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Yuri Kuma Arashi: These are not the lesbian bears you are looking for.

BantaBanta
in Anime
Yuri Kuma Arashi (Lesbian Bear Storm) is the newest anime by forum favorite Kunihiko Ikuhara, and two episodes in it is living up to all my expectations, and then some.
Long ago, a far-off planet known as Kumaria exploded, turning into a meteor shower that fell upon earth. This lead to the bears becoming violent and attacking the humans, who created the Wall of Extinction between them and the bears. Several years later, two bears, Ginko Yurishiro and Lulu Yurigasaki, disguise themselves as humans and enroll in Arashigaoka Academy, where Ginko takes interest in a human girl named Kureha Tsubaki.
Nick Creamer of ANN has done a solid writeup of the first two episodes, looking at various themes, motifs, and such.
Episode One
Episode Two
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Comments

  • Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)
    edited January 2015
    I just watched the first episode, and it was very, very, Ikuhara-y. I love it.
    Edit: In short:
    image
    Post edited by Linkigi(Link-ee-jee) on
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    I am way more on board with this show than I thought I would be.
  • belkalrabelkalra
    edited January 2015
    I'm really happy I have these write ups; they clue me in to a bunch of stuff about the show(I didn't notice the gender issue with the court of extinction).

    one thing of note: The write up says that the world is much more malleable than the last time out(for instance, the direction the birds go on the stairs changed), but Ikuhara spent a boatload of time last episode showing the banners that come from the top of the school are manual.

    My question is: who activated the banners in the middle of the night?
    Post edited by belkalra on
  • BantaBanta
    Nick Creamer's write up for Episode 3, and ANN's Gabriella Ekens'.

    Shit went down in the Shire this episode. The Invisible Storm reveals itself to be exactly what we all thought it was. I'm curious to see how their decision this episode will impact the next one, especially considering what happened to two of its "central" figures.
  • ApsupApsup
    I really liked the visuals in the Invisible Storm scene.

    So, in this episode Mitsuko told us that the nature of bears is to not remember the past but live in the moment pretty much following their feelings and instincts. Right after this is scene where Lulu thinks how she never forgets the day she met Ginko, pretty much contradicting Mitsuko's words right there.

    So I started to think that if Mitsuko was right, could it be that Ginko and Lulu are outcasts of bear society in a same way Tsubaki is outcast in the human society?
  • Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)
    edited January 2015
    Apsup said:

    So I started to think that if Mitsuko was right, could it be that Ginko and Lulu are outcasts of bear society in a same way Tsubaki is outcast in the human society?

    They do certainly appear to be taking on the Invisible Storm...

    Two small observations:
    In all the scenes where the Wall(s) of Severance is visible, the Wall is always incomplete and continually under construction - the barriers people are putting up to keep the students safe from the bears (or trapped in with the bears?) are continually being remade, but are full of holes and ultimately useless.
    Despite the Severance Court's claims that it's supposed to keep balance between humans and bears, any basic pro-human arguments like their desire to simply not be eaten is ignored wherever and whenever it might conflict with the interests/natures of bears.
    Post edited by Linkigi(Link-ee-jee) on
  • BantaBanta
    Linkigi(Link-ee-jee) said:


    Despite the Severance Court's claims that it's supposed to keep balance between humans and bears, any basic pro-human arguments like their desire to simply not be eaten is ignored wherever and whenever it might conflict with the interests/natures of bears.

    I think that ties into the Severance Court being the patriarchal stamp of approval on yuri. "It doesn't matter what you want, because we want sexy lesbian action!"
  • Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)
    I like that way of looking at it. There are a few questions I'd like to see the show answer:
    Do male characters exist in this universe aside from the Severance Court? I actually sort of doubt it...
    What's going to happen when the Severance Court rules "Yuri Denied"?
    Do the other bears have to face the judgments of the court? If not, why do our main characters have to? If so, why don't we see them?
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    Linkigi(Link-ee-jee) said:


    Do the other bears have to face the judgments of the court? If not, why do our main characters have to? If so, why don't we see them?

    It could be a Birdy the Mighty situation, where there are other people who go to court but we don't see them due to them not being main characters.
  • belkalrabelkalra
    edited January 2015
    Am I the only person that wants to know why PuppyCat keeps calling?
    Post edited by belkalra on
  • BantaBanta
    Another episode, and another episode recap from Nick Creamer.

