Moeyo Ken (Japan 2002)

Rating: **
Review Date: 12/7/08

Divided into 4 installments.

A by-product of the dark days of anime, when anything and everything would get a domestic release to placate the insatiable hunger of non-discriminating adolescent anime fans. This instantly forgettable action comedy features a trio of female samurai known as the Mobile Shinsengumi who fight against supernatural monsters in ancient Kyoto following the Meiji Restoration. They employ Western technology and drive around in futuristic cars that are somehow powered by cats. There's also a bit of magical girl sensibility thrown in as the girls transform into super fighters with what amounts to samurai hardsuits. Now, why they don't go into battle wearing armor in the first place is anyone's guess, but then you wouldn't get to see their flashy transformation animation over and over. The series only lasts for four episodes, which doesn't give much time to develop any of the characters, so it just uses the tried and true anime clichés for character dynamics and slapstick. It's well made and pretty enough to look at, but not worth the time.