Ever since her late mother took her to an aquarium when she was young, Tsukimi Kurashita has been obsessed with jellyfish, comparing their flowing tentacles to a princess's white dress. Now living with five other unemployed otaku women, 19-year-old Tsukimi spends her days as a social outcast dreaming of becoming an illustrator.
However, her life changes forever when one day, a beautiful woman unexpectedly helps her save a jellyfish in a local pet store. From then on, the stranger—confident, fashionable, and the complete opposite of Tsukimi and her roommates—begins to regularly visit the girls' building. This trendy hipster, though appearing shallow at first, harbors some secrets of her own, starting with the fact that "she" isn't really a girl at all, but a wealthy male college student named Kuranosuke Koibuchi!
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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8thSin
'Kuragehime' ('Jellyfish Princess') is a modern Cinderella story featuring the unlikeliest cast of a jellyfish-otaku princess and the cross-dressing prince. The first thing I noticed about the series is the heavy influence of live-action movies. Episode titles are parody of film titles: 1. 'Sex and the City' (2008) 2. 'Sukiyaki Western Django' (2007) 3. 'Enchanted' (2007) 4. 'Eden' (2006) 5. 'Watashi wa Kai ni Naritai' (1959/2008)6. 'Night of the Living Dead' (1968)
7. 'Kinyuu Fushoku Rettou: Jubaku' (1999)
8. 'Million Dollar Baby' (2004)
9. 'Midnight Cowboy' (1969)
10. 'The Turning Point' (1977)
11. 'Field of Dreams' (1989)
OP is a parody of a series of famous scenes from Hollywood and Japanese films:
1. 'Sex and the City' (2008)
2. 'Star Wars' (1977~)
3. 'Singin' in the Rain' (1952)
4. 'Mary Poppins' (1964)
5. 'Emperor of the North Pole' (1973)
6. 'Onna Tobakushi' (1967)
7. 'James Bond' (1962~)
8. 'Game of Death' (1978)
9. 'The Graduate' (1967)
10. 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (1977)
Also, major Japanese film producers and distributors were in production committee (Fuji, Toho, and Asmik Ace actually show their real opening credits in an episode)
"Josei" is a minor subcategory of "shoujo" manga and anime, targeted toward older audiences (18+). 'Kuragehime', despite being published on a josei manga magazine, lacks any mature characters or themes to really categorize it as one (and it won a manga award in shoujo rather than otona (mature/adult) category). This is clearly a shoujo anime.
'Kuragehime' is about a bunch of female otaku in Amamizukan, an apartment complex in Tokyo. These girls are severely repulsed by men and fashionable/successful people, but our heroine Tsukimi one day makes friends with fashionable cross-dresser Kuranosuke and finds out later that not only is he male, he 's also from a rich political family.
The first half of the story is mostly about Kuranosuke extending his influence over "Ama~s" ("Nun~s"), the girls in Amamizukan. It should be noted that while literal meaning of "ama" is "nun", which suits their virgin and hikikomori status in their house, it is also a derogatory slang for "women" (much like how "nun" is a slang for "prostitutes" in English). These girls are basically calling themselves "bitche~s"" and "whore~s".
The "Ama~s" consists of otaku girls with extremely bizarre hobbies. Tsukimi is into jellyfish, Ichimatsu Dolls for Chieko, 'Romance of Three Kingdoms' for Mayaya, and senile men for Jiji. The only ones with relatively common interests are Jyuon, the nocturnal fujoshi BL manga writer, and Bamba, as railfans existed way before the word "otaku" became a slang. Other than our heroine Tsukimi and acting-landlord Chieko, all the other "Ama~s" girls exist almost solely for comedy.
The second half of the story is about saving Amamizukan from a land development project. This is mostly attempted to be done by fund raising, in which the challenge for introverted girls to go out into the world and forced to interact with people is depicted, as well as Kousuke's attempt to transform Tsukimi's introvert personality by building up her confidence. Unfortunately, "Ama~s" are almost always forced to do these things they detest, and their fear of outsiders have not eased at all, freezing up in uncomfortable situations to the very end.
As expected of a shoujo anime, there is also a lot of romantic concerns for the heroine, and the typical love triangle, predicaments etc. that confuses individuals of their own feelings and prevent love confessions.
The character development between Tsukimi and Kuranosuke are rather good, though they are put into one random predicament after another, and saved in the last minute by fairytale successes, whether it's extreme makeover, profitable sales, or crowd-pleasing dress designs. Kuranosuke is practically a prince who tries to save Tsukimi from isolation and turn her into a fashionable and popular chick. Of course, she turns into a gorgeous Yamato Nadeshiko simply by taking off her glasses and putting on some makeup. The story develops into a cliché Cinderella fantasy. To make it worse, everything gets solved by predictable deus ex machina in the end.
Art quality for 'Kuragehime' is very high. Lots of variety with backgrounds, as the characters travel around Tokyo. I recognized almost every single location in Shibuya during the first episode, the staff completely animated real sites. Maybe because I'm way more familiar with Shibuya than Akibahara etc, but it seemed like they put far more attention into detail than the typical series. I can tell you that this is a very faithful reproduction of the city down to individual stores and signs. Other places like Amamizukan (actually a male-only lodge in West Waseda), parks, and streets seem to be modeled after real places as well.
Character designs deviate from the ordinary, with memorable style and traits for most characters. None of the "Ama~s" members are beautified. Fluidity is rather good, and all the characters were drawn with extremely high consistency. The comedic special effects (petrification, shock etc) were done very well.
The cast is dominated by seasoned veteran seiyuu in 30s and 40s with wide range of voices that fit characters pretty well. However, none of their voicing jobs were particularly memorable.
BGM were extremely strong, wide range of instruments playing music of different style, often setting/enhancing the mood for comedy. OP as mentioned earlier, is parody of famous scenes from movies with surprisingly good flow and audio-visual synchronization. Chatmonchy is known for their distinct rock songs, and they don't disappoint with the off-beat OP song 'Kokodake no Hanashi (Just Between Us)'. As usual of their songs, there's something about it that really moves you, and it fits the series very well with its quirkiness and optimism. And who better to sing the ED than Sambomaster, who came to popularity after their song was featured as theme song for 2005 'Densha Otoko' live-action drama, which still remains to be the most watched and arguably most influential otaku story in history? Their song "Kimi no Kirei ni Kizuite Okure (Realize How Beautiful You Are)" is a poignant rock song that really captures this anime's theme, and the ED animation comes in long shot of 1 cut. Very impressive.
With all its originality in premise, character setting, art style, and sounds, 'Kuragehime' still failed to separate itself from cliché shoujo story development.
