NAJICA BLITZ TACTICS
Operation: P.A.N.T.Y.S.H.O.T.
Review by: Craig "Frantically screencapping" Norris
Length: 12 episodes
Genre: Action
Watched: 1-12, subbed
From the creators of Agent Aika comes a new adventure, once again featuring secret agents and skivvies. I was put off by the rampant fanservice of its predecessor, but was otherwise impressed by the overall quality, so I decided to forgive past mistakes and give this series a chance. And while old habits do apparently die hard, Najica presented slick, energetic plots to go along with the white cotton peek-a-boos.
Plot synopsis: By day, Najica works in the research and development division of a perfume company. But that job is just a cover for her real identity, a secret agent for the CRI. Her latest mission is to retrieve a sophisticated female cyborg called a humaritt. After a successful retrieval mission, she hands the humaritt over to the CRI, only to be informed that the humaritt, given the name Lila, will be her new partner. Najica and Lila then become responsible for the retrieval of other humaritts that have gone missing and ended up in questionable hands.
Artwork: Everything about the animation looks good. Character designs are down to earth and well-rendered, though there does seem to be an over- preponderance of silky smooth white skin (but considering the source, that’s not too surprising). Action sequences are very comprehensive, with skillfully choreographed movements that are shown with impressive clarity. In fact, there are really no noticeable flaws in the visuals to speak of.
Music: Adequate at best. The opening has a nice secret agent-y tone to it, but the in-episode tracks really can’t stand too well on their own. This is one of those soundtracks that you really don’t notice during the series, but fits the mood well enough to be considered at least mildly successful.
Characters: The characters in the series are basically there as vessels for ass-kicking and underwear modeling. Najica is the female equivalent of James Bond; she’s flashy, confident, and bold in her actions. She has a certain allure about her that makes her the object of affection for most of her co-workers, male and female. She prefers to work alone, so she is understandably upset when Lila is assigned as her partner. Lila is stiff and literal, really not 
prone to acting without direct orders from Najica. As a constructed being, even smiling is unnatural to her, so she is often seen with a blank expression. Her weapon is a .50 caliber Desert Eagle pistol with extended barrel, a monstrous gun that presents an almost humorous contrast with her petite stature. Gento is the representative of the corporation that produced the humaritts, and oversees their apprehension. He has a major thing for Najica, but his attempts to hit on her go largely unreciprocated. As the series moves at a very fast pace and relies heavily on action, the characters are not developed to any great detail, but as far as the show itself is concerned, it is not a hindrance.
Plot: Very episodic. With few exceptions, the episodes can be watched in any order and still make sense. The underlying plot is not all that interesting; a company just wants to get some missing merchandise back. It is the individual missions that give the series an edge. The retrievals take place in a myriad of locales, from a cargo ship to an airfield to a small nation in the grip of civil war. There’s lots of action, and lots of suspense. Oh, and a fair amount of panties, too.
CHICKS!: There’s something about automatic weapons that just seem to make a girl that much sexier. And in the case of the already hot-bodied Najica, it makes for hotness that could burn a hole in the screen. One look at her and you clearly understand why her co-workers fawn over her the way they do. During her missions she wears a tuxedo-jacket and bowtie, complimented nicely by a black miniskirt, which showcases lots and lots of luscious leg. Lila is much less curvaceous, but still possesses the charm of a naive and possessive girl. There’s lots of potential for a relationship between her and Najica, with the two making for a cute couple. Oh, and there’s lots of nameless henchwomen wandering around in skimpy clothing for us to gawk at. While it’s not the suffocating barrage that Agent Aika forced down our throats, there’s more than enough to keep lovers of fanservice on their toes.
Overall: After sitting through some pretty heady animes recently, this was the perfect choice to cleanse my palate. Fans of straight action would probably adore this title, as there are plenty of shootouts and explosions and kung-fu. Throw in a heaping helping of panty shots and you have superficial entertainment at its finest. It presents a much more complete package than its panty-spewing predecessor, so even for those who roll their eyes with every flash of fruit-of-the-loom, there’s still plenty to like about Najica Blitz Tactics.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Good animation
+ Lots of action
+/- Panties galore
- A bit trite
Rating: 8/10
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