Search - Jungle De Ikou on DVD

3 stars is nice

E. Roberts | Canton, MI United States | 03/26/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I bought it mostly cuz I was looking for something like decent hentai with good animation that isn't chock full of women in pain. This series(cut short after 3 episodes) doesn't have that, but quite a bit of fan service which is probably what you're looking for if the cover caught your eye.

The service delivers for the most part but quickly took a back seat with me once plot happenings started rolling as it really isn't always the focus. It tells the tale of some gods from the jungle awakening and doing battle in Japan. They fight each other with magic, dances, rituals, chants, etc. which are usually pretty easy on the eyes. A good few of the characters are interesting such as Nasumi/Mie, who is a respectable young girl with a strong head who ends up having to save Japan. She's similar to Akane in Ranma 1/2. Occompanied by her is the god of Destruction Ongo, a rather unassuming character from the jungle and Ahem the Earth god. I found these two characters the most enjoyable of the show as they provide distraction from trite dialogue. Sometimes the exchanges between characters are funny and natural, other times they are painfully silly and stupid(like when the focus turns to Mie's bosom). I had to laugh when I heard the voice actors trying to seriously deliver some of these lines. I've found cringe-inducing dialogue to be nothing new with anime, it's present here but not always prevalent. I made use of the skip forward button on my dvd player due to the dialogue and bad plot development. Some things happen throughout the story that seem poorly written in(like Ongo and his magical limitations) so I would skip past them while the characters try to tie everything together.

Overall I would have to say I enjoyed the strong ancient religious themes of the story the most(gods, possessions, spells, enchantments, etc.). I don't think they will offend, but they are there and they help to move the story along. The fan service is well animated and rather nice, as I rarely see characters so well-endowed move so well. As a movie/series it's patchy but with promise if the writers figured out what they want to do(focus on fan service, or plot). It seems the movie can't decide wether it wants to be a naughty romp or something more along the lines of Ranma where humor and strong characters drive the story.

A reviewer said that the god Ahem is a slightly racist charicature, I would disagree. He seems like the standard 'dirty old man' character with purpose crossed with a witch doctor, I wasn't offended and didn't sense anything that came across as a mock of any demographic. Though I would like to know how old these girls are supposed to be before transformation, I read they are supposed to be 10 years old(excuse me?). The box says it's for those 13 and up, I wouldn't recommend it for children.

The review is a bit spotty, but I'd say that attests to Jungle de Ikou's own spottiness. The main question boils down to: Do you like the cover? Go with your instinct on that one... it's about what you'd expect though there is no nudity, just alluring dance moves, fine animation, and some sicko's pre-pubescent fantasies. If you're looking at this, that's what you were looking for. Not really recommended though I was glad I sniffed this film out finally."

JdI Delivers on Its Cover Illustration

AJpackistin | Seattle, WA USA | 06/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"if you've seen some anime, the cover illustration probably makes you think of something like Ranma 1/2 movie 2 (the one one the beach, where are the girls jiggle around more than usual) or Mahou Tsukai Tai (that episode where Miyama entertains the crew at her private night-time beach party). Well, this anime definitely carries out its promise. It's that kind of silly show, and yes the boobs really are that huge, and yes they are lavishly animated. So, if the cover looks good to you, don't hesitate even for a minute, just buy it. If it's a little off-putting, I'd say skip it unless you have a real fondness for this genre.It's a crime that they don't make more episodes."

Actually pretty funny and entertaining..........

Aaron Montgomery | Indianapolis, Indiana United States | 06/30/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"once ya get past the BIG boobs. There is actually a story in this fan service animation. I'm not saying this is a classic, but there are some generally hysterical moments, and all of them are pretty realistic outcomes to the crazy things going on in the story. I won't say what. You'll just have to see it. If you are a cynic and want to pick apart the jokes and outcomes to the show, it WILL beat you to the punch. This show knows what it is and has no problems making fun of its' self. That alone gets high marks from me. This is a fun video. And all the girls ( the legal ones ) are hot."

Let the fun begin

leonheartviii | Doha,Qatar | 06/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I ordere this DVD the first time I saw it(com'on look at the picture on the cover) and hoped it will live to my expectation and man it did.Man it so funnny that I had to pause the movie everey now and then just to stop laughing and believe me the story is somthing new and original.I recommend this for anyone who want a good laugh or anyone who enjoyed Golden Boy,...Project Ako or dragon half."