Review of Ah My Goddess! TV: Volume 6

Introduction

I was browsing the MVM retail website today, and I spotted a couple of new series to look forward to in 2008. There is the Gonzo fan service overload in Witchblade, as well as the escapee from the Geneon meltdown, the critically acclaimed Black Lagoon, volume 1s being released in February and March respectively. That means that space has to be made in the release schedule, and it`s no surprise that a few series are approaching the end of their release runs about now. The final release of Ah My Goddess from MVM, volume 6 of the TV series arrives for review. And I`m feeling a little melancholy about it all.

Ah My Goddess was the 5-episode OVA series that proved to be the hit of the nineties, as countless anime fans fell in love with the elegant charms of the goddess Belldandy. Start an impromptu poll on any anime forum, and Belldandy will rate as most people`s ideal animated woman (Admittedly some think she`s a wet fish, but there`s no accounting for taste). A full-length anime series based on the long running manga has been a long time coming, but finally prayers have been answered, and MVM bring the first series to the UK. Apparently, just as happened in the US, ADV have nabbed the second series, so expect a change of distributor for AMG in 2008. ADV will pick up with Ah My Goddess: Flights Of Fancy in February where this series leaves off.

Ah My Goddess takes its cue from the sitcoms of the sixties, shows like Bewitched and I Dream Of Jeannie, where an average Joe would meet the girl of his dreams, only there would be more to her than meets the eye, causing his life to change in unexpected ways. Here Keiichi Morisato is the average Joe, but Belldandy trumps the witch and genie by actually being a goddess, a celestial being who comes to Earth to grant one wish. Life isn`t all celestial perfection for Keiichi though, and the mayhem increases when Belldandy`s elder sister Urd, and younger sister Skuld also move in.

The final disc concludes with 4 episodes, and we pick up from where the previous volume`s cliffhanger left off. Urd, stripped of her goddess powers, fed up with living as a human, succumbed to temptation and let loose her demon half. The Lord of Terror unleashed havoc on the Earth, reshaping it into a world fit for demons. Belldandy tried to keep it a secret from Heaven and deal with it herself, lest her big sister be eliminated, it didn`t work and Keiichi was kidnapped…

23. Ah! The Savior of the World Arrives with the Sound of the Flute?
System errors throughout heaven, and Ygdrassil is under attack, the defence forces of heaven are mobilised and the Valkyries prepare to descend to Earth. But Belldandy pre-empts them by breaking another cardinal rule, she shatters the limiter that controls her power, willing to sacrifice all to rescue her sister and Keiichi. It may be too late though, as evil Urd has discovered the Ultimate Destruction Program, and all that she needs to start it is the purity of a goddess. There`s still hope though, as God sends Skuld a vaccine.

24. Ah! Always By Your Side…
Urd is back to normal, and totally amnesiac about the whole thing. But the destruction continues, as the Lord Of Terror finds another host to inhabit. But this time it`s Keiichi, and Belldandy is frozen with fear and indecision. When she hesitates too long the Valkyrie Lind arrives to eliminate the danger, but can Belldandy give up her dear Keiichi to save the world?

25. Ah! Urd`s Little Romance
Belldandy`s spell fixes the damage to the city, and repairs the temple, it`s as if nothing ever happened. But it comes at a cost, as with Ygdrassil off-line and Heaven still clearing up the mess, the goddesses have run out of power. Belldandy needs to sleep for a week; fortunately she can split off a mini-self to keep Keiichi company. It`s worse for Urd, who after overexerting herself reverts to childhood. The only way to restore her energy is to drink sake, unseemly in a pre-teen girl. But she decides to make the most of it, and while mini-Belldandy and Keiichi look for a more reliable source of energy, Urd goes out to play. At the local swing park, she runs into an introverted boy names Shohei…

26. Ah! Is My Heart Pounding Because I`m a Grownup?
The goddesses are still low on energy, and this time it is Skuld who is affected. Unlike her oldest sister however, she wakes up having gained a few years and a few unexpected curves. She`s excited to be grown up all of a sudden; maybe she`ll be taken seriously for a change. But Belldandy announces that Ygdrassil will be restored that evening, and their powers will return. Skuld has just that long to enjoy her adulthood. With the occasional ice-cream stop-off to recharge her batteries, she decides to take Keiichi out for the day. But what`s that warm feeling that she suddenly develops for her nemesis?

