Updates

Uhm, sorry about last update, I was uninspired, ehe.

But guess who realized they could do updates out of schedule? That's right, it's me!
I just had to talk about this otherwise it'll never leave my mind

This week's review is about Yuru Yuri! (kind of)
Didn't expect that one huh?

I won't necessarily talk about Yuru Yuri itself, but more so everything around it, so take this more as a life update than anything.
A while ago I didn't even know what Yuru Yuri was, I actually mixed it up with Sakura Trick, another Yuri anime but that is actually romance, unlike the comedy focus of Yuru Yuri. Because of that I avoided it for the longest of time because I wasn't really interested in it, until a good friend of mine told me he watched it a while ago and was going for a rewatch. Of course I thought of him as a weirdo back then because of this lol sorry, but I still decided to give it a shot because his recommendations are usually very good, so I started reading it around October of last year. Seeing all my beliefs crushed sure was a weird feeling, it was completely different than what I expected, but most of all, it was very good! Despite being a comedy manga, it managed to still have a little thread of continuation, like you were there with the characters, some jokes made in chapters would come back later, or some hinting at later things would be done, it really is an interesting and very unique read that I'll definitely revisit some years from now.
After a while, I decided to watch the anime, and once again, it's like seeing everything under a new light, it's so amazing to see your favorite characters move, to catch the differences and little references of things you already know. It's such a cool watch and read, and an all time classic, please give it a try, especially if what you think of it make it seem like a weird thing for weird people www, don't judge a book by its cover as they say.

As some of you know, I'm VERY slow when it comes to watching anime, even to an absurd degree.
Watching the anime took me way too long, finishing just now in June, despite starting it all the way back in November, 8 months ago!
But, it was all so fun, as I was sharing all of it with one of my best friends, it always made for something to look forward, to research on.
To quote something that really hit me when I read it, from Sadoru Chiba, author of Gakkou Gurashi, "[...] When I was a kid, the main character in books were my friends. When I finished a book...it actually didn't really feel like I was saying good-bye to my friends, though. Now that I think back on it, I realize I went back and read those books over and over again to see my friends, until the books themselves were worn out." (School-Live! Volume 12, Afterword)
I always related to this quote, I could always go back and reread Yuru Yuri, and as I said, I will, but this time, it really felt like I wouldn't be able to see them the same way ever again, like when you meet that person you were friends with years ago, but now it's like you're complete strangers again.
The chapters, the episodes, the music would be the same, but the experience wouldn't. Doing research on a specific reference, starting to like the spin-off more than the actual manga (Give Oomuro-ke a try, Namori did an amazing job on it as well), finding things on Twitter, yelling about translations taking a while to come out, sending screenshots with my cursor on it until my friend realizes I've been doing for an entire season, waiting for reactions to the screenshots I send, gushing about how funny two characters being together when they basically never are is, waiting for bakkin to update their calendar so that I can turn my clock on again, screaming about Namori's other works, like when finding out she made something called Yuri Yuri, then Yuri Yuri 2, but that it's only half translated, but that it goes way too deep and hits you in the chest like a brick.
Yuru Yuri really was an experience for me, it followed me through times where my entire life was turned upside-down time and time again, it made me laugh when it was hard, it made me yell when it went well, and the fact this was all shared with a friend just makes it feel even more of a hollow ending than when I finish any other show. I'm not sad per say, but it really just feels empty now. I can't say that I'll watch the next episode in 5 years again, I can't spam screenshots at 6am and yell when nothing is said about them. It really was so surreal, Yuru Yuri and everything around it wasn't just a show, but an entire entity, I could talk for hours about the anime, the manga, the rare but funny merch, the spin-off, the author's other work, there's really SO MUCH to unpack here and that's why it hits to much to see it go, as I said, it really was like an entire part of my life, and I couldn't thank Namori enough for making all of this possible, but I also couldn't thank enough my good friend that always was here through all of it, it really wouldn't have been anything without them, and it really made for something I'll look back fondly on for the rest of my life, I know this is way too sappy for your taste, but thank you.

