all means, but no matter how many people tell me it was good, it will not change *my* opinion. Thank you for understanding the concept of a “review.”

***

I had a hard time coming up with a first line for today’s review. So, here’s a few choices – pick the one you prefer.

1) Does it sound weird if I tell you that I want to sleep with my sister? It sounds weird to me.

2) Incest in Yuri and Yaoi – why is it so popular?

3) What is WRONG with you people?

These opening lines all lead to the same place – Candy Boy was a fabulous indicator of people with whom I will not agree on what constitutes “good” Yuri. The best thing about it was that it short, 8 minutes or so, so I didn’t waste much of my life on it.

The “story” – as we’ll refer to it for discussion’s sake – is that there are two sisters, Yukino and Kanade, who love each other very, very, *very* much. When one thinks that the other likes another (non-related) girl, she gets all upset, but tries to let her sister go. The other sister was actually hanging out with the third girl because that girl wanted to get close to the *other* sister. How ironic! How O. Henry! Oh, the humanity!

In the end, they run into each other’s arms and as the scene fades they are all love-love. Phew. That’s over. As with so many incestuous couples in anime, I like to think they stay together forever, thus removing them from the gene pool.

The story is a joke, the animation is shown through a Vaseline lens, the scenes choppy and the dialogue is disjointed. I kept waiting to learn that the anime was really a piecing together of animated scenes from some mediocre h-game. It’s sold as a “romantic school comedy” which completely befuddles me. And poor Nabatame Hitomi, who got stuck voicing Kanade in it. Meh, I guess it’s a paycheck.

Seriously, what is it with incest in Yuri and Yaoi? Am I alone in finding it to be a complete buzzkill? I already know I’m weird for liking my Yuri characters to be adult, competent women who actually like and desire one another. Am I to suppose that I am a complete freak for wanting them to not be related, too? (This is me rolling my eyes.)

I was hanging out at NYAF with the Drama Queen folks and picked up one of their BL books that looked pretty cool. Nice art with two men who looked almost like actual males…. Started to read it and was instantly hit by the massively abusive relationships – not just rape, but emotional and verbal abuse, too. Then Isabel said, “Oh that one’s great – they’re uncle and nephew” and I closed it right there and then. Yep – great. Abusive family relations, how sexy. Ugh.

Ratings:

Art – 4
Story – 2
Characters – 3
Yuri – 6
Service – 8

Overall – 3

Can y’all do me a favor? I’d like every single person who wrote in to tell me how fabulous Candy Boy was, to go to the nearest mirror right now. Take a good look at the face you see there and slap yourself as hard as you can. Thanks. I appreciate that. I had already seen it by the time you all emailed me, so at least I had no expectations. Thank heavens.





Top Ten Yuri Countdown of 2007

December 24th, 2007

As I sit here and look over my top ten list for 2007, I have to laugh. I’m not sure I know what I was thinking when I wrote it. lol But that’s okay, I can’t imagine why anyone would care what I think, anyway. So here goes:

10) Cream Lemon Escalation Light Novel

Yes, this book is 20 years old. But I only managed to read it this year, so here it is. Not only is this Light Novel chock full o’Yuri hentai, it’s the ancestor of several other notable Yuri series. Like a pervy grandfather alongside our grandmothers Yoshiya Nobuko and Ikeda Riyoko, this story shaped what we know and love as “Yuri” today.

9) Cutie Honey/Cutey Honey

Speaking of pervy grandfathers. This year saw the release of the awesome Cutie Honey a-GoGo Perfect Volume *and* the new Cutie Honey the Live TV show. And once again, Yuri abounds in this heap of pandering, fetishes and pervtasticness. It’s almost a challenge at this point – how low and horrid can this series go and still be loads of fun? I don’t know – I guess we’ll find out, won’t we? :-)

8) Strawberry Panic Light Novels and Drama CDs

One more for the how low can you go file. These novels were full of tortured metaphors and ridiculous handwaves (can you say private helicopters? I knew you could) – and the occasional sexy and sometimes even lovely moment. I still await their English debut from Seven Seas with bated breath because they are so laughably awful and I await the response of fandom even more as they bend reality to justify how good they *must* be, since we can never admit to just liking something that’s junk. lol And the Drama CDs are even worse! This grandchild of Escalation makes this list for the combination of wtf-ness and Yuri.

7) Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl

This is the last time I mention this, seriously. Both anime and manga came out in English this year, marking Media Blasters’ entry into the Yuri market, and continuing Seven Seas foray into yuri-ish manga. I really don’t love this series half as much as it might seem from its presence on all of this year’s lists, but it was well-adapted in all cases and it’s just a fluke of timing, mostly. lol Although I still wished Tomari and Yasuna ended up together, Kashimashi makes this year’s top ten at 7th.

6) Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS

I’m going to allow my biases to show for one moment – this is on this list for being conglomeration of many things that I like, as much as because I saw it as Yuri. StrikerS had adult women, in military uniform, kicking ass in pretty colors, all of which made it one of the best shows I watched this year.

5) Blue Drop

And gee…Blue Drop has women in (admittedly ugly) military uniforms, etc, etc. I’m consistent. I like soup to have nice chunky pieces of meat and veggies and I like women in uniform. And spaceships and battles…and Yuri. Since the Yuri in Blue Drop is more overt that that in StrikerS, it makes it onto the list at fourth. I really wish this series was longer – I’d happily watch it for as long as they wanted to show it to me.

4) Simoun

The Megami magazine version didn’t do a thing for the mythos, but the Drama CD massively upped the “obvious” Yuri. And the anime, which I feared would not be adaptable and coherent, was extremely well handled by the folks at Media Blasters. And instead of downplaying the Yuri, they jumped right in and marketed it as Yuri, which makes them the first anime company to ever do that. Above all, the story remains brilliant, as does the art, the music and the characters. We can all look forward to more Simoun.

3) Maria-sama ga Miteru

The OAVs were fun, they were romantic, they were a very decent adaptation of the novels. The DJCDs and web radios massively pumped up the Yuri for fans’ enjoyment, and the novels…they are just full of love-love moments. I’m so far behind in reading them, that you’re going to have to hear about this series for a long time to come. :-) For Yumi and Sachiko, Rei and Yoshino, Tsutako and Shouko and Sei and everyone, lol, this series continues to make my top three for the year.

2) Yuri Hime and Yuri Hime S

Never before have so many artists, male and female, been gathered together to draw stories of girls (and women, sometimes) in love. Some of the best names in the industry, many who have been drawing Yuri/Girls Love/Onna x Onna manga for ages, are represented here. Yuri Hime, mostly by women who draw Yuri and Yuri Hime S, mostly men who draw Yuri, all drawing for us, the Yuri audience. Their collections are high quality and coming soon to western shores via Seven Seas, and I’m really looking forward to seeing them here. Because 8 times a year I get all excited to see what each new issue holds, Ichijinsha’s GL magazines are the second best Yuri of the year.

1) Iono-sama Fanatics

As I mentioned yesterday, I still find it incredible that Infinity is translating this. But even more so, how fantastic that second, final volume is, with its silly epilogue, fashionable clothing (Fujieda does brilliant costume design) and charming, appealing characters and all the Yuri a fan could want. Heck, for the cover of the second volume alone, this series could make number one. lol

The number one Yuri title of 2007 – Iono-sama Fanatics

***

Let me take this opportunity to thank all the folks who have sent me items to review and the companies that have provided review copies – I couldn’t do it without you.

Most importantly, I want to thank everyone who has read and commented here over the past year! I wish you all a happy, healthy New Year!

Next entry, my adventures throwing money at the Japanese economy! See you there. ^_^