Anime: Saishuuheiki Kanojo

show review

by ThatAnimeSnob on 2012-02-06 13:30

Saikano was the first super dramatic anime I had watched when I was still a rookie in the medium. Back then I didn’t know how bad GONZO was as a studio and had no idea of how manipulative shock factor can be into liking a show. Thus to no surprise it brought tears to my eyes. After all these years, I now see things more clearly and know what it really was all along. One big pile of SHOCK FACTOR! But I still admit that it was one hell of a good show in making you all emotional as long as you shut your mind. It had created a tsunami of emotions in the fandom and everybody was praising it for its extreme drama and cruel fates of the characters. Some fansubbers even went as far as warning people not to watch the last episodes if they didn’t want to witness and extremely unsettling and tragic ending. So yeah, was very successful at what it set out to do.

This show is a war drama combined with tragic romance and some science fiction. The romance part is so overblown with love triangles that boarders a cheesy soap opera. Here is a general overview to get what I mean.
- Chise is a shy, low-esteemed, and seemingly frail high school girl. She is turned by the military into their ultimate weapon as means to defend the country against an invading army. She has a crush with Tetsu for looking like a more bold Shuji.
- Shuji is a high school boy who has a hard time expressing his emotions. He loves Chie but the war and her mutation makes it even harder to admit it. He is seduced by Fuyumi’s bold advances on him.
- Akemi is their schoolmate. She loves Shuji but seeing she can’t have him, does her best to see him happy with Chise and as means to get over it dates Atsushi.
- Atsushi is another of their schoolmates who loves Akemi. She never really loves him and does it just for the sake of Shuji, making him feel left out entirely.
- Fuyumi is a married woman who seduces Shuji, because he looks like her neglecting husband Testsu.
- Tetsu is a military man who neglects his wife Fuyumi, and ends up feeling so sorry for Chise that he falls in love with her.

And this is just the basics; there is a lot more mess where that came from. If you like this sort of stuff, you will get gallons of it here. If you want to fully enjoy it, you should never try to rationalize the reasons behind the plot. If you ever wonder why does everything play out in such and over-the-top tragic way, the answer is simple: Because this way it is tragic. And indeed, Saikano is an anime basing its appeal entirely on making you feel sad and miserable and not on excusing its internal logic. As long as you don’t think what the devil is going on with the plot, what’s this war all about, what’s that ending of the world, what’s that magical land of nothingness in the finale, you will definitely enjoy it. Even more in case it is your first super tragic one, since in later years it became sort of a trend to shovel as much tragedy as possible.

Anyways, the core plot is basically young people being constantly thrown in a most tragic situation, in the worst moment possible. Bad things happen to them all the time and they are all pretty much cowards or too passive to react boldly in any of all that, ending up manipulated, crushed, and disappointed with everything. All that occurring because love is painful, war is heartless, and nothing makes sense in the story. This is the winning formula of the show and it does it great. Any difference in it would definitely have a much less effect on your emotions and would literally work against the goal of the show. I would prefer the characters being bolder with their feelings. This way they would have the courage to face their problems easier but at the same time they wouldn’t feel so helpless and the drama wouldn’t kick you in the guts every five minutes. I would also prefer the story making more sense but this way the senseless killings during the war wouldn’t feel tragic either.

The production values of the show aren’t particularly good but the directing was good to the most part and the tragedy was so heavy that made you to completely neglect to think how basic and crude things looked most of the time. Especially with the female character designs; man, they look so cartoony and chubby! The soundtrack is also unimpressive and voice acting is usually too overblown with corny romantic jargon. They fit the feeling of the show though and the directing is done right so they don’t feel out of sync.

But who cares about all that if you are taken in by a setting where a normal carefree life suddenly turns to a living hell? What it matters if you witness cute young people having to kill or be killed in a battle field? And that stuff actually happens; the scriptwriter does not miraculously save them just because they are major characters. In the contrary he does his best to kill most of them in a most pitiful, senseless, and unfair way imaginable, just to make the tragedy even bigger than it already is. He also never tries to make the actions scenes to be cool, or anyone to be super awesome for killing and destroying. He leaves everyone to be scared, weak, confused, and desperate, seeking love in a world gone mad.

