Enchanting Underutilized Characters: Part 1

Pop quiz: How many of the seven characters in the image below can you immediately identify?

Popular anime, manga, and video game characters are often instantly recognizable due to one or more unique defining traits involving hair color/design, eye color/shape, body proportions, facial features, attire/accessories, and voice acting. With the multitude of characters already in existence nowadays, I suspect character designers have to put a lot of effort into creating new lead characters that are both appealing and memorable. On occasion, very minor, sometimes insignificant, characters will also receive the same detailed treatment. A good non-anime example is Star Wars' Boba Fett... Although he had only four lines of dialogue in the original trilogy, his unique costume and enigmatic presence made him one of the most popular characters in the Star Wars universe.

I am simultaneously infuriated and fascinated when shows take this "minor character" aspect to an extreme. When new stunning character designs are introduced and then suddenly killed off mere moments later, part of me feels cheated by their brief existence. (One must wonder if the original artists who invested so much time in these characters' elaborate designs feel the same way). With that being said, though, such insignificant characters are often more captivating and intriguing than lead characters due to the overwhelming and powerful sense of pity evoked when they meet such abruptly tragic ends. In addition, the lack of any knowledge about their past, personalities, and motivations sparks the imagination to fill in the gaps.

This will be the first of a series of posts in which I will explore specific characters in anime, hentai, and manga who do not get the screen time they so considerably deserve. SPOILER ALERT: I will be discussing very minor character deaths... so minor that they have no significant bearing on the plot and could hardly be considered spoilers. There are to be NO discussions regarding spoilers for major or significant minor characters. Please adhere to this if you leave any comments... Thank you!

Unnamed Black World Red-Dressed Seductress
The erotic thriller Wicked City was my very first foray into the world of Japanese animation, and I vividly recall its shocking imagery when I saw it many years ago. This movie dares to treat eroticism with stylized dignity, and the sex scenes, unlike most hentai titles, do not overshadow or detract from the plot but instead complement it. Each of the three female antagonists are portrayed as very strong individuals and have wonderfully conceived demonic powers themed around their genitalia or breasts: The spider-lady flaunts a tooth-lined vagina that can quite literally dismember those who are unfortunate enough to be lured inside. The massage parlor woman's large breasts dissolve to ensnare fondling hands as well as covertly expel parasites through their nipples. The highlight, though, is the third female antagonist whose character designer was especially imaginative...

Just over halfway into the movie, a woman in a scarlet-red form-fitting sleeveless sheath dress makes an appearance. Her similarly red-shaded lips, fingernails, and heels complement her long dark wavy hair that completely obscures the right side of her face. A beauty mark below her lips, a very narrow purple left eye, an elaborately designed earring, and a gold headband complete her beautiful visual design. With the camera clearly focused on her firm buttocks, she walks silently towards her victim (main character Taki) save for the echoing clicks of her heels. Her brief pause with her hand at her hip serves to accentuate her curvaceous body. However, viewers do not get an opportunity to admire her fully attired status for long as she proceeds to slowly push aside the upper straps of her dress. Click on the image to the right to revel in the beauty of her undeniably graceful animated disrobing... Note the detail in how the dress briefly catches on her left nipple as it starts to fall as well as the manner in which she slowly uncrosses her arms to let the weight of the dress do all the work as it gently slides itself down off her body. The subsequent revelation that she wears no undergarments is a delightful surprise, and a close-up of her coy smile and slow narrowing of her eyes concludes her majestic poise. Seriously: This woman gives the phrase "knowing how to make an entrance" a whole new meaning.

