Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School Part 2 Episodes 5-7

Ryoko Mitsurugi cant seem to catch a break can she?  Not only is she the most popular student in school thanks to her being a K-Fight Champion, she’s also become the Chosen One to save another reality called Solvania.  What’s worse, now even her friends are being pulled into the battle as well.  Between deadly gangs, giant gangs and a cooking competition, Ryoko continues to be put to the test but this beautiful Samurai Girl is always ready for a fight.

I’ll say this for Real Bout High School.  Theres a lot about the Anime I do not like at all and I’m sad to say the show doesn’t look to be getting rid of those negative parts any time soon.  However, when the show is focused on the original premise of the Manga and sticking to high school antics, I freaking love it.  Yes the animation isnt the greatest and some of the fights leave a lot to be desired but dammit, I still love this world and it’s characters and want to see more of it.  It just sucks it has to include a No Rules Isekai component that sticks out like a sore thumb.
 
The beginning of the set had promise with Ryoko being forced to partake in some kind of festival at a local mall, including having to dress up as a cute Magical Girl for a skit.  It feels right at home with anything Ryoko got up to in the Manga, moments where having to go outside of her comfort zone provide the best laughs.  Then there’s the appearance of three rejects from Streets of Rage, who hold equal promise of being nice foes for Ryoko and Shizuma, the latter of whom is also at the Mall and has somehow been shanghaied by the teachers to carry their shopping spoils around.  Heck, Akitaka is voiced by Beau Billingslea and has a bone to pick with Shizuma.  Incase you may have forgotten, that means we get the possibility of a Spike Spiegel vs. Jet Black throwdown/reunion with Steve Blum and Billingslea still having the same immortal chemistry they share in any scene together.  The pieces for greatness are there.
 
And then the action gets going and this is where you’re reminded this is an early 2000’s Gonzo project.  While some of their shows like Full Metal Panic can work past the stilted animation and simply having the camera pan across stilled action shots, Real Bout High School doesn’t thrive under these conditions at all.  It gets even worse when the Crab People (theyre monsters but it’s too easy to think “Crab People, Crab People) show up.  Design wise, sure theyre Crabs but their monstrous features make them look closer to The Blue from Blue Gender.  They feel like they came from an entirely different Anime and their chaos doesn’t feel nearly as threatening cause of the animation circumstances.
 
Of course there’s the Isekai portion of the fight, which continues to expand its rules by dragging not only Ryoko and Shizuma into it again, but every other supporting or side character who’s in the Mall as well.  Why is Ryoko’s pendant doing this?  For a moment I thought the Monsters were spilling into the real world…oh man theyre saving that for later aren’t they? (Probably the Finale).  Isnt this supposed to be a series about hot girls and Street Fighter boys picking fights in school hallways?  Why is this a freaking thing in this series?  Oh and Miyuki has something to do with this whole mess but I could care less when more than half of her facial expressions when she’s on screen could have an old AOL 3.0 Dial Up Modem sound track playing alongside her.  Stuff like this should really make me hate this show on the same level as titles like last years Macross 7 or Devil May Cry.
 
So how come I cant bring myself to be 100% mad?  Well because like the premiere last week, when we’re back in the proper K-Fight premise, this show is actually great.  Plus they change up the formula by having the competition being a cooking based one where Ryoko and Azumi have to make a box lunch for Tatsuya.  Hilarity ensues as lunches get mixed up, directions get confused and poor Shizuma is the first to realize Ryoko and Azumi’s cooking skills are on par with those of Yor Briar from Spy X Family.  Honestly just seeing Shizuma get poisoned, trampled and generally beat up made the episode worth the watch.  I wanted more Shizuma and the series has at least given me that joyful request.
 
The second chapter of Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School shows that the unfortunate decision to add in magical elements isnt going anywhere and I’m not exactly feeling it, in fact it’s one of the weakest aspects of the entire show.  Seeing Ryoko, Shizuma and Azumi battle giant Crabs isnt as fun as it sounds when they could be fighting street gangs or more rival students around town and school.  The mystery of said Magical World isnt enthralling or interesting either and neither is the dial up modem still downloading its update patch that is Miyuki.  However, when the show wants to have fun with what made the Manga so great, there’s lots to enjoy amongst the magical chaos.  It’s a mixed bag for sure and will probably continue to be just if not more so when we return to Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School, Next Monday right here at the Gundam Anime Corner.