Friday 2 April 2010

B Gata H Kei - Episode 1 (Dropped)

The sex-obsessed virgin male has been a staple part of the anime diet for some time, but how's this for a turnabout for the books - A sex-crazed female lead character? Such is the case with Yamada, the star of B Gata H Kei and a girl with the decidedly odd ambition of having 100 sex partners. There are careers you can get into to help with that kind of thing, you know...

Anyhow, despite these grandiose plans, Yamada isn't simply just a virgin, but she's also never had a boyfriend, which makes her more than a little clueless around guys. What's more, she's not exactly the most selfless and understanding of people, so when she literally bumps into a guy named Takashi Kosuda at a local bookstore (who, naturally, later turns out to be in her class at school) and decides that he's the one to ease her into a life of non-stop sex, things don't exactly go to plan.


While the concept of this show is at least a little different from the norm, and the comedy to be derived from the scenario it portrays is more than a little obvious, B Gata H Kei falls flat on account of featuring possibly one of the most annoying female lead characters of all time. To put it simply, she's a selfish bitch with no self-restraint and not a care in the world for anybody else, and although doubtless the series will progress to see her fall in love and become a thoroughly nice girl, she's succeeded in putting my back up so much in this opening episode that I honestly don't care. Mix that in with some pretty average at best animation, a male lead character who is as dull as dishwater, and jokes that largely fall flat on their face, and you I can't think of any reason to persevere with this particular series. I don't think I've ever dropped a show on this 'blog after a single episode, but there's a first time for everything...

16 comments:

JW said...

I watched Heroman yesterday and I decided that I will be watching (though I don't blog)

It reminds me so much of the Saturday morning cartoons I watched as a kid (you know, the GOOD ones? Not like today's acid-trip animation) that I'll likely buy myself a "Family Size" box of lucky charms and two gallons of milk and invite my now married siblings over to sit in front of the TV/computer monitor in our PJs just like old times!

Anonymous said...

"To put it simply, she's a selfish bitch with no self-restraint and not a care in the world for anybody else"

Which is exactly the reason why Japanese females in general have...not the greatest of reputations as a whole. I'd rather marry an actual whore, than have a true Japanese wife.

Fernando Caricchio said...

This one broke Linebarrel's record. Dropped on second episode, wasn't it?

Unknown said...

You make it sound absolutely dire, I think I'll give it a miss.

Topspin said...

My roomie and I think this seems more like a stock relationship anime, about this girl's personal growth from someone with awful societal preconceptions about sex and relationships to one where she realizes how stuck-up and unfair she really is. But then it could follow through on it's premise and be terrible.

Anonymous said...

how can you say japanese women are like that,please this is only fiction ,real people are not like characters is like say all americans don't have education for their movies or all koreans are romantic for their dramas

Hanners said...

Topspin, I think you're probably right in the long run, but making such an unlikeable character to start out the show never bodes well in my experience - They usually end up holding onto those bad traits throughout no matter what.

Andrea said...

i already watched the first episode and it's hilarious
LoL XD

it's pretty interesting.

CH Makoto said...

I agree with you entirely. I ended up fast forwarding through parts in hope of some improvement, but no such luck. A more believable lead and/or better animation might have been reason to watch further, but unless I hear otherwise later I too am dropping this one, sigh. I had hopes as the premise sounded interesting.

Anonymous said...

"To put it simply, she's a selfish bitch with no self-restraint and not a care in the world for anybody else"

I'd say she's only slightly different from a female version of the loser from Seitokai no Ichizon mixed together with Haruhi.
All of they've done is invert gender roles for the premise, and then thwarted them to milk the comedy. It's about as interesting as watching any of the other garbage ecchi shows otaku buy. Which is to say, not very.


"I'd rather marry an actual whore, than have a true Japanese wife."

You get too much of your information from a certain misogynistic wapanese guy's porn blog, I suspect. Do you even know more than zero Japanese females?

Martin said...

Damn, if not even you can stomach this, it must be bad! When you start blogging a bad series I'd normally expect you to watch it through to the end and mock it mercilessly (which is invariably more entertaining that watching the thing for myself). 'Bad' is one thing but 'offensively unwatchable' is another!

One off my 'plan to watch' list, at least.

Hanners said...

Watching it through to lambast it mercilessly was tempting, but I don't think there's even much fun to be derived from poking holes in this series - It isn't bad to the point of being funny to watch, it's just plain bad.

Kexiu said...

I think I just got my daily high from reading your second paragraph, I haven't even seen the episode yet I'm still laughing as I type.

Anonymous said...

This blog is just sad.

I'm dropping it after reading first post.

That broke my record.

Hanners said...

But... but.... I kind of liked Ladies versus Butlers?...

Unknown said...

well for me B Gata H Kei Is pretty good its just one aspect of the weird phase that young teens have to go through and i for one respect Yamada because my wife was that way when we were younger just remember how things were in the confusing teen years give another go just let go of the she's a cold bitch and you will see through to her true character promise it wont hurt!