Having clearly established that she is proficient in utilizing her body in conventional seduction techniques, she further augments her seduction by employing hypnosis via an earring that produces a mesmerizing ringing sound as it spins. Now perhaps I am looking too far into it, but the earring's heart-within-a-heart design seems so very appropriate for her. The heart shape has often been considered an abstraction of a female's spread vulva. (In this case, is it just a coincidence that the small sphere at the outer heart's upper cusp is in the same position as the clitoris would be?) The lack of such a sphere on the inner heart would imply that it represents a different person altogether. Now why would her earring symbolize someone completely surrounded by a spread vulva? I wonder... ^_^

With her nude body on prominent display, the woman suddenly unveils her unique and shocking Black World ability. Click on the image to the left to see how she quickly opens a large fissure on her stomach, extending all the way from between her breasts down to her pubic area. With each pulse of this throbbing vaginal-shaped orifice, streams of fluid squirt outwards, clearly intending to represent a state of feminine sexual arousal. It is at this point she finally reveals her calm soothing voice while, in one very slow yet enticing motion, she curls the fingers on her extended left hand, retracts the hand towards her body, and invitingly inserts its fingernails inside her large vagina while moaning sensually. O_O

With Taki appearing to be completely bewitched, he slowly approaches her and actually "enters" her body while she lets out an orgasmic yet controlled outcry. Unfortunately, the scene has resorted to a series of close-ups that sadly leaves the actual entering of his body into hers to the viewer's imagination. With the inside of her vagina represented by fluids slowly dripping down the screen, she then reveals that interrogation is her true motive behind this elaborate seduction.

However, the pleasure-filled atmosphere comes to a jarring halt as Taki reveals that he has been playing her the entire time. Without saying a word, he takes advantage of her completely vulnerable state and promptly shoots his powerful gun directly into the center of her large vagina... Unfortunately for her, I am not speaking metaphorically. Amidst this unsettling mood shift, the fact that none of the characters show concern over or even simply acknowledge her misfortune is downright inconsiderate of her incredible character design. Even the movie itself completely disregards her death with the camera panning away as she falls away into the darkness, never to be seen again.

Unlike the former two female antagonists, she never showed any intent to inflict harm upon Taki or any of the characters. For all we know, she could have simply been a source of raw, unbelievable pleasure used as a unique interrogation tool by the Black World. By falling victim to Taki's feigned seduction, she is yet another example of the classic "tricked and made vulnerable" demise so unfortunately common amongst female antagonists.

The passing of this mysterious enchantress sparks the imagination to no end. Did she physically take Taki's body into hers? Was that large opening actually a portal to an alternate "vaginal dimension"? Given her obvious experience in this technique, what did she do with her previous victims once she successfully seduced and interrogated them? Did she ever seduce a female in this manner? What is her name?! I demand a prequel... Wicked City: The Red Dress Chronicles. ^_^

(ANIMATION REVIEW) Penetration Pulchritude

Tinklebell's 2005 eroge PunyuPuri EX - Tsun Dere! introduces futanari teacher Fujimoto Haruna and her blue-haired student Himesaki Orie. These two characters share a very enchanting relationship which is further explored in the sequel, Tsukiakari no Raspberry: Tsun Dere 2. So as to keep their sexual adventures a secret, they share their many passionate encounters in secluded school settings: a bathroom, a classroom (after hours), the roof top, and the nurse's office. Tsukiakari no Raspberry begins with them encountering each other in the school hallway, immediately after which they waste no time hurrying to the nearest bathroom to satisfy their burning desires. This introductory bathroom encounter highlights just how completely infatuated Haruna and Orie are with one another and leads to a marvelous depiction of penetration...

---

TITLE: Tsukiakari no Raspberry: Tsun Dere 2
SOURCE TYPE: Eroge
ARTIST/GROUP: Tinklebell
CHARACTERS: Fujimoto Haruna & Himesaki Orie

[DOWNLOAD CLIP WITH SOUND]

The beauty of this animated loop stems from its very detailed portrayal of the female vagina. Although the lack of speed and penetration depth would initially lead one to believe this comes from the beginning of the encounter, Haruna is actually on the brink of climax and trying hard not to over-stimulate herself by gently inserting and removing only the tip of her penis.

