Why I'm not buying Junjou.

Last year RightStuf announced they acquired the rights to Junjou Romantica. Being the dreamer I am, I hoped magically somehow it would be dubbed. Last month all the specs for the dvd were released and I made my decision to forgo this purchase.

This is not a first for me. If you look at my dvd shelf BL is very sparse, almost nonexistent. Sad, I know, but for me, dubbing is a huge reason why I purchase anime. Oh, yes, sometimes a dub can be atrocious such as the redub of Macross (whose bright idea was that). But for the most part, there are days when I just don't want to listen to Japanese, because when you're still learning a language listening to the language you're learning is work, thus it's tiring. Yeah, there's subs, but I prefer to have the tv on and do other things while I listen. So, dubs, no matter how bad, are necessary. This hasn't just hindered my purchasing of BL but other series also, such as Tears to Tiara and Simoun. Especially since, for the most part, a lot of these are streaming online or I can catch them on the anime network. There are those collectors who just have to have the series they're into, but for me that was a phase I have long since out grown.

I understand BL is a niche market but I really do think they had a chance to snatch up more fans with Junjou. Not including a dub you're cutting out a part of your market. And believe me, there are many people out there who are turned off by subs. And if they weren't going to include a dub track they have to offer something to entice people like me. Blu-Ray would be nice, but if this series can't get dubbed there's no way it will get a Blu-Ray release. You can get me with extras. And a nice little bonus would have been the interviews with the voice actors you can find on youtube such as this one here featuring Kamijou and Nowaki's VA's:

Pencil boards, postcards, trading cards, keychains would have all been nice little add-ons. Come on, Right Stuf, woo me! I've already seen Junjou, now give me a reason to own it.

Right Stuf <3

I had a conversation with my sister today and told her how I was hoping some company would announce the acquisition of the Junjou Romantica anime today. "It's been over a year since it was released and it has a modest fan base, someone has to snatch it up", I told her.

Somebody did.

Thank you so much Right Stuf!

And then the dread sets in. God. I want this dubbed and I want it dubbed well. The last BL Right Stuf dubbed was Gravitation and that dub is just...well, it makes me laugh. That's good, right? Sometimes bad dubs are awesome. But I don't want dubbed Junjou to be awesome for that reason. So, please, Right Stuf, don't disappoint. And oh my, how great would it be if this got a limited edition that came with a Suzuki-san?

Also, that's not all. Right Stuf acquired Antique Bakery :). Ah, today was a good day for BL fans. What can make it better? An announcement of a simultaneous release of Ai no Kusabi. What's that? That's impossible? Well, a girl can dream, can't she?

Now go and celebrate my fellow fujoshi!

Edit: Oh-ho-ho, they already have websites up for both Junjou and Antique. Not much info up as of yet.

Edit #2: Someone reminded me on the Junjou community on LJ that the possibility of RS dubbing this is very slim because all their recent releases have been sub only. Which made me go "Doh" because I knew that. But, man, am I hoping so hard for this to be dubbed. I really super want to hear these boys in English.

Source: ANN

Review: Junjo Romantica - Vol. 8 -

Author: Shungiku Nakamura
Pages: 192
Price: 12.99
Publisher: Blu
Summary from back cover: When Usami can't write a teenage love story, it's up to Misaki to teach him the proper way to go on a "normal" date. As usual, things end up less than normal when family issues arise with the introduction of...Usami's father! It's time for Misaki to bite the bullet and say what he feels in his heart for Usami... And when Hiro finds Nowaki sleeping naked with a haughty hunk, will this spell the end of their relationship?

Review: We're eight volume's in, and it's very heartening to see a BL manga continue on for so long. But was Nakamura able to succeed in keeping the story new and intriguing? Maybe not so new, as she recycles some old plots, but definitely intriguing.

Towards the end of volume seven we were left with a obviously disgruntled Akihiko. We the readers know what's bothering him but for some reason Misaki has yet to figure it out. Volume eight takes Misaki further down his path of confusion and utter obliviousness when Akihiko suggest that Misaki should live on his own. Our spastic uke does what he does second best and totally ignores his lover while stressing to himself why he would say such a thing. This far into the series not asking questions is part of who Misaki is, and so we're stuck with having to see him come up with a million and one reasons why Akihiko says and does the things he does instead of going straight to the horses mouth. This plot device might work a couple of times, but by now, it's gotten old, as we see it repeated not just within the Romantica storyline but also in Egoist and Terrorist. Is it too much to ask to have a straightforward character who actually wants to work through their problems instead of angsting about it?

While wallowing in his angst, Misaki runs into a odd old man at the train station. This seems utterly familiar...Oh, wait because it happened before when Misaki met Akihiko's brother. I'm not quite sure what Nakamura is going for by reusing this scene, but it doesn't work. It was difficult reading through this part because of how similar it is to the other train incident. It felt like you were sitting in on a lesson of something you had just learned. You keep checking your watch as you eagerly wait for it to end. And boy was I glad when it was over.

