First Impressions / Series Introduction / Yosuga no Sora

OP Sequence

OP: 「比翼の羽根」 (Hiyoku no Hane) by eufonius
Watch the OP!: Download, Streaming ▼

「ハルカナキオク」 (Haruka na Kioku)
“Distant Memories”

Well, it looks like my question surrounding whether or not this would be a fairly clean adaptation was answered this very first episode. feel studio isn’t being shy about playing the twin incest angle, even though it’s been portrayed as something that innocently developed during childhood. They aren’t shy about playing up the excessive blushing either, as our male protagonist Kasugano Haruka (Shimono Hiro) gets absolutely every girl aroused just by being in their presence. Now that’s what you call a Mega-Playboy. It was like I was witnessing the return of Momonari Junta fifteen years later. Thus far, the nudity has been used sparingly, but the strange relationship that Haruka has with his frail, hikikomori, moody, twin sister Sora (Taguchi Hiroko) is pushing some boundaries in a different way. After seeing that incestuous kiss in the promotional video, it was actually relieving to learn that it was only a fantasy on Haruka’s part. Granted, that still doesn’t change the fact that he was thinking about locking lips with his sister and how she has no intention of letting another girl swoop in and take him. It looks like Sora doesn’t beat around the bush to make sure Haruka only has his eyes set on her, assuming that the scene at the very end wasn’t another fantasy of sorts.

For a story about twin siblings who return to their hometown after both their parents were killed in a traffic accident, this adaptation could have wound up as run-of-the-mill harem series pretty easily. However, with the inclusion of some nudity, it’s pretty difficult to perceive it as such anymore. I would have been completely fine if the drama remained the focus like it has been, but it’s hard to deny how having a bit of risqué material really spices the series up. If nothing else, it pays homage to Sphere’s adult romantic adventure game that the series is adapted from by targeting more mature audiences — a combination I’m more than happy to see every season. It’s fan-service, but story-driven, making it something similar to a sex scene that’s added to a big blockbuster movie. At this point, I’m hoping that it remains something along those lines, though I’m admittedly a bit skeptical after seeing the purely ecchi-loaded omake at the very end, featuring our junior college maid Nogisaka Motoka masturbating in bed. That scene was definitely any eyebrow raiser to say the least, but having it as a fan-service bonus at the end doesn’t terribly take away from the main storyline. Regardless, it will turn a lot of potential viewers off right away, but I actually like how there is some drama developing and embracing the fact that teenagers think about sex. As far as I’m concerned, if people want anime to start breaking free of the naive perception that they’re simply Japanese cartoons, this is definitely one way of going about it.

With the entire cast from the adult video game returning without their aliases (except for the voiceless protagonist), I’m quite curious as to the direction the writers will take with this series. The game apparently had five different endings, so the obvious candidates are Haruka’s childhood friend Amatsume Akira (Sakata Kayo), his former neighbour and older sister-like Yorihime Nao (Inokuchi Yuka), the class president Kuranaga Kozue (Minegishi Yukari), the daughter of the local politician Migiwa Kazuha (Ono Ryouko), the aforementioned clumsy maid Nogisawa Motoka (Okajima Tae), and of course his twin sister Sora. I haven’t played the game myself, but if one of the five possible endings is a bad one, it would only leave four possible girls Haruka could end up with out of six. Even if there were five, there’s still an odd girl out, leaving me wondering if Sora is only meant to serve as an incestuous tease or if the much older Motoka isn’t even in the running. Whatever the case, I want to find out and will be gluing in every week to see how the relationships develop and how far feel will push the envelope on a more or less AT-X-only broadcast. I’d even be fine with a crappy ending like School Days, provided that the series was as entertaining to watch every step of the way. People may not have liked School Days in retrospect, but it was one crazy series to watch while it was airing. Speaking of which, crazy Katsura Kotonoha’s seiyuu plays Motoka here.

* Note: In addition to a dedicated omake, there were actually two ending sequences. One is actually for the theme song of the series, “Tsunagu Kizuna”, and brings out the more drama-filled side of the story.

