Anime Review No. 95 (Strawberry Panic)

“Lesbians!, Lesbians! ~”

Strawberry Panic (2006 TV Series)

Studio: Madhouse

Director: Masayuki Sakoi

Writers: Kazuyuki Fudeyasu, Hideo Takayashiki and Tatsuhiko Urahata

Well February 2015 closes out with a personal favorite of mine, a seminal classic in a sub-genre that if you haven’t paying attention, I really love. The show in question is Strawberry Panic, also slight spoilers.

Strawberry Panic is the story of a new transfer student Nagisa Aoi as she comes to Astraea Hill, the site for 3 interconnected all-girls vaguely Christian schools: Le Rim, Spica and Miator. On her first day, she meets her interesting roommate Tamao Suzumi and the mysterious Etoile-sama, Shizuma who holds some deep and dark secrets. Together, Nagisa does the typical adventures at school-making friends and hanging out with them, and also lesbian relationships.

That is the very much the landmark of a yuri series, a focus on lesbian relationships or relationships between women with lesbian subtext. In Strawberry Panic, at least in the TV series, its the former where there are 2 main plots that are all about relationship dynamics. Shizuma and Aoi is the main (A) plot with Hikari and Amane being secondary (B) plot. Plot A is mainly internal conflict fueled by indecision and inner turmoil on the parts of Shizuma and Aoi. Plot B has more external conflict preventing Amane and Hikari getting together, with Kaname and Momomi (2 senpais who very obviously lesbians) serving as rough antagonists though they act more like cartoon villains in much of what they do in the course of the show. Plot A I find is the more compelling, especially when Shizuma’s backstory is revealed and we understand her a bit more and why she acts the way she does. Granted it does get a bit overdramatic and leans into melodrama/soap opera at times but it is still one of the strong elements in the show.

Goodness, Yaya you are way too good for Plot B's story

Plot B is the weak link of the show, mostly because I can’t really care about Hikari and Amane. Hikari is such a wallflower and Amane is an oblivious bifauxnen. The only interesting aspects of this plot is Yaya you do manage to feel something for because to see how much stuff she goes through in the series and a shame she doesn’t really get anyway by series’ end. Oh well, that’s what fanfiction is for. There is a rather valedictorian feel to the final episodes and the show ends on a satisfactory if a bit telegraphed conclusion.

Granted there are other characters, like Chikaru (student council president of the Le Rim school) and her band of classmates (megane Remon, genki Kizuna and the quiet cutie Kagome with her teddy bear Percival) who provide a lot of the levity to the more sombering drama of the main story. There are side adventure episodes, based on rather cliche situations, peppered throughout the series which do come across as filler at points, but are still enjoyable. Well these episodic plots are a just a bit fresher when the show came out in 2006.

Now, Strawberry Panic is one of the more definitive entries in the genre. In fact it is the show that got me interested in the yuri genre, and thus held in high regard by many yuri fans as their first exposure to the genre. It solidifies a lot of the tropes for the genre presently: The senpai-kouhai pairing and the complex relationship dynamics. There is the main theme like the notion of lesbian love: Forbidden, unconditional, unrequited and lost forever, tied to Shizuma’s past for instance. There is also the fleeting nature of youth and innocence and the regret and sadness that follows that, all of this couched in a cute and soothing slice of life atmosphere and environment, adding in tropes and notions from slice of life and high school stories. It is a tad romanticized, that hey that’s the nature of fiction.

Lesbian cuties hanging out.....and such xD

Strawberry Panic is a nice jack of all trades show. What I mean by that is that it is really good at balancing light-hearted comedy, soothing slice of life and serious drama but doesn’t quite excel at any of them, though it certainly tries. Focus episodes on side/supporting characters like the previously mentioned Chikaru and the Le Rim girls are a highlight for me (episodes 6 and 8 especially).

Chikaru you are best girl ^_^

Now the visual presentation is well-done, but not exactly the best work by Madhouse. It has a real somber and subdued look, with a light and pastel color palette. It derps and dips a bit, but thats nearly expected for a show that’s nearly a decade old. The orchestral music is warm and neo-classical in a chamber music style with woodwinds, strings, light brass and piano music abound. It does remind me a bit of the contemporarous Ouran’s equally flowery and melodramatic OST. The OP and ED songs are pleasant enough.

OP1 OP2 ED1 ED2

Now, this show was released sub only a few times by Media Blasters (singles in 2008, with complete set releases in 2009 and 2012)  just following the economic crash in the States. In fact, it was one of the first series that got this and set a precedence for sub-only releases that we in the States get in recent years. Fact is that dubbing became too costly for every anime acquired and just releasing with subtitles and a bare-bones release is cheaper and you got a better shot at getting your money back. The japanese language track is good and worth a listen, though a lot of the acting is archetypal and typical of how those tracks are done. One of the reason why I don’t usually talk about Japanese language tracks is because as an English speaking fan, I can’t really judge fairly the performance standards of japanese voice acting.

Cute yuri kiss scene ^_^

Overall Strawberry Panic is very good. It is a great exploration of blossoming romance between young women and an examination of an anime genre that recently has gotten some resurgence which I find very pleasing. Granted, its a bloated towards the middle as the story and plots drag in the middle third and does indulge in the melodrama a bit too much, but still worth a look at. And well, the moral of yuri is that indeed, girls can love girls.

Now for Something Completely Related xD

Next month’s reviews will be in a post tomorrow- ‘Til next time dear readers.

Anime Review No. 74-Ef a tale of melodies

"I am dead to the world's tumult,
And I rest in a quiet realm!
I live alone in my heaven,
In my love and in my song!"

Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen, Gustav Mahler Ruckert Lieder, 1901

Ef: a tale of melodies

Fall 2008 TV Series

Studio Shaft, Director-Shin Oonuma, Writer: Katsuhito Takayama

You, know its an interesting tale of how I got this series. Well, last summer, I went to a local anime convention for a day. While there, I saw a few vendors selling some anime and took a look. One that caught my eye was Ef: a tale of memories on sale by a significant bargain. Also, I saw Ef: a tale of melodies as well, right next to it. At first I picked up the first season, then later that day I decided 'what the heck?' and pick up the second season as well. For that, I am entirely grateful as the second season is exceptional.

