Anime: Denpateki na Kanojo g2x4g

In my opinion, all literature is based on one of two themes. One, meaning of being human. Two, the depths of human depravity. And in my opinion, it is easy to create a thrilling story. You simply make interesting characters and that have horrible things happen to them. This story, written by the same author of Kurenai, does horrible things to bizarre characters and good people. I think that is worth watching any day.

The word that I would use to describe the tone pervading this entire series is somber. While the animation style and the drawings not particularly flamboyant, there seems to be something flowing in the undercurrent of the city in which our characters reside. Whereas other series like Kara no Kyoukai and Fate Zero take great pains in casting long shadows and crafting majestic background landscapes, Denpa takes a different path. In the day, the backgrounds of the designs are utilitarian. You would be hard-pressed to differentiate them those belonging to any other series.

Then, suddenly the night falls and everything becomes in a word: surreally malicious. We are ripped away from the familiar school hallways and train stations and forced into deep claustrophobic alleys. The director does not spare us from seeing blood and corpses and the pained final expressions of serial killer victims. You get long panning shots up and down from the eyes to the mouths where you notice broken teeth and rolled eyes. One thing that I will deftly give visitors credit for is the unwillingness to turn away. It does not do the easy jump cut and it does not let you off easy.

There is something you get here that you can't find in any televised series. There is a quirkiness in anime. It is imbued in the characters, and helps make them charming and pleasant to be around. In fact there's been almost turned into a trope. How many times are we subjected to some unusual tic or philosophy the girl whose eyes are always looking at the clouds? In this story, these tics are not harmless. They are not charming. If you could call the ones we see on TV light side tics, then these are definitely on the dark side. And in this perspective they feel less a part of the personality that a curse on it. The characters this series explores as antagonists are strange and twisted in a way that is almost schizophrenic.

I think it is this twist that makes the antagonist that much more memorable than the protagonists. To be frank, I didn't really care about the two main characters. And in my opinion it is okay to have a weak protagonist if the antagonists are up to the task. And if there can be one the things said about this story they know how to create compelling antagonists. They seem to come from the very depths of the worst things that people do to one another. They are horrible people not because they meet commonly accepted villain tropes (they don't take hostages. They don't scream and shout and stop.) But because they are all tortured people, operating under the belief that they're doing the right thing. And bad things have been done to them. Oh, how bad things have been done to them…

I studied East Asian literature and romance in college, and one prevailing theme that really distinguishes the East from the West is this idea of inescapable fate. The drama in the story is when you struggle against that fate only to fall prey to it in the end. As you watch this series, pay close attention to how the characters and especially antagonists do their best to escape their fate. At the core, they are good people and I think that is what stayed with me the most.

This is not a traditional review, because I think the previous reviewer did such a great job of summing up the essential elements. His review was very positive, and the only thing I want to add is that there is something more than those essential elements. If there is something that everything in the story is put together, how the story does horrible things to interesting characters, how the dark closes around you so very fast when night falls, and how the closing theme to the first episode is such an appropriately haunting piece of music that I had to get it, and when I did I lean back and listen to it and closed my eyes and thought of desperate people trapped in impossible situations.

Denpa Teki is one of those shows where you finish and realize that you really want more. It's a two-episode action/thriller/mystery OVA with a hint of comedy but lots of dramatism (think Kara no Kyoukai-esque murders only without the magical powers/abilities). By the same author as Kurenai, this OVA covers novels 1 and 3 (out of a meager total of 3) of the light novel. The story is about a blonde punk (my first impression) who happens to gain an inseparable sidekick (think mysterious master/servant) in the form of a girl who can somehow sense when Juu is in danger (hense Denpa), and who pledges to serve him unquestioningly.

This was a very enjoyable, if not overly brief, endeavor and I would highly recommend giving it a try.

Animation:
The animation style is a bit unique in this series, and will definitely take a little getting used to. There are many scenes where you can tell they were on a budget, including randomly panning to a really freaky looking mannequin that will forever haunt your memories. There are also moments where the series loses a bit of sharpness, and a few camera angles that "save" the viewer from some of the more grueling discoveries.

These aside, the animation is fairly well done. To start, there is vivid use of color the influence the mood of the situation. Furthermore, all the characters have unique styling; I particularly liked how they made use of Ame's hair throughout the series. The OVA does contain a decent amount of blood and some highly suggestive scenes, as well as a fair amount of action. The fights are a few levels below what you'd find in Kara no Kyoukai, but mostly because they're typically very short and don't make use of magical elements (and don't have the talent of Kalafina to back the animation).

Sound:
The series only has two EDs, one per episode, which vary from meh to fairly good. The BGM is very ambient-based and is used very effectively when present. It isn't anything as grand as Yuki Kajiura but has a unique feel due to it's use of percussions and a (traditional?) banjo/guitar.

The VA list is quite impressive with many huge names voicing ing characters. The mains aren't bad either. Juu is voiced by the human dude (similar personality) in Level E and Ame's VA has a quiet feel that matches her personality very well.

Story:
This OVA is a perfect example of how to do short pieces well. It provides decent background information while also telling a surprisingly intricate story, all while pushing through some really sharp plot twists to keep you on edge. It also does so without leaving the viewer in a WFT state, which so many short OVAs end up doing.

This series is listed as "similar to Kara no Kyoukai" because of the murder/mystery context, and discovering how twisted human nature can be. That being said, I hope the world is a bit more kind than the one depicted here as there are way too many people who are a bit unstable. I'm also a little confused at how Ame has friends who can easily break a deadbolt.

There are a few plot holes and unnecessary sacrificial moments by Juu but all and all the story is well done, especially considering the length.

Character:
There isn't too much exploration here, given the focus on the story and plotline, which is one of the primary reasons why the viewer will probably want more once they finish watching. The Ame-Juu relationship is just starting when the show finishes and it just feels like there's so much more untapped potential in this series.

Value:
There are few shows that match the excitement and intrigue of this series that also fit into this length category. It truly is a very entertaining watch, and one that actually has rewatch value as well.