Re: Cutie Honey

As a heterosexual female, I have no interest in fanservice geared towards males; they can enjoy it as much as they want but I’d certainly prefer not to see bouncing breasts at every turn when I watch anime. I find it even more irritating when fanboys insist that the latest fanservice-laden series is really deep and meaningful when you look past the D-cups. So when I downloaded a little OVA known as Re: Cutie (or Cutey) Honey, I wondered what I was thinking. Sure, the original 1973 anime series more or less created the modern-day magical girl, but this OVA is a much more recent ... – not to mention shortened -- retelling of the original. Could such a remake really be anywhere near as enjoyable as the original must have been to have so much influence? The answer, as I quickly discovered, was yes, yes, yes! Re: Cutie Honey is everything I’ve come to expect from one of my favorite genres, but with its own unique twist.

That said, though, the uniqueness isn’t apparent in the basic story. While Honey herself brings a few neat elements to the table (more on that later), the storyline itself is pretty standard magical girl fare. Honey can transform into a scantily-clad warrior who fights for love and justice, and she does so to battle the mysterious forces of evil that have come to her city, eventually making it to the leader, who of course has some connection to her. The worst part of the plot is that this story has been used in every magical girl series ever. That said, it’s still told well, and since the series totals to a little over two hours, it’s also told more quickly than usual; those who shy away from magical girls because of the filler that’s usually to be found, fear not! Another nice bonus to this typical plot is that it keeps the series from turning into completely over-the-top comedy-slash-fanservice fest. It’s also important to note that Re: Cutie Honey is completely self-contained and requires neither prior knowledge of the franchise nor watching another series to understand. Neat!

It’s fair to say that characters are vital in setting a cliché story apart from the crowd, and Re: Cutey Honey knows exactally how to do that. Honey, despite being the idol of rabid fanboys everywhere, is one of the coolest magical girls you’ll ever see. She’s smart, she’s strong, she’s cool, she can take care of herself, and she’s not afraid to be sexy. Because of the latter aspect of her personality, then, the fanservice elements of the series are significantly less intrusive than those of other series; Honey would rather kick butt while half-naked than panic and scream when her clothes get ripped off. As for other characters, the only truly significant one is Aki, a police officer that will stop at nothing to capture Honey at first but eventually becomes her closest friend. It’s a pretty predictable way for her to develop, but she’s still a lot of fun to watch bounce off (literally and not) of Honey; honestly, it’s one of the best parts of the series.

Meanwhile, Re: Cutie Honey’s music doesn’t disappoint. The opening theme song, used in some variety for every Cutie Honey series to date, is a peppy J-pop tune that is guaranteed to be stuck in your head for the rest of your life. This is not an exaggeration, by the way. The ending song, meanwhile, is cute but more forgettable. The background music, however, is top-notch; while it has been accurately compared to that of His and Her Circumstances, that’s in the best possible way. The happy scenes in particularly have BGM that’s both appropriate for the scene and well-composed on its own merit. Overall, the music, while not perfect, is in general a blast to listen to. The same can be said for the art, perhaps to an even greater degree. No matter what you look for in a good character design – cute, sexy, or just unique and stylish – Re: Cutie Honey has it in its characters. The most impressive element of the art, however, is the animation: loose, fun, and with perfect flow; it’s perfect for such a fun OVA.

And in the end, that’s what Re: Cutie Honey is: a lot of fun. Despite having a serious overlaying plot and good character development, almost every minute of every episode is packed with action and energy, and it rarely gets dull. It’s hard to find a series with more relentless energy. It might not be what you might expect from a short magical girl OVA, but this one’s special in that it’s more focused on making you laugh and just have a good time than anything else, and that’s what really makes it special. Even the large amounts of fanservice don’t distract from this: if you’re not interested in topless girls, it’s easy to look at the silly excuses for fanservice as just that: silly. I for, one was not bothered by it at all – I just looked at it as another of the series’ unique elements. If you’re looking for a quick, easy to watch anime series that won’t ask anything of you but to enjoy it, look no further than Re: Cutie Honey.

