Forum - View topicYuri / Shoujo Ai Recommendation Thread.
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Errinundra
Moderator
 Posts: 6523 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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I've just finished watching (and re-watching) Simoun. In contrast to Calathan and Galap, I enjoyed it immensely. I've written a full commentary here
The large ensemble is fully developed while the relationships are complex and tangled. Some of the characters are memorable and, even in those instances where I didn't warm to them, their interactions were compelling. The background war, politics, history and culture nicely parallel the dilemmas facing the young women and add significantly to the atmosphere. I preferred that explanations for the Simouns, the politics, the religion and history were inferred, rather than explained. Exposition would have killed the story, which, after all, is all about the Sibyallae. If your preference is more hard science and hard history then that's not what Simoun is about. It's about the characters, ie it's a yuri show, not an action/adventure show. The exploration of gender roles is as interesting as anything I've seen in anime. I also liked the background art. At that time anime studios were integrating CGI and 2D rather awkwardly. Making no attempt at all was actually a smart move. The visuals accentuate that this is, compared with our everyday world, a stange place indeed. |
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar  Posts: 16935 |
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Honestly it's been so long since I've seen Simoun after reading your review (other thread) I feel like I should give it another chance. See what I think of it now. As if my list to watch wasn't long enough.
 
I also would recommend RIN:Daughters of Mnemsoyne to others who want a more mature title. As mentioned it is obvious Rin and Mimi have had a relation ship together and are still quite "close" present day. Beyond that this title is also rather dark and mature and definitely unique compared to others. The BDSM/masochistic bits might be a bit much for some, but if you're into a darker show with mature adult scenes, and yes some yuri, than you'd wanna check this out. If nothing else after watching it you will say wow lol. |
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yuna49
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How did we all manage to leave Shin Sekai Yori ("From the New World") off the yuri-as-a-subplot list? Both male and female adolescent homosexual relationships are encouraged in this future society for reasons explained in the story. The manga adaptation, which came out after the anime, takes the yuri well into fanservice land, but the anime is pretty tasteful unless you really cannot stand to watch two boys or girls kiss.
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Galap
Moderator
 Posts: 2354 |
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I kept reminding myself to post about it, but never got around to it.
I recommend that show strongly to anyone. It's one of my favorite works of fiction and art. To me the main merits are things other than the homosexual relationships, but they are a fairly important aspect of it and are extremely well observed and well executed in their own right All the animated romance scenes in that show were probably the most sensual and tactile I've ever seen animated. The characters actually touch each other. Deep passionate kissing and caressing-- basically like real people actually behave. |
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Yuri Fan
 Posts: 394 Location: Finland |
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Sabagebu has a yuri character, Urara, who lusts over the protagonist. It's a really funny anime and it has a very yuri ending. And it's also one of the best endings ever!
And another anime I love: Yuuki Yuuna is a Hero. The protagonist, Yuuna, and another girl, Toogo, are clearly in love with eachother. More shoujo-ai than yuri, though. Cute as heck, but the anime gets a bit dark for a moment. There's also a VN that's pretty gay. ^^ |
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar Posts: 16935 |
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I have From the New World on my queue to watch already actually. It's one of the titles in Willag's little Anime Binge Watching Marathon idea. So I was saving it for then actually.
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Lili-Hime
 Posts: 569 |
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I've actually seen this and will add it to the list under the subplot category. I personally really did not like the yuri element here. It was pretty well stated that homosexuality was just a cultural thing for adolescents do to avoid pregnancy until they were ready for heterosexual relationships in adulthood. I can't remember names, but it really did not seem like the main character girl was at all into her 'girlfriend' at the time, even if her girlfriend (the readhead) seemed to really love her. It really had a whole 'gay until graduation' vibe that I just cannot stand in anime and apparently is a part of Japanese culture. I.E. it's ok to have homosexual relationships to 'practice' for the future but in adulthood you're supposed to get married and pop out kids. |
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Errinundra
Moderator
Posts: 6523 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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^
And if you could add my recommendation of Simoun to the front page it would be nice. Calathan's is, imo, way more negative than the series deserves. Thanks. |
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yuna49
Posts: 3804 |
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I think the story provides a deeper explanation than you portray here spoiler[one where sexual expression was encouraged as a means of conflict resolution among people with dangerous psychokinetic powers (the "bonobo" concept)], but this obviously isn't the place to discuss these issues. Thanks for including it in the list. |
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Calathan
 SubscriberPosts: 9112 |
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Yes, my opinion of Simoun wasn't meant to be a recommendation, so you probably shouldn't link it as a recommendation. Lili-Hime had just asked for additional opinions on it, so I gave mine. |
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Lili-Hime
Posts: 569 |
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Ok, updated the list with Psycho Pass, From the New World and Errinundra's views on Simuoun.
