Yosuga no Sora

Title:Yosuga no Sora
Sky of Connection (Wikipedia's translation)
Yosuga no Sora - In Solitude, Where We Are Least Alone
ヨスガノソラ (Japanese)
Overall:Watch
Keywords: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Notables: Animation - FEEL
The story is set in the distant mountain village of Okukozome-chou. Haruka Kazugano and his twin sister Sora have fond childhood memories of going to the village to visit their grandfather during their summer vacations. However, after losing their parents in an accident, the two must move to the house where their grandfather once lived.

The twins get reacquainted with their old childhood friend Nao Yorihime, their new classmate Ryouhei Nakazato, the shrine maiden Akira Amatsume, and Akira's friend Kazuha Migawa. All seems peaceful and familiar. However, beneath the surface is a secret promise that the twins made with each other long ago, the whereabouts of an important lost item, and the real reason they chose to come back here.
(Ext link: MAL)

This title has been described as being a mature incest love story.

13 TV eps (~24 mins) in a multi-ending format with four arcs, resetting the clock after each arc to a specific point in the time line:
  • Arc 1: Episodes 1,2,3,4
  • Arc 2: Episodes 1,2,5,6
  • Arc 3: Episodes 1,7,8,9
  • Arc 4: Episodes 1,7,10,11,12

Produced by Feel and Starchild Records


ヨスガ ("yosuga") would be "a way/means [of doing something]". "ソラ" ("sora") can mean "sky" but also an exclamation "look!", and in this series it is the name of the female main character; ↗Wikipedia translates this to "Sky of Connection" but it might also imply "Sora's way of dealing with [something, such as some events from the past]".
OverallArtAnimationCharacter Design MusicSeries StoryEpisode StoryReviewer
Avoid 8 6 8 6 2 2 Ggultra2764 [series:2395#1552]
I think a more appropriate name for this series, to try to avoid being profane, would be "The Screwing Haru Show" considering how this show is set. Pretty much, the series is set up in several arcs that involve male lead Haruka hooking up with one of several girls, resolving some sort of dramatic element with them and then inevitably having intercourse with them at the end of the arc with events reset afterward to feature the cycle repeating with another girl acquainted with Haruka. The series is pretty much an excuse to have Haruka engage in softcore sexual action with the "girl of the arc" as the personalities of each gal are pretty archetypal and plot scenarios being anything you would see done to death from an eroge game. The show is so ignorant of providing enough fleshing out and development of its characters, especially with its "resets" after each arc, that the series will have you caring more for the sex in it than whatever convoluted drama the series cooks up for the relationships that Haruka gets into.

The worst of these arcs was with the final one involving Sora as, regrettably, the show features an arc where Haruka commits to an incestuous fling with his twin sister. This combines the two normal issues to be expected with featuring incest in an anime title as it features melodramatic trappings and a cheap excuse to feature perverted/ sexual rompings with the twin fraternal siblings. Don't even think this is as tasteful and sensible as Koi Kaze in believably exploring incest.

The series also includes a dull attempt at comedy with an omake mini-episode at the end of each episode to Yosuga no Sora featuring some older maid trying to hook up with Haruka. The fact we see maid gal masturbating in the first mini-episode of the series didn't have my hopes up of even caring for what would take place in it.

The only thing I can generally praise with Yosuga no Sora would be its visuals as they featured well-detailed character designs, beautiful shots of scenery and vibrant colors, which are only downturned by the title's subpar frame rate within a number of animated shots.

Overall, Yosuga no Sora is just another cheap ecchi title for the otaku crowd to go googly-eyed for. Anyone expecting anything more tasteful, in-depth and sensible with their content should avoid this dud like the plague.

Last updated Saturday, November 10 2012. Created Saturday, November 10 2012.
Watch 9 8 9 8 7 8 Dreamer [series:2395#2279]
This was an interesting series. It goes through and tells a story arc, then goes back, almost starts over but with a different scenario. The series consists of several intertwining arcs.

Art, Animation & Character Designs
Artwork was really well done. One of the first things I noticed was the exceptional lighting effects. Really noticeable in the opening (OP) animated sequence. (The clouds were just breathtaking). Lighting effects always brings artwork to life and here it's no exception. Then another amazingly breathtaking scene was the bike ride in episode one, the camera gliding across a wheat field. Wow! Unfortunately, the framerate seemed a bit low, which caused the animation to seem slightly choppy. But it's only noticeable if really scrutinizing it. Character designs were impressive with a high level of details.