As per typical shoujo anime, there's a lot of inner monologue explaining characters' thoughts and emotions. While this is a typical trait of shoujo manga/anime series and theoretically improve empathy and emotional attachment, I consider this to be a very poor storytelling technique as it takes away the joy of thinking and imagining their state of mind. It gets tiresome when they explain the obvious every single time, and slows down the pace of the story. The comedy was hilarious at first, but gets repetitive after a while with identical 'Olé' cover ups, shock face, petrification, girly prime minister etc. that gets predictable and tiresome after a while. Repetition can be funny, but it needs to be executed with intelligence and variety.
In addition, I found it hard to connect with the characters simply because their interests are too "maniac" (bizarre/weird), as the Japanese call it. I don't think I'll ever understand a girl's unhealthy fascination with jellyfish or creepy dolls or senile men moe... and I was completely lost when Mayaya spew out bunch of 'Romance of Three Kingdoms' references. I also had no idea why the author would portray girl otaku as nothing more than simple creepy freaks. "Ama~s" may be a group of girl otaku with uncommon interests, but they all behaved like a cookie cutter male otaku from general public's perception of otaku culture other than their androphobia, and didn't explore further into the views and motivations from girl otaku's perspective.
It is still an enjoyable show, but 'Kuragehime' could've easily been so much more. However, I am very impressed at how 'noitaminA' series continue to reject the trend in the industry with uncommon premise and low on moe/ecchi. Any series aired in this time slot continues to be a must-watch for serious anime fans.
Airbent
I would like to preface this review by warning ya'll that this anime suffers from Ending in the Middle of the Manga Syndrome. If you've enjoyed an anime like Fruits Basket, Ouran Highschool Host Club, Soul Eater, Kimi Ni Todoke, etc. and felt a little uneasy by the inconclusive ending and then googled your uneasy feeling and discovered the manga is like 80 chapters ahead of where the anime left off - you're going to run into the same situation here. Clear your to-read list, because Princess Jellyfish is going to be a top-priority read for you once you're done this bite-sized series. Then again,if you're made of metal or something and you don't care about having a plot with any resolution, proceed without caution.
Slice-of-Life and RomCom anime are my guilty pleasure genres. I don't always find that they have a lot of substance beyond endorsing really cute teeny-bopper supportive relationships. I've found that a lot of slice-of-life anime fall into the trap of over-emphasizing the romantic sub-plots to the extent that any other story elements are underdeveloped or just plain boring. In contrast, Princess Jellyfish, like all my favourites in the genre, brings something new and insanely interesting in all aspects of its plot. Even the shoujo elements - where one character stares bleary-eyed at the stars and contemplates feelings - aren't in your face. This might not make sense, but the plot mutes itself in such a way that all of its features shine(???)
The only word I can really use to describe how well this anime shines out would be 'character'. The show literally oozes character from its every inappropriate crevice. The actual characters are unique and varied, ranging from flamboyant and confident to wacko or sweet or mature, but every single one of them is fucking hilarious. Granted, a lot of the main characters can be difficult to relate to, but they'd make for some poor outcasts if the audience were able to instantly project themselves onto their favourites. They're all likable, regardless.
Even the character designs are super innovative (I hate to use that word, but it's the best I've got. Sad face), I can't gush about the designs nearly as much as I'd like: they're all so different!! And they suit each character's personality so well!! GUSH.
What really caught me off guard was how mature Princess Jellyfish was, too.
Like, one of the main love interests is a heterosexual drag-queen who helps build confidence in young women. *SPOILERS* There's a male character who is kind of almost date-raped by one of the female antagonists. The overarching plot focuses on the implications of changing infrastructure on the lives of a city's residents. PARENTAL LOSS. SOCIAL ANXIETIES AND SELF-CONFIDENCE IN YOUNG WOMEN. GENDER AND SEXUALITY. I have absolutely no idea how this anime can be so unassumingly smart but lighthearted. It's impressive and it makes me happy.
If I were to make a complaint, it would be that the score wasn't particularly stand-out. That's it. Everything else was enjoyable and cool. If you're itching for a slice-of-life gem, this one's for you!
HybridMedia
When looking into this anime, it’s like looking into an anime version of a fairy tale, which sort of involves a princess or a princess-like character and also a fairy godmother-like character, but unlike a fairy tale (or at least, any fairy tale that’s been infected by Disney sooner or later), this one is going to be sugarcoated, especially when dealing with the stages of being awkward around different people and the way you act around them. Amamizu-kan, an old boarding house in Tokyo, is the home of The Sisterhood – a group of otaku women of various stripes who shun The Stylish and men ingeneral. Tsukimi, a jellyfish fanatic, is the latest addition to their ranks. One evening a strange Stylish woman helps her out and she brings the Stylish home with her...only to discover that “she” is a “he.” Despite her pleas, Kuranosuke, the disenchanted cross-dressing son of a prominent political family, sticks around, finding himself more and more fascinated by The Sisterhood in general and Tsukimi in specific. When unscrupulous developers begin to eye Amamizu-kan's location, Kuranosuke realizes that there is more at stake than just a building, and sets out to galvanize its residents to save their way of life.
The story is the whole “coming out of your shell” type of story when a person who has a different outlook on life wants to help them not only with experiencing life outside their comfort zone, considering that they are going to need it since their home is on the verge of being wrecked. As for the romance aspect, I did sort of sense that the main characters Tsukimi & Kuranosuke would have their relationship to grow but to me, it was never towards the “lovey-dovey” type of relationship but more like a “close friends” relationship and I thought it was great that they stuck it to that. As for the side story with Kuranosuke’s brother, it didn’t went anywhere at all with him having a crush on Tsukimi, only to ended early with the one character Inari, who’s the one that’s after Amamizu-kun and the very textbook definition of the word “cold bitch”, gets involved plus, his brother Shu isn’t that interesting of a character or even that memorable unlike Kuranosuke himself, who was one of my favorites in the show for being the motivator of Tsukimi and the other women in the sisterhood.
As for Tsukimi, she is portrayed as a sweet but very awkward and often an easily weirded-out character with his unique interests in jellyfish and drawing them ever since she saw them with her late mother. The other tenants in the building also have their unique personality about them with the acting landlady Chieko collecting traditional Japanese clothes and dolls, Banba is into trains, Jiji into older men and Mayaya is a fan of Three Kingdoms and unfortunately out of all of them, Mayaya is the most annoying character on this show, mainly because while she’s very animated, all she does is act like a neurotic fangirl and not the kind that would be fun to hang out, but the kind that rages about everything and everybody so much, you want to pop an synapse after just to calm down.
The animation for this gets a little rough around some of the character movements and designs. Brains Base, the guys that brought you Baccano! & Durarara!! , has made some good animation in their past works and for this, it’s more like when Durarara began to show its budget problems during the second half but then again, this is an 11-episode anime, so I shouldn’t expect much of a grandiose amount of animation, but it is typical of Brains Base’s style of animation and it was good to say the least. The music is very appealing to most of the show with its comical style to some of the scenes to the light dramatic moments in there. Plus, the opening and ending themes are quite addictive to listen to, especially the opening sequence where it parodies or pay homage to most movie franchises like Star Wars, James Bond, The Seven Kingdoms, Singin’ in the Rain, Mary Poppins, etc.