Notice how Orie's vagina seems almost sentient as it repeatedly pulls in Haruna's penis with a rousing accompanying sound effect. This illusion is actually the result of Haruna having discovered exactly how much force it takes for her to penetrate Orie and delicately skirting that threshold with restrained thrusts. When Haruna's penis penetrates, the vaginal resistance drops off significantly, giving the appearance that Orie's vagina is "swallowing" the penis by itself. To demonstrate my point, try depressing a key on your keyboard such that you are just about to activate the key. With just the slightest additional force, you cannot help but fully actuate the key, right? This same phenomenon holds true during the ensuing retraction in which her vagina seems to forcefully expel Haruna's penis. The animated graph to the right offers a more visual representation of this variation in vaginal resistance. It is a shame that most animated titles do not invest animation frames to explore this rather alluring aspect of the female body.

This visually captivating cycle of superficial penetration continues until Haruna's brinksmanship skills succumb to the no-doubt insanely pleasurable sensations. After passing the point of no return, she makes one final thrust so as to forcefully release herself deep inside Orie. The ensuing climax is one of the most impressive scenes of animated nakadashi I have ever seen... As both of their bodies quiver in ecstasy, the viewer can almost feel the powerful euphoria on display. As Haruna continues to ejaculate inside Orie, Orie forcefully spurts out Haruna's ejaculate around the outside of her still inserted penis, quickly spattering it across the floor between Haruna's legs. Thanks to this eroge's unique animation style, Orie's "counter-ejaculation" is not restricted to conventionally low animation frame rates which often cause a visually detracting slow motion effect during scenes involving airborn ejaculate.

---

Over the course of both eroges, Haruna and Orie share over a dozen well-animated sexual encounters together. Tinklebell's uniquely detailed animation style, character designs with expressive eyes, and focus on consensual and loving relationships make Haruna and Orie one of the most enchanting futanari x girl couples in all of Japanese erotica. How I long for the day that these titles are translated into English so I can further understand the characters and the details behind their loving relationship.

Do you have a favorite sexually-involved character relationship in hentai, doujinshi, eroge, or manga? What do you think makes it so fascinating?

Doujinshi Dialogue Challenge #5

(Updated June 6, 2009) My goodness! The influx of hilarious submissions for this challenge was so overwhelming, choosing the winner was a challenge in and of itself. Ultimately, I most delighted by Ero-Otoko's entry that perfectly matched the characters' expressions while putting a unique spin on the life-draining aspect of succubi... Hilarious! Runners-up:

Oliver: "Told you, 60 degrees Celsius."
Bil: "Next, it's my turn to stick it in you."
Campbell: "I told you it had a tongue!"

Congratulations to Quiet One for winning previous Challenge #4!

The rules are simple: I have removed the original dialogue from a doujinshi (or eromanga) scene. All you have to do is think of replacement dialogue that brings a wonderfully humorous spin to the scene and submit your text entry by commenting on this post. You may also include some brief "situational information" in brackets. The entry that induces the most laughter will be declared the winner, and I will upload a professional edit of the scene with the winning text and the winner's name.

The scene for this fifth challenge comes from a COMIC AUN short story by artist Sakai Hamachi in which a guy gets more than he bargained for after purchasing a "Devil Hole" masturbator. This one is RIPE for insane hilarity... Good luck!

(DOUJINSHI REVIEW) Orchid Sphere

PROLOGUE
The primary reason that animation and video games from Japan continue to fascinate me is the fastidious level of detail associated with their various production elements: animation quality, story depth, settings, supporting soundtrack, and life-like character design and relationships. The mark of a truly incredible work, though, is one that is so well thought-out that hidden meanings, symbolism, and character nuances continue to be discovered even after many repeated viewings (shows like Evangelion come to mind).

