StoryHarem anime shows are frequently like Marmite – you either love or hate them;
there is no middle ground. The lingering bitter aftertaste of DearS and Ichigo 100% had sufficiently raised my skepticism of the harem genre, giving expectations that Shuffle! would be another droll fap-fest for the ecchi loving sheeple. I was
taken gently by the hand to witness an alluring love pentagle unfold
before my eyes. Featuring a plethora of panty shots and packed to the
rafters with romantic drama, the series ultimately offers 24 episodes
of illicit pleasure.
“It’s based on an eroge”, thinks I. “It’s going to be mindless bimbos
throwing themselves at an otaku loser”. Setting the scene in the first
episode, Shuffle! certainly follows the tried and tested recipe of the typical harem;
introducing Rin as the inevitable lucky boy that the girls worship, his
one woman devotee soon accrues company. Things become a little stranger
as Nerine and Sia are brought in as the princesses of the demon and god
realms – and they are both intent on marrying the clueless boy. Sadly,
this otherworldly aspect is used as a rather convoluted plotline that
didn’t sit comfortably in the overall high school romance. However the
show pulls itself back together by focusing on each female and
gathering momentum via small arcs that succinctly explain the motives
and reasoning for their undying feelings towards Rin. But what is this?
The human side of these people giving emotional attachment to
characters in an ecchi show? Unheard of!
My initial gripe with the show was that the girls appeared strangely
cool about all sharing the same guy. My complaint is swiftly addressed
in the second half as jealousy takes hold of one female, and the shock
fallout as she goes postal certainly makes the viewer sit up to pay
attention. What makes Shuffle! so different to other shows in the same genre is the fearless use of
realistic and dark feelings; if we’re honest here, females are fearsome
creatures that can unleash their hellcat side when faced with
competition.
Ecchi anime rarely comes with a convincing storyline, and Shuffle! sits on the fence in the matter. On one hand, the romance,
personalities and reactions are believable and watchable; on the other,
the demonic Yggdrasil project is a little bit silly and permeates into
too much of the story. There are other, more creative ways, to write a
backstory and give a girl a mystery illness without resorting to
wishy-washy fantasy. Ignoring the minor craziness, the score would have
been much higher, and the stark contrast between the first and second
halves of the show done seamlessly. The brief moments of fan service
fit well into the overall ambiance, raising naughty smirks as virgin
crotches "accidentally" press themselves against Rin's face for the
umpteenth time. It never intends to be a high brow, intellectual
series, but Shuffle! certainly manages to surprise those viewers only out for a bit of fun.AnimationWith the artists seeming to work on a shift pattern, the standout
moments of animated brilliance are tarnished by those built on pure
ugliness. The first few episodes feature poorly proportioned characters
with misshapen faces loosely tacked on to drab, lifeless backdrops.
This is in stark contrast to the allure of lovingly sketched faces
during emotional scenes, and the glistening presence of spectacular
ample breasts. And not just boobs – Shuffle! breaks the
censorship mould and tops the mammary mountains with perfect pink
nipples. Then again, most eroge fans look for the visual quality of the
fan-service, and the panties and underwear featured in the lingerie
shopping episode is certainly varied and tantalisingly sexy.SoundAccompanying the opening credits, the typically romantic tune will stay
with you long after watching. As someone who usually dislikes this kind
of audio assault, I surprisingly found myself humming along with the
melody each time. Although the closing track isn’t as memorable or
impressive, the emotional lullaby fits the tone of Shuffle! very well.
DO NOT WATCH THIS SHOW DUBBED. Now that we have the formalities out of
the way, the Japanese voice acting is excellent. Rin’s rich, syrupy
tones will have any right-minded female turn weak at the knees, as the
vocal talents of Haruhi Suzumiya’s
Kyon are put to use once more. High pitched girlyness suits Kaede and
Sia, whilst loli-idol Primula's performance is much more reserved,
verging on comically robotic, which fits her character perfectly. Even
buxom Beni-sensei delivers a deep feminine growl that will set most
groins a stirring.CharactersPacked to the rafters with cliché female love interests, the show even
provides colour coordinated hair to make your favourite buxom babe
easier to identify. Although initially lacking in depth, there is
something to the diverse group of females that gives them a magnetic
attraction and appeal to most panty-hungry perverts. From the lolicon’s
dream to the cleavage-tastic teacher, Shuffle! also manages to
cover the shy “childhood friend” and "back slapping tsundere" fetishes.
Playing the part of the typical harem, the female cast step it up a
gear as jealousy, anger and dark histories creep into the fray and each
character develops through their own mini-arc. Cute girlishness is
tossed by the wayside as the show unleashes a no-holds barred
bitch-fight.
But wait, not only do we have seven stereotyped females to choose from,
but act now, and you’ll also receive the clueless male protagonist for
half price! My dislike of harem shows usually stem from a feckless guy
who wouldn’t have a chance of bedding one female in the real world, let
alone six or seven. Breaking the mould, Rin Tsuchimi is a genuinely
nice guy who easily deserves the company of girls who would drop their
panties for him. With a sensitive and understanding side, his
unassuming attitude is often exploited by Asa-sempai as she whips out
her boobs to take perverse pleasure in grossly embarrassing the object
of her affections.OverallPersonally rating the show a little higher, I have taken into
consideration that many people may be turned off by the fearless leap
this little harem show takes into darker waters. Even though certain
aspects of the plot are spread a little thinly in places, the
characters and drama more than make up for the failings. Definitely one
of the best ecchi-romance shows available at the moment, it is nice to
see a relationship actually blossom, instead of the usual eroge
cop-outs that concludes with an unsatisfactory slump. Now, if only
there was a real life Rin to fawn over, my life would be complete.