Nov 6, 2023
Milky Passion: Dougenzaka - Ai no Shiro is a pleasant surprise in a sea of formulaic OVAs and anime. To an unsuspecting viewer expecting a complex plot from a short movie equivalent format, the OVA, might end up frustrating you. At least to me, the most precious quality of this animation is the simple fact that it is utterly unpretentious. I cannot recall a female protagonist placed in this position of power that she occupies here in Dougenzaka. Anyone acquainted with Japanese animation knows how unusual it is to see a female CEO. Women are often relegated to owners of small commercial establishments, let alone
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being president of an entire company. In 2016, for the first time, a woman was elected governor of Tokyo, so you can imagine where things stood on gender issues back in the 90s. The ugly true is that less than 1% of Japan CEOs are females. To summarize, Ai no Shiro is in no way a disruptive narrative tackling gender inequalities, but it can still breathe a fresh air that was lost in the production of animations with more adult themes. If a 90s animation can humorously address Japanese society’s taboos in under 30 minutes, without having to worry about shame and pettiness, then I think the trip is undoubtedly worthwhile. P.S.: Thanks for Josei demographic cut for breaking the norm.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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