Umi no Monogatari Episode 01

Umi no Monogatari Episode 01: “Heart of the Sea, Heart of the Sky”
Director: Sato Junichi (Aria, Kaleidostar, Pretear, Sailor Moon)
Studio: ZEXCS (Da Capo, Canvas2, Sister Princess)
VA: Asumi Kana (Shugo Cara’s Ran), Kotobuki Minako (Hatsukoi Limited’s Dobashi Rika) and Horie Yui (Da Capo’s Kotomi and II’s Yume)

Summary: Marin and her little sister Urin are sea people. They live under the sea and refer to humans as sky dwellers. While swimming, they find a beautiful ring, and Marin decides to go return it to its owner. The two of them visit land during a festival where they encounter Kanon. Kanon threw the ring into the ocean because it was a gift from her boyfriend, who dumped her.

When they return it, she throws it again in anger. The two girls decide to go find it and look all over the area for it separately. Kanon catches up with Marin later as she’s looking when fireworks start. These initially scare her and she realizes that Urin must be scared too. Urin has run to the shrine and finds the ring there. In the process she rips the seal on a stone casket. A voice tells her to open it so she does, causing a dark energy to escape and cover the city. It enters the ring as well. Urin takes the ring and runs off.

Thoughts: Yay, a new mahou shoujo show! The animation is great and I’m really looking forward to it. It seems like a friendship, coming-of-age, possibly love story with fantasy elements. The main character seems a little dumb but she’s endearing and cute in her own way.

Koihime Musou OVA

Koihime Musou OVA

Summary: As opposed to ancient China, the Koihime crew all attend a private school together. The elections for student council are approaching, and at this school the winners are determined through competition trials. All the girls team up in groups of four, but Rinrin abandons Kannu’s group when she calls her selfish. Rinrin throws a fit because she didn’t get an eel sandwich, the source of her stamina. Kannu, Bachou, Sei, and Shuri make a group instead. Rinrin joins with Reiha’s group. All the groups battle it out until only Reiha and Kannu’s groups are left. In the final swimming competition, Rinrin is winning against Aisha but runs out of energy from not eating enough eel sandwiches. Kannu saves her from drowning, costing her group the win and Reiha’s is elected student council.

Thoughts: Uh. Well, there was a lot of oppai despite the ridiculous plot. The opening sequence shows Sousou receiving oral sex in the bathroom from Keifa. Pretty shocking. Otherwise it’s too many characters running around and making cameos while being idiots.

Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka OVA

Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka OVA: Hardcore

Summary: Everyone goes to Ayanokouji’s private beach for a vacation. The girls don their swimsuits and Mitsuki-senpai provides sunscreen for everyone, not telling them that there are ingrediants likely to make them more ‘daring’. After the evening approaches, one by one, the girls come onto Junichi. He runs away but is eventually caught by all of them and decides he can no longer hold is feelings dormant. Before anything comes of it, Nagomi, who never put any sunscreen on, knocks everyone out. Everyone awakens thinking it was a strange dream.

Thoughts: Fanservice and swimsuits. A little bit of screen time for girls that got none in the anime. Otherwise, pretty standard. I wish with OVAs like this would either add on to the plot or go so over board into the ecchi factor that they seemed like they were giving you SOMETHING that wasn’t there in the series. Oppai please.

Aoi Hana Episode 01

Aoi Hana Episode 01: “Flower Tales”
Director: Kasai Kenichi (Honey and Clover)
Studio: J.C. Staff (Hatsukoi Limited, Kimikiss)
VA: Takabe Ai (First Role), Gibu Yuuko (Koi Koi 7’s Akiwo Suzuka) and Horie Yui (Da Capo’s Kotomi and II’s Yume)

Summary: Fumiko has always been a crybaby, even now that she is a high school student, tall, and refined looking. Akira is a much more self-sufficient girl. Both are entering all-girl high schools, albeit not the same one. They encounter one another on the train when Akira steps on a pervert’s foot who is touching Fumiko. The two go their separate ways. Akira finds it hard to meet people but does end up walking home with a nice girl named Kyouko Ikumi. Fumiko meets a girl named Youko and her group of friends try to recruit her into the Theater Club but she declines. She does agree to have tea with Youko later but regrets it.

