Hubbry Logo
Dear BrotherDear BrotherMain
Open search
Dear Brother
Community hub
Dear Brother
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Dear Brother
Dear Brother
Dear Brother
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Dear Brother
Cover of the first manga volume
おにいさまへ…
(Oniisama e...)
GenreDrama, slice of life
Manga
Written byRiyoko Ikeda
Published byShueisha
MagazineMargaret
Original runMarch 17, 1974 – September 22, 1974
Volumes3
Anime television series
Directed byOsamu Dezaki
Produced by
  • Hirotaka Matsumoto
  • Masakazu Shioura
Written by
  • Hideo Takayashiki
  • Tomoko Konparu
Music byKentarō Haneda
StudioTezuka Productions
Licensed by
Original networkNHK-BS2
Original run July 14, 1991 – May 31, 1992
Episodes39 (List of episodes)
icon Anime and manga portal

Dear Brother (Japanese: おにいさまへ…, Hepburn: Oniisama e...) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Riyoko Ikeda. It was adapted into an anime series that aired on the channel NHK-BS2 from July 14, 1991, to May 31, 1992.

The series originally started out as a manga in the early to mid-1970s. The story is about a 16-year-old girl, Nanako Misonoo (御苑生奈々子, Misonoo Nanako), who attends a prestigious academy and deals with life as a high school student via writing letters to her "brother". The manga has been translated into French, Italian and Polish. The series spans 39 anime episodes and three manga volumes, ending when Nanako is eighteen.

Plot

[edit]

Nanako Misonoo is a young high school freshman at the exclusive girls' school Seiran Academy. When she begins her first year at this school, she falls into a world of female rivalry, love, chaos, and heartbreak. She narrates the story of the series in a chain of letters to a young man named Takehiko Henmi, who she calls "Oniisama" (Brother). In reality, Takehiko was her teacher at the cram school she went to earlier. She feels such a strong bond with Takehiko that she asks to continue corresponding with him. Takehiko agrees, and soon Nanako begins addressing him as "brother" in her letters. When Nanako starts her new school year at the all-girl Seiran Academy, she is unexpectedly inducted into the school's Sorority despite having none of the looks, talents, or background needed to become a member. As the series progresses, she becomes involved in the lives of the "Magnificent Three", the three most popular girls in the school.[1]

As Nanako interacts with these women, she becomes attached to the great but troubled Rei Asaka, whom she wants to help, but cannot get close to due to Rei's obsession with Fukiko Ichinomiya, the Sorority president. Nanako also becomes friends with a beautiful and lonely young girl named Mariko Shinobu, who is determined to get into the Sorority and make Nanako her best friend at all costs. Meanwhile, Nanako has problems of her own; she is constantly being bullied by her peers due to her unlikely membership in the Sorority, especially by one Aya Misaki who feels that she should have been the one chosen for it. Throughout these problems Nanako is supported by her childhood friend Tomoko, the athletic but secretly ailing Kaoru Orihara, the passionate and troubled Mariko Shinobu and the correspondence with her "brother", who just happens to have some secrets of his own. The series chronicles her first year at Seiran Academy as she uncovers the past of some of the most popular girls in school, learning of love, loss, and her own family's secrets, including her true relationship with Takehiko.

