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REVIEW: Sekirei DVD


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Otaking09



Joined: 24 Feb 2009
Posts: 637
PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 3:03 am Reply with quote
If memory serves, this is the 2nd T&A anime this year that's been released that's supposed to be "better than the norm".

The first is Strike Witches(yes, T&A might not completely apply to that but... you get me).

My question is: Are they really?

I'm already quite interested in SW, but is Sekirei in the same boat?

I'm not dissing this review, it's just I'm quite curious because it seems credible.
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Megiddo



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 8360
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 3:37 am Reply with quote
Well, to be honest, this review and the Strike Witches review were written by the same "guest" (is he still a guest reviewer, or will he be an active reviewer for anything ecchi?) reviewer, Richard Thompson.

If you are interested in seeing animated T&A as well as seeing chicks fighting for some vague reason as well as (what I assume to be) some harem antics, odds are Sekirei is for you.
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Kalessin



Joined: 15 Aug 2007
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 4:07 am Reply with quote
In a way, Sekirei is like Pokemon, only with women instead of animals... Though that's probably not a very nice way of putting it, particularly considering that it's pretty much only the nasty guys who view things that way. In fact, they actually make a point in the show of that sort of attitude being horrible.

Overall, I quite liked Sekirei. For a series that has quite a lot of fanservice, it actually manages to have solid character stuff going on and a fairly good plot. I'm sure that there's plenty to nitpick about it, but out of the shows that I've seen which have girls duking it out on a regular basis along with a fair bit of fanservice, it's by far the best. It's often funny, has some good fights, and definitely has good characters. It's even pretty minimal in the sexual jokes department, in spite of the fact that you end up with topless women fairly often, many of which are romantically interested in the main character. It has some of those types of jokes, but this isn't the type of show where you're constantly going to have the main character accidentally with his face or hands touching a woman inappropriately (though it does happen a couple of times). And that's a nice change of pace in comparison to many shows with lots of fanservice.

I must say that it was definitely interesting to hear Tsukiumi in the dub. I do believe that it's the first time that I've ever heard anyone say "bringeth it." LOL. I quite liked her accent.

My only real complaint is that it's only been released on DVD in R1 thus far (though I have to agree that it would have been nice if Funimation had actually provided all of the textless endings - which would have amounted to one per episode, I believe; so that's probably why they didn't). I did hear that it's been selling pretty well though, and if that's true, we'll probably see a Blu-ray release of it sometime next year - assuming that there's no issues with it due to the Japanese forbidding it due to fears of reverse importation and the like. Here's to hoping though...
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Hypeathon



Joined: 12 Aug 2010
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 5:20 am Reply with quote
Kalessin wrote:
In a way, Sekirei is like Pokemon, only with women instead of animals... Though that's probably not a very nice way of putting it, particularly considering that it's pretty much only the nasty guys who view things that way.

It's funny you mention that because it did remind me of one of those shows where human characters team up with powerful beings, which could extend to close friendship and even love basically. Though Sekirei felt more comparable to Zatch Bell and Kurokami to me than Pokemon .
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 9:40 am Reply with quote
This review conforms with my view of the show, as well. Sadly, I didn't find the second season, Sekirei: Pure Engagement, to have carried through with the promise of the first. There will be a third season; let's hope they get back on track.
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PrettyKitty$$$$$



Joined: 10 Sep 2007
Posts: 119
PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 10:34 am Reply with quote
I watched the first episode On Demand and I hated it. *ducks tomatoes* I'd like to preface this by stating that I'm not totally against fanservice. I was amused by High School of the Dead, and I found the first episode of Samurai Girls entertaining. Sekirei, however, was eyerollingly bad. The lead was your typical loser type with no personality at all. Suddenly this magical warrior girl falls on him out of the sky!?! and we get the standard tits to face gag a moment later. Of course the girl moves in with him (they do get kicked out later, but I assume that's so they have an excuse to move in with the other sekirei and showcase all sorts of other standard harem antics). At the end of the episode, when the girl (I call her Tits McGee) was going on and on about how special the loser boy was, I couldn't contain my laughter. The lead is so obviously an audience stand in. I realize I'm not the target audience here by a long shot, but still, couldn't they have made it less obvious?
So, I think it someone is already a fan of harem stuff, they'd probably like this show. On the other hand, if you've seen harem shows, this one is not going to offer anything new. It seems to wallow in all the usual cliches.


Last edited by PrettyKitty$$$$$ on Fri Dec 17, 2010 10:38 am; edited 1 time in total
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 10:38 am Reply with quote
@ PrettyKitty20034 - actually, even though I ended up being a fan of the show, I wasn't crazy about the first two eppies, either. I think it was only around episode three that the series kicked in for me.
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sepherest





PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 11:01 am Reply with quote
Kalessin wrote:
In a way, Sekirei is like Pokemon, only with women instead of animals

Aren't there male Sekirei too though? The majority are women but if I recall there were one or two guys.

