Archive for the Yuri Anime Category


Yuri Anime: Simoun

May 8th, 2007

Only about 6 months after the anime actually ended, I am *finally* getting around to doing an end-of-season review for the series that won my “Best Yuri of 2006” award, Simoun. Don’t want to rush these things, y’know.

I liked nearly everything about Simoun: the characters, the plot, the art, the music (oh god, so good…,) the ending, the epilogue. There was in fact, only one thing I did not like. The character designs…in particular, Neviriru’s design. It really distressed me. Other than that, there was just about nothing I did not like.

In particular I thought episodes 23-end were breathtaking, stunning, and wow. Yun’s choice was really powerful, and the way the story is tied up – loose ends and all – was to me completely satisfactory. In fact, IMHO, the loose ends are what made the anime work.

Let’s talk Yuri for a moment. There *is* a legitimate case for saying that there is no Yuri, as the Sibylla are meant to be understood to *not* be women, but to be maidens, as a kind of pre-pubescent state, despite their age and figure. Nonetheless, for the two girl x girl couples at the end (or three depending on how you see the one pair) I’m calling it Yuri. Because the choices were not made regardless of gender. These choices were made to some degree because of their gender. Being Sibylla made their love possible. And damn, it’s hard to explain what I mean unless you’ve seen the series. lol And I really don’t want to spoil too much. ^_^ Here’s just a small spoiler – Three Yuri, one Yaoi and one Straight couple at final count. lol (And almost everyone likes the boys best.) I liked them all.

But I wonder if it’s not just a series about love in general. Prayer in this series is inextricably linked to love, and love to the intent behind all their actions. In the end, that’s what I think Parietta’s final message is about.

“We were here – and we loved one another…and you.”

Ratings:

Art – other than the chara designs – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 8
Yuri – 7
Service – 6

Overall – 9

I know that I cannot be the only one to have noticed that Neviruru and Aeru did not work as a pair until they switched seme/uke roles, can I? ^_^





Yuri Anime News: Simoun Licensed

May 7th, 2007

My secret, insider, Deep Throat informant tells me that Yuri anime Simoun has been licensed by our good friends at Media Blasters. No street date yet, but I’m doing my damndest to get a Yuricon 07 exclusive. :-)

Tune in for more news as it becomes available!





Yuri Anime: Kannazuki no Miko, Volume 3

April 24th, 2007

All the things I liked about Kannazuki no Miko, Volume 3 are things that no one else cares about…and ditto the things that I don’t like. ^_^

But before I start on any of these, let me begin by thanking Daniel for his sponsorship of today’s review! Yay, Daniel! Thank you kindly. ^_^

There is basically nothing I can say about Kannazuki no Miko that will change anyone’s opinion – and no matter how many people tell me that it’s a great series, it will never really change my opinion, so I guess I’ll just comment randomly. ^_^

Volume 3 covers everything that happens after Chikane embraces the evil of Orochi, Souma determines that he will fight to his death to protect Himeko and Himeko decides that whatever happens, she has to know the truth about Chikane, and why she has made the choices that she has.

The scene that is supposed to give us insight into the Orochi’s obsessions is very weak. The glimpse into their issues in the Drama CD was significantly better. I still believe that a more detailed look at these would have been interesting. “Betrayed by…” we are told, each Orochi with a supposed cause for them turning to the dark side. And yet, all of the things that made sense (like war) happen all the time. If that was enough, there’d be way more than 8 Orochi wandering around. And how, I wonder, was Miyako “betrayed by God”??

In contrast, Chikane’s obsession is explored in great detail. And I did like the way she, under cover of arrogant competence, destroys the other Orochi. That was cool – too bad nothing stays dead long in anime. Evil Chikane has poise that good Chikane completely lacks.

I will never be convinced of the logic of Chikane’s plot to make Himeko kill her. It really doesn’t make any sense, but what do I know – I’m only a writer, editor and publisher.  I remain unrepentant.

There is no doubt that the end is a decidedly Yuri ending. What I’m not convinced of is that the girl gets the girl. We see the two of them reincarnated (as Chikane predicted) in our world, far from the magic land of Mahoraba, but if what we’ve seen is a repeating cycle, there’s no reason to think that it won’t just happen again.

The thing I liked the absolute best has to be the idea that the classical gods of Japan are actually giant robots. There’s something so karmic and cosmic and…satisfying…about that. At any rate, it *would* explain the ubiquity, wouldn’t it? ^_^

Oh, and here’s a final bit of curmudgeonliness:

Himeko and Chikane’s final confessions of love are pretty sweet. Good thing Chikane was dying from a stomach wound and had so much time for them to talk and resolve their issues, huh?

It was also a good thing that Souma’s eternal curse turned out to be a latex suit that his deceased brother was able to cut him out of with a single cut. That was kind of a relief.

This DVD is a pretty nice package, with spiffy cover a mini-pencil board of hawt yuri secks by the manga artist and a inside cover of same. 4 episodes and the “extras” of non-credit OP/EP and Geneon advertising. (It is not unreasonable to think of a company’s advertising as NOT being an extra.)

Ratings:

Art – 8
Characters – 7
Story – 7
Yuri – 9
Service – 7 (apparently the most sexy thing about underage cat girl nurses is their butt sticking up. I had no idea.)

Overall – 7

It’s really not bad. I enjoyed the whole series – more this time than the first time, probably. Chikane and Himeko are a cute couple, when they finally get there. But I will go to the grave saying that it simply makes no sense. ^_^





Yuri Anime: Best Student Council, Volume 1

April 18th, 2007

The first of *many* thanks to Ted for sponsoring today’s review! Give him a round of applause, will you? /round of applause/ Thank you kindly, sir.

