When 11-year old Nakahito gets coerced into exploring a mysterious old house,
he never expected that he'd end up kissing a beautiful and shapely android
(or "Steel Angel" in this case) named Kurumi. Kurumi is activated by
the kiss, which makes her recognize no one but Nakahito as her master -- much
to her creator Dr. Ayanokouji's dismay.
When the Imperial army comes barging in however, Kurumi defends Nakahito with
an awesome display of power. Thus Nakahito, Kurumi, and the good doctor are
forced to seek refuge in the shrine where Nakahito and his older brother
Kamihito live. But why is the army after Kurumi and Dr. Ayanokouji in the
first place? And what's going to happen when they start sending out other
Steel Angels to deal with Kurumi?
Review: Steel Angel Kurumi
Set in the 1920's, Steel Angel Kurumi is an amusing and emotionally driven
series that follows the adventures of a young boy and his android.
Steel Angel Kurumi anime opens with a scene where some bullies force a young boy
named Nakahito to go into a mysterious old house's basement. It is said that a
mad doctor who experiments on young girls resides there. Nakahito indeed finds
a beautiful girl there, but it would seem as if she is sound asleep.
A sudden jolt pushes her towards Nakahito, and their lips meet. The girl
awakens, and introduces herself as Kurumi. From then on Kurumi addresses
Nakahito as "Master", obeying only his words and following him wherever
he goes. Before Kurumi's creator Dr. Ayanokouji can fully explain everything
however, he is snatched away by the army... which in turn prompts Nakahito and
Kurumi to set off on a journey in search of the truth.
Kurumi is not the only Steel Angel in this series however, because shortly
after her awakening, the army dispatches Steel Angel Saki to take care of
Kurumi... and after Saki there's Karinka. As fate would have it though, Saki
and Karinka end up joining the group as Kurumi's younger sisters.
You can actually see how chummy these three are in the OP sequence way before
Saki and Karinka are even introduced. But the forces who want Kurumi
eliminated will stop at nothing to realize their goal, and so Kurumi and
company must waste no time in getting to the bottom of things.
The art and animation are nothing short of superb. Character designs are very
attractive, especially where the steel angels are concerned. I couldn't get
over how incredibly vivid and crystal clear each scene was.
There's quite a bit of fan service in the form of boob shots, and some naughty
scenes such as Kurumi squishing Nakahito between her big and bouncy breasts.
Slight homosexual undertones (specifically lesbian themes) can also be
seen throughout. Another thing worth mentioning would be the opening theme
song which is very, very cute and catchy.
For all its charm and visual splendor, Steel Angel Kurumi isn't without its
imperfections. First of all, I really couldn't get into the whole romance
angle between the prepubescent little Nakahito
(in his quaint kiddie shorts and suspenders I might add) and the
voluptuous Kurumi. It doesn't help that this uh, love of theirs is ultimately
what the show is about.
Secondly, I felt that the main plot twist was anti-climactic. Given, everyone
wants to either harness or destroy Kurumi. But when I finally found out the
reason why, I couldn't help but feel everything was overly contrived. I wasn't
too satisfied with the series' rather predictable fairy tale conclusion
either.
Steel Angel Kurumi is undoubtedly an entertaining series. It's cute, funny,
and even kind of sweet. Since the episodes are shorter than usual, pacing is
brisk and dynamic. Recommended, despite being a tad too mushy for my taste.
Miscellanies: Steel Angel Kurumi
The series spans 24 15-minute long episodes.
Steel Angel Kurumi (Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi) | |
| Genre | Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Romance |
|---|---|
| Episodes | 24 |
| Status | Finished Airing |
| Aired | Oct 5, 1999 to Apr 4, 2000 |
| Producers | Pony Canyon |
| Studio | OLM |
| Rating | R+ |
| Themes | Historical, Mecha, Military |
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