First Impressions: Miracle Train and Nyan Koi
October 6th, 2009
Two more first episodes down, but unfortunately I’m not much more excited for the new shows this season than I was before. Miracle Train isn’t quite the comedy I had figured it would be, but it’ll probably sell to fangirls like pocky to con-goers. Nyan Koi on the other hand could have some potential if you’re really looking for rom-com/possible harem show.
Miracle Train – Welcome to the Oedo Line
Characters: Chinatsu, the protagonist for this episode (sounds like they might have a girl-with-a-problem of the week) loses track of her dog at Roppongi Station and happens to board the Miracle Train. There the human incarnations of six stations greet her and attempt to solve her problem. Shinjuku fits the place to a T, full of himself and trying to be suave. Roppongi is rather calmer than I expected given my experiences with that part of the city. I was expecting him to be the playboy/party animal trying to hit on Chinatsu. Ryogoku talks about the Tokyo-Edo Museum being in his area but that’s about it. Tocho, being the terminus of the Oedo Line, is the leader that tries to act cool but hates to lose or disobey the train rules. Shiodome is there to appeal to another fangirl niche, the youngest and most effiminate station-character. Then Tsukishima seems to be really into fishing. There’s also the train conductor with the Commander Kreuze look-alike mask and the moe-sidekick Akari.
Quick Recap: Chinatsu finds her way onto the Miracle Train where the train-characters say they are there to serve her and solve whatever is troubling her. Apparently being a girl in distress is the only way to board. They then go from station to station looking for her lost dog, talking a little in between. Roppongi finds out that Chinatsu’s dog is all she has, not having family or friends. In the end the y find the dog in Roppongi station and go their separate ways.
Animation/design: Very bishonen, calculated to appeal to every kind of female viewer. Despite the show having the director of Honey and Clover on board (pun intended), I didn’t see anything like the artistic ‘camera’ angles, uses of music, or other touches seen in H&C. Though a huddle-discussion scene had a neat rapidly moving change to each character’s face as they talked.
Potential: The show isn’t badly done for what it is (Weiss Kreuz-esque female fanservice), but I was expecting the Hetalia of Tokyo train stations so the lack of significant comedy disappointed me greatly. Seems like every week some girl will board the train with a problem, you’ll find out about whatever is causing her despair, and then the train station-characters will solve it, with a few jokes and yaoi innuendo along the way.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for bishonen to squee over and/or are a fujoshi then this is the show for you. If you’re looking for comedy, go elsewhere. Personally, I’ll give it one more shot to deliver on the comedy, and if it doesn’t then I’m dropping it.
Just for Fun: blush count: 6.
Nyan Koi
Characters: Kousaka, the male lead, dislikes and is allergic to cats, but lives with a family who loves them. His love interest Mizuno also loves cats, though she can’t have one herself due to her family’s dogs. But one Kousaka accidentally knocks the head off of a small shrine statue of a cat, allowing him to hear the thoughts of cats but condemning him to carrying out 100 good deeds for cats or else turn into a cat and suffocate from his allergies. Mizuno loves cats so much that she lures and pets the local strays, and is also oddly enough a big Yakuza novel fan.
Quick Recap: Kousaka wakes up from a dream about his crush Mizuno to find his family’s cat in his room, causing him to sneeze. But then he can hear it speaking to him somehow. After freaking out about being able to hear and talk to cats he retraces his steps to the shrine where he knocked over a cat statue. After hearing from the enthusiastic monk, his family cat, and the temple cat he figures out the nature of the curse put upon him. Trying to ignore it, he finds himself turning into a cat and unable to breathe until he agrees to help. He’s told about a vicious human luring and trapping cats in the neighborhood, but pays it no mind. Then, on the way back from a shopping trip he runs into Mizuno and finds out that she’s the one luring in cats and then hugging them to neurosis. Trying to be delicate he tells Mizuno to let the cats go, but when that doesn’t work his house cat and the temple cat force him to yell at Mizuno by attempting to trigger his allergies. Luckily for him Mizuno doesn’t take it to heart. 99 good deeds now remain.
Animation/design: Nice animation and pretty good character design. Nothing amazing, but it’s well done.
Potential: This will probably go either the rom-com or harem route. Possibly the latter given the fanservice shots of the female characters in the OP. Didn’t hook me, though I can’t really say there was anything wrong with it per se.
Bottom Line: If you want a harem or harem/rom-com then this might be for you. Definitely beats out Kampfer.
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