Mezzo DSA

Mezzo rocks. Sure, the animation is nothing new. Sure, the characters are a little bit fanboyish, a little bit stereotypical. But as with so many other anime, the whole is much more than the simple sum of its parts. Even though it is somewhat middle-of-the-road, it still does it to perfection. I found myself wanting much, much more when I finished the final (13th) episode. This seemed, to me, like a series that was in a groove that could have ran for 30 episodes, or 60! Unfortunately it did not, but if you like a fiesty female heroine that kicks ass without dishing out man-hating ... BS, along with a host of other hilarious characters, then check out Mezzo DSA!

I would say this show has a plot and/or storyline but most of the time it is the typical “bad guy or assignment of the week” episodes and they do have their biggest case that serves as the main plot of the story and it’s finding out why someone wants Kurokawa, the bitter ex-cop and head honcho of the DSA, assassinated.

To recap on the main characters, Mikura is the brawns of the group that can kick a lot of ass and have a short temper when it comes to doing her job. Harada is the brains and the technical expertise of the group that handles ... all the robot bodies, just like Forte.

All three main characters are pretty decent like last time but here’s one thing that bothered me: when has Harada shown interest in Mikura because in the series, there were some hints at that although like the first Hentai scene in Forte, it felt very unnecessary and unneeded but then again, I didn’t mind the Hentai scenes in the first one. Also there is a new character introduced in the series and her name is Asami and you first see her appear getting beat up by grade school girls who are getting her lunch money or something like that and then she met the DSA and I thought The Boondocks illustrated that point where grade school girls are never to be fucked with. Anyway, Asami wants to be just like Mikura because of how skilled a fighter and a gun-toting girl she turned out to be. Thankfully, she isn’t up to Scrappy Doo levels but she still doesn’t feel that useful but only to add some cuteness into the show and that goes double for Mikura’s new design. Yeah, the animation in here is slightly inferior to Forte due to the fact that Forte did have the budget for 2 episodes and DSA has 13, it shows and it seems a little big off. Some of the original character designs were altered with different colors and face expressions. I also feel like they should have used some storylines from Forte to give the show more into a continuing plot like:

Remember the psycho insane girl, Momomi Momoi, which Mikura fought and killed? A longtime friend of hers named Sakura met the girl Momomi when she was about to get gang raped and Momomi rescued the girl and since then, they became lovers after that and when she is killed, Sakura swore revenge against the people who murdered her. I would have like to get more into that storyline and see how it progress instead of the Kurokawa assassination plot because the assassin hired to kill Kurokawa has got to be the most blandest characters in that show. He’s a very typical hired hand, mother was murdered and killed his father for murdering the mom and so on and so forth.

The dub wasn’t half bad although I kind of miss having Melissa Fahn as Mikura but instead they got Luci Christian to do her voice, mainly to the fact that this is an ADV dub and this actress does associate herself with that company and its successor, Sentai Filmworks. She was good in her role but it wasn’t a stand-out. The music is hardly noticeable and doesn’t stand out in my opinion and the opening song was alright and the ending song was something I would just skip just like the other ending songs in the past.

FINAL VERDICT: To me, this is the diet version of Mezzo Forte. Now I don’t miss the Hentai element in the series at all but as a regular action anime, this was a decent and relativity OK series but as a successor to the first OVA, this is very bland and it doesn’t leave much of an afterthought when you finished it. I make it sound like the first OVA was the masterpiece of anime and it wasn’t. The OVA was a stupid but very fun anime that I whole-heartedly enjoy. The series was OK but it should been tweaked a little bit more. Would I recommend this? Maybe to those who saw the first one and I recommend that you see the OVA before seeing the series.

There are two words that summarize this series: child grooming. Two young, underage girls spending all of their time with two older men, in a hyper-realistic art style. Yikes! To be fair, Mikura's age isn't specified, but she appears to be either in middle school or high school. Which is probably wise, seeing as the prequel to this is a full-fledged hentai!

This review of Mezzo DSA is spoiler free!

—Story/Characters

Synopsis: Mikura, Kurokawa, and Harada are the 3 members of the Danger Service Agency (DSA). Mikura is the brawn of the group, Harada is the brains, and Kurokawa is just a bitter ex-cop that likes to think ... he's in charge. They'll take on any job as long as it involves lots of danger and, of course, money. If you want to live long enough to eat dinner, you better not cross them. Their biggest case, however, could prove to be finding out why someone wants Kurokawa assassinated.