First off, I shall talk about the setting a bit. There are two towns named Otowa: one in Japan, one in Austraila. One was afflicted by an earthquake, we are not shown only through brief flashes. Essentially, there are twin cities on opposite sides of the globe: same climates and time zones but different seasons naturally. I only bring this up as it seems a bit confusing in the context of the story, hence why you should re-watch this show at least once. Though, to be fair, I do like the little touches they add into the setting for the sake of world building.

Anyway, the story with Season 2 is rather similar in structure to Season 1, with the multi-tier story lines following different characters. However, whereas Season 1 took place entirely in the relative present, Season 2 takes place in both the relative present and past. Story A involves Yuu Himura (the weary priest) and Yuuko Amamiya (the mysterious nun) and the relationship and life they shared back in high school. They both knew each other, though at first both were hesistant. But, due to situations, Yuu becomes becomes a protector for Yuuko. There is also a love triangle of sorts between Yuu, Yuuko and Nagi Hirono, making it similar to Hiro's story in Season 1 but certainly a bit more complex. For one thing, there is an antagonist, an obstacle to their relationship, which happens to be Amamiya-sensei, the school's art teacher and Yuuko's adoptive brother/adult figure. It turns out he isn't such an upstanding guy, as one episode midway through certainly demonstrates. Granted, Yuu is no saint either and that leads into something that I quite like about this series: it has a very grey but human sense of characters. There exist no heroes or villains, just human characters living out to the best of their abilities. Anyway, Yuu and Yuuko do fall in love yet tragedy strikes again and that's what shapes Yuu in the present. Granted, the Ef series is fraught with emotional and pyschological drama, even angst at moments, but it doesn't wallow in. It knows the pit, doesn't spend any time more then necessary in digging down the pit, but rather seeks a way out of the pit.

Story B, meanwhile, focuses on Shuichi Kuze and Mizuki Hayama in the present. Kuze is a friend of Renji's and Yuu's, a world known violinist though a bit of a playboy/womanizer. Mizuki is a friend of Kei Shindou and cousin of Renji and is your typical perky and happy high school girl. This story is striking similar to Renji's from Season 1 but gender-flipped in that the girl meets a guy with a tragic secret and wonders on whether to help or not. Except, things are not so clear. Kuze is basically a lost cause, he views life as a calculated risk, one that he is not willing to continue with. Yeah, I got to say Kuze is really the only character I can actually relate to in any fashion. Luckily, with support of his friends Nagi Hirono and Yuu along with Mizuki, Kuze seeks to live life to the fullest even if it will be short-lived. I must say it is very life-affirming and positive, even in the midst of the darkness that life sometimes run into.

This in turns leads to another strong theme that runs in the show; the notion of unconditional love as being the most brutal and honest form of love there is. It is certainly not 'Love conquers all' mentality akin to many romance stories but more along the lines of 'Love helps us out when in despair or trouble.' Where it be Yuu loving and accepting Yuuko for who she is or Kuze realizing it helps to have a loved one there to hold and comfort you at your worst hour, that is what this series basically boils down to.

Sidestory elements include the characters from Season 1 as they come back on occasion. It shows how the characters from Season 1 have grown and gone about their lives. A masterstroke, in my opinion, was to have the Shindou sisters reunited, which was a heartwarming moment of 'DAWW'. In the end, its Yuuko that ties everyone in the series together, a beacon of hope to all of humanity. The final episode is one of the best I have seen, with it all's right with the world mood and ends on scene so tremendous that it defies commentary but so full of emotions it brought me literally to tears.

Much like the first season, the dialogue is rather lyrical and poetic. Animation is scenery and atmosphere, pervading the series all out. At times it verges on the line between the stock standard and the experimental. For instance, use of sepia-toned film stock to the animation for the flashbacks is a nice touch. A single melody by solo violin dominates the BGM for this series: a sad late romantic style solo, reflecting the show in tone and mood, to say nothing else about the rest of the music which is just as good as in the first season, if not better. Finally, the opening songs for both seasons are both excellent and a rare example of engrish done right.

Lastly, the English dub is utterly fantastic, even more so this season. Granted, this season the main cast has mostly veteran voice talent behind the mic (David Matranga, Illich Guardiolla, Allison Keith, Hillary Haag, etc) delivering some truly excellent performances. Even the newer talent (like Carli Mosier and Josh Grelle) manage to stay their own with the veterans. Josh Grelle, voicing Amamiya-sensei, does an excellent job and should be taken notice as the guy got some impressive range.

Overall, the Ef series is a fantastic entry in terms of visual novel adaptations, certainly better then some of the Key adaptations. I also consider a masterpiece of romantic drama, when it comes to anime anyway, with interesting and strong characters alongside a nuanced, multilayer story. A solid effort in nearly every section of production, be it animation, sound design, voice acting, etc.

So, what's up next on the platter for me? Well, its an anime movie, certainly one involving roses, lesbians and a mind-screwing finale where love does indeed conquer all......

'Til next time readers.....

Anime Review No. 73 Ef a tale of memories

"We have all forgot more than we remember."

Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732

Ef: a tale of memories

Fall 2007 TV Series

Studio Shaft, Director: Shin Oonuma, Writer-Katsuhito Takayama

Well, it's February again and that means time for looking at romance-oriented shows. Way back in 2012, I took a look at several shows with the primary focus being relationships (Oh My Goddess, Legend of the Labyrinth, My Dear Marie). Last year, I took a look at Kare Kano, an ultimately great show containing both romantic comedy and drama and yet somewhat underrated. But, is there a 21^st century equivalent in anime when it comes to romantic comedy and drama? And what if this show was handed to the great experimentalists at Studio Shaft, under guidance by their grand guru of postmodernism? Well, I believe that I found that: The Ef: A Fairy Tale of the Two series. For this and the next review, I will be covering both seasons of this series. First, off Ef: a tale of memories, which begs the question: What's this show about?

Well, that's a bit of a tough task. See, this is one of the first shows that I have looked at with multiple storylines/narratives. At a basic level, it is about the lives and relationships surrounding a group of high school students and young people in a town called Otowa. But, instead of dividing the series' run of 12 episodes in half focusing on one story at a time, it focuses each episode as a somewhat even split of focus of the stories. I think this works well as the show makes you pay attention to what is doing.