For the FUNimation dub, this was one of those dubs that didn’t sound so usual. Usually, I yawn at FUNimation dubs, not that they’re bad (they make good dubs) but they’re not that special to begin with. I did liked Maxey Whitehead’s performance as very sweet and genuine although it is strange hearing her as a lead female character since most of her roles have been androgynous sounding boys. Josh Grelle did convince me that Kuranosuke was an actual girl at first and even though I find Mayaya to be annoying, Monica Rial plays the role and her voice much differently than she used to, it sounded more lower than her standard of voicing characters.
FINAL VERDICT: The show is actually worth watching around the first chance you get. Some of the humor can be charming and unique up to an extent although I hate that it ended on a lousy cliffhanger, which mean it’s one of those “read the manga” endings. It’s something you would either want to rent or own the DVD to.
xXDAGGERHEARTXx
For how highly rated this anime was it's surprising how unlikable the characters are. Tsukimi and Kuranosuke are fine enough but a bit bland but the NEETs? Oh my god what a desperately, deeply unpleasant collection of characters. They ranged from annoying to actively crappy people. It was hard to engage with the main storyline because yeah, I don't really care if a bunch of mooching jerks lose their house. The designs for Tsumiki and Kuranosuke are pretty cute, I do like the art style when it's not drawing vaguely human shaped blobs. I don't know why the NEETs were so cartoony in comparison, it wasdistracting and kind of dehumanizing? Like Tsumiki is a great design for an unconventional looking anime girl, I don't think the others needed to look so inhuman.
I also hated the secondary storyline for Kuranosuke's brother Shu. The gist of it is a woman drugs him and makes him think that they slept together so she can blackmail him. Shu is a virgin and this information is distressing to him. All this is played for laughs and almost seemed like it was hinting at feelings between them at times. This is a major "if the genders were reversed more people would realize it was fucked up" thing. I kept hoping they would drop this plotline but it just. kept. going.
All in all, don't get the hype. The main two characters are fine but nothing flashy or unique enough to salvage the anime from all the things about it that are unlikable.
juliancan
Kuragehime is one of these romantic comedy anime series where, on first glance, tries to be refreshing by introducing a completely unorthodox premise along an atypical cast of characters and only end up a bit lacking, and while I still think that this is the case, the great direction that it had with it's great energy overshadowed it's weaknesses. The energy in this series is just, palpitating. Every episode is refreshing to watch and there is no dull moment. The interaction between the cast of characters is extremely entertaining and its slapstick comedy never ceases to make me smile. Moreover, there are cliffhangers in virtually everyepisode of the series until the last one which keeps the viewer on the edges of the seat. That does not mean that the cliffhangers are good ones though. The conclusion of these cliffhangers were quite predictable on the second half and the conclusion to the cliffhanger of the penultimate episode was just plain stupid.
The pacing in the first half of the series is really good. It really had this perfect blend between romance and comedy and neither never feels too heavy. Though this changed on the second half. The comedy became less consistent and the drama sometimes felt a bit too heavy but always tolerable and interesting, in the sense of wanting to know what will happen next, to watch. Moreover, one could really see that the creators were trying to put the maximum things possible on the final episode and even though the chain of reactions remained natural, the pacing however started to feel very rushed and sometimes stepped out the boundaries of time.
Moreover, its cast of characters are both pleasant and entertaining to watch, not to mention that each character has a personality of his/her own. This really creates a colourful atmosphere where each personality clashes with one another. However this itself is its own downfall because the short amount of episodes restrained the bunch from being decently developed. Indeed, until the end it is as if the inhabitants in Amamizukan did not develop at all: nobody passed her fear of stylish people along her prejudice thoughts regarding them. Mayaya remained annoying, Juon is still trapped in her dark room and Banba is always afro-licious. Moreover, many of them feel so mono dimensional that they seem to be exaggerated caricatures of modern otakus. Which is not the glorified, sympathetic characters shown in some anime but rather judgemental people who only believe on their own words and delude themselves into thinking that they actually fit the norm, and the rest of us not so much.
As for the setting, it really remained safe throughout the end. The creators just basically threw the Amars on some unknown place to see their reaction. This is extremely safe because the reactions always tend to be either funny or exciting, the latter is usually used as a cliffhanger. And I am quite happy with this considering that the series is too short for them to be quite experimental with it.
The visuals here are very beautiful, with Kuranosuke being in a different dress a lot of times in a single episode. The animation though, not bad is still far from being perfect. Sometimes, not frequently there tend to some still frames. Forgivable though.
The music is constant, not good nor bad, just average. I love the OP and ED songs. Both of them were catchy and I actually find myself chain listening to them. The OP song fits Tsukimi's character while the ED song Kuranosuke's goal on making her feel more confident. The instrumental music though is nothing too remarkable, which is understandable considering what gave the series its life what its cast of characters and fast pacing.
The replayability of this series, like for any other noitamina anime series is really high.
All in all Kuragehime remains a favourite romantic comedy anime where the interaction between its atypical ensemble really masks its weaknesses.
Story/plot: Simple and quirky. Nothing that stands out though. 82.5%
Storytelling and pacing: Again, 11 episodes is just too few and the pacing felt very rush on the final episode. Other than that its fast pace gave it a very energetic feeling to it. 87.5%
Characters: The characters, however mono-dimensional they were, are really fun to follow and their energy kept the series dull-free. 90%
Setting: Very safe, does not stand out but does not disappoint. 80%
Visual and animation: very good visual albeit some still frames. 85%
Music: While the instrumental music was nothing special, the OP and ED songs were both catchy: 85%
Replayability: HIGH . Can be replayed a multitude of times without it getting dull. 95%
Overall score: 86%/100% (pretty good) (MAL does not let me do this kind of rating scheme.)
Recommended?: Yes
Half_Jack
This series really does show promise, however, the characters do not develop throughout the plot as much I had hoped. The art is colorful, the characters are unique and interesting, and the whole idea of focusing on female otakus is very original. Be warned of some spoilers below. Unfortunately, interesting stories with potential were skipped around with, with none ending properly. This constant skipping around made the series feel empty and the originality novelty. For example,Tsukimi and Shuu have a cute little romance that went nowhere. Their relationship didn't even have to go in a romantic way, but it has to at least end properly. Tsukimihas a crush on Shuu and Shuu with her, and even though Shuu's seems to be very vain, he does seem to care for her. Then he does little to salvage his chances with Tsukimi when Shouko steps in. Almost immediately, Shuu and Tsukimi never interacted ever again which was dissappointing. I do admit though that this example is a bit biased since I support Tsukimi and Shuu together. Maybe it's the fact that Tsukimi and Kuranosuke, the guy she's supposed to fall for, don't have enough "together" moments. The fact that the two are mostly platonic in the end does not help with their romance either. The characters are honestly very unique although they greatly lack development. The genre "romantic comedy" doesn't seem suitable because of the lack of a solid romantic plot. The main romance is not even between the protagonist and a main character. The idea of a romance with Tsukimi and a main character exist, but only an idea (and for most, an expectation). Kuranosuke's father cheated on his wife and there is no explanation for it. Truly respectable for a politcan.
