First Impressions / Series Introduction / Snapshots

OP Sequence

OP: 「今よ!ファンタジスタドール」 (Ima yo! Fantasista Doll) by Fantasista Doll Cast

「うずめうずうず 忍び寄る怪しい影？」 (Uzume Uzu Uzu Shinobiyoru Ayashii Kage?)
“Uzume Uzu Uzu – A Shadow Draws Near?”

I thought this was going to be carefree shoujo fun. Then I saw the sparkling headbutts and Tuxedo Monocle, and I realized that no, it’s fantastic carefree shoujo fun!

Card Master

So the premise of this show is that main character Uno Uzume (Ohashi Ayaka) is an ordinary high school girl (trope!), when suddenly a stranger (or perhaps a “stranger”) slips a card device into her bag (is this what molesters and thieves do now-a-days? Japan is weird), and now she can summon five different fantasista dolls to do stuff for her. But not chores, because that makes them angry (I don’t blame them). Pretty simple, right?

Fabulous Action

Some of the action in this episode was just so silly-amazing that I had to laugh! I mean, the explosions had lucky charms-style shapes in them, and there was even a headbutt that sparkled! Plus, Sasara (Tsuda Minami) was fighting in heels, which was probably the most unrealistic thing in the entire episode. Yes, sentient dolls were materializing out of a device that could repair shattered gym equipment in seconds, and I still say that. Heels hurt! Or so I’m told. Not that I would know. Gods know I don’t need to get any taller.

Princess of the Dolls

First of all, why is it that the show with the most naked female characters that I’ve seen all week was a shoujo one!? Because I haven’t watched the first episode of High School DxD NEW yet, granted. That aside, I liked that Uzume doesn’t have to go around collecting her five pokemo–I mean, fantasista dolls, and instead has them all from the get-go. In addition to the spunky yellow Sasara, there’s the mature purple onee-san Madeleine (Oohara Sayaka), the sassy blue loli Katya (Tokui Sora), the genki pink airhead Shimeji (Akasaki Chinatsu), and the quiet black-and-silver emotionless Akari (Hasegawa Akiko). Or as I like to think of them, Yui-chan, Oohara Sayaka being womanly, Niko, Akasaki Chinatsu in full Chiwa-mode, and some other girl. I watch way too much anime, don’t I? Seiyuu spotting is fun!

But nothing beats the entrance of Rafflesia no Kimi (Hoshi Souichirou), or as I like to call him, Tuxedo Monocle! I burst out laughing at that one. Maybe this won’t be the best written show around, and maybe it will be pretty carefree and simple, but if they keep cracking out stuff like that every week – or just let Niko–I mean, Katya crush on Tuxedo Monocle for 11 more episodes – then that’ll be fine with me.

Looking Ahead

It looks like the next episode will be focused on Sasara. There are currently no plans to continue blogging this on RandomC, and honestly I’m not sure if I’ll continue watching it. Not that it was bad – no, I enjoyed it! – but there are other things I’d like to watch more, and time is limited. Plus, this episode made it very clear that it was made for young girls, while I’m a grown-ass man. What can I say, it just didn’t for connect. But if you would like a little innocent shoujo fun – you you just like CCGs – then this might be the perfect show for you.

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Tuxedo Monocle!! So many fantastic things happened in this first episode. I want Tsuda Minami to call me master ;_; #fantasistadoll

Random thoughts:

  • It’s nice to see a female main character have an imouto who takes care of her as well. It’s only proper, right? And totally unrealistic in both cases, but whatever.

For more from yours truly, check out my blog on writing, art, and the book I’m working on at stiltsoutloud.com.

 

ED Sequence

ED: 「DAY by DAY」 by Fantasista Doll Cast

Preview

31 Comments

    1. This. A million times this.
      I love Hasegawa’s voice and I’m happy to see her getting more roles.

      As for the show itself, I was entertained enough to want to keep watching, but I really hope they improve the flow of the narrative in subsequent episodes. There were too many points in this one where I found myself going “Whoa wait, slow down a sec. This is what now?”

      Toto
      Reply

  3. This felt like some sort of Yu-Gi-Oh!/Cardcaptors hybrid… and I loved it. I’ll probably stick with it for a few more episodes and see where it goes, it was a pretty solid pilot episode after all.

    katsudon
    Reply

  5. I’m not sure why you think this is shoujo. We have fanservice, yuri subtext, no romance, and an usually cutesy atmosphere for a late-night anime. I’d say it’s seinen in the same way all those schoolgirl comedies are

    …Not that the concept entirely applies outside of manga

    Hylarn
    Reply

    1. It’s not quite technically shoujo, but there’s enough elements from a generic shoujo morning show. I mean, aside from the lack of romance and the fanservice I felt like I was watching a shoujo anime. The OP/ED, episode title, and eyecatches are just like how they would be in a shoujo anime! They even had a toy trinket and obvious merchandising in the episode itself. That’s definitely what they were going for.

