Alternative TitlesEnglish: Ben-To Synonyms: Bento, Ben-Tou Japanese: ベン・トー
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 12
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Oct 9, 2011 to Dec 25, 2011
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 7.581 (scored by 47904 users)
Ranked: #12082
Popularity: #313
Members: 83,236
Favorites: 395 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
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SynopsisSato Yo is a high school boy who likes SEGA games. One day, he enters a grocery store to buy some food for dinner. When he tries to take a bento box, he loses consciousness. He comes around to find all the bento sold out. He notices there is a war game going on at grocery stores and players called "Wolves" compete for the half-priced bento. Yarizui Sen, the leader of the Half-Pricer Club, forces Yo to join the club and he enters the bento war. |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Ben-To Other: Ben-To Picture Drama
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
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Itagaki, Shin
Director, Episode Director, Script, Storyboard, Animation Director, Series Composition |
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Aketagawa, Jin
Sound Director |
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Tsuda, Naokatsu
Episode Director, Storyboard |
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Kato, Toshiyuki
Episode Director, Storyboard |
Reviews
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Yukariki
159 of 276 people found this review helpful
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12 of 12 episodes seen
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
Ben-To is philosophy. Ben-To is art. Ben-To is everything, but bad for your health.
How does a show deliver such greatness that cannot be matched by other action shows? The answer is simple: Ben-To knows its place as an over-the-top parody work. Most shows suffer from being blatant copies of each other and turn bland by the time the second episode pops up. However, every single episode of Ben-To is simmered, well-roasted, and served with refreshments.
The show’s main appeal is its dramatic fighting sequences and Production David does well. Do not fear the “absurd” premise. In shopping malls, it is a well-known fact that discounted goods are pretty much fought over; Ben-To just takes it into account and increases the fighting factor. The ridiculous over-the-top action scenes are rendered and always intense; not even a typical pool episode can hinder the awesomeness of punching people’s stomachs for the sake of an unagi don bento. Speed lines are used graciously and the action can be seen easily due to the presentation it is drawn, the OP being a great example.
Do not also be let down by the huge amount of cliches and archetypes; this is a parody of action shows. You have the Rei Ayanami clone, the perverted ordinary high school student, a perverted girl, and more. However, what Ben-To does is something spectacular: it plays with the tropes and archetypes and puts it into the most awesome setting of all, a supermarket. There is a lot of interesting twists into an archetype, trope, and setting that is admirable in creative standards; it is very rare to see a work so understanding and playful of its tropes and Ben-To does it well.
Yet, this work is tainted by the huge amount of fanservice. Most of the characters are females with noticeable cleavage and this can be distracting and sexist to many. I have trouble liking Oshiroi’s character sometimes as all she does is make sexual innuendos. It is problematic that the action clashes with the fanservice in many times.
The OPs are beautifully animated and highlight the show’s distinctive features. "Live for Life" is a catchy, irresistible theme song that I hum every time I remember Ben-To. The background music is pretty wacky and cool at times, showing the effort done in the sound department. All of the seiyuus sound about right, though there isn’t anyone who did a spectacular job.
The reasons that you may not watch this show become the reason you will watch the show. Its ingredient list can be skeptical at first, but it is godly. The show is more addictive than Dr. Pepper and tastier than Kettle potato chips.
Why are you waiting in line at the restaurant? Go to your nearest supermarket today and grab a bento.
Itadakimasu! read more
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GlassGod
27 of 49 people found this review helpful
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12 of 12 episodes seen
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
7 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Character |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
The Ice Witch,the Beauty by the Lake...These nicknames at the start of opening theme along with the upbeat song itself got me quite interested.The name was awkward in itsellf but what the anime turned out to be didn't make me regret watching it.The story is quirky enough to amaze you and at times it becomes hilarious.On the other hand,it puts forward a story that you can relate to,something that is relevant morally,an idealistic view-that you have to fight for your own food to aquire it and in that way,you can realise its true flavour and worth.Bento has a central theme-food is precious and we should realise its worth and not just mindlessly eat it but appreciate the effort of so many other people that has gone into bringing it to us finally.Thus,the meals that we eat everyday shouldn't be taken for granted but rather treated as a precious commodity.
