Shuffle!: The Complete Series (Box Set)
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Actor: Cherami Leigh, Jerry Jewell, Todd Haberkorn, Tomokazu Sugita, Yuko GotoBrand: Funimation
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Japanese (Original Language); English (Original Language); English (Dubbed)
Format: Box set, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 575 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-03-31
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Funimation
DVD Reviews of Shuffle!: The Complete Series (Box Set)
DVD Review: Its okay, but...
Summary: 3 Stars
I admit it, I've played the H-game on which this is based. Honestly, its nothing special, just an ordinary H-game with a fairly interesting twist. Gods and demons are not only real in this world, they're running around on Earth and nobody seems to mind. Not only that but two princesses of the two races are in the same class. Still not enough? They both consider themselves betrothed to the same guy and he doesn't remember having met either of them. He also has a childhood friend, Kaede, a regular friend, Asa, and later on he meets Primula who fills the typical roles not already filled by the others. Oh, plus shes neither human, god nor demon.
But on to the anime. It has the same characters and for the most part, they're recognizable as their game counterparts, so I won't waste words summing it up again. Its probably nothing you haven't seen before. One guy inexplicably has girls who are way out of his league willing to give their souls for him, he mostly ignores them and they take that to mean they should try harder. You know, just like reality. Its like Tenchi Muyo!, without the cool sci-fi adventures or fresh for the time characters. Rin, the guy, is no Tenchi. While Tenchi is slapstick with a jumbo side of hero when needed, Rin is just kind of...there. Hes definitely an everyman, but thats all he is. Harem comedies work best when the guy is something above that or is driven. Tenchi is in line for the throne of a benevolent galactic empire, Negi Springfield is a wizard. Even Keitarou from Love Hina is at least determined. Rin is just there for the girls to desire and he isn't much of a character on his own.
Theres one character I really need to mention, but doing so will need spoilers. So, spoilers ahead. If you don't want them, just suffice it to say theres a severe downer arc (a downer arc is the point at which a normally upbeat series becomes depressing or dark) and skip to the next big space.
Still here? Neat. The anime's treatment of Kaede is really a mistake. Kaede has it bad for Rin because, after all, this is a harem anime and she is his childhood friend/sort-of-sister. Like I said, I've played the game and even if you choose another girl, Kaede is just kind of disappointed but still very sweet. She remains Rin's friend even if shes not his girlfriend. Its a bit cliche but thats okay because harem anime is built on cliches. Pick any girl from a modern harem manga and you could trace her personality type back to an eerily similar character from the 90s or even further. Going back to Tenchi Muyo!, in a lot of ways, Kaede is like Sasami. At least for a while.
In I think episode 22 or so, we start to see that things aren't quite right with her. She has dreams and flashbacks of strange things. As Rin's attention goes to another girl and even further from her, she changes. In the game, shes always the same person. In the anime, she goes violently insane. In some scenes, she reminds me of Rena from some of the Rena-did-it episodes of Higurashi. Twists are one thing, but Kaede seems like shes a gimmick shy of becoming a Batman villain. Its very abrupt, too. Literally, one episode has Rin on a date and the next has him dealing with an unstable Kaede. Its really weird they would put this kind of thing in a series thats so light-hearted almost throughout and its a little disturbing if you're not ready for it. It was also a huge letdown for me since I was rooting for her to bag Rin back when she was, you know, not nuts.
Okay, now that thats out of the way, heres more review for everyone. There is a pretty good amount of ero fan service here, but only a little plot-related fan service unless you're pulling for the right girl to end up with Rin. Thats one big plus to this series: unlike a lot of harem stories, this one ends with Rin choosing who he wants to be with. No cop out harem 'ending', no run off into the sunset leaving things unresolved crap. This anime doesn't just have an ending, it has a conclusion. So if you're tired of harem stories ending without resolving anything and are hesitant to try a new one, don't worry, Shuffle! has you covered. Plus some of the girls not chosen enter into relationships of their own, so its probably not a total loss for your girl of choice.
Should you buy it? Well, the simple answer is yes but if you already have a lot of other harem anime or don't love the genre, you could probably go ahead and skip Shuffle!. It doesn't blaze many trails and whats new may or may not be something you'll enjoy. Its a quality show, dubbed well, nothing really wrong with it. I watched it and liked it, but I found it for cheap. I didn't like the downer arc even for a downer arc, but you might. So, yeah, its not the worst thing you could spend your money on.
Description of Shuffle!: The Complete Series (Box Set)
Ten years ago, the gateway to the Realm of the Gods and the Realm of the Demons was opened. Soon afterwards, the gods and the demons began migrating to our world. Now there are places where gods, demons and humans all study together? Such as our school, Verbena Academy.Meet Rin, a normal high school guy who is the envy of every other man in town. You see, he?s lucky enough to live with and be pampered by the sweet, beautiful Kaede. It?s just a day like any other when two new transfer students show up in class: Sia, Princess of the Gods and Nerine, Princess of the Demons. Now Rin?s luck is about to change, for he has been chosen to take one of their hands in marriage! Talk about envy! Whether down the hall, next door or from another realm, girls seem to be everywhere? And they all want Rin for themselves! Which girl would you choose?
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