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By definition, art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination. Henceforth, anything that man creates is art. Art is independent from social norms and critical response. No matter how controversial a piece is received, it would still be considered art. This is the case with Shoujo Ramune.

Shoujo Ramune opens a window to the life of a child rapist. The man named Kiyoshi is seen using any tactics necessary in order to emotionally manipulate the three unassuming girls into having sex with him. Kiyoshi even goes as far as to convince Komako into having intercourse with Chie; again, using this as ... an excuse to give her "training". Kiyoshi does not care about the people he destroys. He is also seen sexually assaulting these children in open, public spaces. This is one of the layers of mystery to come from Shoujo Ramune. Are these three his first victims? Due to his lack of edge in his crimes, one would think this was not his first time. Who were these three girls beforehand? Just like real life, it is unlikely these three will ever be able to recover from the trauma inflicted by this man. It is likely the answers to these questions will never be known. In fact, it is likely that even Natsumi hasn't even thought of the answers, but that's just an assumption. No matter how well-written and paced you make a story, the human imagination will always triumph. So, perhaps these questions are better left a mystery.

However, the most disturbing part of this anime is the portrayal of Kiyoshi. He is presented as not a monster, but as a mere shop owner. Many people believe pedophiles to be 600 lb, bearded basement dwellers. But this is an exaggerated view of this group of terrors. Shoujo Ramune shows a more realistic view of a pedophile. In reality, nobody can be absolutely sure who is and isn't a child groomer. They could be anybody, even those who are highly trusted by others. More than 80% of sexual assault victims know their perpetrator. The worst part of all; Kiyoshi is never caught. This is the most brutal, but realistic part of Shoujo Ramune. The only known victims of sexual assault are the ones that speak up. Imagine how many real girls there are like these three, whose stories will never be known. Kiyoshi is given no punishment for his atrocities and will likely continue his path of tormenting others.

There are many who will say Shoujo Ramune is nothing but "just porn". While this approach is understandable, media should not be thought of as "just x or y". Media can be bent in a way to say something meaningful. Shoujo Ramune shows the grim reality of what can be the result of sexual inexperience. Why is this review a score of two? Quite simply, it's hentai aimed at arousing people by means of child rape. This is a fact. The sex scenes are extremely explicit and drawn-out, but can also be viewed as a glimpse of the dangers of lacking sexual knowledge. Parents often want to be a shield for their children; protecting them from the sexual deviants of the world, but what they fail to realize is they can not always be there for their children, as seen in this anime when Kiyoshi decided to use the setting of a candy shop to lure little girls into his fantasies.

Shoujo Ramune is a bold statement to make. To be able to create such a controversial piece and gather a willing team to do it should be treated with the utmost respect. Of course, this is not the treatment it got. A man named Natsumi took his skill and had the courage to show the world what he could do, regardless of the social norms and expectations he would shatter. Despite what others would think of him, this thought did not hinder Natumi's vision.

Shoujo Ramune is art.

Easily the worst in the Pico trilogy. Boku no Pico had mystery and sex. Pico to Chico has one of these. Hint: it's not mystery. In this OVA it is Pico's task to spread the sexual misdeeds of Mokkun to other little boys, his victim being Chico. Chico is just some cookie-cutter basic boy. The sister also adds a layer of an unrealistic plot. She is the match to this hellfire by not only staying silent to the misguiding but also parting in it in some shape or form. The ONLY redeeming quality from this is the absence of Tamotsu, it makes one wonder where ... he went. Will it ever be known?

Is anime for kids? Looking at the entre of this review a definite no, but that doesn't stop it from having kids in it. To explain this 2, there is a story to tell. Mokkun is thrown into Pico's life against his consent. This changes him psychologically to be sex driven and impulsive. This is the last time we ever see Mokkun. We never know what happens to him after leaving Pico's life but do know Pico's life after him. The mystery behind it all makes it strangely enticing if the graphic scenes of blowjobs and vanilla ice cream are ignored or entirely forgotten.

This ... disturbing nature makes Boku no Pico an unforgettable classic within the anime community. Perhaps they are still solving it to this day, as will i...

The most disgusting anime without a doubt. If this has to meet any eyes this opinion would be understandable. Regardless, there are some who would say the plot is up there. If by up there means on a refrigerator that is too tall to analyze then that is correct. Euphoria is indented to be watched for sexual pleasure but as for who finds enjoyment from this it is not stated. The scat is a real shock when it comes, very vile. This is also way too long and convoluted with its multiple endings.

If possible, maybe do something else. Be warned.

The Day I Became a God, or as some like to call it, A Poor Man's Angel Beats! Branching from the same creator, Jun Maeda, one would expect a show that is similar. What they get is simply a dumber and inferior version of a similar story. At first glance, Jun Maeda's formula should work perfectly with the end of the world. It did with the afterlife, but no, that is not what is offered. What is given is 8 episodes of complete silliness and then 4 of serious stuff. Angel Beats! managed to weave in serious moments in even the most humorous episodes. The ... shifts in tone are too sudden and the stakes are too ridiculous to be taken seriously.