That evening, Akira’s mother has a vistor. As it turns out Akira and Fumiko, who didn’t introduce themselves to each other previously, were childhood friends and neighbors 10 years ago. They spend some time talking but when the evening ends, Fumiko goes home. She talks to her cousin, Chizu, who is older and getting married. Fumiko is having a hard time dealing with Chizu leaving and seems more upset when her mother presents Chizu with a congratulatory engagement cake.

The next day, Akira sees Fumiko at the train station again, tearful. She hands her her handkerchief and says a familiar phrase, “Fumi-chan, you always cry as a first resort.”

Thoughts: First off, this one of the new shows available on Crunchyroll. They aren’t marketing it as a yuri, but watch the opening. It’s yuri. That said, I really didn’t expect Fumi’s personality because of her looks. She does look like either the standard tsundere or the cool, quiet, intellectual type. Instead, she’s pretty emotional. Akira is short but confident. It looks like a boy gets involved eventually too. I expect this show to be endearing and slice-of-life type. Something relaxing for the summer.

Hanasakeru Seishounen Episode 12

Hanasakeru Seishounen Episode 12: “Alone”

Summary: Kajika has returned to her home, running errands with Isaac. The two go to visit Eugene, and Isaac has to stop a gangster accusing him of seducing his girlfriend from stabbing Eugene. He’s kicked out the hotel, and after a lot of begging on Kajika’s part to Li Ren, he’s allowed to stay with them. Simultaneously, Rumati comes to visit after a meeting he went to in the steed of his father, who is sick. He decides to stay for week to visit.

Quinza says he has to return, and makes a rather serious farewell speech that strikes Rumati the wrong way. He gets the impression that Quinza isn’t going to return. Kajika goes to check on Rumati that night and they stay up talking and eventually fall asleep in the same bed. This makes Li Ren very angry, as they are both 14 and old enough to know the repercussions. Rumati intervenes, and Li Ren reminds him that they aren’t children and he wouldn’t want rumors to start. Rumati argues that he’ll just make Kajika a princess then.

Rumati proposes to Kajika by removing his scarf, but Kajika says that while she likes Rumati, she doesn’t know that she loves him. He agrees that he feels the same way, so the two agree to marry if they fall in love.

Quinza’s brother is discussing with Isaac how he fears Quinza. Quinza was able to solve the hatred between Rumati and his brother in only a day. He wonders what kind of tactics he must have used. Li Ren also suspects that Quinza has something on the line. Later, Li Ren gets a top secret letter. He calls Rumati in to tell him that his father has passed away, and that he cannot return back to his country of Raginei because he’s been found guilty of high treason.

Thoughts: Oh there SO has to be more too this than meets the eye. My detective skills suggest that Quinza is playing Rumati’s brother Somand. He probably pretended he’d help him by poisoning the King to get Somand in power so he could exile Rumati. In reality, I’m suspecting that Quinza knows that Rumati won’t stand for it, the people prefer him, and there will be a coup. Or something, I know Quinza is really on Rumati’s side, so somehow this has to work out in his favor. There was a break between episode 12 and 13, with 13 having aired yesterday. I am actually impatiently awaiting the opportunity to watch episode 13!

Hanasakeru Seishounen Episode 11

Hanasakeru Seishounen Episode 11: “Shape of Love”

Summary: As Mahati and Kathleen continue to live together, their feelings grow. They run again from assassins sent by an opposing politician, Nerutal. Mahati confronts them when they try to escape, shaking the assassins’ belief, and they apologize and announce their allegiance to Mahati instead. His servant stayed behind to deal with other attackers, and Kathleen chastizes him for not considering his servant’s wellbeing despite that it would be considered honorable for him to die in such away.

This angers Mahati, who slaps her but immediately regrets it, having promised his deceased mother to always care for woman. Mahati knows that he is ignorant, and cries. This moves Kathleen, and the two spend a night together. His servant is shown to be okay, as reinforcements arrived to help.