Re: Cutie Honey was good. That's all you need to know. Go watch it. What, that's not enough for you? You need to know things about it? Alright, time to get a review going.

Story (8/10)

The most impressive thing about this show's story is that all three episodes manage to be wildly different while still telling the same story.

The first episode is a regular Imaishi action comedy romp. The blueprints for Kill la Kill are very apparent, and while this series doesn't develop the great visual sense and character dynamics that later series did, it still hits a lot of the same excitement.

The second episode, ... on the other hand, is a regular superhero drama. It's the typical story of the hero who tries to do her best, but gets blamed for the trouble villains cause. While it's a really common story these days, it had a lot of hold considering the more carefree episode before it. Another huge thread in this episode was society's treatment of women. As funny as that sounds to talk about in an ecchi anime, the second episode did a lot to capture how Honey and her peers weren't being appreciated.

The third episode is the one that was directed by Hideaki Anno. The apocalyptic imagery and themes of isolation you'd expect are very much present. I thought the script was kind of iffy though, and would have liked it to have followed up on the themes in episode 2.

But what really strikes me about the story is that while I can go on about how the three episodes' scenarios are different, the characters have one united story. Natsuki and Honey's dynamic is always sharp and adorable, Seiji is always an amusing witty sidekick, and Kyoko always brings a smile to your face. And that's what the story was for me. These four people coming together to fight this enemy, and not the convoluted specifics of where this enemy came from.


Art (7/10)
It's Gainax, so of course it's gonna look good. The first episode in particular is a standout display of colors, as expected from Imaishi. The next two aren't as visually stunning, sadly, but the series stays good looking enough you won't especially miss it.


Sound (6/10)
The OP is excellent, and the slowed down instrumental version that plays throughout the show is especially my jam. I felt there were some places the soundtrack felt bland or repetitive, but it was a fair track.


Character (7/10)
Are the characters deep? No. Are the characters fun and relatable? Yes. Honey is a ray of sunshine, and the day to day troubles she faces make her quite sympathetic. Natsuki is an excellent foil for her: strict, independent, and confident. Seiji, as I said before, is great if you enjoy the "smug smartass" character type (see Ryoji Kaji, Aikuro Mikisugi). There's nothing profound or original about these characters' depths, but if you like them they easily make the show worthwhile on their own.


Enjoyment (9/10)
This was exactly the pick-me-up I needed. Short show with only three episodes. Great action, great music, great design, some interesting themes, and like I've made clear, adorable characters.

Not sure how to be "objective" about enjoyment, but if you're here to have fun and you love subtle yuri (we're talking a couple inches above the Euphonium level), give this show a try.



Overall (8/10)
This isn't the score I have on my list. That's because there's a lot of shows I think are "Outstanding" (10), but I don't think all "Outstanding" shows are equal. I don't think all "Great"(9) shows are equal either.

But even if it's not in my favorites, I do think Re:Cutie Honey is a really good show. It's easy to finish, it hits a perfect balance between variation and consistency, and it'll have you shipping Honey and Natsuki in a jiff.

Cutie Honey is an awesome character. The 1973 series and the 1994 follow-up, Shin Cutey Honey, are are wonderful. (I have yet to see Cutey Honey F as it's not subbed fully) If you have no seen them I suggest watching them before watching this. The Gainax interpretation of the character isn't terrible, but it's the worst one I've seen sadly.

The animation is zany and loose. Ranging from very clean with fantastic backgrounds to Honey looking like a noodle flopping around. It's honestly annoying how ugly is looks sometimes. I understand this was a style choice, but it wasn't the right direction for Honey.

The action ... is a step down too. While the cast of characters Honey faces has more build than any before, battles themselves are still uninteresting. They also lack blood. Couple this with the strange animation and lazy "clothes rip off" cliche and battles are very disappointing. To be clear I don't mind the clothes ripping off stuff, but it just seemed lazy here.