Music
The OP is a pretty nice alternative piece (maybe pop sounding) with female vocals. Not bad and somewhat enjoyable. The soundtrack has some nice piano pieces, a mixture of high and low notes beautifully done and accompanied by light violins. Piano is one of my favorite instruments and here, we have plenty and beautiful. The ED was a light pop-alternative piece with female vocals. It didn't sound too bad either.

Series and Episode Story
At first, I was slightly confused with the way this series would "restart" itself from a specific point in a previous episode. At first, I thought I had skipped an episode and went back to rewatch a previous episode. But then I realized that I hadn't missed an episode rather, it was the way this series would start a new arc by restarting from a point in a previous episode.

The plot itself was pretty light. Nothing much to explain except for the near-hentai scenes. I actually found it refreshing in a sense since we actually get to see a more realistic side to teenage relationships. The story arcs themselves weren't anything special and at times contained a bit too much melodrama. I didn't care for Haru (protagonist). He seemed too much of a pushover in terms of his sis.

Overall, the series lacked any real conclusions. The emotional aspects lacked any real impact. However, where it shines is the music and the artwork. It's a mild entertainment at best.

Last updated Wednesday, January 26 2011. Created Wednesday, January 26 2011.
Watch 10 9 5 8 4 5 Devil Doll [series:2395#752]
[score: 63% = "Watch"; similar reboot/multi-ending arc structure: Amagami SS; similar pile of ugly family issues: Myself; Yourself; similar hentai drama: Suika]
The most shiny wrapping won't make up for no content other than sex and melodrama.
Like Myself; Yourself and School Days (TV) there will be a widely varying range of ratings for this show. But for me, what promised to be a family issues drama turned out to be a play-through of all four arcs of a hentai game, with the focus on adding as many nude skin, sexual fantasies (including the only yuri scene of about 3 seconds that doesn't warrant a category keyword) and even outright sex scenes as the story could take. Add a bitchy Sora and a spineless Haru as lead characters, and finally make the dish perfect with an implausible result of the lake scene in the final episode, and you got a show like a heavy stone in your stomach. Not to mention the sex scene between two 13-year-olds. It's no secret that many anime are little more than a large commercial for the eroge but the feeling was never as obvious for me as this time, especially during the final scene of episode 10 (which is an obvious candidate for being uncensored in a future DVD release).

All technical aspects are strong; Music is beautiful and powerful in many emotional scenes (with the OP song being distinctly disharmonious like in Clannad (TV) or Air TV). Art reminds me of School Days (TV), both being based on eroge; I love the detailed background art and the character designs (except for some proportions of those well-endowed girls being a bit over the top). Animation got an upgrade for Kazuha's viola play. It's a real pity that so much presentation effort has been made for so little substantial story.
The first double arc had at least some drama story (even with a rushed solution), the last double arc is little more than a lame excuse for the ero scenes, with the three protagonists being defined by their attitude towards each other and nothing else. Do they have any character traits the audience is allowed to be aware of? And if I ever needed "slutty" as attribute of a non-hentai character, during the final arc one girl vehemently asked for it.
What's more, Amagami SS (being aired in parallel) showed us how a series traversing several arcs can be done skillfully without too much of the "reboot" feeling for the audience; this one took the cheap approach and simply tells the audience to rewind the tape and reuse certain episodes until the branch point.
The completely different omake for each episode (with chibi/SD characters summarizing the episode's events in a much lighter tone at first, then spinning off to a love/sex story between Haruka and that maid) required getting used to, letting this show pull its own leg by making the ero scenes even more ridiculous. As such it eased down the melodrama level a bit while not really being valuable.

In the end only the high technical scores kept this show from getting an "Avoid" rating.

Last updated Tuesday, July 09 2013. Created Saturday, November 27 2010.
Unevaluated Forbin [series:2395#1573]
Wathing This,

Really Ecchi! I like the multi ending format but whoa I was not ready for all the sex.

Last updated Friday, November 12 2010. Created Friday, November 12 2010.
Watch Stretch [series:2395#628]
(Watch-)

(All episodes watched):

Nice artwork and character designs quickly caught my eye. Basically, Haru-chan charms every girl he meets (without realizing it) and twin sister Sora is a sickly and grumpy girl. Episode one largely introduced numerous characters and laid out the basics of Haru and Sora's relationship, and I still have little idea where the story as a whole will go. Having heard this show compared to KissxSis, I was expecting it to be pretty sleazy and cheap, but that didn't turn out to be the case, thought it definitely has a risque touch to it. Not until the very end is the incest angle revealed; and strangely it is the preview of episode two which is by far the most funny and perverted part. That is, it's not episode two but the preview itself which is messed up (in a good way). This episode seemed to go relatively quickly, which is a good sign that it has caught my interest. But will it turn out to be ugly and disturbing, or will the twins be developed as likeable characters who deserve our sympathy?

