Strike Witches seems to have gotten an MA15+ rating for Animated Nudity…… to think I was half expecting it to get an R rating due to parent concern about the whole “No Pants” movement, but as an anime lover, I am very glad by the decision…. now the only issue is actually purchasing the title with a cover like this <——-. Somehow I think it may be a bit uncomfortable for some to purchase with such a cover….. or show it proudly in a house full of people who may not appreciate such animes as this…. so I have put together a very short list of things you can try to do if you are feeling a bit…. edgy about purchasing it from a store.
1. Purchase it with more anime or DVD products….. as someone who has bought books with rather uncomfortable covered books such as the Strawberry Marshmallow series, they are less likely to give you a stare when you buy them… possibly due to $_$ or simply because…. they are more interested in the R rated DVD’s you bought (or what-ever you like to buy).
2. Get Friendly with the local stores cashiers early, many awkward situations can be averted if you know the cashiers well, heck they might even put you aside a copy or something to avoid the looks from the parents that may be at the anime section at the same time buying Dragonball Z, Pokemon or Naruto DVD’s for their kids (Okay, I don’t know what kids watched, Cheez TV being taken off air ruined them for me!).
3. Specialty Stores – If you go to a specialty store such as Minotaur (In Melbourne) or Anime Shuuken (A rather new one on the Gold Coast, Queensland) for example, you will find the staff much more understanding, since they most probably sold many copies before you got there, or even have staff that have already bought them.
4. Who Cares? – Honestly, it might be embarrassing at first but it is only a DVD cover, think of all the good times you will have sitting infront of the TV watching a show about girls with no pants….. at least it only got an MA15+ rating eh?Afterthought: or there is the online stores such as the one on the official Madman Website.
I leave you with the US Funimation Trailer for Strike Witches….. after the jump!
[youtube n1VGn68QvNk]
Honestly, I enjoyed the US trailer. It’s well-made. I am surprised that this show is publicized in Australia, known for its strict regulations when it comes to this kind of stuff. Nevertheless, I went for number 4 when I bought my Strike Witches! mug in a store. (The mug itself is plastered with “no pants” girls.) That’s even worse, I believe, compared to buying the DVDs.
I really like the show. Even if the plot is too predictable and cliche, I got some good bits out of it. Probably, it’s more of like a “guilty pleasure” thing for me.
The hoopla about “Strike Witches” was much ado about nothing really. It sort of disturbs me that a lot of anime fans seem so conservative now days. I remember some calling the show child porn which was utterly absurd and comments like that make light of child abuse. I think MA15+ seems a little high for this show, but then again “Azumanga Daioh” and “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” got the same ratings, which says a lot more about the Classification Board than the anime itself. Especially when you look at the ratings these shows got in the US and Europe; much, much lower.
And then good ol’ Evangelion 2.22’s PG rating 😉
At least every country has things they’re pedantic about!