Ah! My Goddess

Rating: 4.5 / 5
Reviewer: The M Man


As the latest installment of one of the most beloved of anime franchises, "Ah! My Goddess!" the Movie had a lot of expectations to live up to. And it does! While there are a lot of events that have unfolded since the OAV (all shown in the original Manga), only a few new characters appear. The three grounded goddesses are still living at Keiichi's, and the Motor Club members are still trying hard to win recognition. But now we have a glimpse at Heaven's upper management with goddess Peorth and her team of system administrators working hard to maintain the Yggdrasil System that runs pretty much everything. All the character designs have stayed pretty much faithful to the original (and are just as breathtakingly rendered and meticulously animated) but also sport a few subtle touches here and there. Most noticeable is Urd, who looks a bit more mature now. After all, it's been three years since the events of the OAV.

The rest of the art is not far away either. Our first look at what Heaven looks like is breath taking, with a unique techno/magical look. The way the anime portrays magic as computer programs and subroutines (complete with operators spouting technobabble) is quite enjoyable to watch. Everything from the control room of the Yggdrasil System to the chambers of the Big Guy Himself, is beautifully detailed. Add to that the series's signature magical spell effects, angelic music (a musical sequence near the end is especially beautiful), the dance-like motorcycle races, and you have one of the most beautiful anime movies ever produced.

Storywise? The movie introduces Keiichi's first true rival (outside the manga), which is a bit fresh after the girls-after-the-lonely-guy style of the OAV, and the couple have to face what is perhaps the toughest trial they have ever been subjected to. As such, the movie has a slightly darker theme than the OAV but still provides a few smiles as the forever sweet Belldandy has to relearn everything she forgot. The rest is just the cliched story of the noble villain who wants to right the wrongs of the world using the wrong methods. The plot moves logically and smoothly, but rarely surprises the viewer. And anyone who has seen the OAV will be quite familiar with the type of drama in the movie. Still, the story is not bad at all, if extremely predictable, along with prerequisite feel-good ending and is quite a satisfying addition to the series.

The original Japanese cast are back and are as delightful as ever, and the English dubbers haven't been lazy either with a good performance (they are not the same cast of the OAV though). Still, you'll probably find yourself listening to the Japanese track more often since the true highlight of the Japanese cast, the angelically voiced Inoue Kikuko, is her usual captivating self.

If you liked the original OAVs, are a fan of the genre, or just someone who appreciates animated eye candy then you'll love this movie.