 

INS Sequence

INS: 「ツナグキズナ」 (Tsunagu Kizuna) by Team.ねこかん[猫] featuring 天乙准花 (Team. Nekokan [Neko] featuring Amaoto Junca)
Watch the INS!: Download, Streaming ▼

 

Omake

 

ED Sequence

ED: 「ピンキージョーンズ」 (Pinky Jones) by ももいろクローバー (Momoiro Clover)
Watch the ED!: Download, Streaming ▼

 

Preview

107 Comments

  3. A friend told me that the guy makes every girl excited just by looking at them.And that one of the girl masturbated.I didn’t believe him until now that you tell me the same thing .I don’t know if this anime is awesome or wrong on many levels.

    Rockmanshii
    Reply

    1. is OreImo actually meant to be an incest? Haven’t read it all so I don’t know but its hard to tell since it is in the Comedy genre. ~Forbidden love~+comedy don’t usually make an appearance together so I doubted OreImo going on that path.

      kuripuri
      Reply

      1. According an online source that’s giving summaries of the light novels, at least Kirino starts developing more than sisterly feelings. As far as the story plot goes though, it’s both refreshing and non-original. There are a lot of twists and turns (including a yandere cutie) in the ways of relationships (two tsundere are always nice). But it feels like one of those stories where it won’t seriously step into the forbidden love scenario, but dance around it till the end – where we get the happy feely scenario of “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

        Tablespoon
        Reply

  9. it was actually relieving to learn that it was only a fantasy on Haruka’s part.

    Really? I honestly thought it was Sora’s fantasy but looking at it again…I can see it the other way too.

    Honestly the show+omake caught me off guard, I was expecting quite a bit of censoring but there was none at all. All I was expecting was the twincest+possible angst and some ecchi thrown in here and there.

    Will keep watching since I’m curious where the story is leading, I just hope it doesn’t overload on the “fanservice” scenes so that it becomes completely unnecessary and destroys any potential in the story.

    Thinking and hoping for a Sora ending, one because I don’t care about twincest in the 2D world and two I don’t exactly like the character+design of the only other real possible candidate i.e neighbour woman.

    kuripuri
    Reply

    1. I also thought that, now that I look at it, sora’s eyes werent teary eyed in the real one so it must be haruka’s imagination
      and I also hope that the fanservice lessens a bit and they show some normal slice-of-life scenes(beach, field trips etc.)

      amado
      Reply

      1. The fantasy starts in the perspective of Haruka looking AT his sister. The reason the fantasy happened is because the situation at hand resembled a situation in the past. In Haruka’s perspective, you see Sora showing vulnerability of some sort in both the fantasy and the event in the past.

        Secondly, after the fantasy is over, Sora has the confused “huh” look as she stares at him. In contrast, Haruka looks as if he snaps out of something.

        After first watching it, I thought the same thing but what Divine said made me look at it again closer.

        Epik
        Reply

  11. The masturbation scene in the Omake made me laugh for some reason, it sounded really weird and seemed really random. (Would’ve also thought that they’d keep the Omakes for DVD/Blu-ray release but I’m not complaining.)

    Personally, I think he would either get his sister or a nice boat.

    NanoNano
    Reply

  14. twincest =>wincest

    Haru go Harem! On the landside nobody cares that your wife is related with you!
    Possibilites for the ending:
    a) he ends up with one of the girls (probably childhoodfriend) and nothing more…BORING
    b) he ends up with his sister – and nobody cares… well, you would expect something like that
    c) he ends up with one of the girls – sister goes “nice boat”
    d) he ends up with the daughter of the politican and polygamy goes legal => harem route, why not?
    e) he ends up a girl! …

    whatthatidonteven
    Reply

  15. I was expecting a dramatic and maybe cute and fluffy slice-of-life anime….

    I heard this was based on a eroge game but I didnt expect them to show this much…
    well im still gonna watch this, already seen seikon no qwaser…

    amado
    Reply

    1. Why do people still think that any/every show out now that has some sexual tension and or actually has some sex going to turn out like school days? Let it go guys, school days was a one-off.

      GP
      Reply

  19. Yosuga no Sora wasn’t actually on my fall list so when I actually tried it I’d be lying if I said the story was the one that got my attention. The animation and character designs look promising but the story is your typical harem. Regardless though, it would be unfair if I’m already this judgmental early on so I’ll still follow every week. Hopefully some real drama and story will take place soon, I’m all aboard with the fanservice censored or not just not so much that it’ll end up being your typical ecchi series with a pathetic excuse for a plot.

    That aside, I find it funny how easy Haruka has it with the ladies even for a Harem lead, that’s just awesome.

