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B Gata H Kei

B Gata H Kei (Japanese: B型H系, Hepburn: Bī Gata Etchi Kei, lit. "Type: B; Style: H") is a Japanese four-panel manga series by Yōko Sanri [ja]. It was published by Shueisha and ran in Weekly Young Jump from 2004 to 2011. The story focuses on the salacious wishes of a high school girl, whose perceived drawback of being a virgin leads to her lusting after and pursuing a rather average and unremarkable boy in her class.

A 12-episode anime television series was broadcast on KBS, Tokyo MX, and other networks from April to June 2010. Funimation (later Crunchyroll LLC), has licensed the anime series with the title Yamada's First Time: B Gata H Kei, and released the series on DVD and Blu-ray in January 2012. A drama CD has also been released.

Plot

B Gata H Kei follows lascivious 15-year-old high school student Yamada, who makes it a goal to have sexual relations with 100 different guys, although her insecurities as a virgin herself lead her to reject every chance to do so. To overcome this mental barrier, she searches for a "cherry boy," an inexperienced guy who will be her first. She makes a rather plain classmate of hers, Takashi Kosuda, the target of her seductions for the sole purpose of achieving this goal; however, she ultimately falls for him.

Characters

Yamada (山田)
Yamada is a high school girl who is best described as oversexed, flirtatious and lustful. She is particularly vain and is unabashed in flaunting her looks in public. Her goal in high school is to have sex with 100 guys; however, her insecurities as a virgin causes her to turn down any advances. She believes the first step towards realizing her dreams is to lose her virginity to an inexperienced boy; this leads her to pursue Takashi Kosuda after she accidentally falls on him at the bookstore.[ch. 1] Through the course of the series, Yamada tries to make advances on Kosuda, and becomes overly jealous whenever other girls interact with him. She eventually acknowledges she has feelings for him. Despite living at home with her younger sister, Yamada is unashamed in her licentious habits. She is an excellent student,[ch. 11] although that is partly attributed to her ability to read and memorize articles about sex.[ch. 253] At the conclusion of the manga series, author Yoko Sanri noted that she never managed to reveal Yamada's given name.[ch. 300:author's notes] Yamada is voiced by Yukari Tamura in Japanese,[3] and by Brittney Karbowski in English.[4]
Takashi Kosuda (小須田 崇, Kosuda Takashi)
Takashi Kosuda is Yamada's classmate and the target of her lust and affections. He is perceived by Yamada and their classmates as being nothing special, even "plain and ordinary".[ch. 3] When Yamada makes advances on him, he is initially taken in, but becomes confused and anxious because of her mixed signals. His hobby is landscape photography.[ch. 8] Over the course of the story, he develops feelings for Yamada while being totally oblivious that she only wants to be with him in order to lose her virginity. He is voiced by Atsushi Abe in Japanese,[3] and by Scott Freeman in English.[4]
Miharu Takeshita (竹下 美春, Takeshita Miharu)
Miharu Takeshita is Yamada's best friend and classmate. She is described as "dry and sarcastic", and a "foil for the loud, sex-obsessed Yamada".[5] Despite Yamada's prurient interests, she tries her best to help, even going so far as to invite Takashi and Yamada on a double date at the water park.[ch. 15] Yamada gives her the moniker "F-shita" as a reference to her cup size. Although she has a boyfriend who is a college student, she rarely talks about him because of Yamada's lewd prying,[ch. 15] and hinting that she lost her virginity after junior high school graduation.[ch. 79] Miharu is voiced by Yui Horie in Japanese,[3] and by Cherami Leigh in English.[4]
Mayu Miyano (宮野 まゆ, Miyano Mayu)
Mayu Miyano is the childhood friend of Kosuda, who lives directly across the street from her house. She is depicted as a shy, clumsy, yet busty girl with glasses.[ch. 20,22] Mayu has feelings for Kosuda but doesn't have the courage to confess to him, instead she tends to revert to cooking.[ch. 37] Because of her close history with Kosuda and her relatively large bust size, she is perceived by Yamada as a rival,[ch. 21,22] although Kosuda considers her totally sexually innocent[ch. 37] and a virgin.[ch. 73] By the series' end she has come to terms with Kosuda dating Yamada and has chosen to study at a college in another town in order to become more independent, unaware that a secret admirer has chosen to follow her to university in order to remain near her. She is voiced by Kana Hanazawa in Japanese,[3] and by Jad Saxton in English.[4]
Kyoka Kanejo (金城 京香, Kanejō Kyōka)
Kyoka Kanejo is a returning transfer student from America who joins Yamada's class in their second year. She is extremely wealthy,[ch. 52] and classifies herself as a perfectionist who can do everything, including modeling,[ch. 51] cooking[ch. 74] and sports.[ch. 46] After she finishes as a runner-up to Yamada in the school's beauty pageant,[ch. 29,45] she becomes obsessed with Yamada as a rival,[ch. 75,76] and declares to her that she will still steal her boyfriend,[ch. 76,101] However, she has an excessive complex over her brother Keiichi, and harbors a secret room full of pictures and objects that sport his image.[ch. 72-75] Kyoka is voiced by Yū Kobayashi in Japanese,[3] and by Kristi Kang in English.

