Tag Archives: Kashimashi

Manga Review - Kashimashi: 83%

Monday, July 14, 2008 – 10:00 am

The Essentials

Name: Kashimashi
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Tankoubon: 5
Serialized In: Comic Dengeki Daioh
Released: May 21, 2004 - March 21, 2007
Story: Satoru Akahori
Art: Yukimaru Katsura
Published By (Japan): MediaWorks
Published By (US): Seven Seas

Scores

Story: 9/10 (x 3 = 27 pts)
Art: 8/10 (x 3 = 24 pts)
Gut Score: 8/10 (x 4 = 32 pts)

Total: 83/100 (83%)

Review

Kashimashi is about Hazumu, a boy who confessed his feelings to his crush Yasuna, but was turned down, and ends up wandering around a nearby mountain in a depressed stupor. However, while I he is on the mountain, a spaceship sent by an alien race to study the earth malfunctions and crashes…right on top of Hazumu. The aliens are able to revive Hazumu, but accidentally change his sex, turning him into a girl.

At first, Hazumu’s friends, especially now her childhood friend Tomari and best guy friend Asuta, don’t know how to handle Hazumu’s change in gender. However, Hazumu seems to take it in stride, pretty quickly accepting what she now is. This also plays as a good set-up some some yuri relationships, as Yasuna and Tomari both secretly loved Hazumu before when he was a guy.

Kashimashi is an excellent gender-bending manga and largely deals with the confusion that such a gender-switch has on Hazumu’s friends, and how Hazumu tries to deal with her relationship with Yasuna and Tomari, especially since both of them are now same-sex romantic relationships. And, of course, all of this brings along a good deal of comedy as well.

Some might wonder if the manga is trying to make the same-sex relationship “acceptable” by having Hazumu as a guy originally, making it so that it really “doesn’t count,” but that isn’t really what the manga does. In a way, it does the opposite, it’s showing that same-sex relationships can be like any other relationship and uses the means of the sex change to illustrate that fact: that Tomari and Yasuna loving Hazumu when he’s a girl is no different from when they loved him as a boy.

If you’re looking for a good romance comedy with a different twist, then you should consider checking out Kashimashi.

First Read: January 2007 - April 2008
Do I Own: Yes
Do I Recommend: Yes

By Josh | Posted in Manga Reviews | Tagged | Comments (2)

Anime Credits - Elemental Gelade OP & Kashimashi ED

Friday, April 4, 2008 – 12:05 pm

Here is the opening song that ended up winning my anime theme thing. Also, I think I’m going to start using veoh whenever I can for these videos. They seem to be a lot better. My only issues with them is that they’re still relatively unknown, so there isn’t a lot on there, and their search is rather buggy. But otherwise I’ve liked them better than you tube.

Meanwhile, here the only song from the Final Four which I hadn’t already posted:

By Josh | Posted in Anime Credits | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Two years of Anime

Monday, August 6, 2007 – 2:18 am

Two years ago today, I received the first disc in my then-new Blockbuster Online rental subscription. I stuck the disc into my DVD player, not really knowing what to expect. This was my first time, after all.

U.S. Manga Corp’s animated M.D. Geist flashed on the screen and then the music of Blurry Eyes by L’Arc~en~Ciel started playing on the DVD menu for Volume of DNA2, and thus my journey down the road of anime began.

I went back and looked at some of the stats I wrote up in the One Year post I did, well, one year ago, and this is what I came up with:

So, how far have I gotten in 1 year? I’ve rated 17 anime series or movies (of course, this site has only been up for the last 6 of those 12 months). I’ve completed 14 others, and I’m currently watching 9 more.

If my counting is correct, in the past year I have watched 503 anime episodes or movies for a total of something around 200 to 215 hours of shows (or between 8 and 9 days).

I own 9 anime series and part of another as well as 2 movies

Well, that list of 17 reviewed series has now turned into 55 reviewed series. 31 completed anime series has turned into 67 completed series, and the 40 series that I’ve seen in whole or in part has expanded to 83 series (not including series I’ve only seen 1 episode of).

My anime library’s has continued to grow as well, going from the 9 series and 2 movies from a year ago to 21 complete series and 4 movies with 2 series in progress.

At this time last year, I estimated I had watched 503 episodes or movies, for a total of 200 to 215 hours of total shows watched. Now, I estimate that I’ve seen (if my math is correct, and not counting series I’ve only seen one episode of) 1,167 episodes or movies for a total of 470 to 475 hours (or 19 to 20 days) of total anime hours (not counting watching a series more than once).

Actually, at this pace, within 2 or 3 full season series, I should break 500 hours of non-repeated anime hours watched. I’m not sure I should be happy or sad about that though lol.

