Video Backlog: "Peach Girl"

Publisher: Funimation (USA)
Format: Region 1 DVD, NTSC, Japanese Dialogue with optional English Dub and English Subtitles
Length: 25 Episodes x 25 minutes
Production Date: 2005
Currently in Print (as of writing): Yes

Story Outline: High school girl Momo Adachi is unfortunately perceived as being promiscuous because of her ganguro or kogal like looks. However her tanned skin and light hair are due to the fact she is on the school swim team. However she has quit the team and is in the process of trying to become lighter skinned in the hops of catching the attention of Toji, the boy whom she secretly loves. Eventually she confesses and Toji feels the same, however not everything goes according to plan. Mono's "best friend" Sae hatches a plan to take Toji away from her and even turns the entire class against Momo. Momo also has to contend with Kairi Okayasu, a boy which saved from drowning many years ago and is now vying for her love. She has mixed feeling for him, but comes to like him after comforting her after one of Sae's plans to break up her and Toji works. But after Sae's plot is exposed, she is caught between the two men, not knowing whom to choose.

Mini Review: I found this show to be a really frustrating experience. Nearly the first half is taken up with Sae conjuring up schemes to take Toji away from Momo and then to force Toji to date Sae against his will. And also she makes up plans just to make Momo miserable. Sae is truly a sociopath. Some of the schemes are so incredibly cruel and vicious that you would expect both Momo and Toji to have breakdowns and be put on medication. Some of the schemes could have been easily remedied by the obvious fact that Sae is the cause of the problems, or that a simple explanation or discussion would have solved everything. Annoyingly once Sae has been caught out, not only does she not learn anything from it, neither do her victims who are tricked again by her. This, the thick headedness of Toji and the constant bullying of Momo by her classmates really shat me. The animation character designs, like Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge (The Wallflower) are butt ugly (although look OK on the DVD cover art), especially the men, which also had me disliking the show a lot.

However the second half of the show was much better as we delve into the history behind Kairi and his past and his previous dealings and current relationship with Momo. With Toji coming back into the picture, there's a lot of fireworks as well, which makes it quite interesting and enjoyable. There is a bit of focus, probably too much, on Sae as she is painted as a victim. I really had no sympathy for her at this point. But in the end the Momo/Toji/Kairi love triangle was excellent, and the show had more than won me over. Pity about the first half. I give it 6.5 out of 10.

Remaining Backlog: 18 months (it's much easier this way than listing the number of discs).