End of the year lists!

Everyone has these TOP TEN!!! lists, so I have one for you. Actually, I have a top five list with a bonus top ten list. So, without further ado...



TOP FIVE YURISTUFFS OF 2006!

5. TV show - South of Nowhere season 2
This is actually the only non-anime TV show I watch. I watch it free off of The N every week that it airs. The season finale was on Friday, and the series ended with quite a bang (literally). Finally in this season Spencer comes out to her family, has a huge fight with her family, and gets it mostly resolved. Finally in this season Spencer and Ashley actually kiss more than once. And not-so finally in this season the straight couples get more romantic screentime. Spencer and Ashley talk and smile. The other couples make out. So not fair.

4. Anime - Strawberry Panic!
Parody or not, disappointing or not, this is the very first anime I've ever seen with an entirely female cast. Not just female main cast, but female cast period. It's actually quite nice. And the love polygons were complex and that was enough plot because of that. Even though Amane's a guy to me and it took forever for Shizuma to actually kiss Nagisa once, and then the same amount to kiss her again, the series was a fun watch. And, you know, I think it'll open some interesting doors for yuri anime to come - actual real portrayal of lesbian couples in anime and not beating around the bush (like Marimite).

3. Anime - Kannazuki no Miko
Even though this anime is pathetic, full of mechas and pointless fighting, and laughable, it still has a strong beginning and ending that are full of yuri. In fact, the entire series is yuri. When I watched it, I almost felt the need to skip episodes, but the little things here and there - Chikane's wistful glances, Himeko's subconsious need to be with Chikane - really make the series try and redeem itself. It was licensed this year and just 3 DVDs for the 12 episodes, which is standard, I guess.

2. Movie - V for Vendetta
I love things that make me think. That's probably why The Matrix is my favourite movie, 1984 is my favourite book, and Madlax is my favourite anime. But my star of "things that make me think" this year is V for Vendetta. And not only does it have the most amazing plot and portrayal and (Natalie Porman is HOT and) stuff like that, it has a great middle section with Valerie's letter. The letter is easily one of the most important parts of the film, because while a lot is said by V about the government, Valerie's letter shows it in a timeline by someone who was just an average citizen.

1. Anime - Mai HiME/Mai Otome
Mai HiME was licensed and the DVDs released this year, and Mai Otome finished airing. Both shows have quite a bit of yuri in it - obvious yuri, too - as well as a halfway decent serious portrayal of the overall plot. Mai HiME is clearly the superior series (was I the only person that liked the ending?) while Mai Otome is goofy, funny, but it tries so hard to be serious. For just Shizuru and Natsuki, this is the best yuristuff of 2006. However, when you add in the possibilities for Mai x Mikoto, Aoi x Chie, Haruka x Yukino, Midori x Youko, Arika x Mashiro, Nina x Erstin, and don't forget Tomoe, this series truly shines.




BONUS!

LINDSAY'S TOP TEN ANIME OF ALL TIME
(Note - I just started watching anime 10 months ago, but whatever)

10. Mai Otome
The sequel to Mai Hime had enough Shizuru x Natsuki to hold me over. If anyone just wants to watch a good yuri moment, about halfway through episode nine there's a really good beach scene. But the series isn't too bad overall. It has a plot, that plot ends up tying back to Mai HiME, and it makes about as much since as its prequel. Which doesn't mean much.

9. Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito
I watched this series in between Uta-Kata (which I quit after 4 episodes - manga was good though) and Bakuretsu Tenshi (which is on this list a bit later), so I had trouble focusing on it. Not a good thing, as you may know if you've seen the series. For being based on an H-game, this is an extremely complicated story that goes back and forth more times than I can count. Parts made no sense to me and others did. The whole in-love-with-my-adopted-sister thing may throw some people off, but adoption is not blood relation, so it didn't bother me... too much. If you want to know where the art for Kannazuki no Miko came from and don't mind being confused, download this unlicensed series!

8. Bakuretsu Tenshi
What is it about girls with guns that make me so excited? I can't figure it out. But I do very much so think girls with guns are very HOT. But the problem is I can't make myself like Jo from this series. That's bad because she's the main character. It's not the white hair, because I like the girl she was fighting against in the last couple of episodes with white hair. It's not the artist's style because Meg and Sei are both sexy as hell to me, so... what is it? Who knows. But, the anime overall is hot, it's got a fun plot, and the ending made me sad. Where's the yuri, you might ask? In the last episode between Meg and Jo. Yes, you have to wait. But, yes, it's worth it.

7. Read or Die
This is so far down on my list because of two reasons. First, I haven't watched it in awhile. Second, there's nothing really concrete in this series. I did prefer the OAV and the Nancy/Yomiko pairing, so that made me sad during the anime when Nancy 2 was so childish (but then again she did lose her memory and stuff, so...). I don't know. Great plot, another 1984-ish story, but I'm not too sure about what else. Definite recommendation, though.

6. Strawberry Panic!
See my notes above

5. Revolutionary Girl Utena
This was my very first anime series ever, at a time when I had just gotten over a two-year time of being in love with a good friend, so Juri really spoke to me. I think I've watched those four episodes - 7, 17, 28, 29 - more times than I can count and I still rewatch them. A lot of people talk about Utena x Anthy, but I don't really see that because I'm so distracted by the possibility of Juri x Shiori. Juri's obviously in love with Shiori, and Shiori learns of it, so what exists then? Unfortunately, closure never comes. Disappointing.

4. Kannazuki no Miko
See my notes above

3. Haibane Renmei
Okay, so the yuri's thin. So what? Beautiful series, with a (mostly) hole-free plot. Few complaints with this one. The depth of emotion in this short series is breathtaking. I can't say enough about the emotion in this series and can't seem to say anything about the plot. Watch it!

2. Mai HiME
See my notes above

1. Madlax
Now, I know you're all thinking, "Madlax? What the hell? That series is nothing compared to Noir!" Oh, my friends, I beg to differ. Noir, while it probably would've been 11 on this list, was dark, bloody (if you knew where to look), repetitive, and boring in the art department. Madlax made everything in Noir ten times better, gave it a new fictional setting, 1984ed the plot, and let it run. And the end result was absolutely amazing. The first (and only) piece of anime I've gone out of my way to purchase a volume of. Amazing.