Director: Keitaro Motonaga
Starring: Hiroshi Kamiya, Josh Grelle, Akane Tomonaga, Cynthia Martinez, Hyousei, Brittney Karbowski, Shizuka Itou, Tiffany Grant, Tuko Goto, Emily Neves, Yuu Asakawa, Carli Mosie,
Running Time: 300 minutes
Certificate: 15
Blistering onto the screen in a frankly amazing 1st episode, MAJIKOI – OH! SAMURAI GIRLS seems as though it will offer a fascinating and chaotic show which blends traditional Japanese tales with modern-day anime tropes. The opening episode sees two classes going to battle in order to settle a dispute. This isn’t your everyday schoolyard brawl however; this is a well organised strategic conflict which takes the form of a medieval battle with the simple substitution of non-lethal weapons. Some of the characters also have martial arts powers, as well as there being a robot or two.
We’re dumped straight into this violent nightmare, but the action constantly amazes as well as delivering exposition in an unobtrusive manner. This battle really captures the fun and intensity of high school competitiveness as well as generating a feeling that a lot is at stake. It doesn’t hurt that some charming humour is also scattered around. If only the whole show followed up on such a grand premise.
The truth is, after the first episode, the show falls into your traditional harem genre, and focuses on a number of overly sexualised female characters wanting to hook up with a bland protagonist. It’s such a step-down and all the audience is left with are a number of episodes that follow forced situations such as finding a missing dog. But even this would be forgivable if there were some likable characters or decent jokes. The show’s main prerogative is to use offensive, misogynistic, and crude humour at an attempt at supplying the ultimate in fan service.
The girls here are walking sex addicts, with no other discernible character traits. One girl makes computer games where a boy has to pleasure her, while others obsess over the breast sizes of their friends. This is something that those familiar with anime will probably be used to, but it’s the sheer amount of unnecessary nudity and poor taste sexual references that undermine the characters. One scene sees a character wake from a coma with a massive raging hard-on. Not for any particular reason. Some of the exploits perpetrated by the female characters come dangerously close to sexual assault.
The show continues its descent into the television equivalent of dissociative identity disorder in the last half of this collection, as it suddenly tries to incorporate an overarching plot. It is here that the show hints at what it could have been, with mentions of lost family members, and political and social unrest. Such serious topics are of course made irrelevant thanks to a side-serving of the inappropriate “comedy”. The animation may be strong, and the action can often amaze, but the ideas on sex and relationships is taken from a fourteen year olds most elaborate fantasy, which even they wouldn’t try and pass off in a narrative.
MAJIKOI-OH! SAMURAI GIRLS is released on DVD on 20th May via MVM
