Okay, I've seen it now.

I like to say that every TV series worth its salt has a "we're not kidding around" episode sooner or later. An episode that shows there's some seriousness going on despite any tomfoolery. Well, Strawberry Panic! Ep12 does have quite a bit of tomfoolery, but there's definitely something serious going on, too.

Poor Nagisa the chick-magnet. She's got half the student body swooning over her, and she has no idea what to do about any of it. Really. No clue. She doesn't even really know whether she wants any of it. Which makes it absolutely the worst time for Shizuma's more forceful side to come out.

Shizuma and Nagisa could definitely have a thing, but Shizuma's going to blow it if she doesn't show a little more restraint and patience. Unfortunately, Shizuma looks like she's too busy dealing with the past to notice what she's doing in the present. What's up with that? Inquiring minds want to know...

Meanwhile, it looks like the other main storyline picks up again next week...

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Strawberry Panic 12 definitely lifts the bar for this show with some real developments. Great summary Kieli! And from the raws no less.

Lots of real character developments and drama at last even though almost all the characters are out for summer break. Still enough of them are left (Shizuma, Miyuki, Nagisa and Amane) for things to heat up. Finally, Shizuma and Nagisa are uninterrupted long enough for something to happen. Yay! The Etoile contest gets serious and Shizuma finally sees Amane as a rival (for poor clueless Nagisa in a misunderstanding but still). Tamao morphs back into the comforting friend a nice change from her creepy stalker mode last ep. It's hilarious to see her be willing to leave Nagisa with Shizuma as long as Miyuki is there to tutor her in french (english for chaperone no doubt). Tamao makes the shortest possible trip away but Shizuma is lightning quick to take advantage.


Bob: There's more in the manga about Shizuma's issues and some stuff on the Animesuki forums. Suffice it to say that the flashback to her past is a very serious thing. Enough that it would even stop her raging libido. I can post more but it's really a huge spoiler.

Speaking of raging libidos, Shizuma has to slow down a bit or Nagisa is going to have to get pointers from Hikari on how to properly fend off advances. Nagisa can't always count on something interrupting them, ya know. The problem is two fold, Shizuma has a huge libido and someone that she really likes rather than just lust after. I also don't think she's been doing the playgirl thing with others since she realized her feelings for Nagisa and for the last few eps, Shizuma has been showing extraordinary restraint. Frankly, I'm not surprised that she lets go here.

The other side of the coin is that Nagisa is simply not unwilling as she has feelings for Shizuma too. Obviously, Nagisa's not ready yet but she has got to find a way to communicate this to Shizuma. That staring helplessly is not gonna cut it. Screaming "I'm not ready yet!" may be a more helpful strategy. That or she chains herself to Tamao until she is ready though that may lead to other things that she's not ready for. Maybe she should just chain herself to Miyuki and be done with it.

Exactly. It's not that she's unwilling. It's that she has no idea what to do. I get the feeling that the idea of having a relationship with another girl hadn't even entered her mind before she arrived on campus. That would make everything she feels for Shizuma way too new for her to process yet, let alone decide whether or not to accept it.

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Excellent point. However, I think that Nagisa is attracted to Shizuma (she spent a whole episode mooning over her and you don't do that for just friends IMHO). In addition, she know that Shizuma wants to kiss her at least (from ep one, Shizuma's been trying) and doesn't want to be "just friends" though obviously she was not clear on what else this entailed (though she must have a pretty darn good idea since ep 12). Nagisa certainly hasn't tried to avoid Shizuma despite the fact that she knows that Shizuma wants her so she's at least open to the possibility that's why I say she's not unwilling. Aand given what show she's on, I doubt that she's straight as an arrow. That said, Shizuma was doing better by showing some restraint since Nagisa is clearly confused and not ready. What will be telling is how Nagisa reacts to Shizuma after the events of ep 12. For my part, I don't think she will try to avoid Shizuma (nigh impossible if they team up for the etoile contest) but may be a bit wary. In any case, I think that Shizuma will back off to deal with her own issues.

That wasn't my review. That was Mentar's (as I mentioned early on in the post). I only got maybe about half of the dialogue.

Kudos to Mentar

Caught Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito (Yamibou). This is about a girl, Hatsumi who loves her "sister", Hazuki who dissappears into the world of books. Hatsumi spends the anime trying to find her. So it's yuri/shoujo ai but not incest as the two girls are not related. It's not terrible as an anime with decent action and change of scene as we travel from book world to book world. Also, Hatsumi gets to kick some butt with her samurai sword. It certainly could be worse as it's based on an H game so there is fan service. I think it would have been a great yuri if they had spent some time on Hatsumi/Hazuki and had a decent ending for them. Out of 13 episodes, they spend about 3 on the romance (ep 1, half of eps 7,12, 13 and a half eps worth sprinkled thoughout) and the rest is digressions into other characters that I didn't find that interesting.