The story starts with us being introduced to an ever-lazy protagonist Satou who does as much as he absolutely has to everyday.On a certain high-school night,when he goes to the supermarket to buy some cheap food suiting his limited allowance,that he first witnesses and gets dragged into a Bento fight and gets beat up awfully by an unknown girl who later turns out to be a senior at the same high-school as his and is the famed Western Wolf,'The Ice Witch'.
Hungry and testosterone-fuelled youngsters who fight it out with all their might to get their hands on the exclusive half-priced bentos that are made available in the supermarkets after a certain fixed time at night is what the anime is about.But it not only the food that they are after but also Honour.Warriors of such kind aquire 'nom de guerres',i.e,Honorary titles that are given to those fighters of the Wolf grade.The beauty of the nom de guerre concept is quite fulfilling.The titles of the characters build up an atmosphere of excitement.Then there are pigs,dogs,boars and other types of fighters depending on their style of fighting.
The battle-sequences are very good and smooth and you can feel the quality of animation at its best.They are very enjoyable and relatable.The music that plays in the background when battles happen gets you all fired up with its upbeatness and techno-beats.
The greatest merit of Ben-to is that it manages to merge humour and seriousness seamlessly.All that packed in a mere 12 episode series.Saito gets renowned as 'The Freak',his honourary warrior's title.Situations lead him to earn his fame as the perverted freak.How he gets tangled in unwanted dire problematic situations which always seems to end with him being further recognized as a pervert is hilarious to watch. Two scenes are worth a mention-The swimming pool incident where Saito shows his,umm..,Radar to the public and the one where the Kyo sister mistakes him as the Ice witch in the hospital and makes her confession.They certainly should have you in splits.And there are other moments that have you laughing heartily too.
Ecchi,you get it in good amount keeping in mind that its such a short series.Yuri abounds and is proclaimed by Shiraume,the student council president.God,such a dominating nature she has that not even Shaga,a.k.a,The Beauty by the Lake can avoid her sexy 'naked-in-the-bathtub' attack.She gets to know Shaga intimately in the bathtub and her bare-it-all moments with Oshoroi,her love,is tiltillating to the extreme.But all of this adds to the 'Wow!' factor.Assuredly,you won't forget Shiraume and her escapades anytime soon.
The serious parts are not compromised though.The history of Orthros,the Wolf duo,is quite deep.The sheer ignorance and seclusion from society they were made to face just because they were to strong to win against strikes deeply in the heart.It portrays that when you attain great power,you become more the lonely.Sato lives up to expectations as he plays the befitting wolf with magnanimous pride in the end.He's not something exceptional but he does his job of a protagonist nicely.
But there are some cons too.The Wizard could have been given more screen space and some greater role to play.In the end,despite being the West's strongest wolf,he ends up feeling insignificant as he leaves the country for studying abroad.Beardy,Brunette and Monk could have been more associative with the Ice witch and gang but perhaps they were purposedly kept as the loyal friends and fight-buddies.Hercules Combo turns out to be a manipulating wimp which disappoints slightly considering the terror he brought about at first.
But all these are very minor things and not exactly flaws when you weigh them against the merits of the anime.So,in the end,not much remains to disappoint you.
Orthros' unique combat style is one cool thing to watch.The God of Discounts idea is quirky but fun.The battle sequences are of quality and the friendship factor is well-fitting.You get comedy,you get some lovely ladies baring it all,action,and quirkiness.So,conclusively,Ben-to is a good light-hearted watch which can make your day.If you have pride,if you have honour,leave your thoughts aside and join in the fight with the wolves.Ben-to may not sparkle with class,but with its glamour and glitz,it sure does leave a lasting impression.
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Recommendations
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Who would think that you could get a serious Anime from either story lines, but somehow the people who came up with the idea for both made it work. There is humor built into the story line too and it is very enjoyable despite the corniness.
They are similar in the fact of having a cute shy main character who ends up in the center of a big competition.
