What a woman! That's pretty much how I feel after finishing Yakushiji Ryōko no Kaiki Jikenbo also known as Ryoko's Case File (not to be confused with Konan's Case Files). Ryoko's Case File is the summers supernatural police detective anime which was several times better than the spring's Crystal Blaze. If you like that genre of anime then you simply can not go wrong with watching this show and even if you're not into that type of show you still might want to give it a try because really it's just that good.
I do have to mention that not only did I like the series but I did enjoy the simple yet masterful opening sequence as it brought me back to watching those older 70'ish movies with the jazzy sounds (hell if I know that's the right type of music even to describe it) and scrolling female backlit figures scrolling it's just that touch of nostalgia that made it that much more fun to watch for me. Here it is so you can just check it out yourself on youtube.
I do have to mention that not only did I like the series but I did enjoy the simple yet masterful opening sequence as it brought me back to watching those older 70'ish movies with the jazzy sounds (hell if I know that's the right type of music even to describe it) and scrolling female backlit figures scrolling it's just that touch of nostalgia that made it that much more fun to watch for me. Here it is so you can just check it out yourself on youtube.
With that being said lets get down to the nitty gritty and that fabulous woman Ryoko Yakushiji and her poor man servant...er I mean her subordinate inspector Izumida. Ryoko is a strong powerful woman who has the uncanny ability to attract attention from the supernatural and the two of them work on police cases that are supernatural and paranormal in nature. Or at least that is what happens during the first half of the show the second half of the show is a knock down drag out fight between Ryoko and her Jaces against the Queen of Shiba and the NPP. In the middle of this fight is another Ryoko a cloned and younger Ryoko who is instrumental in the plans for the take over of Japan by the Queen of Shiba. The cloned Ryoko, who much like the real Ryoko, is in love with poor clueless Izumida (that would make for a rather bizarre three way now wouldn't it. And yes I just went there) and the Queen trys to use the clone to kill the real Ryoko in a bid to take over Jaces. This of course fails as Ryoko is more powerful and witty than the Queen of Shiba and is able to defeat her soundly even saving her clone and everyone else in the process.
Now I'm getting ahead of myself I mean I still haven't told you about the awesome Fighting French Maids (they even speak French) or Ryoko's work place rival Oyuki (Yukiko Muromachi ) or any of the cheesy paranormal/supernatural cases. I saw cheesy because well for the most part they really take a back seat in the beginning to be tied into the end into the main battle. Well minus the two HUGE amphibious reptiles. Oh and poor Tokyo Tower gets blown to bits too. OK the fighting French maids were actually pretty awesome and it sucks that they weren't there from the start. Poor Oyuki got the brunt of Ryoko's wrath because they have been rivals ever since their college days but their exchanges are worth it. It's pretty funny at the end when Oyuki gets a hold of a couple machine guns and goes all Rambo on stuff, cackling like a crazed mad woman the whole way.
In any case they did a much better job with their 13 episodes than Crystal Blaze did as I didn't finish watching this going WTF that's it. No in fact I think this had a good start middle and end and would be a great show to have on Scifi channel (it's too smart for [Adult Swim]) and I would highly above all else suggest watching this anime because it has a lot to offer with very little to distract from it's awesomeness. This is definitely a must buy and hopefully it makes it to North America soon.
