Anime Review | Sakura Trick (Lights, Camera, Action!)

Sakura Trick (UK Rating: 15)

Based on a 4-Koma series, Sakura Trick is a 12 episode series with each one split into two short stories. This slice of life tale of a group of girls experiencing their first year in high school is filled with slapstick comedy and charming moments as the girls deal with the old familiar problems of making new friends, keeping their grades up, and, of course, keeping their illicit liaisons a secret. This may be a comedy, but the focus really is on the Yuri fan-service. It may start out that the protagonist pair of Haruka and Yuu kiss to keep their relationship special, but soon enough this relationship blossoms into a budding romance between the two and they aren't the only girls in there engaging in a little… extracurricular 'activity' at school.

Despite the age rating and the premise, though, there's very little in the way of nudity in the fan-service. There are tons of lingering shots of heaving chests and thighs, and a decent chunk of each episode is dedicated to pandering shots of the girls kissing, with great detail placed on their lips… but that's about it. Those hoping for some of the usual bath scenes or downblouse/upskirts will find little for them here; the only real nudity is in the opening credits and a swimming pool-centric episode.

Sakura Trick may place a big focus on the Yuri aspects but that's not to say that's all there is here. The slice of life story of these girls spending their first year in high school is surprisingly enjoyable and every episode has some really funny moments. The romantic duo is quickly expanded with some extra characters that are just as likeable as the main pair; Yuu's neurotic older sister Mitsuki is particularly great. It's weird to say, but if the long shots of the girls kissing and the focus on titillating camera angles were removed from this, it would be a fantastic series.

6/10

Good

There's an enjoyable slice of life story here in Sakura Trick, and the comedy is good enough for general audiences, but the series' constant reliance on focusing on the kissing and certain camera angles is sure to put off the majority of potential viewers. For those who enjoy light-hearted Yuri ecchi, this series is a godsend, and definitely one of the best in this niche genre to date.