If you have been any form of anime fan in the past fifty years, odds are you’ve at least heard of Lupin the Third. If you haven’t, just say you have to prevent immediate execution. Starting as a manga in 1967, this series has managed to find its way into almost every medium possible. Today we look at the most recent installation, the ongoing show “The Woman Called Fujiko Mine.”

After a minute and a half of a woman speaking dubbed over shots of a naked woman, we get into our show. Lupin is spying on a wedding of some crazy preacher who during the ceremony mass drugs his crowd with his mystic powers. Before the kiss, the bride slips a pill into her mouth, which she puts in the preachers mouth during it. The couple then heads to the secret room in the palace.

The preacher passes out from the drug, and Lupin sets off an explosion in the palace. Lupin walks in on the passed out preacher, and the bride pulls a gun on him. Before anything can happen though, the preacher cages and drugs the two, knocking them out.

Relaxing in his harem, the preacher decides to have the two executed in the morning. After waking up, the two grudgingly share their knowledge of each other as thieves. Fujiko also reveals how the preacher’s drug works, saying that her goal was to steal the drug to sell on the streets, as was Lupin’s. Fujiko strips to try and seduce Lupin, then trips the alarm and tells the guards Lupin tried to ravage her. While he gets dragged away, she subsequently seduces the remaining guard.

The next morning the two prisoners are executed. However it is revealed that Fujiko had the guard take her place, and Lupin used a dummy. Before running away, Lupin challenges Fujiko to see who can get the drugs first.

Back at the harem, Fujiko disguised as a belly dancer uses a sleeping drug to knock out the women. She reveals that the preacher’s drug is combined with chemicals then painted on the skin, and rubbed off to be used on the subjects. She forces the preacher to take her to the drug room, but is ambushed by guards when she gets there. Lupin from the other side of the door opens the chamber and brings her in, then locks it from the inside.

Fujiko shoots Lupin with glow in the dark lipstick and cuts the power, allowing her to shoot at him in the dark. Lupin bests her, and the police arrive at the island, led by Inspector Zenigata chasing after Lupin. The preacher sets the island to sink itself, but Lupin escapes by attaching rockets to the pure-drug statue and flying away. Fujiko shoots down Lupin, sending the drug to be dissolved in the ocean, which the island citizens desperately run into to soak in the pure drug.

While driving away, Fujiko notices that Lupin left a calling card on her stating he will steal her. Lupin sees her as the cure to his boredom, and promises to get her next time they meet.

The thought of a comedy anime about history seems just ridiculous; I mean, who would watch that? Yet somehow getting people to watch the show wasn’t an issue at all for this convention favorite. Whether you like them or not, you’ll see hoards and hoards of cosplayers from this show coating the con. So for better or for worse, today we look at Hetalia: Axis Powers

I honestly think the reason most people don’t like this show is due to its fanbase. It’s unfortunate when a great series becomes ostracized because of a stigma against the fans. I can admit that I was a fan of the show until joining a group of Hetalia cosplayers, and after that didn’t watch the show for months. But it’s still a great show.

The first episode starts off with a League of Nations looking conference room with all of the human embodiments of the countries around the table. America, running the meeting, starts off on a great foot by suggesting having a giant superhero to shield the Earth to prevent global warming. Japan agrees, sparking Switzerland to lash out at him over agreeing with everything. England yells at America’s stupid idea, followed by France correcting England.

China mocks their childishness, offering them snacks to get them to be quiet. Spain asks Russia to input, who only ends up stating his wish to dominate Lithuania, forcing weak Latvia to agree; an action to which Estonia says is wrong. Poland states he will rule all, and Greece is seen sound asleep in his chair. After all the racket, Germany explodes on them to get them to be silent, and sets ground rules. Italy is called on, who answers cheerily with “Pasta!”