The next morning, Mahati asks Kathleen to marry him. When he tells his servants, they are flabbergasted since he is already bethrowed to another woman. Mahati insists but Kathleen worries that it would could cause more political trouble for his country if they married. She agrees to go into hiding with Fred.

At the summit, Kathleen and Fred go to catch a glimpse of Mahati but he spots her and runs down to her, taking off his scarf as a sign of love. Kathleen knows she’s pregnant with his child at this point. Another assassin pulls a gun but Mahati isn’t shot. He promises that he will come back for her and gives her his ring. Fred agrees to be the foster parent to the child until that point.

Mahati must not have returned as, eventually, Fred and Kathleen were married. Fred explains to Kajika that Kathleen didn’t cheat on him. Kajika tells Fred that he is her one and only grandfather.

Thoughts: So the question remains: Why didn’t Mahati ever come back for Kathleen? At this point it seems like he abandoned her for unknown reasons. I’m glad she didn’t cheat on Fred, since he seems like a nice old granpa. I don’t expect Kajika and Rumati being cousins is going to change much between them either, that’s not taboo in anime or really Japan.

It didn’t really occur to me until after the fact, but Mahati is only 14 or 15 when he fathered Harry. Exactly how old is Kathleen? She works in a bar and it’s legal for her to drink. I don’t think the drinking age was moved to 21 until later, so it’s possible she’s only 18. Well, she’s AT least 18. Talk about reverse statutory!

Tayutama -Kiss On My Deity- FINAL EPISODE

Taytama Episode 12: “Yuuri”

Summary: In the final battle against Ouryuu, Ameri apologizes to Yuuri, kisses him, and then refuses to allow the two to fight. With Ameri no longer on his side, Ouryuu gives up. Mashiro uses the last of her celestial energy to heal the destroyed area and everyone returns to Yuuri’s house.

With Mashiro growing weak, Yuuri becomes frustrated since he cannot do anything. Ameri tells him to do what he can and so Yuuri prepares a traditional Shinto wedding ceremony for the two of them. They start out alone, but the two eventually are joined by everyone. They exchange vows, causing Mashiro to become upset because she can’t stay by his side. Ouryuu even appears and yells at Yuuri to do something. The two join in a warm glow.

Mashiro returns to sleep, with Yuuri promising to wait for her, even if it is a hundred years. The city is shown crumbled, and the natural elements having restored themselves, when Mashiro and Yuuri ride by on his futuristic motorcycle.

Thoughts: Well, the final battle with Ouryuu was pretty lame, to say the least. Ouryuu just gives up because he no longer has Ameri and then bitterly switches sides? The marriage scene was sort of sweet, but you’re left with a similar feeling like at the end of Toradora. Since the couple finds their love and then immediately is separated for a long period of time. The after-credits ending was kind of strange, I guess we’re supposed to believe that Yuuri is either reborn way into the future and they find one another again or SOON THERE WILL BE A DISASTER DEVASTATING MANKIND.

I think there is supposed to be some kind of omake, probably featuring Nue (who I liked) and some wacky hijinks. Over all, this show doesn’t rate that highly for me. I like that there wasn’t wishy-washy romance, on the other hand the other characters were boring, the fights were pretty short and predictable, and the animation wasn’t that great. If you compare the main character design from the game to what Yuuri was animated to look like, you’ll see what I mean. That was an UGLY looking protagonist.

Hatsukoi Limited FINAL EPISODE

Hatsukoi Limited Episode 12: “Hatsukoi Limited”

Summary: Despite seeing the boys while on the train, the girls are still a few steps behind them. The boys continue on their journey, running out of food. They discuss how they want to change as they bike towards the ocean. Makoto wants to get over Misaki, Sogabe wants to become a better person for Chikura, and Kusuda wants to gain confidence in himself.

As they race towards the beach, the boys jump off their bikes and yell into the ocean who they love. The girls happen to be there at the same time, and overhear it. They give chase and the boys immediately run away.

Sogabe falls first and Chikura stops to see if he is okay. He admits he’s not as good at her senpai, but Chikura tells him that he’s good as himself and they say they’ll work hard to grow together. Makoto falls next, and Ayumi stops to talk to him. She tells him he wouldn’t have yelled another girl’s name into the ocean if he didn’t still have feelings for her.

