Girls Bravo (Japanese: GIRLSブラボー, Hepburn: Gārusu Burabō) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Mario Kaneda and serialized from 2000 to 2005 in Shōnen Ace by Kadokawa Shoten. The story focuses on a high school boy who is allergic to girls who is transported to a mysterious world with a mostly female population; when he returns, one of the girls from that world becomes his housemate.
The anime adaptation of Girls Bravo, directed by Ei Aoki and animated by AIC Spirits, aired in Japan from 2004 to 2005. There are 24 episodes total. The anime series was released in English by Geneon, and the manga was released in English by Tokyopop. A visual novel was also released for the PlayStation 2.
In July 2010, Funimation Entertainment released a statement on their Twitter feed confirming that they have licensed Girls Bravo.
Contents
Plot
Yukinari Sasaki is an average high school student who is frequently ridiculed by girls to the point that he developed an allergic reaction to them. As a result, he breaks out in hives whenever he comes into contact with a female. One day, when he returns home from school, he is kicked into his bathtub by his neighbor Kirie Kojima, but is transported to Seiren (セーレン, Sēren; "Siren" in the Tokyopop manga translation), a mysterious world with a mostly female population. He befriends Miharu Sena Kanaka, who ends up following him to Earth. Other Seiren girls with various motives soon visit and join the household. They are taken on many adventures as Miharu discovers the wonders of Earth.
Characters
Main
Yukinari Sasaki (佐々木 雪成, Sasaki Yukinari)
Voiced by: Mamiko Noto, Daisuke Sakaguchi (Drama CDs) (Japanese); Yuri Lowenthal (English)
Yukinari has been ridiculed by girls all his life, and has developed an extreme case of gynophobia in which he suffers an allergic reaction whenever he comes into contact with one. One day, after he is kicked into his bathtub by Kirie Kojima, his next door neighbor, he is transported to the alien world of Seiren, a planet where men comprise less than 10% of the population. He meets Miharu who does not trigger his allergy. She follows him back to Earth and is the main cause of his misadventures involving girls and subsequent abuse by Kirie.
Miharu Sena Kanaka (ミハル·セナ·カナカ)
Voiced by: Ayako Kawasumi, Kawasumi (Drama CDs) (Japanese); Michelle Ruff (English)
Miharu is a resident of Seiren who pulls Yukinari Sasaki to Seiren and follows him back to Earth to live with him. She has a mark on her forehead shaped like three dots in a triangle called Seikon, which provides her with several powers, including the ability to travel between Seiren and Earth and the power to create explosions whenever she is in emotional distress. She is also the only woman who can touch Yukinari without triggering his allergy. Miharu has a large appetite and a rapid metabolism. On Earth, much of her focus is in questioning her friends as to whether something is edible or not (like butterflies), and her continuous misunderstandings about Earth (such as believing that April Fools' Day means that everyone on Earth lies for one day) are the title's primary source of humor. Despite this, she has a heart of gold, an explorer's fascination with Earth, and has a close relationship with Yukinari. She is an extremely innocent girl who does not show any discomfort with being partially or fully naked in front of Yukinari, and she does not lose her temper even when made the target of Fukuyama's lecherous actions, unless the process involves food or disrupts her eating time.
Kirie Kojima (小島 桐絵, Kojima Kirie)
Voiced by: Chiwa Saitō, Masumi Asano (Drama CDs) (Japanese); Lulu Chiang (English)
Supporting
Maharu Sena Kanaka (マハル·セナ·カナカ)
Maharu is Miharu's well-endowed older sister. She is very determined and will not hesitate to use violence to get her way. Although initially jealous of Miharu's relationship with Yukinari Sasaki, she eventually gives them her blessing. Much to Yukinari's dismay, that does not stop her from flirting and fondling him whenever she gets a chance. Due to Seiren's low male population and the fact that she is close to 30, Maharu assigns both Koyomi and Tomoka to find a man of her own on Earth. Though flirtatious, she is, in fact, quite picky by Seiren standards, rejecting Kazuharu Fukuyama immediately upon discovering his perverted nature. In the epilogue for the anime adaptation, she proposes to Hayate. Despite proposing to him, getting married in the manga, and giving Yukinari and Miharu her blessing, she is still obsessed with Yukinari, loves him, flirts with him, and wants to be with him. Maharu is voiced by Sayaka Ohara in Japanese and by Megan Hollingshead (credited as "Karen Thompson") in English. Kotono Mitsuishi provides her voice for the Drama CDs.