After that disturbingly accurate representation of the world, we switch to the story of the Roman Empire,the man who owned all the riches of the world, then disappeared in one day. Now it’s World War I. Germany is in a forest hunting down descendants of Rome. However he’s surprised how he managed to invade with nothing but a stick. While walking, he finds a tomato box lying on the ground. But this story is to be continued…

Chibitalia is Hetalia’s end-of-episode shorts that tells the story of Italy as a child. Italy was taken away from countries to live with Rome and learn to be an artist, which he excelled at. However when he returned home, the other countries had grown up (Italy remained a child due to it never “growing” as a political power.) The other countries bully him, namely Holy Roman Empire with trying to force Italy to join.

As you may be able to tell, this show is full of stereotype and history jokes that a lot of people wouldn’t get. However, it’s still a show that anyone could find entertaining regardless. If you like history at all, there’s a great chance you’ll like this show as well. The creator of Hetalia also created a similar show, but with Middle-Eastern countries, called Afghanis-tan. Oh, did I mention the episodes are a mere five minutes long each?

A little over a year ago a show called Cardfight!! Vanguard came out in Japan. After seeing it I thought that it would be the next big tcg craze. Shopping at the store I came across a booster pack for none other than this same show. In honor of this funny coincidence, today we take a look at Japan’s newest card game NOT on a motorcycle.

Naturally the show starts off with a cardfight in the local game shop, Card Capital. Our wonderfully stereotypical cast is introduced after the amazing fighter Kai defeats hot-headed Morikawa. Jump to the classroom of our protagonist, Aichi Sendou. Ignore the teacher teaching about the Sengoku Period using card game metaphors.

After being publicly humiliated by answering a question wrong in class, Aichi begins to daydream about his legendary Vanguard card, Blaster Blade. During this time though, a still angry Morikawa sees the card. So naturally he decides to mug Aichi for the card in hopes to use it to defeat Kai. The muggers and Aichi run to the cardshop.

Although Kai initially denies Morikawa’s challenge, the bet of winner receiving Buster Blade interests him again. By the time Aichi catches up with them, Kai has already won the match, and the card. Aichi’s pleading for the card back gets him no where, so he decides to challenge Kai for it. The two fight, with Kai explaining the rules to Aichi as the match goes along (which most definitely isn’t product placement for the real world card game.)

So the fight progresses for the rest of the episode. A ways in, it is revealed that Kai and Aichi met each other long ago, and Kai gave Aichi his Blaster Blade card, inspiring Aichi to become a fighter so he could fight Kai one day. As Aichi summons his avatar Blaster Blade, the episode ends.

A new record, late after just 1 week!

———————————————————————————————–

Dragonaut: The Resonance – Episode 7 – I Don’t Like Things That Are Different

———————————————————————————————–

Animation
OH MY GOD, it’s like they decided that everyone and their mom this episode needed to show as much skin as it was humanly possible to draw without actually showing anything, event he two most moderately dressed characters had a nude scene in the locker room.

Soundtrack
Forgive the pun, but at this point it’s just the same old song and dance. Ba dum tss.

Story
This is a joke. Nothing of serious import happens, we learn a bit of backstory about the loli, but the rest is silly fanservice, we seriously could have done without this crapfest they call plotline.

Characters
Breasts. Everywhere.

Wrapping up
Well not everyone was upset this time around, mostly just awkwardly stared at eachother, probably because they were all half naked.

——————————————————————————-

You can watch Dragonaut: The Resonance on Funimation. Or purchase this series on DVD – Part 1 | Part 2.]]> http://918thefan.com/2012/anime-bites-episode-18/feed/ 1 http://918thefan.com/2012/anime-bites-episode-17/ http://918thefan.com/2012/anime-bites-episode-17/#comments Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:59:08 +0000 Kibs http://918thefan.com/?p=29648

It’s been a while, but I’m finally back with another episode. Expect the next in about a year or two.

———————————————————————————————–

Dragonaut: The Resonance – Episode 5/6 – My Kingdom For Some Relevant Happenings

———————————————————————————————–

Animation
I’m going to be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve seen this series, or much of any anime to begin with, but if I remember correctly, there are far better things out there than this. Knowing that the character design was done by the same person responsible for the Witchblade anime, I can’t even force myself to like any of it. Also it’s kind of bad anyway.

Soundtrack
Ehwha? Oh there’s music. Well, you could have fooled me. I don’t remember jack, it could be because I don’t care, plus it’s funnier that way. But I wish I could remember other than the opening and ending theme. Which aren’t bad, per se, they just get old.

Story
Less emo this time around, mostly because it involved reunions, though it looks like tall dark and brooding is looking to become our new angst character.

Characters
I feel like I should mention something about how ridiculous the boobs are, but I’d just be repeating myself. But come on, man, it’s grotesque.

Wrapping up
You can’t have a story where everyone is always upset all the time, you have to have some happiness for a few episodes before stuff hits the fan. Don’t just throw us into no holds barred emotional stupidity.

——————————————————————————-

You can watch Dragonaut: The Resonance on Funimation. Or purchase this series on DVD – Part 1 | Part 2.]]> http://918thefan.com/2012/anime-bites-episode-17/feed/ 4 http://918thefan.com/2012/manorexics-anime-sampler-black-rock-shooter/ http://918thefan.com/2012/manorexics-anime-sampler-black-rock-shooter/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:34:03 +0000 TheManorexic http://918thefan.com/?p=29190

Today’s show is one that I, and probably many other Fans, have been looking forward to for months now. Based on the OVA based on the music video based on the Supercell song “Black Rock Shooter,” today we look at the long awaited Black Rock Shooter!

If you haven’t already (which I don’t know how because it’s been played on The Fan numerous times,) listen to the song, preferably with the music video. The OVA tells the story of the three main girls and their connection to BRS’s world, and the series is going to give the story from their first meeting and onward (plus it’ll make sense of the insanity that is BRS.)

I really don’t have words for the opening scene. Black Rock Shooter fights a giant being of some sort in her world in a field of spikes. And there’s a really big eye.

Back on Earth though, it’s the first day of junior high for Kuroi Mato, a very observant and hyperactive young girl. While looking at the roster for her class, Mato notices a girl named “Tiny Bird’s Game” (oh annoying Japanese word puns…) Somehow Mato’s friend Kotari Yu also believe’s this is the girl’s name.

At home Mato reads her favorite book, “The Tiny Bird and the Colors.” In her world, BRS finishes up her whatever she was doing with the giant eyeball and leaves the spike field.

After calling the girl Tiny Bird’s Game, Mato gets corrected that her name is read as “Takanashi Yomi.” Yomi turns down Mato’s conversation and leaves class. In the halls Mato and Yu are pulled into the counselor’s office. The counselor is going to be “that one super cool adult who’s like a big kid but still has sagely advice” character apparently and invites them to drop by anytime if they have problems or want coffee.

After school and clubs, Mato sees Yomi at a crosswalk and after the two realize they share a love for “The Tiny Bird and the Colors” and go to her house. Unfortunately Yomi’s friend Izuriha Kagari shows up and mentally torments Mato in an attempt to get her to leave, which works very well. Later that night Kagari reminds Yomi that only she can be her friend and no one else.

This is where sense starts to be made of BRS’s world. Another girl, strongly resembling Kagari in both looks and behavior, lures BRS into her toyroom and then releases a mechanical beast to attack her. Fortunately for BRS: drills, spikes, and saws apparently don’t kill her. Though she still goes through the same amount of pain from these things.

The next day Mato goes to the counselor to talk about Kagari. The counselor tells her that it’s okay to be hurt by what Kagari did, but it won’t last because she isn’t the one really getting hurt, “someone else” gets hurt for her (which if it isn’t obvious yet means BRS is getting tortured by the other-world Kagari to take the hurt of Mato.)

Mato finds Yomi in the art club and insists on becoming friends with her, regardless of Kagari. Both worried and touched by this, Yomi agrees. BRS is then shown being double-team attacked by Kagari’s other world counterpart and a mysterious girl possibly resembling Yomi.

Clover is the tale of a psychic girl and a former black ops soldier who embark on a journey together through a Steampunk setting. They both carry heavy burdens of love and loss that bisect in an unexpected way as they outrun armed forces that want them stopped by any means necessary.

Sue and Kazuhiko

Characters
Kazuhiko Fay Ryu – a former black ops agent who was dragged back into the force to complete one final mission.
Sue – the world’s only four-leaf clover, making her the most powerful psychic. Grew up solitary in a room with mechanical animals as friends until she made contact with Ora.
Ora – a singer and Kazuhiko’s girlfriend, now deceased. Has strange ties with Sue.
Gingetsu – a black ops soldier and former two-leaf clover.
Ran – one of two remaining three-leaf clovers. Lives with Gingetsu (take that as you will).

Ran (left) and Gingetsu (right) are separated by a wall with ornate windows

Setting
Like with any CLAMP story, the setting deserves some exploration. This is a world where teleportation is equivalent to a taxi service and a strange shadow government works to control and contain psychics.

The Steampunk setting is bleak and fantastical: full of dark contrasts and fascinating machinery. Even the armed robots that guard Sue look like cute, fluffy animals in clown suits. The world works in its own manner and is unforgiving of readers who have trouble keeping up.

Ora doing what she loves most: singing

Strongest Character
Taken as I was with Ran, Ora is undeniably the strongest character. She has the most powerful effect on the other characters and acts as silent motivation for Sue’s journey. She evokes the most sympathy as the story unfolds: the story works backwards, first showing her as dead and terribly missed and then working back to a compassionate mentorship towards Sue and absolutely in love with Kazuhiko.

Twin three-leaf clovers: Ran (C) and A

Strongest Scene
This one is a toss-up between Ora’s death and Ran’s final meeting with his creepy twin brother. From the beginning of the story, we know Ora is dead. So when the tale works backwards, we are prepared for the fact that she is not long for this world. She even reveals to the reader that she is a one-leaf clover: a psychic whose only ability is to know the exact day she will die.

That day approaches and she is tense. Her love for Sue and Kazuhiko gets expressed so strongly that the recipients begin to worry for her. Despite all this, she still gets on stage to perform and accept her fate.

Meanwhile, in his own story, Ran is revealed as a three-leaf clover: one of two in this world. The other remaining is his twin brother as the death of the third three-leaf hangs over their heads. It’s no secret that A, Ran’s twin brother, killed off the third clover and Ran escapes his glass prison to avoid a similar fate.

Walls don’t keep a powerful psychic back for long as A ventures into the world to capture Ran. And in typical CLAMP fashion, A is the creepy-maybe-in-love with-his-brother type who wants to keep Ran forever. Their confrontation is a bloody one sprinkled with plenty of psycho as Ran tries to talk his brother down from a fit of titanic proportions.

CLAMP’s art style remains the same with Sue, but changes with Ora

Art
It’s CLAMP: the girls are skinny and wispy and the men have tiny heads and huge shoulders, and yet it all still looks so beautiful. Although, Ora is definitely all lady: she has a curvy figure, powerful facial expressions and huge lips.

The pretty art is made even more beautiful by the full-color, glossy, gallery pictures sprinkled throughout the book. The artist obviously loves her own work and is aware that fans want to see more.

The cover of the omnibus, as published by Dark Horse

Cover Art
Everything on the cover is fitting: a full-color picture of Sue surrounded by clovers of different leaf-varieties. Sue looks rather sweet and mild as she sits there without boots on. However, the picture isn’t as stunning or evocative as the full-color gallery pictures inside the book.

I’d like to just make a mention here about paper quality: the gallery pictures are printed on glossy paper, which in the publishing industry is a very expensive commodity. The paper for the actual comic is the highest quality I’ve ever seen: it’s thick, smooth photo paper that will maintain its bright white color indefinitely. A lot of love went into this omnibus, and no expense was spared for the materials.

If more manga publishers went this route, these books would last forever, but publishers would quickly run themselves bankrupt with the unnecessary expenses. So thank you, Dark Horse, for publishing this at top-quality and proving that you really care about the quality of your manga.

