Let’s Talk About Yuri

Writing this feels very strange, not gonna lie. I somehow feel my opinions of this genre might be valued somewhat, seeing as I am a homosexual female myself. Funnily enough, most people who know this usually put two and two together and then jump to the conclusion that I must love watching yuri anime. Or shoujo-ai anime, which I guess is still yuri, but more focused on the romance side of things? More… Argh, I’ll get to this further down.

Firstly, I’ll put it out there that I liked anime way before I realised my sexuality, and even after finding out what it was, the genre still didn’t attract me in the way slice-of-life or adventure animes get me hyped. I think up until then the only anime I’d watched focused around a gay relationship was a yaoi called Love Stage! that I hadn’t found all that compelling.

From the outside, when I occasionally came across yuri anime pictures whilst scrolling through Google, you usually either got one of the following two things: a really cute looking anime or a slightly more sexualised looking anime, complete with cute girls blushing. Then, you go back and take a closer look, and you realise that both images are from the same anime. Uhm. Quite frankly, I was petrified of what I might see if I watched any of them. (Of course not every ‘cute’ anime which features yuri undertones also has a more sexual side of things. It’s just, well, quite a lot of them do).

After watching a few animes I enjoyed, I went back and analysed them more closely, and found that in quite a lot of anime, you can discover a handful of yuri undertones in any of them. Some of them were quite cute, and I felt I could definitely root for those couples (even though the romance never really blossomed, or one of them ended up with the main guy or something. Yeah). So, I decided. I’d watch a couple yuri’s, see what all the fuss was about.

These dorks, though.

I can’t remember what the first yuri I ever watched was called, unfortunately, because I dropped it quite soon after starting it. I remember the first thing I thought, though: “I don’t think this anime is aimed at me.” That confused me a whole lot. Why could I not find any enjoyment in watching something that’s such a deep rooted part of me portrayed in one of my favourite artistic mediums? I think I went and watched some of Akuma no Riddle, which, while slightly enjoyable because the main girl’s pretty badass, it just fuelled my suspicions further. This wasn’t made for someone like me to enjoy. This is hot girls waltzing about, making out for no apparent reason whatsoever, and usually finding themselves in situations where — oh my God — the sexual tension is like– it just makes me want to pause the video and scream into a pillow.

It’s aimed at men. It’s some fantasised version of what the male demographic find would be a hot girl on girl relationship. It was painful to sit through some of those scenes, and definitely made me personally feel very, very uncomfortable. Why couldn’t I find an anime that was accurate? Why couldn’t I find a yuri relationship with some actual meaning and substance to it? Apparently, though I haven’t watched any yet, shoujo-ai is supposed to depict non-explicit lesbian relationships, so I guess I could check those out at some point. Still isn’t really an excuse for what most yuri’s promote, though, in my eyes. A lesbian relationship is not just some sort of toy that should be used as a turn-on for males. And, no, I’m not blaming men in any way, shape or form. I’ve actually heard and been very thankful that most men also find what yuri showcases to be… well, not an accurate representation of a what a homosexual relationship is like. I’m blaming the companies that clearly make these only for the money, who put no thought into what they’re saying or trying to convey, and who simply make animes like these because they know they’ll get views from guys.

I’m sure that some of the guys who watch this stuff actually have the bad connotations and meanings go straight over their head. Not because they’re stupid, but because most straight men probably don’t exactly understand or have little knowledge of what a homosexual relationship is like, because they’ve never been part of one. Plus, the companies that make this are very clever, and no doubt can string in things that would go straight over somebody’s head without closer scrutinisation. (It’s important to be aware that, despite popular belief, homosexuality is still far from being properly accepted in Japan, and is still treated somewhat as a joke. It’s also important to be aware that Japan is a mostly male-dominated society, though I believe things are changing. Hopefully. So naturally what you see in most yuri anime is what men want to see. Made by men for men — for the most part).