    Jaden
    Reply

  20. Something that’s always bugged me about anime is ‘where are the parents’? This one does answer that by having them killed off prior to this but that leaves the question ‘would two teenage children -one rather sick apparently- really be allowed to live on their own’?

    Grant
    Reply

      1. Human services, local police, neighbors, school teachers etc. Despite what manga and anime seem to believe there are actual government agencies in Japan that exist for the purpose of making sure that kids like these get looked after by responsible adults.
        Yes I do realize that one neighbor offers to provide the siblings with any help they need but Haruka turned her down and claimed that the money from their parents and the sale of their apartment would be enough.

        Grant
        Reply

      2. according to the manga,Show Spoiler ▼

        amado
        Reply

  21. It was funny after maid girl got off she started crying. I cant lie that incest kiss was nasty but I still liked the show overall. Its nice to watch something that is for more of a mature audience.

    infinite
    Reply

  22. OMG!!!that anime is extremely OH MY GOSH!!!
    I’ve been expecting better anime titles, but what I have got is, All I can say is, extreme Ecchi anime, your parents gonna kill you

    cutemi2
    Reply

  23. So, from the first ED sequence, we know somebody (probably Haru) got sex’d up as a kid. If I had to guess, I think it was the neighbor, since there’s the whole awkwardness thing going on between the two. Plus, there was that whole childhood scene where he was macking it… oh an the hair seems to match.

    Jaysus
    Reply

  25. Is this even possible an anime that i can watch without thinking oh no another brain dead piece of art that should never exist? I love the tastefull nudity and the fact that it isnt a little kids show. The only thing is that it has to many of those fu.king Kimi ni todoke blush moments. As for the School Days it sucked along the way but the ending was to good to be true.

    gnomtastic
    Reply

  26. uhhh wait…..is this anime literally incest or is it those stories that are not blood related?

    because I personally think, incest is just wrong in many levels…I haven’t watched the eps yet but now, after reading the blog and with the word “twin sister” and had a picture link along that sentence….i’m feeling quite skeptical

    Elie45
    Reply

  27. Based on all the anime series I have ever watched I have come to 2 conclusions about Japan…

    1. They love incest there. So many series explore that as a theme of some kind. Im sure it happens everywhere else in the world but rarely is it mentioned in any tv series here in the US. But in anime it seems to be more the norm then rarely seen. Sometime its played for laughs in comedys and sometimes its in a drama like this show here.

    2. Japan seems to be a country full of orphans living on their own. Many series never show a parent or the kids out and out are orphans and living on their own. Who pays the bills? If they were still in High School here in the states they would have gone into foster care or something. From Inoue in Bleach, Naruto in Naruto, and on and on many if not most series seem to have kids living on their own with no adults in the picture.

    Karmafan
    Reply

    1. 2. Different countries handles such things in different ways. US as you say then you end up with a foster parent, no matter what. Where I live and I assume Japan so is it less clear cut. You only end up with a foster parent if you wish it or the civil service over rule your wish for some reason. It’s not like you are magically unable to take care of yourself just because you are 1 year away from being an adult formally. Heck, my brother moved into his own apartment and got a steady job at that age.

      Znail
      Reply

      1. why do ppl have such a big thing against incest, just to point it out I am not into it but I also don’t see what big deal about it. Different country have different custom, one country taboo could be anothers custom, just like how some asian and africab countries would eat stuff that turn US ppl stomach inside out but in their country it consider high class delicacy. So on the topic of incest I don’t care so much what others do with their lives as long as it don’t involve myself then what do I care what others do with their lives.

        mike
        Reply

    2. The living on your own thing seen in animes is unrealistic mainly because its a the plot device for the author.
      1) sets up sympathy for the protagonist because of their plight, and also their reason to be ‘angsty’.
      2) saves the author from having to create more characters
      3) drama.

      I’m not sure about other shows, but for this one they mentioned they sold of their city apartment, which would be a sizeable amount of living expense, not to mention whatever their parents had/relatives sent them.

      Dawn
      Reply

  30. This is going to be one of my favorites this season! I just hope that it continues with this plot. I really don’t care about how this ends, either with a girl or School Days type of ending as long as it is entertaining to watch. Although I would prefer him to end up with a girl and I’m still not too sure how I feel about their sibling relationship.

    ClementIV
    Reply

  32. Well, first day back in town and Haru already has already hooked all this (probably) childhood friends plus what, three new girls? Guy’s got the harem-protagonist power!! I can definitely see this ending badly with Sora snapping and killing someone. This has a “School Days” feel to it, except Haru actually has a sense of right and wrong, so at least any violence won’t be because he was dicking around. I wanna know what’s up with him and Nao…

    Also, that maid-short thing and the second ED were just… wow O.o

    Aex
    Reply

  33. Really, you can’t spell Twincest without Wincest! I never knew anything about Yosuga no Sora but watching it, gosh. I was taken aback by the direction and mood of the story telling. It’s such an interesting story. Twins who are like a soul separated in two bodies. One, a cheerful, outgoing boy and another, a frail, sickly and introverted girl. Each share a fate and destiny irrevocably connected to the other. Despite the fact that it is a story of forbidden love, and twincest being the most extreme form of it, I can’t help but to continue watching it. The cultural notion surrounding it is getting me hooked to it. Twins are said to be lovers in their previous life, you know.

    Nolan
    Reply

  36. I’ve played the game. I don’t know if this counts as as spoiler so look away now if you don’t wanna know; There is no school days-like ending in the game. There’s no murder, and each girls ending is pretty happy

    Smell The Coffee!
    Reply

  37. I wouldn’t predict a school days ending. Male protagonist guy in School days had this feeling of corruption about him, and maybe I’ll eat my words later, but Haruka just doesn’t seem to be like that.

    LaN
    Reply

  39. I’m watching this because it picks up were Myself, Yourself lacked: Twincest! However if this goes Yuka style (11 eyes) and we get a psycho killing machine I’ll be disappointed. We have the works for some drama: the twins can get separated by adults and make their life miserable. which can push them even more together (Flower in the Attic anyone ? Hail V C Andrews). Or we can always get the harem ending Asobi ni iku yo was nice: Let all the girls love the guy!

    Island Esper
    Reply

    1. AHAHAHAHA, i can’t believe u just shouted out “flowers in the attic” talk about blast from the past! i vaguely remember that p.b.s broadcast like a very very “wrong” dream.

      BROOKLYN otaku
      Reply

  40. I recommend to not put up high expectation though. Whichever the heroine chosen, the plot was way too convenient, the impacts don’t have enough force to stop my yawns, thrown gags isn’t even worth a grin, and the sidekick-male-friend was annoying too. The only redeeming point was the beautiful illustrations, but with anime style, all hope is (probably) lost. But since Sora is such an awesome imouto, and the good-for-nothing maid omake alone I’ll keep watching despite the visible incoming torture. （；´∀｀ ）
    But this being an anime, let’s just hope it can push it’s way in the emotional department like True Tears did.

    An
    Reply

  42. Granted, that still doesn’t change the fact that he was thinking about locking lips with his sister

    Really? I kinda saw it the other way around, as in it was Sora’s fantasy, not Haru’s. I’ve got loads of thoughts on where this could go, a nice boat ending certainly being in the mix :p Though more likely I’m guessing if it went that path, Sora would be intent on eliminating the competition, rather than eliminating Haru

    Nazarielle
    Reply

  44. Not that I am complaning or anything but all of the girls from the start have fall for the main protoginist quiet easily. Probably too easy. He should give advice to other main male protoginist.

    Deathdakid
    Reply

  45. Not too sure why everyone is freaking out about all the ecchi. You haven’t seen true ecchi and fanservice until you’ve seen Seikon no Qwaser ^_^

    There’s not much to say about the series so far, except that the storyline feels pleasant and almost light-hearted, and the twincest is played out nicely. And it’s still impossible to pinpoint how the ending will turn out to be, although I do hope Haru ends up with Sora.

    That’s all for now~

    moelatte
    Reply

  46. Nipples, naked women, masturbation? I’ve seen all that, so it’s nothing new to me. However, what caught my attention was the twincest moment. My jaw dropped and all I could do was yell “WHAT?!” when I saw them kiss, as kids even.

    theburntshadow
    Reply

    1. I have no qualms with it either. And I have three sisters. An imouto, Onee-san, and another Onee-san that doesn’t remember me. 😀 Never thought about them that way though. Funny how my younger sister actually acts like a typical younger sister in anime. One that cooks for the older brother and makes sure he’s ready for school or work and whatnot. xD Seeing as we live alone together, it’s something I have to laugh at from time to time. Not to mention she’s clingy.. (As you can see, Yosuga no Sora and Oreimo are somewhat ironic to me.) lol

      Shirt
      Reply

  48. My body was not ready for this DX I was expecting an innocent slice of life/romance/drama anime and suddenly got twincest & uncensored ecchi scenes popping up O_o I think this has corrupted my pure & innocent mind(well not really :P) Hmm.. I think I’m gonna need to relieve this feeling welling up inside of me now *wink* *wink*

    Still I’d say this is a pretty good anime and I’ll definitely keep watching to see how the story would turn out.

