Anime Reviews
Welcome to our Story Reviews page. Some of the reviews we have are from other anime websites, but we've also added a few of our own. If you want to send your reviews of your favorite anime, send them to us! Anyway, we've got some cool reviews right now, so why don't you guys check them out?! We hope you'll enjoy them!
~AA Staff
Ah! My Goddess
A delightful, sunny-spirited story that the whole family can enjoy, but be aware that there are a few sequences that may be objectionable. Most involve the goddess Urd, which emphasize the goddesses' almost lascivious sexiness, and there are also two scenes which show minor nudity. Parents of elementary-school-aged kids might want to put off this series until junior high. Nothing much transpires between Keiichi and Belldandy; their relationship is chaste, if anything, save for one near-kiss--which, of course, results in disastrous consequences for poor Keiichi!
-Anime Café
Ah! My Goddess
Oh My Goddess! has long been a fan favorite, and deservedly so--this has to be one of the sweetest anime series ever made. The story has its share of comedy, and dramatic moments too, but the overriding theme is just a good old fashioned so-sweet-your-teeth-hurt romance; you're just not going to find a cuter love comedy anywhere. In general, the story is well written and fun, but is always pretty low key, and definitely doesn't tread any new territory in the genre. To get a little more specific, Oh My Goddess! is categorized as a comedy, and that tends to be the tone of the story. After all, you can't stick three goddesses and a college student in a temple together and not have some pretty funny situations arise. But the comedy is pretty low key, and the story also has a bit more drama than most of it's kin (Tenchi Muyo and Ranma 1/2), although the problems of these lovers do tend to be pretty trivial. On the other hand, the two main characters are just so nice that you never really get the feeling that anything could pull them apart, and the story never goes overboard with the inevitable tense moments. All that applies to the first three parts of the series--in the final installment, things take a significantly more dramatic turn (though there are still a few light moments). One thing that surprised me was how well the uncomfortable situations and light drama throughout the series worked; it had just enough of a tug at the heartstrings to keep you riveted. The reason for this would probably be the flip side of how cute the main couple was--their relationship was so innocent and sweet that even the minor trials had enough impact to keep things interesting.
But the story isn't what has made Oh My Goddess! so popular. As with any super-popular series (including Kosuke Fujishima's other one, You're Under Arrest!), the thing that carved this one a special niche in the hearts of fans is the characters. Not that they're necessarily original, but you've got a great mix of characters and personalities, and you just can't help but like them. I suppose some people might be put off by Urd (though I wasn't), and you might not be the biggest Skuld fan (then again, you might be), but it's almost impossible not to like Belldandy--she's just too sweet and innocent not to love. And in any case, the character designs are clean, cute, and very attractive. In fact, I'd say that they're better than the originals in the comic version of the series--considerably better than at least the early issues, in my opinion (particularly in the case of Belldandy). The costumes are also noteworthy--the clothing has style (true to the original), and is beautifully drawn as well.
Other than the great clothing and character design, the art in the series isn't particularly noteworthy; the backgrounds are generally simple and use soft colors. Actually, the whole series frequently has a kind of soft, hazy look to it. It isn't a big deal, but it gives the series a distinct feel, and works well in the flashbacks and the few scenes that take place in the heavens. The animation never gets to flex it's proverbial muscles since there isn't much action in the series, but the character animation is smooth, natural, and generally very well done. It isn't the flashiest of series, but it is still a pleasure to look at.
Finally, the voices. The original Japanese dialogue is well cast and features some of the better voice actors in the business. All of the primaries are very well acted, but Belldandy in particular has this smooth, never too perky tone to her voice that stands out from the norm. Even the minor characters are well acted, and all the performances are very distinct; Megumi, for example, has a pretty distinct voice, and Keiichi's former dormmates are an amusing lot. The subtitles, as expected from AnimEigo, are very well done.
Although I have not personally seen the dub, I have it on good authority from someone who actually tried out for the part that the guy who got it couldn't have done a better job. The rest of the casting is also good, with a particularly great performance behind Belldandy's voice.
Summing up, Oh My Goddess! is one of the love comedy classics of anime, and deservedly so. The story is light but not over the top, and has enough drama to keep you interested and involved. The animation is very nice, and the character designs and clothing are distinct and a joy to look at. But best of all are the characters themselves, who have everything that an anime fan will no doubt come to love. If you would even consider watching a sweet love comedy, this is the one to get.
-Akemi's Anime World
