In her everyday life, Yuuna Yuuki is a hero. As proof, she is in her middle school's Hero Club, where she does her best to help others and bring a smile to everyone's face.
But Yuuna, always up to any task, is about to become an even bigger hero. Mysterious destructive forces called Vertexes begin threatening the world she loves, and the Hero Club is called upon by a strange phone app to save it. Along with her best friend Mimori Tougou, as well as sisters Fuu and Itsuki Inubouzaki, they must transform into magical girls in order to battle the Vertexes.
In between studying and putting on shows for kids, Yuuna and the Hero Club must fight for the very existence of their world and face the harsh truths behind their own powers, all the while discovering what it truly means to be a hero.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Paulo27
**NOTE: This anime is a sequel to the LN 'Washio Sumi wa Yuusha de Aru', it's highly recommended that you do NOT read it before this, don't even look at its synopsis as it contains spoilers, it's recommended however that you read it after finishing this anime as it gives good backstory for some of the characters and works well as a tissue burner.** Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru (Yuyuyu henceforth to avoid confusion with the character) was one of the least anticipated tiles for Fall 2014, but as a fan of both the SoL and mahou shoujo genres I figured it'd be a decentwatch but didn't have high expectations for it, the PV hinted at a mundane show about nothing in particular with some magic to mix things up.
Upon looking at the staff list however and seeing names such as Seiji "Nice Show Would Be a Shame if Something Happened to It" Kishi (Angel Beats!) and Mr. "Woah, This Character Is Still Alive? Better Fix That" a.k.a. Takahiro (Akame ga Kill!), I couldn't help but wonder "what are these monsters doing in a show about cute little girls?"
Yuyuyu's was shaping up to be a massive massacre as Studio Gokumi took the lead in the animation front, and that's exactly what happened, Yuyuyu was indeed a massacre – of my expectations.
The story starts off with a simple play of a hero trying to stop the demon king, a child's play, aimed at such, but helps set the tone for the rest of the show, in multiples ways, this is a simple story, we're not dealing with an over the top sci-fi setting that requires several episodes before you grasp what is going on and these characters are no geniuses or unique souls who appear once in a thousand years to change the world... Or are they?.. Probably not.
It takes less than 3 minutes for the characters and setting to be introduced, even as the staff credits appear over several still images it's easy to understand that the world our heroines live in is a simple one, there's some city landscape shown but it's mostly countryside, it all screams peaceful, very peacefully.
Yuuna, Tougou, Fuu, Itsuki, together they form the Hero Club, a club that focus on helping people, mainly through the form of community work. Shortly after their introductions, we get to see a bit of their daily lives, make no mistake here however, being part of the SLICE OF LIFE™ genre, this anime makes these cute little girls face real adversities as they try to find owners for kittens, update their website or think of what to do when faced with japanese middle schoolers' greatest fear after common cold – the cultural festival.
Everything stops, however, when they receive a strange message on their phones.
"We're it".
The members of the Hero Club have been selected to because heroes and fight Vertex – enemies of mankind that wish to destroy the world – in order protect Shinju-sama (Divine Tree), the foundation of the world.
Who, why, when or how? Questions which are sure to have an answer somewhere but are they really important? These girls have a world to save, those come later!
At this point one can't help but wonder if this will be the classical "enemy of the week", but fear not, or do.
The mahou shoujo genre is a genre that has it's tropes very well defined and it's very easy to identify them even without much experience with it, however, Yuyuyu uses these tropes for ease of storytelling but doesn't get lost in them, creating a story and characters that stand on their own.
Yuyuyu is more on the "modern" side of the genre (look at the bottom of the review for a more detailed analysis), it's not just about mindless murder of hopeless, little Vertex.
Eventhough this is a SLICE OF LIFE™ anime these girls are more than just kawaii, each with their own traits and personalities – simple ones, guessable just by looking at their hair color – they have more to them than it initially appears, as their pasts are revealed and explored, we get to know more about them, sympathize with them, maybe even relate to them. It ever ends up going overboard about how sad and unfortunate these girls are though, it's life, we have all experienced sudden changes at one point or another, for one reason or another, but that hasn't stopped us from living.
However simple Yuyuyu might look like on the surface, it does have depth, while most of the cast might look care free enough for little girls tasked with saving the world, underneath all the fun and entertainment this show provides, there's always that lingering feeling of uncertainty, "who exactly are the Vertex? Why are they after us?" But the series never spells it out or feels the need to ask it every episode, which can be both a good and bad thing, it's easy to forget these girls are tasked with saving the world, even the characters themselves are aware of this though, which does serve as a reminder without being intrusive.
""Things are gonna be fun", huh? We're supposed to be heroes saving the world. How silly."
Just as much as this show is self-aware it also has an incredible attention to detail and amazing foreshadowing skills, little things like when the group is facing the first Vertex and Yuuna tries to calm Tougou down, while she's the one shaking; it's so subtle however, that it can go by unnoticed as all that we see is her fist, an easy way to make the audience aware of the fact Yuuna is also scared would be to simply expose Yuuna's thoughts and how nervous she is but the show doesn't feel the need to hold your hand.
This makes rewatching this series an amazing experience, picking up on little things the characters say or do which spell out the outcome of future episodes and events.
At it's core Yuyuyu is a very well-realized show, it focus on the big picture – saving the world – but doesn't ignore the implications, exploring them and quietly builds up to the finale without you even noticing it's happening.
The whole atmosphere the show builds has a much greater purpose, tense moments that lack tension are not because the show itself can't create it well, it doesn't need them all the time, it knows how to set a mood but doesn't need the mood to be heavy 24/7, it doesn't take every opportunity it gets to try to create something, it knows exactly when to strike. Perhaps Takahiro realized it wasn't the best of ideas to kill off a character every episode, it numbs the audience, after a while you just expect it and you start to care less and less.
Hints are left behind with every corner the show turns but it doesn't come back to pick them up again, as said above, incredible self-awareness and attention to detail, enjoyment when rewatching the show is easily doubled, a feat accomplished by very few series.
"Though there is no other thing that can fascinate humans more than the truth
There is nothing that is more cruel to humans than the truth."
(...)
"No matter what... No matter how tough it gets... Live on."
If there's one thing Yuyuyu nails however, it's certainly its message, what implies being a hero, the regrets of becoming one, the hopelessness of not being able to change the past or the future but still trying desperately to do so when faced with picking between loneliness and suffering or no future at all.
"Being a Hero isn't about making sense or bending to the cruelty of the world. It isn't about being a sacrifice for others or defeating villains. Being a Hero isn't even about saving people.
Being a Hero is about facing everything that is terrible and wrong and refusing to accept it. So when that Hero strides forth against impossible odds other can look towards them as a shining beacon of hope, stand up, and follow in their footsteps."
Which would you pick?
Would you still manage to become a hero even if it meant sacrificing yourself?
Even if it meant having a future filled with nothingess?
Or would you rather have no future at all? Would you leave your friends behind to suffer? Would you take them with you in a selfless act of desperation? Or would you fight alone and take all the burden yourself?
The sacrifice of few to save the rest is explored a lot in anime but what if there's nothing to save? What if you can't save anyone no matter how much you sacrifice? Would you just give up? Or grab onto the little hope and strength you have left? Could you keep going knowing, no matter what you did, the future wouldn't change?
Yuyuyu doesn't directly ask many questions and it answers even less but it doesn't need to do so, everything is made obvious through the characters, their actions and their situation, "show" is prioritized over "tell" but it doesn't forget to keep the plot coherent, this can also be seen as a flaw as viewers who don't pay much attention might get lost and feel like things happen for no reason, in the end it's also up to how each one of us interprets it.
-insert "truly the evangelion of the madoka of our generation" joke here-
Even regarding character backstories Yuyuyu is a rather unique series, they are introduced later than sooner, which usually isn't the case, at least in this sort of series, the first few episodes are usually used to build the characters and then move with the plot, Yuyuyu leaves characterization for when it's necessary and... it works.
Instead of focusing on everyone at the start and overloading the audience with exposition Yuyuyu lets the viewer relax and progresses the plot in a well paced manner as it introduces plot twists and character backstories to maximize the various emotions it invokes.
The calm before the storm vibe is very much present most of the time, even after the fighting ends, which is when Yuyuyu holds your hand and tells you it'll be daijoubu like the well dressed man in front of a black van giving out candies, you are wary of him at first but then you take the candy and realize he's not a bad guy at all.
"Our fight is over. We won't lose anymore."
It's certainly an anime that takes it's time and perhaps could take even longer was more time allocated – and being a show that scales really well with how much times passes, it'd only get better – but it's certainly not a waste of time, it does end up being a hard series to evaluate if you go over it on a episode by episode basis as the start is rather slow and uneventful, but it's all by design.
Perhaps the main problem with Yuyuyu is that it sets the bar too high towards the end, so high the show itself can't see it and when it tries to jump over it obviously fails.
But it's really up to the viewer to decide wether it fails or not, Yuyuyu leaves enough hints behind that you can use them to justify just about anything, it's more a question of wether you want to believe or not, like said above, it can be considered a flaw as people who don't catch every little detail might be left behind, and it's asking a lot to catch 'em all.
After their lastest work, Escha & Logy no Atelier, learning that Studio Gokumi would be animating this series certainly did not inspire much confidence, so it's with great suprise and joy to see how well Yuyuyu turned out in the visuals department.
The character designs fit well enough, they are the sort of normal designs that you'd expect from a slice of life series, plain, cute, smile-inducing, with the kawaii and moe meters in the red zone.
The magical costumes the girls use are simple yet stylish, they feel fresh, modern, it avoids the classical fluffy cocktail dresses for most of the girls and replaces them with clothes that resemble actual armor, even if on the light side – these girls actually look like heroes.
When in most other cases less clothes equals more protection, Yuyuyu certainly makes these girls look good as they attempt to save the world with their fists and giant swords and sniper rifles and more swords.
Yuyuyu does feature a very good color pallete, especially in the barrier world (Forest) where most of the fighting takes place, the whole place resembles the roots of a tree, with each main root having it's own color and as it branches off it expands on that color, and while the watercolor style works really well it can be a mixed bag when examined up close, sometimes making the characters feel out of place.
While the animation in the slice of life moments isn't anything out of this world it certainly does the job well enough, mistakes aren't that obvious and the quality is consistent throughout. When it comes to battles, animation quality does peak but perhaps not really enough to really set it apart, nevertheless, a solid direction goes a long ways and can make or break the scene no matter the animation quality, in Yuyuyu's case it definitely benefits from really good direction, you won't feel it lacks animation or that it has a below average choreography, can't complain much about the latter though, these are little girls, not martial artists, but overall it'll still feel fast paced and intense which is really what is important.
There's also a good amount of character CGI used yet it doesn't feel awkward or out of place, mostly because it's used during jumps when characters have their backs turned, it'll be harder to spot than to avoid. The Vertex are mostly CGI too, they do benefit from the fact that they are mostly immobile or just very slow which doesn't make them stick out as much either.
The OP and ED are rather weak. The OP song isn't that catchy or exciting and takes some getting used to and the animation is nothing worth looking over more than once, the ED shares the same fate, unless you're some creeper who enjoys watching little girls from the bushes as they walk with the sunset in the background you'll probably find yourself skipping over this one too... Is what I'd say had I not watched the show to the end, you'll slowly learn to appreciate them and in retrospect they uphold to the standard set by the series, simply glorious in retrospect.
The OST and overall sound effects in Yuyuyu, unlike the OP and ED, are amazing from the start, it's the cherry on top of the cake for the series.
Being a mahou shoujo anime the obligatory transformations scenes before battles are very much present, these are coupled with an amazing track choice that just screams hype, one can't help but feel excited for what's to come next, even if it's not always good, and it keeps going when the battle themes kick in, one stronger than the other it makes the fights feel exciting, a couple tracks even feature chants from worlds unknown to us, making the battles feel alive – it all culminates together for what is pure audio porn, not even complimenting the battle sequences as much as taking them to a whole nother level.
Slice of life scenes have fairly standard tracks, they don't get in the way and fill in empty space when the little monsters settle down and overall just help move the scenes along not making them feel boring.
Some of the themes that appear during the battles are also present outside of those and it's amazing how it just works.
Yuyuyu does feature insert songs, which are easily the high point of the whole category – for reasons you'll have to find out yourself.
