Archive for the Yuri Anime Category


Yuri Anime? Kaleido Star

January 18th, 2004

Okay, okay, I take it back

I take it all back! Kaleido Star is definitely a yuri anime. Not only are Anna and Mia still sharing a bed (in an apartment that has plenty of room for them to sleep apart if they really wanted) but there’s this *thing* happening between Leila and Sora, which, while it isn’t love or physical attraction, is definitely an intimate connection. Watching them perform together is not all that different from watching a love scene.

The funny thing is, I read a review of Kaleido Star recently on a Japanese website, and was like, “Leila and Sora? Are they nuts?” Yeah, well – I was wrong, they were right. ^_^

Don’t get me wrong – this is still a superficial, silly, fluff-filled anime. There is no big story here…it’s just about people who have a vision and want to make that vision come true. The vision just happened to be about doing acrobatics. The first dozen or so episodes weren’t riveting, but the characters have a more realistic passion now and I actually care whether Sora and Leila develop the Maboroshi Oowaza, the Ultimate Trick. Don’t ask me why…I don’t know. ^_^

I’m upping the Yuri rating on Kaleido Star to about a 7 out of 10.





Various Yuri Anime

January 16th, 2004

Traces of Yuri

Part 2

Kaleido Star:
Another inoffensive (this time, really) anime, it seems to have been co-produced by and licensed by ADV. I can only imagine that they are targeting this towards a TV release, because there is *nothing* in this anime that would offend the mildest of viewers, with perhaps the exception only of the ecchi “Spirit of the Kaleido Stage,” who can’t be seen by anyone else but the lead. Since we (and he) do not actually get to see anything naughty, it would make a pretty good TV choice.

The plot is basically the same as  the old classic shoujo anime Aim for the Ace,Ace wo Nerae , (which I will review next week,) only this time instead of Tennis, the venue is something remotely Cirque de Soleil-ish. The lead, Naegino Sora, is a sweet, enthusiastic and energetic girl, without being too genki, too shy or too aggressive. She’s not afraid to speak her mind, but she’s not rude either – the perfect modern Japanese girl. Sora’s dream is to perform on the “Kaleido Stage” in America as an acrobat/performer. Of course, her dream comes true…with
many challenges that will force her to become a stronger and more mature person, etc., etc.

Is there yuri? There is, but, not much.

Mia & her roommate/partner in crime,
Anna are definitely and obviously a couple. They ping the gaydar from about Episode 3 onwards, and as the story (what little of it there is) develops, they seem more and more obvious. The only thing like confirmation we get is in Episode 19, where we actually see them sharing a bed, facing each other and close enough that they have to be touching. That’s about all. It’s not hot lesbo sex, kids, but would probably slide by a TV censor easily. The series is continuing on Japanese TV, so I’ll keep watching, but I do not expect Mia and Anna’s wedding episode anytime soon. :-)

If *you* know of a series that you think has yuri content, then by
all means, let me know at [email protected]
or join the Yuricon Mailing List and tell us all about it!

*In case you care, my fetishes are, in no particular order: psychotic and/or nasty women; competency, chicks with weapons, uniforms and classic literature or mythology used cleverly.





Various Yuri Anime

January 15th, 2004

Traces of Yuri

Part 1

In reading around the web, I often come across mentions of series in which there is supposed to be yuri of some kind or other, subtextual or not. About half the time I agree. Here’s a quick overview of two such series, one on either side of the fence:


Popotan:
This is a reasonably inoffensive anime adaptation of a hentai game into about three sisters and their maid who take a lot of baths, show their underwear a lot and play dress up. As you can see, I find it simply fascinating. If any of these the above, breasts and/or lolicon are your particular fetish, then its probably a good choice. Since none of them are mine*, and since I saw only a bare trace of yuri (the youngest sister liking “squishy” things, including her older sister’s breasts
does not, IMHO, count as yuri) then I’ll have to call this one a “not really.”

It just dawned on me that I called a breast/loli/bathing/panty-shot filled anime “inoffensive.” How jaded am I? ^_^;

The plot of Popotan is initially silly, but becomes serious – sisters Ai, Mai and Mii, and their maid, Meah, travel from place to place (and ultimately, we learn, through time itself) to look for someone or thing. To find this someone or thing, they talk to the “Popotan,” their cutesy word for dandelions. (The Japanese word for dandelions is tanpopo and “-tan” as an honorific is a silly name ending, with extra cutesiness. Think Amy-wamie, or Billy-willy.)

In the course of their travels, the sisters run into and become close to several people in different places, but leaving those people becomes increasingly difficult and emotionally draining for them. They move through time and learn that their friendships had far-reaching consequences; some positive, but other outcomes are horribly tragic. Eventually, when they meet the person they were lookig for (a kind of princess of the popotan) they are given a choice – do they wish to continue to travel, or split up and stay in one time and place? Both will mean separation from those they love.

I won’t give away the ending, because while this isn’t high art, it’s not the worst thing in the world to watch, either, if a little manipulative. :-)

Is there yuri? Well, if you squint, or ar desperate to find it, then you can easily make Mai’s friendship with Konami into a yuri relationship. It’s portrayed as shinyuu;  – a very close friendship with bonds that last long after the girls part company. Between they way Mai and Konami connect so deeply, and a few moments of touching closeness (and close touching,) if you really wanted, you could see yuri there. I’m sure there’s a load of doujinshi out there somewhere with the two of them. On the whole, I think there are many series with more yuri than this one.

One last note: Beware – the opening music is horribly sticky. Once you get any of it in your head it won’t go away. It’s weeks later and I’m still singing it.

