The following ISBNs are associated with this title: ISBN - 10: 1421593017. Play. As the story progresses, Fumi and Akira begin to develop feelings for one another. Sweet Blue Flowers is written by Takako Shimura, probably best known as the creator of Wandering Son. Those are the words I would use to describe the latest volume of Sweet Blue Flowers. Aoi Hana (Sweet Blue Flowers) Synopsis: Aoi Hana revolved around two childhood friends, Fumi Manjome and Akira Okudaira. ISBN - 13: 9781421593005. by-Write a review. The series revolves around Fumi Manjome. The same-sex romance is just one element—albeit an important one—of a sweet story about an interesting group of very different girls. The story revolves around Manjoume Fumi whom has returned to her hometown of Kamakura after ten years living away leaving her dear childhood friend Akira Okudaira behind. Genre: Yuri Romance. The art is as sweet and simple as its story, and presents each of the girls as charming and attractive in very different ways. Sweet Blue Flowers is a gentle siren of a series that seduces (no pun intended) the viewer in many ways. Despite their attraction, other love interests step onto the stage. The same day Fumi's mother took her to visit an old accquaitance of her and there Fumi realizes that the girl who helped her in the train the same day happened to be her old friend Akira (or Acchan as she used to call her). Subscribe. Another girl that had a crush one her Kyoko Ikumi, which happened to be Akira's classmate kept trying to become her lover but Yasuko's feelings for her were non-existant. These characters are full of personality, and readers are likely to be naturally intrigued by their arcs. Now much taller than the cute, bubbly Akira, Fumi is no less prone to strong emotions, insecurities, and tears. The two soon fall back into old patterns with Akira looking out for her friend. I was super excited to read the final volume of Sweet Blue Flowers! Fireworks in Winter. Fumi and Akira quickly got along and reestablished their friendship, but will this remain the same? However, there are things Akira cannot protect Fumi from—namely, her attraction to other women and the fallout from those relationships. Sweet Blue Flowers Is So Good! Please take a moment to review my edit. As Sweet Blue Flowers , Vol. Sweet Blue Flowers, Vol. Rather than take the easy route, though, it’s also a series that is able to invert the norm to create something truly special. In choosing to showcase the scenery around town at every opportunity, the show robs the viewers of the time necessary to understand its main characters, blunting the effect of what could have been powerful emotional moments in these girls' lives. Looking for information on the anime Aoi Hana (Sweet Blue Flowers)? It’s a story about young love, and the ability to claim it in the face of adversity. Fate has it that Akira and Fumi meet but since many years they haven't met nor talked they forgot eachother. Shy and soft-spoken Fumi Manjoume and upfront and caring Akira Okudaira were best friends in elementary school, but this changed when Fumi and her family moved away. Sweet Blue Flowers 1 (Book) : Shimura, Takako : Akira Okudaira is starting high school and is ready for exciting new experiences. Watch for FREE. Create lists for what you've seen & read, watch over 40,000 legal streaming episodes online, and meet In contrast, Akira's seiyuu, Gibu Yuko deserves special mention for bringing her vivacious charge to life. The web of interactions between the four feels very typical of close teenage relationships. It’s time for the Fujigaya Theater Festival again, and this year Akira and her friends have chosen an ambitious Japanese play. Neither of the other two girls in the love triangle prove any more interesting. Sign In. Whispered Words Watched in: Japanese. Founded in 2001 as the first anime & manga recommendation database. 18 October 2014 Nefarious Reviews 6 Comments. The few moments she shares with other cast members paint her as a typical high school girl and don't explain what makes her tick. Aoi Hana (Sweet Blue Flowers) Plot: "Shy, crybaby Fumi has just transferred into Matsuoka Girl’s High School, in the city of Kamakura. Much of Akira's personality comes through perfectly in Gibu-san's interpretation, and her effervescence brings a smile to my face every time the she opens her mouth. Well first thing I will do is to keep with the manga since the possibility of having another season is unfortunately out of the question at this time. “Yuri” is “girls' love” manga, a genre which depicts romantic situations between female characters. Probably later when things settle down a second season might not be something impossible. Kyoko similarly shows nothing to the audience save for her slavish love and devotion to her sempai. When the Leaves were New . other anime fans just like you. Top reviews. The … The sub-plots within the story were also a form of relief from the high tension the main plot had and were actually entertaining to observe and absolutely suits the 'school life' genre which makes it a story where you can relate (following how it would be in real life but still distinguishing itself as fiction). Unfortunately there won't be too much development between Akira and Fumi. Stream subbed and dubbed episodes of Sweet Blue Flowers online - legal and free, due to our partnerships with the industry. Sweet Blue Flowers (Japanese: 青い花, Hepburn: Aoi Hana, lit. Kenichi Kasai Fumihiko Takayama Toshiaki Asaka. As soon as Fumi settles in Matsuoka Girl's High School she gets to meet a special upperclassmen Yasuko Sugimoto. Unlike Sasameki Koto where there were only two main lesbian pairs here we deal with something a bit more complicated, love triangles, more angst and alot of unclear situations. more. Sweet Blue Flowers (Aoi Haha) Blu-ray Collection. The comic focusing