OP Sequence

OP: 「オトメチック初心者でーす」 (Otome Chikku Shoshinsha Desu) by 喜多村英梨, 真堂圭, 門脇舞以 (Kitamura Eri, Shindou Kei, Kadowaki Mai)

We join our loli brigade on the roof level of the nearby mall where they are licking half-melted ice cream. I wonder what flavor it is.

They’re at the mall to buy a present for Aoki-sensei, but girls being girls, they’re messing around and having a merry time. Of course, this includes playing on things like those rocking saddle-stools (the ones that do all the “pelvic thrusting” for you) on the highest speed setting (wooo~ it’s going so fasssttttt~~). Random Lucky Star note – we saw Yui-neesan on one of these in episode 14 when Yutaka first shows up (Yui-neesan, violent driver; Yui-neesan, comes home drunk; Yui-neesan, never serious about anything)

Flash back to a scene where the girls are looking through Aoki’s profile to find his “weakness” (interpretations may vary) – Aoki catches them in the act but the girls get away due to Kokonoe’s panty flash attack. “Jyaannnnnn”

Lemme take a second to introduce the characters for those who haven’t read the manga:

Kokonoe Rin is the main girl, the one with the huge twintails – cheerful and supergenki third grader with a commanding sense of her sexuality and a huge willingness to use it to get what she wants.

Kuro Kagami is the black haired chick, the sarcastic, bitchy type who wants nothing more than to engage in some yuri lovin with Kokonoe.

Mimi Usa is the chick that resembles Miyuki, in both looks and behavior – with the big glasses and the overly developed boobs, she’s totally clueless on half the things her two friends frequently say.

Then there’s Aoki-sensei, the helpless victim of Kokonoe’s “aggressive” feelings of affection – he’s kinda like that dumbass with the pure intentions that always ends up on the butt end (literally and figuratively) of Kokonoe’s teasing. Kyouko-sensei, another teacher at the school, has a crush on him.

And Reiji, Kokonoe’s “onii-san,” the guy who’s taking care of her after her mother passed away. He’s the cool, dependable, do-it-all onii-san type; all the girls love him, with Mimi always getting super deredere when he’s around. Reiji had a burning crush on Kokonoe’s mom.

The first third or so of this OVA has them running around the various stores trying to pick out a present – naturally, the lingerie store is one of the main stops, with Kokonoe pulling her topless “your present is m-e” line, among other things. Afterwards, they head home (present-less) and decide to draw a picture for him. Reiji serves them up some milk and cookies, but while handing the milk to Mimi’s trembling hands, spills it all over the place – as we all know, milk has a slightly creamier consistency in the anime world, and it gets all over Mimi’s face. And their painting gets smudged. Mimi. Milk. Creamy.

The one thing that anime milk has in common with real life milk is that both will get all sticky and sour-y if you don’t wash it off – so it’s off to the bath! You know, after watching all those episodes of Moetan, I’ve been completely desensitized to this kinda stuff, so seeing these girls all naked in the bath is really no big deal. They’re not really drawn with the same “sexual accentuation” as Moetan was (the overly rounded limbs, the attention to certain bodily curves and crevices, and the blush effect on the joints), so really, no biggie. No biggie. No biggie.

Still feeling bad for screwing up, Mimi gets all soppy-eyed in the bath, and gets some skinship from Kokonoe. Kuro starts a game called “OTONA!” (adult) where she takes her long hair and sticks a bundle between her legs, having just the tips stick out in the front of her crotch. OTONA! Kokonoe joins in and it’s all fun. No biggie. No biggie.

After a quick dinner involving some “oh, you got rice on your face, lemme take it off with my finger so you can suck it off” action, the girls head for bed. Everyone is pretty freakin’ giddy at this point, as Kokonoe just got to suck Reiji’s finger, Kuro is wearing a set of Kokonoe’s pjs, and Mimi (having popped all the buttons on Kokonoe’s pink pjs) is wearing one of Reiji’s shirts. Reiji gives Kokonoe a good-night kiss, which gets Mimi all hot and bothered – why did they kiss! Are they going out!

Naw, says Kokonoe, Reiji already has someone he’s in love with. Flash to scene of Reiji on his bed, looking at a picture of preschool Kokonoe with her hot mom. The Louise Rule applies – if Kokonoe can grow up lookin like her mom, it’s no wonder Reiji is keeping her around. The producer decides to give Reiji some privacy and cuts back to Kokonoe, who’s started on a new painting as she sits by the moonlight. Whoo – she gets a better idea for a present, and gets to work.

The next morning, Aoki gets some nice pictures on his cell phone. Real nice. No biggie. No biggie.

