At Otogi Academy, there is an organization that helps people out, the Otogi Bank. Headed by the Kiriki cousins, Liszt and Alice, their members consist of the maid Tsurugaya Otsuu, the mad scientist/witch Majolica le Fay, the couple of Otohime Ryugu and Taro Urashima, and a prominent fighting duo, Ryoko Okami and Ringo Akai, the wolf and Little Red Riding Hood. One day, Ryoko is confessed to by the painfully shy Ryoshi Morino, who finds himself shanghaied into joining the Otogi Bank to help people.Based on a series of light novels, an anime adaptation, Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tachi or Okami-san and Her Seven Companions, which takes its name from the first novel in the series, was produced by J.C. Staff and aired in the summer of 2010.Licensed by Funimation in 2011, with the DVD/Blu-Ray released in April 2012. Not related to Okami.
Tropes:
Absurdly Powerful Student Council: Onigashima High's student council president, Shiro. He claims to have only arrived recently and therefore not every student accepts him yet, but some of the other characters point out that the coordinated attacks could only have been pulled off if he were already in control of them.
In the dub of episode 1, the narrator comments that the mask Ryoshi puts on near the end makes him look like a space frog. While that is very accurate without putting this trope into account, several of the cast members played roles in Sgt. Frog.
A-Cup Angst: Both Ringo and Ryoko. It's the one thing that always gets a rise out of them, and is responsible for the narrator getting punched.
A Day In The Lime Light: Some of the secondary Otogi bank characters get some episodes devoted largely to them, such as Otohime in episode 3, Otsu in episode 4. Ringo gets some much needed Character Development in episode 9 when we learn more about her backstory.
Alertness Blink: Every once in a while, including in the first episode.
Anything That Moves: Momoko Kibitsu (alias Momo-chan-senpai), who hits on both Ryoko and Ryoshi within minutes of her first appearance in episode 5.
Attempted Rape: It's hinted early on, and later confirmed, that Ryoko was a victim of this, courtesy of Shiro. It's also implied that it might have gone past "attempted".
Beautiful All Along: Subverted; we knew Otohime was cute before we found out she used to be a little bit fat and lost weight, becoming the beautiful, insane girl we see in the show. Of course, the reason why she decided to lose her extra mass is absolutely adorable.
Also of mention is Majolica. When we finally see what she looks like without her Nerd Glasses in the opening credits (briefly) and later in episode 4, it turns out that she's pretty to the point that Generic Cuteness doesn't cover it. Subverted a bit in that none of the characters call any attention to her during the scene in which it happens.
Although much more subtle, potentially used with Ryoko towards Ryoshi, as evidenced by his determination to help her despite her repeated attempts to reject him or push him away. Her attitude towards him and life in general seems to lighten up more as a result. And arguably why she befriended Ringo as well.
Cannot Spit It Out: Averted with Ryoshi, who immediately confesses to Ryoko in the first episode. However, played straight with Ryoko, who constantly either avoids the issue altogether, or something else happens that then requires their attention and is forgotten. Machiko calls Ryoko out on this in episode 12, and she still doesn't exactly give a clear answer.
Casting Gag: The dub seems to slip quite a few in.
One of Momoko's underlings (Inuzuka) is a fighter with short brown hair and a thing for fanservice. No surprise that he shares Kenichi'sactor.
Cat Boy: Saburo Nekomiya, the mysterious boy based on Puss in Boots
Cat Smile: Majolica and Saburo. Ringo displays one on occasion, though not as much as the others.
The Cavalry: Done twice in episode 11. First with Momoko and her groupies, and then the rest of the Otogi group.
Cheaters Never Prosper: Averted by Ringo's parents, who appear to have gotten away with an affair and with chasing Shirayuki's mother out of the mansion.
Chekhov's Gunman: Saburo, though it took a little more than one episode.
Chekhov's Skill: Episode 2. Ryoshi informs Ryoko that his Akitas are hunting dogs. This comes into play later in the episode, when Ryoshi uses them to track Ryoko's scent to where her abductors have hidden her.
Cruel to Be Kind: The reason Sebastian finds fault with every girl presented as a potential bride for Satou is he knows Satou and his childhood friend have a mutual crush and both would be miserable if he chose someone else. Silly Satou had heard a rumor that his friend liked a boy, but decided I Want My Beloved to Be Happy and went looking for another girl without even asking her who the boy she liked was!
Curb-Stomp Battle: Ryoko gets one in the beginning, and later Shiro delivers one to Ryoshi, but the fight is interrupted before they can finish it after Ryoshi manages to land a powerful blow on Shiro.
Cute Bruiser: Ryoko. So much so that she provides the page's image.
Dangerously Genre Savvy: Shiro seems to know exactly how to fool the Otogi Bank members, and even utilizes some of their weaknesses against them in episode 11, such as surrounding Taro with a bunch of bikini-clad girls, and showing a bunch of uniforms to Otsu. Fortunately Liszt is no slouch himself.
Date Peepers: Ringo and Ryoko do this to Ryoshi in episode 12 when he's on a date with Machiko.
Dead Pan Snarker: The narrator. Sometimes the comments they make are "heard" or noticed by the characters as well.