The first season has 2 stories, intersecting into each other and weaving in and out. Story A concerns the love triangle between Hiro and the two girls who love him: Miyako and Kei Shindou. Hiro is a manga artist who, one Christmas, runs into Miyako, a perky and care-free girl but with a hidden fear and the two start a relationship. However, he has to deal with Kei, the female childhood friend/tomboy who is a bit jealous and unwilling to move on. In addition he must overcome his own indecision regarding his life, you know as most teenagers do and can attest to.

Now, I want to like this, but Story A is rather weak, though it has a great payoff so it is certainly worth it. It is a little awkward at times, mainly due to it wavering between nice high school slice of life and romantic melodrama moments. Plus, it doesn't help that Miyako is roughly unrelatable and annoying at moments, though I want to relate to her sad back story. It culminates in the second half of episode 7, which has to go down as one of most harrowing and ultimately depressing moment I have seen in an anime, the closest I get to feeling sorry for Miyako's plight. Add to that the animation becomes so stark that the bleakness of the sequence is magnified tenfold emotionally. Of course, Kei and Hiro aren't exactly saints either; Kei is stubborn and obsessive to the point of being a bitch, and Hiro is so indecisive that I wanted to yell out 'Oh come on guy do something. Pick an option and stick with it!' at certain points. Maybe that's because I find myself still like Hiro, or at least once was me. Luckily, it ends on a happy ending for all, even Kei who hooks up with Hiro's friend Kyosuke which I find a nice touch. Love triangle stories typically end with the couple met and the other jilted and alone, so Ef gets some kudos in that department.

Story B, meanwhile, is by far better to Story A. It concerns Renji, a young man who meets Chihiro Shindou, a young, shy and meek girl with an eye patch (which turned into a thing, who knows why). But, she holds a hidden sadness due to a particular condition. Both of them are aspiring novelists and with that seek to write a novel together. In the process, the relationship develop despite the hardships and obstacles. Of course, the novel ends up being a subtle autobiographical piece about Chihiro. I feel for Chihiro and Renji as it is very heartwarming and saddening at the same time. Chihiro is essentially the link between the two stories, with a childhood incident as the pivot point; No further spoilers on that. Suffice to say, a happy ending is afforded to them because they struggle. There is also some neat commentary on the nature and process of storytelling thrown in for good measure.

A side-story involving Kyosuke, Hiro's school chum and member in the Photography/Film Club. It is mildly interesting, but only because it is tied slightly to Story A and in ways mirrors that story. Kyosuke deals with indecision, and interacts with Hiro and Kei in different respects.

There are some supporting characters: The weary priest and the mysterious nun (more on them in next series), Mizuki (Kei's female friend more on her later) and the rather frank Shuichi Kuze (family friend to Renji more on him later) and Renji's mom. I said more on them later as they form the main cast of Season 2, so details on that to be discussed in that review. I will say that the mysterious nun in Story A and the Priest in Story B have rather similar mentor roles to the main cast and it is hinted at that the two know/knew each other. Again, more on that later.

Theme of memory prevades the show, be it Chihiro and the retention of memory or Miyako and her slipping out from Hiro's memory. Other themes include regret and loss and how one moves on from it, in both the healthly and not so healthly methods.

The animation is top-notch Studio Shaft work here. Shin Oonuma directed this, but with Akiyuki Shinbo as supervisor, his trademarks are all over the place. Be it use of text on screen, abstract backgrounds, or the studio's personalized head tilt, it works on an experimental level in places to compensate for the low budget, but its look gorgeous nonetheless. Presentation and content are congruent is what I am saying. In fact, Artsy and symbol-heavy is the best word to describe the animation. At moments, it seems akin to a more polished version of Gainax's Kare Kano adaptation from the late '90s. For example, Chihiro's chains preventing her from leaving her state of being along with the second half of episode 7 with the way Miyako's desperation is presented. Music is very good and suitable to the mood, filled with lots of soft strings and piano music, much of it ambient yet tinged with melancholy and sadness.

Now onto the English dub, which is a selling point that Sentai Filmworks added to the DVD set. And good thing too, as it is the easily the most definitive dub from Sentai Filmworks. Chris Ayres directed and wrote this and it is packed to the brim with talented voice talent. For this season at least, voice actors/actresses such as Greg Ayres, Clint Bickham, Luci Christian, Monical Rial and Brittney Karbowski are in it and all are doing what have to be the best performances they have done ever. As stated before in my reviews for Bodacious Space Pirates and Dusk Maiden of Amnesia, I like Chris Ayres as ADR Director; he's one of my favorites working today for anime dubs. Chris Ayres brings two essential things when it comes to english dubs: pitch-perfect casting combined with strong vocal performances and writing. This show, along Bodacious Space Pirates, helped me to watch more Sentai Filmworks releases.

Overall, the first season of the Ef series is good, but miss the mark at points at being great. Granted, its got a decent story and characters, fitted within an excellent visual presentation with a very good English dub. But, it is with the second season that it starts to get great maybe even a masterpiece. Thus, that will be the subject of my next review: Ef, a tale of melodies.


Til next time, dear readers.

Anime Review No. 68-Ah My Goddess, Season 1 Episodes 25-26 (OVA tied to 2005 TV Series)

AH My Goddess Season 1, OVA Episodes
Released December 23, 2005
Studio: AIC, Director-Hiroki Goda, Writers: Takashi Aoshima (E25) and Jukki Hanada (E26)
Now, I am only covering this OVA 2 parter related to the Ah My Goddess TV Series for two reasons. One, I like this show quite a lot but don't quite have the time to cover the series as a whole. Second, the remainder of my reviews for this year will be over OVAs, so it fits within the format. If you want to press me for another reason, I need something to fill in an empty slot and figure that this would be easy filler.

For those reading not in the know for Ah My Goddess, check out my reviews covering the 90s OVA (OMG OVA Part 1, OMG OVA Part 2) and the Movie (Ah My Goddess Movie Review). Also, be sure to watch this two episodes before reading the review as it is spoiler-heavy.
Here are the links to the episodes in question, courtesy of Media Blasters:
AMG Ep 25
AMG Ep 26

Ok, you done now? Let us begin...

