Tag Archives: sports

May 8 2011

113th G-View: Moshidora

Hello and welcome to the G-Views, where creativity is respected and Dokuro-chan is rejected. My grandfather and father are both baseball fans and players (of course gramps retired) so it’s natural that although I’m not a sportsperson myself, I know a thing or two about the sport and watch it on occasion. My point is that the following show has to do with baseball, more like the managerial and cooperative aspect of the sport. Let’s take a look at Moshidora.

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Apr 15 2011

23rd G-View: Arcade Gamer Fubuki

Hello and welcome to G-Views, where SoL reigns supreme, moe is respected and Dokuro-chan sucks poopie. What do you as a male video-gamer think about when you combine the words, female and video-games together? the answer, paradise. That’s what I was expecting when I jumped into this 4 episode OVA. What did I get for pumping myself up? A BIG SMACKDOWN IN MY FACE AND JAW DROPPING SENSELESSNESS THAT MADE MY BRAIN ROT AND QUESTION THE VERY FABRIC OF JAPANESE ANIMATION, PANTY POWER AND THE SEGA CORPORATION’S DESPERATION TO PROMOTE THEIR PRODUCTS!

Alternative title:
Arcade Gamer Fubuki 2nd STAGE – Nusumareta PP (Japanese)
Genres: comedy, tournament
Themes: sports (SPORTS?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!!!!)
Objectionable content: Mild (mild bad language and/or bloodless violence)
Number of OVAs: 4, about 40 minutes each.

G-Rating: 5/10

Plot Summary: Fubuki Sakuragasaki is a powerful gamer who, with the power of her Passion Panties, climbs up the ranks of the BAG (Best of Arcade Gamer) tournament to become the greatest Arcade Gamer in the world. However, the evil Gulasic Group is out to conquer the world through said tournament, and their gaming skills will prove to be a challenge. Fubuki must team up with the legendary Mr. Mystery to combat the four Gods of Gaming and make the world of arcade gaming safe for all.

There is so much wrong with this plot and the rest of the show that it makes me ask many questions. For example:
-HOW DO PANTIES HELP YOU EXCEL AT ARCADE GAMING?!
-WHY HAVE OVERGROWN MEN GET NOSEBLEEDS AT THE SIGHT OF EXPOSED UNDERWEAR WORN BY A MINOR?
-HOW CAN YOU PLAY AN ARCADE GAME WITH 2 ANALOG STICKS (1 FOR EACH PLAYER) TO CONTROL 1 PLAYER, BUTTON MASHING WHILE USING THE FOLLOWING METHODS: PLAYING WHILE WEARING BOXING GLOVES, HANDSTAND ON TOP OF THE ANALOG STICKS, WITH A TAIL, BASHING THE CONSOLE?
-HOW CAN YOU PLAY AN MMORPG GAME, THAT ARE USUALLY PLAYED ON PCs, IN AN ARCADE MACHINE?
-WHY DOES A MASKED WRESTLER IN PINK TIGHTS KNOW HOW TO CONTACT A PRETEEN GIRL AND HAVE A SPARE SET OF PASSION PANTIES FOR HER TO USE?
-WHY WOULD YOU, AS A SECRET ORGANIZATION, ANNOUNCE YOUR SECRET PLANS IN PUBLIC DURING A MEANINGLESS INTRODUCTION?
-WHY WOULD SEGA CHOOSE THIS METHOD TO PROMOTE THEIR OLD GAMES?
-WHY DIDN’T THEY PROMOTE OBSCURE GAMES INSTEAD OF SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, PHANTASY STAR AND ALEX KIDD?
-HOW DO SUPER PANTIES AND MASTERY OF ARCADE GAMING LEAD TO WORLD DOMINATION?
-WHY DUEL ON TOP OF ARCADE MACHINES, HANDSTAND ON THE ANALOG STICKS, WHILE RIDING GEYSERS?
-WHY HAVE A MAIN ANTAGONIST WHOSE FLASHBACK AND TRUE INTENTIONS MAKE NO SENSE WHATSOEVER?!

My word, even Excel Saga and Puni Puni Poemy made more sense than this piece of garbage. You know why this hurts even more than it should? It’s because it made me feel like I was watching “The Wizard” all over again, and that movie was also crap!
Why take two of men’s greatest guilty pleasures, women and gaming, and turn it into a steaming pile of clusterpoopie?! I feel raped. I honestly feel raped by these OVAs, they’re that retarded. Oh well, there’s a bright side: At least this series isn’t “Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan”!
And you know what the most shocking part is? there’s actually a twist ending that may surprise you. I couldn’t believe it. the ending was actually unexpected.

If anyone here does intend on watching these OVAs, then do yourself a favor and set yourself into “So bad, it’s good” mode. That was my mistake. I set my aspirations too high and it cost me dearly. A portion of my sanity was lost after watching these OVAs.

This is clearly not one of Shaft’s most memorable creations and thank goodness it isn’t.

Apr 15 2011

20th G-View: Taishou Yakyuu Musume

Hello and welcome to G-Views, where SoL reigns supreme, moe is respected and Dokuro-chan sucks poopie. Doods, an anime like this has been long in the making. Too long have men ruled baseball, so long that woman’s baseball is considered far inferior and almost obsolete. I know it doesn’t mean much, but to me, I’m very glad that they made a show like this. I’ve delayed this special G-View for far too long and at long last, I’m proud to present to all you fine readers out there, Taishou Yakyuu Musume.

