The dubbed version of this is available for free viewing on Hulu. Despite the humor I talk about, this series gets a PG-15 (possibly even a PG-17, depending upon parental involvement) rating for the violence (some street fighting as well as martial arts fighting) and the "sexual thoughts". While it is for the younger crowd, the anime kids are still in high school and they all have hormones. Let's face it, boys at that age usually think about one thing - seeing a girl naked! :). Overall, it's a humorous look at teen sexuality, relationships and friendship dynamics. But when considering Glee, School Rumble is also something that can be enjoyed as a family and possibly used for ice-breaking talking points on many levels! For example, there are some points where one guy acts like a perv, and another acts like an idiot, but most of the girls consider them both jerks and let them know it...all the time! Maybe not in the best way, but that's where parental talking points come in.
Following are some thoughts I experienced as I watched the series:
Season 1: First Term
I've barely got through the first episode, when I realized I had to note how humorous the dubbed version is. It's definitely made for young audiences from what I can tell just from the opening couple of scenes.
At the heart of this tale, it's about a 16 year old girl, Tenma Tsukamoto, who's not the brightest bulb in the pack, but in love with Oji Karasuma, an eccentric and mysterious boy, professes his love to him in an unintentionally anonymous letter. Talk about embarrassing! However, she feels her efforts are for naught anyway because he's supposed to be transferring to another school the next day.
She gets to her classroom to see Karasuma sitting at his desk only to find out that he delayed his transfer, and rumor has it that it was because of some letter...her letter! Talk about pressure! Now she has to figure out how to tell him it's her letter without freaking out.
Except, there's going to be one problem throughout this series, and that's going to be school delinquent and bad-ass fighter, Kenji Harima. He seems even less intelligent than Tenma, however, as time continues, you realize that's not necessarily the case. Everyone but Tenma is afraid of him. He now shows up to school everyday in an effort to find a way to tell her he's in love with her.
Karasuma is clueless to Tenma's feelings for him, Tenma is clueless to Kenji's feelings for her. However, in episode 1, I did notice that Karasuma made a point to say, "Hello," to Tenma's blonde-haired friend, Eri, so it should be interesting to see how this turns out.
There are also warning throughout the entire series that crack me up, but I suppose they are more of a "let's cover our asses" thing. For example, in season one episode two, Tenma ends up stuck in the girls' bathroom because Karasuma happens to be outside the door. She's not really stuck, but her feelings for him cause her to feel so embarrassed that she just can't leave and risk him seeing her. She decides to throw a mop to distract him, but just as she throws the mop, Harima walks by, and gets hit by it! Now he's furious because he has no idea Tenma's the one who threw it. She goes back to the janitor's closet to find something else, but the only left is a plunger or two.
For some unknown reason, she took one of the plungers out and was playing with it. She had it against the wall, repeatedly pushing it in and out until it got stuck against the wall. It took considerable force to get it unstuck from the wall. However, this gives her the idea of using the two plungers to scale down the outside of the school building.
Sounds impossible, right? Well, there's an actual warning accompanying the shot that says, "Impossible stunt. Do not attempt."
No offense, but it is a freaking animated program! Who would be dumb enough to actually try that? If there are any kids dumb enough to think that it would actually work, then we seriously have to think about what our children aren't learning, lol!
To matters even more hilarious and embarrassing, when Tenma reaches the bottom of the school wall, someone asks, "Are you okay?" Imagine her utter shock to find Karasuma standing there! She tells she's okay. Then he says, "Well, just be careful. You're lucky you didn't get hurt." He says it so matter-of-factly too. That's what makes it so funny. She's so mortified at the end of the scene that I couldn't help but laugh.
Just to give you another example of the kind of humorous stuff that goes on, I'll tell you some more of what happens in season one episode two. It's physical examination day at school - yeah, that's part of what makes Japanese schools different than American schools, not to mention the uniforms (I believe even public schools have a uniform dress code). Anyway, Tenma is sooo gone for Karasuma that she wants to know everything about him, including his height and weight. Since she's no good at judging - and rather than asking one of her friends - she comes up with a plan to infiltrate the school's examination area by pretending to be a nurse. Her friends are very used to her by now, and get a kick our of watching her, to see what she does next. They don't stop her to find out why she's doing this, nor do they tell her how ridiculous her idea actually is but watch her for their own amusement. Nice friends, huh? Oh the sarcasm, can't avoid it with this show!
So, she gets all dressed up - okay, color me an outsider, but I find a bit odd that she just happens to know where the nurse outfits are, or that she just happens to have one in her locker - and makes it all the way in to the exam room only to find Harima posing as a young doctor! (Yeah, he came up with the same idea she did!) Rather than go into this, that's where they choose to end this episode! Like I said, this series is just too funny!
Season 1, Episode 8 has some cheesy version of Star Wars in it called, Comet Wars! Again, way too funny!
Episode 9 - anime within an anime - I love it! Harima is just too funny!
Episode 10 - the truth of Karasuma's love interest is revealed! :)! I'm not telling! You'll have to watch to figure it out!
Episodes 9 and 10 are the best so far and they put such an interesting spin on the entire show!
This series just keeps getting better and better! While somewhat silly at times, it's still got some complex character development going on. Tenma, while 16, is much more immature than Kagome Higurashi (InuYasha) was at 15. However, Tenma's naivete allows for some very interesting situations!
As goofy as it is, I like the lighthearted look at relationships and they way we flub things up when we try so hard! It gives a great message, if one decides to look between the "frames".
Season 1, Episodes 24-26 are so bizarre, confusing and you can't tell what's really going on - a graphic novel in an anime - I love it! It's a great effect and comedic way to deal with the harder realities of feelings. I keep hoping for Karasuma and Tenma - I can't help it! I also like the strange combination of Harima and Tenma's sister, Yakumo. Due to the somewhat exaggerated dialogue in the dubbed version - and because the dubbed versions are never quite what the subtitled versions are - I'm now curious to see what the subtitled versions are like. If nothing else, the English dubbed versions are definitely good for a laugh as I was literally laughing out loud at the goofy situations and how the characters handled them.
Season 2: Second Term
The story continues - Will Harima ever confess his love for Tenma? Will Tenma ever find out how Karasuma feels?
It had it's funny moments, but as I reached episode 24, I began to worry that it would be all funny and no resolution would occur. However, Episodes 25 and 26 sure made up for all the goofiness that lead up to it.
Season 3: Third Term
While there were many, many viewers that wanted to see an entire Season 3, but alas, it was never to be. However, there is what's called an OVA. It's basically Season 3 smashed down in to 2 episodes. In a way, I kind of liked this, for the end anyway. The only way to watch it, though, is subtitled. You might find it dubbed, but I'm not sure.
This is where the story culminates. I really liked this because you finally got to learn Karasuma's true feelings, and the real story behind his aloofness about a lot of things, including Tenma! There isn't much room for silliness, as there's a lot of seriousness in these final two episodes to cover. A couple of times, I actually realized I was tearing up - okay, that could have been hormones, but still, the voice acting was really good!
This series is a definite watch!
visit the wikipage: School Rumble!
To watch season 3, visit: www.animecrazy.net
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