Title: So I Can’t Play H The Complete Collection

Director: Takeo Takahashi

Studio: feel

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks / Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Dec. 31st, 2013

Format: DVD / 12 Episodes / 300 minutes

Genre: Josen, Supernatural, Romance, Harem, Fan Service

Age Rating: TV MA (Violence and Nudity)

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Synopsis:

Never make a deal with a wet goddess you’ve only just met. That’s a lesson Ryosuke Kaga learns the hard way when he foolishly agrees to let Lisara Restole use some of his “essence” to stay in this world. Despite her smoking-hot appearance, Lisara’s actually a Shinigami, a Goddess of Death. However, she doesn’t steal years off his life like any decent Shinigami would do. Oh no, instead she sucks off his lecherous spirit, draining his ability to enjoy… well, the things that teenage boys normally spend most of their time thinking about!

Now the poor degenerate’s only hope of getting his licentiousness renewed is to join the Lisara on her quest, since when she leaves our mortal plane he regains his normal immorality! But Shinigami can be really harsh mistresses, and it’s going to be anything but easy to go back to being sleazy!

Commentary:

Although I can’t say that I thought the fan service in this series was needed at the level it is presented, I can say that the series is a fun one all the same. Right off the bat you know this isn’t your typical Shinigami using a human anime. The connection between the two appears to go deeper right off the bat, even though they just met. The constant friction between these two is delightful and then when you add in a group of young ladies who also find the ultra perv, Ryosuke Kaga, add a full flavor to the series that makes it worth watching. There is also another device that is used to lighten Ryosuke’s perverted side, but there is a consistent aspect to his nature that is a little disturbing and also natural at the same time that makes him a sympathetic character. Lisara does not come across as sympathetic until later in the series and once the softer side of her comes out she ends up being a true standout.

I guess that shows how well this series was written even if there is a disturbing slant toward a teenage boys sexual imagination. They do a very good job not going too far and at the same time making Ryosuke less freaky and a little more like a naive high school boy who just loves girls and is naturally drawn to them. This odd external presence in his personality is both funny and written into some very appropriate moments which make for a couple very funny situations.

As for the animation I found myself impressed in the quality of the work done by feel and found myself looking back at some of their other production for comparison. Honestly I am not finding any others that stand out for me like this one. There is a slick voluptuous look to the series that adds another level to the overall appreciation to the show.

Overall Grade: B-

Not being a huge fan of heavy fan service I found it rather distracting in the telling of the story. I felt like I was being bombarded with breast and ways to expose them. I really thought there was enough to this story that even if the the ladies could have remained more clothed it would have still worked and maybe even come across as a much stronger harem / romance. I did like the pacing and the way things came together with a solid ending, but I still find myself coming back to the lack of clothing and the way that it made me loose my train of thought.

The writing is solid and much of the comedy came form the dialog and the way these characters entreated. To be able to over come a story hell bent on showing off young women’s breast and making something that is worth watching is sometimes very hard to do. I thing the high quality production also helped. If not for these two strengths this series would end up being at the bottom of a long list of eiichi series that are only concerned with showing off a young woman’s body. Unfortunately, it may be hard for other fandom to find this series easy to watch. I did enjoy it for the story, so if you are looking for a fan service series that does tell a fully developed story then this one os for you.