First Impression – Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls
YUKIMURA! OYA- Wait, wrong anime, isn’t it? Christ…
Whoah. That’s pretty much all I can say to Hyakka Ryouran. It’s not astoundingly bad, but then again, is it good? I would compare it to Queens Blade (probably because everyone else is) but I didn’t watch that for obvious reasons. I went into Hyakka thinking it was set way back when. But it turns out it’s not. Maybe I should’ve read the synopsis…
Just so you know, girls don’t actually fall from the sky.
Starting in medias res (like a lot of anime nowadays, it gets a little annoying) a glowing un-named woman / girl floats from the sky into an un-named mans / boys arm. She mutters that he’s her brother, and they kiss, making everything explode. Just another typical day in anime, I guess.
Ass ‘n’ Tittays! Sums up the whole episode in a hilarious song. NSFW at all.
Skipping to hours before ‘First Kiss’, it turns out that man / boy we saw is returning from somewhere, back to his own dojo. He steps off a train, and a weird mix of technology, schoolgirls and art takes place. As man / boy walks around the town taking pictures of various places, he enters the dojo in question, only to ‘accidently’ take a picture of two naked women / girls. They freak out and throw stuff at him, mistake him for a pervert (I wonder why…) and then he kicks their asses.
Not as manly as the previous anime counterpart. Though, one could argue this Sanada is awesomer.
Clearing things up, we find that these two women / girls, are one of two things. Students that are breaking some student council laws, or they are just fugitives. You see, I didn’t really know what is going on. In the Hyakka Ryouran universive, the Tokugawa Shogunate stayed in power ’till the 21st century. And for some reason, Student Councils are ‘tasked with oppressing schools’, whatever that means. What I gathered from the episode, was that the two girls he meets are the good guys, and everyone else is the bad guys. Seemed to work for me.
Ninja are also skilled in the art of, uh, you get the idea…
After a short talk between loli woman / girl whose name is actually Sanada Yukimura (Not the manly one, but the loli one in the swimsuit, and her friend is Matabei Gotou), Sanada and Matabei are suddenly at the mysterious mans / boys throat again. Luckily, they get attacked by ninja, led by badass metal-maid-robot-technology-woman-girl Hattori Hanzou. Yeah, that’s right. Hattori Hanzou. Sanada, Matabei and man / boy manage to escape into the sewers, while Hattori Hanzou gets a telling off and perform oral sex to some other chick. Riiiiiight.
Her voice is manly. Which is weird. Because, she sounded pretty unmanly seconds before this picture.
Sanada, Matabei and man / boy escape from the sewer and are met once again by Hattori Hanzou’s ninja crew (the ninja are all girls wearing really short skirts and red panties, btw). In an epic reveal, it turns out that man / boy is Muneakira Yagyuu, someone who is rebelling against his own student council. This is all very surprising to Hattori, Sanada and Matabei, and they all escape the ninja due to a shining light in the sky. As they run away, Yagyuu is intrigued and something crazy happens. A woman / girl falls from the sky and he catches her. The kiss, everything explodes, and she’s then standing them in very inconvenient clothing, claiming to be Yagyuu Jubei.
End Thoughts
The opening was badass. I think everyone should at least watch it. For the art. Yeah, the art.
To be honest, I’d hate the see the uncensored version…
Sanada scared Motobei so much, she turned into a squid.
I couldn’t resist, I’m sorry xD
Do I regret watching this episode? No. Do I regret reviewing this show? Maybe. I can’t really answer that one yet. All I could really distinguish from this episode was boobs, butts and more boobs. There was a story there, I know there was, but I had a hard time finding it and actually deciphering it. In a way, the story could be pretty interesting, with the Tokugawa Shogunate still in power towards the 21st century. Technology is all there (I think) but it still looks like feudal Japan.
But I guess story wasn’t really on the cards for the first episode. I guess it was a lot of introducing characters (as much of them as possible, it seems..) and setting up the universe that they exist in. The fact that they are using name from ‘ancient samurai heroes’ is confusing. Yukimura Sanada! I instantly think this or this. Not this. Luckily, they all put some clothes on towards the end of the episode and look somewhat approachable.
