Review of: Level C

This is: Anime
Availability: DVD by Media Blasters!
Review by: LS

THE STATS:
Plot: -2
Characters: 2
Bedroom Action: 3.5 for sheer amount
Bishie rating: 4 for every character except the uke
Yaoi rating: 3.5
Anime rating: -1

According to the back of the DVD case, Level C is about “Mizuki, is a popular male fashion model with a promising future. When the mysterious Haruno sees him, she wants to make him the centerpiece for her company's latest promotion. To lure Mizuki in, she calls on the talents of her twin brother, Kazo. He is quick to seduce the young supermodel, but things soon escalate beyond business as usual. As Kazo's feelings run away with him, it looks like true love for him and Mizkuki.” Perhaps that is what the manga is about but that is certainly NOT what this anime is about. Let me be clear – Level C has no plot. It is for all intents and purposes an animated PWP. If you watch this anime thinking that it has a storyline (which I did) you will be severely disappointed (which I was). There is a sort of frame story but it was so ridiculous, farfetched and unnecessary that I felt insulted by the very fact that it had been thrown in to give the story the illusion of having a point. Kazuomi, young, handsome and currently homeless because his last lover kicked him out, bumps into Mizuki on the street. Mizuki, whose intelligence is inversely proportional to his alleged prettiness, promptly invites Kazuomi home and offers him a place to stay. Kazuomi cannot pay Mizuki back with money so he eventually covers his rent with sex. The rest of the anime is concerned with the aforementioned sex. Oh, and there is a tacked on ending where everyone declares their love for everyone else.

In addition to the complete absence of any story, Level C has one of the most annoying ukes ever animated. I personally despise dewy-eyed bishounen that cry for absolutely no reason and Mizuki’s waterworks never shut off. He may as well have been a woman except that no woman is that weak and effeminate. His character design is lacking as well. While the other male characters do not approach the beauty of say, Iason Mink or Riki the Dark, they are cute or handsome. All you notice about Mizuki are his eyes, not because they are beautiful but because they are HUGE. If his eyes had been any bigger there would not have been room in his skull for his pea-sized brain. Alas, even the extended bedroom scene could not save Level C. While there is a lot of sex it is more like strange, pretend mime sex because their genitals are transparent. Yes transparent. There is nothing there. This convention may work in manga but animated it just looks too weird. And Mizuki would not stop weeping. If you are determined collect every piece of yaoi anime out there, Level C is a necessary part of your video library. If you like some plot and character development, if you want there to be a reason for the handsome seme to suddenly declare undying love for the idiot uke, if you do not want mime sex, just borrow this title from a friend.

OK, I did like one thing about this title: Miki Shinichirou is the voice of Kazuomi and Koyasu Takehito has a cameo as Mizuki’s older brother.

What this anime taught me: A new Japanese word – Kimochi ii.