Where is the running/training on the beach? Where is the oneesama running up the stairs wearing iron geta (sandals)? Where is the necessary dead first love to inspire our heroine? Where is the atmosphere? Where is the powerful drum music? Where are the stand out characters?
None, none, none, none, none…
OK yeah, I’m being way harsh, but this is what I was talking about, lack of character distinction.
Seriously, all these girls (yes very cute moe girls I know) could’ve been from the same family, and I’m not talking about from Adam and Eve’s family.
– The protagonist of this show lost her father in a war (think Gunbuster).
– Unknown aliens are invading (think Gunbuster).
– The heroine goes through training on a military installation (think Gunbuster).
– Someone dies…uh, that’s probably not going to happen (don’t think Gunbuster).
– The potential love interest dies…uh…no, not unless you’re talking about yuri/girls love (DO NOT THINK GUNBUSTER).
– the heroine gets over it and pilots a god-like mecha that can destroy multitude of enemies…NOPE (I love Gunbuster).
– the ending songs is a much lighter and easier version, but it’s clearly a tribute to Gunbuster style music, and look! We have Miyafuji running in some sort of training mode (Gunbuster?).
OK, yeah, I’m probably stretching and making a vastly unfair comparison and this show happens to be the victim of my dissatisfaction with the fact that today’s animation studios are poor and it’s incredibly if not impossibly difficult for them to make gargantuan-budgeted shows like Gunbuster back in the ’80s.
But wait, didn’t Eva come out of ’90s and Diebuster come out of 00’s?
Yes, the studios are different, but I’m not talking about that, I’m talking about having heart.
(ooh, cheesy inspirational moment coming up…)
I’m talking about bravely do something that no one dares to be, and become hugely successful, so successful that you could pull a Evangelion Scam, where you could merchandise something every year since Eva, even though it has been 11 years since Eva came out, and make a movie, and still make big bucks.
I’m talking about actually braving the average otaku into something they don’t want to see – character deaths. Impossible situations with no easy way out. That winning isn’t guaranteed by simply braving up and facing the challenge. That in reality, the main character really doesn’t have that much of a potential but she has to work hard (OK, yeah, so Noriko has a knack for space battles, but she doesn’t have any magical powers at all).
I’m talking about guts! Bravery! Hard work! I…AHHHHHHHHHHH (burning up like a mecha otaku). LIFE ISN’T EASY AND FULL OF MOE-MOE MECHA MUSUME WITH MAGIC POWERS AND ANIMAL EARS!
OF COURSE the comparison isn’t fair. Not even close. This is a small time production catering to all the otaku fetishes, and Gonzo isn’t exactly getting a gargantuan budget to produce this show. Also, I like the fact that these girls aren’t wearing long pants, legs heh heh heh heh heh legs yeah yeah heh heh heh…Yuri, huh huh huh hu huh uh uh uhuh huh uhuh…
Minor breast play in this episode: 4
Pantsu style shots: 8
Naked legs: PLENTY
Who gives a shit about konjo (guts)? Who gives a shit about passion? Who gives a shit about hard work? All it needs is the jiggling breasts of Norko’s!
Then again, Gainax did, and that’s why Gainax, and to a large extend, Anno, is what it is today. Even though Gainax is better known for experimentation.
But that’s the shining example of having real guts for an animation studio.
P.S. Oh, about the show? Well, if you desire moelicious with heavy yuri overtone and no worries, just right (in the otaku fetish kind of way), then you’ll like it. It is a quite likable show.