Characters

[edit]
Nanako Misonoo (御苑生 奈々子, Misonoo Nanako)
Voiced by: Hiroko Kasahara (original series), Yūko Mizutani (television pilot)
The main character of the story, Nanako Misonoo is suddenly and unexpectedly chosen to join The Sorority, an elite group at her new high school, eliciting the wrath and jealousy of her classmates. Like many shōjo heroines, Nanako is innocent, caring, sometimes insecure, but always determined to do what is right. She begins the story hoping only to be liked by her peers, but is soon dragged into the lives and secrets of Seiran Academy's most elite students. She falls in love with Rei "Saint-Juste" Asaka, and their relationship is one of the major driving plots of the series.
Tomoko Arikura (有倉 智子, Arikura Tomoko)
Voiced by: Waka Kanda
Tomoko is Nanako's childhood friend and arguably the only "normal-themed" character in the series. In the manga, Mariko manipulates her into ending her friendship with Nanako, which Tomoko later rekindles when she realizes the misunderstanding. In the anime, Mariko attempts to end the friendship too and almost succeeds, but Tomoko ultimately remains by Nanako's side and protects her from Aya Misaki's bullying, and the three of them become best friends for the entire duration of the show, with Tomoko acting as the series' main comedic relief.
Rei Asaka ("Hana no Saint-Juste") (朝霞 れい, Asaka Rei)
Voiced by: Sumi Shimamoto
Rei "Saint-Juste of the Flowers" Asaka is a second year student and one of the "Magnificent Three" known for her social indifference and her many artistic talents, especially artistic (she plays the guitar and sings in the manga, and plays the piano, the flute and violin and acts in the anime). She is also shown playing basketball in the anime, replacing Kaoru in at least one game (Episode 16 "Comeback"). Incredibly loyal and devoted to the ones she loves, Rei's destructive relationship with Fukiko Ichinomiya leads her to be troubled, obsessed with death, and drug-addicted. She is Kaoru's best friend, with them exchanging playful insults at times and loyally helping each other at others, and shows a soft spot for Nanako when they interact, but her relationship with Fukiko prevents her from comfortably maintaining other friendships. The secrets between the two, and Nanako's involvement in them, is one of the major driving plots of the series. She dies late in the series; in the manga she dies by suicide via pill overdose, but in the anime her death is an accident as she falls off of a commuter bridge, into the path of a train (Episode 34 "Ablution"). She does this while trying to catch a bouquet of flowers that she purchased for Nanako, which she accidentally drops. In the anime her death deeply influences the other characters, as Kaoru begins to have suicidal feelings and the Ichinomiya family feel guilty for not doing anything for her, despite their wealth and their relationship to her. Ironically, Rei is the only one allowed, and who has ever seen Fukiko cry (Episode 25 "The Scarlet Lipstick"). Rei's nickname comes from Louis de Saint-Just, a French Revolutionary, known as the "Angel of Death".
Mariko Shinobu (信夫 マリ子, Shinobu Mariko)
Voiced by: Sakiko Tamagawa
Nanako's classmate, a fellow Sorority member and a former student of the junior high school attached to Seiran, Mariko becomes one of Nanako's best friends. Mariko distrusts all men because of her troubled family life: her father Hikawa is an erotica author who has an affair with an actress and later divorces Mariko's mother Hisako, who keeps her sadness bottled up as she raises Mariko practically on her own. As a result she is terrified of abandonment to the point where she becomes obsessed with the ones around her. She is also extremely beautiful, with red lips and long black hair as well as a curvy body, and shows an odd mix of vanity about her good looks and lack of regard for her own health if upset. On one occasion, Mariko becomes extremely possessive towards Nanako when Nanako tries to leave the Shinobu Residence. This later leads to Mariko refusing to eat until Nanako accepts her apology and forgives her. She collapses after three days due to hunger, before returning to eating as normal once the two friends have resolved the situation.. Mariko greatly admires Kaoru due to her strength and the emotional support she gives her as well, and at some point she admits to loving Karou (Episode 16"Comeback"). She also has odd interactions with Fukiko's brother Takashi, especially in the anime where she comically insults him (Episode 21). Almost at the end, Mariko injures Aya after Aya makes fun of her family problems in front of the class, leading Mariko to be suspended from school and expelled from the Sorority, which partially triggers the call for the Sorority to be abolished after Nanako declares that Fukiko's judgement on Mariko was too harsh, as she did not hear Mariko's side of the story. In the anime Mariko eventually comes to terms with her rivalry with Aya, realising they were both lonely and self-centred.
Near the end of the series, Mariko's parents finally divorce. At first Mariko is extremely distraught, and reminisces about how her father was never there for her on her birthday, and Nanako observes how difficult it must be for her to choose a parent to live with as she loves both of them deeply. Furthermore, she feels shame about her father's profession deepens her self-loathing. After the incident with Aya and Mariko's expulsion from the Sorority, her father tells her that he believes there is good in everyone, including himself and Mariko, so she should love herself. She is able to resolve her feelings of shame towards her father's profession when Takashi hands her an old novel by her father, which is a sincere novel about his love towards his mother and his belief to live life in a way that will not be regretted.
Kaoru Orihara ("Kaoru-no-kimi") (折原 薫, Orihara Kaoru)
Voiced by: Keiko Toda
"Kaoru-no-Kimi" ("Prince Kaoru") Orihara is one of the "Magnificent Three", the class representative of Nanako and her friend's class and the star of the basketball team, known for her tomboyish way of dress and her great athletic skills. She has a mysterious and deadly illness (breast cancer) kept secret from most of her classmates; it's only known in public that she was held back a year due to unnamed health problems. As Rei's best friend, she greatly dislikes Fukiko for everything she has done to Rei and hates the very existence of the Sorority. She spends the series trying to live her life to the fullest in spite of her disease, and is the one who supports Nanako the most when she is bullied, and helps Rei when she gets into major trouble. She was romantically involved with Nanako's "brother", Takehiko Henmi, but broke it off after her mastectomy. However, both Kaoru and Takehiko still have strong feelings for each other near the end of the series. Fukiko, who is also in love with Takehiko, encourages Kaoru to take up their relationship again after Rei's death, pointing out that Rei lived her life to the fullest until the last day, so she should too. In both anime and manga Kaoru marries Takehiko and emigrates to Germany with him. In the anime, she recovers from her cancer and gives birth to a child at the end of the series, but in the manga she dies two years after she and Takehiko leave. Kaoru's nickname comes from the anti-hero character, Kaoru Genji, of The Tale of Genji.
Fukiko Ichinomiya ("Miya-sama") (一の宮 蕗子, Ichinomiya Fukiko)
Voiced by: Mami Koyama
One of the "Magnificent Three", Fukiko "Miya-sama" ("Princess") Ichinomiya is a senior year student, the Student Council President, leader of the Sorority Club, member of the flower arrangement and horse riding club, and known for her elegance and dignity. She appears to be calm and generous, but is cruel and manipulative, often psychologically and physically torturing Rei for several ambiguous reasons, such as her desire that Rei should only have eyes for her and no one else. It is also revealed that she and Rei are full sisters, daughters of the Ichinomiya leader and a maid of the family mansion, although she was adopted by the Ichinomiya family and Rei was not. The annual Sorority candidate selections always cause extreme fighting and jealousy among the lower-classmen, which she promotes, believing that in competition one finds strength, so Fukiko sponsors Nanako's entry into the Sorority due to secret and ulterior motives: she is in love with Takehiko, does not know that Takehiko is really Nanako's stepbrother and confidant, and sees Nanako as a potential obstacle. She jealously tries to destroy their relationship by making Nanako love her instead (she believes that Nanako is writing to Hemni with romantic intentions and tries to make her stop writing him letters). In the anime, her love for Takehiko is given a backstory: she met and fell in love with him when she was twelve and he spent several days with her in the Ichinomiya mansion, but he unknowingly broke her heart by not showing up to her birthday party, which she had prepared a violin piece for, which emotionally splintered young Fukiko; Fukiko has since been stuck in that sense of love that she felt when she was twelve. Her room from that period remains the same as it was on the very day that she met Henmi (Episode 22 "A Summer Serenade"). In the end, she is able to overcome her childhood love and move forward, and in the anime she greatly laments Rei's death.
Aya Misaki (三咲 綾, Misaki Aya)
Voiced by: Masako Katsuki
The daughter of a famous lawyer, a fervent (her mother was in the sorority so it would shame the family if she were not chosen) Sorority aspirant and Mariko's rival ever since junior high, she tries to make life miserable for Nanako and Mariko when she fails to gain entry. In the anime, she is almost always seen with Miyuki Sonobe and Megumi Furuta, the only friends she seems to have at Seiran Academy. Mean-spirited and conniving, her cruelty belies an intense self-loathing. In the anime, after she is wounded in an altercation with Mariko in Episode 27, "An Incident of Bloodshed", she experiences intense guilt for her actions and ultimately repents. When Megumi and Miyuki are manipulated by older Sorority girls, Aya takes the blame to protect her friends and later attempts to commit suicide by throwing herself into the sea, but is saved by Nanako and her friends. By the series' end, she and her group appear to be on good terms with the main characters.
Takehiko Henmi ("Oniisama") (辺見 武彦, Henmi Takehiko)
Voiced by: Tesshō Genda
Takehiko is a favourite tutor of Nanako, whom she asks to be her "Oniisama"—a trusted older-brother figure. He is a graduate student at Gakuin University along with Fukiko's brother Takashi Ichinomiya, and has aspirations to study abroad in Germany. Takehiko is actually Nanako's stepbrother, the son of Mr. Misonoo's first marriage, though he keeps this secret from Nanako so as not to air the family's dirty laundry in a society that still looks down on divorce. He was involved with Kaoru approximately two years prior to the series' start, though after she was diagnosed she ended their relationship so neither of them would suffer. He is acquainted with the Ichinomiya family through his best friend, Takashi. He appears to know of the situation with Rei, though if this information was revealed through Kaoru or Takashi is not stated. By the end of the series he rekindles his relationship with his father and marries Kaoru, before moving to Germany.
Takashi Ichinomiya (一の宮 貴, Ichinomiya Takashi)
Voiced by: Kenyū Horiuchi
Takashi is introduced as a friend of Takehiko, and is often seen accompanying him. Takashi is good-natured and caring, showing considerable interest in the well-being of his younger sisters and especially the troubled Rei. Takashi is incredibly supportive of Takehiko, frequently driving him around and going so far as to plan and pay for his friend's entire wedding at the show's conclusion. It is hinted that he has a strained relationship with his father. He also seems to be impressed by Mariko's fiery personality (though his reactions are mixed in the anime), and supports her when she runs off after attacking Aya.
Miyuki Sonobe
Voiced by: Yumi Takada
An anime-exclusive character, introduced as one of Aya Misaki's two friends. She has pigtails and hair decorations, and is almost never seen without either Aya or their common friend Megumi Furuta. She and Megumi are seen as few more than Aya's girl posse, supporting her bullying of Nanako and Mariko. In episode 27, it's revealed that she and Megumi actually do care for Aya's well-being instead of just liking her high status; this leads Komabayashi and Ogiwara to manipulate them both for their benefit
Megumi Furuta
Voiced by: Miki Itou
An anime-exclusive character, of Aya Misaki's other friend. She has short hair and a deep voice, and is almost never seen without either Aya or Miyuki. She and Miyuki are seen as few more than Aya's girl posse, supporting her bullying of Nanako and Mariko. Like Miyuki, her motivations (misguided but genuine affection for Aya) are revealed in episode 27.
Junko Nakaya
Voiced by: Mayumi Setou