I’m not saying it’s wrong to watch yuri’s like the ones I’m describing. I’m not saying you’re a bad person if you do. I’m not shaming anyone. I’m just saying that this needs to be kept in mind: whilst watching media, it’s perfectly possible to enjoy it whilst subsequently also being aware of its more… inaccurate aspects, for lack of a better word. Basically, try not to be ignorant. If you go around believing that everything you see in media are accurate representations of something in real life, you’ll no doubt offend someone along the way — whether it’s intentional or not.

My feelings of joy when watching Sakura Trick, alongside my disbelief that it actually existed.

So, let’s take a breather. Now that I’ve been through some reasons why yuri isn’t my favourite romance genre ever, let’s take a look at a yuri anime I actually enjoyed, just for being different than all the rest. Sakura Trick is by far my favourite of the lot. Why? Because, despite having the usual bit of fanservice, I can forgive it for the most part because Haruka and Yuu actually have a meaningful relationship. They’re not just two random cute girls making out. They support each other. Haruka just wants Yuu to be happy, usually putting her own feelings aside to make just that happen. Yuu, over time, becomes more comfortable with Haruka, and sheds some of her more passive characteristics. That’s natural character development. The show actually has some very laugh-out-loud moments as well, as well as plenty of adorable ones.

So, overall, I’m not a huge fan, which is disappointing, seeing as the genre could be so much more, and so much better. However, a few gems like Sakura Trick will no doubt be hanging around, which is a refreshing sight. Hopefully it’s evidence that the genre is changing for the better, though I believe it’ll still take a while from here.

Also, note how I haven’t really mentioned yaoi at all. Although I still believe most yaoi has its inaccuracies, I believe it has different problems. It usually appeals to a female fanbase who find it to be very ‘cute’ rather than anything else, so, for now, I believe yuri to be in a more fragile place that I really hope it moves out of. Maybe I’ll make a post about yaoi sometime in the future, though I’d have to watch more yaoi animes… so who really knows when I’ll get around to that.

Thanks for reading my rant! I wrote a lot more than I planned to, oops! All images are from the anime Sakura Trick, respectively. Kaida signing off!

I died here. RIP me.

The Liebster Award

Well, shucks. I’ve been blogging around about four days or something, and I’ve already been nominated/tagged to answer some questions about myself. I feel honoured. ;; (Though I was really surprised at the beginning too because I mean I’m not very interesting gwuh). I was nominated by Zerojustice315. (Thank you!) According to these rules, I gotta post the cute badge thing here.

So, without further ado, let’s get to answering (’cause then I can sleep)~

1. What made you want to start blogging? A person, an event, a feeling?

I’m not gonna lie, it was actually pretty random when I look back on it (though most of my tendencies are). I remember just looking up, bashing my head on the pole above my bed (this really happened), and saying “wow yeah okay I wanna start a blog too.” Then I was scrambling to create a wordpress blog, and that was that. Thooough, I suppose I was in part inspired by iblessall over at Mage in a Barrel. I’d been reading their posts for a while, was really enjoying myself, and kind of wanted to do it as well. Senpai shall notice me.

2. What is your favourite genre of anime and why?

Errrrhm. Well done romance is always fun (hush I’m a girl), but I guess I tend to lean towards the slice-of-life area. Lucky for me, loads of anime fall into that category. I’m also down for some adventure, and sci-fi is probably my favourite genre of anything ever, so I’ll put that down. Comedy is something I like… as with action… it really depends on the anime.

3. Besides watch/read/write about anime/manga, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy reading in general. ^_^’ Buuut that’s uninteresting, soo… I’m an artist (of the drawing variety and the acting variety), and attend a drama school at the weekends, which I’ve been doing for, what, the past 9 years, I think. I also sing and do the musical theatre exams and stuff. I RP on a free-form, realistic wolf RPG site. I also love watching documentaries and indie cult movies, if that’s something. Running around and screaming are also delightful ways to pass the time. Oh, and I study Japanese, Spanish and French. Just, in my spare time. Yup.

4. If you had to present a panel at an anime convention with little to no prep time what would be the topic? You have to talk for an hour.