So does that mean the anime is great for what it is? On the very basics, yes, it does it well in spades. That still does not save it from being too corny and senseless in the longrun. If for any reason you don’t sympathise the characters, the whole show will feel like an impossible to tolerate unrealistic war drama/soap opera with stupid science fiction and ridiculous plot twists. It is also true that the story overtakes the characters to the most part, because they are all too weak and miserable to affect the plot in the slightest way. Being passive observers to events that are past their powers only makes the viewer to be a plaything in the hands of the scriptwriter, who bases all the appeal of the show on shock effect. See past the shock effect and you lose most of the charm of the whole anime. Of course it was never intended to be seen past the tragedy or the weak characters but I am just saying it is the only thing it bets everything. It requires from the viewer to be in a very specific mindset and it’s definitely not for mass viewing or that accessible to most of anime fans.

I still recommended as a medium-low war tragedy based on manipulation of emotions. It is also quite the uncommon anime coming from a studio which loves to trash wonderful premises with retarded fan service and horribly bad CGI.

show review

by requiem on 2005-07-27 03:21

A long time ago I reviewed this anime. I was a bit of a neophyte to anime, let alone reviewing. With this review I will attempt to describe truthfully how effective this anime is on the mind and body.

It's a Sci-fi Opera!!!

Shuuji has a girlfriend. Sure, she's cute. She's cuddly. She's really clumsy, and she always apologizes for no reason at all.
She's Chise after all. Together they go to school, living a relationship that neither are certain is really worth having, and trying to be something neither of them are.

One day, Shuuji is out with his friends at the mall, hanging out as usual. Suddenly, terror breaks out in the city, as an air raid of an enemy country decimates the city landscape, killing many people around him. Shuuji survives, of course, but only to see in the mist a familiar form holding a frightening weapon...

At first, Saikano suggests a high-school love life, enduring the typical pains that we might see in any romance anime of the day. However, because Chise isn't any particular normal shoujo, the story immediately forces its focus on a couple struggling through a physical and emotional war. Both Chise and Shuuji end up learning many things. As a result of human experimentation and violence, they are forced to mature beyond their own age, and love beyond their own abilities.

What I and many other Saikano fans have found to be so important in this anime is that sometimes love can ONLY be painful. Unbelievably painful! Shuuji forces himself into a deeper relationship with Chise, despite discovering her frightening secret. The story studies this concept, pounding into the watchers' heads that there cannot be a question behind their love for each other. We are forced to accept it, as each episode drags them deeper into an affection that couldn't be accepted as anything else.

After the first 4 or so episodes, the next set of episodes all start off with some sort of depressing problem. This problem, by a certain means, can only be resolved by either accepting a change in life, or facing a certain death. I am certain many people tire of this series during this section, since the story thins out in order to break down its characters. However, I find it entirely necessary for the pause to make this series as touching as it can be. Specifically, Saikano experiments with binding love, and why sometimes people force themselves into an unsettling lifestyle for that love. It explores the vanity of high-school admiration, and how surprises can rapidly cultivate it into something much more binding and sacrificial.

Towards the end, we watch the couple slowly fall apart, awaiting inevitable destruction. Saikano isn't a mere Sci-Fi romance, it's about a couple who just couldn't win against their love for each other. And in the end, well...that's a conclusion entirely up to oneself to decide. Let's just say that the conclusion ultimately supports the strength of love.

The first fansubbers to handle this series suggested that to see Saikano as a super-happy ending, finish it at episode 10. I find it remarkable that even the fansubbers, whose concern are to translate and release the file, wouldn't control their emotions enough to remain silent about the conclusion. I should warn anyone, though it is on DVD and furthermore extremely popular now, to take caution after episode 10 - there is nothing but tears waiting for you.

Why pick on the animation?

To me, the animation always comes second to literally anything else. So what if their noses bulge out like giant pimples? It's not real in the first place.