on reunited childhood friends is part slice-of-life with daily activities of schoolgirls such as commuting, afterschool café visits along with school clubs and festivals, while also a drama in the form of disclosures, crushes, dating, and family dynamics. And on the first day of school, she runs into her best friend from kindergarten at the train station. On a positive note, it appears that J.C. Staff placed the fantastic art team of Nodame Cantabile at the reins. Resume. This anime revolved around two… (site synopsis). Fujigaya Girls’ Academy the two make their own friends with Fumi, meeting the strinkingly handsome 3rd Year student Yasuko Sugimoto and Akira, meeting the 1st Year student Kyouko Ikumi, this encounter of fate leads to something more than friendship between the characters. Fumi is glad Akira is back in her life. Unlike Sasameki Koto, even though there was room for more development in this one, the ending seemed like a good point where you can finish a series without yearning for more. Sweet Blue Flowers is a yuri manga from Takako Shimura of Wandering Son fame. A lot has changed since then: they go to different high schools, Akira has a doting older brother who follows her around, and Fumi is struggling with her relationships as a young lesbian. A Midsummer Night's Dream. Love is Blind. Sweet Blue Flowers is a yuri manga from creator Takako Shimura, whose manga, Wandering Son, was published in English by Fantagraphic Books. All reviewers. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Wuthering Heights (Part Two) Episode 5. Play. Additionally, the normally electric Yui Horie vanishes into Kyoko, which particularly disappoints given the actress steals nearly every scene when she appears in Kanamemo and Bakemonogatari (both airing in the same season). 4. After I’d seen this series and ruminated about it a while, I looked at Bradley’s review. At first Fumi accepted it, but since society doesn't view these things with good eyes they had to keep it a secret. Yes while both had whiny, bitchy characters. Anime-Planet is a site run by fans, for fans. Over its too-short eleven episodes, Aoi Hana details the life of a high school freshman, Fumi, and her relationship with a senior at her new high school. Start your review of Sweet Blue Flowers Omnibus, Vol. Record Series. There is little action, uncomplicated backgrounds and a lack of heavy-handed “tones” (background design patterns.) Episode 6. But Aoi Hana is easily in my top 5 (or maybe even 3) most boring titles of all time. Though i still wonder whether Fumi's love was one-sided or Akira had feelings for her as well but without knowing. 2 (Volume 2): Amazon.ca: Shimura, Takako: Books. Following the tone set by the OP, the rest of the gentle soundtrack, comprised mostly of classical piano pieces, perfectly compliments the series' laid-back visuals, but quickly fades from memory. Unfortunately, what attention the anime does pay to its central plot cripples it as a slice-of-life venture, and in the end it drops both balls. Watch Sweet Blue Flowers Online. To be clear, I like slow anime; Kino no Tabi, Haibane Renmei and Piano are three slice of life titles that I love to death. • Cool Merchandise The OP swells beautifully from silence into an enchanting little melody, but the series once again chooses staid over melodramatic and the performance doesn't capitalize on the song's potential. Sweet Blue Flowers is no exception on any of these points, painting a picture of everyday life with complicated young women going through important formative experiences. Episode 7. Background sounds were good which fit the atmosphere of the anime. Sweet Blue Flowers - Complete Series (DVD Details) Unique ID Code: 0000157577 Added by: Jitendar Canth Added on: 6/8/2013 16:46 View Changes Other Reviews, etc Akira Okudaira, and her long lost childhood friend Fumi Manjme attend an all girls academy. It was very easy not to pay attention for 10 mins and still figure out what was going on.. even if nothing really happened for the majority of the time. While we're given a cute trio of girls and a pair of amusing boys to round out the auxiliaries, Weepy (Fumi), Beanpole (Sugimoto), and Fangirl (Kyoko) consume most of the screen time. Japanese Title: Aoi Hana (Not to be confused with Ano Hana) Similar: Maria Watches Over Us. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sweet Blue Flowers, Vol. The writers had probably intended Sugimoto's stoicism and willfulness to come across as coy and capricious, but her stony-faced expressions, even-tempered voice, and extremely late-coming background portray her as merely mysterious throughout most of the series. On going to a new, prestigious high school, Akira learns that her childhood best friend Fumi has moved back to town and is going to a nearby school. Buy. Most of the drama comes from fairly universal high school experiences: choosing which club to join, getting over old crushes, split loyalties between friends from different social circles, and so on. Summary. By: EyeSpyeAlex. From the change in light quality when episodes transition between day, afternoon, and night to the tiny sparkles on falling tears, this series creates a sense of reality and place that contributes to the ambiance. Aside from the other shoujo-ai that i reviewed recently, Sasameki Koto i liked this one slightly more since it accomplished in 11 episodes what Sasameki Koto couldn't do in 13 episodes. Towards the show's end, she receives a small bit of back-story, but it only provides her the thinnest of motivations, generating an "I guess..." from the viewer instead of an "Ah-ha!". Maybe I'm just missing something, but I could barely get through three episodes of Aoi Hana, and I definitely won't be watching the rest. wishing for the anime to end while you are on ep 2 is never a good sign. Apart from an uncomfortable