Oh gosh, that sounds like hell. No time to plan? I’d likely end up crying under the pressure. But, through my tears, I guess I could struggle to wail on about what makes Best Girls best girls and what makes everyone else completely inadequate in comparison. That or I could rant about all the inconsistencies in Sword Art Online, because I could likely hold that up for an hour. As you can probably tell, I never plan on presenting a panel ever, ’cause I’d likely just get loads of haters, haha. Especially if I had no time to prepare. When I said I’d cry that was no exaggeration.

5. What’s one aspect about yourself that you dislike? What about one aspect that you think you’re great at?

Hmm. This is hard. Not because I have any shortage of personality flaws, but because I tend to not think about them too much unless they’re right up in my face or relevant at a certain time. I’m very quick to let pressure get to me, but I actually perform quite well when under pressure. I guess that can count as a good thing, though. Uuuuh. I’m quite hard to upset, but pretty quick to cry, though I’ve been working on it. It’s like, I also cry when I’m extremely pissed off, overjoyed, as well as other things that aren’t necessarily being upset. Makes it hard for people to take me seriously, no doubt. xD I can also be quite rude, though it’s usually unintentional. I’m actually really honest and forgive easily, I like those things about me. (Writing all this about me has actually made me feel really self-conscious and no one has even read this yet!)

6. How do you feel about how anime is received by the average person today, in both Japan and your home country? 

Anime’s pretty big in Japan (obviously), so I doubt people would really care all that much if you enjoyed it or not over there. Manga’s also widely read, and is possibly less judged than anime in most countries due to its huge popularity. In my country (England), we have a fair share of people who like it, and a fair share of people who know it and are indifferent, I suppose. Then again, due to the tendency for anime to be associated with fanservice and explicit content (wish I could convince these people that that’s not always the case), some people are funny about people who like it, I guess, which is a shame. Then again, I understand for parents to be a little iffy with it, because finding anime for little kids that are completely clean is often a feat in itself. I totally get people’s attitudes, but when some of them believe every anime or every manga is like that, I do get an urge to educate them, haha. Overall, I’m just okay with it. I understand why some are iffy, but that’s not gonna stop me liking something.

7. Why is Rikka NOT your waifu?

Awh, well, she’s cute! I’ve actually never watched her anime, so that contributes. I’m also completely and utterly infatuated with Himeko Inaba from Kokoro Connect, so that’s a thing, too.

8. What’s your favourite short joke?

“How do you keep an idiot in suspense?”

…*erupts into giggles*

9. What are you supposed to be doing right now instead of reading this article/watching anime?

Probably work, but I care that little that I haven’t even checked. xP

10. Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?

* wipes crumbs off face* Sorry, what are cookies?

11. What’s the dankest meme you know of?

I recall seeing some pretty horrible ones, but I wouldn’t be able to remember exactly what they were, sorry. =c I’ve probably tried to forget, haha.

---

Pheww, finally do– …11 Random Facts About Myself.

1. I don’t snore. (=D)!
2. I’ve been to every continent on Earth minus Antarctica and South America.
3. Milk on its own is icky, but milkshakes are nice.
4. I have very versatile music tastes.
5. Gumi is my favourite vocaloid.
6. Absol is best Pokémon.
7. I once ate five creme eggs in a row and didn’t throw up (though I’ve never attempted it again).
8. I own a life-size white tiger plushie. He’s called Shepp, courtesy of my older brother.
9. I wanna work for NASA, goddammit.
10. Orange is my favourite colour.
11. I can forget to drink for a whole day, oops!

---

Because I’m so new around here and have no clue who to nominate, I won’t. ^~^ But if anyone sees this and wants to try it out, feel free! Please link me if you do attempt it. I’ll leave some questions:

1. Favourite anime? How come?
2. Any ‘guilty pleasure’ animes?
3. Favourite flavour of milkshake? — (totally not meant in a rude way, I’m deadly serious. Be careful what your answer is).
4. Aspirations, perhaps? Hobbies?
5. Write a short paragraph about yourself, narrated by your favourite anime character!
6. Who was the favourite? Why?
7. Five animes you thought you’d dislike but you ended up loving them?
8. Do you also read manga?
9. Any anime characters whose voice really doesn’t fit how they look?
10. Make me laugh. I dare you.
11. Have you ever visited Japan? Would you, if you could?