Shall something not be perfect with the sound it'd certainly be the seiyuus, not as much as they are bad but as they could be better, criticism being more focused on Yuuna's than anyone else – eventhough some of them don't speak at all but that's another matter entirely – Yuuna, while not the leader of the Hero Club, is certainly the main character of the series, if the title wasn't hint enough surely the fact that she has pink hair is a dead giveaway, Yuuna is the character that will push the show forward when it comes to an halt, someone feeling down or angry? There's Yuuna to cheer them up, someone having an identity crisis? There's Yuuna to tell them who they are, someone about to kill themselves? There's Yuuna to tell them to do it.
What's that? Haremettes' problems in my mahou shoujos? It's more likely than you think.
Being a rather new seyuu Terui Haruka's perfomance is excusable and actually fairly decent, her voice fits Yuuna well and she has her moments, however, unlike most of the other cast members those moments come once per episode and, being the MC, Yuuna requires more than that, while those moments are properly timed to fit with the climax of the episodes "side scenes" could certainly be greatly improve was Yuuna not as unphasable, but perhaps that comes a bit with the character, emphasis on the perhaps.
Being a SLICE OF LIFE™, SCHOOL™, HEALING™, CGDCT™ anime enjoying these will help, however, as one would expect at this point, these aren't the main plot points of the show, they probably aren't the reason you are getting into the series either.
Watching these little creatures in their natural habitat is the best way for bonds to be made, to further empathize with these girls and try to get attached to them, enjoying these will only help but being indifferent to them doesn't hurt the enjoyment the show provides.
Obviously, if SoL/CGDCT/moe/"GUYS, I'M NOT DELUSIONAL, THEY ARE HOLDING HANDS AND BLUSHING, YURI!!"/overall kawaiiness overload murdered your parents then you might want to steer clear. The cute facade the shows puts up has more to it than what it looks, but it's still a facade that you can take at face value and enjoy for what it is.
Big part of the enjoyment factor in Yuyuyu certainly comes from noticing the subtle hints the shows leaves and realizing how they affect and dictate future events, something that was made easier when the show was airing as it left a lot of time to discuss and analyze them (I left some in this review for those who watched the series). Might be harder for people who will watch it now but it's not something required to enjoy this series.
Overall, a solid 8.5/10 show – 9/10 on rewatch – and definitely the surprise of the year, even with a somewhat ambiguous ending, highly recommended.
Christmas was saved.
Puella Yuusha no Evangelion; Bokurano Beats!? Nandattebayo?
A story about love, hate, and charisma... and fate, life, death, hope, heartbreaks, lies, deception, delusion, madness, tricks and... a cow that eats other cows... behind a beautiful hero who disappeared in the Seto Inland Sea.
Yuyuyu might not be the yuusha we need, it certainly isn't the yuusha we deserve given how underwatched it is in the West but I think it's the yuusha we want, and the yuusha we see off with a smile as it walks into the horizon of uncertainty as this franchise can probably muster the force for more anime entries given how successful it has been thus far.
Now let us hope for a movie adaptation of the prequel light novel.
**
Anime, very much like every other medium, is easily influenced by what's trending, every once in a while it's to no surprise that there'll be an anime that will end up setting new standards in it's genre or even in the whole industry, because of how popular and successful it was, even if said anime doesn't invent those ideas it's what made them popular and obviously it'll become a point of reference even if it wasn't the first one. Puella Magi Madoka Magica (PMMM) is one of such titles, it wasn't an unique-never-seen-before-anime, the themes in PMMM had been explored before, multiple times, but it became so popular that it set standards, more for the viewer than for the creators and as such, titles released after it will have to face the fact that they'll be compared to it, wether they wanted to or not.
As such, mahou shoujo anime that wishes to use the common tropes – present in the genre for over 30 years – be it to lure and trick the audience or just use them for ease of storytelling while trying to spicy things up a bit by not feeling like an anime aimed at little girls will perhaps forever suffer of the "Madoka rip-off" syndrome.
While drawing parallels between the two works is easy enough thanks to the common tropes they use, both explore different themes and take different paths, and both are masterful in how they do it, at their cores they are completely different.
WingKing
I did not know what to expect when I began watching Yuuki Yuuna is a Hero. The previews teased that it was going to be another slice-of-life series, but looks were deceptive. While it has some SOL elements, at its core it's a magical girl show, and a pretty serious one, too. Here’s my final review of the entire series, as of 12/26/2014. If you just want an overall recommendation without any other details, feel free to skip to the tl;dr section at the very bottom. The Plot In a Nutshell: Middle school girls in a "Hero Club" perform small everyday acts of heroism in the normalworld, but also become heroic magical girls protecting the planet from strange creatures called vertexes.
Background/Influences:
Yuuki Yuuna is an original series created by Takahiro (Akame ga Kill!), and it blends elements from three different anime genres. First are its magical girl ancestors, and this one comes from the lineage of adult magical girl shows like Lyrical Nanoha and Madoka Magica. Fans of those series will recognize the influences of both, although Yuuki Yuuna still tells its own story in its own way. Second is slice-of-life, and except for the dark clouds that are almost always lingering under the surface, some of the mellowest scenes wouldn’t feel out of place in a Kyoto Animation series. Third is character drama, and here the series actually shows some surprising Key Visual Arts influence (Kanon/Clannad), along with other influences from Angel Beats and the Persona series (Yuuki Yuuna’s director, Seiji Kishi, also directed both Angel Beats and Persona 4 The Animation, so this shouldn't be a surprise). All three genres are done well enough individually that it could have focused on any one of them and been a decent show, but the blend of all three really elevates it above the sum of its parts.
Moe’s Scale of Female Cuteness:
While this isn’t a true moe series, all the girls in the Hero Club can be awfully cute. Most of their club activities are ordinary community service work, like fostering kittens and performing puppet shows for kids. They also hang out together sometimes outside of school, eating udon, singing karaoke, and doing other fun things together. The catch is that none of this SOL stuff is there just to be cute and funny – while some of it may seem frivolous at first glance, the writers are deliberately giving you time get to know the girls and their personalities and motivations by showing you how they behave and act around each other. All the girls have their own personal demons they’re wrestling with, and most of them did not have happy childhoods. Tensions occasionally flare between them, and even in the most seemingly cheerful moments there are lingering undercurrents of anxiety and doubt about the job they have to do and the risk to their lives and well-being, which all makes these scenes even more effective. One of Yuuki Yuuna's greatest strengths is that there's a genuine chemistry between all the main girls in the cast - while they have their occasional disagreements, you never doubt for a second how much they all care about each other, especially the two sisters (Fuu and Itsuki) and the two best friends (Yuuna and Togo).
Most of the slice-of-life stuff takes place in the first half of the show, and while some (especially non-SOL fans) may find these parts a bit slow, it’s still worth paying attention to it because a lot of it is setting the table for the second half of the series. Along with letting you get to know the characters better, there’s also quite a bit of foreshadowing too; I noticed a lot of hints the second time I watched the series that were easy to miss the first time.
Round One…Fight!:
As pleasant as the girls try to make everyone's daily lives, when the alarms sound on their phones, it’s time for them to become magical girls and protect the world from the vertex threat. There are several vertex battles throughout the series, varying in length and scope, but some of them can be pretty tense affairs, especially when multiple vertexes (vertices?) appear at once. The girls are skilled combatants with a variety of strong weapons, but they’re not immune to injury and the vertexes are tough opponents who are smart enough to coordinate their attacks and adjust their strategies during battle. It usually takes a total team effort for the Heroes to have any success against them, which leads to some entertaining and occasionally nailbiting fights.
Art and Sound:
The animation is a bit inconsistent - it can be great in some scenes and merely passable in others - but the overall quality is solidly good. The fight scenes take place in a surreal, colorful alternate world, and showcase most of Yuki Yuna’s best animation work. These scenes appear inspired by the artwork of Shigenori Soejima (Persona 3/Persona 4), as well as the twisty, hyper-organic landscapes of Roger Dean’s paintings, and I’m excited to see how they’ll look in Blu-Ray someday. They also use a fair bit of CG though, so be warned if that’s not your thing. The real world scenes, while still generally cheerful and colorful, have occasional touches such as the unnaturally bent and ruined suspension bridge appearing in several background scenes that subtly remind us this world isn’t quite the carefree place it appears on the surface.
The opening and closing songs (like most) will be hit-or-miss depending on your musical tastes. Personally I liked the opening immediately, but the ending needed time to grow on me. The OST itself, however, is outstanding. Most of the tracks fit their scenes perfectly, and the battle music especially stands out as some of the very best in the show, full of soaring choirs and pulse-pounding orchestration. Even the quieter tracks have a few gems, though, such as a very nice flamenco-styled classical guitar piece that appears a couple of times. There’s also not a lot of repetition either. Only a few tracks are used more than once or twice, and they’re all songs (like the main transformation theme) that you’ll enjoy hearing multiple times anyway.
Rating:
If I rated Yuuki Yuuna on nothing but my personal enjoyment, it would get a 10. I’ve already watched the whole series twice, I know I’ll watch it again in the future, and if Pony Canyon ever gives us a North American release, I'll buy it. To give it a fair review, though, I can’t entirely overlook the uneven pacing in the first half of the series, the occasional inconsistency in animation quality, and a few (not many) awkward transitions between scenes. That said, Yuuki Yuuna is still a gem, even if it’s one that’s not completely polished. The characters are easy to like and they all have wonderful chemistry with each other, the OST is outstanding, the themes of the story (which I wish I could actually talk about here without spoiling everything) are timely and appropriate, and despite a few rough patches, the story threads eventually come together in a very satisfying way. It’s a spirited show that’s a little rough around the edges, but like its characters it has a lot of heart and tries its best. And much of the time, its best is really, really good.
First half: 8/10. Second half: 9.5/10. Overall: 9/10.
Tl;dr! Should I Watch Yuuki Yuuna or Not?:
Yes, if magical girl mixed with some drama and slice-of-life sounds appealing to you. The first half isn’t quite as good as the second half, but if you're able to stick with it, your patience will be rewarded. Just be warned that this isn’t a relaxing series at all. If you’re expecting Aria with a dash of Cardcaptor Sakura, you'll be disappointed. It’s more like Lyrical Nanoha with a dash of Angel Beats.
MarlyTT
-Spoilers Ahead- The brilliant minds behind Angel Beats and Akame ga Kill joined forces in an attempt to capitalize on their respective "talents" and made what some people call "one of the most underrated masterpieces of the season" without an ounce of irony. This series is pretty much everything wrong with modern anime, and there are plenty of reasons as to why. It's just so up its own ass pretending to be not a grimdark show in a vain attempt to fake out the audience for so long that it ends up boring, and when it actually gets to the grimdark it was leading up to,it does in the most hilariously incompetent way possible. Many of its other problems include the asinine pacing, lack of character interaction and development, and complete lack of subtlety, which all seem to go under the radar because apparently everyone is too busy crying over ham-fisted drama.
That being said, there are some positives about this show- Mainly the visuals. Despite some heavy usage of CG in some parts, it really doesn't look that bad at all in motion, and the colors do not make your eyes bleed like NGNL does. Character designs are pretty neat and I do appreciate how they don't look like something out of Precure. Not that Precure designs are necessarily bad, but the designs here make thematic sense and at least don't look generic by its genre standards- Instead they look like something out of Sword Art Online, not that it's a bad thing either. The music is pretty decent- There are two to three tracks that were actually memorable and were reminiscent of something out of Madoka and whatever Akiko Shikata makes, but the overuse of those tracks made them a bit stale.
Speaking of Madoka, there's a lot of people who compare this show to Madoka and even call it a rip-off. But honestly, it's hard to blame them- Shady magical girl contract with a supernatural being? Check. Enemies that appear in a strange world that do not actually offer actual character interaction due to lack of any dialogue whatsoever? Check. Main title character being over optimistic and the most underdeveloped character out of the main cast? Check. Mentor-like character that later goes nuts after reading the fine lines in the said shady contract? Check. The questionable magical girl system existing to prevent the end of the world? Check. This show's really got everything. But because this show shares so many similarities with Madoka, it also shares the flaws- And those flaws become more evident with poor direction and pacing.