Video

The 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer on this disc is clear and problem free to my eye. That`s with the usual disclaimer about digital banding and other such niggles that are usually associated with anime. This is as good as television anime usually gets. As for the animation, especially compared to the OVA, it`s a case of swings and roundabouts. The character design and world detail is simplified in comparison to the original episodes, but the animation is much more fluid, with CGI blended in seamlessly as is the case with most modern anime. The world is also more expansive, with a lot more of the background detail filled in.

Audio

It`s just your basic DD 2.0 English and Japanese for Ah My Goddess, with optional English subtitles and signs. The English track sounds a tad louder to my ears, otherwise there is little to differentiate them. I also feel that the English dub sounds a little goofy in comparison to the original language track, but I guess that`s a matter of personal preference. If like me, you prefer the original language tracks, it`s worth noting that the original cast reunite after 12 years for this series, providing a nice degree of familiarity to fans of the OVA.

Features

The usual MVM presentation as always for this disc, complete with jacket picture, animated menus and DVD credits page.

Slightly more on the extras front this time, but not much more, and replete with spelling errors. The Product Aart Gallery (sic) contains 14 images, the Japanse Cover Gallery (sic again) contains 11 images, and the Screen Shot Gallery contains 22 images.

Conclusion

I`ve got the end of series blues. You know that a show is good when, as the climax approaches you simultaneously enjoy the show, and dread the final end credits. Ah My Goddess TV is one of those shows. It`s a feeling that`s tempered somewhat by the fact that Season 2 will start being released hot on the heels of this one, but it`s still there. This disc offers a suitably strong conclusion to the evil Urd arc begun at the end of volume 5, and then it supplies a couple of sweet bonus episodes to leave things on a light, fluffy, Ah My Goddess high. If you have been swept up in this series along with me, you won`t be disappointed.

It is fair to say that the first two episodes on this disc don`t add much to the annals of originality when it comes to the story. It`s the end of the season climax, stakes are raised, and the scenario gets suitably apocalyptic. It`s also immediately apparent that no matter what happens, there aren`t going to be many permanent repercussions, this is after all Ah My Goddess. But the strength of these episodes is in the emotional conflict that is raised when Urd turns evil and kidnaps Keiichi. How can Belldandy act against her own sister, even when it is a heavenly imperative to do so? If she doesn`t stop the Lord of Terror, the Valkyries will, and with far greater finality. Belldandy is then faced with the ultimate test when the Lord Of Terror possesses Keiichi. It`s the pivotal moment in the series that tests the depth of love between the couple, and as such is the moment that most fans will have been waiting for. It doesn`t disappoint.

If that is the emotional highpoint of the series when it comes to the central couple, then the final two episodes won`t be able to compare. Indeed these two work as bonus episodes really, and reminded me more of The Adventures of Mini Goddess, and not just because Belldandy spends the runtime in a diminutive state. Just as in the earlier spin-off, Belldandy serves as wise and caring observer, while the episodes focus on Urd and Skuld. It`s a gift to see their characters developed sympathetically, and gain an insight into their personalities by subverting them. Urd is usually the brazen and uninhibited older woman, and seeing her become a child reveals her inner innocence and vulnerability. It`s as if she has a chance to experience first love again when she meets Shohei in a park, and its fun to see their friendship develop. Skuld on the other hand has often been annoying, childish and bratty. That changes overnight when she becomes a woman. It`s a chance for her to experience adulthood, and while she can`t quite escape her inner brat, she does get to see Keiichi in a new perspective, and she can finally understand what her sister sees in him.

I`ve loved every minute of this series of Ah My Goddess, although I can concede that it pales in comparison with the OVA. They`re two completely different animals though. The OVA had the luxury of efficiency. With only five episodes to fill, the central relationship between Belldandy and Keiichi could be developed. You can see things move on, and get that vicarious glow of two people coming together. Not so with a long running series of 26 episodes or more. Developing a relationship can be the death knell of a romantic comedy. Character growth has to be minimal, and all parties have to spend more time spinning their wheels than not. Events like professing one`s love, exchanging rings, even sending valentines have to be reserved for those really special episodes when characters aren`t getting their wires crossed, fretting about the other parties true feelings, or simply just dithering about asking someone on a date. Yet given all that, Ah My Goddess the TV series managed to keep enough forward momentum and growth in Keiichi and Belldandy`s relationship to keep me entranced and invested in the show.

Ah My Goddess isn`t the greatest of anime, nor is the story the best written. But there are no characters more likeable, and you`ll be returning to these discs more often than more critically acclaimed titles. It`s warm, fuzzy entertainment that lights up the gloomiest of days, and I simply cannot get enough. Roll on Season 2!