Back Cover Summary
The summary tries its best to make sense of the puzzle that is Clover. Guys, I’ve read this story three times over and I’m still not sure I get it. The summary explains things in plainer terms while using brilliant, descriptive words. They call this world “baroque” and “retro-tech,” which are always nice terms to see being used.

Dark Horse goes so far as to explain that this story was republished as an omnibus in celebration of CLAMP’s 20th anniversary and that they included lots of never-before-seen extras. It gives the impression that Dark Horse really admires the stories it publishes.

An example of the bizarre architecture

Who Will Enjoy This?
Fans of obscure and confusing Sci-fi should adore this story. It’s like a giant riddle that only ever reveals little pieces at a time. The story expects you to keep up and if you get left behind, well, that’s your own fault.

Limited character attachment is built and though many characters are explored they’re never explored quite deeply enough on an emotional level for me.

Also, this story is adult. Ora sits on Kazuhiko’s lap often and sexual references are batted around with ease. This isn’t naughty like Chobits: it’s just like hearing adults speak.

I think this story is meant to appeal more to men because of the strong action aspects and slightly raunchy dialog. However, CLAMP remains purely CLAMP in its themes and characterization. Also, “Kazuhiko Fay Ryu”? Fay? Did you run out of names, CLAMP?

Regrets
CLAMP, although I commend your effort with these roses, I can no longer imagine a working relationship between us. I’m grateful you still find it in your heart to care by presenting me with something so lovingly packaged.

However, this story shows me that you still think you’re too good for me. We have different interests, different loves, and no amount of pleading will change that.

It was wonderful to see this side of yourself once again. It has opened me to consider that maybe we can be friends. But it will be many years before I can bring myself to trust you again.

It’s the beginning of a new year, which in TV Land means it’s off-season! The first show to catch my eye this off-season was the mystery/horror anime based on Ayatsuji Yukito’s novel. Let’s dig in to the darker side of the new year with Another!

Long story short, ninth grade’s class three had a Mary Sue named Misaki who had a supposed accident and died. But the students of this class acted as if she never left, going so far as to have her included ultimately in their graduation ceremony. Cue equally creepy theme song.

Sakakibara Koichi starts off his new life in the town of Yomiyama in the hospital after becoming ill. His dad is working as a researcher in India, his mother is dead, so he’s living with his older sister and grandmother in their hometown. He’s also soon to start his eighth grade year at Yomiyama North Junior High School (Yomi North). Five minutes in and we know the entire backstory. For those of you going into writing, take note: that’s how it’s done.

The class representatives from eighth grade’s class three have come to (rather awkwardly) visit Koichi in the hospital to wish him well. These mostly expressionless but kindhearted kids head out after an (also awkward) questioning if Koichi has ever lived in Yomiyama, especially so after shaking his hand.

On the elevator, Koichi bumps into a mysterious girl going to floor B2 named Misaki Mei. The next morning Koichi’s dad calls and they talk about his recent collapsed lung, which is apparently hereditary. Playing it off like it’s nothing, Koichi’s dad wishes him luck on his first day of school. Oh, and Koichi owns a parrot named Mei, go figure.

Koichi introduces himself to the class, and from his seat notices Misaki in the class room. His lunch is taken up by his classmates bombarding him with questions about his sickness, life in Tokyo, so on and so forth. With an strange glare from the class rep, a student offers Koichi a tour of the campus. During gym, Koichi sits out with a boy who has a heart disease preventing him from being physical. Later, a girl with a sprained ankle (this school is riddled with injuries apparently) comes to him to talk, and when he asks about Misaki stiffens up and plays dumb to it.

Seeing Misaki on the roof, Koichi runs up to meet her and starts asking questions. Coldly she tells him to stop questioning her and not talk to her again. Oh and the rest of the school associates Koichi’s name with death B.T.Dubs. She then takes her leave.

A terrible rainstorm starts after school. During the car ride home Koichi sees Misaki alone and unprotected walking in the rain. Lost in thought, we jump to credits.

2011 is coming to a close this week, so this is the last Sampler of the year. No I’m not going to talk about a New Year’s anime (and not just because I couldn’t find one.) I’d like to round off the year with a show that, sadly, not too many people have heard of. This is probably my personal favorite older anime. Today we take a trip back to 1988 with Gunbuster.