Denied Food as Punishment: Ringo does this to Ryoko at the end of episode 6 when the latter tries to hide that something nice happened to her earlier that day from the former.
Distressed Damsel: Averted. While the delinquents in Episode 2 have kidnapped and bound Ryoko, she's not sitting still and waiting for a rescue. We see her actively trying to cut her own ropes before the rest of the team show up to lend a hand.
Dragged Into Drag: When Otsu falls sick, everyone offers to help her for the day by dressing up in meido costumes...even the boys. Though Liszt didn't mind.
didn't mind? He WON the previous beauty pageant.
Dynamic Entry: Kakari, after a rather impressive series of gymnastic flips.
Early-Bird Cameo: Saburo shows up in a flashback as a boy Ryoko saved from some thugs. He comes back later in the series to train Ryoshi to be a better fighter and a stronger man in general.
You'll also see Momoko briefly during the Beauty Pageant in Episode 3 before her proper introduction in Episode 5.
Easy Amnesia: While trying to save a Cat Up a Tree, Ryoko loses her memory of the past few years, reverting back to age 13. She's normal by the end of the episode.
Empathic Environment: Ryoshi and Shiro have a dramatic confrontation in the middle of the rain.
Fairy Tale Motifs: The most prominent aspect of the series, with every character drawing inspiration from a different fairy tale, reflected in their names.
Fanservice: Just a mild bump in the third episode of the anime. Justified since the episode involves a Beauty Contest.
Fan Disservice: The narrator actually lampshades this during Ryoko's shower scene in the first episode of the dub, if only because of Ryoko's lack of assets.
First Blood: Things got real in Ryoshi and Shiro's fight when Ryoshi's counter drew blood. Until Liszt and Ringo decided to show up.
Formerly Fat: Otohime wasn't always the cute girl she is today. Flashbacks show she was kind of chubby when she was younger, earning her the "turtle girl" nickname.
Fractured Fairy Tale: Most of the characters are based off of fairy tale characters or stories, though the characterizations often have been warped beyond recognition. See Characters for their tales.
Gainaxing: Otsu in the anime's OP, and Momoko all the time.
Genre Savvy: Machiko Himura knows the anime rules for getting attention, deliberately invoking Late for School and a Panty Shot (panties with her name on them!).
Gold Digger: Machiko. Though mainly because she wanted to get her and her father out of debt.
Gonk: The three "little" pigs in Ringo's movie trailer.
Groin Attack: Saru, Kiji and Inu land a triple punch combo on one of Onigashima's students when he tries to grope Momoko. The last punch from Inu (the shortest) goes for the groin.
Hyper Competent Sidekick: Though Liszt is nominally the president, it's Alice who does all the work.
Identity Amnesia: Ryoko has an interesting variation of this in episode 7 where she reverts back to her pre-assault persona.
Interestingly, even the narrator is surprised at some of what happens, as is Ringo, who outright believes she must be hallucinating.
I Have Boobs, You Must Obey!: Momoko uses her Kibi-dango to great effect, to the point where she's gained a trio of fanatical bodyguards who practically worship them.
I Owe You My Life: Otsu is incredibly determined to pay back debts to people, for good reason. Though Ryoshi didn't want her becoming his live-in maid either.
Karma Houdini: Nezumi's butler. Also, to date Hitsujikai has gotten off very lightly for attempting to rape Ryoko, ruining her reputation at school, forcing her to transfer, warping her personality forever through trauma and kidnapping her twice. That's a lot to get away with.
Kevlard: During episode 11, one of the Tonda brothers takes a lead pipe to the gut without even flinching.
Large Ham: The narrator, she even talks over the cast. note So much that you'll have to pause it to read the subtitles...
Late for School: Machiko does this very deliberately in an attempt to get Ryoshi's attention, complete with toast in her mouth.
Left Hanging: The anime ends with Ryoko admitting that perhaps she doesn't dislike Ryoshi...to Machiko. She doesn't manage to tell him that, though, leading to No Romantic Resolution with a strong side of Maybe Ever After. Oh, and Shiro is never quite properly dealt with, either. While he's on notice from the Otogi Bank that he'll answer to all of them if he messes with Ryoko again, he's still a complete Karma Houdini for everything he's put her through, and it's never made clear if he takes Lizst's threat seriously enough to leave her alone, or if he'll make yet another attempt later.
Lightning Glare: Seen several times over the course of episode three between Mimi and Otohime. Apparently becomes visible at one point, as the host points out the sparks flying onstage between the two.
Limp And Livid: Shiro's (rather un-Magnificent Bastard-like) fighting stance alternates between this and quick, sudden rushes at his opponent.
Load-Bearing Hero: Episode 11, the shutters are closing on Onigashima High before the heroes can get in to rescue Ryoko. Cue the three not-so-little pigs holding one open for Ryoshi and co.
Loan Shark: The Otogi Bank is an organization of them, although their "loans" are social ones — give them a request and sure, they'll do it, but they'll come back for similar repayment in a "manner that would make professional loan sharks go pale".
