Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl

The Kashimashi manga is written by Satoru Akahori and illustrated by Yukimaru Katsura. The original character designs were created by Sukune Inugami and the school uniform was designed by the company Cospa.[8] It was serialized between the July 2004 and May 2007 issues of the monthly manga magazine Dengeki Daioh, sold between May 21, 2004 and March 21, 2007, respectively.[9][10] Five bound volumes were released in Japan between January 27, 2005 and May 26, 2007 published under MediaWorks' Dengeki Comics imprint,[11][12] concluding the series at thirty-five chapters.

The manga was licensed for an English-language release in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment using the revised Hepburn romanization of the title, Kashimashi, unlike the traditional name of Kasimasi.[13] The first volume was released on December 25, 2006, with volumes released every three to four months until the fifth volume was published on March 18, 2008.[7] Seven Seas re-released the manga in a two-volume omnibus collection of roughly 500 pages each; volume one was published in June 2009, followed by volume two in December 2009.[7] The series is also licensed in French by Ki-oon and in Chinese in Taiwan by Kadokawa Media.[14][15]

There have been two Internet radio shows for the Kashimashi series. The first show, entitled Kana, Yui, Yukari's Kashima Radio (佳奈・由衣・ゆかりのかしましらじお, Kana, Yui, Yukari no Kashima Radio), was produced by Beat Net Radio beginning with a pre-broadcast on September 30, 2005, and concluding on October 27, 2006 with fifty-six episodes. As implied in the title, the show was hosted by Kana Ueda, Yui Horie, and Yukari Tamura, who voiced Hazumu, Yasuna, and Tomari in the anime, respectively.[16] Multiple guests appeared on the show such as Yūmao, who sung the anime's ending theme "Michishirube", or other voice actors from the anime such as Ryōko Shintani, who voiced Jan Pu, and Daisuke Ono, who voiced Asuta. The radio show's opening theme song was "Compass: Egao no Yukue" sung by Ueda, Horie, and Tamura. Listeners could submit contributions to the radio show via a form online.[17] An audio CD containing the episodes between broadcast September 2005 and early 2006 went on sale on May 24, 2006.[18]

The second Internet radio show, entitled Masumi Ryōko's Kashima Radio PC (真澄♥良子のかしましらじおPC, Masumi Ryōko no Kashima Radio PC), was also produced by Beat Net Radio, but was only available via podcasts on Bandai Visual Podcast. This show was one of only two radio programs ever distributed on Bandai Visual Podcast.[19] The show was broadcast between December 22, 2005 and April 27, 2006, concluding with ten episodes, and was hosted by Masumi Asano and Ryōko Shintani; Asano voice Ayuki in the anime.[20]

A Kashimashi light novel, written by Mako Komao and illustrated by Yukimaru Katsura, was published by MediaWorks under their Dengeki Bunko imprint on January 10, 2006.[21] The novel is told from a first person perspective alternating between Hazumu, Yasuna, and Tomari between chapters.[22] There is a prologue, four chapters, and an epilogue in the novel; the prologue and the first chapter are told from Hazumu's perspective, then Yasuna's for chapter two, followed by Tomari's for chapter three, and finally back to Hazumu for chapter four and the epilogue.[22] The last three pages of the book contain an afterword written by the author.[22]

A 112-page artbook entitled Kashimashi Official Fan Book (かしまし公式ファンブック, Kashimashi Kōshiki Fan Bukku) was released by MediaWorks on March 27, 2006.[21] The book, which is the same size as a manga bound volume, is printed in full-color for the first forty-eight pages which consists of a compilation of promotional art from the separate media types, character profiles with original sketches and comments on the characters, plus interviews from the voice actors of Hazumu, Yasuna, Tomari, Ayuki, and Jan Pu, and lastly original concept drawings of the school uniforms in the series. The middle of the book, which is printed in black-and-white, contains a brief overview of the first twenty-one chapters of the manga, and interviews from the manga author and illustrator, anime director and scenario writer, and the light novel author. There is also a brief explanation of the PlayStation 2 visual novel, of two figurines of Hazumu, and of three audio CDs for the anime version. The last sixteen pages are again in full-color and consist of the anime's first episode in manga format.[4]

The anime series of Kashimashi was produced by Studio Hibari, directed by Nobuaki Nakanishi, and written by Jukki Hanada.[23] The series aired on TV Tokyo in Japan from January 11 to March 29, 2006, ending with twelve regular episodes.[24] The episodes were released on seven DVD compilations released between April 26 and October 27, 2006, each containing two episodes.[25] An original video animation (OVA) episode was released with the final DVD which changed the ending from the original television broadcast.[25] There was a small additional portion during the bra shopping scene in episode two that was considered adult enough to be censored out of the television broadcast, but which was included in the DVD release.[26] Bandai Visual released a DVD box set of Kashimashi in Japan on June 25, 2010.