Episode 25: Ah! Urd's Small Love Story?

Sake-please drink responsibly

After the incident with the Lord of Terror (final arc of Season 1), Keiichi and Belldandy's life has returned to normal it seems. However, Yggdrasil is running into some problems as it is still recovering, much like a computer recovering from a massive DOS attack or virus. For one thing, Urd has turned into a child and Belldandy has fallen asleep, though she has a nice and cute chibi avatar. After getting some proper clothes for kid-Urd, she decides to go out and just loiter about, with her booze in tow.


I smell a future ufo doll here....

In the course of her loitering, she runs into a young bespectacled boy named Shohei Yoshida, who look likes me back in the day. They bond over some videogames, as you do in these modern times. The poor boy is smitten by her, of course, and they plan to meet again the next day in the park.

Notice that it is POP, not you know, that other mobile gaming device...

Of course, Keiichi and Belldandy are off on a search for moon rocks, which can serve as an alternative power source. But Urd tells them not to worry about, as she is enjoying herself as a kid. One of the things that I like Urd and make her an interesting is her hidden sadness and regret masked by her bold in-your-face exterior attitude. For me , I can see why she is hesitant  to return to normal, as her childhood was, shall we say, less than pleasant. You know, being a half goddess, half demon hybrid; it is explained and explored further in the series proper. 


Words of Wisdom....from Urd?!

So, fun times with Shohei and kid-Urd 'til she ends up rescuing him for falling off a tree. After figuring out that Shohei is a bit of dorky coward, she decides to help him build confidence and get rid of his fear...by taking up to the top of a construction site. She means well, but her methods are a tad extreme to say the least. Nonetheless, Shohei mans up and overcomes his fear. It is quite nice and touching watching the two develop a relationship, only with Urd regretting it later.




So, she turns back to normal and sees Shohei as he had followed her back to the temple home. Of course, he only came back to give back the sake bottle, a nice gesture. She, as the above picture shows, gives him a nice gift in return. It is interesting to see how restraint she is in that scene-the usually boisterous and bodacious Urd.
The episode ends on a cliffhanger as now is Skuld who has become an adult.... Oh noes!!

Yeah, being an adult is too cool..... /sarc

Episode 26: Ah! Being an Adult is Heart-Throbbing?
So, Skuld is now an adult woman, much to the confusion of Keiichi. It is actually another side effect of Yggdrasil being in repair. Of course, the reason for this is quite interesting: The three goddesses govern the three time dimensions, much like the Norns of Nordic mythology: Urd, the past; Belldandy, the present; Skuld, the future. I have to say that is an interesting concept, that unfortunately isn't explored outside of this OVA too much. Perhaps it brought up more in the manga, but it has been so long since I last read it that I can’t properly remember.


Potential shipping ahoy?

Thus, Skuld and Keiichi have some bonding time. Whereas Urd represents the 'what could have been' and the associated regret and sadness, Skuld represents 'what is to come' and the associated anxiety and fear. She has even a run-in with the local play-boy, but thankfully she evades him. In the end, it amounts to the two going out on a date as Keiichi rescues her from that plight.


GAHHH!!!! >.<

Keiichi is a real trooper, I got to say, taking this all in stride. The two of them go out on the town, trying out makeup, shoes, clothes and other things one does with a girlfriend. There is a touching moment where Skuld, Belldandy and Keiichi are on a road, yet when Skuld stops for a bit, Keiichi and Belldandy continue on the path. It is a very poignant moment, with virtually no dialogue, just imagery. This of course leads to some awkwardness between Keiichi and Skuld as it seems that Skuld has developed some feelings for Keiichi. But, once again, this isn’t explored too much in the series proper, thankfully.

Luckily, the system has been restored as Belldandy has woken up. So, in time, Skuld will change back to normal. But before, Keiichi and Skuld share quite a nice, emotional scene. Skuld realizing that she shouldn't rush things and enjoy the present moment, for it is fleeting and the future is always around the corner.
Final scene is well this:


A return to normalcy, at least a certain sense of it.

So, final thoughts: These 2 episodes are a nice diversion between the two seasons of the TV Series. They offer some insight into some secondary characters, particularly Urd and Skuld. It has a few neat and interesting concepts that I wish were more fleshed in the anime proper, but hey that’s life.

The animation is a top notch effort for AIC, in fact its probably the last series AIC has done with this good of animation quality. This leads into something that I must admit slipped my mind: the character design shift. You know, that detail that changed from the 90s OVA to the Movie and carries through to this series. Well, that wasn’t entirely the work of Fujishima-sensei. No, that honor goes to Hidenori Matsubara as well, who also is character designer on Sakura Wars, another project Fujishima worked on and whose career stretches back all the way to Otaku no Video of all things (yay a full circle moment once again). Sorry for not bringing it up before, but it has bugged me ever since my earlier reviews of the franchise.

So, this begs the nagging question: Will I do more on this franchise? Hmm, perhaps. There is material aplenty to talk about, to be sure. Maybe, in the future, I shall see.

So, what’s next on the platter? Well, it’s the story of a shinigami, and no its not Bleach…



Later, dear readers

Anime Review No. 50 Valentines Day Special-His and Her Circumstances

"Journey and Love of Kindred Spirits"

His and Her Circumstances

1998-99 26 episode TV series

Studio: Gainax

Well, hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day. Yeah, I know its two days past that I'm posting this review but I still think it counts. Also, I have reached my 50^th review. Wow, it took me a year and a half to get to this point. Figured since I started this with a Gainax production, "Otaku no Video", I will talk about another Gainax production, "His and Her Circumstances". Full circle and all that jazz...

"His and Her Circumstances", or Kare Kano, was an original manga by Masami Tsuda. It tells the story of Yukino Miyazawa, a HS freshman student at Houkei Prefectural School. She may seems to be a model student: delicate, ladylike, always willing to help people out. But, it is all an act as she is very proud, obsessed with grades and appearance and strives to become the "The Ultimate Queen of Vanity". But, one day she meets Souchiro Arima, another perfect student. But, she later finds that he is also a fake, but for entirely different reasons, tying into his rather unpleasant past. Soon, the two fall in love and strive to "live for their true selves". Of course that's just the beginning.