Even more fascinating to me is how artists of erotic doujinshi and manga imbue similarly meticulous levels of detail in their works. When I can read through a doujinshi, and on the tenth reading I am still discovering new subtleties, then I know the artist truly put his or her heart into it. Such titles deserve recognition, and one such title that I would like to delve deep into and share my thoughts on is Shimoyakedou’s brilliantly executed Orchid Sphere.

ODIN SPHERE
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of doujinshi is that it allows independent artists to create erotic storylines, either independent or spin-off, featuring official anime, manga, or video game characters often in non-canon sexual pairings. By tapping into the emotions that fans have already invested into such characters, doujinshi artists often create very intense responses in their readers, fulfilling their curiosities as to how these characters would behave in sexual situations that are either never explored or only slightly hinted at in their corresponding official series.

Even with its copyright-infringement aspect, many claim that doujinshi actually support the official titles on which they are based by introducing readers to works that they might not otherwise have discovered. Hmmm. I have to admit that I initially thought this to be a weak argument created by desperate fans who simply wanted to continue seeing their favorite characters engage in endless copulation... That is, until I discovered Orchid Sphere.

I distinctly remember my first viewing of this doujinshi and being captivated by the artwork, character designs (especially the beautiful attire), and loving expressions. It had not yet been fan-translated, and I had many questions: Why was the one girl sleeping so majestically at the beginning ala Sleeping Beauty (laying on back, arms across chest)? Why was the well-endowed girl who looked like a fortune teller so flustered when the other girl awoke, and why did she seem to care for her so much? What was up with that living vegetable on page 31?!

As a result of my curiosity, I investigated the PS2 game on which this doujinshi was based: Odin Sphere. After purchasing a copy, I was overjoyed to discover an addicting and unique 2D side-scrolling romp full of elegant hand-drawn and hand-animated character sprites the size of which put those in any other game to shame (yes, even you, Guilty Gear). With a drama-filled emotional story, the game portrays a number of very strong and proud female characters, a rarity in games nowadays. One 40+ hour gaming addiction later, I am now able to fully appreciate Shimoyakedou’s Orchid Sphere... If not for this wonderful doujinshi, I would likely never have experienced the equally wonderful game it is based on.







~WARNING: THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS FROM THE GAME!~

PHASE 1: AFFECTIONATE SETUP (pgs 7-13)
Artist Tokiichi Ouma displays his typical highly-detailed use of shading from the very first frame. Gwendolyn's outfit consists of four different shades of gray, each of which is sub-shaded to highlight each clothing article's depths and folds. In the absence of colored pages, this shading detail serves to simulate the vibrant coloring associated with these remarkable character designs.

When compared with most other Shimoyakedou works, one unique aspect of Orchid Sphere is the artist’s decision to focus attention on the background and setting. Tokiichi-san’s recreation of Gwendolyn’s memorably scenic room and balcony helps the reader identify the official scene on which this doujinshi is based, which is shown in the screenshot to the right (Chapter 5, Act 6 of Velvet's gameplay arc). Velvet is musing near her peacefully sleeping half-sister Gwendolyn who recently defied the king’s orders to sacrifice Velvet to a nearby dragon. Furious over Gwendolyn’s actions, the king (their father) has punished Gwendolyn by stripping her of her honor and casting a sleep spell that will cause her to fall in love with the first person she sees upon awakening... What a great setup for this doujinshi’s diverging series of events. Whereas the game has Velvet leave before Gwendolyn awakens, this story explores what might have happened had Velvet stuck around just a little bit longer. ^_^

The loving nature of this doujinshi becomes immediately apparent as Velvet gently touches Gwendolyn’s face, the first of this doujinshi’s many affectionate gestures. Velvet's super-deformed reaction to Gwendolyn's sudden awakening is the doujinshi's only lighthearted moment. Gwendolyn offers a sincere yet unforced desire to have Velvet be her lifelong partner, but a somber tone soon develops during the ensuing discussion in which Gwendolyn accepts her sad fate: to be stripped of her ability to fight as a proud flying Valkryie and instead marry and bear children. Velvet’s remorse over Gwendolyn’s situation prompts her to comfort Gwendolyn with a passionate, two-part, tear-inducing kiss. A follow-up compliment of Gwendolyn’s elaborate dress causes a delightful response in Gwendolyn who holds her hand to her heart. Seriously... This doujinshi’s well-executed introduction simply oozes with sincere affection.

