Wednesday
Aug122009
Aoi Hana Ep2&3 - It's Not You, It's Me
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 12:00PM
I have never watched a full blown yuri show. I didn't know there were full blown yuri shows that didn't come with 18+ warnings. And considering my fondness for the romantic dramas, and a westerners open mindedness, I thought it would work out.
Nope.
Oops, I made Fumi cry
The first conceit that I would have to get over to enjoy this show is the fact that everyone in Japan appears to be a lesbian.
They're SITTING!
We're not talking admiration, crushes, anything like that, we're talking full blown dating and romancing. I just find it hard to believe that every girl in this show has some sort of lesbian leanings, but that seems to be what they want us to believe. By being a yuri show, I guess they have to focus on the female couples, but you quickly realize all men in these shows are pretensious jerks, and the sisters are much better off doing it for themselves. It's a world I simply do not and have not every lived in.
The next problem is, well, girl's problems are boring. To me. The Guy. The get teh weepies over every exchange and action, they hate boys with a passion, they re-arrange their room for some reason, I'm just not feeling it. I hate it when the guy in a normal romance gets all wussy too, but they all manage to "man up" in the end, even if they are totally emasculated shortly there after.
This is girl talk?
So am I a throw back, the anime Archie Bunker? I'd like to think not. The final nail in my yuri coffin is there is nothing to anchor the show for me. There is no "me" in the show. And the guys in this show are not the type I'm ever going to relate to.
The glasses are not helping, dude
I can't tell if the issues these girls are dealing with are real, are made up for the sake of literature, or, worst of all, trying to fulfill the kinks of some section of the predominately male anime fanbase. I can't pilot a giant robot or blow up a mountain either, but I can get behind the basic tenants of overcoming obstacles, standing up for oneself, the lessons that anime tries to drill with each and every genre. But without the everyman in the show, it's just completely over my head.
So farewell, my yuri experiment. I still want my anime women strong, in charge, and willing to kick the ass of every man, woman or child who stands in there way, just remember there are guys who need a helping hand out there every once and awhile. We make great sidekicks, just ask Kyon.
Nope.
Oops, I made Fumi cry
The first conceit that I would have to get over to enjoy this show is the fact that everyone in Japan appears to be a lesbian.
They're SITTING!
We're not talking admiration, crushes, anything like that, we're talking full blown dating and romancing. I just find it hard to believe that every girl in this show has some sort of lesbian leanings, but that seems to be what they want us to believe. By being a yuri show, I guess they have to focus on the female couples, but you quickly realize all men in these shows are pretensious jerks, and the sisters are much better off doing it for themselves. It's a world I simply do not and have not every lived in.
The next problem is, well, girl's problems are boring. To me. The Guy. The get teh weepies over every exchange and action, they hate boys with a passion, they re-arrange their room for some reason, I'm just not feeling it. I hate it when the guy in a normal romance gets all wussy too, but they all manage to "man up" in the end, even if they are totally emasculated shortly there after.
This is girl talk?
So am I a throw back, the anime Archie Bunker? I'd like to think not. The final nail in my yuri coffin is there is nothing to anchor the show for me. There is no "me" in the show. And the guys in this show are not the type I'm ever going to relate to.
The glasses are not helping, dude
I can't tell if the issues these girls are dealing with are real, are made up for the sake of literature, or, worst of all, trying to fulfill the kinks of some section of the predominately male anime fanbase. I can't pilot a giant robot or blow up a mountain either, but I can get behind the basic tenants of overcoming obstacles, standing up for oneself, the lessons that anime tries to drill with each and every genre. But without the everyman in the show, it's just completely over my head.
So farewell, my yuri experiment. I still want my anime women strong, in charge, and willing to kick the ass of every man, woman or child who stands in there way, just remember there are guys who need a helping hand out there every once and awhile. We make great sidekicks, just ask Kyon.
Reader Comments (2)
Y'know, I really enjoyed Aoi Hana. Your opinion is your opinion, but the second you find one thing 'off' with the anime, it's over for ya. As a girl, it was a nice, calm shoujo anime (and shoujo-ai) that was 'caszh' and easy-going. I think you're dropping the whole shoujo-ai categorie too quickly, as well, just for your disliking of 1 anime.
To be honest, I have never skipped a show because of the genra (well, sports anime need a real hook to make look twice) but I just wonder if you have to be wired differently to like this kind of show. I actually LOVE shoujo (I proudly display my full Kare Kano collection, thank you very much) so maybe it's not a male thing either. Maybe I just have to admit that it was Aoi Hana I didn't like - it did start out really slow. There is another yuri show this winter, isn't there? You've made me think about checking out, thanks for the comment.