Ai Yori Aoshi

Title:Ai Yori Aoshi
AYA
Bluer Than Indigo
藍より青し
Overall:Buy
Keywords: , , , , , , , , , ,
Notables: Animation - JC Staff
HIRAMATSU Akiko
HOSHI Souichiro
KAWASUMI Ayako
MIZUHASHI Kaori
MOMOI Haruko
R1 License - Pioneer (Defunct)
YUKINO Satsuki
Kaoru Hanabishi just wanted to help. Aoi Sakuraba just wanted to find her first love. They never realized they were looking for each other. Ever since their arranged marriage 18 years ago, Aoi had been in love with Kaoru, but she traveled to Tokyo to meet him when she learned the marriage had been called off. While Kaoru is impressed by Aoi's loyalty, innocence and beauty, to accept her affection, he might have to return to the Hanabishi Clan and the emotional and physical pain he suffered during his childhood... Their self-control and their love will be put to the test when she moves in and he tries to stay a gentleman!

[TV series, 2002, 24 episodes, 23 min, based on the manga of the same title]
1:30min Series Opening - YouTube Video
[edit] The ↗Ai Yori Aoshi franchise:
Episode Details 
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
OverallArtAnimationCharacter Design MusicSeries StoryEpisode StoryReviewer
Buy 8 8 8 7 9 8 Dreamer [series:447#2279]
This is on my list of favorite animes. Though I'm not a big fan of "Romance" titles, with some many great reviews, I had to pick it up. I'm glad I did.

Art, Animation & Character Designs
The art is about average with most other anime. The animation was on par as well. Character designs were slightly different from the norm in that, the characters didn't seem like your typical characters one might find in many other animes. Aoi is uber cute and devoted. Who wouldn't want a wife like that.

Music
The music was pretty lacking... well, I can't say that completely. The ED wasn't that bad. It was a light piece with female vocals. Sorta bland, but bearable. The OP on the other hand reminded me of some christian inspirational piece.... dunno how I conjured up that idea but suffice it to say, it wasn't of my tastes. However it too was bearable. The music throughout the series were light instrumental pieces with pianos and wind instruments. At times, it did well to ehance the scenes when needed.

Series and Episode Story
Although the art and animation not exceptional, the story itself more than makes up for it. Although this has been done a few times over, here it's executed really well without a lot of fluff. One thing that caught my interest is how "traditional" japanese this series is. I loved how Aoi is dressed in her Kimono & Geta sandals.... very uber cute. The story here is primarily focused on the the developing love between Kaoru and Aoi and their life under one roof. Although there's other female characters, some might consider a harem, they don't get the traditional treatment you would normally find in a harem. They're nothing more than supporting characters and lightly at that. That's not to say they didn't get any screen time but our love story strongly dominates the whole series. Some people have said that this series can't make up it's mind in being a romantic drama or harem or romantic comedy. Actually, I think Ai Aori Aoshi is quite clear in being a serious romantic drama. Of course, with any well rounded story, you will need a bit of humor, a bit of light-hearted moments but still remain true to it's intent overall.... which it does. Harem can "loosely" be used and only because there's other girls that get involved with our Kaoru, however unlike traditional harems, here the viewer is already aware of the relationship between our two leads. As the episodes progressed, it got less "fun" and more serious.... which made it that much better.

Overall this is a great anime. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. The story, call it a harem if you may, does stand out and above similar titles. A buy for me.

Last updated Monday, April 13 2009. Created Monday, April 13 2009.
Buy Xenoknight [series:447#2967]
review coming after I rewatch the anime...

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

Never forget Xenosaga.

Last updated Friday, December 05 2008. Created Friday, December 05 2008.
Buy 8 8 8 0 9 0 KBanger1 [series:447#1694]
I've finally stop procrastinating and finally got my hands on Ai Yori Aoshi. I've been avoiding this series for a long time for a couple of reasons. One of the main reasons why I put it off was because I assumed that this would be a really sappy drama with very little comedy. It's too bad that I didn't see this series a lot earlier. I was a bit put off with some of the previews of AYA so I got a bad point of view of what this would be. I was quite taken aback when I saw the first few episodes. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised. Another reason for me not watching this was that as a Tenchi Muyo fan, that AYA would be more serious and less comedy. This series had a lot of funny moments and wasn't too serious until the end. It's almost like TM but based more on reality than sci-fi.