A girl from another first-year classroom, was chosen to be in the Sorority alongside Mariko and Nanako. She becomes the first member of the Sorority who is expelled from it due to her bad grades, despite having a reasonable excuse (her bad health); Fukiko further humiliates her by exposing her case to everyone in the Sorority and then demanding for her to resign, despite Nanako's objections. She ultimately does so, and later confesses to Nanako that she had begun to feel uncomfortable in the Sorority itself. In the anime she is given some more spotlight, as she is introduced via speaking to a friend about Nanako's qualifications to be in the Sorority, which angers Mariko; few later, she rejoins the cast and befriends Nanako more properly. Later in the series, she returns to support to motion to abolish the sorority.

Mr. and Mrs. Misonoo
Voiced by: Hiroko Suzuki (Mrs. Misonoo), Kinryū Arimoto (Professor Misonoo)

Nanako's parents, or more exactly, Nanako's mother and stepfather. Mr. Misonoo, a well-known and respected college professor, was formerly married to Takehiko Henmi's mother, and after a very bitter divorce, he took to drinking his sorrows away; Nanako's mother was the waitress of the pub that he attended the most, and once the professor sobered up, they fell in love and got married. Ever since then Professor Misonoo has been a kind father figure to Nanako, though he was not able to rekindle his bonds to Takehiko as well; he and his new wife still worked hard to both be able to support themselves and help Takehiko after his mother's death. When Nanako is chosen as a Sorority member, one of the reasons she was questioned the most for was the assumption that her mother was a homewrecker, which was obviously false.

Hisako and Hikawa Shinobu
Voiced by: Rihoko Yoshida (Hisako), Tomomichi Nishimura (Hikawa)

Mariko Shinobu's parents. Hikawa Shinobu is a rich and popular erotica writer, and his work is used by Aya and her group to bully Mariko at school; not to mention, his affair with an ex-actress is very well known, as well as the reason why Mariko hates men of all kinds. Hisako attempts to take care of Mariko as much as she can while ignoring her own troubles, but while Mariko loves her deeply, her forceful personality sometimes is too much to handle. In the manga, Hikawa never made proper apparitions; in the anime, however, he and his mistress show up in person.

The Sorority

[edit]
The Seiran Sorority is an amalgamation of a student government, an extracurricular club, and an elite society, and is a school tradition that is said to date back to at least the 1930s. Similar to western fraternities and sororities, prospective members seem to be nominated by those already in the Sorority, and undergo a pledge period in which they are interviewed for fitness. Family legacy, appropriate extracurricular activities, and attractive appearances are the main considerations for admission. The Sorority appears to have around forty or fifty members, though several of the senior members are given prominence and special nicknames. They are primarily referred to by these nicknames, though later in the series their surnames are revealed. Their given names were never shown.
"Lady Borgia" Ogiwara
Voiced by: Emi Shinohara
Borgia is a senior member of the Sorority, and is commonly seen wearing her hair in a chignon. Her position in the Sorority is never expressly stated. During the Petition Arc, she is presented as the most adamant member of the plot to discredit Fukiko, with intentions of taking over as President, herself. She holds a strong dislike of Fukiko and shows frustration with the other girl's staunch pride.
"Lady Mona Lisa" Komabayashi
Voiced by: Shinobu Adachi
Mona Lisa is a senior member of the Sorority, and resembles her namesake, possessing long black hair and an enigmatic expression. She is stated as being the Sorority's Vice-President and a good friend of Ogiwara. Reserved and mysterious, she is quite invested in the Sorority. She eventually goes along with the other members during the Petition Arc, though contests Borgia when she realizes their machinations have gone too far.
"Lady Medusa" Katsuragi
Voiced by: Kumiko Takizawa
Medusa is a senior member of the Sorority, and briefly serves as Vice-President after Mona Lisa's resignation. She has bushy brown hair. She appears to be Fukiko's only friend within the Sorority; the two are often seen conversing pleasantly, and during the Petition Arc she is the last member to remain on Fukiko's side.
"Lady Cattleya" Yamamoto
Voiced by: Satoko Yasunaga
Cattleya is a senior member of the Sorority, and has curly brown hair with side-swept bangs. Cattleya plays a role in the conspiracy to discredit Fukiko, though she pulls out when Borgia's schemes prove too ridiculous. She seems fairly kind, and willingly helps Nanako with the petition after resigning.
"Lady Vampanella" Hoshino
Voiced by: Miyuki Matsuoka
Vampanella is a senior Sorority member, and wears her dark hair in a ponytail with a bow. She appears close with Cattleya; the two both abandon Borgia to her schemes during the Petition Arc. She is seen to be a smoker outside of school.

Themes

[edit]

The show's themes revolve around suicide, incest, lesbianism, drug addiction, violence, divorce, and disease.[2] Rei Asaka has a deep love for Fukiko Ichinomiya which can be seen as incestuous due to later revelations about their actual relationship and early interactions with each other. Lesbianism is mentioned due to heavy overtones of female interaction at an all girls school, as well as Nanako's romantic feelings towards Rei, and Mariko's feelings towards Kaoru.

