...inaccurately this expression is conveyed by the manga adaptation of Dosanko Gal wa Namara Menkoi, written by Kai Ikada, a native of Hokkaido, Japan's second largest island, where the plot of this animanga is set. The winter season pleased us with a lot of great...NO! Great ecchi, but we didn't get much romance, although the sequel "The Dangers in My Heart" turned out to be great, but that's another story.... But according to the laws of universal balance, for every very good show there is on average one not so good show, and Dosanko Gal was one of them.
The main character, Tsubasa Shibi, follows his father to Hokkaido from Tokyo. Cold weather, a different culture, new food, all of this is gradually introduced to him by Minami Fuyuki, a gyaru Tsubasa met at a bus stop. But new conditions are not the only thing she introduces him to, she also introduces him to herself by flirting, which surprises the unhappy young man. Tsubasa is clearly unhappy with Fuyuki's easy behaviour, but if he had known that she is not the only girl from Hokkaido who can show interest in him....
This show is not rich in interesting characters. Even though it's everyday life, Kai Ikada fails to convey the motivation of each character. Seriously, why does Fuyuki like Tsubasa? She's a popular girl at school, she has a lot of friends, but at first sight she liked a shy guy who didn't stand out at all. When I said "didn't stand out" I meant didn't stand out at all to the audience or the girls on the show. Wakana from My Dress-Up Darling is a skilled craftsman who knows his craft. Naoya from Kanojo mo Kanojo is a straightforward guy, careful to keep his promises, albeit skirting the rules. And what about Tsubasa? He's a wastrel who can't do anything but blush at common words and faint at a woman's touch, and three beautiful girls have shown interest in him? As for them, that is:
Minami Fuyuki is the main gyaru of the tittle. Possessor of lush breasts and a lush mum, who became the best woman in the show. A la Marin Kitagawa, but unlike her, she flirts with the main character from the very first seconds of meeting him, rather than the next few days. She has problems with her studies.
Sayuri Akino is a sweaty girl who likes to play video games. Disconnected from the group. In general, she is better than Fuyuki, because unlike her, she is more reserved and determined.
Rena Natsukawa is an excellent student who loves history and reading books. She is as determined as Akino, but more communicative and quiet.
For all their richness, none of them have any real reason to like Tsubasa, but Kai Ikada has other thoughts on the matter that I can't share in any way.
Every attempt by the author to inject some drama into the story turns out to be a case of beating around the bush more and more intensely each time. The secondary characters, who appear out of nowhere and disappear to nowhere, and, unlike the main characters, they are not only unmotivated, but also unremembered. What was the name of Sayuri's friend, anyone remember?
I commend Mirai Minato and Misuzu Hoshino for the fresh breath of adaptation, but the animation and music are worthy of praise. The "Namaramenkoi Gyaru" endings are energetic and moving, if the adaptation had been more successful these dances could have really blown up TikTok like the dances from the Wotaku endings. The "Wayawayawa-!" ending shows each of the three heroines in turn, looking at the audience as if breaking through a fourth wall.
After watching this show I decided to compare it to the manga so that I wouldn't be disappointed in the directing of the adaptation, and my verdict is that Mirai and Misuzu did a great job, but their work has a weak source material. I think Kai Ikada better start writing ecchi where it's not the size of the heart that matters, but what's on the "top of the heart".