The story is about a lonely college student (Kaoru) whose life turns around with a chance encounter with an old acquaintance (Aoi). The acquaintance turns out to be an heiress to a major Japanese company. The thing is that Kaoru doesn't know that Aoi was betrothed to him when he was younger. Not to get far into the story, both Kaoru and Aoi try to make the best of their situation. Their situation is that Kaoru has other lady friends who are in love with him as well and Aoi cannot expose who she is to Kaoru because of the danger of a scandal within her family. The story itself is quite deep but not to the point where it gets confusing. It pretty simple and yet it's still intriguing. It's a love story that starts from a very simple and innocent time and progresses through many obstacles. Whether it's other girls who have a very close interest in Kaoru or Aoi having to deal with herself not being able to show her true affection due to her creating a scandal within her family's corporation.



What I find quite disappointing was with Aoi. She's a traditional Japanese girl who dons a kimono in everyday life. She was raised to be Kaoru's wife and had to learn how to be a "traditional" and correct wife. Set aside the entire traditional BS and all you got is this frail girl who is dead set on marrying Kaoru. Even after Kaoru leaves his family and breaks off his impending marriage to Aoi (unbeknownst to him), she still continues to mold herself into the perfect fiancée. Here's my problem. In this day of age, you will NEVER find a girl as "perfect" as Aoi. This is what I find to be a little to far fetched. I also do not like the way she always apologizes for almost every action she does. "I'm sorry, Kaoru-sama." "I apologize for possibly upsetting you. I don't deserve to be your fiancée." Blah, blah, blah. It's overdone and it gets way to repetitive. It makes her look like a blithering, pathetic, and quite a weak character. I understand that Aoi is an innocent, young woman who wants to be Kaoru's everything but she goes at it like someone you'd want to cringe with embarrassment.



Besides Aoi, there is a nice set of colorful characters. It’s almost comparable to the girls in TM. You have Tina who’s as wild as Ryoko but not as physical. Miyabi who’s actually resembles Katsuhito with her stern yet gentle outlook. Taeko, a klutzy maid who resembles Mihoshi. Chika who’s just like Sasami, playful and innocent. Then there’s Miyu who almost resembles Ayeka as far as her arrogance but still maintains her innocent love towards Kaoru. As a matter of fact, Miyu and Tina’s relationship is exactly like Ayeka and Ryoko’s. Both love the same man and really hate each other. Although, Miyu and Tina aren’t as violent as Ayeka and Ryoko, they are very competitive.



To wrap it up, IMHO I think that AYA is an excellent series to have, especially if you're into the harem/romance department. A very light-hearted, sometimes wacky, but still a solid anime series.

Last updated Tuesday, March 18 2008. Created Tuesday, March 18 2008.
Watch 9 8 9 8 7 6 Ggultra2764 [series:447#1552]
The Pros: Visually, Ai Yori Aoshi has vivid backgrounds and decent character designs to be expected of its romantic genre. The music takes on a light-hearted beat throughout many of the show’s natural scenes which flows well with scenes of tension between characters, especially in the development of Aoi and Kaoru’s relationship. The character of Kaoru is a refreshing male character to see in the shounen romance anime genre as he is not caught up deciding between multiple girls as you would find with men in other harem anime and his personality is given a great deal more depth. Characters who were involved in Kaoru’s past were also given a solid amount of character depth, which include Aoi, foreigner Tina, and bratty rich girl Mayu. Kaoru and Aoi’s relationship has a natural feel to it as their relationship builds up as the show progresses making their moments together all the more touching.

The Cons: Ai Yori Aoshi’s biggest problem is that it can not decide whether to be a romantic drama or a harem comedy. The first four episodes of the show do not feature the common elements you would find in a harem comedy, until these elements start kicking in on the fifth episode with multiple female characters and fan service that bear little to no relevance to the main plot. Had the show entirely focused on the struggling relationship between Aoi and Kaoru instead of bringing in other female characters, then it would have had the potential to bring a refreshing premise to the romantic genre by exploring the hardships of arranged marriages. While this premise is still explored in some points of the series, it could have been explored more greatly if the harem cliched characters and elements were left out of the series.

