rfadel - 2014-12-24 14:08:50

It's easy to be cynical about all-girls anime these days—it's either fanservice or moe (which is really just cute, less-sexualized fanservice). Aoi Hana treads no new narrative ground; the coming-of-age, young love narrative has been endlessly explored in every medium. But what it lacks in plot originality it makes up for in heartfelt honesty and believable characters.

The show certainly has a number of stereotypical ingredients—the shy, cry-prone character; the cool, boyish character; the energetic, sometimes meddlesome character; protective older brothers; a love-triangle (or two, or THREE); some convenient timing. But the show winds up being more than the sum of its parts, as it takes a sympathetic view towards all of its characters, even those who in their own pain hurt those around them. Issues of trust, jealousy, the complexity of feelings for others, the difficulty of getting over old love, the struggles of being a good friend to someone in a relationship, and more are all central to the show. But it doesn't beat the viewer over the head, preferring to show instead of tell, letting the characters work their way through these trying circumstances while avoiding overt or ham-fisted "messages".  

Regardless of one's sexuality or gender, I think there will be at least one character (and possibly many characters) whose foibles and struggles the viewer can relate to. At the very least, it's a tender, non-judgmental portrait of a complex time in every person's life, and the warm heart and light touch of the series will affect all but the most cynical.

sstroman - 2014-10-01 04:21:23

First things first i have never written a review in my life but this website claimed it would be the first step in my journey to fame and i am nothing if not fame hungry. So, son, sit down and let's have a talk about Aoi Hana. The world of fictional queer ladies is all too small and the words "I'll take what I can get," have passed my lips all too many a time, when you journey through the ocean of lesbians with this mindset anything above average will bring a tear to your eye, such is the case with Aoi Hana. If you have read the manga don't get your hopes up too high (the anime only covers the first story arc, after all) but i was one of the lucky ones who watched the anime first and goODNESS ME. If you dislike fanservice and appreciate slow paced, realistic, and perhaps more bittersweet storylines then this is the anime for you my friend.