[Matrim]

Spoiler:

It just seems like a cheap way to appease the fanboys.

Nah, if that was their goal they could have done it without any surprising gender choices - let's say by keeping Aaeru and Neviril imprisoned in a single cell, giving them ample time to really know each other, if you know what I mean. They could have also turned one of the Paraietta, ALti and Kaimu into a man, the other two into a lesbian couple for the fanboys. Plus, Strawberry Panic has already claimed this market niche (plotless yuri, I mean) for Studio DEEN, I doubt many people would buy the Simoun DVDs just because there are more yuri couples in the end, although you never know.