Love My Life (2006) (Japanese)

Link to watch here for mirrors

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Ah yes, you’ve all seen this poster haven’t you?

The story “love my life” follows Ichiko Izumaya (the slightly more feminine one on the right) and her girlfriend Eri Joujima (the boyish one on the left) who are in a relationship together. Ichiko decides to come out to her father, who also turns out to be gay, who informs her that her mother who had passed, was also gay. Ichiko decides to meet her mothers lover, as well as work out both her and eri’s relationship with exams coming up.

Overall, yes, very heavy gay content. Almost no straight pairings exist. The acting is….quite terrible but then again, it IS japanese (not that I’m saying necessarily all japanese acting is bad….just….a lot of them……..) and storyline really is about ichiko and eri’s relationship at the end of it as well as partially how they will continue to live throughout society as a pair. It’s honestly quite boring

So I rated it on the Yuri scale quite high which impacted most of the “overall” rating, however quality of it itself was just simply cringe-worthy and incredibly boring. Although highly rated through out the lesbian community, it’s most definitely not a “must watch”, and definitely NOT worth a re-watch either.

Yuri rating: 10/10

Overall rating: 3/10

SPOILERS BELOW. YOU KNOW THE DRILL.

Matsumoto Seicho Special: Yubi (2006)(Japanese)

Starring Goto Maki from Morning Musume and Mari Hoshino

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

Finding an English link to this was difficult! I’m not sure if I can find the download file for it. Link

The story takes place where Fukue Yumiko (Goto Maki), formerly a struggling performer, is now a world famous actress. However she encounters someone from her past. Suzuki Kaori (Mari Hoshino) who had showed Yumiko kindness by giving the struggling Yumiko a free bowl of Ramen. However, when approaching Yumiko again, Yumiko seems to have changed and brushed Kaori off as a forgotten memory. However, Kaori is now an investigative reporter. While on a different case, searching for a neighborhood dog killer, she accidentally catches Yumiko and points to her as being the dog killer. Thus begins digging into Yumikos past. Examining how she got to where she is now, and why she has changed so dramatically.

A lot of it is saved for the spoilers, but to be quite honest I hated the other women in this movie. The only attractive one was Yumiko and Kaori. And Kaori was straight. OK YES THAT WAS KIND OF A SPOILER. BUT THATS ONLY TO PROTECT YOU. DON’T GET YOUR HOPES UP.

There wasn’t really a lot of lesbian action itself. Like most movies, it is way more focused on the storyline. That’s great but, still the other women were….pretty ugly tbh. I’ve seen some of their pics for other movies, and they aren’t that bad. But one was either super old, or one had the weirdest haircut I’ve ever seen. And also pretty old.

Plot was OK. It’s way more about Yumiko’s character rather than plot though so. Plot didn’t really go anywhere.

Yuri Rating: 6/10

Overall Rating: 4/10

MAJOR SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT

Simoun (2006)

One of the more “well known” Yuri anime’s.

The story takes place in another universe where a war is ongoing. The countries are fighting for the right to control these special type of machines, called “Simoun”. Simoun are considered to be sacred artifacts from the past, and is the country only source to “fly”. Nobody really knows how they work.

Since Simoun are considered to be sacred, they are called the “Chariots of God” and the people flying these, who must fly in pairs, are called “Sibyllae”, or the “priestess” of these chariots. Simoun, religiously, are used to offer prayers to the Tempus Spatium their god, but since it is the countries only way to fly, they are also used to be war machines. Their “prayers to the sky” called “Ri Maajon” are used for combat.

In this world, everyone is born a woman (HOORAH. That sounds like MY kind of world!) But because the world needs to reproduce, at the age of 17 these “girls” must go to a special, religious spring and choose to be either a male or female, permanently. If you do not know, the Tempus Spatium will choose for you. The only exception to this rule are the Sibyllae. In order to fly the Simoun, they must not have gone to the spring. So, in times of war, the Sibyllae are given permission to remain as they are.

In terms of Yuri content, I’d give it a “meh”. I’m not particularly fond of the main pair, simply because it doesn’t seem like they’re “in love” at all. And honestly, I’m not sure if I really should consider this a Yuri anime since most of the pairings, either one or both usually wish to become a male (or have already changed to be male, but you don’t see it.)

The story on the other hand, is one I find quite interesting and complex. I don’t think 26 episodes give it enough justice.

Although this blog is technically a review blog, here is where I’ll try to make sense of all the symbolism, and whatever the heck everything meant.

For the Yuri rating, I’m quite conflicted as to what I SHOULD rate it because of the whole “gender bender” thing. But, since most of the pairings are before they head to the spring, I’ll give it points….but the gender bender shit pisses me off so I docked a couple =3=

For the overall rating, the beginning was honestly tiring, tedious, and boring to watch. It was really very character driven. It all is actually. The story line doesn’t really pick up until around Episode 13, where things become exciting. Soon you become invested in this series, and you CARE about these characters (unlike OTHER character driven animes -cough cough MARIASAMAGAMITERU cough cough-) So for the boring beginning I docked major points.