Lilica Stacy (梨々花・ステイジー, Ririka Suteijī)
Lilica is the Fukuyamas' chief maid. She is stoic and polite, even when Kirie destroys some expensive equipment. However, she shows shock when Kirie and Yukinari introduce themselves as Fukuyama's friends. She later reveals that she has fought in military operations in Bosnia, Somalia, Chechnya, and Afghanistan. She is highly intelligent and is sometimes seen with a laptop which operates mechanical devices within the Fukuyama mansion, and also a spy satellite, which explains how Kazuharu Fukuyama constantly finds Koyomi and the others. In the anime adaptation, Lilica places Mamoru Machida as an apprentice after being impressed by his desire to clean the world. She is also occasionally hinted to be in love with Fukuyama. Lilica is voiced by Natsuko Kuwatani in Japanese and by Wendy Tomson in English.
Hayate (疾風)
Hayate is one of Lisa Fukuyama's attendants. While he only makes a handful of appearances in the manga, Hayate in the anime forms a strong rivalry/friendship with Tomoka, and the two occasionally battle one another in friendly duels. Hayate is a very calm, loyal, and serious individual who will go to great lengths for his mistress, Lisa; this usually involves doing some sort of research or private investigating. Tomoka nicknames him "ninja" because of his stealthy ways, only revealing himself when attending to Lisa, or to attack. Hayate is voiced by Takanori Hoshino in Japanese and by Patrick Seitz in English.
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Mario Kaneda, the manga was originally serialized in 2000 in Kadokawa Shoten's Shōnen Ace magazine and has since been released in 10 tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published and released in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten on June 27, 2001 and the last volume was released on April 9, 2005. In English the series was released by Tokyopop. Book one was released in September 2005 with the last book being released in December 2007. Viz Media released the digital version starting with volume one on March 17, 2015, and completing with the release of volume ten on September 29, 2015.
The series has also been licensed in Europe and Asia. In Europe, the series was published in French by Pika Édition and in German by Carlson Comics. In Asia, the series was published in English by Chuang Yi.
Anime
An anime adaptation of the manga was directed by Ei Aoki and produced by Anime International Company's AIC Spirits division. It aired on Fuji Television on July 6, 2004, and ran until September 28, 2004, spanning 11 episodes. A second season, consisting of 13 episodes was later broadcast on WOWOW from January 27 to April 21, 2005. Four pieces of theme music were used in the series. The first opening theme, titled "Going My Way", was performed by Yozuca*. Yozuca* also sang the second opening theme, titled "Ever After". "Koko ni Iru kara", the ending theme, was performed by Miyuki Hashimoto, who also sang the second ending theme "And Then...". In Japan, the series was released across 13 Region 2 DVD compilation volumes. Geneon Entertainment also licensed the series for an English-language dubbed release in North America. Madman Entertainment also licensed the series for release in Australia and New Zealand.
In July 2010, North American anime distributor Funimation Entertainment announced on their Twitter feed that the company has licensed Girls Bravo after streaming the first episode of the series on YouTube.
Video game
Kadokawa Shoten published a video game based on the series for the PlayStation 2 in 2005, entitled Girls Bravo Romance 15's (GIRLSブラボー Romance15's). The game received a CERO rating of "15 up".
Reception
Chris Johnston of Newtype USA comments that "The 17+ rating is well-earned," and that "The raunchy, raucous humor is definitely not for young ones."
Carlo Santos of Anime News Network writes "Girls Bravo has moments of promise as a screwball comedy, but as a whole, it falls victim to the same flaws of every other harem anime."
Mania reviewer Chris Beveridge wrote "Though Girls Bravo does dip into some of the traditional elements of the harem anime design, it's naughtier and slightly raunchier take along is a welcome change for a lot of it."
In his review Stig Høgset of THEM Anime Reviews wrote that "Characters get kicked, kneed in the face, stomped on and god knows what else" and that "the show is THICK with fan service that, while censored in the fansubs, might be VERY explicit in any potential future release."