Anime Review - Yosuga no Sora

Babe #1 is really rather buxom

Now, I’m not the kind of girl adverse to watching the occasional hentai title or forcing my fiancé to watch trashy ecchi with me. However, when a number of friends heralded the currently airing Yosuga no Sora as “porn”, I knew it was my civic duty to watch and review such a spectacle. Not knowing quite what to expect from comments such as “vagina towel”, I have to admit to being somewhat taken aback by the fearless use of typically soft core action.

The story revolves around siblings Haru and Sora who are returning to a town they spent much of their childhood in many years ago following the death their parents. Tragedy has affected the mind and body of the younger sibling and she has become reliant on the emotional support offered by her brother. Throw into the mix a selection of female groupies with problems of their own, and you have the same recipe as for many trashy harem romance shows. Well, it would be except for the fact that this is based on a multi-route visual novel that features numerous explicit scenes.

Loli and incest fans rejoice, for you have not been forgotten

On first viewing, I was confused; Haru spends the first 4 episodes romancing a girl, getting into her yukata and panties and then suddenly he is having naked time with another female. Why wasn’t girl one jealous or angry? Was it a dream? After figuring out that Yosuga no Sora’s origins would have had numerous (literal) happy endings, it seems logical to assume that the anime clumsily tries to incorporate every possible shag partner for the protagonist. Cobbled together as four completely unrelated arcs, there are numerous crossover scenes that are seen in each of the individual tales that will probably leave many newer viewers completely befuddled. Even the final arc left many questions in its wake: was the lake sequence a dream, or was it a cop-out from the “bad” VN climax?

It’s a shame really that the story takes a second role to the bonking and boobs featured within Yosuga no Sora, as it could actually have been quite enjoyable. Instead, the writers’ obsession with Nao-chan’s perpetually bouncing chest takes away from the tale of siblings trying to come to terms with the tragic loss of their parents. This could have been a successful hentai series, or even a touching romance; what it is instead is a dreadful mess that will irritate fans of either genre.

Nogisaka was taken aback by Haru's attraction to the bunny.

By far the strongest aspect of the series, the animation is tirelessly sexy. The characters look gorgeous, especially Sora and the way her impossibly long hair move. My only issue, as mentioned above, is the obsession with breasts. Be they big or small, neither is neglected and much screen time is dedicated to each of the girls jiggling mammary mountains. If you are a fan of women with a larger cup size and a defiance of gravity, then this will probably cater to your tastes. Other than this, it is obvious that a significant portion of the budget has been spent on making the visuals look stunning – a shame more couldn’t have been spent on decent writers.

Featuring a strong vocal cast, the seiyuu for Yosuga no Sora are unfortunately encumbered with a horrendous script. The females attempt a sterling job at describing in painstaking detail exactly what they are doing. Cries of “Oh, Haru, your penis is inside me” or the timeless “no, don’t touch me there!”, this is most likely taken straight from the original material.

She tripped and fell, honest

Making up for this travesty, the opening track and incidental music are both beautiful. Featuring fluttering piano strokes and sweeping violin melodies, every indication is given that this show really should have been something other than a half-assed hentai. The closing segment strangely features two sets of closing credits. The first is a touching lullaby that again indicates a heartbreaking romance. The second is much more upbeat and fun, betraying a comical side that never really happened.

Haru's cold hands were frequently a problem in the bedroom.

With personalities as two-dimensional as their visual design, character development is only bestowed on the focus of each arc and even then it is forgotten about as the next four episodes roll by. Haru, as the centre of the harem is unexplainably popular. Maybe it’s because of natural instincts kicking in with the girls who want new DNA in the breeding pool of their town, or perhaps he has a gigantic penis with a reputation that precedes him. However, from where I was sitting, he came across as a bit of a wet blanket that pandered to the whims of his sister far too easily. Sora herself is a self-centred brat who is far too used to getting her own way and is not afraid to all-out tantrum should her demands fail. The relationship between these two was far too questionable for my tastes, especially in the final arc and neither had any traits I could identify with or even care about.

Love interest #1, Nogisaka is the cliché uppity, wealthy bitch that has her softer side exposed by the persistent male (in more way than one). The whistle-stop switch to love interest #2 sees the infinitely bubbly and frequently irritating Akira take the centre stage. Bouncing into the lead (literally) then comes the proportionately challenged Nao, who could have been likeable was it not for her obvious shoehorning into the typical meganekko character. The remaining cast are used crudely as plot devices, and so their attributes have been simplified to nothing but “flirtatious clown” and “class president”.

Yes, Yosuga no Sora is pretty bad, but it certainly didn’t evoke the utter hatred from me that is being shown by many other anime fans. Fans of the VN may enjoy the anime as a recap; however this will most likely be a disappointment for all others as the structure does not translate well. Stick to Kanon  for a heart-wrenching tale or Koi Kaze for more emotive incest as this show ultimately fails to live up to its promise on so many levels.