Lots of people wonder why I'm a fan of Shoujo-ai/Yuri pairings and series. I really can't say why exactly, but it's always just appealed to me. Whether it's the imagery of two attractive characters together or kindred spirits that's so intertwined in friendship they could easily be mistaken as a couple.
It doesn't matter whether the pairings are obvious, implied, ambiguous or just some fanboy/girl's wild imagination. If the pairings has some basis then I'm on board.
Another thing is that while I do use Yuri and Shoujo-ai interchangeably, there are settle differences. Shoujo-ai implies a same-sex relationship between two characers while Yuri also includes the sexual acts that goes along with such pairings.
When did you get started?
I'm not sure which series started, but I would have to say that Mai HiME's Natsuki and Shizuru were the first couple that actually made sense to me.
Normally most people would say Michiru and Haruka (Sailor Moon) would be the prototypical pair, but the dub ruined my experience and I didn't really get a good grasp on it until after I watched the original version.
Is it all about the imagery?
No, No, No. I would be the first to admit that aesthetics are very important when I'm considering pairings, however, I like to take account the character's personalities, current relationship with one another and plausibility.
It's the reason why I although I love Strawberry Panic, I hated the eventual pairings and wish it ended with different couplings.
Favorite Shoujo-ai pairing?
My favorite Shoujo-ai pairing would have to be Nanoha and Fate. While the series is ambiguous with the status of their relationship, it just basically screams "couple". I mean two adults who consider one another the most special person in their lives and f*cking sleep in the same bed, ought to be sending some kind of weird signals to the audience. And the clincher is with the child Vivio who tries to struggle with the fact that she has two Mommies (Nanoha and Fate). I especially like how Fate tries to explain to Vivio how some families are different and how it's possible to have two mommies xDD
Do you prefer all shoujo-ai pairings over straight/shounen-ai pairings?
No...I'm not that biased. I'm not going to create a pairing couples based on just looks or my preferences. For example, I'm not going to say I want a Keiko and Botan pairing (Yu Yu Hakusho), because it makes no sense whatsoever. If the series doesn't lend itself to the possibility of a pairing then it makes no sense to even consider it.
It would have to be Maria-sama ga Miteru. Funny thing is that there's only one definitive shoujo-ai relationship while everything is ambiguous, but it greatly lend itself to many, many, many pairings.
Damn....4 image limit >_<
