The appeal and reviews of "Strawberry Panic": A masterpiece anime depicting the youth and conflicts of young girls

"Strawberry Panic": A tale of lilies blooming in a maiden's garden

Strawberry Panic is a TV anime series that aired in 2006, based on the original characters by Sakurako Kimino. The series is a yuri-themed school drama set in the hills of Astraea, where three girls' schools stand side by side, depicting the youth and romance of young girls. Below, we will take a deeper look at the appeal and details of this series.

Broadcast information

"Strawberry Panic" was broadcast from April 3rd to September 25th, 2006, with a total of 26 episodes. It was broadcast on UHF and Kids Station, and each episode was 30 minutes long. The specific broadcast schedule is as follows:

• TVK: April 3, 2006 to September 25, 2006, every Monday from 26:45 to 27:15
• Chiba TV: April 6th to September 28th, 2006, every Thursday from 25:55 to 26:25
• Teletama: April 8, 2006 to September 30, 2006, every Saturday from 25:30 to 26:00
• TV Osaka: April 8th to September 30th, 2006, every Saturday from 26:50 to 27:20
• TV Aichi: April 10th to October 2nd, 2006, every Monday from 26:43 to 27:13
• Kids Station: April 11, 2006 to October 3, 2006, every Tuesday from 24:00 to 24:30

Production information

The animation for this work was produced by Madhouse with the cooperation of IMAGIN. The director is Masayuki Sakoi, the series composition is Tatsuhiko Urahata, and the character design and general animation director is Kyuta Sakai. The music is by Yoshihisa Hirano, and the production was jointly carried out by Marvelous Entertainment, Lantis, Yomiko Advertising, Dwango, Optrom, and Movic.

story

There are three girls' schools on Astraea Hill: St. Miator Girls' Academy, St. Spica Girls' Academy, and St. Lu Lim Girls' Academy. On the outskirts of the grounds of these schools is a dormitory called "Ichigosha" that is shared by all three schools. This hill is a sacred area where boys are not allowed to enter, and it is a world reserved for girls only.

The protagonist, Aoi Nagisa, transfers to St. Miatoru Girls' Academy as a fourth-year student (actually a first-year high school student due to the school's integrated junior and senior high school education system) due to certain circumstances. On her first day at the academy, Nagisa meets Hanazono Shizuma, the Etoile who heads the student councils of the three schools, while feeling both excited and anxious about her new school life. Captivated by Shizuma's beauty, Nagisa begins her school life filled with the scent of lilies from that moment on.

The story of girls from different years and schools, each with their own secret feelings, depicts the events that take place in a secret garden. As their pure emotions, conflicts, friendships and romance intertwine, viewers will be able to sense the growth and change of these girls.

Commentary

"Strawberry Panic" is a story about the youth and romance of young girls set in the hills of Astraea, where three girls' schools stand side by side. The story begins when the main character, Nagisa Aoi, transfers to St. Miator Girls' Academy and meets Etoile Shizuma Hanazono. This work, which was serialized in the monthly "Dengeki G's Magazine", has been made into a long-awaited TV animation.

The appeal of this work lies in its careful depiction of the pure emotions and conflicts of young girls. It has a strong yuri element and focuses on the love lives of young girls, but it also depicts friendship and growth, making it enjoyable for a wide range of viewers. The beautiful character designs and background art are also highlights.

cast

The main cast of "Strawberry Panic" is as follows:

• Nagisa Aoi: Mai Nakahara
• Hanazono Shizuma: Nabatame Hitomi
• Cool Polka Dot Blue: Shimizu Ai
• Chiyo Tsukidate: Chiwa Saito
• Miyuki Rokujo: Junko Noda
• Chihaya Takemura: Tomonaga Omi
• Noriko Mizushima: Reiko Abe
• Hitomi Togi: Azusa Kataoka
• Mizuho Kano: Shiho Kawaraki
• Sakiko Minase: Fuuka Oura
• Takakura Mizuki: Okajima Tae
• Konohana Hikari: Matsuki Miyu
• Amane Otori: Yuko Kaida
• Nanto Nights: Natsuko Kuwatani
• Okuyo Tateishi: Sakura Nogawa
• Shion Fuyumori: Ice Blue
• Kaname Kenjo: Saka Kinoshita
• Momomi Oniyashiki: Saori Goto
• Hinata Kizuna: Shimizu Ai
• Minamoto Chikaryu: Saki Nakajima
• Lemon Natsume: Miyazaki Uguisu
• Sandalwood Basket Woman: Yukari Fukui
• Sakuragi Kaori: Iwamura Kotomi

