Sekirei – Pure engagement (season 2)

Title -

Sekirei – Pure engagement (season 2)

Language - Japanese
Genre - Anime, Ecchi, harem

I have to say this is still one of my favourite anime and season 2 did not disappoint.

First A quick overview for those who have not seen season 1 (may contain spoilers):

Hiroto Minaka found the Sekirei, along with advance technology and has formed the MBI Corporation

Sekirei are (possibly) alien women who were found off a new island of the coast of Japan

There are 108 Sekirei

Each Sekirei has their own powers but are more powerful once they are winged, this is when a Sekirei meets and kisses their ‘Ashikabi’

Ashikabi’s are humans who can bond with a sekirei, as a rule they do not know about the Sekirei until they meet one

An Ashikabi can have more than one Sekirei but a Sekirei can only have one Ashikabi although, if the Ashikabi is killed the Sekirei can find another one

A Sekirei loves their Ashikabi

Hiroto has released most of the Sekirei as part of the ‘Sekirei plan’; this is a game which will result in the Sekirei fighting until there is only one remaining (think Highlander), the first stage of the ‘plan’ is for all the Sekirei to find their Ashikabi and become winged. There is an unwritten rule that a winged Sekirei will not fight a non-winged one most follow this rule

Series one and two follow Minato Sahashi, who finds out that he is an Ashikabi when a Sekirei named Musubi falls out of the sky and lands on him. At the end of the first season Minato & his Sekirei (he now has 4) help an Ashikabi and his Sekirei escape from Tokyo, which has been sealed off by the MBI so they don’t have to take part in the plan.

See my early review for more on season one

The first episode of season two is a bit poor but it only serves as a catch up, the remaining are, at least as good if not better than the first season. The story continues a little after the end of season one where the MBI have increased the lock down of Tokyo due the escape, other Ashikabi/Sekirei teams are trying to escape but none are successful; there is also only one Sekirei left un-winged. Hiroto, the head of the MBI sends all active Ashikabi a, message saying which part of Tokyo the Sekirei is in, drawing them all into one place in the hope of winging her. Once the final Sekirei is winged the second stage of the Sekirei Plan is activated and, under directions from Hiroto any Ashikabi who’s Sekirei has not got a kill only has a week to get one or all his Sekirei will ‘cease to function’.

The Series also has the two story lines continued from season one of the Sekirei Uzume (the veiled Sekirei) who is being used as her Ashikabi is ill in hospital and another Ashikabi is helping with the treatment, as long she helps him, this story line is completed in season 2. The second continuing storyline is that of Yukari, who is Minato’s younger sister and her Sekirei, Shiina as they search for Kusano, Yukari is unaware that Minato is also an Ashikabi (Minato also does not know that his sister is one) and that Kusano is one of his Sekirei.

There is more action in the second season of Sekirei as the plan is moved into its second stage which should please a lot people as there are a few reviews saying that the first season was to slow and we are introduced to and see a lot more Sekirei and meet a few new characters, including Minato’s mother. The humour and ecchi nature of season two is as good as that in season one and the story kept me hooked. There are still a couple of story threads left open and the third phase of the Sekirei plan was started in the final episode so it looks quite good for a third season, heres hoping.

As a last note, there are a couple of OVAs on the second DVD although they seem to be set between the two seasons these are a bit of fun and a good excuse to see (most) of the main Sekirei at least topless so an added bonus for any ecchi lovers out there (me included)

Sekirei season one

Title - Sekirei season one

Language - Japanese

Genre – Anime, Sci-Fi, Ecchi  

“The Sekirei Plot has begun”

Sekirei is a ‘Harem’ anime and the first few episodes focus on the female Sekirei, introducing us to the different characters and their powers.  Most of the Sekirei are ‘moe girls’ that is big eyes, big breasts and certain hair styles and during the fights between Sekirei one of them normally loses at least some of her clothes.

There are certain types of female characters that appear in anime and manga and most of them are present in Sekirei, for example:

There is the fighter

Twins

The computer geek

A young girl

Someone in a maid’s outfit

Characters with animal ears & tails are missing from Sekirei but there is a lot of fan service in the series which is ok if you are a fan (& I amJ)

Sekirei is a fun series that doesn’t take too much thought and is well worth a watch but be aware that it could be classed as ‘Ecchi’ so may not be suitable for younger viewers.

The first season of Sekirei is a 12 episode anime.  In the first episode we are introduced to Minato Sahashi who has just failed his college entrance exams for a second time.  On his way Minato hears someone show and looks up just in time to have a girl land on him, before he has time to recover they are attacked by two more women who are firing lightening out of their hands.  The girl grabs Minato and they run to get away from the attackers. When they are safe the girl introduces herself as Musubi, a ‘Sekirei’.  Musubi is not sure why she grabbed Minato when she escaped as she was could have got away quicker without him and he was in no danger as the two attackers, who are also ‘Sekirei’ were after her because she was ‘had not yet been winged’ and should have been an easy kill.  As the first episode continues Musubi realizes that Minato must be her ‘Ashikabi’ and when she kiss’s him she gets her wings.

As the series continues we learn that the Sekirei were found on board a crashed alien spaceship by Hiroto Minaka, head of the MBI, a large and mysterious company. 108 Sekirei have been turned lose as part of the ‘Sekirei plan’ which is a battle royal of the Sekirei with the prize that the last surviving Sekirei and their Ashikabi will be able to stay together forever. The series starts during Phase one of the ‘Sekirei Plan’ where, although the Sekirei can fight with each other the main objective is for them to find their ‘Ashikabi’ who is a normal person who is genetically linked to the Sekirei. Once a Sekirei is linked they will gain more power and fight for and to protect their Ashikabi.  Some Sekirei count themselves as their Ashikabi’s legal wife.  An Ashikabi can have more than one Sekirei but a Sekirei can only have one Ashikabi.

As Minato is drawn into the world of the Sekirei he meets other Ashikabi’s and their Sekirei, some are friendly while others just want to fight.  There is also a ‘un numbered Sekirei’ hinting that there are more than the 108 that have officially been set loose.  Minato also learns the different way’s a Sekirei can meet and be joined with an Ashikabi.  The normal way is that a Sekirei will find their Ashikabi by accident and it is hinted that the MBI have arranged for people they know to be Ashikabi’s to be in the city for the Sekirei to find.  A Sekirei can also try to find their Ashikabi through their dreams and help the Ashikabi to find them. A Sekirei has one Ashikabi they are meant to be with but once someone finds out that they are an Ashikabi they can take a Sekirei by force.

As the series moves on the Sekirei plan enters phase 2 where the city is cordoned off by the MBI and no Sekirei and Ashikabi are allowed to leave, this is where the battle royal is meant to fully start but some Sekirei do not want to fight and Minato and his Sekirei try to help one pair to escape.

The tone of the series gets more serious from this point as the level of danger rises for the main characters but, as it continues the main themes of the power of love & friendship is built upon.  If these themes were covered in a different way then Sekirei would be a different show and would probably be classed as a romance but with the comedy playing of the Sekirei fighting over Minato and the many times the characters lose their clothes this is definitely one for the guys. The end of Sekirei ties up most of the series plots but there are still some un answered questions not to mention ‘To be continued’ so I’m looking forward for season 2.