"Cleopatra DC" (Anime)

[pkristen]

3 Episode OVA. Originally reviewed February 4, 2002.

Summary
Sixteen year old blonde, buxom and intelligent Cleopatra Corns leads the international conglomerate Corns Group. Due to plots by evil rival The Sleider Group, Cleo is involved in escapades that ranging foreign governments tied to oil fields in Saudi Arabia, to a rogue weapons android who takes over the NORAD defense base in the U.S. with intent to launch nuclear missiles. At the heart of each adventure is a damsel in need of assistance.

Review
Not really knowing what to expect, I had this DVD on order until I found out my local anime place had it available for rental. After viewing it, I have gladly canceled my order without any intentions of watching this series again.

In that fine line between celebrating women and exploiting them, this anime series definitely falls on the latter side.

In the opening scene of meeting “Cleo”, she’s running around in see through nightie, with the excuse that a plane just crashed through her bedroom window. A pretty convenient excuse, I must way. Shortly afterwards, she hosts a party where she and her female assistant (if that’s what she truly is – it’s not clarified) are running around in a Playboy bunny-type outfit complete with ears and fishnet stockings. If my eyes could have rolled backwards anymore, they would’ve gotten stuck.

It’s pretty hard to make an argument for a good feminist role model as Cleo is running around saving the day acting rather “bubbly” with bouncing curves and outfits that reveal them. So I’m not even going to bother. Don’t waste your time and money if you don’t want your feminist intelligence insulted. There’s a lot of other series out there with sexy, strong women that is much more palatable.

The only other thing to note is the fact that one of her chief advisors is a long-haired bishonen, which looked quite out of place to me in a series obviously aimed at heterosexual men with unrealistic fantasies about women.

I’m also bummed since one of my favorite voice actresses, Yoshiko Sakakibara has the lead for the female villain. Ah well.

Lesbian Analysis
Yes, one can technically do lesbian analysis on this series since Cleo and the other females in her cluster don’t have any male romantic interests that are shown. But again, since it’s such an insult to women, I wouldn’t recommend trying too hard.

(Those of you who point out the fact that she gets all excited over the appearance of her side-kick, gopher guy “Nacky” can read romance into that if you want. I personally didn’t see anything beyond good friendship, but I’ll also admit she doesn’t really seem to get that excited about other women in the same way either – just different ways.)