Over the past few years,sports anime have taken the anime world by storm, garnering immense popularity in a short time span. With their elaborate depictions of the games’ settings and in-depth strategies, fans become engrossed into every little detail of the sport. Such is the case withKeijo! Hip Whip Girl, a sports anime that entails a rather unique yet fictional sport. The anime features a female-only sport called ‘Keijo’, in which the opponents fight each other on floating platforms using their breasts and buttocks only.
The premise of the series may seem quite absurd, but the narrative is presented in such a way that makes viewers take aninterest in the fictional sportquite earnestly. Despite its strong storyline and wide range of enticing characters, the show’s popularity fell off, with only a few now recognizing the show’s potential. WhileKeijo!may not be getting a second season anytime soon, the anime in its current state has immense potential for a revival as the show boasts a number of noteworthy features.
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A Straight-Forward Narrative
The show doesn’t beat around the bush as the complete narrative of the series is presented within the first episode. The beginning isn’t slow either, as the anime jumps right into the main story. The fictional sport of ‘Keijo’ is also explained to the viewers in simple terms within the first few minutes of the show. Nozomi, the show’s protagonist, explains her goal of becoming the richest Keijo player, along with the motivation behind her aspirations.
With the main characters’ motives set in plain sight, nothing is kept from the viewers and the storyline is quite transparent. Unlike other series that keep some parts of the premise hidden away,Keijo!is quite direct with the viewers, making the show perfect for thoselooking for a simple and short series, and one that doesn’t drag out the story unnecessarily.
Action-Packed Scenes
Being a sports anime,Keijo!has its fair share of action-filled moments that keep viewers on their toes. From simply sparring with breasts to using forbidden techniques, there’s always something on the screen to keep fans enticed. The anime has done a surprisingly good job at utilizing an absurd concept and reframing the perspective, turning something raunchy into a well-written and profound show.
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The techniques and moves featured in the anime are another one ofKeijo!’sunique take on blending shounenand shoujo aspects, resulting in a series that is perfect for anyone with a profound interest in the two genres.
Lots of Fanservice
The narrative of the show in itself is based on fanservice, as revealing clothing and exaggerated breasts tend to be the prime rudiments of this concept. While it may take away a serious undertone from the show,fanservice isn’t necessarily a negative aspect, as it has a way of getting viewers hooked. Moreover,Keijo!has been produced in a way that perfectly balances out fanservice with its equally serious action-filled matches. This allows the anime to satiate a diverse audience, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
The show’s approach to this matter is also quite unconventional, as any aspect that is usually viewed as hardcore fanservice is instead presented as a crucial element in moving the plot forward. Sayaka Miyata’s ‘K-Acceleration: Full Purge’, a technique which rips apart her swimsuit, is the perfect example. The scene may have been perceived as purely provocative in any other anime, but the gravity of the situation turns the scene into something quite serious and climactic.
Empowering Undertones
As the anime incorporatesblatant fanservice throughout its runtime, many assume that this portrays a theme of objectification, undermining women and reducing their significance to merely being a source of entertainment. The reality, however, is far from it as the primary theme of the show is focused on the determination, sheer will, and resourcefulness of women, and how they can achieve anything they set their mind to.
Keijo!involves the same sentiments as any other male-centric shonen anime, further fortifying the message that women are capable of the same feats as any male character. With this theme, the show sets a precedent for other anime and sends aclear message of empowerment to the female viewers.
References to Other Anime
Several references and connections to other animecan be found throughout the series in the form of the character’s special techniques. Atsuko Yoshida’s techniques that involve hand-signs reference the famed Jutsu hand-signs fromNaruto, while Kazane Aoba’s ‘Hip of Babylon’ references theFateseries’.
Other direct references can also be seen such as ‘Attack on Hip’, referencing theAttack on Titanseries. While these references may not have any implications within the anime, they do, however, makeKeijo!more enjoyable and relatable for seasoned anime fans.
