hontou ni Stripey Insists Sisters Cry Oniichan Now

23Apr/094

from the ancient times IMO

I! My! Me! Strawberry Eggs (Reviewed 2002-03-05 with revisions 2003-11-16)

Mix of Tootsie and Great Teacher Onizuka i suppose. Guy can't get a job at a girls' school as the principal is anti-male. With the help of a rich, eccentric, techie 'grandma', he's transformed into a beautiful lady teacher for the purpose of showing up the principal. Said guy turns out to a star teacher, a hit with his/her students, ruffles the feathers of the stuffy school administration and strives to keep his real gender a secret.

6Aug/084

Gravity blast from the past

It was a welcome surprise to see (and acquire!) Sega Toys/Chara Ani 1/8 Misumaru Yurika at a local anime goods store recently, given that I'm still slowly watching my way through my Nadesico DVD boxset.

20Jun/084

Martian Successor Nadesico DVD 3: Unnatural Disasters

EP-10: The Dangers of 'Femininity' A new type Chulip lands on a tropical island which means beach episode! Battle with the Jovians jiro-bug and harem battle ensues with the blonde mistress of the island.

LOL at 'my misfortune is that I have only known happiness'. 'I have always wanted to be a tragic heroine' FTW. And the swimsuit fanservice wasn't very fanservicey - by today's standards or even compared to back then in the ancient times? Or have I just been spoiled by memories of SHUFFLE?

19Jun/081

Martian Successor Nadesico DVD 2: Red Planet

EP-06: Sort of Like a 'Fateful Decision' Arriving in Mars, Nergal's priorities become clear - never mind the colonists, check out the research facilities first! Akito independently encounters survivors and a mysterious scientist, the Ritsuko-like Inez. Surprised by a Jovian attack, Yurika sacrifices the survivors to save her ship and crew.

So the powerful Nadesico's limitations in the atmosphere (phase engine needs vacuum of space to provide all the energy for continuous gravity blasts) and the enemy's own distortion field has evened the odds. Plus the whole start-stop-delay thing. Well, they had to nerf the ship somehow to set things up for the next episode.

15Jun/086

Martian Successor Nadesico DVD 1: Love! War! Giant Robots!

EP-01: To Go 'Like A Man' The Jovian Lizards brush aside the United Earth Armed Forces and invade Mars de arimasu. Amidst the carnage, male lead Akito is mysteriously beamed to Earth. He joins the oddball crew of the non-military Nadesico, captained by his childhood friend, Yurika. His job description as a cook also includes being a mecha pilot and he unwillingly saves the day.

My mind boggles every time I remember that Yurika was Houko Kuwashima's debut role; I most admire her quietly intense performance as Kirika in Noir and tremendously enjoyed a similar feel from the way she voiced Clare in Claymore. But, of course, she's very diverse, also having voiced the tremendously popular Kasumi from the DOA franchise.