Ishida & Asakura

Ishida & Asakura

Dax Production/Hotline

Dir. Pippuya (Kachou no Koi)

Wri. Kenichi Yamashita (Yu-Gi-Oh!, various)

SYNOPSIS

Ishida to Asakura focuses on the titular characters–the stoic Ishida and the lecherous Asakura–and the bizarre students and teachers that populate their high school. Asakura is obsessed with curvaceous women and dreams of becoming a teacher in order to be surrounded by attractive girls all day. Ishida dreams of running a flower shop together with Asakura after they finish high school, and appears to have strong homosexual feelings for his best friend, although this is always played for laughs.

REVIEW

+ Characters designs are appropriately ugly. Feels a bit like Cromartie High School, which I enjoy.

+ Music is fun and light.

+ Performances are good, particularly those for the titular characters. Very dry and quirky. Probably the best thing about the show.

+/- Animation is choppy and aesthetically unappealing, which kind of works with the overall style of the show.

– Not funny. I giggled maybe once. Admittedly the most subjective complaint, but my biggest one for something that is supposed to be a comedy.

– Thematically empty. Gags involving homosexuality, transgenderism, female body image issues, and bullying are all played for laughs and have nothing important to say. And they’re not even funny.

– There is no story. Things just happen. The premise is continually returned to with no perceivable progress toward any of the characters’ goals.

1.5 big breasted trannies out of 5

[starrater]