First Impression: Denei Shojou – Video Girl Ai 2018 Episode 1 (Spoiler)

Back in 1989, Katsura Masakazu created the manga series “Denei Shojou” (better known worldwide as “Video Girl Ai”).

Originally published in Shueisha’s “Weekly Shonen Jump”, the series received an six-episode anime OVA adaptation and the manga was published in English and was also released in numerous countries.

And while the storyline featuring the Video Girl – Amano Ai, and the character was well-known thanks to the anime, Katsura’s manga had 15 volumes and would also introduce a character named Video Girl Ren.   In addition to the manga and drama, the series also received two musical soundtracks and there was also a live-action film adaptation in 1991.

But now there is a new live drama adaptation starring Nogizaka46 member Nishino Nanase and Nomura Shuhei.  Nishino plays the role of Amano Ai, while Nomura plays the role of Moteuchi Sho.  The drama takes place many years after the original anime/drama series.   And the series is aired every Saturday at midnight and started broadcasting on January 13th on TV Tokyo.

NOTE: This spoils “Video Girl Ai” (anime and manga series), so don’t read further, if you don’t want to be spoiled.

The original story focused around a man teenage boy named Moteuchi Yota.  Yota is not really good around girls, the stereotypical loser who happens to be in love with the attractive Hayakawa Moemi.  But Moemi is attracted to Yota’s friend, Niimai Takashi.

Takashi knows that Yota likes Moemi, so he doesn’t reciprocate her feelings.

Meanwhile, Yota beats himself up because he knows he likes Moemi, but can’t ask her out nor does he have the guts to tell her how he feels.

One day, he rents a video tape from a video store known as “Gokuraku” (Paradise) and the store only has “video girl” VHS tapes.    And he rents the VHS tape, “Video Girl Ai”.

Yota plays the tape and as he watches the video girl named Amano Ai, it’s like she is talking directly to him and tries to make him happy.  Unfortunately, Yota happens to play the video tape on a messed up VCR and out of his TV, Amano Ai comes out.  And because she was played on a messed up VCR, she has a bad attitude, her breasts has shrunk and she’s angry at Yota for that.  But she has the ability to feel emotions and while trying to help Yota with his self-esteem, she starts to fall for him.

This establishes the story between Moteuchi Yota and Amano Ai.

While the anime series made us think that both lived happily ever after…the drama, has a new storyline which fans of the classic manga/anime series may be surprised by it.

So, please don’t read further if you don’t want the first episode to be spoiled.

The story for “Denei Shojou – Video Girl Ai 2018” focuses on high school student Moteuchi Shohei (portrayed by Nomura Shuhei), who moved into the vacant house belonging to his Uncle (portrayed by Totsugi Shigeyuki) after his parents had divorced.

Sho likes the girl in his class, Shibahara Nanami (portrayed by Iitoyo Marie) and he often hangs out with Furuya Tomoaki (portrayed by Shimizu Hiroya).  And Nanami likes Tomoaki, but Tomoaki knows that Sho likes her.  So, he doesn’t reciprocate the same feelings that she feels towards him.

While Sho was laying in his bed, thinking about Nanami and how she likes Tomoaki, he hears something fall from the close.  It’s a VHS tape.  He goes to play the VHS tape on the broken VCR (which was taped up and he eventually fixes).  And sure enough, it’s Amano Ai (portrayed by Nishino Nanase) and Amano comes out of the television.

As Sho is in disbelief of a video girl coming out on his TV, can’t believe what has happened that he tries to call his uncle about the VHS, he tries to look online to see if what the heck is going on.

And as Sho tries to check the VCR, he forwards it and reverses it and immediately Amano has to push him away from the VCR and tell him to stop (for those who are not familiar with the original “Video Girl Ai” manga/anime series, Ai only has so much time in the world, forwarding would decrease the time she has in reality), because she pretty much has only 90 days to be with Sho.

And as she tries to get close to Sho, he tries to run away from her, as she jokes that she wants to bathe with him.

Exhausted from running away from her all night inside the house, the next morning, someone knocks on the door.  As she opens it, a man sees her with surprise.  Sho goes to check it out and it’s his uncle, and sees him holding Ai…his uncle, an older Moteuchi Youta, who asks Ai if she remembers him?

Needless to say, I was not expecting to see Moteuchi Yuta return.  I thought this was a modern reboot of the original hit manga/anime series with different characters but when we see Youta showing up right at the end asking Amano Ai if she remembers him, that left me goosebumps.

The live drama doesn’t have the adult humor of the manga or anime series, nor do we see the heavy flirtation, fan service as well.  But we do get a little of that tsundere attitude from Ai and the love triangle storyline exists in this 2018 storyline.

You realize that this story takes place many years after Youta’s experience with Amano Ai.  And with the first episode ending in that manner, you can’t help but wonder what happens in episode 2.

Also, realizing (from this storyline), that Youta and Ai probably never had a “happily ever after” storyline together after all.  And what if he hooked up with Moemi as an adult?

So, with that teaser of an ending, I can’t wait to watch episode 2!

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