Kakyuusei (1995), DVD Edition

The world doesn't need another version of Kakyuusei (1995), but here's one anyway.

An Internet pen-pal who goes by the handle of ProxyMan has been systematically collecting R2J DVDs of older Japanese h-anime - including most of Orphan's output in the field. He's provided ISO images of Kakyuusei (1995), Doukyuusei 2, Doukyuusei 2 Special: Sotsugyousei, and several of the episodes that Orphan released under the Okizari label. After much searching, swearing, and cajoling, I found encoders to provide new raws from these ISOs. Kakyuusei (1995) is the first to be released.

Kakyuusei (1995) is a four episode h-anime OVA. It should not be confused with Elf Ban Kakyuusei (1998), a four episode non-h OVA, or Kakyuusei (1999), a fourteen episode non-h TV series, all of which, like Doukyuusei and Doukyuusei 2, stem from Japanese "visual novels" or erotic games (eroge) with high school settings. The Kakyuusei shows focus on relationships between a male upperclassman and multiple female students, typically first-years. In the US, the protagonist could be arrested for statutory rape, but this is Japan, so what the hey.

Kakyuusei (1995) had the dubious distinction of being the only one of all the "-uusei" shows never released on DVD, until now. It also has a strange English (sub)title: My Petty Class Student. At first, I thought this was a misprint for "pretty," because "petty" usually means "trivial" or "unimportant." However, Zalis believed it to be an overly literal translation, using the second definition of "petty" as "of secondary or lower importance, rank, or scale; e.g., a petty officer."

Kakyuusei (1995) follows the usual format for the "-uusei" shows. The protagonist, Nanahoshi Kakeru, is a high-school senior hoping to "make happy memories" (i.e., get lucky) in his last year in school. He meets and beds a virginal young woman, Urara, to whom he declares his undying love. However, when she is conveniently sent abroad, he pursues and beds a different first-year girl in each of the succeeding episodes, only returning to Urara when she even more conveniently returns at the end of the series. The cast is fleshed out (so to speak) with the usual tropes, including Kakeru's younger sister, Mika, his hapless best friend, Minamino Takeshi, and the sneering, wealth playboy, Douda Shuichiro. The h-scenes are mild by modern standards, but there is a tiny bit of censoring in one spot. In addition, there's a dream sequence involving a St. Bernard that makes the horny mutt in Kennel Tokorozawa seem like a model of deportment.

The show was technically an orphan. The first two episodes were released in the US on VHS and ripped by Anime-Hentai. The last two episodes never appeared in English. For the Orphan releases, Zalis translation-checked the first two episodes and both translated and timed the last two. convexity did additional translation checking and translated the extensive signs. I edited and typeset,  and Calyrica, CP, and konnakude checked the original scripts, which are more or less unchanged. However, this release is completely restyled, using a base font with real italics and a darker character outlnie. The DVD encoder wishes to remain anonymous, and who can blame him? ProxyMan provided the DVD ISOs.

Because Kakyuusei (1995) is nothing special, the video has to show significant improvements to justify a new version.

However, the encoder was not impressed with the DVD release:

Notes: The DVD source's transfer left quite a lot to be desired.
While colors are better and slightly more of the picture frame is retained, the level of detail isn't consistently superior to the LD. You can see... how [a scene] loses some detail in the DVD, and some fine line art is smudged as well.... That said, other scenes do look clearer, without motion blending... This source and the LD release both presented some of the most severe chroma bleed I've seen in awhile, which took aggressive measures to fix.... Cross-checking with the LD-based release, there is some slight wobble and reframing that occurs during scene transitions, which is most likely gate weave introduced during the original telecining process of the film for video distribution. There are filters which attempt to correct for this, which I've tried, but mostly seemed ineffective and can introduce their own issues. At several points you can even seen damaged edges where the film stock was mishandled during the original production. Overall, there is a small improvement with the DVD source, but the picture also appears dirtier than Orphan's current version.

For me, though, the significantly reduced level of frame-blending was the deciding factor. In the LD release, blending was so bad that some moving signs wouldn't track. With this encode, every sign tracked correctly. Still, YMMV.

One of the pleasures of revisiting the show was reading Zalis' insightful and occasionally scathing remarks about aspects of the scripts. Some of the highlights:

• Ep1. "She and Urara-chan are as different as night and day. Though I wouldn't mind a bit of Urara-chan at night..." Kakeru actually says, "She and Urara-chan are as different as the moon and a mud turtle" or "tsuki to suppon." He then puns on that by thinking of naked Urara-chan or "suppopon no Urara-chan." Pretty good localization, in my book.
• Ep3. "He was born as Mother was entering the Nika Art Exhibition for the seventh time." This is a real event.
• Ep3. On the nude sketching scene: "For the record, this OVA precedes the famous Titanic nude sketching scene by over two years AND is gender-reciprocal!"
• Ep3. On the final line of dialog ("I'm coming!"): "Wow, so much for a denouement."
• Ep4. When Urara-chan forbears from making Kakeru swear fidelity: "How convenient for the purpose of adapting other routes while she's away..."
• Ep4. When Urara-chan returns just after Kakeru has finished his dalliances with the other girls: "End (and a very conveeeeenient end it is!)"
  

