Once upon a time there was an anime by the name of Sakura Trick. It was touted as being this story about two girls who are quite clearly in love with each other. Actual substance instead of just being subtext.
Unfortunately this show went the other route of terribleness... male otaku fetishizing. It ended up being nothing more than another dime-a-dozen slice of life moe show that uses girls kissing (and only that) as its gimmick.
The anti-thesis to this has been cited as a series by the name of Aoi Hana. It's kind of slice of life, but also a coming of age story with real character development. It's a story about friendship and love between girls that doesn't water it down to "zomg girls kissing is hot!"
I'm only on the second episode so I really can't make assumptions. I don't know if this is gonna turn out to be the miracle romance of the universe or if they'll just stay friends in the end, but so far they're both sweeties and I love them.
One of them cries like... seven times in the first two episodes but somehow I don't mind it. Maybe cause her voice isn't grating on the ears and the plot isn't about making her suffer.
The art style is also pretty gorgeous in a soft, peaceful way. Like a watercolor painting. It's the kind of thing that's not out of place in a series like Usagi Drop, that's innocent and devoid of fanservice.
This one is also pretty mild on the fanservice. It seems to be little more than occasional nudity with nothing really exposed.
Anyone who has actually watched this can chime in here, otherwise I'll keep going and let yall know how it turns out.
BunnyBelle Magical Girl
Posts : 565 Coffee Beans : 698 Join date : 2013-11-24 Age : 34 Location : The Moon (plz send air!)
Subject: Re: Aoi Hana Sun May 25, 2014 3:11 pm
i remember watching the first episode and being really impressed. It's been licensed since so its on my "to buy" list for awhile.
but yeah, i like that it actually focuses on, ya know, a relationship between two girls instead of two girls kissing to attract the audience. and guess what, I dont think that worked on Sakura Trick because I dont think I've seen anyone applaud it. - yet Aoi Hana is always on someones short list of "must see" Yuri titles
so yeah, hope you enjoy the ride Link
if nothing else, the theme song is really pretty
storyboarded by Kunihiko Ikuhara, Utena and spinning dance director extraordinaire
It was nice, but... It's definitely something one should probably read the manga of. They cut out a lot of things in order to squeeze it into an eleven episode anime, and the main two who are believed to become a couple don't even get near that stage by the end of the anime.
Heck, they barely spend all that much time together. It's like they live in separate worlds that just happen intersect once in a while. Still a nice story for what it is I guess.