So yes, there is nudity everywhere. More so than ever before. So if you like that than you're good. Of course there is a ton of fan service with some lesbian overtones.

Unlike most people I find the first episode the worst and than things get better as it goes along. However, it never really becomes great. The entire show seems like a parody of Cutey Honey. I do not dislike this show. In fact it's quite good. I just prefer the other interpretations of the Cutey Honey character. I recommend those first.

Also to note, this anime is based on a live action Cutey Honey movie. I have not seen it. It is subtitled if you are interested.

Overall
A short and very cliché OAV. Still cute and filled with nude shots. Not the worst I have seen, but nothing too memorable either.

Animation
The animation is well done, with a rather unique "western comic book" style. Action sequences and special effects look very good, and naked chicks are never wrong either.

Sound
The intro song fits well with the "western" theme (it doesn't sound as japanese as most of the intro songs out there) and was very (edit: VERY) likable by my standards.

Background music and sound effects are also nice and fitting. Voice acting is ok, nothing outstanding and nothing horrible.
...
Story
Bad story. The plot is obviously just an excuse for animating naked chicks fighting with super-powers. The plot twists are very cliché, but I suppose the whole OAV is supposed to be a parody of all the epic stuff out there, so it's not entirelly bad.

Character
There are not a lot of characters in this short series, and none of them is very interesting. The hardened female cop and the childish Honey complement each other nicely, though.

The bad guys (or girls) are funny sometimes, but the main reason for them being there is tearing the clothes off Honey. A task in which they succeed very well, I might add.

Value
I watched this for the sole reason of it being so short, and it was... well, cute. Nothing I'll watch again though. If I want tits, there are better alternatives out there.

The first episode was directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi. If you recognize his animation and directing style from FLCL's fifth episode, Gurren Lagann, Dead Leaves, Panty & Stocking and Kill la Kill, you already know what you're in for. His characters don't animate the _most_, but they animate in creative, exaggerated and really funny ways. Combined with the peppy soundtrack, the abstract backgrounds and the comedic tone, they make up a 1-hour romp of Cutie Honey beating up on villains while losing all her clothes.

The remaining two episodes aren't nearly as good. The second one is animated like a regular cheap TV show, while the ... third one abandons the light tone in favor of a more serious conclusion. After the first episode, you will want to see the conclusion to the story because episode 1 was so good. But it's a bit of a waste of time.

I can still heartily recommend the first episode, which I've rewatched many times. It's fun, it's funny, and it feels like it goes by in the blink of an eye. I appreciate it even more after Kill la Kill - Imaishi's stuff is usually best when it's short and sweet, a big burst of enjoyable energy. If you can get behind the content in Kill la Kill, you owe it to yourself to get a concentrated version of that.

A fun sexy adventure of Cutie Honey with more insanity, more tight story, and a open ended ending as far as the relationship between Honey and the female detective. Sexy over the top action that is similar to Kill La Kill and Panty and Stocking and influence those shows. Is an anime made by Gainax and it shows.
Story: The story is mainly Honey fighting the Black Panther with the female detective trying to capture Honey as they form a "friendy" relationship. The shoujo AI is in the tag and is open ended enough to satisfy people who want some yuri. While ... the main plot is nothing special, it manage to be wild fun and have enough content to keep the audience engage.
ART: The animation is really fun and vibrant, colorful with the new op being great while still having the classic catchy cutie honey song. The last episode was definitely the best animated.

Sound:Is overall fun and reflect the anime with the original op song coming back as catchy as ever.

Character:Honey while still being her sexy fun self that fight justice, is a bit more vulnerable and have self doubt. Her character development is decent. The side character are just as fun with the journalist being a fun shady sidekick and the female detective being a one man army. Think every 80's action start fit into one woman, and that what you get, a total badass that happen to be stuck up at times, but also a good friend to Honey. Also love their relationship and yes they would make a cute couple. The characters are fun, and the main villain is decent with some great designs.

