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REVIEW: Princess Jellyfish Episodes 1-11 Streaming


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progSHELL



Joined: 09 Jan 2010
Posts: 10
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 12:21 am Reply with quote
This subjective opinion piece perfectly reflects my subjective opinion. I love the main caracters and most of the series had me squeeing like a little girl. However, I did find the otaku wackyness kind of tiring and I got tired of The Three Kingdoms lady in by episode 2. An excellent review, equally befitting an excellent show.
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garfield15



Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 1515
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 12:46 am Reply with quote
I love this show. Glad to see the positive review.
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Araki



Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Posts: 381
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 4:27 am Reply with quote
Shu, an "ass*ole"? Did we watch the same series? Rolling Eyes
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vashfanatic



Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 3489
Location: Back stateside
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:50 am Reply with quote
Araki wrote:
Shu, an "ass*ole"? Did we watch the same series? Rolling Eyes

He starts out as an asshole, we grow to like him. It's one of the really strong points of the series that this happens, IMnsHO. Inari... not so much, but she's perhaps headed that way in the story. That it doesn't cop out and give us clear-cut bad people and good people is one of the series' strengths.

Kuragehime is fluff, but it is very, very good fluff. It is what fluff is supposed to be: filled with great characters and humor and fun in the stead of deep ideas and drama. Fluff is not an excuse to slack off, and the staff really got that. Too many shows slack off because they're not serious stuff. It gets some serious moments, with Inari and her reversal of certain tropes in regards to whom takes advantage of whom in relationships between men and women, but it doesn't want to be truly dark and mostly it is delightful.

I agree with you about the two weaknesses of the series. The score is underwhelming, but at least it's not obtrusive. You won't be lining up to buy the CD, but it doesn't interfere with the series. The ending theme, though? I love it. The Three Kingdoms otaku would probably be funnier if you actually knew what the hell she was talking about, although maybe that was meant to be part of the joke?

One thing you don't mention that I really want to draw attention to is the absolutely amazing work Mitsuki Saiga did as Kuranosuke. I feel sorry for her vocal chords (unless there was post-editing involved), she pushed her voice so deep, right to that point where she was believably male without it being inconceivable that Kuranosuke could be mistaken as female. Should this ever be dubbed, whoever fills her shoes will have extremely tough work ahead of her/him.
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neocloud9



Joined: 06 Oct 2008
Posts: 1178
Location: Atlanta, GA
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:05 am Reply with quote
Wow, this sounds great. I hope Funimation releases it on DVD, I'd really like to watch it...
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Player No. 3



Joined: 21 Jan 2010
Posts: 209
Location: San Antonio, Texas
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 12:14 pm Reply with quote
vashfanatic wrote:
One thing you don't mention that I really want to draw attention to is the absolutely amazing work Mitsuki Saiga did as Kuranosuke. I feel sorry for her vocal chords (unless there was post-editing involved), she pushed her voice so deep, right to that point where she was believably male without it being inconceivable that Kuranosuke could be mistaken as female. Should this ever be dubbed, whoever fills her shoes will have extremely tough work ahead of her/him.

Holy crap, the seiyu was female? I was thoroughly convinced that Kuranosuke was played by a male. I'm going to agree and say that Saiga did a phenomenal job.

Anyways, I agree with the review. This was a very well put together series with some flaws, but nothing major. Actually, this is the first time I've liked a Chatmonchy song as an opening because it fit so perfectly with the charming mood of the series.
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pachy_boy



Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 1323
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 1:18 pm Reply with quote
Great review for a great series.

What really stood out for me that hasn't really been mentioned before was that this was a genuine series about a group of geeky girls, both in looks and behavior. How many other series can people name that are like Princess Jellyfish? There are plenty of Anime series about geeky guys, but the girls in the same series are almost always unrealistically attractive-looking. I never once expected there would ever be a show that centered around girls with more character to them, and then this series came out of the blue as a near-answer to my prayers. Of course, even from the first episode there's no denying that the charming Tsukimi is still cute.

I would hope there's a sequel series, or at least the manga gets licensed, because there's clearly more to the story and it's so charming that I really want to check out more. In the meantime, I look forward to Funimation's hopeful future release of this title.

