Yuri Manga: Gakuen Polizi (学園ポリーチェ)

April 4th, 2013

Gakuen Polizi (学園ポリーチェ) is Morinaga Milk’s newest series…and I think I like it. A lot. The more I think about it, the more I’m pretty sure she’s using her magic powers for good.

Aoba has always wanted to be an ally of Justice and now, as she tranfsers into Hanagaki Girl’s School, she has her chance – she is an official unofficial School Policewoman in training. She’s going to bring justice to this unruly school! Unfortunately for her, the school’s denizens are rather nice young girls and not prone to getting into trouble, but that’s not going to stop Aoba from making a difference.

When a classmate recruits her to investigate the school’s seven mysteries, the girls discover someone lurking in the library – is it a criminal?!? – Aoba pounces, only to discover a classmate, quiet, unobtrusive Midori. To Aoba’s shock she learns that Midori is also assigned to this school as police. Midori admits her father, Chief of Police, has buried her here in this quiet, peaceful school.

Undeterred, Aoba drags Midori into a multitude of small disagreements and personal issues. Midori, who also draws manga, cannot understand Aoba’s enthsiasm and insists she wants to be left alone.  When a dog attacks Midori, Aoba shouts at the animal, insisting Midori is her “Important Partner!” Since no one is supposed to know they are police, the school paper presumes that means they are “Yuri.”

After all this silliness is laid out, somewhat surprisingly, a real story begins. The girls catch a groper on the morning train and in an emotional episode, track down a guy that was stalking a classmate’s sister. In this chapter we are plainly told that the police basically didn’t give a crap about the girl and let the guy off with a fine, but the sister is still terrified of leaving the house. Which is just about when I thought…holy crow, I think I know what Morinaga-sensei is doing here….

Remember that this series is running in Comic High, so the audience is pretty typical otaku guys. The kind of guys who might think staring a a girl’s chest is a compliment or who think girls wearing skirts is an implicit permission for them to take upskirt pictures. (You know, pretty much any guy who doesn’t hold himself to a standard of not being an animal.)

These crimes are real crimes that happen to real girls and women every day. And, every day, the police are not helpful – and often extremely dismissive – of these kinds of complaints. As I read the chapter about the stalker, I remembered a number of news stories from Japan, in which the police have actually been perfectly horrible to the women who came to them for help. Here’s what I think. I think  Morinaga-sensei is doing political and social commentary, in a moe Yuri manga, without shaming, blaming or pointing fingers. The more I read this volume, the more convinced I was that she’s using her magic powers for good. I approve.

The art is exactly what one expects from Morinaga-sensei, with slightly more serious faces than usual. Aoba is a happy, energetic, extrovert type and Midori – who has a former partner and a backstory that will, I’m sure make up the bulk of Volume 2 – is quiet, serious and introverted. Because there was actual story in Volume 1, rather than the more usual character development, we have yet to see Aoba’s backstory, but you know – that’s okay by me.

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Volume 1 is an intriguing open to a new student police saga, wholly unlike Sukeban Deka or YajiKita Gakuen Douchuuki. There might no be drug lords in Aoba’s future, but the bullies,  the mean girls, the nasty teachers and all the other rotten, horrible people that make high school life such a chore, should watch out – this school’s protected by the police.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 8
Characters – 7
Yuri – hints, teases and misunderstandings. “Important partner” and Midori’s backstory
Service – Not as much as you might expect, but still – 3

Overall – 8

The synopsis says this is a Yuri love comedy. I’m willing to wait. ^_^

Oh, btw. The title should be “Gakuen Police” but the Japanese transliterates to gakuen polichi and I chose “polizi” over “polici” for no reason at all, except I thought it looked more stylish.

Posted in Morinaga Milk, Yuri Manga | 5 Comments »


Bodacious Space Pirates 2 Anime, Disk 1 (English)

April 2nd, 2013

BDSP2BDAs the first disk of the second Bodacious Space Pirates collection opens (available on Blu-Ray and DVD), Marika and the girls of the Hakuoh Academy Yacht Club are thrust into a complex and dangerous situation! Oh no!