Apparently when Takahiro was writing for this show, he thought he'd change it up from Akame ga Kill's pointless gorefest and decided to turn it into a pointless borefest. This wise decision turned the first half of this show incredibly painful to sit through. The main problem is the lack of characters- The villains and even the fairies are absolutely silent. Therefore, there is no character interaction whatsoever with the opposing side aside from fighting and more fighting. This wasn't a problem in Madoka due to the existence of Kyubey, who delivered some form of drama whenever necessary for conflicting character interaction, but that role is severely lacking here. Taishas do little more than send out phone messages whenever they aren't busy catering to the crippled, and the supernatural being that gives magical power is a poorly drawn magical tree always obscured in fog. This narrows down all character interaction whatsoever to the five main characters, and everyone else might as well be a cardboard in the background. This effectively turns the series into a Slice-of-Life type of show, which is actually in the description for this series. But then the problem comes from attempting to mix this element with grimdark setting, which was basically the gimmick with Akame ga Kill. But even then, mixing the two isn't the problem- It's the execution. There needs to be some form of consistent flow in the tone, and this series handles it very poorly by going from one scene to the other with incredibly sudden transition. Having a tea party? Suddenly phone call and everyone's warped to fight the giant floating monster thing. Then lots of yelling and chanting in the background, and suddenly they're in space. And when they're not doing that, they're busy being very angsty about something else introduced later in the series.
The first few episodes followed the aforementioned formula incredibly precisely, while occasionally increasing the number of enemies to mix it up a little although it didn't really hinder the protagonists in the slightest. After managing to kill twelve of these things, the protagonists conclude that their battles are over because the Taishas said so, which is an obvious fake-out halfway into the series. It's also odd that the protagonists didn't suspect anything strange about Taishas informing them that there were supposedly arbitrary number of these things, which would mean that the Taishas somehow did not manage to defeat any of them at all despite having a detailed sealing process to defeat one. That aside, this formulaic plot progression didn't really serve to develop any of the characters at all. Sure, there was some character interaction between the main cast, but character interaction doesn't necessarily lead to character development. These particular interactions were just wacky hijinx and comedy, so it did absolutely nothing.
After halfway into the series, our good director Seiji decides that he needs to start including actual plot, and the grimdark elements start being introduced. Whenever the girls use their magical powers, they occasionally enter this super mode known as Mankai. The show never explains whether these girls enter the state willingly or whether it's done automatically- And even the official website claims that it's half and half. Basically, it's whenever the plot fucking wants it to happen. Why? Because this is the aforementioned grimdark plot element. Whenever the girls enter this state, they lose a certain bodily function and gain a fairy in the process. The series attempts to fake the audience out by claiming it's temporary, and then it spends several episodes that arrive at a not-so shocking conclusion that it's permanent. Yuna loses her taste, Mimori loses hearing on one ear, Fuu goes blind in one eye, and Itsuki loses her voice. What does this all lead to? Forced drama. Apparently Itsuki entered a singing audition, which everyone knew nothing about, and suddenly the whole thing gets dumped at the audience's face in the most convenient way possible when Fuu is trying to deal with the whole permanent body function sacrifice thing. If that wasn't enough, Itsuki goes on a long speech in the recording about how she loves her friends so Fuu can go on a full guilt trip for getting her to tag along on the Hero Club before actually singing for the audition because the judges were too busy looking for their non-existent script, as with every other character in the show. A proper, subtle way to handle this scene would've been to establish the singing audition thing before this happened, and then flash back to it briefly after the realization hit home, instead of just being embarrassingly blatant about it. But I guess subtlety is lost art.
Meanwhile, Tougou decides to be dangerous and attempts to test her theory by playing sudoku with a blade, and comes to a horrifying realization that fairies are "forcibly" keeping them alive. Apparently it's supposed to be terrifying that these tiny things keep the girls alive while they're on a dangerous duty that they're not being forced to do. Obviously there are huge consequences for not doing magical girl things since it has been established in the first episode that Shinju-sama is protecting the world and these aliens who are for some reason named after zodiac signs are trying to destroy it, but the job itself is still technically optional. They're not being forced to do it at gunpoint or whatever, so the supposed horror factor they were going for is completely invalid. Furthermore, Tougou apparently attempted to play sudoku multiple times because once wasn't enough and goes on about all these different methods she tried to kill herself for almost no reason other than sounding edgy. But then I realized this was Takahiro's specialty- Hammering the exact same point and over and over to arouse some form of emotion. These two brilliant men's talents really do shine in this series.
Afterwards, Tougou gets warped into the cripple gold medalist's room, who was their predecessor and now has over twenty disabilities and the equal amount of fairies. Then the audience is informed during their second meeting about the shocking truth that everything outside Shinju's territory is red vomit with white aliens swarming about. It's been known that Shinju was protecting humanity from getting fucked up by something since the first episode, so what's the shock here? Why does it matter that the villains are aliens or gods who decided humanity sucked? Whatever it was, it drives Tougou insane and makes her come to an ingenious conclusion. Apparently the best way to protect her friends and stop their sacrifices altogether was to blow a hole in the barrier, get the tree killed, and then get everyone sacrificed as a result of her decision. Maybe her ability to form proper reason was taken during one of her Mankai sessions. Would've been better if she actually consulted with her friends first-hand, but clearly that sounded too uninteresting and sensible for the writers. Most of the conflicts in this series also seem self-made, so it's also incredibly difficult to actually relate to any of these characters especially when they make stupid decisions such as Fuu attempting to kill the Taishas after the aforementioned forced drama sequence.
When the evil tofus attack, suddenly Yuuna is incapable of transforming because of her distressed emotional state despite Fuu being completely capable of doing so during her rage. Then Karin suddenly wakes up from being unconscious and activates Mankai multiple times in a span of few seconds coupled with too much yelling in an attempt to win the "most crippled" award in the show. After that, Yuuna manages to punch some sense into Tougou, destroys the Final Boss Vertex, then decides to become Jesus by taking everyone's disabilities onto herself by becoming a vegetable. Then suddenly the audience is supposed to accept that the enemies just stopped attacking because either they are really gone for good or they just got bored trying to kill a tree.
It later turns out that every fairy represented a physical function the girls lost, so when the fairies disappear, they regain everything they lost and stop being heroes. This may be because Shinju figured that keeping emotionally unstable girls who almost got it killed as its guardians was a terrible idea. Yuuna stays a vegetable for a while because Takahiro figured he could cram in some more sad scenes near the end, but then she gets better through the power of friendship. As stupid as that sounded, the ending isn't the issue- Even if the ending resulted in everyone becoming a vegetable, this would've been still a very poorly written series.
The happy ending can at least be explained with how since all threatening Vertices are supposedly gone, assuming the sun-shaped Vertex was the last of its kind for a while, Shinju doesn't need to exert as much energy to keep the barrier up since there's nothing much left to keep out, so it just gave everything it took back. It would explain how nobody is giving a shit about that part of the barrier Tougou blew up earlier.
The point is, if there is no actual threat left and the Taishas aren't being lying dicks about it this time and Mr. Tree is actually a benevolent god that everyone claims it is, then there really should be no point for it to keep what it took unless it's a dick too, which is probably what most people were guessing. And it's not like it was ever established that it couldn't give back what it took, so all the more reason for it to do what it did. And to the show's credit, it did briefly mention through one SoL segment that it was "alright to eat the offerings if they were there for a while" so maybe either it was foreshadowing or maybe I'm giving the show way too much credit. I'm actually surprised Takahiro managed to learn how to make use of mundane segments instead of cramming them in for the sake of just having them as a contrast to his edgy grimdark parts.
There's a lot of hate for the ending of the show, but most of that hate seems to be misdirected since it mostly involves "It had a happy ending, so it sucked." While it's not that having some plot elements that lead to a depressing ending is inherently bad- It's that when it does happen, it needs to be well-paced and give the audience enough time to feel actually attached to the characters in question. But with the lack of actual villains to provide any form of conflicting character interaction, there's next to no character development, and everything just ends up being a snooze-fest because these characters are just hard to care for outside of them looking cute. Unfortunately, this particular writing style has become quite popular with modern anime (Attack on Titans, AgK, or even Kotoura-san, etc), and for some reason, everyone seems to eat it up. Here's a possibility: People are just so used to badly written happy endings that they'd rather have badly written sad endings, while deluding themselves that sad endings are apparently inherently better than happy endings because they think they are more mature. Something about teaching a moral lesson about heroes not always winning or some shit, I don't know. In that case, the preference is determined not by the actual quality of the writing, but just by the inherent difference of definition. It's like preferring black shit over brown shit. "They're both shit, but at least it's not brown." While this is no longer applicable for this show since it had a happy ending, it doesn't change the fact that it was the direction the series was leading people towards, and it's obviously the main reason behind people eating it up.
All in all, this show is just yet another attempt at the ever-popular modern formula which involves characters going through depression in one way or the other, whether or not the characters were likeable or the depression relatable and the plot behind it well-written. It was practically tailored to the type of people who ate up the likes of AgK and Attack on Titans, and it did just that right before the end. I guess at least their reactions were entertaining.
Anon028
Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru is part of a multimedia project of LN, VN, videogame, manga and anime. And despite of it, the anime is completely able to stand on its own. The story is one of the strongest points, but for you to understand this you need to watch the series from the right point of view. As a Slice of Life the story is about the characters, sure world building is important, but ultimately the story focuses on the 5 main protagonists, it makes you care about them, their lives and it gives a proper conclusion to them. The art is pretty good fora studio with low budget like this one, at the start the CGI is noticeable, but after a while you learn to appreciate the backgrounds, the town and all the locations, you can see they put a lot of job on this.
The OST is a solid 10/10, with the composer of NieR is to be expected. From the Slice of Life to the action music every scene has a perfect ambience that lets you get immersed in the story. I doubt it's possible to find flaws about it.
The characters are the main motivation to watch the series and also get into the franchise if you're interested in the side material. You learn to appreciate them and you get really attached to them because everything is portrayed and developed around them, the support between the sisters, the romance between Yuuna and Tougou and the character development of the originally lonely tsundere girl is explained at the right pace and given the proper screen time. The fact that this anime (and the whole project) had 2 years of planning is noticeable.
The anime is really enjoyable by itself, but as someone who started watching it since the first week, I can say it's extremely recommendable to get into all the other material that is also part of this multimedia project, it contains multiple interesting information that makes you see the characters in a whole different light, and as I said the characters are the more important part of this franchise. The best way to do this is:
Watch the first 3 episodes of the anime, read the manga, watch episode 4, read the VN, watch episodes 5, 6, 7 then read the first 7 chapters of the LN, watch episode 8, read chapter 8 of the LN, watch episode 9, 10, 11, read chapter 9 of the LN and then watch the final episode.
The videogame is unrelated to the rest and it comes out until February anyway.
Overall the series delivers everything you want, good characters, writing, romance, action, interactions and it teaches you exactly what the title says: Yuuki Yuuna is a Hero. It teaches what is a Hero and how to be Hero, to you and the characters.
As a side note, even though I said the characters are the most important part it doesn't mean that the world is not interesting, on the contrary, the issue is that the anime doesn't give a lot of focus to it, only the necessary, that's why the speculation is also one of the best parts of this franchise, and this can be proved because it has been less than 2 days since the anime ended and there's already a lot of theories regarding the ending, and all of them are equally likely since this series is famous for leaving foreshadowing and references in all its media. I recommend you to watch it and join those theorists until those points are properly explained, and I know they will be properly explained because this series hasn't ended yet, it's only the beginning.
ChrissyKay
Yuuki Yuuna is a Horribly Boring Character. She's relatively one-dimensional, oblivious, airheaded, naive and childish in her ideals, which isn't inherently boring, but the world she lives in RESPECTS that allowing her simple and repetitive nature to prevail against any and all problems to the point where you begin to wonder if there's any point in growing up at all. I, like many others, stumbled upon the show "Yuuki Yuuna is a Hero" after hearing it compared to the illustrious Madoka Magica and were drawn to it by people saying that it was "better than Madoka". As a massive fan of Madoka Magica, I wasinitially very excited: someone made a better version of one of my favorite shows of all time? I had even heard people saying that Madoka had been their favorite show until they watched Yuuki Yuuna, and since I realized that was pretty much where I was at I could not have been more thrilled to first learn of this show's existence. I pulled it up immediately, and went into it with high hopes and an open mind. I didn't expect the sort of poignant universal message that Madoka had given, but what I did expect was a damn good deconstruction of the magical girl genre. Compelling characters, enthralling twists, gut-wrenching moments of tragedy, and a genuinely enthralling story.
What I found, however, was nothing.
