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willtaylor

  • Petersburg, Va
  • Joined Apr 15, 2010
  • 52 / M

Ah! My Goddess TV

Apr 16, 2010

Let me see... What can I say about this anime? I'll say this first. I like dopey and sentimental. To me, it's a refreshing change of pace from what we see everyday. So I'll start my review by saying that if you like the dopey, sentimental shows, then you will most probably find something to enjoy about this one.

Some would say that the story is about a wimp and a doormat finding love in spite of the odds. I tend to disagree with this. Keiichi is not a wimp. He's unsure of himself and lacks confidence, but he's not a wimp. I say this because when it counts, he stands up for his friends, and through the series you see glimpses of his inner character. Unlike most other Anime stories, he is not quick to gain that confidence in himself. I guess I remember what I was like when I was 21 and I remember that I didn't have a fraction of the self confidence that I do now, so that means I can identify with the character. He's unsure about women, but he's not unsure about his love for Belldandy.

Belldandy, on the other hand is most certainly maligned just as much as she is lauded. She's a First Class Goddess, Second Category, Unlimited License. She is most certainly not a human female. I think that's where a lot of evaluations of her character fall down. She is the example of what a Goddess should be in the world of Ah My Goddess. Because you choose to devote yourself to someone else's happiness doesn't make you a doormat. I think it makes you a person to be admired. Yes, she looks for the best in people. No, she isn't worldly when it comes to sexuality. Yes she is incredibly gorgeous --all the things you want in a "Magical Girlfriend" anime. The only thing is, she's a little more than that, too. There are times in life when all you need in order to make a difference in your own life, is for someone to have faith in you. And she does struggle with this sometimes, in spite of the expectation of her to be perfect.

I think the funniest thing about this series, is that if the two of them were left alone, they would work this out together on their own. They are both comfortable to move at their own pace, only everyone else around them is in a hurry to see them "Do the deed..." to quote Urd. Everyone sees what they have and they want to help it along, causing more problems than they solve. It does provide for some hilarious moments.

I will say that I found Marller's voice to be annoying, and Skuld's over use of "Big Sis" to be painful at times. I have ten brothers and sisters myself, and I have never called them Big Bro or Little Sis --but that's just me. I believe that the Senpai are hilarious, and I'm quite fond of the appearances of Sayoko and Aoshima. I just wish they had greater parts, but all in all I was happy with the season as it stood.

I wasn't really crazy about the Lord of Terror arc towards the end. Though I can tell why it was put in, it felt completely different from the rest of the series. I can understand that they wanted to show that if it came down to a choice between the world and Keiichi, she would save Keiichi, but I think that there are perhaps better ways to accomplish this than that. The only other thing I would think that would add to the understanding of the series is an explanation of why Keiichi overracts with women. In the Manga they explain this, but they never touch on this during the first season.

I haven't watched the OVA or the movie. Honestly, I don't really intend to watch them. I bought this DVD set for my daughter because we are exploring Anime together. Little did I know that my older brother, my niece, and my 16 year old nephew would enjoy it as well. (In fact, he told my brother to tell me last week I couldn't come over for dinner if I didn't bring the DVDs so he could watch the las three episodes.) I didn't feel like anything was too violent, or too suggestive, and I truly enjoyed the show. I can't wait for season two to arrive. I just ordered it today.

8/10 story
10/10 animation
10/10 sound
8/10 characters
9/10 overall
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