Sukeban Deka

Summary: >

Once there was a young pretty girl that stayed in her room all the time. Why did she stay in her room? Because she was in PRISON. Saki Asamiya grew has led a tough life, even if she's good at heart. When a school spirals out of control to the point where the police can't handle it, they offer Saki a chance to clear her name and get her mother off death row.

A school in bad enough shape to bring convicts in to clean it up means she'll have her work cut out for her.

Thoughts: >

First some history. Sukeban Deka was a manga in the 70s. Then it was a live action series in the 80s. Now it's an OVA in the 90s. The anime incarnation starts at the beginning, giving the viewer a rundown of the situation quickly.

Sukeban Deka has a simplistic story concept, although very badass one. It seems well suited to serialised content that develops in a weekly episode format. The OVA is a short two episodes and feels like it's just getting started (which technically it is). The story of fighting the Mizuchi sisters is completed, but the premise situation about clearing her name and such isn't resolved.

For a 1990s title it has good and bad points. The character designs appear to be attempting to replicate the manga (or something) but end up looking rather bad. Otherwise it's a well produced show with some impressive animation.

When I first watched this anime (in the 90s) I undersold the significance of the TV show(s). The TV series basically goes through the entire Mizuchi Sisters arc while being sufficiently campy and fun enough basically fill the want of Sukeban Deka content. This also includes 2 sequel series and a slew of other delinquent girl shows like they were taking over the airwaves more so then schools. Many of them upping the ante from using yo-yo's to other weapons and eventually even rocket launchers (I'm not making that up). In fact Sukeban Deka II is one of my all time favorite TV series.

So within a few years that trend ran its course with Japan burning out on all that. While it seems natural for a fairly popular franchise to get an anime it had the timing of a bucket of fried chicken arriving 15 minutes after the biggest Thanksgiving dinner you ever had.

Thinking of this as a "pilot" to gauge interest makes a bit of sense. As an entire series I think this could work, but as a middle episode of something not so much. For it's cultural relevance I'd may be give it a short. The story is decent and the setup is unusual enough to make it worth checking out.

Screen Caps: >