In any case, I also came up with this list last time around too:

There are also several shows on my to-get list:

Not finished, but I know I’ll buy it
Cardcaptor Sakura - Sakura Book
I”s Pure

It’s either still too expensive or I just haven’t gotten around to buying it
Howl’s Moving Castle
Princess Mononoke
Spirited Away

Licenced but not released
Rumbling Hearts (Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien)

Not licenced yet
I”s Pure
Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Well, obviously Melancholy has been licensed, and so has Kashimashi, and those, incidentally, are the two series I’m in the middle of collecting. I”s Pure still hasn’t been licensed, and I have indeed bought the rest of the Cardcaptor Sakura series, as well as Rumbling Hearts. I still haven’t bought any of those 2 movies, though (the two new movies from last year are the two CCS movies).

At first, I thought my list this year would be smaller, but I guess it’s not, really:

I’m not sure if anything is in the “not finished but I know I’ll buy” category. If I had to pick a couple, I’d say Moonphase and Idolmaster Xenoglossia.

Other than that, in the “not licensed yet” category, I’d definitely put Kanon 2006, and I”s Pure would stay there, of course.

In the “too expensive to buy” category, I’d probably put Fullmetal Alchemist and Shakugan no Shana, and I just as well throw in Ah! My Goddess and Kaleido Star New Wings as well (though New Wings is coming out in a thinpack box set in September, so I should be able to afford it then).

In any case, that is my two year of anime wrapup post. I’ll probably put another post like this up next year…which will actually be the day before I would leave to go to Otakon 2008, now that I think of it. Otakon 2008 will essentially be a 3 year of anime celebration for me I guess.

By Josh | Posted in Shakugan no Shana, Various | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Josh’s Anime Blog Podcast Episode #13

Saturday, February 24, 2007 – 9:29 pm

Josh’s Anime Blog Podcast Episode #13 is now online!

You can download it directly from the following address (11.7 MB):
Josh’s Anime Blog Podcast Episode #13

You can download the rss file for the podcast here:
http://www.joshsanimeblog.com/podcast/podcast.rss

Remember to update your RSS feed address if it wasn’t updated automatically!

Also, I have re-reviewed the anime movie Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl, keeping it’s score at 85.3%

Also, my podcast is up on itunes. If you search for anime under podcasts, you should find it as Josh’s Anime Blog Podcast.

Enjoy!

By Josh | Posted in Podcasts | Tagged | Comments (0)

Rumbling Hearts and Kashimashi manga in NewTypeUSA December Issue

Wednesday, November 29, 2006 – 8:21 am

Articles about both the Rumbling Hearts anime and Kashimashi Manga Volume 1 appear in the December issue of NewTypeUSA (for those of you who haven’t gotten it yet, or don’t get it).

There is a short article describing Rumbling Hearts. The first episode is also featured on the DVD that comes with the magazine. If you want to see more clips, the first episode is available for streaming at the Rumbling Hearts web page (with episode 2 upcoming). Also, short clips of the first 5 episodes can be streamed under the episodes section there.

Meanwhile, NewTypeUSA featured the Kashimashi manga Volume 1 as it’s manga of the month.

Both got good reviews.

Oh yeah, and tomorrow I’ll be unveiling a new design just for the month of December in honor of the release of Rumbling Hearts (can you tell I like it)?

By Josh | Posted in Various | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Kashimasi ~Girl Meets Girl~ Licenced by Media Blasters

Wednesday, November 15, 2006 – 7:49 pm

According to Anime on DVD via Anime News Network.

Kashimashi: Girl Meets GirlI had three “in Japan” series that I’ve been keeping an eye on for licensing information (Haruhi Suzumiya and I”s Pure being the other two) and, to be frank, I was expecting Kasimasi to be the last one of the three licenced.

The media representative on the Anime on DVD forums said to expect it in March.

This is another series I’m looking forward to buying.

By Josh | Posted in 2006 Anime | Tagged , | Comments (0)

One Year

Sunday, August 6, 2006 – 6:30 pm

On August 6, 2005, I popped Volume 1 of DNA2 into my DVD player. That disk was the first one I watched after starting renting from Blockbuster online, and is the first time that I voluntarily chose to watch an anime series while realizing that it was an anime series. It was, by most accounts, the start of my anime viewing.

So, how far have I gotten in 1 year? I’ve rated 17 anime series or movies (of course, this site has only been up for the last 6 of those 12 months). I’ve completed 14 others, and I’m currently watching 9 more.

If my counting is correct, in the past year I have watched 503 anime episodes or movies for a total of something around 200 to 215 hours of shows (or between 8 and 9 days).

