Meeting Date: 4/17/2021
Samantha Ferreira: Good evening, and welcome back to the anime club. As always, I’m Samantha, and I’m here with Anthony.
Anthony Simpson: Evening
Samantha Ferreira: Tonight, we’re heading back to the University Satellite for the second episode of Battle Athletes ReSTART!: I want to kick (almost) every single dude in this show in the face. Because holy shit, that scene with the doctor, then the three other antagonists
Anthony Simpson: They need to yeet him to Deneb, like, stat.
Samantha Ferreira: Yeeeah. I felt genuinely uncomfortable watching that, and not like – “good performance sells the moment” uncomfortable. It was just… seedy and leering and gross.
Anthony Simpson: Yeah, I wasn’t happy watching that scene. I mean, I will give the show credit here and they didn’t sugarcoat how awful the Dr. and three bad guys are.
Samantha Ferreira: Yeah… but shit, there are better ways, you know? Like… you can show evil without hitting “traumatize a young woman by treating her like a breathing RealDoll” levels.
Anthony Simpson: Being subtle is not going to be a big thing in this show. They are coming at this with a fusion bomb.
Samantha Ferreira: Yeeeah, true. I mean… this is a show where the camera is pretty much ass-height the entire time.
Anthony Simpson: I know this a reboot of a nineties franchise and boy does it feel like it at times. Especially with the camera and the attire.
Samantha Ferreira: Truth… funny enough, the original Battle Athletes’ camera was nowhere near as aggressive… It did have that streak of casual racism, though, like we saw with Lucy talking with her roommate.
Anthony Simpson: Not too subtle with that either.
Samantha Ferreira: Yeah…
It’s a real shame, because when it’s not parading around to show us its awful side, the series is genuinely charming. Kanata is a genuinely fun character who gets some great moments. The bit with the kangaroo was genuinely funny, and can we talk about how rad Dr. Paglia is with her ’90s shades?
Anthony Simpson: I’ve taken a liking to Dr. Paglia. Her glasses were great.
Samantha Ferreira: Right? She looks like a ’90s relic and I love her for it. She could go on stage with Jem.
Anthony Simpson: Exactly.
Samantha Ferreira: #PagliaStyle
And then there’s Kanata who is just so delightfully gay with Shelley. They’re adorable and complement each other well… even if Kanata is more likely to run faster for a free potato than anything else.
Anthony Simpson: They are great together. And Kanata well she just loves her potatoes.
Samantha Ferreira: Yeah… she’s a genuinely endearing character. I kind of like the principal, too – there’s something adorable about the principal of a school for elite athletes being this tiny old lady who bakes cookies for everyone.
Anthony Simpson: The principal is adorable too. She has a homely appeal to her.
Samantha Ferreira: She does. She’s the kind of person you want in your corner, for sure.
Anthony Simpson: Definitely.
Samantha Ferreira: A shame we won’t see more of that detective, though. I liked him.
Anthony Simpson: I liked him as well. He seemed like a lovely chap.
Samantha Ferreira: Indeed. This show is like… half good and fun, and half “I want to throw the TV through the goddamn window” at this point.
Anthony Simpson: Yeah, very much the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type of show.
Samantha Ferreira: Yeah… when it’s not going to Creeperville, it’s genuinely fun – there’s a lot of energy to it that draws you in… then it kind of snaps to that other side.
Anthony Simpson: It’s fun when it wants to be but yea the not-fun stuff like full 180 of the fun stuff. Damn near getting whiplash from the sudden change.
Samantha Ferreira: I really – REALLY hope this ratio improves, but they really – and I mean really need to can the worst elements. Like… the original Battle Athletes OVAs and TV series really reined in a lot of the manga’s worst elements. It feels like the staff doesn’t – or can’t do the same with this one, at times.
Anthony Simpson: The creepiness factor needs to be toned down I agree there.
Samantha Ferreira: Yeeeah. Give us the gay sports anime this show really wants to be.
Anthony Simpson: More gay sports anime is fine with me.
Samantha Ferreira: Indeed.
Any final thoughts this week?
Anthony Simpson: None from me.
Samantha Ferreira: Same. Til next time, then, remember: the strongest bonds are made on the dodgeball court. Or doing parkour… I dunno. I’m bad at this.
Anyway, have a great night!
Anthony Simpson: Good night
