It's one week until it's *that* time again.What time is *that* time, you ask? Well, for those of us who believe in the true meaning of the winter holidays - rampant consumerism and rapacious consumption - next week marks the apex of being a member of the society in which we live. Next week we must buy things. Many things. For many people.
And here I am, ready to help you with this, by steering you towards a nice compact list of Yuri-flavored goodies in time for Black Friday and it's creepy kid brother Cyber Monday.
A Manga Gift Guide is forthcoming. But first - Anime for all you good Yuri girls and boys. If these are not yet on your list for Santa, add them posthaste, or he might not have time to get them on the next reindeer express truck.
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Canaan - For the action fan or the Type-Moon fan in your life, a Hong-Kong action flick-style anime set in Shanghai with great visuals, a plot that mostly hangs together, some great girl-on-girl fight action and some Yuri. There's a Blu-Ray version, too, which actually would be worth it for something as visually rich as this.
Taisho Baseball Girls - Sports fans rejoice! One of the few sports anime to make it over and not be utterly stupid. This series is just about the most feminist series I've ever seen, and it has all the guts and glory, the blood, sweat and tears of any other sports story. I would love nothing better than to have this anime do ridiculously well in sales.
Blue Drop - If you somehow managed to miss this last holiday season, don't miss it this time. This is schoolgirl romance with a sci-fi twist. Based on a manga of the same name, this anime is infinitely more interesting in about 70 ways. And it has lesbian aliens. How can you not want that?
Maria-sama ga Miteru/Maria Watches Over Us, Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, Season 4 - Even as I typed the name of this series out I commented to the wife, "I *still* can't believe that all of this was licensed." It's an amazing quirk of fate and smart marketing. I will forever love RightStuf just because of this series (but will love them all over again when they re-release Utena.)
If for some reason you haven't gotten these, please consider adding them to your holiday wishlist. Not because they are romantic (which they are) or Yuri (which they are not.) Not because anything happens (it doesn't.) But because Yumi, Sachiko and the members of the Yamayurkai are perhaps the best-written characters I have encountered in my adult life. They are my friends, won't you be friends with them too? ;-)
Strawberry Panic - How about less than $2/episode. How about so chock-full of Yuri memes and tropes you're guaranteed to miss a bunch. How about a happy ending where the girl gets the girl? And how about the other girl gets the other girl too? Just get yourself this litebox and get all the girls at Miator, Spica and Lu Lim for yourself.
Ikkitousen DD - Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 - Yeah, I know, a season boxset woulda been good for the holidays but I think it's not coming out 'til 2011. In the meantime, you can still have this series' closest attempt to sticking with the actual Romance of the Three Kingdoms and still get all the breast- and panty-shots you need. And Kanu and Ryuubi sittin' in a tree...
El Cazador - Volume 1, Volume 2 - Girls with Guns On the Run. Need I say more? I do? Well then, Girls With Guns On the Run from Witches and Psychotic Killers and Transvestites and Faceless Mooks and Evil Scientists. This is another one that, if somehow it isn't in your collection yet it *really* ought to be and it makes a great gift for friends who aren't really Yuri fans but want to see a whimsical action series.
Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne - Not for the faint of heart, but if you have a friend or family member who likes it a little hardcore and slightly psychotic, then you and they can have a party watching this together. There's a Blu-Ray for this, too.
Bonus Suggestions: Japanese DVDs
Kakera: Piece of Our Lives - I know I mentioned this, but have you bought it yet? No? Well why not? This is a live-action movie based on the manga Love Vibes by Erica Sakurazawa. It won't be out for Cyber Monday, but you could still get it for Christmas!
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Movie the 1st BD - Right, I know, Japanese DVDs cost a fricking fortune and then they are raw and you can't understand them, so why bother? Well HAH! I say, because this year the fine folks who created Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Movie the 1st thought it out and decided that if you buy the Blu-Ray then they'll go ahead and add in English subtitles for you. You know you'd get this in Blu-Ray anyway, go ahead and admit it. If you get the deluxe edition you get an extra pamphlet and stuff. Go ahead and get it - you're worth it.
So there's my gift ideas on the Anime side of the aisle. Next week I'll put together a Manga version of same, and these, like last year, will be part of the Great Manga Gift Guide being posted across the blogosphere. This link will lead you to the home post for that (this year hosted by the lovely and gracious Daniella Orihuela-Gruber of All About Manga) and you can check out all the gift suggestions by manga bloggers of multiple interests and foci.) If you have any other must-gets Yuri anime for the list, feel free to plop them in the comments and I'll add links up here at the head of the class for the A-listers.