Yomigaeru Sora: Rescue Wings

Hah! Didn’t think I would be so quick to find and watch another anime that my favourite Mamiko Noto had a role in! It is only because of her that I decided to take a look at Yomiageru Sora: Rescue Wings. This show is mainly about first responders and especially those in the rescue unit. It is one of those shows that I would most likely never watch because you know, BORING! I don’t mean to cheapen and insult the efforts of those who endanger their lives to save others and I believe it is quite a brave and noble job. But if I were to solely use that as a reason to watch this kind of series, never in my lifetime. Until of course Mamiko Noto changed my mind. Yeah… Was I rescued in that sense?

Episode 1
Kazuhiro Uchida just moved into the Komatsu area. We see him move into his new apartment and unpack his stuff. He notices a neighbour girl staring at him. He tries to say hi but she cries and runs away! Damn, not sure if she has good training not to talk to strangers! We also see him exploring town and getting stuffs he needs for his new place. Some flashback revealing he was pretty sore about this transfer because he got assigned the helicopter instead of the jet fighter he wanted? Since he just set up his landline phone, he gets a message left by Megumi Hasegawa and later a call from his mom that he should’ve told her his new address and stuffs. After all, he is from the rescue team and he should know better in case of any emergency. Uchida then reports for his first day on the job at Komatsu Base. He is shown around and meet some of the other staffs. Then he meets Shuujirou Hongou. Uchida’s teacher was his classmate. However, Hongou knows he is all pretending and knows about his dream to get the jet fighter instead of the helicopter. If that is the case, this base doesn’t need half-hearted assholes and tells him to go home. Uchida admits that he once harboured that dream during training but is no longer picky. Hongou doesn’t believe and calls him mediocre. Uchida tells him off not to judge him but Hongou claims he knows better. Then he also meets Takashi Kosaka whom he knows before. It seems he too got transferred here a month ago. Back in his place, a minor earthquake rocks the place. But no biggies. Shortly a call from Hongou to be on standby because the epicentre was detected at the Hokuriku region, East Urima Island in particular. Uchida is not obliged to go to base since this is his off duty hours but he insists he will be there. After making his preparations, he peddles his way in the middle of the night. Soon after he leaves, Megumi calls but is left on voice message. She laments they keep missing each other and perhaps it’s time he gets a handphone.

Episode 2
A few others are also called to be on standby. Hongou has his wife drive to the base but since their daughter is almost in tears and doesn’t want to be ‘abandoned’, they have to bring her along. Hongou sees Uchida cycling so he flags him down to tell him not to exert himself too much. Also, get a better bike. Says the guy who has a wife to drive him in a Mini! So that isn’t bullying? It’s called teaching! A briefing is held at the base as some of the crew will be dispatched onsite. Because Uchida is a rookie and on the reserve, Hongou tells him not to get in the way. Yes sir. He will stay half put! So we see the rescue team go into full swing as they rescue survivors while the weather is still bad. Of course Uchida has to go and help too since they’re short of men. Because an old guy is having difficulties breathing and his medicine is back at his home, WTF Uchida puts himself in danger and goes all the way to the rubbles just to find it?! Is this insubordination? Well, dead dog he found first. Such luck he finds the medicine in the drawer. Ah, a kitten still alive. He also brings the kitty back and this brings much happiness to the owner. But shortly a little girl goes missing. It is believed that Sakura thought her pet dog is still alive after Uchida brought back the cat and might have gone home. Oh look, the heavy rain is causing more landslides now. Uchida runs off to go find her.

Episode 3
Coming with Uchida as Junzou Kuroki. At least this guy has got the details of Sakura’s household and the likes. Uchida manages to find her but she is pinned under the rubble and is in pain. Kuroki comes back with other men to come help her pull her out of the rubble. They manage to do so but must now head to a place where it is safe and clear for the helicopter piloted by Hongou to receive her. Uchida and Kuroki board the heli but it isn’t a pleasant sight as there are corpses on board. To make matters worse, Sakura is experiencing a crush syndrome. After being pinned down for so long, her cells are damaged and her organs are failing. They have to get her to the hospital quick or she will die. However with the complicated wind calculations and all, it seems the helicopter may not have enough fuel to make it back, hence they have to turn back now. But Uchida suggests to refuel if there is a naval ship around. Lucky for them, there is one so they refuel and get back in the air. Hongou as instructions to head directly to the hospital. Since the area is cut off from electricity, all the cars line up to light the path towards the hospital! Damn, so amazing. But everything is for naught as Sakura succumbs to her injuries. Uchida becomes depressed so Hongou gives him a pep talk about reality and their line of duty. Because he remains stubborn and thinks it is his fault and responsibility for making Sakura do so, Hongou tells him off if he is going to apologize every time this happens. Uchida remains adamant he will stay here to face Sakura’s parents. As you wish. As the parents grieve over their daughter, a man from the funeral parlour mistakes Uchida to be a family member and hands him his card. Uchida gets mad and beats him up! For that, he earns a night in prison. Next morning, he is freed. Still depressed, he calls Megumi and wants to hear her voice. Not the voice message. Yeah, I think I too agree it’s about time I hear her voice too!!! Wink, wink!

Episode 4
The holiday season is here and some crew members have taken leave. Uchida is supposed to have gone home but he is sulking in his apartment. What a better way to blow away those blues with Megumi coming to personally see him. Yeah, this is better than the voice message! Since she took leave to come see him, she wants him to show her around. He takes her to neighbouring Kanazawa instead because it is more happening than boring Komatsu. Over the course of their outing, because Megumi keeps getting interrupted by calls, Uchida then tells her off to just go work and not bother with their date. Because it makes him feel stupid! F*cker, why lash out at her in public! He also blames the handphone and it’s a reason why he doesn’t get one. Mad boy so mad until he sees girls seeking donations for the recent disaster. Change of heart. Suddenly he becomes a romanticist and kisses her?! She wonders if they make out, will he return to the old Uchida she knows. Only one way to find out. Meanwhile, have some snippets of their high school romance. Damn, Megumi looks like a dork! Back home, Uchida beats himself up as he claims he isn’t fit to be on the rescue team. She is proud that he is on a team that saves lives. Then some talk about The Catcher In The Rye book. It makes Megumi realize she didn’t know what happened during the rescue mission and that he must have seen something so traumatized. She feels bad and starts crying. Oh Uchida, is this your fault too? I guess sex that night was good. Assuming they did it. Enough motivation for Uchida to bring her around Komatsu on her last day off. Before she leaves, she gives him a handphone present. He doesn’t have to use it and can hold on to it. Like as though he is connected to her. Because he is her catcher. Don’t really get that connection with the book… Holiday season over, everyone is back on duty at base. Uchida is called out for making a false report on his break but is brushed off as a joke.

Episode 5
Uchida pilots a helicopter in a mock rescue drill. However he is hesitant and taking too long and the Hongou had to take over. Later as they analyse the results of the practice, despite Uchida admitting his shortcomings and needs more practice, he is told off that time is of essence in a rescue. Later, more shelling from Hongou about how he promised to put in more effort, etc, this means nothing to the people being rescued. Hongou believes he lacks something more important than just his lack of skills and inability to grasp the situation. It might be a bit early but Hongou thinks Uchida needs to undergo some medic training. Hence, Uchida joins a few guys to hike up some mountains. However Uchida passes out when he exerted too much energy. The training has some of its plans changed to make up for lost ground. Looks like another round of Uchida thinking he is slowing everyone down. Well, this time they don’t want it to be gloom and doom so everyone rests up and enjoy their beer. Next day, they continue their training but along the way they bump into an old couple. The wife injured her leg. Hence they have to go back some considerable distance so as the rescue helicopter can retrieve her as they are in the middle of the forest. With the weather getting back, Uchida thinks they should wait till the weather gets better. You asking the weather to reschedule?! But look who is piloting the helicopter? Yup, it’s Hongou. With one of the men giving guidance, watch and learn and be amazed at how awesome his piloting skill is. The rescue is a success and the weather must be a dick because right as they fly off, it clears up and it’s bright and sunny again. WTF… But Uchida realizes he really has a lot more to learn and won’t be giving up.

Episode 6
Uchida returns to his family who runs a liquor store. Meanwhile Hongou visits the wife of his late friend, Inoue. Seems he died in an accident 12 years ago. It is hinted that Hongou survived it and he still dreams the alternate reality if he died instead. More flashback reveals that after the accident, Hongou was taken off the fighters and put into the retraining department. He thought it was because of the accident although it was ruled that a bird got sucked into the engine and that was what caused the accident. Hongou threatened to quit the SDF if he is taken off but was made to rethink. More Uchida helicopter training. Too bad he still hesitates so Hongou has to take over again. Later Uchida learns about Hongou’s exceptional piloting skills and he is one of the top 3 best pilots in the nation. When he pilots the UH, it becomes a whole new aircraft. Later Kuroki tells Uchida about rumours that Hongou was a jet fighter pilot from Chitose before being kicked out due to an accident and got transferred here. Imagine all your hard work over the years gone in a flash. Kuroki jokes to come rescue him if there’s an accident but Uchida being sarcastic (he doesn’t look like it, though) thinks he’ll be better off by himself. Not sure why Uchida’s mom calls Megumi to ask if her son is talking about changing jobs or anything. Not that Megumi knows anything of! WTF?! Soon, Komatsu Base receives an emergency call to scramble as reports come in of aircrafts that have lost radar contact over the sea.

Episode 7
When reports said that it was faulty maintenance that caused the aircraft to crash, the maintenance chief hung himself! The search and rescue team continues their search efforts over the ocean. The storm hampers their visibility and relying on the equipment is impossible. How to use their own eyes to even see?! Then they find a wreckage part of the plane. And soon enough one of the pilots. He is dead. Suguhiko Serizawa’s corpse is taken on board the helicopter and brought back to base for his father to identify. A heart breaking moment when father notes the irony that his son’s heart has stopped but his watch is still moving. The search continues for the other missing pilot. This has Hongou remember his own accident. He was saved but Inoue found dead. Despite hospitalized, Hongou was adamant to go to Inoue’s funeral. Hongou then tells Uchida about the accident he had 12 years ago. A bird got sucked into the engine. Hongou believed he was only alive because he was sitting at the back seat. Inoue was in the front. He was only 25 at that time. Next morning, it is all bright and sunny. Rescue efforts resume. Finally they find the last pilot, Kotarou Kumada. He is still alive so they quickly reel him in. His wife can’t contain her emotion after hearing the good news. In the aftermath, the rescue unit celebrates. They receive news that Kumada will be wheel chaired for the rest of his life but he won’t give up and will be back somehow. Just not as a fighter pilot. So to celebrate life and looking to the future with optimism, the unit drink and be merry. Even Hongou and Uchida belting out a duet at the karaoke. Uchida even calling his family to say hi in the middle of the party. Got to appreciate the bright side of life, eh?

Episode 8
Satoshi Yoshioka looks like he is on the path to being a delinquent. After getting caught trying to shoplift and the authorities just let him off with a slap on the wrist, he ignores his father’s advice and skips school to run away from home. As Uchida and Hironori Suzuki are peddling up to Midoriyama to build stamina, they stumble into Satoru who has a flat tyre. Suzuki helps to fix it and they continue the journey up together. Suzuki has the duo take the cable car up while he cycles. Of course as you would’ve expected, something malfunctions halfway so the gondola has to be stopped. So aside Uchida and Satoru, others in this gondola include an old couple, a young family whose kid Kouta doesn’t seem to be happy with this outing and a ruffian with his girl. And yeah, a storm is coming. Apparently with the strong winds, rescue workers cannot find their balance and get close to the gondola and since one of the gondola’s grip is loose, moving it might cause the whole thing to drop! Suzuki sees the stopped cable car and calls Uchida. He is told what is happening and to go to the top to see what’s wrong. Man, if police cars and helicopter are coming, this is one real big sh*t. In the operation room, Suzuki tries to suggest waiting for the JSDF to despatch a rescue unit seeing it their suggested helicopter from the fire department is too weak to hoist the gondola and isn’t stable to hover under strong winds. However they scorn him for this weak idea. So they try it and almost failed. Hence Suzuki calls Uchida about this and since he has no further details, all he knows is that the rescue must be done quickly. The longer they wait, they risk the gondola falling. Uchida looks around for the emergency descent mechanism as he takes control of the situation. He is going to get everyone out safely but needs Satoru’s help.

Episode 9
Wow. This stuck gondola gets some news coverage. Even the police calls Satoru’s dad to say his son is stuck on board! Such service! Uchida checks the stuffs and since all is in order, the plan is to for one person to enter this bag whom he will lower down to the ground. Women and children first so Kouta and her mom get to go first. However Kouta throws a tantrum and wants to go with dad. Apparently this mom isn’t his biological mom as dad remarried. Satoru calms him down by giving him a toy. After the mother and son are lowered, next is the old lady. But right after she is done, a gondola’s grip loosens. This causes the entire descent mechanism to fall off. Luckily for them, the real rescue team is here and guess who is flying that helicopter? Yup, it’s your buddy Hongou! The plan now is to hook the gondola to the helicopter as this one has enough strength to carry and lower it to the ground. But because they have to cut the remaining grip, the passengers tie themselves to the pole and brace themselves for a little shake when it comes loose. In the end, everyone is safe. Suzuki and Uchida praise Satoru’s efforts. Oh, looks like his father is here. Time to do some reconciliation and mend this father-son relationship back to how it was before.

Episode 10
I guess Hongou notices Uchida not eating well (duh, this is food at the base, what do you expect?) so he invites him over to his home for the weekend for dinner. So Uchida meets his lovely family and enjoys the nice hot nabe. After that, Hongou talks about how nice it is to have a family to return to but with his line of work, he fears there is a possibility they may get caught in a disaster and he might hesitate to make a decision. Just like in that East Urima Island case. One wrong move and he might have everyone killed. Now we take a detour seeing Megumi and her publishing job. Apparently she learns the cruel truth that many books that are unsold will be scrapped and disposed. Sadly, keeping these stocks will cost them more money and even if she suggests doing promos or tie-ins, they have to start from scratch and cooperation from other bookstores in which none will go along. It’s just sad that these books will be destroyed without being read despite putting in a lot of effort to create them. Megumi spends the night making a list of second hand bookstores that they can sell too but her boss rejects this idea because it will tarnish their reputation as a publisher. And it is with great tragedy that Megumi has to witness these books being shredded. What a waste. Now onto some real drama. A group of mountain climbers are taking a rest in a cabin. And as you would expect, the weather is not going to get better. One of them, Shunsuke Takeda blames himself for being weak and pulling everyone down, causing a delay in their schedule. Since he promises he won’t be a hindrance anymore, they continue their hike. But now the weather has gotten worse and since Takeda is still tired, he got careless and slips down the slope. Although he is still alive, unfortunately he has got a broken leg. Time to go get rescue.

Episode 11
Hongou asks Uchida about the school he passed on his way to his house that day. If he were to make an emergency landing there, how would he approached it? As Uchida answers, Hongou counters with all the obstacles that would have hindered that. This begs the question how often does he observes the sky. Meanwhile Youji Kudou and Kengo Mochizuki has hiked far enough to get a decent signal to call the police for help. Their leader, Takayuki Tsunematsu has stayed behind with Takeda to be with him. He has made a makeshift snow cave to shelter them from the ever increasing bad weather. But at this point it may be hopeless as Takeda is seen growing weaker and going senile. Kudou and Mochizuki are supposed to wait at the cabin for the rescue but realize they are lost. They spot the police search helicopter but since visibility is so bad, the helicopter just flew by. All the family members of the climbing victims are gathered as they are briefed on the situation and all they can do is wait. And with the weather so bad now, the police has suspend their search operations. I guess this means time to call the real rescue experts. But time is of essence as right now tragedy strikes as Tsunematsu realizes Takeda is already dead. Not sure why we need this distraction in seeing Megumi trying to suggest ways to help do a better promo for their publication and that is to hire some currently popular illustrator to do their covers. Don’t break our stride now! Back to the drama rescue, the rescue unit has found Kudou and Mochizuki. They’re both dead from the freezing cold. Uchida’s sharp eyes spots Tsunematsu’s tent. As rescue tries to reach them, looks like the wind decides to be a dick as it blows harder. Hongou’s great piloting skills only saved them from crashing. At this point, it has become so bad that they received orders to suspend search. The helicopter flies off, leaving a devastated looking Tsunematsu behind.

Episode 12
The bodies of Kudou and Mochizuki are brought to the hospital where their grieving family members are waiting and the press ready to jump on the drama. It snowed the whole night long and as next morning arrives, it is still snowing. But the rescue effort must still continue. Finally they find Tsunematsu and Takeda. The former is still alive but the latter is already dead. He wants Takeda to be picked up first but rescue assures they will pick both of them up. The wind again becomes a dick. It gets stronger and knocks several rocks off as it hits the helicopter. Although Hongou still has it, he is injured and bleeding from the minor shock. He passes the control over to Uchida. Time for him to prove himself. Yeah, Hongou commenting how his control still sucks… In the aftermath, Uchida visits Hongou in hospital. Hongou says the father of Tsunematsu came to apologize as his son was the only survivor of the mountain incident. Worse, the TV blamed the bad judgment for this mishap so Hongou tells Uchida not to take it to heart because outsiders often judge and say anything they want. They don’t know how difficult it was to make judgment in such extreme conditions. With Tsunematsu feeling regret as the only survivor, Hongou then relates how he felt disappointed when he was transferred out from fighter jets to helicopters. He thought the sky gave up on him but soon realized he gave up on the sky. So when he accepted it and realized he only blamed others just because he came to dislike flying, the sky came back to life. Uchida doesn’t fully understand but intends to succeed 100%. Hongou has his doubts, though… Got to give him points for optimism. On his way back, Uchida meets Satoru who claims he wants to be a medic when he grows up. And some final good news that Megumi’s plan works as the illustrator decides to take up their offer. Back in business. She feels a sense of fulfilment of doing something herself. Though, she doesn’t understand Uchida’s message that his sky hasn’t come back to life yet but hopes he could explain the next time they meet.

Episode 13 (OVA)
We go back in time when Suzuki just joined the Komatsu side and is looking forward to work under Hiroshi Motomura as a medic. Soon, Motomura attends his daughter’s wedding and this has him think about things. Hence he talks to Hongou that he is considering retiring from the medic field because of his age. So another short flashback of Hongou’s accident 12 years ago and then his transfer to Komatsu as a helicopter pilot. Coincidentally at the same time, Motomura was also transferred there. So we see Motomura thinking more about his future like buying a family burial plot! Oh, he’s got an altar for his dead son? With Motomura’s resignation known by everyone, it seems Suzuki is a bit upset because he hoped he would train under him until he becomes an accomplished medic. Soon, a sortie because some child got sick on a ferry. No biggies on this one. The rescue mission was smooth and over in a jiffy. In the aftermath, Motomura did quit as a medic but is transferred to the general affairs department. He might no longer be in the field but at least he will be around doing admin work. Suzuki can at least be happy about this. Also, Motomura receives a thank you letter from that kid because his rescue effort saved his life. Motomura got a bit emotional since the kid shares the same name as his deceased son.

Rescue Rotor Rangers
Well… Uhm… I guess the series was pretty much okay with its fair share of drama and tension. It didn’t really have any sort of proper ending because you know, as long as we humans continue to live on this planet and do pretty much reckless things, disaster will be just moments away and these guys will always be there ready to respond at the first call. Though, there was an additional short episode that I thought I wanted to watch but couldn’t find it anywhere. I guess it wasn’t subbed or even ripped. Maybe it is because it was only 3 minutes long that nobody actually bothered. You see, there was another bonus spinoff that reimagined the main character as female. It could’ve been this series’ main protagonist as a female character had not majority of the production team vetoed against this idea and that’s why we got a male character instead as the lead guy. Hence that alternative version was just a short showcase concept of what could’ve been had the series went in that direction. There’s a live action version a couple of years later too but of course I didn’t watch that.

I have mixed feelings about the overall drama and story of the series. On one hand, I have to admit that I was not actually bored of the entire series because the tense rescue action were some of the bits that held my attention together. On the other hand, this series does not have anything else going for it. What I mean is that there is no drama or real tension between the characters we see here. Sure, Hongou and Uchida have their differences but that feels very minor. Unlike first responder series made in Hollywood that some ran for a few seasons, some of the character drama drives the plot and made the whole series interesting. However as we can see here, this one lacks of such and hence there was nothing really special if you solely look at this particular context. Just a bunch of guys from the rescue unit in Komatsu, responding and doing their best to save lives at the first call. That’s all there is to it.

Of course if you notice that there is a whole lot of realism in this anime and that is because this series took the effort and trouble to reach out to all the related first responder organizations for help to give it that realism look. Hence you do notice that there will be a lot of spamming of terminologies and jargons, especially code words used during the field during the emergency. They might sound like alien language to outsiders and those not in the field but I guess I have to thank the translation notes for explaining and enlightening some of them.

So real that perhaps the most interesting part of all the series is the rescue action. Even more so when there are deaths and failed rescue! Damn, I do sound like a bloodthirsty maniac but honestly, those intense moments are probably what made me glued to the screen for the episode. Just like in real life, not every life can be saved no matter how much effort you put in. So witnessing such tragic scenes was actually very heart-breaking in the end. A very subtle reminder that death can knock on anyone’s door indiscriminately. Especially for the case of that young girl, Sakura. You thought animes will never kill off cute little lolis! And surprise motherf*cker! She didn’t make it! Oh man, it was really sad. But that’s life. If this was enough to make viewers feel queasy and all, imagine how those rescue workers would feel as they have to do it all the time and the numbers of death they have seen, those that they tried to rescue and those of their own unit. So I suppose such moments were the closest it got to me, pulling some heartstrings. See, I’m not all that all heartless or emotionless too.

One of the biggest issues this series faced is its characters. The put it shortly, they are not memorable. As pointed out, there is no over the top drama between the characters and therefore it makes them unmemorable for the duration of the series. Whether or not the drama is between the colleagues or the characters have their own household problems and inner demons to deal with, those are mostly non-existent here. I think they don’t want to draw too much attention to such drama away from the rescue theme and because of that, the characters and their development (basically non-existent too) suffer. That’s why I noticed I see mostly montages of the characters doing training or scenes that don’t really matter. Like as though they just need to fill in some airtime. And they can’t insert those kind of dramas either because who knows how much more episodes it will drag out too. It might take seasons to resolve! Hence there are a few characters at Komatsu but they didn’t leave much impact so much so I don’t really remember their names or I just forgot who they are after a few episodes later. They don’t even have much back story either like Suzuki or Kuroki, so it doesn’t help make much of a difference and their characters feel forgettable.

So the most we’ve got is basically the hot and cold relationship between Hongou and Uchida. Basically the former giving the latter some tough love and reality check because if your heart is not 100% dedicated to this job, might as well not be here in the first place. It first started out as serious, in the sense that you wonder if these 2 will get along since Hongou is very reserve about Uchida’s skills. And as the series go by, the more you think about their pairing, the weirder it gets. Sure, Hongou invites Uchida to his place in what seemingly looks like he may have opened his heart to him. But then the same scathing remarks that Uchida is not a good pilot. And Uchida is like holding in his patience like as though Hongou is just some naggy old man. Sure, whatever . Ok, boomer! Yeah, it feels a lot like that! Hongou too has his own past especially that accident 12 years ago but it feels that was just to establish why he was transferred here and quickly brushed off. It’s like it didn’t really matter to the current story overall but they had to have something on him because plot progression! Sort of.

For some odd reason, I was thinking that some disaster would befall on Hongou’s family. Because otherwise why even need to seemingly introduce them? Hey there, such lovely wife and daughter you’ve got there. It would be a shame if some disaster befall on them! Holy sh*t! So it feels more like a red herring at this point. After all, if this actually happened, I think it would’ve ramped up even lots more drama and perhaps push Hongou’s character to the limit. It could’ve been much more interesting that way. But thankfully nothing of that sort happened. Hongou can continue to sleep peacefully every night. As for Uchida, it seems that this season is not enough for him to prove himself as an ace pilot. I don’t know, I read somewhere saying the last arc he proved himself but I thought he just got lucky. Not like they showed us his helicopter piloting skills. Sure, everybody got back safely but that’s about it.

Megumi has been a strange character at least in the context of her role for this series. In fact, her character can actually be done without. Especially after her visit to Uchida at his base, for the remainder of the season, it’s like whatever they show us she is doing in her publishing job is actually so unrelated. You wonder why they need to show this to us seeing that it is totally unconnected to the story proper. Just to fill in the airtime? The most probably answer maybe. In the end, I don’t really see what it has got to do with anything, she trying to help revive and bring some fresh ideas for her employer and the rescuing unit. It’s so jarring and irrelevant. Like as though they might want to use her for some future plot or something but since this series never got another season, her character really feels oddly out of place.

Speaking of Megumi, you would’ve already guessed that she is voiced by Mamiko Noto, the reason why I watched this series in the first place. However in view of everything, I guess I was being trolled or they mislabelled her character as a main character because she feels a lot like a side character. Yup, she doesn’t have many lines and her appearances are only scattered here and there throughout the season. Isn’t that why they show her unrelated job thingy? Okay. Whatever. Because I suppose any amount of hearing Mamiko Noto’s voice is better than none. And also perhaps the reasoning that any character voiced by Mamiko Noto is a main character no matter how big or small. I’ll agree and go with that interpretation! YEAH! MAMIKO NOTO BANZAI!!! VIVA MAMIKO NOTO 4EVA!!! On a trivial note, the unrelated factor can be reflected in my reason to watch this series: It’s for Mamiko Noto and not because I was interested in the plot. Hence Megumi’s character being reflected how irrelevant she is to the overall plot? Strange indeed…

The other seiyuus I recognized are Rikiya Koyama as Kuroki and the late Unshou Ishizuka as Hongou. The rest are Issei Miyazaki as Uchida (Yuusuke in Tenshi Ni Narumon), Kohei Kiyasu as Suzuki (Kaidoh in Prince Of Tennis) and Miyu Irino as Satoshi (Syaoran in Tsubasa Chronicle). There are lots of other casts here and some making only a few seconds of cameo but I guess I’m too lazy and the excuse is that they didn’t leave any memorable impact so I’m not going to list them :-\. The opening theme is Ashita Wo Tomenai De by Aki Misato. While it sounds rather okay but I’m not sure if its calming pace suits the series overall. Well, maybe no disaster is good news. Because I prefer a lot more the ending theme, Emblem: Na Mo Naki Eiyuu-tachi by JAM Project. This slow rock piece really fits the theme of this series and you’ll feel a sense of pride while hearing this heroic song. Also makes you just want to salute to those brave men and women on the frontlines! Our utmost respect to you unsung heroes!

Art and animation may look a lot bland and boring and that is only because it is trying to keep the realism. So now wide-eyed anime characters here whatsoever. Just your plain looking people. Man or woman. Realism. Because of that, many of the characters look the same and I think I am still having trouble trying to tell the rest apart! It is also probably the reason why I don’t remember those characters or their names. Yeah, they really all look almost the same. This series is animated by J.C. Staff and I thought it was by the same studio who did Toshokan Sensou because of the similarity of the visual art style and animation and the military theme (which was done by Production I.G).

Overall, this series isn’t actually bad. But it feels that it is stuck in that dilemma because it lacks a bigger plot or character drama to make it even more interesting. And because without that kind of Hollywood style drama written for entertainment purposes, this show can also be seen as boring. Also, the realism of the rescue unit and their daily job is just the tip of the iceberg and while it may give a good idea of what these first responders face, it is not entirely the whole picture. I believe this show isn’t here to recruit members into this type of occupation and just to create awareness. Because like Hongou said, you are better off not doing this job if you’re just going to be half-hearted. Maybe that’s why they never created a sequel. Like as though this series slid off the slopes of the bargain bin mountain, broke all its body parts, unable to move and died from the freezing cold AKA obscurity. And the rescue team AKA other producers didn’t pick up the corpse AKA series and left it there as guide AKA warning for future hikers AKA potential producers who think they can make this even better or even for a quick buck. Yikes… Now does anybody still want to save and revive this series to give it a second chance? Yup. Thought so. And I believe it is better this way for this series.

Boku No Hero Academia S5

The fight between good and evil is a long battle and not going to end any time soon. That is why Boku No Hero Academia has reached its fifth season and is still going strong as ever. You know the drill. Our young budding heroes have been honing their Quirks and superpowers tirelessly, making much improvements in hopes of making the world a safer place in the near future. But can anyone fill in the vacuum and void left behind by All Might? Who knows? How many more seasons will it take for superheroes to finally vanquish the evil? We’re not likely going to get our answers this season but we’re one step closer than last season. Like I said, it’s going to be a very long battle up ahead…

Episode 89
In case you forgot what happened last season, we hear Class 1A talking how cool Endeavour was after his fight to defeat Noumu. Before class begins, the alert sounds. It is a mock drill especially for Class 1A. The city has been attacked and there are victims. Hence the young heroes have to work together to rescue the situation. I guess this is a way to introduce the heroes and their Quirks. FOR GOD’S SAKES, IT IS ALREADY THE 5TH SEASON!!! DON’T TELL ME YOU CAN’T REMEMBER THEM?! Anyway, we see them do their best to rescue victims and put out the fire. Then they have to face off with villains played by Amajiki and Nejire. Damn, Amajiki’s demand is to want to go home because he doesn’t want to play this villain sh*t?! Epic… But he has to since Nejire won’t let him. Since Midoriya couldn’t finish him off just because he is his senior, he gets owned. The only one who could is of course Bakugou as he whoops his ass. Despite Class 1A passing this drill, Bakugou still isn’t happy. This isn’t over yet. He thinks Amajiki didn’t take his role seriously enough so he bombs the entire place!!! OMFG!!! Overkill! Yeah, Amajiki regretting he should’ve just gone home… We see Endeavour in hospital. He remembers after defeating Noumu, Dabi pops up to greet him. But since Endeavour was in no shape to continue, Hawks went to meet Dabi later.

Episode 90
Dabi wanted to recover the Noumu and was confident he could defeat the injured heroes. But with Mirko jumping into the scene, Dabi had to withdraw for now. And then we see Hawks talking to Dabi. THEY’RE IN COHORTS?! Hawks blaming Dabi for not telling him in advance this Noumu attack thingy. Hawks wants to join the League of Villains but he needs to maintain his hero image too. Because the more people trust him, the better info he’ll get. It’s a long term strategy. Before you cry Hawks as a traitor, another flashback reveals the higher ups put him up to this job of infiltrating the League of Villains. Because they realize they lack info, Hawks’ sharp eyes and ears will greatly help. Hence Hawks accepted this double agent role. Endeavour has been discharged from hospital but now he has a huge scar over this left face. He returns to his family and despite Fuyumi happy about this reunion, Natsuo still cannot forgive what he did to mom. He is in no mood to celebrate daddy’s return. Todoroki also agrees. Endeavour might be the greatest hero now but as a father he failed. Endeavour isn’t going to ask for forgiveness but he is going to try to atone for the things he did to protect their future. It’s the only path he has. Meanwhile a tired Midoriya dreams of seeing all the successors of One For All. However, he also watches some past unfolding before All For One and his brother. Basically they disagree on each other’s methods to change the world. All For One is seen transferring a power of one who hates it to another who doesn’t have any but yearns it. Brother only views this as him accumulating lackeys. But All For One claims his power can bring order and happiness to others. This isn’t merely for his own selfish gains. Subsequently when those people got powers started to act on their own and got killed, All For One was happy because he didn’t order anything and they just acted in the way they wanted. Just wanting something made everyone acted for him. Since his brother still disagrees, All For One will remake him to the way he wants. Midoriya is then confronted by the brother who tells him everything is going to be okay because he is not alone. Dream so powerful his window glass breaks!

Episode 91
Midoriya speaks to All Might about this. He is surprised to hear Midoriya spoke to the first One For All directly because that never happened to him before. All Might is still unsure about a lot of things but assures him that his power is his ally. But now it’s time to get to business because it’ll be a special training whereby Class 1A will take on Class 1B. Monoma bragging Class 1B will be better and showing off a survey they are more popular than them by 2 votes? Thanks Aizawa for shutting him up. Joining this training is Shinsou who has conveyed his wishes to transfer to the hero class. Both classes will be divided into groups of 4 and play a game in what I believe is capture the prisoner. The side who puts all their opponents in their cage or has the most members left at the end of the time wins. Shinsou will play twice, once on both sides to even things out. So our first match from Class 1A will see Tsuyu, Kaminari, Kirishima, Kouda and Shinsou. The plan is to stick together to intimidate the enemy with their numbers. Scouting shows that Shiozaki is also scouting the area with her vines. Before they could formulate their next move, Jurota Shishida barges in to launch a surprise attack. Shiozaki’s scouting was just a distraction and knowing Class 1A will do the same, their strategy is to go on the offensive and invade them first. Before beast boy could Hulk smash everything, he suddenly stops dead on his tracks. Because Shinsou uses his new gear to mimic the voice of Kosei Tsuburaba and brainwash Shishida.

Episode 92
Shinsou explains how his Quirk works but also its setbacks. Because its effectiveness is lost if it travel through other mediums like microphones, hence he developed this gear and voice imitator to offset that. So back to the battle, it ends with Tsuburaba being captured and thrown into prison, due to Shishida’s mighty strength, he manages to throw Kirishima and Kouda into his team’s cell. With Class 1B leading, Class 1A has to come up with a new strategy. Tsuyu using her mucus to cover Kaminari and Shinsou. This helps stem Shishida’s acute smell sense because he detects 3 clones of Tsuyu. Kaminari purposely lets himself get captured by Shiozaki so that when she focuses many of her vines on him, there will be lesser vines on the battlefield. Tsuyu and Shinsou can use this chance to get closer. This decoy works as Shinsou imitates the voice of Hiryuu Rin to brainwash Shiozaki. With her out of the picture, Shishida charges straight to where Shinsou is after deducing the actions of the other is mostly Tsuyu. Shinsou does his best to stave off Shishida who will not be fooled by his voice into being brainwashed. However he realizes too late that Shinsou isn’t imitating Rin’s voice because it is the real Rin who is being flung by Tsuyu towards him. They both knock each other out and they use Shiozaki to bring them all into the prison. With that, Class 1A wins the first game.

Episode 93
Some word of advice from the teachers to help improve their weaknesses for those who have participated. Now it’s the second match and Class 1A will have Yaoyorozu, Hagakure, Tokoyami and Aoyama. Class 1B has one who has a shadow based power to counter Tokoyami: Shihai Kuroiro. Basically he can merge and move around in shadows. He uses this to his advantage as he takes control of Tokoyami’s dark shadow to attack his own teammates. When Tokoyami recalls it, Kuroiro moves around the shadows, making it harder to pinpoint his location. Of course now we have a flashback on Tokoyami’s internship with Hawks. The first time he was left running around and couldn’t keep up with him. Hawks didn’t teach him much and they just talked. Obviously Tokoyami was frustrated. Then it’s more or less the same thing for the hero work studies. But this time Hawks telling him to improve what he already has and not to be confined to the ground. It is obvious to think that Kuroiro would be targeting Tokoyami as his rival. However he kidnaps Aoyama and brings him back to base. At this point he thinks not even Tokoyami could catch him. Wrong. Tokoyami has developed a new skill and using dark shadow as his wings to fly around. Once Aoyama is rescued and lighting up the place, Kuroiro’s plan has failed. But of course Class 1B has a backup plan. Kinoko Komori sprouting mushrooms everywhere?

Episode 94
All this is within Kendou’s sight of plan. Kinoko’s mushrooms growing everywhere even on their body is irking them to the max while Manga Fukidashi whose Quirk is to materialize comic book sound effects separates Yaoyorozu from the rest. By separating the brains, Kendou goes in to pressure her with her fists and won’t give her time to think. Of course a few flashback to show why Yaoyorozu excels in this as she materializes a huge cannon. She just needed some time to materialize something this big. But it isn’t at Kendou nor the wall that she intends to blast at but over it. It is a bag containing a few items as Tokoyami grabs it. It has heat sensor goggles as he seeks out his opponents as well as disinfectants to stop those annoying mushrooms. While Hagakure gives Fukidashi a beat down, Tokoyami and Dark Shadow get the better of Kinoko and Kuroiro. It looks like victory is theirs but Kinoko uses a slick move to let mushrooms grow inside Tokoyami’s throat! Hagakure’s beat down combo ends when Kendou grabs her. It took her some time to get here because Yaoyorozu has materialized too much things and knew she was going to pass out. Hence her final materialization was tough strings to tie Kendou together with her and the cannon. In the end, Class 1A is thrown into prison, giving Class 1B a flawless victory.

Episode 95
We take a break before the next match. All Might talks to Midoriya if he has problems using his Quirk. Well, his spontaneous activation might be giving him some problems but I’m going to be he’ll master that in no time. We also take a detour to see Endeavour catching a villain. After that, he gets worried his son never replies his messages. Maybe it’s because he is in class? So now we’re on to the third match that has Todoroki, Iida, Ojiro and Shouji. Tetsutetsu seems to be just breaking down everything and it might look like a dumb idea because it lets your enemies know your position. Todoroki uses his ice to freeze the whole area. Now it would be easy to ring them in as they’re stuck, right? Well, nope. If only Juzo Honenuki whose Quirk is to make anything he touches soft, didn’t touch the ground in the first place. He anticipated Todoroki’s attack and prepared this move. Now that Class 1A cannot get firm footing, Class 1B goes in for the offensive. Sen Kaibara keeping Ojiro at bay with his drilling Quirk, Pony Tsunotori using her horns to stop Shouji, Tetsutetsu giving all he’s got at Todoroki. Honenuki thinks Iida will be stuck for the rest of the match but sorry to disappoint. He has improved too and his engine can last longer than its usual limit. He bursts out from his entrapment and charges straight at Honenuki at full speed.

Episode 96
With Iida too fast, Honenuki knows he has no winning chance and abandons him to go support his teammates. Since Ojiro is having a hard time with Kaibara, Iida’s speed manages to save Ojiro’s skin and then throw Kaibara into the cell. Tetsutetsu is owning Todoroki. If this is an endurance match, the former will likely win. Cue for Todoroki to remember all that punishing training from dad to draw out the deadliest flames. Ojiro and Shouji have gotten Tsunotori in their grasp but Honenuki interferes. As Ojiro tries to keep a firm grasp over her, this is what she intends to because with her horns, she sends Ojiro flying straight into prison. A desperate fight between Todoroki-Iida and Honenuki-Tetsutetsu. All refusing to back down and become the reason of their team’s lost. Hence, causing all to get knocked out. With time running out, Tsunotori takes Todoroki and her unconscious teammates with her. She knows by putting Todoroki in prison will seal the win for the team but she cannot make it in time as she is also carrying her teammates. Hence, she flies higher out of Shouji’s reach until the time ends. With both sides having 1 opponent in prison, this third match ends in a draw. Todoroki and Iida recuperate in the infirmary. Iida blaming himself for being too slow but Todoroki notes himself as the slower one. After all, he remembers Iida doing all he can to save him. Tetsutetsu and Honenuki are impressed with their fighting style and hope to fight them again another day.

Episode 97
So, we’re expecting Bakugou to boss around Jirou, Satou and Sero? Well, looks like it. Just follow his lead! Class 1B expects this much too and that Bakugou is just a one-man show and everyone else following his orders. As Jirou uses her hearing to locate her enemy, it gets too noisy to pinpoint their whereabouts because Setsuna Tokage who can separate her body into many parts is knocking randomly here and there. Using the sticky glue of Kojiro Bondo and the sharp blades of Togaru Kamikiri, it sure looks like a winning strategy. But they are taken by surprise because Bakugou protects his teammates from harm. This selfish guy acted for others? Earlier on he promised them that he will protect them if they’re ever in danger. Likewise the same can be said if the situation is reversed. Like when how Awase tries to trap him, Satou comes to his rescue and breaks him out. Bakugou is going to show he is the strongest with a flawless victory. Class 1B tries to regroup while Class 1A aggressively goes after them. This teamwork allows them to take their opponents by surprise and throw them all in the slammer! Woah! Not even 5 minutes or halfway point of this episode and Bakugou’s side completely won this match! OMFG! I can see why Monoma is going crazy. This shocking win has Tokage and her mates in shock and despair. Though, Bakugou claims he hasn’t changed in character since his goal is the same. Now it’s for the final match. Shinsou discussing with his Class 1B side that Midoriya is a threat and that they’ll have to take him out first. On the other side, Ochako and Mina feeling defeated since their team doesn’t look like they have a winning formula. Don’t worry. Midoriya is up to the task. After seeing Bakugou’s explosive action, you bet he is more than fired up. He’ll be the bait.

Episode 98
Gran Torino calls All Might to let him know about what Nana said about those visions. “The time has not yet come”. As the last match gets underway, Midoriya tries to make himself the flashy bait. Monoma attacks him and is trying to play psychology with him. Midoriya knows it is a ruse to trick him into revealing his teammates’ whereabouts via anger. Meanwhile Ochako, Mina and Mineta are being assaulted by Reiko Yanagi, Yui Kodai and Nirengeki Shouda. When Monoma blames Bakugou for being captured by a villain and hence responsible for All Might’s retirement, Midoriya is about to snap but his Quirk manifests into something new and goes all out of control. He has a hard time trying to control it. Ochako tries to grab a hold of him but it’s not working. She calls out to Shinsou to help Midoriya control it with his brainwashing. Shinsou tells Midoriya to fight him and the Quirk diminishes. But Midoriya finds himself in a strange place. Before him is one of the past successors for One For All. This time Midoriya can see and hear him clearly as he lectures him to work harder to use this power. He goes on explaining about the core that all of them has and this One For All has been growing ever since. That new Quirk Midoriya manifested belonged to him. Also, his power in anger, it will react to that so he must learn to control it. It’s okay to be angry but don’t let it control you. Because now it is the time for One For All to be ripe. Midoriya will have 6 more Quirks manifesting in him and he needs to master them all. He will be the one who will complete One For All. Midoriya returns to reality but no time to rest as Monoma starts attacking. Soon everyone is here and it becomes a big messy brawl.

Episode 99
Monoma claims he has copied Midoriya’s power and is going to use it against him. Midoriya fears this because All Might warned, to the untrained, your body will be ripped apart. Ochako calls Monoma’s bluff and pins him down, allowing Midoriya to go after Shinsou. Midoriya now uses his newfound One For All against Shinsou but it didn’t last. He realizes the immense power needed to use this Quirk and can only use it when he has completely mastered One For All. Shinsou makes a run for it, knowing he cannot fight Midoriya head on and will try to change the battlefield to his favour. As Ochako takes Monoma to prison, the latter trying to get psychological with her about the number of Quirks he can copy, its duration and even the lingering effects once that copied Quirk is gone. Ochako stays cautious so as not to fall into his trap but still can’t help worry if what he said was true. As Midoriya inches closer to capture Shinsou, one of Monoma’s lingering Quirk effects directly hits him. It didn’t work as Midoriya bounces back to restrain Shinsou while Ochako supports her pals to take down the rest. In the end, Class 1B are all captured. Class 1A wins the overall. During the post mortem, Aizawa asks about Midoriya losing control. He admits he doesn’t know what that power was and it was overflowing he couldn’t held it back. Like as though a familiar power suddenly bared its fang against him. If not for Shinsou and Ochako, things might have gotten worse. As for Shinsou, he stopped Midoriya because he wanted to fight him fairly and let him see how much he improved. Everything else was just coincidental. But if he didn’t stop him from going berserk, his team would have still lost anyway. While Aizawa passes him, Shinsou realizes that he can’t be satisfied with a passing grade if he wants to be a great hero. Yup, more hard work, right?

Episode 100
Shinsou will be joining the hero course next year. But which class? They’ll decide on that later. Midoriya talks to All Might and Bakugou about the visions he saw. Bakugou thinks it could have something to do with All For One since this power originated from him. In order to know more about this power, Bakugou and Midoriya conduce a mock battle to try and bring out that power but nothing of that sort happened. Nothing even close. Midoriya thinks it must be connected to his feelings since he judged that power to be something he cannot use right now and thus locked away. Perhaps he needs to formulate an image of locking and unlocking. Aizawa has Monoma visit Eri. This is so that he could copy her Quirk and if he understands its workings, he can help teach her to use it. Unfortunately it is a blank. Although his Quirk copies others, he cannot copy whatever that needs to be accumulated to use that Quirk. Before Eri could feel bad that her Quirk gives everyone a hard time, Midoriya tells her otherwise. Her power was useful then and he hopes it could be his ally. This gives not only her the confidence but himself a big one too. Now it is time for Bakugou, Todoroki and those who failed the provisional licence to do a retake. You can tell that they pass because just half an hour getting that licence, it is time to show off that they’re ready to do hero work as they take down a group of villains riding the waves to steal people’s wallet! Despite holding back a lot, I guess this shows they have become stronger with their powers quite devastating even at this level. They return home as the rest of their pals congratulate them on their success.

Episode 101
9 days ago, something destroyed Deika City. An earthquake? Or is it the work of a mad villain? Reports say it was due to rioting but thanks to the city having less density, the casualties weren’t high. As for if this was the plot of villains, many people still feel hope for the heroes. Todoroki and Bakugou have an interview for their recent heroics just after getting their provisional licence. Because Bakugou is so crude and loud, they cut all his lines and we’re left with ‘weak’ ones from Todoroki. Bakugou must be fuming… Hence Mt Lady is here to give Class 1A a lesson on how to deal with the media. She has a mock interview with them. Mainly they are all motivated until it is Midoriya’s turn. Stiff as a rock. Is he harder than Kirishima? But when he starts talking about All Might, he can’t stop? He tries to demonstrate his new Quirk manages to eke a little out. He is very happy about it but for the rest, they’re just disappointed. Nezu makes an announcement to his staffs and it seems the committee wants to reinstate work studies. It’s like they’re saying they are short-handed despite the land is saturated with heroes. Even more so, they’re not letting the public know about this and they must have sniffed something dangerous out. Oh well, being in danger is all part of a hero’s job. But in the meantime, we see Class 1A celebrate Christmas. Then Eri visits. F*cking cute in her Santa outfit! Don’t you just want to hug her?! It is obvious that Eri has been a lot happier ever since taking Midoriya’s words to heart. Once the party is over, now they have to think about the hero agencies they want to go to. Todoroki invites Midoriya and Bakugou to come to his father’s agency if they have nowhere else in mind.