This show is bland, nonsensical, and creepy! The formula for this show is episodic and the plot is pretty much two older guys grooming two girls to have a romantic interest in them. ADV did the best with the material they were working with, but it isn't something that should have been licensed and targeted towards a younger demographic! I admit that the art style is very stylistically appealing, but not something that should be put on the shelves, when the target audience for anime in the West is pre-teen to early twenty-year-olds!

There's an evil, gay hairdresser, whose purpose isn't explicitly stated. Sloppily edited shots of scenes from the hentai prequel, Mezzo Forte, interspersed throughout the television series; becoming rather jarring at times. A perverted old man, Tomohisa, whose only character traits are liking pretty women and noodles. A twenty-something-year-old punk, Tomohisa, who is just simping after Mikura, with a passing interest in the ELEMENTARY SCHOOLER!

The elementary schooler, Asami, wants to be like Mikura because she's a shy, wallflower that gets frequently bullied by other girls in her class. It implies towards the end that she mostly tries to be like Mikura to attract the attention of Tomohisa, who she's childishly infatuated with! Gross! Even though there are some unsavory implications with her character, she is the only member of the cast that has character development throughout the series. So, I'll give her that! Extra: Weirdly, Kenichi, the old man of the group, makes several passes at Asami throughout the show, too!

This show has weird levels of ridiculousness, like a side character falls on a combat knife, is somehow still alive and then gets an android chucked at her and explodes. This series is just really bad, on all levels! The visuals are all that it has going for it.

—Technical

Yasuomi Umetsu (director)
* A Kite (director, character design)
* Galilei Donna
* Kite Liberator (director, character design)
* Mezzo Forte (director, character design)
* Robot Carnival (director of Presence)
* Wizard Barristers (director, original creator, character design)

Commentary: Mr. Umetsu's character designs are very striking. Years ago, when I saw the trailer for this series on an ADV DVD, I remember thinking the art style was very pretty. The same goes for his short in Robot Carnival, easily one of the most visually striking features in the film! As for his directing, personally, I think Presence is the only well-directed thing that he's done. Maybe character design and conceptual work is more of his forte. Not pun intended (Mezzo Forte).

Takao Yoshioka (screenplay)
* Dear Boys
* DearS
* Freezing
* Groove Adventure Rave, localized as "Rave Master"
* Happy☆Lesson (TV)
* High School DxD
* Ikkitōsen
* Kawa no Hikari
* Mahō Shōjo Ikusei Keikaku, localized as "Magical Girl Raising Project"
* Major
* Queen's Blade (OVA)
* Sekirei
* Shichisei no Subaru, localized as "Seven Senses of the Re'Union"
* Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, localized as "Your Lie in April"
* Shinmai Maō no Testament, localized as "Testament of Sister New Devil"
* Uchi no Ko no Tame naraba, Ore wa Moshikashitara Maou mo Taoseru kamo Shirenai, localized as "If It's for My Daughter, I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord"
* Weiß Survive
* Yoshinaga-san'chi no Gargoyle, localized as "Gargoyle of Yoshinaga House"
* Zero no Tsukaima, localized as "The Familiar of Zero"

Commentary: Mr. Yoshioka is the culprit behind the creepy writing, I'm afraid. I had a hard time watching the beginning of Testament of Sister New Devil and If It's for My Daughter, I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord because of it. A shame, because I thought his work on Your Lie in April and Magical Girl Raising Project was okay.

I watched Mezzo DSA with the ADV dub, so I will list the Japanese seiyū, but comments will be on the performances of the English voice actors.

Tomoko Kotani as Mikura Suzuki, notable roles:
* Mikura Suzuki, Mezzo Forte
* Junko Asagiri, Sunabōzu: localized as "Desert Punk"

