PLASTIC LITTLE
How can something so bad look so good?
Review by: "Hi, my name is" Craig "And I'm an ecchi-holic" Norris
Length: 45 minute OAV
Genre: Action, sci-fi
Watched: All, subbed
For quite some time I have been a fan of Satoshi Urushihara’s gorgeous artwork. Not only is it fundamentally pleasing to the eye, but the fact that the majority of his subject matter is naked girls with perky nipples doesn’t hurt, either. So, when I discovered that he was the chief artist for the Plastic Little OAV, I couldn’t get it fast enough. And though his distinctive and appealing style was plainly evident throughout, I soon discovered that most of his artbooks have more of a plot than this.
Plot synopsis: The private vessel Cha Cha Maru becomes involved in a military plot when its captain, Tita, rescues a young girl, Elysse, from a group of soldiers. Elysse’s father had completed construction of a gravity machine and discovered too late that it was to be used as a weapon by the military’s leader, Guizel. Tita, Elysse, and the crew of the Cha Cha Maru vow to go against the entire military and stop Guizel’s plan from destroying the world.
Artwork: The major selling point of this anime is its gorgeous artwork. The unique and detailed character designs go well with the mecha and vehicle designs. Everyday objects such as motorcycles and buildings have been tweaked to give the setting a very off-beat and original flavor. The backgrounds are also very rich and detailed, and all in all I can’t think of anything bad to say about the artwork, except that to some it may seem a tad dated. Still, visually this OAV is about as pretty as I’ve ever seen.
Music: Not great, but not all that bad, either. All of the tracks are orchestra, and fit in very well with the action that is occurring at any given moment. However, taken by themselves the music amounts to little more than background noise, albeit well done background noise. I suppose that for a 45 minute presentation where most of the focus is on the artwork it’s a good enough soundtrack, but unless you are easily impressed you won’t find it riveting.
Characters: About all we learn about most of the characters is that they are alive. The development of the characters in this OAV is notably lacking. Tita is the captain of the Cha Cha Maru, though upon first introduction she seems more like a bumbling ensign. She signed on with the ship to carry on the legacy of her father, who sacrificed his life to save his crew. Elysse is the daughter of a military scientist who holds the password for the gravity machine that Guizel plans to use. She becomes very attached to Tita after she is 
rescued from her pursuers. She has a strong desire to avenge her father and stop Guizel, which is the main reason Tita and the others get involved. All of the other characters kind of take a back seat, although Tita and Elysse were pretty far back on the bus to begin with. Guizel is a very one-dimensional evil villain who appears to want to cause suffering and death just because he can. Very little is known about the crew of the Cha Cha Maru, except that they hold tremendous respect for Tita, and would do anything to help her. Nichol, the pink-haired helmsman, appears to have romantic interest in Tita, but that is not explored too much. In fact, the relationships between any of the characters are something that the OAV seems to just glance over or skip altogether, and really serves to damage the appeal.
Plot: Well, we know the what, who, when and where, but we’re missing the all important why. Very little explanation of motivation is given for anything. We don’t even learn what world the story takes place on, or why it is the way it is. All we are given is a glimpse into the present, with no knowledge at all of the past. In the end, we are left with many unanswered questions and too much disbelief to be suspended. Even though it’s a short OAV, I’ve seen much more plot comfortably crammed into 45 minutes before.
CHICKS!: Well, Satoshi Urushihara is involved, so of course the faces are cute and the breasts are perfect. Tita is a bit lazy under normal circumstances, but once things get rough she becomes very protective and determined. She has a nice figure, though she is uncomfortable with her small breasts. Elysse plays the part of a meek, lost girl who wants desperately to do something to help but doesn’t want to get anyone else involved. She’s short with lush blonde hair, and a gorgeous body. There’s tremendous potential for shoujo-ai between her and Tita; I was drooling a river at the scene of them bathing together. Mei is the ship’s medic, and she is much taller than either Tita or Elysse. Not much is known about her, except that she has the typical doctor mentality of being very protective of her patients. I’ve always enjoyed the still images of Satoshi Urushihara, but seeing them put into motion and watching those shapely breasts bounce placed me on a much higher plane of bliss.
Overall: Aside from having some wonderful artwork, this OAV leaves much to be desired. Its lack of development in plot, setting and characters really drags it down. Maybe if it were longer, and took the time to explain some things and develop relationships, it could have been much more than mediocre. As it stands now, however, I really can’t recommend this to anyone but the most die-hard Satoshi Urushihara fan. Even then, I would say that buying one of his artbooks is probably a better way to spend money.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Gorgeous art
+ Wonderful fanservice
- Wafer-thin plot
- Poorly developed characters
- Confusing setting
- Very little substance
Rating: 4/10
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