      Not to mention, producer Taniguchi Gorou stated that he wanted to bring something light to late-night anime. So uh, he created a shoujo anime to air late at night…

      Kiseki
      Reply

      2. I dunno, if it was really aimed at the shoujo Precure-style audience, wouldn’t there be cute little mascot characters?

        The only way to know for sure is to see the commercials. When I lived in Japan, it was easy to tell what genre a show was based on the commercials more than the show itself. (And airing late at night? I bet it’s aimed squarely at you, Stilts, you grown-ass man, you.) 😀

        It’s an amusing show for now.

        My only question: what happened to the poor cannon-fodder ninja girl? They took her card, and what? No group bathing and cake for her? She just has to stay dirty and hungry in her card? That’s so mean!

        sw
        Reply

      3. Prisoners of war don’t get to join the family right away. 😉

        I admit I was surprised there were no glimspes of her in OP or ED. I figured as the first card captured she’d get befriended and turned into one of the team for the rest of the series, but it looks like she may actually have just been cannon fodder. Or, given the way our heroine reacts in the OP to the girl who challenged her in this episode, maybe she gives the card back later.

        Wanderer
        Reply

      4. @ sw

        If so, they didn’t do it properly 😛

        But yes, I forgot that it airs late on when I wrote the post, so it’s probably not technically shoujo. It reeks of shoujo to me though.

        Stilts
        Reply

  7. “Plus, this episode made it very clear that it was made for young girls, while I’m a grown-ass man.”
    Ouch lolz

    I actually tried it cause I want to add some “girlish anime” on my list…
    The only girlish anime that currently airing today that I know is “precure” thingy… But I can’t watch it cause I believe there’s like…. hundred of episode for that already(if you count the previous season?.. So this one is my savior

    ricz
    Reply

    1. Precure isn’t one show, but a successive metaseries. You don’t have to watch every single episode of every single one to know what’s going on (aside from the teamup movie series) and can jump in at pretty much the start of whatever the latest show is (in this case, Dokidoki Precure, which is at around 26 eps at the moment if memory serves).

      Toto
      Reply

  11. I don’t know… I’m getting some real “creepy evil stalker” vibes off that guy. If I were our heroine, I’d be tempted to change my name, have cosmetic surgery, and move to another country just to make sure that he couldn’t find me again.

    Wanderer
    Reply

  12. What is up with the animes this summer season? They are all pretty much girly shoujo shows with lolis, BL, mahou shoujo, all-girl cast, or all boy-cast like Makai crap etc.

    Man I am missing spring season already with the awesome animes like Hataraku, Valrave, Gargantia, Yaharai, Shingeki, Majestic Prince, Azazel and Date A Live.

    Compared the last season for this one and I swear there are only 3 decent anime in this season is TWGOK, HighSchool DXD, and Blood Lad

    Critic
    Reply

  13. Kind of confuse and one part.. Ill be honest..my cousin wanted to watch this but i guess it was neat with the whole card thing.. so ill be watching it , well also my lil cousin she is having fun watching it. so its cool. no worries if random c is going to pass on it. life comes first and other projects that you already have set. but something caught my eye..if anyone saw it.. which i was wondering..well also ..because my cousin point it out her self.. while i also saw it but didnt say anything..when fencing doll beat the ninja doll..a card drop..that hand the ninja on it.but she didnt summon the ninja.when the rest pop out.. just wondering?

    Oasis
    Reply

  14. Cute show. Me and my oldschool Sailor Moon buddies will be watching!

    I have to agree with the folks that say it feels like shoujo. Nothing will be quite like the old, granted, but in the current climate of anime I’d say it’s pretty darn close to feeling like an older generation of show.

    I can’t stop calling him “Tuxedo Monocle” now, lol. I really liked his character’s inclusion in the show. Was a nice throwback.

    Here’s hoping the show doesn’t turn all craptaculous and go overboard with fanservice and yuriness.

    Harpy12
    Reply

  15. I’ll tell you beforehand: as of this posting I haven’t finished this show yet. I just have to comment on that card game in the opening, that bit with the MC dreaming.

    I LOL. I can tell that the card game looks like a parody of MTG. The pointing system seems like that too.

    TheMoondoggie
    Reply

  17. well alright i just watched this yet find bit hmm might check more.

    give whole cards doing in this series does have remind of 3 kamen rider cards series aka ryuki, blade, & decade with also mix of power rangers megaforce.

    & why do i got “hmm” i just might figure out who monocle guy real identity?

    B.I.T.W.
    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *