It’s time again for Gay-Nerds’ seasonal peek at the gay shows currently airing in the fair nation of Japan. Unfortunately, Fall has been depressingly less gay than the other seasons this year, despite more shows airing compared to Summer. As always, keep in mind that our fabulous rating system doesn’t grade quality, but rather gayness. The first of two shows this season is Kuragehime, or Jellyfish Princess.
Tsukimi is one of the six ‘nuns’ who have shacked up together in a boardinghouse for female otaku who are incapable of interacting with ‘normal’ society, let alone speak to men. Each of the girls have an outlandishly specific, yet equally passionate level of knowledge on a topic ranging from trains to all things Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Tsukimi’s nerd bias happens to be jellyfish. One day, while frozen in horror at a jellyfish being improperly maintained and on the brink of death, the beautiful ‘hipster,’ Kuranosuke, saves Tsukimi’s precious cephalopod. The two return to Tsukimi’s home where she learns Kuranosuke’s secret, resulting in comedic fall-out and budding romance.
Gurrl...the lady is a dude.
…the secret is that Kuranosuke is a guy who likes to cross-dress. While the show is very light-hearted, it doesn’t shy away from taking the time to make the distinction between transvestites and transsexuals (and don’t be too offended by gg’s crass translation in pointing out the differences) and even showing how insular groups of people can be just as bigoted as those who seem to shun them. Placing these threads in a bigger plot revolving around the sale of the nuns’ convent and a love triangle between Tsukimi, Kuranosuke, and his straight-laced, civil servant brother; Kuragehime becomes yet another female-oriented anime that takes on a gay-friendly subtext of accepting those who are on the fringes of society.
Kuragehime gets 5 rolls of special duct tape out of 5.
Togainu no Chi will round up this double feature, but until then, talk about Kuragehime on the forum.
Tags: Anime, cross dressing, Fall 2010, fujoshi, Gay, Gay Metaphor, Jellyfish Princess, Kuragehime, nerds, Otaku, shoujo, tranny, transvestite