Facts on the Series:

-Is followed up with a TV sequel series (Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~) in 2003, which is also licensed by Geneon USA.

-Based on the manga by Kou Fumizuki, which is licensed in America by Tokyopop.

Last updated Wednesday, January 09 2008. Created Saturday, January 05 2008.
Rent 9 8 8 8 9 8 lucy-san [series:447#2510]
This is a very sweet little series, i enjoyed it very much!

kaoru and aoi are so cute together!!! If you enjoy a romantic comedy this is for you.

I have given this series a HIGH RENT because i thought that they had expanded on the love thing abit too much which kinda made me bored. Aoi cryed a lot as well. -_- But this series had it's charm...it was really sweet and romantic, kinda made me think is there anyone out there like kaoru and aoi? LOL

Now on to watching the second season!!! Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi!

Last updated Friday, December 28 2007. Created Friday, December 28 2007.
Buy Z [series:447#1781]
For a while I got on a romance anime kick. I watched Love Hina, Ah my Goddess, Chobits, Tenchi, Onegai Teacher, and this one. I'd have to say this is the best one by far. However, it can get annoying watching this one because it could've been so much better. The first couple episodes made me think it might hit my favorite anime ever list, and then it went downhill. As others have said, there was no reason for the harem part of the series. Despite the fact they know they're meant for each other they can't tell anyone because Aoi's fathers partners might be not approve. Appearently these spy's of Aoi's fathers partners are everywhere to the point that they can't even tell their friends who live with them, to the point where they even have to accept dates with other people just to hide their true feelings. Strangely these spys are never seen. Pretty much all anime requires you to accept certain things are the way the anime says they are without question, whether these things being aliens exist or it's possible to gain magical power or whatever. But when anime forces you accept something that causes so much trouble to the main characters and it would be easy for them to solve but they don't just because it's hard not to get annoyed sometimes. Plus Kaoru could be a little more considerate considering the devotion Aoi shows him. Still, probably the best of the romance animes that I've seen anyhow, and worth a buy rating if you're into that type of anime. There's more good in this series than bad by a long shot, even if you sometimes wish they hadn't introduced the haram aspect

Last updated Friday, August 18 2006. Created Friday, August 18 2006.
Watch 8 7 9 0 6 5 EatingFish [series:447#1852]
This is a series that I could only watch once, before completely forgetting I owned it and then watch it again.
The art isn't bad, and the animations pretty good, but it really lacked in story-line, and the romantic parts between Aoi and Koaru just plain annoyed me. So did Aoi's voice in the English version.
I don't think that this anime's a Comedy at all actually oO;

Last updated Saturday, February 19 2005. Created Saturday, February 19 2005.
Buy Forbin [series:447#1573]
Wow this is a very nice Anime.
Everyone compares it to Love Hina, but it's as different as Naru is from Mutsumi. It's from a different angle. Everyone KNOWS these 2 are destined for each other, but their lives keep trying to keep them apart. I'm not sure why they decided to make it a Harem where EVERY girl (But one) wants Karou-sama though Mayu and Tina seem to be in a major race for #2.
This is probably the weakest part of the anime for me. Why do they just 'allow' these people to barge into the house. Why don't these people 'realize' that it was just Aoi and Karou before? No matter how pushy Tina was, this is where we had to take a leap of faith and that she was allowed to stay. All others then fit.
The ending was just nice. I liked how they kept it within the Manga (From the volumes that I have read) and the ending was as perfect as could be. Of course then they made Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~ and had to back up the relationship about 6 months but tell everyone it's a year later.
Still this is a beautiful love story and is well worth the money if you like Romance Comedies.
I was VERY disappointed that the bonus episode wasn't in English. Just the original Japanese with Subs. I was so used to watching AYA in Dub that the voices in the Japanese version just grated on me.