Thankfully, the art and animation were brilliant. Because I’m not really an arty person (though one could argue) I could appreciate that it looked damn nice. The opening scene is certainly a good representation of what the animation team is capable of, and it’s a far leap from, say, B Gata H Kei xD Funnily enough, the censorship was probably one of the most tasteful parts of the anime, keeping the feel of some sort of painting, with ink splotches throughout the episode and not just to keep the children of the nation innocent.
Character designs also seem a little awesome. My significant other argued that they just looked stupid, especially Hattori Hanzou’s awesome knife maid dress, but I think they are totally badass. And thanks to the last scene of the episode, I’m actually interested to watch the next. Jubei had an oddly manly voice, and it was badass. Guess we’ll have to wait ’till it airs, yeah?
About Hato-kun
I'm Hato, born and raised in glorious New Zealand and a self-proclaimed awesome person. I started writing here in July and I'm loving it so far! I'm Metanorn's go-to Moe Man (lol) and the games guru, so don't be shy to say hello!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Your “I’M WET” screenshot = win. XD
As soon as that glowing girl fell from the sky and kissed that guy, I gave up on the story <__<
I'll probably give it another episode or two to see if I want to keep watching~
POWUH: 400-499 and Manly Russians lover with 401 comments
There’s probably a reason she fell from the sky! We probably just wont learn it for another six episodes filled with more boobs and butts!
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
the amount of boobs and butts there made me go all O.o and then (>.<), and the censors always make laugh. it's gona be hard for me to watch this anime seriously. there's soo much girls in this anime (duh), and i'm so sick of these lots-of-girls-in-it anime. they need to start making anime(s) with one girl and lots of guys in it just to balance it out.
starry sky? hakuouki? xDanyway, the setting is really interesting. technology +feudal era is not that bad. and gosh, the art, it’s just so beautiful! i’ll try to watch it until the end, just for the art ^^;
POWUH: 400-499 and Manly Russians lover with 401 comments
I’ll watch it for the art as well! I swear. Not for Sanada. Not at all. All for the art.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Good review, Hato~! I LOL’d at the wet screen. FTW~ XD
The art is definitely very good but I don’t think the story would be that challenging looking at the amount of fanservice… Also, the voice of the pink-haired girl was just weird at the end.
POWUH: 400-499 and Manly Russians lover with 401 comments
It’s soooooo manly. It caught me off guard, and I was like “Daaaaaayuuuuum!”
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 36 comments
I just watched this pre-aired episode yesterday with my boyfriend, because I know he’s into ecchi harem-esque titles like this, tho he was annoyed to hell with all the censoring. (lol like his reason why he won’t watch Highschool of the Dead.. b/c of all the censoring and waiting for DVD/Blu-Ray.) I actually like this first episode, which is kinda surprising to me. But I think it’s the background and art style that made me like it.. I can’t wait to see more episodes~ And hear Sakurai-san~ as Tokugawa Yoshihiko.
POWUH: 400-499 and Manly Russians lover with 401 comments
“I just watched this pre-aired episode yesterday with my boyfriend, because I know he’s into ecchi harem-esque titles like this…”
You are one understanding girlfriend. My girlfriend doesn’t know I watched this, I’d probably get the crap beaten out of me.
Wait, she reads this site.
Oh god… HELP. :scared
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
*says in a serious voice* But it was an assignment! :see
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 145 comments
scary. o.o
POWUH: iLurker with 12 comments
I have to say – mostly I agree with you…to much fan-service for one episode. I mean, good Lord, the maid was just…lol. Anyway, about Jubei having a manly voice, I’m going to assume she has two “forms” or “selfs.” The normal ditzy one we see in the ending, and the kick-ass one she becomes when she kisses Mune.
It’s a lot of assuming for one episode, let’s move on to #2 and hope for more story rather than fan-service. As you said, the art is GORGEOUS and I can only hope the story matches up to it. *sigh* However….aheh -_-;
POWUH: 400-499 and Manly Russians lover with 401 comments
At least her name was Hattori Hanzou. That names deserves points. I also agree with you about Jubei, funnily enough. We get the two personalities, which kind of annoys me, but I guess they aren’t making the show for me now, are they?
