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skysenshi (09.18.2003)
Something Cute from Vanilla
I've got to hand it to Vanilla this time. I could never accuse
Girl Next Door of having a generic-looking loser, who gets
all the girls, for a protagonist. Masahiko is anything but
generic. He has that unique homeliness that kind of makes
you think he must've come from a 70s comedy. And no, he doesn't
really get all the girls. Sure, he makes love to them in his
fantasies, and he has a lot of close calls ranging from blow
jobs to titty fucking. His heart is still pure, however, as
he only chases after his one ideal woman. Everything in this
little package is for that girl who had helped him out when
he was a sniveling little toddler. Unfortunately, all he could
remember was her dress and her straw hat. Throughout the two
episodes, he struggles to keep his virginity intact until
he finds her. Cute. Very cute.
The women are as odd as they come. Two of them are Masahiko's
neighbors—pretty sisters Kyoko and Asuka—and the
object of his constant wet dreams. Another is a Shinto shrine
maiden who gets possessed by a horny ghost hell-bent on satisfying
herself. At home stays a guest of exotic Chinese beauty, coming
all the way from America just to learn martial arts from Masahiko's
dad. She unknowingly worms her way into Masahiko's heart.
Work is toxic as the kid resists the advances of a boss hungry
for the attention of an absentee husband. School isn't too
safe either, as a college professor is on a mad mission of
collecting "excellent" sperms. Plus, a female stalker
appears right out of nowhere to either give him head or masturbate
in his face. All for the love of Masahiko.
The bedlam doesn't stop there. You have your signature blonde
best buddy, who curiously isn't as jaded as expected. He envies
Masahiko for the strange luck with women. Who wouldn't? Especially
for a guy who isn't treasuring celibacy as much as Masahiko
does. And I haven't even begun to describe Masahiko's perpetually
masked father. He looks more like a Western wrestler than
a dojo owner.
Does our lead find the girl he has been searching for? As
unrealistic as it may seem, the ending still manages to make
me go, "Awwww!"
Artwork and animation are digitized, of course. I don't really
appreciate it much; I find the colors too loud and the rendering
doesn't exactly blend well with the background. On the other
hand, they work perfectly with the comedic atmosphere. Once
in a while, you'll see characters in chibi super deformed
(SD) mode, which has been quite a rare sight in h-anime these
days. Voices, both the Japanese and the English dubbing, are
crisp and clear. Hentai scenes are of normal breed. You don't
have to worry about rape or violent tentacles. It's just pure
adult fun that's sweet and entertaining.
Notes on DVD: I like the way Critical Mass releases their
anime (even though I hate buying from their online store and
prefer to get their products via Amazon.com
or Animenation).
They're not too stingy with the episodes, which means more
value for your buck.
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