Moeyo Ken Volume 1 (DVD) - Anime Reviews


	Number of Episodes 4 Language Options English/Japanese/English Subtitles Released by ADV Films Extras - Production Art - Character Sketches - 3D Model Art - Moeyo Ken Bestiary - Clean Opening/Closing
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Moeyo Ken Volume 1 (DVD)

Mobile Shinsengumi Strikes! The city is under siege… but vanquishing mysterious paranormal phenomena just isn’t what it used to be!

This is one thankless job that won’t even pay the bills! Kondou Yuuko, Hijikata Toshie and Okita Kaoru are the daughters of Shinsengumi heroes trying to follow in their father’s footsteps as loyal guardian warriors, but times sure have changed.

If their enemies don’t do the Mobile Shinsengumi in, this bumbling trio might just do the job themselves! Can they rescue their reputation along with the city? Find out as the Japan of the past goes to war with the present and these battling beauties take on ghosts, goblins, and the gods of yesteryear!

Moeyo Ken is more of an heir apparent to Ranma ½ than the epic Inuyasha could ever be. Silly and featuring character designs from Rumiko Takahashi, this weird and funny show will tickle your funny bone with its’ pointlessness and weird melding of early Kyoto with quasi-modern technology. I mean how seriously can you take a series with a a giant cat monster called Nekomaru that talks in a cutesy voice despite being hideous and purple? The team leader Yuuko is everything you don’t want in a leader – lazy, violent, and irresponsible but she is a formidable foe. Hijikata is the stoic member of the team, that is when she isn’t fighting with Yuuko. Kaoru is the effervescent girl who is forever trying to keep the team working efficiently and usually the voice of reason that is until one of her snacks gets caught in the crossfire then watch out.

Episode 01

Introduces the forces of nature that are the Mobile Shinsengumi. These 3 swordswomen are very effective at stopping demons, and even more effective at causing collateral damage to the surrounding city. Yuuko causes some friction between herself and Hijikata because she pawned one of her pendants to pay for a night on the town. Things get worse when the fight accidentally breaks Kaoru’s manjuu. Despite the usual team bickering, the team is going to have to focus to take on a demon that appears as a cameraman and is capturing people in his pictures. The demon appears to be focusing on people that show off older skills that are becoming obsolete after the imperial decree (the Westernization of Japan). It’s going to take something incredibly goofy to draw out this demon.

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Episode 02

The new Meiji Government has ordered a suppression of all unsanctioned religions, and with that the priests of the Gion Shrine in Kyoto have begun to demolish all of the floats for Gozu the Great (a giant bull god). Gozu is the guardian god for that shrine and with that desecration, he has started to go on rampage. To stop this power, the Mobile Shinsengumi have been sent in, and they quickly disperse the giant god.

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However, dispersing the god left him without a fixed form and he quickly causes trouble by taking over the bodies of Nekomaru then Yuuko. After the Shinsengumi are able to condense his powers into a body, Gozu does calm down and joins the team for a Sukiyaki dinner (that’s beef - which has got to be as disturbing as watching Trey Parker and Matt Stone feed bacon to a pig).

Unfortunately, the calm doesn’t last as the Tsubame-gumi arrive led by Miki (new villains – and they look about as menacing as a parked bicycle) and give Gozu the power to try and smash the Meiji Government that has tried to eliminate him. Have to love a rampaging 50 foot tall bull that is asking where the government is, so he can smash it.

Episode 03

The Tsubame-gumi decide to cause carnage and general destruction in Kyoto by resurrecting the armor used by deceased samurai. With Miki’s powers, the trio are able to generate a frightening skeletal army. For the Mobile Shinsengumi, they are trying to figure out why Hijikata is so upset and is looking despondent. They finally believe that is has to do with the pending arrival of Lord Iwaguro, the man who takes great pride in having killed Hijikata’s father with a gun (defeating a swordsman with a rifle, that’s something to be proud of I guess). When the Mobile Shinsengumi are ordered to protect this dignitary, only Yuuko and Kaoru go so that Hijikata doesn’t have to deal with the man. Things don’t turn out so well when Hijikata shows up at the meeting as well, is she out for revenge?

Episode 04

Yuuko and Nekomaru are out looking for demons when they come across the Tsubame-gumi at one of the 4 major shrines for Kyoto. Miki and crew are releasing the 4 gods that protect the city, and they successfully release one and escape. As the Mobile Shinsengumi regroup and prepare to intercept the Tsubame-gumi at the next shrine, they are informed that the Meiji Government has decided to disband them for their tendency towards destroying the city and general inability to remain under budget. As the team disbands, Yuuko is intent on stopping their foe despite not being armed – and then the Kyoto police arrive to get revenge on the remnants of the Shinsengumi and prevent them from causing any more damage. During the general confusion, Miki is able to release the last god and then summon the Shutendouji (a fearsome demon that is a fierce warrior and generally considered a human slayer). Except the demon isn’t quite as terrifying as the stories state.. he’s about 2 feet tall and a drunk. Watch as Yuuko and Miki work together to whip the demon into shape; Yuuko wants to give the police a taste of the trouble that the Mobile Shinsengumi have to go through all the time. Once the Shutendouji is brought into condition, he goes on a rampage of womanizing. How are they going to stop this demon?

Moeyo Ken is a decidedly funny series that fans of Ranma ½ will love. Highly recommended to fans of comedy series or those who enjoy turning their brains off as they watch anime.

- Tazman

(April 28, 2005)

"Stewie what are you doing?"

"Uh... playing house."

"Why is that little boy tied up?"

"Roman Polanski's house."

- Lois and Stewie (The Family Guy)