Supporting characters

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Yōko Sanri [ja], B Gata H Kei debuted with one-shot chapters published in Shueisha's Young Jump Zōkan Mankaku and Weekly Young Jump in 2003 and 2004.[9][10][11] It started a regular serialization in the latter magazine on April 15, 2004,[11] and finished on February 3, 2011.[12][13] Shueisha collected its chapters in nine tankōbon volumes, released from February 18, 2005,[14] to March 18, 2011.[15]

A drama CD was released on September 14, 2007.[16] Outside Japan, the series is licensed in Traditional Chinese by Sharp Point Press.[17]

Volumes

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced in December 2009.[25] It was broadcast for 12 episodes on KBS, Tokyo MX, and other networks from April 2 to June 18, 2010.[26][27] The opening song is "Oshiete A to Z" (おしえて A to Z) and its ending theme is "Hadashi no Princess" (裸足のプリンセス). Both theme songs are performed by Yukari Tamura,[28] and a maxi single containing the two themes was released on April 28, 2010.[28] An internet radio show was produced by Hibiki Radio to go with the anime.[29]

Funimation licensed the series with the title Yamada's First Time: B Gata H Kei, and released it on DVD and Blu-ray on January 31, 2012.[30] Funimation also released a Blu-ray limited edition that has a mousepad of Yamada.[5]

Reception

Anime News Network reviewed the first episode of the series as a preview for the spring 2010 anime season. Carl Kimlinger initially assessed the series as having "real promise",[31] and Theron Martin felt the comedy was on how Yamada focused on the sex side of a relationship rather than the emotional side, finding the first episode "fanboy-pandering", but somehow reticent about showing fanservice.[32] Tim Maughan noted that although the premise could be interpreted as a "ballsy teen-sex comedy" about the pressures teens feel about becoming sexually active, but noted that due to the 1 am screening time, the audience was "otaku men-children" rather than teens.[33] Zac Bertschy regarded it as "yet another in a long line of crappy anime sex comedies".[34] It fared well in an ANN review of the Complete Series Collection, Rebecca Silverman commented that although it was a "bit tasteless" it is "also a surprisingly clean, very funny show about one girl's realization that sex and emotion aren't totally divorced from each other."[5]

In July 2010, the anime team for the series posted a notice that they had received multiple threatening letters concerning the content and presentation of the anime. The team responded that the studio and its writers are not solely responsible for the content, the anime was handled by the production committee, and that they have reported the threats to the police.[35]

