Kannazuki no Miko (episode 1)

A friend gave me the DVD box set of Kannazuki no Miko, a 12-episode anime series. Some months ago, another friend also recommended this series to me. Before I go on, I must point out that both of these friends--who do not know each other--are unmarried straight men. I do not think this is a coincidence.

I watched the first episode tonight. I should also point out that it is my habit to watch one episode of something on DVD while I eat dinner. On a typical evening, this is all I watch, so the reason I stopped after the first episode had nothing to do with the quality of the show.

However . . .

It starts off with a ton of fanservice. Panty shots, bra shots, dressing, undressing, ad nauseam. I’m sure some people get turned on by this sort of thing. Me? It just makes me laugh. It’s so silly and not even remotely sexy. Excessive fanservice is what made me give up on Najica Blitz Tactics after only one DVD, even though I actually liked the main character.

After a rather slow and lackluster start, KnM breaks loose with a cataclysm in the sky, giant robots, and lots of smash-and-crash. And one long-haired bishounen. What’s he there for? So they can pretend they have something to appeal to straight women? This is otherwise such a straight guy’s fantasy that the pretty man seems incredibly out of place. Maybe he’s lost?

Back to the main characters, the two girls with cut-and-paste personalities. Now, I’m all for lesbian romances (obviously), but they have to be believable. Like in Maria-sama ga Miteru, a wonderfully romantic non-romance. (Yeah, sure, they’re “just friends.” You just keep telling yourself that.) But in KnM, the lukewarm lesbian action is, shall we say, ill-timed. What, you’re going to cop a feel before you give her CPR? What, now you’re going to kiss an unconscious girl while the giant robots are fighting right over your head? Shouldn’t you be running for your lives? Carrying her away from the battlefield? Kiss her later, when you’re both safe and she’s awake, for crying out loud!

Every minute I watched, I kept hoping it would get better. But it kept a-slidin’ down, apparently on the philosophy that one can never have too much cheese on top of scrambled eggs.

I will watch the rest of the show, in my usual single-episode doses. It was a gift, after all. And I suppose it is possible that it might get better.

At least it has a catchy little techno ending theme. Makes me want to dance.

(By the way, if either of the above mentioned friends are reading--you know who you are--please don’t be offended. I still love ya. I just think the show is cheesy.)