Media

[edit]

Manga

[edit]
  1. Sorority Member Senkou (ソロリティ・メンバー選考, Sorority Member Senkou) August 20, 1978[3]
  2. Saint Juste no Himitsu (サン・ジュストの秘密) September 20, 1978[3]
  3. Sayonara Kaoru no Kimi (さよなら薫の君) October 20, 1978[3]

Anime

[edit]
Main article: List of Dear Brother episodes

The series was dubbed and released in Italy, Spain, Arabia and France, though it was pulled after seven episodes in France, due to strong adult content. A Greek version is also known to have existed, with its broadcast halted between the commercial breaks in the third episode.[4] The anime series is available online to viewers in the United States through Viki.com, Hulu, and YouTube.[5] Anime Sols has successfully crowdfunded the entire the show for North American DVD.[6] Under the title Dear Brother, three DVD box sets were released between July 29, 2014, and April 7, 2015.[7][8] RetroCrush started streaming in United States and Canada from October, 2020 via streaming app and website under the title Dear Brother.[9] Discotek Media has re-licensed the series.[10]

Reception

[edit]

Lynzee Loveridge of Anime News Network noted that in the series "everyone's off their rockers and has beautiful clothes" and called the Seiran Academy's Sorority "relentless" and slighting anyone who is not "perfect".[11][12] Erica Friedman of Okazu described the series as "extraordinarily dark" and centered around one person: Ichinomiya Fukiko.[13] Carlos Ross of THEM Anime Reviews said that the series is not known in the United States, but the subject matter, the "cruel machinations of high-school age girls" is treated frankly in this "character-driven story". Ross did say that some newcomers to the series may not like the enka which "might be a bit slow and plaintive for Western ears", while saying the music is appropriate, and noted that the series has a "reputation...for having lesbian overtones", adding that the anime is a "classic".[14]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Dear Brother

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Dear Brother (Japanese: おにいさまへ…, Hepburn: Oniisama e...) is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by , serialized in Shueisha's magazine from March to May 1974 across three volumes. The story follows Nanako Misonō, a 16-year-old who enters the prestigious Seiran Academy, an elite institution for daughters of the wealthy and influential, where she becomes entangled in complex relationships, cliques, and personal struggles among her peers and the school's revered upperclassmen known as the "Magnificent Three." Ikeda, renowned for her historical drama , infuses the work with intense emotional narratives exploring themes of adolescent turmoil, unrequited affections, , and psychological strain within an all-girls environment. The was adapted into a 39-episode television series directed by , broadcast on NHK-BS2 from July 1991 to May 1992, featuring distinctive visual stylization and heightened dramatic tension characteristic of Dezaki's oeuvre. This adaptation expands on the source material's interpersonal conflicts, including elements of rivalry, substance abuse, and self-destructive behaviors among characters, cementing Dear Brother's reputation as a mature entry in shōjo storytelling that delves into the darker facets of youth and social hierarchy. Despite its brevity as a , the series has endured as a foundational influence in yuri-adjacent narratives, praised for its unflinching portrayal of emotional dependency and institutional pressures rather than romantic idealization.

Background and Development

Author Riyoko Ikeda

Riyoko Ikeda, born on December 18, 1947, in , , entered the industry in 1967 after studying philosophy and literature, debuting with short stories such as Bara Yashiki no Shojo. As the eldest sibling in her family, she demonstrated early traits of studiousness and composure, which informed her methodical approach to storytelling. Ikeda rose to prominence within the shoujo genre through historical narratives emphasizing female agency amid adversity, most notably with (Berusaiyu no Bara), serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Margaret from April 1972 to December 1973. This work, spanning 10 volumes and selling over 20 million copies worldwide, centered on Oscar François de Jarjayes, a raised as a son in pre-Revolutionary , who grapples with duty, identity, and class conflict through decisive actions rather than passive suffering. The series' success, driven by its blend of factual historical events and psychological depth in character motivations, established Ikeda's reputation for crafting protagonists who actively contend with rigid social structures. In Dear Brother (Oniisama e...), serialized in Margaret from March 1974 across three volumes, Ikeda shifted from historical epics to modern elite schooling, yet preserved her hallmark of resilient female leads enduring peer rivalries and institutional hierarchies without idealizing defeat. This evolution reflected her broader oeuvre's roots in post-World War II Japan's emphasis on personal fortitude amid reconstruction, where characters derive strength from rational confrontation of emotional and societal barriers rather than external validation. Serialized shortly after The Rose of Versailles, the work underscored Ikeda's versatility in shoujo manga, prioritizing causal dynamics of ambition and alliance over sentimentality.

Serialization and Initial Publication

Oniisama e..., known in English as Dear Brother, was serialized in Shueisha's bi-weekly magazine from its 12th issue on March 17, 1974, to the 39th issue on September 22, 1974. The magazine, aimed at girls primarily aged 10 to 17, provided a platform for stories appealing to adolescent female readers during a period of expanding readership in . The serialization spanned approximately six months, resulting in a total of 18 chapters collected into three volumes released by in 1975. These volumes represented the complete edition of the work, with no expansions or sequels in print at the time. Initial distribution was confined to the Japanese market, with print runs typical for mid-tier shōjo titles of the era, though exact figures remain undocumented in public records. Publication occurred exclusively in Japanese, limiting international access until unofficial fan translations appeared decades later; no official English edition was produced by or licensees during the or . The manga's format adhered to standard shōjo conventions, featuring black-and-white artwork and narrative installments suited to the magazine's bi-weekly schedule.

Cultural and Historical Context

Dear Brother was serialized in 1974, capturing the social dynamics of mid- amid the tail end of the postwar economic boom, where rapid industrialization coexisted with entrenched educational hierarchies and mounting youth pressures. Elite private academies, including those exclusively for girls, served as gateways to prestigious universities and social status, perpetuating class distinctions despite the 1947 educational reforms aimed at democratization through a standardized 6-3-3 . These institutions emphasized rigorous entrance exams and to group norms, reflecting broader societal demands for uniformity that prioritized over expression, often exacerbating stress among students from varying socioeconomic backgrounds. Post-World War II Japan saw persistent class divides, with private "feeder" schools dominating pathways to top universities like Tokyo University, where admission rates favored those from affluent families able to afford preparatory cram schools (). Girls' high schools, a holdover from prewar selective systems, prepared female students for limited higher education opportunities or traditional roles, amid a cultural insistence on and obedience that masked underlying tensions from . Personal agency in navigating these environments—through choices in peer associations and academic pursuit—determined outcomes more than structural excuses, as evidenced by the era's focus on meritocratic ideals even as family resources influenced access. The 1970s also marked emerging social fissures, including a rise in youth involvement with stimulants like , with arrests climbing toward 20,000 by 1980, signaling cracks in the conformist facade amid otherwise subdued rebellion following the protests. Divorce rates remained low at approximately 1.2 per 1,000 , underscoring stable but rigid family structures where individual decisions to conform or deviate carried heavy personal consequences rather than societal absolution. These elements provided a backdrop for exploring how personal moral failings and choices, under educational and social strains, led to interpersonal conflicts without invoking victimhood narratives.