Just when I've given up on this volume I reach the second chapter and I'm reminded why I like Romantica. Chapter two opens with Aikawa doing what Misaki does best, completely spazzing out. Akihiko only has a few more chapters to wright in his new novel but he wants to make his normal everyday characters have ritzy high class dates that normal everyday people only dream about. He needs to be shown what the rest of Japan does for a typical date and Aikawa asks Misaki to take on this task.

I really enjoyed the interaction between Misaki and Akihiko in this chapter. They chat casually with each other, and actually have a discussion that really goes somewhere without having Misaki totally freak out. If anything, for once, I just really enjoyed Misaki. There was less angst, more questions, and just Misaki being really super adorable (aquarium scene ftw). Throw in my favorite Usa-sibling and a super sweet moment on a ferris wheel and you've got yourself a winning chapter.

Next we're treated to an Egoist story (my personal fave couple). It was refreshing to read a whole chapter about these two instead of the tiny morsels served up in the previous volumes. The chapter opens with Hiroki walking in on Nowaki sleeping on the floor with his colleague from the hospital, Tsumori. Nowaki, upon awakening, sees how bothered Hiroki is and tries to reassure him that things aren't what they seem. Of course, Hiroki's still bothered, even more so when Tsumori throws himself on Nowaki, and later informs him that his lover was thinking about moving out. What, wait? Move out? But why? And here is the plot line we follow for the rest of the chapter, Hiroki going back and forth in his head trying to figure out why Nowaki would want to move out instead of *gaspity* just asking him! One of the things I've always loved about these two is how Hiroki's image of an "adult" is mirrored in Nowaki. Nowaki's always calm, straightforward, and knows how to read a situation and does what he can to control it. And his "adult" behavior shines through again in this volume. I find the final scene between the two very touching and although it's no library scene (omigod library scene, so awesome), the insight Nowaki gives Hiroki into his thoughts and feelings can only make you love him more. This chapter would be a lot better if we had more interaction between these two and less of Hiroki moping, it really makes the story drag on. And feeling like you have to plod through a story is never a good thing when you're suppose to be entertained.

This volume may not be one of the best in the series, but it does tie up some loose ends for Akihiko and Misaki, making it a must for all you Romantica fans. And the Egoist story is a nice little bonus for us Egoist lovers. But the first chapter really felt more like filler since nothing was really resolved and the repeat train incident was more boring than interesting and the egoist story could be a bit tedious to read at parts. But overall it was a good read which deserves a good solid:

Final Episode of Junjou Romantica

So, there was no sex, a bad soundtrack, and very little terrorist, but you know what? The second season of Junjou is still good. If this season has accomplished anything, it has made me like the romantica pairing. They are still my least favorite, but I actually have come to care for them and appreciate their storyline.

It was a fun ride, and who knows, maybe it will get an OVA release some day. I doubt there will be another season, especially with the little material they have left to pull from the manga. And if there is an OVA release I can only hope it's terrorist, because their storyline deserves the attention.

No sex in the champaign room...

...Or in Junjou Romantica, it seems. Have you been watching the new season? Things just seem, different, and the absence of sex scenes is just one of those differences that stood out to me. Don't get me wrong, sex scenes does not a good anime make. I guess I'm just curious how we go from sex in every episode to absolutely none. Did they get in trouble for being too risque? Okay, okay, the way I'm going on and on about this sex thing people are going to start to think that was my favorite part of the show. But it's not! Actually one of the things I really enjoyed was the soundtrack. I felt it gave those emotional moments life and vitality. I do believe that this show would not be as "romantic" without the music. But this new season doesn't make much use of the previous seasons soundtrack. In fact, they use mostly the same 3 or 4 bg's over and over again. And there is this one song they use repeatedly. You'll recognize it when you hear an accordion. Man, I am not feeling that accordion. It gives Junjou this European feel, like I'm watching Heidi or something, not a BL. And, not to be mean, but seriously, these new songs sound as if they were cheaply done. As if they just snatched 'em out of a public music archive (not to look down upon those because you can find some real awesome music there). But a lot of the music just sounds generic. Have you also noticed the near absence of chibi's? And if they are used they're not in Nakamura's unique style. I'm not just nitpicking, I'm trying to point out the things that have changed this season. Now for other people out there these changes might work for them, but I'm not one of 'em. I'm not going to stop watching Junjou, I still like seeing these characters animated and I LOVE the voice acting (<3 Nowaki), and I like following their relationships. I just think this season isn't as stellar as the first. And I'm still holding out hope for the terrorist couple. Hopefully this is the couple they will show next week, but I have a gut feeling they're going to save them for the end.