I just loved how the shadow of Sei hung over the whole episode but also how we never actually get to meet her. Erica’s superb translation of the relevant novel (Parts One, Two, Three and Four) was, on the one hand, showing us how the OVA has been a masterly adaption and, on the other hand, provides more detail that helps to flesh out the story even further. The best of both worlds!

[Currently experiencing hosting network issues. Might have some access problems for a while.]

Shizuka is so cool. She definitely deserves to be, at least, an honorary member of the Rosa Gigantea family. She even got a proper kiss from Sei too.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Shimako is my favourite Mamiko Noto role (just like how Mai Tokiha is my favourite Mai Nakahara role and Sei is my favourite Megumi Toyoguchi role), she just brings in so much depth and emotion into the role in an excellent series.

Animation effects were lovely too. Ripples in the water, wind in their hairs, the shadow of doves taking off…

Honourable mentions. Loved Yoshino’s vulnerable side, mostly because of how it shows she’s become close to and trusts Yumi. And I’ve always found Mami to be a source of merriment given how she terrorizes her now graduated senpai at the Lilian newspaper. Though because of StrikerS, I found myself thinking: Hey, Mami’s voice is closer to Chiwa Saito‘s Subaru voice than her Becky voice!

Keep It A Secret from Maria-Sama

Super Deformed or Chibi for great fun once again.

There’ll probably be a Yumi and the Bean Stalk parody sometime too.

This just reminds me of the FEITO tangent in Ashita wa docchida? Jealousy can be so funny. :3

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

There was just so many scenes that reminded me of the Sakaki x Kaorin sports festival episode in Azumanga. The commencing announcement. The gakuran. The dance. Much mirth on my part and thinking how Kaorin would fit into the Lilian eco-system (sans Kimura). I think Sachiko would be quite Kaorin’s type but she’s already taken. A real pleasure to see Yumi enjoying her soeur relationship with Sachiko. Also I have never understood the appeal of Yoshino, whom Admiral Erica Friedman raves about from her Yuri Space Administration Bureau flagship Okazu. Until this episode. Just for all the facial expressions that she causes Yumi to make, I give the thumbs up for Ms Insane Pigtails. LOL

I’ve also found myself changing my mind about Touko. While I understood her dramatic purpose in getting Yumi’s angst to go into over-drive in the Rainy Blue arc, my empathy with Yumi was just so strong that I found myself really reeeaaaally disliking Touko. But now that Yumi is friends with her again and can even handle her so well, I’m starting to think our Drill Haired One is basically an ok person. Her strange rivalry with Kanako also seems to indicate to me that she is interested in being Yumi’s soeur rather than taking over Yumi as Sachiko’s imouto. Yumi surprise at Touko dere dere was also cute. Another candidate phrase for blog title: Hontou ni zannen deshita (also evoking Asa Shigure who is voiced by Miki Itou).

Meet the Parents. I found Sachiko’s anxiety at meeting Yumi’s parents to be funnier though, especially with the folks nearly choking. Nothing says good relations like happily sharing food though. The coincidence in Yumi’s case was kind of expected but I was surprised that Touru is actually kind of rebellious and frivolous, completely contradicting my mental image of him as strict and wooden. On the Shimako front, her "OMG Stop it, Dad! You’re embarrassing me!" squat was really adorable. I’d like to hang out with Shimako’s dad sometime. If a monk like him can have such a beautiful daughter, maybe he won’t mind a beer either?

Yumi’s reaction after being volunteered by Yoshino for the relay race was also such a pleasure. “I’ll remember this, Yoshino-san!!” That was relatively gentle compared to how she ever so calmly tore into the formerly haughty track club girl with the swollen ankle. Yoshino is such a tyrant. LOL Which is why she’s so close to Rei who knows her so well that she can handle her easily, as well as to Yumi who is so good-natured that Yoshino’s evil intelligence and strong pride is often disarmed. Which is also probably makes for a tense relationship with Eriko, Sei, Yohko, Sachiko who are alphas in their own way.

Hmmm… looks like Yumi will be a hands-on oneesama. Imagine that, sweet hapless little Yumi as an oneesama! And she has not just one but two soeur candidates. Now that Kanako seems rather less psycho, I’m more willing to plug for her – oh the comedic effects of the height difference and also because I really really dislike hair drills. Sorry, Touko (whom I have only just realized is mediated by the Voice of Tsundere herself). Oh, that above screenshot also makes me think that Hayate Yagami would really so sexu-hara her (female) subordinates if she wasn’t so busy saving the world yadda yadda. Would have been utterly hilarous too if Miki Itou was voicing Carim Gracia and Hayate addressed her as: Oneesama~~ in her Yumi voice a la Konata cosplaying Haruhi. This OVA series has been good to me so far; I miss Sei just a bit but a happy Yumi is such a joy to watch.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

While I’m waiting for the subs, I have relied on Erica’s translations of the novel (parts 1, 2, 3). It seems that the anime has to de-emphasized Yumi’s role in escaping from her captors while the novel makes it very clear that the captive eventually starts to order her kidnappers around and even causing them to become besotted with her. And a warm welcome back for Tsutako who furnishes photographic evidence of Kanako’s stalking though that was reduced from twelve to three – the former would have waaaay scarier; overall, Kanako somehow seems generally less scary in the anime, probably because there weren’t any sparkles in the initial scene with Yumi. The impact is also lessened as we’re not privy to Yumi’s thoughts – which are some of the best parts of the novels – as she is significantly disorientated with the idea that anyone would admire her. Oh, and no pouting from Sachiko – just a closeup of a very very sharp nose.

Quite interestingly, Kanako is voiced by Ami Koshimizu who has played a wide variety of roles including Code GEASS’s Kallen Stadtfeld, Mai Otome’s Nina Wang and School Rumble’s Tenma Tsukamoto. She might have had other yuri-type series voice roles as Natsuko in Futari wa Pretty Cure and Mirano Entolasia in the Murder Princess OVA but I haven’t seen those so would appreciate input on that. And Touko just had to be played by Rie Kugimiya, she of snarky character voice roles fame e.g. Shana in Shakugan no Shana, Louise in Zero no Tsukaima, Alisa Bannings in Lyrical Nanoha etc etc. LOL

WE LOVE SEI-SAMA.
That is all.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.