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| Overall | Art | Animation | Character Design | Music | Series Story | Episode Story | Reviewer | |
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| Buy | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 |
 Kari
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[series:674#798] | |
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Fake nails, platform shoes, and turf wars. Super Gals! is like Clueless combined with the 1980 film The Warriors. Though she's a stick figure, there's no one in Shibuya, or even Japan, that Ran Kotobuki can't beat in a fight. Ran's definitely a Super Gal. She fights crime, stands up for what she believes in, and still finds time to shop. Ran also uses Yuya Asou (2nd Place) to buy her food, and her brother for money. Regardless, she does care deeply for all her friends, and that's the main thing I liked about Super Gals!. As for the character designs, Ran and her buddies Miyu and Aya all look like stick figures, as do some of the male characters. The animation's decent, and the art looks bright and colorful. The music is pretty good. I like both the opening song A-I-T-S-U, and the ending song Dakishimetai. Luci Christian is great as Ran, as was Kira Vincent-Davis as Miyu Yamazaki, and Greg Ayres as Yuya Asou. The thin-packed ADV boxed sets Super Gals!: The Iron-Clad Collection Season 1 or Season 2 can be purchased for $35.00 each. Season 1 includes the first 26 episodes of the series on 5 DVDs, and Season 2 includes episodes 27-50. That's a really good price. Last updated Wednesday, January 17 2007. Created Sunday, September 24 2006. | ||||||||
| Rent |
 Stretch
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[series:674#628] | ||||||
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I read a review which likened SuperGals to a less sophisticated, but still fairly enjoyable version of Kodomo no Omocha. Like Sana, Ran is continually solving other people's problems (though one distinct difference is that she tends to do it by doing some ass-kicking). I don't know if a KoGal code of honor really exists, but early on Ran is portrayed as a virtual paragon of virtue, to the extent that she is sometimes so moralistic and preachy that she's hard to take seriously. Fortunately, after awhile she exchanges this attitude for a healthy touch of airheadedness and vanity (don't tell her I said that, though). There is a certain charm to this show--I like the educational aspect, the glimpse into this curious subculture (the dubbed version seems to dispense with the amusing "gal lingo", which leaves me "uber-pissed"!). I was about to conclude that none of the episodes of this series would be at all emotionally touching, ala KnO, then I watched #5, in which Aya, one of Ran's friends, must find a compromise between the traditional study-hard-to-get-into-a-good-school attitude and the KoGal live-for-today outlook. Aya seems a good deal more likeable than Ran's other friend, Miyu, who is supposedly not only an ex-juvenile delinquent, but a gang leader as well! My favorite episode is number nine; the preview suggested that Ran's little sister Sayo would be kidnapped, and had me groaning "don't tell me that this time Ran beats the crap out of a gun-wielding maniac!". It turns out that it's all a bunch of misunderstandings, again not unlike KnO. Though Supergals will clearly not be in anywhere near the same league as that show, it's a fairly amusing series that I watch while in brain-dead mode. The final DVD was surprisingly good, with three out of four episodes being funny, touching, or both. 5/05 Last updated Friday, February 08 2008. Created Monday, January 10 2005. | ||||||||
| Buy | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
 Jo-Ryan Salazar
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[series:674#1150] |
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This is a series that anyone will enjoy. (Except for those who are diehard fanservice junkies, although there are exceptions.) Even though there is some profanity in this series, this doesn't take away from the content of Super GALS! The three lead characters, Ran, Miyu, and Aya, are well-portrayed, each having her own directive (Ran a gal in a family of polic officers, Miyu an ex-gang leader, Aya an honors student). The supporting characters are also special in their own right (Sayo is Ran's police-loving younger sister, Mami is Ran's rival, and the leave of the gals in Ikebukoro, Rei and Yuuya are Super High School Grand Prix students, Tatsuki a poor tanned showboy from machida city, etc.) Even though the episodes are essentially mini mis-adventures, there seems to be a cohesive plotline, even though one may not see it at first. The relationships formed in the series (Ran-Tatsuki, Miyu-Yamato, Aya-Rei, Mami-Yuuya, etc.) are emphasized in each of the episodes in one way or the other. How their relationships, as well as their personal developments turn out complements the ethos of the series. In any way, all characters are likeable, as even the would-be villains in this series have a good side to them. Even Hachiko, who now has a new master in Ran Kotobuki. Character design is solid, although a little fanservice would have been nice.. At times, the head may seem bigger than it normally is, but it is generally used in a comedic situation. There are bits and pieces of terms kogals use in Shibuya, and what they mean. They help the audience understand what is going on, and also add to the enjoyability. On the DVD, "The Super GALS Explain It All" educates the audience what goes on in Shibuya. Music is exceptional and fitting, expecially the situational music when the characters are contemplating, or when a situation slowly becomes resolved. In any case,it is textbook. OP "AITSU" (Dicot) and ED "Dakishimetai" (Jungle Smile) are catchy themes (especially the OP). Colors are vibrant and energetic, even in very critical situations. Every shot in the series is virtual eye candy. Animation is solid, and textbook. Not a lot of fanservice to this series, which is a low, but is clearly in the diminutive. The English dub makes the characters sounds like they are from California. Interesting to note that the kogal culture is an indirect hybrid of the valley girl subculture in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. Dialogue is solid, sweet, and right to the point. At this time of writing, 3 volumes are already out. Volume 4 is out on January 20th, 2004. I personally consider buying this series, but renting it wouldn't be out of the question. Last updated Thursday, January 15 2004. Created Thursday, January 15 2004. | ||||||||
| Watch | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
 Jer Alford
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[series:674#614] |
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If Barbie were an anime series, it might go something like this. Ran is the daughter of a police chief, a policewoman, and has an officer for a brother. But she doesn't want anything to do with the police. She wants to lead an active life as a "Gal", which is your stereotypical teenybopper/mallhopper/TRL Live drone. She and her friend Miyu(who always refers to herself in the third person)get a third to their numbers Aya who Ran convinces to stop her life of being an "escort". Ran tries to keep up her social status by endulging in the latest trends, like stealing bookbags from guys at other highschools(?!). There is some decent comedy in it, but its more intended for shoujo audiences. The first volume comes with a DVD box from ADV too.
Last updated Wednesday, October 15 2003. Created Wednesday, October 15 2003. | ||||||||
Other Sites
| Name | URL |
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| Official Japanese Series Web Site | http://pierrot.jp/title/gals/ |