As a counter to a day of heavy-duty thinking and talking about work-related issues, Best Student Council, aka Gokujou Seitokai, Volume 1 is a perfect way to unwind.

Volume 1 follows the adventures of Rando Rino, a slightly less average than most girl, as she leaves behind her life after her mother dies, and moves – with the assistance of a mysterious penfriend – to the exclusive Miyagami Gakuen. With no money and no where to live, Rino is at a loss, until she runs for the position of class representative and, in a bizarre upset, wins. Now she has room and board for free.

Because of a successful attack on an arsonist by the puppet Rino wears on her arm, Pucchan, Rino is further inducted into the Gokujou Seitokai, the supreme student council, which runs the school.

And *then* wackiness ensues. This includes giant nuclear cannons, a curry battle, a mysterious puppet disemembering and most of all, payapaya.

The supreme leader of the Supreme Council, the supremely admired Jinguji Kanade, seems to have taken a very keen interest in the newcomer. So keen, in fact, that when she’s spotted leaving Rino’s room one morning, rumors fly about the two of them doing “payapaya.” This meaningless word is given a very ripe meaning by sheer force of repetition. ^_^ The relationship isn’t Yuri, sadly, but the rumors sure are.  Assualt Squad member Rein even describes “payapaya” as “Yuri,” which the guys at ADV inelegantly translated as “girl on girl.” Thanks ADV, for rendering the genre I live and love into a porn term.

After Rino gets settled, she is assigned to patrol with Assualt Squad member Izumi Kaori who, despite initial over-reactions to and continued rivalry with Rino, turns out to be a competent, intelligent and honorable character. As we learn a little bit about Kaori’s difficult past, we also get the first of many clues to Kanade’s true abilities, as well. And, we also get a honest reflection by Kaori about her feelings of admiration (and possibly more) for Kanade-sama.

Lastly, based on nothing but their weird interaction and the fact that I have an overactive imagination, I still maintain that Vice President and Assault Squad leader Nanaho and Vice President and Covert Squad leader Kuon have a thing going on. ^_^

Good things about the DVD: 5 episodes, Pucchan stickers as an extra.

Bad things – “girl on girl” – feh, Pucchan stickers as an extra.

Weird thing – Ayumu gets the honorific “Ayu-chan.” All other honorifics are cut. Huh?

Ratings:

Art – 6 Silly, but not meant to be more
Story – 6 Goofy, yet charming
Characters – 7 – ditto
Yuri – 4 – You mean “girl on girl” don’t you? Grrr.
Service – 2 The cover seems to be the worst offender

Overall – 7

Entertaining, not taxing, with surprising moments of hysterical. Plus, Seina. She’s a great character, especially as no one even remembers her. ^_^





Yuri Anime: Noir, Volume 5

April 17th, 2007

Wow, there’s nothing like taking a step back a few years to really appreciate both what went before and what we have now. I recently sat and rewatched the volume with the most awesome episodes of Sailor Moon (106-109, in case you care) and on the train on the way to a professional conference, I rewatched Noir Volume 5 for the first time in many moons.

Volume 5 of Noir is not high art. It makes the art of Madlax look stunning by comparison, but story-wise, it’s pretty much the lynchpin moment, the moment at which the entire story alters.

It begins with one more foray into Mirielle’s past where she learns the horrible truth about herself – that she is a child of the organization who now hunts her. Turning away from her own past, she now decides to focus on Kirika’s. Kirika, in the meantime, when faced with a choice of knowledge about herself, Noir and Soldats, or saving Mirielle’s life doesn’t hesitate to chose her friend over herself. I say “friend” here, because it seems that that alone is enough of a revelation for both of them, that they might, perhaps, be becoming friends.

When Mirielle reminds Kirika of the promise that they made – that when they both understand who Kirika is and what, exactly Soldats wants, she will kill the younger woman, there is a edginess to it – we can see that that promise is now a lie, even if they can not.

Just as they start to deal with this change in their relationship, it all comes to a crashing halt. Chloe, who has been stalking Kirika from the beginning, shows Mirielle, in an impressive and incontrovertible display of skill, that she and Kirika are the True Noir. Her explanation of what Noir is, and why Noir is, only serves to highlight the gulf between Mirielle and her partner. When Kirika begins to respond to words that Chloe utters, it becomes obvious that Mirielle has lost the battle, if not the war.

This is a very “having loved and lost” kind of volume. We watch Mirielle gain knowledge of her past, but lose some of her understanding of what her childhood meant to her. She gains Kirika as a friend, but loses her as a partner. And she gains understanding of Soldats and Noir, but loses herself in the process.

I found the Noir/Soldats manuscript lines just as silly this time as the last, but somehow – and really, I don’t know how – it all sort of seemed to make perfect sense. Above all, the sense of loss that Mirielle was experiencing at the very end was very poignant and very powerful. And because El Cazador de la Bruja has already begun, I found myself hoping that I care half this much about Nadie and Ellis by the end, as I do about Kirika and Mirielle.

What makes the story here so interesting, is watching Chloe take everything that Mirielle has fought so hard to gain. What makes the rest of the series so interesting is watching Mirielle fight even harder to get it back.

Ratings:

Art – 4
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Yuri – 4
Service – 2

Overall – 7

I still think Chloe’s character design looks weird and out of place, but I guess that kind of works…