Sound! Euphonium First Impression (EP 1)

Dud* gold. (I still have no idea what this means ahh).

I wasn’t actually planning on writing a post about Sound! Euphonium, but due to peer pressure on Twitter and the fact that I enjoyed it much more than I should have, why the heck not? Firstly—I just need to get this out there—the visuals are gorgeous. The character designs are cute and moe, but, in this case, I don’t mind that one bit! Not like it’s trying to be the most realistic show on Earth. (Those K-On! vibes I was getting, man). Also, that crazy as heck animation during the opening? (You know what I’m on about). That was insane.

Kumiko-chan’s a funny gal, and I’m sure if she keeps this absent-minded yet prone-to-freaking-out gig going on, we’ll get on just fine. The other girls contributed well to the humour too, which is a breath of fresh air because lately I’ve been watching shows that consist of badly-timed comedic gags that just make me cringe. Shows which aren’t even supposed to be comedy shows. (KimiUso, I’m pointing my finger at you here).

Professional name, might I add.

Hazuki’s motivation of wanting to join the brass band to be with her friends is also quite endearing, and I hope the story delves more into why she wanted to branch out and make new friends, at some point. Possibly something that happened at her past school? Then again, I wouldn’t blame Euphonium if it doesn’t go there, but I can’t help but feel that her vague line “I wanted to make new friends” should go somewhere.

I’m also looking forward to learning about Reina. She was clearly very passionate about getting through to the Nationals, and I want to learn more about why. Did she practice all night or something? Was the brass band at her old school really that good? She clearly thought so, and was rather displeased that nobody else thought the same—I can’t blame her, if I was invested in something I’d no doubt react the same way. Nonetheless, she’s clearly signing up for the band at her new school with a goal in mind. Fuelled by determination to not relive her past failure, she might just get there. With the other girls helping out, of course. (Okay, I honestly know very little about brass instruments as a whole, I’m not going to lie. So little, in fact, that had Kumiko not pointed out that her new school’s band sucked, I would’ve hardly realised). But yeah, as I say, there’s a lot of open windows that this anime could jump into whilst we see the girls rocking out and making it to the Nationals!

This is what Best Girls are made of.

Sapphire/Midori is adorable. Just thought I’d say.

Very excited for this one! Compared to Shin Sekai Yori and Angel Beats!, this is wholly different, which makes me super hyped for all the animes I’ve picked out. I like diversity. I shall become knowledgable about all the types and genres of anime. I shall become the anime guru. I shall– but, yeah, seriously, I recommend checking this one out. It could definitely go places, and it’s been fun to watch so far. Kaida signing off!—yes, that shall remain a thing until I become magically inventive and think of better thing.

Me. After school. Every day.

Angel Beats! First Impression (EP 1)

Sypnosis:

Otonashi wakes only to learn he is dead. A rifle-toting girl names Yuri explains that they are in the afterlife, and Otonashi realises the only thing he can remember about himself is his name. Yuri tells him that she leads the Shinda Sekai Sensen (Afterlife Battlefront) and wages war against a girl named Tenshi. Unable to believe Yuri’s claims that Tenshi is evil, Otonashi attempts to speak with her, but the encounter doesn’t go as he intended.

Otonashi decides to join the SSS and battle Tenshi, but he finds himself oddly drawn to her. While trying to regain his memories and understand Tenshi, he gradually unravels the mysteries of the afterlife.

Genres: Action, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Shounen, Supernatural

Other Names: Enjeru Bītsu (P.A. Works)

Could this be? Two contenders for Best Girl?

Like Shin Sekai Yori, I actually watched the first episode of Angel Beats! quite a while back, but it never really gripped me. Though, looking back, one episode is a little too quick to judge a show that’s hugely popular. I mean, there must be some catch, right? So, five months later—with my major Angel Beats! fan-friend telling me to watch it—I’ve finally picked it back up. I can safely say that I took the first episode much better this time round.