Overall is a fun sexy reboot to a classic franchise. Maybe is a bit too different in some area than the original, but that what you want with a reboot, something different, but similar enough. Watch it for yourself and enjoy Cute Honey adventure.

The anime on its own is fine, as a homage for Cutey Honey, its pretty much the best you’ve got, the character design is charming, the visuals are bright and interesting, the soundtrack for the anime has a lot of songs with the motif of the Cutey Honey’s first anime opening, which is nice to hear throughout the anime, and that’s were the good points end, pretty much.
Only the first episode leaves that big impression on you, due to the fact that Hiroyuki Imaishi is directing it, so its natural you will have that colorful environment and fast action, the other two episodes left ... the feeling you’re watching an entire different anime, they’re not that bad, but it plays like a low-budget mahou shoujo and the third episode might be Hideaki Anno’s weakest direction, because the anime could have a really good last episode to redeem episode 2 (it dragged on too much), however, it only was a huge Evangelion reference.
As for the ecchi, theres a lot , I kinda dislike it, but its a Go Nagai work after all, don’t let the ecchi stop you from watching this, there’s also Yuri, that I also disapprove, but only in a few scenes, the way it was implemented felt forced, it was a bad choice in the end. That is all you really needed to know. As a reboot, this works fine, but as an adaptation? Not really, some of the changes really bother if you read the original manga, only a few transformations from the og for Cutie appear and Natsuko changed way too much, but it is still enjoyable.

Anyway, watch it.

Re: Cutie Honey consists of 3 fast paced OVAs with fun characters and a rule of cool storyline all presented with artistic animation that was way ahead of its time.

What makes these OVAs really special is the number of popular names that are credited for these episodes. Episode 1 was directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi, most known for his directorial work with Studio Trigger, for example Gurren Lagaan, Kill La Kill and most recently Cyberpunk Edgerunners. Episode 2 was directed by Naoyuki Ito, who went on to direct Overlord and other Madhouse anime. But most importantly, episode 3 was directed by Hideaki Anno, the director ... of the Evangelion franchise. With three of the industry’s big names involved in the visual presentation aspect of this anime, you can tell that these OVAs are going to be a feast for the eyes.

The plot however is less noteworthy, consisting mostly of the cartoony evil bad guys terrorizing a town that our superhero Cutie Honey has to save. The first two episodes are mostly filled with ecchi jokes and cool battles, although entertaining, lack much substance. That’s until the third episode which since directed by Hideaki Anno, explores themes of isolation and identity which may come off as pretentious considering the tone of the previous two episodes.

The characters are colorful and lively and do undergo character development throughout the OVAs. Most of all, they’re a lot of fun, as they’re charismatic and have some human elements which increase their relatability. Overall, the characters aren’t amazing but they’re much better than you’d expect from a fanservice action OVA series.

That brings me to the next point: the fanservice. These OVAs are filled with it, from skimpy character designs to characters losing clothes in battle, and there’s even some yuri scenes in there for the yuri fans. However, unlike most anime, this show handles fanservice very well. The pace of the storyline and action is never hindered by it and isn’t used to dehumanize the female characters; rather, it empowers them. Of course, those who don’t like ecchi will still not enjoy it. Nevertheless, people like me, who don’t mind when fanservice is used artistically, will appreciate how it’s never overdone and how it never interferes with the pacing or clashes with the tone.

To sum it all up, Re: Cutie Honey stands out as a highly memorable OVA series, thanks to its accomplished directorial team and its high-octane, stylized action paired with tasteful fanservice. With only three episodes, it’s not much of a time investment. So, if what I described above appeals to you, I fully recommend giving this anime a try.

Final Scorings:
Animation: 10/10 (Artistic)
Sound: 8/10 (Great soundtrack and VA work)
Story: 6/10 (Episodic rule of cool mostly with some theme exploration in episode 3)
Character: 9/10 (Sexy and Well-built)
Value: 9/10 (Classic, inspired Kill La Kill)
Enjoyment: 9/10 (Short and fun)
Overall: 8.5/10