I own 9 anime series and part of another as well as 2 movies:

- Ah! My Goddess: The Movie
- Ai Yori Aoshi / Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi
- Angelic Layer
- Cardcaptor Sakura - Clow Book (Season 1)
- Chobits
- DNA2
- Fruits Basket
- Koi Kaze
- The Place Promised in our Early Days
- Please! Twins
- Last Exile
- The World of Narue

There are also several shows on my to-get list:

Not finished, but I know I’ll buy it
Cardcaptor Sakura - Sakura Book
I”s Pure

It’s either still too expensive or I just haven’t gotten around to buying it
Howl’s Moving Castle
Princess Mononoke
Spirited Away

Licenced but not released
Rumbling Hearts (Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien)

Not licenced yet
I”s Pure
Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

By Josh | Posted in General Blather, Various | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Anime Review: Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl - Score: 85.3%

Tuesday, August 1, 2006 – 1:35 pm

The Essentials

Kashimashi: Girl Meets GirlName: Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~
Genre:: Romance, Comedy, Sci-fi
Episodes: 12 TV episodes + 1 OVA episode
Released: January 11, 2006 - March 29, 2006; OVA: October 27, 2006
Based On: Manga Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~ by Satoru Akahori
Director: Nobuaki Nakanishi
Produced By: Bandai Visual, Lantis, Media Works, Studio Hibari
US Distribution By: Media Blasters (reportedly licenced)

Major Japanese Cast

Hazumu Osaragi: Kana Ueda
Yasuna Kamiizumi: Yui Horie
Tomari Kurusu: Yukari Tamura
Ayuki Mari: Masumi Asano
Asuta Soro: Daisuke Ono
Hitoshi Sora: Keiji Fujiwara
Jan Puu: Ryoko Shintani
Namiko Tsuki: Yuko Mizutani
Toru Osaragi: Makoto Yasumura
Kahoru Osaragi: Yuko Nagashima

Major English Cast

N/A

Scores

Animation: 9/10 (x 4 = 36 pts)
Story: 8/10 (x 4 = 32 pts)
Music: 9/10 (x 4 = 36 pts)
Coherency/Story Arc: 9/10 (x 2 = 18 pts)
English Dubs: N/A
Gut Score: 8/10 (x 5 = 40 pts)

Total: 162/190 (85.3%)

Review

Kashimashi is an interesting anime that attempts to blend romance, comedy, and some science fiction together in a way that I haven’t really seen before.

Hazumu was largely similar to most other male boys in the school. However, several things about him were different. He was into ecology and especially gardening, having almost single handedly improved the landscape and garden of the school he attends. He also physically has a more feminine look to him than most boys. He has a crush on one of the girls at school - Yasuna - and is also childhood friends with another - Tomari.

However, everything changes after Hazumu asks Yasuna out. She tearfully rejects him. Hazumu, attempting to get over the pain of rejection, climbs a nearby mountain which he loves hanging out on. While on the mountain a spaceship crashes on top of him. In accordance to their laws, the aliens in control of the spaceship rebuild Hazumu’s body. However, they mistakenly make him female - breasts, sexual organs, DNA and all.

If I had to give a series that I’ve seen that this felt most similar to, I’d probably say Please Twins. In fact, this anime reminded me quite a bit of that series, even down to the fact that I thought some of the characters looked somewhat similar to each other. But of course, this is a different story, but it does touch upon another touchy topic: lesbianism.

Though this isn’t lesbianism in the typical sense. Both Yasuna and Tomari liked Hazumu before the spaceship accident. In this sense, it may not truly be considered lesbianism because their feelings for Hazumu started when Hazumu was still a boy. However, there still seems to be a significant underlying social message at work here: does it really matter what the sex of the person you love is?

Yasuna seems to accept the possibility of being with another girl easier than Tomari, probably due to the condition she suffers that makes it so that she cannot tell the difference between one boy and another - just like we can’t, generally tell one elephant from another or one Irish setter from another (with the exception of Hazumu). However, because of this condition, she has always avoided boys, and she had already relegated herself to the fate of being alone.

Tomari, on the other hand, had to struggle with the person she likes suddenly becoming the same sex as her, and so did Hazumu to some extent - at least to the point that Sora - the alien who crashed into Hazumu and reconstructed his/her body - asked whether “homosexual love is forbidden on this planet.”

I felt that the feeling of the story was kind of uneven at first, with the first two episodes - especially episode 2 - being more comedic (Hazumu having to learn how to be a girl), but then switches into a more serious romantic angst mode in episodes 4 and 5.

The anime concluded with an OVA episode which actually flips which girl Hazumu ends up being with at the end of the series. I don’t really think this episode really doesn’t damage the series, but seemingly with most tack-on OVA episodes, it appears to be mostly unnecessary.

If you don’t mind a romance anime which is seriously lacking in males (other than Hazumu’s confused best friend, the space alien, and Hazumu’s father of questionable morality), then you’ll probably like Kashimashi.

First Watched: July 2006, October 2006 (OVA)
Do I Own: No
Do I Recommend: Yes

By Josh | Posted in Anime Reviews | Tagged | Comments (0)