With the crew of the Bentenmaru quarantined, Marika recruits the Yacht Club members to do some piracy, so the Bentenmaru can maintain its Letter of Marque. Of course the girls are more than up for it and, after a typical piracy gig, they take on an ad hoc project – one that is genuinely dangerous. Jenny Dolittle, former club president, is facing an unwanted marriage as a part of her uncle’s business strategy. Lynn asks Marika if they can ‘kidnap’ her – or, really, prevent her from being kidnapped by her uncle.

This arc rocks in a number of ways and sucks in only one.

Let’s revisit my interpretation of the phrase a “strong female” character. I believe that a “strong” character is a character who takes control of their circumstances, a character that leads, not follows. In this arc Marika, Jenny and Lynn show themselves to be “strong” by my definition. Rather than allowing circumstances to  overwhelm them, they fight back with their brains, their power and their network of allies. A perfect example, IMHO, of female leaders leading.  As a bonus, we are given  a perfect Yuri couple, with *my* kind of service. Jenny makes a lovely princess to Lynn’s prince. ^_^

The only real negative in this arc is the animation. It completely falls to shit just when we might have wanted it to be at its most glorious. To be fair, the CGI is going to go through the roof in upcoming arcs, but darnit, it would have been nice of them to do some touch-up when Jenny and Lynn reunite. :-(

In the following arc, we again see something unusual – a minor character given a chance to shine. Once more we get a female character who is not overwhelmed by her circumstances. Ai shows us that she works hard and is able to retain control through good decision-making skills. A totally worthy conclusion to what is otherwise a silly arc.

There is some fanservice during the Nebula cup arc that may or may not annoy you. To give the creators credit, they”serve” up beefcake as well as more typical moe tropes.

As far as I’m concerned, this disk wins the universe. It has everything I’ve ever wanted in a series all at once. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 7, but drops to like 3 just when I want it to be a 9. Sigh
Character – 9
Story – 9
Yuri – 9
Service – 6

Overall – 9

Multiple named female characters that speak with each other about lots of things other than a man. Female characters with agency, with society, with smarts and friends and awesome personalities, allowed to shine. Bechdel Test and Friedman Addendum (as proposed here)  passed with flying colors. This series *still* makes my Top List this year.

Posted in Bodacious Space Pirates, English Anime | 3 Comments »


Penguindrum Anime Collection 2, Disk 2 (English)

March 31st, 2013

pd2Realities converge, merge and resplit on the second disk of the second Penguindrum collection. Now that we know (symbolically, at least) what Yuri and Tabuki had in common and what their goal was, the arc climaxes in an actual climax and we think…what else is there? Well….

We’ve assumed one single truth from the beginning of the series. When everything around that truth is fracturing, shattering like glass, we have assumed that Himari, Shoma and Kanba are, at the very least siblings who love each other very much.

Here in the depths of the second half of the series we have been given a whole new set of symbols, a whole new mythology and our one basic truth is called into question. What does the Child Broiler mean, why are all the children in this series broken, abandoned? What does “family” even mean? And what if that one truth we had to hold on to…isn’t true at all?

We think we know what the Penguindrum is and what it does. Or do we? The mystery is electrifying.

Speaking of Sanetoshi-sensei’s verbal tic, I thought it might be fun to discuss the word “Sa.” ^_^”Sa” is not a word, it’s an expression, like “hmm” or “um”. It has no meaning itself, but is use to express ambiguity. “How you doin’ today?” “Sa….”  Sentai  is mostly translating it as “beats me” – which is not bad at all when the teen characters us it, especially Shoma and Kanba. When Sanetoshi, the embodiment of ambiguous, impenetrable adult, says “Sa…” it makes me laugh when they have him say “beats me.” Not that I think it’s wrong, I just think it’s funny. ^_^

As we make our way through this second half, we’re getting closer to the truth. Or, are we?

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters -8
Yuri – 0
Service – 2

Overall – 8

Again, my thanks to Okazu Superhero Eric P. for sponsoring today’s review!