And the ending rots:

Wikipedia calls it a flawed Yuri and that's a decent verdict. At least Kasimashi didn't cop out at the end and Kannazuki no Miko at least ends well despite all the sturm and drang. And Marimite just rocks with great endings both seasons IMHO.

There's now a "Making of" video on YouTube presenting a look behind the scenes of the Strawberry Panic! ED video, "Himitsu Dolls."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5IkH8okNdw

Meanwhile, there are spoiler pics and summaries of Ep13 out now, and it looks like a bunch more is happening...

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Youtube is SO evil....I could do without the behind the scenes to Himitsu Dolls. Ai and Mai both look like they're being stabbed with forks. No chemistry whatsoever.

Yeah, it kind of makes you wonder who came up with the whole idea, and what they were smoking at the time...

Meanwhile, spoilers are out for Ep13 of Ouran High School Host Club, and I can't wait for the sub to come out. It's "Haruhi in Wonderland," and from what I can see, it looks like they've done a really faithful adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. That's not easy to do, as I found out when I wrote Willow in Wonderland back in 1997.

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I thought the little director dude acted more queer than they did when he was showing them how to act things out. Go figure.


Everyone's obsession with Haruhi is getting old...someone DO something already!! The twins are hilarious but their Lord is a bit of a weak putz. And Kouya is just....creepy. Although I have to admit, giving the loli-shota his own ep was kinda funny.

No, no, no! If any one of them made a definite move, that would throw off the balance of the show entirely. I'd rather they handle it the way they did in Tenshi na Konamaiki, where everyone's obsessions basically becomes a running gag in the background while something else goes on in the main action. In this particular episode, things are more centered around what's going on in Haruhi's head, since it's her dream we're watching.

Meanwhile, Anime News Network is listing a second OP and ED for Strawberry Panic!. The new ED is also done by Ai and Mai - do you think they'll get a better video this time?

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I disagree. I tend to get bored rather quickly with some shows (like Simoun and I'm still trying to feel my way around Witchblade) and although I really love Ouran, I'm losing interest fast with the same running gags over and over again. And that otaku girl is driving me nuts. Thus far, nothing's going on in the main action with Ouran...we have no idea if Kouya is just messing around about Haruhi's debt in order to keep her around or if she's slowly but surely making restitution. I love the silliness but give me more plot, please.



Doubtful. I loved Aki Misato's OP so I have no idea why the hell they're changing it. Meh. I doubt seriously if Ai and Mai managed to stop looking like they're being electrocuted in order to make a decent ED video. They need Saeko Chiba. The video she did for Mizube no Hana rocked. She was the only char that didn't look wooden; she really acted like she enjoyed what she was doing.

EDITED TO ADD: Ok watched Ep 13 of Stopani and Amane bores me so badly that I can barely stand it. I mean really, she doesn't deserve to end up with Hikari.

Kieli: Yeah Amane was just blah in this ep. Apparently, there are only two polar opposites of Etoile relationships: Nagisa/Shizuma light speed lust and Amane/Hikari glacially paced romanticism.

But as I like Yaya alot more than either Amane or Hikari, I liked Strawberry Panic ep 13. Apparently, Kaname and Momomi only have one plan to separate Amane and Hikari and that's for Kaname to attack her while Momomi does something else. Been there done that. Kaname and Momomi may be stereotyped evil lesbians but at least they have a real relationship, the only ones so far. Yaya really shouldn't get dating tips from Kaname, IMHO. No fallout as yet for Nagisa from last ep but she is back to mooning over the piano so no bad thus far. I suspect that Shizuma is avoiding her. Next ep will be more fun at Spica and we can see what happens with Yaya and Hikari who let's face it are far far more interesting together then Amane and Hikari. Finally all the set up of who likes who is starting to explode.

One Marimite vibe with the calendar count down to the date. Even looks like the same calendar that Yumi had. This time around we also have Kannazuki no Miko vibes with a shell that could have come from Himeko's pendant and Yaya channelling Chikane.

