StoryA few years ago, I settled down to watch Ikkitousen: a worthy recommendation with the perverted, martial arts classic Tenjou Tenge. It temporarily satisfied my urge for more panty-flashing, ass-kicking action. For some reason, Dragon Destiny has
since been toward the bottom of my list of anime to watch, but maybe
the four year delay was a misguided move on my behalf, as I lost track
of the plot. Ultimately, the complexity of the Romance of Three
Kingdoms element soared above my head at great heights and I
desperately struggled to remember which character was a reincarnation
of which war lord.
Picking up where Ikkitousen left off, the schools of Kanto
are still at warring in an effort to prove their supremacy. As ever,
fate and destiny have a strong hand in proceedings and so each player
in this battle struggles to overcome their inevitable future. Whereas
the first season focussed on the busty Hakufu’s endeavour to contain
the tempestuous dragon within, Dragon Destiny pays more
attention to the clueless Gentoku – a girl with similar rage issues to
the previous heroine. Now far from being bad, it just seems that the
plot is a little recycled, as friends are once again left to deal with
the aftermath as their once wide-eyed and innocent leader goes postal.
The story rattles along at breakneck speed, and those with very little
knowledge of the 14th century text that most of the series is based
upon will quickly become lost. Like myself.
Reeling in the light-hearted and jovial feel of its predecessor, this
season is much darker and perhaps tries too hard to appeal to a more
mature audience. As opposed to the serious beatings dealt in 2003, this
later incarnation rubs its hands together in savage glee as blood flows
freely and characters actually die. Sadly, the faced-paced battles are
few and far between, with politics and a more confusing plot taking the
lead. Personally speaking, I think a little hand-holding by the writers
wouldn’t go amiss, as what little story there is goes sailing right
over my head.
Although it seems like I have a downer on the storyline, the show still
delivers exactly what it promises; more underwear and cleavage shots
than you can shake a stick at and numerous new enemies that certainly
spice things up enough to keep the viewer engaged for twelve episodes.
Leaving the ending open for a third season, I can only hope that Great Guardians reveals a little more of the more intriguing myth bubbling under the
surface of political panty-shots. Hinted at numerous times by wiser
characters in the know, maybe they will let the viewer in on the big
secret at some point!
AnimationSeemingly allowed a bigger budget for Dragon Destiny, there are
certain moments that truly shine; Moutoku fighting Kakouen along a
cityscape, bouncing off the sides of buildings is lovingly enhanced by
a subtle use of CG. The viewer is also treated to the tantalising
curves of Gentoku, as they are phenomenally showcased in as many
positions as a perverted mind can imagine. Although it should probably
count as a negative point against the show, the use of disintegrating
clothing during the martial arts scenes is utterly hilarious. Girl
receives a hefty left hook? Her shirt explodes to reveal a very
un-sports-like bra and over spilling cleavage! Roundhouse kick to the
ribs? Marvel as her skirt drifts away in pieces, revealing some
adorable cotton panties and a very noticeable camel-toe! The animation
is certainly not one of Ikkitousen’s strong points; however it certainly fits the fan-service feel of a cheeky series.SoundPresenting a truly mixed bag, Ikkitousen features an eclectic
collection of upbeat openings and a pleasantly melodic outtro.
Unfortunately, some tracks seem a little unprofessional, with the
initial song sounding more like it was recorded in someone’s bedroom,
the audio just isn’t up to the standard of the other pleasant songs.
Luckily, the seiyuu make up for the musical short coming, as they bring
to life their characters' bouts of physical exertion. Kan’u stands out
especially for me, as she says very little in her extremely deep and
husky voice. However, this results in the few lines she does perform
packing an extra punch.CharactersRelying less on the clueless, yet busty Hakufu and more on the equally
top-heavy Gentoku, it feels as if the events of the first season have
been left hanging. Leaving behind the students of Nanyang Academy, Dragon Destiny pays more attention to the much less accomplished Cheng du High, the
girls are given an opportunity to truly shine. Ryuubi Gentoku is the
stereotypical bespectacled ditz, with an impressive rack and an even
more impressive fate. As the surprising leader of the school, her
feeble exterior hides a dark and powerful dragon contained within her.
Irritatingly perky and naively dense, Gentoku doesn’t make my top 100
protagonists. Her bodyguard Kan’u, however, does; strong and silent,
she kicks some serious ass without breaking a sweat. Despite
practically being a mute, she shows a surprisingly deep and loyal side,
developing significantly as the story progresses.
However, for me at least, Ikkitousen is all about Hakufu
and Ryomou, also known as big boobs and eyepatch. They still have some
screen time, but it is mostly used to develop an overtly bizarre
storyline. Almost added as an afterthought, their once love-hate
relationship is shunned in favour of a group love-in, lacking the
excitement of what they once had. Sousou, as far as evil villains go,
is dull; more of a minor annoyance than a seriously threatening
adversary, he drifts through the episodes without building himself up.
A shame really, as a good final showdown would have helped the show to
a more competitive score.OverallIkkitousen, as a brand, is fun, frivolous and overtly perverted. When broken down into its individual elements, Dragon Destiny is probably the dark twin kept hidden under the stairs. Lacking the
crude humour of the first season, it attempts to cram extensive amounts
of story into twelve episodes of anime. The perversion remains, as do
the over-the-top martial arts battles, but politics and verbal bloat
distract from what could have been a much, much higher scoring series.
That said, my curiosity about the final destinies of the characters is
what will drive me to watch Great Guardians...
Screenshots
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