“Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians – Complete Series” is the third season of the popular action-packed fighting girl anime series in which one can expect to see a lot of boobs, plenty of nudity, boobs, fan service, boobs, roundhouse kicks and did I mention boobs, to make otaku fan boys and fangirls go crazy for Hakufu and friends all over again.Â
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DVD TITLE: Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians – Complete Series
TV SERIES RELEASE DATE: 2008
DURATION: Episodes 1-12 (300 Minutes)
DVD INFORMATION: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0, English Subtitles
COMPANY: FUNimation
RATED: 17+
RELEASE DATE: December 31, 2013
Originally Created by Yuji Shiozaki
Directed by Koichi Ohata
Series Composition by Masanao Akahoshi
Screenplay by Masanao Akahoshi
Music by Yasuharu Takanashi
Character Design by Rin-Sin
Art Director by Shigemi Ikeda
Anime Production: ARMS
Featuring the following voice talent:
Masumi Asano/Carrie Savage as Hakufu Sonsaku
Satoshi Hino/Ted Sroka as Koukin Shuuyu
Yuko Kaida/Willow Lane as Shimei Ryomou
Hitomi Nabatame/Rachel Robinson as Unchou Kan’u
Kei Shindou/B Simpson as Gentoku Ryuubi
Kikuko Inoue/Wendee Lee as Goei
Koji Yusa/Liam O’Brien as Genpou Saji
Mai Kadowaki/Megan Harvey as Koumei Shokatsuryou
Minori Chihara/Jessica Calvello as Ekitoku Chouhi
Yuu Asakawa/Michelle Knotz as Shiryuu Chouun
Akeno Watanabe/Robin Rhodpa as Ryofu Housen
Yui Horie/Laura Landa as Sonken Chuubou
The combat continues between teens guided by spirits of ancient warriors in round three of the original martial arts marathon! As the dust settles over the Battle of Red Cliffs, the fighters of Nanyo and Seito Academies form a peaceful alliance.
Hakufu’s ready to make some dough for tournaments, but her stacked reputation keeps the fearless leader up to her chest in trouble. Just when her joy peaks over meeting a mysterious sister from another mister, a foe Nanyo Academy once creamed returns! As the conflict comes to a climax, the battle vixens bare blood, betrayal, and…
This new series in the Ikki Tousen franchise reunites the original dub cast.
Back in 2000, Yuji Shiozaki created his popular fighting series “Ikki Tousen” (which translates to “Strength of a Thousand”.
One of the first major anime series that was known for its visual sexual content (ala tons of fan service) and action, the manga series is still ongoing in Japan and the anime series has reached up to four seasons including an OVA, plus a radio show and a number of video games.
While the first two anime series have been released in the United States, the third season, “Ikki Tousen: Great Guardian”, which aired back in 2008 will finally be released in the U.S. courtesy of FUNimation on Dec. 2013.
“Ikki Tousen: Great Guardian” is directed by Koichi Ohata (“Black Lion”, “Burst Angel: Infinity”, “Cybernetics Guardian”), Masanao Akahoshi (“Freezing”, “Tegami Bachi” series, “Viper’s Creed”), music by Yasuharu Takanashi (“Fairy Tail”, “Naruto Shippuden”, “Hell Girl” series), character design by Rin-Sin (“I”s”, “Midnight Panther”, “Samurai Girls”, “Venus 5”) and art direction by Shigem Ikeda (“Afro Samurai”, “Bastard!!”, “Basilisk”, “El-Hazard: The Wanderers”, “Gantz”).
In “Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians”, a mysterious girl named Shokyo has come out of nowhere to announce herself as Shokyo, a younger sister of Hakufu but yet doesn’t look like her at all.
As Shokyo and her cousin Koukin are not aware of a younger sister, they both accept her into the family.
Meanwhile, Housen Ryofu is back, long thought as dead, she has returned but without her memories. Meanwhile, someone has been controlling people and causing problems amongst the students, who is responsible?
The main characters of “Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians” are:
- Hakufu Sonsaku – A bubbly, not-so smart and well-endowed student of “Nanyo” and of the Great Dragons. Always caring for people always hungry and always ready for a big fight.
- Koukin Shuuyu – The cousin of Hakufu and he is somewhat attracted to her.
- Shoukyou – A girl who comes to visit Hakufu, claiming to be her younger sister and taken in. She may have a crush towards Koukin.
- Roshuku Shikei – A student from Nayo who wears bandages and an eyepatch for some apparent reason. Often being set up for work with Hakufu and has an attraction towards Housen.
- Unchou Kan-u – The protector of Ryubi and a fighter who doesn’t like Hakufu. Often day dreaming about her and Ryubi making out.
- Gentoku Ryuubi – Leader of Seito Private School. Also, well-endowed and is oblivious that Kan-u likes her.
- Housen Ryofu– A woman who has had her major problems. Has dated Saji and has lost all her memories.
- Myosai Kakouen – A female assassin in charge of Kyosho Academy due to the absence of Sousou and Kakouton.
- Shishi Ouin/Saji Genpou – A womanizer and the antagonist of the series. he has the power to hypnotize and control people and use them.
- Ekitoku Chouhi – Ryuubi’s best friend and addicted to snacks. Very powerful but often disturbing Kan-u’s daydreams.