Episode 102
Hawks continue to play double agent as he contacts Dabi. Believing that Dabi sees worth in him, hence he is given another chance to take down another hero. It could be Jeanist who was staying at his place. Todoroki, Midoriya and Bakugou meet up with Endeavour. Honestly, he isn’t happy to be training other kids and thought it would just be his son. Great timing to see the #1 hero in action as some lunatic is trying to play God and save the world from darkness. Although he has his cohorts, Endeavour and the kids take down the rest. This is also thanks to Hawks swooping in. As they chat, it seems Hawks talks about a recent book that is popular among readers. He gives it to Endeavour to read and has highlighted some of the important parts. Of course there is more to it. Hawks is constantly being watched so he cannot say it directly and has gone this roundabout way to hint to Endeavour. All that is left is for him to notice what he was trying to say. That bewildered look on his face… It better be a miracle. The trio are taken to Endeavour’s agency and they see how busy the place is. 100 requests a day! So let’s get your busy work studies started! Meanwhile Endeavour is trying to decipher Hawks’ actions. His actions have been contradictory before. Now he is saying different things again. After skimming through the highlighted parts of the book, he suddenly realizes the secret code Hawks was trying to convey. It seems the enemy is the liberation army whose numbers are over a hundred thousand and they will rise up to action in 4 months.

Episode 103
Hawks is seen giving his report to the liberation army that consists of members from the League of Villains. He manages to eavesdrop on their action plan and sent that cryptic message to Endeavour. Endeavour also realizes that if the plan to stop them fails, their counterattack will be by the numbers. Hence he believes this is what this work studies is for. An insurance in the worst case scenario. With that, he takes on the trio directly under his wings. First, he has Midoriya explain about himself. Damn, so many words… I don’t even understand what he is trying to say! I think it’s about his insecurities of controlling his powers, no? Bakugou? Short and simple. Trying to find out what he can’t do. Todoroki? He is blunt enough to say that he is here to use him as a stepping stone to become the hero he admires: All Might. As a father, that statement might hurt. But oh well, if it’s training from the best hero in town they want, they got it. As Endeavour tells them the basic stuffs that a hero must cover, he shows them all how he covers them all simultaneously. He is faster than the rookies to capture an escaping criminal. Bakugou and Todoroki notice how Endeavour using some condensed explosion from his flames to propel much faster into action. Endeavour also shows them how such speed is important as it would mean the difference between life or death. Yup, saved a lady’s life from being run over by a truck. More Endeavour lecture and homework for them to practice doing multiple stuffs at once without thinking until it becomes automatic. He isn’t worry if they succeed or fail many times because it will not affect his work and performance. That motivate you enough?

Episode 104
Time to take a break from the manly gar Endeavour agency and go see what Ochako and Tsuyu are doing at Ryukyu’s agency. Nejire talks about the illegal drug called Trigger that helps boost Quirks. Meanwhile Selkie tries to stop a suspicious ship from leaving Japan. It could contain materials that make Trigger. One of the ship’s men uses Trigger to boost a large smokescreen over the area and give multiple fake targets. The ship goes into hiding and Selkie recognizes this area with maze-like islands. Hence assistance is needed. He calls Ryukyu for help and he is reunited with Tsuyu. First, he has all of them relax and play at the beach. I mean, no need to get tense about this, right? It is most likely the ship will use the darkness of the night to move. Until then, have fun. Once night falls, they move out. As expected, the ship also moves out and is quickly discovered. Another smokescreen attempt but this time Selkie manages to board it and take control of the bridge. However, what they thought was supposed to be the cargo trailer turned out to be an airplane. This is actually the baddie’s real mode of transport. Uhm, shouldn’t they have done it earlier instead of waiting for this moment? Because not even Ryukyu can catch up to it. All over? Not if Ochako is propelled into the plane on the harpoon. She manages to knock out the baddie and tries to take control of the plane? Uhm, can she fly it? I don’t know but shouldn’t she make the plane weightless? What do you mean it’s too heavy for that?! Is there a limit?! Ochako can’t abandon and crash it for fear of the materials contaminating the ocean. So with Nejire’s wave power to stabilize the stalling plane and Ryukyu gliding it safely over the sea, it is mission accomplished. Back to more beach fun. They’ve earned it. In the end, these people are just couriers and they have no idea what will be done with the materials. The buyer used a fake name so they have no more lead on that. But they do know it was headed to a country in Europe. Oh well. No matter. Not Japan’s problem for now, right? Yup, enjoy the momentary (beach fanservice) peace.

Episode 105
Our trainees continue to trail behind Endeavour in catching criminals or preventing disasters from happening. A call from Fuyumi as she heard Todoroki had some friends doing work studies at his agency so she hopes to invite them for dinner. Hence we have almost the first half of flashbacks we already know from last season. You know, the strain in Endeavour’s family. Also his talk with All Might on how to become strong. After another day of hard training, Endeavour brings them home. Midoriya being very modest and Bakugou of course not really impressed. Yeah, this guy is just waiting to explode from all the nice stuffs from Midoriya. Natsuo also joins them but you can really feel the tension between him and father. Fuyumi tries to help make the mood better but in the end, he can’t do this and leaves. Later Fuyumi asking Todoroki how he feels about dad and he still blames him for this scar although it was mom who put did it and of course ultimately blaming him entirely for what he did to her. Essentially, he is still unsure on his feelings for his old man. Bakugou can’t take any more of this sh*t so I guess he is back to being his crude motherf*cker. But Midoriya is gentler. It is fine if Todoroki still hates his dad and won’t forgive him. But he thinks he will because he is a kind person. So he is in a phase where he is waiting for that right moment. You bet everyone else heard that. So Endeavour thinks how he has the same dream of his family having fun and eating together at the same table. Well, it could’ve been complete had his other son, Toya not dead.

Episode 106
Fuyumi explains that Natsuo was quite close to Toya. He viewed his death as dad’s fault. Meanwhile a crazy villain named Ending has been released from prison. Looks like he is a ‘fanatic’ of Endeavour. He wants to be killed by that guy so the first thing he did is to kidnap Natsuo as he is about to rendezvous with his friends. As Endeavour drives his students home, suddenly they are being attacked by Ending. As he is holding Natsuo hostage, they cannot do much. Ending relishes being burnt by Endeavour’s flames but Endeavour cannot make any wrong moves as his son’s life is at stake. Hence he hesitates. With the young heroes springing into action, Ending is not pleased that they disrupted his plan so he throws more hostages into the fray. I guess this is to show off how much these young ones have learnt under Endeavour and in just a week, they have already mastered his lessons. So no casualties as the innocent people are saved and Ending caught. The end of him. It’s cue for Endeavour and Natsuo to reconcile. Father coming to terms and accept he ran away from responsibility and thus as good as killing Toya. Natsuo still trying to be tough and won’t forgive him since he isn’t as kind of Todoroki. Yeah? Why is he crying then? Endeavour doesn’t want his forgiveness but to atone. Bakugou tries to brag how awesome he is but with Endeavour thanking him for covering his mistakes, that just killed the mood.

Episode 107
The young heroes return to UA for the winter break. So while they are having a nice time, Aizawa and Mic are rushing to the special prison. They meet up with Tsukauchi and Gran Torino who talk how they’ve got it all wrong about Noumus. They thought they were just mindless puppets but apparently they were wrong. They also mention how they’re trying to interrogate Kurogiri but he doesn’t even budge. Based on their investigation, Kurogiri is very most likely be Oboro Shirakumo who was Aizawa and Mic’s classmate during their student days at UA. He died during work studies and his body might have been used as a Noumu vessel to become what we know as Kurogiri. Hence the plan is to make Kurogiri talk, assuming there is shreds of Shirakumo’s attachments within via Aizawa and Mic’s presence. Aizawa remembers Shirakumo as a lively guy and he suggested them forming their own agency. Aizawa uses his Quirk but Kurogiri remains himself, asking about Shigaraki since it is his duty to look after him. Despite a very emotional Aizawa talking about his days with Shirakumo, Kurogiri maintains he knows nothing of that person. Aizawa may have awakened something after all that emotionally charged ranting since Kurogiri’s brainwaves start to react abnormally. In that moment, Shirokumo’s face pops up. Before he disappears, hospital is the only word he says. Kurogiri then goes back to sleep. Gran Torino regrets having bring up something painful from their past but with this small progress, they hope to prevent any more victims. We see a mad Dr Robotnik doing some painful experiment on Shigaraki. He claims he is the All For One masterpiece he has sought since he maintains his ego and has infinite power at the same time.

Episode 108
A few months ago, Shigaraki and his pals go to find Gigantomachia. However the big guy deems them too weak and tried to crush them. Nothing they do could harm this former bodyguard of All For One. Only the voice of All For One manage to calm him down. They are then teleported to the secret lab of Dr Daruma Ujiko who is a close aid of All For One. In his lab, he is working to make high end Noumus. He is willing to devote himself to help them but needs them to prove themselves. We see Shigaraki’s flashback of being picked up by All For One. Despite only having fragments of his memories, he was given dismembered hands of his family that he accidentally killed with his Quirk. All For One will teach him where to direct all his hate. Shigaraki continues to feel all that hate in this world and since everything irritates him, he’ll destroy everything. Doctor is willing to serve them but they must attain a certain rank first before he gives them some power. Their first task is to make Gigantomachia submit. Only Dabi wants out since he believes he has a good way to gain an ally. For the next few months, the League of Villains keep fighting Gigantomachia. Except for Shigaraki, everyone takes turns to take a break during the rest. Shigaraki looks happy as he fights the big guy. Then they receive a call from Re-Destro who is the supreme leader of the Meta Liberation Army (MLA). Seems he has taken Giran as hostage and cut his fingers, scatter them everywhere to make him talk but his mouth is tightly sealed. Long story short, MLA wants to take down the League of Villains for their revival. They are to come to Deika City within an hour and in exchange they’ll set Giran free. The choice is theirs, either get crushed by heroes or the MLA. As the League of Villains ponder if Re-Destro is bluffing all the way, Shigaraki intends to head there and face the 110,000 men strong MLA. Of course he will use Gigantomachia to crush everyone there. After fighting that big guy, he knows his weakness. So he’ll let both sides fight it out and take down the big guy after he gets tired.

Episode 109
A brief narration how MLA came about. When the outbreak of Quirks first came about and all hell broke loose, a new ideology came about regarding the freedom to use Quirks was a natural right. Chikara Yotsubashi AKA Destro brought together people and formed MLA to destroy the present. But after a few years of struggling, the organization was defeated and dissolved. In prison, Destro wrote a book before committing suicide. He himself didn’t know he had a child. Re-Destro will once again revive MLA and take down the League of Villains. Shigaraki and co are at Deika City. They are taken to see Koku Hanabata AKA Trumpet but soon he has the entire MLA ambush them. 90% of residents of Deika City are part of the MLA. It becomes an all-out brawl for survival. But Toga is the main character in focus. Chitose Kizuki AKA Curious is trying to ‘interview’ her and lay bare the truth about her life. Hence we delve and see her twisted life. Seems she loves sucking blood from the things she loved. Even creepier is how she put on that big creepy smile on her face and freaked out others, including her parents. They lament why she couldn’t be a normal girl. But Toga has never viewed all of this as unfortunate since she loved doing the things she loves. Hence this is pretty much her normal life and she wants to become what she loves. After taking all those mini landmine blasts from Curious as well as the incessant onslaught from other MLA goons, she manages to use her blood reserve from Ochako, using her Quirk to float everyone and let them drop to their death. Tired or lost too much blood? Because Toga goes to hide in a shed to, uhm, die or rest? Twice finds her and becomes devastated what has become of her. However Tomoyasu Chikazoku AKA Skeptic is going to use his Quirk against Twice and convince him to join MLA.

Episode 110
Skeptic’s ability to clone others as Twice’s clones hold him down and the rest about to kill Toga. This makes Twice go crazy as he fears of splitting himself again. We delve a little bit more into Twice’s background. Basically a loser and a failure. He was always lonely and the best company needed was himself. He cloned himself and lived a small life of crime before we saw what happened to him that caused his trauma. Twice realizes he has always been running away because if he wanted to end this madness, he would’ve just killed himself. He overcomes his trauma as he clones himself infinite times. A big messy brawl! Yeah, making twisted jokes too. MLA vs Twice! Dabi is having a hard time fighting this Eskimo ice wielder, Geten. Twice comes to everyone’s aid. Shigaraki has the clones clear a path for him to the tower. Shigaraki vs Re-Destro as the latter talks about some mother making a wish for her bullied child to live freely in this world but only for her pleas to fall on deaf ears. And there’s something about meta ability and Quirks, blah, blah, blah. So Re-Destro just introducing himself as Destro’s descendent? The tower shatters. But our monsters are still up ready for another go.

Episode 111
Twice’s clones trying to clone Toga and save her with her own blood. Spinner trying to fight Trumpet but his voice as his Quirk, vitalizes other MLA soldiers to take him on. Trumpet continues to mock Spinner as one who cannot accomplish anything because of his shut-in background. While he admits that, he believes all of them are the same like him, putting them on the same level as him. Re-Destro’s Quirk is building up stress and unleashing it as a tremendous power. The more stress he stores up, the more powerful and bigger he becomes. When Re-Destro plucks off Shigaraki’s hands one by one, this makes his head hurt as he starts to remember his painful past. This allows him to evolve too as he could now decay anything without using all his fingers. Re-Destro is surprised and didn’t take into account that he would be training himself like this. He thought he was just inferior. So basically he underestimated the enemy, huh? WTF a big organization boss like him didn’t see this coming?! Skeptic then calls him to warn that Gigantomachia is here. He is barging through everything like a steamroller! Shigaraki claims he just wants to destroy everything so Re-Destro will kill him because if there is no creation, there will be no future. Now we delve into Shigaraki’s past. A time when he was known as Tenko Shimura. Let’s say his father, Kotaro was a dictator. Always abusing him because of that one little rule that must be obeyed: You do not talk about heroes in this household. The rest of the family could not do anything and just watch in fear. And Tenko had some sort of itchy illness. One day, Hana (older sister) tried to give him hope by showing a picture of grandma who is a hero. They hope they can be heroes in secret. Of course, Kotaro found out about it and more abuse. He claimed that is not grandma but a savage who abandoned her child. No family members helped. Looks like Kotaro had to relive some painful memories about his mom having to leave the family to fight baddies as a hero. In a letter she wrote, she regretted not being there for him and hoped he would be happy. Tenko’s stress reached its limit so his decaying Quirk activated. Poor dog became his first victim. The other family members saw this and became afraid. Unknowingly, Tenko panicked and accidentally killed them all. Lastly, there’s Kotaro. He was the only one whom he intentionally killed and he felt good. He believed it was what he always wanted.

Episode 112
Shigaraki thought of the irony that despite the city filled with heroes, no one came to his family’s aid. Perhaps it was punishment for killing his family. If only someone had extended his hand to him earlier. But as we all know, All For One did that. Well, technically he isn’t wrong lecturing about the bad parts of society as All For One coaches him to be his successor. Until Tenko started feeling the ease when he killed people, he felt like he will be forgiven no matter what he did. With that, he was given a name change. Tomura that means mourning and Shigaraki came from All For One’s surname. Now, Shigaraki continues to own Re-Destro even if he releases 100% or his stress. Heck, even with his giant mecha suit and 150% power, he still cannot best Shigaraki! Re-Destro then realizes his worries on him is because Shigaraki looked truly liberated from everything. All the MLA members rush to save Re-Destro. With Shigaraki unleashing the most powerful attack, Re-Destro lives only because he cut off his own legs to save himself from the rot. Re-Destro then sees a new light in Shigaraki. He admits his loss and is prepared to follow him for the rest of his life! MLA will become his subordinates! Gigantomachia watching all this and is moved to tears?! Shigaraki believes Re-Destro is the CEO of Detnerat and this means he has the money… In the aftermath, the destruction of Deika City was reported as so. An organized criminal organization lured heroes outside of the city and planned a terrorist attack here. But the residents stood up together and resisted them. The whole world now couldn’t stop talking about their heroism although it’s a spin story concocted by Skeptic. Re-Destro makes an announcement that MLA will merge with League of Villains to become Paranormal Liberation Front (PLA) and Shigaraki now the supreme commander. Shigaraki left out the villain name to leave it to a broader interpretation. His lieutenants will be his buddies from (ex)League of Villains as well as Re-Destro, Skeptic, Trumpet and Geten. Now that Shigaraki has made Gigantomachia submissive to him, Doctor will grant him the power he wishes.

Episode 113
Hawks has witnessed the forming of PLA. However he thinks he has not gotten the full picture of everything and believes there is a backer behind the scene. Shigaraki undergoes Doctor’s surgery to get even more power. He will use it to turn all that All Might has left behind into dust. Doctor warns him he will undergo hellish pain for 4 months but after that, he will have everything. Including the One For All power that never went All For One’s way. Now we return to our Class 1A students as we see them beat up discount Terminator robots from Skynet! WTF?! Judgment Day is laughable!!! WTF???!!! HUMANS ARE SCARY THEY SAY!!! Fall of the machines definitely! Anyway, in case you forget who Class 1A are, here’s another round of introduction but this time the mentor they had under their work studies. Meanwhile a short drama that doesn’t amount to anything much because Eri’s horn is starting to feel pain. All Might has tried his best to research about previous successors for One For All. Not much. So the gist of this Black Whip dude was the 5th successor who went by the name of Lariat. Wow. Bakugou pointing out how all these users died young… Though he doesn’t see any speciality in their Quirks, All Might agrees with him because a time when evil was at his peak, All For One crushed all the strong ones. Hence the successors of One For All weren’t really the chosen ones but rather were entrusted with that power. All Might wants to teach Midoriya the Quirk of his master. That is to float. Bakugou laughs his ass off he already knows how to do that with his own explosive Quirk. We see Class 1A having a great party as Aizawa and All Might talk about the latter feeling useless he can’t help his students who are greatly improving. Aizawa disagrees because just by being around is already spurring many people. Hawks is still doing his double spy undercover and believes Shigaraki has a backer in the hospital. Spring arrives and Class 1A students are surprised that they all get the same work studies theme. Expeditionary operation? And so we see a great number of heroes arriving at the city outskirts. They think it will be evacuating residents but little do they know it will be the greatest fight against PLA that will shake the superhuman society.

(Super)Heroic Age
Well, we already know the drill. That’s right. Another season coming up! After leaving us with such a tempting cliff-hanger in what will be a big and epic badass fight, surely the series cannot end right here, right? And that is why it is no surprise that there is going to be a sixth season. Heck, it would be a surprise if there wasn’t and since this series is so mainstream, it’ll just make many people stressed up and mad, right? Just kidding. I speculated that part. But that’s how I feel since this series is popular enough to get renewed for another season and already breached the 3 digit number of episodes. A feat that a big majority of anime titles out there could never achieve. So with this series already getting over 100 episodes and still going strong, I suppose that something right has been done.

Personally, I felt this season has the same sentiments like the last one. Not as great as I expected it would be but nevertheless still interesting to hold my interest. You see, from last season that started out with the interesting Hassaikai arc, it became a bore when they ended it with that boring detour with a small time criminal named Gentle Criminal. Hence my hopes for this season weren’t particularly high. Because it feels a lot like that this season is somewhat intermediary before the next. I mean, we see the UA students honing their skills and practising to get even much more stronger than before. Well, what is the name of this series again? I understand that we need to see how these heroes grow so that we can grow with them, giving us a reason to support them in the future. Hence the training and all might not be part of the real action of fighting real villains but remember, it’s a long road to become a truly respected hero and that’s why we’ve sit through 5 seasons of that (as well as some unplanned ambushes by the baddies) which will help validate our emotions and support for them in the future. By the way, I just noticed this. Already into 5 seasons and they are still in their first year! OMFG… How slow time passes here…

Hence the first half of this season is all about both classes of UA fighting a team battle. My guess is not only to give students of Class 1A some more screen time but so as not to make us forget those from Class 1B. Hey, they are also superheroes, right? So after 5 seasons, these, uhm, lesser screen time heroes if I should call them that, finally have their dues. Well, this arc has its hits and misses. The first 3 matches were okay as they were to flesh out how far these students have grown in their Quirks. Ironically, the most interesting match was the fourth one that involved Bakugou. It was fast and it was furious. Too bad it ended in a flash! Woah! Slow down! I wished it would last as long as the other matches but if that happened, it would’ve watered down Bakugou’s awesomeness and resolve. And of course finally Midoriya’s match isn’t just a rematch with Shinsou but to also initiate the start of the true potential of his One For All powers starting with that Black Whip one. Hence a new obstacle for him to control and conquer before the next ex-One For All user approves of him and lends him/her power.

The middle arc I feel is the most boring one. Dealing with the work studies, it is of course to showcase that our favourite heroes learn from the current number #1 hero in town. I suppose this is to help justify that they will make great decisions and pull off more awesome moves in their fight against future villains. I know this arc is important and just transitional but I just can’t help feel that it was just freaking boring! That was why I had fears that this part would be draggy and end up something similar like last season. And what’s this about trying to showcase us Endeavour’s family household problems? Oh yeah. Even the best hero still has his own issues to deal with and no superhero or superpower could solve it with the snap of a finger. Thankfully, they cut short this arc because like I said, I feared it would become a very boring end to this season if they were going to update us about the work studies of the other Class 1A students. Yeah, I thought showing Ochako and Tsuyu’s work studies was bad enough, oh boy and here I thought they might show the rest! Thankfully, didn’t. Yup, Ochako and Tsuyu important enough to have an episode for their work studies shown than you other Class 1A blokes! Yeah, they just got an honourable mention in the end so I guess it’s not that bad.

The final arc which is of course the most interesting arc this season! Yes, they even named it Boku No Villain Academy! Only, the academy isn’t a fixed institution where students go to learn and get their systematic education. For the past few seasons, the League of Villains has not been successful very much and was just barely hanging in there. Before we get bored with the usual same heroes and forget that there are 2 sides to a coin, hence the very much needed focus on the villains’ side. It was quite interesting as it fleshes out more on some of the members like Toga, Twice and of course Shigaraki the main guy himself. We have already seen snippets of why he became twisted and under the guidance of All For One but this arc now justifies and shows us how it all happened. It goes to show that these villains were once normal and ordinary people like many others are but were not so lucky nor there was somebody to save them in time. It would have been a different ball game had somebody did but then again, if they were saved, somebody else would’ve taken their place and become the villain. In fact, with this arc, I am now confused and in a dilemma with my own allegiance! Because I don’t know if I should support the young heroes or UA or these League of Villains! Oh no. Looks like my dark side is coming up and there is this danger of me supporting the latter! Am I starting to sympathize with the bad guys?! Oh dear. We’ll see when next season comes around. Especially with some new light shed on the Noumu, most likely it’ll turn upside down in everything that we have believed in so far.

I’m not going to delve too much into the characters as everything is still ongoing so there’s more room for development. With the ever expanding heroes, some will fall to the wayside and some will be more prominent than others. Yeah, you people still remember Shishikura? Togata and Eri feel like minor characters this season so too bad you lolicons wanting to see more Eri. And sorry folks, no Midoriya x Ochako romance this time too. Still a lot of hinting pointing in that direction but don’t get your hopes up. And with next season’s focus on the big fight with PLA, that’s going to be pushed back even more.

Also I want to note that with Re-Destro as this season’s final arc’s antagonist, once again I have this feeling that he is going to end up like the fates of Stain and Overhaul. In the sense that they started out great and threatening but in the end, they’re just reduced to nothing and became forgettable. While it is not technically over yet for Re-Destro, but after his loss to Shigaraki, it really feels weird that he has now become a self-proclaimed lackey for Shigaraki. And the way he obediently does what the new supreme commander of PLA tells him to, it was just weird. Sending vibes of what I said about the fates of Stain and Overhaul. Look what he has been reduced to. While those foot soldiers and blind hardcore faithful followers may be happy with this new merger, I have a feeling that those in the higher ranks aren’t going to be so pleased. I mean, they followed him and his cause, only for him to suddenly change character and become a submissive subordinate of an outsider. We’ll see how this merger will go and if there would be cracks and some convoluted betrayals, splinters and breakoffs, etc.

Man, I feel like a broken tape recorder now. But since I’m on the topic, just a kind reminder that we’re into the fifth season and the series continues to remind us the Quirks of the characters. In. Every. Episode. They. Pop. Up. For. The. First. Time. Annoying as it can get but if you still do not know that Midoriya’s Quirk is One For All, you should not be watching this series at all or go back to season 1 and watch everything all over again. But of course my theory is that they can’t stop that now because otherwise people will start questioning them why they drop this ‘trademark’ when they have been doing it consistently for all the series. I guess for the sake of that, we will all have to be patient and just ignore this annoyance. And yeah, this goes for the mid-intermission too. While biodata of new characters are okay, do we still need to see those from Class 1A? For the umpteenth time, we all know Midoriya loves katsudon AKA pork cutlet bowls, RIGHT?! What do you mean you don’t know?! Are you paying attention to this segment and reading those data???!!!

With the ever expanding cast and new seiyuus joining with each new season, I bet they’ll have to one day get a bigger studio to have them all do their voice acting. Just kidding of course. The only notable seiyuu joining this season is Tomokazu Sugita as Skeptic. Finally, this dude has a role here. Oh right, almost forgot Hiroki Yasumoto as that Black Whip guy. Other notable ones include Hiroaki Hirata as Re-Destro (Benny in Black Lagoon), Seiichirou Yamashita as Geten (Kosame in Appare-Ranman), Junji Majima as Trumpet (Kinji in Hidan No Aria) and Kensho Ono as Shirakumo (Diabal in Radiant). This season’s first opening theme, No. 1 by Dish sounds like your typical anime rock music. Pretty generic for this series at this point. However come the second opener, Merry Go Round by Man With A Mission is full cringe!!! OMFG! The opening lines sound like some football club cheering lines. I don’t know how to describe that but it feels like that. Wowow it’s all right/ Everything will be all right… WTF???!!! While the rest of the song is pretty normal, I can’t believe that opening line itself just made my hair stood on ends. The first ending theme, Ashiato by Peggies feels like another generic anime rock while the second one, Uso Ja Nai by Soushi Sakiyama is more of a slow rock. Not my liking but still beats the cringe that was the second opener.

Overall, the fifth season is still okay and feels transitional and a preparation for the next. Could have been as boring as the previous season if not for the final arc focusing on the villains that boosted my intrigue and now I have this dilemma of whether to go stick with PLM. Who knows? Maybe it’s a ploy for me to have such wavering feelings before the heroes come in and swoop me off my feet, making me fawn over time all over again like a little girl. Heh. Those damn sneaky heroes. Okay, okay. I’ll be an anti-hero then. Boku No Anti-hero Academia spinoff when? Not happening soon? Oh well, I guess I’ll wait for the sixth season then…

Condom Battler Gorou

HOLY F*CK SH*T! WHAT THE HECK IS THIS???!!! Just when I thought I have seen the worst and the most cringe of all animes, suddenly one pops up right in my face! More like it smacked me in the face and told me to watch this f*cking thing. Ah yes, who could imagine that this Condom Battler Gorou was actually some sort of educational stint to educate youngsters on the benefits in using condom to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STDs. Yes, I did not read that wrong nor was that title some sort of type whatsoever. Read that title, thrice! Sex education at its best, people!

Episode 1
Holy f*ck sh*t! Gorou finds some magical condom and when he rips it open, he becomes Condom Battler Gorou! Then there’s this villain, Condom Hunting Rambo who is going to have the ultimate endurance thingy so he can last 13 hours! But all that friction makes his condom rip! Never use 2 condoms at once! And because of that, Gorou wins! WTF just happened???!!!

Episode 2
Holy f*ck sh*t! Gorou and friends take some Condom Pro Licence Exam!!! Looks like they’re having it tough in this survival exam when this pretty boy f*cker, Condom Leo thinks he doesn’t need protection and even so, will only put it on at the very last second. Guess what? STD zombies!!! OMFG!!! He dead now! Gorou is safe because he had it on from the start! And because of that, Gorou wins! May the condom be with you! Lose yourself, not the rubber! OMFG, WTF???!!!

Episode 3
Holy f*ck sh*t! Gorou and friends are taking part in some condom tournament. His friend, Miku got defeated by Moisty Hattori. Yeah, this discount He-Man thinks his oily hands are his ultimate weapons! Then both sides throw and clash their condoms. But what’s this? Opponent suddenly starts to feel dry?! That’s because oil in lotion breaks down condoms so be sure to wash your hands before putting them on! And just like that, Gorou wins and avenges Miku! WHAT THAT F*CK???!!!

Episode 4
Holy f*ck shi*t! Gorou fighting the final boss, Condom Master! He is mad that Condom Master doesn’t use condom in such battles. Ultimately Gorou defeats him and learns Condom Master is his father! Yeah, he thought he was dead! Father reveals he did wear condom in every battle except for 1 battle 25 years ago. That’s because they decided to have Gorou! How sweet. Gorou has to escape before the whole place comes crashing down. Dad dead for good? So Gorou reflects everything and understands some stuff but will always continue to use a condom. What the… I don’t even…

Gotta Condom ‘Em All: Always Protecting You When Things Get Hard!
HOLY F*CKING SH*T!!! WHAT THE HECK DID I JUST WATCH?! OMFG!!! Oh damn. This was certainly… THE MOST EPIC ANIME I HAVE EVER SEEN IN RECENT TIMES!!! Oh my God! Now I am hoping that this should get more episodes or a proper TV series and sequels!!! And here I thought this was an old anime but damn, this ONA came out in 2020! Holy sh*t! No kidding! I guess the extended lockdown must have all the people bored and horny, huh? Oh man. I don’t know what to say about this. It was absolutely amazing! Imagine making something so low production but yet can be so effective and funny, this should be the anime of the season. No, the year! NO! ANIME OF THE DECADE!!! OH YEAH! What an absolute masterpiece if I should say!!!

Oh dear. I don’t know where to begin in describing how awesome this short is! Firstly, I can’t believe there were only 4 episodes that lasts about 56 seconds! Oh hell, at least better than that Ragnastrike Angels. Heh. Premature ejaculation lasts longer! Anyway, the short duration of the series is because each episode is just a ‘recap’ of certain episodes. Basically the ‘lucky’ episodes that got ‘recapped’ are 1, 19, 45 and 56. Holy sh*t. You mean there are 56 supposed episodes?! I want to see the whole thing! Despite the very short duration that lasts under a minute, it is freaking effective in telling what it is supposed to tell. So if you sexually active youngsters who don’t pay attention to your teacher’s sex education class, I’m sure this will get your attention. Or maybe everything is so funny that it is hard to take everything seriously. Yeah. Until people start learning to be responsible and use the condom, you bet Condom Battler Gorou will keep on fighting! Go Gorou!

Making it even more hilarious is the low quality visuals. Even if it’s looking very cartoony, damn it’s funny as hell! You won’t give a f*ck at how freaking low quality the visuals are when they keep spamming condom jokes in your face! Heck, it seems like they borrow almost everything from pop culture characters. Especially our main character Gorou who is definitely a rip-off from Pokemon’s Ash! OMFG! NOT going to catch ‘em all! Those STDs! HAHAHA!!! Instead of going into Pokemon battles, he fights with other Condom Battlers and instead of using Pokemon balls, they use condoms! Oh man, how epic is this going to even get?! Yup, sometimes those condoms battles look like they rip-off from Beyblade too! The best part is that he doesn’t seem to be doing anything for the most part. It is the fault of the baddies who do not know how to use the condom that ultimately led to their defeat! So people, be like Gorou. Always have your condom on! I’m want to be the very best/ Like no one else ever was/ To protect them is my real test/ To f*ck them with protection is my cause! Condom-mon! Gotta f*ck ‘em all! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

You got to love Gorou’s friends whose pompadour hair is so long it extends right off the screen. Yeah, he is the one who explains the effect of the condoms. He isn’t Brock but is he supposed to take after Yugioh’s Joey or something? Miku might be no Misty but she’s some rip-off Chun Li from Street Fighter fame, I think. And this Condom Master is a discount version of Darth Vader + Mortal Kombat’s Shao Kahn?! And was that discount Master Yoda I saw?! The condom force is sure strong! Oh f*ck! They rip almost every pop culture aspect here except ripping the condom! HAHAHA!!! Yeah, there are certainly lots of other funny puns and lines, making it utmost witty and the likes. I’m sure the condom lessons are just a gist and the tip of the iceberg. Because they didn’t tell us on how to deal with multiple Condom Battlers AKA sexual partners! I’m sure it must be in one of those other episodes…

Overall, this short actually made my day! I’m glad I stumbled upon this magnum condom opus. I absolutely love everything about it and if there was something that I would have to nit-pick and complain of its bad points, it would be it was too short and not enough episodes! Everything else is fantastic. You people might think this is crap and believe you have seen many that are way better. Well, sorry to break it to you but you have really sh*t taste then! Somebody should help promote and make the whole wide world watch this masterpiece! I can’t stop laughing even as I type this sentence!!! HAHAHA!!! This is going to take a while for me to get over. While it may not get me the desired results because, yeah, why does a single otaku with no girlfriend like me even have a condom, but I guess it also did its other side job to make me laugh like mad. And that itself is perfect. I’ll definitely laugh my way to sleep for nights to come! No more lonely nights thinking about this stroke of genius! Therefore I condone to this condom cum-dom! Absolute genius. May the condom be with you! HAHAHA!!!

Yami To Boushi To Hon No Tabibito

I have to admit that the only reason why I am watching Yami To Boushi To Hon No Tabibito is primarily Mamiko Noto herself. AAAARGGGH!!! It feels like an eternity that she has helmed a main character role and at this point, I’ll be lucky to even hear her making short cameo appearances. Sighs. That’s right. I’ll have to go back and find retro animes that features her. And one day I’ll have watched all the series that she stared in. Double sighs. I guess things are never meant to last forever. And what’s this series you ask anyway? Main character trying to look for her sister who went missing on her 16th birthday. Where to start? From book to book. Oh. Hardly interesting to me. I’m just here for Mamiko Noto if you don’t mind can I start hearing her lines now?

Episode 1: Hazuki
Hazuki Azuma is distressed her mute sister, Hatsumi has gone missing. Flashback to a week ago, when Hatsumi invited her to bath with her, I guess Hazuki wasn’t thrilled with this yuri bait and ran away to her room. Going back further, Hazuki suggested to hold a party for Hatsumi’s upcoming 16th birthday but was shocked when Hatsumi signalled goodbye. Snippets of memories like Hazuki saw Hatsumi kissing a man. Hazuki was so angry she accidentally cut Hatsumi’s hand with the letter opener. But Hatsumi didn’t get mad. More flashbacks to tell us how much Hazuki loves her sister because when a junior tried to give her a present, she threw it away. Another visit to Hatsumi’s room. Looking from her injured hand to those boobs and that cute sleeping face. Time to steal a kiss. Tempting. However something activated and Hatsumi disappeared in that glow. Did Hatsumi speak for the first time too?! Hazuki has been distraught ever since. She feared entering her room again for fear of something bad happening. Well, didn’t say she warned herself. Because the next time she did, WTF this fat little Tweety bird AKA Ken drops in to complain. Hazuki strangles him for answers and it looks like Hatsumi is no longer in this world. That is why Ken is looking for her and must be in another world. It seems the power to do that is called Souma and that letter opening has some traces of it. With that, Hazuki uses its power to follow Ken into the next world. This world that they arrive in, we see everyone on board a midnight train that is departing. Youko Sumeragi is a spy and is sent to support a man named Adam who is returning to his country with new decryption codes. She is to do nothing more. Also on board this train is Dadan Vartaniev and he is looking for a spy as intel tells him he is going to bomb this train. It could be Koutaro Nanbu as we see him set up a bomb in his suitcase. Ken arrives at the storage area but separated from Hazuki. He gets abused by Lilith who is looking for Hazuki. When Dadan stumbles into Nanbu, he is suspicious of this ‘salesman’ and checks him. Although he finds nothing, his nose can smell trouble and is adamant he is a spy. But Koutaro is saved by Kazuo Saiga who claims Koutaro is his butler. Let off the hook, Koutaro asks why he saved him and it seems Saiga is also a spy in his same organization and they should help each other. Dadan is unsatisfied with it all and will personally investigate this man. So he barges into Youko’s room and roughs her up?! She claims he is a diplomat but he strips her, revealing those boobs. He doesn’t know female diplomats cross-dress as a man. Sarcasm.

Episode 2: Youko
Dadan thinks Youko planted the bomb and if she doesn’t tell, he’ll let her body do the talking. That’s the problem with horny men. As he cuts off her bandages, he lets his guard down so she beats the crap out of him, ties him up and locks him in the closet. All while protecting her modesty! As Hazuki is sitting in the coach, she asks the titbits seller (Arya) if he knows anything about Hatsumi. She pays him and he hints she is in her heart! But Hazuki has the last laughs since she gave him a fake money! With Dadan’s men looking for their captain, Youko is forced to seek refuge and she has to do so in Saiga’s room. After letting her bath and dress up like a real sexy woman, he goes to pick Koutaro as he wants him to meet somebody. It seems Koutaro is Adam and Saiga thought they better know each other’s identity if they are going to see this mission a success. Suddenly a drunkard barges in and wants to drink. But he takes Youko hostage. He is in cohorts with the conductor as they demand the codes from Koutaro. Koutaro claims he has set a bomb on the train and if he dies, the bomb blows up with the codes. The conductor doesn’t believe and shoots and kills Saiga. The drunkard threatens to do the same with Youko. Horny bastard keeps fondling her boobs so she beats him up but his gun accidentally shoots Koutaro and the conductor. Oh dear. One hot babe standing and 4 dead men. Koutaro’s last words to Youko is to get the codes. F*ck. Didn’t say where!

We take a detour as we see some hot guy, Gargantua chiding his goblin goons about finding Eve who is the Souma source, in order to make their country better. He is going to send Seiren with them to get Eve. Back to the train drama, Youko is shocked that Saiga is still alive. Well, he is the biggest crook as she claims the conductor and drunkard are his men. It was a gamble to let Koutaro reveal stuffs. They fight but Saiga made the mistake of not checking when he pushes Youko out of the window. Yup, still hanging there. Saiga then confronts Hazuki as he knows Koutaro has passed her something. She doesn’t know but he threatens to rape her. WTF these men! With Youko returning, this distraction has Hazuki slice his gun with her sword and Youko kick him out for good. Good riddance. Hazuki reveals Koutaro gave her the codes which she hid in her sleeves. The bomb? Better start looking. Hazuki remembers seeing him coming out from the toilet. And he was brushing snow off his shoulders. Youko checks it is hidden outside the toilet’s roof. But the bomb is missing! Oh, it’s in Lilith’s hands. She was stumped with this and used frozen Ken to break it open! They drop the bomb off the bridge just in time. Both ladies part ways as Hazuki compliments her as a good woman. In her line of work, Youko isn’t sure if it’s a good thing. With no reason to stay in this world, Lilith pesters Hazuki to go to the next and find Eve.

Episode 3: Jill
Lilith complains about being put in charge of this huge library by Eve. Uhm, Hatsumi? She is also unsure how long this little Kogechibi has been in this place. Suddenly Hazuki appears out from a book and Lilith is thrilled she looks like Yamiyama. Yami who? The person who loved her. Lilith takes her to one of her hideout books. Nice beach paradise. Hazuki isn’t impressed and wants to go look for her sister. She doesn’t even care if Lilith dies if she leaves her. Trolling, huh? Yeah, more crocodile tears to do the trick and trick Hazuki to go to her next hideout. Since Lilith continues to obsess with Hazuki, Ken explains about Yamiyama who created this world (as well as Lilith’s hat), loved her and then abandoned her. When Hazuki describes Hatsumi, it seems Lilith points out that person is Eve. She hates Eve for putting her in charge of this library while she goes to play in other books. It seems Hatsumi is just one of the many forms that Eve temporarily takes when she enters the books. Hazuki is forced to accept Lilith to journey together since she has the power to enter books. And while they go on a journey to find Hatsumi, we take a detour to another story. We see a young Gargantua being mean as he kills birds. They should not sing for others but only him! So young and so asshole… However Hatsumi, uhm nope, Eve, wait nope, Jill revives it back to life. Gargantua and other kids live in this church’s orphanage. Not sure if Gargantua has some mental problems. WTF he is sucking Virgin Mary’s statue and gets surprised when Jill sees him. He injures himself but she heals it. Next day, Gargantua promises to stop killing birds if she teaches him that healing magic. No can do. Yeah, speaking in riddles why he can’t. This makes him mad and now he hates her? That night, he tries to kill Jill in her sleep! But he is just trolling because he breaks down and wants her to only love him. This moment is spotted by another kid, Ritsuko. Gargantua tries to kill her but Jill uses her body to protect her. Ritsuko is shocked by this incident and loses her memories. But 10 years down the road, Ritsuko is all grown up and taking over Jill’s role. She wonders where Jill and Gargantua had disappeared to and feels left behind.

Episode 4: Mariel
Ritsuko (WTF, she dressed as a slut?!) accepts a king’s plea to save the life of his princess, Mariel. Now that she is all healed up, Mariel grows close to Ritsuko whom she treats as a big sister. But soon Mariel has to be betrothed and the king needs her to choose her from the many princes. Mariel doesn’t like as she would prefer to marry the one she loves. She asks Ritsuko the same question and it seems her heart is still yearning for Gargantua and Jill. Woah! What do you mean 100 years have passed?! One day as they are in town, a fight breaks out. A handsome man saves them before they get involved. Ritsuko is shocked. This looks like the grownup version of Gargantua. True enough, before the king, Gargantua introduces himself as an alchemist. It gets complicated as Mariel also falls for him and grows closer to him. One day, Ritsuko confronts him alone and it is confirm that he is that same Gargantua. It seems they have been granted immortality from Jill. However Gargantua cannot remember Jill and he goes into pain if he remembers that murder incident. One night, Gargantua takes Mariel for their ‘betrothing’ ritual. Looks as shady as hell! He puts her in a trance but Ritsuko may be too late to stop him. He claims Mariel’s pureness of rejecting evil will further his plans to create the ultimate power of life. How does Ritsuko stop him? Just spam Jill’s name? Big headache he’s got. This saves Mariel although she falls ill again. The king is not happy but Ritsuko will only accept her punishment after she heals Mariel. After Mariel is healed, Ritsuko is thrown into prison. However Mariel realizes she has been tainted by the devil and doesn’t blame Ritsuko for it. Tragedy strikes as she takes her own life. Ritsuko falls into despair. We see Gargantua meeting Lilith who has accepted the soul as the sacrifice.

Episode 5: Quile
It has been hundreds of years so you bet Gargantua is complaining about his goons’ incompetence to find Eve. But Seiren notes that timing is of essence and that the goons have put it some effort so it’s not a bad thing. We return to Hazuki and Lilith as they are surrounded by cavemen! Before Hazuki can get violent, everyone bows down and worships Lilith because of her hat. As explained by Quile (she loves introducing herself, huh?), it is the eye on the hat that looks like their God. Hence they believe Lilith is God’s messenger and Hazuki her warrior. Lilith is worshipped like a God and doing cheap magic tricks to keep those cavemen awed. Yeah, that thumb one… With the cavemen keeping Lilith company, Quile accompanies Hazuki to look for Hatsumi. Safe to say, Quile takes a liking for Hazuki. But soon they are ushered back as the cavemen decide Quile will be a sacrifice to be eaten by Lilith. It is the highest honour of their tribe and through that, she will gain eternal life. After cleaning and preparing Quile for the ritual, the moment is here for the sacrifice. However Hazuki knocks the knife out of Quile’s hands. Lilith is not a messenger of God so there is no need to sacrifice your life. The place is then attacked by a monster sabertooth tiger. Uhm, this is God? Yeah, those creepy similar eyes. Hazuki fights and defeats it. The monster turns into a bat and flees? Prove it is not their God. With Hazuki’s victory, the cavemen now think Hazuki is their new God. She is now treated like one and they’ll sacrifice the old one for the new. Yeah, Lilith so looking forward to be ‘eaten’ by her! Noticing that Arya has been assimilating among the cavemen, the ladies realized they’ve been played again. And everybody has forgotten about Ken still tied up in the shed…

Episode 6: Milka
Our ladies arrive on an island as Ken is pinned down by a white tiger, Rascalas! I think he understands Lilith’s ‘warning’ about this fatty bird being 100% cholesterol! Rascalas belongs to this loli, Milka who lives alone on this island with Seiren. Suddenly for a short while, the ground and sky seem to rip apart before reverting to normal. This causes Milka a little pain and she calls it Periperi? Did Nando’s sponsor this episode?! As Seiren takes them back to the palace, because Milka doesn’t know about men, Ken trying to explain to her the obvious difference AKA boobs! Confused Milka thinks she is a man since she doesn’t have boobs! Oh dear. Why doesn’t Ken explain about the pussy???!!! Later, Seiren reveals that Milka cannot grow because of some magic. The previous caretaker was very strict on Milka and abused her. From what it looks like, when the abuse got too far, Rascalas killed her! Milka is fascinated about this lover and marriage thing so Lilith and Hazuki explain more about it, much to Seiren’s chagrin. It seems Seiren knows about Lilith but is stumped if she has forgotten. In order to get that creepy hat away, she hatches a plan for them to go bathe. A short Periperi occurs and this somehow traps Seiren’s dress. Either she strips and let pervy Ken have a free show, or she has to let Milka go bathe with Lilith alone. Well, nothing yuri happening… That night, Milka sleeps with Hazuki as the former laments there is no one to think about her all the time. Next day after Milka finishes some task, Seiren will reward her with anything. How about a man or a lover? Wow… Milka continues talking with Hazuki about where she comes from and of course, men and women. So what about Hazuki’s lover? Well, she’s looking for her and is sure she is beyond this sea. Suddenly another Periperi but this time Hazuki is surprised to see Kogechibi peeking through. With the sea split open, Milka tries to walk across but then things return to normal so she is going to drown. Hazuki dives in to save her.

