I My Me! Strawberry Eggs
Encyclopedia
, occasionally shortened to Strawberry Eggs, is a 2001 Japanese anime
television series animated by TNK with co-production by Pioneer, LDC. The series aired from July 4 to September 26, 2001 by WOWOW
and in August 2002 was licensed by Geneon Entertainment.
. Offended, and more determined than ever to have his way, Hibiki vows to demonstrate the merits of his educational philosophy to his detractors, and with offered help from Lulu, agrees to disguise himself by cross-dressing
in order to deceive the school's misandrist administration. With assistance from some gadgets Lulu engineered for this purpose, he disguises himself very convincingly. Following an initial demonstration of his merits as an educator, he is hired.
Unfortunately for Hibiki, however, life as a gym teacher at this school does not go completely smoothly. With interpersonal conflicts among students causing fights and occasional mild missteps endangering his disguise, Hibiki must not only mediate his class, but also keep up appearances and come to terms with what his disguise might imply about his sexuality.
teacher-student romance are the main engines of conflict in this story, although the various characters' other concerns (such as the students' various romantic interests in each other) serve to complicate the story with many significant subplots. In spite of the many possible gender-bending implications of cross-dressing, there is no actual lesbianism or homosexuality
in this story, other than a few characters mistakenly believing they have identified it in others and/or themselves. The teacher-student romance develops within this context, and is resolved along with it at the end.
Tofu "Kochi" Tofukuji
Kura Ge
Chieko Sannomiya
Reiko Mukogawa
Kyosuke Aoki
Shoichi Iwaya
Shiro Naruo
series is produced by TNK, with co-production by Pioneer, LDC, and is directed by Yuji Yamaguchi. The series aired in Japan on WOWOW
between July 4 and September 26, 2001 containing thirteen episodes. The anime's original concept was by Yom who was assisted by Kenichi Murakami. The series structure and screenplay was written by Yasuko Kobayashi. The series was licensed by Geneon Entertainment in August 2002 . As of December 2007, the series is out of print
Two pieces of theme music were used for the anime; one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is "Dearest" sung by Hitomi Nozaki, with lyrics by Syoko Sawada, and arrangement by Masala Nishida. The ending theme is "White Station" by Acefile composed of Mae Yoshikawa, Marina Kushi, Asagi Kudo, Saori Nara, with lyrics by Rei Yoshii, and arrangement by Masala Nishida. Other music was provided by Masala Nishida.
adaption was serialized in MediaWorks
' Dengeki Daioh
magazine between December 21, 2001 to February 25, 2002.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television series animated by TNK with co-production by Pioneer, LDC. The series aired from July 4 to September 26, 2001 by WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
and in August 2002 was licensed by Geneon Entertainment.
Plot
Hibiki Amawa is an enthusiastic young man whose dream career is to be a professional teacher, having graduated from college with a certificate in athletics. When he is unable to pay his landlady, Lulu Sanjo, the monthly rent for his apartment, he rushes off to the nearby (fictional) Seito Sannomiya Private School to apply for a position that is open, but is summarily denied employment because of his genderGender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
. Offended, and more determined than ever to have his way, Hibiki vows to demonstrate the merits of his educational philosophy to his detractors, and with offered help from Lulu, agrees to disguise himself by cross-dressing
Cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
in order to deceive the school's misandrist administration. With assistance from some gadgets Lulu engineered for this purpose, he disguises himself very convincingly. Following an initial demonstration of his merits as an educator, he is hired.
Unfortunately for Hibiki, however, life as a gym teacher at this school does not go completely smoothly. With interpersonal conflicts among students causing fights and occasional mild missteps endangering his disguise, Hibiki must not only mediate his class, but also keep up appearances and come to terms with what his disguise might imply about his sexuality.
Themes
Cross-dressing and a tabooTaboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
teacher-student romance are the main engines of conflict in this story, although the various characters' other concerns (such as the students' various romantic interests in each other) serve to complicate the story with many significant subplots. In spite of the many possible gender-bending implications of cross-dressing, there is no actual lesbianism or homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
in this story, other than a few characters mistakenly believing they have identified it in others and/or themselves. The teacher-student romance develops within this context, and is resolved along with it at the end.
Primary characters
- (male-Japanese), Yuki MasudaYuki Masudais a Japanese voice actress.-Notable voice roles:*Yanagi Sakoshita in Flame of Recca*Veena and her twin sister Helen, two of the Pu'Awak princesses in Cyborg 009*Misae in Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040*Belvedere Coco in Vandread...
(female-Japanese), Crispin FreemanCrispin FreemanCrispin McDougal Freeman is an American voice actor, and Mythology scholar. His roles have included Alucard from Hellsing, Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Karasu from Noein, Togusa from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as Holland Novak from Eureka Seven, Touga Kiriyu in...
(male-English), Sally Dana (female-English) - The central protagonist of the series, Hibiki Amawa is a fairly typical college graduate whose goal is to become a professional school teacher. His life takes an unexpected turn in the process when, in order to pay off his apartment rent, he is forced to cross-dress in order to gain employment at the misandrist Seito Sannomiya Private School. His situation only gets more complicated when the school board grows suspicious of him, students take to fighting with each other, and one of the girls of his class develops romantic feelings for him. In spite of all the difficulties he faces on the job, however, Hibiki proves to be a very competent and focused young man who proves that, as a man or a woman, he is quite proficient at teaching physical fitnessPhysical fitnessPhysical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
and at social counseling.
- Lulu Sanjo, more often referred to as "Baa-chan" ("Granny") by her tenants, is the tough-as-nails, pistol-packing landlady of the Gochiso apartments, which double as a school supply store that she also owns. Impressed by Hibiki's strong determination, she offers to help him in his mission, helping him disguise himself as a woman and maintain the disguise throughout his time on campus. In the final episode, it is heavily implied that Lulu is a crossdresser as well.
- Clumsy but selfless, Fuko Kuzuha is a student at the Seito Sannomiya Private School. Despite being accident prone, mild-mannered, and easily flustered, Fuko is a very strong-willed girl. Much to her personal anxiety, she starts admiring Hibiki's (still very masculine) personality in dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
, and this admiration develops into a powerful romantic attraction, bringing her considerable gender confusion and shame. Her mother died when she was six years old and her widower father is a traveling businessman. Fuko resides at the school dormitories.
Secondary characters
Mori Koji- Mori Koji is a salarymanSalarymanrefers to someone whose income is salary based; particularly those working for corporations. Its frequent use by Japanese corporations, and its prevalence in Japanese manga and anime has gradually led to its acceptance in English-speaking countries as a noun for a Japanese white-collar...
who is a tenant at the Gochiso apartments; room 101. He has a peculiar fascination with photographing schoolgirls' uniforms with his camera and unusually large mirror; frequently strapped on his back. He is good friends with Tofu Tofukuji.
Tofu "Kochi" Tofukuji
- Tofu Tofukuji is a retiredRetirementRetirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
, elderly man lodging at the Gochiso apartments. He harbors a hebephilicHebephiliaHebephilia refers to the sexual preference for individuals in the early years of puberty . Girls typically begin the process of puberty at age 10 or 11; boys at age 11 or 12...
interest in Fuko Kuzuha, shown by his photograph collection littered on his apartment walls. A (mostly) harmless, kind-hearted man, Tofukuji is often willing to sacrifice his own safety and freedom to help Hibiki; or otherwise satisfy his craving for upskirtUpskirtUpskirt refers to the practice of making unauthorized photographs under a female's skirt, capturing an image of her crotch area and underwear. The term "upskirt" can also refer to a video, illustration or photograph which incorporates the upskirt image. The term is also sometimes used to refer...
s. He is good friends with Mori Koji.
Kura Ge
- Hibiki's pet dog, Lulu ends up using Kura Ge as motivational collateralCollateral (finance)In lending agreements, collateral is a borrower's pledge of specific property to a lender, to secure repayment of a loan.The collateral serves as protection for a lender against a borrower's default - that is, any borrower failing to pay the principal and interest under the terms of a loan obligation...
for the unpaid rent. While the breed of Kura Ge is never mentioned, he seems to resemble a BichonBichonBichon is the name for a type of related non-sporting category dog breeds. They vary in appearance, but all have tails curled over their back, a coat that is hair rather than fur that doesn't readily shed, short snouts, drop ears, and large, dark eyes. They were all bred to be amiable companion...
. Kura Ge can usually be seen with a wooden sign hung around his neck that read feeble pointers or, more often than not, comedic statements.
Chieko Sannomiya
- Chieko Sannomiya is the eponymous principal of the Seito Sannomiya Private School. She was appointed office a decade prior to the story and carries herself in a conceited, yet formal, aristocraticAristocracy (class)The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
manner. As a radical misandricMisandryMisandry is the hatred or dislike of men or boys.Misandry comes from Greek misos and anēr, andros . Misandry is the antonym of philandry, the fondness towards men, love, or admiration of them...