The anime series was licensed by Media Blasters in November 2006.[27] The episodes were not dubbed into English, but still included subtitles in English. The first DVD went on sale on June 12, 2007 and contained the first five episodes. Extras on the disc included two ten-minute talks between the voice actresses for the three main female characters, a small collection of Japanese television advertisements, and textless opening videos.[28] The second DVD went on sale on August 21, 2007, and the third and final DVD went on sale on October 23, 2007; the last two DVDs contain four episodes each, including the OVA episode. A box-set containing all three DVDs was released on October 14, 2008. The first episode of the series was included with the June 2007 issue of Newtype USA.[29] A re-release titled Kashimashi: Girl Meet Girl Vocal Collection was released on April 26, 2011 with an English dub.[30][31] After Media Blasters lost the rights, Discotek Media re-licensed the series.[32]

The anime opening theme, "Koisuru Kokoro" by Eufonius, and main ending theme, "Michishirube" by Yūmao, were both released on January 25, 2006 in Japan by Lantis.[33][34] The anime used four alternate versions of the ending theme sung by four of the voice actors. In episode eight, it was sung by Masumi Asano, in episode nine by Kana Ueda as Hazumu, in episode ten by Yui Horie as Yasuna, and in episode eleven by Yukari Tamura as Tomari. The opening theme "Koisuru Kokoro" was used as the ending theme for the first episode while the song "Kimi no Tame ni Dekiru Koto" (キミのためにできること, lit. "Something I Can Do For You") by Yūmao was used as the ending theme in the twelfth episode.[35]

Three insert songs sung by the voice actors were used in three of the episodes. In episode seven, the song "Hanaemi to Kasumisō" sung by Ueda was used, while in episode nine the song "Compass: Egao no Yukue" sung by Ueda, Horie, and Tamura was used; these two songs were from the "Compass: Egao no Yukue" image song single released on December 21, 2005.[36] The last insert song, "Hanbun" (半分, lit. "Half") sung by Tamura, was used in episode twelve and was featured in the image song album Norte Amour released on April 5, 2006.[37] The album also featured other songs by Ueda, Horie, Tamura, Asano, and Ryōko Shintani, who voiced Jan Pu. The Kashimashi Original Soundtrack for the anime version was released on April 26, 2006 by Lantis.[38]

Finally, a drama CD based on the anime version was released on May 18, 2006 featuring ten voice actors from the anime. The plot for the drama CD takes place between final aired episode of the anime and the original video animation episode.[39]

A visual novel video game based on the series named Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl The First Summer Story (かしまし ～ガール・ミーツ・ガール～ 初めての夏物語, Kasimasi ~Gāru Mītsu Gāru~ Hajimete no Natsu Monogatari) was first released on the PlayStation 2 on March 30, 2006 in Japan. The game was developed by Vridge, published by Marvelous Interactive,[40] and released in two editions, limited and regular, on the same day.[41] The limited edition came in a specially made box with an original drama CD called "Kashimashi Triangle Letter", and a music CD featuring songs from the game in piano arrange versions. The game was later re-released in a Best Collection edition on November 16, 2006, which sold at less than half the price of the original game.[42] Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl The First Summer Story received a total review score of 26/40 (out of the four individual review scores of 7, 6, 7, and 6) from the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.[43]

The game's story begins on the outset of summer vacation. Hazumu's homeroom teacher Namiko Tsuki suggests Hazumu and her friends take a one-week trip to a small mountain village with a hot spring resort. Hazumu's grandparents reside in this town, and are two new characters introduced to the story. Three other female characters are introduced as possible love interests for Hazumu; two are the same age as her, and the third is the older landlady of the resort.[44] The goal of the game is to pair Hazumu up with one of the five female cast of characters. The gameplay's main system comes from Hazumu's indecisive personality. If the player shows more interest in a particular character, the other characters get annoyed that Hazumu is ignoring them, which is displayed in a tension meter. The more Hazumu ignores a particular character, the higher the tension between that character becomes. This ensures Hazumu stays good friends with the possible love interests. In order to view the ending of a particular character, a certain amount of tension will have to be between the other characters, but this cannot be too great or the ending will not show.[45]

The gameplay requires little interaction from the player as most of the duration of the game is spent simply reading the text that appears on the game screen which represents either dialogue between the various characters or the inner thoughts of the protagonist.[46] An important aspect of the game (as in nearly every visual novel) are the "decision points" which appear every so often which give the player the chance to choose from a limited number of options.[45] The time between these decision points is variable and can occur anywhere from a minute to much longer. The game pauses at such moments and depending on which choice the player makes, the plot will progress in a specific direction. Each plot line can be achieved through multiple replays.