Synopsis

Manga Plot Overview

(Oniisama e...), serialized from April 1974 to November 1975 in Ribon magazine, follows Nanako Misonoo, a 16-year-old freshman entering the elite all-girls Seiran Academy. As the daughter of a professor, Nanako idolizes her former tutor and mentor, Takehiko Henmi, addressing him as "Oniisama" (big brother) in letters that frame the narrative, recounting her experiences at the academy. Upon arrival, she befriends the energetic Tomoko Arikura and navigates the school's rigid social structure dominated by upperclassmen. Nanako's invitation to join the Sorority—an exclusive group of top-ranked students led by the charismatic yet manipulative president Fukiko Ichinomiya—thrusts her into a vortex of alliances and betrayals among the elite. The Sorority's internal dynamics expose Nanako to intense rivalries, romantic entanglements, and psychological pressures, including the tragic consequences of members' hidden struggles such as addiction and attempts. Through these events, Nanako forms bonds with figures like the poetic Rei Asaka while confronting the Sorority's toxic hierarchies and her own vulnerabilities. By her senior year at age 18, Nanako emerges with greater self-reliance, having weathered scandals that dismantle aspects of the Sorority's influence and prompting reflections on personal responsibility amid institutional privilege. The 's three volumes conclude her high school arc, emphasizing growth through adversity rather than external validation.

Anime Adaptation Summary

The Oniisama e... anime adaptation consists of 39 episodes that aired on NHK-BS2 from July 14, 1991, to May 31, 1992, directed by . The series follows the structure of Nanako Misonoo's first year at Seiran Academy, an elite all-girls institution, framing her experiences through epistolary narration in letters addressed to her older brother. This format underscores her outsider perspective amid the school's rigid social strata, where the Sorority—a powerful of upperclassmen—exerts influence over student elections, alliances, and conflicts. The plot progresses episodically, detailing Nanako's initial friendships, such as with the impulsive Mariko Shinobu, and her entanglement in Sorority dynamics led by the aloof Rei Asaka (Saint-Juste) and the manipulative Fukiko Ichinomiya. Episodes expand on interpersonal tensions, including , betrayals, and revelations of hidden family ties, while intensifying portrayals of psychological strain—evident in arcs involving , , and breakdowns—that heighten the source material's . These extensions allow for deeper exploration of character motivations and school rituals, such as the annual Sorority elections, without deviating from the manga's core sequence of events. The narrative arcs build to confrontations over and identity, resolving central rivalries and personal crises in a manner that emphasizes heterosexual pairings and institutional reintegration, contrasting with more open-ended subplots in the original work. This structure preserves the dramatic fidelity of Riyoko Ikeda's serialization while leveraging the medium's runtime for sustained emotional buildup and visual emphasis on expressive character designs and symbolic motifs like stained-glass imagery.

Key Differences Between Manga and Anime

The anime adaptation extends the manga's narrative across 39 episodes, compared to the original's three volumes serialized in 1974, incorporating expansions that delve deeper into secondary characters' psyches and backstories for enhanced emotional layering. This includes consistent appearances by Arikura, who forms a with Mariko Shinobu in the anime but remains more peripheral in the manga, and elaborated details on Miya-sama's unrequited feelings for a man alongside her bond with Rei Asaka. Such additions, including the introduction of Mariko's father, fill runtime while amplifying psychological realism through animated expressions and Dezaki's stylistic pauses, contrasting the manga's terser dialogue and panel constraints. Pacing differences arise from the anime's broadcast format, which introduces subplots and visual motifs—like recurring floral symbolizing fragility—to underscore internal conflicts, often omitted or implied in the manga's concise . Core events retain fidelity without major divergences, but the anime tones down certain ambiguities, such as Rei's death: depicted as a in the versus a train accident (suspected as ) in the adaptation, potentially for televised sensitivity. The conclusion marks the most substantive variance, with the resolving more optimistically and heteronormatively—explicitly framing "true love" as requiring a male partner via dialogue from Rei's phantom and Nanako's mother, absent in the manga's tragic finale—while adding scenes like Fukiko desecrating her sister's grave and Orihara adopting skirts post-marriage, diverging from the source's portrayal of sustained nonconformity. These alterations prioritize closure suitable for episodic airing over the manga's unresolved ambiguities, extending Nanako's arc to age 18.

Characters

Protagonist Nanako Misonoo and Family

Nanako Misonoo serves as the protagonist of Dear Brother, depicted as a 16-year-old at the Seiran Academy, characterized by her sweet and generous nature amid a middle-class upbringing. She navigates the challenges of her new environment by maintaining correspondence through letters addressed to Takehiko Henmi, her former tutor whom she affectionately calls "Oniisama" or "dear brother," establishing him as a symbolic older sibling figure for emotional support. This ritual originates from her plea to Henmi before entering high school, seeking a trusted confidant to share her experiences, which underscores her earnest desire for connection and normalcy outside institutional pressures. Nanako's family structure provides a foundation of resilience, marked by blended dynamics resulting from prior marital disruptions. Her mother remarried Professor Misonoo when Nanako was five years old, following abandonment by her biological father, while Professor Misonoo had divorced his first wife, introducing complexities in familial bonds. Takehiko Henmi emerges as Nanako's half-brother through her stepfather's previous marriage, a he withholds initially to shield her from familial discord, encountered earlier when he observed the household covertly. These ties, despite their intricacies, anchor Nanako's perspective, enabling her to exercise agency in discerning and distancing from toxic influences by drawing on personal integrity fostered at home. Her mother's poised demeanor, often portrayed in traditional attire, further exemplifies quiet strength within the household.

The Sorority Elite

The Sorority at Seiran Academy functions as an exclusive student organization comprising 15 members selected from approximately 150 students, wielding significant influence over school affairs akin to a . This enforces hierarchies through rituals and selections that prioritize social pedigree and , often excluding outsiders and fostering internal rivalries that escalate into psychological manipulations. Fukiko Ichinomiya, the Sorority's president and a third-year student from the affluent Ichinomiya family, dominates the group with calculated authority, using her position to orchestrate conflicts driven by personal jealousies and ambitions for control. Known as "Miya-sama," she manipulates members and candidates alike, such as expelling individuals over minor infractions like unauthorized gifts, to maintain exclusivity and suppress threats to her status. Her arc exposes failings including an obsessive pursuit of unrequited affection and a concealed identity tied to her origins, which fuel destructive power plays rather than external victimhood. Rei Asaka, dubbed "Saint-Juste" for her ethereal, androgynous demeanor and poetic inclinations, orbits the Sorority's core despite not holding formal membership, embodying obsessive loyalty that intensifies group dysfunction. Her relationship with Fukiko involves enabling abuse through unwavering devotion, leading to personal decline marked by substance dependency and emotional instability, which precipitate reckless actions and isolation. This dynamic highlights Rei's arc of self-sabotage, where ambition for connection devolves into enabling toxicity amid unchecked privilege. Kaoru Orihara, "Kaoru no Kimi," represents another pillar of the elite trio, contributing to the clique's athletic and representative facade while challenging overt cruelties, yet her involvement underscores the group's tolerance for hidden personal vulnerabilities like chronic health issues. Collectively, these figures propel narrative conflicts via exclusionary tactics and interpersonal obsessions, rooted in the Sorority's privileged insulation that amplifies individual flaws into systemic manipulations.