ETA: Speaking of Kannazuki no Miko, the second of 3 DVDs is out titlled The Lunar priestess. It should be called "Chikane loses it completely" as her jealouse for Souma and her lust for Himeko propels to explore her really really dark side. Though we do enter into cliche territory here, I know how it ends (thanks Bob) which takes it out of that neighborhood IMHO. Like Kashimashi, I made sure I knew what happened before taking it on,. In any case, I like the bits between Chikane and Himeko. The bits where they show how they met are touching and explain quite a bit about their dynamic. I also like how they are not shying away from the intensiity of what Chikane feels. It's a nice change to see something that has the physical as well as the romantic longing. Yamibou had this as well but spent little time on the relationship and had a crappy ending. I have my own theories on why Chikane does what she does in ep 8 but will reserve comment until I see the last four eps. Still I think this is a decent anime with good yuri and even the dub is decent.

ETA2: Garden of maiden reports that at anime expo one of the animators of the Maria-sama ga Miteru series said it would be 5 episodes. This jibes with rumors from the Animesuki forum and pretty much confirms to me that they will do the story lines from volumes 12 and 13.

Yeah, Kannazuki no Miko Ep. 8 definitely needs a Kitten content advisory at the beginning. "Hang on! All will be explained!"

Meanwhile, here are the new OP and ED for Strawberry Panic!

OP2

ED2 Yes, it's even cheesier!!!

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Wow OP2 is certainly suggestive. It also points to some new couplings for the series. Couldn't watch ED2 cuz the free download limit ran out but as I hate the ED, I can do without the cheesier version. I can wait till its out woth the eps.

BTW some screencaps for SP 14 are out at hontou ni sou omou.

I think Ep14 of Strawberry Panic! is my favorite episode of the series so far, even with the cheesy new ED. I really liked how Yaya and Hikari got back together, and I liked the new(?) couple we saw living across the hall from Nagisa and Tamao.

Poor Yaya has to give up Hikari a little, but it looks like there's someone waiting in the wings for her. Meanwhile, Tamao seems to be getting Nagisa wrapped around her little finger - literally!

Speaking of which, I find it interesting that we haven't seen Shizuma since "the encounter" in Ep12, especially when Hikari and Yaya had a similar encounter in Ep13 and have already dealt with it. Hmmm...

Meanwhile, the "Haruhi in Wonderland" episode of Ouran High School Host Club was everything I thought it would be. Like I said before, writing something that's faithful to Alice in Wonderland and still makes sense on its own is no small feat.

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I also liked SP 14 and how they resolved the Hikari/Yaya thing. It underscored two things that Hikari thinks of Yaya as her best friend and Amane as something else. Yaya really shouldn't get dating tips from Kaname and what happened btw her and Hikari went off even more badly since it was the same day as Kaname's assault on Hikari. I think things will be a bit awkward between them until Yaya moves on and indeed there appears to be someone waiting in the wings to make that happen. And isn't it nice to see that romantic dissappointment need not lead to psychosis ala KnM.


My theory on this is twofold: that Shizuma is avoiding Nagisa and Nagisa is still processing what happened and hasn't sought out Shizuma (cuz we know that she culd find her if she wanted to). It's a shame that Nagisa wasn't able to talk to Tamao about it because she clearly needs to confide with someone about it. It'll be interesting to see what Nagisa and Shizuma are like when they finally are within speaking distance again. They can't avoid each other forever given that the Etoile contest is coming up. But who knows maybe Nagisa will forget about Shizuma and just hook up with Tamao. They were awfully snuggly in this ep.

I also like Nagisa and Tamao's neighbors the battling "marrieds". I think they were described in an earlier ep as roommates so long together that they are practically married.

I like the direction the series has taken focussing on different characters and keeping things moving. I also like the new OP and ED believe it or not. The new ED is cheesy but now as creepy as the original IMHO.

Explanations of the next few episode titles and spoilers are up already. Apparently Shizuma is going to do a bit of confessing.

Caught Strawberry Panic 15. This is a light-hearted episode which is a relief after the last two more angsty installments (not that this show ever gets all that serious). It's time for the school festival and thus it's time for the school play with the main cast drawn mainly from the student council (shades of Marimite). Everyone gets to play a part from Tamao writing the script to Nagisa working "behind the scenes" (the title of ep 16 which is obviously more on this festival). Some bits with Hikari and Amane together. Yaya gets a bit of angst in but she seems to be working thru it. Momomi and Kaname are still plotting. Hopefully, they will get up to a new plan besides just having Kaname attack Hikari. They also get very snuggly (nah they just have sex actually which is a nice change of pace from all the others just working up to having sex).