Episode 7: Hatsumi
Tiger swims faster than human to save Milka. Back at the palace, Seiren is stumped that her magic is wearing off that almost caused her to drown. Lilith disagrees that it is magic that is preventing her growth but something about she is able to see things that adult can’t. Seiren blames Lilith for causing trouble wherever she goes, implying she knows her. Arya barges in to reveal that Seiren is a demon created by Lilith that she totally forgotten about. And Seiren’s plan is to control Milka to use her magic? Hazuki and Lilith soon leave the island but they leave their ship for Milka in case she wants to travel. Lilith returns to the library to fix Periperi and it seems this book has a huge rip across its pages. Meanwhile everyone has forgotten about Ken as he is still trapped in that cage on that island… But now we take a look at Hazuki’s life with Hatsumi before all this sh*t happened. They’re living quite a peaceful life. Hazuki admiring Hatsumi of course. One day on the train, Hazuki spots a guy trying to get Hatsumi’s contacts. The way she stepped in and gave those piercing looks. She’ll protect her onee-sama! Also, it seems Hazuki has been receiving a love letter from an anonymous admirer. Not that she actually cares as she continues fawning over Hatsumi. To a point where she starts to have sexual fantasies of her. Oh damn, is she masturbating to her?! Then it is hinted they’re not blood related. Aren’t they all, anime characters? More Hatsumi fawning and more love letters from anonymous admirer who starts to feel this one sided love affair will end up hurting her. One day Hatsumi is out, Hazuki goes to her room and smells her pillow and starts masturbating!!! Some narration about how because Hatsumi is always by her side, she feels a frail person like her can grow up into an adult. Her aura always enveloped her. With Hazuki’s delusions getting out of hand, she may be starting to regret it but Hatsumi continues to support her. Also, the anonymous admirer writes her last letter after realizing their love will never come true but will still always love her. As Hazuki continues her daily life with her sister, and would you know the ultimate twist? Hatsumi is of course that anonymous admirer! Why am I not surprised?

Episode 8: Fujihime
Hazuki saves this fox girl, Youko Meirin from a group of samurais. They realize they are no match for Hazuki and leave. It seems Meirin wants to get into the bamboo palace to get some powers but of course those samurais chased her away as they think she is a demon who is out to get their princess, Fujihime. Looks like Meirin isn’t the only one targeting Fujihime. Some masked baddie and his group of sexy ninja babes are going to make their too tonight. After passing through the bamboo forest, Hazuki reaches the bamboo palace. Upon seeing Fujihime, her resemblance to Hatsumi is so striking that she can’t contain her emotions and calls out to her. Of course the samurais go to protect her. Fujihime talks to her and unfortunately doesn’t know who she is. That comb. Belongs to Hatsumi, right? Sorry, it is something handed down to her for generations. Hazuki is devastated and was willing to even call her Eve. Fujihime doesn’t think she is a bad person and allows her to stay with her. Lilith bumps into Meirin and hopes to have her bring her to where Hazuki is. Of course Meirin’s plan is to use Lilith to help get into the bamboo palace. Fujihime tells Hazuki about the legend of the comb. Basically it is that Princess Kaguya legend and when she disappeared and returned to the moon, she left behind this comb. Her old adopted parents were sad and prayed to the comb that they might be close to her as possible. Then the field they lived in became mountains and forests. Meirin takes the long route because there will be fewer guards. She is hoping Lilith could take those guards out but looks like Lilith has no fighting capabilities, much to Meirin’s dismay. But don’t worry, those sexy ninja babes will do the job. Yeah, they take out all the samurais one by one. Meirin and Lilith just follow the trail. Damn, these guys need more training! And to think the head samurai put his trust in Hazuki because whoever Fujihime believes in, they’ll protect too. He hopes she will protect Fujihime. Ironically Hazuki asks back if that’s the case, why need so many samurais? As the ninja babes infiltrate the palace, damn those samurais don’t even see what hit them!

Episode 9: Meirin
Time to wake up and fight back! Yeah, Hazuki putting those samurais to shame. A single slash can take out multiple ninja babes! Meirin and Lilith are before Fujihime. She’s still asleep after all this ruckus?! For some reason they accidentally steal her comb and go into hiding. Masked baddie kidnaps Fujihime but Hazuki easily defeats him. No chance. I guess when Hazuki swings her sword to dispel the flames the baddie made, it means you’re f*cked! When Meirin and Lilith are busted, thankfully Hazuki gets the wrong idea they protected the comb. Yeah, they’ll go with that. So it is discovered that the comb contains powers and that’s why the baddies were after it. Arya interjects that as long as the comb is here, this place will continue to be attacked. Hence Fujihime gives the comb to Hazuki, believing she will find it useful somewhere else. When Meirin goes to take a drink, suddenly she is whisked away to Gargantua’s castle. Seems he thinks she has the comb that is supposedly belongs to Eve. With that, he will know Eve’s whereabouts. Sorry to break it to you, Meirin doesn’t have it. Gargantua beats up his goons for giving wrong info. Now we have another flashback to see Gargantua and Lilith’s relationship. After giving her that sacrifice, he wishes for the ultimate power of life. But she wants him to rest first (because she has an ulterior motive to sleep with him!). She tries to spike his food but he goes to bed first. Noticing he is murmuring Jill’s name, she peaks into his memories and sees Eve. Then she unseals this sealed memories he sealed himself and now he remembers that murder scene. Lilith explains about Eve who travels to different worlds/books as different personas. This has Gargantua want to look for Eve as she is the ultimate source of life and Souma. Lilith tries to make him give up since he can’t anywhere near her. So what about the sacrifice he paid? In exchange, she gives him an empty book in which he can create his own world. Lilith tries to ramp up her seduction but this guy has set his mind on only getting Eve. Lilith feels humiliated with this rejection. She’ll let him look for Eve but will never let him have her. She will also use him for all his worth before tossing him aside. Arya’s only advice is to think about others since he has to clean up her mess every time. Lilith angered that everyone treats her like an idiot.

Episode 10: Leila
Lilith drops by to visit Gargantua but he is not happy that Eve has not been found. Before he accuses her of anything, she wants him to reflect on himself. Something about mistreating his goons. So he forgives them and they capture Lilith. They tickle to interrogate her about Eve’s whereabouts but she isn’t telling. When they are going to strip her, the moment the goons touch her body, they get zapped. Lilith then escapes. Gargantua and his goons try to chase her but end up entering a different door and a new world. So, this Universal Gardens is floating in space? Tamamo No Mae wants them to chill with her but with the goons trying to find a way out, they fall through a different world when they open a door. Don’t worry, they’ll pop right back somehow. When the maid arrives, Gargantua notices how she looks a lot like Mariel. But now we go 100 years into the futuristic future. Leila and a bunch of kids are receiving their education via some robot about the legend of a girl named Lulau who sacrificed herself to save the ship. That night, Leila and Lamuro are alerted because an intruder has been detected in the airlock. Turns out to be Hazuki and Lilith. They are told how this ship is run and administered by an AI named Lala. Their mission is to find a planet so they can create a world of their own. As the kids are all born on this colony ship, they hope they can go outside and play like normal. The guests return to their quarters. Ken being cheeky trying to sleep between the girls but damn Lilith locks him up in a cage! Too bad Hazuki wants to sleep in the hallway so no yuri time. But soon they are called by Lala who takes them to tour the ship as she explains about the births on this ship, especially how 9 years ago all adults become immobile. The ship’s residential area is separated into many blocks and she has been looking after the children. Of course as the ship is aging, the components are wearing off and will soon malfunction. That is why they must find a planet soon. When Leila introduces the duo to her mom, they are shocked to see her a dried up corpse! Lala adds that she has been impersonating and playing the parental role for the past 9 years.

Episode 11: Tamamo No Mae
Lilith can tell all the adults are dead. However Lala doesn’t know. Well, she’s a machine and she doesn’t know what it means to be alive. Got a point there… Lilith then knows the direction of a planet where they can inhabit. Thank goodness, the ship just has enough energy for 1 more warp. Not sure why vines attacked Hazuki but she cuts them all in no time. Yeah, perhaps an excuse to cut the cage Ken is locked in. Phew. Almost got sliced there. Hazuki then talks to Leila who tells of Lulau who is her aspiration. But Hazuki knows Lulau died when she turned 16 years old. I guess we all know who this Lulau is, huh? When some device outside the ship malfunctions, Leila offers to fix it herself. Then something happened and her rope is cut. About to be drifted to space, Lamuro is here to bring her back. He wants them to get married on this planet. But the moment they get back, they start kissing. Can’t wait to go down on the planet to make out, huh?! As Lilith and Hazuki will be going to a new world, Lilith gives Leila some box that contains DNA of life forms for her to propagate. As the pods descend onto the planet, Lala makes her last announcement that she has completed her duties and hopes they will create a new world for themselves. Lilith wonders if Lala will be lonely but of course as a machine, life and death, a moment and eternity means nothing to her. Back at Universal Gardens, Tamamo says this maid is Mau although her previous name was Mariel. From what I see, her soul was turned into a frog so Tamamo picked her up and turned her into this form. Also, Mau has no recollections of her previous life. The goons try to flirt with Mau and this angers Gargantua. Yup, fall off into another world. Although Gargantua brushes them off as his servants, Tamamo believes they are part of him because you can’t create something that isn’t part of you. Just like Meirin who is actually part of Tamamo. She thinks he is pathetic to not acknowledge his weakness but Gargantua asserts he is born to rule this world! Hazuki and Lilith have arrive at Universal Gardens. What a coincidence now all parties meet in the same room. One of the goons want to marry Mau because she treated him nicely. Tamamo steals Lilith’s hat and suddenly the latter cries! Gargantua cautions those are just crocodile tears but she seems to be crying genuinely. And then somebody familiar walks in. Hatsumi, is it you?! No, it’s Jill! Nope. It’s Eve! Which?! Or all?!

Episode 12: Gargantua
Everyone is fighting over her. Tamamo is loading up her sake and enjoying this drama. As Eve apologizes for all this, she decides to return to her own world. Hence Tamamo gives Lilith’s hat and she returns to her true form. As Hazuki goes in search of her, Tamamo asks Gargantua why he is so desperate to have her. Seems he wants to become God and Jill is someone worthy to be his wife. So it’s not to make amends? Tamamo demonstrates how he knows nothing about love as she has Mau and his servant tell why they’re in love with each other. Because the way Gargantua is looking for Jill, they’ll always be hurting each other and that is not love. Love makes the pain stop! Are you sure?! Then why do people get pain in their heart thinking about their loved ones?! Anyway, Eve decides to make some changes to Gargantua’s story. He is brought back to his world and all. He sees Ritsuko in prison and realizes this was all his fault. He makes amends and now forgoes his goal to become God as he and Ritsuko happily live together. Wow. That was fast. At least one case solved. Next is Hazuki. She is seen running away with Hatsumi. Where to? But Hatsumi can’t be with her from now on. Despite putting on a barrier, a stubborn Hazuki tries to break through to get her. She even threatens to kill her than herself! Oh sh*! You mean Hazuki is going to strangle her?! Guess so. She couldn’t. So to settle this case, Hatsumi says they have always been able to speak to each other and no matter how far apart, they can hear each other voices in their hearts. That’s not figuratively speaking, right? Hence this isn’t goodbye and Hatsumi will one day see her again. As her child. Oh sh*t! Somebody gonna impregnate Hazuki first… Eve now returns to Lilith who is sick and tired of her sister running off by herself. Of course Eve promises not to do that again and will forever be together. Promise? Pinky promise. Now we have some shenanigans from Ken, getting chased by some salamander, causing some blooper to make the goons fall through another world. Time for Mau to look for them again. Tamamo feeling lonely everyone have fun. Then she smokes out Arya in hiding and wants to have fun with him. Is he the biggest loser?

Episode 13: Lilith
The sisters return to their library and since Lilith is not impressed she has been wandering and fooling around for tens of thousands of years, you bet Lilith has that right to boss her around and even smack her face! Meanwhile Hazuki is back in her own world as she reminisces all the other characters she met in other worlds. She felt the irony of herself meeting them but yet it feels like it wasn’t herself. This brings the question if Hatsumi only existed in her memories. Because whether she is here or not, it all feels the same. When Eve tries to peek into Hazuki’s book, she realizes she isn’t in here. It could be that she isn’t back yet. Time to do a little bit of tinkering. Hence we see what is almost an exact repeat of the first episode. From Hazuki spotting Hatsumi with a man, to planning her birthday party only to be given the sayonara sign, to accidentally hurting her. This time the different ‘ending’ in which when she enters Hatsumi’s room, she didn’t disappear. Instead… THEY MAKE OUT!!! OMFG… Best ending ever? Then… Not sure if it’s all a dream. Because Hazuki wakes up having no recollections of Hatsumi. Though, she has that tingling feeling that she might know somebody of that name. She lives out her normal high school life but also finds it strange that she somehow knows she will bear a daughter named Hatsumi in the future. With the tinkering done, I guess Eve wants to go on another trip! Lilith won’t allow her! But Eve suggests Lilith to come along and yeah, what a good idea. The travelling beautiful sisters, no? Finally we see a video recorded by Hatsumi for Hazuki. She hopes she will remember her face. Until the day she is born, their world will be sparkling beautifully.

Where In The Worlds Is Eve?
Uhm… Not really sure what to make out of that ending. Feels weird. Feels confusing. Hence I am thinking that they are living it somewhat open ended so as to leave it to your interpretation. The ending for Hazuki feels like a bittersweet ending because she has been travelling from worlds to worlds to find her sister but in the end she ends up losing her anyway. And to compensate for that loss, it’s like Hatsumi will become her future child. Uhm… WHAT?! Will that Hatsumi still be the same Hatsumi? Oh well, it’s up to us to figure out how it will play out. If you’re so interested in continuing this weird tale, that is.

Well, I have to admit that despite saying that I wasn’t interested in the story, some of the stories were interesting and intriguing enough. Since we are diving into different books, hence many of the other side stories we see serve as mere standalones and filler-like. Hazuki’s quest to find Hatsumi takes us to these different worlds in different books although I feel the more random worlds they go to later on, the more the intrigue has worn out. Therefore with the first story being a spy thriller, that was the most interesting one and by the time it reached that space travelling Space Odyssey thingy which was the most boring or at least the least interesting one. In a way, it keeps the series fresh with different stories but some of them feels weird and doesn’t really have some sort of a conclusion or at least the kind of closure that I was expecting because Hazuki and Lilith already left the world. For instance the Leila one, I didn’t really understand about the plants attacking threat. Perhaps the children got out in time before those creepy plants took over and killed everybody? Is that what the story meant? Anyway it doesn’t matter because Hatsumi isn’t here.

So while we are distracted with these various stories, the quest to look for Hatsumi feels like a funny one if you keep thinking of how this is freaking similar to that famous Nintendo game, Super Mario Bros. Uh huh. I mean, it’s like trying to find a needle in the haystack. The library itself has seemingly unlimited number of books. And since they’ve all the time in the world, let’s go book hopping one by one. So when Hatsumi is not found in that particular book, they move on to the next. How is this somewhat related to Super Mario Bros? Each time Mario completes the level and defeats Bowser in his castle, you’d think he has saved his Princess Peach already, right? Too bad it’s just that annoying Toad who then apologizes to him that his princess is not in this castle but another! Try again! HAHAHA!!! Trolled! Do you see what I am trying to say here?! Thus in this anime, it feels just like that although not very obvious to have some Toad-like character to tell them Hatsumi is not in this book but in some other book.

Dedicating one whole volume to sing praises of how awesome Mamiko Noto is will not be enough because I suppose other people won’t understand how much I love her voice. Anyway, I guess I am going to nit-pick that her character doesn’t make as much of an appearance as I hope she would. As you can already see how the episodic nature of this series. They go to different worlds and meet different characters. More than often, the story and characters are mostly focused on this world and hence Hazuki does not make much of an impact or appearance at first. For example, the first story on the spy train. Hazuki was sorely missing except for a few moments here and there before the finale. This means not enough lines for me to hear the awesomeness of Mamiko Noto! That sucks! I thought she was going to like speak more often than that! So it is just sad that with the other characters in other worlds to the fore, Hazuki’s character is mostly taken a back seat until only when it is time to move on or something that needs her intervention. Well, even though Mamiko Noto voices the main character, but remember, she is the main character of her book and this series but only a side character in other worlds and books. Sighs…

Surprisingly there are a handful of other recognizable seiyuus lending their talents here such as Ai Shimizu as Hatsumi and Eve and all her other similar counterparts, Shinichiro Miki as Gargantua, Kikuko Inoue as Ritsuko, Jun Fukuyama as Arya, Sayaka Ohara as Youko and Miyu Matsuki as Milka. The other casts include Sanae Kobayashi as Lilith (Lucy in Elfen Lied), Reiko Takagi as Ken (Kaolla in Love Hina), Kyoko Hikami as Tamamo/Meirin (Rabi-en-Rose in Di Gi Charat), Rie Kanda as Seiren (Al Azif in Demonbane) and Hiroko Kasahara as Mariel/Mau (Azalyn in The Irresponsible Captain Tylor). The opening theme is Hitomi No Naka No Meikyuu by Aiko Kayo and has this dramatic and enigmatic feel that fits the pacing of this show. The ending theme is Eien No Inori Wo Sasagete by Sanae Kobayashi plays to a slower and more calming tune. I like the violin accompaniment in the background. Though, for some odd reason, the chorus’ tune somehow reminds me of the old X-Men cartoon TV series. Seriously. It’s not exactly similar but close enough if you remember that iconic tune.

One reason I wasn’t so keen on watching this a long time ago was because I read there were yuri elements. Not that I’m against this genre but it’s not my main motivation to go watch a series. This is of course no surprise as the anime was adapted from an adult visual novel of the same name. However the yuri elements here are very negligible and you won’t notice it unless your mind is set to purposely look for it. At least I was trying to focus on the story and didn’t notice if there were obvious cheesy yuri moments.

There might be a few fanservice scenes but those too are very subtle and not too obvious. Perhaps that is why they made Lilith as some sort of cheeky and flirty girl because whenever a chance arises to get steamy with Hazuki or some other hot character, she’ll try to get lucky but often fails. Yuri not happening. Also I found out later that the adapted anime differs from the original game. That is, the characters and their relationship are the same but the anime follows a different story. After all, the game has the protagonist as a male character, so how can you have erotic elements when your lead character is female? I know yuri still works but straight sex sells more… But of course, the last episode ramps up the yuri factor, with that shot scene of Hazuki and Hatsumi making out just to remind us this was originally labelled as yuri. Are we satisfied now? I’m sure Hazuki will also remember that great hot fling with Hatsumi for years to come! HAHAHA!!!

Art and animation style are pretty retro since this anime came out way back in 2003. Almost 20 years ago. Really do feel old now. While the art style remains close to that of the game, I just want to point out that some characters especially the female ones have this derp face look. I mean, look at Hatsumi/Eve/Jill, Ritsuko and Lilith. Uhm… Derp face! High forehead area with their eyes, tiny nose and mouth close to each other. I don’t know, it makes them look weird. But I guess that is how the characters of this series looks. And only for the females because the guys like Gargantua and those spy dudes look pretty normal. This anime was done by Studio Deen who made the original versions of classic series like Fate/Stay Night, Fruits Basket and Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni before other studios took over and made better sequels or remakes.

Leaving the characters for last, there isn’t much to talk about them. Even for the main characters. Basically, Hazuki going on a journey to find her missing sister and Lilith tagging along too, doesn’t bring much to the table especially when they meet a few new characters in different worlds before departing. Hardly any time to flesh things out and even if we were told some sort of importance like who created the library and Lilith’s ex-lover, does it really matter or make a difference? As we have already seen how this series ended in such a way, it would give arise to more questions than anything else. But I fear to ask because it will bring forth more questions and thus a never ending loop that goes on for infinity.

I would like to think that stoic Hazuki would be learning and discovering more about herself as she searches for Hatsumi through the worlds but in the end, I don’t see anything that is different about her. So was it one big waste of time? I don’t know. I’m pretty confused right now. Same case for Lilith. She feels more like the cheeky pair among the travelling duo because if you have the same overlapping characters, that wouldn’t be fun, right? I suppose Gargantua is only inserted because it will soon be very boring if the series follows this formula as they follow about on Hazuki and Lilith’s journey. So they add this guy and his side story to the mix to be more interesting and hence a further 3 way tussle for Eve/Hatsumi/Jill. In the end, I believe his character learnt more about love than Hazuki or Lilith learning anything else from their journey. Even if Gargantua’s ending felt rushed and a bit cheesy. Like as though they need to get rid of his character before the finale.

It was never said why Eve travelled to different books/worlds but I may not be paying attention or I missed it. So I figure that she might want to have some fun, inserting herself as some sort of character, main or side, in different stories. The only catch is that she will ultimately meet her ‘demise’ when she reaches 16th birthday. Well, can’t blame her to have such an adventure because we ourselves too have imagined ourselves as heroes or protagonists or many other such characters in our own deluded fantasies. Am I right? At this rate, the entire library’s books will have something to do with her one way or another. No wonder Lilith seething mad because her sister having so much fun.

Then there is Arya who is one big bundle of mystery. He also serves as the series’ narrator in addition to just popping up randomly in different stories as different characters. My theory is that he is the guardian of the books like the sisters. Just that he guards from the inside while the sisters are to take care from the outside (the library as a whole, that is). Therefore for stories that seemingly end in an open ended way, Arya will just narrate to us in some riddles, basically asking us to use our imagination and go figure out ourselves. It’s all up to your interpretation. Some characters whom I thought would make a big impact but ended up disappointing include Seiren. Not sure why she was with Gargantua in the first place and then suddenly she’s on an island living with Milka. I don’t really see the connection so that’s why I’m confused. She gave me the impression that there might be more to her character later on but that’s just about it. Also the same for Tamamo because she feels more like some drunken deity wasting her time drinking in Universal Gardens, that’s all. Kogechibi? WTF this little cute blob for?! What’s her role anyway?! Perhaps if one wants to know more about these characters and the story, the game will flesh things out better compared to this baker’s dozen of animated episodes.

If I have to point out my favourite character, it would be Ken. Yup, this pet mascot that would’ve been equivalent to Disney’s sidekick animals is the funniest of the lot. Too bad I’m not sure what happened to him in the end. Didn’t appear in the final episode and last seen being in trouble in Universal Gardens. I believe Ken is solely written as a comic relief character as you can see the way he say his lines and acts, it’s like he is destined to make us laugh. Or cringe. The former for me, though. The way he gets abused and has a brush with death, it’s amazing this fat Tweety is still alive. Thank goodness. I wished this little blob of cholesterol had his own side story but alas I have to be thankful with all the minimal scenes he has appeared in.

Overall, the anime itself is pretty odd and since it is not your typical anything, it may take a special kind of mind or interest to appreciate and enjoy the kind of storytelling here. Otherwise, it just gives you this weird feeling at the end and you may wonder what the heck is going on. For me, oh well, you already know too well my intentions. That’s why I am not really bothered too much about the plot and characters. All I know is that I got to enjoy my favourite Mamiko Noto and that itself made this series enjoyable. Ah… Yeah… Perhaps I’ll do a Hazuki and explore retro anime series out there that she has major roles in and just dive in to watch without caring how bad or interesting that anime is. Don’t hold your breath and stay tune the next time I will spam in your face and bring to you the next great Mamiko Noto’s role of yesteryears!

Love Live! Superstar

Apparently I was mistaken in my previous blog about this Love Live! Superstar series. I thought it was going to be a clash between all the previous idols in the Love Live franchise but apparently it was not going to be a battle royale from the best of the best. This is actually another new group and franchise of the series. Yes, that’s right. Another new set of idols to grace of screens so that they can trap more fans and milk them dry by brainwashing them to buy their merchandise and attend their concerts. OOPS!!! I mean, the idol industry isn’t slowing down in Japan anytime soon and since this Love Live Franchise has been going on for years, how do you keep it fresh and going? That’s right. New group. New girls. Are we ready for them to reach superstar status?

Episode 1
Kanon Shibuya has always wanted to make others happy with her singing. Only 1 problem: She has stage fright. Whenever it comes to the real deal, she freezes up and even faints! The dream is so far away… So now we see her a bit moody, a bit rebellious and even wearing a headphone as she walks to school so she doesn’t have to hear others. But for a short period of time, she gets lost in her singing fantasy and this attracts a Chinese girl, Keke Tang. So infatuated with her great voice, she chases Kanon down! Kanon escapes from her but looks like destiny screws with her as Keke is in the same class with her! Oh, Keke wants to form an idol group? A weird recruitment drive as Keke keeps chasing Kanon. Keke continues to beg Kanon to join her idol group and of course you can tell from Kanon’s face, she isn’t so confident about that. This commotion catches the attention of Ren Hazuki who warns of doing something so frivolous. Uh oh. Is she one of those b*tches who looks down on idols like as though they are the pariah of the music industry? Kanon protests and argues back about that but has to keep her mouth shut when asked if she herself wants to be an idol. Kanon just tells Keke that she loves to sing but has no talent for that. You bet Keke isn’t convinced and tries to do more coaxing at her place. Kanon eventually revealing the big truth behind it. But she’ll help Keke find some other potential members. Later Kanon talks to her friend, Chisato Arashi about this. She learns that Ren is the daughter of the founder of this school. Yup, beware. There are a bunch of idol haters around… In school, Kanon tries to help recruit. Not going well. Even getting scolded by one of her own classmates, Sumire Heanna. WTF?! Did you need to be a b*tch?! She just asked you if you wanted to join?! And of course they have to stay away from Ren’s radar. At the end of the day, no new recruits. Keke still thinks she wants Kanon to join. Kanon still refuses. Did she forget what she told you? Argument. Accidental dropping of pamphlets. Oh. Drama. Please try. Because Keke will continue to bug you. Still stubborn, huh? But it’s time for plot convenience to weave its magic because suddenly Kanon has a change of heart. What’s this freedom she yearns when she sings? And just like that she turns back to Keke and tells her she loves to sing. Ah yes, the cue for Kanon to belt out her own idol piece. Great, right? Noticing that this has attracted many bystanders who are so enthralled by her singing, I guess this is the little push she needs to make her rethink she can do this idol stuff. Yeah! She can sing without fear now! Believe it, hallelujah!

Episode 2
You bet Kanon is all over the moon for overcoming her phobia. Well, out of the frying pan and into the fire. Because bad news. Keke tried to apply to establish an idol club but Ren rejected it. They confront her and of course that dumb reason that makes idol songs like the bottom of the barrel in the music hierarchy. Yeah, so many idols around and if they don’t keep up, it will tank their school’s reputation. Our music must be superior in all aspects! So, no. B*tch. If they still insist, they can try another school. Oh damn, Keke really thinks of quitting to find another school! Hold your horses. Don’t give up yet. Because Kanon promised to help out, this time she enlists Chisato’s help to find Ren’s weakness. Stooping this low now, huh? Basically, none. Yeah, she’s like a goddess around. Chisato suggests joining another club first before forming their own but Kanon doesn’t want it because it would mean giving in to Ren’s tyranny. So they go round collecting signatures. Is this election season? Yeah, girls afraid to sign it so as not to invoke the goddess’ wrath or something. They are then summoned by the director who then learns of what is going on. She overturns Ren’s thinking to outright reject something like that because they have no right to stop students from general curriculum. But in exchange to allow this idol club, the girls must get first place in the upcoming idol festival. Tall order? Well, Kanon and Keke enlist Chisato’s help to teach them dance moves. Okay. Only, did Keke tell you girls that she sucks in sports? Oh my. See her catch her breath more than she catch live idol performances, HAHAHAHA!!! Okay, bad pun… So we see Keke struggle to keep up. At the same time, she also wrote some lyrics (some in Chinese?). Eh? How to write lyrics to a song that doesn’t even exist yet? Isn’t that like a poem? Anyway, this inspires Kanon to try and write a song. The rough sample she lets Chisato hears sounds good. So don’t give up. Keke still out of breath… Don’t give up! Carry on! Fighto! In the end, Kanon realizes she is done with her song. Keke also makes improvements in her stamina. Happy Kanon goes to run with her. Don’t worry, Kanon still outruns her. Time to test out this piece. Hey, it’s a good day, right?

Episode 3
Uh oh. Kanon’s old problem is back. Yup. She can’t sing in front of people again! Ren’s obvious answer: Just give up. Not a chance, b*tch! So Keke and Chisato help out to try and make her overcome that fear. I don’t know how making takoyaki is supposed to do the job because it didn’t. Then they make her dress up and put lots of cute accessories. So how does uploading cute pictures of Kanon over the internet will help? Yeah, it won’t work. Kanon is worried Keke has tries so hard to help her but they’re back to square one. Since forcing won’t help, Keke suggests she just stand on stage for now and she’ll do the singing herself. So they do other stuffs like coming up with a name for their duet (Kuuka?) and Chisato providing those fan lights. The girls receive news that Sunny Passion will also be participating in this festival. They’re currently the best idol around and Keke is their biggest fan. It’s the reason why she came to Japan and look, she has a huge photo of them on her wall to worship! Well, sorry to rain on their parade. If Sunny Passion wins this, you know what it means for their idol club, right? Oh well, don’t fret. Just continue to work hard. Later Keke asks Chisato if she is interested in idols. She is but her main goal is to become a dancer and she can’t juggle both at the same time. More added drama as Kanon feels guilty for being a stumbling block at this stage. Time for Keke’s hug to tell why Kanon is her dream. And some short back story of her serious family making her studying always. You bet Kanon isn’t going to sulk and give up. So they continue their training until the day of the performance. Kuuka is up on stage as Kanon is feeling all jittery now. Will she fail? WTF moment because Sumire trips on some plugs and the whole place blacks out. WTF?! Where’s the crew?! The galaxy just got blacked out! Kuuka then sees the crowd using the fan lights. Beautiful. This gives Kanon the much needed booster that she can sing because she’s not alone. All in right timing as Sumire plugs the wire back (HOW THE F*CK ARE THERE NO CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS TO DO THIS?! And the galaxy lights came back on…), the music gets back on and we see them perform lovely on stage. In the end, a rousing applause from the crowd and we don’t even need to see Sunny Passion’s performance. I mean, why show second best when you’ve already seen the best, right? Yup. Kuuka won!!!

Episode 4
Now that they’ve won, Ren reluctantly hands over the keys to their very own clubroom. They promise to work hard but Ren insists if that is the case, be something else than school idols. No can do. Ren goes on to further claim they do not have what it takes to even win Love Live. As Sumire heard all this, she is curious on what a school idol is. So when Kanon and co find their clubroom, Kanon is especially spooked, thinking there is a ghost here! No, it’s just Sumire. Keke eagerly tries to get her to sign up and join the club since Sumire is curious to know. Looks interesting. Okay, let’s try out. It seems Sumire knows a few dance moves on her own and that’s because she has been in show business a few times. Then the question arises: Who should be the centre. Sumire hinting herself but everyone else believes Kanon is fit for that role. Not wanting to give up, an election is held. Kanon wins by a landslide while Sumire has zero votes! She is baffled. Galaxy. Why is Kanon the centre when Sumire clearly has better singing and dancing skills? Maybe it’s her aura? Oh damn, see Sumire’s exaggerated heart attack! If that’s the case, she quits! Kanon tries to find out why and hence stumbles upon Sumire watching her old videos of herself on stage. Cute isopod there… Before Kanon knows it, she is kidnapped! Oh my, Sumire dressing as a priestess and trying to exorcise her?! Are you serious?! Once Kanon tells her intentions, Sumire explains that she did lots of auditions when she was young but only got small roles. Learning about idols and seeing how amateurish they are, she thought she could be the star if she joins. She laments no matter how hard she tries, she will never be able to shine. Galaxy sad. When Kanon tells this to Keke, man, this Chinese girl so mad she insulted idols that she acts like a delinquent and wants to punish Sumire for the insult?! But can she? I mean, Sumire looks pretty down. Even if she is good, the spotlight will never shine on her. And so Kanon comes up with this idea as she hands Sumire her card. Kanon acts as a scouting agency to rope her into the group. Kanon throws down the challenge that if she wants to be the centre, prove it and take it from her. She believes competition will be good for the group too. As long as she doesn’t give up, she can achieve her dreams. With that, Sumire is now officially one of them. Galaxy!

Episode 5
Summer heat is too hot that they can’t practice at their usual place. So as they brainstorm back at Kanon’s cool place, suddenly Yuuna and Mao from Sunny Passion are here to visit. They are inviting them as guest performance to their island where they do a summer concert every year. Of course it’s an opportunity they don’t want to miss. After showing a bit of their dance moves, they as how the girls train. Kanon mentions Chisato as their dance coach. They are surprised they don’t have a real training regimen and can still put on an impressive performance. Later they talk to Chisato alone and they point out that although they are great at singing, it will be hard for them to win higher level competitions. So they’re saying that because they depend on Chisato’s dance moves, it’s not their own and they won’t be able to move forward. And if she was really part of the idol group, she’ll be more like a threat? HUH?! Because of that, Chisato then tells the rest that she won’t be joining them on the island as she plans to take part in a dance tournament which is held at the same time. So the trio make their journey to the island. Kanon doing her yoga poses to get inspiration for her lyrics but nothing. They are personally greeted by Sunny Passion themselves once they alight the ship. But the first order is to have fun first, right? Wow. Such a great time. You don’t know what you’re missing, Chisato. As they tuck in for the night, Keke and Sumire end up in some weird thumb sumo in which Sumire ‘cheated’ to let Keke’s guard down to win. Kanon is already asleep. Not interested in their shenanigans? Must be a long day. In the middle of the night, Keke notices Kanon going out the beach herself. So, trying the yoga pose for inspiration again, huh? Still nothing. Kanon laments Chisato should’ve come with them and their group would’ve been better if she was really part of it. A short flashback how they’ve been friends ever since. Because Chisato loved her singing, it made her want to do something she would love herself. And she found her calling in dancing. Thanks to Chisato, Kanon was able to sing and not give up and that’s why she wants to put all those feelings into the lyrics she is writing.

Episode 6
Flashback shows Chisato is always bullied and her only saviour is Kanon. Sunny Passion comes up with a training menu for their guests. Jogging for 10km? Keke doesn’t even have the stamina to last. But how did she replenish them instantly? Why, Sunny Passion doing a mini performance for her! Best recharge ever. Meanwhile Ren visits Chisato while she is practising. Chisato accidentally drops her bag that reveals her withdrawal application from school! Gasp! Pretend to see nothing… Keke tries to cook for Sunny Passion but all her dishes are burnt. Sumire shows it how it’s done. Keke feels frustrated her rival is good at this. Meanwhile Yuuna and Kanon talk about Chisato whose first love is dancing. That night, Kanon calls Chisato to ask her opinion on the lyrics she wrote. Great, of course. As for Chisato’s contest, it seems she doesn’t sound enthusiastic. She wants to tell her plans after the contest but shelves it. With Ren bugging Chisato many times, finally Chisato has to reveal about the application. If she cannot win the contest, she will quit school and train overseas since she won’t be able to help Kanon. As a bully victim, Chisato was always scared of something. But Kanon was always there to help her and taught her lots of things. Hence she wants to be worthy to stand by Kanon one day and help her back. As for how dancing is related to this, she needs to do something that Kanon can’t on her own. Right before the contest, suddenly Kanon returns to see Chisato! She felt something wrong from last night’s call and thought she was anxious. So yeah, she’s here to support her and all. Kanon doesn’t view Chisato as weak and feels they’re both in the same boat. Long story short, Chisato gets her confidence back and wins the dance contest! We didn’t even get to see how but I guess that’s not important. With that win, this means she officially hands in her application and joins the idol club. And then they go back to the island just in time for the quartet to perform! OMFG! THEY CAN ACHIEVE IT ALL IN JUST 1 DAY???!!! The island must be really close by, huh?

Episode 7
Chisato surprises everyone with her new uniform. She has transferred from the music programme to the general curriculum and will be in Kanon’s class. But looks like there is going to be a student council election. Immediately Keke wants Kanon to run. Time for Kanon to run… Away!!! Déjà vu as Keke chases her. This time she’s got Chisato on her side. Everyone ignores Sumire who hints so much of wanting to run for president… Except for Kanon. Her saviour! Yeah, the rest just lose enthusiasm to campaign for Sumire… Ren’s friends are worried that she is running against a candidate from the general curriculum. They have students 3 times more than the music programme. Don’t worry, right? Sumire ups her campaign by giving free takoyaki! Isn’t this bribery? Thanks to that, Ren wins by a landslide and how the f*ck did Sumire end up with negative votes?! Oh, that bribery thingy, huh? Well, should have let Kanon run? Well, Kanon thinks it wouldn’t make any difference since helming that post is a huge responsibility. Kanon goes to talk about Ren. However although she has nothing against school idols, she believes this school is better off without them. Period. As Ren gives her first speech, she breaks her election promise and will do a music programme for the cultural festival. Hence many get upset and try to sign a petition against her. Time for Sumire to shine again, calling for a recall, blah, blah, blah. But the moment Keke mentions Kanon as their candidate, everyone else gets excited! Kanon, you really running?! Oh Sumire… The girls worry at this rate idols will be banned under Ren’s military dystopian anti-idol world. So in order to find out more about her, they tail her back to her house. Make that a big mansion. The maid, Saya lets them in and as they wait, they get spooked by this big dog, Chibi. They get chased around the mansion until they stumble upon a place with an old photo album and a graduation picture of the school. Then they hear Ren trying to pay off Saya for this month since next month she won’t have money to pay her. Saya is willing to work for free but Ren will not have it. How would she face her late mother? Chibi busts the eavesdroppers. Now that they’ve heard everything, Ren admits that she has no money left and is the only one living here. At this rate she cannot keep the school going and she must do everything she can to prevent that.

Episode 8
Ren continues to explain that it was mom’s dream to open another school in the same location but father who was assigned to work overseas, opposed the idea and left the family. Mom died 2 years ago after overworking. With money running out, dad offered her to come stay with him overseas but she declined as she wanted to make mom’s dreams come true. But it is going to be tough since with dwindling enrolment numbers, she cannot accomplish that goal. Ren hopes to keep this secret as she doesn’t want others student to worry or feel bad. While the rest understands her situation, they think the rest don’t. At this rate, Ren will become hated. Speaking of which, the general curriculum girls are confronting her but she tells them to take it to the student council. Uhm, isn’t she part of the student council?! Of course Kanon wants to go talk to the girls. It’s going to be hard since they are very confrontational. Making it tougher is that Kanon can’t spill Ren’s secret. Yeah, better stop before it gets too complicated. Ren then talks to Kanon and co as she heard what happened. She regrets dragging them into her problem. Also, the director summoned her that she needs to clear this up or this year’s festival will be cancelled. With Ren pleading them to do anything but idol activities, they ask why. I guess they earn the right. This school once was in danger of closing down and an idol club was formed to save it. Her mom was part of that idol group. However they weren’t able to save it and the school closed down. I’m confused. Was it this school or mom’s previous school? As for why Ren was so against them doing idol activities, she couldn’t find records of mom’s school idol activities. Did mom regret being an idol or was it a lie? If being an idol was precious, why is there no record or even a photo of it? Kanon then gets permission from the director to search the archives. Nothing. Ren remembers mom’s words, “I hope our feelings connect in the same place”. But she is unable to connect what it means. Kanon then remembers the keys given to their clubroom. She rushes there just to find something. You bet plot convenience says it is that box hidden in the storage.

Ren addresses the assembly and apologizes for the other day. But the other girls show no mercy and bombard her with harsh questions of her discrimination. That is when Kanon comes in with the biggest puzzle solving piece ever. Yup, it’s a diary of Ren’s mom that details all of her school idol activities. Among the important notes include despite not being able to stop the school’s closure, they don’t regret anything. Because of all the times spent together, she promised to create a school that would connect those feelings again. A school that connects everyone via music. Hence this school is to make that dream come true. And those are her best memories. At this point, now mom’s inaudible words become clear. She told a young Ren that being a school idol was the best memories she had. Even more precious than the birth of her daughter?! Okay, stop with the bad jokes. And that seals the deal with Ren breaking down in tears. Later it is revealed that the director who is a close friend of Ren’s mom, knew everything. But was told to keep quiet and watch over Ren. She has to make the decision herself. Ren thought all the time wasting means they have no time to prepare for the festival. Oh look, everyone is working hard and even into the night to make this festival a success. They love the school so much, right? Kanon then wants Ren to join them as idols. Does she have the right after the way she treated them? Don’t worry. You can do it! And with that handshake, the deal is sealed. Yuigaoka’s school idol is now a whole. Ren joins them in practice and since she is a natural leader, Kanon offers her to try as the centre. The rest agree. Even Sumire. I guess she’ll let her take the stage for a small event. She’ll take the centre for the bigger stage! Okay, whatever. We see the quintet going on stage and perform their best. Everybody happy. School saved, right?

Episode 9
Keke is excited because Love Live is here! Yeah, you can see her passion in telling her friends all about it, right down to where it’s held: Jingu Stadium. However, while everyone is happy dreaming about stardom, she throws caution that it is not going to be easy as every year, the number of entries surpass the last. While they divide their roles, something worrying plagues them: They have no group name and that is a must for Love Live! So I guess they’re going to brainstorm and think hard of a group name, huh? Yeah, after all the silly suggestions, they hit a dead end. I guess calling themselves after the school would be too boring, eh? Keke thought of doing what a legendary Love Live group did: Suggestion box! Too bad at the end of the week, not even a single suggestion. Kanon even seeks Sunny Passion’s advice for inspiration. Since idols need to do more than just dancing and singing, what’s this video streaming? Apparently Ren is a technology noob. Yup, time to teach her. The quintet do their first live streaming to introduce themselves as an idol but with Ren and Kanon in some weird argument and the rest doing something stupid to cover it up, not sure if they got the likes because they’re just funny! But it’s tiring. Since Kanon has been tasked to write the song lyrics as well as come up with the name, she has been locked in a room and not leave till she comes up with them! Since she fools around and gets nothing done, they supervise her. This is harder… She tries to escape but only foiled by Chibi. We’re still at the starting point as Kanon’s classmates give their honest opinion about the group. They don’t really have a common goal and they don’t have a distinctive feature that makes them stand out. And while the rest realize that this means their chance of success will be low, it’s time for Kanon to get an inspiration. So while we see the others practice, we get to hear the lyrics of this song and finally the name of the group that we’ve been dying to know: Liella. From the French word ‘relier’ which means to connect because that is what Ren’s mom wanted all of them to be. With that, Liella finally registers for Love Live.

Episode 10
Nerve wrecking moment to see if their name made it into the preliminaries. However with record entries this year, looks like they will have another preliminary to trim the numbers. Sorry, it’s not rock-scissors-paper but a regional preliminary. But of course. And the theme of this region’s preliminary will be… RAP! Wow. That’s a rare combination… So who is the best rapper in Liella? Well, Kanon can’t rap her head around it, Chisato’s breakdance is awesome but it has nothing to do with rap, Ren goes into haiku mode and Keke can do a bit of rapping but it’s all in Chinese… Yeah, we all look down on Sumire until she shows us she can naturally rap! OMG! And Keke thought she has the lowest potential! Eat your words now! Because of this, Sumire is the centre (of the galaxy!) Wait… WHY IS SUMIRE PANICKING?! ISN’T THIS WHAT SHE WANTS?! She is even asking them to reconsider?! Well, after being second fiddle for all her life, it’s natural that she is feeling the jitters and lacks self-confidence. So she’s only talking big about making her big break, huh? Even when reluctant Keke made a princess outfit for her (OMG, they’re really going to rap in that frilly outfit?!), Sumire is still not convinced. Damn, she even tries to run away?! Keke’s lecture didn’t do the trick. Sumire still convinced the stage will never be hers. She skips training but perhaps she changes her mind, only to hear Keke speaking to her family in Chinese on the phone. Damn, what kind of app she has that translates her speeches immediately. And accurately?! Seems Keke will return home if she cannot fulfil her promise. So Sumire confronts the rest. Oh boy, not another round of no self-confidence. From the way she says things, it looks like Sumire is sad and pressured that they must win or Keke will go home. Another round of Sumire x Keke argument. One still has no confidence and the other, as reluctant as she might be, she has seen how much Sumire put in the effort and is forced to recognize her abilities as the centre. At least for this preliminary. Dramatic moment time because the tiara exclusively for Sumire then flies off Keke’s hands. WTF, is it made of paper???!!! Sumire catches it. A sign that she has accepted the job? And so we see Liella as rapping princesses with Sumire as the centre. Sounds more like hip hop but whatever. Yeah, check it out! Awesome, baby!

Episode 11
The results are in… The top 8 will progress to the finals… Sunny Passion of course… As they scroll through the other names, damn, I am really curious with the group named Neo Mutant Girls!!! I want to see who they are!!! And suddenly… THE COMPUTER FREEZES! Cliff-hanger! But how do Liella know they have passed? A message from Sunny Passion congratulating them. The computer unfreezes in time to confirm that. HOORAY! As everyone congratulates Liella, suddenly the director summons them. She sounds mad so Ren thought it was her fault. Yeah, she clicked some shady lesbian website out of curiosity! Thankfully it’s not that. Liella has received a request to sing at a kindergarten. Well, Kanon seems to be, uhm, not thrilled? Later Chisato reveals to the rest that this was the place Kanon first sang and fainted! Hence she is worried that the trauma might come up again and make her unable to sing. Hey, I thought she overcame that?! So to calm their nerves, they recce the place. Yeah, sure brings back lots of memories. And trauma. Maybe. They get up on stage and just do a little mock singing. Back at school, they continue their practice as they receive the news that the Love Live finals’ theme must include a solo vocal. Wow. Everyone already looking at Kanon. So after a lot of deliberation from the gang, it seems they are in cohorts to have Kanon sing all by herself at the kindergarten. Yeah, they lie and give excuses about why they can’t come and leave it all up to her. Will this backfire? Kanon tries to take it in a positive way. Even asking her sister, Aria how she was like when she was young. Noisy girl. But she didn’t hate it. That’s the spirit. On the day of the concert, it might seem like Kanon has cold feet. But she makes a call to Chisato to thank her for everything. Yeah, you bet the other girls are hiding and waiting to watch her from afar. And of course, Kanon meeting a vision of her younger self and calming her down. I take it, trauma is over, right? So when Kanon goes up on stage, she sings flawlessly. So perfect that Chisato rushes onto stage just to hug her. I bet that’s the morale booster Liella needs for Love Live. Think they can win it now, huh? Oh well, they need all the luck they can get.

