I've seen Kodomo no Omocha (aka Kodocha, aka Child's Toy) #1 way too many times, mostly the untranslated version. The translated version you'll be seeing today no doubt required a lot of hard work and patience on the part of the subtitlers. You see, the main character, Sana-chan, the hyperactive elementary-school television star, talks fast... real fast. Good luck reading all the subtitles. This anime is one of the most kinetic shows I've seen in a long time, despite the fact that it's shoujo anime (the main target audience is girls). If you insecure guys feel funny watching a show meant for little girls, you can at least be inspired by the awesome and chilling presence of Akito Hayama (aka "akuma" or devil), who is Sana-chan's primary nemesis -- they're sorta like a mongoose and a cobra. No one else can stop Hayama, not even the teachers. Only another sixth grader, Sana-chan, dares to stand up against him. Witness the brutal confrontation, no-holds-barred! And don't forget to check out the weird Japanese commericals.

We showed the OAV (Original Animation Video) during last semester's marathon. The TV show was made after the OAV, with revamped character designs, new music, a speedier voice actress, a more detailed plot, and about 5 times more energy. I like the OAV a lot and it has its own style, but the TV show is really a piece of work. The first six episodes of Kodocha TV have the same plot as the OAV but present it in significantly more detail.

We aren't showing the whole series anytime soon (very few have been translated), but we couldn't resist presenting this highly unique and fun anime at least once.

[12/2/04 Update: For further articles by Lawrence Eng, see his anime page.]