Main Staff

The main staff of "Strawberry Panic" are as follows:

• Original author: Sakurako Kimino
• Original character design: Chitose Maki, Takumi Minuchi
• Director: Masayuki Sakoi
• Series Composition: Tatsuhiko Urahata
• Character design and chief animation director: Sakai Kyuta
• Art director: Yuka Okamoto
• Color design: Shuji Uemura
• Director of photography: Shinya Matsui
• Edited by: Shigenari Nishi and Masanori Kyou
• Sound Director: Hajime Takakuwa
• Music: Yoshihisa Hirano
• Music producers: Yoshiyuki Ito, Yuka Sakurai
• Producers: Hajime Maruyama, Kazuya Watanabe, Mitsuji Saito, Akio Sakai, Tsuyoshi Hamamatsu, Takahiro Oto
• Animation Producer: Masakazu Izumi
• Animation Production: Madhouse
• Animation production cooperation: IMAGIN
• Produced by Ichigosha (Marvelous Entertainment, Lantis, Yomiko Advertising, Dwango, Optrom, Movic)

Main Characters

The main characters of "Strawberry Panic" are as follows:

St. Miator Girls' School

• Aoi Nagisa: She is a scatterbrained girl who quickly goes into a panic when she is surprised by something. She is the only student at Miatoru who is allowed to transfer from high school.
• Hanazono Shizuma: Etoile with the power to unite the student councils of the three schools. She is the most beautiful in the school and picks on many underclassmen, but quickly gets bored of them.
• Suzumi Tamao: Nagisa's classmate and roommate in the dormitory. She likes to take care of Nagisa, who transferred to the school.
• Chiyo Tsukidate: She is timid, timid, and a crybaby. She is popular with the upperclassmen. As per the first-year custom, she is in charge of looking after the rooms of the upperclassmen, and is on duty in Nagisa and Tamashiro's rooms.
• Rokujo Miyuki: Student council president of Miatoru. She has a very strong friendship with Shizuma and is the only one who can talk to him on an equal footing.
• Hitomi Tougi: Shizuma's entourage
• Mizuho Kano: Shizuma's entourage
• Chihaya Takemura: A classmate of Nagisa and Tamao. She shares a room with Noriko Mizushima.
• Noriko Mizushima: A classmate of Nagisa and Tamasei. She shares a room with Chihaya Takemura.
• Minase Sakiko: Vice-president of the Miatoru student council.
• Takakura Mizuki: Secretary of the Miatoru Student Council.
• Sakuragi Kaori: Despite her frail health, she runs for the Etoile election as Shizuma's partner and is crowned Etoile, but...

St. Spica Girls' Academy

• Konohana Hikari: The most beautiful girl in the school who belongs to the choir and secretly has feelings for Amane.
• Ootori Amane: The No. 1 prince and the object of admiration at the academy. Ace of the horse riding club.
• Nanto Yaya: Hikari's classmate. The daughter of a wealthy family, she has a stronger interest in women than most people.
• Okuwaka Tsubomi: She is not able to express her feelings openly, but her feelings for Hikari are stronger than anyone else's.
• Shion Tomori: Spica Student Council President. She is openly competitive with Shizuma, who is also an Etoile, and other schools. Despite her ladylike appearance, she is an ambitious person.
• Kenjo Kaname: Vice-president of Spica. Scheming with Oniyashiki Momomi, she aims for the position of Etoile.
• Momomi Kiyashiki: Secretary of the Spica student council. She schemes with Kaname Kenjo and aims for the position of Etoile.

St. Lu Lim Girls' School

• Kizuna Hyuga: She has a childish personality and is a bit of a tomboy for her age. Because of her personality, she quickly becomes popular at school.
• Minamoto Chikaru: President of the Lu Rim Student Council. She is the No. 1 in the school because of her calm and gentle demeanor. She often has delusions and is a bit of a nerd.
• Natsume Lemon: Kizuna's classmate. A bright and lively girl.
• Byakudan Kagome: She always carries a teddy bear with her. She likes kind older sisters.
• Kaganoi Sayuri: Vice-President of Lu Rim Student Council.
• Umekoji Ayame: Secretary of the Le Rim Student Council.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode of "Strawberry Panic" are as follows.