Last updated Friday, September 23 2005. Created Monday, December 13 2004.
Buy 9 9 9 9 9 9 Sarah [series:447#1268]
First of all I have to say Ai Yori Aoshi is my favorite anime. Just because at the fact yes it has fanservice and is your basic romantic comedy but yet it's not if that makes any sense. People have always compared it to Love Hina with the fact one guy, a bunch of girls, blah, blah, but I think Ai Yori Aoshi is far from that. For one thing Aoi isn't like Naru where everytime a girl is around Kaoru doesn't send him flying 100ft in the air. Aoi believes in her beloved fiance and knows he'll make the right choices. Kaoru again is not your basic male lead character. For one he's actually in college. He's not one of these characters that struggles to get in or is naturally dumb. I also like the fact with all the girls that he encounters have certain feelings towards him it's clear to see where his heart lies with Aoi. and he knows he loves Aoi he's not one of these where he can't decide which one is for him. While Ai Yori Aoshi has comedic moments in it it can get down right serious. This story is about a girl named Aoi Sakuraba who goes to Tokyo in search of her first love in order to find out why their engagement was called off. When Aoi arrives in Tokyo she doesn't quite comprehend anything and seems very naive. That is until a young man helps her out only to discover the young man that's helping her is the one she's looking for. The animation is truly brillant, vibrant colors and the characters look very nice. The music is also excellent. The background music is really relaxing and the Opening Theme sung by Yoko Ishida is excellent as well as Namoshirenu the ending theme sung by The Indigo. I have some books of the manga and I have to say the anime designs are much better. In the manga Kaoru looks fat and Aoi well she looks more childish than in the anime. Anyways...I highly recommend this anime it's great!

Last updated Saturday, March 13 2004. Created Saturday, March 13 2004.
Rent 10 8 8 8 5 5 Rogue_Noir [series:447#850]
Overall, this is a pretty good anime though a bit predictable and unoriginal at times. The main plot and ending are pretty easy to figure out well before the half-way point in the series, and many aspects of the series seems to be an adaptation of Love Hina with a bit more depth. Unlike Love Hina, fanservice isn't grossly overused though can still be distracting at times. If you're looking for an upbeat romatic comedy with some depth, this is definitely your anime.

Last updated Tuesday, January 20 2004. Created Tuesday, January 20 2004.
Unevaluated Stretch [series:447#628]
I watched the first DVD volume of this series several months ago, and found it so poignant that I didn't know what to say about it. I think it actually made me feel lonely because I didn't have a girlfriend. Lately I've been watching the second volumes of Ai Yori Aoshi and Love Hina, and my impression is that at this point there's not all that much difference between the two! Gratuitous fanservice instead of touching romance? What has happened? I'll have to get back to you on this one...
#90

Last updated Tuesday, December 02 2003. Created Tuesday, December 02 2003.
Buy 8 8 8 6 9 7 Buzze [series:447#1034]
Kaoru and Aoi were promised to each other by their respective families. The Hanabishi and the Sakuraba-clan. When they met eachother, they liked each other instantly. Only, Kaoru, who was adopted by the Hanabishi-clan, ran away from his clan (for some very good reasons) and thus, the Hanabishi's cancelled the wedding.
Years later, Kaoru lives alone in a small appartment and manages quite well, considering what he had to give up. Suddenly, a girl in traditional clothes appears looking lost in the big city and Kaoru ends up showing her the road to ... his appartment. It turnes out to be the girl he used to know back then. And she is still planning to wed him! Because her family thinks it's ok to let them live together for a while (they're not taking this serious as long as they don't show their love to the outside world) they make sure they have a decent house to live in, promote Aoi as the landlord and her nurse/teacher/bodyguard Miyabi as the part-time manager. Kaoru becomes a resident, and to make it more believable, they have to take in other residents as wel.
This main story starts in the first few episodes, and after a lot of stand-alone episodes (in which other characters are introduced) the story gets picked back up at the last three or four. And yes, they were quite exciting!
First of all, I consider this serie as a believable example from the Japanese society. Aranged marriages, the easy way to adopt someone and raise him to be the successor (family in Japan is not the same as family in Western Europe I guess), the power of mighty families, ...
Also, the serie itself is good. Other reviewers have pointed out the similarities and differences between Ai Yori Aoshi and, say, Love Hina. Whereas Keitaro always is misunderstood and kicked into oblivion, Kaoru and Aoi get along well. First of all, he isn't as clumsy as Keitaro, but Aoi turns out to have a blind faith whereas Naru just gets angry. The sidekicks can hardly be compared too.
Kaoru and Aoi get every now and then a chance to share a quiet moment together, and they stay faithful to eachother. Therefore, I like this serie a bit more then Love Hina, although the latter is more humoristic.
Downside to this serie is, in my opinion, Aoi. A girl who is so faithful (even after years), I think she is brainwashed. She was raised to become his wife, maybe that's the reason. Or, she plans to marry him, kill him later and take a run with the loot? Also, she is so damn shy, she doesn't want to wear a swimsuit in front of the others for example. Perhaps in Japan this is considered cute or a virtue?
About the ecchi-label: in my opinion this is not correct. I believe the correct term is fan service, and yes, every now and then there is an occasional flash or moment, but it doesn't justify this label. Although, some people might use phrases as 'not for children' or 'why the nude?' Well, that's their opinion.
To sum up, this serie is really good if you like a good story. The characters are realistic and, although some formulas are used, the serie manages to be quite original as well.
Best character: Tina (although Aoi is cute and all, I'd rather date Tina)
Best moment: Sato, vice president of the photoclub in episode 5: long live cos-play!