And really, Kuranosuke's voice actor was a woman? Then she did a far more outstanding job than any of the seiyuu-playing-male-characters in Simoun combined.
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wandering-dreamer



Joined: 21 Jan 2008
Posts: 1733
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:17 pm Reply with quote
Whoa, I even looked up Kuranosuke's VA before to see if they were a guy or a girl and I still can't believe it. Guess I'm so used to guys that sound like girls that to hear a girl sound like a guy trying to sound like a girl just blows my mind. Anime dazed

Anyway, awesome show, the ending could've used another episode, and I think it had my favorite OP of 2010 in there.
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vashfanatic



Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 3489
Location: Back stateside
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:01 pm Reply with quote
pachy_boy wrote:
And really, Kuranosuke's voice actor was a woman?

According to her official page, at least. Believe me, I double-checked, I couldn't believe it either. She's under "josei tarento" (female talent). http://www.kenproduction.co.jp/member.php?mem=w22 I mean, if I am wrong, please correct me! She's (?) incredibly androgynous looking, and this role is just... messing with my head.
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hissatsu01



Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 963
Location: NYC
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:44 pm Reply with quote
vashfanatic wrote:
pachy_boy wrote:
And really, Kuranosuke's voice actor was a woman?

According to her official page, at least. Believe me, I double-checked, I couldn't believe it either. She's under "josei tarento" (female talent). http://www.kenproduction.co.jp/member.php?mem=w22 I mean, if I am wrong, please correct me! She's (?) incredibly androgynous looking, and this role is just... messing with my head.


Well, just listen to the samples of her voice acting on that page. It showcases a pretty good amount of her range, and she's certainly capable of doing "feminine" sounding roles. I recognize her from quite a few of the roles listed on that page. If the "Free Talk" sample is representative of her natural speaking voice, it's somewhere between her more girly roles and stuff like Kuranosuke, a bit deep, but nothing very unusual.
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vashfanatic



Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 3489
Location: Back stateside
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 10:02 pm Reply with quote
hissatsu01 wrote:
Well, just listen to the samples of her voice acting on that page.

*facepalm* I didn't even notice those! And wow, what a range... though she's pretty clearly a very low-register voice to begin with, from her "free talk." If ever another vote comes up for favorite voice-actor in a role for 2010, it will be for her, hands down. Hitting that perfect level of androgyny is outstanding.
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momogoldfish



Joined: 01 May 2009
Posts: 135
Location: New Zealand
PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 5:37 am Reply with quote
She already won last year animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-03-06/4th-annual-seiyu-award-winners-announced
(probably for Wolfram from Kyou Kara Maoh) but I won't mind her winning again.

I wasn't all that awed by the first episode but this show really grew on me after Benz freak got introduced and it's been a happy trip from then on. Really wished there'll be a season 2 with maybe a bit more focus on the fellow amars (since they were adorable in the four promo videos)~

And yes, Mayaya's speeches makes a bit more sense if you've read Romance of Three Kingdoms, though pausing is still required.
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poonk



Joined: 05 Jun 2008
Posts: 1490
Location: In the Library with Philip
PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 8:07 pm Reply with quote
pachy_boy wrote:
What really stood out for me that hasn't really been mentioned before was that this was a genuine series about a group of geeky girls, both in looks and behavior. How many other series can people name that are like Princess Jellyfish? There are plenty of Anime series about geeky guys, but the girls in the same series are almost always unrealistically attractive-looking. I never once expected there would ever be a show that centered around girls with more character to them, and then this series came out of the blue as a near-answer to my prayers.
Completely, emphatically agree with you here. It was really great to see female otaku characters who weren't just mirrors of their stereotypical male-counterparts' interests, projected onto the same old cute-girl character designs, i.e. "It's okay for girls to be nerdy, as long as it's over the same things as guys and they still look stereotypically attractive in the process." Kuragehime was so refreshingly not that. I can't wait for a DVD release/manga license/anything because I want to throw money at this one.

P.S. As a side note, Chieko's mom's behavior as a rabid Hallryu star fangirl made me laugh a bit since I myself have been overindulging in the K-dramas lately and understand the appeal.Laughing

P.P.S. There is also a (slightly) older discussion thread for this show here in case anyone wanted to read people's impressions when it first started airing.
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RoBear



Joined: 27 Mar 2008
Posts: 1
PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:35 pm Reply with quote
One thing that wasn't directly mentioned that I love about the show is the ending song. I love at the end of every episode when it chimes in, my eyes light up and a big fat grin streaks across my face. It also fits the story sooo well.
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wandering-dreamer



Joined: 21 Jan 2008
Posts: 1733
PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 10:06 pm Reply with quote
I agree, not only do the lyrics fit the show PERFECTLY (I saw someone interpret it as Kuranosuke singing to to Tsukimi which made me squee) but I just loved how it would start at the very end of the show.

"LOVE IS COMING BACK (BACK!) ...."
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