This review is really a lot more critical than I planned, and while I truly enjoyed the series, I am more talented at pointing out flaws. Know that if you decide to look into it, there are many great elements to it such as the comedy, cross-dressing, and characters more people can relate to (Or at least I can relate to them.)
OldAccount2012
This was my first Josie anime so i dont know what it's was supposed to be like but i know I liked it.I think? THE CHARACTERS( 7.5/10 ) -The good: They were all pretty weird ill admit,but a funny weird.Quirky would be a good word for them.There all obsessed with different things and majorly anti-social but also very charismatic.i was torn between making fun of them and loving them.The characters is really why you would like the anime.If you cant appreciate there awkwardness you wouldn't like it much. -The bad:There wasn't much background information on any of them and beyond there single trademark hobby they seem tohave nothing more to them.
THE ART(7.25/10)
-The good: It was good and tied into the overall concept and personality of the story.
-The bad:There's no stand alone reason to say it was bad but other than t wasnt as clean cut as i would have liked it but that big a deal.
SOUND(8/10)
The good:The OP was amazing (alot of that was because of the visual references) and they voices were perfect for each character.
The bad:Nothing really.
STORY(7/10)
The good: Its entertaining,there is sentimental value and was just really cute.I think Kuranosuke was probabaly my fav character and he brings alot of his determination onto the others.And that's pretty much what the story is about,trying to get comfortable with yourself.
OVERALL(8/10)
I really enjoyed watching it,i stayed up all night and watched all 11 episodes at once because i couldn't get enough!That being said i hated the ending.There's so many loose ends that probably get solved in the manga but if your like me (and don't like mangas) we'll never find out what happened to Shu! And oddly enough i liked him.
For the full character breakdown check out my blog.
http://vassalisia.blogspot.ca/
inarizushi
The best word to describe Princess Jellyfish would be adorable, but that would be doing the show a disservice. Yes, it is very, very cute. Yes, it's sweet. Yes, it's shoujo, but it's not all pink and sparkly eyes. It's endearing and heartwarming without being cavity inducing. When I first started the show, all I could think was it was Tumblr: The Anime. A group of socially awkward women (who met online!) live together in an apartment building they've nicknamed "The Nunnery". Our main character, Tsukimi, is the youngest of the Sisterhood and has moved to Tokyo to become an illustrator. She's the least bizarre ofher roommates, but she's still completely and utterly obsessed with jellyfish and can't talk to "Stylish" people or boys. Eventually, she meets Kuranosuke who just happens to be a stylish boy. He pushes her to experience new things and champions saving the apartment building in which she lives.
Initially, after Kuranosuke came on to the scene, I was worried that the show would focus on changing Tsukimi into a "Stylish" person ala The Wallflower because "all girls want to be pretty! Right?!". This was particularly troubling because Tsukimi and the other members of the stisterhood, LIKE the way they are. There are some social anxieties they'd like to iron out, of course, but they know what makes them happy most of the time and they do it. My next concern (again, thanks Wallflower) was that this show would turn and focus on boys.
Thankfully, I was wrong on both accounts! Kuranosuke does give Tsukimi and her roommates (except Chieko, the kimono wearing Japanese clothing enthusiast, she's also the heaviest character so the fact that she gets to be beautiful just the way she is, in anime no less, is awesome) makeovers, but they are for very specific reasons--like going to a political meeting. The message wasn't to try to change them, but to teach them how to use social conventions to their advantage. If you show up to a formal meeting in sweats, no one is going to take you seriously. If you're trying to sell things in a trendy area like Harajuku, you have to look trendy. It was no different than you or I dressing professionally for a job interview. When the task was over, everyone went home and went back to doing what made them comfortable.
What Kuranosuke did was get them out of the house and--in Tsukimi's case--give them the tools to not be crippled by their anxieties and run away.
Eventually (and predictably) we see Kuranosuke fall for Tsukimi. Interestingly, though, he's not just interested in her when she's made up and beautiful. And of course she's beautiful in fancy clothes and make up, this is shoujo. But rather when she's talking about the things she loves. Jellyfish Princess subverts the old trope of "girls are more beautiful when their in love" and applies it to their interests. Kuranosuke stares longingly at Tsukimi even when she's in her braids and glasses, as long as she's talking about something she loves. Usually, she's talking about jellyfish.
The good:
I really liked the art. I don't know how impressive it is by usual modern standards, but it reminded me a little of Studio Ghibli (drawing wise, not animation) and the stylish women were drawn with these big amazing retro-shoujo curls and the fashion was very Ai Yazawa. The character designs weren't exactly inspired, only one of Tsukimi's roommates has a face to speak of, but they do have different body types, which is great. Visual gags were effective, funny, and not over used or grating. You will find yourself laughing aloud.
The sound was spectacular. Every voice actor was great, especially Mitsuki Saiga as Kuranosuke. The OP and ED were delightful, and the background music was jazzy and perfectly fit the eclectic, quirky feel of the show. I'm pretty sure Kuranosuke's theme even had lyrics!
It was great to have a cast that wasn't made up of high schoolers. Everyone is an adult, with most characters in their thirties. Tsukimi and Kuranosuke are the youngest at college age. There were a few extremely well developed characters, Tsukimi was a perfect portrayal of a geeky girl. If you're on this site, I'm sure you'll see some of yourself in her. Kuranosuke's brother Shu was fascinating. Kuranosuke himself was extremely complex and gives you A LOT to think about, and the portrayal of the Japanese prime minister as a ridiculous lunatic who can't get his approval ratings out of the single digits was unexpected and scathingly brilliant.
On most accounts, the show can be called progressive and even feminist at points as characters subvert some gender stereotypes, but certainly not all. There is a male transvestite (who is probably gender queer based on his back story) and this isn't played for laughs nor is he a stereotype. And a man who isn't the transvestite is sexually assaulted by a woman, something that is rarely depicted. Again, this isn't played for laughs and the man in question was shown to be very troubled by the incident.
The bad:
The ending leaves several plot lines dangling. In a way that's good because the final scenes focus on Tsukimi being more confident in herself and not on which boy she ended up with, but I still want to know what happens! There is a plot line that is relevant at first, then becomes irrelevant, BUT JUST KEEPS GOING FOR NO REASON. I'm not sure what it was trying to accomplish.
It's not vital or anything, but it is worth pointing out that Tsukimi's roommates don't get any more depth past their obsessions. Kuranosuke's chauffeur gets more characterization than this. That said, they do serve their purpose, so it's up to you whether this is a pro or con.
