|
Wedding Peach
Anime DVD Review
Don't be fooled into thinking that this is just another Sailor Moon copycat... Well, it is, but don't let that fool you. Or stop you from enjoying the hilarious zaniness that is Wedding Peach. ("Wedding Peach is extremely displeased!")
Wedding Peach is remarkable for the complexity of the transformation sequences, the literal use of metaphors, and its unrestrained and unabashed romanticism (yes, the antagonist of the series really is harmed by "love waves").
This anime series is also bizarre and ridiculous as hell, with elaborate transformational sequences that even make "Sailor Moon" look inhibited (I hope you're not afraid of (near) nudity), as this team of dedicated heroines confront evil forces by magically changing their outfits into full Western wedding regalia!
 And if that's not enough, when they want to really kick butt, they have to transform again into jewel-armored miniskirted leotards with golden garters....
And the bad guys have to patiently wait for the transformations to complete. Don't assume for a second anyone is taking this seriously, certainly, the production studio wasn't, they were clearly having a ball with the thing...
From the pages of the equally bizarre manga comes the mysterious magenta-haired and yellow-ribboned schoolgirl Momoko, known secretly as "Wedding Peach", who defends the Earth with heart-shooting and perfume-wafting weapons of love -- and her 2 friends -- and her chubby little yellow love-imp who flies and talks. Lots of magic action, boy trouble, beautiful clothes, and jewelry. And magical jewelry. And some more magical jewelry.
And then some more magical jewelry. Hey, did we mention the magical jewelry?
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, June 2009
Wedding Peach
Manga Review
In what can only be described as "something like Sailor Moon", Wedding Peach is a shoujo manga with an excellent pedigree. Wedding Peach does have A LOT of thigs in common with Sailor Moon, but, of course, we like that about the series. Momoko is a lot like Usagi, sleeps in, klutzy, kind of a cry baby, though while Usagi dislikes all the fighting at the beginning of the series Momoko is more willing to jump into a battle and beat the bad guys.
 True to the title, the girls perform their magical battle transformation into wedding dresses (rather than sailor uniforms). Combat in wedding dresses? Man, I'd hate to take the stains outta that!
"Ai Tenshi Densetsu Wedding Peach," or "The Legendary Angel of Love, Wedding Peach," was written by Tomita Sukehiro and drawn by Nao Yazawa, running in Ciao magazine and collected into six tankoban. The story revolves around twelve year old Hanasaki Momoko, Tanima Yuri and Tamano Hinagiku, who have been best friends since before they can remember despite the striking differences in their personalities. Even fighting over the same boy can't pull them apart.
One day, Momoko is attacked by a strange man named Pluie, who claims he wants her ring; she refuses to give it up, as it's her last memento of her dead mother. Before Pluie can steal it, a blonde man appears out of the sky, introducing himself as Limone and telling Momoko it is her duty, and destiny, to fulfill her role as the Love Angel Wedding Peach and fight demons. Momoko does so, and is soon followed by Yuri and Hinagiku who become Angel Lily and Angel Daisy, respectively. Together, they must uncover the mystery of just what Pluie and his people are after, and stop them before they destroy all love on Earth.
Where Sailor Moon depended far too much on Tuxedo Mask to save them (this was a complaint among many fans), Wedding Peach has stronger heroines, and despite being a cheesy Sailor Moon rip-off gone horribly wrong, it actually presents a better female-role-model situation than it's predecessor. These girls save their own butts and look good doing it.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, December 2006
Below: Images from the Wedding Peach TV show.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
