Bakuretsu Hunters OVA

This is more or less just a follow up to the TV series. You get to know a little bit more about the main characters' pasts, and we're treated to the group's "vacation time". Something you might want to check out if you're a fan of the original series, since it probably won't make much sense to you if you haven't seen that first or read the manga.

Ok… wow… This really changed up since the first version. The OVA is extremely sexual and has a lot of adult themes, even more then the TV version. Now that is not fully surprising seeing as an OVA is basically straight to video release. The show is really full of more fan service, more odd sexual jokes, and just a lot more crazy. I liked the TV version because they actually did take things somewhat seriously but in this one, nothing is safe.

The character’s personalities are a lot shallower in this one then the TV, making me wonder just where they were getting the ... personalities from. It’s like I am watching two different series. The characters from the TV version are a different person then the ones that are here and it’s not that because of personal growth, its just they are shallow. In the TV, I actually was fine with Carrot being a pervert because he had a good heart. In this one though, he seems a little less with a good heart and more of a pervert. They also added two small perverts into the mix and Gateau’s sister who I really didn't like at all. His sister was just their to pose with her brother to serve for the guys that liked macho girls I think while the two perverts ended up chasing around every girl along with Carrot. When they did have a cute and sweet story, it was to little to late for me as I was pretty much all done with the OVA.

They do sort of bring more of the mysterious nature into the show but never actually explain it beyond being mysterious.

The animation is really interesting, mostly jagged and more closely resembling that of the manga. That said, it also has a lot more naked boobs, skimpy outfits, and Gateau taking his clothing off to try and show how macho he is. I still am not sure how that makes him macho but whatever. So when I say Skimpy outfits, I’m talking about Chocolate’s suspenders over her nipples thing. How those suspenders stay there must be glue or something because they do not move even with her breasts jumping all over the place. There are a lot of things like that besides Chocolate but it shows off with her more and its not really sexy at all, just annoying. The colors are even darker then the TV version, almost like a black layer was over everything.

The opening is actually pretty good, surprisingly a soft song to the show for how crazy the show is. It’s a big change compared to the TV version which is a bit more popish. Where the TV pumped you up, the OVA seems to settle you down in the beginning. The dubbing though is really strange. They changed some of the voices and I am so not so into the dubbing of Gateau. He sounds more like a punk with a nazel problem in this one instead of a macho guy. Some of the other characters also got a slight voice change but I couldn’t figure out if it was just the voice actors doing a different type to the characters or if it really was new voice actors. I think it’s a lot more ‘gimmickie’ in the voices as though they were forcing more of the comedy. I seriously didn't like the voice of Gateou’s sister’s voice.

I really didn’t like the OVA much. With all the laughter I did get from it, it just also had a lot of problems with the character personalities and the design choices. I read the first Manga volume so I understand partly what they were bringing in but I think they should have stayed with the TV version.

Way back when I started, before I knew what the hell I was doing, I reviewed a Xebec series called Bakuretsu Hunters. I basically said it was bland, generic fare with great acting and music, weak characters and an over-abundance of fan-service. Well, I've come a long way since that review and that series had an OVA. So, we're looking at that today. 

Story:

Each of the three episodes deals with something different. In the first, our protagonists find themselves at a hot spring where Carrot is determined to have a night visit with anyone except Tira or Chocolate. Meanwhile, a young boy we've never seen before ... but the characters know named Potee is also looking for a visit and Chocolate plans to sneak into Carrot's room. 

The second deals with them hunting a sorcerer who's turned a town into zombies so he can have a really shit rom-com about a zombie protagonist. That's right, he wants to make Kore wa Zombie desu ka. That evil bastard. Actually, he just wants the necronomicon to increase his powers. Which is why Big Momma is sending her hunters out to stop him. 

The final episode deals with the group going back to their home town to visit a magic tree during a festival. Naturally, Carrot wants to use the romantic legend surrounding the tree to hit on any girl who isn't Tira or Chocolate. 

The first major problem with this is the focus on comedy. In the series proper there was more of a balance between the generic plot and the comedic scenes, which made them somewhat tolerable, but in this the comedy is pervasive and shite. It's mostly based around Carrot being a crazy pervert who gets whipped by Tira and Chocolate as comeuppance. There are also "jokes" about Gateau and his sister, Eclair, doing macho poses in their undergarments. Because showing off your muscles is a proud Mocha family tradition going back generations. They may or may not be related to the Armstrongs. There's also the predatory bisexual guy in the second episode who hits on everyone in the group. Why does bad media never have a bisexual character who just acts like a normal person? They're always over-sexed. Then again, this is Bakuretsu Hunters where that can describe a whole slew of characters. 

There's also the love triangle to talk about. There's this stupid thing in the franchise where both Tira and Chocolate have things for Carrot, in spite of him having no redeeming qualities, and he chases after every girl he meets except the two of them. That continues in the OVA and it's still dumb. We also meet Daughter's boyfriend and the series treats them as this overly mushy, romantic pairing while also having her say literally the least romantic thing possible to him. "Let's make a child." Just, yuck. You'd be less gross telling your significant other "I have severe constipation from that cheese pizza" or just reciting the lyrics to Ninja Sex Party's Romance Novel. 

About the best I can say is that it can be cathartic to see Carrot suffer. It falls short most of the time, but there are a few cases where it works. 

Characters:

It's pretty similar to the main series. Carrot is trash. Gateau, Marron, Chocolate & Tira are boring. The OVA also adds Potee & Jii. They're awful, like a child and old man Carrot. We also see Carrot's dad, who is pretty much just like him in the minute and a half we have with him. They also add the predatory bisexual, Millefeuille, Potee's mum, Salad & Gateau's sister, Eclair. None of which are interesting in the slightest. 

Art:

The biggest issue is still the fan-service and it's even worse in the OVA. Tira and Chocolate don't just strip into glorified swimwear in this. Tira goes into bondage gear while Chocolate goes into tiny string straps that only cover her nipples and even then it's barely. Surely, the most protective outfits to wear when you're going into battle. There's also a lot of nudity in the hot springs episode. Aside from that,the backgrounds are fine and the action sequences are functional enough.

Sound: 

The acting is really strong. Xebec got a lot of people who were way too good for this script including Hayashibara Megumi, Madono Mitsuaki, & Mizutani Yuuko. The music is, by far, the best part of the OVA. The theme tunes for this are legitimately really good. Kawai Kenji deserves credit for the composition. Hayashibara Megumi & Mizutani Yuuko deserve a lot of credit for the performances. 

Ho-yay: 

There's a bit. Unfortunately, it's all gay jokes. In the night encounters episode, Chocolate accidentally glomps Salad in the dark and Salad seems okay with the situation. There are also some gay jokes about Potee and Jii. Of course, there's also Millefeuille hitting on Carrot and saying he's also interested in both Marron & Gateau. Which Gateau seems completely okay with. 

Areas of Improvement:

Zany humour based off of strong comedic interactions. I think it could work if the characters had strong comedic quirks instead of being largely boring. 
Characters who are properly dressed for the weather. Because the fan-servicey outfits are just crass. 
Build up your characters. Characters need to have one of two things to work. Depth, or strong comedic quirks that play well off of each other. This franchise has neither. Given that the main series proper was a bit more story driven with attempts at comedic elements throughout, I'd be inclined to say it needs characters with depth who also have quirks that tie into their personalities. 

Final Thoughts:

This OVA is pretty bad. It takes everything wrong with the main series and leans heavily into it while ignoring the story elements that had any promise to them. So, I'm giving it a 3/10.