Super Gals! Vol. 6: A Gal's Heart Never Stops 2001 ADV Films Official Japanese Website Buy It Now

The Gals are back and ready to teach us more of their wisdom and their ironclad rules. This, the sixth volume, marks the end of the first season of Super Gals, and although ADV has yet to announce any official release date for the beginning of the second season, we can at least take some time out to learn the latest rule, and that is that "A Gal's Heart Never Stops!"

Really, Super Gals is one of those series that you either love or hate, and I don't see too much leeway going either way. It's definitely not a series that someone can simply state that it's okay and leave it at that. Being a slice of life series, it takes the typical Japanese reality of a kogal and turns the volume up a notch or three. Yes, the Gals have had some wild adventures so far and been placed in some far-fetched circumstances, but that also doesn't mean that there isn't any reason to stop for a moment and take a more serious approach, and that's really the underlying theme at times with the volume.

We've learned a bit about Miyu's past as far as her relationship with Ran is concerned, and the two have been through quite a bit together, but there's more to Miyu than meets the eye. The poor gal comes from a broken home, and she often spends many a lonely night by herself, bottling her feelings up inside. Her mother, who we do get a brief chance to meet, really is very unconcerned about her daughter for the most part, and it's interesting to get another look at the gal that we usually see as easy going and carefree. It's a good thing that she has Yamato though, and although he does tend to be extraordinarily busy with work, he is always there for her when he has a moment.

The Gals also deal with another issue that is more or less true to life, and that's a teacher that puts himself far above his students to the extent of punishing one by ostracizing them in class. I've seen it happen and been a part of it as well, but you should know how ran is at this point. This isn't the type of thing that she's going to take lightly, and she always stands up for what she believes in, even though it does tend to get her in trouble quite often.

But aside from true to life situations, the Gals deal with everything else under the sun. There's an episode that finds Ran taking fortune telling too far, a Gal gets engaged, and in a strange turn of events, Ran even gives up being a Gal for a brief period and ends up becoming one of the greatest junior detectives that Shibuya has ever seen. Don't worry, we get our old Ran back, and it's just a passing phase and she does come back to her senses. I'm sure though one question that is on everyone's mind is what ever happens, if anything, between Ran and Yuya. Well, there is a second season, and we'll just have to wait until that starts up to find out, but just so you know, at this point, there really is no change at all.

I still haven't been overly impressed with the extras that have been placed on the Super Gals DVD's. Yes, the clean versions of the open and close are on here, and I still am fairly partial to the opening theme, but I really don't need to see it without the text overlaid. This installment of The Super Gals Explain it All really isn't one of the gals this time, but Naka-Teach. However, I still am not a fan of having the dub actors take this role on, and it really doesn't come across as being as authentic as it could if the Japanese seiyuu were used. Lastly, once again there is an enclosed poster, this time it's Kuroi, and the reverse gives us the dirt on some of the more strange terms that you certainly aren't going to learn in your Japanese class. Hey, a Gal has to have her own slang.

Like many other anime series that are going to have another series, Super Gals doesn't end with a cliffhanger, and in fact, that seems to be more of an American concept, dating back of course to CBS' marketing campaign of "Who Shot JR?" Instead, Super Gals manages to keep things moving, doesn't opt for the interconnected episodes, and just plays itself out just as it always has, and much like a Chinese meal, it leaves you satisfied, but you're just craving more 30 minutes after the disc has finished. Ran will be back, along with Aya and Miyu at some point, we're just not really sure when. So, while the Gals take a hiatus, there really is no reason to not pick this up if you're already a fan of the series. I will once again point out that it isn't going to be a series for everyone, but those that do appreciate the Gals are going to once again find a great deal of entertainment with this volume.

Episode 23 - Tear it Off © Rip, Rip! ~ Teacher's Golden Image!

Ran's class might have been successful in winning the school Sports Day, but their victory is having horrible repercussions. A girl from one of the losing classes is having all the blame placed on her for losing, and now no one in the class will speak to her. However, it's their teacher that's caused that, and after Ran gets on his bad side, he decides to find a way to humiliate her, and that's going to bring him and her head-to-head.

Episode 24 - Off to Machida © The Monkey Leaves ~ Tatusichi Gets Dumped?!

Ran and the Gals have discovered a new fortune-telling program for their cell phones, and it seems to be extremely accurate. After having a bout with good luck, Ran's fortune suddenly takes a nose dive, and it just keeps getting worse causing her to avoid Tatsui or fall into misfortunate. However, he takes things the wrong way, but how could he not when he sees Ran with Yuya after she had said she couldn't hang out with him?

Episode 25 - Yamato © Dead Serious ~ Yamato Proposes?!

Miyu is having a rough time. Her mother is never around, her tuition has been late, and she doesn't want to rely on anyone but herself. She and the rest of the Gals end up getting a part time job selling pastries (and Ran ends up in a very humiliating position) but the storeowner has another job in mind for Miyu, and it's not selling pastries. Yamato however has something planned that might change Miyu's life completely.

Episode 26 - Hard Working © Super Cop~ Ran Kotobuki

Ran wins a pillow in a raffle that is supposed to help with learned. However, when it keeps her awake, she puts a police magazine on it in hopes of keeping the electronic gizmo quite. To everyone's surprise, Ran suddenly goes through a complete change. She gives up being a Gal, she gets serious about studying, and more importantly, she has aspirations of being a detective and takes that desire to the streets to fight crime. Is this the end of Shibuya's greatest Super Gal? Has the world gone mad, or will Ran go back to her usual self?

-mike-