The Madonna/Whore Dichotomy is strong in this one. Obviously, Tsukimi and the Sisterhood are virgins. They're presented as funny or cute. They're "good" characters. The only other named woman in the show is the antagonist, a career mogul aptly named Inari, who gets what she wants by having sex as bribes or having sex for blackmail material. This isn't too bothersome because Inari isn't bad because she has sex. She's bad because she does it for ulterior motives, but the over sexualized female villain is a sad trope to play in a show that's so innovative in other places. It would have been nice if we had one more named female character who was sexually active and still got to be "good".
Actually, the show handles the whole topic of sex pretty poorly. It is automatically assumed that any character who is uncomfortable around the opposite sex is a virgin, and two characters who are *THOUGHT* to have had sex with each other are treated like they're in a relationship. Because, you know, that's the only time sex happens/the only out come of sex.
The cross dressing character declares that he is "normal" in a way that definitely means "not gay and not a pervert."
Ok, so that's a lot of talk about sex, but it's actually not a big deal in the show itself and, aforementioned assault aside (which isn't shown past something being slipped in a drink and then the guy waking up), the show is totally innocent. I don't even remember an on screen kiss. This isn't a con, I just want to point it out incase I scared some one away.
I love Kuranosuke to tiny little lip gloss covered pieces. He's my favorite character in the show, but he's also the most problematic. He has his own not socially acceptable obsessions that would make him just as much of an otaku as the Sisterhood, but this is never commented on, presumably because he presents himself to the world in a physically attractive manner. Also, at the END of the series, after spending significant amounts of time with the other characters, he sometimes shows little regard for their interests, going so far as to expect Chieko to sell the dolls she loves while saying he would never sell his clothes.
As I pointed out earlier, there is a scene where a character is sexually assaulted--he is drugged, brought to a stranger's house, undressed, touched (not sexually, but still spooning with an unconscious, unwilling person is not cool), and has photos taken which are used to blackmail him. The woman who did this is never punished. If that sort of thing bothers you, be warned. There are also a few instances where characters, both male and female, are slapped or kicked in a way intended to hurt them but adds nothing to the plot but some icky feelings.
Ultimately:
Princess Jellyfish is a wonderful little story that's original, interesting (I didn't mean to watch it all in two days!), and actually has some pretty great things to say.
It should appeal to people who like shoujo without all the focus on romance, slice of life (though it isn't this-- it has a definite plot and goal), and anyone that wants to see a good! new take on otaku culture, or if you just want to watch a really funny show.
I recommend it based on just how endearing it is, and the characters of Tsukimi and Kuranosuke alone.
angelsreview
I actually really like this, its way different than anything I really saw. A lot of people do a lot of otaku outcasts but this one has a little different vibe to it. The characters, though their names are hard to remember, are remember-able for how out there and crazy they are. Each one is a otaku in their own way and have different ways of showing it whether it is being crazy about kimonos, to posting old men’s pictures into a scrap-book. A little creepy, but it’s not as bad as it seems. The guy is really cool even if he cross-dresses but heseems normal otherwise. The underlining story is pretty much being true to yourself and never give up on your dreams.
The animation is wonderful even if it lacks in some places. It mostly does this when you look between the two ‘worlds’ and depicts Tsukimi’s world and Kuranosuke’s world. It’s not all that bad, but once in a while when the two worlds meet, it’s sometimes a bit harsh of an art style. I really love the designs of the jellyfish and how they actually have a few facts about jellyfish that are supposedly real. I don’t care much too actually look them up but they sound real so its ether true or the actor is rather good at making it sound true.
The voice acting for the most part is well done. The English is a little bothersome though I really like the cute voice of Tsukimi and Kuranosuke. I’m not so fond of one or two of the characters in the apartments and it made me cringe the first few times I heard them. Now along the way, I ether got used to it, it got better, or I just didn’t even care about what they sounded like because the story was just so good!
All together, it was funny and sweet. Really, if you want funny, This is it! Sadly, it has a very bad cliff hanger right now and I really want to see more! It does make me want to read the manga now but something really tells me that this is better as an Anime then the manga.
Flexicute
As an adult male that grew up watching shonen action and mecha series, you would expect Kuragahime/Princess Jellyfish would be the last series I would watch, much less become a favorite. And yet this brief but wonderful series crept its way into my heart as I found myself watching every episode, each ending with a smile on my face and a warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest. Story: 9 Every episode has a nice pacing. The happenings of them keep you engrossed so much, that by the time it's over, you'd think it was too fast. It ends at a mere 13 episodes, but each episode feltlike it packed the maximum amount of content without feeling overloaded. Princess Jellyfish does a great job of not treading through the same shoujo trail of hokey, melodramatic writing, and instead has something more down to earth and believable.
Art: 9
From the moment you watch it, Princess Jellyfish's artwork already sets itself apart from its shoujo contemporaries. Every character is distinctive looking, for starters. The backgrounds are also nicely done and
Sound: 7
Nothing bad but nothing truly outstanding here. The opening and ending sequences however do have a great choice in music, and the homages to other series is apparent and very well received.
Characters: 15
The shining jewel of Princess Jellyfish is undoubtedly its characters! All of their characteristics and personalities are just as distinctive as their looks. Character interaction does a lot in carrying the plot of the series, and it is done masterfully. Their awkwardness is outshined by their believability, as each character has a layer added to them as the series progresses. I couldn't help but love all of them, flaws and all.
Enjoyment: 10
Princess Jellyfish is entertaining from start to finish. Seeing these painfully awkward characters wrestle their way through life's challenges was entertaining, to say the least.
Overall: 9
There just isn't enough publicity on this series, and it really deserves more! If you like slice of life series that revolve around otaku, there are very few that hit closer to home than Princess Jellyfish!
MetalUpa
"Princess Jellyfish" just has a happy feel to it. The story was alright, though it seemed to change purpose a few times, the art was amazing and portrayed the divide between the stylish and the otaku by giving examples of both extremes that were very well explained and actually quite realistic, the music was lively and cheerful, which fit the show very well. Then, there are the characters. This series has some the most endearing characters I've ever encountered in a series, it is very easy to sympathize and relate with them. Because of all of these factors, I found agreat amount of enjoyment with these eleven episodes. Overall, this was a fantastic anime.
Han-Suezy
[I wrote a review like this for my school's newspaper and just felt like sharing it here too, lol- minus the spoilers :P] “Mom, there are particularly frightening male princesses in this world… strong, beautiful male princesses.” I’ll be honest: after thinking about this story's plot, I started feeling a little perplexed as to why I was so madly intrigued by this anime. After all, it does sound like any other common romance drama—a young, timid girl accidentally meets a handsome boy who finds her interesting and decides to bother her when all she wants is for him to leave her alone. However, after much thought, Ifound that it was because of this cliché that this anime was able to get the audience to truly embrace the unique stories behind both characters.