    I really like how the show is playing with its ideas in all sorts of different ways. Lulu's story was a riot to follow, and I'm definitely looking forward to more bear trees.
  • Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)
    And finally male non-judge characters show up, sort of. I note that there are still no non-bear guys in the show, though.

    Also the end of that episode and really that whole goddamn episode, holy shit.
  • ApsupApsup
    I just watched the latest episode.
    Holy shit what a kuma-shock. I'm nearly speechless.
  • Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)
    Ahem.
    Holy shit.
  • BantaBanta
    Gotdamn, that episode was full of kuma-shocks.
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    Are we discussing spoilers in here? What is the statute of limitations on this thread?

    Seriously though,

    The fuck just happened
  • muppetmuppet
    Where does one find this anime? Cable? Streaming? I can't seem to figure it out.
  • AprecheApreche
    muppet said:

    Where does one find this anime? Cable? Streaming? I can't seem to figure it out.

    The illegal ways.
  • BantaBanta
    edited February 2015
    As linked in the first post, on Funimation.
    SuperPichu said:

    Are we discussing spoilers in here? What is the statute of limitations on this thread?

    Seriously though,

    The fuck just happened

    I don't mind. I assume anyone in this thread is watching the show.
    Post edited by Banta on
  • Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)
    muppet said:

    Where does one find this anime? Cable? Streaming? I can't seem to figure it out.

    It's simulcast on Funimation, but you can't legally watch the latest episode without giving them money. It's also available one week behind on Hulu.
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    So I'm going to assume everyone has seen up to the latest episode (5). Is Ginko just straight dead now?!? That's going to change the direction of the show a bit.
  • ApsupApsup
    SuperPichu said:

    So I'm going to assume everyone has seen up to the latest episode (5). Is Ginko just straight dead now?!? That's going to change the direction of the show a bit.

    I don't think so. I don't see any place in the story for Lulu without Ginko and I don't think the show can just ditch it's bear protagonists. I feel that Ginko is still needed for the story and if she is needed for the story she can't just die off.
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    edited February 2015
    Apsup said:

    SuperPichu said:

    So I'm going to assume everyone has seen up to the latest episode (5). Is Ginko just straight dead now?!? That's going to change the direction of the show a bit.

    I don't think so. I don't see any place in the story for Lulu without Ginko and I don't think the show can just ditch it's bear protagonists. I feel that Ginko is still needed for the story and if she is needed for the story she can't just die off.
    I'm slightly worried if they don't kill her off. She seemed pretty dead and I don't want the show to suffer from the "I'm alive because plot convenience" trope. Also that would be some crap if they cliffhanger end like that and then next week it's just "Nevermind, I'm fine!"
    Post edited by SuperPichu on
  • ApsupApsup
    Of course she shouldn't and won't be just fine after something like that, but there are few steps between fine and dead.
  • SuperPichuSuperPichu
    Apsup said:

    Of course she shouldn't and won't be just fine after something like that, but there are few steps between fine and dead.

    Yeah that's a good point. I forgot they could be going the wounded route. That definitely seems more likely.
  • muppetmuppet
    Thanks will check Hulu since back episodes might not be on demand on our cable.

    I haven't torrented anything in years.
  • Punt RocketPunt Rocket
    SuperPichu said:

    Apsup said:

    Of course she shouldn't and won't be just fine after something like that, but there are few steps between fine and dead.

    Yeah that's a good point. I forgot they could be going the wounded route. That definitely seems more likely.
    I think this is one of many examples in the show where what is happening isn't literal. The trap is probably just a metaphor for "outing" her as a bear. I wouldn't be surprised to see her captured by the Invisible Storm and put on display as some reference to public shaming.
  • ApsupApsup
    I'm not sure if getting mauled by a bear is really a appropriate punishment for being an high-school bully, but on the other hand, some of the girls really would deserve it.
  • ThatGentThatGent
    You would think that people would avoid going to the flower garden at night, considering 100% of all bear attacks happen behind it.
  • jtvhjtvh
    Punt Rocket said:

    I think this is one of many examples in the show where what is happening isn't literal.

    This is Ikuhara, after all.

    And yes, I'm suddenly re-emerging on this forum because Yurikuma Arashi discussion. (Also maybe a little about PAX East.)

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