All I can say is that the animation definitely gets the point across. Throughout the series, images of school lives and battlefields overlap each other for an effect. This effect cannot be described simply in one single word, but would be better understood as a tool to colorize the emotions within the anime. It first suggests a bright, high-school nostalgic scenery, then would suddenly convert into a blood-coated, horrifying battleground. Soon it paints a battlefield with a rotting corpse, lying beside a cute high-school girl preparing for a gunfight. These sorts of images don't usually mix, but Saikano uses them to deepen the meaning of the characters. Serious issues such as war affect any high-school relationship, and in Chise's case, it turns it into a necessity for her to live. I find it brilliant to illustrate the anime like that, although many would find it to be manipulative and ludicrous.

I should also mention that even if the sceneries aren't that super, even the disproportioned character designs still have qualities! For starters, Chise happens to be the only super-powered shoujo I know that doesn't look overbearing geared up in a giant, mechanized butterfly. Actually, she looks quite fearsome in contrast to her frail human form. Also, a lot of symbolism takes place as well. Think about it - since when would a giant, dominant sort of guy like Shuuji need protection from his tiny, introverted girlfriend? It's proof all in all that the form of power doesn't matter...it's whether or not it's there in the first place.

Last of all, the animation is not immature. There are a multitude of sexual situations and shots of brief nudity. It's about a couple - things like sex and bare bodies are to be expected. Also if you think about it, Saikano focuses quite a bit on the angsty side of their love, so as much as it appears, it's necessary every time.
During fight scenes, it can be fast paced and somewhat graphic. There is quite a bit of blood, and the ruthlessness of the battlefield shows itself as well. At some points, it's so ruthless that the sheer straightforwardness of death leads to laughter. I predict that anyone who sees this will find at least one death hilarious, even though it really isn't.

Thus, the characters.

A friend of mine recently suggested to me that Saikano resembles a character-study, wherein the story isn't nearly as effective as the character's actual feelings. I can agree with this to some degree, despite that I myself find the story to represent something we all have a difficult time accepting - a love that is meant to be, but wasn't meant to work.

Anyways, what makes Saikano so dramatic is it's opera-like representation of two people trying to love each other. Shuuji tries to be masculine and dominant, but struggles to hold himself in place whenever his significant other loses her sense of guilt and innocence. It's a struggle I myself would fear having to bear, yet in the end I might have been the same as he was. Shuuji, I believe, represents many of us males, attempting to love and cover for someone out of our grasp. It's similar to falling for a girl in a different social class; even if the love is there, sometimes there just isn't enough strength on one part to hold the other closely. It's sad and embarassing, and one of the worst things about being a man.

Inasmuch, Chise feels for Shuuji deeply. Throughout the anime her human self decomposes, replaced constantly by qualities of a murderer, or much more like that of a weapon. As her life dissipates, she becomes dependent on Shuuji. However, she doesn't study him carefully enough to see his difficulty in accepting her. I wouldn't blame her, since after spending endless time out on the battlefield murdering the enemy, she'd fall apart in the shoulders of the only innocent part of her life. Ultimately, Chise represents a sort of woman - the type who ends up hurting herself and continuously apologizing to feel better for her mistakes. Some find this to be pathetic and artificial, but I honestly believe it to be much more humble and human, since only God knows what goes through the minds of people who've become a hero in battle against their own will.

And then there are minor characters like Akemi. It's amazing how even someone as insignificant as her could bring all the attention for the infamous episode 9 of this series. Each and every character has significance in this series - nobody is just there to fill in the gaps!

Sound: Actually quite good.

I waited forever for "Hoshi no Hate," which is sung by the seiyuu for Chise, For those who've always wondered, this song's opening sequence was played during the end of episode 1. Fumiko has an interesting singing voice, although I think I honestly prefer her voice acting to anything else. I really like the opening theme and the ending theme as well!

Bottom line, Saikano has some of the best BGM sequences ever. It has an awful lot of sad music, and an accent of the electric guitar on a particular lullaby melody that repeats throughout the entire series. Then there is a song with ukeleles and an triangle, a song with heavy synths, and a list of other creative tunes packed into the series. I believe anyone who has a sense of taste in music would find this soundtrack tasteful and original. It touches both the dark and light sides of life, without ever going fully into either feeling.