Luci Christian as Mikura Suzuki, notable roles:
* Haruko Kamio, Air
* Ringo Noyamano, Air Gear ✅
* Nagisa Motomiya, AKB0048
* Sylphy, Amagi Brilliant Park
* Deunan Knute, Appleseed
* Kirino Chiba, Bamboo Blade
* Tae Hanazono, BanG Dream: 2nd Season
* Cassandra Jill Warlock, Black Blood Brothers
* Enju Aihara, Black Bullet
* Trixie, Blade Runner: Black Out 2022 ✅
* Ochako Uraraka, Boku no Hero Academia: localized as "My Hero Academia" ✅
* Poala, Bōken Ō Beet: localized as "Beet, the Vandel Buster"
* Nakiami, Bōnen no Xamdō: localized as "Xam'd: Lost Memories"
* Tsukuyo Inaba, Busō Shōjo Machiavellianism: localized as "Armed Girl's Machiavellism"
* Nene, Canaan
* Chihaya Ayase, Chihayafuru
* Luna Gusuku, Chōjūshin Gravion: localized as "Super Heavy God Gravion," or just "Gravion" ✅
* Nagisa Furukawa, Clannad ✅
* Ophelia, Claymore
* Mizuki Takase, Comic Party ✅
* Lenalee Lee, D. Gray-man ✅
* Risa Harada, D.N. Angel ✅
* Kenichi Harakawa, Dennō Coil
* Ferris Eris, Densetsu no Yūsha no Densetsu: localized as "Legend of the Legendary Heroes"
* Daichi Shijima, Devil Survivor 2: The Animation
* Prim Snowlight, Divergence Eve
* Hestia, Danjon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darō ka: localized as "Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon" ✅
* Miyako Miyamura, ef (series)
* Cocona Cocomine, Flip Flappers
* Nessa, Fractale
* Ganessa Roland, Freezing
* Kaname Chidori, Full Metal Panic! ✅
* Wrath, Full Metal Alchemist ✅
* Yūri Wakasa, Gakkō Gurashi: localized as "School Live"
* Kagura, Gintama Movie 1: Shinyaku Benizakura-hen
* Rico, Gunslinger Girl ✅
* Hana N. Fountainstand, Hanayamata
* Hungary, Hentalia
* Riko Mine, Hidan no Aria: localized as "Aria, the Scarlet Ammo"
* Sen Tokugawa, Hyakka Ryōran: Samurai Girls
* Junko Hattori, Ichiban Ushiro no Dai Maō: localized as "Demon King Daimao"
* Chifuyu Orimura, IS: Infinite Stratos
* Elucia de Lute Ima, Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai: localized as "The World God Only Knows"
* Akira Tachibana, Koi wa Ameagari no Yō ni: localized as "After the Rain"
* Himeko Inaba, Kokoro Connect
* Mari Nishino, Kono Minikuku mo Utsukushii Sekai: localized as "This Ugly yet Beautiful World" ✅
* Alois Trancy, Kuroshitsuji II: localized as "Black Butler II"
* Lavie Head, Last Exile ✅
* Regu, Made in Abyss
* Margaret Burton, Madlax ✅
* Marika Katō, Mōretsu Pirates: localized as "Bodacious Space Pirates"
* Sakura Haruno, Wandaba Style
* Cruz Schild, Needless
* Asuna Kagurazaka, Negima!
* Azuki, Nekopara
* Nami, One Piece ✅
* Mitsukuni Haninozuka ("Honey"), Ōran Kōkō Host Club: localized as "Ouran High School Host Club" ✅
* Di Gi Charat, Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat ✅
* Kotaro, Papuwa
* Tetsunosuke Ichimura, Peace Maker Kurogane
* Nonoha Itō, Phi Brain
* Ahiru Arima, Princess Tutu ✅
* Futaba Āsu, Puni Puni ☆ Poemii ✅
* Maya, Ragnarök: The Animation
* Stella Vermillion, Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry: localized as "Chivalry of a Failed Knight" ✅
* Shinku, Rozen Maiden (2013)
* Komachi, Samurai 7
* Washu Kozuka, Sasami: Mahō Shōjo Club
* Tenma Tsukamoto, School Rumble
* Makina Hoshimura, Shikabana Hime: localized as "Corpse Princess"
* Himeno Awayuki, Pretear ✅
* Chizuru Aizawa, Shinryaku!! Ika Musume: localized as "Squid Girl"
* Medusa Gorgon, Soul Eater ✅
* Erica Hartmann, Strike Witches
* Ran Kotobuki, Super GALS!
* Birdy Cephon Altera, Tetsuwan Birdy Decode
* Doris Lang, Vampire Hunter D ✅
* KOS-MOS, Xenosaga: The Animation
* Tōko Nanami, Yagate Kimi ni Naru: localized as "Bloom Into You"
* Iroha Isshiki, Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru: localized as "My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU"
* Rika Saionji, Yamada-kun to 7-nin no Majo (TV): localized as "Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches" ✅
* Neneko, Yumeria

Commentary: I had the flag Ms. Christian's entire filmography with green checkmarks (✅) to remember everything of hers I've seen because there's been so many! All of it good! I love, love, love Luci Christian's voice acting! I grew up with many of her roles and have seen her work through the entirety of my stead, as an otaku. Her roles as Kaname in Full Metal Panic!, Lavie in Last Exile, Risa in D.N. Angel, and Di Gi Charat in Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat are series that I heavily ingested as a teenager. Some recent roles of hers that I have been enamored with are Nami in One Piece, Stella in Chivalry of a Failed Knight, and Ahiru in Princess Tutu! Christian brings such vivacity and energetic youthfulness to her characters. She's a one-of-a-kind talent in the English voice acting industry! Her role as Mikura shines a light on a considerably bad series!