Mary Sue Topia: Otogibana City and Otogi Academy are set up to provide a secluded environment where the students can better themselves and use their free will, but Onigashima High was placed there to provide an idea of the negative outside forces the real world has.
No Fourth Wall: The narrator regularly makes insulting remarks about the mammarial deficiencies of Ryoko and Ringo, and cringes as they STAREinto the fourth wall at her.
Orekko: Ryoko fits both the "masculine pronoun" and "tomboyish appearance" parts of the trope.
Otogi Bank Calls For Aid: Liszt called in some of the favors the Bank had raked up in the request sale to get some back-up at the Big Battle at Onigashima High Part Two.
Power Fist: Kitty train-brass-knuckles-boxing-gloves are Ryoko's weapon of choice, ironic considering her "Wolf" nickname. It was later upgraded to act like a stun gun, then later to meow on impact. One more upgrade could result in a moe singularity.
Product Placement: Hitsujikai's computer seems to have Windows 7 onboard, even with recognizable Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player icons on taskbar and also network, sound and alerts tray icons. Liszt is also seen with an Ipad.
Real Song Theme Tune: A cover of Lazy's "Akazukin-chan Goyoujin" is the ending theme.
All of the image songs seem to count as well. Aside from Ryoko's (which goes for a remix of said ending), the most obvious are Otsu's ("Tsubasa wo Kudasai") and Majolica's ("Rouge no Dengon", the main theme to Kiki's Delivery Service).
Real Trailer, Fake Movie: Episode eight opens and closes with scenes from Ringo's take on "The Three Little Pigs" as extra chubby terrorists who challenge our heroes to Cooking Duels in an over-the-top fashion. It's only when Taro turns off the screen that we find out it was a video.
Saying Too Much: After her bout with Easy Amnesia, Ryoko is walking home with Ringo. Ryoko informs Ringo that she doesn't remember anything from the time where she had regressed to her younger self. When Ringo asks Ryoko if she's hungry, Ryoko tells her she's still full from the parfait she ate. Except she ate that parfait during the time she claims she can't remember. Ringo quickly realizes that Ryoko does indeed remember, and uses that information to blackmail her into wearing a cute little ribbon in her hair.
Selfless Wish: Ringo's reason for being in Otogi Bank after episode 8. She uses her wish to get her half-sister, Himeno, a scholarship so she can afford college.
She Is Not My Girlfriend: Inverted, Ryoshi immediately confesses to Ryoko in episode 1. While the series goes on, she seems to lighten up a little bit, but still largely refuses to acknowledge anything between them. Ringo constantly calls her out on it and teases her about it as a result.
She's Got Legs: Ryoko. One could wonder why she doesn't kick when fighting.
Shout Out: Loads of fairy tales and loads of anime.
Made even funnier considering their enemy, and the one who they were dressing up to undermine, is a pink haired loli with a sadistic streak, voiced by Rie Kugimiya.
Ami also counts. After being given an umbrella by one of the baseball players, she starts sneaking into his house to do chores/make dinner...and roll around in his bed and look at his girly mags. (Ringo, of course, finds this delightful in an even creepier way.)
Stealth Hi/Bye: Ringo does this at least once, and the club president does this as well occasionally.
Storming the Castle: Well, it's a high school, but otherwise played straight. Done twice, once during episode 5, and again in 11.
Sugar and Ice Personality: Alice. Just look at episode 9. In the light novels, she calls Liszt "Likkun" when they're alone together, which she also slips up a does a couple of times in the anime.
Teenage Wasteland: Essentially Onigashima High School, complete with dust flying around and decrepit walls filled with graffiti.
Theme Music Power-Up: The second episode sees the OP start to play when all of the Otogi members show up to save the day.
Same thing happens near the end of the final episode.
There Are No Adults: Well technically there are, but they're pretty nonexistent. Otherwise one would have to wonder how all these fights happen in the first place. Especially at Onigashima High School.
Token Mini Moe: Ringo. She and Usami actually get in a fight about this in Episode 3 because of "character overlap".
Tomboy: Ryoko is one of the more extreme examples of this trope — her syntax and Japanese grammar is completely masculine, up to and including using the coarse-masculine pronoun of "ore" (as opposed to the feminine "watashi" and "atashi") when referring to herself.
Verbal Tic: Ryoshi has a habit of ending his sentences with "~su", a la Prinny.
Ringo has "no" at the end of her sentences thanks to her mother's teachings.
As you might expect from his nickname, Neko-san adds -nya to what he says on occasion. This seems to irritate him quite a bit, since he immediately repeats what he just said, with the -nya taken out.
The three Tonda brothers, aka the Three Little Pigs, invoke this trope with -bu and -buhi, then subvert it when the third one speaks normally.
It's no wonder since said female voice is acted out by the seiyuu of Ritsu
And you can't get more wholesome than crossdressing to be a gal pal/protector for his cousin, Alice. If you're wondering why he's so skilled, he's been doing it since ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Pulled off by Reiko to successfully infiltrate Ryoko and Ringo's dorm.
Yandere: Slightly averted with Otohime since she seems to be deliberately invoking this to pull her own weight in a fight.
0 reviews 