ED Sequence

ED : 「愛情◎エデュケイション」 (Aijou Education) by Little Non

Thoughts

Here’s the deal – based on this first episode, the TV series (due out in October) can take one of several directions. Several very distinct directions. One of which is immediately obvious to everybody, even and especially to those who haven’t read the manga. For those who have been following Random Curiosity in the past few weeks, think Moetan.

Still, those who have read the manga will might tell you that Kodomo no Jikan has some very real and very serious psychological drama woven into the background. Aoki’s continued shadowing of Kokonoe is not only due to her advances, but also his observations on her character, her upbringing, and her past. Mimi’s inner dialogue touched on the surface of that in this OVA – the reason Kokonoe is able to maintain her cheerful self without a mom or dad is because Reiji is there to fill both roles. Later, we’re likely to find out more about her past, and just how Reiji came into that position.

It’s an odd and rather extreme contrast, and it raises questions about the identity of this show – is it a loli exhibit that just happens to have some real storyline, or is it a legitimate drama that just happens to play itself out in third graders? As one that’s read the manga, I’m leaning towards the latter, but it’s a very shallow lean that’s up for reevaluation with every chapter.

But in the end, what do we have? A decently-animated, decently-cast anime series that not only has plenty of moe and spunk to it, but also the potential for some heart-warming drama. Whether it realizes this potential is yet to be seen, but from what I’ve seen in this OVA, I’m not too worried. No biggie. No biggie.

-jaalin

60 Comments

  1. No, you shouldn’t feel guilty but be prepared for a lot of idiotic comments. The manga is a rather serious story about a girl with psychological issues and the teacher(s) trying to help her. Its still a bit unclear what direction they’re going to take the anime adaptation. It does have a lot of wink-slapstick humor as japanese stories are prone to mix comedy and tragedy but it is actually a useful and interesting reading, especially for people who work with students (dysfunctional or not).

    vexx
  2. vexx: I think jaalin’s always prepared as a rule.

    jaalin, Nice to see you’re not the only one who sees similarities with Miyuki in Mimi. Kagami always struck me as a more open, out-of-the-closet Tomoyo from CCS though.

  3. It’s been a long time since I’ve posted here.

    I’ve been hopelessly tried to look at this show with an objective viewpoint. That’s not gonna probably work, since we’re probably too deep into the fandom. Certain visual cues MUST mean certain sexual innuendos, and when it’s applied to child-like characters (or in this case, really children), it makes the whole thing more, erm, “interesting” to watch.

    It makes one wonder how art is constantly pushing the boundaries of acceptable taste.

    TP
  4. what’s wrong with loli-animes? it’s better then going out the door and chasing after real little girls xD

    but what I don’t get is that they always say it’s bad to think of little girls, but then they make animes like this xD

    Sensei-kun
  5. and so anime community turns really into a pedome era …… people or rather lolicons says its just an anime so its not a crime nor a case of pedo…….oh god … though admit its fun……………big breast mature fetish era soon will be or rather already replaced by underage fetish era…… is this what we call evolution ehehehe

    Nekozama
  6. People who compare anime children to real children are freakin’ stupid. If that’s the case, if people like me (and I’m a GIRL and straight) who like loli anime are really pedos, then what about Guro fans? Do we have to worry about them chopping someone up and sticking someone in a suitcase? What about those sick fangirls who turn straight characters gay, do we have to worry about them raping every male? And what about people who like VORE? Do they really eat people?

    Answer is no to all the above, people who compare anime to the real world are the idiots with REAL problems.

  7. @arfus
    google torrent~
    Quantum raws did releases the raw of it re encoded or go straight to gfx gig worth of raw ehehe

    …..the manga was great but i remember seven seas stopped licensing this manga >.

    Nekozama
  8. I totaly agree with Vexx. I’ve read the manga up to chapter 29 and it has some very serious moments. Moreover some things are just extrem and nothing for a younger audience.
    I’m also curious which direction the anime will head, but I’m afraid it will end up as fanservice/ loli show (which I don’t hope!).

    Back to the story, a young girl with severe problems who loves her teacher, and a teacher who tries to do the best for her, yet has a hard life to watch out for not crossing a border. Some of the scenes in the manga just shocked me, I’ve never read something like that before and I definitely understand why they didn’t publish the manga in the USA.
    The OVA looks according to the screens like fanservice to me as well, but haven’t watched it yet so I’ll keep my opinion back for now.

  9. Hmmmmmm… My point of view? Too much ecchi scenes, too much loli(uurgh). Well, no thanks, I’ll pass. Cuteness I love it but THAT THING well its really sad they have to go that far to make people watch animes these days… I’d rather go watch a real hentai anime!!!

    Be-Ride
  10. Yeah, and that’s why I always say to stay away from loli debates. It gives me a headache simply seeing it and frankly I just consider both sides coming off as stupid.

