Post-adequacy The main mistake of the viewer will be an attempt to perceive this strange work through the prism of the artistic canons of the genre - everyday life, romance and eroticism - because all these stylistic components are presented in this series as allegorically as possible. Having absorbed all conceivable stereotypes and templates of the yuri genre, "Hurricane Lilies" as if turns them inside out, and with them the very reality, which in this anime is very multidimensional. Most of all it reminds "Cloud Atlas" of the Wachowski sisters, when many stories from different worlds are united within a certain main idea, as if invisibly existing somewhere beyond the frame space.
The plot of the series desperately resists retelling, being presented surreally with an obsessive, almost syncopal reproduction of scenes and lines, similar to how David Lynch did in "Inner Empire". At the same time, the narrative is conducted in the spirit of a kind of cyber-burlesque, placing the characters of the film in a kind of “literal universe”, where all events and objects – from the names of the characters to the all-powerful “Judgment of Lilies” – remind us of the erotic component of the genre, and doing it in an abstract-grotesque style with elements of maho-shojo (which are at least erotic scenes with crudely painted bears replacing the images of schoolgirls!). The whole manner of narration is very similar to the style of the notorious Takashi Miike - also a lover of extreme mixing of genres and absurdity, bordering on idiocy. Such, for example, is his shocking and difficult to perceive tape "Iso", which is an absurd bloody kaleidoscope of fragments of multiple realities.
However, if you look at it, the plot is as banal as it is confusing. The Japanese simply have the talent to create something out of a senseless pile of elements that can even pass for deep wisdom. So behind the surreal screen of parody absurdity, the authors carefully mask a much more serious plot, hardly deserving such a free interpretation. Despite the extremely specific style and extreme level of idiocy, the direction in this series is strong, the plot remains intrigue and therefore this title is still interesting to understand.
The film completely breaks all contact with reality, presenting events symbolically, abstractly and inconsistently. For example, scenes with cut young lilies, “eating” bear girls and the manic desire of the school teacher to preserve the remains of all who are dear to her in personal boxes, is nothing but a reference to the experiences of Nabokov, poisoning butterflies in a jar of cyanide in order to forever capture and preserve their perfect beauty. And the separation of the two worlds and ostracism for any otherness clearly symbolizes the censure of same-sex love. Just like honey, which flashes in a number of scenes, it is a symbol of erotic pleasure. All this psychoanalytic symbolism is presented deliberately literally, naively and as if with mockery, which emphasizes the clearly satirical nature of the work.
At the same time, each series of the plot abruptly changes the trajectory, revealing more and more unexpected details, which firmly holds the attention and interest of the viewer. This detective component, along with ornate whimsical drawing and a complex script worthy of the pen of Christopher Nolan, is perhaps the little that can encourage an unprepared viewer to watch this thrash to the end. Gradually, the tangle of absurdity will unravel, and disparate puzzles will gather from chaos into a single canvas, but by that time you will most likely have brain damage, which will make it somewhat difficult to comprehend the deep morality of this cyber-fairy tale.
Perhaps such a work has the right to exist, but not everyone will appreciate it, especially not someone who watches shōjo-ai for the sake of realism, because in this case it will cause at least bewilderment. And even more so, this title should not be watched by those who are just taking their first steps on the way to knowing the yuri genre! One must be a very careful person to fully appreciate all these numerous references and allegories of the characteristic features of this genre. In some ways it reminds "Nakoikatsi" Godfrey Reggio is a smart thoughtful work, but not everyone will understand his visual style and meaning. Nevertheless, although this review is negative, but every year you catch yourself thinking that the more you watch Yuri anime, the more you begin to understand and love this YuriKuma. In any case, a number of scenes, special effects and especially the soundtrack firmly fall into the soul and have the property of obsessively self-replicating there, as it happens in this series.