MIYUKI-CHAN IN WONDERLAND
It's only a dream, it's only a dream, it's only a dream... NO, IT'S NOT!
Review by: Craig "One Pill Made Me Larger" Norris
Length: 1 30-minute OAV
Genre: Fantasy
Watched: All, subbed
Having never read the original "Alice in Wonderland" or "Through the Looking Glass," my view of the franchise is based solely on the more current interpretations of them. I must say, however, that CLAMP's interpretation is like nothing I have ever seen. And seeing as how, in this rendition, just about everyone in Wonderland is a hot lesbian, I think I rather prefer this one over all others.
Plot synopsis: A rendering of Lewis Carroll's classic tale with a CLAMP twist, we follow Miyuki as she explores the strange and sensual Wonderland. All the classic characters are present, although most are less than classically portrayed. This most assuredly is not your father's Wonderland.
Artwork: CLAMP pulled off a doozy on this one. It was able to successfully convert every single character from the original Wonderland into a hot chick, while still keeping the weirdness of the surrounding environment largely intact. As a result, though the OAV is based on a very old and often-imitated work, it is very much original. From a purely technical standpoint it is not something that has broken new grounds, but anybody who finds a way to make a door sexy gets instant respect from me.
Music: The OAV seems to rely on a single song almost exclusively. The same melody makes itself known a multitude of times in various remixes and incarnations. Although severely limited soundtracks are not something I support, in this case it's not so bad. The track is subtle, and largely goes unnoticed alongside the actions onscreen. The ending theme is a happy melody that seems to reinforce the fact that Wonderland, though strange, is nothing more than harmless fun. I can't call a soundtrack with only two songs successful, but it certainly isn't a hindrance, either.
Characters: This particular rendition of Wonderland is highly condensed, and Miyuki's breakneck pace through it means that there is absolutely nothing in the way of character development. The characters themselves are not very faithful to the original incarnations, most being recognizable by name alone. And, in some cases, like Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum being renamed Cho-Li and To-Li, even names are unreliable, and one must go by previous knowledge to interpret who the characters are supposed to be. The Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, and the White Rabbit, among others, are all present and accounted for, no matter how brief their appearances may be. This mile-a-minute coming and going of characters works out fairly well, since the focus remains on Wonderland itself, and doesn't dwell on one or two single aspects of it.
Plot: Really none to speak of. The little vignettes of Miyuki's interaction with other characters are incongruous of one another, and really present no central issue, other than the fact that Miyuki is lost in Wonderland. CLAMP did take some liberties with the original, in order to bend everything to its own sexy will. The main difference is that most of the characters wind up coming on to Miyuki, adding to the overall awkwardness she feels. No central plot leaves the viewer free to experience Wonderland in all its erotic strangeness.
CHICKS!: Short of a hentai series, this is every ecchi's dream come true. Imagine a world inhabited only by beautiful women in sexy costumes that seem to live only for physical pleasure. Cover your mouth, or the drool will short out your keyboard. An idealized fantasy exists for every personal taste, from the S&M Queen of Hearts, to a friendly door with a great set of "knobs," to a dainty fairy-like butterfly, or to my personal favorite, Cheshire the eager catgirl. So great is the power of the chickness, it had me saying things I never would have dreamed of uttering, like, "I'd like to jabber *her* wocky!" and "I'd like to humpty *her* dumpty!" From the get-go this OAV is all about sexiness, and is a decadent feast for all lovers of fanservice.
Overall: For something with no plot or character development, I was pretty entertained. What really works in this OAV's favor is that it is only 30 minutes long; any longer and I think I would have gotten sick of it. For anyone who is in the mood for some mindless entertainment, Miyuki-chan in Wonderland is a short, fun, and sexy romp through one of the world's most celebrated fantasy realms. And the best part is: you don't need to take mind-altering drugs to understand it.
IN A NUTSHELL:
+ Unique take on Wonderland
+ Delicious fanservice
+ Just long enough
- Extremely repetitive soundtrack
- Very little substance
Rating: 7/10
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