Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero

Many anime series feature far-out action-adventure with small, sexy sidebars of "fan service." This "boobie show" (as the English-dub cast calls it during a frank bonus audio commentary) shifts the balance in the other direction. Young people with "summoning syndrome" are suddenly able to teleport to other dimensions of heroic fantasy, often returning home with paranormal mojo. Akatsuki is a cocksure fighter and flippant ladies' man, who is now back in Japan after escapades on the world of Alayzard. Akatsuki brings home a special, oft-naked souvenir: Miu, bosomy daughter of an evildoer Akatsuki slew in battle. Mysteriously sworn to protect the pneumatic, pink-haired princess, Akatsuki passes Miu off as his amnesiac teen sister when both enroll in Babel, a high school studying young returnees from other worlds in order to gauge what magic they've gleaned. Akatsuki claims to be magic-resistant, but sinister types behind Babel have a prophecy that he will become all-powerful, leading forces in two worlds to conspire against the pair. Only halfway through the series do things finally become mildly dangerous and engaging. Presenting all 12 episodes from 2012 in a dual-language Blu-ray/DVD Combo set, rated TV-MA, extras include episode commentaries and short comedy videos (that raise the T&A quotient even higher). Optional, at best. (C. Cassady)