I'm having a hard time maintaining interest in the longterm plot of YnS, which doesn't seem to be going much of anywhere that numerous shows of this sort haven't gone before. Still, I get some enjoyment out of individual episodes, in part because of the scandalous scenes that turn up now and then, even though they generally turn out to be figments of the characters' imaginations.

So, I guess the secret behind this show is that every now and then time rewinds and we see another way things might have gone--sort of like a dating sim that was 'saved' at a certain point. No matter what the change is, though, it seems that events will always lead to Haru finding himself in a sexual situation with one girl or another. Maybe each of those we met in episode one will get her turn, sort of like Amagami SS.

Episode six seemed like a cheesy soap opera to me. A shocking possibility--two infants switched at birth?--comes out of almost nowhere and is swiftly resolved within an episode. But the resolution seemed dull and corny, and none of these characters have attracted me anyhow. Near the end I was thinking 'Gee, are we going to have an episode without Haru getting any T&A'? But of course not--Haru doing some humping is tacked on at the end. I'm starting to seriously wonder why I'm watching this show.

Epiode seven, the beginning of a new arc, was more fun. This is a sort of not-quite pornographic dating sim which nevertheless has a randy, risque feel to it. Sometimes it is predictable, as in who will Haru screw this time, but it has some quality. I can't help feeling excited as yet another opportunity for him to bang his own sister comes up. If it was a 'dirty' show I'd be disgusted, but since it deals with consensual sex among willing partners, I don't mind so much. Just don't become predictable and boring.

During episode eight I realized something important about what's wrong with this show. The problem is that the characters are simplistic and undeveloped. Sora's personality consists entirely of the fact that she cannot tolerate her brother falling in love with anyone besides herself. Why this is so is never explained to us, it just is, and without it she would have no personality at all. Actually, Haru never did have much of a personality, except for him having some inexplicable charm for any girl he comes in contact with. Nao's personality consists entirely of the fact that she would be miserable without Haru--an unexplained infatuation for a shallow guy. Other than these two-dimensional personalities, Yosuga is pretty much all about the screwing. Haru plays a new sort of 'seed-spitting game', if you know what I mean.

...and the Nao arc ends up being powered by a series of highly unlikely coincidences, including lightning striking. Problem solved, Haru and Nao can slip away and get it on once again. Ah, I have just decided that there is no chance that I would ever want to watch this show a second time, and have deleted the previous episodes from my PC.

Oh God! That was a thought which the ecchi bit at the end of episode ten brought to mind. With Sora (and Haru's) personality as shallow as it is, I find her annoying rather than pitiable; and the borderline porn aspect doesn't help any. The approach which the makers of this show were taking seemed to be summed up in the omake bit after the credits: "Oh no! We also got less porn!" That was a joke; because it really happening would be a disaster for them, since they rely on it so heavily.

'Oh God!' was also a thought that came to mind at the end of episode 11, except that I was laughing more than being shocked this time. Awkward situation for Haru and Sora, to put it mildly. I guess I had given up on expecting quality drama from Yosuga. If this show had been more convincing about the possibility of true love between the siblings, and it had been hard to blame them for their feelings, then things might have worked out OK. But it was very vague; basically, since they are orphans Sora has somehow come to cling to Haru and see him as her mate. But that's about it; this has already happened when episode one begins, the only question is whether Haru will return her affection. In the end the premise seems like little more than an excuse for hot incestuous action. Haru goes from trying to force himself on Nao to accepting Sora without reservations in the space of less than one episode--and we're supposed to sympathize with him?

In the final episode emotions wobble back and forth in a thoroughly unconvincing manner...and it's over. I don't know if that was a good or bad outcome for Haru and Sora. In fact, I found the omake conclusion to be more moving than the main plot one. Yosuga was a pretty empty show; I never really got the feeling that much was at stake, since the main characters remained undeveloped and unconvincing. The resetting of the arcs every now and then just enabled Haru to bed as many different girls as possible. In the end, I came to see this show as largely a joke.

Last updated Monday, January 10 2011. Created Saturday, October 09 2010.
Watch 8 8 8 9 Xenoknight [series:2395#2967]
watching now... 9 eps watched... Flag of Excellence raised...