Yuri rating: 7/10

Overall rating: 7/10

ERRRRMMMMMM SO MANY SPOILERS BELOW. IF YOU FINISHED THE SERIES, READ MOAR

Strawberry Panic! (2006)

One of the best pure yuri/shoujo ai anime’s I ever had the honour to view. I review the manga separately as it is a separate storyline. The comparison will be in the Manga review.

The plot centres around three highly prestigious sister schools.

St. Miator, known for being graceful and intelligent.

(left to right) Nagisa, Shizuma, Tomao, Chiyo

St. Lulim, known for being free-spirited and open minded. Focusing more on extra-curricular activities.

(left to right)  Kizuna,Chikaru, Remon, Kagome

St. Spica, known for excelling at sports

(left to right) Hikari, Amane, Yaya, Tsubomi

Speaking quite frankly, they’re all cute and hot. They are also all girls school so you don’t even have to worry about boys. 🙂

I absolutely loved this anime. No boys? check. Swarm of girls i get to choose from? check. Cute pairings? Double check. Not to mention the plot aint bad.

It centres around a clumsy girl named Nagisa Aoi, a transfer student to the school. Her first day and she accidentally bumps into the mysterious, “cold” player Shizuma. Together with Nagisa, you go through her adventures of making friends, fitting in, and figuring out her feelings.

This isn’t a spoiler. This happens in the first episode.

There’s quite a bit of nakedness too although it is nowhere near hentai enough for that. Its actually well placed. Although one scene I find questionable….

Now, onto an in depth review.

Overall Rating: 10/10 (more details as to why below, but contains spoilers)

Yuri Rating: 10/10

THERE ARE SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT. LOOK AWAY!!!! IF YOU HAVEN’T, THIS ONE WAS WELL WORTH THE WATCH SO GO WATCH IT.

Mai Hime Series (2004-2006)

My all -time favourite anime!

(left to right) Mikoto Minagi (da cat) , Tokiha Mai (da boobs), Natsuki Kuga (da cool)

First, I want you to know that yes, there is a manga. No I do not recommend you read it. It does not have one single spec of Yuri in that thing. The anime however, is almost no way related to the manga. The only thing they have in common are characters.

I will be reviewing all of the series and it’s sequals/prequals to it as well. This includes Mai Otome, Zwei, and 0~S.ifr~

Although the Yuri storyline is not really the main plot line, it serves as in interesting and lovable side story that you just can’t help but “awwwe”. The main characters for this are Tokiha Mai, a hard working, caring, big boobed, and suspiciously powerful girl. Natsuki Kuga, the cold, tsundere, rightfully powerful, badass, coolness oozing off of her, with occasional embarrassing moments, and odd obsessions that prove she’s human. Mikoto Minagi, a childish middle school girl with a large, mysterious sword, and powerful usage of it. I don’t want to spoil too much. I’ll get in to plot later on.

I will only recommend that for Mai-Hime.

Mai Otome takes place in the future of the Hime world, where most characters are re-incarnated in the new world, with the focus on another trio. Arika Yumemiya, Antsy because she looks like one, who has odd powerful powers cause her mom did (that’s not a spoiler, you find that out in like the second episode) a loud annoying dumbass who reminds you a lot like Naruto but with bigger boobs. Mashiro, the spoiled princess of a falling kingdom, and Nina Wang, no she’s not Chinese, but she’s quiet, cold, tsundere, and rightfully powerful cause you know, she worked for it.

Not a lot of Yuri in that. In fact it’s quite minimal to the point that….well…I’ll get into how much later but I mean there’s only really subtext and not a whole lot of that, might I add. There’s only about 3 minutes of reciprocated Yuri that is subtext. The rest is about 5 minutes of something that was un-reciprocated yuri that you wished never happened (Trust me on this one).

Legit, i can’t remember who these people are…

Mai Otome Zwei is the OVA and 0~S.ifr~ is a pre-qual to Mai Otome (but still after Hime) and focus mostly on the mother of of Antsy—I mean Arika. Honestly, I can’t remember a lot of what actually happened. I personally didn’t feel like this deserved a rewatch on my part, but to each and their own.

It wasn’t bad, per se, but as for Yuri content, well there’s a whole lot more if that’s what you’re asking. Mostly one-sided but comical. I think there’s one pairing in this that isn’t and hints of an ex-pairing. Not much but I honestly just didn’t care much for this.

Overall Rating: 8/10 (more details as to why below, but contains spoilers)

Yuri Rating: 6/10

THERE ARE SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT. IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED IT YET, WTF ARE YOU DOING, CLOSE THIS AND GO FREAKIN WATCH IT.