My favourite part about this anime would probably be how the two main characters were able to comfortably adjust to each other's opposite lifestyles. While one was an anti-social and awkward young lady living off of her pocket money, the other was an eccentric cross-dressing son of a politician. They actually sound like pretty cheesy and overused "rich boy and poor girl" character descriptions but the way they played on it was very interesting.
Kuranosuke would give Tsukimi multiple chances to transform her appearance—as well as the rest of the crew, to be precise—but he didn’t want to change the group’s entire outlook on the way they dressed. Instead, he just wanted them to know how to use the simplest of things, such as fashion, to their advantage. In this case, he made them realize that in order to be deemed as a legitimate resident of Amamizukan, they had to dress seriously. In a literal sense, he wanted them to “dress to impress”. But of course, once the task was done, everyone was allowed to go home to their own comfort zone and return to their normal selves. This, to me, was probably one of the best twists Kuragehime had to offer because it turned an overused scenario from a romantic love story to a lesson that could be be learned by anyone.
Now, while the beginning-middle parts were great, I didn't particularly enjoy the ending- it seemed a little too open-ended. I mean, the ending to the two protagonists themselves gave pretty good closure, but there was also this side story involving Kuranosuke's brother and the female landmark developer, and the way they ended that was just...... eh. Nonetheless, since I wouldn't say that I'm interesting in continuing the manga, I'd say the anime did a pretty good job overall.
My overall rating: 10 ^_^ Maybe even +1 because the OP and ED were perfect,
SchrodingersMatt
Immediately getting on my good side, Higashimura's distinctive character designs work wonders for this series where other artists might not have even given it a second thought. The residents of the Amamizukan don't look like your typical anime girls, they're not designed to be beautiful or attractive and this helps to make their awkwardness all the more believable, but they're not repulsive either. There's still enough charm to them that they can be quite cute at times, and when Kuranosuke gives them all makeovers they take on a much more conventionally appealing aesthetic while still remaining completely recognizable. Brain's Base doesn't slack in the animationdepartment, either; movements are mostly pretty fluid, albeit with some occasional hiccups, and show's overall art design is welcoming. The color scheme for this show in particular is incredibly warm, bright and inviting, with plenty of flourish to keep it visually engaging. On a whole, this is a shining example of what the studio can achieve both technically and artistically, brimming with panache and enthusiasm. It looks great.
The music exists, I guess. I think they were going for a big city feel, like a tribute to some of those rom-com flicks set in New York (why is it always New York?) and it pulls this off competently, but never really goes above and beyond. There's the playfully seductive piano, a little jazz, what sounds to be the clarinet accenting its more low-key moments, but it's hardly exceptional and even in execution there are some moments where it could have been handled better. There's one scene in which Kuranosuke is struggling to come to terms with the possibility that he's fallen for Tsukimi, while Tsukimi is confronting her own insecurities. In between all of this, the Sisterhood realizes that Kuranosuke's boobs are fake but assume he's just a flat-chested woman. This is an emotionally complex, tonally diverse scene, and it would have worked a lot better if the music dipped and swelled to match these different moments instead of just running a gentle contemplative piece over the entire thing. It's a passable soundtrack but certainly nothing to write home about. The opening and ending theme, however, are both excellent and neither is worth skipping over.
The voice acting for the Japanese track is top-notch across the board, able to handle both the show's comedic and dramatic sides with finesse, and I guess that's all that needs to be said about it. From what I've heard, the general reaction to the dub for this series has been overwhelmingly positive, but I could see it potentially making some viewers uncomfortable. This has nothing to do with the acting, which is generally pretty solid. Heck, Josh Grelle as Kuranosuke is a downright highlight for being able to bounce perfectly between the character's feminine and masculine sides, and talents like Maxey Whitehead, Monica Rial, Leah Clark and Ian Sinclair really do pour all their hearts into their respective roles. The problem I find with the dub--and let me preface this by saying that many of you probably won't mind at all--is in the script, which is peppered with dated colloquialisms and attempts to sound "trendy" that ultimately just comes off as immature more than anything. I realize that's part of the joke and I have nothing against liberal, interpretive dubs that focus on preserving the intent of the original dialog rather than the precise content, it's just piled on a little thick for my taste and I could see plenty of other viewers--not just the sub purists--having the same reaction. Give the dub a try, and if you're fine with the first episode it probably won't bother you from there. It bothered me and I still really enjoyed the dub, so maybe I'm just nitpicking.
This show does have some dramatic moments and honest themes to convey, but even then it's often tongue-in-cheek so let's start by looking at the humor. The comedic moments in this show can be situational, slapstick, satirical, referential or some combination of these things, and I'm happy to say it's really funny... about two-thirds of the time. What happened to the other third? Well, maybe they were trying to create a warm sense of familiarity, but some of the jokes here get recycled too often and emphasized too much for comfort. The first time Kuranosuke accidentally refers to himself as a boy and Tsukimi goes through her "oh boy" cover-up singing routine, it's kinda funny, but this keeps happening with little variation and quickly wears out its welcome. The girls' "defense mechanism" of turning to stone in uncomfortable public places and Tsukimi's tendency to jump to the most pessimistic conclusion about everything also get pretty repetitive.
Still, even if a few of its jokes are overused, don't let that discourage you because this show is still pretty darn funny. The girls have a wide variety of wacky quirks and unusual interests and the show isn't afraid to have a little fun at their expense, but unlike some other comedies (I'm looking at you, Big Bang Theory) the show doesn't look down on them for their niche interests and they're still likable and easy to sympathize with. Many of us know what it's like to have an interest few people share--heck, that's kinda what being an anime fan in the West is like. Kuranosuke and his circle add even more comedic juices to the mix while avoiding some easy cliches. There are almost no "it's funny because he's a transvestite" moments, which would have been laziest rout to take; instead, the show takes full advantage of all the social barriers and potential misunderstandings that could occur between a male crossdresser and a house full of female otaku, and they all play off each other really well. Kuranosuke's family, friends and acquaintances are all interesting and memorable in their own ways. Ultimately, the jokes in this show work because even though the characters all have their quirks, they're not solely defined by them, allowing the show's humor to flow more naturally. This show loves its characters, and there need to be more comedies like that.
No matter how silly it gets, though, this is a story of strange and troubled people and it never fails to get that across. The show doesn't hesitate to criticize Tsukimi and her friends on some of their anti-social habits, but at the same time it never condemns them from being who they are or loving what they do. As individuals, I have to admit their personalities can be a little sparse. Mayaya is spastic and sees the world as an epic battlefield, Banba is deadpan and has a silly afro, Jiji is shy and likes old men, and Chieko is commanding with a maternal touch, and at times it seems like there's not much to them beyond that. Still, there are moments in the series that make it clear that's not the case, when they step forward to help one another through dire straits. They all enjoy their lives, far more than the well-to-do, "respectable" members of society, and when push comes to shove they're looking out for each other. It's little moments like this that really makes these characters likable, I just wish there were more of them. Tsukimi herself is the centerpiece of this group, and the youngest among them--she's fully integrated into their way of life but perhaps hasn't quite forgotten the dreams they all once had, she's grounded enough to realize they probably won't come true but innocent enough to still hope for it.
