ridiculous newsletter review

Written by mupchubz

“Get into the kitchen and cook me something, woman!” Such a remark nowadays could render you unconscious if you uttered such words in the presence of the myriad of progressive and independent female thinkers in today’s society. A woman is no longer just a homemaker, nor is she just meant to be an incubator for the prolonging and furtherance of mankind--she is an individual capable of making decisions and “bringing home the bread.”

What was once identified as a man’s job is now also a woman’s. The progress of women as empowered beings has also impacted the world of anime. In Shin Koihime Musou, the anime presents a memorable all-female cast showcasing the ideal woman as one who is able-bodied, strong-willed, and above all, an intellect. Now who could resist such a woman?

Shin Koihime Musou is an engaging anime that depicts the lives of six female warriors (and a darling child) who unite in strength and ability to thwart the evils of grubby tyrants and bandits. The show starts off in chaos: The warriors are in a tense battle with evil-doers, giving the audience the opportunity to become re-acquainted with the characters. The bandits are eventually outwitted and defeated by the buxom warriors (and a pet pig), which reinforces the progressive idea that women are just as brilliant and cunning, if not more so, than men.

As the story unfolds, light is shed on the relationship between two of the warriors, Chouhi and Bachou. The central conflict at the beginning of the story basically involves names and titles: Bachou wishes to call Chouhi by her first name (“Rin Rin”) but is awkwardly unable to. Needless to say, hilarity ensues when misunderstandings arise. But what makes this anime worthwhile to watch isn’t the fact that Chouhi is indeed naïve, or the fact that Bachou is given into flights of emotional combustion--it’s the dialogue! Shin Koihime Musou, under the disguise of lovely doe-eyed women, contains some of the most amusing and well-thought out dialogue in moe-moe history. Slightly perverted themes are definitely underplayed in this anime, and are easily missed if the viewer isn’t alert.

I hadn’t heard of Shin Koihime Musou prior to its showcase on Crunchyroll, but it has certainly charmed its way into my “Must Watch” list!

Did you know that Osamu Tezuka started working on Metropolis, the manga, when he was 15? Over half a century later in 2001, Fritz Lang would make the featured film based off his Tezuka's works!