Kekko Kamen 2: New charm and an improved story

"Kekko Kamen 2" - Nagai Go's unique worldview and its appeal

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

March 1, 1992

■Frequencies

50 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Original work: Go Nagai

■ Director

・Director: Yoshimoto Kinji

■ Production

Nippon Columbia

■ Story

A beautiful girl named Tanaka Hanako transfers to Sparta Academy. For some reason, she treats the underachieving Mayumi kindly, which leads Mayumi to think that Hanako might be Kekko Kamen. However, Hanako is actually a punishment robot developed to improve students' grades.

■Explanation

The story is based on a comic by Nagai Go, a manga artist who has produced many hit works. Set in Sparta Academy, a prestigious school deep in the mountains, it depicts the exploits of Kekko Kamen, a righteous girl who hides her face but not her body. This is the second volume of the OVA version, and includes two episodes: Episode 1, "Mystery! The Legend of the Devil's Android!!" and Episode 2, "A Crisis! Kekko Kamen Dies Twice!!".

■Cast

・Kekko Kamen/Emi Shinohara・Mayumi Takahashi/Arisa Ando・Chigusa Yuka/Kikuko Inoue・Satan's Toenail/Joji Yanami・Speaking Teacher/Mitsuaki Hoshino・Hanako Tanaka/Mika Kanai・Strong Mizupuddle/Kiyoyuki Yanada

■ Main staff

・Original story by Go Nagai ・Screenplay by Masashi Togawa ・Director by Kinji Yoshimoto ・Direction by Takuo Suzuki (Episode 1), Kinji Yoshimoto (Episode 2)
Chief animation director, character design: Satoshi Hirayama Animation directors: Hironobu Masuda (episode 1), Naoki Ohira (episode 2)
Art Director: Mitsuharu Miyamae Sound Director: Miwa Iwanami Music: Keiki Ishikawa

■ Main Characters

・Kekko Kamen: A girl of justice whose true identity is unknown to anyone. She fights the evil teachers at Sparta Academy, completely naked and wearing only a red mask, scarf, gloves, and boots. Her special move is the "Spread-Legged Jump," in which she spreads her legs wide and jumps at her opponent's face, making it difficult for them to breathe.

■ Related works

・Kekko Kamen

■Detailed review

"Kekko Kamen 2" is a work that takes Go Nagai's unique worldview and deepens it even further. Go Nagai is a master who has created many masterpieces such as "Devilman" and "Mazinger Z", but the "Kekko Kamen" series is particularly unique among them. The setting of a naked heroine who plays an active role as a champion of justice combines originality and humor not found in other works.

The setting of this work is Sparta Academy, a prestigious school ruled by strict school rules and corrupt teachers. In this environment, Kekko Kamen stands up to protect the students. Her special move, the "Spread-Legs Jump," is visually impactful and depicts a thrilling retaliation against the corrupt teachers, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

This is the second volume of the OVA, and introduces a new character, Tanaka Hanako. She transfers to Sparta Academy and treats the underachieving Mayumi kindly. However, her true identity is a surprising one: a punishment robot developed to improve students' grades. This setting skillfully incorporates the "betrayal" and "surprise" that are common in Nagai Go's works, adding depth to the story.

Director Yoshimoto Kinji has faithfully reproduced Nagai Go's original work while taking advantage of the characteristics of the OVA medium. In particular, in the battle scenes of Kekko Kamen, he makes full use of detailed cuts and special effects to emphasize the speed and power of the movements. In addition, the sound effects and music by sound director Iwanami Yoshikazu are also important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the work.

As for the cast, the voice actors, including Shinohara Emi as Kekko Kamen, excel in their performances. In particular, Kanai Mika as Tanaka Hanako skillfully portrays both the kindness and the cold-heartedness of a robot, bringing out the charm of the character. And Ando Arisa as Takahashi Mayumi also realistically expresses the anxiety of a failing girl and her admiration for Kekko Kamen.

The appeal of this work lies above all in its humor and entertainment value. The setting of Kekko Kamen being completely naked not only creates a visual impact, but also makes the viewer laugh. Furthermore, the thrilling revenge against the evil teachers gives the viewer a sense of catharsis. Furthermore, the development of the story with the appearance of Tanaka Hanako has the power to draw the viewer in.

However, this work is not merely entertainment. Nagai Go's works always contain messages to society. In "Kekko Kamen 2," the strict school rules of Sparta Academy and the presence of corrupt teachers symbolize criticism of the education system and authority. The exploits of Kekko Kamen give viewers the courage and hope to stand up against such an absurd world.

This work also makes the most of the characteristics of the OVA medium. OVAs have a greater degree of freedom of expression than television broadcasts, allowing for the setting of Kekko Kamen being completely naked and for the depiction of extreme battle scenes. This allows the viewer to immerse themselves more deeply in the world of the work.