Most of the show's depth, though, comes from Kuranosuke's side. At the center is Kuranosuke's lack of a sense of belonging, which stems both from being an illegitimate child and from his fascination with women's clothing, which he learned from his mother. Refreshingly, he's fully come to terms with his gender identity: he's a straight man who happens to like dressing as a woman, but the women he's been with up to this point to are from his father's world, the world of the rich and spoiled. Still, his family isn't demonized either. His father and half-brother Shuu both continue to suffer from the affair in their own ways, and they really do care about Kuranosuke. And then there's his uncle, the incredibly unpopular prime minister of Japan, who's more accepting than anyone of Kuranosuke's habit, presumably because he knows the stress of the political world and would rather just enjoy life without worrying what people think of him. This is played entirely for laughs, but that's the thing about this show: almost everything is at least partially played for laughs and it still manages to get all these points across. I'm not even sure whether Kuranosuke's uncle was intended as a satirical statement or just thrown in there to be silly, but the result is equal parts absurd and surprisingly poignant (at least, as a statement; the character himself is just a loon).
So what happens when these two worlds meet? Where to begin? Kuranosuke starts off treating these girls both as objects of curiosity and as his personal projects; he's fascinated by how different they are, but can't quite wrap his mind around the radically different values they carry or that dolls and jellyfish could be as important to them as fashion is to him. The sisterhood is initially wary of the stylish stranger, and it takes a believably long time for this one-way fascination to develop into mutual respect. Shuu goes through his own arc on the side, and the show does a remarkably good job of balancing all the different sides it presents. If there's one place the drama falls flat, it's the romance. Tsukimi and Shuu become mutually attracted on sight and hardly interact at all outside of a few awkward moments to perpetuate the mutual misunderstandings between them. It's intended to convey both characters' innocence, but there's not enough substance to make it believable. Kuranosuke's attraction to Tsukimi is handled a little better, it'd have to be since they actually get to know each other, but even then it mostly just comes down to him being struck by how "cute" she is. There are probably deeper reasons for him being drawn to her, they're just never shown to us and that's a real shame.
The weakness in the series' romantic relationships stems from a much greater problem. It's a problem that's very common to anime adapted from ongoing source material, I've brought it up in a previous review and I'll most definitely have to bring it up again in future reviews: this series was adapted from a much longer, still-ongoing manga, and the adaptation doesn't feel complete. At the end of the show, the writers decide to slap on an ending that ties up the basic conflict that kept the plot moving along but offers little resolution to the actual character arcs, which are infinitely more important. Given another episode or two, I'm certain the writers could have brought the story to a more satisfying conclusion, or at the very least they could have left the plot open to a second season instead of slamming the door shut the way they did. What we're left with is a bunch of thematic questions and only a handful of answers, so it's a good thing the questions are as good as they are.
With any luck, a second season will eventually take this series to new heights, and given its acclaim and popularity I suspect the manga will find its way to the West in the near future, but as a stand-alone anime Princess Jellyfish is simply too short. Still, that doesn't take away all the good this anime has to it, even on its own. Here we have a series that speaks to the nerds and otaku of the world without ever making itself inaccessible to wider audiences. It's lovable, funny, clever and insightful and I heartily recommend giving it a try.
allegrotime
I was able to watch back-to-back episodes of Princess Jellyfish with ease, which is often something I cannot do (I'm not much of a marathoner concerning TV shows or movies). This show was definitely entertaining with a very cute premise, but there are some problems with it that I think keep it from being great. I would be curious to read more of the manga to see how it compares. A real brief summary of the show (if you're interested) is that a young woman by the name of Tsukimi Kurashita is the newest tenant in an apartment building filled with fellow otaku or nerds. Eachof the girls in the building has an overwhelming passion for their main interest or hobby, and it is a well known rule that no men are allowed inside the building. One day Tsukimi meets one of the "Stylish", who happens to be a guy named Kuranosuke who crossdresses. An interesting friendship (and maybe even something more) begins to form between these two characters, and Kuranosuke works hard with Tsukimi and the other tenants to raise money to save the apartment building.
Like I said previously, this show is certainly entertaining and held my interest, so I believe it is worth a watch. I am disappointed however in how the plot was executed. Perhaps this is due to the small 11-episode nature of the series, I'm not sure. I feel that there was a lot of potential for more character growth, which is never seen. It would have been nice to have seen Tsukimi and the tenants slowly begin to be more confident and involved in their community. I also would have liked to have seen Shu's character explored more.
I very much disliked the relationship between the character Shu and the landshark lady. She sexually harasses Shu, leads him to believe they had sexual relations (when they didn't), and threatens him with blackmail. The reason why this bothered me so much is that you never see for sure if Shu has learned something or grown from this terrible experience. Instead of confidently standing up for himself he still unnecessarily reaches out to the woman throughout the series. (SPOILER SPOILER) At least at the end he appears to walk away from her in embarrassment of the whole situation. This scene could be very easily interpreted differently however. I think I could have accepted this portion of the plot more if some sort of character development came of it (because sometimes bad things do happen), but I do not see that here.
The opening theme is very fun, alluding to many pieces of pop culture. I enjoyed the art style and slightly muted color scheme too. This show is a little frustrating because I feel that it has so much untapped potential.
My opinion is that this is an enjoyable watch, but I was certainly not blown away or moved like some other slice-of-life series I've seen. I would recommend this, but with some reservations.
Yukihapax
Hi everyone! "Kuragehime"...what a strange synopsis I read until now! But I was curious so I decided to read it, even though I'm not a lot into crossdressing, I was honestly interested in the josei "slice of life" part. A bunch of overgrown vergin&otaku gilrs live together in a old building menaced to be destroyed by the typical district renovation which demolishes the old areas to build in new, high palaces and commercial malls. The Main character, the jellyfish-otaku girl, meets a crossdressing (but not gay), rich and spoiled boy, who'll become part of the group and who will change things a lot. So, what to say? This is not, maybe,the best anime of the world, but it's hilarious, brilliant, colorful and very very amusing and if you like different and creative anime you can trust "kuragehime".
Story: As I said, nothing striking: little things, a bunch of virgin girls too grown-up to really change but still showing off their best capabilities. Each episode is entertaining and full of details so you won't be disappointly searching for endless explaination.
I found the plot a bit fuzzy and incoherent in the latest episodes: too many characters to deal with, not enough time to care about them, not enough space to let things happen, an hasty way of handing things.
I suppose this is motivated by circumstances: the manga, which I'm now following, is still ongoing and in "kuragehime" they changed it a little to let the story fit with the only 11 episodes. They could just simply follow the main manga lead and wait...sometimes I don't really know why producers are so hasty!