Nothing, Christopher? But that doesn't make sense. You watched 12 episodes of SOMETHING, right? There can't possibly have been NOTHING in those twelve episodes, right?
Technically, you're right. I did sit in front of a screen for a regrettable four and half hours of my life, and there were words and drawings on that screen, but if I had to really summarize Yuuki Yuuka I would redirect you once more to that word above: nothing.
You see, Yuuki Yuuna is kind of like a Frankenstein's monster that failed to come to life. It's stitched together from bits and pieces of other things but there's nothing about it that's really its own. There's no voice, no soul. It doesn't use those pieces to create something new, or stand on its own two feet, or say something for itself: essentially, Yuuki Yuuna just IS those pieces, tossed into a bucket together and just sort of sitting there touching each other. And since Yuuki Yuuna is essentially just pieces of other things that are loosely connected, I have no qualms in using the MAL rating system to talk about those pieces.
THE CHARACTERS
One could make the argument that the characters in Yuuki Yuuna aren't "bad characters". In a sense, you'd be right: they aren't horribly-written people and for the most part they have some semblance of continuity and we can understand where their actions are coming from (though this is not always the case, *ahem* Touga). The problem is, that's essentially ALL that they are: "not-bad characters". There's nothing in them. They're just archetypes grabbed from other places that are given mediocre scripts intended to invoke empathy in the audience. That's really all that's expected from them: they're not created to even BE human, their SOLE PURPOSE is to be "not bad" enough to the point where the audience cares about them. Not because they have any original ideas in them, not because they carry a piece of the creator, but because they're there, they're cute, and they're not "badly" written. There's the older blonde sister who's spunky and cares deeply about her friends, especially her younger sister. There's the younger blonde sister who's shy and cares deeply about her friends, especially her older sister. There's the tsundere girl. There's Yuuki Yuuna herself, who is pretty much the blockheaded hero-of-justice character in a world where the hero of justice never has to actually face the repercussions or naivety of her ideals. There's her best friend Touga who's really just a mess of a character and is used more as a poorly-motivated plot device than a person, but we won't focus on her.
The problem with all these characters, however, is that while they are adequately-written versions of the roles they are meant to fulfill there is an emptiness to them that cannot really be put into the words. No one who wrote these characters cares about them at all. They aren't trying to express anything with them. They're masks, and they're treated as if they were people, and that hollow shallowness prevented me from giving a single shit about what happened to them. When you create characters with the express purpose of making the audience sympathize with them so that you can give them "feelz" later on by making them suffer, you haven't really created characters at all. You've just grabbed pieces of people and stuck them together so that they look like a person. It may be cute, but it has no soul.
THE STORY
Here's the part where it was obvious that whoever was writing this was trying really hard to not be accused of plagiarism. While the literal elements of the story may be put together in a new, the structure by which it is built around is nothing that hasn't been seen a thousand times before, and the pieces themselves are unoriginal. Once again, the story feels mostly like pieces stacked together. Rather than have something constant and tight, it pretty much relies on the audience expecting twists and then delivering them often enough to maintain a level of interest. No section of the story can stand on its own as engaging: it RELIES on constant change, because the story possesses no substance of its own to fall back on. In a standstill the audience's eyes begin to adjust to the dull nature of the story, so the story has to be constantly adding new levels. It doesn't really feel like these levels stack cohesively though; it's more like we're just jumping from one platform to the next, and since the platforms are getting crazier the story must be advancing. None of these platforms are compelling in and of themselves though: they're mostly interesting because of the anticipation for the NEXT platform, which creates a bit of a cycle. All these platforms are as hollow as the rest of the show, being in and of themselves bland rehashes of been-done ideas, and the lack of any sort of central voice of the story means that the show fails to connect them in any meaningful way, so what we're left with is almost a pyramid scheme that eventually burns out because it can't create a bigger platform. Temporarily engaging perhaps, but inevitably all the more disappointing.
ART & SOUND
Q: "this looks like every other show coming out nowadays, what should we do?"
A: "we'll make the magic realm look like a unicorn shat on it, and people will think it's stylistic and original."
Q: "But didn't No Game No Life, Madoka, Shinsekai Yori and Penguindrum already do something like that...? Except with far more creativity, heart, and personal flair?"
A: "Shhhh!! These are anime fans, they have the memory of a goldfish. Don't worry about it."
The sound is pretty standard, I don't really have any complaints but once again it doesn't do anything to set the show apart from anything else. It kinda sounds like Fate/Zero's OST with more sugary J-pop crap mixed in.
All in all, not much to say.
ENJOYMENT
I had to literally drag myself through the last three episodes of this show. My expectations adjusted pretty consistently throughout. By the episode 5 I wasn't expecting too much, by episode 7 the show became a chore, and by episode 10 I wanted to drop it despite being so close to done, with the only reason I managed to finish it being that I enjoyed taking screenshots of moments that were either downright horrible or were pretty much excerpts from other shows, and because at that point I was actually HOPING it would end with a bullshit "FIST OF BRAVERY!!" moment because at least that would be hilariously awful. I wont say whether or not I got my wish though, cuz spoilers I guess. This wasn't funny-bad, it was bland, empty and soul-sucking.
OVERALL
If you're looking for a magical girl deconstruction, see Madoka or Princess Tutu. If you're looking for compelling cute girls doing cute things, see K-On. If you're looking for members of a high-school club having to take on serious issues like death and existentialism, see Angel Beats (it at least has ideas of its own and some passion from the creator). If you're looking for a hero of justice show watch Fate/Staynight, and if you're just looking for a show to watch for the love of god watch pretty much anything else. There is nothing here you can't find in other shows done better. Yuuki Yuuna is nothing: its emotionally-vacant (despite how emotional its characters get) its dry, it's hollow, and its inevitably meaningless. There's no heart from the creators in this piece, there's no passion for storytelling or love for the characters behind it. Yuuki Yuuna is a shameless reaction piece attempting to stitch together the successful elements of other shows in order to appeal to an audience, and as someone with a legitimate passion for writing and storytelling I find this show to be a little angering. Many shows are burdened with flaws, but poor pacing and plot contrivances and annoying characters don't bother me nearly as much as something that refuses to even try to be its own thing.
I'll say it one more time then.
Yuuki Yuuna is nothing.
Unless you want to watch four and a half hours of nothing, I advise you leave this shiny ambition-less rag buried in obscurity.
Hawk2
Can you hold it in your heart to believe in yourself to be a hero? Can you do that while knowing that while you carry out your promise to protect the world, you have to watch as you feel like you're failing that same promise to your friends? Are you truly capable of being a hero knowing what sacrifices have to be made and what you can lose along the way? Do you have the willpower to be the spark that lights the candle of hope surround by a shroud of despair? Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru (YuYuYu for short) is an anime thatasks five girls of the Sanshu Middle School Hero Club these questions. Can they handle it? Well...I can't spoil things so you'll have to go find that out yourself...If you read the discussions first before watching the episodes..I will go to your house and cave your shins in! No seriously though..YuYuYu is a pretty good show.
Take a slice of life anime with Magic girls add a lot of cute moments and well thought out characters and you get YuYuYu. The show leaves the impression of one of those really cute and action-y shows...basically giving the appeal of something out of Kyoto Animation (like K-ON! or Chuunibyou).
Suddenly, the show takes a turn into a Madoka Magicka atmosphere...The story progresses into a more depressing and seemingly sinister series at the blink of an eye and you begin to worry about the future of these girls. Things worsen, your feels are tested, and more and more monsters are destroyed, but at the end of the day (series) all that was needed was the will to believe in yourself and your friends.
Detailed breakdown:
Story (9/10): As mentioned, the story seems very light-hearted and cute, but as it progresses...things get real...and quick. While seemingly slow at the beginning, the entire storyline is well thought out and very very detailed. What was impressive was how well the storyline was able to conceal its gloomy and dark parts of it with cute and warming parts. It's ending, however...left a more cliched ending to it....along with its slow start...keeping it from it's 10/10 mark.
Character(10/10): To me, characters are the most important part of the story. It's what really matters in a scene no matter how you look at it. YuYuYu does it right. Not only does it give a background of each character, it also does a good job at showing how they connect to the other characters (through either relation (Fu and Itsuki) or the Hero Club). What I really liked was the mystery that surrounds Togo's two year gap.
Art: (9/10): Despite having the rather "generic" anime style, YuYuYu's amount of color and detail in the animation was well done. From the designs of the characters to even the designs of the monsters and the Taisha world (mainly the heavy amount of color here).
Sound: (9/10): I can't say much about the sound throughout the series. However, the song choice for the opening and closing was well done. Opening remained calm and collected, but at the same time...still a catchy tune. The ending was a completely different story. The use of certain voice actors during the ending really added to some of the "depressing" feel that came from the series itself. An example of this is the endings where only the seiyu of Itsuki sung the song during the episodes that were more focused around Itsuki's character.
Enjoyment: (9/10): It's been a while since I felt anticipation for an anime show. This show's ability to keep me on my toes and always dying for the next episode is something worth noting. During the light-hearted side of the story, I enjoyed the rather comical side of the series itself...what made the show...well...slice of life. The action sequences and the battles were well done. During the darker side of the series, I felt a lot of anxiety as I began to fear the worst would happen in the series. The last time I experienced this was during my time watching Tokyo Ravens (Fall 2013 -> Winter 2014).
Overall: 9/10. To sum up this series, I would say this is a must watch for fans of shows like Madoka Magicka. This series was well done and I cannot express how much I enjoyed the series overall. Fair warning though...this series will test you feels.
Watch Recommendation? - Yes
BanjoTheBear
(This has been adapted from my reddit thread) When it comes to helping others, some do it for the joy it brings to others while some do so to bring happiness to oneself. It doesn't matter the reason; just being there for someone in his or her time of need makes all the difference in the world. It also doesn't matter the scope, either. Whether it's working at a soup kitchen, babysitting the neighbor's kid, or saving an animal from a burning building, it's not the grandness of the act, but the act *itself* that means everything. And more often than not, these people are bestowed withthe title of "hero." Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru is a dark horse capitalizing on this idea, with more to the phrase than at first perceived.
**STORY**
YuYuYu (what I'll be calling it from here on out) follows the girls of the "Hero Club:" Yuuki, Togo, Fuu, and Itsuki. They believe in their five tenets, looking to spread happiness wherever they go.
On the outset, YuYuYu appears to be just another slice-of-life anime with no redeeming qualities. But past the first half of the first episode, it becomes much, much more. What this anime excels at is establishing and maintaining its vibe from beginning to end. The world is happy-go-lucky, essentially carefree during the more relaxed bits. Simultaneously, though, the show exerts an ominous feeling. That something is off, something is *wrong*, but one can't quite place his or her finger on what it is. It's not a shocking twist or some roundabout answer, either. The show slowly builds upon itself, reaching a crescendo, allowing for all of the built up emotion and uneasy feeling to spill over. The result is a consistent ride of trepidation that never lets up.
In order to create such apprehension, YuYuYu attempts to go about its story-telling and world-building in a less-than-direct manner. The rules are set early on, with the girls learning about the true nature of what they are doing through observation, association, and even simply visual confirmation. This allows the anime to explore both the slice-of-life happiness and dark drama more compactly, because the information gained is never entirely presented on a silver-platter. It's always just out of reach, with enough given to move the story along.
The truth is morbid and well done, with the actions of the characters involved being believable given the situation. It's not absolutely perfect, but the show more or less covers its bases, providing a fulfilling set of events that culminate in the narrative presented.
The biggest controversy involved comes with the ending. Thematically speaking, the anime's overall premise is that, as long as one's friends are there, anything is possible. It's an almost literal "the power of friendship" message. The dichotomy that is created during the anime gives the characters a lot of room to connect and support one another. Birthday parties, beach outings, and regular club activities help to provide examples for just how friendly they are.
Even during the hidden side, the story presents many opportunities for Yuuna and the gang to show just how good of friends they've become. So, the question is, does the ending uphold the ideals that the anime set? To an extent, yes, it does. The purpose of the anime is not so much about where *all* the girls end up, just where *Yuuna* does. After all, it's her story. The whole season, she proclaims and demonstrates the type of person she is and who she wants to be. And in the end, her friends do so, too; by supporting her and being there when she needed it most. It's a touching story that may not have ended the way everyone wanted, but it follows through with the pretext it set.