Supporting Figures and Antagonists

Takehiko Henmi functions as Nanako Misonoo's idealized mentor and emotional anchor, serving as her former tutor and ongoing to whom she addresses her letters detailing life at Seiran Academy. A graduate student at Gakuin University with ambitions to study abroad in , Henmi offers quiet, serious counsel that aids Nanako in processing the school's social pressures and personal dilemmas. His role extends causally into plot progression through the mid-story revelation of his status as Nanako's half-brother, the illegitimate son of her father, which reshapes family dynamics and motivates Nanako's reflections on identity and support networks. Mariko Shinobu emerges as a key supporting friend to Nanako, injecting moments of levity amid the academy's tensions while her impulsive behavior tests bonds of loyalty and friendship. As a , Mariko's outspoken nature and occasional dramatic outbursts provide , contrasting the sorority's intensity, and her evolving relationship with Nanako underscores themes of mutual reliance outside elite circles. Her actions, such as defending Nanako against peer scorn, propel minor conflicts that highlight the protagonist's growth in navigating non-hierarchical alliances. Fukiko Ichinomiya, dubbed Miya-sama, operates as a central whose calculated manipulations reveal hypocrisies in Seiran's institutional facade of prestige and decorum. As sorority president, her sadistic orchestration of rivalries and —stemming from a of familial abandonment—forces confrontations that dismantle facades of elitism and expose power abuses. These tactics, including engineering Rei's dependency and Nanako's isolation, drive cascading events like expulsions and breakdowns, causally advancing the narrative toward institutional reckonings. Rei Asaka, known as Saint-Juste of the Flowers, embodies antagonistic undertones through her unstable psychological state, marked by poetic fragility and substance dependency that precipitate volatile interventions in sorority affairs. Her opium-influenced reveries and emotional volatility, rooted in depicted trauma including a and lost romance with Henmi, manifest in self-destructive acts like public recitals that escalate conflicts and reveal underlying deteriorations. This instability causally links to broader plot escalations, such as alliances fracturing under her influence, portraying realistic consequences of untreated psychological distress without romanticization.

Themes and Motifs

Personal Growth and Moral Responsibility

Nanako Misonoo's arc illustrates a transition from ingenuous enthusiasm to resolute discernment, as she navigates the Sorority's intrigues at Seiran Academy following her enrollment in the mid-1970s. Initially drawn into the group's allure despite evident tensions, Nanako confronts manipulations by figures like Fukiko Ichinomiya, whose possessive control fosters division; this exposure compels her to question blind loyalty, culminating in her rejection of the Sorority's escapist pretensions by series end. Her development hinges on direct engagement with consequences, such as the fallout from alliances that prioritize sentiment over scrutiny, enabling her to affirm independent judgment rather than perpetual naivety. The story portrays and as pathways to self-inflicted ruin, unmitigated by environmental justifications. Rei Asaka's immersion in poetic reverie and substance indulgence, egged on by Fukiko's influence, precipitates her physical and emotional collapse, including a fatal overdose amid ignored health declines during the 1975 school events; this trajectory reveals choices as causal agents, where deference to domineering peers amplifies personal vulnerabilities without absolving agency. Analogous patterns afflict others succumbing to transient indulgences, underscoring that rational detachment from such cycles preserves , independent of situational excuses like familial legacies or institutional norms. In-story resolutions affirm ethical steadfastness as the mechanism for endurance, absent reliance on communal validation or remedial processes. Nanako's persistence in upholding candor—evident in her support for outcasts like Arikura against elite —yields alliances grounded in reciprocity, contrasting the isolation of those evading through or excess. This causal sequence, where choices dictate trajectories amid unrelenting adversities, privileges reckoning over buffers, as protagonists thrive via principled navigation of unyielding realities.

Family Dynamics and Social Hierarchy

In the narrative of Oniisama e..., family structures are depicted as fragile entities disrupted by and remarriage, leading to blended households marked by concealed tensions and unequal emotional bonds. Nanako Misonoo's household exemplifies this, as her father, a , had a prior marriage whose fallout remains obscured to preserve familial facade; Takehiko Henmi, the recipient of Nanako's letters and a stabilizing influence, is revealed as her step-brother from that union, a secret maintained to shield her from the "dirty laundry" of parental discord. Such arrangements underscore how fragments traditional lineages, fostering surrogate attachments like the platonic, advisory rapport between Nanako and Takehiko, which contrasts with the instability of biological ties strained by adult failings. The Seiran Academy's reinforces rigid hierarchies predicated on achievement and lineage, where the Sorority functions as an apex admitting only exemplary students, thereby incentivizing meritocratic striving over unearned inclusion. Outsiders, including initial inductees like Nanako lacking pedigrees, must navigate this stratified environment, where ascent demands conformance to established protocols rather than egalitarian appeals. This structure mirrors real institutional ladders, imposing discipline through emulation of superiors—such as the Sorority's upperclassmen —but exposing vulnerabilities when leaders exploit authority, engendering factional resentments that erode cohesion.
These dynamics highlight hierarchy's dual role: as a mechanism for order and excellence in competitive settings like Seiran, yet prone to abuse by those in elevated positions, prompting backlash from subordinates who perceive inequity not as spur to self-improvement but as systemic grievance. In familial parallels, unresolved hierarchies from blended unions similarly perpetuate quiet hierarchies of knowledge and affection, where withheld truths maintain parental control at the expense of full relational transparency.

Psychological Struggles and Consequences

In Oniisama e..., Rei Asaka's psychological decline manifests through drug addiction and recurrent , stemming from her decisions to isolate herself and entangle with manipulative figures like Fukiko Ichinomiya following familial rejections. Rei's substance dependency, depicted as overuse for sleep and escape, escalates after her mother's and a failed , where she prioritizes emotional fixation over seeking stable support networks. This leads to physical deterioration and a visible scar from an earlier attempt, underscoring the tangible consequences of evading personal accountability. Fukiko's orchestration of a double-suicide pact with Rei further highlights how coercive dependencies amplify internal turmoil, as Rei's compliance reflects choices rooted in unaddressed grief rather than inevitable fate. The narrative avoids romanticizing these behaviors, portraying Rei's overdose and institutionalization as direct repercussions of prolonged denial and poor relational judgments, with no resolution through substance indulgence. Other characters, such as Nanako Misonoo, experience acute anxiety and self-doubt from navigating elite hierarchies, but these yield growth via candid confrontations, contrasting Rei's path of withdrawal. Intense affective bonds among the adolescent female ensemble—marked by possessiveness and —are framed as typical developmental pressures in insular environments, not as disordered or exclusively romantic inclinations, with consequences arising from mishandled conflicts rather than the bonds themselves.