But yeah, invest in some clothes, people…
POWUH: iLurker with 4 comments
To clear up a few confused points here, the story is based in a modern time, but in an alternate version of history. The tokugawa shogunate is still in control of japan (giving off the idea that the country is still fuedal) meaning that the samurai are still a strong influence over japanese culture as the meiji restoration didn’t take place.
Also Sanada isn’t disobeying a few school rules, her family opposes the shogunate (the entire government) and plans to overthrow it, treason/relovtion take your pick lol.
Not a great explaination of who the man is, other then he was sent by the shogunate to run the dojo at the school. He says hes a member of the Yagyuu family who were a family of samurai retainers and in the storyline brings the point that they were masters, who taught the royal samurai who deffend the shogun. Making him sanada’s enemy.
At the end the girl who appears is also a memeber of the “Yagyuu” family, meaning he may actually be a member of her family but I doubt hes her older brother. maybe shes a long decendant of the Yagyuu family ….somehow frozen in time.
Hope this helps 😀
POWUH: 400-499 and Manly Russians lover with 401 comments
I think it’s awesome that the Meiji restoration never took place. It’s like Japan has been isolated for hundreds of years. The only problem with that, is why do they have cameras…? They never would’ve opened their borders and ports to the outside world.
“Not a great explanation of who the man is…”
Not true, he’s Muneakira Yagyuu. Like you said, he’s part of the Yagyuu family, which support the Shogun. He’s turned against them though, so instead of being Sanada’s enemy, he’s her ally.
And pretty much bang on with Jubei. Claims she’s part of the Yagyuu family, but who knows.
POWUH: iLurker with 4 comments
Many of the names of charecters are used from actual historical figures. Though they may of got the gender of these charecters slightly mixed up lol.
Im hoping they make a charecter for Miyamoto Musashi, seeing as he is titled the greatest swordsman in history it seems only fitting.
The fact that the Meiji restoration didn’t take place and the shogun remained in control doesn’t mean that Tokugawa Yoshinobu didn’t take the same action and sign the treaties with western forces….
Then again the images at the beginning shows western forces attempting to invade Japan giving off the idea that Sakoku may still be in place.
Hopefully in the coming episodes they’ll give us etleast a brief explanation for the passage of time seeing as theres noway of knowing what happened since 1868, history would of been distorted from that point as the emperor hasn’t returned to dominent power.
Btw forgot to say this before, but it was a good review of the episode 😀
POWUH: 400-499 and Manly Russians lover with 401 comments
“Many of the names of charecters are used from actual historical figures.”
Yeah, my girlfriend cried when she saw that Yukimura was a swimsuit wearing loli. She’s used to the manly one from BASARA.
“Then again the images at the beginning shows western forces attempting to invade Japan giving off the idea that Sakoku may still be in place.”
See, that’s what is confusing me. They opened their borders after years of being isolated and developing their own culture, then embraced the new technologies that the world had developed, and making them awesome. And I’m also hoping for an explanation myself, I want to know why they have cameras!
“Btw forgot to say this before, but it was a good review of the episode :D”
Why thank you 😀 You’re pretty awesome yourself :thumb:
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 145 comments
did i miss something in japanese history? i thought tokugawa made a coup and usurped the shoganate from toyotomi? and i also thought that by the time WWI came about the toyotomi was all but forgotten?
POWUH: iLurker with 4 comments
I don’t know a great deal of the Toyotomi family, far as I know the shogun before the Tokugawa reign was Ashikaga. The fall of the Ashikaga was thanks to Oda Nobunaga (Toytomi Hideyoshi was the successor to oda). The last shogun died in 1903, even then had very little power becuase of the Meiji restoration. By the start of WWI the shogunate and its push to return it to power was over.
Toyomoti was a rival of tokugawa, even though im history before tokugawa had reached the seat of the shogun they had been allies in several battles. I don’t know of any point in time when the Toyotomi fan controlled teh Shogunate.