Zalis, I miss you. 😉

For a routine h-anime, Kakyuusei (1995) had a pretty good cast:

• Miki Shinichirou (Kakeru) played Kojiro in Pokemon, Fujiwara Takumi in Initial D, Urahara Kisuke in Bleach, Minamoto no Yorihisa in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de, Shintarou in Lime-iro Senkitan, Bruce Wayne in Batman: Gotham Knight, Roy Mustang in Full Metal Alchemist (2009), Katze in Ai no Kusabi (2012), Gintarou in Gingitstune, Johnny in Jikuu Bouken Nuumamonjaa (Chrono Trigger OVA), John Bishop (the sharpshooter) in AWOL Compression Remix, and Cyber-X in Hand Maid May. The last three are Orphan releases.
• Nishihara Kumiko (Hiromi, Kakeru's first crush) played Iris in the Sakura Wars franchise and Renko in Kujibiki Unbalance, both OVAs and TV series. She appeared in Kosuke-sama Rikimaru-sama: Konpeitou no Ryuu, Zetsuai 1989, Dragon Fist, Tenkousei, and Blazing Transfer Student, all Orphan releases.
• Matsumoto Yasuno (Douda) played Mantarou in Ipponbonchou Mantarou, Johnny in Starship Troopers, Kaname in Singles, Muto in Oz, and Tooru in Every Day Is Sunday, all Orphan releases. He was in numerous OVAs in the 1990s, including Hi-Speed Jecy, Seikimatsu II: Humane Society, Fukuyama Gekijou: Natsu no Himitsu, Al Caral no Isan, Joker: Marginal City, Jikuu Bouken Nuumamonjaa, Yamato 2520, and Sei Michaela Gakuen Hyouryuuki, also Orphan releases. Among his notable roles were Wataru Akiyama in Initial D, Jean Havoc in Fullmetal Alchemist, Gourry Gabriev in Slayers, Ryou in Sonic Soldier Borgman, and a personal favorite, Dick Saucer in Dragon Half.
• Takagi Wataru (Takeshi) played the title role in Great Teacher Onizuka, Nezumi in the 1996 and 2007 versions of GeGeGe no Kitarou, his namesake, as well as other recurring roles, in the Detective Conan franchise, and old man Gorou in the recent Godzilla S.P.
• Iwao Junko (Mika) played the title roles in Ayashi no Ceres and Devilman Lady, Tomoyo in Card Captor Sakura, Natsuko in Shin Cutie Honey, Tokiko in Key the Metal Idol, and Mima in Perfect Blue.
• Kanari Mika (Urara, episode 1 heroine) played the title roles in Obake no Holly, Idol Tenshi Yokosou Youko, Ruriro Princess, and the Licca-chan franchise, Ruu in Daa! Daa! Daa!, Floren in Tanoshii Muumin Ikka, Normad in the Galaxy Angel franchise, Sakoto in the Higuarshi no Naku Koro ni franchise, Pekorin in the Precure franchise, and Melonpanna in the Soreike! Anpanman franchise. She appeared as Kagami in Nagasarete Airantou, an Orphan release.
• Imae Yuka (Rie, episode 2 heroine) played Jinto in the Crest of the Stars properties, Otaru in the Saber Marionette J series, Eiko in Geobreeders, Rekuta in the Duel Masters franchise, and Ranchiki in Maze. She appeared in Doukyuusei 2, an Orphan release.
• Yajima Akiko (Hikari, episode 3 heroine) played the title role in Idol Densetu Eriko, Lemon in VS Knight Ramune & 40 Fresh, Takami in Geobreeders, Dorothy in The Big O, Pino in Ergo Proxy, Kogitsune in Natsume Yuujinchou, Mipple in the Futari wa Precure franchise, and the title roles in Shin-men and of course Crayon Shin-chan. She played Lesser Panda (Red Panda) in Shirokuma Cafe, an Orphan release.
• Honda Chieko (Tsubomi, episode 4 heroine) played Kurumi in Kimagure Orange Road, Marybell in Hana no Mahou Tsukai Marybell, Amy in the Gall Force OVAs, Rullishia in Dragon Century, Meroko in Full Moon o Sagashite, Marie in Soul Eater, and Lea in the Ancient Book of Ys OVAs. She starred as Ruu in Elf 17, an Orphan release.

The director, Fukumoto Kan, directed h-anime, like Wordsworth and Doukyuusei Climax; ecchi shows, like Ikkitousen and Queen's Blade; and regular series, including Himarawi and Pandora Hearts. For both seiyuu and director alike, h-anime work was all part of the business.

I can't recommend Kakyuusei (1995) more this time than on previous occasions, but at least it looks better. You can get the series from the usual (adult) torrent site or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.