10.18
That’s right folks, due to YuYuYu getting a delayed premiere, we got not one but two episodes of this show, a double header premiere if you will. Also, I am the one to write the review to round out this season’s Clusterfeck. Brought to us by the Studio Gokumi (A-Channel and Kinmoza) and helmed by the director-writer team of Seiji Kishi and Makoto Uezu (Arpeggio of Blue Steel, Carnival Phantasm, Persona 4 and Devil Survivor 2), comes what I think is the sleeper hit (if not than probably an overlooked one) of the season, at least in my opinion, that being Yuki Yuna is a Hero!
Episode 1 opens with a tale about a Hero defeating a Demon King but it turns out to the main quartet doing a puppet show for some grade schoolers. We are quickly introduced to this quartet and how they interact with each other. There’s Fu, the eldest and leader of the group, her younger nice and kind sister Itsuki, Togo the girl in a wheel-chair and best friend to the last girl Yuna, our titular redheaded energetic heroine. Together they make up the Hero Club. Basically they are a team devoted to community service, whether they are finding owners for stray cats, doing coast cleanup or putting on a puppet show for the kiddies. They got the Five Tenets which seem more like the guidelines for good living: Give a good greeting, Try not to give up; Sleep well, eat well; If you’re troubled, talk to someone; You’re likely to succeed if you try. I like how they go and show us how the Hero Club members.
I got to say I appreciate the inclusion ot Togo as a handicapped main character, because here its given as a part of her character not just her sole defining characteristic, as she demonstrates aptitude in computer technology (making a mobile app for one of their activities) and plays an equal part to the club. In fact the first part of the episode leads one to believe that this might be just another girls club SoL anime, with our quartet discussing preparations for an upcoming cultural festival and going out to dinner with Fu eating four bowls of udon because the Onee-chan has a large appetite lol.
But then one day they get a mysterious phone call from their smartphones then time freezes for all except for them. WOW, then it turns into something unexpected as reality is unveiled into a world of rainbows and pastels. It’s an actual apocalypse, you know based on the original meaning of the word. They end up in another realm, a visual wonder that is quite impressive. Fu, when pressed, reveals that she is an agent from Taisha, who act on behalf of the great local god Shinju-sama. The team has sent to deal with the Vertex, enemy of mankind who seek out the bounty of the world, Shinju-sama. I really like the design of the Vertex; i find that the CG work done on them and for the otherworldly realm are quite well done, despite looking a bit conspicuous.
Anyway, Yuki and Togo run for it when the Vertex begins to attach, while Fu and Itsuki fight it off. So, essentially this girls club SoL show has now turned into a modern magical girl show, ala Madoka Magica and yet in my book that’s a pleasant surprise. The girls can transform by the hidden power of a smartphone app, granting them special powers through a transformation highly reminiscent of Madoka Magica. Fu gains a giant 2-hand buster sword whereas Itsuki gains a flowery chakram. They put up a good fight but they are clearly outgunned. Just when hope is lost Yuki steps into the fight in order to help out her friends, turning into a pink-haired close combat fighter with happy fists.
Episode 2 has the fight against the Vertex continues. As it turns out, a Sealing Ritual must occur to defeat them. But Togo-san is rather hesitant, feeling herself inadequate. Luckily they win and everything returns to normal for now. This feels less like the first 2 episodes of a show but rather like a 2 part premiere, which is all fine and dandy to me.
But now time for exposition, as Fu explains to the girls why they fight, delivering a clear explanation of the Vertex, Shinju-sama and them being Jukai who derived their power from Shinju-sama in order to fight off and beat the Vertex before they destroy Shinju-sama. Fu states that 12 Vertices total will come and they need to be ready. Togo however still had concerning and somewhat valid doubts but Yuki tries to cheer her up. Also, Yuki got some small horned cow spirit following her around, named Gyuki.
But then another attack occurs, three this time and looking a bit different. So Yuki, Fu and Itsuki go off to fight leaving poor Togo-san behind. But when the fight gets hairy, Togo steps up and uses her power as she wants to make it up to Yuki for last time and also for being there for her when she first moved into town. Her transformation sequence, in contrast to the others, is a bit risque but as a result she gets 3 different spirits (an egg, a scrappy dog warrior and a flame) which I am sure will come into place later. Togo practically becomes the strategist and sniper of the group, as her weapons are guns (pistols and rifle). In fact, their second fight really illustrates their team dynamic as they work together to beat the Vertex trio.
But yeah, I am really digging this show. Granted, the story is stepped in the tropes and cliches of girls club SoL and mahou shoujo (particularly post-Madoka) genre but it has enough original strokes here and there to be not a total rip-off. What Takahiro did with AKame ga Kill (homaging 90s schlocky dark fantasy anime) he seems to be taking pages out of just classic mahou shoujo along with more modern tropes when it comes to YuYuYu. I really find it encouraging that Studio Gokumi which has done pretty much only girls club SoL shows is now tackling a mahou shoujo action show as the production crew in terms of animation and art direction do a great job here. Granted, they got Kishi and Uezu on board and while their track record isn’t the best in anime, I think they do a great job for the first two episodes. The real test will come with the third episode I suppose to see if it can keep up the potential for greatness that the 2 part premiere holds.