Kei throws a show at Kusuda and when she catches up to him, tells him that she returns the feelings as well. She also tells Kusuda that he has a lot of good points to be confident about. They start running again. Yuuji witnesses the events with Misao and realizes his sister’s feelings for Makoto. When he approaches her, he does it in a brotherly way instead of being overly affectionate.

When everyone returns home, Misaki is walking to her house. Yuuji stops her and tells her that he wants to get to know her. She declines at first but he grabs her arm, insisting instead that he wants to know everything about her. Ayumi decides that she has to give a final decision. She goes to Makoto and Misao’s house and tells Misao that while she has learned that he isn’t a scary person, she wants to pursue her feelings for Makoto a little longer.

Thoughts: This show definitely needed to be longer. I’m left with mixed feelings because all the relationships have just started, but I’d like to see a little more of them now that they have. I want to know if Ayumi and Makoto work it out or not, if Koyoi gets over her brother, and if Meguru gets any further with her swimming buddy. I’d like to see some first kisses! If anything, this show has really made me want to read the manga. I could see there being a 4-6 episode OVA added on, but not another season.

Hatsukoi Limited Episode 11

Hatsukoi Limited Episode 11: “The Boys’ Escape”

Summary: Tired of feeling sorry for themselves, Kusuda, Mamoru, and Sogabe decide to go on a biking trip for three days. They pack up, skip school, and head east. Kei is feeling pretty bad so when the girls find out from Misao that Mamoru is gone, she initially doesn’t want to go after Kusuda. Ayumi takes her phone and calls Kusuda, but even though the call is short, they overhear an announcement for a boar race. Chikura recognizes it and they agree to meet at the train station in an hour to go after them.

Misaki is out to lunch with Yuuji but he doesn’t seem interested in her. Yoshihiko comes in with a note left by Koyoi about the girls leaving as well. Yuuji immediately runs out when he hears that Ayumi is gone. Misaki comments to Yoshihiko that it doesn’t seem like Yuuji is interested in her.

The girls are on a train heading towards the small town they believe the boys are at when they see them biking crazily away from a herd of wild boars.

Thoughts: This episode was pretty comical. It was nice to see the moping guys get and go, even if their planning was lackluster. I’m disappointed that the last episode is coming already. A lot of the side stories didn’t get full development, which would have been nice in a longer show. I guess there’s the manga!

Hanasakeru Seishounen Episode 10

Hanasakeru Seishounen Episode 10: “Cross Days”

Summary: In 1955, Kajika’s grandmother, Catherine, and her grandfather, Fred Burnsworth met Mahati, the crown prince of Raginei and Rumati’s grandfather. When an assassination attempt is made against Mahati by the British in hopes of overthrowing the government and gaining access to their oil supply, Mahati hides out in a British club where Catherine works.

He discovers alcohol for the first time and promotes Catherine to chambermaid in hopes of getting her to give him more. Catherine and Fred take him back to Fred’s house, unaware that he is a prince like he claims. Fred finds out for sure and the two agree to continue to hide him until the international summit that he’s supposed to attend. Muhati is similar to Rumati in that he’s never been outside the palace and so comes off as rude and arrogant.

Kajika goes to visit her grandfather, Fred, but Catherine has already passed on. When Toranosuke looks at a family photo he comments that Kajika’s dad, Harry, looks Asian despite that both Fred and Catherine are not. Li Ren quiets him and explains later that Harry’s origins are not to be questioned since Fred has insisted that he is his child.

The next day, Kajika shows her grandpa the picture of the two suitors, first Eugene and then Rumati. Fred becomes immediately upset when he sees Rumati and seems to suffer from a heart attack. He remembers back that Muhati said he would come back for Catherine.

Thoughts: It’s all coming full circle now! The audience should remember back when Rumati first showed up that people kept commenting that he and Kajika looked alike. If my suspicions are correct, they share the same grandfather. This would make their parents (Kajika’s father and one of Rumati’s parents) half-siblings and in that case, the two of them sorta-cousins. Not that the Japanese have ever held off cousins as possible love interests in these kinds of stories.