- Koumei Shokatsuryou – Quiet, young and also one that harbors the dragon. Loyal to Ryuubi and may have a crush on her.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“Vividred Operation: Complete DVD Set” is presented in 16:9 widescreen and presented in Linear PCM Stereo. To keep the compression artifacts to a minimum on DVD, Aniplex Inc. features all 12 episodes on three DVD’s. For the most part, characters are well shaded and background art is well-painted. There is a good amount of detail in the mechanical designs from the Alone to the detail on the characters Pallet Outfits.
But this is a vibrant anime series on DVD.
The soundtrack is in Japanese and I would not be surprised if Aniplex does release “Vividred Operation” on Blu-ray with an English dub soundtrack. It’s quite an enjoyable series that I do hope it does receive an HD release. But voice acting is well done and dialogue and music is front-channel driven.
Subtitles are available in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians – Complete Series” comes with the following special features:
- Episode 2 Commentary – Jonathan Klein (voice director and original producer from season 1), Ted Sroka (voice of Koukin Shuuyuu) and Carrie Savage (voice of Hakufu Sonsaku).
- Episode 5 Commentary – Jonathan Klein (voice director and original producer from season 1), Michele Knotz (voice of Chou’un Shiryuu) and Georgette Reilly (voice of Myosai Kakouen) and Jessica Calvello (voice of Ekitoku Chouhi)
- Battle Tour Club -Sexy Cosplays, Dangerous Jobs – (14:56) Featuring six short episodes of “Battle Tour Club” in sexy cosplay (in Japanese with English subtitles) and scenes that are even more perverted than the TV episodes.
- Great Guardians Radio Event at Tokyo Anime Fair 2008 – (30:32) Featuring a live radio show with a live audience at TAF 2008, hosted by Masumi Asano (voice of Hakufu) and Hitomi Nabatame (voice of Kan’u Uncho), joining them are Yuuko Kaida (voice of Ryomou) and Akeno Watanabe (voice of Ryofu).
- Commercial Collection – (1:35) Japanese commercials promoting “Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians”.
- Promotional Video – (1:40)
- U.S. Trailer – (1:11) FUNimation trailer.
- Textless Opening and Closing Theme
Japan has had its fair share of anime series featuring busty fighters with every fan service shot showcasing the women in their panties and each devastating hit, somehow removing a fighter’s garment.
But if there is one series that is best known for its action and perversion and possibly jumpstarting this style of girl fighting series, is Yuji Shiozaki’s “Ikki Tousen” (which was known as “Battle Vixens” in the United States).
From “Tenjo Tenge”, “Sekirei”, “Master of Martial Hearts” and others, the series has titillated viewers who have come to expect hardcore fighting action, boobies, humor, boobies, fan service and boobies.
The series is literally an anime that worships a female fighters boobs as female characters or male characters can be seen grasping on a young woman’s boobs, each fight features the ultimate jiggle and by the end of watching a series, you are exhausted after it’s all done.
A spin on the classic Chinese novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”, the first two series was focused on an all-out turf battle, while this third season “Great Guardians” focuses on body possession.
Someone has been taking control of various key people and using them to possess others and cause friction amongst friends and rivals.
Meanwhile, main protagonist Hakufu has someone named Shoukyou arriving and claiming to be her sister. Of course, being the not-so-smart person that she is, she accepts as fact and treats her like a sister.
As for the bandage wearing Roshuku, she develops an attraction towards Housen Ryofu (yes, somehow having died in the original series, she is alive in “Great Guardians”) and helping Housen get her lost her memory back.
But it appears the reason for her lost memories and bad things happening in the city, may lead to her ex-boyfriend Saji.
Meanwhile, at Seitou Academy, Unchou Kan-u is having a hard time keeping her emotions and fantasies of Ryuubi in check and getting jealous each time another person tries to interfere and get closer to her. But as Kan-u’s passion for Ryuubi grows, will she ever realize that her protector is very much in love with her?
While I found the original “Ikki Tousen” to be a much better series, the third season maintains the fun, the fan service and the all-out craziness that the series tends to have with girl and girl crushes, fantasies, while the usual male jerks somehow think they can go up to one of these fighters and grab their boobs.
But as other series plays out like a harem, part of the popularity of “Ikki Tousen” is its storyline featuring bisexual or lesbian characters. These women are tough and can literally kick butt!
As for the series and it’s rating, along with the sexual perverse scenes of fondling, panty shots, there is also quite a bit of nudity, so it’s 17 and older anime series.
Also, it’s important to note that the series is being released by FUNimation on DVD and not on Blu-ray. The soundtrack features the original Japanese voice acting and also an English dub.
While the Japanese voice acting is well-done, the English dub features the original English dub voice actors from the first season while other characters introduced in the second season were given a chance to come back and voice their characters for “Great Guardians”. So, fans of the original series should be thrilled that Carrie Savage, Ted Sroka, Willow Lane and others are back!
Also, there are two audio commentary tracks and a good number of special features included in this DVD release, especially the live radio show from Tokyo Anime Fair 2008.
Overall, “Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians – Complete Series” is the third season of the popular action-packed fighting girl anime series in which one can expect to see a lot of boobs, plenty of nudity, boobs, fan service, boobs, roundhouse kicks and did I mention boobs, to make otaku fan boys and fangirls go crazy for Hakufu and friends all over again.
Otherwise, if many well-endowed female fighters and an abundant number of panty shots is not your thing, then this anime series is not for you! But if it is, then you’ll more than likely enjoy “Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians”.