PHASE 2: BREAST COMFORTING (pgs 14-22)
Driving the pace of the encounter with a series of sensual touches through Gwendolyn’s clothing, Velvet reveals an intriguing and recurring aspect of her own sexuality at the bottom frame of page 14. By casually glancing back up at Gwendolyn’s face, Velvet provides her first hint at what appears to be her unique fetish: Her own derivation of pleasure stems from watching the pleasure-filled facial reactions of her partner. The artist highlights this revelation by shading the entire frame slightly darker.

Velvet then makes an odd decision to briefly break from the encounter’s gradual pacing by suddenly burying her face in Gwendolyn’s panties and stimulating her vagina. Gwendolyn’s near-orgasmic reaction to this completely unexpected intrusion brings Velvet back to her senses, and she proceeds to slow things down. The remainder of this phase involves them taking the time to admire and slowly explore each other’s well-endowed chests without even a hint of breast-size envy or pride.

I cannot help but compare page 19, the page immediately following Velvet’s suckling on Gwendolyn’s breasts when Velvet offers her own in return, to a very similar scene in Green Green Character DVD #2. Both scenes feature a dramatic yet consensual offering of a breast fondling, and, as shown in the comparison image to the left, they follow the exact same sequence: (i) awestruck visual fascination, (ii) dramatic yet nervous hand approaching, and (iii) curious exploration of the breasts’ suppleness. In addition, I would argue that the leading frame of this page showing Gwendolyn’s reaction to Velvet's breast revealing is one of the best frames in the entire doujinshi for several reasons. First, it is the very first moment that Velvet’s character design takes center stage. Whereas many doujinshi artists have their characters completely remove clothing to simplify the remainder of the drawings, Tokiichi-san’s decision to leave Velvet’s frilly top intact with the flap from her neckpiece draping over top serves to highlight the beauty of Velvet’s curvaceous body here as well as the remainder of the doujinshi. Secondly, with Velvet’s ornately decorated and detailed breast on such prominent display in the foreground, the reader can relate to Gwendolyn’s silent yet awestruck reaction in the background. Thirdly, this frame commences the first lead change as Velvet relinquishes control of the encounter to Gwendolyn... or does she?!

Just as Gwendolyn starts to take charge by exploring Velvet’s body, Velvet suddenly pulls Gwendolyn tight to her chest. The entrancing and soothing power of the female body is displayed as Gwendolyn, intoxicated by having her face buried in the warm softness of Velvet’s rather sizable breasts, begins to suddenly reminisce of her past, specifically her mother who has long since passed away followed by thoughts of her father and sister. Realizing the power of this introspective moment, the artist highlights this tender scene by drawing it from five glorious angles. Completely relaxed, Gwendolyn begins to instinctively suckle on Velvet’s breasts.

PHASE 3: YURI PASSION (pgs 23-30)
Velvet takes advantage of Gwendolyn's euphoric state and vulnerable position astride her right leg by suddenly lifting her knee, applying pressure directly on Gwendolyn's crotch. Although Gwendolyn is startled by the unexpected pleasure, her body has clearly been desensitized since Velvet's first attempt to stimulate her vagina. She is also able to endure the ensuing pleasure from Velvet's probing fingers which begin to stimulate Gwendolyn through her panties.