It is a surprisingly decent harem series though, but Funimation's advertising really wrecked it for me. "Boobies For the Win!"....really, Funi? Reaaaally?
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darkchibi07



Joined: 15 Oct 2003
Posts: 5459
PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 11:14 am Reply with quote
Sepherest wrote:


It is a surprisingly decent harem series though, but Funimation's advertising really wrecked it for me. "Boobies For the Win!"....really, Funi? Reaaaally?


It seemed to work for lots of peeps who bought it and don't go on these forums. It did get sold out for a reason, Anime smallmouth + sweatdrop
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Fronzel



Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1906
PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 12:06 pm Reply with quote
Kalessin wrote:
In a way, Sekirei is like Pokemon, only with women instead of animals... Though that's probably not a very nice way of putting it, particularly considering that it's pretty much only the nasty guys who view things that way. In fact, they actually make a point in the show of that sort of attitude being horrible.


I don't know much about this show because I'm not interested so I run the risk of making an ass of myself...but isn't there some sort of magical mechanic in this series where the women are automatically forced to love their "partner/master"?

That would make the criticism of "that sort of attitude" more like a statement that you should be nice to your animals, which isn't actually any less degrading.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 12:21 pm Reply with quote
Fronzel wrote:
Kalessin wrote:
In a way, Sekirei is like Pokemon, only with women instead of animals... Though that's probably not a very nice way of putting it, particularly considering that it's pretty much only the nasty guys who view things that way. In fact, they actually make a point in the show of that sort of attitude being horrible.


I don't know much about this show because I'm not interested so I run the risk of making an ass of myself...but isn't there some sort of magical mechanic in this series where the women are automatically forced to love their "partner/master"?

That would make the criticism of "that sort of attitude" more like a statement that you should be nice to your animals, which isn't actually any less degrading.


No, the Sekirei are not forced to love their partners. The way the show portrays things is that if there is some sort of connection between a Sekirei and a dood, then the Sekirei becomes "winged" and the guy becomes her Ashikabi. And then they get all lovey-dovey.
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BalmungHHQ



Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Posts: 390
PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 1:23 pm Reply with quote
Sepherest wrote:
Aren't there male Sekirei too though? The majority are women but if I recall there were one or two guys.

Yes, there are male Sekirei. Minato's sister even befriends one, complete with a "Pretty boys are a national treasure!!" speech. Razz
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the Rancorous



Joined: 08 Feb 2006
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 1:36 pm Reply with quote
To elaborate a bit on what Blood- said: It is possible for an Ashikabi to force a Sekirei to become his/hers, but the ones who do that are portrayed as pretty despicable characters in this show; they're the "bad guys". Sekirei's end up having a strange attraction to a person that drives them toward their "true" Ashikabi. Also, they don't stand for poor treatment. For instance, Seo's twin-Sekirei constantly get on his case about his attitude and smack-him-down several times throughout the series when he acts up. Tsukiumi gets on Minato's case several times as well (I love how she drops water on his head when he's being dense).

Sepherest wrote:
Aren't there male Sekirei too though? The majority are women but if I recall there were one or two guys.

Yeah, there were definitely 2 male Sekirei's and 1 spoiler[unisex Sekirei]. There might be more; there's 108 Sekirei total and by the end of season 2 we've seen less than half of them. I forget his name, but there's the big guy with the sword who doesn't really get screen time until the 2nd season, then there's the pretty boy that Minato's sister Yukari picks up, and then there's Kagari the fire-wielder who turns out to spoiler[be genderless until he/she connects with an Ashikabi.]
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R315r4z0r



Joined: 30 Aug 2007
Posts: 717
PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 2:27 pm Reply with quote
I hate it when FUNi uses "boobs" as a method to advertise the show. I find it really stupid and misleading. It makes me double think buying the show because then I have to hide it just in case someone finds it, sees the word boobs, and then assumes it's pornography or something.

..then I have to spend an hour explaining.. >.<


But, regardless, I will probably pick up this show.

Quote:
If memory serves, this is the 2nd T&A anime this year that's been released that's supposed to be "better than the norm".

The first is Strike Witches(yes, T&A might not completely apply to that but... you get me).

Don't forget about Martial Hearts.
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Fronzel



Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1906
PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 2:31 pm Reply with quote
the Rancorous wrote:
Also, they don't stand for poor treatment. For instance, Seo's twin-Sekirei constantly get on his case about his attitude and smack-him-down several times throughout the series when he acts up.


Sounds like mere tsundere. :p

R315r4z0r wrote:
I hate it when FUNi uses "boobs" as a method to advertise the show. I find it really stupid and misleading.


It's not misleading at all. This show exist (at least in part) to display cartoon boobs. The women could have been drawn with reasonable chests, but they aren't.
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