However there was a sall period of time between the AShikaga and the Tokugawa shogunate where they may have been alot of fighting between them.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 145 comments
toyotomi completed oda’s dream of uniting japan, going so far as to secure territories in the korean peninsula. this much i know because i once wrote a history paper on the sengoku period.
anyway, i know that while toyotomi was out making treaties and war, tokugawa helped as an ally, as he was also a retainer for the oda family during all that bloody stuff (read: sengoku period). after that my memory is hazy. im sure “get your guns on” talked about it in the first season. i mean the show is about the sengoku period complete with oda as a rampaging demon lord (much like onimusha).
thing is, i like oda: i think what he tried to do was best for the country. but thats just me 😡
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 145 comments
“put your guns on” *
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
I’m going to be brief with this, A) The only reason i was attracted to this anime was the simple fact of the art work, That is all i ever look for in an anime, Due to its stunning drawing and … Decent translation, I liked it, But on the bad end, What turns me away from an anime is was to me TnA [Tits And Ass] Seriously, You can only make, A blood spilling, Throat slitting anime so epic, The curve ball of this anime, Is it trys WAY to hard to make 11 year old boys jizz in there pants, Where is most of the anime loving respectable or adults, Are sitting going, “o_O Okay thats hot, But lil less, I wanna see more death.” Atleast for me anyways.
Before i flee from this i’m going to say two things really fast.
1) The “I’m wet” Was the cherry on the cake of your review.
2) Your Review was very well done, Keep up the good work.
-Azurai
Oh and another thing, To all the people looking to get there sexual needs filled by this anime, I have something for you..
Redtube. :sparkle
.. Wild Azurai Has Fled ..
/Cough .. :dead
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 145 comments
you are by far the coolest bro who has commented yet. 😡
POWUH: 400-499 and Manly Russians lover with 401 comments
What is this Redtube he speaks of? :shrug
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 145 comments
okay so i actually went and watched this last night since your review inspired me to, and i have just a few comments on the show.
i really dig this alternate history thing, i mean, anyone read Phillip K. Dick’s “Man in the High Castle?” I wish there was more action though. r.r
as for my favorite character so far, it’d have to be Sanada (and no its not because of H-kun’s coveted DFC). I liked Taiga from ToraDora and i like Shana from Shakugan no Shana, and lo-and-behold, it’s basically the same person, even the seiyuu is the same. also, my fav character from Samurai Deeper: Kyo was Sanada Yukimura, so i’d like to continue with that.
lastly, i really hope they’re not doing to do the whole split personality thing with that jyubei character. it’s already been done here with the same character. please, anime gods, dont make it happen again. :[
that said, will watch more of this show. the art was okay: i guess it was different than most shows, but i still feel that its a lame attempt at something different. everything looks bland outside of the “reinforced” character outlines. -___-
POWUH: 400-499 and Manly Russians lover with 401 comments
H-kun just makes me sound really, really dirty. Though I’m surprised no one has called me that thus far.
POWUH: iLurker with 4 comments
I agree with H-kun, the dirty old man.
Yeah ive noticed most strong female charecters are very very similar, though Taiga and Shana are awesome. Im hoping that Matabee’s charecter will come out more, at the minute she seems very quite and clumsy, but she also shows a very serious side when the time is right. B ythe way I apologise for my reply earlier the spelling and grammar was horrific lol
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
awesome anime so far, then censorship is cool :nosebleeds: waiting ages for second episode to come out :ohohoho: :eh :sparkle :glasses these emoticons are awesome :spark :rage:
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 36 comments
That first episode (that was reviewed) was a pre-airing. The actual series doesn’t start till like Oct 3rd.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
anime art is great. I also watch anime for their art and action. Storyline is very weak right now for me. I hope it picks up because I feel like it does have potential. I am also a fan of Sanada because Im pretty chisai myself so its nice to have characters you can relate too. She’s feisty and tough like Taiga as well. I also wished they didn’t do so much fan service and more action scenes. Oh and I wished the girls had better costume design/covered up.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
anybody want to suck my dick?