Episode 12
First, some good news. Ren’s dad decided to leave some funds for the school. This means no more worries for Yuigaoka closing down. Thanks to Liella’s recent performances, enrolment numbers are up to. Oh yeah. Yuigaoka definitely not shutting down. With those worries settled, it’s time for the next preliminaries. Apparently they have to do an online streaming video from where they are and have to prepare the stage themselves. So now they have to start cracking their heads to design a stage that isn’t so mediocre. Oh, now aside being idols, they have to be stage designers too?! Sunny Passion visits Kanon and they renew their rivalry. But Kanon is worried because everyone is talking how they want to win (IS THAT NOT THE CASE?!) but she is unsure about that when it comes to singing. Due to her fear of singing and how she sings to express herself freely, Sunny Passion advise her that singing isn’t just about competition. You can enjoy singing alone too. Kanon might not understand now but once she sings at Love Live, she’ll understand why they have to win. As Kanon comes up with this stars theme for their stage, it seems other students decide to help out and make this galaxy for them so they can concentrate on their practice. Yeah. Good idea. After lots of practice, Liella checks out the stage… It’s empty! Before Kanon can panic and scream betrayal, the students will show them where the real stage is. Oh damn, they’ve got girls with candles in their hands to light the way! Of course the stage is grand and everyone in town has their hand in making it. Got to support your local idols. So we see them prance and dance on stage. Thank goodness it is snowing so we don’t have to add snow effects. In the end, Liella gets second place. Sunny Passion wins and will head to the finals. Wow. So sad. Like it’s the end of the world. Especially Kanon. She feels so frustrated she cannot return the goodness of everyone who helped them. I can’t imagine those who ranked below them then… So now you understand why you need to win? Yup, Kanon making a passionate vow that they’ll win it next time. This is only their beginning. We’ll let everyone hear our song! Songs for everybody!

Jesus Christ, Superstar Who?!
Hey. Wait a minute. They lost?! It can’t end like that for them, right? Can it?! For real?! Are you sure you follow the script correctly?! Oh. Right. And wouldn’t you know it? But of course, another season! Got to milk you hardcore fans high and dry, RIGHT?! OOPS!!! Yup, the magical excuse to see Liella make a comeback and get their revenge and redemption they deserve. So unless they have to wait another whole year for another shot at fame (hey, they’re all first years only, right?), unless some special provisions or lucky draw will have Liella become a wild card entry at the finals. I don’t know. My guts tell me that. Either I’m a great soothsayer or I’m just having some sort of stomach ache right now for feeling that… But anyway, we all know who will be back and even better when the next season rolls around, right? Just don’t count out our future superstars yet.

So I guess when you have a new group, this means following the common storyline of seeing how the group is formed. That is basically what this season is mostly about as it takes a bulk and 2/3 of this season. So as not to follow the same formula like in its previous franchise of using Love Live to say their school, instead they split that into 2 stories. What I mean is that Liella didn’t use Love Live to save their school. Rather, it is when Liella became a whole, this idol thingy helped saved their school from dwindling numbers. Hence killing 2 birds with 1 stone because this means Ren gets to continue her late mom’s dream. And with this achieved, the final arc focuses on them getting into Love Live. It might feel a bit rushed because I believe they want to focus on the characters. So we see them perform and of course it has to be good. It needs to follow the formula of our main characters getting into Love Live, right? Want to bet they’re going to win this thing too? See you next season then!

Of course like in previous Love Live iterations, the main focus is on the characters that make up the group. But unlike previous Love Live seasons, Liella has the least number of members in comparison. Uh huh. You do know that Muse, Aquors and the Nijigasaki counterparts have like 9 members, right? So I bet to keep the character drama and development a bit more realistic, the less number of members means the more screen time the characters will get. Simple logic, right? Of course please be reminded that it is not quantity but the quality of these characters that is most important, right? Yup. Got that.

And they had to throw in that drama that idols are not worthy as other types of music genres, painting it as some sort of pariah. The lowest of the lowest. Maybe. In a way. Because you see how sexualized Korean K-pops are these days, right? Yeah… Anyway… I’m not sure if this town that this series is set in loves idols but from what I’ve seen, Love Live has been a nationwide phenomenon so it would be really weird if this is the only town that doesn’t have that idol craze. Of course with Ren initially not having a good impression about idols (even if she was just probably pretending) was just to serve as an obstacle for the rest to overcome. To see if they have what it takes to do just that and to make Ren eat her words and make everybody else go gaga about something new in school. I mean, the school does not even have an idol club to begin with! Yup, these students are going to be prim and proper musicians in the future. Oh, what’s this new idol craze? I think I’m going to love it! WOWEE! Go idols!!! Yeah. That’s what I thought about the other girls’ reaction in school when they realize how fascinating this idol genre is.

So yeah, how do you pretty much differentiate your main character from other Love Live characters? I mean, it’s going to be obvious if they have the same personality and traits but just swap hairstyles and colour, right? That won’t do, right? We’ll just call them lazy and just do copy and paste while covering it up with some palette swap or something. So that’s why Kanon who is obviously the main character and centre of the group, they give her this phobia of having stage fright. Something that is unthinkable for those who want to become idols and stand on stage to entertain a million of watching eyes. Eventually as plot convenience has it, Kanon overcomes her trauma and is able to become a natural performer. Wow. If it was only this easy to overcome one’s trauma in real life. I’m not trying to make cheap of her ordeals since we get to see her making the effort and with the unwavering support from her friends (yeah, it feels like a conspiracy they are targeting her the way they want to make her the centre whether she wants it or not), that trauma becomes her strength and stepping stone to greater heights. Now that she has that hunger to win after experiencing her first loss of frustration, can Liella reach the stars? No, the galaxy?! I hope Kanon won’t become some sort of slave driver in her quest to get that coveted and maiden win. Yeah, that loss felt like it flipped some switch insider her or something.

The least interesting character to me is Chisato. A great dancer, she is mostly casted as Kanon’s best friend since childhood because, why not? Of course she plays a vital role in supporting Kanon and while we mostly see her like a lackey playing that role, in a way Kanon has always been supporting and a pillar of strength to this silver haired girl from start. Basically they complement each other. But that’s just about it. At least for me. Ren trying to play the villain so as to keep her mother’s dream going, well, too bad opening credits and other spoilers tell us that there will be something to more than meets the eye. And here we thought how can this character who started out to make us think that she would be a b*tch character, do a complete reversal and become part of the group? Ah yes, family history. Idol related too. I’m still wondering how she’ll continue to stay in her mansion without any money. I mean, will the increased enrolment and thus more fees help to cover that?! I doubt it. Why not sell her mansion and rent a smaller place? Oh right. Mom’s legacy. Once she has discarded her strict b*tch character, it feels like she has turned into some noob character. A little retard if you ask me. Because she is not really knowledgeable in this idol showbiz and isn’t technology savvy either. See where this is going for her character?

If you know me, if I had to pick a Love Live character as my favourite, it would be the girl who would make me laugh. Yes, I like funny girls. And so it is a tie between Keke and Sumire because it is hard for me to choose either. Okay, maybe Keke holds the slighter edge because of her passionate and lively ways. Also, look at that funny face when she panics! Makes her feel like some cartoonish character. I feel that there is a lot more dynamism between Keke-Sumire friendship than Kanon-Chisato one. The latter feels more like your typical and standard childhood and friendship tale. But the former feels like mostly played for laughs because they’re the biggest jokers of the group. I mean, I can’t imagine Kanon and Chisato as naturally funny girls and since Ren was an ex-b*tch character, that leaves the dynamism between Keke and Sumire.

There’s this sort of love-hate relationship between the duo and it is funny to try to see them outdo each other or at least enter one of their petty squabbles. Otherwise Liella could’ve been one boring group if not for them. Weak stamina Keke (just add more Sunny Passion fuel to solve the problem!) with her lively passion and sometimes her unfounded wild imaginations while Sumire is some attention whore and ex-isopod star but karma is a b*tch and always gets relegated to galaxy supporting roles. It feels like a joke and a slap in the face when she had her chance. Stage fright? Uhm, isn’t this somewhat overlapping with Kanon’s case? She’ll never be the main character at this galaxy rate. I suppose this is to rubber stamp that Kanon will always be the centre whether she likes it or not. Chisato always supporting her as her friend, Keke always passionately supporting her as her #1 fan, Sumire too chicken to take the spotlight and Ren, uhm, whatever goes with her because I think she’s trying to repent for being a b*tch character by being meek. So I guess that leaves Kanon for the centre role, eh? You go, girl! Uhm, I mean, go Liella!

If there is one thing that feels lacking about this series, it is the presence of other idol competitors. Sure, we have Sunny Passion as rivals. But nothing too much on them and they look like friendly rivals. Their real rivalry is on stage and elsewhere, they’re just cool people who would love to be your friends. Anyway, my theory as I have said before, it feels there lacks any idols in this series and we don’t see other idols in the vicinity is perhaps to solely concentrate on the girls in Liella. Can’t have us distracted with other groups and with Sunny Passion already filling that role, we need to see concrete proof why Liella is going to be a top idol contender despite being newly formed by a group of misfits. And I thought this series once again will not showcase any male characters at all even as random people on the streets because somehow Love Live idols are only set in an all-female world. And then we see a glimpse of Kanon’s dad albeit a dialogueless character with a couple of seconds of screen time.

It goes without saying, music is an important factor for this series. There are a of course a variety of them. Personally, I don’t think any of the songs resonate with me and if I really had to pick one by force, the closest would be the lively and typical idol song of Mirai Yohou Hallelujah. Oddly, this song was sung at the end of the first episode and the entire Liella members sung it despite note being formed yet as part of Kanon’s path to become an idol. Yeah, conspiracy theories of mine saying that song brought all the future members of Liella together! Anyway, this piece is still a far cry from my all-time favourite Start:Dash! Also to note, the rap-like Nonfiction is also creative and nice as it gives the genre songs idol sing a fresh sound. But of course, still can’t beat Start: Dash! The opening theme, Start!! True Dreams is another typical lively idol song and the same can be said for the ending theme, Mirai Wa Kaze No You Ni albeit at a slightly slower pace. But the ending theme has different variations as each of the Liella members sing a solo version of it and even a combination between them before we have the full group version.

Of course, an entire new seiyuu cast for a totally new idol group. In fact, the quintet of Liella are making their voice acting debut in this series. Now, if Keke sounds a bit different, it’s because she is voiced by a Chinese national, Liyuu. But it also feels weird when she starts speaking in Mandarin, it’s like she has a thick accent. Well, not to say my Mandarin is that good either… The other Liella casts are Sayuri Date as Kanon, Nako Misaki as Chisato, Naomi Payton as Sumire and Nagisa Aoyama as Ren while Sunny Passion are also first timers in this business with Chihaya Yoshitake as Yuuna and Yuna Yuuki as Mao.

A recognizable seiyuu making her appearance here is Romi Paku as the school’s director. Though, I find her low voice to be unsuitable for this character that looks like she should have had a higher pitch voice. I mean, after helming character roles like those in Vlad Love, Radiant and Shingeki No Kyojin, this one feels out of place. The other recognizable one is Kana Hanazawa’s cameo as Saya. Pretty standard. But I thought my ears were deceiving me when I thought I heard someone familiar but brushed it off because I couldn’t put my finger to it at first… But HOLY F*CK!!! IT’S MAMIKO NOTO AS KANON’S MOTHER!!! OMFG!!! OH MAH F*CKING GALAXY GAWD!!! IT’S MAMIKO NOTO!!! I HAVEN’T HEARD HER FOR SO LONG!!! THIS IS SUCH A PLEASANT SURPRISE!!! I ALMOST DAMNED MISSED HER!!! AND MISSED HER VOICE SO MUCH!!!! GALAXY!!! BIG BANG UNIVERSE!!!

For the art and animation, Sunrise has been animating this franchise from the start so it’s only right that they continue with this fourth reincarnation of this idol series. As usual, the girls are looking cute and everything is bright and colourful just to let you know that idols can make your day even brighter! Yeah. There are some CGI parts especially when the girls take the stage but just like in previous seasons, they are not really obvious and blend in seamlessly with the 2D animation. They’re going to promote these idols and the last thing you want is half assed and bad CGI quality.

And yes, let me say again that Liella girls look like some previous Love Live idols. I mean, how far can you really differentiate your characters when you already have so many of them? So yeah, Kanon reminds me of Chika, Sumire is what Dia would’ve been if she was blonde, Ren looks a bit familiar to Kanan and Chisato might have borrowed 1 hairball lump from Ayumu and the other from Yoshiko to have double hairball lumps! Seriously. Surprisingly, Keke doesn’t seem to remind me of anybody so she’s the most different and unique looking Love Live girl! Wow. No wonder I love this funny girl. But her hair with pink spots remind me of some ice cream combo… Chocolate + strawberry. Mmmm… No wonder I love this funny girl. On a trivial note, I wonder if Chibi is related to Shiitake. You know, Chika’s pet dog. They look the same… Missed opportunity for a pet mascot but I guess they don’t want that to steal the limelight away from our idols, huh? Oh, now I remember. Doesn’t Kanon’s family have a pet owl? Another missed opportunity for a pet mascot.

Overall, you know the drill. I’m not really a big idol fan so I’m just watching this mainly out of curiosity and old time nostalgia’s sake. Oh damn, if they’re going to create more new groups under this franchise, I will have to be obliged to watch them all! Sighs. At this point, this franchise is targeted for music and idol fans so if you aren’t into this genre, don’t go dipping your hands into it. Otherwise, it is pretty wholesome and standard affair. No violence. No fanservice. No outrageous slapstick comedy (AKA Looney Tunes style or even Gintama-like parodies). Certainly no complicated plot lines. Just about a group of girls who love singing and want to show the world their idoly talent. Until the next season arrives, I’ll be waiting for the day when all these Love Live idols meet and compete in a grand competition to decide which idol rules them all. So all you hardcore fans out there get ready to splash the cash and support your favourite idols till the end! Heh. Only then I’ll call this a Love Live Superstar competition. Make that Superstar Galaxy!

Nanaka 6/17

Cases of people getting into some sort of accident and then losing all their current memories and then revert back to their child self isn’t unheard of. That is the case for the titular character in Nanaka 6/17 because an unfortunate accident left her regressing back to her child-like state and only having memories of when she was a kid. It gets even more challenging when her dad and childhood friend doesn’t want this secret to get out in public so they have to pull stunts to help her live a normal life. By the way, this anime isn’t really a depressing tragedy but more of a comedy. So don’t feel bad or get ready that box of tissues because you’re not going to end up crying. Not even laughing too much that your stomach hurts. Heh. Well, I guess having to see her grow up all over again beats having her being dead, right?

Episode 1
Nenji Nagihara as usual picks a fight with other delinquents. His childhood friend, Nanaka Kirisato tells him off about all that but he doesn’t give a sh*t. But Nanaka herself is an outcast at school. Because she is always studying by herself, she doesn’t mix with others. You can see the situation she is in. Another day, Nenji once again beats the crap out of delinquent, Jinpachi Arashiyama. Yet again, another lecture by serious face Nanaka to stop doing something this childish and grow up. Of course, tired of all her yapping, he tells her to STFU and doesn’t want to see her face again. This is the cruellest cut as Nanaka goes into shock, so much so she falls down the stairs! Nenji panics and calls the ambulance. Flashback shows when they were young, Nanaka was saddened by her mom’s death. Nenji cheered her up by introducing this Magical Domiko character. Hence to stop her crying, he claimed magic made her grow up. She cheered up in no time. Now, Nanaka wakes up in hospital having no recollections of her current self. She finds it hard to believe that this is Nenji because he isn’t this big. Nenji at first didn’t believe she has lost her memories but looks like it is clearer that she thinks she is 6 years old! When he tries to show the mirror at her, she thinks magic has made her grow up! She recognizes Nenji and also believes that he caught the magic spell too.

Along with Nanaka’s father, Taizou, the doctor diagnoses Nanaka’s situation as she has regressed to 6 years old. She has no memories of anything beyond that age. Taizou hopes the doctor can keep this case confidential as he wants Nanaka to continue leading a normal life. This means Nenji has to play along too. Yeah, can father really give Nanaka a piggyback ride without hurting his back?! Yup, the bittersweet situation of getting to pamper his daughter again when she has grown distant from him lately. Next day as Nenji visits Nanaka, she is missing from her hospital. HOW THE F*CK DID THIS HAPPEN?! Nenji goes out looking for her. Where can a 6 year old go? He remembers the kindergarten they once attended together. There she is. Nanaka crying among the confused kids and teacher. Seems she is sad that her friends are no longer around. She wanted to show them she is grown up via magic. Of course they’re no longer around. They’ve graduated like 10 years ago! It is then Nenji remembers Nanaka’s words of growing up and becoming an adult. Hence he tells her that this is God testing them to see if they can become good adults. Because magic can only grow the body, it is up to them to grow their hearts with their own power. Wow. How convincing. And with that, Nanaka will do her best. How touching. But looks like Nenji has got to do the catching up himself as Nanaka loves to study and is going to surpass him again with all the kindergarten homework! Don’t want to be left behind in this, right?

Episode 2
Nanaka’s dream is to be a pianist. Well, Nenji himself dreamt of wanting to become a lot of things before so he can’t discourage her. You can be anything you want if you put your mind to it! Meanwhile, the school is about to enter a choral competition and their best pianist is Yuriko Amemiya. With Nanaka returning to school, the girls gossip how much Nanaka has changed and perhaps a man could be behind it. Perhaps Nenji? Notice he has gotten soft around her too? Amemiya not to pleased hearing that. Before Amemiya could nominate herself as the only pianist, looks like an excited Nanaka volunteers! Can she do it? They test her out as she hammers the piano! OMFG! She can’t even play properly! Now, you might think this will set Amemiya as the official pianist but looks like she has a plan. Hence Amemiya gives Nanaka a special training lesson late into the day until she is so tired. Nenji can tell Amemiya is bullying Nanaka but with Nanaka so adamant in not giving up because adults must take responsibility and see this till the end, the only way Nenji could intervene is to watch over them while they practice at school. Nanaka progresses pretty decently and since there seems to be no bullying, Nenji allows Amemiya to continue the training at her home. But with Nanaka still sucks big time, Amemiya shows her true colours as she bullies her and tries to force her to quit. However Nanaka won’t and claims she is having fun trying to be a pianist. This doesn’t sit well with Amemiya as she calls off the lesson and tells her to go home.

A couple of weeks past and Amemiya heard some guys complimenting Nanaka’s music. Amemiya is shocked that she is still practising all this time. Hence she plans to humiliate her in front of everyone by doing a mock choral practice. Nanaka gets cold feet when everyone assembles. Because the choir group is getting impatient, Amemiya takes over. See how the pro plays. Once done, Nanaka is so impressed and wants to play like her. However she can’t play for today as Amemiya notices her fingers are bleeding from all the training. Don’t stain the keys! This has Amemiya remember a similar predicament herself when she was young. Later Nenji talks to Amemiya and believes she is the better bet as the pianist but he just don’t know how to tell Nanaka to quit. Amemiya plays a song from Magical Domiko. It was the first song she learnt and an anime she once loved. She reveals she too wanted to become a pianist when she was young but gave up after realizing it won’t earn her a decent living since her mom was a professional pianist. She thought Nanaka would give up after all the harshness but since she didn’t, looks like the training will continue. So more special training until the day of the competition. Nanaka nervous as usual. Amemiya tells her to play the Magical Domiko song to calm herself. After doing so, now she can play like a pro! OMG! Did she just level up 100 times fold?! No wonder Taizou crying like mad. His daughter is a musical prodigy! Later, Amemiya personally thanks Nanaka because thanks to her, it has sparked her interest in music again and she’ll soon be playing in her first solo competition in a long time. Nanaka hopes to come see but asks if she could bring Nenji along. Amemiya asks their relationship and is relieved that they are just childhood friends. Why does she think the road is clear? Does she not know there are so many tropes of childhood friends falling in love with each other?

Episode 3
Arashiyama lost to Nenji again and because of that, the penalty is to have the same hairstyle! Heck, he just got owned by his little sister, Satsuki who thinks he must buck up as he is the heir to the family’s dojo. As he is on the streets, he sees Nanaka. Oh damn, the truck just ran over her glasses. Flashback shows when Arashiyama and his gang picked a fight with him, Nanaka told him not to fight because fighting is bad. Hence, Nenji listened to her and just stood there. Arashiyama got bored beating him up so he told his goons to do it on his behalf. Nanaka then tried to protect him and because those guys don’t want to look like they beat up a girl, they all leave. Now, Nanaka is blind as a bat and thinks Arashiyama is Nenji because of his hairstyle. But he sounds different? Got a cold. Yup, Arashiyama is smitten by her cuteness. He goes on some date with her as he spends all his money in buying her the stuffs she likes. Yeah, everyone having weird looks at a delinquent guy in an anime store. WTF, Satsuki coming out of nowhere to beat up her brother just because she is suspicious of that woman and tells him to buck up?! Too bad he returns to spend more money on Nanaka and have fun till he is broke. Then when it looks like Nanaka is baiting him to kiss her at the park, turns out it is just to play hide and seek. Tag you’re it!

Back home, Arashiyama is definitely in love with how cute Nanaka is. So you want to protect her, huh? But Satsuki won’t allow it! She is going to defeat this woman and bring her brother back to the right path. Satsuki is shocked to see Nanaka hanging out with other guys. Yeah, she is so innocent she doesn’t know she is being preyed upon. However, Nanaka is one lucky girl. As Satsuki moves in to strike, Nanaka impressed with some anime stuffs, inadvertently dodges all her strikes. Satsuki’s strikes instead hit the guys. Damn, they decide to turn straight now?! Then Nanaka hangs out with Nenji. Again, another accidental dodge as Satsuki strikes. When Nenji realizes it is Satsuki, he is happy that she has grown up a lot. Flashback reveals Arashiyama was often owned by Nenji and Satsuki often came to her brother’s aid but couldn’t do anything to help. Now Satsuki attacks again but with Nanaka holding onto him, he takes a hard hit. More lucky dodges from Nanaka until she trips and pushes Satsuki away. Because this saves her from her broken splinter from her wooden sword, Satsuki is impressed with Nanaka’s skills and concern and wants to call Nanaka her big sister. Now she beats up her big brother as she is going to whip him into shape. As Nanaka will be the woman worthy to marry into their family, he must be worthy of her! I’m starting to think this guy is a loser who gets beaten up his whole life…

Episode 4
Amemiya hopes to share her umbrella with Nenji. Too bad Nanaka beats her to it. But Amemiya is wary of Nanaka. Lately she really is acting weird. Especially when she was so happy when she scored 10% in her test! This study nerd not getting full score and is happy?! Something not right. Flashback shows she was bullied by naughty boys but Nenji came to beat them up and returned her belongings. You bet that’s how she fell for him and until today she still keeps his star badge with his name on it. As Amemiya catches a cold, she goes to the hospital to get her prescriptions. Then she sees Nenji and Nanaka coming in. She tails them and eavesdrop their conversation with the doctor. Looks like Nenji is worried they cannot keep up with this charade. Amemiya is shocked and confused about Nanaka’s mental state and her sneeze blew her cover. Nenji then tells the truth to her and hopes she can help out. He even goes so far as to beg her on his knees! Of course this embarrassing sight doesn’t sit well with Amemiya as she rejects him. Back home, Amemiya sulks how this is all unfair since now Nanaka is 6 years old, Nenji will always be protecting her. As Amemiya ignores Nanaka in school, those girls believe they have got into a fight. This means they can go bully Nanaka, right? After PE class, they hide her uniform. Nanaka searches high and low for it but cannot find them. The girls even tease her about it as Nanaka is close to tears. Amemiya does nothing as she contemplates how Nenji will protect her. Of course, she remembers another similar bullying incident herself and yup, Nenji saved the day. And so Amemiya is going to lend her uniform to her and this makes the girls panic so they return Nanaka’s uniform. Later, Nenji heard it from Nanaka and thanks Amemiya for protecting her. However she still maintains her stand that she is not helping Nanaka. Okay. Whatever. Amemiya then talks to Nanaka personally if she can really handle the high school life. Ever positive Nanaka says yes! Since she keeps talking about Nenji, she tells her to STFU as well as she has no monopoly rights over him. Yes, a big confession that she likes Nenji. But Nanaka of course misinterprets that. She thought she hated Nenji. Because Nenji is always saying good things of her. That threw Amemiya off. Since Nanaka also likes her and everybody likes everybody, they can all be best friends, right? Well, Amemiya isn’t so sure about that but she is certain she doesn’t hate Nanaka as much as before. On another rainy day, Amemiya decides to dash through the rain. But what’s this? Nenji sharing his umbrella? What about Nanaka? She’s happily in her raincoat and with her papa.

Episode 5
Loli Kuriko Aratama accidentally bumps her ice cream into a delinquent. She tries to pay off for his cleaning cost but the jerk wants to beat her up???!!! WTF?! Luckily Nenji is here. Thanks to his fearsome reputation, the coward runs away. Safe to say, Kuriko is in love with him and brings him back to her home and treats him with great hospitality. Of course this soon will spark a rivalry with Nanaka. Yes, Kuriko is 6 years old and already calling Nanaka a plain kid! Damn, she’s more aggressive with Nenji than Nanaka! With Nanaka sulking, Nenji hopes to make it up to her by going to a movie this weekend. However he has to help Kuriko find her lost money and what do you know? It was with her the whole time! Since he is late, Nanaka is not happy that he is having more fun with Kuriko. With Nenji telling her to act like a grown up, okay then, if that’s what you want. Nanaka turns into a study nerd and while this may look normal, Nenji remembers how Nanaka slowly turned from a happy and cheerful kid and traded all that with books until she’s a serious b*tch. Yeah, history repeating itself. Nenji asks Kuriko if she should be hanging out with her friends her age but of course she is happy with just him. She can’t wait to become an adult and let their love blossom. However this makes Nenji upset. He tells her off about rushing to become an adult. Everyone grows up eventually whether they like it or not so please be happy as a kid because you get to do lots of fun things without worries. Take things slowly. Unfortunately Kuriko interprets that as he loves her, that’s why he is so concerned. But this makes Nenji think he could be in love with Nanaka.

Amemiya can tell what is going on from Nanaka’s actions so she talks to her about jealousy. Because she doesn’t want other girls to take Nenji away, that is what jealousy precisely means. Do something or you’ll regret it. Yeah, Amemiya just did a great disservice to herself. So Nanaka got tickets to an amusement park from daddy and wants Nenji to come. Kuriko won’t allow that and so the b*tch rivalry starts. Nenji realizes he can’t choose one and make the other sad. Hence he decides that all of them will go together or he will not go at all. The girls have no choice but to accept but still maintain their rivalry. So we see them having fun-cum-rivalry at the amusement park. However they still bond over kiddie stuffs like Magical Domiko. In the Ferris Wheel, Kuriko is asleep after running around all day. I guess technically this means Nenji and Nanaka are alone. Nenji remembers Kuriko’s words about love and this makes him feel awkward. Nanaka then tells word for word what Amemiya told her since she is worried he’ll get taken away and it makes her feel miserable. Looking at Nanaka’s cute face, yeah, never realize how cute she is, huh? Romantic moment interrupted since the power to the Ferris Wheel is cut. Don’t worry, it won’t take long. Once on the ground, Nanaka and Kuriko’s rivalry continues as they try to run and cover as much distance to prove their love for Nenji. They call it a draw and have a good laugh. So are they still rivals? Next time, Nenji hopes to visit here again with just Nanaka. But damn, Nanaka wants to come along with Kuriko! 6 year olds… Meanwhile, Taizou is still reeling from the shock he couldn’t go to the amusement park with his girl…

Episode 6
Time for a school trip to Kyoto. You bet Nanaka can’t contain her excitement. Kuriko is sad that Nenji is going to spend the night with this bespectacled plain Jane. She wants to come along too. No she can’t! Okay. As long as he gets her a souvenir. That night Nanaka happily packs all her toys. However next day when she boards the train, she is shocked to find only study materials. Did Taizou switch it out during the middle of the night? Well, Taizou’s equally confused face when he sees Nanaka’s toys all over the floor. As the students are having a free schedule, Nenji and Nanaka walk around. Despite talking about sticking close so as not to get separated, they did. A lost Nanaka is close to tears when some guys accidentally bump into her. Almost made her fall off the stairs. What’s this… Her memories returned? Nenji is looking for Nanaka and even ropes in Amemiya to help. Darn, she definitely had something else planned on her mind. When Nenji finds her, he can tell that the serious Nanaka is back. Because her memories are still when he told her off, she runs away in tears thinking she hurt his feelings. Nenji catches up and apologizes for being mean. Nanaka returns to her studious self so the other b*tches think she has returned to her old mode. So much so she can’t stand them being noisy and leaves to go somewhere quiet to study. Nenji tells her to just ignore them. As long as you believe you are doing the right thing, that is all that matters. Nanaka agrees with him and finds him grown up a little. When she returns, she is confronted by Amemiya who tries to advise her to be considerate since she caused Nenji a lot of trouble. Nanaka throws her off asking her relationship with Nenji and goes further to point out that Amemiya likes him. But don’t think too much about it. She believes Nenji doesn’t think anything of her. She knows because she’s been his friend for so long. She has been this way and will stay like this in the future. Hence it is only natural they’ll be together. That some sort of confession? She brushes off Amemiya’s question that she loves Nenji. Rather, he is the most precious person in the whole wide world. Apparently there’s a difference… Amemiya feels sad that Nanaka has got her memories back.

Episode 7
Nenji talks to Amemiya about Nanaka returning to normal. However they feel odd because they’re supposed to be happy that she’s back but they got used to her 6 year old version. When everyone is asleep, it is quiet enough for Nanaka to do her studies. She notices the Magical Domiko stick in her back and this brings back lots of precious memories with Nenji especially when he cheered her up with positive words. The school trip continues as Nanaka seems bold enough to ask Nenji to hang out with her. When a kid trips, Nanaka ignores but Nenji helps. Nanaka notes he has grown up but Nenji believes it is her kiddie version that helped him do so. Later Amemiya reports another sort of trouble. Studious Nanaka is so boring that the other girls left the wrong and go the camp somewhere illegal. This has Nenji talk how Nanaka isn’t a bad person but with the way she is studying right now, it makes him feel he isn’t so fond of her right now. You bet Nanaka heard that last bit and runs away. Oh well, time to find her again. It must be serious since Nenji finds the stick broken. Finally he finds her at the temple as Nanaka reminds him about their promise to grow up together. She has been working hard to reach that goal. Nenji then says that wasn’t what he meant. Because today’s Nanaka was more selfish than a grown up. She doesn’t care about others but only herself. That’s why he doesn’t like that part of her. Wow. Nanaka giving him multiple slaps. Are you done? Good. Nenji can continue his lecture. He reveals he was depressed when Nanaka started becoming studious. He felt being left behind. He poses the question what kind of person she wants to grow up into. Not sure? Don’t worry. Nenji too hasn’t thought about it. Hence they renew their promise to think together what kind of adults they want to be. Wow. Nanaka so happy she faints?! Nanaka in her own dream talks to her 6 year old self who is happy talking about the nice things she wants to be when she grows up. Nanaka wakes up in hospital. Looks like they’re back in Tokyo. School trip’s over. Oh well, this time the 6 year old Nanaka is back. This means Nenji is even more confused. Should he be glad with this version of Nanaka or should he want to be with the teen one? Amemiya envies him because he is able to consider that seriously. She must be very important to him. And that stick? Well, papa happily bought her a new one.

Episode 8
Nenji is sick! And since his parents are away… Hehehe… Our scheming girls… Nanaka thought of calling for help via her Magical Domiko phone. No answer. But this attracts classmate Yoshida since he is also a big fan of the series. Yeah, Nanaka and Yoshida bond over this. Nanaka goes to the hospital to get some medicine but the nurse can’t allow that if the sick person here. Instead, she has a solution for a much better cure… Meanwhile Amemiya is trying to thinking of visiting Nenji but has a hard time figuring out what to get. Yup, unholy thoughts. At least by her standards. So much so she asks Yoshida’s opinion? Nenji is shocked Nanaka is dressed up as a nurse. She’s going to nurse him but you bet there’s going to be lots of trouble. Yup, the way she messes up things, his sickness is going to take some time to heal. Amemiya arrives only to see Nanaka on top of Nenji. She misinterprets the situation and slaps him! Why is he the victim?! Triple trouble because Kuriko is also here. Oh dear. They really make more mess and cause him more trouble. I won’t be surprise if he dies by the end of this episode! Even seeing him in such a state, the 6 year olds fight over him and cause more damage! WTF?! Arashiyama is here to watch his misery but gets jealous to see him surrounded by babes. Seeing Nanaka so cute in a nurse outfit, he pretends to be sick. Yeah, Nanaka will nurse him! Until Nanaka feeds him her burnt cooking, he can’t take it anymore and leaves, only to be beaten up by Satsuki and taken hope. I guess this is worse than being sick. Amemiya thought she could finally feed him with her cooking but those 6 year olds keep fighting over it and the porridge spills over him. HOW CAN NENJI NOT BE DEAD AFTER ALL THIS?! When Yoshida visits, he sees the chaos and takes control. OMG! This guy directs the girls what to do and in the end the day is saved! His room so clean! Nenji is so happy he starts crying and hugging Yoshida for being his saviour! Oh f*ck! I hope this won’t awaken his gay instincts! If it does, we know who to blame… At the end of the day, Nenji has a decent rest and is on the road to recovery.

Episode 9
Amemiya is taking suggestions on what the class should do for the cultural festival. Excited Nanaka wants to do a Magical Domiko play. Of course those b*tches wholeheartedly agree with her and even make her the director and screenwriter. Does Nanaka even know what those are? So, nobody else got any other ideas and just agree to this?! When Nanaka sees the photo album of last year’s festival and notices a picture of herself in the background, suddenly she faints. She is brought to the infirmary to rest. When she wakes up and returns to class, those b*tches try to mock her for being lazy with the play. Nanaka surprises them all that it was probably her other self. They feel confused as Nanaka wants to talk to Nenji. Seems she has a gist of what is going on but wants him to answer honestly. Which Nanaka is most important to him? Obviously. Both. She expected that answer and calls him a kind man. She also knows Amemiya eavesdropping and wants her opinion but she just bolts. Later, Yoshida tries to lend all his Magical Domiko collection to Nanaka for reference. Surprisingly she accepts because she is adamant to see through this play. She wants to spend her time wisely. Nenji tells Taizou what happened so he believes it is time he has to tell his daughter the truth. Nanaka has finished the script. Everyone is amazed. Except those b*tches of course. Need to stir up trouble so Chie Kazamatsuri claims it is incomplete. Nanaka then tells her to be more specific. Panic, she makes up whatever comes to mind. But Nanaka will accept that suggestion and do the necessary changes. That night as Nanaka fine tunes her script, she can sense that the little one is trying to awaken. She tries to keep her at bay and hopes to last at least until the play is over. Next day as the class is making the props, it almost falls on Nanaka but luckily Nenji manages to hold it. Even though no contact, Nanaka still faints! Guess who’s back? Yup, little Nanaka.

Episode 10
Nanaka undergoes a CT scan just in case. Well, nothing abnormal. When Nanaka returns home to her room, she spots letters addressed to herself. She then shows it to Nenji and looks like he knows what to do. With Nanaka back in school, she makes the surprising announcement to cast Kazamatsuri as Magical Domiko. I guess with some weird logic and everyone supporting her, she accepts the role. Later Nenji tells Amemiya about the letters. It seems older Nanaka predicted this would happen and wrote these letters as instructions for her kiddie self to follow. Everyone works hard and even Kazamatsuri putting extra effort into her practice. She’s a star, you know. But on the day of the festival, she falls sick! Damn, it’s serious. So who else to replace her? Everyone thinks Nanaka would be ideal since she wrote the script. Nanaka okays it but of course Nenji knows better that it is not this Nanaka who wrote it. Everything seems fine until Nanaka steps into the opening scene. Stage fright. Then she accidentally trips and sees her own reflection in her glasses. Some weird moment of her older self telling her to calm down and just be the Magical Domiko she loves. With that, Nanaka just acts, uhm, naturally? Basically everyone just adlibs the damn thing. Hey, the crowd is laughing so it’s not bad, right? Yup, the play is a success. Later Nanaka passes a letter she forgot to him. This letter is now addressed to Nenji. Of course it is from the older Nanaka who claims the only reason he is nice to her is because of her younger self. That is why he can choose both Nanaka. She doesn’t want to lose to herself. Nenji and Taizou see the doctor who this time believes that Nanaka is experiencing a split personality. All the traits point to it. He believes there will be a time when both personalities will integrate. This has them worried of what will happen to the 6 year old Nanaka. Wow. Nenji more worried than Taizou as he rushes back to see Nanaka. Yup, still the same kid. One thing’s for sure, Nenji will always be by her side.

Episode 11
Nenji updates Amemiya about Nanaka’s split personality. Of course Nanaka is eavesdropping but doesn’t understand about that adult thing they’re talking. She is busted because Yoshida is here to remind her that Magical Domiko’s last episode airs tomorrow. This causes her to panic and Nenji to worry if she heard what they said. That night, Nanaka has this weird dream whereby Domiko tells her that once the spell is off, she will revert back to a kid. But Nenji will remain since he is already a grownup to begin with. And that means he will have no time for a kid like her. Wow. Sad Nanaka. But she wakes up in time to watch the final episode. It seems Domiko has received a letter from the king saying that he’ll hold a contest with her rival, Kemiko to see who will become the next queen. While her familiar, Pikota is happy, Domiko isn’t. She claims as the magical girl, she is a grownup who has helped many but nobody knows her real self (because everyone is praising Domiko and not Miko who is the real name and actual girl behind that moniker). So sad that she breaks her stick! Commercial break time as Nanaka soon realizes she is inside the anime and she is Domiko herself! What’s this? Amemiya is Kemiko? Nanaka goes to meet up Yuuki (Miko’s childhood friend which is of course played by Nenji). He is in danger of drowning after saving a girl (played by Kuriko). How can Nanaka save him without her stick? Well, she just dives in! Her courage has the stick repair itself. So now she can use magic as she transforms herself into a swimmer to save him. Huh? Why not use magic to lift him out of the water or something?! In the end, Miko comes to terms that she is both persons and will continue to be Domiko and help others. The test is postponed as Kemiko figures she lacks that courage Domiko has and will need more training. Yuuki hints he might know Domiko because he figures Miko has the same eyes like her. Anime ends and Taizou is in for a shock as he discovers an unconscious Nanaka! Call the ambulance! Oh heck, how the f*ck did Nanaka go missing so fast when Taizou was just answering a call from Nenji at the doorstep?! Of course, Nenji panicking too as he goes to look for Nanaka. Oh, it’s those stairs. Nostalgia. And yeah, the old Nanaka is back.

Episode 12
Nenji thanks Nanaka for helping her younger self. However Nanaka dismisses she had any intention of that although she did end up helping her. When Nenji told her he never wanted to see her again, her heart broke and she wished to go back to those days when they were laughing. It was probably the reason why her other self came out. Nanaka felt frustrated that it was her little self that made everyone happy instead. However, that young Nanaka is confused and because Magical Domiko has ended, she believes the magic will wear off. Hence she can come out for 1 more time. Wow. Since when did Nanaka become a soothsayer? Nenji updates Amemiya about this and suggests doing something fun together. However Amemiya refuses to join them as she knows there is some sort of bond between them that she cannot interfere with. Hence it is Nenji’s job alone to create one last memory with Nanaka. Next day, Taizou calls Nenji and it seems the 6 year old Nanaka is back. Nenji then takes her to the amusement park. After having fun, Nanaka talks to Nenji and knows her end is near. Magical Domiko has ended and the magic will wear off. Nenji stays positive because Nanaka will always be Nanaka. Then riding the Ferris Wheel, after Nanaka says she wanted to grow up with him, she just suddenly passes up. Time to panic. Well, it’s grownup Nanaka now. Nenji hopes she is trolling and just teasing him. Any time now… Please don’t shake her up like that because now she is in a trance! Holy sh*t! I hope a third split personality don’t show up! We see a Nanaka in trance walking through some dream. Reliving the last episodes of Magical Domiko again and finally meeting her younger self. Grownup Nanaka trying some b*tch rivalry claiming that this grownup Nenji is her Nenji?! But young Nanaka is cooler. She knows what is going on and knows this Nenji is the grownup version. Hence she shouldn’t be with him and will disappear soon. She is not worried about that since she’ll just become her in 11 years. They look forward to growing up. In reality, Nenji saves Nanaka from falling down another stairs. Waking up in hospital, looks like the original Nanaka is here to stay. Taizou doesn’t mind since it is still Nanaka. That’s good enough for him. Amemiya visits on behalf of the class. Nanaka talks to her privately and knows about her crush on Nenji. She claims as his childhood friend, she has a lot of advantage but doesn’t intend to give up on him. Hence Amemiya shouldn’t give up on him on her behalf. So is this a grownup challenge? I guess the playing field is level now. Nanaka returns to her ordinary life and she can decently play the piano now.

Special
Taking place where Nanaka is still a 6 year old, as thanks for always helping Nanaka, Nenji invites Amemiya out to the movies. Does he understand what he is doing?! What does this look like to Amemiya?! Yup. It’s a date!!! Of course she would love to take up that offer. Finally. Nenji x Amemiya. Wow. She sure has lots of delusions. Can’t blame her. It’s been a while. So as they enter the cinema, suddenly somebody spills popcorn on her. Oh sh*t! It’s Nanaka and Taizou! Thanks to the darkness, she can’t recognize Amemiya. Amemiya tries to block Nanaka from Nenji’s line of sight and eventually makes an excuse to go do something else and not watch the movie. Then at the café, she spots Nanaka walking across and again tries to make Nenji look away. Amemiya praying hard that she doesn’t want Nenji and Nanaka to meet. It’s her special day. Don’t ruin it. But that’s basically what this whole episode is about. Amemiya trying to distract Nenji away from the people they know and save their date. So when Nenji is attracted to this flea market, you bet Amemiya is having a bad feeling. Indeed. Not only she has to distract him from crossing paths with Nanaka, it’s like out of the pan and into the fire because there’s Yoshida, Kuriko and those bullies! If this was a hide and seek game, Amemiya would win top prize! Though, Amemiya has this great feeling of playing escape with him. Yeah, another one of her delusions. But time to run again when Nanaka is at the bookstore they are at! I swear, is that girl following them?! Then at the park, finally alone. Nenji notes she has been acting weird although she denies. The last straw came when Amemiya thought she saw Nanaka at the vending machine and Nenji is heading there to get drinks. Turns out to be a different girl. After running around like that all day, finally her fever catches up and she collapses. She wakes up back in her room as she learns from mom that Nenji carried her back. Her heart beats faster as he is also here in her room. Mom trying to embarrass her or something? Despite all that, Amemiya notes herself as the world’s luckiest girl today. Oh well. It’s all a matter of perspective. Nanaka returns home and Taizou also feels he is the luckiest dad in the world for being able to be with Nanaka the whole day.

Always A Kid At Heart
Okay… So no final miracle magic? What I mean is that because our main characters seem to love this 6 year old Nanaka so much and it feels like anguish that she is gone, by some weird stroke of luck or magic, Nanaka will be split into 2 and hence there will be 2 different Nanaka existing simultaneously at the same time! F*ck whatever caveats of that sci-fi theory paradox crap! This is magic! MAGIC! M-A-G-I-C!!! And then everyone can be happy because both sets of Nanaka can exist together without sacrificing the other! And then Nanaka can bluff everyone by saying it is her younger cousin from the countryside or perhaps her long lost twin! Oh well, I guess Nanaka reverting back to her normal grownup self is still considered a happy ending. It is still Nanaka after all and if they really want that 6 year old of hers, she just needs to find it somewhere deep in the recess of her heart. I mean, it is Nanaka after all and she can be that cheery innocent happy go lucky kid anytime. If she wants to, that is.

The story and plot are pretty simple and convoluted. It might be mind boggling at times in the sense that our main characters are putting up a charade and lie on her behalf for this innocent little Nanaka so as to protect and prevent her from being shocked that she isn’t actually a kid in real time. But I am sure in real life a lot of family members and closed ones would do the same thing if put in the same shoes. But if you find it silly that nobody questions the sudden changes in Nanaka’s personality and just accept her as she is, please bear in mind that it has been established that the grownup Nanaka is some sort of an outcast. A bookworm. A study nerd. Hence she does not have friends and nobody would want to associate with her. Thus a convenient plot since nobody actually knows the real Nanaka. So when she reverted to her 6 year old self, despite the vast difference in personality, I’m sure many would be wondering, “Uhm, was Nanaka this active and happy?”. Because they don’t know her and don’t give a damn, the reason why many let it slide and allow Nanaka to just act like a small kid. I mean, who cares, right? It makes Nenji, Taizou and Amemiya’s job a little easier.

But the greatest factor of this anime is especially the dynamism between Nenji and Nanaka. It is fleshed out a lot here and there is some sort of a bittersweet irony between them. For instance, Nenji only became a nice guy after this 6 year old Nanaka came to be. Before that, he was like a delinquent who gets into fights and doesn’t give a f*ck about anything. And then when tragedy strikes, he is forced to grow up and become an adult overnight. Hence the reversion of Nanaka may look like a tragedy at first hand but it is more of a blessing in disguise because you can see how Nenji has grown up and you could say that he is more adult than most adults are! It is ironic that the grownup Nanaka couldn’t help Nenji then and he never listens to her. You could say that both of them strayed and got lost from the true goal of their promise to become an adult. They felt it was like a race to become one and hence the reason they turned out to be so. Yes, the stress and pressure to just become an adult turned Nenji into a delinquent and Nanaka a social outcast.