Posted in English Anime, Ikuhara Kunihiko | 1 Comment »


Yuri Network News (百合ネットワークニュース) – March 30, 2013

March 30th, 2013

YNN_LissaYuri Anime

Via YNN Correspondent Jst and several others,  ANN Reports that a 3rd Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha movie has been greenlit, but that it is not going to be a StrikerS reboot. The movie, Reflection, will have a new story not based on previous material.  In retrospect I am pleased about that. Unlike the first two series, StrikerS was a fully-formed story that was given plenty of time to develop. A movie of it would not add to the story and might well take away key plot and character development. On the other hand, I’m betting this is just an excuse to pander more to the lolicon audience in Japan, who has shown themselves ready to mortgage their lives to buy this stuff. I hope I’m wrong and they’ll give us grown-up Fate and Nanoha, but I’m not betting money on it.

YNN Correspondent Eric P and others want us to know that, as promised, Ikuhara Kunihiko has unveiled his new anime project, Yuri Kuma Arashi. It’s about a bear that turns into a girl  – in, I would imagine, a surreal animation sequence. Well we don’t know much yet, but we know it’ll be worth taking a look at, anyway. ^_^

More special episodes on the way for Saki Achiga Hen – look for them to stream Episodes 15 and 16 in May. Episode up to 14 are already available for free, legally, with some potential regional restrictions on Crunchyroll.

Japan is getting geared up for the Japanese release of My Little Pony~Tomodachi ha Mahou, with news that HKT48 will be singing the ending theme and an upcoming manga in Pucchigumi magazine.

 

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Yuri Manga

PreFure -Precious Friend – (プレフ) is a schoolgirl like story about friends, much like other school girls friends stories, so some fans see Yuri. At least one Japnese blog says this is really Yuri. I have no idea if that’s true or not. ^_^

Transistor Tea Set (トランジスタティーセット　~電気街路図~) has made it to Volume 5, but I’ll never be able to love it again, unless I get a headless robot maid once more.

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That’s a wrap for this week! Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There’s a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage – stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent’s badge. Thanks to all of you – you make this a great Yuri Network!

Posted in Yuri Network News | 9 Comments »


Psycho-Pass Anime (English) End of Series Review

March 28th, 2013

I’ll be honest. When I originally reviewed Psycho-Pass, (streaming for free legally, with region restrictions on Funimation’s site) I never expected to ever mention it again here. And yet, here we are. Huh, how about that?

I was hesitant to start this series, but once I did, it was a compelling – if difficult – watch. There were bits in the middle that were genuinely horrific and at least one scene that haunted me for days. It was actually worse for the clinical way in which the audience reaction was made part of the scene, and was discussed…as we were made to watch it  repeatedly.

So, yes, this is a really violent, and in many, cases stressful, story. But it was, nonetheless, an extremely well-written genre piece. The genre is “suspense horror” so there are tropes that aren’t pleasant. If you know this going in to the thing, there’s a better chance that your won’t be too badly traumatized. It’s probably important to point out that folks with abuse or rape triggers might be better served to avoid this story.

When the end came, it was a solid genre ending. Our apparently naive protagonist had grown. But…you know, I don’t think she ever was naive or immature. The character design was camouflage – it was our belief that Akane *must* be naive, because she is small, female and young. If you pay attention to the story as it played out, she was actually fairly confident and cool – not emotionless, just able to make decisions regardless of whatever the circumstances were- throughout.  We might not always agree with the decisions, but that was part of her strength, too. I consider Akane to be one of the overall best lead female roles I’ve seen in anime.

The DVD/BD license for Psycho-Pass has been officially announced by Funimation. It is slated for spring 2014, and will include a dub.

Oh, wait, I forgot to tell you why I’m reviewing this at all! You know how, in most series, the lesbian couple sleeps together and one always dies almost immediately? Well that didn’t happen here. After everything plays out, Yayoi and Shion both survive – and get to be together. I told you to be happy Fukami was involved! He loves the lesbians and we love him right back. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Character – 9
Story – 9
Yuri – 9
Service – 9 High and mostly extremely nasty with a little light – happy – lesbian service on the side

Overall – 9

It was not a series I’d suggest lightly, but it is something I thought was well-crafted. I wonder if I’ll ever be able to watch it again.

Posted in English Anime | 19 Comments »