I started watching this anime in 2002, but I only saw the first three episodes. At the time, I was just a teenager without much money, so it was difficult to find the complete series. However, those first three episodes left such an impression on me that I always wanted to see the rest.
Today, 22 years later, I finally had the chance to finish it.
The first thing I want to say is that those first three episodes are definitely even better today than they were 12 years ago. This anime really starts off very well. A mix of great characters, an intriguing story with the promise of getting deeper and deeper, and a great touch of humor whet our appetite for more. There's no doubt that I had a good eye 22 years ago.
However, ironically, the anime starts to fail after the fourth episode. It's as if the author had spent all his intellect at the beginning of the story and then didn't know how to develop it. It's clear that it had great potential. But for some reason, the anime starts to become silly, empty, and hollow. In some episodes, the viewer can't help but wonder, "If you're promising me a good narrative, why does the author end up dedicating two episodes to pure comedy without contributing anything to the real plot?" This anime is only 13 episodes long.
The lack of follow-up to the main plot is so great that in the last episode, even the protagonists are still as confused about the development of events as they were in the first two episodes. What a waste!
In short, Samurai Girl Real Bout High School is one of those stories that could have been great. It had everything going for it, but the author got lazy and ended up making an anime that, while not bad, is an average comedy that you can enjoy but will forget about.
The GOOD. Charming characters. The protagonist, besides being beautiful, has a personality that makes you feel like she's "your friend."
THE BAD. After three episodes, the author gives up on an interesting narrative and dedicates himself to an average comedy.
SEPARATED AT BIRTH: Ryoko Mitsurugi, the protagonist of this story, looks like a twin of Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin, and of Juubei Yagyuu from Samurai Girls. It seems that 20 years ago in anime, it was a requirement to be red-haired and long-haired to be a samurai.