Production and Adaptations

Manga Production Details

Oniisama e..., written and illustrated by , was serialized in black-and-white format in Shueisha's weekly shōjo magazine from March 17, 1974, to September 22, 1976. The artwork employed Ikeda's characteristic detailed linework and expressive facial features, which effectively captured the psychological nuances and emotional depth central to the narrative, aligning with evolving shōjo of the era that emphasized character over action. Following its magazine run, the series was compiled into three volumes by , preserving the original serialized panels while allowing for a cohesive presentation of the story's arcs. Production occurred within the constraints of 1970s Japanese publishing, where shōjo titles faced editorial expectations to maintain accessibility for adolescent audiences despite explorations of like crises and interpersonal conflicts; Ikeda balanced these elements without explicit depictions, adhering to prevailing standards that prohibited overt violence or sexuality in youth-oriented media.

Anime Development and Release

The 1991 anime adaptation of Dear Brother was produced by and directed by , who incorporated his hallmark stylistic elements such as watercolor stills, freeze-frame sequences, and dramatic lighting to underscore the narrative's psychological depth and emotional turmoil. These techniques, refined in Dezaki's prior works like Rose of Versailles, adapted the manga's introspective tone for broadcast while expanding its scope to suit a serialized format. The series premiered on NHK-BS2 on July 14, 1991, and concluded on May 31, 1992, totaling 39 episodes that extended the original three-volume manga's storyline with additional character development and subplots to fill the television runtime. Principal voice roles included Kasahara as protagonist Nanako Misonoo, as Fukiko Ichinomiya, and as Rei Asaka, with the cast selected to convey the elite school's interpersonal tensions and individual vulnerabilities. Licensing for international distribution remained limited post-broadcast, with early and releases in , followed by sporadic efforts abroad; acquired North American rights in 2021, issuing a complete Blu-ray set on June 29 of that year to restore access amid prior scarcity. This edition preserved the original Japanese audio and subtitles, reflecting the series' niche appeal outside . The manga Oniisama e... has received official translations into French, Italian, and Polish, enabling its distribution in those markets, though no licensed English edition exists, leaving English readers reliant on unofficial scans or imports. The 1991 anime , however, obtained an official English-subtitled release on Blu-ray in 2021, comprising all 39 episodes in high definition for region A compatibility. Prior to this, fan-subbed versions circulated among enthusiasts, facilitating early Western access despite the absence of broadcast licensing. No sequels, original video animations (OVAs), or video games based on the series have been officially produced, limiting extensions beyond the original and formats. Merchandise remains sparse, primarily consisting of art books compiling Riyoko Ikeda's illustrations from Oniisama e... alongside her other works, available through secondary markets like auctions. As of 2025, no new official content has emerged, though fan discussions persist on platforms like , with threads in late 2024 analyzing the series' dramatic elements and adaptation differences. These conversations highlight ongoing interest in potential English localization amid the property's cult status.

Reception and Impact

Contemporary Reviews and Sales

The manga Oniisama e..., serialized in Weekly Margaret from issue 12 of 1974 to issue 39 of 1975, distinguished itself in the shoujo genre through its emphasis on psychological depth and moral conflicts rather than standard romantic escapism, earning reader appreciation for thematic maturity during its initial run. The short serialization period and compilation into three volumes by indicate modest commercial performance relative to longer-running shoujo hits of the era. The 1991 anime adaptation, spanning 39 episodes under director at , broadcast on NHK-BS2—a satellite channel with subscription access—from July 14, 1991, to May 31, 1992, limiting its reach to a specialized viewership compared to terrestrial networks. It garnered recognition for visually striking animation and unorthodox handling of heavy subjects like and , elements rare in period targeted at adolescent audiences, fostering an early dedicated following despite lacking widespread blockbuster appeal.

Critical Analyses and Interpretations

Scholars have praised Dear Brother for advancing psychological realism within shōjo manga, departing from the genre's earlier emphasis on idealized romance and fantasy toward depictions of trauma, identity crises, and interpersonal dysfunction rooted in individual character flaws such as pride, manipulation, and unresolved grief. Ikeda Riyoko's narrative, serialized in 1974, integrates these elements into the elite school setting, portraying characters' mental deteriorations—evident in themes of isolation, suicidal ideation, and obsessive attachments—as consequences of personal moral failings rather than external societal impositions alone. This approach, aligned with the Year 24 Group's broader innovations, allowed for nuanced explorations of adolescent turmoil, influencing subsequent shōjo works by grounding emotional intensity in causal chains of self-destructive behavior. Interpretations of the 's relational dynamics often center on the intense bonds between female characters, with some academics identifying yuri undertones through lesbian-coded relationships that challenge heteronormative expectations and evoke prewar "S-relationships" in girls' schools. However, these readings contrast with the story's empirical resolution, where the Nanako pursues heterosexual fulfillment, underscoring fan-driven projections that overlay modern identity frameworks onto Ikeda's era-specific portrayals of platonic devotion and rivalry. Critics like those in materialist feminist analyses argue the work resists compulsory heterosexuality via androgynous figures and tragic same-sex attachments, yet this perspective risks anachronistic imposition, as the text attributes relational breakdowns to causal personal agency—e.g., manipulative hierarchies and codependent idolization—rather than innate identities suppressed by . Academic discourse, frequently shaped by progressive lenses in manga studies, thus debates whether such elements pioneer subversive critique or merely dramatize universal human frailties without endorsing romanticized deviance. Skeptical takes highlight potential risks in the manga's portrayal of , particularly in dynamics like the obsessive loyalty between key figures, which may normalize toxic under the guise of profound emotional bonds, contributing to critiques of shōjo's occasional glorification of suffering over resolution. From a conservative viewpoint, the erosion of familial structures—stemming from parental , , and —serves as a cautionary lens, emphasizing how individual ethical lapses cascade into generational dysfunction, independent of broader ideological overlays. These interpretations prioritize causal realism in character arcs, where tragedies arise from unchecked vices like and , avoiding overlays of contemporary that could dilute the work's focus on moral accountability. While scholarly emphasis on gender nonconformity enriches analysis, it occasionally overlooks the narrative's stress on self-inflicted isolation, as evidenced in characters' failures to transcend personal hierarchies through genuine reform.

