Today, while I was visiting Funimation.com for news, I stumbled on what appears to be Funimation's trailer for the direct-to-video miniseries "Master of Martial Hearts" (2008. Japanese title: "Zettai Shougeki: Platonic Heart"), which is scheduled for Region 1 DVD release on 09/10/2010. Although I never watched the Anime, I took the time to see some nice pictures minutes later at The Anime Gallery. Coicidentally, I noticed that this Anime has some commonalities with the currently running hit Manga "Battle Vixens" (Japanese Title: "Ikki Tousen"), which I also find amazing pictures of at the Anime Gallery although I never read that Manga either. Here are the few commonalitites I found between the two:
- Hakufu Sonsaku (from "Battle Vixens") and Aya Iseshima (from "Master of Martial Hearts" are protagonists wearing yellowish school sweaters, white school shirts, red neck wears, and red school skirts that have gridline marks on them.
- Both works focus on attractive female characters performing martial arts, although "Battle Vixens" is about reuniting schools and "Master of Martial Hearts" is about fighting for sport over a jewel that can grant a wish to anyone who wins possesion of it.
- Both involve the female fighters getting their outfits ripped in battle. Note that I saw before battles of such in the "Battle Vixens" galleries (only the PG/PG-13 rated types) before seeing the trailer I saw today.
It appears to me that "Battle Vixens" has "Master of Martial Hearts" as a spiritual successor in the same manner that "Space Runaway Ideon" (1980) has "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (1995) as its own. Seeing that the two works are by different companies with each story having its own characters, premise, and character designs, I find it would be dumb for Anime fans to call "Master of Martial Hearts" a "Battle Vixens Rip-off" because calling an Anime a ripoff would look to others as if some fans are acccusing a work of plagiarism. For al you know, it could be a matter of inspiration.
6:47 PM Canada EST
