First Impressions / Yosuga no Sora

「アキラメナイヨ」 (Akiramenai yo)
“I’m Not Abandoning You”

Thanks to the overlap between arcs, the conclusion to Akira’s story has already arrived only two episodes after Kazuha’s. Despite the relatively brief feel as a result, I actually like how the story comes at us fast and “heavy” without all the introductory preamble again, which is seen here when Haru confronts Akira about the missing birth records. First off, for those wondering if Haru and Akira actually made love to one another in the bath last time, the uncensored scene at the end of this episode should make it pretty clear now that this series doesn’t intend to leave such things up to one’s own interpretation or imagination. In true eroge style, Yosuga no Sora’s been about rewarding the protagonist with an bedroom scene ending, and they delivered just that again in what was a fairly erotic yet understandably sensual night between Haru and Akira. Much like Kazuha’s one, there was nothing shown that degrades Akira nor any indication that she’s an “unwilling participant”, so I really can’t see how someone could lump this into the “hentai” category unless they have a very naive and narrow-minded view on sex in general. Either that, or they perceive sex as taboo, in which case, I’m just going to end the discussion there and let them ponder where they came from. 🙂

Getting back on track, I must say I found Akira’s night with Haru much more meaningful and passionate than Kazuha’s, simply because she was still wearing the pendant that she got back from Kazuha’s mother. It was very symbolic in a sense, seeing as her story revolved around it and the sight of it around her neck signified that all her lifelong sadness from feeling unwanted had finally ended. To top it off, she found Haru as both her supporter and lover amidst those difficult times, leading to a meaningful relationship that goes all the way back to their childhood. As such, I find it hard to imagine the consummation of their feelings for one another would be perceived anywhere near the levels of a spur of the moment, one-night stand, especially with all the drama pertaining to how she’s always felt like an unwanted child. On that note, I was admittedly at a loss on which direction the story would take when the hospital records indicated that there might have been a mix up between Akira and Kazuha at birth. With the way the story was progressing, I felt they could have spun it either way and reached a heartfelt ending, so I didn’t find myself leaning towards one possibility more than the other. In retrospect, I do prefer the outcome that we got though. The DNA results completely turning things upside down with Kazuha’s mother turning out to be Akira’s would have undoubtedly led to a much more dramatic finish, but the thought of it was just too “messy” in my mind with all the emotional baggage that developed over the years. It definitely wasn’t something that I saw concluding well within a single episode, so that ultimately became the reason why I wasn’t a fan of the idea.

In comparison, Kazuha’s mother attending to Akira when the newborn’s own one didn’t (probably from illness) made for a much better ending when everything was cleared up and Kazuha’s mother reconciled with Akira. Incidentally, I couldn’t help but take notice to how a lot of the unsuspecting details made this story work to begin with. In particular, the pendant that Haru was frantically searching for last time seemed rather fruitless after all the years that had passed, but its importance to Akira shown here puts new meaning on the tears she shed and the feelings towards Haru that grew. Then there was the whole illegitimate child aspect, which put a very interesting spin on the potential mix-up revealed this episode and is what prevented Kazuha’s mother from clearing things up with Akira earlier. In connection to that, there’s also the fact that Kazuha’s mother has brown hair and brown eyes like Akira, whereas Kazuha has black hair and purple eyes. With regards to anime characters, hair and eye colors usually mean very little, but for a story that puts illegitimacy into question, I really doubt that those hereditary traits were merely coincidental. (i.e. They were there to mislead us into thinking that Akira is the real daughter.) To all that, I have nothing else to say but, “Well played.”

When looking at the two story arcs seen thus far, there’s no doubt in my mind that Akira’s one is the “happier” ending. Instead of simply being neglected and still feeling like an unwanted child while Kazuha finds her own happiness, Akira addresses all those issues in her one and reiterates that she needs Haru much more than Kazuha does. There was little to no indication that Kazuha was upset about Akira ending up with Haru (albeit there was no indication that she knew either), but even if there were, I can’t foresee her being upset about that when she was willing to acknowledge that her own mother was actually Akira’s all this time. Between Kazuha and Akira’s stories, the latter’s is definitely the better of the two endings in the grand scheme of things. Of course, that doesn’t apply to everyone, as the one who’s been shown to be losing out in either case is Sora. Right when Akira told Haru that she was afraid of being alone, it was none other than Sora shown all alone in an empty house. With all the indirect build-up Sora’s been getting in these other arcs, I’m sort of expecting big things from her one. I’ll reserve opinions about the prospect of a bedroom scene between her and Haru for now, even though I can see it happening regardless of how many wary eyes it’ll draw.

