The deeply annoying thing about Anime Jump is that Mike Toole is most often right, and he writes well. Since he also has a larger collection of stuff to review and a greater sense of the history of anime, I sometimes feel like an also-ran when I review something he’s judged.
But my own ego and sensibilities compel me to say this: on Chance Pop Session, Mike is right. This is a terribly mediocre show, without any interest or sense, and it has one of the ugliest character designs in the history of the world. God himself, lightning bolts in hand and his long beard swaying, looks upon Kisaragi Akiba and says “Whoa, this sucks.”
Seriously, this chick looks like a freakin’ Edward Gorey monstrosity. The rest of the character designs are mediocre, and there is a tendency to make these girls’ hair look like krakens have taken root in their brains. Were this show not so boring, it might be enjoyed as a proto-Cthulhu American Idol clone. (Or not.)
The show is about three girls who want to become pop stars. I don’t think I’m ruining anything when I say that, after some pretty minor obstacles, they get their chance. There is the little rich girl, the poor but earnest girl (an orphan taken in by a priest, no less), and the streetsmart girl who’s making her own way. Wanna know any more? Well, there isn’t a whole lot more to them. That’s it. No rich characterization, no interesting subplots, no nothing. And the music sucks.
The big disappointment is that American-released anime about the music industry includes some of the best shows to come out in the States: Key: The Metal Idol has robot people powered by gel that has been squeezed out of humans and Perfect Blue is one of the best horror movies of the ’90s. Chance Pop Session has girls who want to sing, and do. I pride myself on making the attempt to examine anime from a perspective of intelligence and knowledge of film and art, and to try and give each show a dignified and uncondescending view. So, I know my final assessment of the show is a little crude, but I must be true to my feelings.
Screw it, man. This show sucks.
Rating: C