As a final note, one of the more prominent yet discarded topics within the anime is the religious aspect, or the "Shinju-sama." The girls fight to protect this god, going to extreme lengths to do so. And as the overall message details, it is not the god who saves them, it is ultimately each other. It's a snide remark about the ideas of religion and what it really means to devote one's self to faith.
In YuYuYu's circumstance, it argues that religion can be seen as nothing more than self-destructive violence. It isn't the gods above who save the day; it is the people on the ground who heed the call to the challenges in front of them. And blindly believing in something without justifiable, logical reasoning merely leads to death and despair. It's a risky statement that the show is willing to take, and it does so in full stride.
**ANIMATION**
YuYuYu is quite the beautiful looking anime.
The art style adopted is quite varied, both outside and within the "forestized" areas. The real world feels alive, with various locations besides just the club room visited. Lighting effects and other smaller details for the environments can be found, making the pieces themselves feel more alive. As for the "other" world, it's an explosion of colors and effects that dazzle about in a wide range of patterns. During these segments, the Vertexes, and at certain moments the girls themselves are done in 3D, but it never feels out of place.
The character designs for Yuuna and the rest are simple in reality and, perhaps obviously, more intricate when it comes to their transformations. Even their final forms are given much detail, combining a mix of 2D and 3D that, once again, is pleasant to look at. Togo's design that includes a wheelchair deserves a special shout-out.
As for the actual animation, it is stellar, to say the least. Action packed sequences, well-choreographed battles, and good character movements during the slice-of-life segments are the norm. The show never lets up, providing fluent and comprehensible skirmishes that showcase how strong this side of the anime truly is.
**CHARACTERS**
The cast of YuYuYu is vibrant, being characterized by not only their own developments, but by how they relate to one another.
Before talking about any of them, what the show does well is in the character interactions themselves. And not just that they are right, but that they are done *better* than many other anime. The characters *feel* like friends. Their jokes and conversations make sense, they play off of one another, and they are not afraid to tease each other when warranted. It simply feels natural.
As the youngest member, Itsuki is the quiet and kind little girl. She is the sister to Fuu, with the weird hobby of reading tarot cards. Her power, like her singing voice, is able to touch all those around her. More than anything, she wants to convince others that she doesn't need the help of the people around her at all times.
Fuu is the leader. Loud and outgoing, her massive broadsword further defines her as a girl unafraid to be as "unique" as possible. While she may be the first to console a friend, she harbors heavy guilt, with massive built up frustration. As the captain, she works hard to protect the entire club, but especially Itsuki, from the troubles that are brought upon them.
Introduced slightly later, Karin is standoffish yet approachable, serious yet playful. Her personality shines through in the armaments she wields: two samurai swords, both sharp and elegant. A "tsundere" through and through. For her, proving herself not only as a warrior but as a member is first and foremost on her mind. She doesn't want to bring the team down, because she feels she is the most worthy of the title they have been given.
Actually handicapped, Togo is very intelligent and serenely beautiful. She almost always hides her emotions, reflecting the long-range sniping she employs. Even though she is forced to be seated, Togo keeps a watchful eye on the rest of the cast. She works as a website designer, and Yuuna is her best friend. And that's the truth; she would do anything imaginable to save her.
Arguably the most interesting character, and perhaps rightly so, is Yuuki Yuuna herself. Extremely friendly and way too optimistic, she only wants to help everyone and anyone around her. Doing as much as she can with the two hands given to her, her bare-fist fighting style highlights this. She never gives up and she never gives in. The love she has for all her friends is huge, and she exhibits this time and again.
Beyond making the characters interact naturally, not only do the characters feel diverse, but they experience development that ties in with the anime's themes and overall goal. Itsuki goes from dependent little girl to independent young woman, gaining the confidence she's been lacking (and wanting) all along. Fuu starts off as the stalwart leader but devolves into an emotional wreck due to her inability to handle the suffering that her fellow friends all go through. Karin begins hating the group and not understanding who they are, but ends up defending them ardently and unconditionally. And Togo has her trust completely broken and shaken, despite her believing in both the club and the "Shinju-sama."
There is just one girl who doesn't waver or change along the way: Yuuna. Why is this? For her, there is no development because there doesn't need to be. She is constantly pushing ahead, never yielding. She is the example, the goal, what the other four girls *aspire* to be. She exudes confidence, stability, friendliness, and trust, all attributes that the members have always wanted. Because while the story may revolve around all of them, it is ultimately about *why* Yuuki Yuuna is who she claims to be.
**SOUND**
The OP is good. It starts off mysterious, with the differing vocals, violins, and acoustic guitar. It picks up near the halfway point, becoming more powerful and catchy, with the drums and choir-like singing. The ending vocal bit sends it off on a high-note, lending further to the anime's always-uneasy vibe.
The ED shines as well. It is soft, giving a calming sensation that is sometimes needed throughout the season. There are numerous versions of it, depending on the episode in question, but it's a simple song, with simple drums and singing that once again still feels as if something is just not quite right.
The soundtrack needs but one word: amazing. Quiet pieces, quick tracks, dramatic arrangements, it has it all at all the right places. The best piece usually occurs when the action is reaching a climax, with the vocalist following along to a repeated three-count. The whole OST is great to listen to both within the anime and outside of it, making it a contender for the top spot of the season.
The voice-acting performances reach high heights across the entire cast. Emotional scenes, screaming, and varying inflections are performed by all at one point or another. Special shout-out to Yumi Uchiyama for her role as Fuu, Juri Nagatsuma for her role as Karin, and Haruka Terui for her role as Yuna.
**ENJOYMENT**
Being completely honest, I actually was not a fan of the ending. Without spoiling anything, what I wanted most was for it to go in the *completely opposite* direction that it went.
But the rest of the package is there: comedy, drama, tragedy, anxiety, expectation, and both large and small scale battle sequences, to name just a few. It's a combination that is balanced well during the limited amount of time they had, making the experience a good one.
Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru began quite strange but ended very strong. Its smart story, diverse characters, and incredible animation really do prove that Yuuki Yuuna is a hero.
**SUMMARY**
Story: Great, perfect mood, nice world-building, complete theme, religious undertones
Animation: Great, beautiful art, nice character designs, 2D/3D mix well, fantastic actual animation
Characters: Great, Yuuna, Togo, Karin, Fuu, and Itsuki are characterized, developed, and connected
Sound: Great, good OP, good ED, amazing soundtrack, good VA work
Enjoyment: Good, has it all except the ending I was hoping for
Final Score: 9/10
emberreviews
In an age where a single idea can be copied, transmuted, inverted, and manipulated in millions of possible ways, the phrase "That's just a rip-off of ______" has become increasingly more common. For example, I've heard many arguments that Nagi no Asukara is just a rip-off of From the New World, and while there certainly are similarities between the two, it's quiet a stretch to say that a romance drama is just a rip-off of a dystopian horror series. However, there are times where the degree to which something is copied is so severe that"rip-off" really is the only way to describe it. So, when a title gets to that point, is there still enough enjoyment to be gleamed from this newer series to justify its existence?
I supposed it'd be best to address the elephant in the room first: this is a magical girl series with an incredibly blatant attempt to cash in on the "little girls suffering" idea that Madoka Magica had popularized back in 2011 and is continuously called upon again and again within the anime industry because it continues to print money. While in the past I may have suggested that Selector Infected WIXOSS was also riding the Madoka Suffering Train, at least it also had a plethora of new ideas to bring to the table. Yūki Yūna is an absolutely shameless clone of Madoka, from the suffering girls to the horrifying world backdrop.
There's also the matter of someone getting the bright idea to insert multiple episodes of slice of life-style comedy that served more to pad out the run time than to get us acquainted with the characters, and by the time we had our third slice of life episode in a row, the pacing had slowed to such an unbelievable crawl that I had considered dropping the series and not even doing this review. Additionally, the tonal shift between cutesy fun and heavy action leaning towards horror creates an incredibly unstable and schizophrenic tone for the series overall. With Madoka, the tamer and more relaxed episodes were confined to the first few episodes, but once the rug was pulled out from under us, the pacing grew more and more intense until it threatened to swallow up everything by the end of the series. With Yūki Yūna, the pacing shifts far too much in the first two thirds of the series for us to get a grasp of the true stakes.
However, despite all that, the payoff that occurs when we hit the final third of the series was really solid; predictable, but solid. It also does take a very slight variance away from Madoka, mostly to avoid plagiarism, and ends up gaining its own level of disturbing horror in terms of the "little girls suffering" motif. There is also a very definite exploding point that happens, and once it does, the series really does pick up the pace from there and sprints towards the conclusion. It's just unfortunate that this doesn't happen until the show is almost 70% finished, and at least 40% of that is an annoying slice of life borefest. For that, I'm sure that we can once again thank our head of series composition, Makoto Uezu (Akame ga Kill!, School Days). There were also quite a few gag-worthy moments in the script that were so unbearably cutesy and friendship-loving that I almost wanted to take a break after each episode and switch to Black Lagoon for a few minutes. As for the ending, I won't spoil it, but it certainly didn't deserve the ending that it received, and you can take that for either good or bad.
The characters aren't really anything new either, yet it's still pretty satisfying to watch their world start to crumble around them. Yūki is our standard heart of gold "I can do no wrong as long as I believe in the power of friendship" lead character, aka Madoka Kaname without the indecision, and I was actually surprised by how little screen time she got compared to the others. Mimori is Yūki's best friend who is bound to a wheelchair due to an accident that cost her part of her memory, and her friendship with Yūki ends up being a rather interesting point of development for her. Fū is the slightly older, mentor character of the group who has to deal with the fact that she got everyone involved in this situation in the first place, while Itsuki is Fū's little sister who honestly just seems to be there to further Fū's development. Finally, we have Karin, who could not be more like Kyoko Sakura if she tried; an outsider who is initially put off by how well the group functions together but gradually grows to like them. On a more general note, aside from Fū and Mimori, it was rather disappointing to see that everyone else's character development was done in a rather direct and low effort way, whereas Fū and Mimori are the only ones that really seem to experience any true sense of psychological terror.
The animation was produced by Studio Gokumi (Kiniro Mosaic), and let's not beat about the bush on this one: the animation for this series was incredibly mediocre. While the idea of making the girls cute did get executed well, it was executed almost too well, and some of the girls' expression were so full of sunshine and rainbows that it make me rather uneasy. I do have to praise them for the other emotions that filled the character's faces though, as you really can feel the absolute terror pouring out of them during the final third of this series, especially with Fū. Aside from that, most of the animation was pretty bad. The Vertexes were rendered in almost eye-bleeding 3D, the fights scenes weren't that spectacular and the girls were often replaced with 3D models for said fight scenes, and while the set designs in the parallel world were very ominous and intricate, the backgrounds in the real world felt incredibly generic. On a quick side note, I really would like to know why the wheelchair chick got so much of the gratuitous fan service. It seemed horrifically out of place and started giving me Katawa Shoujo flashbacks.
There is currently no dub for this series yet, and I wouldn't imagine one coming out in the near future.
The soundtrack was composed by the group MONACA, and the soundtrack as a whole ends up being one part Yuki Kajiura imitation and one part generic slice of life background music. However, it's in those imitation Kajiura tracks that we find some really solid and meaty chunks that drove home the intensity of some of the more exhilarating scenes. The opening theme "Hoshi to Hana" was performed by the main voice cast and plays us in with a rather subdued pop track, while both ending themes "Aurora Days" and "Inori no Uta" were also performed by them and end each episode with a soft ballad.
Overall, in regards to a recommendation on Yūki Yūna is a Hero, I'm left asking myself a single question to determine my decision: is there something that this anime brings to the table other than what Madoka Magica has already done and done better? To be honest: no, it really doesn't. Any enjoyment that can be gleamed from this show can just as easily be achieved by rewatching a much better magical girl deconstruction.
Vanschia
It's my first review on MAL, and I decided to give it to one of this unpopular anime.. This is the first anime that makes me scream, "OH GOD, PEOPLE SHOULD WATCH THIS!" I've rewatched this series for 4times now, so I decided to give it a review. I'll avoid any spoiler as I write. Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru, or Yuuki Yuuna is a Hero. (YuYuYu for short) Story: 8.5/10 In post-apocalyptic age where humans are in near of extinction, humans still live each other peacefully.The story focused on a group of middle-school girls in a club called Hero Club.
A Club that has a purpose to help other people who need.
They're living their happy ordinary live until one day they suddenly dragged in different world(?), no I'll say it's a different environment.