Furthermore, the connection between this work and other works by Go Nagai cannot be overlooked. The "Kekko Kamen" series, like other works by Go Nagai, is based on the basic elements of hero stories while building its own unique worldview. In particular, compared to "Devilman" and "Mazinger Z", the humor and entertainment value of the "Kekko Kamen" series stands out. In addition, the appearance of Hanako Tanaka emphasizes the elements of "betrayal" and "surprise" that are common in Go Nagai's works, providing viewers with a new perspective.

The film has been highly praised for its visual impact, humor, entertainment value, and social message. In particular, the setting of Kekko Kamen being completely naked leaves a strong impression on viewers and enhances the film's appeal. In addition, the development of the story with the appearance of Tanaka Hanako has the power to draw viewers in, and it skillfully incorporates the "betrayal" and "surprise" that are common in Nagai Go's works.

However, this work is not suitable for all viewers. The naked setting of Kekko Kamen and the violent depiction of the fight scenes may be off-putting to some viewers. Also, viewers who are not familiar with Nagai Go's work may find it difficult to understand the development of the story and the character settings.

Nevertheless, "Kekko Kamen 2" is a work that allows viewers to fully experience Nagai Go's unique worldview and its charm. It leaves a strong impression on viewers in terms of its visual impact, humor, entertainment value, and message to society. In particular, the setting of Kekko Kamen being completely naked leaves a strong impression on viewers and enhances the appeal of the work. In addition, the development of the story with the appearance of Tanaka Hanako has the power to draw viewers in, and it skillfully incorporates the "betrayal" and "surprise" that are common in Nagai Go's works.

To enjoy this film, we recommend that you also check out Nagai Go's other works. In particular, Devilman and Mazinger Z are important works in understanding the background of the Kekko Kamen series. Also, pay attention to the expressions that take advantage of the characteristics of the OVA medium and the performances of the voice actors. By doing so, you will be able to understand the appeal of Kekko Kamen 2 more deeply.

■Recommendation details

To enjoy "Kekko Kamen 2," please pay attention to the following points.

1. Visual impact

The setting of Kekko Kamen being completely naked leaves a strong impression on the viewers. In particular, the "wide-legged jump" in the battle scene creates a strong visual impact and depicts a satisfying retaliation against the evil teachers, leaving a strong impression on the viewers.

2. Humor and entertainment

The setting of Kekko Kamen being completely naked not only creates a visual impact, but also provides laughs to the audience. The thrilling revenge against the evil teachers gives the audience a sense of catharsis. Furthermore, the development of the story with the appearance of Tanaka Hanako has the power to draw the audience in.

3. Message to society

Nagai Go's works always contain messages to society. In "Kekko Kamen 2," the strict school rules and corrupt teachers at Sparta Academy symbolize criticism of the education system and authority. The exploits of Kekko Kamen give viewers the courage and hope to stand up against such an absurd world.

4. Characteristics of the OVA Media

OVAs allow greater freedom of expression than television broadcasts, allowing for the depiction of Kekko Kamen completely naked and more extreme battle scenes, allowing viewers to immerse themselves more deeply in the world of the work.

5. Relationship with other works by Go Nagai

Like other works by Go Nagai, the "Kekko Kamen" series is based on the basic elements of hero stories, but also builds its own unique worldview. In particular, compared to "Devilman" and "Mazinger Z", the humor and entertainment value of the "Kekko Kamen" series stands out. In addition, the appearance of Hanako Tanaka emphasizes the elements of "betrayal" and "surprise" that are common in Go Nagai's works, providing viewers with a new perspective.

6. Cast and crew performances

The performances of the voice actors, including Shinohara Emi as Kekko Kamen, are outstanding. In particular, Kanai Mika as Tanaka Hanako skillfully portrays both the kindness and the cold-heartedness of a robot, bringing out the charm of the character. And Ando Arisa as Takahashi Mayumi also realistically expresses the anxiety of a dropout girl and her admiration for Kekko Kamen. The direction by director Yoshimoto Kinji and sound director Iwanami Miwa also adds to the appeal of the work.

As mentioned above, "Kekko Kamen 2" is a work that allows viewers to fully experience Nagai Go's unique worldview and its charm. It leaves a strong impression on viewers in terms of its visual impact, humor, entertainment value, and message to society. In particular, the setting of Kekko Kamen being completely naked leaves a strong impression on viewers and enhances the appeal of the work. In addition, the development of the story with the appearance of Tanaka Hanako has the power to draw viewers in, and it skillfully incorporates the "betrayal" and "surprise" that are common in Nagai Go's works.

To enjoy this film, we recommend that you also check out Nagai Go's other works. In particular, Devilman and Mazinger Z are important works in understanding the background of the Kekko Kamen series. Also, pay attention to the expressions that take advantage of the characteristics of the OVA medium and the performances of the voice actors. By doing so, you will be able to understand the appeal of Kekko Kamen 2 more deeply.