Divergence Eve: Welcome to the Watcher's Nest, Vol. 1

If one puts faith in the prophecies of anime, the future will see the Earth defended against hostile aliens by armies of giggly teenage girls. In the year 2317, the elite Seraphim Squadron patrols a recently-discovered Inflation Hole, which is sort of an outer space express lane that enables spaceships to travel the galaxy with greater speed and comfort. But the comfort level is seriously compromised by attacks from GHOUL, a hostile extraterrestrial species near the portals. The focus should be on the perils facing the nubile young space cadet Misaki and her alien-smashing comrades Prime Snowlight and Luxandora Freyr; but the real focus for anyone watching the first five episodes in this 13-part series is the bustlines of the female characters (one may assume the animators behind this production spent too much time watching Russ Meyer movies before picking up their paintbrushes, as it seems the average bra size of the Seraphim Squadron women is 44D). In addition, Divergence Eve features gratuitous nudity from one of the characters, who seems to spend most of the series wearing as little clothing as outer space warfare will allow. While the episodes are not lacking in above-standard scientific palaver, with references to astrophysics, the space-time continuum, and parallel galaxies, it is impossible not to be distracted by the gravity-defying physiques of its female characters. Whether the animation is symbolic of anime's traditional misogyny or just old-fashioned smutty fun is debatable. In either case, this dual-language disc, rated 14-up, is an optional purchase. Aud: P. (P. Hall)