, Sannomiya heavily supports feminismFeminismFeminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
and irrationally views males as barbaric. At the conclusion of the series it is revealed that an incident between a man (hinted by Lulu) and her lead to her sexist ideology.
Reiko Mukogawa
- Vice-principal of the Seito Sannomiya Private School. She works closely with Chieko Sannomiya, and like her, is a stern man-hater, resulting from a failed marriage. Mukogawa grows suspicious of Hibiki early into his career and tries debunking his identity several times. She has one child who is never mentioned to either the staff or students of the institution.
- An aggressive tomboyTomboyA tomboy is a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of the gender role of a boy, including the wearing of typically masculine-oriented clothes and engaging in games and activities that are often physical in nature, and which are considered in many cultures to be the...
, Fujio Himejima is a student at the school. She wears her hair in two loose pigtails, tied by her signature green bows. She has a black beltBlack belt (martial arts)In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in AikidoAikidois a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
and develops a crush on fellow student Akira Fukae, who unfortunately, does not reciprocate. Fujio resides in the dormitories.
- Miho Umeda is a student at the school and is Fujio's closest friend. Her maturity is considerably more developed than her friends and this at times makes her behave in an arrogant manner; especially when it comes to her past and current experiences with boys. As a result, the other girls tend to look up to her and this prompts her to act like a role modelRole modelThe term role model generally means any "person who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by others".The term first appeared in Robert K. Merton's socialization research of medical students...
for them. Miho resides in the dormitories. She is a foilFoil (literature)In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character....
to Seiko Kasuganomichi.
- Seiko Kasuganomichi is a fairly quiet student. Her family is wealthy and she is often seen as being sheltered. She is well known for getting uncomfortable, in some cases fainting, at the sight of naked men; photographic or physical. Fujio resides in the dormitories. She is a foil to Miho Umeda.
- Quiet and composed, Akira Fukae is one of the primary male students on campus. Even though he usually tends to be level-headed, Akira is not afraid to speak his mind or take a stand for what he believes he is fair and just. His father is a private investigatorPrivate investigatorA private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
. He occasionally teases Fuko Kuzuha in a rude and hostile way, but despite this, he harbors a strong crushPuppy lovePuppy love is an informal term for feelings of love or infatuation felt by young people during childhood and adolescence, so-called for its resemblance to the adoring, worshipful affection that may be felt by a puppy. 'Simple infatuation is often called a "crush" or "puppy love"...
on her.
Kyosuke Aoki
- Kyosuki Aoki is another one of the few male students at the school, arguably the most energetic and is also the tallest; comparable to Miho Umeda to the girls. He is takes the biggest interest in Hibiki's dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
and frequently proclaims it to her and the others. Is good friends with Akira Fukae.
Shoichi Iwaya
- Another enrolled male student at the school and a close friend of Kyosuke Aoki. He is the most lecherous of the group.
Shiro Naruo
- Another of the few male students. He is a gentle and quiet boy, who in episode eight is unjustly accused of stealing Reiko Mukogawa's salary when he is asked by Hibiki to visit the teacher's lounge and retrieve his grade book.
Production
The animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series is produced by TNK, with co-production by Pioneer, LDC, and is directed by Yuji Yamaguchi. The series aired in Japan on WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
between July 4 and September 26, 2001 containing thirteen episodes. The anime's original concept was by Yom who was assisted by Kenichi Murakami. The series structure and screenplay was written by Yasuko Kobayashi. The series was licensed by Geneon Entertainment in August 2002 . As of December 2007, the series is out of print
Two pieces of theme music were used for the anime; one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is "Dearest" sung by Hitomi Nozaki, with lyrics by Syoko Sawada, and arrangement by Masala Nishida. The ending theme is "White Station" by Acefile composed of Mae Yoshikawa, Marina Kushi, Asagi Kudo, Saori Nara, with lyrics by Rei Yoshii, and arrangement by Masala Nishida. Other music was provided by Masala Nishida.
Episodes
| # | Title | Original air date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Manga
A mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaption was serialized in MediaWorks
MediaWorks (publisher)
was a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group known for their brand magazines and book labels. These included such well-known magazines as Dengeki Daioh, and Dengeki G's Magazine, along with MediaWorks' main light novel publishing imprint Dengeki Bunko. The company was merged with ASCII...
' Dengeki Daioh
Dengeki Daioh
is a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by ASCII Media Works under the Dengeki brand. Many manga serialized in Dengeki Daioh were later published in tankōbon volumes under ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Comics imprint. The magazine is sold every month on the 27th...
magazine between December 21, 2001 to February 25, 2002.