Alternative title:
Taishō Baseball Girls.
Genres: comedy, tournament
Themes: baseball, sports
Number of Episodes: 12
G-Rating: 8.5/10

Plot Summary: In 1925 (year 14 of the Taisho period), after being told by a baseball player that women should become housewives instead of going to school, two 14-year-old Japanese high school girls named Koume and Akiko decide to start a baseball team in order to prove him wrong. During this time, when even running was considered too vulgar for women, baseball is known as “what the boys do” and they face many difficulties when searching members, getting permission from their parents and when learning about the sport itself.

Characters:

The main characters are the members of the girl’s baseball team Ouka-kai. Most of the girls are from class 1-2 and the team’s coach is their homeroom teacher.

Koume Suzukawa
The main heroine of story, second member and catcher of team. She is the daughter of a yōshoku restaurant owner. Her dream is to wear a sailor uniform.
Akiko Ogasawara
Koume’s closest friend, captain and pitcher of team. She has a slight crush on Koume. She is from a wealthy family.
Yuki Souya
Class president and childhood friend of Tamaki. She and Tamaki played baseball with boys when they were in elementary school. She is third/fourth team member: she spoke with Koume about their baseball team in the evening, but Koume didn’t recognize her desire, and so Yuki repeated her request on the following day again (after Noe). She supplied first baseball equipment for the team (catcher mask, several gloves and balls) and also “stole” first team uniforms (western-like sport uniform) from her family kimono shop (it was too modern, so it didn’t sell and was kept in storage).
Noe Kawashima
Third/fourth member and main strategist/tactician of the team. Also looks adorable with her hair loose.
Tomoe Tsukubae
Fifth member and Shizuka’s elder twin sister. She has a huge crush on Koume and joined the team to be closer to her. Before the baseball team, she was in the newspaper club. She is very athletic and her dream is to hit a home run. Unlike her twin, she wears a sailor uniform for school. She shares a room with her twin in the school dorms.
Shizuka Tsukubae
Sixth member and Tomoe’s younger twin sister. Before the baseball team, she was also in the newspaper club. Unlike her twin, she normally dresses in traditional Japanese clothing.
Kyouko Sakurami
Seventh-eighth member. She has an even larger crush on Tomoe than Tomoe’s for Koume, and when Tomoe asked her to join – she agreed without thinking.
Tamaki Ishigaki
Ninth member. Yuki’s childhood friend. Initially she was the most skilled player in team.
Kochou Kikusaka
Noriko’s replacement. Before the baseball team she was on the track team.
Anna Curtland
She is the English language teacher, class 1-2 homeroom teacher and the girl’s coach.
Name Position Class Membership order
Akiko Ogasawara Pitcher 1-2 Initiator
Koume Suzukawa Catcher 1-2 2nd
Shizuka Tsukubae First base 1-2 6th
Yuki Souya Second Base 1-2 3rd/4th
Tomoe Tsukubae Third Base 1-2 5th
Tamaki Ishigaki Shortstop 1-2 9th
Kyouko Sakurami Left Fielder 1-1 7th-8th
Owari Noriko
(retired)		 Center Fielder 2-2 7th-8th
Kochou Kikusaka 1-1 —
Kawashima Noe Right Fielder 1-2 3rd/4th

As explained in the plot summary, this is a girl’s sports anime set in the Taisho era of the early 20th century, TYM follows a group of female students as they attempt to form a baseball team in the face of narrow-minded ideas about the role of women. As is emblematic of the period, a number of intense “romantic friendships”, historically known as “S”, arise between several pairs. It also helps them in strengthening their teamwork during the games.
As for the boys, they’re pretty much what you’d expect from “typical” anime guys. however, there is one guy I admit, I did respect.An honorable man who made the right choices and took the right steps to earn it.

Each of the ladies on the team are awesome in their own special way and absolutely none of them will get on your nerves. All of them are lovable, badass and interesting, especially my beloved Koume. So cute for her age! She came in 3rd place in my 2009 kawaiiness championship.

Now for the pace of the anime itself, it has a very balanced pacing as the girls begin by finding team members and then getting permission from the school board to legally have “Outdoor” classes. There are also additional calamities and antics that take place that may be seen as fillers but trust me when I say that they’re GOOD fillers. Once everything’s been settled we get exhibition matches, good and rough times, all leading to the epic hyped Baseball game between the Girls Team and the Top Boys team of the city. Believe me when I say that it is definitely worth the wait and buildup. It’s basically an underdog story about a team, whose members once had little in common with one another but came together to form an extremely formidable force after shedding many drops of tears and sweat. The big match that’s been hyped since the 1st quarter of the show is all about witnessing all that hard work paying off as the girls give it everything they have in what I consider one of the most epic baseball matches ever drawn/animated.

The artwork is more than acceptable and is most definitely not a nuisance. It manages to capture the Taisho era feel to an extent in a sort of clash between modern and traditional beliefs.

There’s no fanservice here. No astronomical breast physics, no panty shots, no sexual intercourse, just plain sweetness mixed with cool baseball action. Not as extreme as Sports anime are usually known for, but more…realistic. Of course when the girls aren’t training they usually get themselves in some form of trouble or another and it is glorious to watch. A special shout out for the “ninja batter”, “summer camp”  and “actress” episodes.

In conclusion: Not much to complain about here. This is a show that baseball fans, slice of life aficionados and fans of shows that don’t need explosions to be cool, can enjoy and relax to.

Noteworthy members of “the nation” are (only 2 of them are shown in this picture):

-Tomoe Tsukabae, Kyouko Sakurami, Yuki Souya, Tamaki Ishigaki.

As you can tell by the above mentioned ladies, this show is definitely one you needn’t wear the goggles to witness greatness. It ranges from canon to subtext in a lighthearted manner just like the series itself. As for which member has the strongest vibes…Kyouko.