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GALS!/ Super GALS! Kotobuki Ran  Super GALS! Kotobuki Ran is a shoujo anime based off of the shojo manga
entitled GALS! by Mihona Fujii. The anime was aired on TV Tokyo from 2001 to 2003
and runs a total of 52 episodes. US viewers will be sad to note that ADV only has rights
to the first season (episodes 1-26) and not the second season at present. No word yet as
to whether or not ADV will get the rights to the second season as well.
The show was inspired by the Kogal (gal) subculture of Japan and pokes gentle fun at the subculture and it's eccentricities (ie. like tan addicts; extreme tanning and wearing of pale makeup). Asou Yuuya 
Asou Yuuya attends the ever glam Meisho Daichi (Meisho Number One) High School along with
his best friend Otohata Rei. Yuuya came in at second place during the Meisho Daichi Grand
Prix, losing out to his best friend Rei. When Ran tries to nab Otohata's bag as a status
symbol she recognizes him from GALS! magazine as the "second place" winner and calls him
Second Place Guy. From that point on in time the nickname of Second Place sticks and is
even used by Yamazaki Miyu and the ever polite Hoshino Aya.
Since he first laid eyes on her Yuuya has developed a huge crush on Ran. Initially he is impressed by her great looks and tough-as-nails attitude. By the end of the first episode though he is impressed by more than superficial beauty. After witnessing Ran going out of her way to stop Hoshino Aya from doing enjo kousai (escort dating/subsidized dating) anymore he realizes that behind the care-free demeanor is girl who cares about people, in general, a lot with a strong sense of justice and the willingness to do whatever it takes to put things right. Voiced by:
Kotobuki Ran 
The series' main character and heroine, Kotobuki Ran! A first year at Hounon High School.
She is the self proclaimed World's
Greatest Gal and Queen of Shibuya. Ran comes from a family of police officers
(older brother, parents and grandparents, great aunts and uncles ect.) and even her younger
sister Sayo wants to be a police officer. Ran however has other aspirations, she wishes
to be a gal until the end. Irony of all ironies though is that she has acquired her family's
sense of justice and spirit. Her main rival for the first season is none other than
debutante Honda Mami of Ikebukuro (Bukuro). Her best friends are Yamazaki Miyu and Hoshino
Aya, both of whom she helped to turn their lives around.
Because of Ran's influence (and her older brother Yamato's) Miyu quit her gang, The Resistance, which she was the leader of and became the nice, sweet but always tough gal Miyu Yamazaki that we see today. Hoshino Aya was partaking in enjo kousai in order to earn money so that she could buy accessaries and have fun like all the other girls in her class. Through stuborn determination and words spoken from the heart Ran taught Aya that money (although greatly loved) was not necessary to have fun, especially at the cost of selling one's self. Voiced by:
Second Place + Super Gal = Friends? There is no doubt about it, these two are definate friends for life. No matter what the situation is the other is more than willing to risk life or limb to help each other out. They have an easy commaderie with each other and are even capable of baring each other's problems to one another.Second Place + Super Gal = Love? He's real sweet, kind hearted and can never say no. She's a high maintenance, spoiled brat with a heart of gold. Both Yuuya and Ran are total opposites yet they share enough traits to make anyone go "aah!" over. Granted throughout the anime Ran doesn't pay much attention to Yuuya (and even dates Kuroi Tastsuki), but the potential for a romantic relationship is there - as well as the chemistry. Upon first seeing his picture in the magazine Ran immediately thought he was "GL" (GL=Good Looking) and favored him over Otohata. And seeing as Yuuya's love for Ran perseveres (even while he's with Mami) I think it's safe to say that these two are a definate match. |
