hontou ni Stripey Insists Sisters Cry Oniichan Now

Nagasarete Airantou 1-2

[airantou01_00.jpg title="Zyl watches NA for Rin!" ]

Stripey has noted the stirrings of revolution in the Hontou Ni Empire; he fanboys about onee-type Clare while I blog about the To Heart 2 OVA before he's even watched it. And now I'm taking the first pop at the harem series of this spring season, Nagasarete Airantou. *sounds of rice bowl snatching* But while some things change, others stay the same. Stripey will still get his loli-siscon kick from Konomi as I get my onee-kick from Tama-nee. Likewise, I'm sure the tanuki will go melting-melting at Horie Yui's performance as Suzu whereas I've been attracted to the indigo orchid island by Rin and a light sprinkling of yuri.

[airantou01_01.jpg title="Fists for Great Justice!]

Nonetheless it doesn't mean that I wasn't apprehensive about picking this up. There are so many things that can go wrong. This is a guy's fantasy, being the only man on an island full of women - why doesn't he just go for the harem option right at the beginning? But the red glowing eyes and pink aura of killing energy of the women pretty much allayed that objection of mine.

[airantou01_02.jpg title="Booty for Great Justice!"]

Or if the female lead is too dumb and clueless. But Suzu comes across as being genuinely innocent - a rare achievement. Though I get the OH-SHI... feeling when I ogle her because, in the manga, her stated age is 13. orz

[airantou01_03.jpg title="Kick for Great Justice!"]

Or if there is no romantic development between the male and female leads. Like in Happiness! The series has set up as Ikuto and Suzu as the Destined Couple but the journey looks to be fun. At this point, she isn't attracted to him yet. Likewise Rin wants him to get Mikoto to recognize her heterosexuality, Ayane wants to get him to get Suzu to recognize her superiority, Machi wants him as her biological clock is ticking, Yukino wants him to get general recognition as an adult, the glasses woman wants him as a lab experiment specimen etc. Hopefully the story will develop in a way that causes the other girls to become attracted to Ikuto as a result of displays of admirable qualities and Suzu's emotional development being given an added push by the competition.

[airantou01_04.jpg title="Battle Aura of Great Justice!"]

Also, animes adapted from manga pose particular issues. On the positive side, they have a ready-made fanbase. On the negative, it's hard to please everyone; a general tension between being faithful and innovating to take advantage of the medium of anime. If the art style is changed too much or not improved on. If particular events are omitted or emphasized.

[nagaairanv1_0077.jpg]

I thought the fight scene was nicely elaborated and had a good laugh. I also think the anime version of Rin looks so much attractive than the manga version (though they've apparently taken Edna Mole's injunction of 'No capes!'). And Rin's earthy, tomboyish veneer covering a demure interior was very effectively conveyed within the first seconds of her appearance so a big thumbs up from me.

[airantou02_00.jpg title="Yuri 4TW!"
airantou02_01.jpg title="Coitus interruptus"
airantou02_02.jpg title="Likewise for Rei Hasekura"
airantou02_11.jpg title="[Pillar] Reserved for Yoshida"

Given Rin's character design, it's not surprising that she has a female admirer/stalker - 'also attractive to gay girls type' LOL. My only surprise is, given the male deficit of 12 years, that there aren't more yuri couples on the island. No sure if pre-Meiji social mores could have played a role in that.

[airantou02_03.jpg title="You can check out anytime you like,"
airantou02_04.jpg title="But you can never leave~~~!"]

Not just one onee-type but two! Machi gets a lot of time in the first volume of the manga and I just get the feeling that the mangaka enjoys drawing her. The art style and character design depicting her has also been relatively unchanged. Because of the way she terrorizes her noisy sister, her creepiness actually becomes quite enjoyable.

[airantou02_05.jpg title="Thank you for flying Ostrich Airlines"
airantou02_06.jpg title="No justice for non-lead females!"
airantou02_09.jpg title="Justice for non-lead females at last!]

I was also worried about Ayane when she first appeared in Ep 1. So much potential for being another Shiho (Mai HiME) i.e. annoying. But she's actually funny and her anti-Suzu motivation is quite understandable, the types that succeed effortlessly and remain blithely ignorance of how they've stepped on the heads of others in the process indeed MEIWAKU and MUKATSUKU.

[airantou02_07.jpg title="Peach-Stealing Monkey Paw attack!"
airantou02_08.jpg title="By the Power of Haruhi-sama, I have DAH POWAH!"]

And, of course, bonus points for faux yuri fanservice. Let's all have fun with Mikuru-chan!

[nagaairanv1_0132.jpg]

In this case, I really do prefer the anime's art to the manga's. Suzu, in general, looks like her hair is straw-dry and needs MOAR Pantene (TM). I also felt it was an important change to this scenario that Ikuto saved himself by tricking Ayane with her own aubergine rather than having Suzu throwing her (in the manga). Harem lead increases Kudos by quick thinking and reliance on own strength.

[airantou02_10.jpg title="It's not you, it's me..."]

Time for Ikuto Touhouin (?????) to change his name to Fuhai Touhou (????). Though I wonder what this story would have been like if Itsuki Koizumi got washed ashore. Or Jun Watarase. LOL

Just as how my mom ruined Hollywood action movies for me since the age of six when she said: 'Aiyah, the hero sure won't die one lah, otherwise no movie to show already...', harem series obey a similar rule - the guy won't get the girl until towards the end of the series. If at all. In these cases, the journey itself will determine whether I arrive at the destination with a smiley or sucking-on-a-lemon face. Fingers crossed for the rest of the series. And can't wait for Mikoto to show up.

Related posts:

1. Nagasarete Airantou 9
2. Nagasarete Airantou 6
3. Nagasarete Airantou 4