Of course, you would know of this much if you have even glanced at this show, as it goes out of its way to dump this info through all the episodes, an exposition overload as you will. Every episode has at its start a recap of what happens in the show. Old-fashioned you say, I say product of the times: It was a weekly show, and internet replay was practically non-existent.

In terms of story, this series shines quite a lot. I can say that most current romantic comedy slice of life series in anime are very dull. Focus is on how the main couple gets together, fraught with misunderstandings and contrived obstacles (cough Toradora, cough Love Hina, cough cough etc.). Thankfully, Kare Kano doesn't have that problem. It deals with how Yukino and Arima get together, sure, but then goes into how their relationship shapes up, with all the lows and highs, and how that influences their daily lives. Even when it isn't focused on the main couple, the stories of the supporting cast (Shibahime's changing family life for instance) are still interesting, touching on issues of family, relationships and love. I'm hard pressed to find that in most current rom-com anime, sorry to say.

Characters are similarly strong. Everyone in the cast is very interesting, even side characters (like the main couple's family members or other classmates) that don't get much screentime. They are all in their own way compelling, from Asaba the playboy-best friend to Arima even to Yukino's two younger sisters Tsukino and Kano.

Animation is a different matter. Studio Gainax produced the animated adaptation of this manga, directed and written by Hideaki Anno who also helmed the previous Gainax production Evangelion. The look of this show can be best described as 'postmodern mish-mash'. Take the animation style of the last two episodes of Eva and apply it to a rom-com anime, and tada! Kare Kano. Lots of still shots, storyboard drawings, SD chibi, real life pictures coupled with competent animation all strategically placed together to create a rather unique look overall. Anno at the same time reined in a lot of the psychoanalytic babble that plagued the last third of Eva, and that's for the best in regards to this show.

But, partway through production, Anno left the project and unfortunately it shows in the later episodes: Animation gets a bit inconsistent at times and the series suffers for that. Still, the animation is competent given the low budget that this production had. Cheap yet charming applies wholly to this series.

Lastly, the English dub is very good. This was a NY-based dub, so V.A.s like Veronica Taylor, Jessica Calvello, Megan Hollingshead, Rachel Lillis, Liam O'Brien, Lisa Ortiz, etc are featured in this English dub. Most of them do a good job, which coupled with a good adaptive script by Crispin Freeman, make me recommend strongly that one watches Kare Kano with the English dub.

Now, I have read some criticism directed towards this series. First off, is that the original mangaka disparaged the show as being too comical and not enough romance. To that I say, bull-pocky. The show has the right balance between romance/drama and comedy. Sure the comedy is wacky surreal OTT Gainax for the most part, but that's Gainax for you. Also, in every adaptation stuff will change-get used to it. Secondly, the Gainax ending doesn't actually come into play here. The series was canned after only one season. It doesn't so much as end as it just petered out. Which is a shame as towards the end it seems to pick itself up and getting ready to move forward then just stopped. What a bummer.

Final word: I recommend that everyone should at least check this out, even if you are not a fan of romantic comedies or jaded/indifferent by Gainax productions recently.

Next review is on Spice and Wolf Season 1, to be released on February 24.

Anime Review No. 37, "UltraManiac" Episodes 1-3

Hi, I'm the Eclectic Dude and I review it for the lolz.

Oh dear. Well, this is awkward. Based off of a suggestion from a friend of mine (JB), I decided to take a look at Ultra Maniac. I was told this was a pretty good show, and since I had heard of it only and never seen it, I figured 'what the feck' and watch the first 3 episodes and determine from there if I should continue with or not.

Ultra Maniac is a 26-episode series from 2003, originally based off of a manga of the same name. The anime adaptation is done by Ashi Production, the same studio that did Jewel BEM Hunter Lime. It was originally released by Geneon in 2005, before they went defunct. I ended up watching it on VizMedia's website since they hold the rights to the manga series, though it's subbed only. So, no comments on the acting for this review, as I am not a proper judge of Japanese voice acting. 

Episode 1: Ayu and Nina (oh how original)

Opening song is a stock standard J-pop over montage of all the characters, with a nice little piano bit at the start. Nothing too special about it. The two main characters are middle school girls Nina and Ayu. Nina is a witch in training who is a bit ditzy, cute and well-meaning but often becomes more of a nuisance then help. Her magical device is a handheld computer with a small treasure chest hooked up to it with a USB cable. Ayu is Nina's human friend who is a "Cool Beauty". Ayu has a crush on Kaji-kun, the nice looking boy in the school. Oh joy, boy troubles! So, Ayu's goal in this series is to confess her love to Kaji. Gee, I wonder how long they will stretch this concept over the next 25 episodes? 

So, Nina makes a ‘fall-in-love’ chocolate that was supposed to go to Kaji, but Tsuijai (Kaji's friend) ate it instead. Awkward hijinks ensue as Ayu runs away from him at all costs. Nina says the spell wear out in 4-5 hours, oh how very specific. Halfway through the episode, Nina does her requisite transformation sequence: it  is pretty freaking tame, but then again this is obviously meant for young girls, of which I am not. 

SO, Nina makes another spell to fix the problem she created in the first place, which is a ring of protection for Ayu. However, when Tsujiai comes into contact with Ayu, it electrocutes the poor dude under the spell, which cures him (thank good Haruhi). 

There is also some weird dude in glasses (who looks like me at that age and schooling) on Nina’s trail to expose her as a witch, but I figure he will be unsuccessful in every endeavor. Moving on...

But the ring won’t come off (oh noes) More hijinks ensue. Ayu leaves school early but runs into Kaji, falls and is rescued by him (oh god how trite). Both end up in the nurse’s office (Nina fawns over him some more-oh geez >.<)

Moral: Using magic to get what someone to love you should be more carefully planned

The ending song is a downbeat and sedated piano piece. Once again, not really remarkable.  

Episode 2: Boy meets Girl (again, how original-not!)