In July 2007, the English version of Kashimashi was Seven Seas Entertainment's best-selling title.[47] The first volume of the manga was given positive reviews from such sources as Newtype USA, a popular anime and manga magazine. The first volume was named as Newtype USA's Book of the Month for December 2006, and the review noted Seven Seas Entertainment's "fan-focused" translation, which retained the honorifics and much of the Japanese wordplay without efforts to localize the humor for the mainstream American market.[48] The review goes on to state that "for fans of more mainstream romantic productions, it's a neat twist on the traditional love-triangle formula, and a charming alternative to boys meeting girls."[48] In a review at Anime News Network (ANN), Carlo Santos commented that "the fast-moving events of this first volume combine to form a story of many moods: a gender-bending comedy, but with sci-fi touches, and most of all, a romance more touching than one might expect. The time has come to rethink the love triangle."[49] In a review at IGN, A. E. Sparrow stated "there's plenty to enjoy in the first book, however. Hazumu attempting to buy his first bra is pretty humorous, as are the occasional visits from the aliens who put him in this situation in the first place."[50]

The second volume of the manga was positively reviewed at Anime News Network by Theron Martin, who wrote: "With its second volume the title pushes fully into the realm of romantic comedy, liberally sprinkling its story with humorous asides, pratfalls, and anecdotes while still dealing head-on with the much more serious and involved love triangle springing up around Hazumu. For all its attempts to be funny, though, it is the story's more dramatic side that will keep you coming back."[1] In ANN's review of manga volume three, Theron Martin wrote, "The artistry of Yukimaru Katsura rarely devotes more effort to backgrounds than necessary, but its strength has always lain in the character designs and costuming. The array of the female cast provides a great contrast of looks [but] ... the male characters, though easily distinguishable, stand out less."[2] In ANN's double review of manga volumes four and five, Martin commented, "these volumes offer a solid conclusion to this lovely little yuri series. It does handle things rather differently than in the anime version, and those irritated by the anime's ending should find this one more to their liking."[51]

The first manga volume was generally panned by Deb Aoki at About.com where she felt the characters were "too flat and uninteresting", and the story being "too far-fetched" and "ridiculous" to make a good story. However, Aoki admitted the art is "quite nice, and there are some moments of genuine tenderness and humor".[52] In a review of the first manga volume by Matthew Alexander at Mania.com, he thought that while "stories with love triangles or gender-switching protagonists have been done before...Hazumu's change into a girl explores romance between people of the same sex in an interesting and comedic way."[53]

The anime series has been compared with a similar series that involved gender swapping—Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma ½.[49][54] In a review on THEM Anime Reviews, the Stig Høgset wrote that the anime can be "aggravating to watch at times", but can still raise smiles, as the characters make the show believable, calling the show "down to earth and pleasant to look at, if nothing else", reinforced by a detailed art style and "generally great animation quality".[54] The conclusion of the anime was positively reviewed by Erica Friedman, who is the president of Yuricon, an anime convention geared towards fans of yuri anime and manga, and ALC Publishing, a publishing house dedicated to yuri. Friedman described the anime's conclusion as "so normal - so much like a thing that might have actually happened in real life...that it kind of just went under the radar."[55] Carl Kimlinger of Anime News Network said that unlike Kannazuki no Miko, the series does not "emotionally overwhelm its audience" but is a "gently emotional romantic comedy" instead, with the secret of "Hazumu's sex-change" told to the entire world, and said that the juggling of different viewpoints from the character makes you "sympathize strongly with each one".[56] Kimlinger also praised the "effortlessly evocative visuals and...understated score," said that the series has an eye for the "dramatic potential of its gender-switching premise", called the backgrounds are "softly evocative", and praised the series as a "gentle romantic comedy" while calling the humor in the series forced and "intrusive".[56]

The three DVD volumes released by Media Blasters were reviewed by Anime News Network. In the review of the first DVD, the reviewer commented, that the series "skillfully juggled" the character's different viewpoints, drawing in viewers with "soft, effortlessly evocative visuals", relying on facial expressions which subtly shifted in order to communicate the emotional states of the characters.[28] For the second DVD volume, Theron Martin said that the artistic style and colors used, it contributes to "the look and feel of the original story", with the anime duplicate many scenes from the original manga and it does everything to stay true to "the original writing".[57] Finally, for the third volume, Carl Kimlinger wrote that the writers made an ill-advised attempt to remove he "bitter" from "bittersweet" by tacking on plot developments which are unconvincing in the OVA, but that it ultimately has a "deeply satisfying conclusion".[58]

The three DVD volumes released by Media Blasters were also reviewed by Mania.com. In the review of the first DVD, the reviewer Chris Beveridge described the anime as "something different from the norm" which "mixes romance and comedy quite well". However, the pacing early on is felt as being "awkward" which "takes time to really find its rhythm".[59] For the second DVD volume, Beveridge commented that "the mixing of the relationships continues to be the most interesting part of the show". Beveridge goes on to state "the mild moments of it are tacky and bad", but "when it comes to the core cast of characters, it's all solid material that is very enjoyable."[60] Finally, for the third volume, Beveridge wrote that "despite the issues with how the series turns in the bonus OVA episode, Kashimashi has proven to be quite a lot of fun for the situations it presented." The series is seen to "close out rather well", and "not only is it good fun but it's also an enjoyable romantic show with lots of heart and emotion."[61]