Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Medaka Box Complete Collection (2012)

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Click here to purchase “Medaka Box: Complete Collection” on Blu-ray

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TITLE: Medaka Box – The Complete Collection

YEAR OF RELEASE: 2012

DURATION: Medaka Box: Episodes 1-12 (300 Minutes) / Medaka Box Abnormal: Episodes 13-24 (300 Minutes

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, Japanese and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Subtitles: English

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATED: TV 14 V

Release Date: July 18, 2023

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Director: Saeki Shouji

Series Composition: Saeki Shouji

Music by Kato Tatsuya

Character Design: Kuwana Ikuo

Art Director: Kabe Yukie

Anime Production: GAINAX

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Featuring the following voice talent:

Ono Yuki/Andrew Love as Zenkichi Hitoyoshi

Kato Emiri/Hilary Haag as Hansode Shiranui

Kayano Ai/Maggie Flecknoe as Mogana Kikaijima

Toyosaki Aki/Shelley Calene-Black as Medaka Kurokami

Namikawa Daisuke/Tyler Galindo as Kouki Akune

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Medaka Kurokami seems impossibly perfect. Not only is she one of the best in her class in most academics and sports, she’s also beautiful, sweet, and caring, so no one is particularly surprised when one of her first acts as the newly elected Student Council President is to create a suggestion box for odd problems that need to be addressed.

However, what no one expects is for the box’s submissions to start revealing evidence of a sinister conspiracy… one that directly targets the students of Hakoniwa Academy! As what seemed like a simple way to help others continues to expose new and shocking revelations, Medaka, her self-appointed protector Zenkichi, and their recruits find themselves left with no other option: it’s time to start laying down some serious smackdown in the ultimate Student Council-endorsed battle royale!

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Nisio Isin is well-known for the long running “Monogatari” novel series and during those breaks from the series, Nisio would work on another manga series in 2009 for Shueisha’s “Weekly Shonen Jump” titled “Medaka Box”.

Featuring 22 graphic novels and published through May 2009 to April 2013, an anime adaptation was created in 2012.  The first 12 episodes of “Medaka Box” aired on April through June 2012, while the next 12 episodes titled “Medaka Box Abnormal” would air from Oct. to Dec. 2012.

The main premise of the series is about the students of Hakoniawa Academy and its popular Student Council President, Kurokami Medaka.

Medaka pretty much is in charge of everything for the Student Council and she literally wears the titles on her sleeves.  But Medaka is wanting to bring more people into the Student Council, including her childhood friend, Hitoyoshi Zenkichi, and later with Akune Kouki and Kikajima Mogana.

But focusing primarily on Medaka and Zenkichi, because while these two grew up together as children, you could tell they care for each other deeply.  Even though Medaka is super popular and the two have not seen each other like they have when they were younger.

For the most part, most of the first season features Medaka and Zenkichi helping out the students with various tasks.  But as the series progresses, it is learned that the Academy Chairman is trying to initiate a Flask Plan to experiment on students and turn them from normal to abnormal students (students with superhuman abilities).

What starts out as a lighthearted anime series suddenly turns to a more serious, battle-driven anime series as other Student Councils try to infiltrate and replace her Student Council with their own.

And this brings out a secret that Zenkichi knows quite well and that is Medaka is abnormal who loses control of her powers and can be very powerful and destructive.

This continues to a second season of “Medaka Box Abnormal” as a tournament is held and a new super powered individual not abnormal but “Not Equals” wants to restart the Flask Plan once Medaka graduates.

I have to admit that when I started watching “Medaka Box”, I really pegged this anime incorrectly.

Because the way the episodes progress from the first nine episodes or so, it’s pretty much Medaka and Zenkichi helping students.  And seeing how zany and crazy Medaka would go to help people, including one episode where she pretends to be a dog.  But it’s interesting because the series really starts out as a comedy anime series that is more showcasing fan service, but then shifting to something much more deeper and violent, as it becomes a battle drive anime series (similar to the destruction that you often see in a Jump anime series).

While I don’t know how different the manga series and the anime series are, I can say that from the anime series alone, I really enjoyed it.  You don’t really come across anime series with storyline that shift to something completely different.  So, I really enjoyed “Medaka Box” in that aspect.

“Medaka Box” is a thrilling, action-packed anime series!  Definitely watching it from beginning to end, because the series will suddenly shift to something different as the storyline progresses.

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Click here to purchase “Medaka Box: Complete Collection” on Blu-ray