It is not because of the 6 year old Nanaka’s child-like nature that forced those close to her to act more kindly and so. I mean, at first it might look like Nenji is only treating this young Nanaka well is because she is a kid. You know, we have to treat kids nicely, right? But if you look deeper, it is because of Nanaka’s innocence that made Nenji realize that he has been walking the wrong path. Hence that’s why I mentioned that he grew up and matured overnight. The 6 year old Nanaka came from a time when as a kid, she had no worries about anything. The upright honesty in her smile says it all. Nenji isn’t a monster so you bet he wants to protect that smile for as long as he can. But it is hard to say if Nanaka would continue to grow up and repeat the same mistake and turn into that gloomy bookworm. It is Nanaka after all. It is no wonder why Nenji wants to keep her despite he claims that both Nanaka are important to him. I can feel that he is more inclined to the younger one because she reminds him of his own days where he was young and innocent as her too. But reality sucks. You can’t have your cake and eat it and so we get the original Nanaka back as the younger made her cool exit. Remember, grownup Nanaka was once this young Nanaka. If she so much wishes to be cheerful, she can actually be that kind of girl again. If only she wants to.

Amemiya being the supporting character, I feel that she is mostly caught between a rock and a hard place. Because Nenji is always looking out for kiddie Nanaka and has his eyes mostly on her, Amemiya is relegated to some sort of lackey in this sense? I mean, she is the only one outside the family who knows of Nanaka’s conditions. So it’s pretty tough for a girl like her since she has a crush on Nenji but is forced to play along and help him out with her rival. The playing field not level since Nanaka is a 6 year old so you bet Nenji is going to give more attention to her. That’s why for you Nenji x Amemiya fans out there, the special episode felt like it was to appease that fanfic pairing because otherwise in other normal episodes, there will never be a chance in hell they’ll be able to go on such a nice date. Sure, it didn’t go smoothly as Amemiya hoped for but at least she still got to be with him. You win some, you lose some. You can tell how much her pent up feelings for him as she acts out her delusions in real life. Embarrassing. Taizou is a great dad and although he is happy to be reliving his daddy days with young Nanaka again, somehow it actually feels more like grandpa and his granddaughter, DON’T YOU THINK?! It doesn’t matter how old Nanaka is, she will always be daddy’s girl! Yeah. Kids these days grow up so fast so I can see why he was excited to play with little Nanaka again. If only his back and other age related problems don’t get to him first. That’s why I said it looks more like grandpa and his granddaughter rather than father and daughter!

The other characters feel like a distraction and don’t do much except to provide for a little variety. The most disappointing one being Arashiyama and Satsuki. I thought they would play a more significant role, especially for Satsuki. However for the rest of the series, their appearance has become some sort of a comical pair. Arashiyama fawning over Nanaka or something like that and Satsuki will appear out of nowhere to beat the crap out of him for letting his guard down. She’ll feel disappointed that the heir to the family dojo is so weak and drags him away for more training. That is all there is to this pair of siblings! This is the running joke of the series! I thought Satsuki would perhaps enter some sort of love triangle and vie for Nanaka’s affection but she remains clown half for the rest of the series. Like as though they had a few extra time in the episode and to fill up some space, they put in this funny distraction. By the time the series ends, this joke has gotten old and stale. Even if Arashiyama is seen to almost fall in love with a random beauty. Not if Satsuki will allow it on her watch. Arashiyama claims he wants to be manly this and manly that but all I see is a wuss and joker material. I can see the downfall of the family dojo from here already… Even more so this guy is a loser since young. Always losing to Nenji and now his sister.

Then there is the other distraction known as Kuriko because I guess we need that loli bait too. Sometimes it feels that Kuriko treats Nenji more as a playmate than a real boyfriend. Despite some showdowns with 6 year old Nanaka, it just feels that she needs an older man to fulfil her kiddie needs. I mean, all the boys her age are just childish, right?! And so it’s a bit confusing if you try to size up the love romance for Nenji. Little girls love rivalry for Nenji in the form of Kuriko and 6 year old Nanaka and then you have the teenage girls love rivalry for Nenji in the form of Amemiya and 17 year old Nanaka. I know, it’s just weird to think Nanaka competing with herself over Nenji. So if one of the Nanaka actually wins, would the other be considered the loser? Hence the winner is also the loser but at the same time the loser is the winner?! F*ck. I’m so damn confused! Then there’s Yoshida who is just another Magical Domiko nerd and once troll us with some gay time with Nenji because there’s this risk where if all the girls actually fight over Nenji, that guy would start to hate females and go the other way! Thankfully this anime didn’t take that direction so phew.

In almost every episode, there is a short skit somewhere in the episode that shows whatever adventures of Magical Domiko and Pikota. It’s short and random but it also feels like to fill in some extra time for the episode. I may be wrong, though. I mean, got to see what’s so special about this magical girl anime that Nanaka once loved, right? Oh, there’s this mini running joke about them too that Domiko keeps mispronouncing’s Pikota’s name. What do you mean this little bunny mascot’s real name is Pikoto?!

Art and animation feel mostly early 2000’s era style. Well, I’m sure I need to point this out because it’s been bugging me since I first saw Nenji: His towering spiky hairstyle! OMFG. This is sure going to give Goku a run for his money. I can’t believe how freaking all those spiky hair are! Unbelievable. Even putting Yugi from Yugioh to shame. The only character I remember who can beat this towering atrocity is that main character from DNA². Yeah… It feels like if you’re not careful, Nenji’s spiky hair can impale and kill you! Dangerous! Nanaka is cute and all and it is easy to differentiate between them because the grownup version has a b*tch resting face compared to that retard, oops I mean cutie big smiley looks! You can’t miss that! This is how you can which Nanaka is which before she even acts out her character! Why do I have this feeling that Amemiya looks like she is from Hidamari Sketch but is what happens when Mirai Nikki’s Yuno Gasai didn’t complete her yandere transformation. Really! As for Kuriko, did she escape from Hanamaru Youchien anime? This anime is done by the veteran J.C. Staff. With them animating so many awesome animes like One Punch Man, DanMachi, Shokugeki No Souma, KonoSuba and the To Aru series, it looks like this is one of their many obscure early series.

For the voice acting, it’s nice to go back in time when Yui Horie as still quite active in the industry. As Amemiya, she feels a lot like home for the characters she voiced during that time like Kotori of Da Capo, Naru from Love Hina and School Rumble’s Eri. The other recognizable seiyuus are Kenichi Suzumura as Nenji and Nobuhiko Hiyama as Yoshida. One of the oddest things I find is that the credits listed 2 different seiyuus as Nanaka. While Chiemi Chiba (Mio in To Love-Ru) voices the 17 year old one, Mayumi Abe did the 6 year old version. However I cannot find any sources to credit the latter. I’m stumped because usually for female characters, old or young, isn’t it more feasible to have the same voice actress? Sure, both versions of Nanaka sound different, well duh. But if this was really true, then it shows that there wasn’t any flexibility in the seiyuus to voice 2 characters differently? The other casts are Takashi Masuyama as Taizou (Jeeves in Hatena Illusion), Sakura Nogawa as Kuriko (Hina Ichigo from Rozen Maiden), Kaori Nazuka as Satsuki (Nunnally in Code Geass), Tomoyuki Shimura as Arashiyama (Yuusuke Saitou in Darker Than Black), Asami Sanada as Domiko (Kurumi in Date A Live) and Mika Kanai as Pikota (Normad in Galaxy Angel). The opening theme is Sunao Na Mama by Funta. The liveliness of this piece reflects the exuberance the 6 year old Nanaka has. The ending theme, Taisetsu Na Negai by Coorie is more of a slow pop ballad.

Overall, quite an interesting and funny show although very much on the light-hearted side. Doesn’t delve too deep into the psychological trauma of amnesia and split personality but I guess if there is one thing this anime tries to tell us, perhaps it is to take a step back from our daily lives and reflect on our times where we were most happy, carefree and innocent. A much simpler time. So can I use this anime as excuse to not to grow up and continue watching animes forever?! Sure, can’t be 100% adult all the time but can’t be a kid 100% all of the time either. Damn reality… Otherwise if you’re looking for more complex character development and storyline with thought provoking issues, this retro anime isn’t the answer you’re looking for. This is a simple about a young girl making everyone around her that being kind and yourself is what matters most in life. And that itself is already magic.

Najica Blitz Tactics

Imagine if James Bond was female. Oh wait. Did Hollywood just do that gender swap thingy? Well, Japan did it a long time ago. Back in 2001, we had Najica Blitz Tactics, the sexy and panty flashing version of James Bond. There. Your Japanese answer to what James Bond would be if he was a smoking hot female and turned into anime. So I guess if you’re watching this, you’re in for the fanservice, right? Not the action spy thriller drama or anything else. Just the panty flashing and crotch shots because I guess when you’re already a sexy spy, you’ve got to do it all in sexy style. Now I know why they never made any more sequels of this…

Episode 1
We see Najica Hiiragi (and her ass!) in training. Awesome. 100% hit on her targets! Not sure if those simulated targets are programmed to shoot like Stormtroopers, though! And then she receives a rose. A sign that there is a mission for her. As she flies her way to a mansion on a private island, she is being briefed by Gento Kuraku about this recovery-cum-rescue mission. He also wants to ask her out for dinner after this but I guess she’s not interested. It’s mission time, don’t distract her. And so she (dangerously) jumps off her helicopter and onto the island and sneaks into the mansion. However she is soon found out by the maids and the hunt begins. Not sure how those maids could hide their machine guns in their short skirt but hell yeah, they shoot like Stormtroopers too! No wonder Najica could easily dodge and fight back. Madame is about to get lesbo with this unconscious girl, Lila when Najica barges in. Madame, interrupted! Najica easily takes her out and retrieves Lila. Then she fights off more waves of maids until her helicopter arrives. Uhm, is the helicopter on auto pilot because she is piloting it herself back to the aircraft carrier and hand over Lila to her commanding officer. Mission over. Najica returns to CRI Cosmetics where she works as a perfumer and is greeted by her colleagues. She is then summoned by her commander, Jin Majima. He asks if there was anything during the mission that made her uneasy. Nothing in particular. Okay then. Dismiss. When Najica returns home, she thought an intruder had broken in. But it turns out to be Lila and she is up and awake.

Episode 2
Najica seeks an explanation from Majima and Gento so they say she is a Humaritt developed by Shinba Industrial. Basically, an artificial superhuman. They gave her the name Lila since her original code, ZZZ just doesn’t sound right. When Lila went missing, the executives panicked and that’s why CRI was roped in to help retrieve her. But the real story, she was actually to be scrapped so the bosses stepped in to recover her. As for what she is doing in Najica’s place, Lila will be her partner from now on. Najica disagrees because she doesn’t need a partner. While Lila undergoes final testing under Gento, Najica returns to her perfumer job. But soon, another mission. Najica is furious because Lila is going with her on this one and she doesn’t want an inexperienced girl to slow her down. Despite Lila’s assurance, Najica isn’t convinced. If Najica persists, Lila will shoot her. You are not allowed to disobey orders. Okay. Fine. Whatever. On this mission, they are to protect Judge Katsuura’s daughter from being the mafia’s target. The judge didn’t overturn a guilty verdict so they’re going to get revenge by sniping his daughter. Since she will be attending some ceremony, it is most likely they’ll target her here. Najica stakes out the place as she observes Lila being clumsy as hell and like a robot, do as she is told. On the night of the event, Najica manages to intercept the sniper. Yeah, something about Lila’s observation about the sniper in disguise buying some ice cream?! HUH?! However they are in for another surprise as a sniper shot is fired from the Ferris Wheel. Yeah, this sniper has a twin! But wow! Lila shoots and intercepts the bullet! Such precision and accuracy! A few shots exchanged but we all know the snipers are fighting a losing battle. Eventually they are arrested and nothing else untoward happens. Except for Najica chiding Gento for his poor info. He was supposed to provide backup, you know. Back home, Najica continues to be baffled with Lila’s strangeness. WTF this cultivation water? Sighs, gotta teach her from the start to dry herself first rather than cleaning all the water spilled. And don’t go walking around naked like that! You’re a girl, you know!

Episode 3
Holy sh*t! A satellite laser just blew up an entire military island base!!! You bet this is going to be Najica’s next mission. The perpetrator behind this is Todd McCormick. A small time villain who managed to revive an old republic’s satellite laser. Now he is going to sell that access right to anyone who can pay him the right amount. Hence that island destruction was just a demo. Najica’s mission is to disarm the satellite and prevent it from being use for future attacks. Najica and Lila disguise as rich travelling sisters as they meet Todd and his lover, Nyula. Damn, how many types of smile did Lila practice to make the perfect one? Anyway, as Todd dances with Lila, Najica feigns some pain to call it for tonight. That’s because they’ve got his fingerprints and DNA from the sweat. This allows them to track him to his base, an abandoned military base of the republic. Todd being the playboy is caressing Nyula so much that he doesn’t know the agents snuck in? Well, this WTF moment when the agents fail to disarm some special security, Najica just tells Lila to analyse and do something about it. Yeah, she’s going to bomb the hell out of it!!! Can’t say it’s Lila’s fault! But then they are attacked by Nyula’s sound waves. Turns out that she is a Humaritt. Oh, new orders just came in: Retrieve this Humaritt too. Todd threatens to destroy London as he commands Nyula to set the satellite coordinates. Najica in turn threatens to bomb all his plane collection in the hangar. Todd calls her bluff so she sets off all the bombs. Todd so mad he orders Nyula to kill them. WTF Nyula went down with just 1 bullet?! Don’t worry, it’s plastic so it doesn’t kill. Realizing the only way is to overwrite from the main controls, Najica has Lila stall Nyula for 10 minutes. Meanwhile Todd tries to put out the fire on his treasures with his measly hose and gets burnt to death! Dumb but good riddance. Since Najica can’t stop the laser nor change coordinates, WTF you mean it’s faster to programme it to crash on this base?! Just before Lila is defeated, Najica neutralizes Nyula. How does she know where Lila is? Gee, I thought it was because of following all the destruction and action. But nope. She’s got a good nose! YOU MEAN SHE CAN SMELL THROUGH THE MYRIADS OF SMELL FROM THE FIRE, SMOKE, DEBRIS, ETC???!!! Anyway, they leave the base in time with Nyula before the satellite crashes. In the aftermath, Majima is not pleased but Najica tells him back, well, he did say to disarm it and not to crash it. Yup. Next time be specific with his command and orders. Yes, this means no last minute orders too. Got that?!

Episode 4
Wow. Najica sure hell knows a lot about this popular idol group, 4 C’zNs (pronounced as Four Seasons). Well, you’ve guessed it? One of them is a Humaritt and it’s her job to retrieve her. Since first looks makes her unable to tell which is which (obviously), Gento suggests a more personal approach. Hence Najica will impersonate as the manager of Lila who is going to be a new idol alongside 4 C’zNs. While Najica gets friendly with their manager, Ai Irie, Lila scans the rest. To Najica’s surprise, all of them register some sort of similarities. Could it mean that all of them are Humaritt? Gento doesn’t think so. To further prove one is a Humaritt, they have to use this special device and scan their serial number. Which is on their ass. Yup. Going to look at asses! Lila tries to do so while the girls are changing but Ai shoos her out since it isn’t her room. Najica then causes an accident to have drinks spill on them so they are forced to have a quick shower. Yeah, Lila can now scan their asses. WTF, the device doesn’t work when wet?! As Najica is at her wits’ end, while watching one of 4 C’zNs’ video, she suddenly realizes something. She sends the voice for some further analysis. Turns out their voice have been brainwashing others and that’s why they have become so popular. Although it might look like all of them could be the Humaritt, further analysis shows that the actual Humaritt may be hypnotizing the rest to act as one too. Meanwhile Lila is cornered by 4 C’zNs. They know she is a Humaritt and are about to get rid of her but luckily Najica is here to save the day. They go after the girls and knock them out to scan their asses. With 3 misses, obviously the last one is the culprit, right? She hypnotizes Najica out but it seems it doesn’t work on Lila as she shoots her out. Then they scan her ass… Surprise! Not a Humaritt! The true culprit is of course Ai. She hypnotizes Najica to do her bidding. Because Lila follows Najica’s orders, she too can’t do anything. But suddenly Najica shoots and disables Ai. How?! Oh, she’s wearing earplugs. They scan her ass. Yup, III AKA Ai is really the Humaritt. In the aftermath, 4 C’zNs announce their breakup and will go solo. Uhm, do we even care after seeing their asses?!

Episode 5
Ricardo Kidel has bought a ballistic missile from the black market and intends to fire it on his native country to kill off the old government whom he is having bad blood with. Hence, we know what’s Najica’s mission, right? Of course, he also has a Humaritt so be careful not to hurt her and bring her back in 1 piece. As they stake out the place, the moment Lila discovers a dead courier person body in the truck, Najica goes into action and disables all the cronies in the bar. Yeah, the patron, the workers and just about everybody gets owned. Najica escapes by the skin of her teeth from the sniping of Koharu. However the big fish has left in his own private cruise. Time to hop aboard. Inside, they sneak around until they get caught. Najica surprised to see Lila having a flesh wound on her arm since Koharu fired at her. She helps bandage it and Lila thanks her. You mean Najica didn’t expect that?! So a Humaritt isn’t capable of gratitude? So they fight their way through a wave of sailor babes. Yeah, literally littering the entire corridor with them showing their glorious ass! Kidel and Koharu manage to escape in their submarine. Yeah, this is where the missile is located. Time to hop aboard. At first, Najica is kept busy by Koharu. However Najica is thrown off balance when Koharu feigns pain to indicate she isn’t a Humaritt. Koharu gives Najica a beat down before Lila returns to help settle the score while Najica goes to place the bomb at the booster fin. Yeah, too late to cancel so as the missile launches, it goes out of control but ends up dropping into the ocean. The only casualty is Kidel since for some reason he got burnt to death by the rocket fire. Yeah, I guess it saves the rest of the sailor babes from dying a needless death, huh? Koharu is retrieved and as she is in Gento’s lab, the moment Najica gets close to her, Koharu tries to strangle her. Luckily Gento injects her with some serum to knock her out. The sad reality is that despite her master is dead, she will continue to be loyal to him since there were no cancellation orders from her master and will forever be like this. Najica can only lament if she was human, she would’ve been able to think on her own.

Episode 6
A ship transporting a Humaritt was ambushed. Now the Humaritt has escaped. WTF she looks like a cross between Sakura and Tsunade?! Anyway, it might look like a simple retrieve mission but you see, this place where the Humaritt escaped is no man’s land. Some disaster that made no countries want to own it. Currently it is occupied but some organization led by the mad scientist-cum-CEO, Kissling. Oh, he has a private army too? You bet they are going after this Humaritt. To complicate matters, this escaped Humaritt has no master imprinted onto her yet so it is unprecedented how she will react. Yeah, that’s why they send Najica to clean up this sh*t, right? So we see the Humaritt displaying even extraordinary superhuman abilities that wipe out the army division easily. The general disagrees in chasing after something so dangerous but Kissling believes the more dangerous it is, the more worthy it is. If Shinba threw it away, he is going to make use of their technology. Najica is of course no match for the Humaritt and could’ve lost had not the Humaritt experienced some sort of pain and retreat. The Humaritt rests to rejuvenate itself as Gento reveals more info about this Humaritt. Codenamed BBB, it seems she doesn’t have her limiters too. This means unlike other Humaritt who limit their physical abilities (so as to be similar to humans – why the f*ck for?!), this is going to be a tough one to crack. Yeah, the best they can do is give her some souped up weapons. Hope that helps. When BBB is back online, she is ambushed and captured by the military. But then she fights back. More complication as Najica enters the fray. As expected, she can’t handle this and is in danger as BBB tries to kill her. Lila risks her own safety and life just to save her. Suddenly BBB acts strange. It is believed she has used up her powers and reached her limit. At that moment, she becomes very afraid and cowers at the corner. Of course Najica tries to calm her down. Meanwhile the general is killed off by Kissling since he doesn’t want to pursue this. WTF Kissling going to fly his jet and kill everybody but holy f*ck, Lila just shoots her gun at his plane and KABOOM! F*cking easy and hilarious! In the aftermath, Najica feels sad for her fate but she has something closer to worry about as Lila collapses.

Episode 7
Although Lila is recuperating, Najica casts a forlorn figure. Wow. She’s so worried about her partner, huh? A far cry from her old days. But Gento better be careful with his words because Najica will not have him downgrade Lila as though she isn’t human. Gento tries to have her relax and chill but Najica keeps asking him about Humaritt and how many of them are left. He claims he doesn’t know but also tries to tell her to not let emotion get in her way. So if he isn’t going to tell her anything, I guess she’s not going to drink with him for tonight. Najica’s thoughts are preoccupied with Lila so she can’t concentrate on her perfumer job. Of course, another mission. Swaney Kuronikowa is a young maths prodigy. Basically she is trying to escape from her Soviet-like country and is currently hiding in some small republic country (Switzerland?). You bet it is Najica’s job to retrieve her. This time she has to go it alone without a partner. Well then, don’t worry. It’ll be just like old times. Upon landing in the country, we see Najica in a car chase with an agent who is after Swaney, Lady. What an easy car chase because Lady crashes?! Swaney and her bodyguard, Daniella is resting in a hotel. They thought CRI is here but it turns to be another agent from the Soviet to retrieve her, Franc. Daniella tries to protect Swaney but gets owned. Damn, big black guy gonna rape Daniella? Nope, some wrestling moves to give some pain. By the time Najica arrives, Franc just took Swaney away. How the f*ck did Lady drive here in her sidecar so fast?! Daniella badly bruised but I guess the hotel staffs can take care of it while Najica goes after the agents. WTF Franc returns to play chicken with Najica?! But with bazookas! Stupid Franc dies since he gets hit directly by Najica’s bazooka. Boom! Najica arrives in time as Lady tries to force Swaney into the jet plane. Is it me or do I just realize that Lady has been running around without any pants all the time?! Anyway, the ladies fight. Trouble looms as Najica shoots the fuel tank. This makes Lady to become cautious as she has to bring Swaney back alive. Because of that, Najica owns her. Oh no. Fuel from the crashed car gonna blow up the plane. Jump, Swaney! JUMP! Right into Najica’s arms and right before the whole thing explodes. What an explosive spectacle. When Swaney is brought back, it seems she and Gento know each other well. Something about his company owes a lot to her so he’ll be taking care of her now. Najica returns home and gets a scare to see Lila unconscious on the floor. Turns out she was tired after making dinner. Yeah, just drop dead like that, huh? Dinner’s already cold, by the way…

Episode 8
Wow. Fancy seeing Najica and her measurements?! On to the next mission, there will be a military aviation show and it is believed a Humaritt known as Toni will pop up there. Unfortunately they don’t know how she looks like nor her capabilities. But they do know she serves Rasse Pewnt who is black market weapons broker. Yeah, at this point do we even need to ask what Najica’s mission is? Uh huh. Najica even noticing this has been her mission lately. Can’t disobey, right? At the grounds, Azusa Katsuragi is supposed to do some publicity stint for this new jet plane, Oboro. However, where are all the media?! No publicity?! It seems everyone is taking photos of Najica and Lila as hot show girls. Oh yeah! Keep that sexy coming! Even Gento trying to add to his photo collection… You bet Azusa isn’t amused and has a small b*tch showdown with them. Nothing she can do about it. As they take a break, it seems Gento believes Toni will not show up and it has been a waste of time. Well, don’t look now because Toni just showed up (she was masquerading as a waitress) and owns the military! Yeah, military security is so pathetic! Toni steals Oboro but takes Azusa as hostage so that the guys can’t activate the self-destruct. I wonder how Toni can fly if Azusa’s ass is in her face all the time! Anyway, Najica and Lila give chase in an older model plane. After Toni lands on an aircraft carrier that Rasse is on, he notices the agents coming so he wants Toni to test Oboro’s abilities. Uhm, is this called dogfight or b*tch fight? Anyway, even more amazing is that Lila parachutes down so slowly and all of Rasse’s goons can’t even hit her! But she hits her target?! Not sure how but Najica’s plane completely destroys Oboro! HOW?! Toni doesn’t give up and fights back. Yeah, insane amount of ludicrous action like Toni hanging onto Najica’s plane, Lila sniping the string so she drops hard. But the killer is when Najica fires her missile and Toni tries to f*cking catch it! She couldn’t control it so it destroys the ship’s interior. Thank goodness it didn’t go off and f*cking explode the ship. Yeah, a few shots to wound and immobilize Rasse. In the aftermath, all the goons are arrested. Azusa upon learning Najica her saviour has now fallen in love with her. She wants to hire her as her bodyguard and training. Majima gives Najica this mission but it is special because she gets to turn it down. And boy, Najica sure refused it because she thinks Lila is more than enough for her. Yup, don’t want some sort of complicated rivalry to arise from that.

Episode 9
Najica is left deep in thoughts about the various Humaritt she has met. She still thinks they have no will of their own but follow their master’s. But is that all true? Today’s mission will have the duo head to some Arabian empire. Currently it is ruled by a dictator queen and the country is suffering from impoverishment due to the civil war. Currently the liberation army is led by Athena Gilnande. What’s more, she is the queen’s daughter. Of course their mission is not to get involve in the civil war but to retrieve the Humaritt, Elith who is Athena’s right hand woman. So the duo sneak into the liberation army’s base. Lila stumbles into Elith and they talk about what it means being a Humaritt. Elith thinks she is more mature than Lila since she knows her master well enough to act without being told. Lila is paralyzed and dumped out. Meanwhile Najica gets captured and tortured! Oh sh*t! I guess the salute to Athena gave her away. They don’t salute here?! How can Najica not do her homework?! Anyway, they torture her thinking she is from the government. Elith brings news that the government forces are coming here. Najica smirks as she tells them to give up. But Athena talks to Elith privately and asks about their chances of victory. While Elith is confident they can win, Athena thinks otherwise. She realizes that all their rebelling has not changed the queen and hence to stop sacrificing the needless lives of their comrades, she wants to surrender. However Elith gets mad especially about Athena’s lie to fight till their deaths. She refuses to back down from this fight. That is when Elith pulls out her gun and shoots her! OMG! Uhm, so the other army girls take Elith as their new leader? So logically who puts on the cap becomes the new boss? Oh, Najica has escaped and saw this atrocity. She is no match fighting Elith but here comes Lila barging through with a tank. Did she think for herself? Lila says everyone else has run away. Yeah, either they are smart or cowards. Elith refuses to believe that and charges alone in her tank. Yeah, she gets bombed the hell out by the government’s air forces! In the aftermath, Gento retrieves Elith as he narrates about Humaritt taking after their master. Because humans are double faced, a pure and obedient Humaritt may be unable to understand that. This may lead the Humaritt disagreeing with their master for the first time and for Elith, it led her to kill Athena. Also, the queen has been disposed by another group and now her secretary becomes the leader of this new republic.

Episode 10
Double mission for Najica and Lila. They are to led this man, Yoshiki Kamiwazumi to safety and bring him to Gento. He also has a Humaritt assistant, Serina and they have to retrieve her. Apparently they are running from Rinka Ren who is the mother of all Humaritt. Yes, she created them. After Shinba pulled the plug on the project, she disappeared with all the Humaritt and that’s why Najica has been on a spree to retrieve them. As Ren is still missing, only Yoshiki knows her whereabouts. Najica and Lila meet up with the duo on the train. The humans talk privately as Yoshiki claims they are both deeply in love with each other since he was in charge of raising her and they both grew close enough to become lovers. However Ren was against it and tried to separate them, even trying to reprogramme Serina. That’s the reason why they eloped. Najica poses the question that on her way here, she saw many defeated ninja robot babes. Was it his doing? Nope. He doesn’t think Serina did it too because he told her to appreciate life. Of course those ninja robot babes and infiltrated the train and we see Serina in her cold killer assassin mode picking them off. Since Lila sees this, she tells her not to tell Yoshiki. The attack gets more intense as they detach their carriage and bomb it! Luckily they jump off but must now trek to the nearest shelter. Luckily Yoshiki is out tired so he can’t see Serina killing more adversaries. They take a rest in a cabin and they should know better than to let their guard down because yeah, ninja robot babes shooting bazooka into it!!! With Yoshiki slightly injured, you bet Serina is mad as she goes on a killing spree. However Najica is through playing the nice woman so she tells her the truth that they can never be together since it’s her mission to retrieve her. Since Serina won’t be separated from her love, she considers Najica her enemy. They fight but Lila gets confused when Najica orders her to stay put. Eventually Yoshiki comes in between and this distraction allows Najica to defeat her. In the aftermath, Yoshiki hands Gento whatever data he needs. Because Yoshiki intends to continue living with Serina, Gento gets mad and tells him to stop playing family with this doll. He won’t budge. Gento pleads for Najica’s help. Well, everyone is free to live the way they want. And that’s that. But Lila seems distraught that she doesn’t understand Najica despite being her partner.

Episode 11
Gent is joining the frontlines of the army as they exchange fire with a bunch of Humaritt? Well, this is so that Najica and Lila can infiltrate an abandoned shopping complex supposedly Ren’s hideout. Flashback during the briefing, Majima told Najica that her main objective is to retrieve Ren but if she can, the Humaritt she has too. Because it is Lila’s birthplace, it’ll be dangerous to bring her as it might trigger something. However Najica trusts in Lila and will still bring her on this mission. So yeah, Gento’s army takes a pounding until Humaritt XXX comes to the fore and fires her bazooka at air reinforcements. If more arrive, she’ll activate the laser satellite and blast them out of the sky! Woah! No chance! Better retreat. Yeah, Gento the fastest runner. Meanwhile Najica tells Lila to split up so they can look faster. But Lila stumbles into a huge tank containing a young male Humaritt named Alpha. She awakens him. At this point, her contacts are lost so Majima contacts Najica to warn her the worse may have happened to Lila. If that is the case, she has to decide. She is her partner after all. XXX returns to the tank and is shocked Alpha is gone. Because Najica just stumbled into the scene, XXX accuses her of doing something to Alpha although Najica doesn’t know what she’s talking about. They fight in this game of hide and seek-cum-cat and mouse. Meanwhile we see Lila just wandering around with Alpha. It’s like they’re lost kids or something. Lila won’t teach him things and tells him to figure it out himself. Yeah, he learns fast. We return to Najica as she reaches the subway area. When a coach of trains passes, she sees test tubes of Humaritt inside. And across the platform is Ren.

Episode 12
Najica says she is here to protect her and escort her back. However Ren tells her that it won’t be necessary because she has her Humaritt. She then goes on to blame Shinba for panicking when they saw the true potentials of Humaritt and abandoned the project. With the next train arriving, Ren jumps on board. Woah! She has got to be a Humaritt to do that perfectly! Not sure how Najica caught up after fighting waves of Humaritt goons. But why did Ren make the stop? Wasn’t she supposed to escape out of here or something? But she’s still stuck in this underground. She calls out to XXX but she doesn’t respond. As Najica fights her, she realizes that this is not Ren but XXX. That smell. However Ren chides her for making such mistake. Najica proves her wrong as she shoots and wounds her. That is Humaritt blood, right? It is then XXX starts to panic and become scared. Some trauma about Ren promising she will never abandon them. Looks like she did. Yup, Ren was never here in the first place. Meanwhile Gento has got orders to get out. Looks like time is up and they’re going to bomb the whole place! As Najica and XXX continue to fight, XXX (oh sh*t, (wo)man with the golden gun?!) obviously is winning and is about to kill her when she spots Alpha ahead. She goes to call him but he gets scared and hides behind Lila. Attempts to lure him to her side fails. XXX is sad and takes this as a sign that he too has abandoned her. Humaritt logic? He must die! So another fight on the cards. But both Najica and Lila are defeated! XXX approaches Alpha but he starts crying. Too bad, the military now bomb the hell out of the place! Once outside, Najica and Lila are still alive. They hear Alpha’s cries. After removing the slab, they see XXX died protecting him. In the aftermath, Najica needs to return Alpha to HQ too. But Lila disagrees. Why? Because she doesn’t want to. Since that will be breaking orders, Najica tells Lila to shoot her if she wants to go ahead and live her own free life. Otherwise, Najica will take Alpha back. Both girls point their guns at each other in this intense Mexican standoff. And then both fire… In the aftermath, Swaney tries to visit Najica at work but is told that she has taken a long vacation. That means there goes Gento’s hopes in inviting Najica out to some game. Apparently Najica on a long leave isn’t some spy code talk. Majima actually granted Najica that long leave because she asked for it. She deserved it. In some European city, Najica is enjoying her cuppa when she thought she spotted Lila and Alpha before disappearing into the crowd. Whatever, right?

Mission: Possible! A View To Thrill
Honestly, the ending leaves a lot to be desired. I mean, it’s not really a bad ending but it feels it could’ve been a bit better. Yeah, me and my ungodly expectations. I thought I had low expectations for this series in the first place? Firstly, although it is not clear if Najica and Lila separated, the final scene is the big hint that indicates so. I mean, Lila going on to live freely with Alpha, will CRI or even Shinba allow it? Weren’t they supposed to retrieve all the Humaritt, dead or alive? Oh right. The convenient bombing of the whole damn place. It’s the perfect excuse to kill off Lila on the records and says she died during the bombing. But shouldn’t Najica have retrieved her body too if that’s the case? Perhaps that is why Majima gave the vague order to retrieve other Humaritt as her side mission. It wasn’t important. So she’s not technically breaking any orders. If so, why did she do that to Lila about wanting to take in Alpha? Could she just make up a lie? Maybe Najica deemed her ‘mature’ enough to live by herself because the more she follows her, the more it will conflict with her basic instincts as a Humaritt.

Secondly, I was hoping to hear the reason of why Humaritt were created but apparently didn’t get a decent answer. Logically, they’re created because mankind can do so with science and technology. That’s it. Perhaps they have foresight to abandon the project after realizing they could become like Terminators where artificial intelligence rise up and rule the world! Yeah, they must have gotten scared after seeing that Hollywood movie! Also, trivial question: Is a Humaritt named so with the combination of human + it? Add the ‘r’ in between for smoother pronunciation. Geddit? Anyway, this also begs the question about Ren’s whereabouts. Where is she to begin with? My conspiracy theory is that she is already dead in the first place due to some mishap or even perhaps XXX accidentally killing her and then trying to cover up her guilt with lies and thus the awakening of Alpha. Otherwise, it is very unlikely that the creator of Humaritt, one who put all of her blood, sweat, tears, time and energy into the project would just abandon them like her corporate bigwigs. Ah well, I guess there are answers we’ll never get. Although the series didn’t get a sequel, it did spawn a manga with a different ending. Maybe they explained things and polished up things there but you know me and reading manga, right?

So, if you’re wondering why this series reeks trademark, setting and style like another sleazy fanservice anime, Agent Aika, please bear in mind that both series were directed by the same person and even produced by the same anime studio! So I suppose it’s like they wanted to test some ideas of the same theme and hence borrowed a lot of elements from Agent Aika to see if Najica would work out. Well, not to say Agent Aika was any better but I guess it was popular enough to spawn some sort of prequel spinoff after that. And this one almost nearly forgotten unless you get lucky and stumble it upon chance over the internet. Yes, that’s how I found this anime, thank you. It’s hard to think that this series itself became like a Humaritt project and got abandoned. Man, it could have been something if Najica and Aika were set in the same universe! It would’ve been an epic crossover as well as an epic fanservice fans have been waiting for!

As far as this series is concerned, I believe they don’t want to focus too heavy on the plot and story. It is evident that every episode feels like a standalone filler that is somewhat independent of each other. More so, side characters appear only once for that episode and never appear again. Because they want to focus on the bombastic action and the sleazy fanservice, you would notice that the plot or rather the missions that Najica undertakes in every episode is explained very quickly. Look girl, here is the situation. Blah, blah, blah. Now this is what you must do. Yada, yada, yada. Got it? Okay. Go! It’s like they want to get that out of the way so that the rest of the episode could be focused on the twin action and fanservice combo. While that formula works great for this since you can basically watch and forget without getting your head hurt, thinking about the confusing plot over plot, this of course means making the series boring in that particular sense. I mean, it follows the same formula. Najica and Lila undergo a mission to retrieve a Humaritt. Lots of explosions and gun fights in between. Even more pantsu shots thrown in between. They win. Bad guys die. Humaritt retrieved. Day is saved. Woah. You can’t get as simpler as that, can you?

And of course we have to talk about the fanservice. That is the main draw of this series, right? You could say all the females here are walking fanservice because it is like long skirts don’t exist in this world and each and every single one of them only wears mini skirts. Uh huh. It’s like they never get the idea to wear even pants. Whether humans or Humaritt, mini skirts are the only fashion for the ladies here! It is so freaking obvious the panty shots and crotch shots at almost every corner that I suppose the cameraman must be the happiest and most dedicated guy crawling around to give us those delicious shots from those low angles. Yeah. This series should’ve been called Najica Blitz Pantsu Tactics! Those panty shots are bombarding-cum-raiding our eyes at blitzkrieg speed!

The insanity that almost everything the ladies do is for the sake of fanservice. You can tell when the defeated maids or Humaritt, they spread their legs as wide as possible just to give us that obligatory panty shots. If not, they faint by showing us their ass. I mean, who the f*ck goes unconscious like that???!!! I think I have pointed this out before because you do notice that everyone is wearing the same white panties! So, there are no other designs or colours?! Not even main character Najica?! (I only remember Madame from the first episode wearing a different lingerie). Well, my old theory implies that since everybody is going to give us that sleazy fanservice, it is going to be hard and tough to draw all of them with different designs and colours. I bet the animators will spend more time fapping and trying to perfect them even if they’re shown for a short while, and doing so means things won’t get done and the episode won’t be released on time! So yeah, want to see nice ass and pantsu shots? Got it. But all of them wears the same white pantsu. Hey, can’t have your cake and eat it too, right? Can’t have everything. Thanks for all the glorious pantsu anyway.

This series also shows bare tits but it is just sparingly. I thought they censor them in the initial episodes because if you notice the dumb way Lila rejuvenates in her special Humaritt blood inside the bath tub. Uhm, why is she prostrating and not just lying ordinarily? So I thought it was to conveniently hide her tits and front but this isn’t the case as in subsequent episodes, you get to see tits here and there although like I said, they’re just very sparingly.

Of course there are the action bits too but I also believe that this is only to help complement the fanservice moments. Because otherwise, you won’t get to see Najica and the other ladies go close up and do hand to hand combat in the sense that they’ll stretch their legs and give that revealing high kick. And of course, the ladies jump and with their skirt already so short, it reveals their pantsu. That’s why the action has got to be bombastic and outrageous. Otherwise you won’t get your fanservice + action combo. Imagine if everyone is fighting so prim and proper. BORING!!! But looking at the action parts itself, they are really over the top and exaggerated in its own right. Gun fights! Explosions! Yeah, this series has got all that covered too even if some of them are really dumb. Because that’s what a spy themed anime needs, right? Another weird action moment is that with the deluge of gunfire, everyone else seems to have Stormtrooper aiming ability but Najica and Lila hit their target on the first shot! Or are they shooting blanks?!

Too bad I feel that it is a waste that Najica doesn’t have cool spy tools at her disposal. Not much anyway. Even so, they’re forgettable and just for plot convenience. Heh. She’s not even the 007 so why the heck does she need gadgets to get the job done? Her short skirt is enough to get the job done, if you know what I mean!!! Also, Najica is like Batman and that means she has a no-kill policy, hence her gun is only loaded with plastic bullets. Hurt you enough to be unconscious but it won’t kill you. Thus no guilty conscience if Najica had a hand in killing baddies because they die by their own stupid hands or some other ways. Not Najica’s fault.

As for the characters, well, there’s nothing too deep about them. The main focus is about the bond between Najica and Lila but that feels very minimal. In most episodes, I feel like the duo working as a pair as things eventually work out to their advantage is because of pure luck AKA plot convenience. It is somewhat unbelievable that Najica has been working alone for so long, quickly accepts a Humaritt as her partner. At first she was resisting but then suddenly like in the next episode, they’re like getting along pretty fine? Oh well, if Lila is going to be her partner for a long time, might as well accept it all. Can’t risk disobeying orders. Lila more than often is portrayed as a retard because of her child-like behaviour as she follows most orders to a T. Because of that, sometimes she feels like a joker character although it comes off more as weird than funny. Clumsy and awkward in other ways but deadly when it comes to fighting off adversaries. Sometimes you have got to wonder what her line of thought is. With the series reaching its climax, you thought that it would further explore deeper and test the bonds that Najica and Lila had so far. Well, uhm, that Mexican standoff didn’t feel like it. It felt a bit rushed. So no complicating drama of Lila turning on Najica despite that hint at the end of the desert and train episode. Maybe Najica nipped this problem in the bud before Lila could become like Elith’s case? That’s why she set her free? Like as though Alpha was the good reason and good timing to get rid of her. Back to lone wolf Najica! No wonder she’s so cool enjoying her long holiday!

As for the other characters, nothing really much too. Gento comes off more as some sort of an annoying guy than anybody who is useful or trying to support Najica. They try to make him look like a Playboy as he tries to hit on Najica several times but the cool spy always turns him down. But that doesn’t put him off one bit. There’s always another time. Then there is Majima. He is just Najica’s boss and one who gives her the missions. That’s all. I thought there would be some conspiracy and he would be the main antagonist and in cohorts with some villainous organization to harvest Humaritt for some nefarious ends. But I have to remember that this series doesn’t delve on convoluted plots. So he turns out to be just one boring boss after all. No charisma. Not even have that threatening or scary aura. Just plain boring. At least Gento tried to do something in the frontlines in the final couple of episodes even if he didn’t do anything much and looked more like a useless clown. And the best Majima could do at the end of this series was to give Najica a long vacation. Well, it’s not like she has resigned, right? Doesn’t CRI have any other spies of her calibre?! And it seems pretty redundant that Majima gives her a rose for a special mission and when she is successfully done with it, she returns it to him. Like, WTF?! I can’t believe Najica (and her pantsu) can stay totally clean during all the fighting and even the environment she goes through and that rose she carries along with her ON THE FRONT OF HER BLAZER’S LAPEL is still as healthy as f*ck!

A point to ponder about the Humaritt AKA Triple Series as they are often referred to, are those with same and similar alphabets are the smarter ones and have the ability to evolve and act like a human? Because so far we see all those retrieved are of that type. So what about all the other lesser Humaritt that serve as low level soldiers and only exist for the body count? Well, they didn’t check all their asses so I am assuming that they go by a different alphabet combination. Otherwise it would not make sense for everyone not to know how many Humaritt are there, right? F*cking hell, there are only 26 of them, baby! Unless you have Greek alphabet, which we don’t see, that would be a different case but I digress since we already have Alpha. Does he have his serial number on his butt too? Heck, are Roman alphabet Humaritt all female and Greek alphabet males? Can someone answer my question?! I’m dying to know! Anyway, it’s pretty dumb and no brainer to name them with 3 similar alphabets and not even alphanumeric. I mean, some give off the wrong vibe. Like Lila who is ZZZ, no wonder she looks sleepy sometimes and spacing off. XXX the antagonist is nowhere near porn level status. AAA sounds like a battery. III could be mistaken for Roman letters, just saying… Will WWW have internet capabilities?! Haha! Could HHH be a WWE pro wrestler? And imagine the one labelled as KKK!!! F*cking racist!!! You get the idea, right?

Art and animation are pretty retro and standard from the early 2000’s era. Animated by Studio Fantasia who also did Agent Aika so you can see a few similarities there. Speaking of which, if you find 4 C’zNs looking very familiar like the main quartet of Stratos 4, yes, they are. They just changed their names. After all, Stratos 4 was also another anime that Studio Fantasia animated albeit later in 2003. I believe that there are other trivia especially to the James Bond franchise but I’m not a fan of the 007 works so I didn’t really spot them except the one XXX and her golden gun. Does that gun look familiar, huh?

If there was one other thing that is awesome about this series, it is that opening theme, aptly named after as Najica by Diligent Circle of Ekoda. This is a very lively and jazzy fanfare instrumental piece that befits the spy thriller genre of this show and it is quite catchy in its own right. So catchy that you can hear this same theme playing throughout the action scenes in that episode. It is a good thing I didn’t get bored of it and each time this song plays, my mood is further lightened up with this piece. Terrific triple combo of fanservice + action + great Najica music! The ending theme, Body & Mind by Natsumi Harada also has this same vibe. Jazzy and lively, but with how awesome the opener is, this sexy number feels like it fell short. But nevertheless, it’s still a cool spy-like song to hear especially with the cool nifty bass lines and the blaring trumpet fanfare in the background.

Overall, this show has some entertainment value and is still fun in its own right. I mean, it’s not a masterpiece but it is definitely not a bad or even a crappy anime. Yes, this beats a lot of recent animes that I still continue to see today. An example? Let’s say for the spy thriller genre, Tesla Note isn’t what I’m expecting it turned out to be. And that’s not a good thing! So with Najica, even if the plot and story are sacrificed, at least we get great fanservice and exaggerated action. Oh yes, don’t forget Najica’s theme song too. I’m sure there are better and wholesome animes out there but if you’re looking for something simple and pleasing to the desires of the flesh for the short term, this series has got it covered for you. So is anybody going to drop a special rose as a special mission to revive this series? No? Nothing? No one? Ah well. Looks like Najica is on permanent vacation.

Strike The Blood IV

Wooh, wooh, wooh… For the longest time… Wooh, wooh, wooh… For the longest time… Yeah. That is how it feels while waiting for Strike The Blood IV to finish its run so that I can watch all of them at the comfort of my own pace. And oh boy, it sure did take its time. Well, it might not seem like a long time since this fourth season took just slightly more than a year to release its dozen episodes but you know, it all happened when a certain damn virus was at its peak and having the entire panicky world in lockdown mode. That’s 2020 for those who have fast forgotten already. Heh. Yeah. Uh huh, I think one of the volumes were delayed because of the virus, making the wait even (slightly) longer. But hey, I’m still so confused at this stage and don’t remember much, so why am I still ‘investing’ in this series? You know me, gotta finish it. I’ve gotten too deep inside to turn back out now.

