Jungle de Ikou is one of Media Blasters' bottom-drawer titles, for which the distribution rights for R1 were probably very cheap. It was released in R1 quite a while ago (2001) so it's dubbed. (If they were doing it today, it would probably be sub-only.)

It begins with a nice visual homage to the first sequence in Raiders of the Lost Ark. No rolling ball, or anything, but a tropical pond and a mysterious cave, within which is a strange statue holding two rather large emeralds. A man, who turns out to be Natsumi's dad, finds the statue and brings it back to Japan. He gives it to his daughter, ten year old Natsumi, who is rather less than thrilled -- but takes it anyway.

Natsumi puts on the emerald earrings, and one of the seems to glow. She's a bit startled, but oh, well, it was probably a trick of the lighting. For some reason she decides to wear them while she sleeps.

Natsumi has a weird dream. An old guy appears, who turns out to be Aham, the creator of the world and its Earth God. He warns her that an evil spirit he had sealed is about to be released. The evil spirit is named Ongo. "He is the god of destruction who will erase the world."

Dramatic music swells, and we're back in the jungles of New Guinea (or "Myuguinea" according to the package blurb). A horrible giant appears, towering over the jungle. He gestures, and a giant blue fireball explodes, and spreads over the entire surface of the earth, laying it waste. He laughs fiendishly in a deep, booming voice.

Oh, dear. Fortunately, it's just part of the dream that Aham is sending to Natsumi. "When that happens, I'll need your help." To that end, he gives her a necklace.

It's kawaii. Not. It's made of teeth, mostly, plus three little skulls. And he shows her a salacious dance and tells her that if she gets in trouble she should do it. Then she will be given part of his power. He vanishes. "I must be dreaming" she says.

And she wakes up -- and still has the necklace. Oh, dear. And there's a strange creature sitting on her bed, looking at her. It's Ongo. He isn't anything like the vision that Aham showed her, and Natsumi breaks out laughing.

That's the first half of the first episode, and so far I'm not unhappy. This looks like it will be silly and fun and ecchi, and that's always a good thing.

It's also something of a Ranma reunion. Ongo has the same voice as Ranma-chan, and Natsumi's friend, classmate, and sparring partner Takuma has the same voice as Ranma-kun. Natsumi's father has the same voice as Tendo Soun. Reunions can be precious and stupid (e.g. This ugly yet beautiful world) if they're deliberate because they end up contrived, but this one doesn't really seem to be deliberate.

And as is always the case, Hayashibara is magnificent. In comic roles, there simply isn't anyone better.

It'll be interesting to see where this story is really going. As of the end of the first ep, Ongo doesn't seem to be evil. If he represents any kind of hazard at all, it's more that he's very confused by where he is (Tokyo, not the jungle) and misuses his power because of that confusion. Indeed, once things are a mess, it is Ongo who recognizes the necklace and convinces Natsumi that she has to do her dance -- which, it turns out, summons the power of Mii, the flower goddess.

And, evidently from the transformation, the goddess of fertility.

I'm making a bet right now: I bet this is yet another ecchi OVA series which got started but never finished, like Dragon Half or Demon Fighter Kocho.

As I'm writing this I'm ripping the DVD and I'll be posting some frame grabs a bit later.

UPDATE: 20 NSFW frame grabs below the fold.

Natsumi seems to be pretty amazing even without the necklace. The very first thing we see her do is jump out of a third floor window at school, chase her friend Takuma and catch him easily despite a hundred yard head start, and then beat him in a fist fight.

Natsumi's mom, Natsumi's Dad, and Natsumi's panties.

Natsumi flashes her panties enough times in the first few minutes so that some might find it disturbing. Myself, I just thought it was funny. It's too stupid to appeal to lolicon.

Aham appears to Natsumi in a dream. Gives us an all new referent for "boner", don't it? (The management apologizes for that comment, and assures you that the person who wrote it has been sacked. No I haven't. Shut up.)

A terrifying apparition appears in the jungle to smite the earth, with a deep booming laugh.

The real Ongo isn't quite so formidable looking. He's also a pretty nice little guy. Turns out he was sealed inside the statue, and the seal was broken and he was released when Natsumi took the earrings off it.

Natsumi and Ongo go for a walk. They happen to walk past Takuma's house, in time to hear Takuma having a screaming fight with his dad. The problem? Dad has cooked yummy, delicious whale meat, but ruined it by adding peas -- or so Takuma thinks. "Wanna settle this outside?" "Yeah, let's go."

While they're outside, Ongo eats the whale meat. "This is delicious! I want more!" That's kind of a problem, you know; whales live in the ocean. "OK, I'll summon one!"

Ordinarily Ongo needs an altar made of a tree stump, but a wooden table will serve in a pinch.

That's really quite a whale. Ongo doesn't fool around, does he? Somehow or other Ongo and Natsumi end up riding on top of it. And within minutes the JSDF starts attacking. Ships at sea start shelling Tokyo. (Oh, really?)

Whale-san doesn't like that. Ongo, Natsumi, and Natsumi's panties are in trouble! Ongo can't do anything about it; he needs wood to use his magic, since he's a tree god. But he sees the necklace and convinces Natsumi she's the only hope. She finally gives in and does the dance that Aham showed her in her dream.

Henshin! And with her new power, she saves the day. (But not the whale; it gets nuked.)

Posted by: Steven Den Beste in General Anime at 01:24 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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