References

  1. ^ a b Browne, Nicoletta Christina. "B Gata H Kei: Yamada's First Time". THEM Anime Reviews. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  2. ^ "FUNimation to Release Risque Romantic Comedy B Gata H Kei" (Press release). Funimation. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2018 – via Anime News Network.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "TOKYO MX ＊ ｢B型H系｣" (in Japanese). Tokyo MX. Archived from the original on April 10, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Rojas, Justin (October 12, 2011). "Cast Announcement for B Gata H Kei - Yamada's First Time". Funimation. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Silverman, Rebecca (February 13, 2012). "B Gata H Kei: Yamada's First Time: Blu-Ray + DVD - The Complete Series". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 22, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  6. ^ Amith, Dennis (January 12, 2012). "B Gata H Kei: Yamada's First Time – Complete Series (a J!-ENT Anime Blu-ray Disc Review)". J-ENT!. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  7. ^ a b c d "TVアニメ『B型H系』公式サイト - キャスト" [TV Anime "B Gata H Kei" Official Site - Cast]. bgata-hkei.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 13, 2010.
  8. ^ "Boy Meets Girl. Please Give Me Your 'First Time'!!". Yamada's First Time: B Gata H Kei. Episode 1.
  9. ^ ヤングジャンプ増刊　漫革vol34　目次 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on October 7, 2003. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  10. ^ バックナンバー (2003). Weekly Young Jump Official Website (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  11. ^ a b バックナンバー (2004). Weekly Young Jump Official Website (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  12. ^ Loo, Egan (January 25, 2011). "Yōko Sanri to End B Gata H Kei Manga on February 3". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  13. ^ 「B型H系」7年の連載に幕！「日々ロック」は第2部始動. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. February 23, 2011. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  14. ^ a b B型H系 1 [B Gata H Kei 1] (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on April 14, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  15. ^ a b B型H系 9 [B Gata H Kei 9] (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on March 21, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
  16. ^ "B型H系 ドラマCD" [B Gata H Kei Drama CD] (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
  17. ^ B型H系(01) (in Chinese). Sharp Point Press. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  18. ^ B型H系 2 [B Gata H Kei 2] (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  19. ^ B型H系 3 [B Gata H Kei 3] (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  20. ^ B型H系 4 [B Gata H Kei 4] (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  21. ^ B型H系 5 [B Gata H Kei 5] (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on May 2, 2008. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  22. ^ B型H系 6 [B Gata H Kei 6] (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  23. ^ B型H系 7 [B Gata H Kei 7] (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on March 30, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  24. ^ B型H系 8 [B Gata H Kei 8] (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on July 24, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  25. ^ Loo, Egan (December 9, 2009). "B Gata H Kei Manga's TV Anime Confirmed for Next Spring (Updated)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
  26. ^ "TVアニメ『B型H系』公式サイト - Media" [TV Anime "B Gata H Kei" Official Site - Media] (in Japanese). bgata-hkei.com. Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  27. ^ TOKYO MX ※ 番組表 - 2010/06/17 (in Japanese). Tokyo MX. Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  28. ^ a b TVアニメ『B型H系』公式サイト - CD [TV Anime "B Gata H Kei" Official Site - CD] (in Japanese). bgata-hkei.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  29. ^ "響 - HiBiKi Radio Station -「Ｂ型Ｒ系（ビーガタ・ラジオケイ）」番組詳細" [Sound - HiBiKi Radio Station - "B Gata H Kei" program details] (in Japanese). hibiki-radio.jp. Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  30. ^ "Yamada's First Time: B Gata H Kei DVD/Blu-ray Complete (Hyb) Limited Edition". Rightstuf.com. January 31, 2012. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  31. ^ Kimlinger, Carl (April 1, 2010). "The Spring 2010 Anime Preview Guide - Carl Kimlinger". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 4, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
  32. ^ Martin, Theron (April 1, 2010). "The Spring 2010 Anime Preview Guide - Theron Martin". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 4, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
  33. ^ Maughan, Tim (April 1, 2010). "The Spring 2010 Anime Preview Guide - Tim Maughan". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
  34. ^ Bertschy, Zac (April 1, 2010). "The Spring 2010 Anime Preview Guide - Zac Bertschy". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 4, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
  35. ^ Loo, Egan (July 2, 2010). "B Gata H Kei Studio, Writers Get Multiple Threat Letters". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 4, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2010.

External links