and unnecessary sister complex from Akira’s older brother, none of the girls—or their feelings for each other—are fetishized. • FATE series 18 October 2014 Nefarious Reviews 6 Comments. Interesting bits of history do spin off the central characters, but the series refuses to chase their consequences, leaving any potentially rewarding plot threads hanging in the warm summer breeze. I have just modified one external link on Sweet Blue Flowers. Not only will it seriously challenge their acting abilities, but the number of characters means they’ll need all hands on deck to pull it off. Try Prime Hello, Sign in Account & Lists Sign in Account & Lists Orders Try … Review by Carl Kimlinger, Mar 11th 2013. Her height kinda betrays the fact that deep down inside she is actualy very delicate, shy and a crybaby. Aoi Hana takes itself on a jaunt around a beautiful town during which the series gets lost, arrives at nowhere, and tries to claim it as a destination. Rotten Tomatoes™ % % Watch for FREE. I made the following changes: The second point i'll be addressing for the story is the genre of shojo-ai, the relationship formed was tackled extremely well (I lack the knowledge of other shojo-ai animes with a similar plot) and didn't create the awkward atmosphere that I expected watching this genre, in fact it actually made me focus more on the 'romance' and 'compainionship' aspect the anime had and actually reminded me of Hourou Musko which I rated quite highly. Wrong. I actually listened to the opening every episode of the anime when I usually skip it for other animes and to me is a good indication of an anime with good sound. Mary-Sue character praised as … on July 10, 2009. This latest volume wastes no time in exploring the different relationships of the characters. Shimura successfully strikes the delicate balance of portraying her young female cast as romantic and sexual but also naive and even innocent. See All Buying Options. • Crimes and Arrests in the Anime Industry. Need to catch up? Synopsis: Fumi and Akira were good friends in grade school. Review of “Aoi Hana” (“Sweet Blue Flowers”) By Erica Friedman. The lax focus even sucks vitality from what little plot does mange to play out. Each shot's lighting is also superb. … When the protagonist finally starts to change in the second half of the season, her pivotal moments arise out of nowhere and ring hollow as a consequence of this largely hidden emotional evolution. Those that do not enjoy slow-paced/slice of life shows should really stay away from this one, but those that do enjoy them will find something pretty surprizing. Provided by . It exuded an atmosphere of peace and tranquility with an enriching storyline and beautiful visuals. The ending, at least for me, didn't make me yearn for more, its as if "hey, she realized in the end, so thats enough for me, i don't wana get into another love story, into another melodrama". There wasn't long until Fumi realized that Yasuko doesn't really love her, that she is actualy the object which should distract her from her true love. The first point I will look at will be the context to the story; the creators of Aoi Hana have done excellently in building the history of the characters with the scenes interwoven within the main storyline creating a real sense of emotional tension that lended to developing the 'true' personalities of the girls invloved, the effect this had on me was profound and really played a vital role in putting me emotionally invested to each of the character's storyline. story and art: Takako Shimura Under normal circumstances, this young lady's thrashing and inner dialog would illuminate her decisions and consume the anime's quiet moments, but not so here. Shy and soft-spoken Fumi Manjoume and upfront and caring Akira Okudaira were best friends in elementary school, but this changed when Fumi and her family moved away. Aoi Hana sounds pleasant enough. I know this was a spur-of-the-moment review, being my first ever anime review and all with quite a few bias's because of the resonating story it had on me but I really believe Aoi Hana was well worth watching, I did actually think the anime had a KEY animation feel to it and I definietly recommend the anime if you're searching for something new and want to break out of the usual tedium you perhaps watch. Character-wise, it's difficult for me to understand the argument that Aoi Hana is filled with fantastic beings. Title: Sweet Blue Flowers, Vol. So i was expecting Maria sama with different characters. Matsuoka Girl’s High School and Akira going to the prestigous. 1: Amazon.ca: Takako Shimura: Books. ISBN - 13: 9781421593012. The Beauty of the Mysteries That Await in the Shadow of The Big O. The anime depicts the moment when she reestablishes in her childhood town once again and enroling in Matsuoka Girl’s High School. Whispered Words Watched in: Japanese. • Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Funny, endearing, and a little sexy. Akira remained as cheerful and as energetic as always while Fumi remained the same old crybaby like in her childhood. Check out my previous review here! Robbed of sufficient buildup and receiving only the faintest attention from the narrative, almost all the story's twists and turns arrive with a sigh instead of a bang. She got rejected. I mean i knew what i was getting into with it as it's a Shoujo-ai anime at an all girls school. To a veteran shojo-ai watcher I might just be babbling but personally the characters provided a change to my usual watching habits and has opened up a new aspect of characters and character development. Back when they were in elementary school they used to be very good friends, they were hanging out toghether helping eachother until one day when Fumi had to move with her parents to a different place. 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