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Aug 1, 2011
Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai is an unusual series to say the least. After a rather slow opening episode, albeit one that is important in setting up both the characters and the overall plot line, it kicks into high gear, providing a continuous run of episodes that are full of great gags, very impressive interactions between characters, and always moving the plot forwards.
Story:
It starts off very simple, with Sasshi and Arumi, two childhood friends who are inseparable. However, this pairing is quickly threatened with the revelation that Arumi will soon be moving to Hokkaido, and Sasshi is not ready to deal with losing his best friend just
...
yet.
So, luckily for him, he finds himself and Arumi pulled into a series of parallel worlds, where they are always at home, just home in a slightly different way. As the series progresses the plot line takes some interesting turns, linking various characters in ways that were not obvious at the start, and there are no real cliche's in how the story develops.
On top of the overall story, each episode usually has a specific subplot, mainly concerning the specific alternate world the main characters are in. These are usually resolved within a single episode, but occasionally certain elements carry over to the next one.
Art:
The art is very well done. The character designs at first seem very simple, but they are more realistic then in a lot of anime. However, as the series goes on, various different genres and art styles are used, so the look of the characters changes from ultra serious and realistic to chibi and to mega cutesy. It is a testament to the animators of this series that even throughout all of the different art styles the characters remain very definable, with no discrepancies between each of the styles, except occasionally for comedic effect.
The scenery is also very well created, with the space episode in particular standing out. Some of the shots of Sasshi and Arumi's home town transformed into a space station are teeming with detail, and it really adds a sense of depth to the town, which is actually a fully functioning shopping arcade.
Sound:
The sound in the anime is good, it borrows a lot of sound effects from other anime in specific episodes, for comedy of course. The characters are all voiced very well, and the voices suit the characters perfectly. Also interesting is the choice of accent for the characters, I watched the series in its original Japanese dialogue track, and yet the characters all had accents similar to those found in the southern states of the USA. It was a very interesting choice, but it ultimately worked, adding another layer to the characters and the type of town they lived in.
Character:
This is an area where Abanobashi Mahou Shoutengai really excelled. All the characters worked well with the others, the different personalities caused a lot of the humor, particularly the dialogue between Sasshi and Arumi. Each major character was developed as the series progressed, some more than others, and the relationships between the characters changed as the series progressed. It was interesting discovering the secrets behind some of the characters, and the way that the secrets were revealed was very believable.
All of the characters also had the chance to be very funny, with each member of the main cast having multiple gags per episode. What was nice was that these funny moments never occurred at the expense of character development, or outside of what a character would normally do. This made the comedy funnier in some ways, as each character was simply reacting in their normal way, its just that their normal way is way over the top.
Overall:
Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai is a fun romp through the adventures of two best friends as they attempt to make their way home through a series of parallel worlds. However, behind its playful, comedic surface, there is a very engaging storyline, which has some very serious moments that pull you in and keep you watching when you aren't laughing. Although, for most of this anime, you will be laughing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 31, 2011
Story:
There is none. At least, there is no over arching plot to the whole series. Instead, throughout all 12 episodes, you simply get a specific situation or activity which involves all the members of the group, which is always resolved by the end of the episode.
All of the episodes are actually split into two stories, each one lasting about 12 minutes, so there is not a whole lot of depth to them. However as the series progresses you learn a little bit about each of the main characters, so there is some progression.
Art:
The art is fine. No real flaws, everything is animated smoothly,
...
and it looks good. But it isn't spectacular, and there will be nothing that you see that ever makes you stop and think 'wow'. But it works for the series, no complaints.
Sound:
The op and ed are very typical of the genre, two short and catchy j-pop tunes. The background music is there, not always noticeable, but it generally fits into whatever is happening on screen, and adds to the comedy in some places.
The sound effects are very good, always hitting right on the mark, usually to greatly enhance the comedy.
The characters are also voiced quite well, all the voices fit the characters, and the seiyu seem to be having a fun time with it.
Character:
This is one area where this series really shines. Whilst none of the characters are very deep, the personalities that they do have are defined very well. Each character has a specific trope that they adhere too, and it is this clashing of personalities that makes the comedy work so well. Onsokuramu's obsession with all things ecchi, and the lengths to which he will go to put the female leads in embarrassing situations is hilarious on its own, but when coupled with Shinobu's innocence and Kaede's straight, no-nonsense personality, it really takes the laughs to another level.
Overall:
2x2 Shinobuden is a light hearted comedy, and anyone looking for an anime they can watch without having to think too much should give it a chance. The laughs start almost immediately in the first episode, and they won't stop coming until the final credits of the last episode. Sure, most of the humor is ecchi humor, but funny is still funny, and if there is one thing this anime is good at, it's being very, very funny.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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