Ratings: Art – 7 out of 10; Character Designs – 8 out of 10, there’s something for everyone here. Story – 5 out of 10. It has moments, but that’s about it. Music – 5 out of 10. Yuri – 3 out of 10. Overall – 5 out of 10. Not bad for a H-game into anime, but not great, either.

As always, visit Yuricon, voted one of the Top 25 Anime-related sites on the web, for more shoujoai and yuri in anime and manga.





A First Look at Maria-sama ga Miteru Anime

January 12th, 2004

Yuricon makes the Animefringe.com Top 25!

Congratulations to the Yuricon website – we were named #22 in Animefringe.com’s annual Top 25 web poll. Yuricon is the *first* con-related web page to ever be so named. And considering the other ranked sites (Bittorrent, Anime on DVD, Anime News Network…) I think we have a lot to be proud of!

A First Look at Marimite

This past weekend, I screened the first episode of Maria-sama ga Miteru the anime. I’ve been following the manga, and there are some small differences – and again, these are different from the original novels, or so I’m told. That having been said, here’s my first impression:

Marimite is not an action-filled anime. It is quiet and deliberate. The tone is set at the very beginning when our heroine, Yumi, tells us that the girls of Liliian Girls Academy are expected to be neat, speak politely and move slowly. Set within this frame of contemplation and good manners, any extreme – not matter how trivial – seems out of synch. Sudden movements, a raised voice, a firm touch…all these things stand out as being not usual, out of tune with the rest of the school. Because of the focus on deliberate movement, there is a tension in each scene, that can’t really be accounted for by the apparent situation. (The tension feels similar to that of the sketching scene in the Utena movie, when Utena is sketching Anthy in the Tower…Anthy’s movements are *so* deliberate, that they feel symbolic. The eyecatches are also consciously reminiscent of Utena: the theme heavy with violin, and a flower-filled frame. Trust me – its *really* obvious.)

While I have no doubt that the plot will resolve happily, this anime is driven by character, not plot. The plot revolves around manipulation and emotional connection in a girl’s school… in other words, it’s about nothing. :-) The thing that will bring viewers back will be the interaction between the characters, the growth of their relationships, and that tension I mentioned above. Do not expect any great climaxes of action…but do expect a few emotional outbursts. ^_^ This is a truly shoujo series.

As an anime, this series as defintely the love-child of Oniisama E (Brother, Dear Brother) and Utena. Sitting somewhere between the strong flower imagery of Utena and the emotion of the Sorority storyline of Oniisama E, lies the outwardly sedate Marimite. Ultimately, like most classic shoujo, Marimite is about an average girl who, by circumstance or fate, becomes involved with the Great Ones of her school.

Whatever happens, I think it’ll be an interesting ride. ^_^

For more conversation, art scans and info about Marimite, and other Yuri anime and manga, join us at the Yuricon Mailing List.





Maria-sama ga Miteru: The Most Eagerly Anticipated Yuri Anime/Manga of 2004

December 30th, 2003

Maria-sama ga Miteru (Virgin Mary Watches Over Us) based on the novels by Konno Oyuki, has Japanese lesbians hopping with excitement and anticipation. Marimite, as it is called in Japan, is actually a series of 12 novels written about girls who attend Lillian Girls’ Academy, a Catholic school at, roughly, the beginning of the 20th century. Similar in its flowery, talcum-scented feel to Yoshiya Nobuko’s TwoVirgins in the Attic, Marimite is a fairly straightforward story about love between girls. In other words, almost ten years after Sailor Moon brought us Uranus and Neptune and five years after Anthy and Utena, the new yuri poster children for the 21st century will be Sachiko and Yumi, from Marimite. How do I know this? Because for decades, Sachiko and Yumi have been an insanely popular doujinshi pairing in Japan…and that was before the anime and manga were even created.

Here’s a *very* basic overview of the plot:

Lillian Academy’s Student Council is call the Mountain Lily Council. (Note the ubiquitous lily imagery…) They all live in a house called the Lily Mansion. The Council is composed of three girls, each of whom takes a flower title: Rosa Gigantea (white); Rosa Chinensis (red); Rosa Foetida (yellow).

Each Rosa can take a junior, referred to as “Rosa XXX En Bouton.” Each En Bouton is allowed to pick a junior, referred to as “Rosa XXX En Bouton Petite Soeur.” The usual pattern is a senior student as Rosa, a second-year student as En Bouton and a first-year student as Petite Soeur.” You can see this easily on the character chart on the Mariamite anime site. The procedure for asking someone to be your junior is to very formally address them with, “Please accept my rosary.” Not surprisingly, this leads to a very romantic/adoration-filled relationship between each girl on the Council.

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.

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. There is no Petite Soeur in this hierarchy, because Shimako is a first-year student.

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 Yumi as her Petite Soeur.

The heroine of the story, Fukuzawa Yumi, is a cute first-year student at Lillian Academy. She has always admired Sachiko but, when Sachiko asks her to become her little sister, Yumi declines. When pressed for a reason, she herself isn’t sure, but she knows that something is not right. As the story progresses, she realizes that her feelings for Sachiko are deeper than admiration but…

The plot of this story has no major conflicts – it’s a warm, fuzzy look at a developing relationship, a complex and romantic courting ritual and a hothouse environment designed to create intense, romantic relationships between girls. Just *exactly* what yuri fans need. :-)

The official Marimite website has some lovely art – and its minimialism gives you an idea of the feel of the story. :-) The official anime site, as mentioned above, has a nice character chart and will, eventually, have some other features. And, lastly, here’s an anime trailer that gives you a really wonderful idea of what we’re in for!

All in all, I’m thinking this is going to be 10 out of 10 for pure “S”. For more news, manga synopses, and lots of enthusiasm join the Yuricon Mailing List and share the excitement!