Picking where we last left off,  the main crux of the show is dealing with Ayu’s boy troubles. You know, because dealing with Nina’s magic isn’t enough for this show. Oh no, it's boy troubles! Then again, I'm not part of the target audience so this complaint is a bit overreaching, but still it has to be said: This is just a romantic comedy with magical beings tacked on for no good reason. In fact, it feels a lot like Harry Potter, sort of. 

Apparently, Nina on some homestay program, sort of an exchange student program (which more way too many questions) The mom is human and the dad is a magician. That's about it, as they are probably peripheral characters. Ayu also meets Rio, a pet mascot cat who turns into a young grade-school boy with grey hair. She also meets with Yuta, a male childhood friend of Nina who also has an eye for Ayu. He is more skilled and competent with his magic than Nina is. He is also very direct, as he just comes out with it: He wants to go out with Ayu but she will have none of it. Nina will try to interfere but probably won’t succeed at all, good lord this is very predictable. 

Ayu goes on a date with Yuta who is starting to annoy me with his bluntness, which should be a relief from the main cast and their indecisiveness. But, he is boastful and a bit full of himself as he just does magic at a whim, with no concern or worry if actual humans spot him doing so. This earns him a bitch-slap (well deserved) and a stern talking to by Ayu. Good for you, Ayu. You are fast becoming my favorite character in this series, despite her boy troubles. 

So, Yuta decides to not be a complete goof and have a good time with Ayu. Later he uses a magical camera to determine Ayu’s crush Kaji (slightly prickish move) which Ayu tries but fails to use it on Kaji himself (oh well, I could care less) But, it is revealed that Yuta likes Nina. Well, color me surprised. I’m gonna need a diagram to keep track of the relationships in this series.

Episode 3: Changeover (unexpected title, I’ll say)

Ayu is a tennis ace, in fitting with her character. Of course, this episode is the first to mention this fact about her, but yeah it helps to develop her as a person rather being a 'stock character'. Anyway, the main conflict is between the girl and boy teams of tennis at the school. They are fighting over how many courts each team should use. Ok, nice, a plot that isn't related to boy/relationship issues. 

They decide to hold a tennis match to decide how many courts each side will get: Ayu vs. Tsujiai-kun (Kaji’s friend). This is due to the fact that both of them are stars when it comes to tennis. Thus, Nina uses her magic to make a chocolate to help Ayu win, but it changes her to a boy (wah wah waaaa) Gender Bendering, while a neat concept, they don’t use it as well as they could have. 

Boy-Ayu (Ayuo) still goes through with the match anyway, runs into complications as the boy body is ill-suited for her tennis techniques. Of course, Kaji comes up during the match, which does throw Boy-Ayu off a bit. She loses the match nonetheless, but a compromise is reached on the tennis courts. All is well. So, what now?

Akiho, the baseball manager, who has a crush on Kaji (baseball player) is also introduced. She is a love rival of sorts to Ayu's efforts. She decides that Ayuo should come and hang out with some students involved with the baseball club. Fudge, it is going back to the relationship issues. 

So, the next day, Jin (Boy-Nina) and Ayuo hang out with Kaji, Tsujiai, Ahiko and some of their friends, all the while Ayuo keeping an eye on Kaji. They end up doing karaoke, which is something not surprising as most anime rom-com/slice of life shows have that one episode that takes place. Also, the Nerd from the first episode ends up following the two again to the karaoke place and meets Rio who proceeds to troll him hard. A bit fluffly, but funny asides nontheless. Things get complicated, ending with Akiho kissing Boy-Ayu. It is a bit awkward, for both involved, if you stop to think about it. 

The episode end with a truly WTF moment: Old Man Principal jamming out in the karaoke bar dressed like Elvis. Wow, what an ending!

Well then, should I continue? Well, the premise is interesting and has potential, but it doesn't really grip me in the first 3 episodes. Stated again, I am not part of the target audience (young girls) so most of my complaints might not figure into what the expectations of the shoujo audience want with this show. It is a bit trite, relying too much on tropes from magical girl and school romantic comedy genres, and does nothing one hasn't seen before in better shows. Heck, if i wanted to watch a school comedy with magic, I'd stick with Negima! At least that's funny and quirky, which Ultra Maniac is not.

The few positives are the music, which is pretty good and the decent voice acting for the Japanese version. 

So, I don't much care for it. Sorry. I shall move from this. 

Next week: Nyrako-san Another Crawling Chaos Episode 1/First Impressions 

Anime Review 34-"Rizelmine"

Hi, I’m the Eclectic Dude and I review it for the lolz.

Today’s subject is on another manga one-shot I’ve owned for quite some years. I figured I give it a look once more. The manga in question is Rizelmine, written by Yukiru Sugisaki (best known for DNA Angel, The Candidate for Goddess and Lagoon Engine manga). The single volume of manga was released in Japan back in 2002, and got to the States back in 2005, which is probably when I got it.

The basic gist of this one-shot has to do with the relationship between the two main characters, Iwaki Tomonori and Rizel. Tomonori is the leading man, a 15 year old high school student who despite having a thing for older ladies, he leads a very bland and average life. That is, until, he comes home to find that Japanese government has forced him into marriage with a Rizel, a 12 year old girl with special powers. Complete with full govt. assistance as well! Still, that fact they are the main couple is a bit disconcerting, since the only thing they could is hug, snuggle or hold hands. Geez, this looks to be a lukewarm romance.

And that what it is, 6 chapters of the two dealing with love rivals, enemy girls with super powers, and dating (for two characters in their early-mid teens). Granted, it’s told at least competently. But it just ends after about 130 pages. The only chapter I actually liked was the fifth chapter, with Tomonori trying and failing on going on a date with Rizel. Even when it’s revealed Rizel is some sort of ancient and mysterious technological ‘national treasure’ I was like ‘meh too late to impress me because it’s the last chapter’. Still, it just has an ending, like as if it was intended to be just six chapters long.

On the plus side, the drawing and panels are nicely done. It is just a shame it’s used for such short a venture as this. On a side note, it was popular to warrant an anime adaptation way back in 2002.Good luck finding it, as it is fairly obscure and never got a US release. What a bummer. Good as reading material on a rainy day, to be sure.