Art: I simply loved this neat, graceful shaped style, very feminine and intriguing. Soft and still not too full to disturb the vision (just as, for example, Gokinjo no monogatari: interesting but too heavy after some time), the brushstrokes are precise, steady but also harmonic.
Animation: interactive, informal and simply funny, I found myself laughing without even knowing it! It's fast and well- done, not a masterpiece but strong enough to let the characters and the story layer over it.
Characters: A little stereotypical at first sight, Kuragehime reveals the various world of otakuness, showing different reasons and behaviours of being overly fond of something. Every girl has her own world but they perfectly fit together because they're all out of the real normal world, where only apparences and lies seem important. A very sharp critique to the japanese social patterns,sometimes so strict and uncapable to let people express their true selves with freedom. And the result is this: they shut themselves out in a room with objects/dresses/games/food/animals etc etc , and this is always too extreme to be lived with serenity.
I didn't really like the male characters, the main is too feminine (but still I'm approving his strong feelings and good nature) and the others are a bit undertone (but still very involving)
Music&Sound: happy and full of rhythm,a normal but very indicative background.
moonshine101
When first reading the synopsis and seeing the anime cover picture I was hesitant to watch this anime. I always make a note however to read some reviews and the rating it is getting. Most of the time a rating of 8 and consists of an anime that for its genre is a truly fantastic anime. Resulting from this I gave it a shot.....and I LOVED IT! Right from the start I loved all the characters, a diverse environment full of funny, loveable characters. What truly entertained me as a social introvert was how you can relate to most of the characters in the show becauseit is based around a group of "NEET" girls who are social outcasts. I mean Tsukimi(the main female character) is outside and couldn't be any more uncomfortable and out-of-play so she ran back to her apartment. I was already in love with this anime, I was laughing half the time and fell in love with all the characters.
The story centers around Tsukimi and how she has an obsession of Jellyfish from when she went to an aquarium before her mothers passing. This has stuck with her since. One night, she passes a local fish store to see 2 different kinds of jellyfish in the same fish tank which can cause one of the breeds to die due to the others secretion. She then informed the store clerk who didn't listen but listend to a beautiful "HIPSTER"(YES THEY USE THE WORD HIPSTER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NORMAL) who convinces the man to let her buy the jellyfish.
It isn't until after this that Kuranoske comes to their apartment(no boys allowed!!!!) that she discovers that Kuronaske is a boy cross-dressing as a female. The story then continues from there with love, and comedy mixed perfectly to bring about great laughter and infinite interest in the show.
People rejoice, if you are the type of person who likes a comedy/romance with characters you can truly connect to then this anime is for you. All the females in this apartment make you laugh your ass off! They all stick together for the common cause that they cannot socialize normally as opposed to others. Resulting from this are continuous scenes that made me wet myself.
Of course the story is there too. I don't want to go into complete detail but rest assured that this anime has a heartwarming story with superb pacing. Every episode gives you that feeling when you have finished all your sweets! You know, that more-ish feeling? It brings me great pleasure when you stumble across and anime like this every here and there because it reignites your reason and passion to watch anime.
wishcraft
So, the story basically just revolves around Otaku NEETs who have their lives changed by a gorgeous human. Or disrupted, rather. That part is actually pretty fun because it's pretty relatable for those who are a bit socially awkward with intense passions. The show does a beautiful job of portraying everyone's passions and obsessions; I'm a bit biased since I love this trait in actual people. But what can be at best called a side-plot of romance? It's done so poorly. It's like they were like, "WAIT WE NEED TO HAVE MILDLY COMPLICATED ROMANCE...wait, no we don't." So, I'd watch this to watch the fun part...butdon't expect anything fulfilling at the end from the romance aspect. Don't expect anything fulfilling from the romance. At all.
cbakesalot
Princess Jellyfish is what got me hooked onto anime. It's a super cute show about a girl becoming more comfortable with herself, after meeting a 'beautiful girl' who's really a rich cross dresser who has a lot of free time on his hands. Once I started I was unable to stop, and when I finished the eleven episodes, I went into a depressed state realizing that there is no season two, and there will probably never be another season. *~*I am forever waiting for another season.*~* If you love cute animes about characters becoming more comfortable with themselves, leaving their comfort zone, making newfriends, and possibly falling in love??? then this is the show for you.
ace52387
There are a couple of good Otaku community Anime's out there, but none have Kuragehime beat in the sheer absurdity of the fan community. As the name implies, the main character, the jellyfish princess, is utterly taken by jellyfish. She lives in a "nunnery" so named because the residents are female outcasts that hate all things fashionable and hip, and regularly curse the existence of men. The other residents are obsessed with trains, old men, Kimonos, and Romance of the 3 Kingdoms. Jellyfish girl, Tsukimi, meets a fashionable girl one night who persistently insists on staying over. Uneasy already witha
hipster, Tsukimi learns in the morning that the girl is actually
a transvestite. He becomes taken with the nunnery and Tsukimi, and
decides to visit regularly to the Chagrin of the other residents. Kuragehime is
always sweet and endearing the way Otaku community stories like
Genshiken or Doujin Work tend to be, but the plot changes focus
from romance to keeping the nunnery safe, and the ending gives an
anticlimactic (though thoroughly amusing) conclusion to both.
Aside from Jellyfish girl, Kuranosuke the crossdresser and
perhaps one other character, the cast is merely gag fodder,
flaunting their ridiculous obsessions constantly. For example,
anytime a location is mentioned, the train girl will mention what
line that location is near. The 3 kingdoms girl will also make
poor analogies of what is happening to events in the epic. You
never get to know their hardships or struggles with their social
problems.
Tsukimi and Kuranosuke, in complete contrast, have very
heartwarming stories tied to the loss of their mothers. Their
hobbies remind them of their mothers, and some of the most
touching moments in the series come from both the happiness and
sadness they feel when they partake in their obsessions.
Unfortunately, the romance element is rather weak, and when it
takes center stage the series drags. Tsukimi has a potent
cupid's arrow, love at first sight reaction that somehow gets way
more emotionally involved than a crush. She runs off crying when
she thinks a guy she hasn't shared 3 or 4 sentences with might
not have feelings for her. She may be inexperienced in love, but
it will probably be hard for anyone who's gotten past the 7th
grade to see this as the pinnacle of heart break and romantic
drama. The best romantic moments are the awkward ones that are
touching and funny at the same time, but they are few and far
between.
The animation style is fluffy looking, with light, slightly faded
colors like one piece or Paradise Kiss. The characters have the
full lips but not the sharp faces typical of shoujo/josei Anime.
The fashion choices might be eccentric and odd for real life, but
are beautiful to look at in animation. I'm not really sure how
jellyfish could be any sexier than they are in Kuragehime either.
This is definitely a pretty series.
Kuragehime is stuck somewhere between a melancholic slife of
life, a romantic drama, and a heartwarming otaku expose. The
ending doesn't really tie it all together, but it's entertaining
enough at 11 episodes.