Being the chosen girls by their God, Shinju-sama, they have a duty to fight enemies called Vertex to protect their ordinary life, their world from destruction.
Despite being a magical girl anime, YuYuYu uses term 'Hero' for it which I find that unique.
It may be started with light-hearted and happy story, but when you walk further.. everything is changed...
Even with only 12 episodes, this anime never felt rushed, or I can say it's well-paced.
The only thing that I'm disappointed is the ending, but that doesn't change how well written this story is.
Art: 9.5/10
The art is one of the best aspects of this anime, I can say it's one of the best in Fall 2014.
Opening scene is very well made, it has a deep meaning that you'll never find out until you watch further episodes.
The animation and art is improved in every episode, it's carefully made that I find no 'derp-face' when I watched it.
The background is awesome, it's very artistic with water-paint color.
Character design is also great, their transformation outfit is one of my favorite, what can I say, it gives 'ready to fight' feeling from it.
What I like is the action scene, it's soooo good, so pumping and so colorful, they even cast flowers in every hit. It matched very well with the background.
The only flaw is the CGI in 2 first episodes, but after that it's done very well.
Sound: 10/10
The sound in this anime is outstanding.
The OST match very well with every scene in the anime, no flaw, beautiful.
It'll give you cheering and relaxing feeling in everyday life, and it'll pump you up in action scene.
The voice acting is also great, they fit the character fully.
They show the character emotion perfectly, especially on character breakdown, impressive work.
You know, I'm collecting all YuYuYu music, both OST and character song, just how awesome they're.
Character: 10/10
YuYuYu only has 5 main and 1 supporting characters, which I find it very pleasant since we can focused on the main girls.
Every character has a different and unique personality, and they're likable.
Unlike other magical girl anime, YuYuYu treats their characters equally. No one is stronger than the other, this is important.
I like an anime that has a good character development, and this anime has it.
The character is the most important aspect in this anime. The development is done carefully in every episode.
Each protagonist got a huge development, everyone.
I can guarantee that you'll emotionally attached with one of the main while the story progressing.
Enjoyment: 9/10
I truly enjoy watching this anime, if not, why I bother to rewatched it for 4times?
I smile.
I laugh.
I cry.
I'm fired up.
I'm emotionally driven with this anime, and I love it.
Overall: 9/10
Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru is one of other anime that makes me attached to it, and it deserve a spot in my favorite list.
I'll recommend you to watch this anime, you'll not regret it.
I'm sorry if I'm not that good at writing, it's hard to choose some right words.
Thanks for reading my review. ^^
Haneq
Hello! This is my first review (most overused excuse ever, right?). English is not my native language, so I'm sorry for mistakes. *I'll do my best not to contain any spoilers.* *Also, this review will be long because I love to write!* When I first started to watch Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru (YuYuYu) back in July 2015, I really expected it to be lighter Madoka Magica. I had heard many people talk about it and refer it as ''the most underrated anime of 2014''. When I finally got to see the first episode, I was pretty surprised to see Slice of Life-elements - I thought thiswas sad anime!
Hero Club's Five Tenets:
"Give a good greeting."
"Try not to give up."
"Sleep well, eat well."
"If you're troubled, talk to someone!"
"You're likely to succeed if you try."
Story:
YuYuYu tells a story of four girls (and later fifth) and their Hero Club, which does things like picking up trash, looking for new owners for cats, making summer festivals - you get the idea. One day, however, things change when time freezes and mysterious ''Forestize Warning'' message appears on girls' phones. Fuu (Hero Club's founder) informs the other girls about their job as real heroes which defend the world.
The story is really well-made and much thought is used in creation. It gives little hints from the really beginning if you pay attention. This is a series you could watch again. I would give story 10.
Art/Animation:
Fantastic. 2D animation is absolutely stunning and detailed and character designs are beautiful. YuYuYu uses 3D mainly for the enemies known as ''Vertex'', so it might look jarring to someone. I have seen worse 3D in anime before, but this time it was actually pretty good. As for the 2D, animation is really smooth and beautiful. Not really much off-model shots - I would give it 10, but 3D looks sometimes quite jarring - not too bad, however. So 9.
Characters:
Yuuna Yuuki - Main girl, which the series is named after. She is happy and energetic girl who loves eating and making friends. When Yuuna gets determined, nothing can stop her. She is that kind of a person that you can talk to about everything, from sad things to happy ones.
Mimori Togo - Yuuna's best friend, but still asks to be called by her last name. She is really patriotic girl who doesn't use English loan words in Japanese. She is also very smart and skilled with computers, and thus is the one maintaining Hero Club's website. Togo also uses a wheelchair so she has Yuuna pushing her around.
Fuu Inubouzaki - Founder of Hero Club and thus the one who runs the things. She loves eating even more than Yuuna and has a lots of ''Girl Power'', as she herself puts it. At the beginning of the series she was the only person who knew about the real purpose of the Hero Club. Fuu is also very protective of her friends, as she is their senior.
Itsuki Inubouzaki - Fuu's little sister, who is really shy and sweet. She likes to look at Tarot cards and tell others' fortune. She is also a really good singer. Itsuki is usually hiding behind her protective sister, but as the time goes on, she herself becomes stronger.
Karin Miyoshi - Fifth girl who transferred to main characters' school. She is a hero of Taisha who doesn't really want friends. As tsundere character of the show, she has a lots of pride and a cold heart at the beginning, but eventually evolves into a likable character with a good heart.
Overall the cast is pretty amazing and their relationship with one another is really well portrayed in only twelve episodes. I give it 9.
Sound:
Voice actresses did a really good job in both acting and singing theme songs. My personal favorite is the opening song, ''Hoshi to Hana''/''Stars and Flowers'', which is really beautiful and well-made song with meaningful lyrics. Ending theme, ''Aurora Days'' really portrays the calm side of the series while the aforementioned ''Hoshi to Hana'' has a more serious and mysterious vibe to it. Itsuki's song, ''Inori no Uta'' is also really good and fits her gentle character.
Background music in YuYuYu really fits the mood, was the scene intense or just pure Slice of Life. Battle themes have powerful strings or acoustic guitars, while mysterious Jukai has just a piano and vibraphone-ish sounds, symbolising the emptiness of colorful but out-of-this-world nature of the forest. I give overall sound 9.
Enjoyment:
I admit it - when I saw the first minute of the first episodes, I was so surprised that I thought YuYuYu would be average Slice of Life-Comedy at best. By the time I watched the end of episode and the second one, I thought it was pretty good, but maybe not Madoka's level. At the end of the series, I first gave it 8 because I had trouble with some things, but after analyzing it and watching some episodes again, I thought ''This is amazing, so why did I give just 8?''
Thus I give it 9. I will watch it again later, all twelve episodes, but I doubt that it will rise to 10.
*Edit: After watching it again, I find it really hard to not give it a 10. So, even if it may not be perfect, I give it a 10!*
Overall:
Story: 10
Art/Animation: 9
Sound: 9
Character: 9
Enjoyment: 10
Lots of 9s, huh? I would definitely recommend this anime to anyone who enjoys magical battles, well-made characters and stunning animation. Even if you do not regularly watch this kind of shows, at least give it a try. First few episodes might turn someone off, but in the end this is closer to a masterpiece than garbage.
Thank you for your time! If you liked my review, I might do this kind of thing again!
jc9622
Every time I see an anime cover with a cute magical girl/s, I always get the feeling that it's going to be similar to Madoka Magica. I tried the show out just to confirm my curiosity and what do you know, it is similar to Madoka but do not think the show is a Madoka rip-off because it's not. (There will be SPOILERS in my review) [Story]: (8.8/10) (SPOILERS) The story takes place in the era of the gods, Year 300. Yuuna Yukki lives an ordinary life as a second year middle school but she's also a member of the "Hero Club", where club activities involve dealingwith a mysterious being called "Vertex".
This is now the second Madoka-esque anime that I have seen (First being Selector Infected WIXOSS) and I wasn't even searching for this anime. I just found it on Netflix, I saw the cover and I decided to try the first episode just to see if it was similar to Madoka. My curiosity confirmed, I decided to watch the whole show since it was only 12 episodes. After watching through 12 episodes, I really wanted more. The show turned out to be way better than I expected.
It didn't take that long to show the viewers what to expect about this show. Halfway through the first episode, it immediately got straight to the point. They're magical girls fighting for the organization called "Taisha" and must defeat "Vertexes" to keep the world safe. Unfortunately, the organization "Taisha" wasn't explained that well. Who exactly is "Taisha"? What was their backstory and how did they know about the "Vertex"? All we know is they're just an organization choosing middle school girls (what was the reason for not picking boys again?) with high marks to fight for them and protect the world. Anything more about them is left to the viewers interpretation.
In the second half of the show, the girls find out that there are consequences for being a Magical Girl or what the show calls it "Hero". To be more specific, if they keep using their "Mankai" powers (special powers), they will permanently lose a body part and it will never heal again. The show used this to their advantage, showing the characters struggling and how they dealt with it. If you have watched Madoka before then the dark plot twist shouldn't be a surprise to you. It wasn't a surprise for me but it was still a great plot twist.
There was one effective dramatic moment that occurred in Episode 9 where Fu broke down after she found out that her sister auditioned for a singing program. She made it through the audition but because of the consequences of using Mankai, she lost her voice and will never achieve her dream of being a singer. I did not sign up for the feels. I never expected that dramatic scene. To be honest, the episode broke me down and I almost cried, no lie. I mean, you can feel (I did) what Fu was going through when she heard that file. On top of that, there was a background song playing while the scene was playing and it made that scene even more sad.
Lastly, I want to talk about the ending. I wouldn't call it great nor would I say that the ending was downright terrible. The problem with the ending is it threw out everything the show was trying to build in the first 11 episodes. I was expecting the characters to stay that way because........the show claims that it was a permanent damage. Did Shinju-sama heal their permanently damaged bodies after they defeated the "Vertex" or was it because of "friendship"? Either way, it looked like the show did a complete 180 and went for a happy ending with no explanation whatsoever. To be honest, I wasn't really disappointed with the happy ending but I would have preferred the bad ending since the tone of the second half was pretty dark.
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[Art/Animation]: (9/10)
I didn't really like the character design when I first saw it. The biggest problem that I had with the character design was their face. I didn't really like how they look like they were blushing all the time. I got used to it after 2 episodes so it doesn't really matter anymore. The visuals and the animation looks great and I first thought this was a P.A Works anime. Turns out, it was some animation studio under the radar and is not well known.
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[Sound]: (10/10)
The soundtrack is simply amazing. Did Yuki Kajiura do the soundtrack? No?! Sounds like she did. The OST's are amazing, the battle themes are amazing. the theme used for the transformation scenes are amazing, the insert song used in Ep. 9 was amazing..Need I say more?.......She obviously didn't orchestrate the soundtrack which was kinda disappointing. Now the OP and ED theme songs.
The OP theme song is "Hoshi to Hana" by Yuuki, Tougo, Karen, Fuu and Itsuki and the ED theme songs are "Aurora Days" by Yuuki, Tougo, Karen, Fuu and Itsuki and "Inori No Uta" by Itsuki. The OP theme song sounds awesome especially when all the 5 singers are singing together. The bass in the background is also another reason why I love the OP theme song. The song is also saved on my phone so if someone will need to get help because I can't stop listening to it. The 1st ED theme song is pretty average and I love...love the 2nd ED theme song. Just like Clannad AS' sad songs, this song also makes me tear up everytime I hear it.
I watched the show in English Dub so I'll be reviewing the English VAs. In my opinion, the sound great. Especially Fuu's voice acting at Episode 9. Her breakdown sounds convincing as hell. There was one slight issue in the voices and I found this to be an issue in both Japanese and English voices. It's Episode 11 and 12's constant shouting. It was annoying in English and It was even more annoying in Japanese.
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[Characters]: (9.5/10)
My expectations weren't that high when I first watched the show. In other words, I wasn't expecting the show to be that great because like I said, I just wanted the check the show out to confirm my curiosity. I wasn't expecting the characters of the show to have a great character development and to be this fleshed out because it's only 12 episodes. I can't believe I have to say this but..........the show's characters are simply amazing. Do I dare to say that they're better than Madoka Magica's character? No but they're pretty close. All of the characters are fleshed out and all of the characters are mostly developed throughout the course of the show. Almost everything that they do are believable and the way Y(uuki)Y(una is a)(H)ero shows these girl's friendship and how they help each other out is almost realistic.
