This is a new yuri anime that just premiered on the 9th. So I guess it'd be fun to do a bit of a review for other yuri fans?

It's a comedy, dodging the much-despised "one or both die in the end" that a lot of yuri animes tend to do, but the best part is:

It's not a show making fun of yuri (not a parody!)
It's not a show that's 99% subtext yuri.
It's a bona-fide lesbian school romance HECK YEAH.



I really can't express how happy this series makes me, for a lot of reasons. Overall, the animation style is cute although you can tell that they were running off of a budget of buttons and good will so they had to cut corners in a lot of places. This doesn't take away from the story or the characters, however, who are all likeable. At first Haruka (the one with the brownish-pink hair) seems like your average schoolgirl-with-a-crush stock character but as you meet her you get to see that she's got a daring streak in her that sets her apart from other protagonists of her type. Yuu, the orange-haired girl with pigtails, goes against the archetype that her appearance would suggest by being the more mature and down to earth character, frequently keeping Haruka in check and chiding her for acting foolishly. There are a few side characters elsewise, though the first episode is plainly centered around the alpha couple up there, Haruka and Yuu.

The downsides are minimal compared to the upsides. It is rather fanservicey, and you can tell easily that it's made by guys for guys. However, it's not enough to detract from the story and may even be enjoyable to some, and it's never more racy than thigh shots or chest shots, stuff you'd probably see on teen-or-young-adult-oriented television. As said before the animation noticeably cuts corners in places, but it's not distracting unless you're looking for it. Personally I found it cute.

Now this series really makes me happy because I think that if a series like this had come out when I was still in high school or perhaps younger then perhaps I probably would have turned out a lot better romantically later on, heh. This series is really relatable for me as a lesbian and actually reminds me of my own first romance, so it's actually pretty good entertainment for those looking for romances that they can relate to I'd think.

Personally, I haven't seen a Yuri anime that's this in-your-face about being a Yuri anime since Strawberry Panic (that wasn't a hentai, cough), which I liked for a lot of the same reasons (Strawberry Panic actually served the above purpose for me since I was in my first year of high school when I watched it). All in all I'd really recommend this anime to anyone who's a fan of yuri or just likes cute, angst-free romantic comedies.

5/5

You can watch it subbed on Crunchyroll if you have a subscription or you can just find it on the internet fansubbed (but I'm not sure if I'd be allowed to post a link!)

Now go, Yuri Fans. Bask.

I just watched the first episode of Sakura Trick ^^(Hurray to the Internet fansubbing and streaming community. How is it that Crunchyroll gets subscribers? I remember when it was free back when I was in H.S).

I have a different impression of Sakura Trick. It's cute, but in a very childish way. I could see some of that playing out in high school, but I think they were clearly exaggerating(as Hino said, for some fanservice, not that it bothered me but nor does it arouse me, it's a freaking pixel. Give a guy some credit )

Where the exaggeration does it for me, is that it makes it lose it's Yuri magic. I mean, the two girls were friends throughout middle school and on the first day, they have several kisses?

Do they have any reason why they love each other? Or any plot at all? Sure enough, one probably could make inferences with the characters(What Homu-chan said about Hakura and Yuu is probably right on the money, imo) but I like to see it explained clearer through an anime's actions/words. Plot, when written properly is truly a work of art in of itself.

It's indeed a romantic comedy, which in my different taste as an anime fan IS a parody. What makes Yuri an epic win is just how serious it is. A little spice of comedy? Sure, but the romantic feelings of two girls should be evident. I just don't think it was evident.

First episode rating: 3/5. It's not awful, and it's good depending on your tastes. But when Homu-san said Strawberry Panic, I had my hopes up lol.

So seeing the next two episodes, I've warmed up even more to Sakura Trick. Not so much because of plot development.(I'm convinced that there won't be a deeper plot), but in that if you enjoy day to day environments, some humor and fun. Why wouldn't you watch this series? My initial disappointment was in that it didn't have the drama of a Strawberry Panic, or a KNM or a Simoun. But then, that's okay since KNM and Simoun had far more unrealistic elements in it and if the authors did go the Strawberry Panic route, there'd be far less humor in it.

It's a lot like wishing Maria-Sama Ga Miteru was more romantically intimate. Maria-sama is an excellent series otherwise, but without the romance it's a lot like having cake without the glossing. Half-assed .

The series gets an upgraded 4 out of 5 from me. It's very lovable, depending on what you're looking for.