“If you look closely, you can see an ocean”

Until the Winter 2008 Anime season begins, I guess I’ll try my hand at a couple of these as well. In the midst of all of the well known 2007 Anime lies a small, glittering jewel in the form of an ecchi. Yeah, I said it, an ecchi anime. Kenko Zenrakei Suieibu Umisho can easily be overlooked as just another generic sports anime, but for the few that take the time to watch it, sparkling characters and wave after wave of mindless fun keeps viewers yearning for more.

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Plot summary

The story revolves around the lives of a high school swim team of Prefectoral Umineko Shougyou High (Abbreviated conveniently to Umisho). Kaname Okimura is the manager of the swim team, which of course like all sports anime, features one of the weirdest assortment of students around.

One day, a strange but beautiful girl named Amuro Ninagawa joins the swim club with an unorthodox but powerful swimming style, reminding Okimura of a mermaid-like creature he saw in his childhood. Together, along with the rest of the Umisho crew, a journey to the top of the Interhigh Tournament, a trip filled with sukumizus, boobs, and of course, more boobs. (It’s an anime about swimming, what did you expect?)

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Why this show must be watched

“You can bet all the girls digged this suit”

Umisho is about swimming but at the same time it isn’t. The heart of the series and where it shines the most comes from it’s wonderful cast of memorable characters. Amuro Ninagawa’s unpredictable antics and happy-go-lucky nature fuels the series above and beyond other sports series. Her spontaneous mood changes and everchanging facial expressions brings the series to life, err, or as well as an anime can come to life (–> is still waiting for a Chobits of his own). The main male character, Kaname Okimura, is perhaps the closest thing to normal in the series, but he will never reach normality, as he often takes part in absurd antics of his own (such as squeezing himself into a woman’s swimsuit).

Aside from the main characters, the supporting cast is flat out hilarious. Ranging from the fiery and passionate Orizuka to the sharkfaced lecher Takeda , each and everyone one of the supporting cast prevents the series from dropping into a repetitive nature. My personal favorite would have to be the club president Masa Ikariya as he brings a level of senseless absurdity to the series that cannot be rivaled. (For example, He places a picture of a face on his speedo that pops off when he gets into diving position, causing several other divers to false start and face disqualification as a result)

The Ecchi level of this series is quite high, as many viewers never seem to get bored of seeing certain things defy gravity and bounce around like ping pong balls. However, this is one of the few times where I can say that the ecchi is done right. Along with the fundamental breast massages and censored nude shots, there are many times when, without an ecchi tone, a joke wouldn’t have made me laugh as hard or wouldn’t even be seen as humorous at all. Instead of learning when an ecchi moment will occur, gradually easing the viewer into a cycle, the ecchi part of the series is often sprung on the viewer at the most atypical times, leading to numerous LOLOLOL moments.

The one thing that may annoy some people, but what I found to be very refreshing was the unclear romance between Kaname and Amuro. Although many people like to establish a firm romantic setting, I believe that the anime wouldn’t be as enjoyable if it focused primarily on a growing relationship between Kaname and Amuro.

“Like a Fish out of Water”

Scattered throughout Umisho are scenes that, when seen in other animes’ would most certainly lead to either a kiss, held hands, or at least SOME sort of romantic breakthrough, but in Umisho, merely ends up as a comical encounter. (For Example, when Kaname accidently falls on top of Amuro, he begins to move forward for “the kiss” but then she remarks that he has a pair of panties on his head). Yet, despite the lack of true romantic moments, there is still a bond that quietly connects Kaname and Amuro that will satisfy all you love happy freaks out there.

Now onto the technical part of the review. The animation is done by Artland, who also produced Eyeshield 21, another highly enjoyable sports anime. From the start of the series, the animation is very crisp and clean, ensured to dazzle your HD monitor if you have one. I will stick with my 200 pound Dell Trinitron on the other hand. The colors used in the anime are reminiscent of a watercolor portrait, as many colors seem to blend together in a remarkably pleasing effect. The OP, Dolphin Jet by Ayane , is possibly one of the best songs of the year, as it lifts up your spirits with lyrics about “Flying High and Getting Naked”. Haha, in all seriousness, I must have had the OP on loop for an entire week, it’s that addicting.

If you need to unwind after a tough day at work or school, this is the anime for you. Umisho includes the whole package: mindless humor sprinkled with a light romance that is guaranteed to make you smile.

OH YEAH, DON’T FORGET THE BOOBS TOO!!

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