Firstly, Yuri. Her forwardness, very to-the-point attitude was actually pretty fun to watch, seeing as it really contrasted with our leading lad, Otonashi. Despite this, most of her explanations revolving around the world made it clear that, however long she’s been stranded in this strange purgatory, she still doesn’t know very much about it. I love the way she explains things very vaguely. It’s almost like she’s trying to make others believe she knows more about it than she does.

Huh. This is what happens when you’re late for class at my school.

Quite frankly, I like the premise, too. I like the idea of people who have just died being sent into an afterworld where they can literally fight against death by breaking the rules in many badass ways. It’s actually quite admirable, seeing as they’re pretty sure you don’t get sent back to the main world if you keep fighting. All they know is that they won’t be ‘erased’. It really goes to show the lengths that people would go to in order to live, even if they’re living in a life-after-death. Time alive is still precious to them, no matter how strange the world is that they live in. Plus, it appears like they’re having a great time whilst at it, too. Then again, how could you expect anything less of teenagers? (Does make me wonder where the adults who have died are, though).

I also dig the idea of having an angel who looks over the world, trying to make everyone behave presumably so they can be erased and pass on peacefully. Although, I don’t think outright attacking the students for breaking the rules is the best approach. I mean, that stuff is banned now, right? Naturally Tenshi would garner herself some rebels, especially if free guns are on offer.

A question we all ask.

Anyways, I’m extremely excited for this one now. My die-hard Angel Beats! friend will likely be pleased—she’s coming round to my house tomorrow. But yeah. I’m excited to hear more about this world. I also can’t wait to see whether I end up on Team Yuri or Team Tenchi. Best Girl wars are no doubt just around the corner! Kaida signing off!

I’mma lovin’ this visual.

From the New World (EP 1)

Sypnosis:

The story is set in Japan a millennium from now. Five children—the protagonist Saki, Satoru, Maria, Mamoru, and Shun—have been born and raised in a tranquil town that can be described as a utopia, overflowing with water and green foliage.

After a certain incident, Saki and the others come to realise the true nature of their world. The five throw themselves into life-threatening adventure and fighting to protect friends and a world on the brink of collapse.

Genres: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Supernatural

Date Aired: Sep 29, 2012 to Mar 23, 2013

Other Names: Shin Sekai Yori (A-1 Pictures)

I originally watched about five minutes of From the New World around a year ago, but never went to pick it back up. I must have been busy watching some amazing show, though, because this first episode has got me hooked. The staff use gorgeous scenery, language (‘spirits’, ‘Holy Barrier’, ‘cantus’), and folk tales to really present the kind of world Shin Sekai Yori takes place in.

Although the world is no doubt complex, I feel from the first episode that I already know the basis of what the plot will be. Not that I’m complaining, though, as it seems like the sort of show that could easily surprise me, and no doubt more world-building will intertwine with the overarching storyline. Basically, the main protagonist is a 12-year-old girl called Saki, who has a special ability/magic which in general is referred to as ‘cantus’. Because of said ability, she attends Sage Academy, where her four other friends (who I presume are the four other main characters) go to school. At said academy, they study fiends, demons, spirits and what-have-you. Oh, and they practice levitating objects and forming things with their mind. Somehow I reckon that’s important.

Except, Saki’s presumably special, due to the fact that she was the last person to be visited by spirits of blessing and graduate from Harmony School. Supposedly graduating last is dangerous in some way, as a rumour has been spreading around for years that those that don’t graduate are visited by a copycat—a shadow of a cat that’s some sort of demon—that picks you off, and you’re never heard from again. So, if Saki doesn’t excel at her classes, she believes this could be her fate, although no one is certain whether this cat exists, as it’s simply a childish rumour.

Well, except Saki, who’s seen one. And possibly her parents, who she overheard talking about her in a flashback. They seemed worried that the ‘tainted cat’ would take her away, and her mother screams that she doesn’t want to lose anymore of her children. All of this just makes me like Saki even more, despite the fact that I don’t feel I even know her yet (the first episode did a very good job of keeping most of the protagonists from doing anything much that could really define their personalities, though no doubt the staff did that deliberately to make room for some world-building). After all, the anime could’ve easily focused on an exceptional student who was first to graduate and would waltz off into the world and perform amazing feats and– But that kind of thing is wholly overused in anime, as well as being more than a bit cliché. Saki’s not like that, which makes me already interested in her.

