One more swing and miss and it would have been a strikeout which is no way to make an anime…
Credit to nylon66 for the original images.
Anime
Strike the Blood III BD Volume 5 released today and nylon66 has early images.
Unfortunately, it’s a 10-episode OVA instead of a TV series. And there were months between volumes (like with StB II). Fortunately, StB III has more fanservice scenes than the TV series. Even if just barely. Thus continuing a trend that started with Strike the Blood OVA and Strike the Blood II.
The surprise this time is nipples in episode 9 then not one but two missed opportunities in episode 10. At least they didn’t end the series with three straight episodes without nipples. But stingy is as stingy does. Not nearly enough food to fill the bellies of ecchi fans after eight episodes of low calorie meals. Even worse, they whiffed on two chances to show nipples in episode 10…
StB has been pretty good about having some nipples even if just a few every couple of episodes ever since it shifted from a TV series to OVA series. Until this OVA series. Unfortunately this BD volume was not nearly enough. Even if there was a little bit of other kinds of service. Overall, this volume seemed a bit stingy when it comes to fanservice….
And now they are out of time since this is the last volume. No more episodes are left…
Stitches
Snapshots
Omake
Impressions
Welp that was a bit disappointing. Even if a very early impression. Even if ecchi fans finally got to see some nipples again. Even if underwear shots and ass shots were somewhat nice and sensual. Ditto for the vampire sucking shots… The two whiffs on nipples leave a bad taste in the mouth. Not quite a hit, not quite a strikeout. More like a walk or a balk. Confounding…..
Is it just me or do the faces of the main girls seem to be more derpy than they used to be? More like CG and less like 2D? Especially in episode 02. Why? Why mess with a good thing??? It seems to have improved somewhat but still looks different from StB I & II and the OVA.
Strike the Blood staff used to have a good handle on what works for them. Plot that doesn’t forget the PLOT. But plot and characters first and foremost. With PLOT in measured doses. Which worked as long as they continued to deliver quality over quantity.
Problem is that they ran out of time. When StB switched from TV series format to OVA format, there have been nipples roughly every other episode. Or roughly 50% of the episodes. Until StB III that is. StB III finished 3 for 10 or 30%. With two whiffs in episode 10 which would have made it 40% and closer to their batting average. But 30% is almost half the previous rate. Not what ecchi fans expected based on the previous three series. Such a shame…
To be honest, if the StB staff was so intent on cramming in so much plot to the detriment of PLOT, fans would have been much better served with a one-cour TV show instead of a 10-episode OVA. StB had about as much fanservice as the TV show. Maybe a little more. But only 4 scenes would have needed to be censored. Better would have been one or two more OVA episodes to allow the plot to be spread out and leave more time to work in measured doses of PLOT like StB used to do…
I’m still a fan. Even if StB III seems to be a step or two backwards. And I still find StB entertaining to watch again and make media from. But they can and have done better…
Notes
This is just an early look at StB III Volume 5 done for news purposes.
