Iori Miyazawa, the author of the newly-adapted yuri series, Otherside Picnic, held a seminar on yuri in 2018 that was later translated by kati_lilian. During this two-part session, he, his editor and a fellow science-fiction writer break down where the yuri genre is heading, as well as the many aspects of the genre to avoid. Miyazawa's insights on the yuri genre translate into his writing on Otherside Picnic, where he takes his knowledge of yuri tropes and uses it to avoid common stereotypes, creating a unique yuri narrative.
Borrowing from the novel Roadside Picnic, Otherside Picnic takes place in a science-fiction cum survival horror setting wherein the protagonists enter the "Otherside" to fight monsters and acquire artifacts they can sell for a profit in their own world. Unlike Roadside Picnic, though, the protagonists in Otherside Picnic are female, college-aged and attracted to each other. Just from setting and premise alone, Otherside Picnic defies expectations for a yuri anime. Instead of being set in high school or an all-girls school like most yuri series, this show centers on adults. And instead of being a slice of life concerned about interpersonal romantic drama, Otherside Picnic delves into psychological horror and a relationship built on crime and survival.
Otherside Picnic also proves just how well sci-fi and yuri can mix together. During his two-part Science Fiction seminar, Miyazawa mentions some reasons as to why these two genres work together so well. For one, scientific explanations in hard sci-fi novels are wordy and can be dull to those who are not hardcore fans or familiar with the topic. However, these moments are transformed when it becomes a scene of two women talking to each other, especially two women who are attracted to one another. Suddenly, this is no longer just an exposition scene, but also a yuri scene, and one which would appeal to fans of that genre.
Otherside Picnic also uses its survival horror aspect to its advantage as well. Combining themes of romance and fear together isn't exactly original, but it does work well, and oddly, isn't used that often in yuri anime. Perhaps this sort of genre mix was inspired by topics like the suspension bridge effect, but the idea of two characters becoming closer to each other due to a common enemy is one that feels believable, especially in Otherside Picnic as the main characters have to work together to defeat frightening foes.
Otherside Picnic doesn't completely deconstruct the yuri genre though. Rather, it chooses to maintain visual cues common in yuri that end up working to the story's advantage. For example, Miyazawa also discusses the concept of "absence of yuri" in his science fiction seminar, and the Otherside Picnic anime fits this idea perfectly.
Looking back on yuri anime, despite being created by different directors, Bloom into You, Adachi & Shimamura, Just Call it Love, Fragtime, Liz and the Blue Bird, and many more all share a type of storyboarding that emphasizes intimate moments and loneliness. Shots of empty skies, desolate classrooms and close-ups of body parts like eyes and legs fill the visual dialogue of these anime.
Though not primarily set in a classroom, Otherside Picnic still utilizes the emotional scenery one would expect from a yuri series, just instead of eerie hallways, there are wide shots of open skies over abandoned ruins. In a way, it shares similarities with shows like Kemono Friends and Girls' Last Tour, which also feature female protagonists that travel over the ruins of past civilizations. These series showcase two types of boarding, one that makes it seem as if the viewer is peeking into their intimate lives, and another that feels as if these few characters are the only ones that truly exist in their world. Both hold an air of romanticism to them that works well with the yuri genre.
With director Takuya Sato helming the anime adaptation of Otherside Picnic there is further hope and an expectation it will nail the aesthetic of yuri. Sato has proven to be a master at directing yuri anime, having worked on Kase-san and Fragtime, and like Miyazawa, seems to truly understand what makes the genre so appealing. Takuya Sato also worked on Steins;Gate and it seems he is combining his expertise in psychological horror and yuri into Otherside Picnic. The content of Otherside Picnic fits Sato's directing style so well, it almost feels like an original work.
With only one episode out, it's hard to determine the exact direction the series is heading, but one thing's for sure -- Otherside Picnic has set itself up to be quite an unconventional yuri narrative.
