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R2 DVD Reviews
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Written by maehara
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Wednesday, 06 June 2007 17:00 |
 Politically-incorrect fanservice comedy Cosplay Complex finally makes it to UK shores. Welcome to the East Oizumi Academy, where the Cosplay Club is having some problems - which only begin with just how strange the members are. Will the club ever reach the Cosplay World Series, or will their dream turn to dust along the way..?
1 - The Cosplay Club is Born!
East Oizumi Academy's Cosplay Club can't be accused of setting their sights low, at least - it's their aim to win the Cosplay World Series. Only two problems: they don't have a teacher who'll sponsor the club, and they're short of members, so club president Gorou is looking for ideas. The money situation isn't good either - although that's more down to Gorou's habit of destroying the clubroom than anything else. At least one of his wishes is about to be granted, though, when transfer student Jenny Matel applies to join the club. There's just one prerequisite: a "cosplay battle" with club cosplay star Chako...
2 - Summer Training Camp of Charm!
The Cosplay Club has finally found itself a sponsor, Kuroba-sensei, and he's determined to make his mark early. First order of business: a mandatory club training camp, to get his new charges into shape for the Cosplay World Series. Absolutely not an excuse for a trip to the beach & to get to see the girls in swimwear, no. Kuroba-sensei unfortunately falls ill and has to miss the trip (was that just a cameo appearance?), but the gang still head off - and when Chako finds out that her first fan & object-of-affection Tamiya is going to be there, she's all set for an enjoyable trip. But Gorou has his own plans for the trip, and enjoying the beach isn't part of them. Later, Chako gets invited on a date by Tamiya - sounds good, until the rest of the girls decide she needs their help to secure her love...
3 - The Final Battle: Showdown in the East Oizumi Academy Gym!
Chako's made a new friend: young girl Tsukasa Tomii, whose shyness has been the only thing holding her back from being a cosplayer herself. She's not from East Oizumi, though - she's from Shin-Takarazuka Academy, the current holders of the Cosplay World Series title, and the leader of Takarazuka's cosplay club, Ranko Takara, isn't at all pleased at her underling being all friendly with the opposition. Ranko's also friendly with Tamiya, which gets Chako all fired up - to the point where Gorou decides that another cosplay battle's called for to choose which girl gets the guy. The battle commence...
First up, a warning: if you like your anime to tell a complete story, then you may want to give Cosplay Complex a pass, as it ends without ever getting to the much-mentioned Cosplay World Series, and without following up a number of little plot threads that are dropped in to introduce some mystery into the storyline. There’s a definite feel that there was meant to be more than the three episodes here, but something seems to have gone wrong along the way and no more was ever made – which is a damn shame, to be honest.
On the plus side, these three episodes are very plot-light anyway – I doubt there are any people watching for the engaging storyline, at least. Each episode is geared up simply to provide excuses for the gang to have one big cosplay outing, for Jenny to torture poor Athena (except in episode two, where she receives a pointed lesson in the joys of older women and spends most of the episode recovering from the experience – she never thought it could be so good), and for Chako to make good use of Delmo’s shape-shifting skills to create the ultimate cosplay experience. Along the way there’s acres of fanservice and more than a few good laughs. Rinse, repeat, until the end of the disc. Sounds simple, but it works so well that three episodes really isn’t enough.
Towards the end of the disc, other elements are introduced that seem to point the way to further episodes having been planned: the introduction of Ranko, star of the cosplay club at the rival Shin-Takarazuka Academy, who’s also being helped by a fairy just like Delmo; and the mysterious purple-haired woman who seems to worry Chako’s landlady so much. There’s enough teased out about them to get the curiosity going, but then the series comes to an end and you’re left frustratingly un-enlightened about what it was all about. Normally, that would leave me raging – I like everything to be nicely tied up, thank-you – but because this disc is just so much fun to watch, I’m happy to let it slide.
Another reviewer once called Cosplay Complex "so wrong that it has me in fits of laughter". I can’t argue with that verdict at all – almost everything the show does is pitched to make you laugh, and it manages to keep you going for the whole length of the series. It does have its flaws – it’s clearly unfinished and some people will probably find that the humour runs just a little close to the line at times – but it’s one of those shows that, while it has no redeeming artistic merit (in the highbrow sense), you really should see. Being comparatively cheap only adds to the appeal. Go get it now.
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