If you're expecting the characters to be similar to Madoka then get rid of that expectation right now. There is now way in hell in hell these characters are similar and that's a good thing. Well, Besides Fuu being similar to Mami (They're both the Senpai and they both lead the group), they're not similar. They didn't copy every element from Madoka and the show did something of their own.
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[Enjoyment]: (9/10)
As someone who only wanted to watch 2 episodes just to confirm his curiosity (I'm talking about me in case you didn't notice), I did not expect to enjoy this show as much as Madoka. By the 3rd episode, I ended up marathoning the show just like I marathoned Madoka a few months ago. Sad to see the show end, to be honest.
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[VERDICT]
Despite the amount of Madoka rip-offs in today's anime industry for whatever goddamn reason, "Yuuki Yunna is a Hero" is not one of them. It borrowed most of its element from Madoka while at the same time, doing something on its own that makes it a unique show to watch and not a blatant rip-off just so they can try and garner the same amount of popularity as Madoka. If you're a big Madoka fan or you're looking for a great character-driven story then this anime is a must-watch. It is one of the most underrated anime shows that I have ever watched. Just watch out for the ending which might kill the show for you.
[OVERALL]: (9/10)
Pros:
+Great Story
+Stunning Visuals and Animation
+Great Character Designs
+Outstanding Soundtrack and OST's
+Great and Believable Characters
+Characters are Fleshed Out and Mostly Developed
+Effective Dramatic Scene in Episode 9
Cons:
-Ending might kill the show for some people
-Tons of annoying shouting at Ep. 11 and first half of Ep. 12
Stark700
A show that might be overlooked for its frontal advertisement. Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha (Yuuki Yuuna is a Hero) isn’t your typical ‘cute girls doing cute things’ type of show. Well, it is for some parts or at least the first 10 or so minutes of the pilot episode. Then, we realize the show is a lot more after a strange message on a cell phone that transports the girls into a world of the unknown. If ‘magical girl’ is something you’re familiar with and find enjoyable, then this show may be a treat. To trace back a bit, the show is an original workanimated by Studio Gokumi. Director Seiji Kishi is in charge of this project while Takahiro (author of Akame ga Kill) does the series planning. What this brings to mind is a strange collective of individuals to craft the series’ story. By all means, this show does sound like what the title suggests but the promotion suggests otherwise. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the girls’ lives in this series are about to change forever though.
Understanding the series should be simple enough. There are two worlds – one in the human world that takes place at Sanshu Middle School and another world where strange entities known as Vertex has taken refuge. The first episode quickly introduces the main cast that composes a club known as the ‘Hero Club’. As the name suggests, it’s made of members who wants to help the helpless; kind of like trying to be heroes. The club also does other activities ranging from arts, craft, music, and literature. Making up the club are Yuna, Fu and her younger sister Itsuki, and Mimori. While their personalities aren’t alike, they connect well as a unit and often enjoy their time in the human world. The show quickly turns the pages towards another side when we see the girls getting transported to another world. As gimmicky as it sounds (complete with the cell phone trope), it may take some people by surprise especially for those who are unfamiliar with the premise or staff. The catch here is that the girls gets to be heroes for real in this other world by combating against the mysterious Vertex.
An interesting concept to note about the show is how the characters’ personalities change or perhaps show their true selves once their circumstances are different. Mimori becomes a prominent an example of this especially after she realizes the true visage of Shinju, the very essence that the Vertex is trying to destroy. Faced with the possibility of losing what she values, Mimori suffers mental breakdowns throughout the show. Another part is the show’s focus on dealing with loss. The first half of the series shows the girls fighting and actually succeeding on most parts in their battle against the Vertex. Unknown to them, there’s a sacrifice (no, not their lives) to be made. The moral of the show suggests that nothing comes without a price and for becoming a hero, there’s also something in exchange to be paid. It brings about a sense of despair that is a solid mixture with the fantasy premise. The show chooses to make this bold choice rather than relying solely on slice of life to craft cleverness. Indeed, this show has its clever moments whether it’s the dark revelations or the character performances.
The characters are a main part of the show as there is only a handful. Each of them stands out in some way although titular character Yuuki is the one that takes most of the spotlight. This is actual primal considering the way each characters’ roles are played throughout the series. They become magical girls, go to this other world, and fight with the future of the universe on the line. What bigger stakes are there? Each character must accept their destiny to overcome a tragic fate. At the same time, the girls’ struggle internally with the truth after realizing that their lives will never go back to the same way before. It’s when you realize that if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t. The battles against the Vertex is surprisingly not the reason why the girls suffer from despair. In most parts, the girls does fairly well against them but it’s not until they realize what they are fighting for that they break down. Some folks might see this as a ripoff of Madoka or another cheesy gimmick to deconstruct the magical girl trope. However, it’s also important to realize that the show retains its wit and focus. It also has a good momentum and ability to build up events while dropping foreshadowing throughout the story. For anyone who can appreciate a darker side of a magical girl series, then this is something to take notice of.
Despite some of the appealing concepts of the show, the characters does suffer from a bit of stereotypes. In terms of characters, they are still middle school girls so it’s hard for older audience to take seriously at what they say. And because of their age, the girls’ emotional suffering can seem a bit forced with some repetitiveness. The story itself also has some balancing issues where we get a beach episode and introduction of another character (transfer student) to break apart the fantastic four. I don’t mean it literally but rather how the show can create a sense of annoyance as our new character Karin has an ego unlike no other. The series also has a strange direction as the characters seems to be fighting this enemy because it’s just the right thing to do. There’s a lack of a true villain or purpose that makes the series hard to predict. Thankfully, the series does know what it can do with its characters by presenting their desire (through flashbacks) and not steer away from what it has set up. The latter half of the series also has a much better focus without losing balance of the main story.
Judging on artwork and character design, the show is probably is a mixed bag. Let’s face it, the characters look childish. They look like kids with cardboard box designs complete with the magical girl decorations. Although the series has decent production quality, there’s an auto-pilot like expression on the characters’ faces most of the time. That is until the second half, you’ll see how everything changes. Still, the show does deserve some credit for its elaborate design when it ventures into the supernatural realm. The Vertex are designed to look indiscriminately malevolent while their world also has a great degree of otherworldly elements. The magical girls’ designs may look generic but does go through evolution including their weapons and battle gear. And speaking of battles, the show has great choreography and non-stop action when the pace picks up.
Soundtrack is surprisingly noticeable throughout the course of the show. The majority of it relies on parts when the series focuses on its battles. Later on in the show, we also get the more emotional aspect where we see characters expresses their desires and fears. I give praise to the actresses with their performances. It’s their ability to convey the suffering of the characters that make them almost seem realistic despite the fantasy gimmicks. To take this further, the series creates a sense of tragedy that seems to be unresolvable with its quiet atmosphere and OST. The OP and ED songs also does well with its well-crafted choreography.
So what’s the best way to describe this show? Perhaps unorthodox would be a word to use considering the stark contrast of its first and second half with the story. Some people may see this as a Madoka clone when considerations are taken for the usage of tragedy, magical girls, and war against mystery forces. Technical wise, the show does justice in the end with its conventional direction. In retrospect, this show is refreshing for its ability to craft satirical story about heroes. As a kid, I’m sure everyone had his or her own dream but you may wonder the moment when that is shattered. Step into the shoes of these girls and you’ll realize the experience.
Aoiki
Imagine you have Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica in high school with a happier setting and thus the outcome will be Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru! I'm not saying that Yuuki Yuuna's a rip off from Madoka Magica, Yuuki Yuuna has it's own originality. Moving on, may I present to you the second (and hopefully the last) anime that made me cry. Story (10/10) I think I already pointed out the story but for those that have yet to watch neither of the anime that I stated earlier, read on. Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru is not just a fluffy show where "cute girls do cute things" orin short moe, yes there are moe in this series but there's more than that. The series just shows you what happens if you give out powers to young girls that are undergoing puberty. There will be one point when you'll feel like the character in the series and just understand their feelings, you'll get painfully attached (I hope i'm not the only one.)
I just felt that the authors tried their best not to make a rip off out of Madoka Magica, I would like to say they did a great job but there are still similarities but aren't all stories 'almost' the same these days?
Art (10/10); Sound (10/10)
They are just amazing considering this a modern anime.
The sound and the art will not bother you one bit.
Character (10/10)
I will not enumerate each and every one of them but i'll summarize them in one.
Every character has their perks, good and bad. We have this set of friends in one club that helps other people, thus the Hero Club. The club says it all they are heroes helping the weak.
Each character grew in every episode, as you progress through the series the characters realize that what they're doing are no fun and games. You'll just feel every pain that these characters have gone through.
Enjoyment (10/10)
I love this series so much (still being selfish hoping that they'll milk the franchise) but the story's ending was good enough so i'll just leave it there, i'll just be wishing for an OVA or special.
Also to mention this series is overlooked a lot because they thought that they'll just be seeing a copy of Madoka Magica I would like to tell you that you are wrong my good friend, give this show a chance and if you hated the series be feel free to hunt me down.
xBroken
Who else watches pretty much anything that comes out at least ep 1 or ep 2 to see if they like it? I'm also one of those person who watches series at least 1 or 2 ep to see if I'll drop it or watch it, at first no doubt about it, the characters were so CUTE and that really helped me to watch it...then I didn't care about how cute they were now, the plot caught my eyes, and I was pretty much getting really close really really close to dropping this series, but then....oh boy I'm glad I did not drop it Yuuki Yunnais prob one of the highly underrated series of fall 2014(by my guess from views on kissanime.com crunchyroll, wao, sites that I use). I somewhat had a gut feeling that I would like this series and as each ep. came out weekly ratings 6.50ish and now look where it's at, slowly, but surely, this series got better as it went on.
Story/Enjoyment/Art
I'm not going to review the series into details of the plot, but the plot was what made me really change my mind of this series(watch the series yourself for full detail of-course :D)
The series starts of with a club know as the hero club, witch does a lot of community services in a way, after being "it" the hero club(4 members at start) are randomly taken into another dimension where they fight these "vertex" where they have to defect 12 vertex and their battle would be over, so they thought...the series starts of really light and simple, and as I was watching my enjoyment was slowly dropping down on it until a bit more into the series their was a lot of hints of a different factor in the plot, the dark areas of the plot. Honestly it has been a while when I last saw a series that has brought some tears to my eyes. I would have to say this series felt really really close mahou shoujo because of the slow start and from the plot just giving hints and hints and here it is.... a twist, but I wouldn't say that this is another mahou shoujo despite the fact both series girls transform and fight, they do have their differences. The artwork of the other dimension is also really similar to mahou shoujo. And the ending is one of the difference, but just because it ended this way, that did not mean it was over(or so i thought).
Genres: Slice of Life, Fantasy, Magic
Being in a part of a club pretty much that will lead to the slice of life event
the dimension world that they are taken to brings out the fantasy genre to the series
I'm not fully sure if I would be able to consider this as magic, it felt more like it was super power/action, but also there wasn't much action at all, the hero club members didn't really use magic, but they did got their powers from something else may have consider it as magic
Characters
YES, these characters were so.....CUTE, when they transformed to their hero form.... EVEN CUTER, but...it's not just their cuteness, their development as a character went really well, even tho as you might be able to tell, the plot will be around Yuuki Yuuna because of the title, but the plot did have room for development of other main characters which was really good, even a character that came in later had development, because this is a 12 ep series don't be expecting one whole ep. about one character, their developments were quick and simple and may even bring some tears to your eyes or heart warming at the very least?
Sound
The sound was not really well I can honestly say from my view, the opening itself felt a bit dark to it, and then the ending it felt a bit more light? happy? it was a bit weird for me, but it didn't effect my enjoyment of the series. I would say the OST is a bit balanced with some dark theme, sad theme, light theme OSTs.
Last Ep on Christmas
what can I say? after eating lunch with the family and opening presents and then finally getting to watch anime, I can really say, I enjoyed my afternoon a lot more then I thought. If you were one of those person who has only watched ep 1-6 or so, sit on your chair, turn on that comp, watch in HD, and enjoy your Christmas/your day. Entirely a worth watching series if you ask me.
sketchesofpayne
I watched this when it first aired and thought it was pretty good (especially as a mahou shoujo fan). Coming back to it years later after having seen the prequel and sequel series and watching it a couple more times I think it's excellent. I love the abstract eastern-mysticism theme. I got a better feel for the characters the second time through. The visual design is unique and appealing. The voice acting is excellent, as is the music. It's not really playing the "subversion" card, rather it's being straight-up slice of life to get the viewer attached to the characters sothat when tragedy befalls them it actually means something. In fact, I feel these events are more tragic than a character dying. The Taisha organization isn't evil. They're inept humans dealing with things they don't fully understand. The Vertex are more of a force of nature (or the supernatural) rather than villains.