A very cool REMIX of "Pinky Jones"!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikcKKHGaW7E

Ep 9: Damn. This was a roller coaster for sure. As per the structure of the anime, things were slow to develop (which is fine for a title like this), but it all paid off with a respectable conclusion to the Nao arc. The bus stop scene was where things continued to escalate to surprising levels. First the near-death on the beach and then the explosion and fire rescue! It was almost an action packed ep. I loved it and can't wait for the Sora arc, where we finally learn the dark secret that haunts over the siblings once and for all.

Ep 8: What an episode. Everything runs it's course until Sora finally makes her thoughts known to the current couple. Regardless of their efforts for forgiveness, Sora still denies them. The secret that I'm dying to know is close at hand. Something happened that summer and it changed everyone's lives. Since the siblings return, things have been uneasy with all parties. The next few eps will be epic.

Ep 7: She raped him and didn't even realize what she did until it was too late!?!?!?!?! Things are starting to get more in depth as we see the real connections the siblings had in the past and how they are developing in the present day. More secrets, jealousy, heart-wrenching discoveries, and romance is yet in store for us. I can't wait.

Ep 6: Another ep filled with story and drama. The sisters face one of their toughest trials yet set within the deepest of foundations. Haru is there to smooth things out and we get an episode were intrigue sets the mood for entertainment of the best quality. Again, the reward is the OK to "seal the deal" for Haru. If this series is 12 to 13 eps, then this is about the halfway point and it still has my vote as one of the best for this season. The comical ending, "Pinky Jones" by Momorio Clover, is starting to catch on and I've been stuck playing it on an endless loop. More points for the music score.

Ep 5: A different route for the story-driven sisters. Haru takes the role of the ultra caring childhood friend and helps Akira with her infinite sadness regarding her past. Any girl would fall for a guy that went that far for them. Their moment in the tub was a slight reward for the fans as the pair deepen their bond. I love this title.

Ep 4:

WOW

... Everything I said in my initial impression is reinforced in this heart-stopping episode. Akira and Kazuha's back story (deep family hatred and regret) is revealed. Haru plays his role in helping those close to him as the viewer is treated to a variety of other factors. Kazuha's violin performance was beautiful (music instrument enthusiast will appreciate the animation) and the softcore sex scene attached to it made it all the better (very mature indeed). The visuals in this title are well done and the ending theme - "Tsunagukizuna" by Team. Nekocan feat. Junca Amaotois - is breath-taking. The best part about it all is that there were several "hidden" scenarios going on all at once without interfering with the main theme of the ep. A truly in-genius execution if I say so myself. Dare I say that the unique quality of this title has a H2O: Footprints in the Sand feel to it!?!? I'm loving the direction of events so this series gets a flag of excellence and will be graded as a potential winner. I eagerly await the next ep - especially since they're taking an Amagami SS approach to it... LMFAO...

First Impression: Feels like Kannon (2006) meets Koi Kaze. This title has a good foundation for a drama filled anime with incest elements (quality kind), but instead of emphasizing the good, the viewer is hit with the occasional cheap-shot. As things stand 3 eps in, the positive is still outweighing the negative, but the balance seems to be swaying. Among these positive: I see a harem brewing (quite nicely might I add), a strange relationship between the main siblings (Sora and Haru), a notable amount of maturity between some of the characters, and great visuals to round things out. Among the negative: we have "cheap-shot" scenes that last a few seconds involving line-crossing themes (good example being the end of ep one and the start of ep two), a strange need for two sets of credits - one on the mature side and the other on the comedy/ecchi side - which is weird because there is next to no comedy in the show. It's as if this title was intended for one audience group, but the powers that be didn't want to lose the other groups, so they tried to throw in these cheap-shots and the second set of credits to make this title appeal to more people.

Regardless of the negatives, this title has too much going for it. The maturity level is high, has the good kind of slow developments (the kind where they focus on the characters), rather dark feel to it, and plenty of back-stories to be told. The love interest by the end of ep 3 was very well done. I was surprised Haru did what he did. The loneliness/jealousy is building and I can bet on a rather powerful ending if things continue this route in story progression. This isn't a title that everyone will be able to stomach as it isn't for the weak at heart, but those that can will most likely find something to call their own. My trust in the powers that be (companies behind this project) are set in stone so I'll be watching this one for sure...

Check out my award list to see some of the best anime titles in the world!

Never forget Xenosaga.

Last updated Wednesday, December 01 2010. Created Friday, October 08 2010.

Other Sites
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Official Japanese website http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/yosuganosora/

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