Search - Genshiken, Vol. 2: Model Citizens on DVD

SHE'S BECOMING ONE OF THEM

Sesho | Pasadena, TX USA | 10/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kitagawa, Vice-President of the Campus Organization Committee doesn't have a lot of power in real life. But she does have control over which clubs are disbanded on campus, and does she ever like to abuse her power! She's set her sights on Genshiken because, in her mind, the club serves no function. Their room is being used for nothing but eating, drinking, playing videogames and talking about anime and manga. Well, I guess she's saying that they're not being productive. But the gang learns that the Genshiken president, yes that creepy guy that never seems to graduate, and seems to appear from secret passages, has some dirt on Kitagawa they can use to blackmail her! Also, in this volume it seems as though Saki Kasukabe is developing a little more tolerance for the otaku, and might even become a member! But not for reasons you might think. It's somewhere between blackmail and gaining favor with Makoto. It seems that the President has some embarassing dirt on her too. At the start of the new year, it looks like Genshiken might gain some new blood....over Saki's dead body! The last episode concerns mecha model kits as Sasahara and Ohno are trained in this precise and demanding hobby by the other Genshiken members.

This is a great show. It is humorous, honest, and touching. It's cool to see other characters as interested in anime and manga as you are. Well, I don't think we could rise to the bar of true otaku unless we were living within Japanese culture, but this is as close as we can get. It does look like Saki is becoming more and more enlightened and maybe even affectionate towards the other club members. I wonder if she will end up an otaku at the end? Also included on this volume is an episode of the fictional anime that the Genshiken watch called Kujibiki Unbalance which is a real gem as funny as the main show. Another extra is an interview with two of the Japanese voice actors and director and even some off-screen questions with the creator of the original manga. Fun show!
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