Kashimashi...
Last week, I picked up Kashimashi...
Of course, Kashimashi derives much of its humor from gender confusion. But, there are also some very poinient moments where Hazumu's friends have great difficulty accepting the change. I'm reminded of similar issues touched upon in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation and a bit more extensively in Star Trek: Deep Space 9. When a race of beings called Trills change host bodies, they sometimes have difficulty continuing relationships with humans after the move to a new body.
Kashimashi isn't as overtly gender confused as Princess Princess, but, there are plenty of gender bending moments nonetheless. The series does contain some frank and suggestive dialogue, but, there are no naughty bits to speak of. Overall, I found Kashimashi to be fairly entertaining. I give it a 3 out of 5.
After reading the description, I thought that Kashimashi might be a fairly typical role reversal situation comedy -- and in many ways, it is. I was unfamiliar with the series, so, I didn't already know how the role reversal was going to take place. My initial thoughts turned to Ranma 1/2 and the mystical spring that caused him/her so many problems. But, then the aliens showed up. And, in a twist of fate that combines Birdy: The Mighty and Urusei Yatsura, the aliens (who, by the way, look surprisingly human) managed to complicate Hazumu's life.Hazumu was a shy boy who enjoyed gardening, collecting herbs, and long walks in the mountains. One day he finally worked up the courage to confess his love to Yasuna, but she rejected him. Depressed, he wandered up Mt. Kashimayama, the place where they first met, to reconsider his feelings. After getting lost, he wished upon a shooting star and received a bizarre twist of fate. Now he is a she, and she stumbles headfirst back into social life and relationships only to find that the entire landscape has changed!
Of course, Kashimashi derives much of its humor from gender confusion. But, there are also some very poinient moments where Hazumu's friends have great difficulty accepting the change. I'm reminded of similar issues touched upon in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation and a bit more extensively in Star Trek: Deep Space 9. When a race of beings called Trills change host bodies, they sometimes have difficulty continuing relationships with humans after the move to a new body.
Kashimashi isn't as overtly gender confused as Princess Princess, but, there are plenty of gender bending moments nonetheless. The series does contain some frank and suggestive dialogue, but, there are no naughty bits to speak of. Overall, I found Kashimashi to be fairly entertaining. I give it a 3 out of 5.
