As a bonus in the Ikkitousen Xtreme Xecutor set, is a post-series OVA called Shugaku Toshi Keppu-roku. And, even with the absurd service one must expect from an Ikkitousen series, this comes very close to being a really decent story.
The three kingdoms, erm, schools; Nanyou, headed by Hakufu, Seito headed by Ryuubi and Koucho, headed by Sousou, are coincidentally headed to Kyoto at the same time. They are going, or so we are told, to collect tsuba that hold spiritual energy. (Tsuba are the hand guards on Japanese swords.)
The schools clash early on as they search, not only for individually powered tsuba, but for the master tsuba which commands them all. The first big clash is between Shimei Ryomou and Shiryuu Chouun to the bgm of Heart & Soul, the Ikkitousen: Dragon Destiny OP, sung by Kariyuki Mai. It’s a good song and a good fight. Stuff like this makes this utter crap worth watching
But the featured fight is between Kan’u Unchou, champion of Seito and Sonsaku Hakufu, the idiot leader of Nanyo. The background music is my favorite of all the Ikkitousen OPs, No x Limit from Ikkitousen: Great Guardians, also sung by Kariyuki Mai. (I jog to it, it takes my mind off how much I hate jogging. ^_^) The climax of the fight takes place under the eaves of a Kyoto temple. As the two fighters collapse with their efforts, the temple rains down tsuba upon them and we are left to imagine a series exactly like Ikkitousen without the pervasive and awful service and think how wonderful it might be, in that alternate world.
Ratings:
Art – 7
Story – 8 Fantastic fights, animated for people who don’t really care about the fights
Characters – 8
Service – Far more than is reasonable, but I guess someone likes it.
Yuri – 1
Overall – 8, because the fights are just that good, even though they are animated for the benefit of the creepiest of creepy viewers.
Last year a new Ikkitousen project was announced. And I’ll probably watch it, too. Because. But I’ll still wish it was fundamentally a better thing than it is. Because.
I am sure the service is for male audience. I don’t understand why women have a problem with male sexuality? I wouldn’t call a story for women by women about girly men loving other girly men creepy.
Staring up women’s skirts isn’t a normal expression of “sexuality” it’s a form of criminal creeping. It’s illegal in Japan in real life to take upskirt photos. So the “service” isn’t “hey, look at these beautiful adult women being badass fighters” which isn’t creepy at all. It’s “hey, let’s peek up the skirts of high school girls!” Which is, absolutely, creepy. This is not “sexuality”, it’s a deeply unpleasant fetish.
I am not sure I understand. Ikki Tousen has had lots of clothing being ripped of in the past while fighting, but I don’t see how that is related to taking up skirt photos. Mind explaining how upskirt photos and Ikki tousen are related?
I will reply to you once more, but not after this. The show does not just show ripped clothes. It shows upskirt underwear shots of only the female characters, rather obsessively. Much of the series is drawn as if the camera is on the ground looking up.
Now you know, please move on.