Funny,
fun, and full of emotion. I My Me! Strawberry Eggs truly
is an anime classic. Hibiki Amawa needs a job to pay his
rent and applies at the local high school just to find out
they're only accepting female applicants. After his initial
interview / confrontation with the schools male-hating principal
he is hell bent on showing her guys can be just as good
at teaching.
With
the help if his old gun-toting landlord "Ba-chan"
he's able to suit up and fool the principal into believing
he's actually a woman. The "equipment" includes
hair dye, a bra with some falsies, and a voice synthesizer
to make him sound more effeminate. Don't forget the makeup!
In
a second interview he's able to convince the principal he's
a lady and is offered the job on one condition. In order
to finalize his/her position he's faced with the simple
task of making Fuko Kuzuha, a very clumsy female student,
run a short distance without falling. After a very heart-felt
scene and Fuko's relentless attempts to run the full distance
he is able to motivate her enough to make it past the line,
pass the test, and become the schools new P. E. teacher.You
can only imagine the multitude of awkward and comedic situations
that can ensue, and they waste no time getting to it.
Hibiki
is faced with a new challenge every day that threatens to
expose his true gender. He's offered to take a bath with
the rest of the female students, scheduled for a "complete"
physical, and even made to wear a one-piece swimsuit. There
is one point where he forgets to place one of his "falsies"
on and looked very "lop-sided". He even gets caught
off duty by one of the students, in his normal male form,
wearing the bra he forgot to take off. Strawberry Eggs plays
off as a situational comedy for the first two volumes but
slowly changes into a romantic comedy as it progresses.
Fuko,
questioning her own sexuality, falls in love with Hibiki
still not knowing he's truly a man. Its the top end of an
odd unrequited love chain that ends with Hibiki. Fujio,
one of Fuko's girlfriends, has the hots for a boy in class
named Fukae. Fukae on the other hand has the hots for Fuko!
But wait, Fuko has the hots for teacher! Even Hibiki finds
himself questioning his own morals as a teacher; as he too
is developing feelings for Fuko. If that's not mind boggling
enough try remembering three different "F" names
to write up this review.
The
end of this series contains a huge influx of love and emotions,
more on the serious side. It can be very somber and even
depressing but does so in the mist of a secret who's livelihood
is always being threatened. The entire last episode ends
the show in a very uplifting, dramatic, but inconclusive
fashion. Its a great ending hands down but you'll want more.
The main conflict, that between Fuko and Hibiki, is never
truly resolved. Strawberry Eggs was seemingly set up for
a second series. Unfortunately that looks very doubtful.
Regardless, don't let the title and words on the box fool
you. I My Me! Strawberry Eggs is a must see. If not for
the comedy, then to see a few other resident perverts get
the tar beat outta them. |
