Ichigo 100%

Genre: Comedy
Format: 12 Episodes
Allegiance: Madhouse Studios
Director: Sekita Osamu
Vintage: 2005
Intelligence Agency Report by: Phate
Manaka Junpei is in a bit of a predicament. While up on the rooftop of the junior high school he attends, a beautiful girl literally falls on top of him. Manaka is immediately attracted to her looks, and especially her strawberry panties. However, before he can get her name, she runs off in embarrassment. Using the notebook she left behind, Manaka begins looking for a girl named Toujo Aya; the girl he finds though, looks completely different. Could this really be the same beautiful girl he had seen on the rooftop?

Field Agent Report by: Lady Sage
Plot
Characters
Impact
Visual
Audio
5.75
5.50
5.00
6.00
7.00
Overall 5.50
(not an average)

Does anyone really expect much out of shonen romance anymore? Not that they can’t be great fun – it’s just that the genre seems to have settled itself in a groove. Ichigo 100% is settled firmly in that groove: hapless, indecisive hero, fanservice, and lots of cute girls. However, with plot even more inane than most of the others of its ilk, this series is hardly worth a backward glance.

Consider, for a moment, its premise. Wearing strawberry panties is hardly a reason to fall in love with a girl, and that is what set the plot in motion. After that, we are expected to take Junpei’s affections for the various girls seriously, since the series is surprisingly uncomedic, despite the ridiculous scenario. Of course, in the grand tradition of shonen romance, Junpei has few desirable qualities beyond being “a decent sort of fellow.” Although some of the female characters are moderately interesting, it’s irritating to see them fawning over a character like Junpei.

Technically, Ichigo 100% isn’t going to win any awards. The music is listenable, but the seiyuu do the characters no favors. The art also takes a significant nosedive after a few episodes; it resembles the quality of about 10 years ago, but is far below par for anything made in this decade.

The shonen formula has been done so many dozens of times. There are so many others that are more worthy of one’s time than this. Go watch Love HinaAi Yori Aoshi, or even Hanaukyo Maid Tai if you must – just not Ichigo 100%.