Smackdown Toons Part 3: Ayane's High Kick

 This is the most realistic of the titles reviewed this month.  It is also the title you can win with this month's contest:

Background:
Released By: U.S. Manga Corps
Length: 45 minutes
Year of Production: 1996
Language: Sub and Dub both included, Dub reviewed
Available on Netflix: Yes

Sometimes I buy a title based solely on the the title.  When I saw this title in a pile of used anime at the Suncoast in the Woodfield Mall, I knew it was a winner. The cover is fantastic too, with "ANIME DVD" written down the side.  I was not disappointed.

The Fighters
Ayane Mitsui is a high school girl obsessed with professional wrestling.  Her dream is to enter the Japanese Professional Women's Wresting League and defeat her idol.  Ayane is strong and talented although she tends to try too hard when executing her special attacks.  Her boundless enthusiasm makes up for her lack of smarts.

Wrestling is her passion, but costumes are not her strong suit

Sakurako Miyagawa is an up-and-coming star in the world of Japanese kickboxing.  She has won her first 5 matches by K.O. and reminds people of this fact whenever the situation arises.  Miyagawa hates Ayane for taking the spotlight and media attention off of her and aims to rectify this situation as soon as possible.  She is the stereotypical anime rich girl; arrogant, blond and obnoxious.

PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!!!

Story:
We open on an audition for the WWWA, the official Japanese Female Wrestling League.  Lots of masked women are showing off their skills for a panel of judges including the current reigning champion.  Ayane botches her audition and ends up knocking out several of the judges in the process.  The entire time a creepy man in sunglasses is keeping a very close eye on her.  Ayane is not selected and walks home dejected.  She is approached by the creepy man who compliments her amazing legs.  While attacking him, it is revealed the man is a martial arts coach and wants to train Ayane to be a champ.  Ayane bows and thanks him.

Ayane is so flexible she can bow and kick at the same time

Ayane's new manager, Tangay, takes her to his indie gym, which is just a vacant lot in the bad part of town.  Her first task is to build the training ring.  She goes home sore and tired, but doesn't get dinner.  Mom found out she skipped out on school to go to the Pro Wrestling tryout.  The next day at school Ayane meets up with her two friends; the straight A student and class president Kayoko and the lover of all types of martial arts Kappei.  Kappei invites the two girls to a kickboxing match, a sport Ayane despises.  Kappei ends up losing a couple tickets which are picked up by the Principal (important plot point here).

The principal is adorable!

Ayane continues training with Tangay, but starts to get suspicious of his motives when he refuses to teach her anything but kicks.  Tangay insists that she is not worthy of learning any wrestling moves until her kicking is perfect and Ayane accepts this.  Somehow Tangay is able to trick Ayane into trying out for a kickboxing tournament by implying it is an exhibition for mixed martial arts.  We aren't shown the tryouts, but somehow Ayane passes without realizing she is being evaluated as a kick boxer.

Tangay subtly blocking the man-sized "Kickboxing Tryouts" sign.

Kayoko is convinced Tangay is trying to take advantage of Ayane somehow, so she decides to tag along to Ayane's next practice.  The coach uses this opportunity to run some errands and has Kayoko take his place training Ayane in a fun little montage.  When he returns he announces Ayane will have her debut match.  In order to prepare, he has her undergo special training which involves wearing platform boots and weighted collars and bracelets.  As a side note, I've always loved the "wearing weighted clothes" training cliche.

Apparently Tangay stole these training items from King Tut.

The day of the match finally arrives and Ayane's friends are both at the arena to support her.  Her Principal and Vice Principal are also there, the former because he loves kickboxing, the latter because he wants to suck up to the former.  Ayane doesn't realize she has been tricked into becoming a kick boxer until she is in the ring itself.  The coach calls her a moron for not realizing it sooner.  Ayane is pissed, but her pride as a fighter won't let her back down.  Pride doesn't win matches however and Ayane gets beat pretty badly in the initial stages of the fight.

