Wednesday 18 May 2005

Pic of the day: It's all about the "sekushii pantsu". (I really don't think that needs to be translated back again to English.)

Ichigo 100% TV review

Actually, it is the anime that is called Ichigo 100%, "100% strawberry". This review is based only on the 6 first airings, each of 2 episodes. I believe there are 13 such airings, or possibly only 12. But I would be thoroughly amazed if the anime changes dramatically after the first 4, as they were all very similar.

Yes, it is all ecchi (indecent), all the time. But it is only moderately ecchi: Panty glimpses, people falling on top of people, stuff like that. No attempts at summoning the stork. No simultaneous nudity. I don't even think I've seen a kiss yet. By Japanese and Scandinavian standards, it's pretty family friendly. But it is not really something people are likely to watch with their grandparents. You see, although the indecency is fairly moderate, it totally dominates the anime. There is simply not much else. Plot? What plot?

In so far as there can be said to be a plot, it goes like this: 4 girls fall in love with the same boy, because he is funny. The boy doesn't know what to do. I think the female teacher may have a thing for him too. In short, it is what we call a "harem anime". Yes, that is a commonly known category. Usually the male character is clueless and spineless, a dork with some redeeming qualities but definitely a dork. This one, Manaka Junpei, is less dorky than the average. But he is still clueless. He is also very easily excited by underwear, especially strawberry print underwear, but as seen from this picture it doesn't need to be that.

Of course, most first year high school boys would probably react somehow if they found this in their bed in the morning.

***

The sad truth is that I like it. Not because I become sexually excited by it, but because I don't. Since this entry is yellow anyway, I may as well spill it all. You see, for reasons not fully understood, I have found sexual humor funny since I was just a boy, long before puberty. I still do. It takes a lot more than that to actually "turn me on" as they say these days. I cannot enter such a hot state passively by watching or listening. It takes an effort, roughly on the same magnitude as getting up from a good reclining chair, slightly less than getting out of bed in the morning. A shift of consciousness. As long as that does not happen, mild indecency like this has no other effect than the humorous. Real porn is not even funny. It disgusts me. (Unless it is someone I know. More about that another time, perhaps.)

Also this is the kind of stuff I might write myself. Actually I guess I sometimes do, although I like to think I am more subtle than this usually. So maybe I could get some inspiration from this anime, for my writing. But probably not, unless they get more imaginative soon. A mix of clumsy, undecided romance and overly excitable boys does get repetitive after a while, unless some rudimentary plot is added.

I'm likely to keep following this series, but it is not something I would buy to keep. And I would not lose my sleep if I didn't get to see the rest. More importantly, I wouldn't lose my sleep if I get to see it either. Your sleep may vary, especially if you are a high school boy.