In the meantime, we have Nao’s story next, which hasn’t got any trickle down signs in comparison, but I suspect none is really needed given that she’s Haru’s childhood friend/neighbour. I am interested in seeing how the whole Nao/Sora tensions play out though, given that they share this next episode in their routes. We’re going all the way back to episode one this time, which most people will remember ended with Sora stripping in front of Haru in the middle of the night.

 

Omake

Preview

80 Comments

      3. Yeah, it’s too bad that Motoka doesn’t get a route in the main series; definitely seems like another enjoyable character to watch. Oh well, the omakes have been pretty hilarious along with the ED credits, lol. (Is there a reason for the “omakified” ways that certain characters are done in the omake? Like Akira with a GIANT balloon-like head and such? The fact that she half swallows Kazuha in the ED credits makes me lol a lot.)

        HalfDemonInuyasha
        Reply

      3. I read Yosuga no Sora on public trains. 😀 I even watch it! :DDD (Not a care in the world.) After that time a (beautiful) French woman who was sitting next to me on the train asked about the show I was watching (Ichiban Ushiro no Daimou) I figured that people who look on are simply curious and want something to look at too. It’s not like they have the audacity to ask me something mindless. xD

        “Hey isn’t that kiddy porn?” D8
        “..Oh sorry, could you speak up a little louder..?” >:}

        Shirt
        Reply

    1. No its not. A brief 2-5 seconds of nudity/sex on certain episodes is not Hentai. Its just showing 2 people that love each other behaving in a rational and normal way. There is no penetration on screen (jusdt implied) and all that is shown for naughty bits is breasts. To me hentai is cartoon porn that mostly focuses on sex with a lil bit of storyline thrown in.

      Karmafan
      Reply

      1. If we were to compare Anime to Movies, Yosuga no Sora would be considered a rated R movie while real hentai would be considered XXX hardcore porn. So Andre is lumping any nudity with porn which is a mistake.

        The context of what is going on has a lot to do with it, so just labeling it hentai is both erroneous and ignorant. It’s true that it’s an H scene, but it’s not complete hentai. Next time, think before you post, Andre. For the poor kids out there who don’t know the difference.

        TehJawknee
        Reply

      2. @tehjawknee – i have to agree. at most, you could consider YnS soft-core porn since no genitals are shown, but considering the duration of the sexytimes in relation to the rest of the story, an R-rated movie is more applicable.

        diet otaku
        Reply

  10. super saiyan style omake… nice 😀
    Akira’s story is definitely more emotional than the first arc…
    we probably need another NSFW tag or something, Divine… 🙂
    and thanks for the post

    jrj
    Reply

    1. Second this, happened to me at school probably a month ago but I was reading blurbs without even realizing breasts were on the home entry page. Not the greatest thing to be looking at in a Public Girl School where everything left, right and centre is blocked out for being ads or porn…

      I guess its just probably best to not use NSFW images on the preview, rather than needing to add the tag since we usually assume that people know what shows like YnS are like.

      kuripuri
      Reply

      1. I guess its just probably best to not use NSFW images on the preview, rather than needing to add the tag since we usually assume that people know what shows like YnS are like.

        I’m with you on this one. My little sister is now giving me weird stares after she saw those images 😮

        Nhelraios
        Reply

    1. You should take a look at Tsukihime and Kara no Kyoukai. Then again, they’re also based on visual novels.

      The only time I remember seeing a protagonist in an anime that wasn’t based on a VN that actually had sex has to be Cobra (the animation). Other characters having sex would include Basilisk and Blood+, but that would fall under the “ra3p” category and thus don’t count.

      TehJawknee
      Reply

      1. Remember, there is no Tsukihime anime… all records of it were erased by the Imperial Inquisition. And now can somebody help me kill that girl that is claiming to be vampire? I’ve cut down her to ribbons yesterday and she is visiting me again…

        ewok40k
        Reply

      2. Oops, yeah, my bad. I have yet to read the VN, so to me, it’s still as if there were a FSN anime. But I’m fixing that problem right now, since I’m on my initial playthrough of FSN.

        But yeah… I forgot that the Inquisition took all that away. (good thing I have a backup) >.>

        TehJawknee
        Reply

  16. though im looking forward most for sora’s route, akira’s was a nice and great one despite having felt like only 2 episodes(I know its 1,2,5,6), it had a good twist as well.

    well now im also looking forward to what nao’s route is because hers overlaps with sora’s and I wanna know what their tension is about.
    though I can already guess thanks to the OP and ED song…

    amado
    Reply

  17. Story had some improvement, but some parts I still felt the story was rushed which is already given, but I don’t know. I can never take the drama seriously. Hopefully the arcs are kind of placed in order from the least interesting route to the most interesting one. I think I’m only really interested in Nao’s arc, so I can see the reasoning behind Sora’s distaste for her is played out.

    Sex scene at the end was probably even more awkward to watch this time round though…seeing Akira pulling all sorts of faces/angles/positions…I think Kazuha’s looked just a bit more natural/romantic between the two.

    kuripuri
    Reply

  21. Oh God, Divine just typed up everything that was in my mind haha.

    I think it was really sad at the start of the episode when Akira “broke up” with Haru because she was mentioning how alone she is and how everything always seems to leave her. If I was in Haru’s position to convince her otherwise, I wouldn’t even be able to cope with comforting her. What are you supposed to say to her when she says things aren’t forever and her mother and ojii-chan left her. T^T

    Kai-kun
    Reply

  23. This series is amazing. Has a great level of drama that I like to see in this type of anime and isnt afraid about showing what it needs to show. The end to Akira’s arc was well done.

    Waiting for Sora’s arc but we’ll see how Nao’s turns out, especially with all the hinted bad blood between her and Sora. I would love to see one of these arcs end in bloodshed ala School Days but thats just me =)

    Thundershock81
    Reply

  24. Great episode once again. I too like the Akira arc quite a bit better than Kazuha’s. Aside from the fact that I like Akira better both in terms of looks and personality, I also like that this arc was more dramatic and emotional and the bedroom scene felt more meaningful.

    HenDarou
    Reply

  26. I still prefer Kazuha`s arc better. She was fixed in the idea of helping Akira even to the cost of his own happiness, and because she was consumed for unjustified hatred towards his father. If it´s not for Haruka she would´ve end up really bad. But, I admit that akira´s ending is cuter, but I think both of the sisters really love him and need him to be truly happy.

    haseo0408
    Reply

  27. Now I know where Akira learned that Mugyuu its from watching Nodame-chan from Nodame no Cantabile. Compared to Chiaki, Haru is extremely bold there might be a reason for it.

    For some reason, Nao is to be blamed for turning young Haru into a pervert, getting his first kiss. And at a early age, in turn gives his twin sister her first kiss.

    Haru is a coated version of Alexander from Stigmata no Qwaser.

    pedobear
    Reply

    1. In retrospect, all the girls’ arcs are like parallel universes to each other sooooo it’s not like he’s going around doing every girl just the one girl the arc focuses on.

      solarguardian
      Reply

    3. As solarguardian says, the arcs are overlapped but separate alternate story lines. Haru isn’t a pimp like, say, a certain guy who ended up with only his head on a certain nice boat. Haru is simply a person with good intentions working hard for the people he cares for.

      HenDarou
      Reply

  31. Akira’s arc here feels a lot more developed compared to Kazuha’s, and the buildup to the relationship between the two feels a lot more natural too. I’m definitely digging this unique episodic format, so I can’t wait to see how Nao’s arc plays out. By the end of the series, Yosuga no Sora might just be the dark horse of the year.

    Fat Cat Lim
    Reply

  33. As it’s used in the West the word ‘hentai’ is generally used to mean “anime, manga and Japanese games that have sexually explicit material”. There is no requirement whatsoever that the content be degrading for women or to show non-consensual sex for it to be labeled ‘hentai’. On another note, in Japan the word is not used to designate adult materials but rather to call someone something along the lines of “pervert”.

    Grant
    Reply

    1. It’s true that hentai =/= rape. I don’t consider this series hentai because it isn’t explicit enough. Then again, explicitness is subjective. What I may feel is explicit varies from other people’s opinion.

      My personal belief of hentai is full frontal, specifically male. I have seen it in the past and really don’t care for it. The female form is a beautiful thing, so I have no objections with seeing breasts, but showing genitals are a whole other story.

      TehJawknee
      Reply

  37. What’s with all the hentai this, hentai that on this series? RC’s blogged explicit animes in the past. Why is it such an issue now?

    With the duration, RC’s been around. Ya woulda think its viewer age group(maturity), as a whole went up.

    rummy
    Reply

    1. Thats not the point, the point is this series has a good plot with some ecchi scenes mixed into it. The other ecchi animes that RC has blogged before are mindless, plotless, full blown fan service animes.

      Suppa Tenko
      Reply

  38. I must admit I had dropped the series after episode 1… but liked Akira’s character back then. It was Akira herself that made me retake the series. I enjoyed Kazuha’s route… but I loved Akira’s. Now that its over… I don’t really care about Nao… but Im curious about Sora.

    I think I would have preferred the class president, whatever her name is, but she wasn’t a main girl on the game, was she?

    RyougaZell
    Reply

  39. The way the series moves is good arc to arc not just a runaway train with one heroine and the rest just getting their Yandere mode on.

    As far as the echiness just watch something else simple.

    DUH!

    Blackwings89
    Reply

    1. No, Haru only ends up with one of the girls because each arc resets to an earlier time thus there is no harem. He’s actually a good person unlike that Makoto who only cares about sex.

      Suppa Tenko
      Reply

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