So I was recently in the mood to watch good yuri. Well, this is not much of "good" yuri. But unfortunately this was the very first yuri I every watched and sadly I would have to say that yoai is way better. Within the era that we're in I feel as though this should be considered a trans-yuri (if there is already a name for transgender series). I apologize to my male readers because I did not care enough to watch One Piece: Stampede or Boruto. I am also behind on Fire Force and Dr. Stone. But on the bright side, I was very productive and was able to finish this series, Fuse: Memoirs of a Hunter Girl, My Neighbor Totoro (which finished my Ghibli film collection, Kyuosougiga (daddy issues), and After it Rains (pedophilia).
DISCLAIMER: I DO APOLOGIZE IF I OFFEND ANYONE WITH THE PRONOUN CHANGES!!!!!!
Anyways within 12 episodes there was drama, heartbreak, and identity crisis. Simply, Hazumu was a shy boy (you never see his face when he is a boy) had a love for gardening and was a sensitive and sometimes feminine. If he had a Tinder profile it would say "I like gardening, collecting herbs, and taking long walks in the mountains." Well, one day he decided he was going to confess his "love" to his recent friend Yasuna. Unfortunately, she rejected him. That same day he goes up the mountain to clear his head and somehow ends up getting hit by a UFO. He died upon impact. The aliens felt guilty for hitting and killing him, so they revived him to the best of their abilities and ended up changing his biological gender to female.
This is when everything gets crazy. His original gang is still by his side to help him transition with a twist. He is caught in a known love triangle, with his childhood friend, Tomari Kurusu and newfound crush, Yasuna Kamiizumi.
As I did with Welcome to the Ball, here's a visual to understand the relationships (I'm sorry the lines are not as clean as previous maps):
I'm going to go ahead and speak on the romance. It was obvious, yet stupid. I say this because the obvious choice would be to fall for either of the best friends Asuta or Tomari. But Hazumu fell for the newcomer, Yasuna before realizing his feelings for Tomari. I have beef with Tomari too. It took her until Hazumu became a girl and was in a "lesbian" relationship with Yasuna to verbally confess her feelings to him, seriously? The fact that both Tomari and Yasuna agreed "may the best woman win" was the dumbest thing as well. Ultimately, Hazumu is extremely indecisive in the entire series until the last episode.
Asuta is a non-factor to be honest because it is clear Hazumu is not interested in him. I would consider him to be trans-attracted as well because it did not matter to him that Hazumu was a boy prior. He is also a "homie hopper" the way he lowkey fell for Yusuna in the end as well.
As Hazumu's childhood friend, Tomari, has protected her from bullies and judgment for her femininity and sensitivity.
As friends, they are complete opposites. She is a tomboy and the most masculine between the two which makes up for what each other is lacking stereotypically. Although she is aware that she is a tomboy she does get frustrated when it is mentioned. This is the primary reason why she dislikes Yusuna. Also, her perspective of Hazumu hasn't changed mentally or emotionally. She is still the same with an additional breast and a vagina.
What frustrates me the most is that she didn't have any interest in Hazumu beyond friends until Yusuna took an interest. Though in flashbacks it is clear that she had some love for her prior to her transformation because she wanted to be her bride when they were children.
I did find her very childish when she became even more jealous of Yusuna because she assumed they kissed at the train station. There is a thing called asking for clarification. So in reaction, she took it upon herself to kiss Hazumu when Yusuna wasn't around.
But what was the difference in confession? Not a damn thing. When they were at the pond when Yusuna wasn't around that's when she confessed and embraced Hazumu, and Hazumu was indeed openly dating Yusuna during that time (THE ENTIRE TIME ACTUALLY!!!!!). She had no respect for Hazumu's romantic life. It was clear she didn't like Yusuna before they were friends as well, in the first episode when she found out she rejected him the first time. Then as the petty bitch that she is, she competes for her. Then when the final decision is made and Hazumu rejects her for Yusuna (who then rejects her again), she rejects her because she wasn't the first choice.
She's just so aggressive compared to Hazumu.
Like I have said before in a twitter thread, this bitch is a side bitch.
So from the beginning, she has a rare condition where she is unable to see men. It is not fully explained until the last few episodes of the series. The condition is called androphobia, the fear of men. She sees them as grey blobs. She is shy and reserved just like Hazumu, you could even say that she is his female counterpart.
According to the timeline, prior to the sex change and the first rejection, they met on top of the mountain and connected over gardening. Since then emotions and feelings started to rise. Both ironically and conveniently (Hazumu was not aware of her condition until after Yusuna's confession), she confesses to the female Hazumu, that she has always loved her because when she was a boy she was able to recognize her boyish features though still blobby. Hazumu was the first man she could see partially which made her anxieties at ease. Now that he is now a she, she is able to see her clearly and wants to selfishly cherish that.
They begin to start dating like the rejection never happened. After Tomari confesses her feelings to Yusuna about Hazumu which is when they both agree that they would share her and eventually let Hazumu decide who she wants. Prior to the final decision, her condition gets worse because after witnessing Tomari break their promise and make a move on Hazumu she then develops a fear of women. When her fear is based on a fear of loneliness, lack of trust for everyone, and discomfort. The aliens save the day in this case and are able to fix her fears.
When Yusuna is able to see everyone clearly (no more blobs), Hazumu decides to choose her, not because she loves her. She chose her because she thinks she needs her to love her. So in return Yusuna rejects him again which over follows into the Tomari situation.
The issue I have with Yusuna is that she was not truly in love with Hazumu, which blocked the love between Tomari and Hazumu from being explored at its own pace. I say this because everything was for Yusuna. Everything was convenient for her. Hazumu knew she had been in love with Tomari towards the end when Tomari forcefully kissed her and decided to still continue a relationship with Yusuna because she did not want her to be alone. But for Yasuna to reject her again and preach "stand on my own two legs" for the entire duration of the last episode, irritated me. Like bitch where was that same energy when Tomari, the childhood friend came to you as a woman and told you she had feelings for Hazumu (still disrespectful because Yusuna was dating her at the time but still!).
Everything did work out in Tomari's favor which is good and rightfully so. The "wedding" (commitment ceremony) at the end was a bit extra since they should be in the last year of junior high school or possibly first years in high school. This is, however, the last time I will sit through this series. I am not sure what my younger self thought of this series but I'm not a fan or it now and very disappointed that this could have suited my fancy when I first watched it.
Lastly, I would like to say this bitch was in everyone's business and didn't have an actual storyline or plot integration.