Short manga equals short review, because I don’t have anything else to say about it. Hope next time will be better, with Virgin Fleet. Here I come! 

Anime Review No 33, Nodame Cantabile Episode 1/First Impressions

Hi, I’m the Eclectic Dude and I review it for the lolz.

Music is quite exquisite is it not? I am quite a fan of music, ever since I was little. I did Kindermusic and youth choir back in the days. In middle school, I played viola for the string orchestra. It was also in middle school that I dabbled in musical composition, even entering and winning a contest once. However, once high school came around I lost interest in playing any sort of instrument. I did play keyboard for one semester, but none after that. I do still write music to this day, though not as frequent as I used to.

Nodame at piano and Chiaki at violin

There’s a point to this, as this week I’m looking at the first episode of Nodame Cantabile. It was suggested to a friend of mine as this person mentioned that I’d like it since it’s about classical music. I decided to watch the first episode and see if it was any good. Well, it is quite good.

Done by JC Staff and directed by Ken’ichi Kasai back in 2007, Nodame Cantabile tells the story of the relationships and daily lives of two college musicians. It’s a rather mature and sensible (read realistic) slice-of-life series from the outset. The Opening is quite nice as well, with some interesting visuals (floating music staves and piano keys).

The first of this duo is Chiaki, a guy with quite a talent for music (piano and violin notwithstanding) but personality wise he’s a bit strict, abrasive, etc. However, he would prefer to conduct music rather than play music. After getting his butt kicked out of the master class, he stumbles a bit with wondering to do. One day, he bumps into Nodame, the titular character playing the piano. Nodame is a bit of a foil to Chiaki; she is actually better at piano than Chiaki (when he helps her out) but has the personal skills of a shut-in. The two get paired together and in the process Nodame falls in love with Chiaki. That’s pretty much the gist of the first episode.

So, yeah the main draw for this series for me has to be the music aspect. Lot of the soundtrack is well-known pieces by classical composers (Beethoven and Mozart) and another pieces featured in the episode. I hope that other composers’ music is featured (like Mahler, Stravinsky, Wagner, etc.) but for the moment I can’t complain too much. It is somewhat original in terms of doing a slice of life series that deal with college musicians, something that doesn’t come up often in anime (aside from BECK and K-On!).

The art style reflects this strongly. It has similarities to Genshiken, in that it is very realistic and doesn’t go off-model wacky a whole lot. The colors are limited but used effectively.  The voice-acting, at least in the English dub, is also much like Genshiken in that it’s very workman-like and listenable. Though, most of the cast make it sound like a Naruto/VIZ reunion (Chiaki and Nadome are voiced by Doug Erholtz and Kate Higgins respectively).

I am still watching this series (up to the fourth episode at this point) so I am not sure on how great this show might become. I shall see. But I am hooked enough to find out though. I plan on doing an actual review of the whole series later in the year.

If you’re a fan of classical music, then check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

‘Til next week

The Eclectic Dude

Anime Review No. 26, Part III

Hi, I'm the Eclectic Dude and I review it for lolz.

Well, Kujibiki Unbalance got 4 more episodes. Well it end on a good note, or be mired by cliched mediocrity? Let's find out. 

Episode 9 at first seems a bit directionless. First, there's Chihiro and Tokino being awkward after the sudden confession at the end of the last episode. Then, Yamada (who is an actual girl, not a robot as it turns out) is shocked to see Renko building male robots for some reason other than to have tension. There's also some aliens in the woods for some reason. In no way, connected to this episode I'm sure.

Well, Chihiro's group is given a new task: Deal with VIP guests at a fireworks event later that day. Unfortunately, Yamada has gone a little cuckoo and ran off. They have to find her, then seek out Renko as she mysteriously disappeared. A massive search effort begins, since they need her to assist with their task later. It turns out Renko got abducted by the aliens in order to repair their ship. Oh, these are the same aliens from Episode 6 (love that odd note of continuity). So, they use Renko's new robots to help launch the ship out into space. 

Chihiro and the gang do manage to get back to the fireworks in time. All seems right with the world, when the alien ship gets blown out of the sky by fireworks. This was quite a LOL moment for me, and quite unexpected. This episode is well OK, a decent mix of drama and comedy that works well. It also marks the shift in tone for the series, as the last 3 episodes are much more serious and dramatic.

Episode 10 is more centered on Koyuki and Komaki. Their older brother returns to do something unexplained, at first. It turns out that their father died while on mission for the Student Council, so the brother didn't take it well. He is also mad at the fact his sisters are working with the Student Council. So, he exacts revenge by using Koyuki's psychic powers for some aim not really unexplained. However, his plan is thwarted by Chihiro and Co. (against the Student Council's orders). Only thing of merit is Chihiro's speech to the villain after which they save Koyuki from a mind control device.  In true villain fashion, though, he ends up killing himself.

This episode I don't really like a lot. Much like Ep 3, it really has no staying power. The plot doesn't make much sense. This episode has perhaps the most deliberately cliched episode plot of the entire series. Worst thing, this comes in and out of nowhere, never mentioned again.   

Episodes 11 and 12 cap off the series very well. It ties up most of the plot lines and characters, bringing up the Ritsuko, Tokino and Chihiro "love triangle", developing it to its fullest, and then ending in a rather unexpected ending for this. Of course, the final scene goes full circle back to episode 1, except this time it is Chihiro and Co. becoming Student Council. No more then that, check it out for yourself. 

So, that was Kujibiki Unbalance. Final verdict?

Well, it is a unevenly mixed bag of a school slice of life series. In terms of every aspect of it, from story to animation to VA. 

First, the story has an interesting premise behind it. But, the execution of it is hit and miss to say the least. With the exception of 2 episodes (3 and 10) the rest of the episodes are decently done story wise and fit in quite well. It does come across a deliberate spoof of school slice of life genre, but done with enough talent and work behind it. In fact, one can make the argument that this is a precursor to other student council anime series made later, like Best Student Council, Seitokai no Ichizon and Student Council's Discretion. 

Animation is well, good yet odd. The backgrounds look really good. But, the character designs are quite odd, looking a bit "off". Good backgrounds + odd character designs = mismatch, to say the least. 