Pride goeth before the knee to the gut

Ayane's opponent insults wrestling as a whole and the champion in particular.  In her rage Ayane suplexes her opponent and gets a point deduction.  The only way for Ayane to win after the penalty is by Knock Out.  So she performs her mighty Golden High Kick and wins the match!

A true one hit wonder!

The magazines are praising Ayane's performance which has Kappei super excited and the VP super pissed.  He is set on exposing Ayane and getting her expelled.  Ayane is so disillusioned with her coach that she decides to skip out on practice and go pig out at a restaurant with Kayoko.  There she orders a bunch of junk food from a waiter who sounds eerily like Fozzy Bear. Waiter ignores her order and gives her a banana.  He then reveals himself as Tangay in disguise.

A healthy banana split

The coach convinces her to keep training and goes to set up her next match.  He runs into a bit of trouble when Miyagawa denies his request.  Her company is the major kickboxing sponsor and can block any participant.  Miyagaw will allow Ayane's participation only after the two of them face off.  Tangay goads Miyagawa a little to ensure she will challenge Ayane directly.  Meanwhile the Principal and his VP find the kickboxing magazine with her picture in it and call her to the office.  Ayane claims that the girl in the picture is not her, despite the close-up shot and her name in the caption.  The Principal claims an educator must have faith in his students.

The Japanese Inquisition

Just when Ayane thinks she is off the hook, Miyagawa pulls up in a portable concert hall and blares her challenge to Ayane over the loudspeakers.  VP calls her back to the office and threatens to expel her.  After all, part time jobs, TV appearances and violent sports are forbidden by the school rules.  The Principal sees this as a bit hypocritical as Judo is allowed and makes a deal with Ayane.  If she defeats Miyagawa, she'll be allowed to continue fighting and stay in school, if she loses the VP gets his wish and she'll be expelled.  From here both girls start training montages that remind me of Rocky 4.  Our leading lady trains the old fashioned way with medicine balls, crunches, jogging and a bizarre golden-gloved boxing machine operated by the coach and Kayoko.  Miyagawa meanwhile trains with fancy Virtual Reality machines, computer analysis and a team of scientists.

Float like a butterfly

Sting like a Virtual Bee

 Finally the day of the match.  Miyazawa dominates, as she actually knows how to kick box and enjoys the sport.  In the first round she exclusively uses short light kicks to the gut in order to weaken her opponent.  Ayane can't get around the expertly placed kicks.  In the second round Ayane is more determined but Miyazawa changes her strategy to a series of fierce punches.  Ayane is only able to get a few weak hits in.  In the break between Round 2 and Round 3 the coach says Ayane will win because she has "guts."  Ayane fights fairly evenly with Miyazawa in Round 3 and eventually takes a hit to the face on purpose to catch Miyazawa off guard.  Ayane uses this opening to launch a Golden High Kick.

Ayane uses High Kick.  Its Super Effective!

The kick just barely grazes Ayane's opponent and draws a bit of blood from Miyazawa's forehead.  As Miyazawa goes to retaliate the match is interrupted by her coach and the ring doctor.  He calls the match due to the injury and Ayane walks away with a very anticlimactic win.  Coach Tangay announces Ayane's next match and the show ends. 

Match called on account of boo-boos.

Why watch?
 1. Comedy/Dialogue - This show is very amusing overall.  There are some great bits of dialogue in this show.  The delivery is well done too.  Here are a couple of gems.

“Sis isn’t very smart so she has to make a living with her body” – Ayane's Brother

“Spin her cerebral cortex with their golden high kicks” – Coach Tangay

Decent physical comedy too.

2. The Principal and VP - The relationship between these two is a classic one.  The second banana is overly strict and has to be reigned in by his overly easygoing leader.  I've seen this in many other shows and it rarely ceases to amuse me.

Doesn't take his job seriously

Takes his job too seriously

Should you be watching?

Yes indeed.  This is a very fun show.  Ayane's enthusiasm and stupidity make for an incredibly enjoyable OVA.  The fights are decent and the Vice Principal never ceases to be amusing in his intensity.  The final fight may not live up to the hype preceding it, but it doesn't take away from the overall quality of this piece.  You won't be disappointed with this gem.