For many, especially fans of the original manga, anime adaptation Hoshi no Samidare (Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer) was one of the disappointments of the season Summer-2022 (July-September). Although the story is the strong point of the work, the quality suffers from inconsistent art and animation, not to mention the infamous opening sequence that shows PNGs of the characters and scenes taken from the episodes, as if They are “very nice AMV”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDzCHEyRYAM
Although the Japanese are quite permissive in this regard, there is one thing they could not forgive: Skipping an ecchi scene. In a scene from the original manga, the character Hangetsu comes up from behind and lifts up the main character Samidare’s skirt, revealing her panties. This was changed in the anime adaptation, where only her skirt is moved slightly during the scene and it is implied that she removed her butt.
This drew mixed comments from Japanese viewers, noting:
- «The author of Hoshi no Samidare agreed on this shit, so it doesn’t matter».
- «I can’t get over how bad the drawings are».
- «Isn’t it weird that panties are banned and socks are safe?».
- «The man’s hair flip feels old fashioned. In fact, not a single hair moves when they walk».
- «Just because the panties are not visible, the scene loses all meaning. If they did not want to show panties, then they would have changed the whole scene.».
- «Even if you’re going to use an angle where the panties aren’t visible, make sure you draw everything else well».
- «It seems that instead of lifting her skirt, he touches her butt, or so he suggests. Does that seem more acceptable to the production?».
- «Adapting a manga that ended about a decade ago is definitely problematic».
- «This is usually a crime in real life».
- «Hasn’t it gone from being a skirt shift to ass groping?».
Summary of Hoshi no Samidare
One day, the talking lizard Sir Noi Crezant approaches college student Yuuhi Amamiya. Crezant immediately delivers a fascinating story: the powerful wizard Animus intends to destroy the Earth with his “biscuit hammer,” a giant contraption that hovers above Earth’s orbit. The Earth has no hope but the princess and her Beast Knights, who are tasked with protecting the princess and defeating Animus.
Yuuhi is chosen as the Lizard Beast Knight and, despite his misgivings, is quickly forced to stop a golem created by the mage. His neighbor, Princess Asahina Samidare, saves him and swears loyalty to her. However, the princess has no intention of saving the world at all. He tells Yuuhi about his true motivations: to stop the Animus from destroying Earth, then to exterminate the planet with his own hand. The two continue to fight off attacks from Animus golems as the remaining Beast Knights slowly gather and learn how to use their powers. But Yuuhi will have to decide for himself whether to follow Asahina’s plans, whom he is getting close to, or save the Earth. In the process, he must face his true self, and determine where his loyalties really lie.
font: Yaraon!
(c) 水上悟志・少年画報社/ある時代の指輪の騎士団