A little background information may help explain some of the shows…quirks. In today’s terms, the animation isn’t exactly par. But as far as late 80′s anime goes, it’s actually pretty decent. The director of the show, Hideaki Anno, was also the director of Neon Genesis Evangelion (which oddly enough was also set in 2015.) The name of the show comes from two sources: The tennis anime “Aim for the Ace!” and “Top Gun,” and its plot is based of Aim for the Ace! (although many parallels to Top Gun are in it.) Anime in the 80s was also very different from modern, so take every quirk with that in mind.

So we get a cute little monologue from a young girl who tells about how her father is a defender of Earth who fights aliens in space on the ship Luxion, which he is the captain of. Fade to the future. Noriko’s dad died when his ship was overrun by the aliens, but she still wants to be a pilot just like her dad.

I may be exaggerating, but this opening has to be one of the most stereotypical ever made. It’s not only incredibly 80′s, but fits almost to a tee the cliches found in anime openings. Of course you only have to sit through a minute and a half of that, then back to the show where Takaya Noriko is enviously watching the mech pilots training. When I first saw this one thing kept running through my head: Push ups? Sit ups? Jump rope? They’re giant robots, what do they need to exercise for? But apparently these sisyphean work outs are impressive to Noriko.

But Noriko is at least a master jump roper outside of a mech, of course she still gets made fun of by the people who can actually use them. The senior student, Amano Kazumi, steps in to save her from the ridiculing. This prompts an overly-dramatic, trance-like romance moment where violins play and everything is overly bright and floral/bubble patterns fill the background. Seriously, out of nowhere this happens too. You’d think that all of a sudden it was a love story between the two. Anyway she gives Noriko a pep talk and a hair ribbon then leaves.

So now we find out that this is a special school made to train youth in using mechs so they can help fight the aliens, and two students are going to get picked to go up and be representatives of the school. They also have a new coach, Ohta Koichiro. Instead of an introduction, Coach has their auto-balance disabled and makes them run fifty laps, except Noriko has to do it out of her mech because she couldn’t use it properly. So he’s every gym coach ever.

The next day starts off with a surprise phone call for Noriko telling her she has been picked to represent the school. No student, including her or Kazumi, can believe that the most incompetent person probably on Earth was picked for such a high honor. When she goes to complain, Kazumi gets yelled at by the Coach for doubting him, and also reveals he is a survivor of Noriko’s dad’s ship (which comes with an awesome eye-scar apparently.)

Sick of all the vandalizing of her mech, mocking, and pranks by her fellow students, Noriko goes to Coach to ask him to pick someone else. He takes her on a walk to show Kazumi running up a giant staircase wearing iron clogs, and lectures her on hard work. Thus beginning the amazing training montage. For full effect I recommend muting the actual show and playing Joe Esposito’s “You’re the Best” for the entirety of the montage.

Noriko’s being good at stuff prompts another student who doesn’t even have a name to go into a jealous rage and challenge her to a mech battle after class. She then spends the next two minutes or so beating the living daylight out of Noriko. To stop her sensory overload, Noriko turns off her mech’s monitor and fights in blackout. Gone in a completely over the top psychotic rampage, nameless girl takes out her blade and tries to stab Noriko. Instead Noriko dodges by jumping up in the air and performing the Inazuma Kick (Lightning Kick), which may be one of the greatest mech series attacks ever (as the series progresses anyway.)

Girl finally calms down and accepts defeat. Now that Noriko has near-killed a fellow student in an illegal on campus fight, everyone is happy and trusts her completely. Her and Kazumi fly off in a private rocket ship into space to join their fellow pilots.

Mech shows may not be your cup of tea, but I do highly recommend watching the rest of this series and its sequel, Diebuster (also known as Gunbuster 2,) both of which combined is only twelve episodes. Firstly because the ending of Diebuster is just absolutely amazing, and secondly to expand your anime reaches and explore new genres. There’s more to anime than any Top 10 of the 21st Century list you may have read. Go watch some older shows like this, you may just end up loving them as much as modern stuff.