The characters are also nothing to write home about. They are not the worst humans to ever walk the earth or anything but they lack any moments of significance. On the other hand, Angel Beat! thrived in this development of its characters. Ever 12 years after its air time nobody could forget the wackness of T.K or the over-the-top behavior of Yui. This is what makes people feel for these characters and have symphony. Meanwhile, in The Day I Became a God, there are characters that either show up or are never fully explained not that anybody cares to know. This is most relevant with Hiroto but he is not the only one.

In conclusion, this anime has problems.

Henshin is an interesting take on the hentai genre, or so people say. It is about a girl's life being transformed by sex and drugs, (the manga calls this her "Metamorphosis" the book's name). Her fall is told in a tragic but realistic way that doesn't make the girl look outright stupid. However, it still does fall under the same tropes of most hentai with sex scenes being stretched waaaaay out for the pleasure of the reader. The story that was told in seven chapters probably could have been told in three. Read this if Punpun is likable but lacked more sex. Tell people, "It's ... for the plot"

Spy X Family is great. (Emphasize the X). It knows not to take itself seriously and when it is it is very light of heart. It’s fun to see a child like Anya, act like, you know; an actual child, unlike other anime characters who look, sound, and act like 20-year-olds, but are actually 13. Her mind-reading power allows her to have the same information as the audience, making her much more likable due to her relatability in understanding situations. Because of this delivery of information, the anime does not have to rely on cheap misunderstandings to humor the audience, unlike GAMERS! (2017). But what ... is lacking is spoken information. Most common with Yor and Loid. The spy and assassin have an interesting character dynamic in which neither knows the identity of the other. This is the start of some problems with the anime. It isn't logical that Loid is unaware of Yor’s identity considering this is a specialty in his field. However, the same can not be said vice versa since it is played for comedy rather than dutch framing. They get “married” too quickly and with illogical reasoning. Lois’s proposed plan would have worked if they just simply dated. Then another issue is how Loid is seen in action much more than Yor. These issues compared to the biggest problem of the anime however are minor, with would be the plot or rather where it’s heading. To many, it’s predictable where the plot will head in the future, but this is also a problem with a lot of Shounen. Despite these problems, Spy X Family is still great and I could recommend this to anybody.

SPOILERS!


Gabriel DropOut is a bit of a deceptive show. It wants you to believe there is some sort of payoff or setup to the plot but ultimately leaves you empty-handed. This is my biggest problem with the show, the story, or rather the lack of it. Now, I'm not saying a show has to have a Re:Zero level plot to be good, not at all. The problem I have is how supposed plot points lead to nowhere or are never brought up again. For example, the end of one episode shows Satania's desire to infiltrate heaven and Gabriel saying she will assist in this operation. ... So, what happens next? Nothing. Next episode they are back on earth up to their regular shenanigans. Another instance of this is when Vigne is broke because she is being too nice as a demon. The episode then consists of her attempt to be more "demonic". This episode then ends the same way it started. It left me wondering, why? What was the point? That's my problem with the plot element, all set up, and no delivery. A show that does this basic plot right however is Dragon Maid. While both shows contain supernatural aspects and lots of girls, dragon maid is different by actually developing these characters and showing who they are expected to be. But this is not a Dragon Maid review so I will get back on topic. Now that you know my thoughts on the plot let's talk about the next big thing; the characters. I'll start with the main one, Gabriel. Gabriel is my least favorite character in this show. That's not good considering her name is in the title. Gabriel has 2 forms, loser otaku or super goody two shoes. There is no slow transition or phase, she is either one or the other and she is almost always an otaku. She doesn't change despite the negative impact her behavior has on her friend Vigne. Her friends even encourage this behavior for god knows what reason. So in short, bad character. Now if you have read this far you are a problem wondering why I only called this show mediocre. Well, I will tell you. This show does have a saving grace. That grace is a devil named Satania. The (almost) greatest character in this show, just beaten by Tapris (I'll talk about her later). This is the character with the best jokes and actually why I think about this show so much. I would watch a second season just because she would be in it. This character works so well because she is a joke. There is no actual villain in this story which is the right thing (well, except maybe Raphi). Tapris, the greatest character in this show. Now, why do I say this? It's simple! She has the best joke and is actually compelling as a character with real motives and goals. When we first see her, she wants to help Gabriel return from being fallen, so she sees Satania, the one she believes responsible for the fall of Gabriel. It is then we are treated to the greatest interaction of the whole show. Everything good about this show is right here in this one scene. It's too bad that Tapris is only a supporting character and her motives are never really fleshed out. And for that reason...

Gabriel DropOut is Mediocre.