Queen's Blade: Rurou no Senshi Specials

Since both the series and episodes are very short in length, I will write a short review, fitting to the nature of this anime...

If you liked Queen's Blade and enjoy having b*ners, then watch this.

Also, if you just like having b*ners, then watch this.

If you are a woman that's considering watching this, I recommend growing a p*nis first so you can get b*ners as you watch this.
... -CherryHawk-


-Disclaimer-
If this review in anyway shape or form has enticed feelings of resentment toward the anime community or humanity itself, please note that though this is a serious review, it is also an attempt at vulgar (but not without the consideration of open intellectual minds) humor, and should not be used as evidence of the increasingly degenerate anime community/mankind.

EDIT: -Warning- This anime may induce b*ners

I just bought the North American release of Queen's Blade season 1 and it came with these ''special episodes.'' They were so horrible I had to write a review immediately to save you pain and anguish. I was disappointed on every front (story, art, sound, etc., all of it).

It's important to note that this review is for the special episodes of season 1. The special episodes of season 2 are significantly better.

[For the record, I enjoy Queen's Blade itself and I gave it 7/10. This is a review from a Queen's Blade fan. Queen's Blade season 2 is in my ... Top 5 Anime.]



-Story- (Each episode is only 2 minutes 40 seconds long)

These are Japanese high school parodies of the characters and the world of Queen's Blade. Most characters wear a sailor-style school uniform that matches their original outfits. Instead of a tournament, they attend a high school with giant stone boobs on the entrance wall. The ''story'' comes from a few of the various high school anime cliches that the characters experience, but many cliches are not used.

Some of the locations are modern, like the classrooms & hallways, but the outside world and the school exterior match the medieval Queen's Blade world.

These ''special'' episodes are horribly directed with weak delivery, and the potentially funny premise is ruined by a lack of imagination and pacing. The whole thing is a mess and it made me cringe in disgust. I've seen high school film projects that are more entertaining than these special episodes.

The only thing these parodies have going for them (and I imply this lightly) is an excessive amount of fan service and exploitive camera angles. Oh, and lots of small clothes and bare skin. As a fan of ecchi, fan service and Queen's Blade, I can tell you it's not even worth it and I won't watch these episodes ever again.



-Art-

Judging by the credits, it seems these episodes were animated by a different studio (not Production ARMS). At first glance, this does not show. Each character's face looks identical to the regular show. Their bodies are a little bit different but not much. Where the difference is really noticeable however is the animation itself. It's some of the worst I've ever seen (and I've seen over 240 anime). Characters hardy move, except for their mouths when they talk. Some character movements are not even shown, rather you hear the sound effects while the camera looks away, implying that the action is taking place as other characters look at this supposed scene, frozen stiff. Most of the shots are barely passable as ecchi still photos. Seeing the characters in school uniforms was kind of amusing the first time.



-Sound-

Lots of arousing screaming and yelling and moaning as characters fight each other with ambiguous attacks that seem to only do damage to their clothes, leaving their beautiful skin unharmed. That's it for sound. There is no official english dub.



-Character-

Every character seems like a lesser version of themselves. Their personality is almost gone. They just, do things... Some characters completely lose their traits from the show in order to carry out a parody role.



-Enjoyment-

The comedy was pretty much nonexistent. The writer(s) failed to utilize the comedy cliches to their full potential, neither did they even try. The only enjoyment you could possibly get out of this is the ecchi shots. Take a picture, it'll last longer. Print it out on 8.5''x11" paper if you need to.



-Overall-

1/10

If you're looking for a good ecchi, then just watch the regular show of Queen's Blade. If you're looking for comedy, look somewhere else. There's a truckload of good comedy anime like Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan and Ramen Fighter Miki.

This idea has potential, but these special episodes nowhere near harnesses that potential. It pains me to think about how badly this set of episodes bombed. Luckily they were short.

This is a review of the OVA specials included with the "Queen's Blade: The Exiled Virgin" (Queen's Blade: Rurou no Senshi) Blu-ray release by Media Blasters in 2011. These were viewed with English sub-titles.

The OVAs included with "Queen's Blade: The Exiled Virgin" fall into the category of fantasy action adventure with a significant degree of comedy, ecchi content and fan service.

Parental Advisory:
The age rating on the Blu-ray packaging is listed as "16 AND OLDER" while some other sites including this one list it at 17+. Each OVA episode features female topless nudity. There is some minor violence, but it is mostly ... cartoon style with no significant harm.

Story: 3/10
There are 6 OVAs. Each is a short stand-alone episode approximately 3 minutes in duration. The setting is altered, with each of the characters now attending school instead of being involved in the Queen's Blade tournament. Considering that the "Queen's Blade" series already includes a significant amount of ecchi content, it seems like the OVAs push the envelope even further, and feature even more of it in a limited time. Unfortunately, between the short duration and heavy focus on fan service, there is little time devoted to any sort of a story line, or character development. The OVAs have some comedic moments, albeit juvenile humor at times.

Characters: 8/10
The "Queens Blade" characters are among some of the most strikingly beautiful women to appear in anime, and the OVA generally upholds the artistic quality used in the series. Most of the characters are depicted in schoolgirl outfits during these OVA episodes. These outfits stray from the original character designs, but they are similar in spirit.

Only a few characters are included in the first few OVAs, with the villains Airi, Melona and Menace being featured in multiple episodes. The final OVA includes most of the cast as well as some additional characters that aren't introduced yet in the main series.

Art / Animation: 6/10
The overall visual quality of the OVAs is satisfactory. The character art is similar to the original series, but the animation isn't as good.

Sound / Voice: 6/10
The music and sounds effects were fine. I can't judge the Japanese voice work, but they seemed ok. There was no English dub included.

Enjoyment: 6/10
The OVAs are essentially comedic fan service episodes featuring the Queen's Blade characters. When viewed from that perspective, they are enjoyable diversions. Anyone expecting more will be disappointed. Their short duration plays in their favor, as it allows them to exploit their ecchi content for laughs without allowing them to push the envelope too far.

Final verdict: 6/10
The OVAs are a welcome inclusion on the blu-ray edition of "Queen's Blade: The Exiled Virgin". They depict the characters in an alternate setting and include some humorous situations. However, not all viewers may appreciate the large amounts of ecchi content they feature in their short run times. Fans of the Queen's Blade characters will likely appreciate these the most.