Fan Perspectives and Legacy Debates

Fans have lauded Oniisama e... for its profound emotional depth and nuanced character development, particularly in depicting the psychological toll of adolescent rivalries and personal traumas within an elite girls' school setting. Many appreciate the series' unflinching portrayal of , family dysfunction, and self-destructive behaviors, viewing Nanako Misonoo's arc as a realistic exploration of resilience amid toxicity. However, some critiques highlight pacing issues, with the narrative's deliberate buildup occasionally feeling protracted, and unresolved character toxicities leaving viewers frustrated by a lack of cathartic closure. The work's legacy endures through its influence on subsequent shoujo dramas, notably , where structural elements like hierarchical school sororities, complex interpersonal dynamics, and themes of idealized sibling-like bonds echo Oniisama e...'s framework. Fan debates often center on interpreting the intense female relationships—such as Nanako's admiration for Takehiko Henmi or bonds within the Sorority—as strictly platonic expressions of mentorship and loyalty, aligned with traditional shoujo conventions of non-romantic devotion, rather than inherently erotic yuri elements; evidence from the manga's serialization in magazine supports this, emphasizing dramatic friendships over explicit sexuality. In rewatches, enthusiasts reaffirm the series' appeal for its grounded realism in psychological struggles, contrasting it favorably against more fantastical narratives, though its obscurity limits broader discourse. Discussions on platforms like note its stylistic vintage charm and thematic maturity, sustaining a niche but dedicated following that values its departure from sanitized teen dramas.

References

  1. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Manga/DearBrother
  2. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=1149
  3. https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Brother-Complete-TV-Blu-ray/dp/B091N2XJMJ
  4. https://mechanicalanimereviews.com/2021/06/04/dear-brother-when-the-walls-fell/
  5. https://narcissusheiyan.wordpress.com/2016/07/28/review-oniisama-e-brother-dear-brother/
  6. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0407441/bio/
  7. https://marikoshinobu.tripod.com/authoreng.html
  8. https://www.ladyoscar.com/riyoko-ikeda
  9. https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2022/5/24/the-rose-of-versailles-manga-to-hold-its-50th-anniversary-exhibition-in-tokyo-this-fall
  10. https://about.netflix.com/news/the-rose-of-versailles-streams-april-30
  11. https://www.mangasplaining.com/blog/ep-87-the-rose-of-versailles-vol-1-by-riyoko-ikeda/
  12. https://oniisama-e.fandom.com/wiki/Oniisama_e..._Wiki
  13. https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/m165k2b/oniisama-e
  14. https://wenr.wes.org/2021/02/education-in-japan
  15. https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g00831/
  16. https://www.academia.edu/23376184/Feeding_the_Elite_The_Evolution_of_Elite_Pathways_from_Star_High_Schools_to_Elite_Universities
  17. https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/japanese-childhood/home/home-en/topics-2/selective-secondary-education-1900-1945/for-girls/
  18. https://academic.oup.com/ssjj/article/11/1/5/1642171
  19. https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/27/magazine/changing-face-of-japan.html
  20. https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/bulletin/bulletin_1989-01-01_1_page007.html
  21. https://jobsinjapan.com/living-in-japan-guide/when-conformity-in-japan-becomes-too-strong/
  22. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=5179
  23. https://www.anime-planet.com/manga/dear-brother
  24. https://ubcfumetti.magazineubcfumetti.com/onise/desc_en.htm
  25. https://myanimelist.net/anime/795/Oniisama_e
  26. https://myanimelist.net/anime/795/Oniisama_e/reviews
  27. http://blazingsplendor2.blogspot.com/2013/03/oniisama-e-final-thoughts.html
  28. https://aoisora.tripod.com/animeenglish.htm
  29. http://satirist.org/essays/utena/onii-sama-e.html
  30. https://www.tumblr.com/ladyloveandjustice/674740480410583040/the-ending-to-the-dear-brother-anime-is-weirdly
  31. https://myanimelist.net/character/3990/Nanako_Misonoo
  32. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/DearBrother
  33. https://aoisora.tripod.com/characters.htm
  34. https://oniisama-e.fandom.com/wiki/Nanako_Misonoo
  35. https://histhermann.wordpress.com/2025/03/25/a-retrospective-look-at-the-classic-1990s-yuri-anime-dear-brother-part-1/
  36. https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Oniisama_e.../Characters
  37. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/this-week-in-anime/2020-10-15/.165226
  38. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2013-11-08/anime-fashion-inspiration/dear-brother
  39. https://myanimelist.net/anime/795/Oniisama_e/characters
  40. https://myanimelist.net/character/3996/Takehiko_Henmi
  41. https://azureflame.info/2007/03/01/oniisama-e-taking-hard-yuri-angst-to-a-whole-new-level/
  42. https://oniisama-e.fandom.com/wiki/Rei_Asaka
  43. https://manga.fandom.com/wiki/Oniisama_e...
  44. https://thiswastv.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/review-oniisama-e-lost-and-alone-and-the-darkness-in-the-clock-tower/
  45. https://bateszi.me/2013/02/08/because-her-soul-is-enslaved-to-a-goddess-oniisama-e/
  46. https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/ol439h/rewatch_dear_brother_30th_anniversary_rewatch/
  47. https://www.cbr.com/dear-brother-yuri-anime-melodrama/
  48. https://oniisama-e.fandom.com/wiki/Fukiko_Ichinomiya
  49. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2012-10-30
  50. https://www.instagram.com/p/DHxupv4MRAC/?hl=en
  51. https://animasity.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/rose-colored-glasses-and-watercolor/
  52. https://japanese-voiceover.fandom.com/wiki/Dear_Brother_%281991%29
  53. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159901/
  54. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-03-08/discotek-licenses-dear-brother-sgt-frog-kashimashi-nyanbo-anime/.170404
  55. https://www.cbr.com/oniisama-e-where-watch-anime-read-manga/
  56. https://okazu.yuricon.com/2014/10/07/dear-brother-anime-box-set-1-english/
  57. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6LAjt2-lvk
  58. https://www.reddit.com/r/shoujo/comments/1hn34b9/thoughts_about_oniisama_e/
  59. https://tezukaosamu.net/jp/anime/148.html
  60. https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/39863/MicahG_2023.pdf?sequence=1
  61. https://ojs.unito.it/index.php/kervan/article/download/11457/9518/37986
  62. https://www.japanesestudies.org.uk/ejcjs/vol21/iss3/reis.html
  63. https://takamakiokerar.wordpress.com/2022/02/28/anime-review-231-dear-brother/
  64. https://joyousmenma93.livejournal.com/585203.html
  65. https://myanimelist.net/anime/795/Oniisama_e/reviews?filter_check=3
  66. https://www.tumblr.com/floatingcatacombs/670744675412590592/oniisama-e-and-the-role-of-girls-love-in
  67. https://www.cbr.com/underrated-90s-anime-fans-forgot/
  68. https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/rrmsng/oniisama_e_thursday_anime_discussion_thread/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.