A N I M E / O T A K U : PART 2

Aoi Hana

Other Title:

Sweet Blue Flowers

Synonyms:

Aoihana

Blue Flower

Type:

TV

Aired:

July 2, 2009 to September 10, 2009

Source:

Manga

Genres:

Romance, Slice of Life, Shoujo Ai

Synopsis:

Fumi Manjoume, an introverted, bookish teenage girl, is beginning her first year of high school at Matsuoka Girls' High School. She enters the school year with her heart broken by a previous relationship. At about the same time, she reconnects with her best friend from ten years ago, Akira Okudaira, who is now attending Fujigatani Girls' Academy as a first-year high school student. As they reconnect, they both deal with their own respective romantic problems, and help each other get through them.

Characters and Voice Actors:

- Main:

Kyouko Ikumi

A polite, refined girl who has attended Fujigaya since elementary school. Many people come to her for advice as she has an air of maturity that they others do not possess; despite this, she has a fairly immature side to her that only those who are very close to her are allowed to see.

She is the first friend Akira makes in the Academy. She is seen as a great beauty (described as "sexy" by Akira) and has the attention of girls even from the middle school. Kyouko however seems very disinterested in other people save for her friends and for her love interest, who Akira correctly guesses is another female.

It is revealed that the person who Kyouko is in love with is Yasuko, with whom she shares a history. However, not only are Kyouko's feelings spurned, but she is also unenthusiastically engaged to her cousin Kou who she treats coldly as she says they are connected by "name only". Later on, it seems she warms up to him and begins accepting his company rather than consistently pushing him away.

Throughout the series, Kyouko does not give up on her feelings for Yasuko, always hoping that they will someday be returned despite Yasuko's numerous warnings that her attempts are futile.

Kyouko accepts Fumi as an acquaintance even though she "lost" Yasuko to Fumi. However, being close to Akira and knowing how important Fumi is to her closest friend at school, Kyouko gracefully begins a slow, awkward though emotionally supportive friendship with Fumi as they have mutual interests.

Kyouko appears to have a very strained home life. She has severe and deep issues with her mother; she feels ashamed of herself for even having these problems.

- Horie, Yui (Japanese)

Fumi Manjoume

A tall, dark haired, bespectacled girl.

She is seen by other girls as being strong, refined and gentle, however they're surprised when they realize that Fumi is actually very gentle and shy. Others have noted her for having pretty eyes and a soft, lady-like voice. She is often said to make "scary faces" when she is upset or irked. Despite her size, mature aura and sometimes foreboding presence, Fumi is a reserved crybaby.

After moving back to her home town, she quickly becomes friends with a girl from her youth: Okudaira Akira. Fumi used to live near Akira while growing up, the two being best friends from the young ages of five or six. Fumi relied heavily on Akira in kindergarten, as she is seen incapable of doing anything but crying until Akira comes to "save" her and take care of her. This has not changed much as she got older, as noted by Akira.