Last updated Wednesday, November 12 2003. Created Wednesday, November 12 2003.
Buy 8 9 7 7 7 The Coyote [series:447#64]
Another "once lonly guy sudenly surrounded by beautiful girls series" by Pioneer SHOCKER. That said I tend to like those series (Psycologist would say there is something to that) Any way This one is different in some important ways first Karu and Aoui are the start and end to the romance and while Karu is tempted at times he is always true to Aoui. And their story really is a romantic one. Better than your basic Tenchi copy for sure I would buy it. IDid

Last updated Friday, October 31 2003. Created Friday, October 31 2003.
Buy 9 8 9 8 9 9 Trenaway [series:447#1000]
Remember that first time you fell in love; you just could not get enough of that person. Watching this Anime series brought those feelings to the surface again. I felt as if I was falling in love, for the first time in my life again, as I watched the two main characters (Aoi and Kaoru) fall in love. This story is almost far fetched in that you do not find this kind of love, loyalty, and dedication that Aoi and Kaoru have for each other, in this day of age. That does not however take away from the great story line. You watch as Aoi and Kaoru fall deeper in love with each passing episode with anticipation for the next episode. If you can get by some of the offbeat humor (A character called Tina constantly grabbing girls breast) then this Anime is for you.

Last updated Tuesday, September 30 2003. Created Tuesday, September 30 2003.
Rent 9 7 8 9 8 8 Devil Doll [series:447#752]
[Score: 82% = Rent+; episode reviews. Other recommended Romantic Comedy animes: Love Hina, Aa! Megami-sama! TV, REC]
  • Drama: Med (the first and last episodes stand out in this aspect)
  • Comedy: Med (including certain harem situations)
  • Action: Low (some suspense elements but no violence)
  • SciFi: None (plain old earth, normal people)
  • Ecchi: Med (featuring breast-grabber Tina Foster)
Some website claims the phrase "ai yori aoshi" (bluer than indigo) to have its origin in the Buddhist literature, referring to "building up trust and confidence" there, which would fit nicely to this series about Aoi and Kaoru. If Love Hina can be summed up by the word "promise", then Ai Yori Aoshi would be a synonym for "family" - in a very Japanese, traditional way. This 24 episodes series is more Japanese than most other anime I have seen (the role of family tradition, the things Kaoru and Aoi know from being raised in the same traditional style, like Aoi's demonstration of the tea ceremony, a number of cultural references many episodes are featuring, and the 'family' that the residents of the western style house actually become throughout this series).
And it is more focused on the two main Characters than Love Hina (which gave you lots of side stories). In a way this is the strength of this series, as well as its weakness. Kaoru and Aoi dominate this series to a degree that I don't think "harem" is the right genre here - you might rather compare it to "Ah! My Goddess", just that we have real humans here and no fantasy elements. Yes, the side characters go for the one guy sooner or later, but you never get the impression that would really matter (very unlike Love Hina). The leads learn to know each other, yet seem to have no real future, just like the leads in Video Girl Ai - which actually might come closest to this one IMHO (but rather the Manga than the Anime).
Both main characters are to be liked (or despised, in case of Aoi who might be considered too much of a doormat by some) from the start, and that is why it is easy to get into the story - which begins with four very focused episodes, then opens up introducing the other staff members (in a scenario much like Hinata-sou, and with some weaker parts in this wide area), has a surprising highlight in episode 15, and then starts to lead towards the Grande finale with another four focused episodes. Therefore the first and last DVD are the best IMHO, and the second and third DVD are those who supply most of the "comedy" parts. So I advise you to endure these episodes in the middle of the series if you liked the beginning.
