OP: 「Days」 by 堀江由衣 (Horie Yui)

Summary:

Thunder. Lightning. Rain. And a rather nice looking cruise ship. Unfortunately for our hero, he’s not actually on the ship, but somewhere overboard. The crew run around the ship looking for him, but upon evaluating the extreme circumstances (within a few seconds), decide to leave the kid to fend for himself. With a spirited “rest in peace!” a life preserver is tossed overboard as the crew run back to their posts. See, when Survivor Man spent his week at sea, he had some spankin’ new inflatable life raft with a rain collection pouch, and he’s one of the toughest guys in the world. How do they expect this scruffy kid to survive with a life preserver? Not to mention it hits hin squarely in the forehead. He struggles against the raging current for a few moments before being inundated by a towering tidal wave. Of course, it doesn’t really make much sense that the wave is going against the current…but who’s keeping track? Let’s get to the good stuff already.

I think it’s important to note that the island they’re on in some kind of environmental miracle – it’s quite small with several lagoons and beaches outlining it, highlighted by a snow-capped volcano in the middle. Given the fact that there’s no cloud in sight, together with the pacific sun beating down, that snow is either artificial or the work of female deserted island scientists who decided that having sharp variations in temperature would give them an excuse to cosplay as Ms. Santa and her naughty reindeer. Anyways, irrelevant.

The episode starts out with a totally fly chick walking out on the rocks to cast her fishing line. Her Jay-Z Blue ninja top (yes, that’s a real color!) is accentuated by a thick white trim, the bare shoulders a classy design touch that’s seen in some of the more extravagant outfits on the red carpet. Her large sapphire eyes and Kana-sized (nanodesuyo) blue hair bow match perfectly. She’s got a white pleated skirt which shows off her spectacular Zettai Ryouiki (the space between her skirt and socks), her light champagne-colored high socks slipping cleanly into her Zelda-looking boots as if wearing tights (speaking of tights, imagine if the girls in Zelda wore high socks instead…wouldn’t that be something…). She winds her fishing pole back…

Sohhhh Re!

Right about now I cringe in my seat as my mind lets out a fanboy battle-cry (you remember that one episode of Magikano where Ayumi purposely falls on the ground and says she hurt her o-shi-ri to attract attention, and all the guys go ROAAAAAA and get flames in their eyes…something like that) – it’s Horie Yui doing her Makie voice! As much as I adore Noto Mamiko and the other girls in Negima, there’s just something about Horie Yui that puts her on a completely different level of moe.

Anyways, Maki…eto…Suzu proves to be quite an adept fisher as she immediately gets a bite. The catch, however, isn’t food – it’s our scruffy hero Ikuto, in worse shape than Nodame after her week of binge-practicing. We find out later that while Itoku can’t be considered a dinner ingredient…he just may be a rare delicacy for dessert…

After a lot of flustering from Maki-…Suzu, and the obligatory CPR sequence (roaaaaa), she takes him back to the village, where her grandma, the village elder (let’s call her Baba), is looking after him. This attracts a huge amount of attention from the villagers, who are, strangely, all female. Baba chases them away and they all go scuttling off in giggled unison. Suzu points out that this strange person she picked up is different from the rest of them…got no breasts! Why is there a difference?

Why, you ask? Do you really want to know?

That’s because…

This person…

This person…

…is a guy.

“A GUY?!!!!” echoes the entire village. Hilarity ensues.

After waking up and chowing down on a traditional Japanese meal complete with extra helpings of steamed white rice (no rice paddies to be found anywhere, they probably buy in bulk from Costco), he’s told that he’s on an island, and that nobody, not even its inhabitants, know where the hell they are. Strike one.

Suzu and Ikuto go on a little post-meal walk, where they’re intercepted by a brattish loli in blue miko outfit. Naice. After a brief scene involving severe slandering and reckless rock throwing (plus Matrix dodging), Ikuto is hit by a stray knockout dart and has to head back. Although the origin of the dart’s poison is unclear at this point, further speculation is undoubtedly pointless on a tropical island with a snow-capped volcano and unexplained sources of tasty white rice. Anyways, Suzu gives Ikuto some medicine, which causes him to morph into a character from OtoBoku for several moments – rather appropriate given the timing of the NEW EPISODE and the predominantly female presence of both shows. But enough rambling – it’s bath time!

KITAAAAAAAAA

Naturally, after letting his guard down after soaking in the volcanic bath, an awesomely naked Suzu jumps in the bath and starts washing his back as the bath is instantly dyed redder than the hair of that flamingly hot chick in Gurren Lagann (surprisingly good show, that one). At some point during the bath the blue miko chick pops up (and out) and starts fighting with Suzu (read: boob wrestling) over possession of Ikuto. Further blood loss ensues.

The next couple minutes involve a bunch of various girls playing a sort of “Ikuto hockey” as he’s chased around by blue miko girl, a slightly brutish but nonetheless blazingly hot chick with huge knockers, a green-haired loli riding a bear named “Kuma-Kuma,” a bipolar girl taken straight out of Higurashi, and blue miko girl’s older sister with “Guu” written all over her. It eventually climaxes with the whole village chasing after him – a lot like what happened in Girls Bravo, but instead of a pink haired Kawasumi Ayako coming to his rescue, it’s a blue kunoichi Horie Yui. I love Ayako to death, but Horie Yui…damn….