Paladiness Of Mirage Arc

Episode 1
Kojou finds himself washed ashore on Onrai Island and is found by Castiella Shizuri Kasugaya who is supposed to be his observer. Oh? Since when did she take over from Yukina? It also seems Kojou has lost most of his memories. Then we see Kojou joining the local Koma College and part of Castiella’s team that includes Rui Miyazumi and Yuno Amase. In a practice to take down a golem, Kojou tries to summon his familiar but it cannot materialize. Hence he gets smashed! Of course as a vampire, he regenerates in hospital. The rest explain how Castiella took care of it and she was in despair when he ‘died’. Too bad Castiella wakes up to see Kojou’s dick and smashes it!!! Damn, it is really gonna hurt even if it regenerates… That night, as Castiella accompanies Kojou (that observing excuse again), they see a monster known as Debris destroying the place. However it is quickly destroyed by a ghost girl. Looks kinda familiar… Castiella then reports this to her instructor, Kako Magatoki. She doesn’t doubt her report but believes there is no one as powerful as Kojou. To test him, she wants her to take him to explore the Carceri caves. This might get him to reveal himself and if he is a threat to world, Castiella is to destroy him. As Castiella’s team descends into the cave, they have to fight slime worms known as Larva. Basically they are animals who turned zombies. They are helped out by Shido Okurayama who is the strongest dude in Koma as well as his assistant vampire babe, Nozomi Kamikiba. After defeating it, time for some fanservice because there’s a hotspring base inside the caves. Nozomi allows Kojou to suck her blood but moral police Castiella will not allow it. So a strange tussle before Nozomi yields to her. And then Castiella beats him up because she almost show her modesty. When they prepare to head to the next stage of the caves, Kojou receives strange visions of seeing his comrades die. He realizes he has been through this before. As Yuno heads off to scout, Kojou goes after her, hoping to stop her from being killed. Too late, she gets killed! With Debris surrounding them, also popping up is this spectre woman whom they believe is controlling the Debris. Yeah, she kills off everyone except Kojou and Castiella. She claims Kojou cannot protect anyone despite repeating this over and over. This peace is just an illusion. Just let go and destroy everything. Kojou tells her to STFU and summons his familiar. But again is put out. This time by the ghost girl who is no other than Yukina. I knew it.

Episode 2
When Kojou tries to stop Yukina, she stabs him and they both disappear. Kojou now remembers everything as he finds himself back home on Itogami. As he recuperates in hospital, he learns he was missing for a full 3 days. Eh? But he was training on Onrai for 6 months! Furthermore, Onrai doesn’t exist anywhere in this world. This Carceri Arcade is actually a full dive game that Kojou tried at the mall. But after he entered the booth, he went missing. You bet Yukina pressed the panic button and thought some organization kidnapped him. So, did Kojou experience was just a game? Yeah, it felt so real. But an important mission awaits him for now: He must take this remedial test or he’ll end up repeating the year. Imagine, you in the same grade with your little sister… As Asagi makes her way, she is attacked by Larvae. Because Castiella is there, she thinks she is controlling them. The tank is put out of commission and Asagi could’ve been done for had not Yuuma chased her away. Kojou has time to talk to Natsuki during the exam? Oh well, the only way we can find out that Gisela is a branch of the unorthodox Lotharingia Church. They were all wiped out during the Tartaros Lapus incident. Natsuki then leaves to attend something. Fighting resisting LCO mages? However they realized they have been abandoned and used as pawns. They surrender but won’t hand over this machine since the Witch of Ashdown ordered them not to. Right after Kojou finishes his exam, the school is attacked by Larvae. To Kojou’s surprise, Castiella is controlling them. She is hell bent on bringing Kojou back to Onrai. Yukina fights her. Yeah, battle of the observers to see who gets Kojou. When her headgear falls off, this reveals her horns. Yukina then knocks her out. Flashback shows Shinako handing over her sword and responsibility to Castiella to protect everyone before dying. Hey, she did say she’ll do that in her stead, right? Now we hear the gang talk about Castiella’s race as an ogre. Contrary to popular beliefs, they are actually gentle monsters and try to avoid human contact. Because of their horns, they are often targeted and kidnapped as their horns fetch a high price in the black market. WTF Kojou wants to touch them?! Can’t you see she is embarrassed?! Imagine substituting boobs with that… Awkwardness interrupted because Asagi blames him for being indecent. Also, she points out that Castiella tried to kill her. Yuuma is also here to take Castiella’s blood test. Asagi explains that what Motoki said about Onrai not existing is true. But it does in dreams. Huh? It means it could be a prison barrier and exists in a different dimension.

Episode 3
Oh God. Some technical explanations about Nano Shikigami infused and that’s why Onrai can house 6000 inhabitants. For why it is doing so, they have to ask the creator who is no other than Kako who is part of LCO and someone paid her to do this. Yeah, she is here. Long story short, she claims the power to keep Onrai in existence is fading and only the power of the vampire can help sustain it. Of course to further help sustain it, she suggests Kojou and Castiella have 10 babies who will inherit his powers. Since it will be too taxing on Castiella herself, she’ll allow Kojou to impregnate his other girlfriends. You bet this idea will be shot down instantly. Kako claims the real creator doesn’t want Onrai to be free. As they fight her, Kako transports all of them to Onrai. Kojou is glad he didn’t lose his memories this time. He is with Castiella as she believes the creator may be Shinako and she lies deep within the island that cannot be accessed normally. Kojou is then sniped by Rui but luckily they manage to escape. Meanwhile Yukina finds herself before a guy only known as The Blood. He is Kako’s sponsor. His objective is to destroy him and claims she cannot save anyone. He leaves as Yukina notices a coffin containing Shinako. Kojou and Castiella seek refuge at the base. But the place is rundown as the creator doesn’t want them to progress. Fanservice time because Castiella forces herself on Kojou. Why do women who want Kojou to suck their blood have to do this? Why even unbutton her shirt if he is going to just bite her neck?! Aside the dumb moment of revealing herself as a virgin and trying to kill him for it, I guess those real tears that she has nothing has Kojou determined. Yeah, after caressing her horns, he sucks her blood. Keep this a secret? The part about her being a virgin? BAKA! Luckily after they’re done, they are surrounded by all the residents of Onrai. Don’t worry, they don’t have to fight because Lydianne and Asagi shoot some anti-Nano Shikigami whachamalit to knock them out. It is also why it helps keep their memories. Whatever. With Yuuma, they go to face Kako.

Kako then introduces Shinako who is actually the real Castiella herself. Yes, Castiella is the one who created Onrai out of guilt for failing to save those refugees. Thus the Castiella we know is a fake, created from her memories as well as the other residents. Kako will let this fake be killed by the real one but of course Kojou won’t have this BS. So basically his words of hope include him learning it is nice to be with everyone and that even if her body is fake, she is the only Castiella he knows. That should be the clincher. And don’t forget, it’s our fight, remember? Yup, Yukina dropping in to help fight. Thanks to Kako’s grimoire, her time acceleration magic whachamalit has her predicting Yukina’s moves. But Yuuma sees through that trick because she herself is some witch’s daughter as she makes a copy of the grimoire to send Kako to her defeat. Likewise, Castiella defeats herself. Uhm, so this considered victory or loss? With Castiella finally waking up after 6 years, she quickly makes acquaintance with Nagisa. Nagisa notices her uniform and looks like Castiella will be transferring to her school next month. Nagisa will be her senpai then. Castiella realizes Nagisa is Kojou’s sister. Because she too pleads to rub those horns! It’s all in the genes… Meanwhile Asagi becomes some ruthless secretary to Kojou as he is forced to do lots of paperwork and other harsh schedules. This is what happens when you go missing for 3 days and let work pile up. It doesn’t help with Motoki revealing he sucked Castiella’s neck and even more so she is the youngest blood sucker. Although Castiella is 20, she is only 15 physically. You bet those disgusted looks on Yukina and Asagi’s face. Time to work this pervert to death. Give him a break? Yeah, they’ll break his soul!

Tournament In The Nightmare Night Arc

Episode 4
Kojou and co will be returning to Itogami after a business trip at Aldegyr. Yeah, everyone so baffled nothing happened! So at this point they think Kojou is a trouble magnet, huh? Well, wait no longer. At the airport, they briefly meet a guy named Kii Juranbarada who is looking forward to see him back on Itogami. During the flight, Nagisa becomes scared because she sensed some war going on at Itogami. With communications cut off, the plane makes an emergency landing in some south islands. They are then attacked by a group of thugs led by Mark Ugaki. He claims this is his domain and allows them to join his gang. Of course they don’t so he transforms into his troll form to fight them. Well, he’ll soon learn who is more powerful… Ugaki is interrogated and explains the day before, war broke out on Itogami and even the Keystone Gate was destroyed. This is the doing of a group named Order The End (OTE) who works under the Fourth Progenitor. You kidding me, right? They took over the island’s system and turned into some sort of tournament. Hence clans started forming their own domains and killing each other. As proof, there he is the Fourth Progenitor on TV. Uhm, isn’t that Blood? He is claiming himself as the Fourth Progenitor. Due to Kojou using his magic, this attracted other domain lords. Mainly the federation consisting of beastmen are here to kill him. However they are soon taken out by OTE as they claim they are doing this to awaken Kojou as the true Fourth Progenitor. Blood also shows his face. Both progenitors fight. Damn, they caused a nuclear explosion?! Island almost destroyed… In the aftermath, everyone is separated. Kojou only finds Kanon and Ugaki who is deeply injured. Then a helicopter lands. A few men claiming from the War Management Committee who are neutral in overseeing this war. With Ugaki out of commission, I guess he is leaving it to big bro Kojou to continue it for him. With Kanon seeing a shikigami of Yukina, they follow it. I think this episode lacks fanservice so we see this WTF scene of sexy Yukina and Asagi in their undies as they cook after having their bath. Need to stay clean and pretty, right? Motoki and Nagisa are being chased by the beastmen. However they run away once they reach the domain of Lilith. That’s right. Yume is here to protect them. Yukina and Asagi arrive at a school but is attacked by a sniper. Yukina goes into action only to find her opponent is Castiella. Uhm, so this is her domain? Rui and Yuno welcome them.

Episode 5
Eh? How the f*ck did Kojou end up with bed with Kanon?! The shikigami turned out to be Shike and seeing how Kanon needed her rest, oh look, love hotel area. Things could’ve been worse as Kensei is even here! But he isn’t shocked seeing his daughter in bed with another man. If she willingly allowed it, he has nothing to say! Meanwhile Motoki is shocked that Kii and his servant, Zana Lashka are under Yume’s domain. Flashback shows after their brief meeting at the airport, Aladar was looking for them and told them that Kii is the First Progenitor AKA Lost Warlord. Yume’s domain is about to be attacked by other domain lords. Nothing a bit of Kii showing off to chase those weaklings away. Motoki questions his purpose and it seems Kii wants to exterminate ghosts? Kojou learns that Kensei isn’t in prison because it is destroyed and that no official documents state he is a prisoner. This means this is also true for those other prisoners. They then head to his lab in which Astarte is seen recuperating in a chamber. It seems OTE attacked the place. Natsuki and Astarte went to intercept. Astarte was slain by a magic sword while Natsuki devoured. It is believed that somebody is more powerful than her and using to infiltrate the prison barrier. Indeed, it is Blood who has taken Natsuki hostage inside the prison barrier and he can’t have her wake up. Blood explains something about his plan to use collective subconscious dreams to access a door deep within the prison barrier that Natsuki herself doesn’t know. That door leads to all apostles of OTE who are imprisoned from past eras. He will free them all and have them set upon Itogami so as to choose a new king who can end the despair. As Yume’s domain is having a stare down with a couple of other domain lords, suddenly OTE apostles drop in to attack. Blood makes his announcement for the domain lords to go on to the next phase and that the OTE apostles will attack everyone indiscriminately. He views those who cannot protect their domain aren’t fit to rule Itogami. As Kii and Zana notice how messy the magic styles of OTE apostles are, they do some test and confirm they are from different eras. All they need to do is destroy their mask and send them back to the prison barrier. But in doing so, other domain lords target Yume. Before she is dead meat, she is saved by Yukina and Castiella. Kojou’s plan is to rescue Natsuki and since the gate to the prison gate is open, Kensei can send him in. Too bad he is attacked by Blood who will not let anyone get in the way. Kojou vs Blood round 2.

Episode 6
Yume and Castiella agree to form an alliance. Then there is a call from Asagi but the line isn’t clear. She warns them not to return to Castiella’s domain and to look for Kojou to join him. Her line is cut off when she is about to reveal the true goal for this whole setup and that OTE isn’t the only enemy. Natsuki seems to be trying to piss off Meriloe who is guarding her. She becomes enraged when she claims they have all been used by Blood. When she attacks, she is knocked out by a couple of the prisoners. Seems Natsuki has temporarily released Shtra D and Broodt Dumblegraff to do her bidding since she knows OTE’s true identity. They have 48 hours to get the job done and hurt no unrelated civilians. When Meriloe attacks Natsuki again, this time her familiar protects her. And its armour that is supposed to suppress its abilities shatters, Meriloe is f*cked. Back to Kojou and Blood’s fight, Kojou is spamming him questions but the question he wants to know most is why he looks exactly like Avrora. Blood explains the concept of a vampire’s familiars. They are actually grudges, curses and hatred. They were once gods but blamed Cain and became tainted, turning into demons. The 3 progenitors inherited the blood of the cursed gods but with few survivors of Tenbu, they created an artificial vampire. Hence it is the Fourth Progenitor who will be the strongest vampire and it is Kojou’s duty to prove it. Thus this is OTE’s true goal here. Blood reveals his true name as Kenon and is supposed to be a prototype Fourth Progenitor who is Kojou’s shadow. His job is to make him the king of the new world. He summons a couple of familiars to fight but luckily Yukina and Castiella are here to help him. The familiars turn out to be a dragon and an ogre lady who calls Castiella a traitor. But the gig is up as Blood realizes Meriloe has failed to keep Natsuki in check. Time to retreat. But the problem is just beginning. Before them is a huge storm and there is Chaos Bride! Not only her but all the military might from Fall Gazer (Second Progenitor) popping up all over Itogami. With that, Kii requests to form an alliance with Yume. It can be said Itogami is now occupied by one of the 3 progenitors or OTE. La Folia sees off Sayaka as she parachutes down a plane since her kingdom of Aldegyr cannot get involved in this war. Similarly, Yuiri and Shio are flying on Glenda as they are trying to deliver Avrora with them to Kojou. However they’ve got company in the form of Fall Gazer herself on their tail.

Resurrection Of Vampire Princess Arc

Episode 7
Chaos Bride comes to see Asagi personally. It seems she wants her on her side. Meanwhile Glenda’s side continues to run from Fall Gazer. However when they couldn’t, Yuiri suggests Shio take Avrora and run. Yuiri and Glenda will stay back to stall her since Fall Gazer hints that Glenda is her target. Chaos Bride offers the safety of the people in this domain should Asagi join her. However Asagi refuses and corrects her on 2 things: She is just a guest here and her true lord is Kojou. Chaos Bride takes this as they are enemies. She tries to attack her but Asagi escapes. But when cornered, she is lucky to receive the support of Aladar and his men. As Chaos Bride can’t risk it all yet, she retreats and hopes to talk to her again. During this time, Kojou with Yukina and Castiella are looking for Blood. When Chaos Bride and Fall Gazer unleash their power at the same time, it causes Kojou to feel strange. Something in him starts to awaken. Luckily he is knocked out by Natsuki. He later wakes up in Kensei’s lab. He is told that Natsuki later went on to subdue 70% of the northern domain. With the other progenitors occupying other directions of Itogami, the northern parts hope for a strong candidate too and Natsuki could be the one. However she has returned to the prison barrier to repair its seal. As Kojou’s stomach growls, WTF Yukina and Castiella fight over what kind of food he should eat? Elsewhere, Sayaka is trying to get to the main island when Gajou comes up to her, seeking her help. It seems Mimori has been arrested for releasing Avrora. Imagine Sayaka’s surprise when he learns Mimori is Gajou’s wife. That means… Kojou’s father! In the shower, Kojou can’t fathom he still feels hungry and thirsty after food. That is when Kanon comes in to offer her body! Fanservice time, Kanon version? She could hear the beast inside him roaring and although she can’t help in battle like the rest, this is how she would like to do it. Loli seems tempting enough but interrupted because Castiella is here. After hiding her, it seems Castiella also has the same idea to offer her body as she can sense his hunger. What do you mean you’re not satisfied with this bombshell ogre body?! Heck, she promises he’ll get more satisfaction from this body than other girls! Sounds pretty tempting itself until… Yukina is here! Oh f*ck! Don’t tell me same problem!

Episode 8
Yukina is shocked because… KOJOU IS BLONDE NOW???!!! Meanwhile Shio and Avrora are taking a break in an abandoned convenience store. Shio wondering how she got into this mess. It all started when Mimori broke Avrora out and told her to take her to Kojou. They are attacked by a Dino Rider but it is easily destroyed by Motoki. Yup, Yukina is willing to give her body to satiate Kojou’s blood urge. He fears it will never end. Simple. Take responsibility till the end! The moment ruined when a sneeze is heard. Yandere Yukina is out. Castiella busted. Another sneeze. Kanon busted. Care to explain? Suddenly Kojou starts to feel pain. His resonance is working again. Similarly at the same time it is also affecting Avrora. Kojou tells them to run away but the girls cling onto him. So did Kojou bite them? Then as he takes a walk, he is visited by Kii who is here to warn him that at this rate, Scorched Banquet will happen again. The same story is being told by Fall Gazer to Yuiri and Glenda (Yuiri a bit shock that Fall Gazer isn’t a man like she thought). Anyway, Kojou thought he has control over his familiars but apparently Kii reminds him that they are not pets but monsters who live within. When they run out of prey, they’ll go looking for their own. Once Kojou has all 12 of them, he’ll be the strongest vampire. With other progenitors here, that’s why his familiars are trying to look for magic AKA memories. Even if the entire Itogami’s magic is devoured, the familiars’ appetite won’t be solved. They will devour the strong emotions then the Fourth Progenitor will take all those memories and cause an outbreak of pseudo vampire syndrome. This is what the real Scorched Banquet is about. Once Kojou consumes Dodekatos and get back the 12th familiar, the banquet will end when he becomes the complete Fourth Progenitor. Or, he can take everyone’s memories. The choice is his.

Kojou learns from Shike that Yukina has been sent by Paper Noise to go get Avrora who is having difficulties escaping from Fall Gazer. Later when Kanon asks Kojou about Castiella’s whereabouts, from the way she worded it, it looks like Castiella overheard his conversation with Kii. Hence she is going to stop Blood on her own. Not exactly, she has Rui and Yuno as help to plough through those MAR mechas. Kojou already has enough women problems and look who is parachuting down now? Sayaka! She explains that she has been roped in by his parents into this mess. Learning Yukina isn’t with him, she gets worried. Even more so because this means Yukina is going to kill Avrora just to stop the Scorched Banquet. If she knew this would happen, she would’ve preferred Yukina to rely on him. But there’s another way to stop this apparently. Yukina has now come into contact with Shio and wants Avrora to be handed over. Shio won’t do so and fights her but is no match. Before Motoki gets his turn, Avrora is willing to be killed by her. Yeah, this makes Yukina in despair and confused seeing doing so will make Kojou suffer alone again. Avrora doesn’t want her to feel that way since her body was destroyed once. It is then Yuiri jumps in to ward off everyone. Looks like Yuiri is very determined to kill Avrora just to stop the Scorched Banquet. Again, Avrora is ready to resign to her fate but look whose turn it is to stop her? Blood of course. He came to pick up his onee-sama.

Episode 9
Castiella fight that ogre woman, Izea Nyos who calls her a traitor because of the outfit she is wearing. Because it is Gisela who destroyed to ogre clan. There’s an explanation why it seemed so but it isn’t and that’s why Castiella defeats her without the need to kill her. However Izea blocks a shot directed at Castiella and is critically injured. That shot is from Shafriar Ren who is the chief of MAR. Before Blood could summon his familiar to do his bidding, look who jumps in now to interrupt it? That’s right. It’s Sayaka’s turn. Seems Blood is shrinking or turning younger due to the effects of summoning his familiars. Then Fall Gazer shows up. She changed her mind about letting him live as she didn’t want this war to end so soon. Blood escapes in time but manages to take Avrora with him. Kojou reunites with Castiella and learns what happened. Shtra is also here and claims he is here to kill Shafriar. This is the mission Natsuki gave him for his temporary release. Shtra and Shafriar are survivors of Tenbu but the latter is a traitor who stole Tenbu’s legacy and descended to the ground. Kojou has Glenda take Castiella back to Kensei to treat Izea. Yukina and Sayaka will come with him to Keystone Gate to track down Blood and save Avrora. Before they part, Castiella gives Kojou a kiss. On the lips! How lucky this charm gonna be, huh? They talk about Avrora and the Scorched Banquet. If it comes to the worst case scenario, Kojou wants Yukina to kill him because she is the only one who can do it and he doesn’t want to take the memories of everyone. After they find Blood, little guy have no reason to give up so they fight. But the ladies have to settle with Zana since Kii doesn’t want this to end soon. So the Fourth Progenitors have another rematch. Blood claims that Kojou is incomplete, the reason he won’t be able to beat him despite himself being a failure prototype. But Kojou turns things around when he manages to give Avrora some hope and she helps Kojou to eliminate Blood, much to that chibi’s dismay.

To save Avrora, Blood bites her. Shafriar is watching and impressed with this. He disables small fry Shtra from doing anything troublesome. Because Avrora has not disappeared, this can only mean 1 thing: Aside Kojou losing his blonde hairstyle, he has transferred all his powers to Avrora. Meaning, Avrora is now the Fourth Progenitor. But the change in person doesn’t change the overall ritual as Shafriar uses a dagger to open Keystone Gate. He claims everything that has happened so far was under the control of MAR. With the dragon killing off Dumblegraff, Shafriar will keep his promise to show the scenery of their home. A floating island above Itogami materializes. Node was once ruled by Cain and there is only 1 person as powerful as Cain can connect this world to Node: The Fourth Progenitor, the strongest vampire created to destroy Cain. Shafriar’s goal is to bring the world under the control of Tenbu again. Hence this is what the war is truly about. Whoever wins this war also rules the world! Now that Kojou is completely human, does Yukina have any reason to follow him? I mean, her role is to observe the Fourth Progenitor, right? Well, she claims she isn’t a Sword Shaman anymore because of that ring he gave her to suppress her powers. She can’t use her spiritual powers and is his blood servant. I guess that’s a great excuse-cum-loophole for her to follow and be with him always. As for Avrora, you bet Kojou wants to go save her to stop her from being used again. Feeling guilty of turning her into the Fourth Progenitor and fell into Node? He vows to bring her back and from now on it is his fight. Wrong! It’s our fight, senpai!

Seize The Twelve Beast Vassals Arc

Episode 10
Node is disappearing and it proves that it can only exist here in the night. As Kojou and Yukina try to get off Keystone Gate, they bump into Yuuma. She lets Kojou grope her boobs to prove that he is no longer a vampire. She knows about this since she is a spy on Management Corporation. She also has a message to him from them. Because he is now human, he has to stay out of this since he is unrelated. You bet Kojou disagrees about being unrelated by Yuuma teleports them away. The duo reunite with the others as Kojou asks Asagi if she can access Keystone Gate to control the gates of Node. Long story short, if the right conditions are met, yes. But Asagi wants to know even if so, what does her plan to do with the familiars. However a more pressing question: Why does he want to save Avrora? Does he love her? You mean this guy is really dense with that direct question?! Asagi even blurts out that he is asking her and Yukina to save the woman he loves. Instead he asks her back what she has got to do with this. Understandably, she gets mad and leaves. Your bad. Even more so, he still thinks Asagi is mad because she has to do manage the island and is busier while he just focuses on Avrora. I think the answer is much simpler! But too complicated to say! Even when Yukina points out about jealousy, Kojou doesn’t think so! OMFG!!! She asks straight if he really loves Avrora in a romantic sense. Well, Avrora has always been a part of her so she’s like a sister. As for that love, he isn’t sure. And so the mystery continues…

They return to Nagisa but looks like Kii and Zana are with her. They assure she will not be harmed. Kii is here to make a deal with Kojou. They want to prevent Node from destroying the world and need Kojou to do it. Why him? Can’t he do it themselves? You see, all vampires cannot use their familiars in Node. With the exception of the Fourth Progenitor. That’s why Shafriar took Avrora. With that, Kojou agrees to do it. Kii cannot guarantee his success but will give him a chance. But there is another condition since he is taking this mission: He needs to find 12 people as his blood companions to control his familiars. Since Kojou disagrees with that, Zana kisses him before stabbing him. Yukina so mad she beats down Zana?! Kojou’s wounds disappear as Kii reveals what Zana did was give him eat the familiars. You see, Kojou might be human but he is not an ordinary human. He just lost the ability to control his familiars but still has the curse inside. The familiars are from Blood and they stole it from him during that fight. So now Kojou needs to gather blood companions to control his familiars. Failing which, they will run rampant and destroy Itogami. Kojou and Yukina leave. The latter undressing herself to allow him to suck her blood and become his blood companion. Unfortunately he can’t. He has no more vampire fangs! His body is human, remember? As they talk about this possible overlook by Kii, suddenly the familiars take over Kojou’s body. Look who is here to save the day before Yukina is toast? Kiriha! After learning what happened, she too strips because it is obvious she is going to seduce Kojou with her charms. Well, that’s not vampire urges she’s dealing with now. More girls into the picture, Sayaka, Shike and Natsuki. Yukina wants Natsuki to help imprison Kojou in the barrier but unfortunately that won’t work. Kojou may be imprisoned but the familiars will still remain.

Episode 11
We see Avrora living a normal life. I suppose this is a dream. But Glenda tells her to wake up soon since there are no vampires on this land. In order to suppress Kojou and his rampaging familiars, Chaos Bride seals him in her dimension. However she is only giving them half a day to find 12 blood companions. Kojou sees Cain trying to rewrite some laws via forbidden spell and bring a doll to life but failed. Chaos Bride not impressed. Apparently he is looking through Chaos Bride’s memories. We see a majority of Kojou’s harem gathered together. Oh yeah, I love Asagi’s sarcastic idea: Did Natsuki gather them to lock in a room so they can have a battle royale to kill each other?! OH YEAH! I WANT TO SEE THAT!!! EVEN CASTIELLA AGREES ON THIS! Kiriha tries to be sarcastic as she hints of eliminating Asagi first. Asagi’s cool answer: Who the heck are you! Before a b*tch fight breaks out, Natsuki ambiguously puts it that all of them are to become his fake wives and spend a night with Kojou. Yeah… I guess blood companion sounds boring as f*ck. Yukina has Nina turn Zana’s chain into 11 more rings. So, take this and you agree to be Kojou’s wife, oops I mean, blood companion? Castiella is first to offer herself but Natsuki declines her because she is very injured. THEN WHY THE F*CK YOU GATHER HER?! So the first (aside Yukina) to put on the ring is Kanon. Yume offers next but Natsuki also declines. Lolis not allowed and this include Lydianne. THEN WHY THE F*CK YOU GATHER THEM?! Don’t want Kojou to look like a loli pervert?! I thought saving the island is more important than self-image?! So with the rest arguing and the likes, Natsuki asks Yukina if there are other girls who can be Kojou’s blood companion. I guess guys are out, huh? Yup, no gay moments. That is worse than being a lolicon. Astarte can’t be Kojou’s blood companion since she has a familiar inside. As for Glenda, Natsuki is very unsure who she is but currently she is missing. For Yuuma, she believes she will cooperate. Sorry girls, looks like Asagi refuses to join this slut race farce. She finds this whole blood companion thing to be shady and even more so if Kii himself proposed it. I mean, you think that guy would allow something so boring to happen? But Asagi knows of a way to settle this without resorting and degrading-cum-insult you women as sluts. Oh well, and that’s the end of the slut fight dream…

Asagi goes to see Fall Gazer and wants her to become a servant serving Castiella in her domain. Of course she will not ask her to do this for free and has come well prepared with a compensation. Hmmm… Now what can possibly satisfy this Second Progenitor? Well, it’s some very rare and pot of excellent curry!!! OMFG!!! ASAGI YOU DUMB OR SOMETHING?! While others might see it as an insult, Fall Gazer laughs her ass so hard. Yeah, haven’t done so in centuries. No wonder this island so interesting. And that seals the deal for her as she considers spice equivalent to gold and silver in trading of the past. Of course with a condition: Asagi is to eat with her and tell her all about her elaborate plan. As night falls, Natsuki prepares Astarte to use her familiar to begin their operation. Of course she knows the risk as it will shorten Astarte’s plan. Everyone else is ready and in position to get this operation started. We return to Avrora’s high school dream life. Seems Avrora has forgotten some of her memories but Glenda claims that is the key to remind of who she is. She hints there is a classroom somewhere in this school that hides the secrets of the world. Find it and she’ll recover those lost memories.

Episode 12
Kojou seeing memories of Cain dying after his defeat. Cain leaving it to Glenda to escape and leaving all his familiars to the Fourth Progenitor. Now we see Kojou’s harem waiting for the mission to start. Kiriha trying to assert her dominance and pour fuel over fire. Justina giving Kanon some bracelet to help in her fight. Motoki perhaps tricked Yukina and Castiella to wear Playboy bunny outfits because he thinks it’ll help seduce Kojou. I know how this will turn out… The moment is here as Chaos Bride releases Kojou back to reality. So he is in his armoured beast form, eh? We see Kojou’s harem fight the rampaging familiars and try to bring them down. When the sword familiar is going to drop and cause a huge damage, who can stop it? Time for La Folia to make her grand entrance and prove she is still a worthy contender as Kojou’s official wife. Astarte uses her familiar to fight one but since this is at the expense of shortening her life, Nagisa needs to do something. She claims she can talk to familiars and just like that, the familiar calms down and listens to her. Hey, why not she talk to the rest of the other familiars too???!!! It will save them a lot of trouble if she is actually this powerful! With Kojou running away via instinct, Yukina’s only way is to cut herself and draw him to her and away from the protection of his familiars. She allows him to suck her blood but Castiella won’t allow her to lose any more blood and lets Kojou bite her. With that, Asagi then grabs a hold on him and has Mogwai do some cleansing programme to bring Kojou back. Yeah, all his girls happy to see their man back. Kojou hugging Yukina, is this a sign he has chosen? In the aftermath, Asagi answers Kojou’s question of why the familiars listened to him. It’s because he sucked Castiella’s blood. Some explanation about the other progenitor’s position and with Asagi’s negotiations and the likes, this makes about 90% of Itogami’s subjects under Castiella. Hence when Kojou bit her and made her his blood servant, this also made him the winner of the domain war. Later Yukina wants him to suck her blood so she can continue using Sekkarou. He gives excuse she can’t lose any more blood but gave himself away and hints he is full. Yeah, he sucked the blood of other girls! Hey got to help replenish their energy after using up during the fight! Their argument goes off track when he questions her in that bunny suit… It’s complicated. Meanwhile Shafrair is stumped that the Fourth Progenitor’s whereabouts is unknown and it is mostly likely Glenda’s doing since she is a familiar of Cain. No rush. Just keep looking. He is now in a place where there are loads of familiars in chambers. This is the ultimate magic weapon of Cain to destroy the world.

Strike The Blonde! Strike While The Blood Is Hot!
Well, it isn’t a surprise now by the time this blog of mine is released. Yup, another season! But I can take a big sigh of relief because the next season will be the final one!!! OMG!!! HOORAY!!! I can finally put to rest this wretched series! After all, the manga recently ended only back in mid-2020 so I suppose they have all the materials they need to adapt the final chapters. Which brings to me the question of how many episodes the finale will have. Because as I noticed, ever since this series adapted the OVA format, it has been increasing its episodes with each subsequent seasons. Season 2 had 8 episodes, season 3 had 10 and this one has a dozen. So by this historical trend, will the final have 14 episodes? Or will it have more than that? I need to know because I’m going to have to play the waiting game again, waiting for all of them to come out before I get to start my comfy watching pace. In the meantime, I guess I’ll be singing, Wooh, wooh, wooh… For the longest time… Wooh, wooh, wooh… For the longest time…

As usual, if you have been following me and my blog on this series, you would have very well know that even at this point I am writing this sentence, I still do not understand what is going on! At least not on the bigger picture. Past incidents, stories, arcs and heck, even the terms, I have mostly forgotten and does not even ring a bell! Even if I did note it down in my previous blog (thank goodness?), I still can’t recall them. You could say I have wasted my time but oh well, I do remember the harem. IS THAT ALL I ACTUALLY REMEBER FROM THIS???!!! Anyway, if I have to put it bluntly, I didn’t really enjoy this season either because of my failing memory. Not to say that the stories are uninteresting or confusing, even if they are (hey, at this point the plot has to be super thick already), it is only made boring and confusing due to my absentmindedness. Hence the boringness and confusion enhanced because of that.

But damn, I really do wished that they actually had that bloodbath battle royale whereby all of Kojou’s wives/girlfriends/mistresses actually fight each other! I thought I was the only one who would ever come up with that shameless perverted idea but that damn Asagi was really sarcastic! Isn’t that why Kojou has been amassing his girls throughout the course of 4 seasons with various arcs and all the troubles that he has encountered?! Man, I can only dream of that. But looks like it will always continue to remain as an elusive pipe dream. Unless they make a side story that has nothing to do with the main story. Oh yeah. Sighs… But just for the record, I think Asagi will be the one who would win the battle royale waifu death match because she is the brainiest one! Yup, while you think those with better offensive power and main heroine aura like Yukina, Sayaka, Castiella and even Kiriha would be the front runners but when it comes down to fighting to be the #1 girl on top of the list, it will take more than just mere brute force. Sure, Asagi doesn’t have good physical fighting capabilities and prowess and is possibly ranked one of the lowest in this category. But I’m sure such death matches aren’t about raw aggressive and violent power if you want to make a fair fight among all the waifu contenders.

Okay, let’s get back to this season before I wander off into the unrelated wishful dream of mine. Oh heck, there isn’t anything more that I can elaborate on because I already said I am so confused by everything. This means I don’t remember much about the details even for this season. Just basically Kojou getting into trouble whether it is for the island or with his harem babes. Some sort of familiar summoning fight but the fight ends without a clear winner or resolve because there will be next time. Another arc most presumably. And now we’re at this point where we’ve got a lot of characters being thrown into the fray as we reach the final stretch, so hell yeah we’ve got from all the other progenitors at once on the island to even Kojou’s parents making their cameo. Only Vatler is missing. After last season’s battle and hinting something gay with Kojou, I guess this season isn’t his stage to shine.

And yeah, I can’t say anything much for the characters too because, you’ve guessed it, my stupid brain keeps forgetting. So let me just note what feels of significance to me for this season. I guess we all finally somewhat get to know why the series is named so. Your years of waiting for answer of who the f*ck is this Blood in the title finally answered. Sort of. Well, he starts off okay at first because of that mysterious enigma they display for his character. But after he is revealed to be just a failed prototype as the Fourth Progenitor, then it’s like he became insignificant. It’s like, so okay, we might know where the title comes from now but it’s back to Kojou as the main character. Yup, finally that guy reverts back to being human but not really a complete human. Yeah. That damn loophole so that Kojou can still play some sort of a heroic role or be the catalyst or some factor for the final arc.

Yeah, there’s nothing else I can talk anymore so let me touch on the harem again. Yukina doesn’t feel as possessive as I remember her like last time. If my memories of her aren’t that faulty to begin with. I still don’t get it about the part she isn’t a Sword Shaman anymore but it’s just another excuse to stay by his side. Whatever. At least she’s a bit bearable and doesn’t get into some sort of jealousy rage. Well, at least for the most part. Sometimes she does so since to remind us that she’s still a girl. So they add the final girl into the harem AKA Castiella because with girls like Sayaka and Kiriha coming in very late this season, we need a girl who is not a loli to up the harem factor and give Yukina a run for her money. Heh. What am I saying? Asagi could be the smartest one since she refuses to objectify herself as part of Kojou’s harem but in the end she can’t fight fate and eventually she’ll fall back to her rightful place. No, not as Priestess of Cain, mind you. The only girl sorely missing from Kojou’s harem this season is of course La Folia. Although she did turn up finally, I guess it is better late than never. Can’t leave her out entirely, eh? I think I will stop here talking about the harem. It’s short but I guess I have nothing else to say to the rest. Heck, not that I know any better.

What else to talk about? Basically everything else remains the same. Like the action parts, I guess they’re still following the same formula because what else can they showcase? Not really the best masterpiece and feels mostly obligatory because when you have shady people trying to do shady stuffs, some sort of fight to protect is inevitable. Then of course there is the fanservice which is of course the other selling point of the story. After all the seasons, I still feel it is silly that all the girls that Kojou sucks their blood, they offer themselves by stripping to their undies. It’s a dumb reason but it’s the only way we get to see them in their undies or at least their bare skin. Yes, the OVAs are uncensored so a few bare tits moment. Imagine you pay a few more cents for your DVD or Blu-ray collection but now Yukina pantsu or little Kanon tits. Yeah… The infuriated annoyance…

New seiyuus joining this season that I recognized include Takehito Koyasu as Kii, Ayako Kawasumi as Chaos Bride, Shizuka Itou as Fall Gazer and Hiroyuki Yasumoto as Shido. I thought Kako sounded familiar and it looks like I really am losing touch with how Rie Tanaka sounds like. The others are Saya Aizawa As Castiella (Yuzuki in Taisho Otome Otogibanashi), Atsumi Tanezaki as Zana (Mjurran in Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken), Souma Saitou as Blood/Kenon (Hermes in DanMachi), Tomoaki Maeno as Shafriar (Junichi in Amagami SS), Ai Kakuma as Nozomi (Rossweisse in High School DxD), Arisa Sakuraba as Izea (Nozomi in Hanebado), Sayumi Watabe as Meriloe (Tachibana in Koi Wa Ameagari No You Ni), and You Taichi as Shinako (Anzu in Prison School). Kishida Kyoudan & The Akeboshi Rockets sang some of the previous seasons’ opener so here they are again doing it for this season, Akatsuki No Kaleido Blood, another hard rock outfit that befits the pace of this series. As for the ending theme, Dear My Hero is sung by Risa Taneda (voice of Yukina) and sounds more like generic anime pop.

Overall, this series at this point is not for those who are not willing to invest in very confusing storyline and characters. You must have that kind of mind to understand and even enjoy what the heck is going on. Otherwise it really zaps the zest out of you and you’re reduced to what’s going on for most of the time. Of course reading the light novel source would greatly help but even that is if you’re into that kind of convoluting stuffs. To me, it’ll always be a certain vampire boy accumulating his harem throughout the season! I know it’s not but that’s how I shall remember it! Yeah, some kid with extraordinary powers fighting against the supernatural on some artificial island while hot babes flock to his side and fight alongside him. Confusing sci-fi and supernatural muddled with cheap thrill fanservice. How can Kojou and Itogami take all this sh*t when I’m already next to death?! Oh well, I said I’ve already got my feet too deep inside to even get out. So let me use this dormant non-STB period to prepare myself mentally as I get ready to face and fight the final season. No senpai, it is our final season!

Kimetsu No Yaiba: Mugen Ressha-hen

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! It feels like I had the last laugh!!! I know it’s not fair and not totally accurate but yeah, that’s how it feels like. When Kimetsu No Yaiba: Mugen Ressha-hen came out as a movie at the end of 2020, I was very tempted to go watch it despite my weird aversion towards anime movies. I was willing to make it an exception somehow. But then… Suddenly they announced that they were going to adapt this movie into a TV series!!! Albeit just only 7 episodes. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Oh my God! That saved me the trouble!!! And agony! OH YEAH!!! How you people who wasted your money to go watch the movie because now we get to see it for free on TV! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I feel like a winner! My patience (or indecisiveness?) is very well rewarded! Anyway, I felt that the reason for them making this move is because to milk the hell out of this series dry. After all, the movie itself became the highest grossing film of all time and the series itself is quite popular. So strike while the iron is hot.

Episode 1
A Demon Slayer Corps soldier reports to Kyojuro about a woman who was attacked by a demon last night. Fortunately she is treated and will survive. Then they talk about the slasher incident in the area that is scaring everyone but even scarier is that the Mugen Train out of service now, 40 passengers on it disappeared without a trace. Kyojuro go to investigate the train station. He stumbles upon a bento seller girl, Fuku who seems to not believe in demons. Grandma apologizes for her rudeness since the slasher incident has everyone on edge. He buys all their bento so they can close shop early. As he rides the last train to the depot, he is told that Mugen Train has been stationed in a special facility. Oh, it’s right across. Kyojuro jumps off. This is his stop. Just in time because a demon is taking a young maintenance worker hostage. Kyojuro cannot do anything too rash as the demon is very close to killing him. Even more so, the demon is so freaking fast. Faster than Sonic? With Kyojuro hesitant, Sonic (temporary name) threatens to kill the kid to make things easier. He then relates how he killed a woman last night but left after sick of tormenting her. This brings relief to Kyojuro because he thought he fled upon hearing the Demon Slayer Corps coming. Now he knows how fast Sonic is. Kyojuro carries on to claim the woman is still alive and recuperating in hospital. Emotional scars? He promises they’ll help her to overcome it. Sonic threatens to find and kill her again but apparently she is kept safe and hidden. Sonic could smell Fuku’s scent on him and threatens to kill her then. It is then Kyojuro is fast enough to slice off Sonic’s hands. Although they heal, Sonic escapes and runs back to that train station. Kyojuro applies first aid to the kid until his medical comrades arrive to take over the treating.

Sonic has found Fuku and is going to kill her. Grandma throws bento boxes so that Fuku could run. But how far can she run from Sonic? I mean, he is Sonic, right? He is about to kill her but the flaming Kyojuro whizzes past to save her. Sonic now targets grandma. He challenges Kyojuro to see who is fastest. Will Sonic slice grandma’s throat or Kyojuro decapitate him first? The answer is obvious. Kyojuro slices off his head before Sonic even knows it! He is too f*cking slow! The way Kyojuro poses and all reminds grandma of how he saved her and Fuku’s mom 20 years ago. Kyojuro reveals that person is his dad and he is just following in his footsteps. Fuku apologizes for her rudeness and now believes in demons. But Kyojuro says her way of life in not believing them and never stumbling onto them is the best way to live. With this over, however Kyojuro believes this slasher incident is just a distraction. He knows there is a far more powerful demon who has devoured over 40 people lurking on Mugen Train. With Mugen Train resuming operations tomorrow, you bet Kyojuro is going to be on it to catch that demon. Before he leaves, Fuku gives him a free bento as thanks. He then buys the rest! Another day of closing shop early. They can strike it rich if he always does this! And off Mugen Train departs.

Episode 2
Tanjirou, Zenitsu and Inosuke are also on board to meet up with Kyojuro. What’s more embarrassing than Inosuke being a country bumpkin trying to challenge the train? Why, Kyojuro yelling aloud how delicious the bento is. Every. Bite. As they sit down together, Tanjirou asks if he knows anything about the Hinokami Kagura dance. Kyojuro proudly says he knows nothing but is willing to take him as his Tsuguko (apprentice). He then goes on to briefly explain the original breathing technique elements of flame, water, wind, stone and thunder. All other techniques are branches of it. To Zenitsu’s horror, Kyojuro explains the 40 people disappearance. A few Demon Slayer Corps members were sent in but all went silent. Hence they sent a Hashira this time. This means there are demons on this train. Not where they are heading to, get it, Zenitsu? After the conductor punches their ticket, Kyojuro could sense the demon. Ah, here it is. He somehow managed to hide its presence, making it hard for Kyojuro to detect. He easily kills it! Oh yeah. That’s just for warm up. Because he detects another one in the next coach. Inosuke rushes in but Kyojuro saves him and even the passenger in danger before killing it. WOAH!!! SUGOI!!! Respect, bro! No wonder the trio want to be his Tsuguko! Haha! They’re welcome to do so! The conductor pleads to the mastermind demon that he has punched their tickets as instructed. He pleads to be put to sleep to go see his dead family. Enmu kills him off and then warns the other young kids of their next plan. Something about tying ropes but not touch their bodies. Tanjirou is at first confused that he is back in his hometown. The moment he sees his siblings, he breaks down and gives the most emotional hug ever. Of course this is all part of Enmu’s plan to break the human’s heart and spirit as he put them into deep slumber that they may never wake up from. Hence those young kids tie themselves to those Demon Slayers as they too fall asleep. Tanjirou having fun with his family. He thought he was having a bad dream or something. You don’t say…

Episode 3
Let’s see what the others are dreaming. Zenitsu is dating Nezuko! Happiest day of his life! Yahoo! Inosuke? WTF?! This Alice In Wonderland or something?! Inosuke leading Tanjirou, Zenitsu and Nezuko who are who are his dumb animal familiars. On to a serious note, Kyojuro is reporting to his father about becoming a Hashira. However he is not pleased and claims this will achieve nothing. When little brother, Senjuro asks about it, Kyojuro tells the truth. It seems one day, dad who was once a great swordsman suddenly stopped in becoming one. Despite the negative feedback, Kyojuro refuses to be let down by this and promises his passion will forever burn. This means whatever life Senjuro leads, he is sure he will become a great person. Enmu further explains the rope tethering to the Demon Slayers allows them to invade their dreams. Uhm, isn’t easier to kill them now that they are asleep?! Anyway, the dream is finite. It’s like the centre. So they have to find the spirit core which resides outside. Destroying it will cripple the dreamer. So as this girl finds the edge of the dream and cuts her way through, she is about to destroy the spirit core when suddenly in real life Kyojuro grabs her by her neck! Despite still sleeping, his survival instinct is still strong. Now we return to Tanjirou’s happy family life. Something feels odd although he doesn’t put his finger to it much. Until he is collecting water, his river reflection tells him to wake up as he is under attack. Tanjirou despite well aware that this is a dream, still cannot wake up and is still inside playing family. Until Nezuko in reality wakes up and isn’t sure why everyone is sleeping. She bugs Tanjirou and since he has no response, head butts him! Ouch! Nezuko is bleeding! But this allows Tanjirou to awaken slightly. At least he has got his uniform and sword back. He rushes out to find the demon but stops dead in his tracks when he sees human Nezuko. Hesitance. His family goes after him and is wondering why he is going away. They don’t want him to leave. But Tanjirou makes the painful decision that he has to. He knows they are dead and he can never return to that reality. It could’ve been the live he and his family would lead had not all this happened. But it is not. In turn, he will always think about them. The boy in Tanjirou’s dream is also hesitating. Although he manages to cut the dream’s edge, he is stunned to find this part so beautiful and calm. Tanjirou cannot pinpoint the smell and cannot use his breathing technique. That’s when the ghost of his dad pops up to tell him to take up his sword and cut something. Tanjirou could guess what that means but will it affect him in reality? Will cutting his own neck wake him up? Never try, never know…

Episode 4
The boy in Tanjirou’s dream feels so calm. Sprites that are supposed to be incarnations of Tanjirou’s soul leading him to the core. Because of that, he is fraught with guilt and can’t destroy it. The moment Tanjirou kills himself, he is sucked into the abyss. Feel sorry for the girl in Inosuke’s dreams. She gets chased around by this boar maniac! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! Oh, sorry. I take that back. The one in Zenitsu’s dream is worse. Everywhere pitch black. Then Zenitsu pops up like a serial killer. Why is a dude in his dream?! Nobody is allowed here except Nezuko! DIE!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! I don’t know whether to feel cringe or laugh… Tanjirou manages to wake back into reality. He sees the situation and smells faint demon blood. Waking his comrades up did no good. Those kids are awake as they try to kill Tanjirou and they blame them for not being able to dream. Tanjirou easily knocks them out except the one in his dream. He wishes Tanjirou good luck. Before coming to his dream, he would’ve done anything to hurt others just to get away from the pain of his illness. Tanjirou could smell a very heavy scent of demon when he gets atop the train. There he is, Enmu. He tries to coax Tanjirou into another dream. Especially one where his father is alive. But this only makes Tanjirou madder. Enmu narrates how he used his blood on the ticket ink and when the conductor punches them, the spell activates. This method is longwinded but it helps avoid detection. As Tanjirou charges at him, Enmu activates his dream spell. However it doesn’t seem to work as Tanjirou quickly gets back up. Then he realizes the spell works but each time Tanjirou commits suicide the instant he returns to the dream. It seems all the dreams or nightmares rather that Tanjirou sees are those of his family mocking and cursing him that he is still alive. This only serves to make Tanjirou mad because he knows his family will never say that to him. So don’t you dare insult his family like that! Tanjirou decapitates Enmu. If that felt too easy, because it is. He is still alive because Enmu has fused his real body and all to the train. All the passengers will become his fodder. Can he protect them all? Tanjirou tries to scream out to his comrades to wake up. Well, only Inosuke has awakened and he is ready to slice and dice! Inosuke train coming through!