Compared to these two strong characters, the remaining staff falls behind, with two exceptions. AstroNerdBoy already complained about "Grabber" Tina whom I still consider the 'best' of the also-rans here (and I do like episode 18, featuring her). But besides the boring photo club members I am much more disappointed by "Murphy's Law On Two Legs" Taeko who doesn't really develop. And then, this Mayu girl is simply "The Spoiled Brat Of The Universe". Her introduction episode was quite interesting, but then ... sigh.
Let's turn to the side characters that made me love this series. One of them is Chika, a combination of the best attributes that the Hinata children ever had ... sadly, like Mei she enters the series too late, and unlike Shinobu she doesn't become a major player in the game ... (but she is going to get more air time in Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~.)
But my favorite is "The Samurai" Miyabi who combines virtues from traditional as well as modern Japan, and still makes the most impressive development during this series (showing her softer sides now and then).
Yes, I gave this series a "Buy". Yet, I am a little disappointed about what it became compared to what it might have been. Focussing so much on the main love Story a lot of this 'nuisance stuff' might have easily avoided without getting boring - in this area "Ah! My Goddess" (and even "Video Girl Ai"!) worked better. I am afraid Ai Yori Aoshi tried to be listed in more categories than was good for the actual story and character development... you have to turn a blind eye on certain aspects (okay, Tina is more weird than Kitsune, but this isn't really important overall) to love the rest. And as for the "fan service" & "ecchi elements": You can't expect a story about two adults who are meant to marry each other to be free from sexual content. True, the support staff might have worked without that, but the leads would have lost credibility. This is not a children's series like Tenchi Muyo, and both leads are more mature than those in Love Hina. And having rewatched it once again now I still like the whole series very much.
I should also mention the Music where that catchy tune of the opening theme Towa no Hana is one of my favorite songs of all Anime I've seen to date. And in many silent or sad scenes the music (Betsuri, Yakusoku) is exactly what I would want it to be.
As for the manga, I only have seen the Japanese version so far; still, having watched the anime I can easily identify which volume tells which episodes. The content of both works seems closely related, but with several notable differences: Kaoru and Aoi look much more childish in the books, the (later volumes of the) Manga contains less "nuisance stuff" (but even more nudity, actually!), and the sequence of the Manga episodes has been rearranged in the Anime (and definitely for the better of it). Also, Miyabi refers to "Aoi-hime" (Your Highness) in the Manga which explains why she is using "-dono" for Kaoru. Storywise the Manga goes beyond this series and even beyond the ~Enishi~ sequel - so there may still be something to come in the future.

Last updated Monday, October 11 2010. Created Friday, July 11 2003.
Buy 9 8 9 8 6 MasterYoshidino [series:447#598]
This series is the oddball in the anime world. What originally looked like a romance comedy like Ah My Goddess ended up, after the first DVD, as an etchi series, equal to that of the likes of Chobits and Amazing Nurse Nanako and tons of touchy sexual innuendos and jokes ala Love Hina. Some will look at this and throw it in the closet for its etchiness, some will cherish the funny jokes, even if sexual.
This is an edit:
The season two of Ai Yori Aoshi titled "Enishi" is being fansubbed by Anime Kingdom. The intro episode is somewhat comical but strange to see Aoi act as Santa...
Ok another edit: I think Aoi is cute ^-^

Last updated Wednesday, November 05 2003. Created Wednesday, June 25 2003.
Buy 9 9 9 9 10 9 Oni Asuka [series:447#746]
*ahem* yes, this is one of my fav. animes. It's a great boy meets girl, girl loves boy, boy loves girl back story. It's the only anime that's made me cry. That was with tears of joy though. You should see it if you like love stories though!
~Oni out