Velvet then displays her now clearly evident "face-watching" fetish twice in succession: First, she watches Gwendolyn's powerful facial reaction at the moment she first slides a finger inside her. More prominently, though, after removing Gwendolyn's panties and spreading open her vaginal folds, Velvet completely disregards the splendorous view of Gwendolyn's full exposure, which the readers are no doubt focused on, and instead gazes up between Velvet's breasts to stare at her embarrassed reaction. This fetish emphasizes the selfless nature of Velvet's actions... She truly cares for her partner.

After providing some preparatory clitoral cunnilingus, Velvet decides to bring this phase to a close by removing her own panties, interlocking their legs, and pressing her vagina directly against Gwendolyn's. It is at this moment that Velvet shows the first signs of her own pleasure... Yet even as they find themselves equally lost in pleasure while grinding to their first shared orgasm, Velvet cannot help but display her fetish once again by sneaking a one-eyed peak at Gwendolyn.

With its affectionate setup, gradual progression of consensual passion, and a shared orgasm induced by tribadism, the first 24 pages of this doujinshi make for a complete and absolutely enchanting yuri encounter. The artist could have easily ended the doujinshi here and nobody would have the wiser... However, Tokiichi-san yet again goes above and beyond the call of duty with a second arc that is almost as long as the first.

PHASE 4: FUTANARI ENCORE (pgs 31-38)
Those who played Odin Sphere will immediately recognize what is transpiring on page 31. In the game, players mix herbs and bottles in different combinations to concoct a variety of potions. Velvet's mixture of a Habaneristo chili and a material 4 bottle is a valid recipe that, just as would happen in the game, produces an 'M', or metamorphosis potion. Whereas the use of this potion would normally metamorphose the drinker into or from a frog, the doujinshi has a much more fascinating effect by transforming the drinker into a futanari. Notice how, unlike many doujinshi which have female characters sprouting a penis for no apparent reason, the artist of Orchid Sphere creatively utilizes aspects of the official game to make Velvet's futanari transformation seem plausible.

Not unlike her previous breast-fondling offer, Velvet gently holds her newly-formed penis as she presents it to a very curious Gwendolyn. Gwendolyn proceeds to caress it and then responds to Velvet's request to provide a brief blowjob. The highlight of this phase, though, is the 10-frame paizuri sequence that leads to Velvet's second orgasm. After complying with Velvet's request to wrap her breasts around her penis and press them tightly together, Gwendolyn surprises Velvet by suddenly and rapidly jiggling her breasts up and down, the only such bouncing display in the entire doujinshi. Realizing this intense stimulation has caused Velvet to pass the point of no return, Gwendolyn positions her mouth directly over the tip of Velvet's penis as she prepares to catch the forthcoming ejaculation. Velvet's lost-in-pleasure expression at the bottom of page 37 is a wonderful "page turning cliff hanger"... There is no doubt what will happen on the next page.

The depiction of Velvet's forceful ejaculation does not disappoint, and Gwendolyn remains focused throughout the entire act so as to contain as much of it in her mouth that she can. Tokiichi-san outdoes himself with a particularly beautiful drawing in the bottom frame on page 38. Velvet's relieved expression while supporting her weight with one hand and holding Gwendolyn's head with the other wonderfully complements Gwendolyn's ongoing diligence in capturing the remainder of Velvet's subsiding ejaculation.

PHASE 5: NAKADASHI & CONCLUSION (pgs 39-51)
This last phase focuses on their final energetic copulatory rise to climax and allows Tokiichi-san to display his full mastery of erotic comic art. Velvet is unfazed by her recent ejaculation as evident by her penis which is still firm and fully erect. As Gwendolyn lies on her back with her legs spread, Velvet wastes no time in positioning herself and thrusting inside. To emphasize their increased pacing, the artist alternates views between their upper and lower bodies seven times, and supporting dialogue reveals that Velvet simply cannot stop thrusting her hips. Tokiichi-san's gifted ability to evoke "perceived softness" also shines through at the bottom frame of page 41 in which their intermingled breasts merge together with Velvet's neckpiece flaps blanketing them all.