Of course, how could I not congratulate Fumiko on her excellent work with Chise? I mean, really, this has to be the best work I've seen her in so far. Her voice is absolutely perfect for her character, since the cute tones in her voice hint Chise's character perfectly, without making her look too plushy. Inasmuch, Shuuji's seiyuu takes on a much more boisterous role than your typical teenage shounen, so I give him kudos for his spectacular representation. The voice acting is extremely important in this sort of series, since it's really about the characters, not the action or the animation at all.

It's an anime worthy of the title "ultimate weapon."

If you think you've seen the best ultimate weapon anime yet, make sure to check out this one before crediting anything else! Saikano, better understood as Saishuuheiki Kanojo (literally "The Ultimate Weapon Girlfriend"), holds its ground where most animes like it don't, and takes directions that any good anime does.

For some newbies. In particular, I'd point this out to people who really are interested in seeing a passionate love story, minus all of the flirtatious and indecisive trash. It's about love, how it hurts, and how far it goes. I can find a large crowd, whether they like anime or not who would appreciate this, since many times our society chooses to avoid difficult compilations such as this one.
However, I'd tell people who are looking for a good science-fiction to avoid this one. There is just enough there to retain interest, but it's ultimately there for the drama. Saikano is an opera set in a science-fiction setting, not a science-fiction designed like an opera.

Last of all, don't be ashamed if you don't cry! I know a lot of people who watched the entire series without shedding a tear, yet felt moved very deeply by it. I didn't cry much myself, although I was starting to lose it after episode 10. Ah, oh well - if anything, just enjoy it because you love it. Even if it hurts.

show review

by kaintfm on 2005-07-23 18:47

(Writers note: If you read this review, RATE this review. Authors thrive on feedback, whether it be a simple happy face, or an in-depth critique.)

For a quick comparison, let me start by saying that this is not as depressing as Grave of the Fireflies. It is close, but because of its length, the sadness is not as condensed. While Grave of the Fireflies spent only an hour and a half to rip your heart out and peel it with a potato peeler, Saikano spreads this pain out over a 13 episode series (about 5hrs). Depending on your tolerance, you may weep from Episode 3 till the end. Or if you're like me, a handful of spots before Episode 9, and after that, it's basically a free-for-all.

First, the faults. The CGI, by Gonzo, is top notch, blending beautifully with the hand-drawn images. The biggest problem, surprisingly, is the hand-drawn images themselves. The characters have these red squiggles under their eyes; squiggles that are often used for when a character blushes. The problem, however, is that they're drawn ALL OF THE TIME, even when the character is not blushing. If that wasn't distracting enough, occasionally the lines will appear outside of the character's face when they turn. This would be forgivable (How often have you seen a character's hair or eye seem just slightly out of place, or blending together? They have budgets, you know!) except that the margin of error can be as much as 2 to 3 inches off of the character's face! This happens a number of times during the lighter scenes, where it doesn't hurt the mood too much, and it happens a couple of times during pivotal moments that took me out of the show and back into my seat at the worst possible moment. When a much beloved character is coughing up blood onto Shuji's shirt, half of their head falling away, screaming out with all their might that they don't want to die... as the life gradually disappears from their body, you don't want to be looking at the big red squiggle coming off the Shuji's face. Can you say "mood killer"?

In truth, the scene I just mentioned was so punishing it didn't matter. Ronald McDonald could have come on screen and performed the "Happy" dance and I still would have ended up balling like a schoolgirl. There are some scenes in this series that smash into your heart like a goddamned freight train, and only the most jaded of viewers will escape unscathed.

The music is occasionally a problem as well. The music, while passable, still needs a lot more work put into it. Sad scenes do not need soft rock music to pull you out of the show yet again. The music is occasionally set too loud, lound enough to interfere with the dialogue. Thankfully, this doesn't occur during any of the key scenes.

Thankfully, the good things about Saikano far outweigh the bad. Saikano is about a couple falling in love in the last few months before the world ends. The boy, Shuji, is your average high school student. His new girlfriend, Chise, is The Ultimate Weapon; A revolutionary and terrifying, albiet never explained, weapon that can level entire cities in an instant, and shoot down dozens of planes in a hearbeat. Sadly, Chise's mind is still that of a high school kid, and her new abilities take a terrible toll on her mind and body, as well as her relationship with Shuji.

