First Impression – Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin
NEETs, Ghosts, and Boobs?
Winding down the First Impressions (this is the last one I’m doing, that’s for sure!) but there are still a few shows to go. So let’s find out what happens when a ghost gets a new roommate!
World of NEETs
The First Meeting is always important
NEETs (Not in Employment, Education, or Training for those who have heard the term but don’t know what it means) are big this season, it seems and Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizokin seems to take it up to another level, with a whole island made for young people who are ‘pursuing dreams’, aka not doing anything actually productive. But apparently some people do some productive things, since there are apparently some people who make scientific and product advances, which helps bankroll the island.
Yep, a ghost
It’s to this questionable paradise that Juugo Yama (Yuuki Ono) happily moves, after being disowned by his father, although the feeling seems mutual. But without any real support, he can’t afford much in the way of an apartment, so he moves into Shiawasesou (Happy House), which has one of those ‘too good to be true’ deals for rent: 5000 yen per month, prepaid for a year, no refunds. 600 dollars a year for a room with kitchen and bath, furnished with “extras” is one of those deals you should know better on. But when you don’t have a lot of choice, you take what you can get. The catch? Nanana.
A Chance of a Ghost
Perverted in Defeat!
Nanana is the ‘extra’ that landlady Maboro (who, by the way, is about the 4th most important person on the island) mentioned, a ghost who’s bound to the room. The dynamic from that point between Juugo and Nanana works pretty well, partly because Nanana is a friendly ghost who’s interested in eating pudding and playing video games, partly because Juugo can’t move out, but also partly because Juugo is an easygoing guy and realizes that she’s not bad to live with. Even though he loses their battle for supremacy (and how could he win when she has controllable presence?), he’s willing to give up his left shoulder for a boob grab. Interestingly, Nanana doesn’t do the usual ‘eek!’ kind of thing when he pulls it off. Of course, she has just dislocated his shoulder.
It can’t even be that comfortable
That gets to one of the surprising things about this show: it was a lot more ecchi than I thought it would be. No nudity, at least yet, but there’s a LOT of malegaze, like when Juugo first meets Maboro, the camera goes boobs > shorts > face > boobs. And she’s wearing a halter and daisy dukes. Later, she pulls out his key from her cleavage (I guess she was keeping it warm for him?). It’s not anything huge, and I didn’t find it tasteless, but I was kind of surprised, and it added a bit that I don’t mind to the show.
Maboro and Nanana in more alive times
Anyway, the big mystery of the show is ‘Who killed Nanana?’ And finding that out is likely to be the long running arc of the show, since the list of possible suspects is ‘everyone’, considering that she was the leader of the group that got Nanae Island built, and also had amassed a huge treasure that she ended up hiding in various spots on the island. The high school even has an Adventure Club that searches for them, including the ‘special’ items that have powers.
Cue some ‘adventurers’
An enjoyable show with some unobtrusive CG, adventure, and pretty colors. I think it’s a shoo-in that Juugo’s going to join the Adventure Club and go searching for Nanana’s Collection. But overall, I thought the show was a lot of fun, with an interesting setup and good chemistry between Juugo and Nanana. I like that they start off as friends, and there’s no pity or similar feelings keeping Juugo in the room. Sure it’s because he can’t afford to move, but even so, if he really hated Nanana, he’d find a way to not be there. I think it’d be more interesting if they were able to find a way for Juugo to take Nanana with him (maybe they will find something like this, but probably not), but there’s still a good chance for fun in the bedroom. Wait, that just sounds wrong. Or maybe it’s not…
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Fun in the bedroom…she leads of course, they’ve already established that rule.
I really liked this premiere, and I would give it high marks for standing out among the pack of new shows. It seemed to give not one care that it was riffing fair hard on Academy City and StB’s whatever the name it is Island. It showed some confidence that they could take that trope and make it their own. I found the developing relationship in the two leads to so charming; the time just slipped away.
Oh, the adventurers club. This is a sore point for me. But it’s my sore point. They remind me waaaaay to much of Tantai Milky Holmes. The less reminders I have of that, the better.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Risking a broken arm for the sake of a brief grope of “God’s Territory”. I’d say it was worth it but then I’d be lying. 😉
These series are really getting into the trend of having specialized, secluded locations bankrolled by near anonymous investors. Index/Railgun has Academy City, Strike the Blood has Itogami Island and now this series has Nanaejima.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
When one plays in God’s Territory? I’m tempted to bring about Paradise Lost, but only just so.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
And there was no need to overreact on her part since she got satisfaction by breaking his arm.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
But….how many times has she played out that scenario?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I dunno, probably not THAT many. She was only killed 10 years ago. And you wonder how many new people Maboro brings in, tho. Is she counting on people leaving, and keeping their 60k yen? How much turnover does she use to get up to a good return on the place?
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
Wow, totally 180 from what I expected. I thought this would be a mystery detective movie leaning more towards the supernatural theme like Tasogare Otome x Amnesia (which I tried to like but the minor horror themes really bothered me… yes, I’m very weak against anything in that genre). Instead we got Juugo, who’s pretty awesome. He didn’t step down from the battle and took his defeat like a man. No whining, grumbling, or regrets. Yuugo, I salute you!
As you said Highway, there’s lots of little things they added that didn’t seem out of place. The detail in the first episode is great too, and the animation was excellent. My faith in Noitamina is starting to revive!
P.S. I really like the eyes in the show.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I liked Tasogare Otome, and was surprised, because I’m pretty weak to horror as well. It just didn’t reach a ‘scary’ threshold for me.
Yeah, Juugo is a pretty good protagonist at rolling with the punches. And making the decision to be Nanana’s friend, which you could tell he did after reading the ‘manual’, shows him to be a good character, I think.
I was kind of interested in the eyes as well, that Juugo and Nanana have the same eyes.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
You mean the design or the color? Because I could have sworn they were different colors.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
The scene that stood out to me, I think it was right after my first screenshot up there, when they had a closeup of both of their faces, I couldn’t see any difference in the coloring of their eyes. Maybe the colors diverged later, but they both seem to be violet up top shading to a periwinkle at the bottom.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
Hmm, Nanana’s are more of a baby blue. Shiki’s (the landlady) eyes are similar though. a little bit of a darker purple shade.
My favorite eyes are Nia’s in TTGL. I love the flowers~~~
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Not bad at all. Looks like this show will be able to balance serious and comedic elements. True fact: If something seems too good to be true, it’s because there’s always a catch. Juugo took the news of Nanana being a ghost rather well though she’s acting pretty upbeat for someone who was murdered. If I had to guess, she was killed for becoming too popular or maybe it was accidental because whoever did it was surely after her treasure and needed her alive for information.
Disowned by his father yet there’s no resentment for it. This could be the next Jimon Asuta. Juugo is likable lead and gets praise for staying not just because he’s tight on money; he’s willing to get to know Nanana. Besides that, with the way he acts, he seems more like the wingman a lead would have.