The comedy is fairly similar.
The "weak" protagonist (really, it's just that everyone else is too strong) is often subjected to physical punishment. In Baka Test it's getting his butt handed to him in summoning fights and by tsunderes, while in Ben-To he gets his ass kicked plain and simple... over food. (Don't worry though, they both overcome their underdog status in their own way)
They also both have a sort-of stalker who's weak to romace cliches. A male in BakaTest, a female in Ben-To. Also, they're also both poor, starving students.
The difference is the protagonist of Ben-To isn't "the dumbest idiot around".
Yoshii Akihisa (Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu) and You Satou (Ben-to) Have the same Voice Actors (Hiro Shimono)
Both shows fight for one thing that isn't normally fought about (Grades and Half-priced food)
Both have the same Ecchi-like comedy style
The randomness, the action and the comedy go hand in hand with these two shows.
If you like one of them you'll probably like the other
The basic concept around these two shows are competition, where students mostly fight to meet their expectations. The main characters in here participates these events either by team or a free-for-all battle in a surreal battle sequence. The fighting can be absurd, but it was entertaining and satisfying, so expect some action, teamwork, and romance in here.
Baka and Test, tells a boy who helps his friends trying to reach up the higher class by competing a unique RPG battle system. Ben-to follows a boy who is caught up in all out brawl between customers competing for half-price ben-to.
Baka's an over-the-top school scenario with lots of randomness mixed in with the fighting. Baka's humor and action carries it through and makes it enjoyable. you'll find many similarities, from humor style to voice actors, but baka definitely proves itself worthy in its own right.
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Both these Anime feature girls kicking butt despite the odd situations they find them in. Both Anime push the boundary of "willing suspense of disbelief" and yet the viewer still finds themselves believing what is going on could possibly happen in another reality.
both reminds of one another .
both have team planing.
both have do or die situations.
both have survival game type feel .
both are Action, Comedy genre.
both have many cute girls.
Has a similar high school setting and it has high school kids fighting over something not really important. Both are good shows if you're looking for a good laugh with some plot.
Both have a guy who is suddenly thrown into a battle and a strong girl who leads/teaches them how to survive.Angel Beats is more dark where as ben-to is more like a comedy.
The action intensity is pretty much the same in both anime—the art as well. The plot of Ben-to isn't as dramatic than Angel Beats, but it's pretty close from different angles.
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Opening Theme#1: "LIVE for LIFE ~Ookamitachi no Yoru~ (LIVE for LIFE ~狼たちの夜~)" by Aimi (eps 1-3, 5-11) #2: "Treasure" by Emiri Kato (ep 4) #3: "Egao no Housoku (笑顔の法則)" by Mariya Ise (ep 12)
Ending Theme#1: "Egao no Housoku (笑顔の法則)" by Mariya Ise (eps 1-11) #2: "LIVE for LIFE ~Ookamitachi no Yoru~ (LIVE for LIFE ~狼たちの夜~)" by Aimi (ep 12)
Fansubbing Groups
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Related ClubsAnime Buddies!, ☮ Food World Club(づ。◕‿‿◕。)づ☂, amantes del harem , Horie Yui Fanclub, Anime Freaks♥, Everything Anime (E.A), fanaticos del harem, Akira Ishida, AnimeServ Club, 1st timer Anime helpers, Anime Songs , Shaga, Ayame, MangaKids -(fansub)- Club, Shimono Hiro FC, Ai Kayano Fanclub!, Okamoto Nobuhiko FC, Arabic Yuri/ Shoujo ai Club $~(•.•)~$, *AnimeFanClubs*, The Waiting-For-Uncensored Club, Delinquents ClubEcchi/Harem, Ben-To Fan Club, Ume Shiraume fanclub, The Ramen Raters, Anime Club for thugs, Otaku Club, Overrated or Underrated Animes and Mangas, Thigh Highs FC, Yuuki Aoi fanclub, - ~ Miyano Mamoru Fanclub ~ - , Lesbians in Anime, Anime America Club, I hate Shiraume Ume see all
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