Grave of the Fireflies preached about the horrors of war, and the toll it takes on non-combatants. Saikano is more about the sheer pointlessness of war. How the randomness of the violence can make which side you're fighting on seem inconsequential, and how the human instinct to survive at all costs will eventually bring about our extinction. You can only stand at the brink for so long before a strong wind comes to push you over the edge.

We're never told who is fighting. We're not told why they're fighting. It is never explained how Chisa can do what she does, or why she's made to do it. Then again, in the end, it doesn't matter. This is a tragic love story with a tragic conclusion, and a must see for any fan of tragedies and/or well told love stories.

show review

by damo65 on 2005-03-24 07:07

I first saw this anime as a fansub and was so devastated by the ride that I had to think long and hard about buying the DVDs. I have, and I'm glad I have, but it's so hard to watch.
The animation is good but not great. The vehicles, in particular, look awful, especially going around corners! That aside, as someone has already mentioned, no-one's watching this anime (at least no-one who watches past ep1!) is watching for the visuals. This is a story that grips and won't let go. It's like watching a car crash in slow motion. It's horrible but you can't look away.
ALL the characters, even the peripheral ones, are fully fleshed. ALL are vitally important. Just when you think a person is an irrelevance, something happens to them and it hurts!
In another review for this I said it was like being punched in the heart over and over and over again. No-one should start watching this without a warning that if you have a propensity for tears then have a ready supply of tissues handy! You will cry for the entire length of SaiKano. I know I was a gibbering wreck, much to the bemusement of my family, all the way through!
Enjoyment? I'm not sure such a classification is appropriate to a show like this. (Alien 9 is another.) I don't think I "enjoyed" it, but I'm damn glad I watched it.

show review

by wtx on 2005-03-03 21:02

Since my first review received critics for being stupid, incoherent and generally nothing but gibberish (LOL, can’t say I can deny that since I used only 15min to write it) I have decided to rewrite it. Hopefully this one is better than the last one, and I will also be very happy to receive any serious comment on my review.


Saikano is a sad love story, which at first may seem a little confusing. It seems like a world not unlike the reality where every day life goes on as it usually does. Yet it isn’t. As the story goes on unexpected things happens, and a world much darker and menacing will slowly reveal it self.

When you begin to watch Saikano, you will probably notice that the anime is drawn in a weird way. And in the beginning it kind of annoyed me. But as I continued to watch I surprisingly found myself amused by it. What I especially liked was that it was all dreamlike-foggy, which I think gave it a soft feeling. I have to say that the reason for this could be the quality of the ripped episodes I have, and may not be in the original one.

Saikano begins where it almost ends, at a special place where Shuji (one of the main characters) waits for someone special. As Shuji sits here alone and waits. The story itself starts at the beginning. At first it looks like a high school love romance story or something like that. And isn’t really any interesting at all. Still, one kind of wonder if the one he waits for will really come.

As the story goes on it will suddenly take a sudden turn from being peacefully to become a story about war, sadness, betrayal and anger. Still, the city where Shuji lives is mostly peaceful, and gives a kind of the last-paradise-on-earth-feeling. And is also mostly detached from the rest of the world, which kind of makes you wonder what on earth is really going on. Why do they fight and who is the enemy?

Although any story about war, sadness, betrayal and anger is sad, Saikano exceeds in my opinion, most of them in a very negative way. Some may find the story tear dripping as it should be. But the intensity of the pain and the sadness which the story tries to emit is so intense and overwhelming that you may find it more ridiculous and cliché-like instead of sad and tear dripping. Off course, there are people who have suffered greatly in our world and could probably identify them self with some of the characters or the pain. But for most anime fans out there, especially the younger ones may not really understand the pain that Saikano tries to emit, less feel any of it.

Although I call Saikano a love story, it seems like the story is more about pain and hardship. And the other elements like the war, love, and the painful experience of the characters. Is more like a fuel to a fire of pain, which has already exceeded its limits, trying to gradually build up an intense sad story

As for the sound and characters, I don’t really have much to say. The music was nice but I can’t really say there was anything special about it. I found the characters mostly convincing. The only exception was Shuji. Shujis pain was so intense that I found myself more laughing than feeling sad, and for my part, it kind of “killed” Shuji totally as a good character.