Episode 5
Inosuke is all hyped up to slash all the demon tentacles to show the superior leader he is. Okay. As long as he protects the passengers. Nezuko is also trying to hold the fort but with the tentacles getting too much, here comes Zenitsu! As long as there’s a cute chick in distress, you bet this guy will be awake to save them. What do you mean Zenitsu is still asleep and sleepwalking???!!! Okay. As long as he protects the passengers. And the cute girl. As Tanjirou finds it hard to defend the endless barrage of tentacles, a huge slash that causes the entire train to jump. Finally Kyojuro is awake. He tells Tanjirou and Inosuke to find the demon head. No matter what form a demon takes, there will always be a head, its weakness. He himself will defend 5 carriages while Nezuko and Zenitsu will defend the other remaining 3 carriages. Tanjirou and Inosuke find the demon head at the engine room. At least the vertebrae. Of course Enmu will not let them cut so easily as the defence is thick and swift. The duo will need to coordinate their attacks and do it simultaneously. One will slash the flesh and the other to sever the bone. Easier said than done as Enmu keeps hypnotizing them to dreamland. However with Tanjirou cutting his own neck in his dream, he must make sure when he wakes up, his eyes are closed. This is going to be a hard ordeal, so much so he could have confused reality and dream as he is about to slice his own neck in reality! Luckily Inosuke stops him. He is not hypnotized because of his mask, making Enmu harder to tell where he is looking. More drama as the obstacles tries to stab Inosuke but Tanjirou protects him. Oh, just a little injury in the gut. Hope it’ll be okay? After knocking the conductor out, Tanjirou and Inosuke go all out in their final attempt to take down Enmu. After Inosuke slashes to expose the bone, Tanjirou unleashes his Hinokami Kagura to cut off Enmu’s head. So intense this moment that the train derails!

Episode 6
The train comes to a crashing halt. While Inosuke is safe thanks to bouncing off the blob, Tanjirou coupled with his injuries, hit the ground hard. Don’t worry, he’s still breathing. Tanjirou leaves it to Inosuke to save everyone and that includes the conductor who tried to kill him. If Tanjirou dies, that will make him a murderer. Although Inosuke doesn’t want to help him and would let him die, Tanjirou believes he has already got his karma since he is stuck somewhere between the train. Inosuke relents and will help since he is the boss! Enmu is disintegrating and dying. He cannot regenerate. He is left to curse and blame the Demon Slayer guys for his downfall. Despite all his preparations, he couldn’t even take a single human life thanks to them guarding the hostages well. He laments of wanting to redo this nightmare again but too bad, he’s dead. There goes his chance of getting into the upper half of the Twelve Kizuki. Kyojuro guides Tanjirou how to breathe and this helps him to stop the bleeding. Suddenly appearing before them is Akaza, the third ranked of the upper half of the Twelve Kizuki! First, he attacks Tanjirou but Kyojuro’s swift reflexes protect him. Seems Akaza wants to talk to Kyojuro and thought of eliminating those who might get in the way. Akaza wants Kyojuro to become a demon. Because as human, he will have his limits and cannot progress further. As a demon, he’ll be able to grow stronger and stronger. Of course Kyojuro rejects and will never become one. Dying is part of being human and that’s what make life precious. Also, he tells him not to insult Tanjirou as weak. With that, Akaza will kill him if he isn’t going to join their ranks. Akaza is fast and regenerates as fast too. Kyojuro realizes he cannot take him from afar and must fight him close up even if it brings him closer to death. Tanjirou and Inosuke can only watch in awe and dread this epic fight. Akaza feels it is a shame to kill him now as he has potential to grow stronger. Last chance to join? Don’t make him repeat himself. No way. After all that cool combat, they troll us in what it looked like Kyojuro is victorious. But we all know better. Yeah, Kyojuro lost and Akaza not happy because he wants to fight him more.

Episode 7
Akaza trying to convince him that if he was a demon, his injuries would’ve healed soon. Now he has got broken bones and organs that won’t heal, he will die soon. Of course Kyojuro will not allow anyone to die here (so he doesn’t consider himself as part of anyone?). It is his duty. With his almighty stance for another attack, this excites Akaza. He really wants Kyojuro to become a demon so that they can fight each other for eternity. In the final clash… Akaza got his hand through Kyojuro’s body. A flashback vision of late mom asking him why he was gifted as a strong person. It is to protect the weak. She also told him never to use that strength to hurt others or for personal gain. Kyojuro uses all his strength to hold onto Akaza. Because day is breaking and this demon is panicking. By the time Tanjirou and Inosuke move to help cut off Akaza’s head (Kyojuro’s sword is already halfway deep in), Akaza breaks off his own arms to run into the forest to seek refuge. Tanjirou throws his sword right into him but Akaza vanishes into the shadows. A very frustrated Tanjirou screams at the top of his lungs to Akaza the coward and not to escape. He claims Kyojuro won this fight and not let anyone lose their lives. Of course Kyojuro wants him to stop yelling to prevent his wounds from opening up. If Tanjirou dies, he’ll be the loser. So he wants to talk before he dies. No breathing technique to save him? Nope. Kyojuro tells him to go to his household. He remembered his father looking at letters from the previous flame Hashira. There may be hints about Hinokami Kagura. He also leaves a message for Tanjirou to tell his family members. He doesn’t want him or others to feel bad about his death because naturally as a Hashira, he will protect his juniors. He also acknowledges Nezuko as a Demon Slayer Corps member because he saw her protecting the lives of the passengers despite bleeding. He hopes all of them will train and become stronger as the next Hashira. It’s time to go when he sees mom before him. Was she proud of him? Very. And this is the look of the smile of a dead man :’(. Oh, Zenitsu awakened already? Heard what happened? Yeah, time to cry with the boys. You can tell how great Kyojuro was because his Kasugai Crow is crying! And soon the rest of the Hashira members learn of his death. Some in shock, some in disbelief. Ubuyashiki is proud of Kyojuro since he didn’t let a single life lost. He notes he will soon join him and the rest of the deceased.

Lord Of The Rails: Fellowship Of The Dream
Oh f*ck. It feels like the final episode was to try to hammer in and make us go all emotional. One long build up to make us cry like little girls because of the passing of one of the greatest and noble characters in the series. Because that’s how they end this series with. But don’t cry forever. Because next season is coming so hope it cheers you up. No? Okay, cry some more then. As we all already well know about it a long time ago, a sequel to this has aired soon after. So it’s not really over yet for our young heroic Demon Slayers and the journey is still a long one. This arc merely sets up for the next. Because a Demon Slayer’s job is never done. Until they defeat Michael Jackson and teach all demons to become vegetarians! HAHAHAHA!!! Sighs… Sorry, bad joke. Going to take some time to banish those tears…

Of course, I ‘insulted’ those who paid to go watch the movie and helped this series achieved its godly status, do not fret because there is a bit of motivation for those who have watched the movie to go watch this again as the TV series. Yes, it’s to milk you people dry further! AHAHAHAHA!!! Oops… Anyway, that motivation itself includes a few new scenes never seen before in the movie as well as a totally new first episode that shows the short events prior to the Mugen Train incident. Yeah, we need to give Kyojuro some screen time because he is going to have his swan song and end his career as a Hashira here. Sob, sob! Of course, I did not see the movie so I cannot tell what new scenes there are. After all, when you are going to stretch a nearly 2 hour movie and break it up into 7 episodes, you’re not going to cheat your loyal fans by merely doing copy and paste, right? All the scenes are pretty seamless to me and this makes the flow of the story quite smooth with no parts that feel awkwardly and obviously disjointed.

So, what else can I say? This short arc is definitely epic and awesome. It lives up to all the hype and the popularity of the series itself. Especially the action parts that are still oh so cool and breath-taking. Especially the art style of when Tanjirou unleashes his water style breathing form or Kyojuro and his fire style breathing form. Quite a magnificent sight to behold even if they look like cell shading art. Which is still cool to look at anyhow. You could say that the action sequences do not disappoint and you’ll be in for a treat if you’re an action junkie. Although sometimes it just feels absurd that Enmu who has taken over the entire train can’t even kill a single hostage. But then again, it just shows that he isn’t up there in the upper ranks of the Twelve Kizuki. Just enough to give them a run for their money but no serious threat at all. Kyojuro and the other upcoming young Demon Slayers are out of your league!

A big chunk of the character development goes to Tanjirou. But of course. Especially the heart breaking moments whereby he has to relive the nightmarish dream of facing his own hostile family as well as killing himself multiple times in the process just to wake up. It shows that Tanjirou is very much grounded in reality and has what it takes to become a strong Demon Slayer and even rise up to the ranks of Hashira. He doesn’t dwell in the past nor does he wish of such luxury to become true. Maybe it could be if he becomes a demon (surprise! They’re all zombies now! Thriller Night dance begins! HAHAHAHA!), but knowing well that he cannot undo the past is what makes him stronger and allows him to move forward. After all, he still has got Nezuko and she herself is his biggest hope for him to trudge on.

Of course the other main character is Kyojuro and it is sad to see what has become of his fate. Of course it is no surprise that a man of this calibre, Kyojuro is strong and unyielding not only in his skill and strength, but of his principles too. This is why we were able to see him put up a courageous and brave fight before he bows out. On a trivial note, is that why Kyojuro has that funny looking stone face? To hide all the hardships and prove no matter how tough life gets, he is still going strong? I bet it is. Anyway, Tanjirou was able to witness all that justice and righteousness from him so you bet he is going to carry on that legacy and build a better one on it. And of course, Kyojuro’s death is to help introduce and foreshadow the threat of the upper half of the Twelve Kizuki for future arcs. Hey, there are other Hashira and Demon Slayer members to showcase and flesh out! RIP, Kyojuro! So sometimes I feel that Tanjirou getting injured was part of the plot to make him stay out between Kyojuro’s and Akaza’s fight. Otherwise if we all know Tanjirou well, he’ll jump in to help even when told to stay out.

As for the others in Tanjirou’s groupie, Inosuke and Zenitsu seem to be doing the minimal. Well, looks like it is Zenitsu’s turn to take a nap since he is in sleeping mode for the most part. Sure, he still can attack in his sleep but I guess this in a way is better than him awakened because I can foresee that he’ll be complaining and be in joker mode. Don’t want to ruin the seriousness of this arc, do we? As for Inosuke, he plays more of a supporting and helper role for now. Despite still trying to act tough and all, he still has to toe the line because he isn’t that strong as he thinks he is yet. Nezuko, still hanging in there looking cute and deadly. As long as she doesn’t give into her urges to eat a human.

If you’re a huge fan of Lisa and love her style of music as heard in Sword Art Online, Fate/Zero and even the first season of Kimetsu No Yaiba, then you’re going to love the opening theme, Akeboshi as well as the ending theme, Shirogane. You’ll feel at home with her trademark singing brand and style here. Needless to say, both songs fit the exhilarating pace of this arc. The final episode’s Homura, a slow rock to drum up more tears. If that isn’t enough, here, have more illustrations of Kyojuro in the ending credits animation to make your go sobbing even harder! Are we done crying yet?! FYI, I didn’t cry although I was sad over the man’s death. I SAID I DID NOT CRY, OKAY!!! BELIEVE IT!!! Okay, maybe close to it BUT I DID NOT CRY!

Overall, this arc definitely rocks and I’ll be looking forward to the next season very soon. It’s like the appetizer before the sequel comes around. So what else can I say? Everything here is so good and near perfection-cum-flawless that I’ll be sounding like a broken tape recorder if I continue to further shower this series with more praises. Wait. Am I doing that right now? Not sure in the future if they’re going to release a director’s cut with more added extra scenes and contents because you know, got to milk this series dry! Strike while the iron is hot! Make that, flaming burning hot! Gee, a director’s cut of a director’s cut, huh? As long as the fans continue to love it all. What next? Live action version of this series? Oh wait. They already did that! Albeit it is a stage play. And already had a sequel?! Man, they’re really milking this series dry, huh? Well, hopefully they won’t milk it dry until it becomes a total train wreck. Then everything will descend into a nightmare that we’ll never wake up from. That is when the series will have committed suicide for real and would be a real crying shame.

Uramichi Oniisan

You know when you grow up as an adult, you find that there are so many things contradictory to what you know as a kid? You learn things the hard way and for many of us despite how much we don’t really like it, we just accept it quietly and just try to continue living our meagre lives? Yup. Thought so. But that’s adulting for you and many of us. Wow. How we always wish to return to simple and innocent times like a kid, huh? So that’s why we have Uramichi Oniisan to help remind us about those strange stuffs in life that are definitely oh so true while putting a big happy smile in front of everybody. Even more so, our titular character telling it in front of kids for a children’s TV programme that he works for! Gotta teach ‘em young not to make the same mistakes like we do when they grow up, huh?!

Episode 1
* Uramichi Omota is one of the hosts for a children’s TV programme. He suddenly sounds hoarse in one of his lines. A kid asks why. Without batting an eyelid, he says he was hard drinking last night!
* All the kids are full of energy to get things started. Except for Uramichi. He’s feeling tired and would love not to do anything! Yeah, he’ll cast a special spell on them to stop them from becoming like him in the future!
* Instead of singing the usual ABC song, he has them sing a protest song with a few cuss words! WTF is the camera still recording all this?!
* It is break time and a kid asks why. He needs his rest or his facial muscles will die!
* He is 31 and isn’t married unlike some fathers who have kids and are younger than him. Don’t assume a single guy who drinks cheap alcohol is unhappy!
* A kid crying because of some pain? Well, better get over it because nobody will help you chase it away when you’re grown up!
* Uramichi is to call out his other friends Usao (Tobikichi Usahara) and Kumao (Mitsuo Kumatani). They didn’t come out by the second call so by the third time as Uramichi calls louder, this affects his throat as he starts coughing. Later they said they were just following the script but Uramichi warns them about making his life tough for him. Both are his juniors in college and admire him but can’t help think what happened to him recently. Yeah, he is emotionally unstable. Next time when he calls them to come out, they wonder if they should stick to the script. They decide to do that to be professional. But Uramichi won’t wait and brings them forcefully on stage.
* We see other hosts Iketeru Daga and Utano Tadano. The former likes crude jokes and can’t read between the lines while the latter has many unsuccessful music stints and wants to get married. Yeah, they’re both dating and she is trying to hint to him but he doesn’t get it.
* Iketeru tells Uramichi about someone’s name sounds closely like a dick. He can’t contain his laughter so all hell breaks loose when Uramichi keeps spamming him dick jokes.
* Now that Iketeru is out, Uramichi replaces him on a drawing segment with Utano. WTF this bird man he drew which appeared in his dreams 80% of the time?!
* Usahara badmouths Uramichi behind his back to Kumatani and Iketeru. Of course cliché has it that Uramichi heard it so he approaches this rabbit and socks him real good!

Episode 2
* It’s time for another episode with Uramichi! The kids are so energetic that their screams are so piercing that it made him deaf for a while! Time for him to remind them that one day they won’t be feeling so energetic…
* Utano sings her song. I guess it’s time Nana Mizuki show her singing prowess. Though, the song is as weird as hell. You know, regarding the umbrella and rain. When you bring your umbrella, it doesn’t rain a bit, vice versa.
* On another song about a spider, Uramichi is tasked by Tekito Derekida the director to play the spider because depending on him, this might be a success. Uramichi doesn’t understand all that one bit but notes as an adult, you do as you are told.
* Utano reads a letter from a little girl asking if she would marry Uramichi or Iketeru. Hmm… Well… Don’t be fooled by looks of men! Those who look good are not going to be useful at all! Damn, this sure hurts. So is she speaking from experience?!
* Uhm… Looks like Uramichi will do an advice corner and his companion will be a hand puppet mascot. Only, this mascot is that bird he drew! Don’t ask me, it’s Derekida’s decision. The bird who is handled by Usahara starts asking sarcastic questions about Uramichi’s boring life. You can tell from Uramichi’s face that he is not pleased. Usahara trembling in fear. But the show goes on as Uramichi replies about having generic and common hobbies actually don’t have any hobbies and this won’t help in dating a girl because you’ll soon find she’ll be sitting far away from you. Is he trying to hint something like this happened to ‘somebody’?! And also something about obtaining the freedom you think you want as a child but in the end you’ll end up void with vitality.
* Uramichi then asks the kids if this bird mascot should have been a cuter design. A girl says it is gross. But if it is his friend, then he should cherish it. Yeah, mom said that. I guess he has to keep it.
* It’s Sunday so Uramichi goes fishing. A stray cat comes up to him so he feeds it a fish bait. Too bad the seagull snatches it. Okay then. Time to fish one for kitty. Iketeru is at the store to buy stuffs. A customer on the phone is talking and his sentence sounds like a dick joke. Uh huh. Can’t stop laughing. Utano is at a stand-up comedy club. She is the only one laughing out loud at the lame jokes. Awkward.
* I guess Usahara is losing his pachinko game so when he heard that Uramichi caught a fish, he decides to come over after buying some sake and snacks. Too bad with all his gym equipment lying around, Usahara accidentally stubs his foot in all of them. He might have broken a few…Yeah, Uramichi loving watching this…

Episode 3
* Looks like Uramichi and Iketeru will have a new costume to wear on the next segment. From Uramichi’s looks, he isn’t happy. But he’ll do it to survive! So Iketeru is some superhero named Jerminator and Uramichi the baddie called Bacterian. Jerminator calls on the kids to throw soap bubbles made out of hard rubber at Bacterian. Ouch. In the end, it is a segment just to remind kids to keep clean and wash their hands. And Uramichi somewhat turned into a reverse polka dot man from all the bruises. Suicide Squad this is not…
* Uramichi is forced to draw some magical girl (KiraPure) for a few girls. However his drawing sucks. Yeah, Uramichi’s narration of how trust built up for a long time just smashed in seconds. Luckily Iketeru saves the day by drawing the real deal.
* A couple of ladies try to introduce Uramichi to God at his doorstep. Uh oh… They claim by believing in Him, all his anxieties and worries will be lifted. Go tell ‘em, Uramichi! Because how can he trust in God when he even doesn’t believe in himself! Oh yeah! Later Usahara is apologizing for an earlier prank. So Uramichi asks if he believes in God. If that is the case, if God can relief all anxieties and worries, won’t it be faster if he deals it himself? Yup, Uramichi beats the sh*t out of Usahara! You bet that lifted all his worries!
* Derekida has Uramichi do some task. Hence he ponders on what he is doing because regardless of what he does, nothing in society changes. He feels he wants to be rewarded for his efforts. Hence during the next programme of Jerminator vs Bacterian, our bacteria villain has now created his own sticky germ balls as he throws it all over Jerminator. Wow. Jerminator admits he lost! Bacterian feeling relieved that his efforts have finally been rewarded. So is that what Uramichi meant? Too bad this scene has to be reshot again.
* Some TV programme can tell you what kind of life you have based on your drawings. Uramichi tries it out and in short, his readings and predictions are all negative and gloom. Yeah, he is going to have a hard life and be a disappointing person. Better turn off the TV. He sends his weird ass drawing to his friends for feedback. They don’t even know what animal it is. It’s a dog…

Episode 4
* Derekida must be a sadist. He has his casts dress up in summer clothes so as to film a summer programme but it is cold and freezing at this point of year! Yeah, Uramichi jabbing his hand into Usahara’s mask. Warm and vengeful. Killing 2 birds with a stone. During the watermelon smashing event, Usahara is placed near the watermelon. Uramichi is closing in… Got the fright of his life when Uramichi smashes the watermelon. Then they have to play and splash the water. This is going to suck. Kumatani and Usahara are given water guns. It’ll be okay if they don’t hit. Too bad Usahara hits directly in Uramichi’s face. Uh oh…
* For the night scene, they’re supposed to act as though there is a great fireworks display. Due to budget constraints, they can’t do a real one and will add CGI effects later. This has the casts question why he just didn’t do CGI for the whole thing… So yeah, their fake facial expressions in seeing the fireworks.
* Iketeru has got a cold from that and can’t come to work. Derekida decides to improvise on today’s script to not include him so this has Utano riled up because she wants to teach the kids that everyone is important. Yeah. Whatever. As the shooting begins, the kids wonder where Iketeru is. Some think he got fired… I hope they didn’t catch Uramichi’s behaviour…
* On stage, Usahara is playing a character who is infected with illness. But with Jerminator out, who will save the day? Nobody! Because Bacterian claims he has defeated him. But then he feels empty without Jerminator around and perhaps wanted somebody to stop him all along. He’ll return once Jerminator is back and only then they’ll have their fair fight. The kids think he just wants attention… Uramichi then soon returns to relay the lesson of not being a coward like Bacterian because those who only sticks to one’s principals and obsessed with that one thing will never become a better person.
* When Iketeru has recovered and returns to work, now it is Kumatani who has fallen sick. They think somebody else can play his part because of his costume but here’s Utano ranting away why this won’t do. Whatever. Uramichi thinks back that calling Kumatani out late to lend his DVD may be the cause. Likewise, Utano thinks that drinking session did him in. You know, she got drunk and ranted about why she is still single and accidentally spilt beer over him. Even Usahara thinks he is guilty of this. Yeah, he threw snow all over him. With that, they decide to work hard for his sake but this only makes Kumatani feel pressured.
* As Uramichi and Usahara begin their programme, they say Usahara and Kumatani got into a fight, that’s why the latter isn’t here. However the kids prefer Kumatani and want Usahara to go away instead. Damn, that hurts! Even when Usahara switches with Kumatani’s costume, the kids can tell he is an imposter! OMFG! Is he really a bad person?! So when he decides to go tell the truth about Kumatani, he got the costumes mixed up and he looks like a rabbit-bear hybrid, freaking out the kids.

Episode 5
* Derekida is bored seeing Uramichi doing the same ol’ intro. How about doing somersaults? He reluctantly does so and Derekida believes the normal way is better. And just when they retake this shot again, the damn director thinks doing somersaults while addressing the kids could’ve been it. Okay. Let’s do it. Uramichi starts his somersaults but Derekida has to answer his phone and didn’t see it. Damn…
* Uramichi asking the kids what they have and adults don’t. All give their typical kiddie answers until some start spouting about freedom and hope. Oh man, did they catch your gloomy disease, Uramichi?!
* Because the wrong pre-recorded lines were played for Usahara, Uramichi gives him those death stares and this scares the sh*t out of the rabbit guy until the end of the programme.
* As the gang says goodbye to the kids leaving the set, one of them comes up to say his daddy has gotten leave next Sunday. This means they can attend the concert. Oh right. They forgot all about the special concert next week!
* Before the concert starts, looks like the stress is taking a toll on our main characters already. Iketeru claiming he’ll take paid leave (company doesn’t have such policy) and Utano wanting to get married (definitely not happening). Oh f*ck, the gay choreographer, Furitsuke Capellini just squashed Usahara’s balls for motivation?!
* The concert is mostly Utano and Iketeru singing. Uramichi also makes his appearance and of course his negative advice of do not be a nice person because it doesn’t pay! And the concert ends with this really weird song about a cat staring at nothing and the owner having nothing but her cat. Weird. Even weirder, Uramichi dressing up as a cat staring into space and Iketeru as some fish dealer, smacking his face with the fish?! Well, as long as the kids are happy…
* After the concert, everyone goes for the after party. Except for Uramichi, he heads right back home. He spots a stray crab and puts it back in the river. Yeah, notice the weird crab song he is singing in the background! And the after party is serving such small crabs and Iketeru feels bad that they are so small and can be found in nearby rivers. Utano just drinking her heart out.

Episode 6
* Uramichi has been thinking all day and it has been bugging him. What’s the name of that thing called again… Yeah, it even haunts him in his sleep. Next day on the show, he looks spaced out during Iketeru and Utano’s song (WTF putting your hands and leg in the wrong clothes hole?!). Usahara wondering if he can concentrate when his segment comes up. So when that comes and kids ask him personal question (yeah, they feel bad for him), he finally gets his answer because it is on a shirt of one of the girls. It is a macaron. This has all the kids feel weird since he was asked what his favourite food is.
* Uramichi is in high spirits today because it is the weekend and he’ll have a couple of days off. But you know, Usahara seeing his good mood realizes he has not been told yet. Oh sh*t. Hate to break it to you, bro. There’ll be a company trip and those who don’t come will be marked as skipping work. There goes his rest days. And you can’t be late or you pay for your own bus fare!
* The ladies enjoy the hotspring while the guys feel even among themselves it is already too crowded.
* During meal time, Utano emotionally belting out an old piece of hers. Only Derekida sharing the same sentiments and go sing with her on stage.
* Yusao Furode trying to pour Iketeru some alcohol. Iketeru can’t hold his liquor so Kumatani switches with him to drink more of it.
* Usahara is really on a roll having fun. Not until Capellini takes him away for another kind of fun! Oh sh*t! All those lipstick marks on his face… I hope he didn’t get sodomized! It’s no wonder he comes back and gets drunk drinking liquor.
* The ladies play some weird game. Samurai dick?! HUH?! As for the guys, they play ping pong and since Iketeru doesn’t know how to play, Kumatani teaches him and now he’s playing like a pro?
* Utano is annoyed that her boyfriend called her because some stinkbug appeared in the room. She tells him to deal with it himself but he is a bigger chicken than expected. Speaking of the bug, one pops up in the room. The girls start to freak out but Capellini takes it with his hand and throws it out. Kakoi!
* The guys decide to hit the bath again. Usahara scared that he spots a stinkbug on his towel. Help? Uramichi tells him to let it be. It’ll go away. But Usahara is afraid since he can’t hide his modesty. Saying the dick word is enough to make Iketeru trying hard to control his laughter. The stinkbug still lurks…

Episode 7
* Furode suggesting to Derekida that they need an educational segment. One with crafts. Yeah, they can make Uramichi and Iketeru as insects while Utano as the instructor… And so today’s craft we’re going to make necklace. Sorry kiddo, it’s not chains that binds your adulthood! When Iketeru is supposed to cut using the scissors, it seems he has some phobia and does lots of mistakes. Eventually he breaks down. Kumatani has to come comfort him on stage. Subsequently the kids ask what happened to him so Uramichi talks about pressure and the agony of hard work. Uh huh. Don’t live for someone else’s sake!
* When Iketeru is spacing out during shooting, he becomes forgetful of his lines. But even after shooting, he is clumsy and colliding into stuffs. So they have to ask what’s wrong. Apparently last night he had an argument with his sister, Mabui. An argument about the note some cat was singing on TV. Because of this disagreement, she kicked him out of the house! Knowing Mabui and Utano are good friends, she hopes she can talk to her. But WTF?! He wants her to take his sister? Of course she can’t since she lives with her boyfriend. In that case, trade places! It’s getting complicated! Utano will try to kick her boyfriend out but where will he live? Oh man, more complication about living at Uramichi’s place and somebody goes to Kumatani’s place. Anybody keeping the score?
* A couple of kids are fighting each other and won’t apologize. So leave it to Uramichi about how if they keep delaying it, it’ll be hard for them to reconcile. Is he talking from experience? The kids patch up. Iketeru tries to use this example as he goes to apologize to Mabui. However she has already forgotten what happened the other night! And soon Iketeru too!
* Amon the screenplay director needs new ideas. So he has the gang brainstorm for him. Either it’s too happy or too scary. Not going to make the cut. Until Uramichi talks about the yakumi condiments are gone from this world. This piques his interests as Uramichi relates this strange dream of his. Eventually this segment turns into some Yakumi Shinobu with everyone dressing up as ninjas. Except for Uramichi. WTF this sleazy rocker outfit?! And God of Shiso?! This causes the others hard to maintain eye contact with him because they’re trying hard to hold in their laughter. More woes for Uramichi as he heard a little girl how she doesn’t mind eating the bitterness of the yakumi because it beats that outfit the God of Shiso was wearing!
* Uramichi hopes this segment will tank and have low ratings but apparently it becomes the top most popular segment, even beating Jerminator.

Episode 8
* Even the kids notice that Uramichi is more hype than usual. It’s going to look bad! Yup. Uramichi tries to be even more hype and then the gloominess sets in. Time for him to rant about when you become an adult, your mood allocation pretty much is set in stone. He admits his mood allocation is wrong today but he can pull it off because he is an adult! The kids definitely don’t want to become an adult like him!
* A boy doesn’t want to play with the rest so the other kids tell Uramichi to let him be. Of course Uramichi sits with him and says that he too doesn’t want to do anything but others just won’t leave him alone. And if you don’t take part, you’ll not be able to live your life smoothly. Smart kid understands and now he will play with the rest!
* Usahara is trying to bug Kumatani to lend him more money. Of course he won’t seeing he knows he’ll use it to gamble and that he hasn’t paid back the amount he borrowed. Why not ask Uramichi instead? Usahara then slacks and starts talking about the ol’ days in college. Of course a little badmouthing of Uramichi too. What are the chances he heard that?! Yup, the show is on and Uramichi has called him so many times but yet he didn’t come out! After being dragged out, they hint one of them is going to be fired. Some kids worry and will ask their parents to take him in. Uramichi feels bad for the kids that they might get influenced by him. Later Usahara tries to ask Iketeru for money. He is actually going to give but the others stop him in time.
* A fat boy wants to climb on Uramichi. Oh dear. Uramichi just had a back injury from the gym. He has to do it because this fatty is the station manager’s grandson! Oh sh*t! How many bones he has cracked?!
* Usahara trying to brag to Kumatani that a girl might like him. Kumatani not all that interested and talks about the importance of servility instead. A young girl overheard this and asks what it means. Kumatani feigns he is only 5 years old and won’t understand. Perhaps some 31 year old can. And so she goes to ask Uramichi. Basically, forcing to curry favour from those who rank higher than you. Kumatani knows that despite Uramichi saying all those things, he is a nice person inside since he is trying not to lose that small amount of conscience he has as a gymnast.
* Uramichi is forced to take some brain test at some mall. It’s Father’s Day and they have to pick him? Anyway, not sure what this rock-scissors-paper test is but Uramichi loses all of them so his brain is valued at 91 years old?!
* After seeing a bunch of kids’ drawing their fathers, Uramichi, Usahara and Kumatani are to draw theirs. Uhm, doesn’t Usahara and Kumatani’s father look more like humans and not their characters? Just draw their ears then! As for Uramichi’s dad, he looks like some strong dude tossing his kids?! Yeah, his dad was pretty strict. His sister left home to escape him when she turned 16. So the kids wonder if he hates his dad. Not really. If not for him, he won’t be here today. A rare moments as he gives a wholesome advice that you only live once and try to live a life that doesn’t blame others! We all make mistakes so it depends on how you live your lives.

Episode 9
* A kid telling Uramichi how he wrote to Santa and is excited to get presents from him. He asks Uramichi about his but of course Uramichi claims Santa must’ve brought the wrong gifts for him. Iketeru heard that and he looks shocked. He thinks their Santa switched their presents! Yeah, this guy still believes in Santa…
* Uramichi is told by Derekida that Hanbee Kikaku from sales planning needs to see him. Turns out he needs to design and produce new items for Christmas and New Year. Remember that ugly bird design from Uramichi? Yeah, he’s got tons of them! So now Kikaku wants him to design the lower body half. He will not take no for an answer. Those crazy eyes… Then he ties Uramichi to the chair to prevent him from escaping. Because everyone did that… Uramichi tries to strike a conversation with him about spending Christmas. But seems he sounds crazy that there is no such thing as spending Christmas alone since everyone has a backup girlfriend, it’s better for Uramichi to keep quiet and carry on his work.
* The lower half design of that bird… IT SUCKS!!! Or is it just creepy?! I can’t believe some kids love it!
* Uramichi is forced by Derekida to come to the yearend party. Even more so, he is tasked to bring newbies like Kikaku and Saito Uebu from the digital department as they don’t want to come.
* At the party, it’s that fatty grandson again! Uramichi is forced to carry him because he wants one and grandpa is here. His mom is a fan of Iketeru. Not sure what this means as Kumatani switches some alcoholic drink with Iketeru.
* Uramichi doesn’t want to play bingo but he is forced to. Utano gets her bingo and before she chooses some facial beauty product as her winning prize, she remembers her boyfriend wanting some meat so she switches to beef.
* The next special bingo prize is a life size model of that bird! Holding a baguette! OMFG. And the lucky winner who bingo is… Uramichi! He wants to keep quiet but Usahara keeps making a fuss. Yeah, this model was created by Kikaku and could it be he is just discarding an unapproved item? In the end, Uramichi is forced to take it. He wished to get a shiitake growing kit instead.

Episode 10
* Remember that summer shoot at the cold beach? Now we see the fully edited video! In short… It sucks like sh*t!!! Now that this is shown during the hot summer, you bet our casts are appreciative of the cool air-cond inside the building. However Derekida now wants them to head outside to shoot a video for the winter! Oh sh*t. This means putting on all your wintery clothes in the hot summer! Don’t worry, they’ll add snow effects to the video later… Yeah, we’re going to get hot under the collar in more than just one ways.
* With Derekida’s demands getting so unreasonable, it is then Kumatani snaps. He rebels. He claims he can’t think straight in this suit and wants Derekida to show him how. This means forcing on his bear costume on him. In that instant, Derekida realizes how hot and impossible to move in it as he faints immediately. Now you get it?! This has the rest remember that Kumatani punched his boss in his previous employment and was fired. Ever since, Derekida now fears Kumatani and treats him like a boss? As long as he is reasonable…
* A kid asks Uramichi the meaning of harassment. Uramichi gets honest that he doesn’t know its true meaning as it also goes under many names. So are adults dumb? Well, if they weren’t, harassment would’ve become extinct a long time ago. It gets even more confusing that some idiots don’t get it unless punched. This has Kumatani remember a painful memory. His boss was drunk or something and started abusing an abandoned cat. Kumatani couldn’t take it anymore and gave one in the face. He then took back the cat. So the question is, is it okay to punch an idiot? Uramichi points out that hurting someone also means hurting yourself so when the time comes, as long as you know this, you’ll be able to decide that on your own. Later Kumatani talks to Uramichi about this past of his. He can’t remember why he punched him exactly but the cigarette he smoked after slamming his resignation letter on his desk was the best taste ever.
* Now we get to see the fully edited winter programme! Those snow effects are f*cking lame!!! Is it me or is everyone here sweating?! Sweating in ‘winter’!!! Anyway, the video is still lame.

Episode 11
* Looks like Uramichi slept the wrong way and his neck hurts like hell. Either way, he looks scary! During shooting, suddenly Derekida panics because the data for last week’s shooting of a traffic light segment is gone. Have to reshoot again. Oh man… And so we see Uramichi donning as Right-Left Man as he teaches the kids how to cross the street. Yeah, just ignore the neck pain and keep smiling…
* Uramichi receives a box full of Right-Left Man figurines! He goes to return the excess to Kikaku who designed them. Turns out he got design other variants like God of Shiso! This has Kikaku tell his past life. He was in a band and had a girlfriend. They broke up. Worse, his ex who said she hated kids, got married. Then when he joined this company, she contacted him in hopes of getting her kid on this show. Are we supposed to sympathize with this?
* A kid has got the Right-Left Man doll. Although he sounds excited since mom bought for him, he really isn’t. Uramichi asks if the doll looks like him. Well, honestly the kids don’t know because they never paid attention to his face!
* A kid says he wants to grow up and be like Uramichi because he is cool, kind and hardworking. Oh damn, Uramichi crying?! Is he going to get some therapy session by the kids?! Because they ask about dreams and all and what if they don’t come true. Uramichi thinks it’s okay to have such dreams but when they grow up, it’s okay to leave them elsewhere too.
* WTF Utano and Iketeru singing a song about buying a bread that turns out to be normal instead of ambrosia?! Yeah, Uramichi had to wear a strange bread head gear for the act.
* Usahara complaining to bar master, Matahiko Nekota about Uramichi’s ‘bullying’. Isn’t it all Usahara’s fault? Then they talk about rumours circling about Uramichi. But looks like Kikaku is having an angry conversation with some merchandise guy on the phone. It doesn’t go well. To calm down, he downs the tequila. And now he wants to be friends with Usahara?! Scary. Kikaku keeps bugging him as Kumatani ignore his help and continues talking to Nekota until he sobers up. Then they talk about rumours of Uramichi being seen checking out girl dresses and the likes. Kikaku hitting an idea to design a figurine of Uramichi in a dress. During a shoot, when Uramichi compliments a girl’s frilly dress, this sends goose bumps all over Usahara. He starts to get the creeps and acts all weird. Kumatani should’ve told him that he was helping Uramichi in choosing a dress for his niece’s birthday present.

Episode 12
* Usahara heard that Uramichi is going to quit by the month’s end. Shocked, he goes to tell Kumatani and Nekota about it but they don’t believe it and think he must’ve misheard. But since Usahara sounds really worried, I guess it must be true. Hence a flashback on how they first met him during their college days. The trio lived in the same dorm together until Nekota decided to move out and live with his girlfriend. With the open slot, the dorm manager has Uramichi come stay with them temporarily until the dorm wing that he is residing completed its renovations. However one very stormy night, a huge tree crashed into the renovating dorm, hence crushing all hopes of Uramichi ever returning there and making his stay permanent with the duo.
* Usahara was doing track and field. More accurately, high jump. One of his comrades seems to have taken a liking for Uramichi and wonders if Usahara could do her a favour in asking if he has a girlfriend. Instantly a panicky Usahara tells her that he definitely has a girlfriend. But later he goes back to ask Uramichi himself and he says he has none.
* When Usahara injured his foot during a high jump practice, he brushed it off since he could still somewhat walk normally. But with Uramichi noticing it, he tells him to go to the hospital and get this bruise examined. Because otherwise, it would be the end of him doing high jump. This has Usahara think what he would do if he wasn’t into this track and field. So he takes up his suggestion and goes to the hospital. For now, he walks with a crutch. Although grateful for his advice, this has Usahara wonder if gymnastics was all Uramichi had. And that smile of his was awkward as hell.
* A surprise flashback on Kumatani’s past too. It seems when his parents became stricter on him, he rebelled by becoming a delinquent and got into fights at school. His relationship with his parents strained. But since he maintained good relationships with his little brother, because of that he didn’t entirely blow up and restrained himself. It is because of his brother’s casual suggestion, Kumatani joined a sports club to try and understand what it meant to live stoically although until today he still hates it.
* In present time, Usahara is experiencing a hangover from drinking too much after all that worrying. A chance encounter with Uramichi. He asks if something good happened and Uramichi says he found a good place. Usahara further asks if he is happy with it. Without a doubt, Uramichi says yes and it is definitely the best. Usahara is left in shock as he laments he couldn’t stop him.

Episode 13
* Uramichi giving his farewell speech at his farewell party. WTF everyone shouting weird motivations? Turns out to be Usahara’s dream and he laments it is a vision that he will be that farewell party’s organizer.
* Usahara then discovers the real truth: Uramichi isn’t retiring from his job but since his gym is moving, hence he is quitting. Kumatani knew but never said anything simply because he didn’t ask. So who is feeling like a fool now?
* Amon is bugging Uramichi for new ideas. Uramichi doesn’t care and doesn’t want to get involved but Amon keeps chasing after him. To a point where he even stalks and observes Uramichi from the shadows. So what does he come up with? Utano looking hot in a Chinese qipao. Iketeru handsome in a matador outfit. Usahara pretty decent as Uncle Sam and Kumatani being cool as an Indian. Uramichi? WTF is this what France is supposed to be?! WTF macaron decorations… No wonder everyone trying hard to hold in their laughter… And so this new Hello Squad becomes even more famous than God of Shiso! No wonder Amon crying that it’s his greatest works yet!
* Yeah, our gang waiting for some sort of final episode drama. Here it is. A mother lost her kid somewhere in the station. As everyone prepares to look for him, the kid is right here with them. How anti-climactic. Then they thought Iketeru got injured on a set. Turns out to be a very minor injury and Derekida has helped patched him up. But he sounded like making dick jokes so Iketeru can’t stop laughing. That sure laughed the pain away. Oh, Utano finally getting a call from her boyfriend about marriage?! Turns out his senpai is getting married and he wants to borrow money from her to buy a gift. If you know what’s good for you, better get out of there before her transformation into a Demon Lord kills you! And Mabui is here looking very serious. What happened to their dog?! Oh nothing. She just won a good behaviour award at some competition.
* Usahara thought of advancing the plot himself because one of those production girls drop her handkerchief so he goes to return it. Turns out it belongs to Capellini and he’ll consider his invitation to tea. Yeah… Usahara died standing…
* And so everyone laments nothing very dramatic happened. So they talk and laugh like usual. Yeah, this feels very much more like a fitting final episode. Then they go off to shoot their segment.

Life’s Way Of Saying F*ck You In The Nicest Way
Heh. So that is how it ends? Well, not really an ending but the last scene having Uramichi looking our way and telling us good kids to forget what we’ve seen, is he implying to not believe everything we have just seen? Or is that a subtle way of telling us not to rebel against our daily lives, suck it up and go back to be obedient robots because it’s so much better that way. Don’t want to cause trouble for others just because you don’t agree with something, eh? So you’re saying that you don’t want to be responsible if there are viewers who literally take all your real life lessons seriously and go against authority?! Yes. I bet Uramichi wouldn’t want to get involve in our daily sh*t. He himself already got his hands full of his sh*tty life to deal with. And besides, aren’t you yourself supposed to be responsible for your own actions?! So yeah, good advice. Forget what we’ve seen here. Nothing to see anymore. Just move along. Get on with our lives.

To be honest, I have mixed feelings about the comedy this series offered. It is not actually slapstick comedy and the comedy style here is mostly dark comedy. Hence no anvils dropping on characters’ head as the jokes are mostly verbal and dialogue. Therefore when Uramichi starts telling those depressing realities as the punch lines, some of them are a miss. I don’t get them. Yeah, I guess I didn’t really live a harsh life. But for those that I do understand, it wasn’t like I was laughing out loud and my ass off. Just a mere snicker and grin. That’s all. So yeah, the ironies of life may be funny in a way but when shown in this method, I just feel it didn’t really quite hit it to me. Well, this isn’t some stand-up comedy with a famous comedian either. So yeah, it gives me this weird feeling when Uramichi expresses his true feelings in this form. After all, perhaps this is what was intended. You know, Uramichi and the bunch of guys not really happy with their roles and are just forcing to do so because it is their job. Hence the jokes are somewhat muted to reflect this sort of underlying depression. Yeah, they hate their job, so why must they make you have a good time laughing at their misery! We’re in this together! Feel the pain together!!! Oh man, not sure how I feel about that now…

Otherwise, this series could be really one big boring affair as all the episodes follow the same formula and style. Well, not that we can change anything either, right? But it’s good to know that many of us share the same sentiments. Sighs. Except for the penultimate episode, it felt a bit different because it had none of that studio shooting stint and instead delves mostly in the flashbacks of some of the main characters. In a way, it was refreshing but it was also by far the most depressing episode ever. Well, you can’t be laughing all the way and sometimes you need to take a break and feel the pain of reality in a while. Yeah. Reality sucks when you have no money or not famous!