    Robz
    Reply

  50. Way ta go! Divine to the rescue with a great non-biased post. I love your writing, man. :}

    I couldn’t help but laugh at all the comments. On Facebook and MyAnimeList, there were so many people that were against it that I couldn’t get a good opinion about it at all. Luckily for me, I know of R.C. and had the chance to receive some quality outlook on the show from an “Adult”! Makes me feel better about watching the show. (not that I’m ashamed or anything.) xD Twincest=>Wincest!

    Sometimes I forget they’re twins and just enjoy to go ol’ lust between them. Well Sora. <–Hawt

    The masturbation scene, and a few others weren't really new things to me but I was surprised. Liek.. "OH SNAP! wow, nice.." I accepted it really quick. lmao I always thought hentai would be better if it had an actual “story”. And so we have it here. :}

    Shirt
    Reply

  56. I wouldn’t mind the Sora ending. Since this is anime, why not? Obviously it’s going to play out between Sora and the neighbor Nao, the rest of the cast feels like filler.
    But a Nao ending would be plain boring. I just “hate” her for being so damn stereotypical, she almost looks like the titty-glasses girl from KissxSis, who is absolutely annoying.

    Just give us a good Sora ending, everyone who thinks twincest is plain wrong, relax, it’s just anime. Every other ending would be boring, and I don’t think anyone will go yandere there, since Show Spoiler ▼

    virox
    Reply

  59. Hoho, I finally found a censored version! I have to say, it takes just a bit of the edge off the show (for better or for worse–better in my case). I can take the emotional madness, but add that to a legion of stray nipples, a naked shower scene, and graphic masturbation, and I’m out. A lot of people, it seems, are hung up on that crap too.

    The censored version actually took all of that out somehow, so now I don’t feel as embarrassed or awkward watching it. Kind of.

    Seriously kids, if you can’t (or don’t want to) take the pr0n here, get the censored version (it airs in better quality anyway, ironically). Either way, you’re a-okay! …kind of.

    hoiut
    Reply

  63. I finally get to post the this is probably one of the most erotic anime I’ve ever seen. Also Sora is so realistic in a sense like how she can’t live without the internet. Also the omake was both funny and sexy at the same time. Excellent!

    sealouse
    Reply

  64. Divine,
    I actually think that Sora was the one that fantasized about kissing her brother when he was trying to apologize to her, not the other way around. =P Great blog, enjoyed reading it.

    Common Reader!
    Reply

  65. I could have sworn that it wasnt only the maid that masturbated, but also Sora when she was spinning on the chair thinking of Haru and when he kissed her before, look where her hands are at and how she’s stretching her legs… It was from that point early on that I was sure this story would put kissxsis to shame by simply going for the twincest or wincest? route lol.

    x
    Reply

  68. You know, there’s really a lot to like in this episode. The art is really nice (I love the reflection effects!), as well as the character designs. The story has some promise, too, and there are hints this could be a good drama.

    Of course it has things NOT to like (for some people). The constant blushing (have you no subtlety, feel?) and some “uncensored” parts like mentioned are turn-offs to some (even though they are intended as turn-ons to many others). There’s a censored version floating around though for those of us who don’t like it, and it looks like there will be less need for it in the next episode.

    Yes, it’s very clearly a harem-type show, but with an promising story and a very interesting topic — I wonder how the drama surrounding “Twincest” will emerge. It kind of gives off the Air vibe (small town, pretty backgrounds, many girls).

    hoiut
    Reply

  71. Well started watching this series after recommendations from Amagami SS finale episode, and I like the calm start to the anime with touch of starting romance interest from characters. But was indeed surprised with the nudity/sex involved so far, interesting how far they take these actions with a decent storyline!

    Comito
    Reply

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