Tokyo Majin Gakuen Kenpuchou – a first look

As usual, Tokyo is overrun by undead, ensnaring kawaii high school girls and sucking them dry. Enter super-powered seifuku-ed teenagers to the rescue.

Overused premise? Maybe.

Boring? HELL NO!

It's been a long time since I enjoyed so much a shounen fare and an even longer time I have rewatched a debut so many times. But ep 1 of Tokyo Majin was so good by all accounts that I can't help but lap it up over and over again. On the animation, it has some of the best battle sequences I have seen in a while. The action is fluid and the use of 'power' effects superb.

I'm a sucker for cool battle stances and this series is chock full of them. (Still trying to emulate Tatsuma's insane handseal) However, it is clear that the studio does not have SUNRISE budget since certain transition scenes are noticeably of lower quality. It's still reassuring to learn that the animators exhibit good judgement to put the money where it really matters. This bodes well for the rest of the production.

Next, music. The music production is simply outstanding. Not just the tracks per se but the integration with the visual to create that fitting ambience. I love how the frantic violin piece at the start was actually marking out the death of an accomplished violinist. The soulful track of Tatsuma finishing off the spider-demon also captured his vendetta against it well as he mercilessly exacts vengeance for violinist-cutie. The mood of the series is also well conveyed visually as we have not-so-pretty scene transitions of the aftermath of rape and pigeon poo; scenes that serve to accentuate the dark tone of the series.

There's been several complaints about the supposed disjointed storytelling. I actually thought the dual storythreads presented in this episode were coherent and well-executed. Granted, the pace was neckbreaking and the flow seemed constantly disrupted with the scenes alternating between 2 fight theatres. But as episode plays out to the end, it left me thirsty for the events/people behind the battles. You can be sure I'll be catching ep 2.

And for those who need to know, yes, there's a loli in the series. A really cute one too. But I'd suggest you don't feed her.

Horie Yui fans would also rejoice at her role in the series. The fact that her voice was not instantly recognisable should be reason enough to catch her performance.

As with every series that begins great, the main fear is that the series would not be able to hold under the weight of its overachieving debut. Here's hoping AIC Spirit stay focused and deliver the shounen treat that's so lacking in my anime diet.

Related posts:

1. Arrived in Tokyo