You word it better than I do, it's been a long time since I saw the series. I guess this cold, clinical explanation rubbed me the wrong way. It was almost like the culture they lived in encouraged them all to be gay for a few years; the main character looked a bit hesitant and uncomfortable with same sex affection as she seemed to be in love with a guy at the time... just my two cents.
I'll probably add sabagebu, thanks for the reccomend! How is the yuri content in both these shows? I don't want to include stuff where the girls just hug a lot and have close friendships... that kinda stuff is a dime a dozen. Basically I want to keep stuff like K-on! off this list where there's nothing but the girls get handsy with each other and everything is fan shipping. I've read a bit and apparently it's normal for straight Japanese girls to get really physically affectionate; we're looking for series were the romantic and sexual aspects are taken more seriously. I've been heavily disappointed wasting my time on subpar shows just because they queer baited. |
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Yuri Fan
Posts: 394 Location: Finland |
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Well, in Sabagebu Urara is clearly gay. She is sexually attracted to the protagonist, but it is mostly played for comedy. The OVAs are waaay gayer than the main show, though they aren't available on Crunchyroll. By the way, Urara is voiced by my second most favourite seiyuu, Ookubo Rumi, who also voices Chinatsu from Yuru Yuri. The sounds she makes in Sabagebu are reason enough to watch it! 
spoiler[The ending implies sex in the bathtub, though. Urara even says 'Itadakimasu' before diving in! ] Actually, there are two girls who are in love with the protagonist, and the student council president is in love with another girl as well, acting all tsundere about it. Yuuki Yuuna is mostly subtext, but it is also quite clear that Yuuki and Toogo are in love with each other. In the end, spoiler[Toogo saves Yuuki with the power of love]. Also, lots of hand holding and quotes like "I want to eat your sweets everyday" and "You're such a charmer" etc. are prevalent. 
That pics from the VN, but the anime has some great moments too, like spoiler[when they think they are going to die]. http://40.media.tumblr.com/cb8fafe1f275838d5ff2bf8574d0dc73/tumblr_nfa1nu8iy81rl9sqto1_1280.jpg Sorry for the pic spam. Last edited by Yuri Fan on Thu Oct 22, 2015 3:21 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Lili-Hime
Posts: 569 |
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@ Yuri Fan
Thank you so much for the pics, detailed info and your contributions to this thread!<3 Feel free to reccomend more when you have the time  I added both shows to the list... wow I'm realizing 2014 was really the year of Yuri O___o We had Sakura Trick, Yuki Yuuna, Sabagebu and Inuyama-san to Nekoyama-san. I have a painful feeling I'm gonna have to watch Valkyrie Drive so I don't fall behind on yuri shows.. though it looks pretty terrible.
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Yuri Fan
Posts: 394 Location: Finland |
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You're welcome! It's a wonderful thread! I just had to contribute.
Valkyrie Drive is VERY ecchi, but at least it seems the main couple could be seriously in love with each other. And the ED is great! |
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Galap
Moderator
Posts: 2354 |
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I have to say, I tend not to be a fan of the kind of thing that they did in Yuki Yuna. To me that always seems like they're tying to have it both ways, imply that there's yuri romance to whet the wistle of those who are into that, but not really go through with it to avoid the scorn of those who don't like it. As a result nothing really happens and it just ends up being a big farce, at least to me.
I'm not saying the show's bad; on the contrary, it does have a lot of other strong points. I just wasn't down with the half-baked yuri aspect. As for the From the New World thing, I don't think Saki was uncomfortable with her relationship with Maria because of it being homosexual, or explicitly because of her love for Shun. It seemed to me that she did have genuine feelings for both Maria and Shun With respect to romance, it seemed like the main point of the story was that it's ok to love multiple people, and often circumstance dictates who it is we end up with. spoiler[Her love for Shun never got a chance to manifest (except maybe something did happen in the canoe, but they were sidetracked by the synthetic minoshiro and rats) because he was seeing someone else at the time (Satoru), and later died. The Maria relationship failed because Maria chose to leave the village and support Mamoru (did she love Mamoru more than Saki? Again I think the point is that this isn't the right question to ask. The point is that, with respect to who you end up with, other things matter, and it's often down to circumstance), and later died. She ends up marrying Satoru, because he's the only one alive. That doesn't mean she doesn't love him, or that they're not a good match.] And even though the society emphasized homosexual relationships at younger ages, the characters involved in them, Saki and Maria in particular, still took the relationship seriously and it stemmed ultimately from within them. |
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