July 29, 2005
Aa! Megami Sama TV Episode 1
Space… the final frontier. Truly, it is an infinite space of infinite life forms. Star Trek references aside, the opening of this series explains that there are many things in the universe and fate affects how people live their lives. But is fate controlled by a higher power? If I hadn’t known this was Ah! My Goddess, judging from this science fiction-style opening voiceover, I would have thought it was an episode of Star Trek. Anyhow, we see Morisato Keiichi being woken up by his sempai. He’s currently a student at Nekomi Institute of Technology, a member of the auto club living with some fellow club members. One day, he rushes off on his motorcycle… well, he tries to at any rate. Engines are finicky things, you have to treat them like a woman, Keiichi.
Heh, the next part has a recollection of Keiichi’s attempt to ask Mishima Sayoko out on a date to a museum. Bad idea, Kei. Well, she rejects him pretty strongly, mainly because he’s short. Back to the present day, he’s called on in class but is literally saved by the bell. Unfortunately, the Auto Club officers come and drag him off to clubroom, despite having a critical German lecture in the next period. The voiceover from the opening explains that he has an unlucky star hovering over him. Back with Keiichi, the club is attempting a fundraiser to raise funds for their under-funded club… and rather loudly, if I might add. Anyhow, they end up trying to fix the engine of some unlucky fellow in the parking lot. Of course, Tamiya (the president, if memory serves me correct) fixes it up… and asks quite an exorbitant rate for his services. Keiichi, being unlucky, is ordered to chase down the skinflint, who has escaped. In a rather humorous sequence, he rides his minibike (I’m thinking Natsumi from You’re Under Arrest…) and catches him but some angry females also catch up to Keiichi to make him pay for all the damage he caused during the chase. Surrounded by happy couples out and about, Keiichi’s feeling quite down. No bike, no girlfriend, and no money either…
Back at the dormitory from hell, the Auto Club gang has gathered in his room for some “serious business.” To make a long story short, Tamiya orders him to stay home and take care of the chores while they go out and party. Dang, definitely not his day. Another voiceover, a more familiar voice… says that one just can’t leave him this way.
Home alone, Keiichi sits around the house and finds a rental video that’s due that night. He runs out and tries to get to the store in time, despite falling in sewers, getting menaced by dogs, etc… but manages to make it in time. On his way back, he encounters a crying little girl who lost her mom’s wallet. Kei, being the nice guy, helps her search for the missing wallet. Hijiri, the girl, thanks her new big brother for helping out. Unfortunately, he has a phone call to intercept for his sempai.
After nearly missing the call, he breathes a sigh of relief and tries to call up his fellow club member about the phone call (I assume). Just his luck, he dials the wrong number. Dang it, you called the Goddess Assistance Agency, not Aoyama-sempai! You moron! Now you’ve got a goddess popping out of your mirror asking what you want to wish for! Instead of calling his pal, he’s called a goddess, a complete stranger into his house! And so, everyone’s favorite goddess appears through his mirror and introduces herself as Belldandy, a goddess whose job is to help those in need. Man, his luck is really messed up. Oh well, he missed calling his sempai but now he’s got a cute goddess in his room. Things could be worse.
Kidding aside, I went into this series expecting some horrible mutated Belldandy. I’d heard that the art style was more similar to the later chapters of the manga, where Belldandy looks a little too perfect and pure, losing some of her original charm from the original OAV (circa chapter 75-ish in the manga’s art style evolution). Well, Bell doesn’t look that bad in my honest opinion, though I’d prefer the OAV’s art style. Trust me, I’d know. *hides his 80+ MB collection of Belldandy wallpapers*
But if I really had to nitpick something, I think this first episode dragged a bit. The long introduction of Keiichi seemed unnecessary. After all, Belldandy appears two pages into the manga. Perhaps I am just too much of a hardcore fan of the manga. What do you think? I think that I just want to get straight “into the action” as soon as possible. Anyway, it was not a horrible beginning to a series. This series has some promise. My only fear is that Belldandy will appear too subservient to a modern audience, instead of being kind-hearted and loving. Belldandy, don’t let me down.