Anyways, it’s at this point that Ikuto finds out that he’s the only guy on the island. Strike two.

He runs off to the beach and paddles out on a little row boat with some of the girls looking on. Oddly, they don’t seem too disappointed that he’s leaving – the sarcastic look on their faces more indicative of some big robotic crab, the Kraken, or maybe an ST-field that will stop him from leaving. Yea, it’s something like that. Steeerrike three!

I’ll leave the rest up to your viewing pleasure – suffice to say that he’s quite stubborn about getting out, which seems to induce some much-needed blushage from the girls.

ED Sequence

ED: 「Say cheese!」 by 堀江由衣 (Horie Yui)

The ED sequence is made to look like a galge – clever idea, as audiences can only imagine the different storyline possibilities…

THIS is what I’ve been looking for to carry the harem load for the season, and if this first episode was any indication, I’d say we’re in good hands. It’s just good ol’ fun, easy to enjoy and a pleasure to watch. The character designs are great, and I love the frequent use of the “charcoal eyes,” as they just seem to add another dimension to their facial expressions. As expected of the studio that brought us not only OtoBoku, but also Da Cap…uh, nevermind. The seiyuu talent is as good as they come, and I’m really digging the color palette, as every scene is full of lush and bright colors. The characters themselves are full of personality, and all seem to have their own reasons as to why they want to claim Ikuto for themselves.

My only worry is for poor lucky-as-hell Ikuto, who is unlikely to survive a full 24 episodes…

-jaalin

Depending on how good the second episode is, as well as your responses, I may just continue blogging this show…

63 Comments

  1. I have been WAITING for this show!!! I loved the manga, and from the review of the first of of the anime, I’ll love the anime too!!! Can’t wait to see more machi action, now she’s a CHARACTER!!

    mangamaxx
  2. LOL i was looking forward to this… i think haha looks really funny. and omg that pig… too cute ^___^ i have one like it! But… with a less fat/big nose… ehehe… hope you continue blogging it lolz, looks really realy funny ~ i love comedy x3

    Furuba
  3. i hope u blog this eventhough it might get in the way of other blog series cus this resembles like hanaukyo maid in a ninja version cus i saw tons of girls and 1 guy in this episode

    anim3guy
  4. oh man.. OH MAN… that’s the only thing I can say I’m not very fond of harem animes but THIS might be the show that changes my liking ^^ it’s just to much I couldn’t stand serious after 10 minutes of watching I just brust into laughter hahaha ^^

    RickaZ
  5. Knowngni> a lot of us thought that way xD. Since in the manga Suzu’s hair is not colored(usually used for blond haired girls). But the cover for the manga actually shows Suzu in brown hair xD.

    Endz
  6. I have to agree that the ending sequence of the show was really clever. At least it doesn’t deny what it is.

    The funniest part to me was their strategy to make the girls horny and so it makes sense: How do we make it so we can have the girls run around naked in front of the guy and not be fazed? I know! Let’s have it so they’ve never been around a guy before and have no sense of moral standards. It’s genius!

    Likkun
  7. Horie Yui with her Ayu/manabi voice, tanoshii…
    You have to keep bloggin this Jaalin, onegai shimazu…
    The RAW version was so sweet… and the mist was fine too.
    Poor/Lucky/Kisama Ikuto… all alone with a lot of woman…
    Damn it… hell with it, I’ll continue to watch this series…

    Syaoran Li
  8. I agree with Hudson on this one. O.o

    Keep bloggin’ jaalin. The manga is full of win and you yourself seem to have given this first ep your seal of approval.

    *two thumbs up*

    random passerby
  9. “Although the origin of the dart’s poison is unclear at this point, further speculation is undoubtedly pointless on a tropical island with a snow-capped volcano and unexplained sources of tasty white rice.”

    Jeez… This island is less realistic than the one on Lost… That’s saying something, even for an anime…

    quigonkenny
  10. This looks like it’ll be a pretty good show. Don’t know if I feel bad for the poor guy, or jelous of the lucky guy :). How that guy is going to make the full season will be interesting. Doubt they’d take a normal approach. Just divide him up like a day for each girl :). Either way this will be an interesting show to say the least.

    FlareKnight
  11. What a silly show …. the art is cute and … its silly! No decorated volleyball here….. just a Gilligan-moron and lots of girls …. or a Jerry Lewis movie…

    anyway.. definitely worth a few more episodes and did I say the art was cute?

    Vexx
  12. haha what a great first episode. Though considering how much blood this guy loses in one episode alone he really might not make it to the end :). Loved the bath with him being yanked from one chest to the other. This should be a fun show to watch.

    FlareKnight
  13. idk y but i suddenly get zero no tsukaima vibes hmmmmmmmmm any takes on the 3 girls who’ll fite 4 him…………………………………………………………………………….. or the 300

    asian182

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