Eiken Review

story 7/10

First of all if you hate boobs, walk away. If you don’t like momentous mammary glands, you really should stop reading now – Eiken is to “fun bags” what Lelouch was to the rebellion; an essential part of the mayhem, and not afraid to exploit it to get their way.

When Densuke Mifune arrives at the exclusive Zashono Academy, the tone is set as the reserved young schmuck bumps into the comely Chiharu. Minor contact is turned into a laughable grope-fest, with the innocent boy falling and finding his hands kneading the ample bosom trapped beneath him. Things get worse, as he is inaugurated into this mysterious group – the purpose of which is never explained – and Mifune finds himself surrounded by a group of mismatched beauties looking for some titular fun. The show continues in this vein – using every possible opportunity to place the hapless member of the Eiken club into some extremely compromising and innuendo fuelled moments, usually at the expense of his top heavy associates.

The true allure of the show shines through as the annual “big summer event” places the team into swimsuits and encourages a highly suggestive competition. A first round bungee jump sees the unfortunately proportioned Komoe plummeting to earth – her cranium sized breasts undulating with the downward force and panties exposed to the world. Just as you think things can’t get much worse, the words “yogurt slide” appears on screen. The insinuation contained within this bizarre challenge will have even the most hardened ecchi fan double-taking with disbelief; an innocent waterslide becomes a blatant allusion towards a messy sex session, but the show does this without nudity or even showing a nipple.

Although the premise of Eiken is pure ecchi anime filth, the execution is performed in such a way that the viewers mind will act out much more than what happens onscreen. The simple act of eating a banana is glorified in style - girls in swimwear climbing over each other to be the first to consume every delicious inch of the phallic fruit, and to win adoration from their peers. Scenes of sexual parody continue unashamedly, and although lacking any real depth, the show will leave a strangely satisfying feeling for those who understand that this is nothing but a satirical look at perversion.

animation 4/10

The most eye-catching aspect of Eiken is, of course, the astronomical breasticles. You can almost hear the twisted glee of the artists’ as their creations struggle to remain upright. With sexual fantasy taking precedent over visual quality, the show suffers from moments of poorly drawn characters and unimpressive scenery.

sound 7/10

With a suggestive whimper and a moan, the voice actors for the Eiken girls were well selected. From the domineering, deep voiced Kirika, to the soft and shy tones of Chiharu; each of the diverse group has a solid seiyuu with a talent for vocal seduction.

The whimsical J-pop opening track is both catchy and fitting to the show, accompanied by the entire cast gyrating around harmoniously with the funky beats. As the lively tunes continue through the show, the only soundtrack letdown is the ending; sounding more appropriate to a 70's soft-core porn movie, it feels like a buzz-kill to the quick witted anime.

characters 8/10

Although a criteria for ecchi is usually a harem consisting of impossibly curvaceous and mindless women, Eiken refuses to fully comply. The busty female protagonist, Chiharu, is shy and girly but also highly intelligent – scoring the highest on the esteemed entrance exam. Her real downfall is a fragile nature; wanting a male to protect her, she causes jealousy amongst her admirers by falling into the arms of whoever happens to be nearest at the time. Surprisingly, this is not done in a sexual way, with Chiharu knowing what she wants and walking away from the situation if she isn’t comfortable.

Mifune is typical of the inexperienced sap surrounded by a plethora of perky schoolgirls. With eyes only for Chiharu, he coyly tries to avoid any compromising situation, apologising sincerely for the accidental fondling sessions he frequently finds himself in. Pushing the group into trouble is the monumental Kirika. Wearing dental floss masquerading as a swim suit, the orally fixated vixen provides much of the comedy with her overbearing nature and obsession with food. The varied cast is over-the-top and stereotyped to the extreme, something that may not appeal to many viewers, but there is no doubt that each personality holds a certain charm.

overall 7.5/10

Eiken is crude. Eiken is perverted. But most of all, Eiken is fun. The extreme dose of ecchi will not appeal to everyone – the frequent groans of disbelief that I dared to enjoy this show tell me that – but see through the silicone enhanced exterior and you will enjoy satire aimed at the most hardcore fanservice fans.