Just before it appears they are about to climax, though, Velvet suddenly and unexpectedly pulls out, much to Gwendolyn's dismay. The reason for this startling halt is quickly explained, however: Velvet wants to feel the entire depth of Gwendolyn's vagina and cannot do so in their current position... so they reverse. Following is a wonderfully executed five-frame sequence that shows Gwendolyn slowly lowering herself onto Velvet's penis. The artist's judicious timing to conclude this full insertion with the doujinshi's very first internal view, which shows the entire length of Velvet's penis fully engulfed by Gwendolyn's vagina, is the icing on the cake. As shown in the comparison image to the right, this sequence is very reminiscent of the train scene from Hatsu Inu in which Fukaya, wanting his penis even further inside Fujino, pulls up on her stockings to try and angle her body upwards to maximize his penetration... His success is also accompanied by the scene's only internal view that shows his penis fully buried inside Fujino.

The final stage is now set. However, just before their shared climax, note the artist's decision to abandon the typical frame-dividing lines on page 47. Their absence serves to underscore the chaotic, uncontrolled nature of Gwendolyn's and Velvet's motions as they have both completely submitted to their bodies' instinctive desires. The subsequent jaw-dropping two-page spread allows the artist to show how their entire bodies react to the powerful orgasmic release... Having their hands firmly embraced, tear-filled eyes shut tight, mouths opened wide, and bodies covered in perspiration, the artist draws a stunning depiction of two bodies fully united as one. So as not to leave anything to the imagination, one of the three surrounding sub-views shows how Velvet's penis just manages to penetrate Gwendolyn's cervix and forcefully ejaculates directly into her womb. What a truly remarkable and breath-taking conclusion...

The final two pages of the story abandon the typical Shimoyakedou placement of humor and instead depict a tender discussion and embrace between Velvet and Gwendolyn amidst further illustrations of the beautiful scenery. Note the subtle symbolism in the final frame... The fallen feather could be seen as representing Gwendolyn, her proud flying Valkyrie status now stripped away, while the proximity of Velvet's Psypher chain weapon lying nearby symbolizes Velvet's vow to protect Gwendolyn henceforth.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
As the proud owner of every Shimoyakedou doujinshi except for the recently released RED Ring and having given a lot of thought as to which title is my favorite, I can finally say that Orchid Sphere holds that honor (sorry, Sisters' Syrups). The captivating dynamics of this doujinshi lie in the continual interplay between Gwendolyn's exploration/fascination of Velvet's body and Velvet's unselfish fascination of Gwendolyn's pleasure-filled facial reactions. I am hopeful that this review reveals the artistic heights and truly loving character interactions that are possible in the doujinshi medium. If you manage to locate a physical copy of Orchid Sphere, I strongly recommend you make the purchase. At the time of this writing, a copy is up for sale on Ebay, so do not miss your chance to own this shining gem.

Remains very faithful to the source material's story, characters, and renowned art style.

Consensual theme with a gradually progressive pacing.

Well-organized flow throughout the delightfully long 45-page main story.

Those who are fond of yuri but not futanari can stop on page 29 and enjoy the completely phallic-free, self-contained first arc.

A follow-up six page masturbation sequence featuring the flat-chested Mercedes is a pleasant diversion from the voluptuous character designs in the main story.

Missed opportunities with the lack of fairy queen Elfaria and the bouncy Netherworld queen Odette whose well-endowed character designs would have been very suitable subjects for the artist.

This doujinshi's serious nature, which abandons typical Shimoyakedou lightheartedness, may be hit-or-miss for readers.

Has a doujinshi ever led you to discover a new anime or video game that you would likely never have experienced otherwise?

Finally, I would like to extend special thanks to the hard-working efforts of DesuDesu for translating, YuriFutaFan for commissioning and editing, and Sbeghan for decensoring this marvelous work...