    The real series, when it starts later next month, will hopefully do the manga justice. There’s no question they’ll exploit and probably contain more fanservice but as long as the premise stays the same then I’ll be happy.

  11. NICELY PUT “C.SMITH”!!! and with that said..serious anime ehh??? well i saw the trailer weeks back and still can’t eat soft-serve around minors without feeling like a SICK FU@k!!!!!

    BROOKLYN otaku
  12. I wish they’d keep the format of OVA’s though.
    Too much dialogue/camera angles 😉 will have to be cut for the tv broadcast, why not only have the series as a long OVA and be more faithful to the source material?

    Ravage
  13. I’m loving the manga so far, can never get the newest ch soon enough, haven’t watched the raw f this OVA, but by the looks of it, seems like the animation is very well done, I hope the anime’s is as good. I’m sure I don’t need to say this; I’m hoping you blog this Jaalin. Nice job.

    LifeCarrier
  14. Why is it that every time I find a manga on the internet, It becomes an anime as soon as I caught up with the storyline?? I just recently read Bamboo Blade, and that is coming out as an anime in October! Weird huh?

    I always thought that this creator of this series was a bit shameless, but the heavy storyline the author described sounds so real, its kinda frightening. When a child grows up without parents, it can seriously mess up their life. a person was raised by a loving family, he/she cannot possibly understand the feeling of living your life with no one to give you any love, especially those who refuse to bear any responsibility to their own child. I always feel sorry for Mimi Usa not because of her premature body, its because that being smart and acting like a “good girl” doesn’t always bear fruit for her, and the only one who understands that is her only friends she really cares for: Rin and Kagami.
    Reiji cares for Rin very much most likely because she resembles the woman he loved deeply too, but before that, his childhood was nothing worth remembering. But from that time he experienced that pain, that woman and her child helped him cover that pain. Plus, Show Spoiler ▼

    I’m not a fan of lolicon, but if you can pass that and read the manga, you’ll really see what this series is truly telling you.

    Karis
  15. I get it’s a “serious story” with lots of underlying issues, but I don’t get why they have to mix such blatant sexual things with the story. I think they could tone it down and still have people in love with the lolis and still tell the same story. If it makes people feel better at night to think this is going to be a serious story by all means watch it. I’ll wait and see since somehow I think it’s going to degrade into more ice cream licking.

    ann
  16. Maedhros: “Another Michael Jackson’s type of anime =]”
    That would require the inclusion of little boys.

    Is it just me or is the audio stream in the Quantum raw only 3 seconds long? Oh well time to download the gig+ straight dvd ripped raw i guess…

    jaima
  17. Just saw the OVA today……. I’m getting the feeling the series will mute the darker psychological aspects in favor of the gags. That’s too bad, but since the OVA was fairly mild (more warm and light-hearted than anything else), I suspect the drama may be hard to find (probably a quick bit of drama towards the end of the series).

    Good quality of the adaptation art in the OVA … didn’t care much for the ED at all but YMMV.

    vexx
  18. Well I didn’t think it ended… so far I read up to chap. 29 (scanlation); though 28 had some shocking stuff. But I was enthralled by the directions everyone’s going. Many would come for the loli fanservice, but stay for the story. I do feel so sorry for Mimi… she’s definitely Curvy Moe Loli. (something I thought was impossible; btw the opposite would be Miyuki’s mom… Curvy Moe MILF); especially in the Manga… hint: Rin can be such a Haruhi at times. I seen it and thought of it nice, but it’s just a tip of hte ice burg story wise.

    But Aoki-sensei is either strong of will… or insanely dense (refering to how he interacts with a cetrtain teacher)

    Duran
  19. Are you guys from the seven seas studios or someshit going to air this anime or not i understand the continent and everything but please is not like your gonna kill someone if you air it.I also understand the people who are offended by this anime… or continent or what ever your angry about.Or why cant you jst put it to air on AdultSwim or other places.I dont know which side to choose, do I pick the Offended side or the not Ofended side.And dont say yo going to air and then you go say ahhh maybe not.To seven seas studios president what happen in volume 3 pages 129-131 what scared….(OFENDED) you much as to cancel the airing.Please take this comment seriously.

    sincerly one pissed off anime fan,
    thanks for nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  20. *spoilers ahead*

    if you guys are caught up with the story, its about aoki loving rin in a fatherly-love way. not LOLI-type of way. its actually reiji(2nd uncle/rin’s mom’s lover)who’s interested in rei right now. i just read chap32 and looks like there’s another person fighiting for aoki’s attention.

    nigra
  21. “People who judge this without having read the manga first, please understand that you are _wrong_. Please go read it. Then, we can discuss.”

    SPOILERS involved, you should read the manga, but if you refuse to then read along:
    Show Spoiler ▼

    In conclusion, I cried several times reading it… Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.

    Jessica

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