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AKA: Megami Tengoku, Goddess Paradise
Genre: Quasi-mythological fantasy comedy
Length: OAV, 2 episodes, 30 minutes each
Distributor: VHS from ADV Films
Content Rating: 13+ (violence, nudity)
Related Series: N/A
Also Recommended:
Notes: Based on the PC Engine video game from NEC.
Rating:

Megami Paradise

Synopsis

Well, up in the heavens, away from the mortal realm, there exists a paradise of goddesses only (hence the title). It's generally a happy, cheery place, full of happy, cheery goddesses who just want to have a good time and keep the world a cheery place to be.

The main way the world is kept a cheery place by these goddesses of light is through a special delegated goddess whose title is the Mamamega (yeah, I thought so too). The Mamamega is the guardian of the Astrostar, a sort of lint-remover of evil. When the Astrostar gets too saturated with evil, the Mamamega cleanses the Astrostar, and a new Mamamega is chosen to take her place (I guess you can only do that sort of thing once).

Of course, it would be all too easy if that was all there was to it. Enter the goddesses of darkness, who for some reason don't like the world as it is and want to plunge it into darkness and evil. Can you say "gratuitous magical girl battles?" I knew you could.


Review

I'm a bit embarrassed by this thing, really. This anime seems to be the physical manifestation of the word "unnecessary," and seems to be quite proud of it, too.

Let's start with the art and animation. The art is nice enough, with the classical anime stylization we've all come to know and love (if you didn't love it, why the heck are you watching this medium?), although the series for some reason tends to emphasize *ahem* certain things over others. Animation is decent for the most part (some of the fights are pretty well-rendered) when the animators didn't get lazy.

The soundtrack, for the most part, is actually okay, nicely giving the "heavenly" effect necessary for this thing to work. In the slapstick bits, though, it gets a bit goofy and more than a bit annoying. Characters aren't developed (no, not that kind of developed, you hentai) quite enough to be interesting, although the heroines are fairly engaging.

The plot, though, is something to be reviled and put into a dark corner where you can safely forget about it. The producers weren't satisified with being simply cliched with a "rescue the innocent gal before she becomes a sacrifice for the sake of evil," but instead decided to go above and beyond (or is that below and before) the call of inanity and turned the thing into a lowbrow slapstick with little regard for propriety, intelligence, or even just plain taste. For something with such a promising beginning, it sure sunk low in a hurry.

The only thing this thing has going for it is the nice character designs of a few of the goddesses, and the fact that it's mercifully short. It might be good to rent for a quick laugh (provided that there's a plethora of other good stuff to serve as an antidote later), but you'd probably be best off leaving this thing right where you found it. Paradise it ain't.

If you're a magical-girl freak, or just watch anime to see cute animated females, go ahead and add another star. Raphael See

Recommended Audience: Well, besides the fact that no one in their right mind should see this anyway, at any age, this thing isn't too bad for most audiences. There's the issue of the emphasis on *ahem* certain things in the art, and some slightly ecchi jokes, but nothing else besides the cartoon-style violence found in some of the battle scenes. And of course there's gratuitous nude shots; would anyone ever guess otherwise?



Version(s) Viewed: VHS, Japanese with English subtitles
Review Status: Partial (1/2)
Megami Paradise © 1995 Kensetsu Iinkai / Media Works/ King Records / Movic
 
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