I realized a few weeks ago when I put up my top 10 wrestlers list, I had an opportunity for a theme for March. Maybe not for the complete month, but maybe for at least 2 weeks, I figured a wrestling theme would be kind of fun to go with. In the realm of anime, there are plenty of shows that deal with martial arts, but few series that deal with the squared circle. Though Ultimate Muscle might have been a more obvious choice, I’m gonna review a show that’s a little....sexier. A little......dumber. So, strap on your boots, tape up your hands, and get ready for my review for I Wanna Be The Strongest In The World. Get to the ring!
Story/Setup
Taken from the back of the S.A.V.E. case (More on this in a bit):
“The eye-popping world of women’s professional wrestling is sweaty, sadistic, and savagely sexy. Famous Japanese pop idol Sakura Hagiwara is better suited for the dance floor than the wrestling ring, but this ravishing songstress is about to put her body to the ultimate test. When she and fellow idol Elena are assigned to pose as wrestlers for a very special show, a vicious lady brawler by the name of Rio decides to teach the girls a lesson they won’t soon forget. Rio unleashes a flurry of ferocious of attacks on Elena, contorting her divine female form into an array of very naughty positions. Shocked by the blush-inducing beating taken by her friend, Sakura vows to get her heavenly curves ready to rumble and redeem the good name of idols everywhere by becoming a bona fide diva of the pro-wrestling world!”
That’s basically this show in a nutshell. A girl thrust into a world she doesn’t know about, learning the ropes, etc. However, there’s actually a little more going on later in the show than you might expect. Maybe not anything world-crashing, but as it transitions into the 2nd half of the series, a little more depth is added to the story. I can’t say anything as it would ruin things, but there is a nice twist or two that can really throw a viewer off. If I had one gripe with the story, it would be that the show ends a little on the safe side. Again I can’t say much more, as it would ruin the story, but I will say the end might come across as a little irritating for some viewers.
Animation
As I was watching this show, the animation seemed a little familiar to me, but I couldn’t necessarily place a finger on it. Sure enough, after a little research, I found out that the studio in question that animated I Wanna Be The Strongest In The World is none other than Arms Corporation. You might recognize the name of that studio as the group that worked on both seasons of Queen’s Blade, not to mention numerous other fan-service anime & hentai. It is very evident in the design of the girls: there are cute girls, tough & buxom girls, and all other girls/ladies/women in various related spectrums. It’s also evident that the Queen’s Blade studio worked on this show by the copious amounts of fan-service that seems to be in each episode. Trust me when I say that there’s plenty of breast & booty shots. Given the physical nature of the anime, there’s a surprisingly amount of fluidity to what going on, especially when the wresting is involved.
Voice Acting
At this point in the company’s career, Funimation has amassed a nice collection of voice actors, and I Wanna Be The Strongest In The World is no exception. Everybody is giving it their all with their respective character, and I honestly can’t complain about anybody’s performance. Granted you might not remember some of these voices by the time the show is over (More on this in the “Characters” portion), but you can definitely remember their performance.
Characters
Now here we come to perhaps the only fault of this show, and it’s a fairly big one. I Wanna Be The Strongest In The World has a surprisingly diverse cast within it. Yeah, it’s mostly centered on girls/women (Given the theme, it’s not surprising), but you got a varied enough cast that one really can’t complain. However, many characters seem to be forgettable. Especially the bad guys, there seems to be a lot of characters that are just around to be beaten up by the main heroine & her ally in some episodes. The other fault is that many characters don’t have enough story put into them, thus leading to the disposable nature of many of the individuals you meet. It’s a crying shame, as a lot of the characters are really colorful, and if given even a sliver more story behind them, could probably stand out more.
Availability & Pricing
I Wanna Be The Strongest In The World has the good fortune for being an anime that’s been released relatively recently. July 2nd of 2015 to be exact. It is a little on the expensive side (Starting at around 40 dollars on Amazon, 42 for Best Buy, and nearly 60 dollars at FYE), as it’s only on Blu-Ray, but the visual quality might be worth it for some. However, if you’re strapped for cash, the series was re-released earlier this month (The 7th, to be specific) under Funimation’s S.A.V.E. program in a Blu-Ray/DVD combo edition. This edition is far more inexpensive than the Blu-Ray version, with Amazon & Best Buy copies starting at around 23 dollars, and FYE at the slightly more expensive 27 dollars. The S.A.V.E. edition is far more reasonable for the otaku who’s trying to keep a budget, but if cash is making your wallet heavy, then the Blu-Ray exclusive version is a fine option.
Overall Impression & Rating
I Wanna Be The Strongest In The World is a harmless little anime. It might not be 100% memorable, it might not standout in comparison to other fanservice shows, but not a waste of time like some might think. If anything, this wrestling-themed series if a fun time that’s not taxing on your brain. Wrestling fans will get a kick out of it, fanservice fans will get a kick out of it, and everybody else in between. Get a friend or two together, and have a good time.
I Wanna Be The Strongest In The World gets a 8 out of 10
So that was my review for what may be one of the most ridiculous anime I’ve ever bought & watched. If you’re a fan of WWE, or wrestling in general, this might actually be a fun title. I’ll see you all in the first full week of April, when I’ll post up my review for Wrestlemania (Along with RAW & Smackdown), and a few days before that for the start of Compilation Month. Until then, slam one down for the ladies!
**
Here's the trailer, and give the show's premise, it's as ridiculous as you think.
I Wanna Be The Strongest In The World (Trailer)
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