Shizuma and Nagisa actually appear together in frame and Nagisa is not running away from her in horror so suffice it to say that she's not entirely opposed to what Shizuma wants. Shizuma is back on her best behavior as she was in the eps leading up to ep 12. Whether this is due to her being shocked into propriety by her flashback or Mizuki feeding her a drug to curb her libido, who can say? It looks like they were not avoiding each other as I thought before but that Shizuma has backed off some in her approach to Nagisa. Maybe she feels she went too far in ep 12 but I suspect that it has alot to do with the girl in the flashback. Still it's nice to see those guys back to the romance. Especially as watching Hikari and Amane together lately is as interesting as watching paint dry. Looking forward to the next ep.

ETA: I wonder if the choice of Carmen as the play and Shizuma as Don Jose who kills Carmen in a fit of jealousy means something. Miyuki really emphasizes that when she annouces the cast. Admittedly I'm pretty duh about stuff like this. I didn't realize that the Cinderella play in Marimite had any allegory to Yumi's becoming Rose Chinesis en Bouton's petite souer until Kashiwagi calls her that in ep 13 of the second season. Duh.

BTW the thumb wrestling contest that Yaya lost to play Romeo in the middle school play (Carmen is the High school play) was just hilarious. Poor Yaya foiled again. Given that Yaya is involved in the Middle School project while Nagisa and Tamao are involved in the High School project, is it possible they are not in the same grade (Yaya in 3rd year of MS, Nagisa in 1st year of HS)?. This would explain Nagisa referring to Yaya and Hikari with -chan while they use -san in referring to Nagisa. If so another duh for not picking this up till now.

Screencaps are out for ep 16 and well my wierd idea may not be so wierd.

ETA: Saw Strawberry Panic 16. It's the day of the school festival and this centers mainly on the High School play Carmen. In the cast are Shizuma as Don Jose, Chikaru (president of LeLim) as a really hawt Carmen, Amane as a bull fighter and the two evil lesbians, Kaname and Momomi to cause trouble. Finally they have a new plan reather than attacking Hikari who is off doing the middle school play, Romeo and Juliet. Kaname and Momomi are out to make Amane look bad and thus get nominated as the Etoile contenders from Spica.

I like that unlike Marimite, we actually get to see the festival play as Chikaru is amzing and Shizuma makes an amzing looking guy. She's got Amane all beat on macho. It's funny to see Shizuma and Kaname practice a sword fight in their school uniforms. Nagisa is around back stage to make eyes at Shizuma and become the victim of the evil lesbo twins sabotage. Shizuma saves her from one of their plots and everyone pitches in to help to make the play happen. Tamao and Yaya get to be jealous in the background of Nagisa/Shizuma and Amane/Hikari repsectively. Play night arrvies but Kaname and Momomi still have another plan to get Amane. Unhappily or happily, they:
The day ends with the obligatory bon fire which is either another rip from Marimite for a Japanese custom or both. This was anothe fun ep and Nagisa and Shizuma get to be very romantic. Shizuma is continuing to show restraint without even trying for a kiss when she gets Nagisa alone in her greenhouse. Next ep title is "Secret" so we may find out whats up with Shizuma. The promo shows Shizuma undressing Miyuki so this is either what she's doing to work off all that "nervous" energy and not jump Nagisa or it's a flashback to their roomie days. Who can say.

I imagine Sizuma will say...

Yeah, that was confusing me - Shizuma and Nagisa were drawing close to each other again, and then there's Shizuma undressing someone else in the promo for next week. It didn't occur to me that it might be from a flashback. I'll bet you're right.

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Some pretty major developments in Strawberry Panic! Episode 17. For one thing, we learn that the position of Etoile is really meant to be held by two girls working in partnership. So what happened to Shizuma's partner, eh? We don't find out - yet.

And with this revelation, I think I can guess how the series is going to end...

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Yep things are heating up in Strawberry Panic 17 which wasn't as much fun as the play stuff in ep 16 but ramps up the Etoile plot. Autumn has arrived and with it the Etoile contest. Lots of Marimite vibes as everyone prays at the Maria-sama statue. The episode is called "Secret" and the secret seems to be what happened to Shizuma's Etoile partner. All we learn here is that:


Tamao and Miyuki (like the other girls who haven't transferred recently to the school like Nagisa) know more but aren't telling. Miyuki, I'm sure, knows a whole lot more. They both say they want to "think about it" when Nagisa acts but it's obvous that they are both waiting for Shizuma to tell Nagisa. So it's Autumn, the leaves are changing and Nagisa is getting invitations to see the foliage from Tamao and Shizuma. She accepts the latter who promises to tell her about the other Etoile and refuses to let Tamao come along (I think that she's still miffed abou the red ribbon in ep 12 and prolly wants to confess in privacy). Shizuma invites Nagisa to her "villa" (will the Marimite parallels never end, shades of the to be releases OVA) for the day. Not much happens this ep but it ramps up the plot.