• Episode 1: Sakura Hill (2006/04/03)
• Episode 2: Etoile (2006/04/10)
• Episode 3: The Attic (2006/04/17)
• Episode 4: The White Horse Princess (2006/04/24)
• Episode 5: Little Sisters (2006/05/01)
• Episode 6: Greenhouse (2006/05/08)
• Episode 7: The Thorn Trap (2006/05/15)
• Episode 8: Hydrangea (2006/05/22)
• Episode 9: Memory (2006/05/29)
• Episode 10: Personal professor (2006/06/05)
• Episode 11: Meteor shower (2006/06/12)
• Episode 12: Summer Time (2006/06/19)
• Episode 13: The Sound of Waves (2006/06/26)
• Episode 14: More than a best friend (2006/07/03)
• Episode 15: Heroine (2006/07/10)
• Episode 16: Behind the Scenes (2006/07/17)
• Episode 17: Secret (2006/07/24)
• Episode 18: Storm of Love (2006/07/31)
• Episode 19: Refrain (2006/08/07)
• Episode 20: Confession (2006/08/14)
• Episode 21: Like a Flower (2006/08/21)
• Episode 22: Duel (2006/08/28)
• Episode 23: Maze (2006/09/04)
• Episode 24: Wheel of Fortune (2006/09/11)
• Episode 25: Waltz (2006/09/18)
• Episode 26: The Beginning (2006/09/25)

Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs for "Strawberry Panic" are as follows.

Opening Theme

• OP1 (episodes 1-13): Catch Me in the Maze
  • Lyricist: Aki Hata
  • Composer: Shinya Saito
  • Arrangement: Shinya Saito
  • Vocals: Aki Misato
• OP2 (episodes 14-26): Lips Daydream
  • Lyricist: Aki Hata
  • Composer: Hiroyuki Maezawa
  • Arrangement: Hiroyuki Maezawa
  • Vocals: Aki Misato

Ending Theme

• ED1 (episodes 1-13): Secret Dolls
  • Lyricist: Aki Hata
  • Composer: Kaoru Okubo
  • Arrangement: Kaoru Okubo
  • Sung by: Nakahara Mai & Shimizu Ai
• ED2 (episodes 14-25): Strawberry Picking Story
  • Lyricist: Aki Hata
  • Composer: Kaoru Okubo
  • Arrangement: Kaoru Okubo
  • Sung by: Nakahara Mai & Shimizu Ai
• ED3 (episode 26): Catch Me in the Labyrinth (Mellow Berry Ballad)
  • Lyricist: Aki Hata
  • Composer: Shinya Saito
  • Arrangement: Yasuse Hijiri
  • Vocals: Aki Misato

Insert song

• IN1 (episodes 4, 7, 8, 12, 14, 16, 22, 24): Noble Lily
  • Lyricist: Sakurako Kimino
  • Composer: Yoshihisa Hirano
  • Arrangement: Yoshihisa Hirano
  • Singer: St. Spica Girls' School, Choir
• IN2 (episodes 19 and 21): A Star Rises
  • Lyricist: Sakurako Kimino
  • Composer: Yoshihisa Hirano
  • Arrangement: Yoshihisa Hirano
  • Singer: St. Spica Girls' School, Choir
• IN3 (Episode 22): Little Bird
  • Lyricist: Sakurako Kimino
  • Composer: Hikaru Nanase
  • Arrangement: Hikaru Nanase
  • Sung by: Nanto Yoyo (Natsuko Kuwatani)
• IN4 (episodes 6 and 12): Piano Sonata Moonlight 1st Movement (Classical)
  • Composer: Beethoven
• IN5 (episodes 6, 17, 20): Maiden's Prayer (Classic)
  • Composer: Badarzewska
• IN6 (episodes 12 and 13): Traumerei (Classic) from Scenes from Childhood
  • Composer: Schumann
• IN7 (Episode 25): Noble Lily
  • Lyricist: Sakurako Kimino
  • Composer: Yoshihisa Hirano
  • Arrangement: Yoshihisa Hirano
  • Singer: Konohana Hikari (Misuke Matsuki)

Ratings and Recommendations

"Strawberry Panic" is a work that carefully depicts the pure emotions and conflicts of young girls, and is especially popular among yuri fans due to its strong yuri elements. In addition, the beautiful character designs and background art are also one of the highlights, making it very visually appealing.

The appeal of this work is that it not only depicts the love lives of the girls, but also their friendship and growth. Viewers will be able to feel their growth and change, and will be moved and sympathetic to them. The subtitles, theme songs, and insert songs for each episode also add to the atmosphere of the work, making it enjoyable from a musical perspective as well.

The recommended audience is especially those who like yuri works and those who want to enjoy a girl's youth drama. It is also suitable for those who enjoy beautiful visuals and music. Furthermore, it will be enjoyed by those who like school dramas and romance stories.

"Strawberry Panic" is a story of lilies blooming in a maiden's garden, and is loved by many viewers. Please give it a watch.