Kashimashi

[gia]

Review through episode 3, no spoilers.  Originally posted to my anime blog.

Grade to date: C+
Good animation, interesting storyline, but it seems a bit bipolar-- the balance of comedy and romance/serious plotline seems off, among a couple of other things.

Poor Hazumu has it tough. Not only is he the girliest guy ever-- gardening tools and all --but his hair is ALWAYS in his eyes! How can this poor idiot SEE half the time? And hair in your eyes gets IRRITATING after a while, too. Yeesh. Oh yeah, and he just got rejected by the girl he was in love with, Yasuna. So Hazumu decides to take a little stroll up the mountain where he first fell for (and on top of) Yasuna.      

And here's where Hazumu's luck REALLY turns-- he accidentally gets squished by an alien spacecraft. D'oh! Fortunately, the really silly-looking aliens are able to piece him back together. Unfortunately, they only know how to piece together a *female* version of the species...long story short: Hazumu-kun has just become Hazumu-chan, much to the dismay of his childhood friend (who just might have a crush on him *cough*), Tomari.

Here's the part where things get a bit iffy for me. The above sounds pretty damn zany, right? In fact, it's outright wacky, especially if (like me) you had nothing to go on for the show but the title. But the rest of the show has been almost entirely serious shoujo romance stuff, guy-giving-rejected-guy-porn jokes and dumb clumsy teacher notwithstanding.

That's not the only place where the creators seem to be sitting on the fence: exactly how much of Hazumu has become a girl is confusing, too. He suddenly becomes MUCH more effeminate in his gestures and language (obliviously, it seems), but he also still needs to be taught things like to remember to wear a bra, prevent boys from looking up his skirt, etc.

So, aside from the aliens, there are some other silly parts-- basically everyone in Hazumu's life who isn't Tomari or Yasuna is a shallow, silly character with pretty much one main trait, designed entirely for comic relief, at least it seems so far. But as they never seem to connect with the Hazumu/Yasuna/Tomari love triangle / trying-to-figure-out-wtf-is-going-on-here plotline, the humor just doesn't reach, leaving the show just plain confusing in its aim.

Confusion aside, the production values are nice (VERY pretty animation), and aside from Hazumu being remarkably stacked, the kids actually look roughly the age they're supposed to, and significantly different from each other, both of which are minor pet peeves of mine in many shows.

Nonetheless, it's an interesting premise with the promise of lesbian makeouts, albeit vastly underage, so I'm going to keep my eye on it-- it might improve.

[Shuten]

That's not the only place where the creators seem to be sitting on the fence: exactly how much of Hazumu has become a girl is confusing, too. He suddenly becomes MUCH more effeminate in his gestures and language (obliviously, it seems), but he also still needs to be taught things like to remember to wear a bra, prevent boys from looking up his skirt, etc.

Actually the series makes it very clear that the change is complete down to the genetic level. The aliens make this very clear and he also undergoes a week worth of test which further confirm this. Now if you're refering to his mentally accepting the situation as easy as he does I can agree that it is a bit of stretch. On the otherhand Hazumu does seem to be quite a bit on the passive side. Given the type of personality he seems to have I don't find it beyond the realm of belief that he's able to accept the situation as quickly as he does.

Simply put I would say that Hazumu was always a girl in a male's body. The only thing the Aliens did was correct a cosmic screwup in my opinion.

Besides if you think that Hazumu's acceptance of his, now her, situation is weak in the anime you should see the manga. She's literally home from the hospital less than a day after the change and accepts the situation at ridiculous speeds. At least in the anime he's given a week to come to terms. Still stretching things yes however it is nowhere near as unbelievable if you ask me.

Overall the manga is far more bipolar than the anime has been so far.


Sincerely,
Shuten

[gia]

Actually the series makes it very clear that the change is complete down to the genetic level. The aliens make this very clear and he also undergoes a week worth of test which further confirm this.

Where is this week you mention in the anime?  I just re-watched that part of the first episode, and female!Hazumu is returned to Earth at what looks like the same day as the accident.  Unless it's some weird time-warpy thing that we don't hear about until after episode 3, I don't see anything about it...

On to the genetically female thing: even if they say that the change goes down to genetics, how does that explain the sudden onset of effeminate gestures that Hazumu didn't use before-- the eyes-closed-cute-smile that she gives Yasuna and Tomari immediately upon waking up in ep1, the effeminate holding of the hand near the chest around the beginning of ep2, etc?

So the way I see it, either they're not really sure how effeminate Hazumu should be, or else the creators are making a very odd statement about what's naturally/genetically feminine (as opposed to nurturally, if that's a word).

[Shuten]

Where is this week you mention in the anime?  I just re-watched that part of the first episode, and female!Hazumu is returned to Earth at what looks like the same day as the accident.  Unless it's some weird time-warpy thing that we don't hear about until after episode 3, I don't see anything about it...

I said she underwent a week of tests. I did not say she was returned a week later. There's a vast difference there. As for where it is mentioned it's mentioned in the second episode. The stuff at the beginning of the first episode is a glimpse into the future so to speak as well.

On to the genetically female thing: even if they say that the change goes down to genetics, how does that explain the sudden onset of effeminate gestures that Hazumu didn't use before-- the eyes-closed-cute-smile that she gives Yasuna and Tomari immediately upon waking up in ep1, the effeminate holding of the hand near the chest around the beginning of ep2, etc?

I never said it did. I simply said that I found it a bit easier to swallow than the manga's interpretation which is far more outlandish. It is still undeniably stretching things to damn near ridiculous levels though.

So the way I see it, either they're not really sure how effeminate Hazumu should be, or else the creators are making a very odd statement about what's naturally/genetically feminine (as opposed to nurturally, if that's a word).

I think this series falls into the "Just smile and nod." categories. I think you're putting way too much thought into something that isn't really meant to be pondered. Hazumu being changed from a boy to a girl is nothing more than the show's gimmick. Without it all the show would be is nothing more than a "Boy confesses to girl, gets rejected, is ultimately consoled by other girl, and years down the road probably marries girl who consoled him." series. There'd be no reason to even watch the series if that's all it was.

By the way what group are you watching? I'm watching Doremi/KazenoKoeFansubs release myself.


Sincerely,
Shuten

[gia]

I think this series falls into the "Just smile and nod." categories. I think you're putting way too much thought into something that isn't really meant to be pondered.

Maybe, but I tend to go by the rule that says: if I noticed it, something's not being done right.  Keep in mind that the original review was written for my anime blog, so if something feels a bit awkward or off-balance to me, I mention it as something that threw me off.  Other people may not feel that way, but I consider it part of my "job" when writing a review to mention it.

Aaand I also have the KnKF/doremi subs.

[Shuten]

Maybe, but I tend to go by the rule that says: if I noticed it, something's not being done right.  Keep in mind that the original review was written for my anime blog, so if something feels a bit awkward or off-balance to me, I mention it as something that threw me off.  Other people may not feel that way, but I consider it part of my "job" when writing a review to mention it.

I understand. I just don't feel as bothered by the situation as others are. I think ultimately we'll just have to agree to disagree here.

Aaand I also have the KnKF/doremi subs.

I see. My primary reason for going with them myself is the fact that they actually subbed all of the spoken dialogue, even the english spoken in the first episode, and not just the japanese. It simply feels more complete. DeltaAnime-Subs/Team Tomari didn't do this and Onee-nii-sama didn't either. I know a person who happens to be deaf and KnKF/Doremi seems to be the only groups that apparently, intentionally or unintentionally... I have no idea which, took that into consideration.


Sincerely,
Shuten