Though, she’s in no way the worst, despite graduating last. Enter Reiko, a girl who’s mainly used as a plot device to show us what might happen if Saki doesn’t excel in her classes. Reiko’s pretty useless at the classes (like, really, really bad). Maybe I could’ve felt more sympathetic for her if it hadn’t been obvious that she wasn’t a very important character, and that she was likely going to ‘disappear’, as the rumour goes.

The subject of disappearing is made even more touchy seeing as we’re talking about a 12-year-old girl who thinks she’s going to be murdered by the shadow of a cat (if copycats and fiends exist, what else could be lurking around in this world?), who’s probably had siblings who have ‘disappeared’, and now a girl in her class has vanished after screwing up. I can foresee some good development coming Saki’s way as she struggles with this realisation that the rumours might be more than rumours, how she tries to make sure she’ll graduate, whether she feels she can confide in her friends or not, and how they react when/if she does. Balance that out with the generally mystical, intriguing world, and it looks like we’ve got a pretty solid premise.

Speaking of characters, the first episode does a very good job of not showing the characters doing things that could really define their personalities at this point (this was likely done deliberately, as aforementioned). In fact, the other four protagonists (minus Saki) don’t really say or do much at all. This leaves us with a first episode that’s mostly fuelled by the interesting world and overarching storyline (or what I believe it probably is, at this point). But it also leaves us with five characters that we don’t know much about yet, and plenty of opportunity for them to be developed as we explore Saki’s struggles. Not many animes focus on characters like Saki, who are the underdogs, in a way, which makes me very excited to watch the second episode next week (when I’ll write the second review!)

The animation vouches for simplicity, which in this case works very well indeed. Character designs are believable and quite realistic, too. The haunting backgrounds that make great use of low-lighting go hand-in-hand with the on-edge soundtrack, and only adds to the intrigue. I also loved the ending theme, as well as the visuals that go along with it. I must download that ED. Also, I’m getting Spirited Away vibes from all the mentions of spirits and Holy Barriers in this episode, and getting Spirited Away vibes is always a good thing.

Overall, I was pleased with this episode, even though some of the flashbacks felt a little bit disjointed to me. I’m glad I chose to revisit this one, and I can’t wait to rant about it each week! Kaida signing off!

Welcome to Wonderland

Welcome all!

My name’s Kaida, and like some crazy people you’ll find around the interwebs, I rather enjoy watching a good anime. (Though I can also thoroughly enjoy watching a bad anime). It’s an artistic medium that I feel I’m well acquainted with now, and I’ve been meaning to put my writing and reviewing skills to some use. What better way to accomplish this than review something I watch frequently? Recommending anime and Japanese animations to friends is something I do often enough, and nitpicking certain aspects of shows is one of my hobbies, though I’ve never formally written a proper review up until now. So, as you can probably tell, this is going to be a very experimental blog, and likely many catastrophes will come about.

Despite all this, I’m still excited to be creating this blog! I hope to shed some light on animes that most haven’t heard of, nitpick some community favourites, and review new shows as they air. My overall ratings of shows will likely be based mostly around the story and overall plot, and how the show goes about conveying its themes. Basically, how valuable I think the overall show is, and the messages it brings to the screen. Though, I’ll definitely write a paragraph or two on the visuals, soundtrack, OPs and EDs, and other such things. (Obviously, all of this will be biased towards what I believe a valuable show is, if I personally thought that OP was memorable, etc).

Overall, I hope to use this blog as an excuse to keep watching anime, and to encourage others to do the same! Maybe we’ll all find some new favourites due to me starting this blog. That’s something I hope to achieve. Anyways, before I start rambling, let me just finish by saying that I can’t wait to share my reviews with you. I’ll strive to better my writing and reviewing, and I hope to share some brilliant pieces of art with you. No matter how much bashing anime may get, that’s what it really is: an artistic medium, that, for the most part, is done rather well.

Cheers, fellow anime fans. ❤