The English dub voice acting is well consistently decent, but unremarkable. Only four are of note, Angora Deb as Renko, Rachel Lillis as Vice President Kasumi, Veronica Taylor as Tokino and Lisa Ortiz as Yamada. They a do a good job for a series that really doesn't need it, but I'm thrilled for them being in this dub. The rest are people who never heard of, though they do a consistent but unremarkable job.  

This pretty much sums Kujibiki Unbalance: mostly consistent but ultimately unremarkable. Most of it is ideas taken from better series in the genre. Though, to be fair, it lacks any pretense in being an actual series, it is clear from the get-go that this is a joke. A funny, silly. OTT joke, but a joke. 

If you like parody shows, this will be a treat. If not, well then search out better stuff, which shouldn't be hard. 

Well, like I said earlier, my next review is an April Fools Day's Special. Til again, Laterz 

^_^

   

    

Anime Review No. 26, Part II

Hi, this is the Eclectic Dude and I review it for the lolz.

Well, this is Part II of Kujibiki Unbalance, covering Episodes 5-8. Is it any better, or more of the same cliche but interesting quality? Let's find out.

Episode 5 picks up roughly after the last episode. The semester is over, so summer vacation time yay ^_^. Tokino wants to get the gang together for summer vacation, but Renko (being a lil tsundere) doesn't want to come with the others, for some unspecified reason. This results in Tokino slapping her upside the face, for no real reason other than to create tension. Seriously, I find that straining believability as Tokino is rather a nice girl, so seeing that was a bit much.

Anyway, Tokino, Chihiro and Koyuki decide to go to a seminar house (read summer home) owned by the school for their summer vacation. Now, at this point, I feel like this is going to turn into another beach episode, one you find any anime series. Well, color me surprised as this episode takes a few unique twists, to say the least. Turns out, Renko's summer villa is near the same beach as the others. Tokino tries to reconcile with Renko, but isn't very successful. In fact, she almost put them both in danger. But, Koyuki, for no reason at all, uses some mysterious powers to teleport the whole group to a deserted island.

Once there, the group tries to figure out what to do. I like this part a bit as Renko seems to be the only one willing to think realistically as opposed to the rest's optimism. Of course, when all hope seems lost, Yamada shows up as a plane then promptly crashes onto the deserted island. Fortunately, the gang teams up and remake Yamada into a boat (made out of plane parts, eh? Better hope it floats xD). Well, it does, thank goodness and they make it back to the mainland. There, they meet Renko's parents, who are a bit overbearting and protective, even suggesting that she no longer attend Rikkyouin and stay at home. While I can understand their intentions, this seems a bit of an overreaction. Still, Renko stands up for herself through help of her friends and tell her parents that she is sticking with doing the Student Council work. It is rather a good moment of character development for Renko. Well, after some time passes, school is back and more work to begin. All in all, a good episode, even if it does much of it seems like filler.

Episode 6 starts off on the first day of the fall term. This, of course, means more work for our interns. It is revealed that Koyuki, being a little kid, is treated in not the best way by her classmates as she is rather reserved, shy and keeps to herself, as well as having mysterious powers. She hasn't revealed these powers for fear of further isolation. What an understandable sentiment.

Anyway, the task of the episode for our gang of four interns involves saving the school newspaper get more subscriptions. See, it was once a great newspaper with prestige but due to advances in information technology has now made the newspaper obsolete in a sense. Thus, Chihiro and his group have to assist in finding 'the big scoop'.

The group then splits off for finding a 'big scoop'. Tokino goes to the local horse racing complex and bets on the right horses to win(due to her inherent good luck). Renko decides to take pictures of Yamada doing sexy poses, which is more silly then sexy. Chihiro and Koyuki take pictures of a famous idol singer doing a surprise concert. But none of these are 'the big scoop' that they are looking for.

Finally,Koyuki decides to reveal her powers and use them in order to get 'the big scoop'. So, one evening, she calls over Chihiro to do this. She uses her psychic powers to call up an alien UFO (really?!). Of course, Chihiro doesn't want this to be the big scoop as it wouldn't be good for Koyuki and that he accepts her for what she is. SO, they end using the UFO crash as the big scoop instead and the newspaper sales surged. Another good episode, all things considered. Oh and Koyuki's sister Komaki is the owner of the Umeya noddle shop that Chihiro and his group frequent. This leads into...

Episode 7 is a more serious story, dealing with school spies. Our interns are given a task of rooting out one spy and they have one week to do that. Tokino is put under pressure, as this kind of work rubs her the wrong way, given her kind and nice nature. To support their effort, an agent is assigned to them, who turns out to be a classmate of Tokino's who's a strong, silent type (not much characterization). They split off into three groups: Chihiro-Koyuki, Renko-Yamada and Tachibana-Tokino.

After some time, they set up a trap for the spy so as to capture him/her. Turns out, Tachibana was the renegade spy all along (what a twist! xD). Also, Komaki is a personal assistant for the Student Council and a ninja, apparently. Izumi takes Tokino, which is a dumb move as the Vice President shows up to rectify the situation, as she is a miko and swordmaster, quite hardcore. However, Tokino comes up with a solution, have Izumi be a double agent, which is quite clever. This episode is also really good, due in parts to its drama and tension, much like Ep. 4.

Episode 8, much like Ep.4, is a carefully controlled character piece. Chihiro and Tokino go to Ritsuko's for her birthday celebration. Once there, they hear that Ritsuko is to be engaged to a Mr. Oribe through an arranged marriage. They deliver their presents to Ritsuko, which is a chicken doll and some eggplants. Simple gifts, but its the though that counts.

This episode still carries some aspects from Ep. 4. Ritsuko is still a cold and distant 'ice queen', though she shows signs of opening up to others, including having some 'girl talk' with Tokino. The love triangle introduced in Ep. 4 continues here in full force. Though, Tokino seems to slipping into romantic sadness as she grows concern for Chihiro. The end of the episode has Tokino confess her love to Chihiro on the way home from the party. This takes him by surprise of course.

Well, one good filler episode (can't believe I'm saying that) and three rather solid episodes. Things are looking up for this series. Hopefully the last 4 episodes will continue this trend, we'll see.

Til Next Week,
The Eclectic Dude