Takai
09-28-2009, 01:25 AM
Bakuen Campus Guardress
Reviewer: Brian
Original Title: Bakuen Campus Guardress.
Alternative Title(s): Combustible Campus Guardress.
Format: OVA, 4 episodes, complete.
Year(s): 1994.
Genres/Themes: action, fantasy, comedy, parody; seinen.
Animation Studio: Production I.G.
Director: Nishikubo Toshihiko.
Original Authors: Hagiwara Kazushi, Akahori Satoru.
Number of Episodes Seen: 4/4
Introduction (optional):
I first saw this at Anime Weekend Atlanta almost a year ago, at the “Late Night Anime” room. The sign outside said something about “Demons, cheerleaders, perverted teachers”, so how could I resist? “Called by Heaven, the Earth, and my beeper – Jinno Hazumi!”
Plot and Setting/Story: 8/10
Long ago, demons opened a gateway from the Dark Realm and attempted to take over the Earth. They were prevented from doing so when a mighty warrior defeated their leader and sealed the gateway between the worlds. Sealing the gate also required the sacrifice of the man she loved. Some of the demons (called Remnants) still remain, awaiting their chance to rise again. A special school was built over the sealed gate, and students from the school have been trained as “Guardians” to fight the Remnants. Now, after 30,000 years, the leader of the demons has awakened and the battle for Earth has begun once more. The Supreme Guardian has been reincarnated as Jinno Hazumi, a high school student feared by friend and foe alike. The Key to the Gateway has also been reincarnated, as her brother Takumi. Hazumi faces a difficult ordeal – she must battle the demons and seal the gateway again, which requires sacrificing Takumi. But she is also in love with him. Will her duty triumph over her passion? And final exams are coming up!
I’m not sure how to score a parody on this – you don’t expect a lot of originality from something that intentionally copies well-known themes. But the authors did a very good job of creating a plausible story line and background. I loved the ending, which took me by surprise.
Characters/Character Development: 7/10
Hazumi is an over-the-top warrior who can (and frequently does) level entire buildings with her attacks. When she arrives at the fight, her allies panic, which she finds annoying. A couple of the Remnants are entertaining: Lord McCoy is a mincing, butch biker; another is a gigolo who attempts to seduce Hazumi’s mother. Takumi is rather two-dimensional, a mostly passive guy who lets the girls push him around. Chiryuu-senpai is a perverted teacher who keeps peeking up Hazumi’s skirt. Hime, the school cheerleader, is her rival for Takumi’s affections. Other than that, CCG is rather action-oriented, and not much time is devoted to development of the secondary characters.
Art/Animation: 7/10
The art is pretty good - nothing amazing, but nothing that detracts from the enjoyment of the show. Some of the scenes are so dark that it’s hard to see what’s going on. The animation flows smoothly, and the fight scenes are well choreographed.
Sample Screenshots:
Please click on thumbnails to see the images in original size, as well as to read the additional comments from the reviewer.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg01sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=902) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg02sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=901) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg03sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=900)
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg04sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=899) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg06sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=897) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg05sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=898)
Music/Sound: 8/10
The music and sound effects are unremarkable. There isn't really any opening theme song. The ending music is standard J-pop, and the sound effects complement the story without getting in the way. I do like the characters' voices, especially the lead Remnants.
Additional Comments or Warnings:
Some brief nudity. The show has one of Anime’s Most Epic Attacks Ever: the Hime Super Bow-Wow Punch. If you’re into comedy, this is well worth watching, but it’s a parody, so don’t take it too seriously.
Overall Anime Rating: 7/10
Reviewer: Brian
Original Title: Bakuen Campus Guardress.
Alternative Title(s): Combustible Campus Guardress.
Format: OVA, 4 episodes, complete.
Year(s): 1994.
Genres/Themes: action, fantasy, comedy, parody; seinen.
Animation Studio: Production I.G.
Director: Nishikubo Toshihiko.
Original Authors: Hagiwara Kazushi, Akahori Satoru.
Number of Episodes Seen: 4/4
Introduction (optional):
I first saw this at Anime Weekend Atlanta almost a year ago, at the “Late Night Anime” room. The sign outside said something about “Demons, cheerleaders, perverted teachers”, so how could I resist? “Called by Heaven, the Earth, and my beeper – Jinno Hazumi!”
Plot and Setting/Story: 8/10
Long ago, demons opened a gateway from the Dark Realm and attempted to take over the Earth. They were prevented from doing so when a mighty warrior defeated their leader and sealed the gateway between the worlds. Sealing the gate also required the sacrifice of the man she loved. Some of the demons (called Remnants) still remain, awaiting their chance to rise again. A special school was built over the sealed gate, and students from the school have been trained as “Guardians” to fight the Remnants. Now, after 30,000 years, the leader of the demons has awakened and the battle for Earth has begun once more. The Supreme Guardian has been reincarnated as Jinno Hazumi, a high school student feared by friend and foe alike. The Key to the Gateway has also been reincarnated, as her brother Takumi. Hazumi faces a difficult ordeal – she must battle the demons and seal the gateway again, which requires sacrificing Takumi. But she is also in love with him. Will her duty triumph over her passion? And final exams are coming up!
I’m not sure how to score a parody on this – you don’t expect a lot of originality from something that intentionally copies well-known themes. But the authors did a very good job of creating a plausible story line and background. I loved the ending, which took me by surprise.
Characters/Character Development: 7/10
Hazumi is an over-the-top warrior who can (and frequently does) level entire buildings with her attacks. When she arrives at the fight, her allies panic, which she finds annoying. A couple of the Remnants are entertaining: Lord McCoy is a mincing, butch biker; another is a gigolo who attempts to seduce Hazumi’s mother. Takumi is rather two-dimensional, a mostly passive guy who lets the girls push him around. Chiryuu-senpai is a perverted teacher who keeps peeking up Hazumi’s skirt. Hime, the school cheerleader, is her rival for Takumi’s affections. Other than that, CCG is rather action-oriented, and not much time is devoted to development of the secondary characters.
Art/Animation: 7/10
The art is pretty good - nothing amazing, but nothing that detracts from the enjoyment of the show. Some of the scenes are so dark that it’s hard to see what’s going on. The animation flows smoothly, and the fight scenes are well choreographed.
Sample Screenshots:
Please click on thumbnails to see the images in original size, as well as to read the additional comments from the reviewer.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg01sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=902) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg02sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=901) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg03sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=900)
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg04sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=899) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg06sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=897) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/CCG/ccg05sm.jpg (http://www.animechatforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40&pictureid=898)
Music/Sound: 8/10
The music and sound effects are unremarkable. There isn't really any opening theme song. The ending music is standard J-pop, and the sound effects complement the story without getting in the way. I do like the characters' voices, especially the lead Remnants.
Additional Comments or Warnings:
Some brief nudity. The show has one of Anime’s Most Epic Attacks Ever: the Hime Super Bow-Wow Punch. If you’re into comedy, this is well worth watching, but it’s a parody, so don’t take it too seriously.
Overall Anime Rating: 7/10