Next ep is called "Storm of Love" and from the promo:


BTW I was wrong about Shizuma and Miyuki in ep 17. It's not a flashback and it's really not what it looks like. Looking forward to the next ep.

Well, my fearless prediction is:



Feasible?

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Bob, I think you are right on the final pairing. There have been hints that it's going in that direction and it makes sense. However, I think the Etoile pair has to be an upper and lower classman ala the soeur stuff in Marimite though I could just be channelling the manga here. There also the Amane/Hikari factor to consider for Etoile. Upcoming episode titles show some hints as to what may happen:


Speaking of the manga, I've read ch1-8 of the manga that's out in scanslation and it's quite different from the anime starting with the Etoile contest quite early. They show more of the other Etoile and what happened to her. Yaya and Hikari's dynamic is also very different in the manga where they are more like Nagisa and Tamao are in the anime. Amane is actually an interesting character as are Amane/Hikari in the manga. I like Amane in the anime but the Amane/Hikari thing has been dull lately. Something is seriously wrong when Amane's interactions with Nagisa are more interesting that those with Hikari.

Next up what will happen with Shizuma and Nagisa? Will Amane and Hikari ever do more than hold hands and look at each other? Will Yaya and Tamao ever find love? Will Kaname and Momomi ever succeed in their evil schemes? What next will they steal from Marimite or Kannazuki no Miko? Tune in next week for as the Yuri turns...

There's now a Drama CD for Strawberry Panic! available online:

http://tokyotosho.com/details.php?id=28995

It's all in Japanese, naturally, but if anybody can understand it, please let us all know what it's about.

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Bob, Shoujo-ai.com's SP forum has some info on the drama cd. Some fans have listened to and posted summaries of a couple of the tracks.

On the Marimite 3rd season OVA front, the Animesuki forum reports that there are more storylines being covered than I originally thought. I thought it was going to be 5 eps covering the summer story lines of novels 12 and 13 but a fan translation of OVA news from the Cobalt magazine indicates that autumn storylines will be covered as well.

Specifically, the school trip to Italy from novel 17, the school Sports Day from novel 15 and the Yamayurikai's help to the Hanadera's school council on their cultural festival day from novel 14 in addition to Yumi's visit to Sachiko's summer house storyline from novel 12. The storyline from novel 14 starts in part of Novel 13 which continues from Novel 12.

Gosh that's alot of ground to cover for 5 eps. It must be more like 12-13 eps given an average of 2-3 eps per storyline in seasons1-2. Personally, I can't wait.

Initial screencaps from Strawberry Panic! Ep18 are up now. No summary yet, but it's in the works:

http://randomc.animeblogger.net/2006/07 ... -panic-18/

It looks like:



That's just my first take on it, though. I could be mistaken.

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Actually Nagisa is more upset that she can't be strong enough for Shizuma and that Shizuma will constantly see her as a replacement for Kaori and not as just Nagisa. It's a sensitive situation that Shizuma will have to deal with. In order to completely love Nagisa, she'll have to let go of the past and be with Nagisa.


BTW, the summary is up and Serin already has the subs out.

Yeah. I'm with Kieli on this one. Throughout Strawberry Panic 18, the one thing that stood out for me was how much Nagisa felt for Shizuma. I think she may just have realiized she is in love with her only to find out that Shizuma has someone else in her heart. She really can't tell if Shizuma loves her or how she evokes memories of Kaori (the other Etoile and Shizuma's love). The rain storm was used to good effect to highlight the mood of the characters including Miyuki and Tamao who were worried back at the school since Shizuma and Nagisa had to overnight at her villa due to the weather. This is the first ep to really give us what going on with Shizuma and show her vulnerability. I really felt for her.

You can contrast it with ep 12. They both get wet and shower. Shizuma has a flashback to Kaori. However, the two eps could not be more different in tone and effect. In many ways this is far more traumatic for Nagisa than what happened in ep 12 where she was confused and shocked. Here she isn't confused and understands what is going on and it hurts. Shizuma also has alot to work through but I think she really loves Nagisa:

Good ep with some real drama.

However, if the villa was far enough that they had to drive to it, how did Nagisa manage to walk back? Maybe she collapses into Tamao's arms out of exhaustion as well as emotional angst?

The promos for the next ep (#19) deal with the fallout from this one. Shizuma is brooding, Miyuki is worried and we see Kaori in the flesh (a flashback to her and Shizuma?).

The title for ep 20 gives me some indication of where is is going:


Also more ep titles are out:


I'm enjoying this show and looking forward to the next eps now that the drama has ramped up.