Miyu Matsuki as Asami Igarashi, notable roles:
* Hisui, Tsukihime
* Flora, Claymore
* Kotoko-01, Divergence Eve
* Magical Sapphire, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma ☆ Illya
* Cthuko, Haiyore! Nyaruko-san: localized as "Nyaruko: Crawling With Love"
* Isumi Saginomiya, Hayate no Gotoku: localized as "Hayate the Combat Butler"
* Yoshinoya, Hidamari Sketch
* Choppy, Futari wa PreCure
* Harumi Fujiyoshi, Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei
* Hitomi Onodera, Shichinin no Nana: localized as "Nana 7 of 7"
* Anna Nishikinomiya, Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai: localized as "SHIMONETA: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist"

Sasha Paysinger as Asami Igarashi, notable roles:
* Rumiko Sakamoto, Aquarion Age: Sign for Evolution
* Kotoko-01, Divergence Eve
* Nana, Elfen Lied
* Chifuyu Himeki, Inō-Battle wa Nichijō-kei no Naka de: localized as "When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace"
* Hatoko Kobayashi, Angelic Layer
* Arurū, Utawarerumono

Commentary: I've only seen three shows that she's in: Aquarion Age, Elfen Lied, and Angelic Layer. The best role of hers is Nana in Elfen Lied, her performance as that character actually made me cry when I watched the series more than a decade ago. Her role as Asami is comparably plain, but the character is pretty bland, so it isn't the fault of Ms. Paysinger.

Takumi Yamazaki as Tomohisa Harada, notable roles:
* Yata, .hack//GU
* Hans Kleif, A.D. Police (TV)
* Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, Fate/Zero
* Bansai Kawakami, Gintama
* Incognito, Hellsing
* M'Quve, Kidō Senshi Gundam: The Origin
* Tatsuhiko Shidō, Night Walker
* Mū Aries, Saint Seiya: Hades
* Dera Mochimazzi, Tamako Market
* Nano, Togainu no Chi

Jason Douglas as Tomohisa Harada, notable roles:
* Marron Glace, Bakuretsu Hunters: localized as "Sorcerer Hunters"
* Fujitaka Kinomoto, Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card
* Klein Sandman, Chōjūshin Gravion: localized as "Super Heavy God Gravion," or just "Gravion"
* Jean Luc LeBlanc, Divergence Eve
* Beerus, Dragon Ball Super
* Il Palazzo, Heppoko Jikken Animation Excel♥Saga: localized as "Excel Saga"
* Claude Faustus, Kuroshitsuji II: localized as "Black Butler II"
* Louie, Mahō Senshi Louie: localized as "Rune Solider"
* Liquid, Papuwa
* Hyōga Cygnus, Saint Seiya
* Kurō, Utawarerumono
* Ziggurat-8, Xenosaga: The Animation
* Yūgo Beppu, Yūgo: Kōshōnin
* Yōhei, Zero kara Hajimeru Mahō no Sho: localized as "Grimoire of Zero"

Commentary: Haven't watched many of the dubs that he's been in, but I love Mr. Douglas as Lord Il Palazzo in Excel Saga! He's kind of bland in this series, but the characters aren't much to write home about.

Hirokawa Taichirō as Kenichi Kurokawa, notable roles:
* Carlos Rivera, Ashita no Joe
* Curtis Newton, Captain Future
* Sherlock Holmes, Meitantei Holmes: localized as "Sherlock Hound"
* Phoebus Abel, Saint Seiya

Andy McAvin as Kenichi Kurokawa, notable roles:
* Œufcoque Pentean, Marduck Scramble
* B.D., Megazone 23
* Akira Maeda, Sakigake!! Cromartie Kōkō: localized as "Cromartie High School"

Commentary: Second best vocal performance, next to Luci Christian. Really delivers on the tired old man pastiche! Haven't heard any of his other dub roles though.

Conclusively, I've enjoyed my fair share of visual novel adaptations, but maybe something that was originally intended to be a hentai shouldn't get its own spin-off series? Just maybe? There's nothing redeemable about the plot, the material and subtext would give the FBI grounds to arrest a person on, and the plot serves no purpose, other than to use the rule-of-cool principle with its characters. I give it a 2/10, only on the artistic merit of the character and landscape designs (as well as Luci Christian's performance as Mikura)!

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