It’s Christmas time here at the Fan. As if you couldn’t tell by all the ear-murdering Christmas music covers blasting in every single store. In light of the season, I picked an anime that when I started I could’ve sworn couldn’t exist. That’s right, an anime [loosely] about Santa.

When I decided I wanted to review an anime about Christmas, I figured I was licked to begin with. I mean, I’m trying to find a show about Christmas from the country that made a picture of Santa on the cross! But after about a minute of Googling I managed to come across Itsudatte My Santa!, and I can’t say I was disappointed; it was almost exactly how I imagined it would be.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but the first thing I noticed within ten seconds of watching is the opening exposition being disturbingly similar to that of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. If anything go and watch the first ten seconds, it’s uncanny. So Mr. Depressing Narrator Man talks for a bit about children’s fantasies of Santa being crushed at a young age, and how he never had a Christmas because his parents were always away on important business. Instead his grandma made him a giant cake each year, and that cake for one made him even more depressed. To top off this beautiful speech, he denounces Santa’s existence. This guy’s kind of a downer.

Before the credits can even finish fading away, a conversation between two teenagers, a guy and girl, with the girl inviting the guy to spend the night with her, which is apparently a huge scandal judging by the surrounding crowd’s reactions. To not look like some sort of pervert, she then smacks him to the floor. Reputation Saved. Then she claims to be Santa and a pinnacle of purity that would never do something so terrible. She even got a free police escort.

The more she speaks, the more she seems like Christmas’s version of Himeko from Pani Poni Dash; can’t decide if that’s good or bad. After Kyon guy attempting to run away from Himeko girl, he blurts out he hates Christmas because he was born on December 24th and named Santa because of it, which is a pretty good reason. Her reaction has to be my quote of the week though:

Well fine. If he doesn’t think he needs me to make him happy, I’ll just stick to him like glue until he finally decides to cheer up some.

The logic is painfully infallible there. Que stalking montage! (Oh by the way, she can conjure any item beginning in “san” because of Santa magic.) Naturally though, running blindly around the city is a bad idea. Not long after he starts running, Santa bumps into a gang leader and forces him to drop his three month pre-ordered cake, cus that’s what gangs do right? Eat fancy cake? So naturally he beats up Santa, then gets beat up by Mai (girl.) After all that hooplah Santa gives in to spending the night with Mai.

Within an hour or two, Santa goes from total recluse to sitting outside the [see-through] shower talking to Mai as she bathes. This cycle of manic depressiveness occurs frequently. After a long conversation of explaining his lack of Christmas spirit, Mai makes them a feast, which, as expected, goes over terribly. Long story short they end up on the balcony and she kisses him to transfer “happiness.” Almost immediately he gets a call from his crush inviting him to a party.

So after a day of saying how she’ll make him happy, Mai succeeds with making that phone call happen. But then she yells at him for having the audacity to going to that party instead of being with her; Mai > Happiness. And this is where it gets almost just too much: Santa goes to his crushes house and she claims to never remember calling him, and we find out that Santa apparently never took any of their invitations to other parties, and they have a birthday party for him every Christmas.

Now that he finally has his chance to being happy, spending Christmas with friends, and dating his crush, he runs away back to Mai. He “returns her happiness” by kissing her, conveniently at midnight. If I said it almost got too much earlier, I was wrong. This is where it really gets bad. With a magical girl-style transformation she turns into her “true form” a.k.a. a pin up girl in a near-lingerie Santa outfit (but not without an up-skirt panty shot of course. And that’s not even mentioning the actual transformation itself.)

The newly transformed Santa Mai takes Santa around the world to deliver presents with her. Along the way we see the giant army of other Santa men and pinup Santa girls also delivering presents. She also makes a stop at Santa’s parents’ work so he can finally see them get a phone call from them literally 100 feet away. Now that they’ve made up in their own weird way, Santa is finally happy and goes flying off into the night with Mai on her sleigh.