What more can I say? There is nothing really special about Saikano except that the way it is drawn is kind of weird, and the fact that it tries to emit the viewers an intense sense of pain and sorrow. From an artistic and creative view, there is nothing really special. Most of the characters are done nicely and build up a good foundation for a sad story. But unfortunately, at least for my part, the intensity of pain the story tries to create literarily blew the whole point away. And as a conclusion: best way to know is to watch it yourself. Unless you are not interested in very very sad stories, it is probably a waste of time to watch this one. And I think it’s a “ I hate this or I love this” anime.


Last words I want to say is mostly my thoughts about some things that the other reviewers here have mentioned (in other words, this part is gibberish beyond the last version of the review):

1. As a story with a message (if there is such a thing) Saikano is very vague. Is the message an anti war message? Is it a message that tells us about pain? When I look at Saikano from different interpretations I can see different kinds of messages. Not only a message about the horror of war and the sadness it brings, but also about human weakness. I think that you should find your answer by looking into yourself and your feelings.
2. For those who actually believe that they will gain any experience, and better understanding of real pain, from watching Saikano, please think again. It may be true that Saikano shows a web of feelings and actions, result, cause and effect between peoples who not only know each other but also are strangers to one and other. But so does many other stories to.
3. For those of you who suffer from great depression, and thinks about suicide more than four times a week, stay clear of this anime. You might kill your self after watching it.

show review

by kamenoko on 2005-02-24 18:59

SaiKano Review
(The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly)

One should always take advice from valued friends, more than likely they are true. I was warned as of episode seven that this anime does not end well. Having seen the end, I can say this is quite true, but you’re free to discover it for yourself.

The animation manages not to jar the eyes between traditional animation and cgi, and for that, it deserves credit. The dichotomy between the bright colors of the town in which Chise lives, and the drab earth tones that habitat the battlefield is quite ingenious. What really detracts from the animation is the ugly character design. The squiggly red lines that one normally assumes would be blush lines are there all the time. The facial structure is quite appalling also, as the nose takes up half the face.

Voice acting in SaiKano is one of the series' few redeeming qualities. One must sympathize with these people as they were forced (I can only assume at gunpoint) to recite the same banal lines for most of the second and last third of SaiKano. In all respects, they were professional, and provided the only real emotional impact that SaiKano could provide. The music for SaiKano is completely forgettable, after a few listens I skipped the op/ed. This kind of Japanese synthesized pop music has never appealed to me on any level.

Up to a point SaiKano managed to pull of the “high school romance with a twist” type storytelling. The twist in this case being that Chise, the girlfriend, has been made into the ultimate weapon to destroy the enemies of Japan. This is fine, but eventually the dichotomy in mood between war-torn battlefield and everything-is-ok high school gets grating. Full Metal Panic pulled this off with the use of humor, SaiKano relies primarily on pity, and it is worn out quite quickly. The end of SaiKano, oh Gods the end, I can’t comment on the specifics of it. All I can say is that it spans three episodes (the series is only 12), and depending on which side of the fence you’re on, could take the title for worst ending ever away from Evangelion.

SaiKano has two major characters: Chise and Shuji. Shuji joins the ranks of the great everymen who seem to exist in ninety percent of anime. He has no discernable good qualities about him, hits women, calls everyone stupid, and still manages to have three disparate (or desperate?) women fall for him. Though SaiKano doesn’t follow the formula for harem anime, the harem is there in any respect. Chise, one of the few pitiable characters in SaiKano, is often forced to explain what is going on to a befuddled audience. Doing so takes away from Chise’s appeal as a cute character, which besides being the ultimate weapon, is all she has going for her. There is a troika of secondary characters who are far more interesting than Chise and Shuji, and often I wished the story would focus more on them, but alas, it was not to be.

SaiKano was an anime that I enjoyed for the first third, became skeptical for the second third, and finally dismissed completely after its abysmal ending. There is no reason to watch this anime again unless you want to see something pretty made ugly. It went from a solid seven anime, to a six, and finally to a five. All I can say is watch it at your own risk.