While the amusing thing is that Uramichi gets to say all those harsh reality lines to kids and even more so on live shooting, you wonder why the crew just didn’t stop him and do a reshoot. Maybe they do it later but we didn’t see it. Because as you can see, Uramichi doing it so often, you thought you would be worried for the kids who would either grow up to be a depressing bunch or by a long shot, maybe they could turn things around. However at some point I do notice that the kids themselves exhibit and taking on Uramichi’s behaviour already. You know, when they ask those harsh questions of reality themselves, you wonder how they even know it in the first place. Thus triggering Uramichi to give those statements with a smile. Oh, don’t let their innocence fool you. They may teach our adults a thing or two but I suppose who would really take these kids seriously, right? And it’s a good thing these kids stay innocent too because it’ll definitely be a different tune if they start crying, their hopes extinguished and all. So you kids continue to believe in Santa and find out the hard truth later on as you grow up…

I know it’s the show’s trademark to have this formula because that’s how this series’ punch line works. Remember in my previous paragraph I mentioned about the crew not stopping Uramichi’s rant and continue to shoot away? This has me come up with this insane conspiracy theory that what if this entire organization is actually one big asylum of crazy people?! Everyone here has their past, right? Many of the characters you see are just crazy, right? They are sick people in some big pretend play of shooting a children’s TV show! Just your imagination! Yeah, what if this parody station MHK actually stands for Mad Happy Kooky?! OMG! Those kids? Never exist for real! Or at least some of them are twisted too because notice how some of them love those horrible toy designs?! You can tell some having that potential to grow up to become pro psychos, the way they handle those dark truths well. Maybe they don’t understand and flash their big innocent smile but sometimes I feel sceptical about that. That bird figurine?! OMG! How can they find that cute?! Unless they are all deranged… Of course this theory is all just BS as you can see the programme being shown on TV all over Japan. On a trivial note, that epic movie rental, Man Eating Salmon VS Bunny On A Moped sounds so fake but awesome, I just want to see this!!!

As for the characters, I think we all pretty much know that Uramichi mostly hates his life and job and is doing what he is doing because he has to. But you have got to admire his tenacity because no matter how depressing it gets, he will always manage to find his composure and do it all with a big smile! I think for many of us, we would just f*ck it all and walk off without even looking back. So evident you see his I-wish-I-am-not-here-doing-this-sh*t face in all of the shoots. That unimpressed face and dead fish eyes are dead giveaways. He could be the Squidward of the company but he’s not since he endures all the crappy crap sh*t. So how can Uramichi tolerate all these nonsense and shenanigans? Well, he did indirectly hint once that perhaps this is the only thing he has. After all, he is a former gymnast and if he quits this job, what else can he do? So like many adults in life, he just sucks it up and do as he is told. I mean, it is not the worst kind of life, right? Things could be better but it could also be much worse.

As for the other quirky characters, Usahara stands out the most because of his comic relief role. More accurately, he feels like a punching bag but that is because many of the consequences is are his own doing. This guy is the biggest idiot and sometimes you wonder what this guy is thinking. Sometimes he is scared of Uramichi but at other times he wants to prank him and then pays for it when Uramichi repays that kindness. I suppose Usahara is the other variety in comedy we need aside Uramichi giving his life lessons to kids. But this one also feels muted and it’s not like something really terrible happens to Usahara by the end of it. I feel Kumatani to be an overlapping character with Uramichi because they are both stoic in nature. Not sure if Kumatani gets his kicks too seeing Usahara suffer at the hands of his own stupidity because Kumatani actually knows what is going on but chooses to stay silent. Unlike Uramichi, we don’t see Kumatani smile often so in that sense he feels a lot more depressing than the main star.

For Iketeru, I think he mostly comes off as an airhead and the only thing good about him is his good looks. Because I do notice a lot that he tends to space out when conversations drag out too long and if he is already lost in dialogue, his mind would start to wander off and imagine about some onigiri or its weird variants. Must run in the family because Mabui shares the same traits. Making it more bizarre for Iketeru, he can’t stop laughing at dick jokes! For most of us, it’ll get old but he still tries hard to contain his laughter! I believe Iketeru mostly has a mentality of a kid because you can see the kind of innocence and gullibility in the way he talks and acts. Then there is Utano for some feminine touch to avoid this show from being completely a sausage fest. When not talking about work, she is mostly complaining about her wuss boyfriend and wanting to get married. Why not break up then? Ah well, who else would want her then? I guess she too needs to rely on a man. Tolerance is the key to a long lasting relationship? Well, if she can stand the misery…

Other notable side characters include Derekida who is possibly the craziest person around. Because of his position, it’s like he is a slave driver as he directs his casts in shooting a programme. I mean, are they grounds for them to oppose? Even if they do, he’ll find an excuse to tell them to get the job done. And then there’s Kikaku who could be a serial killer in disguise because of those crazy eyes and messy hair. Must be under stress in creating new designs. But I fear one day he would snap and start killing… Amon, this guy is being pressured to do better than before. One day he’ll hit a point of no return. Capellini, just waiting one day to see those gay jokes troll us good. Yeah… It’s like Usahara was written for this sick joke role too… So do you not see why I think that this entire place is one big asylum with questionable weirdoes?!

Art and animation are pretty standard but because the series takes place in a setting for a children’s TV programme, everything is quite bright and colourful. The character design themselves are mostly bishonen and bishoujo style since many of the characters look quite good even for delinquents like Kumatani and crazy-possible-future-serial-killer Kikaku. Is it me or does Amon look a bit like that ninja dude from Gintama? But nothing beats the weirdest design of that bird that Uramichi cooked up! Could be fuel for nightmares, if I should say. This anime is done by Studio Blanc who did Boku No Kanojo Ga Majimesugiru Sho-bitch Na Ken.

Now, the other big main reason why I watched this series is because of crazy main cast. How long was it since I watched an anime that has a big majority of voice actors that I know of? So when you have veterans like Hiroshi Kamiya as Uramichi, Mamoru Miyano as Iketeru, Nana Mizuki as Utano, Tomokazu Sugita as Usahara, Yuuichi Nakamura as Kumatani, Daisuke Ono as Nekota, Youko Hikasa as Mabui, Kazuya Nakai as Capellini, Shinichiro Miki as Furode, Kenichi Suzumura as Uebu, Kenjiro Tsuda as Amon and even Natsuki Hanae and Rina Satou as those background crew members, oh boy, the only thing this series is missing that would have made it damn epic is Mamiko Noto!!! WHERE WAS SHE???!!! Anyway, it was fun for me to hear so many of my favourite and recognizable seiyuus all under this anime. For those that I unfortunately didn’t recognize include Ryohei Kimura as Kikaku (Tsubasa in Kyoukai No Rinne) and Kenyuu Horiuchi as Derekida (titular character in Guin Saga).

The opening theme ABC Taisou sung by the duet of Iketeru and Utano, you’d think it would be a children’s song like Sesame Street but I guess the only thing kiddie about it is its lyrics. Otherwise it sounds a lot like an anime rock pop. Iketeru goes solo with the ending theme, Dream On. This song sounds more like slow hip hop and a bit of disco. Actually not a bad song to hear since I did a bit of feet shuffling and finger snapping to the beat. But the songs that definitely raise a lot of eyebrows are all those supposedly children songs that Utano mostly sings inside the show. Yeah, I guess partly it is to showcase Nana Mizuki’s chops as a great singer too. But it is not so much the song but the lyrics itself. Damn, they’re freaking twisted for a children’s show! I mean, who wrote the lyrics to these pieces?! Did I not tell you already this organization houses a lot of sick wackos!

Overall, this anime is either a hit or miss. If you like cynical jokes and dark or black comedy, this show is right up your alley although just like life, it isn’t perfect and has its flaws. It can be funny, weird and depressing all at the same time. Otherwise, those who have been living under a well and cannot tolerate to hear a single truth about how society and life works, feel free to return to your safe zones and die there. You’d do us all a favour anyway. Hey, don’t get so mad! I was a dark joke! I can make a lot of referencing memes how life screwed us all since we’re born and the likes but that would probably last a few pages and everyone would have left the hall already. So after learning a lesson or two from our favourite onii-chan, are we ready to STFU and get back to reality with a big smile on our faces? Yeah, nobody sees the double middle finger I have made behind my back. Sighs. Sorry for another bad dark joke I made. I guess that’s just life.

Futari Ecchi

Long before the seasonal pseudo hentai anime started a few years back, there was Futari Ecchi back in 2004. Oh heck, there were a lot more hentai and mild ecchi stuffs that came out in between those years. What I’m trying to say is that probably watching all those fake hentai made me remember why I didn’t watch this in the first place. It’s not like I didn’t know it existed. Perhaps it wasn’t really that ‘important’ for me to go watch this then. I mean, sometimes when I am watching those pseudo hentai, this title popped up in my mind from time to time. But I often brushed it off to watch it later or someday. I mean, that sex isn’t going anywhere, right?! And now that someday has come. Maybe I can only take 1 phoney hentai series per season. A few more might burst my libido!!! HAHAHA! Sighs. Yeah, so you’ve guessed I don’t have anything this season under this category to watch and thus the perfect excuse to try out this retro ecchi series. Finally it’s time. Thanks for the waiting. Here I cum!

Episode 1
WTF, Makoto Onoda watching a video of an interview about a girl’s sex and masturbating habits?! Not brave enough to watch real porn, huh?! Yura Kawada leaves work to meet up with Makoto. A strange guy asking her sex preferences before leaving. WTF?! As Makoto prepares to go meet Yura, suddenly this cute girl comes up to him and asks his sexual fetishes. WTF is wrong with everybody?! He denies all her suggested fetish and claims he is normal. Good. Because if he makes her sister unhappy, she’ll kill him. When the lovers meet up, Makoto tells us that he can’t believe that he is getting married to her. So I’m guessing he was watching that video for advice, huh?! So we see them on their wedding day. Makoto realizes that cute girl is Rika and is Yura’s younger sister. Wait a minute. You mean he doesn’t even know her family members?! He’s marrying her for God’s sakes! During the wedding as Makoto goes to take a piss, he hears someone having sex in the cubicle! Oh, sounds like Rika getting screwed by her boyfriend!!! An embarrassed Makoto hurries back to Yura. Wonder how awkward it’ll be when he faces Rika next time. Now that they are officially married, Makoto is anxious about their first wedding night together. However with Yura tired and flat out asleep, I guess another time. One day when Makoto is at work, Yura stumbles upon that video! Curious, she puts it in and watches that interview. Awkward! It gets more so when Makoto comes back. She panics and accidentally increases the volume! Right when that video girl is masturbating and climaxing! Awkward!!! So Yura now a naughty girl trying to seduce Makoto? Nope. Just his imagination. But yeah, time to try out sex for real. They’re married, no? Both being virgins, they’re both shy-shy and experimenting. Just as Makoto is about to get into the flow, he climaxes. Damn premature ejaculation. Thankfully Yura such an understanding wife and despite it was pain, she also felt good. So I guess more practice to make it perfect, huh?

Episode 2
Oh yeah! They’re getting it on! Too bad Makoto climaxes too fast again. Although Yura doesn’t mind, this is really making him depressed. He offers other ways to make her feel good but let’s not get too far ahead first. At work, Makoto is introduced to a new colleague, Miyuki Kikuchi. He finds her familiar but couldn’t out his finger on it. At the pantry, another colleague, Makie Sugiyama who is in love with Makoto, tries to make her advance. She knows he is married but still hasn’t given up on him. Thanks to Miyuki coming into the picture, she leaves. Meanwhile Rika calls Yura and thinks she is having the time of her life. WTF Rika calling her while her boyfriend is going down on her pussy?! She’s making those weird sounds! So Rika is just calling Yura to give her some sex tips?! Wow. Rika got so much time that she visits Makoto at his office. She asks if he is making her sister happy. Still hanging on to that threat?! She can tell he ended it all too fast so he claims he does foreplay. Rika the expert tells him how to use his tongue down there. You bet she knows it all because she’s going to date with her 4th boyfriend now! Makoto is spooked since Miyuki was eavesdropping on this. Then she tells him to meet at a certain hotel after work. Meanwhile, Yura goes to meet her old friends who are all married. WTF the first thing they talk about is sex?! Oh yeah, more specifically, how to give their husband a good blowjob. WTF is wrong with these people?! You curious, Yura? Since she won’t understand verbally, they take her to a room to privately demonstrate. Yeah, practice licking this banana. Unknown to her, Makoto also meets Miyuki in this hotel. Such a coincidence their rooms are just next to each other! Makoto now remembers who Miyuki is. She was the girl whom he tutored 6 years ago. And now Miyuki strips and wants his semen?! YOU WANT HIS CHILD?! Luckily the temptation is strong in Makoto as he tells her that she will one day find her own happiness despite Miyuki being pessimistic that she won’t marry anyone else. Miyuki breaks down in tears as she confesses how much she loves her sensei. Later Makoto and Yura meet up at the former’s parents’ home. They also stay for the night. Wow. They’re going to try having sex here? Be careful, the walls are thin. Makoto gets a surprise since Yura starts giving him a blowjob. Wow. She must be good because after that single lesson, she’s like a pro! This makes Makoto give a better performance as they f*ck to their heart’s content. Such bliss. Well, they’re not the only ones having a good time. Because their moaning was loud, Makoto’s younger sister has been eavesdropping while masturbating herself! Oh yeah. It was good…

Episode 3
We are introduced to Makoto and Yura’s neighbours: Takeshi and Mika Yabuki. They’ve been married longer than them but haven’t had sex in quite a while. And then there is Kyoko Matsuzaki who is Makoto’s second cousin who purposely moved next door because I guess Makoto’s mom wants a grandchild… As Yura watches a documentary, suddenly Makoto comes in and f*cks her!!! From the back! This beats the TV show, right?! You bet the neighbours can hear! The Yabukis invite the duo for a trip to Hokkaido. Kyoko wants to come but apparently it’s only for couples. Yeah, she wants to go so bad that she pays for the airfare herself. On the plane, as Makoto goes to the toilet, suddenly Kyoko comes in and wants him to f*ck her. OMFG. Did he not lock the door?! OMFG! HE F*CKS HER!!! CHEATER!!! Turns out it’s just Kyoko’s dream. While the married couples have fun at Hokkaido, they take care not to flirt too much so as not to offend Kyoko. WTF?! Being single that’s her business, right?! Takeshi asks Makoto if he wants to go to the unisex bath. Sounds tempting but Makoto thinks there are only old ladies. Then WTF he enters the bath and all the naked ladies welcome him!!! Harem time?! You’ve guessed it, just his delusion. That night, Makoto wants to have sex with Yura. Won’t that bother the neighbours? Have quiet sex then. Even if Yura is gagged, she still makes some noise and the neighbours of course could hear. Well, at least this makes the Yabukis want to try out. How long has it been since their last sex… Next day, they bump into Goro and Kaoru. Looks like they are childhood friends who are soon going to get married. They live in the same section of the inn as them. WTF Kaoru notes about Yura’s huge boobs since she herself has small boobs?! It doesn’t matter the size as long as you love them, right?! No delusions this time as we see the ladies naked in the sauna and Kyoko groping over Yura’s boobs. When everyone gathers to drink, suddenly they all get drunk and start stripping. WTF they agree to an orgy and swap partners!!! OMFG!!! FOR REAL?! Yeah, trolled ‘ya. Just Makoto’s delusions. Phew. Don’t want to let Yura get f*cked by other guys, huh?! Then in the outdoor hotspring, Makoto and Yura notice Goro and Kaoru f*cking each other. Masterfully! Would’ve been a great eye opener had not for the steam. Hence that night, they try it out themselves. Score another one right there. On their way back, Makoto and Yura hope to come here again but by themselves. Kyoko must be feeling so frustrated and left out, time to get a partner of her own?

Episode 4
Makoto splurges and lets Yura buy some expensive clothes. Now he needs to save on lunch, right? Just kidding! Next day, Makoto is shocked as Yura is dressed as a waitress. Apparently she wants to try working as one. Makoto fears that kind of job will have perverts looking at her and in the end, she’ll leave him because there’s no more love. Yura will not do it if he doesn’t want to. But he didn’t outright say no so… Makoto asks Makie for advice so she talks about how girls want to cosplay. Then she proceeds to cosplay and tease him. Miyuki too?! PLEASE SAY THAT THIS IS A DREAM! Meanwhile Rika heads to her boyfriend’s place. His parents aren’t in so he wants to f*ck her. She has to do it because of some slave ticket she gave him last Christmas and now she must make do her promise. Yup, Rika has to cosplay and then give him blowjobs before he f*cks her. It is Yura’s first day at work and you bet those men are staring at how cute she is. Makoto is also here. Worried. See how all those perverts are looking at her? Defend her chastity! Just don’t get in her way of work, okay? Back in office, Makoto does some cosplay simulation on his wife. Noticing the air stewardess outfit looks good, hence his fantasy as he f*cks her at thousands of feet in the air! Can we call this Skyrim?! HAHAHA!!! Luckily he snaps out of it before he climaxes. Then Makie sees this. Awkward. When Rika visits the diner, Yura can tell Makoto has asked her to keep an eye on him. Spot on. Then Yura has to work overtime so Makoto comes back home alone. Not quite, there’s Kyoko to accompany him. He talks to her about his worries and she knows he is jealous. Despite all, Yura is still a girl and wants to dress up and look good. When Yura comes home, Makoto talks to her and feels bad that it shows he didn’t trust her at all. But don’t worry, their hearts will always be connected, right? And so Yura makes tonight’s dinner extra special as she dons the waitress outfit. I guess Makoto prefers to eat her! Best main course ever! After another great sex, Yura says she’ll quit her job since she wants to make their home a relaxing place for Makoto after he comes back from work. Okay. Just keep the sex coming, we’ll be alright!

Futari Ecchi (2014)

Oh wow. 10 years later, a sequel?! Well, you sure kept fans waiting long enough for another round of sex, huh?! After 10 years, will that horny flame of love still burn so ferociously? I bet it is.

Episode 1
We see Yura attending many marriage interviews. None of the men interests her until Makoto of course. Then we see fast snippets of them dating and eventually he proposed to her. Oh well, he tripped and kissed her. Then fast snippets of their marriage and even their first sex! So we got that flashback out of the way, it’s time to spend their first Christmas together. Yura will be cooking a great Christmas dinner so you bet that’s Makoto’s motivation to come home early. However it starts to rain, his handphone battery is dead and can’t call his wife, he accidentally drops the present and some cyclist runs over it. What a bad Christmas. This has him flashback to his single days on Christmas. Either he has to work late or he is watching porn. Oh damn, porn froze at the climaxing moment! I guess he can’t use those tissues… Bad Christmas indeed. So now he thinks it’s going to be the same. Yura thought he is back but turns out to be Rika. So she’s just using her place to freshen up before her next date?! And she got the gall to say that Makoto might be cheating on her since he cannot be contacted?! Well, Yura believes in him as she waits patiently. And off Rika goes to her next date. Finally when Yura thinks of picking him up from the rain, there he is outside. All wet and miserable. It’s the end of the world. But after he has shower and all, Yura keeps the Christmas spirit flowing with all the positivism. Christmas is still on. Yes, don’t let it be a bad Christmas. Let’s create good memories. Good memories it will be because the best Christmas present to have now is sex in the living room! Oh yeah! It’s going to be Unholy Night! Christmas is saved!!! Makoto then gives her a ring as present. Likewise, Yura has a hand knitted sweater for him. It gets more romantic as it snows outside. This means round 2 of sex?! Oh boy, best Christmas ever! If only every day could be Christmas!

Episode 2
Wow. Makoto keep kissing Yura, at this rate he’ll be late for work! Another one for the road! Another one!!! Well, newly moved in neighbour and high school girl, Rui Tsutsumi sees this. But she just ignores and goes to school. At school, it seems her friends have a field day gossiping about several relationships going on. In the end, they believe men are the problem. Snippets of Rui’s life and WTF she gets raped by her dad?! Oh, just a dream. One day as Rui has problems paying at the store, Yura is there to help her. They chat as Yura learns she lives with her single dad. She wants to know what it’s like being married. Since a single opinion won’t do, Yura takes her to see other married women who live in the same block. Yeah, all sharing their wild sexual fantasies. Like Momo Kubota having really wild sex with her husband. The petite Shouko Shiina is an erotic novelist so you bet she tested some wild S&M moves with her husband. Finally Narumi Ogata isn’t actually married but a mistress. You bet all kinds of dicks has entered her. HAHAHA!!! Are they trying to put wild ideas in this young lady?! No wonder Rui doesn’t feel so good… So now the rest want to hear Yura’s wild time with Makoto but I guess enough of sex today as she tells how kind a person he is. Boring! One day, Rui sprains her leg while training. Makoto helps carry her home. Her worried father got the wrong idea he did something to her but after Rui scolds him and explains everything, father apologizes. Yura receives a package from mom. So they have no place to put her old clothes and shipped it to her? Yeah, her old high school uniform excites Makoto because it’s time to cosplay and f*ck! Here’s today’s sex for us! What if they met in high school, would it be different? Nah. They’ll still be the same. The sex, that is. Rui hangs out with her friends and as usual, more gossiping. However they are shocked that Rui believes as long as there is love, it’ll be okay. Yeah, she’s not going to be misandrist b*tches like you! Rui has changed! All thanks to love! Now if only sex could make better that opinion…

Episode 3
Looks like Makoto is going to have to stay late and work overtime due to the company having a special fashion lingerie event. Yeah… Because of some unprepared incident, the lady boss and the boss will have to sort things out. This means Miyuki has a chance to be with her tutor, right? Yup, time to see flashback snippets when he was tutoring her. Don’t worry, nothing sexual happened. Meanwhile, colleagues Suzuka Takahashi trying to ask Yosaku Inagaki if he has affairs with other females in the office. Of course he denies. When Makoto thinks he can finish things up by himself, Miyuki takes it as she is not needed. Needless to say, she isn’t impressed. She wants to stay with him and an accident has him trip all over him. As he says he is still always looking after her, she is overcome with emotions. Yeah, more tutoring flashbacks. Such good times. At this point, the bosses come back so they have to get ready for the show. But it hits another obstacle because the models have not arrived and was Makoto was supposed to be in charge of something? I don’t know, he tries to take responsibility and will try to salvage the impossible. Otherwise he’ll resign! Gasp! He didn’t say that but I know that is what he is implying. With that, Miyuki decides to be the model. Because the boss will pay special bonus, the other girls jump in. Heck, thank goodness this company’s girls are all hot and sexy. Even the lady boss. So the lucky guys get to see their female colleagues strut their stuff on the catwalk in lingerie. Yeah… The event is a success and everyone celebrates at a restaurant. Miyuki’s chances of getting closer to Makoto blown as Yura is here to celebrate too. Party is over. I don’t know, is their home too far because we see them stop by a love hotel. Ah yes, time to shake things up. WTF we see other couples making out too?! Like the boss and lady boss, despite the latter badmouthing and criticizing him, she still wants him to f*ck her harder!!! Also, Takahashi wants to take their relationship to the next level so how the f*ck did she end up f*cking Inagaki?! Still get his name wrong in the end, huh? Really sucks when you’re having sex with the wrong name called… Of course, our main stars, Makoto and Yura. With some lingerie as presents, Makoto gets to have Yura wear them before their love making session. And poor Miyuki drinking alone. Did she lose out on this?

Step Up Sex Story: With Great Sex-pectations Comes Great Sex-perience
Ugh. Not sure if in another 10 years they will do another surprise sequel. Well, a couple of years more and we shall see. Especially with that cliff-hanger about Miyuki and her wavering or unwavering feelings, will that forever be left hanging as an unresolved issue? But otherwise, watching this old ecchi series sure does ring some of those vibes when I used to watch those pseudo hentai animes. At least for the first season. I don’t know if it is a good or bad thing because at the end of it all, it wasn’t the most mind blowing experience for me either. It’s not exactly watching porn either but that great satisfaction wasn’t there. Well, duh. How can you beat the real physical sex! Okay, okay. What I’m trying to say is that I was expecting something out of this but looks like the series fell short of it and hence although I am not truly disappointed, I wished that it could’ve been better if it was just a little.

Although I wasn’t hoping for any sort of solid storyline, each episode feels a lot episodic and standalone from each other. After all, the ‘motivation’ to watch each episode is to see Makoto and Yura end up having sex, right? Heck, isn’t that why we watch this? What else are we to expect? Just sprinkle a bit of variety like in different locations or outfits but at the end of the day, our loving couples will keep their (horny) love burning with great sex. Well, so far so good. After all that practising, I suppose Makoto’s premature ejaculation is solved. Or at least Makoto is such a lucky guy to have a very understanding wife to help him overcome that problem. Sounds like porn logic no matter how…

Honesty, I feel that the first season is way better than the sequel in many ways. Firstly, the sex. Watching the first season does remind me of those fake seasonal anime hentai that I watched. Seeing Makoto going down on Yura from caressing-cum-sucking her boobs right down to penetrating her. The only difference why this isn’t really classified the same as those pseudo hentai (personally) is because they don’t show the genitals. Yup, no mosaic blurred out censors during sex. Although we get to see free bare tits, the crotch area for both man and woman aren’t shown. So I figure with that, there was no need for any censorship and hence not really even hentai. Just a big ecchi genre at most. However the sex scenes in the sequel is very paltry. Shambles. A shame. Because they feel a lot like slide presentations with minimal animation. Hardly anything stimulating. Like as though they don’t really want to offend because this isn’t entirely hentai so they held back a lot. As good as if they aren’t shown but because sex sells, they had to and thus this weird combo in between. Yeah, they downgraded the sex part, which is a big sin for a show in this genre. Of course bear in mind that this isn’t really hentai so no porn level sex scenes.

Then there is the animation style. 10 years is a long time for things to change so it is obvious Production Reed (Isekai Wa Smartphone To Tomo Ni, Ultra Maniac) took over from Chaos Project (Happy Lesson, Comic Party Revolution). The sequel might have updated visuals but it makes Yura look a whole lot weirder. Yes, Yura looks f*cking weird than the retro Yura. So much so if I wonder if she is the same character! But maybe it’s the same pussy. HAHAHA! Just kidding! Even Miyuki feels a bit downgraded since she looks a lot simpler than her original when she first appeared. Makoto who looks so plain in the first, it’s no different he looks the same in the sequel. Still plain as ever. Haha! Overall, it feels like the animation quality for the sequel got downgraded a little. But I suppose other than the sex, seeing these cute ladies in lingerie is supposed to distract our minds and cloud our judgment? Well then, enjoy.

For a short and episodic series, they sure introduced a hell lot of other minor characters. Many whom only appear for 1 episode and that’s it. You wonder why the heck they need to do this when they don’t even matter at all. But my theory is that with other characters, it won’t be completely a bore fest and all the episodes just focus on Makoto and Yura all the time. Though, it still feels a lot redundant. Perhaps the OVAs are just introductory since the manga I am guessing would have fleshed them out even more (and of course, more seemingly explicit ecchi scenes – just Google it!). So for instance we are introduced to Makoto’s cousin Kyoko who did no bat sh*t nothing. At least nothing of anything importance (that advice felt so normal, it didn’t just count). Yeah, just that single scene to troll us that Makoto shagged his cousin in the plane. But anything more than that, seeing all the couples having free access to sex, Kyoko better make up her mind quick about finding a partner.

Then you have Rui (starting her young?) and the other wives of the block just for the sake of variety. Sex is sex but different strokes for different folks. Even more mind blowing in the final episode of the sequel, suddenly they throw us a couple of new relationships and then blam! Suddenly they’re having sex like mad in the end. Like, WTF?! What was that all about?! Why the heck do we even need those characters at all?! Well, well. Variety is the spice of life. Unless you’re a hardcore fan, you’re not going to watch the same porn star forever, RIGHT???!!! Yeah… But then again, who would ever come to an ecchi series and hope for character development, RIGHT???!!!

There’s nothing more I can say about Makoto and Yura. They love each other just like any other newlyweds who will forever be in love with each other till the end of time. Of course this time they are different than many other anime couples because we get to see them engage in sex. It’s one of those big factors that keep their flame burning a whole lot alive. Yeah, it’s like saying that a happy marriage like them means access to free sex so you can throw away all your porn material and not even waste money on prostitutes! YEAH! Sex is the key to happiness and everlasting marriage?! Don’t forget to add understanding to that because in a way it’s trying to guilt trip some of us with premature ejaculation but if you have a loving and understanding wife, you’ll get by. So see the duo rack up experience every night and lose their virgin status to sex experts! Sexperts!!! HAHAHA!!! Sighs… Hey, it could’ve totally been a different ball game if Makoto had ED!

Rika could’ve been an interesting one if her character had been given some screen time to be explored. After all, she is a dating veteran and expert having multiple boyfriends! Not sure that as concurrently or she is constantly having new ones. Because it makes me wonder if she is only in for the sex. Once her old boyfriend can’t satisfy her or if either one of them gets bored, they break off and then she goes to find a new one. I bet she’ll be easy because which guy doesn’t want to go down on a cute girl like her. Since she has so many sexual partners, it begs the question if she will be okay for marriage. Imagine if her future husband finds out that a lot of different guys have been insider of her… Then she might play this card: Of all the guys I’ve f*cked, you’re the best!!! HAHAHA!!! Simultaneously a winner and a loser! Sighs…

Last and not least, Miyuki. Aside Rika, she is the only other supporting character that recurs more than once. That cliff-hanger ending in the sequel leaves a lot to be desired. But as I have pointed out, it serves as a good point for another sequel should anybody think it would be a good time to adapt more episodes. Her first appearance to try and seduce Makoto in the hotel room looks ‘promising’. But her second time in the sequel felt more like nothing burger. The mini scandal I thought might happen did not materialize. Netorare, if you didn’t catch my drift! Isn’t that why they distract us with those other unrelated relationships? Thank goodness the loyalty in Makoto is strong. Now imagine had he given in, would Yura allow a twosome? Or threesome with Rika? A wife, her sister and his ex-student! WOW!!! This is definitely hentai material. And then poof! Suddenly all just Makoto’s imagination! Damn, I’m good at this…

Another difference between the first season and sequel is the latter changed the entire cast completely. Well, I guess this partly makes sense because Tomoko Kawakami who was the voice of Yura passed on in 2011. HOLY SH*T! YOU MEAN IT’S ALREADY BEEN OVER 10 YEARS!!! Wow. Do I feel old and time flew by so fast just thinking about this. So I suppose they had to replace her with Ayumi Tsunematsu. Instead of changing 1 character, might as well change the rest too. So Makoto who was done by Yuuji Ueda got replaced by Yuuichi Nakamura, Rika had Naoko Takano replaced with Chiwa Saitou, Iori Nomizu replaced Yuu Asakawa as Miyuki and Shiisaku Shirakawa replacing Kappei Yamaguchi as Rika’s boyfriend.

The other minor factor I find the first season better than the sequel is the ending theme. The first season’s Sync by Sanae Shintani has that jazzy and lively feel. It may not be the best but at least it is fun and bearable in its own right. For the sequel the ending theme as well as the many insert songs are sung by The Zig Zags. All of them sound weird!!! Just hear the ending theme, Hana Hirari. This slow song is littered with weird heavy bass drop beats. Worse, the singer herself sounds weird. Supposed to be romantic but it comes off as weird. Even the other insert songs too. It mostly feels that her voice is disjointed from the music. Like they just paste her voice over the music or something like that. And yeah, not to mention those heavy bass plucking. Is that the trademark of the music for this series?

For the record, there were live action drama and movies of this series. In fact, it started out as a 3 episode TV drama back in 2000 before the adapted anime came out in 2002. Then a 12 episode live action web series one back in 2011. And then there were like 4 different movies that came out between 2011 and 2012. Oh heck, there was a very recent movie that came out in 2019. Wow. I didn’t watch it but I guess it was really hot enough for them to spur so many sequels. It’s like the guilty pleasure of getting to watch something sexy but without fully resorting to porn. On a very trivial and personal note, doesn’t the recent live 3D version of Yura look f*cking weird and ugly!!! HONEST!!! When you have the promotional poster of the characters in their undies and posing… Even Makoto… Yeah, and all the other movie promotional posters of sexy Yura, it feels more like a porn cover… Damn, could be mistaken to be one too if you’re not extra careful!

Overall, this series is a mixed baggage. It’s like you’re stuck in between something that is porn but not really porn. So, soft porn? It’s hard not to look at this series as one about sex. After all, this is what this series is supposed to be, right? I mean, if you look at it from another perspective, the plot in its simplest explanation would be about a young couple trying to bond and love each other. But the sex always get in the way and that’s how we’ll always see it. Worse, all the other characters are in one way sex maniacs because they either f*ck or get screwed. I guess sex really sells, huh? No wonder the manga is the most famous how-to guide with a story in Japan. Yeah, not surprising with all the herbivore men, they’ll need some ‘proper’ and ‘wholesome’ guidance. Heh. And I thought porn could do the job but I guess that is only for singles. Looks like we’re going to need a hell lot more of that.

Pugyuru

What the… WHAT THE HECK IS THIS SH*T???!!! Yet another accidentally stumbling has me check one of the weirdest anime shorts ever. Well, if you have never heard of Pugyuru, I don’t blame you. It’s based on an obscure yonkoma comic strip and the anime got adapted back in 2004. Yeah, that’s a long time ago. Without the power of the internet, I wouldn’t even know such nonsense existed. So what’s it all about? To put it shortly in one sentence: Pure madness! When the synopsis has a line that states it is a world drawn by a hope of comedy, you know you’re going to get some weird sh*t out of it. Yeah, was the creator high on drugs when he created this piece of, uhm, WTF is that chibi naked maid anyway???!!! Oh sh*t. Now it feels like I’m high on drugs without even doing drugs… Damn, do I feel invincible today!

Episode 1
When Ma returns home from school, mom left her a voice message that she’s gone overseas with dad and won’t be back for a while. What’s it with couples who take long vacations when they’re so in love with each other? But don’t worry, mom left her a maid. So, this chibi Cheko came from the country of maids to help her? Okay. Cheko tries to vacuum but gets sucked inside. Then she walks the dog but gets walked inside. Yeah, dragged around town. But don’t worry, she’s fine. Then when they bathe, Ma notices she can’t submerge her. She springs out from the water and ricochets into the drain hole. More weirdness since she sprouts her roots from all the connecting holes.

Episode 2
A few yakuza men seem to be targeting Cheko. Turns out they want to get her signature. However they are hesitant because she is on duty now and they can’t interrupt her. But since Cheko is eating her lunch now, this means is it alright to go ask for one on her break? So Aniki asks for a handshake. Cheko agrees. Uhm, she’s riding on his head… Is this how they do handshakes in the maid country? Because Aniki wishes he had a new gun, Cheko gives him a squirt gun. She also gives the rest the same and they all have fun shooting water at each other. Oh yeah. So much fun! Meanwhile Ma is at the bookstore and she is shocked to find that Cheko is listed as an animal in the animal picture book!

Episode 3
Suddenly… Cheko is motionless! What’s wrong?! Luckily Mizore is here to point out the problem. Ah, the battery is dead! Wait… Cheko is battery powered?! After replacing a new battery, Cheko moves like normal. It seems Cheko and Mizore are friends. Cheko says Mizore is a snow woman. Guess what? Cheko pours syrup over her head and starts eating her like shaved ice! Yummy! And they can still hold a normal conversation! Ma then notices an ice cream stick sticking out from Mizore’s head. Curious, she pulls it out. A winner! Now, what exactly did she win?

Episode 4
Oh no. Another weirdo. Well, Nachiko is a squid girl and claims she is Cheko’s rival-cum-childhood friend. Too bad she has been standing too long in the sun and so she’s a dried squid! Ma saves her by putting her in a pool. Nachiko claiming that they have been rivals to see who the better maid is. So, Nachiko thinks her frilly fins makes her the true maid? Oh damn, Cheko trying to eat her! They get into an argument before Cheko beats the sh*t out of this dumb squid! But Ma is confused. If Mizore can be eaten, Nachiko can be eaten, is Cheko edible too?

Episode 5
Ma realizes she hasn’t told Cheko her name that. The moment she tries to do that, Cheko blasts off into the sky like a rocket! Ma hunts her down and gives chase but Cheko will not give her a chance to say her name! It ends with a car crashing into Ma! Yeah, why the heck she come to school? As the teacher takes attendance, when she is about to call Ma, OMG Cheko kills him! Even if it’s just a toy arrow. The teacher then introduces 3 new transfer students to this class. Yup, you’ve guessed it. Cheko, Mizore and Nachiko! Everyone wondering how the heck they got into this school. And Ma sad that nobody is calling her name…

Episode 6
Oh wait. Another transfer student! She is Kanato and definitely a delinquent. You bet she wants to be the boss of this class and will live by her own rules. Hence she is looking for the boss of this class. Nope, not Mizore or Nachiko. Just a snow woman and squid, what do you expect? Ma then shows Cheko. Yeah, this boss could be the one you’re looking for. Of course Kanato is smitten by her cuteness. Say, which shop did you buy this doll? Cheko is not a toy! But Kanato realizes she still must defeat Cheko if she is to become the boss. Is Kanato going to get violent for real? Oh, just giving Cheko the biggest hug ever! And then Cheko’s head rolls off! Oh sh*t! Kanato panics and tries to replace it with something else. WTF…

Episode 7
Kanato isn’t feeling well and goes to see the school nurse. But Sensei takes her temperature from her cleavage. Kanato isn’t too happy with this perverted move so they start fighting each other. Old hag vs yankee. This is going to take a while. Then Ma comes in because she isn’t feeling well either. Sensei puts the digital thermometer in her own armpit before telling Ma to put it in her mouth! Next, is Cheko sick too? Sensei so happy to see her. But she uses Cheko as dart practice. Her body is the bull’s eye as Sensei throws syringes at her! Sensei slacks off and wants Mizore to pour her some booze. Mizore does so but the bottle is clasped between her cleavage. Having a good time? Ma and Kanato note how Sensei is acting like an old man.

Episode 8
Mizore is working part time as the waitress. The yakuza guys patron it. But as she greets them, why do they feel pain? It’s because Mizore’s hardened antenna hair is so long that whenever she bows, she accidentally hits them on the head! Kanato wants to get ice cream but is shocked that Mizore is in the ice cream fridge. This is part of her job? Mizore not only gets Kanato’s ice cream but also eats it. Sorry, you still lose. Mizore then sells ice cream but the yakuza guys think it’s for kids. Mizore then takes out her homemade ice cream. A long ice cream stick from her cleavage! You bet those guys want those authentic miracle stick!!! Too bad it’s sold out! In that case, Mizore will use her hand to make shaved ice! But nobody is queueing up for it. Yeah, they’re waiting till she’s down to her boobs…

Episode 9
Nachiko decides to try out different faces but looks like none fit her mood today. Then she hits an idea. She puts on Cheko’s face and goes up to those yakuza dudes and tells them to worship her. However they smell something fishy and start attacking this imposter! Later, Nachiko sees a house on fire. She thinks she can become a heroine if she saves somebody. And into the burning house she goes. Yeah… Everyone smelling nice BBQ squid fragrance everywhere! Oh, Nachiko still alive as she runs out and cursing there was no one in the house. As she is on fire, she needs some water but Cheko pours soy sauce all over her! Now she has to deal with the unruly mob because they want to eat her!!! YUMMY!!!

Episode 10
Ma notices a button on the back of Cheko’s head. Uhm, was there one before? She presses it and it becomes a rice cooker?! Later Aniki feels hungry so Cheko tells him to press the button. It’s toaster now?! Another time, Ma notices the button now has a warning not to press. Of course curiosity got the better of her. She presses it. Nothing happens. She incessantly keeps pressing it but it seems nothing happens. Unknown to her, in several other countries’ military base, those military dudes are in shock and wondering who pressed the f*cking missile launch button! Yeah, I can’t believe it! Jesus Goddammit Sh*t, alright!!! Yeah, I can’t believe it either! Oh my God! The entire world destroyed…

Episode 11
Kanato trying to do be a boss at school like eating lunch during class and creating a bat with nails. After that she uses it during cooking class but Ma will not allow it. During PE period, she wants to play baseball with nails. The ball has nails, the glove has nails, everything has nails! Nobody going to play… Lastly, we see her hugging Cheko. But Cheko melting all over her?! GET HER OFF ME! GET HER OFF!!! Loving scene turned horror…

Episode 12
The gang talking about what they want to do in the future. Nothing important… Then a real maid passes them and Cheko recognizes her as they come from the same country. Cheko greets her but she freaks out. Turns out it’s just her way of greeting Cheko. The friends ask about Cheko like if she was born there. Well, the maid says she was actually grown there! Oh sh*t… Meanwhile those yakuza guys are in seventh heaven seeing another maid. What should they do? Go ask for signatures! Then they see Cheko’s footprints. However they see a message in it: Those who read it will die in 3 days! Oh sh*t!!!

Episode 13
A scientist wants to do experiment on Cheko. The first test has her compete with a monkey to see who gets the banana first. Cheko lost! So she’s lower than a monkey?! Next is the CT scan. Hmm… Her skeleton structure is upside down?! Then some mosaic censor since the scientist wants to see what she is made out. Here’s the pie chart: 40% water, 35% protein, 15% others, 7% fruit juice and 3% black ink. WTF… Then another CT scan now shows an entirely different skeleton structure! This has Ma think that she might be in some metamorphosis stage and will burst out to become a real maid. Which begs the question, what the heck is a maid then?!

Full Absurd Power! We’re Invincible Forever!
Oh yes. Why did this not get more episodes or a sequel?! WHY???!!! I was enjoying all the stupidity and absurdness and then just like that it ends?! Well, I guess in a way there weren’t any more episodes or sequels seeing how dangerous this ‘addictive drug’ is. Yeah, if it went on for another season, who knows how much brain damage one would have got! Yikes! Imagine watching this crap for another 100 over episodes! Oh yeah. I’m sure your brains will melt and become an alter ego of Cheko! Oh sh*t! See what the effect is doing to me now?! I’m writing nonsense! So phew. I guess it was good as it lasted. Time to get back to my mundane and boring life.

So I guess everything was pretty dumb and stupid. It served to do what it did and it was done to almost utter perfection. Before we had the cute blob called Potemayo, before Ai Mai Mi went crazy and ballistic all over, before Teekyuu had fast talking and yapping girls, even way before a certain squid girl became ~de geso iconic for a certain time period, there was this series. Yup, it feels like Pugyuru was the precursor to all that and in a way spawned those anime series. Of course I am making that up but it is evident that this ridiculous nonsense existed way back in 2004. And to think that this was aired over a children’s television station! My God! I can see why they didn’t have any more episodes after that. Yeah well, you could say this was the Japanese Spongebob of that time. Heck. When I was young, I watched those violent Looney Tunes cartoon! And I didn’t turn out to be a maniacal serial killer! Uh huh. Cartoons are cartoons. My generation was smart enough to distinguish between silly cartoons and reality!

As for everything else, don’t expect much. No real plot whatsoever and the characters are just pretty damn shallow. You’re here to laugh at all the ridiculous stuffs in about 3 minutes. Everything so random so it is easy on those who can’t keep up with series that has convoluted plots. While the jokes come off as mostly nonsensical, sometimes I feel that they can be creepy too. I mean, when you see Cheko doing weird stuffs like for example sprouting her parts out from the various drain hole, it could have been a lot like horror stuff if not for the comedy factor.

Characters are here to be made fun off so that we don’t give a damn or care about them at all. Like Ma is so plain that she is just forgettable. Heck, the running joke for her is that nobody knows her real name. Each time she tries to tell us, something stops her. Even right down to the final moments of the last episode! In fact, they credited her as Ma… and those 3 dotted lines you’re supposed to imagine what kind of name you want to give her. Anything. It’s your choice. Then there’s this weird piece of sh*t called Cheko. You don’t even know what she really is. Claiming she is a maid and from a country of maids feels like trolling. She can do anything and just about everything. Or nothing. It’s like she’s some space alien sometimes here to scare the heck out of you with her weird nonsensical abilities. Everything about he doesn’t make sense that Ma doesn’t even give a sh*t anymore and just go with the flow. Yeah, it’ll be tiring if she just retorts all the time.

Then the other side characters include Mizore who is just a forgettable snow woman, Kanato who is your typical delinquent, Sensei who is your typical drunkard and perverted nurse, the arrogant and bratty Nachiko whom I found out why she hasn’t been appearing in the last few episodes was because the author got tired of drawing her! OMFG! That’s so epic an excuse! Yeah, I suppose she is the hardest to draw, huh? Not forgetting about the bunch of failed yakuza guys who love maids. Heh. Can’t blame them for their exquisite taste but really, they do nothing all day but to fawn over the maid and having delusions in getting her signature? A brief Google search yields that there are more absurd characters that didn’t appear in the anime. They have their weird epic reasons too but I guess that is what this series is all about. So nonsensical and nothing confirmed. It’s all up to you.

Then there’s the art and animation style which not only reeks early 2000’s anime, but I can say that the quality is definitely inferior. Not sure if this is on purpose to make the series funnier. Because I do notice that the drawings are really cheap, like as though they just simply do the minimum and there was minimal QC. Hence sometimes the characters do look weird and a bit out of proportion. But what the heck, it’s all in the name of comedy, right? I mean, take a look at Cheko. What kind of design is that? Simplicity, laziness or just plain creepy? Speaking of which, yeah, the cheap art sometimes makes things look a bit creepy especially when you have the unknown organism known as Cheko.

The other epic part is the ending theme. Rolling Maid-san Da by the duet of Sakura Nogawa and Ai Tokunaga (voices of ma and Cheko respectively), it is short but catchy. Also, the lyrics change for most of the episode. So it’s best not to skip this 30 second song at all so as to hear what epic lines they’ll sing for today. So how are you doing today my little maid? Yeah, still lots of full love power and slaying Satan, huh? Cute. The other motivation not to skip this ending segment is that they animate the actual yonkoma comic strips here. So more Cheko and friends madness. The most ‘memorable’ one being Sensei getting a hangover and wants to puke. Cheko swallows her entire head to let her puke inside! EWWW!!! Gross and creepy but hilarious!

Overall, I am still in shock as I write this. Yeah, perhaps I shouldn’t be binge watching this crazy short in one sitting. I’m feeling a plethora of emotions from laughing my ass off for its absurd funniness to the cringe of how stupid and random everything is and even how creepy that some scenes and characters feel because I’m so high on comedy I’m already numb and running scared. Definitely would recommend this to anyone who just wants to laugh. But not for those who have no sense of comedy. Yeah. But now I’m feeling empty since finishing this series. Looks like I’ll have to scour the internet to search if there are more obscure nonsense like this. Don’t worry. What doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger. Yeah, boy do I feel invincible today!