Comparisons to Puella Magi Madoka Magica (my favorite series) are only superficial. In Madoka characters suffer from the karmic cycle of the wish they were granted. Yuuki Yuuna takes the idea of the sacrifice of pure maidens, but their sacrifice is in defending the last remnant of humanity. It's choosing versus being chosen.
Some people seem to be negative about it having a good ending, but having been invested in the story and characters it was a relief to me. And a breath of fresh air these days. Yuuki Yuuna joins the ranks of Madoka, Clannad, and Angel Beats in being the few stories that actually bring tears to my eyes. I'd say a big part of that is in the acting. Both the animation and voice actors combined in a way that gave me real empathy with these characters.
Being positive and trying their best in the face of an impossible situation. Genuinely trying to support each other even when they make mistakes and get hurt. Learning what it means to sacrifice for the sake of others. These are themes that I connect with, even if I fail at them in daily life. I guess your enjoyment of this series might depend on whether you connect with them as well.
Gloryas
[SPOILER FREE REVIEW] (be careful because there are loads of spoilers on the internet, but luckily not here :) ) I am in love with this anime. I must say that it was not what I first expected, but I am a huge fan of it now. I hope my review will be helpful to decide if it is also something for you :) What am I going to discuss in this review? - Short summary of the anime - Why watch this anime? - short list of Pro's & Cons - Best order to watch the anime seriesAnd for fans of Madoka Magica:
- Is it similar to Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica?
- in what ways are they similar?
Short summary of the anime
YuYuYu (short for Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru, since it is a bit a long name to keep repeating) is about a group of girls that started a hero club to help people with everyday problems, to make the people around them happy.
But soon they also find themselves chosen to save the world from Vertexes, forces that try to destroy the world they love so much. The hero club has to find a balance between their normal activities and saving the world.
What does it mean to be an hero, how do you cope with knowing of evil others can't ever see?
Why watch this anime?
YuYuYu is a great anime to easily get hooked on. I was not planning to watch the entire season in one day, yet I did.
The anime gives you a good variety of different emotions through a combination of story, music and visuals.
The anime does not use too mainstream characters.
One of the main characters is a girl in a wheelchair. And no one is like: "Ahw you poor girl, you are bound to this wheelchair, let me help you." I think it is amazing how they made this character an actual representation in the series, where a lot of series totally fail at this.
That being said I don't have a favorite character, nor do I hate one character. The characters are all balanced and realistic, they all have their flaws and go through a development.
The soundtrack is amazing and synchronizes well with the events in the series. It gives you a hint of what is coming, yet the series is full of plot-twists and unexpected events.
Pro's
- Good character building.
- Plays with your emotions, but in a good way.
- Semi-unexpected plot-twists and unexpected events.
- Great soundtrack, well balanced and in sync with events.
- Great animation of the "Vertex forest". I honestly love this part of the animation.
- One of the main characters is a girl in a wheelchair.
- Characters are equally likeable, balanced and realistic.
Cons
- Vertex animations are robotic, although it does give them an eerie look.
- I think the love/friendship bond might be a little too much sometimes.
- I find that YuYuYu does too much fan-service, like in the transformations in later episodes, you see more and more big boob and under skirt shots. No. Stop it. They are children.
- I have to cry when I hear certain soundtracks. But I like them anyway. Help.
Best order to watch the series
As this is an anime review I will only give you the order to watch the anime series. If you wish to read the light novels as well, there are plenty of viewing guides on the web, but I only watched the anime (and I am fine with it).
1) Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru (obviously).
2) Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru: Washio Sumi no Shou (choose between the movies or the tv-version, there are minor differences).
3) Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru: Yuusha no Shou.
I am personally most fan of the second one, Washio Sumi no Shou (again, it doesn't really matter whether you watch the movie or tv-version) since it explains a lot of things that happen in the first and it has the best story. But even though this is a prequel, you won't understand parts of it unless you watch YuYuYu first.
Is it similar to Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica?
Just like many others, I found this anime when trying to find something like Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica. Note: I did not want to find something exactly the same, I know many YuYuYu fans hate the comparison with Madoka Magica but I did want to find something that would get me hooked and gave a similar feeling. For me, YuYuYu did that. And more.
So in what ways are they similar?
- Great soundtrack.
- Plot-twist heavy, something I really love.
- Well played on the emotions: Prepare to be amazed.
- Nice artwork, I loved the mazes in Madoka and though the artwork of the forest is different I think it gives the same feeling. I am not really fan of the Vertexes animation (clearly robotic, digital animation) but they do fit in and give an eerie look.
Thank you for reading my review! And don't forget the Hero Club five tenets!
Tamaki_ki
This is one of very few shows I've found myself coming back to, overall I really enjoy and love this series, but despite thinking this is a 10/10, would watch again, I wouldn't call it a perfect show. From a weebs POV, someone who rarely watches stuff anymore, this is one of few shows I have no problem coming back to. The characters are a joy to see on the screen and their interactions with each other is also very nice! I would give this show all the worlds praises if I could for driving me in so deep, but I might also end up overselling this lol.
+
1. If I take my time and sit down to analyze the story and plot, it's very interesting and the world has a lot to it.
2. It's a real joy to watch; from a personal standpoint, the story really just makes me cry. I've not been able to watch this even once without crying haha.
3. The art is adorable and the girls are even more so (I'm adopting them as my daughters). Their interactions with each other and their friendships... You can really tell how close they are and how much emotion there's written into their characters.
%
1. There's a couple things that sort of feels like they're just thrown in there as a "shit right, this was important too". If you're unaware of the other animes that exists to explain that, it'll be very confusing to watch.
2. The characters can feel very one dimensional (I say with all my love for them). You can clearly see most of their character tropes and there's very little character development (looking at you Yuna and Karin)
3. There's bad focus in some shots... Normally I go unbothered by it, but I can't help but feel like that it was unnecessary and only went to provide fanservice, tho this is easily a thing to just think "whatever" with if you want...
> I'm not great at writing reviews, but if you found my ramble useful that's good! If you're considering watching it, I would strongly recommend it lol.
I would say if you like Madoka, you should watch this.
And if you don't like Madoka, you can still watching this lol
HetakuSoda
1. Give people a good greeting. 2. Try not to give up. 3. Sleep well, eat well. 4. If you're troubled, talk to someone! 5. You're likely to succeed if you try. Those are the adorably uncertainly-worded 5 tenants of the Hero Club, whose members comprise the main cast of YuYuYu, which has become one of my favorite series of all time. YuYuYu is a magical-girl (though they're called "heroes") saga combining some of the cutest shit I've ever seen with some of the darkest. The ability for this series to keep me thinking about it while I wasn't watching was astounding. In those respects, along with most others Ican think of, I believe this series surpasses even Madoka, a similar show which I regard highly.
Aight so remember when I said YuYuYu had some of the cutest shit I've ever seen? The art style is so fluffy, and, especially in later seasons, they'll use exaggerated animation to increase both the cuteness and hilarity. The girls are so, so cute.
My feelings towards these changed, however, when I started to see how they'd be used against me. My precious hero club(s?) suffers a lot, and each time the emotional pangs were of the strength most shows barely deliver one of.
I go back and watch YuYuYu1's ED often; it's so simple yet so catchy and even emotional. The OP is similar in that regard, carrying a somber tone. WaSuYu's OP and ED are adorable and sad at times, and YuYuYu2's convey the sense of finality of the season. The OST wasn't the kind of thing I noticed for most of the run time, but good god when it was necessary it could get to Demon Slayer Ep19 levels. (Even I'm pretty sure that counts as an insert song, eh.)
It's often confusing as well. While and while not watching I'd be theorizing about why something is the way it is or even just what exactly happened, sometimes to get an answer later. I remember sitting in class one day and realizing the implications of an episode I thought was filler on a new development. I've already started reading the unadapted light novels, of which there aren't many, and they provide a lot of background.
Overall, YuYuYu is a series I'm happy to say is among my favorites, and that I'll probably be obsessing over for a while longer, since there's a lot of content outside the main anime seasons.
HolotheCat
Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru – “You’re likely to succeed if you try” Many have claimed it is just a Madoka copy, and yes the character designs are Madoka based. That I can’t refute when Yuuki looks exactly like Madoka and Fuu looks very much like Mami. But once you start to watch the story and understand what is going on, Yuuki Yuuna is its own story, with its own characters, and its own beauty. Story – 8/10 In an alternate world everyone worships a divine being known as the Shinju. The Hero Club is a small group of four girls whodo random tasks to help others, when suddenly they get transported to another world in which they have now been tasked with protecting the Shinju from twelve “Vertexes” that will try and destroy it.
As we follow them through their struggles the story, despite all the problems they are dealing with, always feels happy. As the girls fight Vertex after Vertex they do it with a smile. We also constantly look onto the lives the girls live each day when they are not battling. At times it can even fool us into thinking it’s just a normal slice of life and that everything will be ok. However the writers played it perfectly, lulling us into a sense of safety as we believed these girls would finish their tasks and we would see them succeed without consequence. An epic battle of the last remaining Vertexes at once and when they defeated they were done, they had done their task and succeeded. And then it happened. A dark turn into which no one saw coming, the heroes injured, each losing something vital in exchange for using the great power that come with using their “Mankai” and without a way to take back what was lost. The story grows ever darker as they try to discover why this is happening to them and to even discover the truth of the world.
Characters – 9/10
Happy and upbeat is something that can describe the first four members of the Hero Club. Yuuki Yuuna is the eternally happy girl always looking out for her friends. She’s the one girl who even everything is against them will always smile. Because of the love of her friends she also tends to be the one more willingly to sacrifice herself in order to protect them. Mimori Togo has always been Yuuki’s best friend but she has always felt ashamed of herself for being a burden due to her confinement in a wheelchair. Her story is one of pain and resentment which is slightly lightened when she discovers that she too can fight beside her friends. After defeating the twelve Vertexes she is the first to research why the injuries cannot heal which ultimately will lead her to discovering the truth of the world. The Inubozaki sisters are always together, yet could hardly be any more different. The elder, Fuu, is the strong willed senior of the group and constantly watches over everyone most notably her sister. She is quick to anger and even when upon hearing that their injuries even tries to attack the Shinju is vengeance for her sister. Itsuki was the quite girl of the group, yet no less helpful than all the others. Her constant helpfulness and eagerness was always shown so brightly. Even when she **Spoiler** lost her voice she never stopped helping others and wishing others to get well themselves. **Spoiler over** The late comer to the group was Karin, self-described as the superior version to the current girls she was trained by the Taisha to combat the vertexes at all costs. She can be considered a tsundere as she slowly yet surely becomes dear friends with all the girls. She is the one girl who after the final battle of the twelve vertexes was uninjured as she was unable to find the opportunity to use her “Mankai”. This actually helps lead her to become closer to the girls as she feels great guilt in not helping more.
Art/Animation – 8/10
The main target of much of the controversy that this was just a Madoka copy. The art is entirely different when in the real world looking very beautiful and serene, but once inside the plains around the Shinju where they fight the world is entirely different with strange vines and roots everywhere and strange looking Vertexes to fight. The character design, which two are based off Madoka and Mami are very different and beautiful.
Sound – 9.5/10
Oh the music was memorizing. Almost hypnotic tracks of beautiful sounding music. However strangely enough the music except at times was never overly positive or overly negative. It remained neutral throughout almost serving as a reminder of the situation that during peak times that not everything is as it seems, yet also when everyone was in anguish and denial that it would soon become better. A rather memorable moment was actually the ending credits of episode 10 in which they forewent the instrumental background in favour of pure vocals, it sent chills down my spine and was so sad without the music in order to prepare us for the final episodes.
Enjoyment – 10/10
Few anime this year have moved me in the way that Yuuki Yuuna has. A perfect combination of happiness and sadness. A story showing both times of joy, and times of anguish. Characters being ever proud, and ever doubting. It balances every aspect on such a fine thread, yet never slips. And in that perfect harmony of light and dark, Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru shows its true beauty.
Total Score – 9.14/10