That's why it hits so much right? I get hit two times, that's unfair! (Even writing this I imagine it in Sakurako's voice, it's so funny ww). Not only to I lose my friends from the Amusement Club, I also lose everything around it! I know Yuru Yuri isn't over, the manga is still going, and my actual friend isn't going away any time soon, and the memories will stay there too, but still, I had to write about this to remember that, to not forget, to still be able to look back on it if times get hard again. That probably was a lot to read wasn't it? So let's get on the actual review. I don't want to review the story itself, there isn't much of it but I still wouldn't make it justice, just go give it a watch, it's worth it, and share your experience with a friend too! The biggest part of the show for me was the characters, they all felt so grounded and so alive, like Sadoru said, they can feel like your friends at time, so I want to talk about them this time. (This part is added only after I started writing about Kyoko, and my god, I'm sorry but this is gonna be a LONG one again)

TOSHINOU KYOKOOOOO! (Sorry, old habit), she's the one tying everything together! Somehow friends with everyone, it feels like she can do anything! She actually managed to make me love a fictional fictional character because of how much she loved her herself, lol. She's the one to bring the chaos, but she knows how to go deep sometimes (is it on purpose? I don't even know). She really is the head of the show, a really great character that I quote from time to times, if I had to choose a "funniest anime character", I'd probably go with her.

Yui Funami is the "normal" one of the group, but that's only when the others are around! She can make very funny situations now, I like how she brings Kyoko back to the ground sometimes, how ignorant she is of Chinatsu, and how funny her and Ayano are. I know she's someone's favorite, and I can definitely see why! I'll try not to repeat this too much, but like every character, she just feels so alive, no charcters are just a one sided personality, they all have so much work behind them, and Yui definitely feels like the most fleshed out one sometimes! It's funny to see her in all sorts of situations!

Chinatsu Yoshikawa, it's nice to see that (unless she's sick) she can draw as well as me! The "crazy one" of the group! Always exaggerating how cool and amazing Yui is, and how annoying Kyoko is. She can feel, no, she IS scary sometimes, she's so unpredictable, you never know what her reaction will be in any situation, once again an amazing character, I really like her voice.

Moving on to the student council, Sugiura Ayano is a very good representative of it, always hard working, the total opposite of Kyoko! But her not so well hidden love for the former makes her feel way less innocent than she actually is, but maybe that's also because of Chitose's fantasies about the two of them, always nose bleeding everywhere, she's that character that makes you go "oh god not again" but in a good way! Both of them are often together, they really make a great pair!

Sakurako is that one funny dumb character that you can't help but just like, I love just how over the top she always is, you never know how she'll mess up next time, and her antics with Himawari never fail to make me grin either, once again, two complete opposites make a very good pair!

Matsumoto never talks (SHE WHISPERS IN SEASON 1 AND 2 YOU CAN HEAR HER SHE HAS A VOICE ACTOR I SWEAR), no one understands (hears?) her except Nishigaki-sensei, which can lead to some amazing scenes, like the one in Season 3 episode 8, a very cute and cool sequence, all tied to the music since it has no dialogue!

Now to some smaller character roles,
Chizuru had a very small role at first, but her being fleshed out in Season 3 was a very good sight, hopefully she'll stop being a freak like her sister!
Sakurako's sisters Hanako and Nadeshiko are a good contrast to her, I really like both of them, but I can't help myself and mention their friends from the "Oomuro-ke" spin off! It's not Yuru Yuri! I don't care!
Hanako, Mirai, Kokoro and Misaki never fail to find something new and exciting, I don't know how Namori does it! And the mystery behind Nadeshiko and Ai, Megumi and Miho is so intriguing, I can never make up my mind on who it is!
Mari and Kaede are respectively Yui's relative and Himawari's sister, they're always so blessed together, very very blessed!
The other two sisters are both extreme freaks, Tomoko about Akane herself, and Akane about her own sister! The first and last scene were about her, and were a good way of opening and closing the show! But this just makes me feel like I'm forgetting something.. Her own sister..

That's right, I almost skipped this one!
Akaza Akari, Akkarinn!! The main character of the show! The main one? She's hidden most of the time!
That definitely was my favorite trope of the entire thing, the anime the manga, they always manage to make you forget she's even there, always putting her out of frame, even when she's talking sometimes!
Akari is pretty much a culmination of everyone, funny, cute, freak, you couldn't ask for more! I could say she's my favorite, but who wouldn't? She's just so great and always manages to make you laugh, when you see her that is. She really is what made me stick to Yuru Yuri at first, completely spinning what I thought it was about upside down!

I don't really know what else to say, this is way too long and way too sappy! Go read Yuru Yuri, go have fun with your friends!
Don't ever forget what you held dear!
Don't forget to hand-gargle!
Stay happy!