Last updated Thursday, June 05 2003. Created Thursday, June 05 2003.
Buy 9 8 9 7 9 9 Sakura Washatori [series:447#706]
I Love this series, in fact this, Tenchi Muyo and Utena are about the only series that I can watch from episode 1 to the end with no problems with it. Well here's your basic overview of it... Boy meets girl... boy loses girl.... Boy meets girl again.. Boy and girl fall in love.. Altought Mark Clifton hit it on the mark when he (or she) said it was a Tenchi Clone, but with one thing different, Karou knows he wants Aoi.. poor Tenchi on the other hand doesen't know if he wants Ryoko or Ayeka. But with all said Ai Yori Aoshi is a great series to watch and buy.. Hey I buying the collecter's box as soon as it comes out.

Last updated Sunday, May 18 2003. Created Sunday, May 18 2003.
Buy 9 8 9 8 9 8 AstroNerdBoy [series:447#436]
There is one problem with this series -- fan-service! The series doesn't know if it wants to be a sweet, romantic-comedy or a fan-service orgy. Had they stuck to the former and skipped the other, this would have been the perfect romantic-comedy anime.

The series follows two central characters -- Aoi and Kaoru. Both are from powerful Japanese families and as kids were engaged in an arranged marriage. Kaoru becomes disolusioned with his family after his father dies and his mother is driven away, so he leaves against the wishes of his family and goes to college in Tokyo. As such, the engagement to Aoi is called off. She has been preparing her whole life to be Kaoru's wife (someone she hasn't seen since they were kids), so she sets out on her own to find Kaoru and to see why the marriage is off.

The first few episodes follow the first 48 hours of their meeting. It is so sweet that it hurts. However, once Aoi's mother gives her approval for Aoi and Kaoru to see each other and they move to her families summer (western styled) cottage, it turns into a harem series (ala: Love Hina). While the supporting cast is fun and well used, this is were the fan-service comes into play. Tina often goes around grabbing other women's breasts and fondles them. Totally uncalled for!

Like all harem series, all of the girls, except Miyabi, discover they have feelings for Kaoru. Unlike other series, Kaoru deals with these incidents and remains true to Aoi. Even when one girl kisses him on the lips, he lets Aoi know which leads to their first kiss. Speaking of kissing, our love birds get to share several sweet kisses and their romance continues to grow everytime an episode deals with it. There are nearly no tender moments interupted by the other cast or weird event happening. And the few times this happened, their tender moment is resumed later on. Man, it makes the heart ache!

Bottom line: The fan-service was uncalled for but the sweet and wholesome romance between Aoi and Kaoru makes this series worth buying. NOTE: The Pioneer DVD is GREAT! The subtitles use all the honorifix and the English dub uses them when a translation doesn't fit. The only problem is they translated "-dono" to "Sir", but that's OK.

See also: Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~

Last updated Monday, December 06 2004. Created Thursday, February 27 2003.
Buy 9 9 8 8 8 8 Allaryin [series:447#538]
Well, this is officially the first anime in a good many years that made me cry. Three times. The characters are fairly stereotypical and the story is not the most original in the world (boy meets girl, boy gets separated from girl after promising marraige, boy meets girl again many years later, boy winds up living in big house with girl and 100 of their closest friends).
However, it is a very good take on that old theme and the story is portrayed in an exceptional manner. It really is quite heartwarming, despite the plentiful fan service towards the beginning of the series.

Last updated Wednesday, February 12 2003. Created Wednesday, February 12 2003.
Buy 8 7 8 6 7 5 Mark Clifton [series:447#126]
If you said it was a Tenchi Clone, I would agree with you. However, this series is still pretty good in its own right. It's a romantic comedy, no doubt; it can but funny to down right serious. Though some of the episodes were pretty stupid at times, the overall series itself is a calculated storyline that follows the Manga. Worth checking out!

Last updated Thursday, January 16 2003. Created Thursday, January 16 2003.

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Ai Yori Aoshi http://aiyori.pioneeranimation.com/
Pioneer's Official Website

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