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R4 DVD Reviews
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Friday, 28 October 2005 00:00 |
 Before anyone thinks I'm expanding into hentai, let me just point out that this is the 'clean' version of Mezzo Forte - although I'm half tempted to post a few screenshots from the hentai version to earn our 'R' rating. :) Taking place before the Mezzo DSA TV series, this two-episode OVA gave the world their first view of gun-toting cutie Mikura and her eccentric sidekicks...
Episode 1
The Peach Twisters are having a bad run of form, with their pitcher in
particular seemingly unable to do anything right. The owner's
daughter, Momomi, is as fed up with the team's performance as her
father Momokichi is, although a brief spell with a baseball bat soon takes care
of their frustration - and the pitcher. What goes around comes
around, though, and the Danger Service Agency - ex-cop Kurokawa,
technology whiz Harada and action-junkie Mikura - are given the job of
kidnapping Momokichi. Sounds easy enough, but during the job
Mikura realises that he's the man she's been seeing in her dreams since
she was a child - and it's a feeling that gets even more intense when
she meets Momomi. Their day gets worse when the kidnap attempt
goes wrong and they end up killing their target instead...
Episode 2
Momomi survived Mikura's parting gift, and she's determined to get her
father back and have her revenge on the culprits - who are busy trying
to bury their unintended victim and making plans to leave town. Kurokawa and
Harada are all too aware of Momomi's psycho nature and are keen to get
as far away as possible, but another visit from the man who hired them
to kidnap Momokichi - apparently a former hitman himself - 'persuades' them it
would be a better plan to take care of Momomi permanently. Only
problem is, they haven't accounted for just how dangerous that psycho
bitch Momomi really is...
First, a quick history lesson for anyone thinking I'm tarnishing the
name of anime by reviewing an edited version. As I understand the
'legend', creator Yasuomi Umetsu only intended for Mezzo Forte to be an action series - but since the only production company to stump up the cash needed to make it were hentai studio Green Bunny,
extra scenes needed to be added to each episode to.. err.. spice things
up a bit. It's worth noting that the definitive "International Version"
released in Japan in 2004, complete with 20 minutes of added footage,
didn't include the hentai scenes.
But anyway. If you've seen Mezzo DSA, you'll know exactly
what to expect - unlikely situations, lots of gunplay, and Mikura doing
far more damage than a girl her size has any right to. Episodes 4
& 5 of the TV series also make reference back to events here, which
do help them make a little bit more sense. Story-wise, there's
not much here - what little there is serves to lay the groundwork for
yet another gratuitous fight scene, but to be honest if you're watching
this that's all you want anyway.
DSA fell down a bit by not having enough going on to fill a 13-episode series. With only 2 episodes, Forte doesn't fall into that trap. Short, sharp, and very enjoyable.
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